Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Thankful For-
This thanksgiving I'm thankful for Gabby. She's a really nice person and REALLY helped me on the English research paper when we had to peer edit. We also talk a lot about the Walking Dead and it's cool to have someone that thinks the as me about the show. So, Gabby if you read this, I'm pretty happy we sit next to each other in English! Have a good Thanksgiving!
Thursday, November 15, 2012
2nd Quarter Nature Portfolio
The Most Beautiful ______
When I traveled to Japan over the summer, the last thing I expected to find beautiful was a fish. But it was not a regular fish. It was a koi fish and not just one fish, but ten koi fishes. The shrine I visited that day was slightly isolated. Everything is a bright, vivid green and not near the city so it’s quiet and peaceful. This was the last shrine of the day I was going to visit and I had to walk up a small hill where the shrine itself was located. The sun shone brightly through all the trees, but not enough to blind. It was particularly pleasant. There was a small stream going from the top of the shrine all the way to bottom and while walking up, I merely passed it. When I walked down, I looked at the pond for a second, only to stare a fish in the eye. Its entire body was orange expect for a white patch on his back. I asked my student what kind of fish it was and she told me a koi fish. I had only heard of a koi fish once or twice and just thought it was some regular goldfish. But it was really different than what I expected. For one, it was nearly 3 times larger than your average goldfish. I couldn't believe the size of it but it was able to swim fast as I learned when it was at the other side of the pond in a few seconds. I didn't want to stop looking at the fish so I walked around to see where it had gone. To my surprise, nine other koi fish had appeared and they began to swim in a single file line! Just one after the other, like kindergartners getting ready to go outside to play and the teacher tells them to stand behind each other. If that wasn't a spectacle enough, fish swimming right after each other in perfect synchronization, then the multitude of colors was better. The fishes didn't look like each other at all. Aside from size, the colors were all different. One was black with a white patch, a white one with a black patch, an orange mixed in with white. The colors blended as much as they clashed. I never thought that something as simple as a fish could create such a beautiful image. It was on my last week and I was really sad to think about leaving but with the perfect day outside, calm of nature and my array of koi fish, I could never forget my experience.
Word Count: 437
Native American Creation Story
There had been several rumors about the fabled Internets whereabouts. The beautiful full creature couldn't be caught or tamed. At the sight of a person, it would run with such speed no one could match it. People for years had been trying to harness its core processing power but it was deemed impossible. The government had finally had enough and just wanted the Internet caught once and for all. They placed a reward for the capture of the Internet, seven million dollars. Many people wanted the reward but a specific man really wanted it. His name was Bill Gates and he was the stop animal catcher in the world. He started with the capture of Microsoft and then moved onto to others, even stealing iTunes from another country. But people were starting to think maybe not even Bill Gates could capture the famous Internet. He wanted to capture the Internet desperately so he set out across the world, tracking the Internets’ every movement. Just when he would think he caught the Internet it would somehow break out of all of his traps. The trap where he sent his viruses to slow down the Internet failed miserably when Norton had protected the Internet. Or the other trap where Bill sent out Skype to stall the Internet has also failed.
Bill was at a loss and decided maybe he couldn't capture the Internet until a certain miracle. He was sitting in his tent, eating his meal when he heard a rustle outside of his tent door. He opened it only to see the Internet, trying to find the smell of food. “Come here little Internet. Yes, that’s it. No need be scared.” Bill inched the Internet forward with the temptation of food and before he knew it, the Internet was feeding from his hand. After the Internet had finished feeding, he put it in a cage and the next morning went to get the reward. The government had given him his reward and asked him to teach the Internet proper behavior. Bill Gates was successful and the Internet always fully obeys him. That is why we can now use the Internet whenever we please but occasionally the Internet runs away, which is why sometimes our Internet goes out.
Textbook Responses
The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls
The title carries the repetition of the whole story and main focus on this beach scene. The tide is seen as a constant while everything else continues onward. The sea, twilight and travelers are all doing something. "The traveler hastens toward the town" and meanwhile the tide "rises, the tide falls". In the second stanza, the focus is on the beach and the properties of the area taking on human qualities. The waves "with their soft, white hands" could imply a gentleness nature may have. The usage of the word "settles" has a calming effect. The word brings a sweet feeling with no malice and the rhyming makes the whole poem feel childish and innocent. However, in the third stanza, there seems to be a negativity towards this human "traveler". There is a beautiful scenery and "the day has returned", but the traveler never returns to the shore. The use of the word "nevermore" has such a strong time implication. The poem is short, it goes from day to night, the tide does but two things, and this traveler will "nevermore" return to the shore. This gives the feeling that Longfellow, the author, views people and humanity in a negative way. From the descriptions of nature having people like actions, for example waves effacing footprints on sand. its hard to dislike the scene and nature itself in this poem but the traveler is never returning. This puts a pretty dark spin on humanity and shows the innocence in a simple beach.
Word Count: 251
Grass
The first line gives such an abrupt feeling to a short and simple, yet deep poem. "Pile the bodies high at Austerlitz and Waterloo". It continues with "let me work- I am the grass; I cover all". A battle site of a well known war, and the grass says "pile the bodies high". From the words "pile" and "high", I get the impression of wanting more. The grass wants more bodies just to get to work. When using the phrase "let me work-", it carries a final tone. The person saying this usually means for others to leave the person alone and not be bothered again. The "grass" gives off the feeling of serious labor and highly bothered by burying bodies or the grass could give off the feeling of a monotonous task that has been done countless times before. In the next stanza, there are two more big battles where the grass wants them piled high. The same tone with the line "shovel them under and let me work". But the next line throws me off a little bit. There has been a time frame given, "two years, ten years" both close to one another. This could show how time quickly passes, and that the battles were the same in the end. But the mention of a passenger and conductor adds something new to the poem. A passenger and conductor could be anyone, referring to a train, a mode of transportation, or the passengers being the those covered by the grass waiting to go somewhere, waiting for something and the grass is the conductor. The next lines "What place is this? Where are we now?" could be referring to the grass always moving and always changing. Any bodies covered up by war are just moved onto the next war and covered up once more. The grass has never ending work and has one job. To cover all and take care of those it has covered.
Word Count: 327
Snowbound
The poem starts out with this depressing, ominous feeling. "The sun that brief December day rose cheerless.." brings a setting of this quick day with no sunshine and all surrounding are dark. But as the poem continues the people, or the man, of the story are going about their regular life, even as a storm is coming. At first I wondered why the people would just continue on their regular chores and work when a huge snowstorm is coming, but after all the snow feel, the people experience such awe. "We looked upon a world unknown" which implies there is so much snow you can't see anything but white. For me, I would be miserable but the people in the poem view the snow with such wonder and happiness. The people go even as far to compare it to the leaning tower of Pisa, one of the wonders of the world. The family that start clearing the snow go about it in such a happy way and compare the tunnel "with dazzling crystal" to the story of Aladdin's cave. With the way the snow scenery is described, I can't help but want to see this scene. As far as the eye can see covered in bright, white snow. From the story description, it sounds like the best view in the world. The description continues into a description of this calming solitude trapped in snow with "no social smoke" around. I had to agree that the feeling of no one around making loud conversations did sound incredibly nice. The author did a good job of describing a most simple object as snow in a way that even I, a person who hates cold, would love to experience the scene he wrote.
Word Count: 290
The Snowstorm
This poem gave me feelings I was more familiar with, which was annoyance towards snow but also some appreciation. In the first stanza, there is an immediate warning of a storm "announced by all the trumpets of the sky" and is heavily coming down, "seems nowhere to alight". Later in the same stanza, the author fives examples of all the people that are stopped by snow, "all friends shut out, the courier's feet delayed". This is the more realistic outcome of heavy snow versus in "Snowbound" a feeling of extreme joy and awe at the "unknown world". But, I got the feeling that the author doesn't like snow a lot because when he described people indoors they are "around the radiant fireplace". To me the word radiant is used to describe something that shines brightly, beautifully, a positive feeling usually, and then the storm is described as "tumultuous", rough, an uproar, giving me an aggressive feeling. In the second stanza, the snow is described in an angry way but also some respect it seems. "His wild work so fanciful, so savage". The word fanciful is slightly mocking to me but also shows respect at the beauty of snow covering everything. The use of the word savage brings the anger directed at everything the snow covered on the farmers land, "a swan-like form invests the hidden thorn". The author may complain about the snow, calling it "the mad wind's night-work" but he shows his admiration when he says "the frolic architecture of the snow". As a whole, the poem may express everyone's general feelings towards the snow. When it comes, it is aggravating. Sweeping snow all the time, not being able to get somewhere by car, getting trapped in your house, but you can still find the snow beautiful when it covers the land perfectly in a beautiful white blanket.
Word Count: 309
from Nature
From the descriptions Emerson gives of being outside on a simple day and being in the woods of "perpetual youth", I have begun to look at nature in a different way. Transcendentalism is not something I would fully be able to do but I have great respect and admiration for those that can fully embrace the simplicity of life. Although, some of things Emerson wrote about are not fully coherent to me and seem absurd. For example, when he says "I become a transparent eyeball: I am nothing", I find that a strange feeling to embrace. The idea of just being and finding nature the only comfort or companionship neccessary is really hard to figure out. So, while reading Emerson's piece I'm still not able to fully embrace nature in the way he wants people to. Solitude is not an idea I am happy with but the center of "Nature" is that the solitude you can find in being away from people and just living simply is endless. If someone can be entirely happy in solitude and living simply, I have a basket full of admiration for them but I can't see myself living as Emerson says is the best.
