Post #14 Test Your African Geography

Due 28.NOV 2012

Have fun with this while you test your own basic African geography. Be sure to read the caption under each "correct" answer (in italics, above the photo on the answer pages). Then, take a moment to reflect either on a new piece of info you have acquired and it's relevance to you, or on the importance to the rest of the world any of the "factoids" posted.

Link (sorry, you have to cut and paste): http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Africa/2011/0127/Think-you-know-Africa-Take-our-geography-quiz/Question-5

Post #13: Cat or Dog?

Due Wednesday, 21NOV

Take this as you take it. Everything you can tie to the subject is legal (but keep it family friendly, please).
Cat or Dog? 300 words. Go.

Post 12: Honest Political Correctness

Due: Wednesday, 7. NOV 2012

Read the article at the link: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/07/fashion/helping-a-gay-child-to-come-out.html?pagewanted=all. After you read, you are to pick one line or passage and respond to it. Any passage/line will do: you may like the use of diction, syntax or chiasmus; you may agree/disagree whole-heartedly with the sentiment expressed. No matter why you choose the line you choose, remember to be honest, use polite language that is suitable for this very public forum. Proofread you response before you hit "post." 

Post 11 - Pow! Pop! Sizzle!

Alina inspired this post. When we were brainstorming expos topics, she brought up onomatopoeia. So...you guessed it. For this week's response you are using your 300 pithy words to create an onomatopoeic symphony. Think of it as Stomp on paper (or in the cloud). Don't just list words, put them together as a narrative. Take chances, as long as you proofread, this is the place to experiment with your writing.

Post 10 - Rhetorical Device Play

Due Friday, 26 October (this post is late, so you response may be, too)

You have examined four specific rhetorical devices used for specific effect by Diana's brother, Earl of Spencer. Scan the eulogy again looking for HOW and WHY he used the following: polysyndeton, asyndeton, anaphora, and epistrophe. Then, create a post (300 word limit) in which you use each one for your own EFFECT - to emphasize something specific, to make things equally important, to create a sense of multiplicity, to build to a climax...

Hint: This will work better if you write it first as a word document, then copy and paste here.

9 Fall Break

Choose ONE thing you are looking forward to about break and expound upon it. Only ONE thing. For example, I am looking forward to my trip to Johannesburg, but ONE thing would be riding public transportation. Two things would be the airplane ride and the train or the train and a bus. Choose ONE. Only 300 words.  Have a great break by writing early.

8 - Congo Week

We are celebrating Congo Week this week. Some of you have been industriously designing & building water projects, some have been rehearsing your dances, and some have been working with elementary projects.  Lots of prep work for a pretty big week.  Tell me what you think of Congo Week as a concept. Focus on one aspect: it's stated purpose, the fact that the organization is in the US, whether or not you think it is effective in it's purpose, what you think (or know) local groups think of it, if the youth is really the power behind it, or anything else you choose to talk about. Remember, keep it between 280 - 350 words (some of you get long-winded).

7: Read Any Banned Books Lately?

September 30 - Oct 6, 2012 is the 30th anniversary of Banned Books Week. Take a look at this video link (it's only 2.5 minutes long and loads pretty fast). http://billmoyers.com/content/the-bane-of-banned-books/

After watching, check out some of the links that list the young adult books most banned and why; the classic books most often banned and even the links to the books themselves.

I like the idea of the "what books would you require Americans read." I'm intrigued. Choose a single book you think everyone should read and explain why. It can be a book aimed at any age group - if you have a burning desire to ensure that every two year old reads "Pat the Bunny," explain your reasons. After everyone has posted, go back, read all the book titles and reasons, and vote for your favorite. This means EVERYONE must post by Tuesday, 2 OCT. read each other's post, post your vote and explain your thoughts by Thursday, 4 OCT (remember, Friday is Homecoming, so post early)

This should be fun.

Hand-Up or Hand-Out?

Due: Wednesday, 26. SEP 2012

Read the article:

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Africa/2012/0902/Back-to-school-From-rural-Africa-to-the-Ivy-League

Then decide if you think this project worthwhile: consider cost, manpower hours, local beliefs and customs vs MEDC beliefs and customs (is it harming the local kids culturally?), or is it simply a band-aid solution to make the "givers" feel better about themselves? Is it necessary? Or are we (my country) telling the local families that their world is inferior to ours? Who's to say if being a subsistence farmer in Swaziland is more or less important or fulfilling than being an MIT trained electrical engineer?

Please ensure your comments are addressing the prompt directly and that you are saying what you have to say in between 250 - 400 words.

Do You Feel Over Connected?

Due: Wednesday, 19 September by 11:59 PM

I have told you that I am a Fred Flintstone living in a George Jetson world (BTW, that's an allusion). You all are mostly, I believe, George Jetsons living in your own world.

Read this New York Times article: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/26/technology/cutting-the-digital-lifeline-and-finding-serenity.html?pagewanted=all  and answer the question, "Do you feel over connected?" Is it just a necessity of the 21st century? Would it possible, desirable, or stupid to envision life without this constant barrage of electronic info coming to you?

