The World Is Too Much With Us

The World Is Too Much With Us, Response

Poetry has always been difficult for me to understand and interpret. People, when they write poetry, feel like they can express themselves or a message they want to get across when they put their thoughts on paper. In “The World Is Too Much With Us”, by William Wordsworth, he wants to get a unique message across about the world and how we treat it. Yes, I like this poem because it talks about the world and poetically offers somewhat factual statements that nature is turning into urbanization because of human actions. There is too much in the way of material things for us in the world to appreciate from electronics to cars. We’re concerned too much about money “we waste our power” and energy and are always trying to reach certain material goals with the money we do have or make.   Leaving us to believe being materialistic means you are being destructive and show great greed.  Even though material things appear to make most happy and show advancement in the world in a variety of ways it can also feed the greed that has one believing they always need more.

The poem is trying to say that people were beginning to destroy nature in the early ages.   The relationship between mankind and nature is mostly at the hands of us humans.  “Like sleeping flowers” shows us he is trying to tell us nature is vulnerable and can easily be mistreated.  We have become too civilized, perhaps, that most people don’t even see the beauty in nature anymore. People started to pollute nature without even knowing it “late” meaning in the past and “soon” indicating our future will be polluted or destroyed by us as well. Everyone started to move from their bungalows and retreats in the forest to the city otherwise known as urbanization.

This poem is romantic as he regards the “sea” as a female and baring “her bosom to the moon”.   Also used “for this, for everything, we are out of tune” generally seems to imply that mankind is out of tune with nature, and thus unable to live in harmony.  Wordsworth also used “I”, “us” and “we” to have your empathy and to have you feel what he was feeling. He is glorifying that this poem is still true to this day. With all the factories polluting the earth and not cleaning things up enough, people driving cars every day, cutting trees that don’t need to be cut, and all for what really?  “The World is too much for us” with people overusing things and species being killed from humans making mistakes the world, indeed, may be too much for us.

Celtic Tiger

 
Ireland at first in the 1900’s had a difficult time with their economy. Their emigration (people leaving their country) rate was high.
Then when the early 2000’s came about Ireland had begun to turn themselves around. They begun to see rapid growth, openness to global markets and lower tax rates which in turn gave more profit to the people. Irelands tax rate was 12.5% which compared to the US’s at 35% was really good. Ireland made sure college was affordable so everyone could have the chance to go. 
Then everything changed… When this Irish Boom happened people started to go crazy buying land, building and taking out massive bank loans that would take years to pay off. During the Celtic Tiger people wanted the most expensive food they could find. Gas prices rose 270%, property values plummeted and banks began to fail because no one could pay them back. The government then began to go bankrupt. Kids were being ripped off of education, by only going to school 1 and 1/2 days. 14.6% of the population was laid off or out of work.
 