Word Count: 200
Weather Experience
Even to this day I am still not entirely sure if what I saw was true or not. It was a few years ago, I was maybe 7 or 8 years old at the time and desperately wanted to eat shrimp that day. So we took a family excursion to this shrimp place on western avenue. I have always loved everything about their jumbo shrimp. Its fried and the sauce there is divine. I was getting hungry just thinking about the shrimp and it was really sunny outside so I felt it was a good day coming on. After waiting in the car while my mom got the shrimp, suddenly the sky got dark. The clouds covered over with grey and the sun was hidden behind a blanket of gloom. I inquired to my dad about the weather and he just said it was Chicago having its weather mood swings. I thought that was right because only in Chicago could it rain in December or be snowy in March. We waited a little more and the weather didn't let up. The sky got darker and the wind picked up and soon the trees were shaking violently. I tried to open the car door so I could look at the sky better but the door was slammed shut by the wind. I was so scared at this point. I had never done well with thunderstorms and the day was getting darker (at the time I afraid of the dark). I hunkered down in the backseat and tried to talk to calm myself down. It worked a little bit until my mom came back with the shrimp and said that there was a tornado warning. Now, this happened within 20 minutes I would say, and at that age, the only information I had on tornadoes was stuff I saw on tv and my imagination. My first thought "oh man, are we going to die from a tornado or will I get take to the Land of Oz". I loved the movie "Wizard of Oz" so it gave me comfort to think that I would just see talking tin rather than have our house destroyed. I was fine with living in fantasy until we saw the tornado itself. Well, we may have seen it. I was crying and the sky was dark so my vision may not have been tenfold, but I do remember seeing the giant swirl of darkness. It felt like an extreme vacuum of sadness looking at a simple combination of winds. I had heard countless stories of peoples homes ruined and never thought I could really be touched by it. But staring at it form the inside of the car gave a new meaning to fear for me. Something so far from the car, seemed so close to causing possible doom. Not to mention it was raining intensely and the sheer power from the drops scared me. I had forgotten the shrimp entirely and just wished I was at home. At that point I was worried about my dog too. Poor thing was in the house by herself and my first thought was "What happens if the tornado gets her? I don't want another dog". I was too wrapped up in thoughts to even see we were pulling into the garage. I was to scared to part from my mom so she carried me upstairs (I was mildly tiny so I vouch that being carried was ok). I was too flipped out from the twigs and branches hitting our windows to eat the shrimp and kept crying. After a few hours the storm died out and I couldn't forget how scared I was. For over two years, I never went back to the shrimp place. I got the idea that the second I went back, a tornado would come, so I had my mom go get me shrimp if I really wanted it. I'm over that experience by now, but I can't shake the frightening feeling I get whenever there is a storm.
Word Count: 674
Reaction to Essays
Walking (Henry David Thoreau), The Sound of Trees (Robert Frost), The Force that Drives the Flower (Anne Dillard)
All three poems are about the interaction between man and the specific part of nature, the vegetable part of nature. All of the authors talk about people wanting to control nature and have power over its growth. When Dillard talks about plants growing she refers to it as "unnatural and freakish as the Frankenstein monster", but says that plants are our prey. She talks about how even in a city, like New York, money has to be spent to rid sewers of plants that cover water pipes, relating to central idea all the essays have of wanting to control the vegetative part of nature.
Thoreau has the same idea as well and talks about to enjoy nature, man shouldn't own it. He says "the best part of land is not owned" referring to people that may put a fence around their house, or have a lot of private property. Thoreau talks about when one day a man will put a fence over "the surface of God's earth" and that will translate into trespassing, he is relating to the idea of wanting to own that plant part of nature to oneself. To fence in or cover grass to have control over it, Thoreau thinks that is wrong. He talks about a bodybuilder wasting his time on dumbbells when "springs are bubbling up in far-off pastures unsought by him". Thoreau is making the point of being out experiencing nature is better that wanting to possess it.
Frost takes a much different stand towards the most common thought of nature, trees. He talks about the "noise" and "forever bearing" presence of the trees around our house. Frost even uses the word "suffer" and speaks of losing "fixity in our joys" because of the distraction of the trees. But as the poem goes on, Frost appears to become a tree, getting the physical feeling. "My feet tug at the floor and my head sways to my shoulders", that is the motion of a tree and towards the end of the poem is determined to not be like trees. What may be frightening to Frost is the idea that the trees never move, but stay in one place and become "wiser and older". He may not want to control this part of nature but he wishes to escape from it.
Word Count: 385
Nature Poem
The joy and thrill from chasing prey,
Was one thing I always loved.
Surrounded by the pack,
but I'm lonely.(12)
Why was it I that had been hurt?
I always worked hard to help the other.
Put everyone before me.
I'm so lonely.(16)
The day had been like any other.
Up until my fate was decided.
I thought I had my pack with me,
but I'm lonely.(20)
The blood trickled into the snow.
I didn't regret taking the bullet,
Until my pack left me to die.
I'm so lonely.(24)
I lay in the snow now,
bleeding my life force.
The snow covers my body like a blanket,
but I'm lonely.(28)
I imagined my pack still with me.
Enjoying the hunt and thrill of chasing prey.
I shouldn't mind the cold or the moon as my only comfort.
I'm so lonely.(32)
But, I think I see my pack.
They came back for me.
Their bodies are glowing, I wonder why.
I understand, I'm not lonely.(36)
When I traveled to Japan over the summer, the last thing I expected to find beautiful was a fish. But it was not a regular fish. It was a koi fish and not just one fish, but ten koi fishes. The shrine I visited that day was slightly isolated. Everything is a bright, vivid green and not near the city so it’s quiet and peaceful. This was the last shrine of the day I was going to visit and I had to walk up a small hill where the shrine itself was located. The sun shone brightly through all the trees, but not enough to blind. It was particularly pleasant. There was a small stream going from the top of the shrine all the way to bottom and while walking up, I merely passed it. When I walked down, I looked at the pond for a second, only to stare a fish in the eye. Its entire body was orange expect for a white patch on his back. I asked my student what kind of fish it was and she told me a koi fish. I had only heard of a koi fish once or twice and just thought it was some regular goldfish. But it was really different than what I expected. For one, it was nearly 3 times larger than your average goldfish. I couldn't believe the size of it but it was able to swim fast as I learned when it was at the other side of the pond in a few seconds. I didn't want to stop looking at the fish so I walked around to see where it had gone. To my surprise, nine other koi fish had appeared and they began to swim in a single file line! Just one after the other, like kindergartners getting ready to go outside to play and the teacher tells them to stand behind each other. If that wasn't a spectacle enough, fish swimming right after each other in perfect synchronization, then the multitude of colors was better. The fishes didn't look like each other at all. Aside from size, the colors were all different. One was black with a white patch, a white one with a black patch, an orange mixed in with white. The colors blended as much as they clashed. I never thought that something as simple as a fish could create such a beautiful image. It was on my last week and I was really sad to think about leaving but with the perfect day outside, calm of nature and my array of koi fish, I could never forget my experience.
Word Count: 437
Native American Creation Story
There had been several rumors about the fabled Internets whereabouts. The beautiful full creature couldn't be caught or tamed. At the sight of a person, it would run with such speed no one could match it. People for years had been trying to harness its core processing power but it was deemed impossible. The government had finally had enough and just wanted the Internet caught once and for all. They placed a reward for the capture of the Internet, seven million dollars. Many people wanted the reward but a specific man really wanted it. His name was Bill Gates and he was the stop animal catcher in the world. He started with the capture of Microsoft and then moved onto to others, even stealing iTunes from another country. But people were starting to think maybe not even Bill Gates could capture the famous Internet. He wanted to capture the Internet desperately so he set out across the world, tracking the Internets’ every movement. Just when he would think he caught the Internet it would somehow break out of all of his traps. The trap where he sent his viruses to slow down the Internet failed miserably when Norton had protected the Internet. Or the other trap where Bill sent out Skype to stall the Internet has also failed.
Bill was at a loss and decided maybe he couldn't capture the Internet until a certain miracle. He was sitting in his tent, eating his meal when he heard a rustle outside of his tent door. He opened it only to see the Internet, trying to find the smell of food. “Come here little Internet. Yes, that’s it. No need be scared.” Bill inched the Internet forward with the temptation of food and before he knew it, the Internet was feeding from his hand. After the Internet had finished feeding, he put it in a cage and the next morning went to get the reward. The government had given him his reward and asked him to teach the Internet proper behavior. Bill Gates was successful and the Internet always fully obeys him. That is why we can now use the Internet whenever we please but occasionally the Internet runs away, which is why sometimes our Internet goes out.
Textbook Responses
The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls
The title carries the repetition of the whole story and main focus on this beach scene. The tide is seen as a constant while everything else continues onward. The sea, twilight and travelers are all doing something. "The traveler hastens toward the town" and meanwhile the tide "rises, the tide falls". In the second stanza, the focus is on the beach and the properties of the area taking on human qualities. The waves "with their soft, white hands" could imply a gentleness nature may have. The usage of the word "settles" has a calming effect. The word brings a sweet feeling with no malice and the rhyming makes the whole poem feel childish and innocent. However, in the third stanza, there seems to be a negativity towards this human "traveler". There is a beautiful scenery and "the day has returned", but the traveler never returns to the shore. The use of the word "nevermore" has such a strong time implication. The poem is short, it goes from day to night, the tide does but two things, and this traveler will "nevermore" return to the shore. This gives the feeling that Longfellow, the author, views people and humanity in a negative way. From the descriptions of nature having people like actions, for example waves effacing footprints on sand. its hard to dislike the scene and nature itself in this poem but the traveler is never returning. This puts a pretty dark spin on humanity and shows the innocence in a simple beach.
Word Count: 251
Grass
The first line gives such an abrupt feeling to a short and simple, yet deep poem. "Pile the bodies high at Austerlitz and Waterloo". It continues with "let me work- I am the grass; I cover all". A battle site of a well known war, and the grass says "pile the bodies high". From the words "pile" and "high", I get the impression of wanting more. The grass wants more bodies just to get to work. When using the phrase "let me work-", it carries a final tone. The person saying this usually means for others to leave the person alone and not be bothered again. The "grass" gives off the feeling of serious labor and highly bothered by burying bodies or the grass could give off the feeling of a monotonous task that has been done countless times before. In the next stanza, there are two more big battles where the grass wants them piled high. The same tone with the line "shovel them under and let me work". But the next line throws me off a little bit. There has been a time frame given, "two years, ten years" both close to one another. This could show how time quickly passes, and that the battles were the same in the end. But the mention of a passenger and conductor adds something new to the poem. A passenger and conductor could be anyone, referring to a train, a mode of transportation, or the passengers being the those covered by the grass waiting to go somewhere, waiting for something and the grass is the conductor. The next lines "What place is this? Where are we now?" could be referring to the grass always moving and always changing. Any bodies covered up by war are just moved onto the next war and covered up once more. The grass has never ending work and has one job. To cover all and take care of those it has covered.
Word Count: 327
Snowbound
The poem starts out with this depressing, ominous feeling. "The sun that brief December day rose cheerless.." brings a setting of this quick day with no sunshine and all surrounding are dark. But as the poem continues the people, or the man, of the story are going about their regular life, even as a storm is coming. At first I wondered why the people would just continue on their regular chores and work when a huge snowstorm is coming, but after all the snow feel, the people experience such awe. "We looked upon a world unknown" which implies there is so much snow you can't see anything but white. For me, I would be miserable but the people in the poem view the snow with such wonder and happiness. The people go even as far to compare it to the leaning tower of Pisa, one of the wonders of the world. The family that start clearing the snow go about it in such a happy way and compare the tunnel "with dazzling crystal" to the story of Aladdin's cave. With the way the snow scenery is described, I can't help but want to see this scene. As far as the eye can see covered in bright, white snow. From the story description, it sounds like the best view in the world. The description continues into a description of this calming solitude trapped in snow with "no social smoke" around. I had to agree that the feeling of no one around making loud conversations did sound incredibly nice. The author did a good job of describing a most simple object as snow in a way that even I, a person who hates cold, would love to experience the scene he wrote.
