Huiswerk, a story of genius

[Jnusch]

Hallie 

Hier kan iedereen zijn/haar verhalen, essays, etc. posten die hij/zij voor school moest schrijven maar toch ook waardig vond om hier geplaatst te worden.
Het mag zowel in het Nederlands als Engels zijn, en het lijkt me leuk als iedereen er ook even bij vermeld voor welk vak het is.

[Jnusch]

Essay voor EIO

The Future of Europe

or:
Triumph; a true story

Twenty years from now, the European Union will be one of the major economical entities in the world. It will be a solid, powerful machine. In 2025, the last European countries that had not joined the European Union seal the deal, forming the strongest and biggest alliance the world has ever known. Yet it was not always like that.
For years on end, the economic recession had plagued Europe, causing poverty and unrest everywhere. At the end of 2009, nearly 50% of the European countries had an economy that was actually shrinking. Studies in Germany and England showed no sign of hope for the following years. Where at first no normal civilians had been worried, they too now started to feel the pressure of a world about to collapse. This was not good and they could see it. Though the economy was not in a good state, the stock market had been recovering somewhat since its absolute breakdown in February of that year. With news spilling in from every direction that an era was dawning where everyone, rich and poor, was about to feel there wallets losing weight, people went berserk. The 28th of November would forever be remembered as the day the European stock markets crashed.

Brussels was looking at the countries surrounding it with sad, downcast eyes. They could see their dream of Europe as one big front against America and China crumbling to the floor right in front of their eyes. They had not seen it coming. The report that had been published, the report that had bestowed doom upon their ideal, it had come out of the blue.

Actually, things were not quite as bad as the report suggested, it was a very intelligent and evil plan devised by a collaboration between Chinese and American economic extremists. They had somehow succeeded in laying their bony hands on a secret memo that had been sent about two months earlier, somewhere in Brussels. In this memo, things were said about the future of Europe, as Brussels hoped it would be. Every European would not feel Dutch, or French, or Swedish, or Lithuanian, or Hungarian, NO! They would feel European. They would unite, be one big happy family. One day, or so Brussels hoped, they could look at United Europe and smile their joyful smiles. Then they would pat each others backs and sit back in content. Everything would be good.

Now, action had to be undertaken. Brussels refused to let its magnum opus be destroyed, they would fight until their last breath ran out. How they regretted not having invested in the plan for a time machine now. Of course there was no way to undo what the report had caused, nothing sufficed, no measurements stretched far enough. Infotainment was the only option they saw that might save Europe from utter misery. Top of the bill producers from all over Europe were found, the most creative minds were sought out and test panels were formed. An entertainment army had risen.

Suddenly, all everyone saw on their tellies were programs about the improvement of the economy, how the situation was not that bad after all. If you had asked any eight year old at the time, they could have explained to you in perfect detail the way a stock market works. It was almost as if a new enlightenment had set into motion. People hungered for knowledge. Knowledge was power. Power was money. Money... was the economy. In the history of mankind, this lunge, such a giant step forward, had never before been witnessed. Man came one step closer to a superhuman race. It was shocking, flabbergasting, astounding, astonishing and befuddling. The world was taken aback. Once again, Brussels had prevailed; they had led their followers out of the darkness that had lingered over them for so long.

They came, they saw, they conquered. The whacked economic extremists were caught while buying coffee at a local Starbucks and put in prison for the rest of eternity. No documents were found of this and it is uncertain whether they ever left prison. Common believe holds that fellow prisoners, aroused by they horrendous act, did not let them live for more than a few days after their arrival. No one will ever know.
Finally Brussels could start working on their actual plan. Their glorious tour of triumph commenced only weeks after the economy had been restored. The seed of their larger than life idea had been planted a long time before though, at about the time the infotainment brainwash started. Yes, such cunning they showed. Secret messages, backward recordings, outright propaganda, nothing was to low for them. And it worked.

Naturally not everyone was turned into a mindless Europe-fan, but the vast majority now worshipped Europe as if it was a new God. The peer pressure was gigantic, watchful eyes and nosy ears lured everywhere, ready to warn any critical voice. Not favouring Europe was not an option in the years that followed. Inhabitants of most countries all but forced their governments to join the EU and Brussels was all to eager to accept every last one of them. For some time, all seemed relatively well...
Then faith struck. It was as if it was trying to show that Brussels should never overestimate itself. It might have been the core of the European power, a pulsating orb of ferocious greed and extreme contempt for the rest of the world, never would it change faith itself. Never. The steady expansion of the EU that had been going on for some years was now starting to reveal its downsides. The foundations were starting to crumble and once again Brussels was forced to think quickly. With the vast amount of Eastern European countries joining in, the money well of the EU was slowly but surely drying up. These countries' economies were stable, but not by far as strong as those of the Western countries and they demanded their fair share of money. Had Brussels formerly rejoiced in gleeful shouting, they now pulled their hair in frenzied agony.

