The Extravagant Podcast: Recent Episodes
William Van Zyl
William Van Zyl: Educator, Writer, Thinker, Illustrator, Artist & Photographer. Episodes cover a vast range of genres. Podcasts are based on unique, layered, and rich blog posts from fivehousepublishing.com. Listen to the creative and innovative work of the author.
Tool# 14: I share my dog's name - a brown-coloured dachshund named Jason (1997). It all happened at a hardware store in Alberton. Suddenly he was gone without a trace. Location: The Johannesburg area in South Africa. The introduction will whet your appetite to hear more.
Read the full blog post here: https://fivehousepublishing.com/2022/12/17/get-the-name-of-the-dog/
Excerpt 1:
“One moment, please tell me, what is the dog's name?” asked the reporter.
“His name is Jason. I’ve had him for 6 years. He is my most trusted friend.”
“What makes Jason special to you? Do you have any significant stories of Jason?” asked the reporter.
“He is very intelligent - a brown dachshund. Dachshunds are very clever dogs. They love touch. Throughout the day, he will snug up against me and nap. Sometimes, he jumps onto my lap and rests on my legs when I sit down. He is quite heavy, but I tolerate his weight. When he looks into my eyes, my heart just melts. He is so loving.”
“Aaahhh, so cute.”
“The most significant story of Jason probably is that he once disappeared. He is very friendly. If a stranger opens a car door, he will jump in. He is so trusting. And that is exactly what happened once. I was at a hardware store with a large open field next to it. He was running around enjoying himself. I wasn’t attentive for a while. My wife was in the car, and she was also distracted for a while. Then as I called him, he was gone, nowhere to be seen. Luckily, someone in a car in the carpark saw what had happened. She ran up to my wife and me and said someone saw the dog on the other side of the field. They stopped, opened the car door, and Jason jumped in. They took off. Did they think he was lost?”
“What happened? Did you get him back?”
“Yes, I did get him back about 2 days later.”
“How did you get him back?”
“He had a microchip in his neck. The people who stopped thought that he was lost. They took him to the nearest SPCA. We made several calls hoping they would take Jason to the nearest vet or SPCA. And lo and behold, we received a call from a local vet 2 days later. We were overjoyed! We identified him by pointing out the loose hanging dew claw on his right front leg - just above his foot.”
“Great story!”
Excerpt 2:
This rule applies not only to dog stories but to all stories. Writers and reporters need details. Make lots of notes. Ask many questions:1. Notes: Take endless notes — story ideas, impressions of sources, unique insights — and mine them for future articles. Ask many questions. Think about your questions before you have your interview. Jot them down. Knowledge is the cornerstone of superior stories in journalism and content marketing. 2. Research: No matter the type of content you create, using data, statistics, and research will bolster the credibility of your articles. 3. Writing: Once you have quality information and a point to make, you must package it into a clear and compelling story. How will you present it? To write compelling non-fiction you have to be creative. Here are 5 things you could do: 1. Tell a memorable story. 2. Bait your audience. 3. Use emotional language. 4. Say it simply. 5. Surprise the reader. 4. Be creative and innovative: Think about how you will start your story. In this article, I started with a conversation between a journalist and a person (the person was me) on a true dog story. How will you start your story? A poem, a conversation, a compelling story, a photograph, a diagram, a sketch, or something else. 5. Always remember to get the name of the dog
More blog posts and eBooks:
https://fivehousepublishing.com/2022/12/17/get-the-name-of-the-dog/
About the Author:
http://williamvanzyl.com/
“Five minutes before landing.”
“Three minutes before landing,” said the leader of the mission. All eyes were fixated on the large black-and-white screen.
“Houston, we have a problem!”
“What! What is the problem?”
“Listen to the alarm. We think it is the onboard computer.”
Margaret Hamilton moved closer to the screen. She had her large, heavy laptop open. Her computer stored over 600,000 lines of code. Behind her was a stack of handwritten computer codes on size A3 paper. The stack was as tall as Hamilton herself. About 1.7 m high.
She ran to the stack. She grabbed volume 17 - right at the top, and opened it on page 95.
“We think it is the radar system,” said the astronaut.
“I have thought about all sorts of interferences. I have programmed the computer to recognise such an error. The software’s priority scheduling would complete high-priority tasks first — like preparing for landing. The code that has been written will ignore lower-priority ones.”
“Margaret, it seems to have settled now. I think your high-priority code kicked in! The alarms went off!”
The ground crew sighed in relief.
“One minute before landing, all engines running.”
“The Eagle has landed!”
The ground crew - at NASA Mission Control Centre - and the 3 famous astronauts jumped for joy. Neil, Buzz and Michael were over the moon.
--------------------0---------------------
Did Margaret Hamilton write the code for the Apollo Moon landing?
The answer is Yes! She is far lesser known as Neil Armstrong - the first man on the Moon. However, she is the woman who helped them to get there. Margaret Hamilton and her team of software engineers at the MIT Instrumentation Laboratory wrote the sprawling code that made the mission possible.
I saw the great picture below of Margaret Hamilton standing next to a 1.7 m high pile of handwritten code on social media. Immediately an article popped into my head. I have written it for you.
Who is Margaret Hamilton? She is an American computer scientist and software engineer. She led the team who developed the software for the Apollo moon missions and the Skylab space station in the 1960s and 70s. Her code helped the 3 men to get to the moon - and back!
How many lines of code did she write for the Apollo?
There are 17 binders in the photo. Assuming the 17 piles (bound volumes) are 5″4′ (1.524 mm) in total (stacked on top of each other), they're all code (not simulation) and applying Mike's measurements, assuming 10 binders are Aurora-like and 7 are Luminary-like yields 14,500 code pages, about 660,000 code lines.
What software was used for the Apollo?
The Apollo Guidance Computer (AGC) was installed on board the Apollo 11 Command Module (CM) and Lunar Module (LM). The computer’s software was written in Assembly Language. It was called Assembler. Assembler is considered a low-level programming language as there are very few “plain language” type words - for example instructions - readily recognised by humans.
The article includes great images and a video that will make the article a compelling read. The introduction had been dramatised.
Read the article as a blog post: https://fivehousepublishing.com/2022/12/22/the-code-that-took-humans-to-the-moon/
Author's website: http://williamvanzyl.com/
The senior pastor of the Gateway Church in New Zealand loved to talk about C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien getting together at a nearby pub to discuss their writing. I attended his church for several years - around 2015. He delivered great messages to his congregation. ‘The Eagle and Child Pub,’ which I am referring to, is famous in the UK. See the picture of the pub in this post. Can you imagine the extravagant discussions by the two well-known writers while sitting in the relaxed environment of the pub? According to reports, they have critiqued one another’s writing.
Where did the inspiration of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien come from? Which places did they visit during their lives? What could have inspired them? In this article, I look at their extravagant thoughts and the events and locations that could have inspired them. What inspires you?
Link to the article: https://fivehousepublishing.com/2022/10/14/aslan-pulls-the-sword-from-the-rock-the-earth-quakes-he-defeats-the-giant/
This article endeavours to point to the parallels between the legend of King Arthur and King David (Biblical character). I compare the richly layered true stories of the Kingdom of God with the legend of King Arthur. I also search for allegories to Biblical events. The point I want to make in this article is the rich inspiration of the Bible stories combined with myths and folklore of the past in Lewis' work - The Chronicles of Narnia.
Please take a look at the image of the rock in the blog post. According to legend King Arthur found a stone in his shoe and threw it from Carmarthenshire to the middle of the Gower Peninsula. As it had been touched by the hand of King Arthur, the stone grew with pride, and the rocks around it raised the main stone high up with admiration. Holding it up for us to see. King Arthur's Stone (or in Welsh 'Maen Ceti') is on the Gower Peninsula in Wales. It is a Neolithic burial tomb dating back to 2500 BC. Credit: Robin Leicester - Own work. Description: A massive capstone over a Neolithic Chambered Tomb, on the Cefn Bryn hillside, in the center of Gower (Wales).
More articles at fivehousepublishing.com. About the author: williamvanzyl.com
EXCERPT:
At last, he gets him.
They are both bloodied, exhausted to death. The tomahawk slices through some of his fingers. The assailant looks at his hand in disbelief. He is missing a couple of them, blood starts to trickle from the exposed flesh. It colours the white snow ruby-red. The white bone of Fitzgerald is visible, But only for a few seconds. He instinctively tears a piece of his shirt off with his right hand. He wraps the dirty shredded fabric around his hand, ready to continue the fight. The pulsing blood from his hand is under control. They are both lying on the ground. Hugh Glass (DiCaprio) can’t get up, he has a severe stab wound to the back of his upper leg. His hamstring twitches from the trauma. He grabs his leg and screams.
‘AArrggghh!’
He had been chasing down John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy) in the frozen water and melting snow of the mountains in Nebraska. Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio), the legendary fur trapper who survived a grizzly bear attack, had been trekking through the snowy terrain to track down the man who betrayed him – Fitzgerald had killed his son. He will pay. Glass shows the same grizzly-bear determination he had modelled months ago. Glass became a legend for surviving a grizzly bear attack, left for dead, and walked over 320 Km back to the fur-trading camp.
Glass is ruthless, fearless, and unforgiving. Like a groaning grizzly bear, his eyes are locked onto his target –Fitzgerald. He will destroy him. He has to take him out. Fitzgerald has to pay for taking the life of his young son. He will avenge his son’s death. John Fitzgerald will pay with his life.
Synopsis:
As you’ve gathered, the true story and the legend have been turned into a movie. I watched this movie, The Revenant, in September of 2022 on the Maori TV Channel in New Zealand. The film was released in 2015, and DiCaprio won an Oscar for the leading actor’s role in 2016 at the Hollywood awards. Leonardo made a stunning speech on the night, calling for action. Over and above the list of people he thanked graciously, his focus was on saving the environment. See the 49 million views on YouTube of his speech. ‘We have to take action for our environment,’ he said.
https://youtu.be/xpyrefzvTpI
It is 1823. In short, the story goes like this:
While exploring the uncharted wilderness in 1823, frontiersman Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) sustains life-threatening injuries from a brutal grizzly bear attack. When a member (Tom Hardy) of his hunting team kills his young son (Forrest Goodluck) and leaves him for dead, Glass must utilise his survival skills to find a way back to civilisation. Grief-stricken and fuelled by vengeance, the legendary fur trapper treks through the snowy terrain to track down the man who betrayed him.