Word Count: 290
The Snowstorm
This poem gave me feelings I was more familiar with, which was annoyance towards snow but also some appreciation. In the first stanza, there is an immediate warning of a storm "announced by all the trumpets of the sky" and is heavily coming down, "seems nowhere to alight". Later in the same stanza, the author fives examples of all the people that are stopped by snow, "all friends shut out, the courier's feet delayed". This is the more realistic outcome of heavy snow versus in "Snowbound" a feeling of extreme joy and awe at the "unknown world". But, I got the feeling that the author doesn't like snow a lot because when he described people indoors they are "around the radiant fireplace". To me the word radiant is used to describe something that shines brightly, beautifully, a positive feeling usually, and then the storm is described as "tumultuous", rough, an uproar, giving me an aggressive feeling. In the second stanza, the snow is described in an angry way but also some respect it seems. "His wild work so fanciful, so savage". The word fanciful is slightly mocking to me but also shows respect at the beauty of snow covering everything. The use of the word savage brings the anger directed at everything the snow covered on the farmers land, "a swan-like form invests the hidden thorn". The author may complain about the snow, calling it "the mad wind's night-work" but he shows his admiration when he says "the frolic architecture of the snow". As a whole, the poem may express everyone's general feelings towards the snow. When it comes, it is aggravating. Sweeping snow all the time, not being able to get somewhere by car, getting trapped in your house, but you can still find the snow beautiful when it covers the land perfectly in a beautiful white blanket.
Word Count: 309
from Nature
From the descriptions Emerson gives of being outside on a simple day and being in the woods of "perpetual youth", I have begun to look at nature in a different way. Transcendentalism is not something I would fully be able to do but I have great respect and admiration for those that can fully embrace the simplicity of life. Although, some of things Emerson wrote about are not fully coherent to me and seem absurd. For example, when he says "I become a transparent eyeball: I am nothing", I find that a strange feeling to embrace. The idea of just being and finding nature the only comfort or companionship neccessary is really hard to figure out. So, while reading Emerson's piece I'm still not able to fully embrace nature in the way he wants people to. Solitude is not an idea I am happy with but the center of "Nature" is that the solitude you can find in being away from people and just living simply is endless. If someone can be entirely happy in solitude and living simply, I have a basket full of admiration for them but I can't see myself living as Emerson says is the best.
Word Count: 200
Weather Experience
Even to this day I am still not entirely sure if what I saw was true or not. It was a few years ago, I was maybe 7 or 8 years old at the time and desperately wanted to eat shrimp that day. So we took a family excursion to this shrimp place on western avenue. I have always loved everything about their jumbo shrimp. Its fried and the sauce there is divine. I was getting hungry just thinking about the shrimp and it was really sunny outside so I felt it was a good day coming on. After waiting in the car while my mom got the shrimp, suddenly the sky got dark. The clouds covered over with grey and the sun was hidden behind a blanket of gloom. I inquired to my dad about the weather and he just said it was Chicago having its weather mood swings. I thought that was right because only in Chicago could it rain in December or be snowy in March. We waited a little more and the weather didn't let up. The sky got darker and the wind picked up and soon the trees were shaking violently. I tried to open the car door so I could look at the sky better but the door was slammed shut by the wind. I was so scared at this point. I had never done well with thunderstorms and the day was getting darker (at the time I afraid of the dark). I hunkered down in the backseat and tried to talk to calm myself down. It worked a little bit until my mom came back with the shrimp and said that there was a tornado warning. Now, this happened within 20 minutes I would say, and at that age, the only information I had on tornadoes was stuff I saw on tv and my imagination. My first thought "oh man, are we going to die from a tornado or will I get take to the Land of Oz". I loved the movie "Wizard of Oz" so it gave me comfort to think that I would just see talking tin rather than have our house destroyed. I was fine with living in fantasy until we saw the tornado itself. Well, we may have seen it. I was crying and the sky was dark so my vision may not have been tenfold, but I do remember seeing the giant swirl of darkness. It felt like an extreme vacuum of sadness looking at a simple combination of winds. I had heard countless stories of peoples homes ruined and never thought I could really be touched by it. But staring at it form the inside of the car gave a new meaning to fear for me. Something so far from the car, seemed so close to causing possible doom. Not to mention it was raining intensely and the sheer power from the drops scared me. I had forgotten the shrimp entirely and just wished I was at home. At that point I was worried about my dog too. Poor thing was in the house by herself and my first thought was "What happens if the tornado gets her? I don't want another dog". I was too wrapped up in thoughts to even see we were pulling into the garage. I was to scared to part from my mom so she carried me upstairs (I was mildly tiny so I vouch that being carried was ok). I was too flipped out from the twigs and branches hitting our windows to eat the shrimp and kept crying. After a few hours the storm died out and I couldn't forget how scared I was. For over two years, I never went back to the shrimp place. I got the idea that the second I went back, a tornado would come, so I had my mom go get me shrimp if I really wanted it. I'm over that experience by now, but I can't shake the frightening feeling I get whenever there is a storm.
Word Count: 674
Reaction to Essays
Walking (Henry David Thoreau), The Sound of Trees (Robert Frost), The Force that Drives the Flower (Anne Dillard)
All three poems are about the interaction between man and the specific part of nature, the vegetable part of nature. All of the authors talk about people wanting to control nature and have power over its growth. When Dillard talks about plants growing she refers to it as "unnatural and freakish as the Frankenstein monster", but says that plants are our prey. She talks about how even in a city, like New York, money has to be spent to rid sewers of plants that cover water pipes, relating to central idea all the essays have of wanting to control the vegetative part of nature.
Thoreau has the same idea as well and talks about to enjoy nature, man shouldn't own it. He says "the best part of land is not owned" referring to people that may put a fence around their house, or have a lot of private property. Thoreau talks about when one day a man will put a fence over "the surface of God's earth" and that will translate into trespassing, he is relating to the idea of wanting to own that plant part of nature to oneself. To fence in or cover grass to have control over it, Thoreau thinks that is wrong. He talks about a bodybuilder wasting his time on dumbbells when "springs are bubbling up in far-off pastures unsought by him". Thoreau is making the point of being out experiencing nature is better that wanting to possess it.
Frost takes a much different stand towards the most common thought of nature, trees. He talks about the "noise" and "forever bearing" presence of the trees around our house. Frost even uses the word "suffer" and speaks of losing "fixity in our joys" because of the distraction of the trees. But as the poem goes on, Frost appears to become a tree, getting the physical feeling. "My feet tug at the floor and my head sways to my shoulders", that is the motion of a tree and towards the end of the poem is determined to not be like trees. What may be frightening to Frost is the idea that the trees never move, but stay in one place and become "wiser and older". He may not want to control this part of nature but he wishes to escape from it.
Word Count: 385
Nature Poem
Lonely
by Alana Bourgeois
Usually, the winters were warm
they had love and family,
an exciting hunt,
but I'm lonely.(4)
I don't know why they're gone.
Disappeared in the dark of the woods,
leaving me behind.
I'm so lonely.(8)
Was one thing I always loved.
Surrounded by the pack,
but I'm lonely.(12)
Why was it I that had been hurt?
I always worked hard to help the other.
Put everyone before me.
I'm so lonely.(16)
The day had been like any other.
Up until my fate was decided.
I thought I had my pack with me,
but I'm lonely.(20)
The blood trickled into the snow.
I didn't regret taking the bullet,
Until my pack left me to die.
I'm so lonely.(24)
I lay in the snow now,
bleeding my life force.
The snow covers my body like a blanket,
but I'm lonely.(28)
I imagined my pack still with me.
Enjoying the hunt and thrill of chasing prey.
I shouldn't mind the cold or the moon as my only comfort.
I'm so lonely.(32)
But, I think I see my pack.
They came back for me.
Their bodies are glowing, I wonder why.
I understand, I'm not lonely.(36)
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Community Stories
University Days
One area in which Thurber didn't live up to the universities expectations was his trouble in botony class. Class after class he claimed he wasn't seeing anything in the microscope and wasn't able to do the work because of that. The teacher tried to be patient and decided to help him entirely by standing by while Thurber looked through. The whole time, Thurber was seeing his own eye through the microscope because he wasn't using the right focus. The situation of why he couldn't see anything but a "milky, white substance" was entirely his own fault. giving his professor reasons to be let down. However, Thurber was expecting better of the university in his economics class. The professor helped out the school's star football player too much, in accordance to Thurber, and lowered his standards. When the football player couldn't even answer the simple question of what mode of transportation he takes, Thurber's professor and other students continued to make hints of a train sound, "choo choo" and others. Thurber wanted better from his classes but his teachers wanted just as much from him. Because of this dual expectation he had with the community, Thurber gained determination and in his military class received an award from trying to live up to the classes' expectations, but he also gained his teachers expectations as well.
An Account of Experience with Discrimination
In the writing, the "old slaveholding spirit" is the mindset people still have that black people are below them and as a white person or non ex-slave, they are allowed to do whatever they wish with black people. If someone grows up in an a certain way with being taught certain beliefs, it will be hard for this person to let go of what they learned. For example, if someone grows up being taught that homosexuality is immoral and then gay marriage is legalized, the person will most likely contain the homosexuality is immoral thinking and continue to treat the situation as they were taught too. It's the same for the quote, the people that tried to force Truth to leave the train we're still thinking that they as a white person had the right to command a black person, because that was how they lived most of their life.
Primary documents should have a greater impact on how the community takes on the situation. If you are someone looking in on the event, you can only give your opinion and what you say is just as valid as what any member of the community might say. But, when someone on the inside of the event or experience is telling the story, it is more convincing to either side of the story. If a reporter were to be looking in on a crime scene from behind the caution lines, the only thing they know is what the other bystanders know. But for someone that may have been a witness to the crime or the victim themselves (let's say the crime was a theft), the story given to the community, either true or false, will provide a strong sense of reliability.
One area in which Thurber didn't live up to the universities expectations was his trouble in botony class. Class after class he claimed he wasn't seeing anything in the microscope and wasn't able to do the work because of that. The teacher tried to be patient and decided to help him entirely by standing by while Thurber looked through. The whole time, Thurber was seeing his own eye through the microscope because he wasn't using the right focus. The situation of why he couldn't see anything but a "milky, white substance" was entirely his own fault. giving his professor reasons to be let down. However, Thurber was expecting better of the university in his economics class. The professor helped out the school's star football player too much, in accordance to Thurber, and lowered his standards. When the football player couldn't even answer the simple question of what mode of transportation he takes, Thurber's professor and other students continued to make hints of a train sound, "choo choo" and others. Thurber wanted better from his classes but his teachers wanted just as much from him. Because of this dual expectation he had with the community, Thurber gained determination and in his military class received an award from trying to live up to the classes' expectations, but he also gained his teachers expectations as well.