They saw only two options. One was to interfere, the rich countries would have to invest and the less fortunate countries would have to make do with smaller amounts of money. The other was to kick the poorest countries out of the EU, tell them to build their economy up first and then try out for the EU again. They pondered. And pondered. And pondered some more. They pondered for days on end, until one of the wiser guys (though this was probably a woman, very likely a Dutch woman) suggested that maybe, just maybe, it would look bad if they kicked countries out. Of course, she said, (thankfully without one of those awful Dutch accents), whatever we do will look bad no matter what. But, she added, it will also prove us to be strong, wise leaders, capable of making tough decisions and not afraid to do the thing that will be best in the long run. One day, she finished, children throughout the world will be told to look back at us and applaud our justness.

How they wished to have been able to skip the months that followed their righteous yet odious deed. If not for the "infotainment-generation", as the adults who had been minors during that time were called, the European Union would have fallen apart. While once the European Identity had been carried proudly by nearly all inhabitants, now it was something many despised. It was there, but much less strong. How could the British feel linked to the Eastern EU-inhabitants, if the latter were usurping their money? How could the Georgians, already troubled so often, feel they were no different from the Germans that looked down upon them? And this time there was no infotainment to save the day.

Actually, support came from quite another side. Who else but the American knew how to promote a lie? Who better to help Brussels than them? No one, or so Brussels reasoned. Besides, they were the ones offering help, help that was badly needed. Fortunately, since Obama's ascension to Presidency, the USA had improved in countless ways. They really had some pretty good advise. Eventually, it would be education that Brussels would choose to fix the mess they made. Very much like infotainment, but now solely meant for the underaged. As they said, those were the ones who held the future. It would be much simpler to invest in moulding their opinions in the desirable form than to try and reshape the bricklike opinions of the adults.

It is now the year 2028 and the European Union is regarded highly by every single human being. In schools all over the world the message is taught that the day Brussels decided to change its funding policy was a monumental day, ever to be remembered and cherished. The day the future was made a little brighter.

[Floris]

The Future of Europe

or:
Owen and the One Weapon of Power

It is November 2010. Europe has never known such a financial crisis in its entire history. The money that should have been paid to those that had an account at Icesave, is still not on the way to its victims. People are getting more and more upset, waiting for the money they have lost so long ago. Riots have been started in the streets of Amsterdam, Paris, Berlin and many other capitals in Europe. As anyone could foresee, Brussels, being the European capital in good and bad times, is dealing with the worst uproar of all. Every day, the power of the European Union decreases. It is the worst decline since the Roman Empire. It all started at the beginning of this crisis. A few years earlier, January 2009, Georgia joined the European Union. It was Europe's Doomsday. The rage of Russia reached to the Mediterranean Sea, as the gas tap from Russia to Europe was closed at a split second after Georgia signed. All of a sudden, Europe was without its so needed Russian gas. It was the last European country that would ever join the EU. Chaos was quickly taking over Europe's lands, influencing the international financial crisis as it went along. Never before Europe's future was so dark. All the land would be covered in Russia's shadow, dragging all the optimism with it. People started riots in despair, desperately hoping for a change.

It is at this moment, deep inside this puddle of utter confusion, that a new power is rising. One man stands up against the reborn Soviet Union, fiercely wanting to make a change, to save the continent of Europe. Never again will Europe get a chance to fight for itself, he knows. This man will ever be remembered in the history of Europe by the name Owen. But he is more commonly known by the item he carries, the One Weapon to destroy the Russian shadow. Together with his Dutch friend, his best friend in the whole wide world of Europe, he will change the course of the future for every man and woman. This is the epic journey of Owen and the One Weapon.