The frontiersman, Hugh Glass - the legend who survived a grizzly bear attack.
“He never gave me a name,” whispers the rejected monster as he prepares to die. His facial expressions are gruesome – the stitches crisscrossed over his face, neck and head. It tells a story of science that has gone wrong, horribly wrong. The pain in his eyes is excruciating to watch. He flinches and repeats those painful words, “He never gave me a name.” He closes his eyes and gives up his spirit. He is lost forever, without a name, without someone taking responsibility for him. Nobody cared about him. Nobody loved him. The flames consume not only his body but also his soul and spirit.
Where is his Maker? Where will his spirit and his soul go?
-----0-----
I watched this movie of the famous writer’s life – Mary Shelly – on Television on Saturday night, July 24, 2022, on the Maori Channel (New Zealand TV). I watched the movie Frankenstein years earlier. It must have been fascinating for its time. Dr Frankenstein collected all the different rejected parts of dead people. Later, Mary – the writer – is hailed as the pioneer of science fiction. However, there is so much more to this story. The real-life of Mary Shelley, who lived with her partner, who became her husband after several years, is depicted in the second movie Mary Shelly, as I have mentioned. I look at the words of the monster. What lies behind the emotional sentence? Read the blog post at Five House Publishing:
'He never gave me a name.'
https://fivehousepublishing.com/2022/08/28/he-never-gave-me-a-name/
More about the author: https://williamvanzyl.com/
More articles: https://fivehousepublishing.com/blog/
EXCERPT:
The three men walked past the scanner. They look like three ducks – marching in a row. Black and white.
"Beep, beep, beep," sounds the piezo speaker of the surveillance camera. The three black and white-bearded ducks marched through the door. They are undetected. They seamlessly move past the door – no squeak from the High-Tec face recognition sensor is heard. The business owner of the warehouse is sitting in a state-of-the-art surveillance room. He makes eye contact with Charles Stiles. His mobile phone is quiet, very quiet. It should have warned him with immediate notifications. Who are these unknown duck-men in his business! What are they up to?
It is just past 9 pm. You can hear a pin drop in the secretly placed surveillance room.
Charles Stiles rewinds the camera footage to 7:00 pm.
At 19:02, the security guard walks out of the warehouse to his truck in the parking area. He looks around and then carefully lifts the tarpaulin off the back of his utility vehicle. To the viewer's astonishment, two men dressed in white shirts and black trousers get up and jump off the back of the open truck. They open the back gate and unload a sizeable square-shaped machine. They wheelie the red-coloured engine into the warehouse.
The high-security industrial food equipment warehouse – of a passionate Italian owner – has a sophisticated face recognition camera with Bluetooth and a Wi-Fi-enabled notification app. It ultimately secures the building. But, tonight, the system is beaten by three clever men. The innovation is off the charts.
The three white and black ducks march through the back door with confidence. They have placed the generator next to a large industrial mixer and oven. They give one another a high-five. They are in business.
"Tree Brothers – Bake-o-Rama!" they chanted. They are in business....
Read the full story in the blog post:
https://fivehousepublishing.com/2022/07/10/midnight-muffin-men-stun-the-baking-world-by-beating-face-recognition-software-a-bake-o-drama/
More articles and stories: Five House Publishing
https://fivehousepublishing.com/
More about the author:
http://williamvanzyl.com/
A true story. Read about the tenacity and sheer determination of the US Navy Diver, Carl Brashear. A movie was created in his honour: 'Men of Honour.' Actor Cuba Gooding (Junior). Here is the introduction:
"Swoosh"
The rusted cable and long pipe flashed briefly as it hurtled towards the experienced US Navy diver.
"Watch out!" he shouted as he looked up.
At the same time, he pushed and pulled the person next to him out of harm's way.
"Rip!"
The cable and pipe whipped Carl Brashear's feet out from under him. The long pipe, connected to a steel cable, came from nowhere and attacked him. With brute force, his left leg was sliced. It all happened at lightning speed – unexpected.
He fell face down on the deck. Warm red blood instantly stained the deck. The salvage operation, lifting bombs from the ocean, ended abruptly. Immediate medical attention was required. Brashear was in severe pain.
The person beside Carl is safe – saved by his quick action – looked on in shock. Carl acted selflessly. The pipe attached to the flying cable had sliced through the lower left leg of Brashear. A large gaping wound stared at him as he looked down at his leg.
"Aaarrgggh! Aaarrgghh!
Carl is convulsing, twisting, and turning under the excruciating pain. Both hands are clamping onto his lower leg. An artery has been severed. Blood is gushing from his leg.
"Help! Help me!"
.............
Read the story as a blog post at Fivehouse Publishing: https://fivehousepublishing.com/2022/06/18/scuba-diver-defeats-unknown-depths-of-hopelessness/
More about the author: https://williamvanzyl.com/
A unique article - with creative writing. Based on the true events. A friend of mine goes to his bedroom and brings a crystal radio back. It is mounted in a light blue soap container. It is 50-years old. He tells his story as a teenager - it revolves around a dormitory at school. I look at crystal radio sets. I include several short interesting sections in the post. I conclude with 2 lessons teachers of Minecraft Education, STEM, Technology, and Electronics could use. Brilliant ideas and concepts for Minecraft lessons. See them at the end. I also share some of my childhood memories - including sketches from my sketchbook. You will enjoy it! See the blog post. Several images and videos are included for your enjoyment. Blog post:
https://fivehousepublishing.com/2022/06/11/crystal-radio-shortens-gravediggers-night/(opens in a new tab)
Image of the over 50-year-old crystal radio mounted in a soap container.
Read the blog post while listening to this podcast:
https://fivehousepublishing.com/2022/05/20/pneumatic-words-destroy-reinforced-concrete/
Overview:
The power of placebos and the effect it has on people are explored. In short, it has a massive impact on people's recovery and healing. The medication – a placebo in this instance – provides improvement and healing to those in the experiment. In the experiment, there are two groups. One group receives the 'actual medicine', and the other gets a placebo. They don't know if it is a placebo, or is it real. However, to my surprise nobody receives real medicine in the experiment – they all receive placebos. The medication given is powerless and harmless. Completely neutral - as if you are taking tablets made of white odourless powder. All the people in the experiment are told that the medicine is powerful and they can expect an impact. Surprisingly, after taking the medication, people reported feeling better. The 'medication' had an effect. Very interesting! More about the experiment...
Don't miss the amazing video at the end. See how a person is healed from essential tremor (shaking hand). Ultrasound is used to focus on a specific area of the brain. It ablates that small area. The shaking stops immediately.
Video: https://youtu.be/RAy_MTQpaQg
More articles at fivehousepublishing.com
More about the author: http://williamvanzyl.com/
In this podcast, I refer to the work of Peter Draws (YouTube) and the sketch work of Liz Steel. Then, I discuss my own first doodle.
You can read the text of the podcast in a blog post at Five House Publishing:
https://fivehousepublishing.com/2022/04/25/william-draws/
Excerpt:
Have you seen Peter Draws on YouTube? It is quite an experience. He is a gifted artist. With his down to earth approach, he has established a popular channel with 968,00 subscribers. Some of his videos have over 16 million views (Glass dip pen drawing & grinding my own ink). People watch him making conversation and drawing unique things. Outstanding, talented artist! People comment that they feel relaxed when listening to the calm voice of Peter. The doodling also contributes to a very tranquil experience.
Title of the blog post.
William's first random doodle.
More about the author:http://williamvanzyl.com/
Read the text - as a blog post - while listening to the podcast.
https://fivehousepublishing.com/2022/04/18/champollions-jfcs-death-french-decipherer-of-the-rosetta-stone-underlines-one-of-the-age-old-killers-sex-money-power-and-fame-which-one-could-it-be/
Quick sketch – from the author’s notebook: Ramses (left) and a variant of the name Ramses (cartouche – oval shape with symbols on the far right – reading RAMSES). Read the cartouche from top to bottom: Sun god = Ra (also given as Re), m, and ses.
EXCERPT:
In 1822 – in a moment of joy and ecstasy – JFC ran breathlessly into his brother’s office and shouted: “Je tiens l’affaire!”, “I found it!” he dropped to the floor and collapsed.
He was unconscious for three days.
JFC was entirely unconscious during those couple of days. It took him some time to return to his senses. For years he’d been feverishly researching and investigating the hieroglyphs of Egypt. Jeanne-Francoise Champollion (1790 to 1832) spent over a decade – almost two decades – deciphering and understanding the meaning behind the Hieroglyphs. The Frenchman had prints from the Rosetta Stone, while the English had the real thing (The British Museum, no date).
In the early 1800s, there was a race between the English and the French to break the code. Champollion was determined to win. As a lecturer at a French University – a great linguist – and master of several languages, he was motivated to decode the ancient writings of the Egyptians.
More articles, stories, lessons, and more:
https://fivehousepublishing.com/
Please note that if you open the blog post and listen to the podcast it is exactly the same text.
Go to fivehousepublishing.com and go to blog posts to listen and to read. Here is the link:
https://fivehousepublishing.com/2022/03/25/introducing-the-arduino-uno-a-pioneering-digital-framework-to-prepare-students-for-21-st-century-problem-solving-five-journal-entries-a-critical-reflection-%ef%bf%bc/
Abstract:
After reflecting on my own practice as a secondary school teacher in NZ, I have implemented the Arduino Uno. I have identified 21-st century skills required by employers (World Economic Forum, 2015): Solving real-life problems, collaboration, critical thinking, creativity, and communication. See the diagram below.
See the chart in the blog post: World Economic Forum, New Vision for Education (2015).
With this new knowledge, I have been critical of the curriculum I deliver in my classes. Consequently, I have researched and have designed an intervention for my classes. I share the journey in five separate journal entries in this article. APA referenced.
Keywords and Key Phrases:
Solving real-life problems, collaboration, communication, creativity, Kaupapa Māori principles, Arduino Uno, microprocessor, electronics, digital technology, building circuits, C ++ code & leadership.
Arduino with breakout breadboard.
Journal Entry 1: A critical evaluation of the successes and challenges I have encountered while implementing the Arduino.
"You need to figure out what kind of problem you are trying to solve before identifying a solution (The Creativity Post, 2017, no page)."
10 Ideas I have used to make my classroom more innovative (Schulman, 2018) - including additional ideas. A self-reflection.
- Mindset: I have allowed the prompts to question my own practice. Consequently, I have made many changes. I have used Wagner's Five Essentials or Education for Innovation (Wagner, 2012). They are:
- Collaboration Versus Individual Achievement: Groupwork at the layout of the pods in class enhanced the cooperation.