During the 1950s in the U.S., we were starting to allow imported cars from Japan and other countries would soon follow.  The Bank of America offered the very first credit card and Bell Labs scientists invented the first laser.   Record companies started recording and selling records such as Motown Records.   Fast food chains like McDonald’s starting being seen throughout the U.S.  In the 60s, the first Wal-Mart store opened in Arkansas and the first K-Mart in Detroit, Michigan.   Blue Ribbon Sports (later becomes NIKE) sells a shoe that takes the nation by storm!   Gap stores were being seen and the first Sesame Street is broadcast in the 60s as well.   In the 70x FEDEX starts to service over 25 of our states and continues to eventually service the world!  Also in the 70s, Bill Gates and Paul Allen form Microsoft and the world of personal computers would forever be changed.   In the late 70s, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak form Apple Computer Company and sell their first personal computers.  We all know they went on to thrive in this area.   Toys R Us revives the employee stock option as an employee benefit.   Home Depot was also born near the end of the 70s.  Ted Turner starts CNN, a first 24 hour cable news station.   In the 80s, IBM sells the first personal computer using the Microsoft Disk Operating System (MS-DOS).
Apple introduces the Macintosh computer, which includes such features as a mouse and graphical user interface.    AT&T is divided up into seven regional phone companies.   AOL is born! 
In the 90s,   Jeffrey Katzenberg, Steven Spielberg, and David Geffen join forces to form a new entertainment company, DreamWorks SKG.   General Electric launches www.ge.com , becoming the first Fortune 500 company to go online.   Jeff Bezos opens Amazon.com on the Internet, offering one million titles.   AT&T splits again into three companies and Lucent Technologies is born.   Time Warner buys Turner Broadcasting System.   Microsoft and General Electric (owner of NBC) launch computer/television network MSNBC.   The Boeing Company merges with McDonnell Douglas.
2000 though 2007:   Reflecting the growth of its discount stores, Dayton Hudson changes its name to Target Corporation.  Children's Television Workshop changes its name to Sesame Workshop.   Amazon.com posts its first profit, $5.1 million in the fourth quarter.    America Online purchases Time Warner, forming AOL Time Warner.   Kmart Corporation files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.  January 20, the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States took place.  Unemployment was at an all time high and troops were still in Iraq and Iran.  President Obama just recently made the declaration that the U.S. will be withdrawing from there by the end of the year.  Businesses continue to struggle and unemployment still stands at an all time high.  New college graduates are finding it more difficult than ever to find a job.  The economy looks and feels depressed.
Income
 Rural *
Urban *
Total
Per-capita income (2010 dollars)
2009 31,221 41,127 39,483
2010 31,798 41,546 39,937
Percent change 1.8 1.0 1.1
Earnings per job (2010 dollars)
2009 36,872 53,335 50,917
2010 37,752 54,117 51,714
Percent change 2.4 1.5 1.6
Poverty rate (percent)
1979 15.9 11.6 12.4
1989 17.3 12.2 13.1
1999 14.8 11.9 12.4
2010 (latest model-based estimates) 17.8 14.8 15.3
More information on United States poverty rates
• County-level Poverty Data
• Rural Income, Poverty, and Welfare Briefing Room
Employment
 Rural *
Urban *
Total
Total number of jobs
2009 25,585,991 148,622,809 174,208,800
2010 25,512,180 148,255,220 173,767,400
Percent employment change
2008-2009 -3.6 -3.7 -3.6
2009-2010 -0.1 -0.2 -0.1
2010-2011 0.6 0.9 0.9
Unemployment rate (percent)
2010 9.2 9.7 9.6
2011 8.4 9.0 8.9
More information on United States unemployment rates
• County-level Unemployment and Median Household Income Data
• Rural Labor and Education Briefing Room

More information on United States unemployment rates
• County-level Unemployment and Median Household Income Data
• Rural Labor and Education Briefing Room
In contrast to the U.S., Ireland in the 50s, 60s and 70s, offered Agriculture as  the most important sector, but is now dwarfed by industry and services.   Industry accounts for 46% of GDP, about 80% of exports, and 29% of the labor force.   Although exports remain the primary engine for Ireland's growth today, the economy has also benefited from a rise in consumer spending, construction, and business investment.   Per capita GDP is 40% above that of the four big European economies and the second highest in the EU behind Luxembourg.   Over the past decade, the Irish Government has implemented a series of national economic programs designed to curb price and wage inflation, reduce government spending, increase labor force skills, and promote foreign investment. Ireland joined in circulating the euro on 1 January 2002 along with 11 other EU nations.  According to various World Fact online sources, the main industries in Ireland, in order of importance, currently are:  steel, lead, zinc, silver, aluminum, barite, and gypsum mining processing; food products, brewing, textiles, clothing; chemicals, pharmaceuticals; machinery, rail transportation equipment, passenger and commercial vehicles, ship construction and refurbishment; glass and crystal; software, tourism, there were also football,baseballs,and basketballs.

Group Travel and Irish Museum

Our group travel system works by having us in small enough groups so, teachers can be responsible for only a few numbers of students. This way they can count if all their students are their fast and it is more efficient then taking attendance everywhere we go and taking 20 minutes to do that. It’s necessary because you will know if you have left anyone behind or if someone is late for getting up. It also keeps everyone safe and accountable for being on time. The painting stood out to me because, they were very ornate and different. I also never knew that in Ireland some people spoke and read Gaelic. Irish was first called 'Gaelic' or 'Goidelic' ('Gaeilge' is the Irish word for the language).

I think the lesson to be learned is never be late or leave without checking in with your teacher. We just need to learn to be responsible and to do what is right. To speed up when we’re walking and know that the teachers are not kidding when they say something. Also know what shoes to bring because walking 5 miles in boots, I am sure is not comfortable.

Tyler Interview

Tyler MacNiven Interview

Tyler MacNiver a wild, crazy and outspoken guy who has changed the meaning of adventure to me. When I first think of adventure, I think of going to a new place, experiencing new things, doing things you haven’t done before. Tyler’s adventures are outrageous when he walked the length of Japan, went to Cuba to wrestle 1,000 Mongolians, spoke with Fidel Castro and one that I think is the most amazing is winning the amazing race. When we got the amazing chance to interview Tyler, I got to ask the first question. Nerves were racing through me…

          When I asked my question he was very nice and gave very in depth answers. I asked “where you nervous to take on this adventure alone?” He responded with “yeah a little bit nervous”. He knew it was a very safe country, He was just more nervous about being able to finish more than anything.