An Account of Experience with Discrimination
In the writing, the "old slaveholding spirit" is the mindset people still have that black people are below them and as a white person or non ex-slave, they are allowed to do whatever they wish with black people. If someone grows up in an a certain way with being taught certain beliefs, it will be hard for this person to let go of what they learned. For example, if someone grows up being taught that homosexuality is immoral and then gay marriage is legalized, the person will most likely contain the homosexuality is immoral thinking and continue to treat the situation as they were taught too. It's the same for the quote, the people that tried to force Truth to leave the train we're still thinking that they as a white person had the right to command a black person, because that was how they lived most of their life.
Primary documents should have a greater impact on how the community takes on the situation. If you are someone looking in on the event, you can only give your opinion and what you say is just as valid as what any member of the community might say. But, when someone on the inside of the event or experience is telling the story, it is more convincing to either side of the story. If a reporter were to be looking in on a crime scene from behind the caution lines, the only thing they know is what the other bystanders know. But for someone that may have been a witness to the crime or the victim themselves (let's say the crime was a theft), the story given to the community, either true or false, will provide a strong sense of reliability.
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Thesis Paper Outline
Thesis: Though Al Capone's experiences with other gangs, pubilic view and organized crime, Capone hid his mobster crimes from authorities for 20 years.
Main Arguement 1: The way Capone exterminated other gangs or made them his allies helped to hide his immense illegal buisness.
Main Arguement 2: Capone's appearance to the public, as in citizens of Chicago, or his attitude in public aided in people thinking he was a good man.
Main Arguement 3: Through Capone's immense alcohol bootlegging, he spread alocohol to the public of Chicago and people that wanted the drink didn't speak out against him.
Main Arguement 1: The way Capone exterminated other gangs or made them his allies helped to hide his immense illegal buisness.
- St. Valentine's Day Massacre (2)
- James Street Gang (17)
- Splitting Gang Territory (18)
- Conclusion (thesis related)
Main Arguement 2: Capone's appearance to the public, as in citizens of Chicago, or his attitude in public aided in people thinking he was a good man.
- He blame for a lawyer's murder (3)
- The "Untouchables" (5)
- His kindness to the public (26)
- Conclusion (thesis related)
Main Arguement 3: Through Capone's immense alcohol bootlegging, he spread alocohol to the public of Chicago and people that wanted the drink didn't speak out against him.
- His bacground in buisness (1)
- Prohibition (8)
- Capone learning from Torrio (25)
- Conclusion (thesis related)
Thesis
Though Al Capone's experiences with other gangs, pubilic view and organized crime, Capone hid his mobster crimes from authorities for 20 years.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Sub-Topics
1. Chicago Mobs
2. Mobsters
3. Herbert Hoover
4. Alcohol
5. Prohibition
6. Johnny Torrio
7. South Loop
8. Income Tax Evasion
9. Five Point Gang
10. Speakeasies
2. Mobsters
3. Herbert Hoover
4. Alcohol
5. Prohibition
6. Johnny Torrio
7. South Loop
8. Income Tax Evasion
9. Five Point Gang
10. Speakeasies
Monday, October 1, 2012
Crucible Responses
Act 1
I think coming from a modern day perspective, I have looked at the characters of the crucible and the way their town is based in an extremely negative way. For starters, most characters of the Crucible are incredibly greedy and selfish people. With the women of the town it seems to be a competition to outdo each other. Even if their God says to do behave a certain way or act friendly, underneath are lies. Starting from Abbigail who came up with witchcraft to simply pick off the women she didn't like. She even tried to go after Proctor's wife because Proctor said he wouldn't be with her anymore. Not just the women though, Putnam and Parris both seem extremely self-absorbed and only interested in obtaining their wants. Although in present time people are selfish, it takes more than one person (unless in supreme authority) to accuse an endless amount of people. As for Salem itself, the people seemed to be under the authority of Parris but after all the tales spreading of witchcraft everyone uses that tale to gain power. Despite everyone seeming to be a selfish, greedy no good-er, I think Proctor and Parris may rise up to be better people. Parris seems to speak out against the thoughts of witchcraft, even if to save his own name, but it was still better than everyone else. From where the story left off, I believe everyone will use their reputation to gain land, money and more power in the small town of Salem.
Word Count: 254
Act 2
What immediately caught my attention about Act 2 was the main focus on Elizabeth and Proctor. From Act 1, I didn't have a good impression of Proctor and simply though he was another horrible person of Salem. However, from his interactions with his wife he seems to be one of the few people in Salem that can think for himself, and Elizabeth even more. She exhibited such strong will and defended herself when Hale forced her opinion on witchcraft. It filled me with glee seeing two people not just bend to the bible or someone else's words. Elizabeth and Proctor both stated their opinion but not in a way in which they could be blamed for witchcraft. Proctor was especially good at weaving his way out of directly answering the question of whether or not he believed in witches. But another thing I noticed was how torn Mary Warren. She seems to be caught between getting accused by Abbigail and losing Abbigail's approval, or helping Elizabeth and other women by speaking the truth. Although Mary Warren is having a hard time telling the truth, I get the feeling that she might start confessing more as the story progresses.
Word Count: 198
Act 3
Act 3 was the most anger inducing Act for me. The sheer ignorance exhibited by Danforth aggravated me to no end. Francis produced a list of names of people in Salem that vouched for the women being held for witchcraft. Rather than looking at it and doubting Abigail, Danforth eagerly jumped to say everyone on the list should be summoned and questioned for witchcraft. Danforth also tried to use any piece of "evidence" he could to try and accuse Proctor, Giles and Francis of witchcraft or doubts of Christian faith. When Parris says that Proctor plows on Sunday, Danforth tried to use it against him until Hale and Giles spoke out. There was also the extremely obvious outbreak of Abigail and the other women trying not to be accused of witchcraft. Simply because the girls wouldn't stop copying Mary Warren, Danforth chose to believe her 100%. Danforth even chose to believe Mary Warren after her blatant lie about Proctor making her sign a "book" from the devil. It infuriates me because one minute Mary Warren is saying Abigail is telling lies and that Proctor and Elizabeth were good to her, then a minute later she's turned on Proctor and suddenly Abigail stops mimicking her. It's extremely obvious but Danforth and his extreme pride refuses to see the problem and arrests Proctor. Despite Danforths annoying following of Abigail's every word, I was extremely happy at Hale's turnaround. He went from being as bad as Danforth in the ignorance party, to defending Proctors innocence and seeing Abigail's lie. I wasn't happy with how the chapter ended because Abigail again walked away free with Danforth thinking she was a saint.
Word Count: 277
Whole Play
Act 4 was the most surprising Act of the entire play. The character changes in personality were absolutely stunning, Inwardly, some may have still had the same feelings towards Proctor or other characters, but still voiced out. For example, even if for selfish reasons, Parris tried to keep Proctor alive. Parris even begged Elizabeth to reason with Proctor. Another person with a major personality change was Hale. From his first appearance to Act 3, Hale was a lot like Parris and Danforth. He didn't listen to reason or the evidence against witches being fake and blindly followed Danforth's arrests and accusations. But he started listening to what Giles had to say, or the list of people that said Rebecca nurse and other women weren't witches. Hale even went so far as to quit the court because of the ignorance shown to Abigail's lies. In Act 4, Hale went to each of the prisoners, prayed with them, and tried to convince them to lie to Danforth so they could go free. But i'm still left with the question why none of them told a lie to save themselves. It may have been because of their influence with the town or simple pride but to me it seems better to tell the lie and continue living. That's why I hold resentment against Elizabeth for letting Proctor just walk to his death, whether or not he had kept his name. Many of these characters held to much pride and that was why Proctor died and Parris tried to save him. The main thing i didn't see coming was Abigail leaving with all of Parris' money. I had expected her to stay and keep Proctor alive or confess but she just left with one girl. Major shocker on my part. I had also expected more hostility towards Abigail from all the other girls but there was a lot of blind following up until the end. I was also expecting one last word for Betty or Tituba, but they both disappeared from the story. All in all, I found myself liking the idea of the play, but hating majority of the characters.
Word Count: 357
I think coming from a modern day perspective, I have looked at the characters of the crucible and the way their town is based in an extremely negative way. For starters, most characters of the Crucible are incredibly greedy and selfish people. With the women of the town it seems to be a competition to outdo each other. Even if their God says to do behave a certain way or act friendly, underneath are lies. Starting from Abbigail who came up with witchcraft to simply pick off the women she didn't like. She even tried to go after Proctor's wife because Proctor said he wouldn't be with her anymore. Not just the women though, Putnam and Parris both seem extremely self-absorbed and only interested in obtaining their wants. Although in present time people are selfish, it takes more than one person (unless in supreme authority) to accuse an endless amount of people. As for Salem itself, the people seemed to be under the authority of Parris but after all the tales spreading of witchcraft everyone uses that tale to gain power. Despite everyone seeming to be a selfish, greedy no good-er, I think Proctor and Parris may rise up to be better people. Parris seems to speak out against the thoughts of witchcraft, even if to save his own name, but it was still better than everyone else. From where the story left off, I believe everyone will use their reputation to gain land, money and more power in the small town of Salem.
Word Count: 254
Act 2
What immediately caught my attention about Act 2 was the main focus on Elizabeth and Proctor. From Act 1, I didn't have a good impression of Proctor and simply though he was another horrible person of Salem. However, from his interactions with his wife he seems to be one of the few people in Salem that can think for himself, and Elizabeth even more. She exhibited such strong will and defended herself when Hale forced her opinion on witchcraft. It filled me with glee seeing two people not just bend to the bible or someone else's words. Elizabeth and Proctor both stated their opinion but not in a way in which they could be blamed for witchcraft. Proctor was especially good at weaving his way out of directly answering the question of whether or not he believed in witches. But another thing I noticed was how torn Mary Warren. She seems to be caught between getting accused by Abbigail and losing Abbigail's approval, or helping Elizabeth and other women by speaking the truth. Although Mary Warren is having a hard time telling the truth, I get the feeling that she might start confessing more as the story progresses.