- Multidisciplinary Learning Versus Specialization: Students were challenged to search for solutions. In the process, they had to explore other subject areas (Science, Accounting, Business, Maths, and more)
- Trial and Error Versus Risk Avoidance: Students examined and tested the sensors to find solutions to their problems.
- Creating Versus Consuming: Sessions in class were directed towards creating solutions – a complete change to how we do things in class.
-
Intrinsic Versus Extrinsic Motivation: Students developed a hunch and endeavoured to solve their hypotheses.
-
Self-Reflection: I was prompted to be more critical and self-reflective by writing blog posts and producing podcasts on how to use sensors with the Arduino. Listening to the podcast provided me with the opportunity to give more depth to my innovation. My goal was to allow students to be more creative – and freer – to explore and collaborate.
- Ask Open-Ended Questions: Solving real-life problems requires developing good questions. The use of open-ended questions provides prompts.
- Create Flexible Learning Environments: For example, purchasing Arduino sets - allowing students to work together in small groups - improved collaboration - not a cookie-cutter approach). The environment was also conducive to Māori kaupapa principles and has improved learning for Māori students in class. Challenge to me: How would I structure and scaffold the learning for the senior students to quickly learn the basics of Arduino and how to use the Arduino to address sustainability issues (SDGs)?
- Personality Matters: 'Create A Place for All Learners.' For example, two 16-year-old students wanted to pull things apart and see what was inside. I have collected unused computers and other electronic devices for them to explore,
- Use Problem-Finding: Students were given the freedom to use the Arduino to explore problems they are interested in solving (A combination of individualism and collaboration).
- Let Students Take Risks and Fail: Give students the freedom to explore ambitious projects. Through trial and error, they learn by making mistakes. After all, a great way to learn is by making mistakes. Students are encouraged to think big.
- Consider A Flipped Classroom Model: I have used Google Classroom extensively (considering the Covid interruptions). All lessons and assessments are posted in advance to allow students to prepare for classes (Campillo-Ferrer & Miralles-Martínez, 2021).
- Invite Entrepreneurs and Innovators into The Classroom: I have focused on entrepreneurship and business opportunities to develop student solutions (Arduinos). For example, I have a year 13 student that loves electronics and computers. He has developed products that he is busy marketing and selling. He has shared his experiences in creating Apps and products to sell to businesses with students.
- Use The Design-Thinking Process (Arduino Uno - changed it to solving problems): I included a design brief for students. The intention was to get students to find relevant problems which they find interesting. The goal was to learn how to solve real-life problems. For example, solar power and smart-home technology (apps, sensors, and timers) can manage a sustainable house's lights (LEDs).
Arduino kit.
Additionally, I have included:
- Action Research (Mutch, 2015): My research has prompted me to think about my own practice. I have made the changes: Allowing students to work together – Māori principle of shared responsibility and whanau (Spiller et al., 2020; White & Kaiwai, 2019).
- Computer programming and microprocessors: I have used the Waitomo Caves experience – and my new knowledge from the DCL course, including the Arduino Uno and sensors – to forge a new path for students to understand sensors and electronic design. I have also introduced microprocessor programming and breadboard circuits – using C++ computer language – to inspire students to explore and implement digital technology to solve problems. Students had to identify a real-life situation and design a solution (The Creativity Post, 2017). For example, automating lighting switches in homes saves energy (movement sensors to switch lights on and off). I have used the DCL resource on design: How to fly the design kite. Empathise, Define, Ideate, Prototype, Test, Reflect and Iterate (MindLab, 2022).
- Entrepreneurship and business models: I have introduced an entrepreneurial approach in brief development and design (Schulman, 2018). Made students aware of business opportunities, patents, marketing, and making profits. I have a year 13 student (Level 3) who is currently developing an electronics project which he plans to sell. Challenge: Building students' confidence to share and collaborate in class and online. Challenge: In the collaborative environment, improving students' design ideas, prototypes, final designs and establishing a deeper understanding of digital design, digital systems, and business opportunities are pretty challenging.
- Kaupapa Māori: I have developed my class collaboration techniques, including kaupapa Māori principles (Spiller et al., 2020; White & Kaiwai, 2019). Challenge: It took a while to get my head around the practical aspects of embedding kaupapa Māori into my lessons. See my more elaborate comments on these challenges in the kaupapa Māori section. Furthermore, I had to Include Māori words to frame and describe pedagogical content knowledge (Electronics terminology). Building a framework of keywords for Māori students took time and is ongoing.
- Action Research: I have identified areas that I could improve on in my teaching practice. All are included in this section. I have experimented with effective group work practices (Shulman, 2018; Mutch, 2005) in my Electronics classes.
- Leadership: I have critically evaluated my leadership skills to introduce change and manage change in my classroom. Implementing shepherd and lean leadership (Averin, 2020; Jenkins, 2017). For example, students create with the Arduino versus only consuming (Wagner, 2012).
- Collaborating outside my school: I have shared my innovation with the DCL enrolled teachers and practised collaboration online – developing my leadership outside of my own school (Wagner, 2012). For example: After consulting and collaborating with a co-student of DCL – a teacher friend, his challenge was to start Electronics at his secondary school this year as a new subject – we have shared and brainstormed about a possible way forward.
See the references, images and diagrams in the blog post.
Excerpt: For Electronics Students. Link to the article/essay: https://www.thebalancesmb.com/e-waste-and-the-importance-of-electronics-recycling-2877783
Title: E-Waste and the Importance of Electronics Recycling
BY RICK LEBLANC
Updated on June 25, 2019
With new cheap devices, society has reaped tremendous benefits. This explosive growth in the electronics industry, however, has led to a rapidly escalating issue of end-of-life (EOL) electronics or e-waste. In landfills or primitive recycling operations, toxic materials can be released from old electronic devices into the environment.
E-waste is growing, and with that surge comes the need for effective electronics recycling programs. According to a January 2019 report from the World Economic Forum, E-waste is now the fastest-growing waste stream in the world, with an estimated waste stream of 48.5 million tonnes in 2018....
Link to the article/essay: https://www.thebalancesmb.com/e-waste-and-the-importance-of-electronics-recycling-2877783
Start by researching, make notes, and then create headings. Use Grammarly to proofread your work. Thank you, Mr. Van Zyl.
Read the full story and article in a blog post:
https://fivehousepublishing.com/2021/12/23/bathtub-pilots-saved-miraculously-by-instruction-manual/
Excerpt: The bathtub plane flew like a giant concrete brick, shaking and vibrating violently through the air. Two babies took off from the bathroom floor without wings – the bath flight baffled aeronautical engineers. The structures around them rattled, shook, and then disintegrated. The entire house exploded from the pressure of the tornado. The timber struts, trusses, studs, and bracing collapsed like matchsticks in the powerful force of the storm. Once a beautiful family home, the dislodged timber swirled for a couple of seconds before it was swooped into the air for tens of meters. Only the concrete floor remained. When the bath-plane received enough momentum: it took off with a 3-month and 15-month old baby pilot inside.
Someone had given them an emergency manual. It was sitting neatly between the two tiny pilots swaddled in blankets and pillows. They were well prepared for their journey. They had no idea when and where they would land. All they had with them was the instruction manual. The shocking thing – only discovered after the miraculous touchdown – was that they could not see properly out of the bath to navigate where they were heading. The two wee aero-pioneers could have possibly communicated using limited baby language.
They took off at a moment’s notice with devastating force. And, then they landed after a very short flight at an arm-breaking speed. Luckily the swaddling and pillows supported their heads and necks as the bath-plane rocketed from the concrete floor of the bathroom up into the air.
Excerpt 2: “From which airport did the baby pilots take off? “
“Where were the pilots heading?
As the rescuers paged through the manual, they found some maps at the back of the book.
“Are these two from Israel”
‘Must be, the maps show details around Israel.”
Could they be from Israel? All the maps in the manual – at the back of the book – were of Israel. The rescuers were mystified.
I have included this section on Israel to add some humour to the story – it is not true. However, most Bibles have maps of Israel at the back or in the front.
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When the rescuers handed the two brave pilots to their nana - Clara Lutz – she was overjoyed.
“When the hurricane struck, I held onto the bath; however, the force of the winds was so powerful it ripped the bath out of the floor and launched it into the night sky. I believed that the blanket, pillow and the big Black Book would keep them safe,” said Lutz.
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I have written this introduction to this story from my perspective. It is my interpretation of the true story that occurred days ago. The stunning true story was published on 17 December. A Hopkins County (US) woman was looking after her two infant grandchildren that Friday night.
“I was looking everywhere to see where the tub may be. I had no clue at all where these babies were. All I could say was, ‘Lord, please bring my babies back to me safely. Please, I beg thee,’” said Lutz.
Clara Lutz with the two babies (3 -months and 15-months old). The two content bathtub pilots on nana's lap. A miracle of Biblical proportions! Credit: Facebook.
More about the author:
http://williamvanzyl.com/
Read the full article here: https://fivehousepublishing.com/2021/12/05/advice-to-beginner-bloggers-and-prospective-writers/
Excerpt: Answers to the questions and comments from blog readers. Five House Publishing.
I have received many questions from visitors to my website. The questions range from, How do I write good blog posts? I want to start blogging; where do I start? I would like to improve my writing and general blogging skills? Any advice?
To provide some advice and ideas on blogging and writing, I have reflected on my own journey over the past 3 to 4 years.
How I started off – publishing most of my academic work.
I started my writing and publishing about 3 years ago. I received a year of study leave, and I had some extra time that year. So, I looked at all my academic work that sat on my computer. I took the first completed assignment and adapted it into an ebook. I used Canva – online graphic design software to produce attractive – front and back covers for my eBooks. I then taught myself to write short, exciting synopsis' for all the eBooks. Then I published it to the D2D platform.
Sketches: See the image of one of my ebooks on sketching and using watercolours. Read more about drawing with a fountain pen and watercolours in my blog posts. For example, My notebook and the benefits of sketching. Title: 'Sketching regularly with a fountain pen and watercolours could change your life: Boosting your health, mental health and wellbeing.
See several sketches from the author's notebook.
Caption: Author's sketchbook. The innocent and adorable Lulu with a glass of wine in her hand on the left and the strong, well-built Scarlett adorns the first page of my sketchbook. Practice, practice, and practice are key to mastering new techniques and ideas. Reference Page 69 & 85.
