Awesome Birds

Bob was my grandma's Parrot. He was big, smart, and very funny. My grandma would take him through the drive through at McDonald's and when they asked her what she wanted Bob would say, "French fries." One thing not to wear around Bob is a baseball hat or any hat with a button on top. He will come over to you and rip the button of the hat off with his beak. He once ripped a rivet on my dad's jeans off. Whenever my grandma would answer the phone and say hello, Bob would say, "Hello" like he was on the other end. While she is talking Bob would go, "Uh-huh," "I see," or "Oh." When I was over at her house I would stand behind the door to Bob's room and quickly open the door and say, "Peek-a-boo," and then shut the door again. After a few times of that, when I would open the door he would say peek-a-boo at the same time as me. Sometimes when I would open the door and say, "Hi Bob," he would say it too. A few years ago my grandma had to get rid of him because he started to only like my grandpa and he was getting kind of mean. Soon after, they got Pete and Joe, two other parrots. They aren't as smart as Bob, but they are still pretty cool. Then they got rid of Joe. I don't remember why they did. Pete comes out of his cage in the bird room sometimes. We bring him down in the basement and he walks along the top of the couch while we have dinner and watch TV. I think my grandma's parrots are really cool.

Burning response

Author’s Note: In our responses to the prairie we were supposed to state our opinion as to whether or not we should continue with controlled burns and whether or not we should fight to stop wild fires.

Should we continue with controlled burns?

I think we should continue with controlled burns. These prescribed fires reduce the excessive amount of brush and shrubs which are fuel for wild fires to spread. If we didn't manage the excess brush and shrubs as often, it would be hard to control accidental fires when they happen. Also the burns encourage the growth of native plant life by eliminating any hindrances and returning vital nutrients to the ground.

Should we fight to stop wildfires?

I think we should fight to stop wildfires because they're dangerous. Wildfires can kill people, animals, and destroy property. Preventing wildfires isn't that hard either. Just be careful when using fire when you're outside or near a wooded area.

"SmokeyBear.com - Get Your Smokey On - Only You Can Prevent Wildfires." SmokeyBear.com - Get Your Smokey On - Only You Can Prevent Wildfires. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Apr. 2011. http://www.smokeybear.com/

To Kill a Mockingbird

Author's Note: I just finished the book To Kill a Mockingbird in book club. I wrote a summative piece on the book and talked about the social injustice in the book.

When I read To Kill a Mockingbird, the mistreatment of others because they're different, kept reoccurring. Whether it was because of their skin color or because of their unusual behavior, I felt this demonstrated social injustice.

Tom Robinson was mistreated. Nobody believed his story because he was an African American. In fact they believed the opposite in spite of credible evidence. When he went to prison, he was shot and killed. If it was a white man, he probably wouldn't have been killed. If they didn't want him to escape, they could have just shot him in the leg.

People started to judge Arthur (Boo) Radley because of his behavior. They stayed away because they feared him. People also made assumptions about him. This book made me realize how different things are today. People are less likely to be mistreated because of their differences or skin color largely due to education. I feel this makes the world a better place.

If it were my home.

I compared the U.S., Australia, and Bolivia. Out of those three I chose Australia. If I were to live in Bolivia, I would make almost 90% less money than living in Australia. If I lived in the U.S. instead of Australia, I would be three times more likely to have HIV/AIDS. I would have a 40% more chance at being employed in Australia compared to the U.S. In Bolivia, I would have a 50% more chance at being unemployed that in Australia. That is why I would want to live in Australia rather than the U.S. or Bolivia.