Word Count: 198
Act 3
Act 3 was the most anger inducing Act for me. The sheer ignorance exhibited by Danforth aggravated me to no end. Francis produced a list of names of people in Salem that vouched for the women being held for witchcraft. Rather than looking at it and doubting Abigail, Danforth eagerly jumped to say everyone on the list should be summoned and questioned for witchcraft. Danforth also tried to use any piece of "evidence" he could to try and accuse Proctor, Giles and Francis of witchcraft or doubts of Christian faith. When Parris says that Proctor plows on Sunday, Danforth tried to use it against him until Hale and Giles spoke out. There was also the extremely obvious outbreak of Abigail and the other women trying not to be accused of witchcraft. Simply because the girls wouldn't stop copying Mary Warren, Danforth chose to believe her 100%. Danforth even chose to believe Mary Warren after her blatant lie about Proctor making her sign a "book" from the devil. It infuriates me because one minute Mary Warren is saying Abigail is telling lies and that Proctor and Elizabeth were good to her, then a minute later she's turned on Proctor and suddenly Abigail stops mimicking her. It's extremely obvious but Danforth and his extreme pride refuses to see the problem and arrests Proctor. Despite Danforths annoying following of Abigail's every word, I was extremely happy at Hale's turnaround. He went from being as bad as Danforth in the ignorance party, to defending Proctors innocence and seeing Abigail's lie. I wasn't happy with how the chapter ended because Abigail again walked away free with Danforth thinking she was a saint.
Word Count: 277
Whole Play
Act 4 was the most surprising Act of the entire play. The character changes in personality were absolutely stunning, Inwardly, some may have still had the same feelings towards Proctor or other characters, but still voiced out. For example, even if for selfish reasons, Parris tried to keep Proctor alive. Parris even begged Elizabeth to reason with Proctor. Another person with a major personality change was Hale. From his first appearance to Act 3, Hale was a lot like Parris and Danforth. He didn't listen to reason or the evidence against witches being fake and blindly followed Danforth's arrests and accusations. But he started listening to what Giles had to say, or the list of people that said Rebecca nurse and other women weren't witches. Hale even went so far as to quit the court because of the ignorance shown to Abigail's lies. In Act 4, Hale went to each of the prisoners, prayed with them, and tried to convince them to lie to Danforth so they could go free. But i'm still left with the question why none of them told a lie to save themselves. It may have been because of their influence with the town or simple pride but to me it seems better to tell the lie and continue living. That's why I hold resentment against Elizabeth for letting Proctor just walk to his death, whether or not he had kept his name. Many of these characters held to much pride and that was why Proctor died and Parris tried to save him. The main thing i didn't see coming was Abigail leaving with all of Parris' money. I had expected her to stay and keep Proctor alive or confess but she just left with one girl. Major shocker on my part. I had also expected more hostility towards Abigail from all the other girls but there was a lot of blind following up until the end. I was also expecting one last word for Betty or Tituba, but they both disappeared from the story. All in all, I found myself liking the idea of the play, but hating majority of the characters.
Word Count: 357
Friday, September 28, 2012
Notecards
1. Al Capone was raised in New York where he was part of the Five Point Gang and got a scar giving him the reputable name of "Scarface". Capone became so well known that a crime boss in Chicago name Torrio personally hired him to serve as a bodyguard. Capone became so good at his job when Torrio was wounded in a fight, Capone took over the gangster business and became known in all of America. (1)
2. The St.Valentine's Day Massacre to today has no tired murder for the killings. Al Capone was king of the alcohol business and Moran had repeatedly stepped on Capone's turf. Sending in four men disguised as police they lined the men up and shot them to death. The Massacre shocked many and became the picture and symbol of Chicago's hideous mob business. Although people tried to directly pin the murder on Capone, he was in Florida during the massacre. (2)
3. Al Capone used his extensive reputation to manipulate his way into politics in Chicago and in prison. Capone had two lifestyles, one of a thug and the other of someone who was a public figure. He started soup kitchens for homeless and regularly visited City Hall. However, he was the first to be blamed for a murder of local prosecutor Billy McSwiggin. Capone hid for 3 months and then turned himself over to the police, but lacking evidence, Capone was released free much to the public of Chicago's dismay. He was caught years later but it took about five years and undercover operations to convict Capone. (7)
4. Starting from 1920 there was a time in which alcohol was outlawed from the United States. Al Capone was king of this time, using the law against alcohol to smuggle it in and self it, making fortunes. But, when Herbert Hover came into presidency, he make it his goal to catch Capone. So he tasked the secretary of state Andre Mellon to find a way to bring Capone to justice. Because it was to difficult to find out Capone's bases and take him down piece by piece, they went for the simple route of arresting him on not paying taxes. (5)
5. When the U.S. justice department was given the task of tracking down Capone, they created a special unit to combat him. Nine of their top men were sent to work under Capone and gather information on him. For two and a half years they worked trying to rat out Capone for his crimes. They became popular and the Chicago Tribune named them "the Untouchables". The team even managed to raid his breweries, including one with a capacity of 20,000 gallons a day. But, in the end, Al Capone was caught on tax evasion because there was the most evidence against him on that. He was never charged for his prohibition violations. (4)
6. Al Capone wasn't the start of Chicago's crime however when the "bloody beer wars" broke out, Capone just made Chicago famous and related to gangsters. Having the town synonymous with violent episodes like the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, Chicago was quickly brought up in conversation as a gang town. Despite this, Chicago crime wasn't as bad as people thought, only the images and stories. But, Capone still had a massive impact on these stories and became a nostalgic feeling for Chicagoans as the source of pride, morality and a time of crime run by one man. (6)
7. Herbert Hoover was born to Quaker parents in 1874 and was a brilliant engineer and humanitarian. He was orphaned at the age of 9 years old and went to Stanford University. He became well known as engineer by 1914 and gained a fortune from discovering gold an mine deposits.In World War 1, Hoover was in London heading the Commission for Relief for Belgium. When the U.S joined the war Hoover was told to come back by president Woodrow Wilson. Hoover was doing so well in the Food administration bureau that when the presidential election came up he was looked at as a promising candidate and won the 1928 election. (11)
8. The purpose of prohibition was that people believed criminal behavior was caused by alcohol consumption. Since prohibition was so widely accepted some states had adapted dry laws and in 1920 the 18th amendment was ratified to the constitution, prohibiting sale, manufacture or transportation of alcohol. However, prohibition had the opposite effect of what people had hoped for. Organized crime and all of the violence that came with it flourished because people could acquire the alcohol they so desperately wanted. (12)
9. Organized expression of temperance was first shown in Chicago in 1833 and within one year had 120 members. By 1847, Chicago had two Washington temperance societies and several others growing. Some temperance forces started to become political processes and the two Washington temperance's joined other groups urging statewide prohibition. Many of the years in the 1850's a lot of alcohol banning occurred even if short lived. Temperance reformers were highly pleased with their brief political power in the 1850's. (14)
10. Alcohol consumption was continually growing, not just in the city of Chicago, but in the country. Because of this, temperance work was renewed after the Civil War. An emergence of new temperance groups appeared in Chicago, some even with women. Their causes varied but all about alcohol in some way, like the Woman Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) who advocated for the suppression of alcohol sale to minors. The WCTU went into social services and began setting up day cares and Sunday schools, helping all kinds of people. (14)
11. John Torrio was originally born in a village near Naples but moved to New York at the age of 2. He grew up and became the leader of the James Street Boys, allying them with the Five Point Gang which Capone was a part of. Torrio rose in ranks and was called to Chicago by Big Jim Collisimo in 1909. 10 years later, Al Capone was called by Torrio and asked to murder Collisimo. After Collisimo was killed, Torrio took over and ran his entire brothel empire. However, he was successfully shot and wounded so he turned over everything to Capone. Later, Torrio was arrested for income tax evasion and sent to prison for 3 years. He went into retirement once released and died of a heart attack. (16)
12. Al Capone dropped out of school after sixth grade and joined the New York street gang, James Street Gang. He was accepted by Johnny Torrio and moved to Chicago, helping Collisimo and Torrio in illegal brewing. Capone learned under Torrio after becoming his strong right arm and gained control after Torrio's assassination attempt. Even though Capone was in Florida during the St.Valentines Days Massacre, the Bureau of Investigation was still trying to pin it on Capone. However, with their jurisdiction, Capone was out of their reach. (10)
13. Despite Capone's efforts to not get called into court, he had to make a federal appearance before a grand jury. But, Capone being clever got a physician affidavit saying he came down with an illness and couldn't make an appearance. The Bureau of Investigation didn't believe this though and tracked Capone's movements when he took a cruise and several vacation flights, all of which cleared him with perfect health. So he appeared before court and right after his testimony was arrested for contempt of court. Normally, one would serve about a year but Capone posted a $5,000 bond and was released. (10)
14. Later in the 1920's, Capone and one of his bodyguards were arrested in Philadelphia for carrying concealed weapons. He was meant to serve a year but got out after nine months because of good behavior. In the early 1930's Capone was once again found guilt in a federal court for contempt of court. However, he only served six months in Chicago's Cook County Jail. During all of his arrest's, the U.S. Treasury Department was working on finding a case against Capone, and they found one, on income tax evasion. Which lead them to investigate other gangster on the same charges of tax evasion. (10)
15. On June 16th, 1931, Capone plead guilty to tax evasion and bragged about his two-and-a-half year sentence. But later, he changed his plea to not guilty. In October of 1931, Capone was found guilty and sentenced to eleven years in prison. Despite his try for an appeal, it was denied while he was at Cook County Jail and Capone spent his years at a prison in Philadelphia then at Alcatraz. Capone served seven years but was released because of syphilis. After an examination, Capone was sent for brain treatment and was diagnosed with the mentality of a twelve year old. (8)
16. The 5 point gang was impossibly notorious. The rumors of them spread so far, even famed author Charles Dickens went to New York just to see them. The gang got their name from street corners of 5 points that were known as the slum of New York. The 5 point gangs were not just one gang, but a collection molded. They had their operations in a large brewery that housed 1,000 poor people and dealt of the gangs prostitution gambling and other shady deals. (18)
17. Capone joined the James Street Gang when he dropped out of the 6th grade. The James Street Gang wasn't as tough as the 5 Point Gang, but they were good enough. It was in the James Street Gang that Johnny Torrio became Capone's mentor. He offered Capone a bouncer job and during that job Capone got his legendary scar. When the press asked Capone how he got his scar, he told them it was during a fight against France in World War 1. But Capone never served in the military once. (18)
18. When Capone came to Chicago, his first order was to take out the current mobster ruler, Collisimo. Torrio and Capone became a duo in the takeover of the city. But, trying to be fair to other gangs, they split the territories equally with protection so not to make other mobster agitated. At the age of 26 Capone got the city by the throat with over 1,000 experienced gunmen. The police turned blind eyes to Capone's pure power over Chicago. He told the press he owned the police as he owned Chicago, not to mention the countless authoritative figures in Chicago. He called himself an honest businessman helping the people of Chicago. Capone was adored and people even cheered his name at baseball games. (18)
19. Capone's parents immigrated from Italy with their seven children. Capone attended school starting at the age of five years old. But the time period wasn't very accepting of immigrants so Capone's teachers used physical methods of punishment against him. He dropped out of school during the 6th grade when he got into a fist fight with his teacher. After the fight with his teacher, the principal of the school beat young Capone up. Al never returned to school and instead joined some local street gangs. (19)