See the watercolour sketch in the blog post. Here is the caption. From my sketchbook - ink and watercolours (a quick sketch). Short story: Ancient Leviathan finally rolls over – 5000 fathoms under the sea – and reveals its secrets.
More stories and articles: Five House Publishing: https://fivehousepublishing.com/
About the author: http://williamvanzyl.com/
Read the article as a blog post: https://fivehousepublishing.com/2021/07/07/hickory-dickory-fig-tree-i-ask-of-you-can-you-hear-me/
Excerpt: From fun to research.
This fun rhyme – based on the well-known Hickory, Dickory, Dock – endeavours to get the reader's attention to the animals and the tree talking. Playfully it wants to draw the reader in. But there is more, much more.
Could trees, plants and animals communicate? Could humans and trees communicate? We know that trees communicate with one another—above the ground and underground. These are some of the questions this article will touch on.
The unsuspected withering of a tree will also feature.
Science and Research: The Hidden Life of Trees
RESEARCH:
I want to tell you about the findings of plants and trees communicating, living life together – in communities – however, the forest scientist Peter Wohlleben does it perfectly. The story he shares of a 'dead' tree – found alive after about 500 years – is pivotal in his book.
https://youtu.be/1djibBPOfto
Here is an image of a Kauri tree in New Zealand that refuses to die. Are other trees holding the 'hands' of this slain giant – nursing it for years?
A kauri tree stump in a rain forest in New Zealand with sap flow sensors and other equipment attached. Essentially, Kauri trees "hold hands" beneath the ground, sharing water and nutrients through an interconnected root system. Credit: Sebastian Leuzinger. Sebastian, thanks for sharing this extraordinary picture! Reported by Laine Moger, Auckland General Reporter (NZ) - Stuff. Link: https://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/114534612/this-kauri-treestump-has-stunned-the-science-world-because-it-refused-to-die
See the freehand Sketch of the Mycorrhizal Network in the blog post. From the author's sketchbook: Trees hold hands via the mycorrhizal network. It shows fine threads of fungi connecting surrounding trees. A communication system. See the mushrooms and the tiny threads that connect to the tree roots below the surface. Those mushrooms are the “fruit” of the fungus, while the majority of the fungal organism lives in the soil interwoven with tree roots as a vast network of Mycelium. Mycelium is incredibly tiny “threads” of the greater fungal organism that wrap around or bore into tree roots. Taken together, Mycelium composes what’s called a “mycorrhizal network,” which connects individual plants together to transfer water, nitrogen, carbon and other minerals. German forester Peter Wohlleben dubbed this network the “woodwide web,” as it is through the Mycelium that trees “communicate.” My Sketch was inspired by Dr Shannon Guichon. From the University of British Columbia - Faculty of Forestry, Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences.
More ebooks and articles are available at https://fivehousepublishing.com/
More about the author at http://williamvanzyl.com/
Link to the article as a blog post - Five House Publishing: https://fivehousepublishing.com/2021/06/26/tree-to-tree-from-the-lush-canopy-underhanded-and-ciphered-a-message-to-thee/
EXCERPT: Trees: Survival of the Friendliest – not Survival of the Fittest
"Survival of the fittest" often brings to mind a notion that physical strength and power are crucial to survival, but that's a misconception. Evolutionarily, the best refers to a species' ability to reproduce and create an environment where its offspring can flourish. Scientists have found that cooperating and forming solid relationships is often essential to species survival, and it's seen when we examine the evolutionary success of our human ancestors, apes, and even our dogs. For that reason, some might say friendliness actually beats out fitness when it comes to survival.
Trees are inherently friendly. The friendlier a tree, the better chances it has to survive. The book The Secret Life of Trees confirms the notion. It opposes Darwin's evolutionary theory of the fittest's survival (natural selection). Wohlleben points out that trees communicate on many levels. They help one another. They feed each other in crises times; they warn one another via chemical and electrical pulses – insect attacks, and more. This new knowledge is a game-changer.
Peter Wohlleben is the author of The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate – Discoveries from a Secret World (Photo: Tobias Wohlleben)
It is refreshing to realise that humans can prosper by helping others – just like trees.
Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you." Luke 6 verse 38 New King James Version.
See the Red Mangrove from the sketchbook of the author. How would Mangroves communicate, considering their root systems and the surrounding saltwater? Environmentalists tend to think of mangroves’ ecological role mostly in terms of protection from storms and nurseries for fish. As climate change threatens to increase the frequency and severity of storms, mangroves provide a stout defence against storm surge. Mangrove roots also provide habitats for fish and shellfish, crucial to sustainable livelihoods for coastal communities.
So, as humans, what can we learn from trees?
Here are 4 simple things we can learn from trees standing together in the forest and under the same canopy.
- Humans should love their neighbouring trees as themselves. Give.
Humans should uproot greed, selfishness, and self-indulgence with a vengeance. A caveat here, we should grow entrepreneurs with an unselfish character. This starts in schools and in the shaping of a nation's culture. The leaders have to model the way. For example, when a wealthy prime minister or president takes the lead by giving their salary — or half their salary — away to a charity. If they are rich and they can afford it. What a lofty and magnificent 'tree.'
- It is not about the fittest surviving and eliminating the weak.
Think about an assumable 'dead stump' in the forest supported by surrounding trees for hundreds of years. We should look after our weak, frail, and special needs neighbours. Not the evolution model — for example, Darwinian theories — where the fittest survives at all cost. But, the Christian model:
Romans 13: verse 8 to 10
Verse 8: Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. Verse 9: The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not covet," and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: "Love your neighbour as yourself." Verse 10: Love does no harm to a neighbour. Therefore, love is the fulfilment of the law.3.
- Alert others and stand up for what is right — fight the rot.
When damaging insects — or large herds of animals — attack a tree, the tree involved will alert the surrounding trees using a scented message. We should look out for one another. Show love, care and offer discreet advice to our neighbours. For example, receiving bad news and pandemics affects people and their income. Other attacks on 'trees' could be family violence, addictions, mental health issues, and more.
You are the salt of the earth – fight the rot.
- Share, support, and serve.
Trees are unselfish. They give; they support surrounding trees. They know they are stronger together. They will survive longer if they work together. The tree-culture of sharing is terrific.
Ephesians 4 verse 28
Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need. New International Version.
More about the author: http://williamvanzyl.com/
Excerpt: "The coroner will be here soon," said Doctor Jonathan Reeves.
Her long-time best friend Joanna Cowley takes a tissue and dab extra-dry tears away below her eyes. The tissue is dry, bone dry.
"Oh, I will miss her. I loved her so much. She was such a caring and loving friend," sobbed Joanna.
"We will all miss her and her millions of readers."
"Her diabetes must have caught up with her in the end," said Joanna.
"She asked me to accompany her on the cruise. I gave her insulin intravenously. Twice a day – morning and evening. I am not sure what happened."
"It was so sudden. We had a lovely meal together last night. I am so glad Talita and I had the opportunity to spend the last night with her. We are shocked!"
"We are all shocked. I have no idea why she passed. I have run some basic tests. There is no indication. The only thing that I detect is that she suffered a heart attack and kidney failure."
"Poor thing. She died while she was alone. There was no one to help her."
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"Kidney failure is the cause of death," said the coroner as she signed the death certificate.
"Jane O'Connor died of kidney failure," he confirmed.
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The substantial cheque of 970,000 pounds – made out to Joanna Cowley – had been sitting in Jane’s safe for the last 3 months. The night she died, she must have placed it in her notebook.
When Joanna opened the notebook of Jane, the beautiful handwritten cheque fell out of the book.
"Thank you, Jane! Now I have my share of all your famous stories. Those were my stories you sold all these years," she whispered secretly.
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In Sussex, a ghostwriter is writing the sequel of Jane's book 'The Midnight Lark.' It is done behind closed doors. He had been studying the writing style of Jane for months now. The work of fiction is almost complete – ‘The Midnight Lark 2’. The black notebook of Jane is lying open on the writer's desk – it is filled with many of her personal notes, diagrams, characters, and concepts – her authentic handwriting stares at the ghostwriter.
"When should we release the sequel novel?"
"I think we should publish it by the end of the year, in November," said Joanna.
"We will split the profits, correct?" asked the ghostwriter.
"Yes, that was the agreement. This secret will stay with us and follow us to our graves," said Joanna.
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"SEQUAL OF JANE O'CONNOR'S – THE MIDNIGHT LARK 2 – RELEASED!"
The exciting news is flashed all over the tabloids and news. The Londoner's News date is Monday, November 7, 2016.......
Read the full short story and article at Five House Publishing.
https://fivehousepublishing.com/2021/12/19/odourless-poison-saves-murderer-from-prison/
More about the author: http://williamvanzyl.com/
Introduction - Excerpt. Weeks earlier.
A tiny reed protrudes out of the water – hardly visible – slowly moving from ship to ship. His eyes are wide open; his brain is making notes. He breathes slowly and carefully through the curved reed.
As Takeo’s body moves slowly through the transparent sapphire coloured water in the harbour, he sinks downwards, kicks, and then moves forward, constantly circling around the ships. The golden sand captures his shadow. The fishes know he is there. However, the US Navy has no idea that they are being monitored. The first thing that catches the spy’s eyes is the large metal-whales – riveted together, sheet upon sheet – lying calmly in the cool saltwater of Hawaii. The large destroyers and plane carriers float lazily in the bay; the smaller ships bob slowly up and down. They are at ease. The large propellers and rudders are resting, ready to awake at a moment’s notice
The sun forces its way through the shallow water and lights up the white sand that lines the bottom. A ray of light rests for a moment on the closest section of the destroyer close to Takeo, highlighting the silhouettes of the large US warship. He scans for nets and barriers that protect the ships from torpedoes and possible underwater sabotage. The nets and barriers are the first lines of defence against underwater torpedoes.
The moving reed started its spy-work weeks earlier. Classified intelligence is being relayed to the headquarters of Japan in Tokyo. Photos, sketches, and diagrams mixed with secret codes followed.
Takeo Yoshikawa is undetected....
Credit: http://www.mybaycity.com/scripts/P3_V2/P3V3-0200.cfm?P3_articleID=10655
Excerpt:
- Never put all your planes in one basket.
General Short, serving under Admiral Kimmel – the US commander in Hawaii – was obsessed with the idea that sabotage by agents in the islands’ Japanese community posed the greatest threat to their air force. He ordered that all aircraft be lined up wingtip to wingtip on their airfields. This combination of planes would make them easier to protect. All the ammunition was centrally stored and guarded.
