Book Burning

I just finished reading Fahrenheit 451.  It is set in the future in a society that is, in a very extreme way, like ours.  Guy Montag is a fireman.  Instead of helping stop fires though, he starts them.  He is a book burner.  But he doesn't realize really what he is doing in the beginning.

I feel very strongly about book burning and the book burning mentality.  I think it is one of the worst things ever.  I can't even describe completely how horrible, ugly, and wrong I think it is.  Now you might be thinking, nobody burns books!  In this country maybe, but in others and in history it pops up. 

Here is the thing- people might believe that ideas come from books.  That was what people thought in Fahrenheit 451, that's what Ancient Chinese emperor Qin Shi Huang and others might have thought.  I think that books might help plant ideas, but I don't believe that is where they are from!  The emperor thought that by burning books he would unite people more.  I believe that by doing such a horrible thing, aside from killing scholars and building the Great Wall, that he was setting up even more that it was before a him vs. everybody else mentality. 

What was upsetting about Fahrenheit 451 was that so many things were the more extreme version of what is already happening!  They said that people didn't really miss books.  Really, I think that's pretty true!  Many people like watching TV or playing video games or the like, over reading.

The other thing that was very upsetting for me was just thinking about burning books.  Can you imagine how horrible it would be to lose them?  Classics hundreds of years old, history that will never again be taught, because nobody knows!  Ideas and religions!  Ash.  Blowing away.  Lost.  Forever.

And now, even though people don't literally burn books, they have the book burning mentality.  You shouldn't read this book becasue it has this in it, you shouldn't read this book becuase it says this, they are bad books, dirty books, you shouldn't read this book because, because, because.... why?  Do you really think that people learn all about sex, drugs, suicide, homosexuality, violence and the like by reading a book?  Really?  If the reason you don't want to read a book is because you don't want to taint your soul, then you should never venture out into the world.  TV should be banned.  So should computers.  Songs should be banned too. 

The reason I did this post is because I read this article about Twilight being on the top list of books that parents disapprove of.  But that's not all.  It was talking about all of these books that have been on the list for some time now.  "To Kill a Mockingbird" was on the list.  It made me sick.

"I have no eyes, fingers or toes."

I received this email today.  It is a bit disturbing so if you are faint of heart I would advise - don't read :)  But anyways, here is the question, how did "Freddy" type this email if he has no fingers?  If you were mad about having your fingers, eyes and toes cut out and wanted revenge wouldn't you say something about your killer and go torture him?  Also- your email gives people no information about your address so how would he find you, really?  Wouldn't a little 10 year old boy being mauled my some sick psychopath be in the news somewhere?  Rewards for the person responsible?  Why have we not heard about that?  And really like some 10 year old who can't see is going to break into our house?  Really?  Why are people forwarding this kind of trash???  Why, oh why???  Anyway... here is the email - I didn't fix any of the grammatical errors but I guess I will have to cut him some slack if he is typing with his nose.

"To late now, you can't delete it once it's opened. Your cursed. My name is Freddy I'm 10 years and I have
no eyes, fingers or toes. They were cut out while I slept. I am seeking revenge. I will hide under your bed and wait for everyone to be asleep, then I will get you...Unless.


You need to send this to at least 20 people in the next 20min. to be safe."

Really?  Really?  Am I living in a bad 80s Friday the 13th movie or something?

SpongeBob Monopoly

I was playing Monopoly with my little brother the other day and was totally getting wooped up by the 8 year old!
Now, usually I rule.  And he used to get very upset, very upset.  Like, he would go storm to his room and cry it off.  I wasn't being cruel either!

So we play a little differently, let some of the rules slide and make up our own.  Like, we can buy things with no money, just write down an IOU for later.  We would also trade properties for others, and trade them to get out of the hole a hotel can create when you land on it over and over and over and over and...

Also, we always start with $500 in the middle, and whenever you have to pay a tax or hit a space or money not related to other players, we throw it in the Kitty.  When you hit the Free Parking space, you get the jackpot.  Whenever someone gets it, we throw in $500 again.

So- I usually win because I am smart.  I buy good spaces.  And Duncs... well lets just say he buys what he likes.  We always play the Spongebob version.  I get the dark blue spaces (Spongebob's pineapple and the KK) and the transportation spaces.  I also pick up odds and ends, good spaces and try get the set.

But Duncan buys the purple and light blue spaces (Patrick's rock, weenie hut jr., somthing else, the Chum Bucket, and Plankton's lab) 

As the game goes on, Duncan racks in the money by hitting Parking place at LEAST 10 times.  He buys Krusty Krab's (hotels) and I slowly die and burn.  He has so many 500s that I ran out, and had to write a $6000 slip to go with his still abundant supply.  This went on forever!  I would owe him, like 1500, and he would feel sorry for me and let me get away with a property for like 500 when I hit Patrick's rock.  Finally I gave up and for the first time, mortgaged my properties (gasp!) to pay it off.

I ended with a "Well, I ran out of money, good job Duncan!  Good game!"  Which I hope was convincing 'cause it sure as heck wasn't.  That little boy.  He humbly accepts my congrats, and says "Yeah, it was fun."  Then runs out to tell Mason that, "I BEAT AMBER!!!!"  Mmmm hmmmm, I see how he is.

Organizing

Hiya! I hope you are all proud of me... 'cause I took the incentive and cleaned my "Shelf 'O Junk" and made it look really nice. I only have the bottom part with all my books in the picture, but I also have the fish tank I cleaned up... and as a reward I got a new goldfish for it today! I was very happy with myself. So, let's look at the before and after pictures, shall we???

Bye!

SICK

OK, 3 people in my family are sick or were sick yesterday. I CAN NOT GET SICK!!!