20. Growing up in America when he did, Capone thought the main goal in life was to get rich. But he soon learned that prejudice against immigrants would get in the way. He was constantly looked down upon because of his background and this angered him to no end. So, Capone did the only thing he thought he could do to obtain the wealth he wanted, criminal activities. This lead him to the James Street Gang. (19)
21. Capone worked a series of odd jobs around New York before he found what he was good at. When he met Torrio, he was asked to be a bouncer at a bar. Because of Capone's easy ways of violence, Torrio started using him as a personal bodyguard, beating up people for debts. Capone started learning more and more of these criminal ways, to the point where he was Torrio's right hand man. It was during his time as a bouncer/bodygaurd that Capone got his famous scar during a bar fight. That was also when he got his first arrest. (19)
22. The year prohibition was put into effect, Capone left New York to escape a murder charge. He once again took up under Torrio and almost went to jail on several occasions for assaulting people. But not one of these times did he get arrested due to Torrio's extreme influence. When he first took over, he saw the desperation of Chicagoans for alcohol. He openly told the press of his doings, saying if he was guilty then the rest of the city was as guilty as him. (16)
23. Despite Capone's hold on Chicago, he roughly protected what he thought was his. Killing off rival gangs and paying officials in office so he could keep his tight grip on bootlegging and prostitution. Even though he was a criminal, he kept his ways like a professional businessman in the spotlight. No one spoke out because of how well admired he was. Providing alcohol to the people of the city that desperately wanted it and not being arrested for good long years, Chicagoans didn't see Capone as a bad person. (16)
24. Capone may have appeared to others as a ruthless criminal, or a wonderful public icon, but he also had a nice family life. He met and married a woman named Mae Coughlin. She became pregnant with Capone's only son, Sonny and gave birth to him in 1918. Mae and Sonny never entered the spotlight as Capone was sure to not mix his business and personal life. He was said to be caring and kind to his family, giving them everything they wanted and keeping them safe. However, Capone did have a number of mistresses, one of which he caught syphilis from. (15)
25. Capone's rule over his empire was learned mainly from Torrio. Under his first boss in New York, he learned how to rule his empire with violence and force. When he went to Chicago to work under Torrio, he saw Torrio was a real gentlemen when it came to his business. Torrio used negotiations and preferred cooperation to run his empire. Capone adapted both to his own liking though as he used a gentlemanly way to the public and a ruthless one towards other gangs. (15)
26. To the people of Chicago, Capone was a modern day Robin Hood. He opened soup kitchens for the poor during the Great Depression, and when he saw homeless on the street would give clothing or coal. He was hard not to notice and people took a liking to the man with a fedora hat that would tip waiters at restaurants a generous $100. He personally took care of a lot of things, including betrayals in his gang. When Capone found out 3 of his associates planned on killing him, Capone invited them to a friendly dinner, after which he beat them with a baseball bat and shot them in the head. (15)
27. Cicero is located in Illinois, west of Chicago. It was founded in the 1800's and named after a Roman statesman. Cicero relied heavily upon Chicago for it's development as a town. It got a jumping start when a railroad was built from other cities including Chicago. However, Cicero began to lose its territory to Chicago and Oak Park. Al Capone made his main operating base in Cicero because he could easily take over the town. He made a lot of gambling halls among other things in Cicero. (21)
28. Eliot Ness was Chicago's American crime fighter. He fought with nine other law enforcers to stop Capone's reign. He and his gang were called the "Untouchables" as they tried to find their way in Capone's underground work way. Ness was head of his team and worked with utter determination to stop Capone's illegal ways. (22)
29. Ness was born in Chicago where he attended the University of Chicago. Ness was very late to join the special agentry, starting in 1929. At that time Capone was booming, and at age 26, Ness was hired as a special agent to the Department of Justice. They wanted Ness to take down bootlegging in Chicago, and gather evidence on Capone. Ness put extreme pressure on Capone by raiding his breweries and speakeasies, constantly harassing Capone. It was helps to the "Untouchables" that he found the claim of income tax evasion against Capone. (22)
30. The word "bootlegging" came into use in the Midwest about someone who was concealing a flask during trades with Indian Americans. But, the word wasn't part of the American vocabulary until the act of prohibition in 1920. Because prohibition made sale of alcohol illegal, as well as manufacturing of alcohol, people began to illicitly supply the beverage. (23)
31. Bootleggers in the earlier time of prohibition began smuggling foreign alcohol from other countries, mainly Canda and Mexico. But there was also ships registered under foreign registry along the seacoast that also had alcohol. Many of the fancy islands like Bahamas, Cuba, St. Pierre and others were among the more favorites alcohol. So there began a favorite meeting point of rumm-running shops along New Jersy, but they stayed just out of the U.S. jurisdiction. Bootleggers were smart and unloaded at the jurisdiction line equipped with fast boats ready for escape. (23)
32. As well as bootleggers were doing, the use of ships to transport foreign alcohol was becoming more dangerous. U.S. Coastal Guard ships started stopping ships, and searching them, even going farther than the jurisdiction line. And, in order to catch escaping bootleggers, the U.S. Guard started using fast motors of its own, leaving bootleggers looking for other means. But, bootleggers didn't have to go very far to find other sources to supply them. "Medicinal" whiskey was sold right over the counter in pharmacies, and when bootleggers began producing their own alcohol, they would sell it straight to speakeasies. (23)
33. Dion O'Bannion was a famous gangster to Chicago, rivaling with Al Capone and Johnny Torrio, O'Bannion also had a large use of prohibition. Starting out with small crimes, O'Bannion rose during prohibiton, commanding large breweries among the North Side. O'Bannion ruled the Northern area of Chicago, heavily rivaling with Capone. O'Bannion's base was a flower shop on 738 North State Street, where he was killed by Capone. His funeral had some 15,000 people attending, even Capone and Torrio. (24)
34. "Big Jim" James Colosimo was born in Italy before moving to Chicago in 1895. Colosimo was poor growing up, so when he first came to Chicago, he did petty crimes and even pimping. But then he found his way into heading brothel chains and hiring successful New York mobster Johnny Torrio. Colosimo let Torrio get very close to his empire and was killed in the end. After Colosimo expanded, Capone killed him at Torrio's request, giving Torrio complete control of Chicago. (25)
35. Frankie Yale was born in Italy before moving at a young age with his family to the United States. He and his family stayed in New York, where Yale joined youth gangs much like Torrio and Capone. Yale worked his way up to bootlegging and rumm-running during prohibition. He opened a bar called Harvard Inn where Capone worked as a bouncer, bartender and bodyguard for Yale. It is said Yale took personal murder orders, being one of the men involved in O'Bannion's murder. Later though, Yale was shot in his car by machine guns. Some say Capone did it because he was suspicious of Yale and others say it was a rival gang seeking revenge. (26)
36. George "Bugs" Moran was not an Italian-born mobster. He was born in Minnesota and a childhood friend to Dion O'Bannion, later becoming his right hand man, much like Torrio and Capone. After O'Bannion's death, Bugs split O'Bannion's empire with Hymie Wiess, another famous gangster. Bugs became the only leader when Hymie was shot in 1926. For three years, Bugs was at Capone's throat, fighting a bloody gang war, that came to its highest point at the most famous of all killings, the St. Valentines Day Massacre. Bugs lost a lot of his power to Capone and resorted to bank robberies that landed him in jail several times. (27)
2. The St.Valentine's Day Massacre to today has no tired murder for the killings. Al Capone was king of the alcohol business and Moran had repeatedly stepped on Capone's turf. Sending in four men disguised as police they lined the men up and shot them to death. The Massacre shocked many and became the picture and symbol of Chicago's hideous mob business. Although people tried to directly pin the murder on Capone, he was in Florida during the massacre. (2)
3. Al Capone used his extensive reputation to manipulate his way into politics in Chicago and in prison. Capone had two lifestyles, one of a thug and the other of someone who was a public figure. He started soup kitchens for homeless and regularly visited City Hall. However, he was the first to be blamed for a murder of local prosecutor Billy McSwiggin. Capone hid for 3 months and then turned himself over to the police, but lacking evidence, Capone was released free much to the public of Chicago's dismay. He was caught years later but it took about five years and undercover operations to convict Capone. (7)
4. Starting from 1920 there was a time in which alcohol was outlawed from the United States. Al Capone was king of this time, using the law against alcohol to smuggle it in and self it, making fortunes. But, when Herbert Hover came into presidency, he make it his goal to catch Capone. So he tasked the secretary of state Andre Mellon to find a way to bring Capone to justice. Because it was to difficult to find out Capone's bases and take him down piece by piece, they went for the simple route of arresting him on not paying taxes. (5)
5. When the U.S. justice department was given the task of tracking down Capone, they created a special unit to combat him. Nine of their top men were sent to work under Capone and gather information on him. For two and a half years they worked trying to rat out Capone for his crimes. They became popular and the Chicago Tribune named them "the Untouchables". The team even managed to raid his breweries, including one with a capacity of 20,000 gallons a day. But, in the end, Al Capone was caught on tax evasion because there was the most evidence against him on that. He was never charged for his prohibition violations. (4)
6. Al Capone wasn't the start of Chicago's crime however when the "bloody beer wars" broke out, Capone just made Chicago famous and related to gangsters. Having the town synonymous with violent episodes like the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, Chicago was quickly brought up in conversation as a gang town. Despite this, Chicago crime wasn't as bad as people thought, only the images and stories. But, Capone still had a massive impact on these stories and became a nostalgic feeling for Chicagoans as the source of pride, morality and a time of crime run by one man. (6)
7. Herbert Hoover was born to Quaker parents in 1874 and was a brilliant engineer and humanitarian. He was orphaned at the age of 9 years old and went to Stanford University. He became well known as engineer by 1914 and gained a fortune from discovering gold an mine deposits.In World War 1, Hoover was in London heading the Commission for Relief for Belgium. When the U.S joined the war Hoover was told to come back by president Woodrow Wilson. Hoover was doing so well in the Food administration bureau that when the presidential election came up he was looked at as a promising candidate and won the 1928 election. (11)
8. The purpose of prohibition was that people believed criminal behavior was caused by alcohol consumption. Since prohibition was so widely accepted some states had adapted dry laws and in 1920 the 18th amendment was ratified to the constitution, prohibiting sale, manufacture or transportation of alcohol. However, prohibition had the opposite effect of what people had hoped for. Organized crime and all of the violence that came with it flourished because people could acquire the alcohol they so desperately wanted. (12)
9. Organized expression of temperance was first shown in Chicago in 1833 and within one year had 120 members. By 1847, Chicago had two Washington temperance societies and several others growing. Some temperance forces started to become political processes and the two Washington temperance's joined other groups urging statewide prohibition. Many of the years in the 1850's a lot of alcohol banning occurred even if short lived. Temperance reformers were highly pleased with their brief political power in the 1850's. (14)
10. Alcohol consumption was continually growing, not just in the city of Chicago, but in the country. Because of this, temperance work was renewed after the Civil War. An emergence of new temperance groups appeared in Chicago, some even with women. Their causes varied but all about alcohol in some way, like the Woman Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) who advocated for the suppression of alcohol sale to minors. The WCTU went into social services and began setting up day cares and Sunday schools, helping all kinds of people. (14)