On the morning of the attack, the planes – grouped beautifully together – made the perfect target for the Japanese fighter planes. The Japanese bombs shredded the wing-to-wing parked planes of the Americans with devastating results. Wiping out and crippling about 300 US planes during the attack.
Placing all your planes in one basket means you could lose it all. Like in business, look at different baskets. You never know what can happen! Think strategically; view all possible options.
Above, SB2U Vindicators were lined up at the outer edge of Ewa Marine Corps Air Station in 1942, parked wingtip to wingtip for security against sabotage. In the distance are the slopes of the Waianae mountains. Below, planes were lined up at Hickam Field in an undated photo. Credit: https://www.staradvertiser.com/2016/11/30/hawaii-news/u-s-aircraft-and-fighters-were-sitting-ducks/
More eBooks and articles are available at https://fivehousepublishing.com/
More about the author at http://williamvanzyl.com/
Novella by the author: Based on Pearl Harbour facts.
'The Encoded Pen'
Link to ebook: https://fivehousepublishing.com/product/the-encoded-pen/
Read the story online as a blog post: https://fivehousepublishing.com/2021/12/02/silver-chopsticks-miraculously-save-dong-hyuns-life/ Excerpt: The grey and blue coloured nutrient-rich placenta swirled around in the large glass bowl before it fell into a small hole with a soft thud. The bloodied mass pulled the severed umbilical cord into the hollow at the base of the Honey Apple tree like a Renault’s suspension coil spring. The coiled cord stretched and then collapsed on top of the mass. The last of the beautiful rich-red blood plasma dripped into the hole.
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A newborn baby cried of hunger in a room. The tiny house, close to the apple, tree woke up. The inexperienced mum is at his side, comforting her baby with loving words.
‘My little one, my sweet baby, are you hungry?’
The little one grabbed the nipple with his spout-shaped searching mouth. After scanning like a heat searching missile, he struck milk. Dong-Hyun’s tiny wee mouth suckles with the force of a breast pump. A small stream of milk runs down the side of his cute mouth and over the soft, tender skin of his loving mother.....
Excerpt 2: The practices around birth and the placenta: Exploring the beliefs of the different cultures from around the world:
“In 2010, medical anthropologists Daniel Benyshek and Sharon Young studied placenta traditions across 179 societies1. Among the 109 communities that held placenta rituals, there were 169 different disposal methods, including burial, incineration, placement in a specific location, or eating the placenta. Many cultures believe that the placenta is a close relative to the child and attribute human qualities to the placenta. Ancient Egyptians and other cultures believed that the placenta was the child’s secret helper or guardian angel2. In Cambodia, the placenta is considered to be the origin of the baby's soul. Therefore, the burial place is surrounded by spiked plants to protect the baby's soul from evil spirits3. In many traditional communities, people believe that the condition of the placenta will predict the child's future skills and abilities. Also, it is believed that improper handling of the placenta can affect the health of the mother or the child. Thus, rituals for the handling of the placenta must be performed precisely and with great care. Many of these rituals involve washing the placenta in a special liquid, wrapping it within certain fabrics or plants, placing it in a specific vessel, and burying the placenta in an appropriate location. Quite a few cultures believe that it is important to pick an auspicious place to bury the placenta. In Turkey, if parents wish their child to be devout, they bury the placenta in the courtyard of a mosque, whereas if they want their child to care for animals, they bury it in a stable4. In Malaysia, after the placenta is prepared with salt and tamarind, it is buried along with books and pencils under the doorway of the child’s house. The Malay believe that following this tradition will ensure that the child will be hardworking and a good student5. But in Ukraine, the beliefs were the opposite: the midwife must not bury the placenta in a doorway or any place where it would be stepped over, or the mother would become infertile.
The Maori people of New Zealand use the same word for placenta and land: “Whenua”. They believe that the placenta burial symbolises the connection between the newborn baby and mother earth.
On the Indonesian island of Bali, the native tradition is to enclose the placenta in a coconut shell and hang it from a tree in the village graveyard. It is believed this will protect the child from illness and misfortune. The village of Bayung Gede has become a tourist attraction due to the hundreds of placentas hanging in its graveyard. Indonesia’s Ministry of Education and Culture declared the cemetery a national heritage site in Oct. 2020.”
Credit: Liat Ben-Senior. To learn more, visit https://parentsguidecordblood.org/en/news/honoring-placenta-different-cultures
More about the author: http://williamvanzyl.com/
More stories, articles and resources at: https://fivehousepublishing.com/
The Revolving Ballerina. A Short Story by William Van Zyl (Oct 2021).
Read the story and article online:
https://fivehousepublishing.com/2021/10/03/out-foxed/
My shortest story of fiction to date – 'a one-pager.'
Only 395 words were used. The whole story is on one page. My inspiration – the world's shortest stories – is flash fiction.
A short story is a work of prose fiction that can be read in one sitting—usually between 20 minutes to an hour. A piece of fiction shorter than 1,000 words is considered a "short short story" or "flash fiction," and anything less than 300 words is rightfully called "microfiction."
My attempt at flash fiction with the prompt - 'After everyone had left, she did endless pirouettes on his grave':
Credit: https://headstuff.org/culture/literature/20-micro-fiction-stories/
Here is the short story.
The Revolving Ballerina:
The ribbon of the blood-stained ballet shoes chafed Anne Lamington's left ankle. It had been killing her for years...
How to Write Microfiction in 9 Easy Steps (less than 300 words).
- Make use of strong imagery. Let every single word count.
- Focus on one moment in time.
- Work with just one or two characters. Don't spread your story too thin.
- Try first-person point of view first. Third-person and omniscient will also do.
- Surprise your reader with short bursts of action, concepts and ideas.
- Move quickly through your story.
- Show don't tell. Leave lots of 'golden nuggets' throughout the story.
- Include a lesson or wisdom embedded in your story.
- Make good use of your title.
See more at:
https://fivehousepublishing.com/
About the author:
http://williamvanzyl.com/
Out-foxed (dramatised). A short story by William Van Zyl (Oct 2021).
Excerpt:
At 11:16 am, it was all over. On July 15, 2016 – at 11:17 am – John Parrish ran over his robber-friend, Jack Leonard, and grabbed his bag full of money. They had just robbed the Atlantic Bank in London. Four million and two hundred thousand British Pounds in total were collected. It vanished out of the large walk-in safe in just over 3 minutes.
The get-away car disappeared into the busy streets of London – two unknown men were dressed with tight stockings over their heads. Then, without their tight masks, they weaved through the traffic.
The two remaining bank robbers successfully evaded arrest and were not traced. The trail went cold...
Read the story and article online:
https://fivehousepublishing.com/2021/10/03/out-foxed/
My shortest story of fiction to date – ‘a one-pager.’ Only 395 words were used. The whole story is on one page. My inspiration – the world’s shortest stories – is flash fiction.
A short story is a work of prose fiction that can be read in one sitting—usually between 20 minutes to an hour. A piece of fiction shorter than 1,000 words is considered a “short short story” or “flash fiction,” and anything less than 300 words is rightfully called “microfiction.”
How to Write Microfiction in 9 Easy Steps (less than 300 words). 1. Make use of strong imagery. Let every single word count. 2. Focus on one moment in time. 3. Work with just one or two characters. Don’t spread your story too thin. 4. Try first-person point of view first. Third-person and omniscient will also do. 5. Surprise your reader with short bursts of action, concepts and ideas. 6. Move quickly through your story. 7. Show don’t tell. Leave lots of ‘golden nuggets’ throughout the story. 8. Include a lesson or wisdom embedded in your story. 9. Make good use of your title.
Read more:
https://fivehousepublishing.com/
About the author:
http://williamvanzyl.com/
Read the story online (blog post): https://fivehousepublishing.com/2021/11/08/ancient-leviathan-finally-rolls-over-5000-fathoms-under-the-sea-and-reveals-its-secrets/ *See the many images relating to this story in the blog post. Also, see the cool sketch by the author of the dragon - ink and watercolour.
Excerpt of the short story: Introduction The yellow coloured speckle – at 5000 fathoms under the surface of the South China Sea – was filming. The umbilical cord of the small motorised submarine sent images to the mother ship from the yellow seeker — 'The Beast–tamer.'
"That's it, that's it! It is the full frame of the beast!" shouted the archaeologist.
On the monitor of the large explorer ship – The Voyager 3 – the giant skeleton of a beast suddenly appeared. The small remote-controlled submarine sending the images to the surface was stunned – its rudder flipped a couple of times – the cameras zoom in and out. What a find! The 3-meter sub is at the stunning depth of 9 143.999 meters (5000 fathoms) under the sea. At a staggering 9.1 km below the surface – the hi-tech submarine is moving slowly to get the best images – it had been designed and tested to withstand the destructive pressure of the China Sea. It has a mind of its own – computer programmed to find the ancient beast.
"It is the most significant find for almost 3000 years!"
From the author's sketchbook: The Emerald Dragon.
The dragon tattoo on the arm and shoulder of the captain of the Voyager 3. Listen to find out why the eye is an emerald colour. An intriguing short story!
More eBooks and articles are available at https://fivehousepublishing.com/
More about the author at http://williamvanzyl.com/
After writing this personal poem - 'I come from …' you will not believe how good I felt afterwards! Also, my creativity soared. The expression of my feelings and thoughts - at the same time delving into the great memories from the past - had released some feel-good hormones. As I saw the text in front of me - documented past experiences - my self-worth increased. It made my imagination sharper like you when you take an old pencil and sharpen it. My pencil looked refreshed - sharp - ready to 'write.' Can you see the sharpened pencil in this poem of mine?
Title of the poem: "I am from the land of the brave..."
Read the poem and article as a blog post: https://fivehousepublishing.com/2021/08/13/my-poem-is-locked-up-in-a-sweet-mandarin-my-identity-is-sprinkled-with-spicy-cinnamon/
I am convinced that everyone will benefit from writing poetry.
I share 5 benefits of poetry and some advice in this article with you:
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Improve cognitive function. I recommend you have an online - or hardcopy - dictionary or thesaurus next to you. Learning new words and finding new ways to articulate one's thoughts and feelings will give your grey matter a jolt. Do you want to feel smarter? Write some poetry!