It all started this very Sunday in November, when Owen inherited this One Weapon from his uncle. His friend, the tall Dutchman who called himself Erick, recognised this Weapon for what it was, being oh so careful and astonished the second he saw it. He told Owen this was indeed the One Weapon, meant for the Russian Empire to destroy the western world. The free folks of Europe would suffer under this utter source of Evil. It was this message that let Owen's blood freeze in its veins, the hairs in his neck stand right up, made his eyes big, oh so huge in his frightened face, as he was looking up to his taller friend. But Erick was dead serious, more serious than Owen had ever seen him. And he spoke the most epic words ever heard in the whole realm of the European continent. He said, "My dear Owen. We must set out on a journey to save the European Union." Both men fell back in deep silence, in this small apartment in Soho, London, where it all had started. They need not hesitate, as they both knew the One Weapon would not be safe here, with them. Both agreed silently upon a journey to Geneva, peaceful haven for anyone afraid of the European Union. The One Weapon would be safe, Geneva not being influenced by any problems the lands of Europe had. It was neutral, a home for every refugee. And refugees they would be. Owen, who had felt the attraction of the Weapon the first time he had touched it, wanted to leave before dusk. He was afraid the Russian Empire might find them. Every man and woman in Soho could be Russian. Erick did not agree. "No one who travels by night would agree it is a safe way of journeying. We wait until dawn. Then we must leave."

It was a long and tough journey to the ports of France, Calais being not safe for ordinary travellers. Owen did not lift his hood before he got into the train to Geneva, his hands on the One Weapon, afraid of those who might try to steal it. Which was, according to him, practically anyone. They reached the city without scars, though Owen had been so afraid he had not been wanting to eat anything, leaving behind this skinny small man, about thirty years old, though still fierce and able to protect his burden with his life. Erick worried about him, explained the situation to the city government. They refused to keep the One Weapon. It was too dangerous. Switzerland was the only island in a sea of confusion, and it would remain so. As soon as the Dark Shadow would hear of this Weapon being found, they would not be able to stand up alone against this Black Empire, rotten and death carrying with it. Owen and Erick were summoned to destroy it, deep inside the veins of the Russian realm itself. Far north, it was to be thrown in the Northern Ice Sea, where it would freeze and never be used again. It was dangerous, oh yes, however, it was for the sake of all European lands. As Owen did not want the Western Lands to be covered in the Russian Dark, he accepted this mission of absolute despair, ready to fight for the ones that he loved. Erick took the same oath, not knowing that they were actually only fighting for each other, as they both were the ones the other loved and would die for.
Not able to get on a plane, Owen and Erick decided to cycle along the borders of Germany, Poland and Lithuania, until they came close to the borders of Rusland. Owen still ate nothing, did not sleep, only stared in the distance. He never hoped he ever returned to Soho. They, both, would die in this empty plain of Nowhere, suffering from cold, disease and all the thieves around. Erick held hope, desperately wanting to turn back, turn back for everything he had ever fought for, but mainly because he loved Owen so badly. So badly. He would do anything. By his strong optimism and light long strides, he dragged Owen along the tundra, only stopping to eat now and then. He carried Owen all the way to the north, trying to be the best friend he could ever be, feeling so European, so connected with his fellow Europeans, living in chaos and suffering from the riots and the slow take-over from Russia. The cold was intense, making one of Owen's fingers freeze off and turn black. Erick cried, carried Owen to the edge of the sea. He stared in the distance, not noticing the icebergs, just staring, so tired, so feeling empty and alone. Owen cried, too, and did not react when Erick took the One Weapon from him. The ice on which they were standing, broke off. Erick flung the Weapon that had caused them so many pain and trouble, in the black, icy cold water and collapsed. They would never be home again, never see the streets of London be jammed with traffic in the morning hours, never smell the fumes of the factories again. All would be for nothing. He held Owen closely and muttered softly in his ear.

They died, that very evening in Siberia, both at the same moment. It is a story of two men, willing to give their lives for the enduring of the European Union. The Shadow drew back, behind the borders of the so hated land it came from. Europe could climb up from its chaos, always remembering Owen and Erick, thinking of the One Weapon lying in the waters north, never to be found again. But it was never the same. Although Europe was able to conquer Russia after a few years, no one ever accepted the new realm. And so the European Union endured forever, but never as it was before.

[Floris]

A Collector's Imprisonment

An essay by Owen Meany. To be continued

[jakarw]

De inifitesimalen

In 1642 werd Isaac Newton geboren. Het zou een grote naam worden in de natuurkunde en ook in de wiskunde. Samen met de vier jaar jongere Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz stortte hij zich op de differentiaal- en integraalrekening. We kennen allemaal natuurlijk wel de basisprincipes van deze vlakken in de wiskunde.
Als je de helling wil berekenen deel je de verticale verplaatsing, ∆y, door de horizontale verplaatsing, ∆x. Zo krijg je heel mooi de gemiddelde helling tussen die twee punten.