11. John Torrio was originally born in a village near Naples but moved to New York at the age of 2. He grew up and became the leader of the James Street Boys, allying them with the Five Point Gang which Capone was a part of. Torrio rose in ranks and was called to Chicago by Big Jim Collisimo in 1909. 10 years later, Al Capone was called by Torrio and asked to murder Collisimo. After Collisimo was killed, Torrio took over and ran his entire brothel empire. However, he was successfully shot and wounded so he turned over everything to Capone. Later, Torrio was arrested for income tax evasion and sent to prison for 3 years. He went into retirement once released and died of a heart attack. (16)
12. Al Capone dropped out of school after sixth grade and joined the New York street gang, James Street Gang. He was accepted by Johnny Torrio and moved to Chicago, helping Collisimo and Torrio in illegal brewing. Capone learned under Torrio after becoming his strong right arm and gained control after Torrio's assassination attempt. Even though Capone was in Florida during the St.Valentines Days Massacre, the Bureau of Investigation was still trying to pin it on Capone. However, with their jurisdiction, Capone was out of their reach. (10)
13. Despite Capone's efforts to not get called into court, he had to make a federal appearance before a grand jury. But, Capone being clever got a physician affidavit saying he came down with an illness and couldn't make an appearance. The Bureau of Investigation didn't believe this though and tracked Capone's movements when he took a cruise and several vacation flights, all of which cleared him with perfect health. So he appeared before court and right after his testimony was arrested for contempt of court. Normally, one would serve about a year but Capone posted a $5,000 bond and was released. (10)
14. Later in the 1920's, Capone and one of his bodyguards were arrested in Philadelphia for carrying concealed weapons. He was meant to serve a year but got out after nine months because of good behavior. In the early 1930's Capone was once again found guilt in a federal court for contempt of court. However, he only served six months in Chicago's Cook County Jail. During all of his arrest's, the U.S. Treasury Department was working on finding a case against Capone, and they found one, on income tax evasion. Which lead them to investigate other gangster on the same charges of tax evasion. (10)
15. On June 16th, 1931, Capone plead guilty to tax evasion and bragged about his two-and-a-half year sentence. But later, he changed his plea to not guilty. In October of 1931, Capone was found guilty and sentenced to eleven years in prison. Despite his try for an appeal, it was denied while he was at Cook County Jail and Capone spent his years at a prison in Philadelphia then at Alcatraz. Capone served seven years but was released because of syphilis. After an examination, Capone was sent for brain treatment and was diagnosed with the mentality of a twelve year old. (8)
16. The 5 point gang was impossibly notorious. The rumors of them spread so far, even famed author Charles Dickens went to New York just to see them. The gang got their name from street corners of 5 points that were known as the slum of New York. The 5 point gangs were not just one gang, but a collection molded. They had their operations in a large brewery that housed 1,000 poor people and dealt of the gangs prostitution gambling and other shady deals. (18)
17. Capone joined the James Street Gang when he dropped out of the 6th grade. The James Street Gang wasn't as tough as the 5 Point Gang, but they were good enough. It was in the James Street Gang that Johnny Torrio became Capone's mentor. He offered Capone a bouncer job and during that job Capone got his legendary scar. When the press asked Capone how he got his scar, he told them it was during a fight against France in World War 1. But Capone never served in the military once. (18)
18. When Capone came to Chicago, his first order was to take out the current mobster ruler, Collisimo. Torrio and Capone became a duo in the takeover of the city. But, trying to be fair to other gangs, they split the territories equally with protection so not to make other mobster agitated. At the age of 26 Capone got the city by the throat with over 1,000 experienced gunmen. The police turned blind eyes to Capone's pure power over Chicago. He told the press he owned the police as he owned Chicago, not to mention the countless authoritative figures in Chicago. He called himself an honest businessman helping the people of Chicago. Capone was adored and people even cheered his name at baseball games. (18)
19. Capone's parents immigrated from Italy with their seven children. Capone attended school starting at the age of five years old. But the time period wasn't very accepting of immigrants so Capone's teachers used physical methods of punishment against him. He dropped out of school during the 6th grade when he got into a fist fight with his teacher. After the fight with his teacher, the principal of the school beat young Capone up. Al never returned to school and instead joined some local street gangs. (19)
20. Growing up in America when he did, Capone thought the main goal in life was to get rich. But he soon learned that prejudice against immigrants would get in the way. He was constantly looked down upon because of his background and this angered him to no end. So, Capone did the only thing he thought he could do to obtain the wealth he wanted, criminal activities. This lead him to the James Street Gang. (19)
21. Capone worked a series of odd jobs around New York before he found what he was good at. When he met Torrio, he was asked to be a bouncer at a bar. Because of Capone's easy ways of violence, Torrio started using him as a personal bodyguard, beating up people for debts. Capone started learning more and more of these criminal ways, to the point where he was Torrio's right hand man. It was during his time as a bouncer/bodygaurd that Capone got his famous scar during a bar fight. That was also when he got his first arrest. (19)
22. The year prohibition was put into effect, Capone left New York to escape a murder charge. He once again took up under Torrio and almost went to jail on several occasions for assaulting people. But not one of these times did he get arrested due to Torrio's extreme influence. When he first took over, he saw the desperation of Chicagoans for alcohol. He openly told the press of his doings, saying if he was guilty then the rest of the city was as guilty as him. (16)
23. Despite Capone's hold on Chicago, he roughly protected what he thought was his. Killing off rival gangs and paying officials in office so he could keep his tight grip on bootlegging and prostitution. Even though he was a criminal, he kept his ways like a professional businessman in the spotlight. No one spoke out because of how well admired he was. Providing alcohol to the people of the city that desperately wanted it and not being arrested for good long years, Chicagoans didn't see Capone as a bad person. (16)
24. Capone may have appeared to others as a ruthless criminal, or a wonderful public icon, but he also had a nice family life. He met and married a woman named Mae Coughlin. She became pregnant with Capone's only son, Sonny and gave birth to him in 1918. Mae and Sonny never entered the spotlight as Capone was sure to not mix his business and personal life. He was said to be caring and kind to his family, giving them everything they wanted and keeping them safe. However, Capone did have a number of mistresses, one of which he caught syphilis from. (15)
25. Capone's rule over his empire was learned mainly from Torrio. Under his first boss in New York, he learned how to rule his empire with violence and force. When he went to Chicago to work under Torrio, he saw Torrio was a real gentlemen when it came to his business. Torrio used negotiations and preferred cooperation to run his empire. Capone adapted both to his own liking though as he used a gentlemanly way to the public and a ruthless one towards other gangs. (15)
26. To the people of Chicago, Capone was a modern day Robin Hood. He opened soup kitchens for the poor during the Great Depression, and when he saw homeless on the street would give clothing or coal. He was hard not to notice and people took a liking to the man with a fedora hat that would tip waiters at restaurants a generous $100. He personally took care of a lot of things, including betrayals in his gang. When Capone found out 3 of his associates planned on killing him, Capone invited them to a friendly dinner, after which he beat them with a baseball bat and shot them in the head. (15)
27. Cicero is located in Illinois, west of Chicago. It was founded in the 1800's and named after a Roman statesman. Cicero relied heavily upon Chicago for it's development as a town. It got a jumping start when a railroad was built from other cities including Chicago. However, Cicero began to lose its territory to Chicago and Oak Park. Al Capone made his main operating base in Cicero because he could easily take over the town. He made a lot of gambling halls among other things in Cicero. (21)
28. Eliot Ness was Chicago's American crime fighter. He fought with nine other law enforcers to stop Capone's reign. He and his gang were called the "Untouchables" as they tried to find their way in Capone's underground work way. Ness was head of his team and worked with utter determination to stop Capone's illegal ways. (22)
29. Ness was born in Chicago where he attended the University of Chicago. Ness was very late to join the special agentry, starting in 1929. At that time Capone was booming, and at age 26, Ness was hired as a special agent to the Department of Justice. They wanted Ness to take down bootlegging in Chicago, and gather evidence on Capone. Ness put extreme pressure on Capone by raiding his breweries and speakeasies, constantly harassing Capone. It was helps to the "Untouchables" that he found the claim of income tax evasion against Capone. (22)
30. The word "bootlegging" came into use in the Midwest about someone who was concealing a flask during trades with Indian Americans. But, the word wasn't part of the American vocabulary until the act of prohibition in 1920. Because prohibition made sale of alcohol illegal, as well as manufacturing of alcohol, people began to illicitly supply the beverage. (23)
31. Bootleggers in the earlier time of prohibition began smuggling foreign alcohol from other countries, mainly Canda and Mexico. But there was also ships registered under foreign registry along the seacoast that also had alcohol. Many of the fancy islands like Bahamas, Cuba, St. Pierre and others were among the more favorites alcohol. So there began a favorite meeting point of rumm-running shops along New Jersy, but they stayed just out of the U.S. jurisdiction. Bootleggers were smart and unloaded at the jurisdiction line equipped with fast boats ready for escape. (23)
32. As well as bootleggers were doing, the use of ships to transport foreign alcohol was becoming more dangerous. U.S. Coastal Guard ships started stopping ships, and searching them, even going farther than the jurisdiction line. And, in order to catch escaping bootleggers, the U.S. Guard started using fast motors of its own, leaving bootleggers looking for other means. But, bootleggers didn't have to go very far to find other sources to supply them. "Medicinal" whiskey was sold right over the counter in pharmacies, and when bootleggers began producing their own alcohol, they would sell it straight to speakeasies. (23)
33. Dion O'Bannion was a famous gangster to Chicago, rivaling with Al Capone and Johnny Torrio, O'Bannion also had a large use of prohibition. Starting out with small crimes, O'Bannion rose during prohibiton, commanding large breweries among the North Side. O'Bannion ruled the Northern area of Chicago, heavily rivaling with Capone. O'Bannion's base was a flower shop on 738 North State Street, where he was killed by Capone. His funeral had some 15,000 people attending, even Capone and Torrio. (24)
34. "Big Jim" James Colosimo was born in Italy before moving to Chicago in 1895. Colosimo was poor growing up, so when he first came to Chicago, he did petty crimes and even pimping. But then he found his way into heading brothel chains and hiring successful New York mobster Johnny Torrio. Colosimo let Torrio get very close to his empire and was killed in the end. After Colosimo expanded, Capone killed him at Torrio's request, giving Torrio complete control of Chicago. (25)
35. Frankie Yale was born in Italy before moving at a young age with his family to the United States. He and his family stayed in New York, where Yale joined youth gangs much like Torrio and Capone. Yale worked his way up to bootlegging and rumm-running during prohibition. He opened a bar called Harvard Inn where Capone worked as a bouncer, bartender and bodyguard for Yale. It is said Yale took personal murder orders, being one of the men involved in O'Bannion's murder. Later though, Yale was shot in his car by machine guns. Some say Capone did it because he was suspicious of Yale and others say it was a rival gang seeking revenge. (26)
36. George "Bugs" Moran was not an Italian-born mobster. He was born in Minnesota and a childhood friend to Dion O'Bannion, later becoming his right hand man, much like Torrio and Capone. After O'Bannion's death, Bugs split O'Bannion's empire with Hymie Wiess, another famous gangster. Bugs became the only leader when Hymie was shot in 1926. For three years, Bugs was at Capone's throat, fighting a bloody gang war, that came to its highest point at the most famous of all killings, the St. Valentines Day Massacre. Bugs lost a lot of his power to Capone and resorted to bank robberies that landed him in jail several times. (27)
Thursday, September 20, 2012
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2.Ruth, David E. Inventing the Public Enemy: The Gangsters in American Culture, 1918–1934. 1996. Schoenberg, Robert J. Mr. Capone. 1992. About the St.Valentines Day Massacre
3.Dorson, Richard. Land of the Mill Rats. 1981. Scott, Beth, and Michael Norman. Haunted Heartland. 1985. Chicago Folklore and Al Capone adding to the city's name.