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Healing from emotional pain. I remember sharing a personal poem in a class at Uni: We had to share our poems online. One particular verse stood out for me - the lady of about 45 years old - had so much pain. The grief and pain oozed out of her poem. I felt so sorry for her. I then realised that one can be imprisoned if one doesn't let go of those past hurts and disappointments. I recommend that you get rid of such emotions spurt them out on paper. Let the paper soak up all the bad blood. Grief is one of the most painful emotions we experience, and it's also the source of some of the world's most inspirational poetry. Loss can also be relieved through poetry. Let the ink bleed into the paper - use a fountain pen - see how the ink stains the paper.
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Revive self-awareness. Writing poetry constructively revives your self-awareness. "Inner reflection" will stimulate your feelings, the YOU locked into your soul.
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Spark spiritual enlightenment. Dig deep. Don't hold back. Forget about political correctness. Be yourself, lay your heart and spiritual feelings bare. It is like counselling without a councillor present in the room. Cut your spiritual feelings free; let it run.
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Your poetry will inspire and educate others. We all have fears and anxieties. Those emotions are called 'universal' because everyone experiences them. Once we've done exploring and finding answers, we can help others by sharing them. I have shared my poem 'I Come from a land of the brave' because it encompasses my identity, soul, and spiritual being. Why don't you write your poem on "I come from…"?
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Celebrate yourself and your life! For some unique things in your life, a cake and balloons just won't do it. You have to go deeper. Go deep down to a poem - those explorative words locked up in your inner being. Go and fetch it. Let it bleed out on paper or flow through a keyboard. Just write!
More articles, stories and ebooks: https://fivehousepublishing.com/
About the author: http://williamvanzyl.com/
Read the short story as a blog post: https://fivehousepublishing.com/product/millions-ripped-out-by-surgeons-skeletons-laid-scattered-on-the-floor/
Excerpt:
"$ 500 million worth of artwork ripped out by surgeons – heart of the famous museum removed," read the tabloids in the city of Paris, France. Images of the empty frames flashed around the world.
The two robbers – posing as police officers – were master actors. In the early hours of June 16, 1990, they convinced the guards that they saw two men climbing up the walls of the famous museum with a rope.
The police officers wore black clothes and balaclavas, reported the security guards.
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The work of famous artists was stretched into the old frames – entertaining people for decades. However, on June 16, the timeworn canvasses were removed with X-acto knives. Like professional carpet installers, they had cut out the painted canvasses – they used the edges of the picture frames as straight edges – it must have been quick and easy. They have removed painting after painting – scarring the reputation of the museum and its security system deeply.
The artwork was rolled up and carried away in long musical instrument cases. The surveillance footage showed the shape of the cases: a bass violin, long wind instruments, and keyboard cases were amongst the range of cases. Clever concealment indeed. People – if any – would have seen them as musicians leaving the Louvre in the middle of the night. Probably thinking they were practicing for a special event...
The Quantum Computer - IBM. From the sketchbook of the author (ink and watercolour). William Van Zyl.
More ebooks, articles and stories by the author: https://fivehousepublishing.com/
About the author: http://williamvanzyl.com/
My shortest story of fiction to date – 'a one-pager.' I have two very intriguing short stories.
Read the article and short stories online as a blog post:
https://fivehousepublishing.com/2021/10/03/out-foxed/
Out-foxed. Excerpt -
At 11:16 am, it was all over. On July 15, 2016 – at 11:17 am – John Parrish ran over his robber-friend, Jack Leonard, and grabbed his bag full of money. They had just robbed the Atlantic Bank in London. Four million and two hundred thousand British Pounds in total were collected. It vanished out of the large walk-in safe in just over 3 minutes.
The get-away car disappeared into the busy streets of London - two unknown men were dressed with tight stockings over their heads. Then, without their tight masks, they weaved through the traffic.
Only 395 words were used. The whole story is on one page. My inspiration – the world's shortest stories – is flash fiction.
A short story is a work of prose fiction that can be read in one sitting—usually between 20 minutes to an hour. A piece of fiction shorter than 1,000 words is considered a "short short story" or "flash fiction," and anything less than 300 words is rightfully called "microfiction."
Here is the second story.
The Revolving Ballerina Excerpt -
The ribbon of the blood-stained ballet shoes chafed Anne Lamington's left ankle. It had been killing her for years.
One gunshot was all it took to stop the relentless chafing. One would never contrast a revolver with ballet shoes. Would you?
How to Write Microfiction in 9 Easy Steps (less than 300 words).
- Make use of strong imagery. Let every single word count.
- Focus on one moment in time.
- Work with just one or two characters. Don't spread your story too thin.
- Try first-person point of view first. Third-person and omniscient will also do.
- Surprise your reader with short bursts of action, concepts and ideas.
- Move quickly through your story.
- Show don't tell. Leave lots of 'golden nuggets' throughout the story.
- Include a lesson or wisdom embedded in your story.
- Make good use of your title.
More ebooks and articles by the author:
https://fivehousepublishing.com/
More about the author:
http://williamvanzyl.com/
Read the story and article as a blog post: https://fivehousepublishing.com/2021/07/19/rat-a-strophics-and-cat-o-matics/
Excerpt: “Rat-a-strophic,” laughed the freight plane dispatcher.
“Or, maybe Cat-o-matics,” chuckled the second dispatcher.
“They are going to get a rude awakening,” said the experienced military veteran.
The tailgate of the aeroplane was open; the officers had to hold on for dear life.
The wind violently pushed and pulled the two officers of the Royal Air Force at the gate of the freight plane – a fleet of camouflaged C130s from the UK were powering through the cold Borneo air. They resembled massive ‘iron eagles’ entering into Borneo’s airspace. The officers were attached with thin steel cables to the plane. If they fell out and their emergency parachutes took them down to the area below them, they would probably be eaten alive. A large sign covered the sides of the planes: ‘World Health Organisation (WHO) – Operations.’
The rats and mice looked up as the large eagles headed towards them. The forest held its breath.
“What on earth are they up to?” asked Ratatouille.
“I have no idea,” said Ratana.
The eyes of hundreds of predators were blinking nervously in the dim-lit belly of the plane. They were trapped. Trapped in crates. Large paper tags tied to the boxes read:
DESTINATION: Borneo – DATE: July 1956. Approved and Ratified by the WHO? ‘Operation Cat-a-strophic.’
Homes of the Dayak people of Borneo. Buildings were raised above the ground – sitting on tall stilts. The roof covering is made of leaves.
See the lesson plan at the end of the story and article: Sustainability.
SUSTAINABILITY: This story is a prompt for developing a great lesson plan for teachers: Sustainability, food chains, and eco-systems.
Learning intentions: * Learn about food chains * Learn about eco-systems * Learn about biodiversity * Learn about the equilibrium and balance in eco-systems * Learn how to work collaboratively together (in groups). Equal collaboration and contribution * Compare two case studies: DDT spraying in Borneo and Beaver decline in North America (preventing flooding and improving water quality). Or, choose any other cases (historical). * Learn basic referencing when doing research. Typical APA style. Or, include a bibliography. What is the difference between the two? * Taking action for the environment. Write a letter or make a poster (canva.com). Or, write a short article to a local newspaper. Include some photographs in your article. Consider including a diagram explaining the details (e.g. scientific) * Develop critical thinking and reflective research skills (compare and contrast the case studies). Type up differences and things that are the same. Use a table (Google Sheets) * Design and create digital tools to improve or solve an environmental issue or problem (e.g. programming microprocessors, design sensors, develop software and apps). For example, use the Microbit sensors and design a simple electronic mechanism. Computer programming and coding. * Develop Global Citizenship: What is your message to the local community or the world regarding what you have discovered? * Cultural Responsive and Relational Pedagogy: Design a diagram that portrays the food chain, eco-system or events in a case study (e.g. dwindling number of beavers in North America – or a local issue in your area). Use a different language for the headings/annotations/tags. For example, Spanish, Maori, Italian, German, Latin, and more. Can you create a simple app to translate? Explore the idea of creating an app (translate). How are apps created? * PROJECT FOR THE ENVIRONMENT (IN GROUPS): Learn how to address a real-life problem or issue, using the new knowledge. Focus on your own area/environment – for example, water quality in New Zealand (Waikato)/overfishing, soil health (excess of acidification) and many more.
More ebooks, articles and stories:
https://fivehousepublishing.com/
About the author:
http://williamvanzyl.com/
Read the story and article as a blog post: https://fivehousepublishing.com/2021/08/30/taped-mummy-saved-by-a-silver-ww2-pocket-knife-rescued-from-the-wall-of-death/
Excerpt: On November 3, 1977 – in the middle of the night – a taped mummy hung limply from a wall. The tape that held the head up was slowly pulling away from the wall. The eyes, mouth, and nose were open – the rest of the body was embalmed. Narrow horisontal strips of white were exposed – as if the body was prepared for burial. The eyes and mouth were visible, but they were closed.
‘Be quick, be quick, get him off!’
‘I can’t get the tape off the wall!’
‘The scissors are too big; it might cut his skin! He is only wearing his undies, be careful!’
At that opportune moment, a student appeared from the corridor.
‘What on earth have you done!’ he shouted.
‘He could die!’
‘Get something sharp to cut the tape loose. Something with a short blade!’
The small group of card-playing students panicked.
From the author's sketchbook:
More ebooks, articles and stories by the author: https://fivehousepublishing.com/
About the author: http://williamvanzyl.com/
Read the full story as a blog post: https://fivehousepublishing.com/2021/09/02/cufflinks-hiding-a-secret-crack-missing-artwork-case-wide-open/
Excerpt: Two golden cufflinks – containing thumbnails of a famous self-portrait – had a secret. The small town of Znojelmo in the Czech Republic was the place of interest. The mystery had everyone guessing.
Where could the 7 famous paintings be?
Forensic scientists and Police investigators were called in when seven famous paintings were stolen from the De KunstenHuis Museum in Amsterdam. On December 6, 2012, seven multi-million pound paintings were taken off the wall, shoved into a large cotton bag, and was gone in 120 seconds. The inspector from the Netherlands – the chief of police – said that the alarms went off at 3:15 am in the early hours of the morning. The burglars worked lightning-fast. It took the thieves only 2 minutes to remove the paintings from the walls. After stuffing the paintings in a large fabric bag, they head out through the back window. Nobody reported seeing a thing. Even the surveillance cameras were baffled. The camera footage showed them disguised with wigs and face masks. Hoodies covered their heads. Even their hands were covered.
Matthias Ogelshefsky – the late husband of Olga. From the sketchbook of the author. Ink wash and watercolours (August 2021). W Van Zyl.