    He said he studied for 3 months before going and the classes we are taking we are learning things about Ireland and England. The things he said will change my trip for the better. I will want to have a great learning experience abroad, but I will also want to talk to locals and learn about their lives. I think it would be cool to take pictures with a clerk in a store, so I can remember those people when I look back on this journey. Tyler said “Give yourself a mission, 1 unique project well you’re their”. I hopefully will be able to do this and I know I will have an adventure of a lifetime.

Beowulf

 There is proof within the writings of Beowulf that point to the writer being of the Christian faith as it was understood at the time or at least having knowledge of the Christian faith to support his writings.   "And sometimes they [the frightened warriors] sacrificed to the old stone gods. Made heathen vows, hoping for Hell's support, the Devil's guidance in driving their affliction off. That was their way, and the heathen's only hope, Hell always in their hearts, knowing neither God nor His passing as He walks through our world, the Lord of Heaven and earth; their ears could not hear His praise nor know His glory."  Today, many movie goers see the same thought process brought to life as the very understanding you get from the previous quote above.  Beowulf, the God-empowered hero as he is written about, shows how good will win over evil in the end every time.  In a movie released in 2011, The Adjustment Bureau, there are many references to “God-empowered hero” throughout the entire plot.  “God-empowered” is not  considered a new or old idea but a constant idea that can be used over and over to get a message across whether in written form or on the big screen. Furthermore, Beowulf is seemingly afraid of nothing.   He might be written in such a way that we would compare him to a superhero in the comic books today such as Spiderman or Superman.  Beowulf has a great sense of pride and his fearlessness made him a great hero proving that volunteering his life did not go unnoticed.  “Pressed? Yet I survived the sea, smashed.  The monsters’ hot jaws, swam home from my journey”. “…, nine was the number of sea-huge monsters I killed”. The detail in which Raffle writes about the Grendel coming hoping to kill is extraordinary.  Today an Author writing with such details might be someone like William Young who authored the book The Shack. He brings details in written form to life in your mind and you can almost feel every moment and see every detail of a being or place. You get that same kind of writing in Beowulf.  “Out from the marsh, from the foot of misty hills and bogs, bearing God’s hatred, Grendel came, hoping to kill anyone he could trap on this trip to high Herot.  He moved quickly through the cloudy night, up from his swampland, sliding silently toward that gold-shining hall”.  You envision every step based on the way the words are written.

Who is Tyler MacNiven?

The most important thing I can take away from Tyler's Travel approach is that he didn't really have a plan but to just walk. Along the way he met new people and was asked to stay in their houses. Tyler just went with the flow of the country. He learned some of their language, tried new things and ate things he wouldn't eat in America like beef stomach. You don't know what tomorrow will bring so just live in the moment with no regrets.

Tyler's approach to travel relates to his normal life because he probably walks more and travels more. He won't be afraid to try new things and he offered for people in Japan to come stay with him so, he might have a lot more company!

"Didn't just want to just experience Japan he wanted to be part of Japan." I think I will walk more because when we are in a car the whole time you do pass up the opportunity to see more and be able to experience it. When we go on family vacations we usually drive everywhere and I try to look out the window but, it’s hard to see things when you’re going 60. When we go to the beach sometimes I will just walk up the beach for miles to see something that catches my eye. When we travel to Ireland and Great Britain I want to be able to experience everything as a whole. When we go to London I hope we are walking a lot, even though I hate walking I want to see new things in a different eye. Not threw a glass window. The Ring of Kerry is one of the most beautiful spots and when I see pictures I just say “that place is stunning”. I hope we are able to get out and walk around their and not be in a bus or a tourist bus the whole time. I want to maybe be able to stick my hand in the water and really experience this new journey in my life.

I think Tyler’s advice for our trip will be number one to have fun and learn something new. One of the quotes he said through the movie was “if you give yourself to the journey, the journey gives itself to you” so basically to take everything one step at a time and be able to experience it and not just be their but really learn and be part of the place.

I am most excited to ask Tyler if, there was one family that stood out to you particularly well staying in their home.  What did he miss the most well walking through Japan? Would he ever walk another country and if so which one and why?

  

  

Boasting Like Beowulf

People say they hate the Chicago Bears,
But I don't really care,
Football is my life,
I'll sit and tell you every play,
All Day,
When I'm at the game, I leave with a voice in pain,
I'm Jessi Bryson and their's no messing,
When you say the Bears suck,
I tell you good luck with your team,
Because their going to get creamed to the extreme!!!!