1. The Great Barrier Reef is considered the "largest living structure on earth".
2. The coral extracts calcium carbonate from the ocean to make solid tentacles.
3. Red algae 'glues' together pieces of coral shells and other particles to make most of the coral in the Reef.
4. It was established as a national park in 1975.
5. 33% of the Reef is protected from fishing.
6. Scientists believe that the current Reef is about 20,000 years old but scientists also believe that the ancient Reef is 500,000 years old.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Friday, April 15, 2011
april homework #1
Dear Prime Minister,
When the British settled in Australia in 1788 the indigenous people got many diseases like smallpox and measles. The British cut down forests and brought foreign animals to the country. The British proceeded to do terrible things to the country such as destroy water holes and fight for land and other natural resources with the aborigines. But then in the 1900s things started to look brighter as laws were passed to protect the aborigines and then in 1967 they were voted citizens and given the same rights as everyone else. But then things took a turn for the worse and the "stolen generation" was created. this was when people took 1 of every 10 aborigine child with mixed blood and put them with a white family in order to "civilize them by assimilation into the white society". They did this in hopes of breeding the aboriginal blood out of them. Each child suffered loss of identity and abuse, physically and mentally. This affected their entire lives by causing depression and leading to suicide or alcoholism later in life. Now people are still feeling the impact of what occurred because the "stolen generation" now do not know how to teach and raise their own kids the aboriginal way or not. They are confused as how to go about do this which set up bad influences for several generations. The government needs to make a public apology to the people hurt by this tragic event. This needs to be done because it caused a lot of distress on generations; past, present, and future that the government needs to do what little they can to help the people cope and apologize on behalf of the whole country.
Sincerely, Reilly
When the British settled in Australia in 1788 the indigenous people got many diseases like smallpox and measles. The British cut down forests and brought foreign animals to the country. The British proceeded to do terrible things to the country such as destroy water holes and fight for land and other natural resources with the aborigines. But then in the 1900s things started to look brighter as laws were passed to protect the aborigines and then in 1967 they were voted citizens and given the same rights as everyone else. But then things took a turn for the worse and the "stolen generation" was created. this was when people took 1 of every 10 aborigine child with mixed blood and put them with a white family in order to "civilize them by assimilation into the white society". They did this in hopes of breeding the aboriginal blood out of them. Each child suffered loss of identity and abuse, physically and mentally. This affected their entire lives by causing depression and leading to suicide or alcoholism later in life. Now people are still feeling the impact of what occurred because the "stolen generation" now do not know how to teach and raise their own kids the aboriginal way or not. They are confused as how to go about do this which set up bad influences for several generations. The government needs to make a public apology to the people hurt by this tragic event. This needs to be done because it caused a lot of distress on generations; past, present, and future that the government needs to do what little they can to help the people cope and apologize on behalf of the whole country.
Sincerely, Reilly
Sunday, April 3, 2011
March homework
There are a lot of things to consider while reading the article "Savor the Trip, Don't Tweet It" by Christopher Elliott. I think he does this on purpose because Elliott's concern is that technology is taking over peoples lives and most importantly the trips that they take and he wants people to realize that sometimes the phone, or computer, etc need to be put away. From his perspective he thinks that if people do not want to put the phone down to enjoy their trip they should not have spent the money because they won't experience the trip as well as they could. I agree with him because with experience I have missed those split second things that will not come again because my eyes have been glued to my phone texting or on facebook. During trips in which I am forced to leave my phone back in the hotel or house or car i have been completely satisfied with the trip and did not have any feelings of regret because i saw everything that i could where I wouldn't have if I brought my phone with me. Also since I was fully immersed in the activity my phone wasn't even on my mind during the experience. These are things that I have thought about every time i go somewhere. Does my phone have to come with? Knowing this I believe that for the trip to Australia and New Zealand we should not be allowed to have our phones on our bodies. Who is even going to want to spend the money to text or call someone half way across the world? This way we can enjoy the trip fully. Also if a person is constantly posting their trip on facebook or twitter they trip isn't so much just yours as it is now everyones' too because now with all the pictures and comments you post they experience what you are because you're spending the time on the phone instead of really experiencing the countries. Another thing that is concerning is that sometimes when people are having an intense conversation with someone they can be totally surrounded by that that they have no clue what is going on around them so people can be accidentally be left behind along with them not experiencing the trip. Conversations like this can also change the mood of a person because if they are getting visually upset their whole trip could be ruined as well as the trips of the people they are with. So, "[t]he solution? Set boundaries on technology" to ensure a memorable trip. This, having a memorable trip in a place that i haven't been to, is one of my purposes to going to Australia and New Zealand. I want this trip to be a wonderful memory that I can tell people with pleasure and excitement and have a lot to say. another thing I want this trip to do for me is teach me things I would not normally know. I want to learn thing that I will probably not use in everyday life and i want to learn things that will help me in the future. Things about animals, culture, plants, architecture, and everything else we come across. After reading the article i feel that in order to accomplish what i want I need to leave my phone on the bus or in the hotel otherwise I will regret the decision to take it with. Again, this is why we should set a boundary on technology to ensure that each individual has the experience they want to accomplish. Like Annette Priest said "gadgets have made travel a less memorable, less meaningful experience in the 21st century."
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