Maar om de helling op een bepaald punt echt te weten kan je niet meer werken met de ∆y en de ∆x. Deze twee waarden zijn dan te ruig. Je wilt de helling niet over een bepaald stuk weten, maar op één punt. Dus neem je de ∂y en de ∂x. De ∂ staat dan voor een heel klein ienie-mienie stukje in verticale richting gedeeld door een heel klein ienie-mienie stukje in horizontale richting, zodat je de helling op een punt zo goed mogelijk benadert.
De stukjes die Newton en Leibniz gebruikten waren oneindig klein, genaamd de infinitesimalen.

Dit is een punt waarop nul en oneindig heel dicht bij elkaar komen. Op het eerste gezicht zou je zeggen dat nul en oneindig wel de meest tegenovergestelde dingen zijn. Verder dan oneindig kan je niet van de nul weg komen en toch kunnen deze twee oneindig dicht bij elkaar komen.
Om namelijk de oneindig kleine stukjes, de infinitesimalen, te krijgen moet je stukjes nemen van 1 gedeeld door oneindig. Toch loopt niet alles met die infintitesimalen even makkelijk.

Stel: er bestaan oneindig grote getallen, bijvoorbeeld Ω.
Dan kan je daar leuk mee gaan rekenen:

2Ω / Ω = 2         (Ω+2) - (Ω+1) = 1         2Ω - (Ω-2) = Ω+2

Dit is met een beetje wiskunde allemaal nog te volgen, maar als we nu naar de oneindig kleine getallen gaan kijken komen we iets raars tegen.

1/Ω = 0.000000000...

Het bovenstaande klopt, Ω is immers oneindig groot. Je weet dat Ω > 10 dus je krijgt de decimaal ontwikkeling 0,0..., tevens Ω > 100, dus 0,00... Ω > 10000, dus 0,0000... en ga zo maar door. Ω is groter dan alle tiende machten, dus de decimaalontwikkeling blijft maar door gaan als 0,00000000000000...
1/Ω nadert dus de nul en als we even nadenken wórdt 1/Ω zelfs nul. De rij van nullen achter de komma blijft immers oneindig lang doorgaan. Máár, als 1/Ω hetzelfde wordt als nul gaat er toch iets fout. 1/Ω is namelijk positief. We hebben voor de integraal- en differentiaalrekening trouwens ook positieve getallen nodig. 1/Ω is positief, maar nul niet, en toch hebben die twee de zelfde decimaalontwikkeling.

Twee getallen die dezelfde decimaalontwikkeling hebben, maar toch niet hetzelfde zijn. Dat kan niet in de wiskunde en dus moet je een keuze maken. Óf je zegt dat er geen oneindig grote getallen bestaan, dus Ω bestaat niet. Óf je zegt dat de decimaalontwikkeling niet klopt, althans, niet klopt... je verwerpt hem gewoon, je kijkt er niet meer naar. Als je de laatste keuze maakt en dus de mogelijkheid van oneindig grote getallen open houdt, dan kom je bij een aparte vorm van wiskunde: De Niet-Standaard Analyse.
Deze Niet-Standaard Analyse is even "goed" als de uitsluiting van de oneindig grote getallen, maar de toepassingen bij andere gebieden van de wiskunde zijn veel geringer. Veel wiskundigen hebben daarom afgesproken dat ze kiezen voor de eerste optie:

Er bestaan geen oneindig grote getallen, op elk getal volgt een getal dat groter is.

Deze afspraak wordt het axioma van Archimedes-Eudoxus genoemd.
Een axioma is een spelregel, een afspraak, een stelling voor in de wiskunde.

Hieruit volgt ook een afspraak voor onze infinitesimalen. Als er immers geen oneindig grote getallen zijn, dan zijn er ook geen oneindig kleine getallen. Als je dus een heel klein getal hebt, is er altijd een getal wat nog kleiner is.
Als je een rij maakt van positieve getallen die steeds kleiner worden, dan zeg je dat die rij daalt tot nul. Bijvoorbeeld de rij x1, x2, x3, x4, x5... xn Dan geef je dat aan als:
xn ↓ 0

Bekende rijen die dalen tot nul zijn de rijen van xn met 0 < x < 1.
Elke term is dan namelijk slechts een deel van zijn voorganger en is dus altijd kleiner. Zo wordt de rij steeds kleiner en daalt hij uiteindelijk tot nul. Hij heeft dan ook nul als asymptoot.