More ebooks, articles and stories by the author:
https://fivehousepublishing.com/
About the author:
https://williamvanzyl.com/
Introduction: Have you ever wondered what is the shortest poem ever written? After a search, here is a result. The shortest poem in the English language, by the late great Muhammad Ali, is simply "Me, We". I think he meant we are nothing without our connection to other people. Relationships define us. Ali was well known for his wit.
Me, We
- By Mohammed Ali
The second example is by Aram Saroyan (born September 25, 1943). He is an American poet, novelist, biographer, memoirist and playwright, who is primarily known for his minimalist poetry, famous examples of which include the one-word poem "lighght" and a one-letter poem comprising a four-legged version of the letter "m" (see the handwritten example).
lighght
Read the article online as a blog post:
https://fivehousepublishing.com/2021/09/06/the-worlds-shortest-poems/
More ebooks, articles, and stories by the author:
https://fivehousepublishing.com/
About the author:
https://williamvanzyl.com/
Handwritten poems by the author:
Credit: William Van Zyl (Sept 2021)
Introduction: The wet blade made a long continuous ‘slit’ sound as he sliced through the skin and flesh. The tummy opened. The well-skilled calloused hand reached inside the warm body to remove the intestines. It was still warm. He stopped. The eyes of the fisherman widened.
‘What! What is in here?’
Carefully, the brown tanned and sun-spotted hand grabbed the bizarre shaped objects – still lodged in the intestines. Carefully, he pulled it out.
‘Could this be the find of a lifetime?’
As the inky-grey gel mixed with dark-red clotted blood, the brain-shaped intestines popped out. The lungs, heart, and other organs followed – sliding out sideways.
He ripped through the intestines, now lying on the table. The odd-looking objects were uncovered. It stared at them.
Read the full article as a blog post: https://fivehousepublishing.com/2021/09/17/unparalleled-find-a-badge-a-skull-and-a-2000-year-old-coin/
More ebooks, articles and stories:
https://fivehousepublishing.com/
About the author:
https://williamvanzyl.com/
Introduction: The dagger is lodged deep in the chest of the rather ugly looking man. The older man is lying on the ground in a pool of blood. The painting of a beautiful young man lays beside him – almost unrecognisable – it is slashed and torn. Gray is dead.
The readers of the novella Dorian Gray are stunned at the end of the story. An unexpected swap takes place. Gray’s beautiful physical appearance changes instantly – the interior of his soul is displayed on the canvas. Unbelievable! The man’s true character is suddenly revealed in the once young and vibrant image of the man in the painting. Dorian slashes the canvas with the same knife he is about to kill himself with — an excellent concept by the writer. By stabbing the portrait, Dorian inadvertently kills himself. The authentic old Dorian – his character – is displayed at the end. The image changes from the inside out.
Also, read the contrasts and comparisons with Lady Macbeth and Dr Faustus (Shakespeare).
Read the full article online as a blog post: https://fivehousepublishing.com/2021/09/25/painting-painting-on-the-wall-old-gray-and-wilde-is-young-dorian-dorian-gray-the-fairest-of-them-all/
Cover of the book by Oscar Wilde (published - late 1880's)
MORE: More articles, stories, ebooks, and more by the author:
https://fivehousepublishing.com/
About the author:
https://williamvanzyl.com/
Are scorpions guarding Mount Sinai?
The significant connections and references from substantial mountains in the scriptures will stun you. It aligns and points, just like the Pyramids of Egypt, a conspicuous configuration of ancient design. A pattern - The Orion Correlation Theory. The pyramids on the ground represent the constellation of Orion's Belt. Astonishingly accurate! With astronomical precision – it displays a divine design. Contrastingly, from a Biblical perspective, three-pointer mountains had been purposely anchored by Jehovah. It had been planned thousands of years ago – it is secure. It shows the way. There is a grand piano playing in the background. You will hear it. Scorpions guard one Mountain; the scorpions stand as tall as white donkeys.
There is a grand piano playing in the background. You will hear it.
Read the blog post:
https://fivehousepublishing.com/2021/05/13/three-mountains-and-a-hill-scorpions-guarding-and-donkeys-standing-can-you-hear-the-grand-piano-in-the-background/
More ebooks and articles: https://fivehousepublishing.com/
More about the author: http://williamvanzyl.com/
By William Van Zyl – a short story (only 2450 words).
Unexpected and exciting twists and turns involving cellular memory. Don't miss the cool sketches from the author's sketchbook!
EXCERPT:
At 11:16 on Wednesday, June 19, 2016, several deafening pistol shots rang from a carpark in a Pretoria mall in South Africa. There was bone-chilling shouting. A car took off with tyres screaming.
Two large bags, filled with jewellery, were shifting nervously left and right on the backseat of the getaway car as two burglars escaped from the second level carpark of the Watercress Mall in Pretoria.
The Author’s Sketchbook: Notes from the forensic team’s investigation – the possible cause of death of the police officer Rakesh Pravaad. Date of the incident: 19 June 2016 (time 11:16). Location of the incident: Watercress Mall, Pretoria, South Africa.
'Guard your heart with all your power; because the heart of man is the wellspring of life.'
*Christian theme
Read the story online (blogpost): https://fivehousepublishing.com/2021/05/20/a-transplanted-heart-unsettled-by-murder-makes-a-180-degree-turn-into-a-blinding-light/(opens in a new tab)
More articles and ebooks by the author William Van Zyl:
https://fivehousepublishing.com/
More about the author: http://williamvanzyl.com/
When the foam opened, green and white parcels of paper stared at Howard Kirby. He pushed his hand into the foam cushion; he could feel more packets! Kirby pulled a couple out. The green and white paper packets were wrapped in separate packages – transparent plastic neatly divided several stacks. Some notes – marking the packets – were written on the packets to label the small parcels. It was meticulously organised.
Slowly he pulled all the packets out. He placed it on the couch; some packets fell on the ground. He grabbed the cushion by the ears and shook every packet out. He checked, and double-checked, the pocket in the foam was empty. While holding the cushion in both hands, his eyes were transfixed on the green and white coloured packets laying on the couch and the ground. He placed the cushion back on the ottoman and picked up two packets – one in each hand....
Read the full blog post at Five House Publishing:
https://fivehousepublishing.com/2020/02/06/man-founds-43170-and-returns-it-he-stuns-the-world-by-building-a-lighthouse-that-attracts-snow-white-birds/
Read more: https://fivehousepublishing.com/blog/
More about the author: http://williamvanzyl.com/
Fantasy Prophecy is a fascinating and compelling technique for Writing Fiction and Non-fiction.
When writers use this technique successfully – just like Herman Melville in Moby Dick and Shakespeare in Macbeth – it advances their stories to a new level. The two famous authors display their accomplished writing skills by applying this technique very successfully. They produce anticipation, mystery, and suspense. In this podcast, I compare the prophecy techniques in the two stories. Read the full blog post:
https://fivehousepublishing.com/2021/03/20/writing-skills-wood-and-stone-how-prophecy-changes-everything/
From the author’s sketchbook: Mobi Dick (by Herman Melville). The self-prophesy of Queequeg (harpooner on the whaling ship, the Pequod): “I am going to die – I will build me a coffin.” Ink and watercolour. Credit: William Van Zyl.
The author’s sketchbook: Moby-Dick or ‘The Whale’ is an 1851 novel by American writer Herman Melville. The book is the sailor Ishmael's narrative of Ahab's obsessive quest, captain of the whaling ship Pequod, for revenge on Moby Dick. On the ship’s previous giant-white-sperm-whale-voyage, the whale bit Ahab’s leg off at the knee.
Planning prophecy in fiction is a fine art.
The writer has to plan and consider how much information will be revealed in the prophecy. A touch of mystery is recommended. In fact, including a sort of code will also work well. The writer has to plan the structure of the story. Alternatively, if no planning is included, the writer has to go back and do much editing. It is best if the writer spends a considerable amount of time thinking about the storyline, including the prophecy and the eventual fulfilment, or an unexpected twist. Lean into the ideas before writing. Sleep it over. Think on paper: A diagram or a simple freehand sketch with annotations – before the writing begins – could save the author many hours of rewriting and editing. Read typical prophecy-based stories to develop the skill before attempting the story. It could also be subtle words and concepts that point to future events in the novel. The same technique could also be implemented in non-fiction. However, it is pretty challenging.
More eBooks, articles and blog posts at Five House Publishing:
https://fivehousepublishing.com/
About the author:
http://williamvanzyl.com/
Harrison – not Harrison Ford – is trapped. It is day three.
Off the East coast of Africa, in a remote part of the ocean, 32 km from land, the Nigerian man is praying.
“God, I am done praying. I am giving it over to You. Let it be as it is in Heaven. You have never failed me in the past, I know You will not fail me now.”
After hours and hours of prayer, this is his last prayer – he stops – he is at peace.
It is dark – pitch dark – it has been for days. The only sound he can hear is his shallow breathing. It is getting shallower by the hour.
Then, there is a nibble, “what could that be?” he holds his breath. He listens.....
See the diagrams and excellent sketches (watercolours and more) that provide much detail to this compelling true story!
Read the full blogpost:
https://fivehousepublishing.com/2021/04/29/man-spends-three-days-in-the-deep-dark-belly-of-a-cold-cruel-monster-dying-slowly/
Sketchbook: The digestive chemicals in the belly of the fish could have killed Johah. How did he survive? The fish that swallowed Jonah, was it a plant-eating fish or was the large fish a carnivore? Credit: Author. April 2020.
Have you ever been rowing in a rowboat without a rudder? You paddle hard; however, you have no control over your direction. A proper rudder – with well-chosen oars – will make your work easy!
You won’t believe how simple it is to set goals and achieve them. It is just like rowing in a rowboat! The most important thing is making small marginal changes in the way you do things. How do you eat an elephant? The answer is piece by piece. Here – in this article – I will share with you what I have learned about achieving a personal goal.
Read the blogpost here (includes images and watercolour sketches):
https://fivehousepublishing.com/2020/05/07/rudders-oars-and-systems-for-goal-setting/
The story is about Harrison Okene that was trapped in the hull of a tugboat for nearly 3 days. He was rescued dramatically by divers. Credit: Author – April 2020. You can read the story online.
My sketchbook with inspiration in the background for the sketch. The inspiration for this sketch came from a fishing boat image (pixabay.com). It is a Moroccan fishing boat with oars. In the front of my sketch is some of my sketching equipment – ink pens (Lamy), watercolours (Schminke), pencil (6B) and a soft rubber.