4. Ness, Eliot, with Oscar Fraley. The Untouchables. 1957. About Al Capone's illegal alcohol trade being unreachable by the government
5. "treasury agents." American Government. ABC-CLIO, 2012. Web. 20 Sept. 2012. About Al Capone's take down from the IRS capturing him for not paying his income tax
6. Asbury, Herbert. Gem of the Prairie: An Informal
History of the Chicago Underworld. 1940. Ruth, David E. Inventing the Public Enemy: The
Gangster in American Culture, 1918–1934. 1996. Chicago's myth of crime and the symbol it showed. Al Capone's affect on Chicago and what he represents
7. "Al Capone at Alcatraz" Alcatraz History, Web. <http://www.alcatrazhistory.com/cap1.htm> A summary of Al Capone's rise in Chicago
8. “Farewell, Mr. Gangster!” Herbert Corey, D. Appleton-Century Company, Inc., New York, New York, 1936 Much about Capone's life, rise and fall.
9. The Mobs And The Mafia,” Hank Messick and Burt Goldblatt, Thomas Y. Crowell Company, New York, New York, 1972 The different Mobs and Mafia's and how Capone was famous among them.
10. Organized Crime In America,” Gus Tyler, University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1962 Capone's fame in organized crime.
7. "Al Capone at Alcatraz" Alcatraz History, Web. <http://www.alcatrazhistory.com/cap1.htm> A summary of Al Capone's rise in Chicago
8. “Farewell, Mr. Gangster!” Herbert Corey, D. Appleton-Century Company, Inc., New York, New York, 1936 Much about Capone's life, rise and fall.
9. The Mobs And The Mafia,” Hank Messick and Burt Goldblatt, Thomas Y. Crowell Company, New York, New York, 1972 The different Mobs and Mafia's and how Capone was famous among them.
10. Organized Crime In America,” Gus Tyler, University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1962 Capone's fame in organized crime.
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14. Wiltsee, Herbert. “The Temperance Movement, 1848–1871.” Papers in Illinois History and Transactions for the Year 1937. 1938. Temperance Movements
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18. Horowitz, Ruth. Honor and the American Dream: Culture and Identity in a Chicano Community. 1983. Various Chicago Gangs
19. Spergel, Irving A., and G. David Curry. Youth Gangs: Problem and Response. 1991. Young gangs
20. “G-Men: Hoover’s FBI in American Popular Culture,” Richard Gid Powers, Southern Illinois University Press, Carbondale, Illinois, 1983 Investigation under Hoover
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25. "James Colosimo". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2012. Web. 17 Oct. 2012 <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/126602/James-Colosimo>.
26. "Yale, Frankie." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online School Edition. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2012. Web. 17 Oct. 2012. <http://school.eb.com/eb/article-9077743>.
27. "Moran, George." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online School Edition. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2012. Web. 17 Oct. 2012. <http://school.eb.com/eb/article-9053658>.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Community Song Post
My Town by Montgomery Gentry
There's a "For Sale" sign on a big old rusty tractor.
You can't miss it, it's the first thing that you see.
Just up the road, a pale-blue water tower,
With "I Love Jenny" painted in bright green.
Hey, that's my Uncle Bill, there by the courthouse.
He'll be lowerin' the flag when the sun goes down.
And this is my town.
(Na, na, na, na, na.)
Yeah, this is my town.
(Na, na, na, na, na.)
Hey!
Where I was born, where I was raised.
Where I keep all my yesterdays.
Where I ran off 'cos I got mad,
An' it came to blows with my old man.
Where I came back to settle down,
It's where they'll put me in the ground:
This is my town.
(Na, na, na, na, na.)
Yeah, this is my town.
(Na, na, na, na, na.)
My town.
There ain't much goin' on here since they closed the mill.
But that whistle still blows ev'ry day at noon.
A bunch of us still go down to the diner.
I wonder if that interstate's still comin' through.
Come Sunday morning service, at the Church of Christ,
Well there ain't an empty seat to be found.
And this is my town.
(Na, na, na, na, na.)
Yeah, this is my town.
(Na, na, na, na, na.)
Where I was born, where I was raised.
Where I keep all my yesterdays.
Where I ran off 'cos I got mad,
An' it came to blows with my old man.
Where I came back to settle down,
It's where they'll put me in the ground:
This is my town.
(Na, na, na, na, na.)
Yeah, this is my town.
(Na, na, na, na, na.)
My town.
Well, I bought and painted up that rusty tractor.
You can't miss it, it's sittin' right there in our yard.
The County came and took that water tower,
And that's Jenny, with a baby, in the car.
Ah, we're off to Sunday service at the Church of Christ,
And if we want a seat, we better leave right now.
And maybe later, me an old T-roy will show you around,
Our town.
(Na, na, na, na, na.)
Yeah, this is my town.
(Na, na, na, na, na.)
Yeah, where I was born, where I was raised.
Where I keep all my yesterdays.
Where I ran off 'cos I got mad,
An' it came to blows with my old man.
Where I came back to settle down,
It's where they'll put me in the ground:
This is my town.
(Na, na, na, na, na.)
Yeah, this is my town.
(Na, na, na, na, na.)
This is my town.
(Na, na, na, na, na.)
My town.
The singer feels very strongly about his community. He says "it's where they'll put me in the ground" showing true commitment to staying in the community for the rest of his life. Its a rural town that had a mill and a tractors. Plus, everyday someone who raise the flag and lower it. It gives off the rural appearance especially because of how the singer uses "country" language. "An it" rather than 'and it',"'cos" instead of because. But it seems the singer doesn't feel his community needs changing. Even though the mill was shut down and the water tower taken away he still continues to say it's his town, demonstrating the deep connection he has to it.
There's a "For Sale" sign on a big old rusty tractor.
You can't miss it, it's the first thing that you see.
Just up the road, a pale-blue water tower,
With "I Love Jenny" painted in bright green.
Hey, that's my Uncle Bill, there by the courthouse.
He'll be lowerin' the flag when the sun goes down.
And this is my town.
(Na, na, na, na, na.)
Yeah, this is my town.
(Na, na, na, na, na.)
Hey!
Where I was born, where I was raised.
Where I keep all my yesterdays.
Where I ran off 'cos I got mad,
An' it came to blows with my old man.
Where I came back to settle down,
It's where they'll put me in the ground:
This is my town.
(Na, na, na, na, na.)
Yeah, this is my town.
(Na, na, na, na, na.)
My town.
There ain't much goin' on here since they closed the mill.
But that whistle still blows ev'ry day at noon.
A bunch of us still go down to the diner.
I wonder if that interstate's still comin' through.
Come Sunday morning service, at the Church of Christ,
Well there ain't an empty seat to be found.
And this is my town.
(Na, na, na, na, na.)
Yeah, this is my town.
(Na, na, na, na, na.)
Where I was born, where I was raised.
Where I keep all my yesterdays.
Where I ran off 'cos I got mad,
An' it came to blows with my old man.
Where I came back to settle down,
It's where they'll put me in the ground:
This is my town.
(Na, na, na, na, na.)
Yeah, this is my town.
(Na, na, na, na, na.)
My town.
Well, I bought and painted up that rusty tractor.
You can't miss it, it's sittin' right there in our yard.
The County came and took that water tower,
And that's Jenny, with a baby, in the car.
Ah, we're off to Sunday service at the Church of Christ,
And if we want a seat, we better leave right now.
And maybe later, me an old T-roy will show you around,
Our town.
(Na, na, na, na, na.)
Yeah, this is my town.
(Na, na, na, na, na.)
Yeah, where I was born, where I was raised.
Where I keep all my yesterdays.
Where I ran off 'cos I got mad,
An' it came to blows with my old man.
Where I came back to settle down,
It's where they'll put me in the ground:
This is my town.
(Na, na, na, na, na.)
Yeah, this is my town.
(Na, na, na, na, na.)
This is my town.
(Na, na, na, na, na.)
My town.
The singer feels very strongly about his community. He says "it's where they'll put me in the ground" showing true commitment to staying in the community for the rest of his life. Its a rural town that had a mill and a tractors. Plus, everyday someone who raise the flag and lower it. It gives off the rural appearance especially because of how the singer uses "country" language. "An it" rather than 'and it',"'cos" instead of because. But it seems the singer doesn't feel his community needs changing. Even though the mill was shut down and the water tower taken away he still continues to say it's his town, demonstrating the deep connection he has to it.
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