[Maedhros]

het symbool voor oneindig is niet omega, maar ∞

[jakarw]

I know, maar stel je hebt een getal dat oneindig groot is, dat kan je dat getal een teken geven bijvoorbeel Ω

[Maedhros]

ja oké, eigenlijk klopt dat wel

[Dixie]

Boring. *kuch*

[jakarw]

Whaha stommerd!

[Dixie]

Het ís toch zo!

[Erwipro]

Nee!

[Jnusch]

Nee! Vieze rotzakjes! Julie mogen hier niet allemaal stomme spam gaan rondgooien :'(.
En Jakkie, dat van jou is gewoon eng (en ik heb alleen de eerste 2 regels gelezen ofzo ) en stiekem vind ik het niet zo waardig . Maar goed. Dat mag wel blijven, maar kan iemand met evil powers even alle reacties (deze ook) weghalen? Thanky

[jakarw]

hoezo eng?

[Amilmarith]

   

Grote Wolf ende Vos

Grote Wolf sloop door het bos heen, hij was weg van zijn onderdanen, dat was zijn opdracht. In het bos voelde hij zich niet op zijn gemak, een vreemde omgeving, vreemde geluiden. Over zijn onderdanen had hij macht, ze luisterden naar hem en als dat niet het geval was werden ze verbannen voor altijd. Hij dacht terug aan Vos: ze hadden problemen met hem gehad, hij was verbannen. Nu viel hij de rijke mensen van zijn volk lastig, hij was sluw. De Grote Wolf keek door de bomen naar de maan, die was bijna vol. "Godin van de maan, help mij dit te doorstaan. Stuur iemand die mij kan helpen om te doen wat ik moet doen: één van mijn onderdanen verwonden." Een zacht gehuil steeg op uit zijn keel, als eerbetoon aan de godin van de maan.
     Hij liep al een tijdje rond te dwalen, het stuk bos begon hij steeds beter te kennen, hij voelde zich steeds meer op zijn gemak. Plotseling hoorde hij geritsel, schichtig keek hij om zich heen. Probeerde te ontdekken waar het geluid vandaan kwam. Hij keek naar rechts en plotseling schoot er een vos voor hem langs. Grote Wolf zag hem in een flits, maar hij wist heel goed dat het dezelfde vos was als hij lang geleden had verbannen. "Ik ga er niet achteraan, als dit de wil is van de godin van de maan komt hij wel terug." Grote Wolf bleef op de open plek staan, wachtend of Vos zou terug komen.
     Niet veel later hoorde hij van dezelfde kant weer wat geritsel.
"Wie ben u?", klonk de stem van Vos.
"Ik weet niet wie u bent, waarom zou ik dan zeggen wie ik ben?", kwam het antwoord.
"Ik ben Vos, lang geleden verbannen uit het rijk van Grote Wolf. Ik weet zeker dat u mij moet kennen, iedereen kent mij."
Daar had Vos gelijk in, dat wist Grote Wolf ook.
"Ik ben Verbannen Wolf. Ik verwond armen en rijken, zo kom ik aan mijn voedsel en aan mijn rijkdommen. Vandaag ga ik Grote Wolf bestelen, help je me mee Vos?", de Grote Wolf keek de Vos aan en wachtte op het antwoord.
"Mijn eigen leider bestelen? Ben jij gek, ik heb een beter idee. We gaan zijn broer verwonden, Slang. Hij is sluw en ontzettend rijk."
"Goed, wat jij wil. Jij weet waar hij rust?"
"Ja, laten we gaan, de nacht gaat snel we moeten voor zonsopgang weer terug zijn in het bos anders worden we na gejaagd."
     
Nadat de Vos dat gezegd had sprong hij op en rende het bos in. Grote Wolf keek hem na, en rende er toen snel achterna. Na een tijd lopen kwamen ze in de buurt van Slang, Grote Wolf pakte een stok in zijn bek en rende achter Vos aan, die inmiddels bij Slang was gekomen. Hij lag op de grond, rustig te slapen. Het was geen moeilijke prooi, leek het. Dat was een opluchting voor Grote Wolf.
"Wat heb jij mee genomen?", vroeg Vos verbaasd, toen hij Verbannen Wolf zag.
"Een stok, daarmee kunnen we hem wel gemakkelijk verwonden."
Vos schudde zijn hoofd onopgemerkt.