More at https://fivehousepublishing.com/
About the Author: http://williamvanzyl.com/
I have been pondering: what would the shortest academic paper in the world look like?
After a search here are some examples: See the blog post.
What would your shortest academic writing look like? APA style (American Psychology Association).
What subject matter would you choose? In this article, I am going to endeavour to write my most concise and shortest academic paper! While I am writing, stop for a while and think about what your shortest educational writing effort could look like? Use the typical renowned APA referencing method.
But wait. This will make you smile. If you are not familiar with writing, there is a thing called writer’s block. A person who saw the funny side to the writer’s block produced a hilariously short academic paper. Here is the quirky and ridiculously short paper: See the blog post for details on the academic paper.
Investigating the first sound and light in our universe. Evolution and Creation.
See the blog post:
https://fivehousepublishing.com/2021/04/28/the-first-light-and-sound-in-our-universe-contrasting-creation-and-evolution/
Link to the blog post: https://fivehousepublishing.com/2021/03/20/leaving-your-comfort-zone-requires-courage-a-brave-move-will-make-you-more-efficient-a-lesson-from-the-little-prince-famous-novel-by-french-writer-antoine-de-saint-exupery-1943/
See the many images and sketches on the blog post!
The famous novel by Saint-Ex – a children's book written in French – is about a young prince who visits various planets in space, including Earth, and addresses themes of loneliness, friendship, love, and loss. The Little Prince makes observations about life and human nature. The book is said to have many layers of life lessons locked into an unusual story. Several people have commented that the lessons they have learned from the book have impacted their lives.
I focus on one of the lesson's I have identified in the article:
LIFE LESSON FROM THE LITTLE PRINCE: We must have the courage to be adventurous and to explore, reaching beyond the horizon to expand; at the same time, we have to be willing to manage a little anxiety. It is beneficial to us! We tend to stay inside our "comfort zones" because it is easier than taking risks. When we get older, we must use the time we have on Earth to try different experiences, meet new people, and travel the world...
Link to the YouTube video: The Little Prince - Narrated by Kenneth Branagh:
https://youtu.be/APG1upS8LDw
The engine of the Japanese fighter plane screams as it dives almost vertical out of the clear blue sky. The giant frigate battleship enlarges at an alarming rate from inside the cockpit. The unfriendly surface of the ocean races towards the pilot. Death-defying. The sun flashes off the wings of the plane as if giving a final signal. Desperately, the plane wants to transmit a warning in staccato-Morse Code. Then, the engine sputters and spews a desperate smoke signal. 'S-O-S.'
The engine is screaming,
'Imminent danger, imminent danger!'
As the plane plunges into the ocean, the red sun rising on the fuselage disappears eerily into the foaming sea.
After this catastrophic event, the voice of the pilot goes silent. Decades later, a mysterious artefact is discovered. Once discovered, the artefact leads to the most striking revelations and finds. What could the artefact be? What is the secret story behind the mystery? All the past events are unwittingly uncovered. Mystery upon mystery is unlocked. What could the hidden codes mean? What are the secrets behind the written code and the map? (Christian Theme)
Comments by others:
‘The Encoded Pen is a story that demonstrates that love, hope, and faith is stronger than death. The legacy of love, which Haruto leaves behind, speaks across generations. The mysterious and secret codes - woven throughout this novel - makes this book a riveting and intriguing read.’
Chris Hill – Editor
‘An interesting and imaginative story. Well detailed.’
John Carstensen (Author)
Download at: https://fivehousepublishing.com/product/the-encoded-pen/
More about the Author: http://williamvanzyl.com/
The vibration of a quartz crystal: 2 to the power of 15 = 15 32,768. Isn’t that just stunning? I mean in one second you have to count from 1 to 32,768 – it is humanly impossible. It is this vibration that has me in awe in this article. Wait for it. That same 32,768-quartz-crystal makes a clock tick at one beat per second! But how?
It all started when my wife asked me to replace the batteries of two of the quartz clocks in our home. You will see them. They run on penlight batteries (AA). One of the clocks casings are translucent; the mechanisms are visible through the light-grey case. It is very inexpensive and costs about $5 to $12 (US). Why all the fuss about such a cheap product? That is precisely the point—the miracle in the $8 mechanism. I have searched how a quartz clock works; you don’t have to. It is then that I discovered the super brilliant video of Steve Mould on quartz clocks. Make sure you view it!
https://youtu.be/_2By2ane2I4
Read the article online (see the images and sketches):
https://fivehousepublishing.com/2021/04/20/how-can-a-quartz-crystal-pace-a-clock-on-the-other-hand-how-can-a-belief-pace-a-human-being/
More about the author: http://williamvanzyl.com/
More eBooks and articles (to read or download) at: https://fivehousepublishing.com/
When Jean Valjean, the central character in Victor Hugo's Les Misérables, was in prison, he was known by the number 24601.
Blog post: https://fivehousepublishing.com/product/wear-forgiveness-as-a-stellar-crown-like-jean-valjean-forever-remembered-in-the-night-sky-valjean-24601/
Excerpt:
Have you ever seen the Minor Planet Jean Valjean 24601? Probably not. Did you know that the protagonist in the famous novel Le Misérables earned a minor planet in his name? Here is the evidence from the International Astronomical Society. It has been sighted 1548 times. These observations stretch from 1951-08-08 to 2020-08-10 (the past 69 years). Why is this number so significant?
Also, don't miss the 8 things listed that makes the novel a classic at the end of the article. The 8 areas contribute significantly to this very famous story. Intriguing indeed...
Download PDF: https://fivehousepublishing.com/
More about the Author: http://williamvanzyl.com/
Or, visit the blog to read more articles: https://fivehousepublishing.com/blog/
‘Artesian Well Theory.’
The pressure in your aquifer could destroy you, or it could catapult you into a path of growth and development. If you process the situation right, you will ultimately experience victory. It will require resilience and a paradigm shift which will result in an artesian well. Read the full article on the blog:
https://fivehousepublishing.com/2021/04/19/lifes-unexpected-pressures-when-an-aquifers-pressure-in-your-life-becomes-unbearable-excruciatingly-painful-the-way-you-process-the-pressure-in-the-aquifer-is-vi/
From the author's sketchbook. William Van Zyl.
Download PDF: https://fivehousepublishing.com/
More about the Author: http://williamvanzyl.com/
Or, visit the blog to read more articles/eBooks: https://fivehousepublishing.com/blog/
Tardigrades: Under stressed conditions such as extreme dryness or temperature, the Tardigrade (Water Bear) practices several forms of cryptobiosis, a state in which metabolic activity is slowed or halted.
Image: Tardigrade enlarged. Size - about 1.5 mm long.
Radiotrophic Fungi: The fungi can be found in extreme environments due to their ability to survive and grow in the presence of radiation. They have been found in the aftermath of a nuclear accident and in outer space. Lately, it had been found at Chernobyl, in the USSR. Years after the nuclear power plant disaster, the fungi were found on the deserted nuclear reactors. There is evidence that the fungi are eating up the radioactive material. Isn’t that amazing?
Read the blog post at https://fivehousepublishing.com/2021/04/17/tardigrades-and-radiotrophic-fungi-death-defiers-and-demon-destroyers/
Read more about the author: http://williamvanzyl.com/
More articles and ebooks: https://fivehousepublishing.com/
Exploring sensors to manage caves. Microprocessors - Micro:bit & MBot: looking at the sustainability of a cave. Waitomo Caves in New Zealand. Lesson plan included. STEM Education. To read the blog post visit: https://fivehousepublishing.com/2021/04/02/sensors-maintaining-the-eco-equilibrium-of-sensitive-limestone-caves-in-new-zealand-stem-and-digital-technologies-programming-microprocessors-as-sensors-to-improve-cave-sustainability-microbit-an/
Download PDF - full article: https://fivehousepublishing.com/
More about the author: http://williamvanzyl.com/
Or, visit the blog: https://fivehousepublishing.com/blog/
EXCERPT:
'On Friday, 5 March 2021, I stepped into the unknown. It was dark, humid, and very black. Yellow cat-eyes stared at me from the ground. It was evenly spaced and extended way ahead of me. Where could it lead? It took some time for my sensitive eyes to adapt to the lack of light.
The tiny yellow eerie-lights led the way – into the unknown. The handrails were dead-cold and wet. My cold, wet hands slipped away from the cold stainless steel. It must have cost a small fortune to install all these stainless steel handrails, I thought. I know all types of metal. This was definitely stainless steel. Tiny grooves have been added in an attempt to reduce the slippery surface of the rail in the always wet conditions...'
The Waitomo Caves in New Zealand: The use of technology (e.g. BBC Microbit - pocket computer) in managing sustainability in the caves. Focus: LED lights & sensors. https://fivehousepublishing.com/2021/03/20/entering-a-dark-humid-cave-lit-up-by-cat-eyed-yellow-fiery-flies-could-turn-your-thinking-upside-down/
Download PDF - full article: https://fivehousepublishing.com/
More about the author: http://williamvanzyl.com/
Or, visit the blog: https://fivehousepublishing.com/blog/
INTRODUCTION PODCAST: Writing techniques - Prophecy - A Comparative study between the work of Herman Melville (Moby Dick) and Shakespeare (Macbeth). This is the into only.
Listen to Part 1 for the full episode: Writing Skills – Wood and Stone: How Prophecy Changes Everything on the Extravagant Podcast Channel.
Go to https://fivehousepublishing.com/2021/03/20/writing-skills-wood-and-stone-how-prophecy-changes-everything/ to read the full article.
Fountain pen and Watercolour sketches:
From the Author's sketchbook (ink and watercolours): Queequeg & Captain Ahab (Mobi Dick). Prophecy - Queequeg builds a coffin for himself.
When doing a sketch, it is best to plan the artwork. The artist – or writer – has to research, make notes and draw simple diagrams to achieve a good result. Ask the question, what do you want to accomplish with the art?
From the sketchbook of the Author: Macbeth: Prophecy - 'Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane.'
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Read and listen to extravagant articles by the author, William Van Zyl. The Podcaster and Author is an Educator, Writer, Thinker, Illustrator, Watercolour Artist and Photographer. The posts include rich illustrative photos as well as ink-and-watercolour sketches by the author. Annotations, sectional views, diagrams and more are included to provide a luxurious experience.
Self-portrait (Author).
Sketch: Trout fly - ink and watercolours. Credit: William Van Zyl
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More about the Author: http://williamvanzyl.com/