Please remember to proofread your work prior to posting it.

How Does Your Language Influence Who You Are?

DUE: Wednesday, 12 September 11:59PM

As  you know, I'm from Hawaii. In Hawaiian, we have a saying: "I ka 'ōlelo no ke ola, i ka 'ōlelo nō ka make." Translated, it means: "In language there is life, in language there is death."

I just finished reading a play about a language archivist which stated that every 14 days a language dies.  Many of you speak a myriad of languages in addition to English. My question this week is this: How do YOU  balance your heritage with where you live, the language you speak at home, and the English of your educational world? For those of you who only speak English, focus on the location part of the question (heritage is cultural, too). Do any of you feel in danger of losing your "home culture" as you live in the academic English world?

Please make an effort to read and incorporate other's posts in your responses. If you are one of the first responses, visit again again later to comment.

Post Three: Is College for Everyone? Anyone?

Now that we have entered that very special time of year when all high school seniors are beginning to stress out about choosing the right college, writing a personal statement, and playing that "numbers game", I'm curious about your opinion regarding college as a choice. Check out the link, read the article, and post your thoughts on Mr. Stephans's ideas. Should everyone, anyone, or no one plan to grad from college.
Why Go to College at All?

Post #2: iPhone in Congo

Greetings again,
This week's post is a bit early because it requires you to work through a slideshow and short video and I'm not sure how long that may take some of you with more challenging bandwidth. I managed to view it all (including loadtime) in less than 15 minutes, so I think it's do-able.  Read the text, view the photos and the video. Think not so much about the photographer's message about the acceptance of the iPhone as a legitimate tool, but about the purpose of photojournalism. Do you think it's a positive thing? An invasion of privacy? A waste of time? How about this particular story? I can easily see people in More Economically Developed Countries looking at the photos on their iPhones while eating McDonald's fries and cruising around in their BMWs as they email their favorite photo to a friend's phone. So, what do you think? Is there a point to this? Or is it just sensationalism or art?

Due: Wednesday, 29AUG

Here's the link:iPhone in Congo

What Do You Think? post number 1

Dear Class of 2013,
Every Friday throughout this school year you will use this blog for reading and responding to a variety of topics. Here is post number one. Read the following article, think about it, and post your response to it. Responses should be around 300 words. Remember, this is a public access website so while your response should honest, you need to keep your audience in mind at all times. Enjoy!

Reboot mode 

By Aarthi Raghunathan

The Week magazine.

Story Dated: Saturday, August 11, 2012 10:27 hrs IST 

Neha is 21 and has a BMI of 22. She was among the few selected to the Indian Air Force batch of women pilots in 2010. The dream job came easy, but she faced two strange problems—the helmets used while flying the fighter planes were loose for her head. The trainer somehow managed with additional padding for the helmet. The bigger problem was that she could not fit into the pilot's seat and, hence, was left behind with an on-ground job. Her hips were too large for the seat. Without wasting time, she got herself contoured to fit in. Today, she has joined her flying pals with ease and pride.
Air hostess and model Harshita, 23, always feared experimenting with her face or body but there was something about her facial features that she disliked. After a cosmetic correction, people close to her see a big change, but what is it? “I just got some minor corrections done on my face!'' says Harshita. Last October, she went under the scalpel to get a sharper nose and also got her chin augmented to get a long face. “I was never for it initially but agreed after discussing with the doctor. Now I am glad I did it for it has not only changed the way I look but also made me feel confident on the job," she says.
Surprisingly, it is not just air hostesses, actors, models and college students who indulge in such cosmetic corrections. The trend is fast catching up among both the young and the middle-aged—married and unmarried.
There are many from the non-glamour fields and smaller cities as well, says Dr Gunasekar Vuppalapati, consultant aesthetic plastic surgeon and medical director, GVG Aesthetic Health Centre Bangalore. He has his hands full with cases of software engineers, lawyers and businesspersons. The advanced surgeries cost anywhere between 020,000 and 08 lakh depending on the body part to be corrected and the number of corrections required or requested.
Vuppalapati recalls the case of a 25-year-old software engineer who came in for breast and arms reduction last month and then for body sculpting with vaser liposuction. She was awake through the surgery performed under local anaesthesia that lasted four and a half hours. She stepped out of the OT and walked to her bed. “I thought she will complain of pain but she only complained of hunger and asked for a mirror,” says Vuppalapati. “We gave her mango shake and then took her close to the mirror. She smiled in relief saying, 'I was not suffering from any pain, just low self-confidence. Now I have it back'.”
A businesswoman and mother of two at 35 had consulted the doctor in November 2008 after five unsuccessful surgeries to correct some facial deformities. “Today, after three-four procedures again, I finally feel confident, good and normal as anybody else I work or deal with. I have completely forgotten about my deformity," she says in a voice testimonial left behind for her doctor who made it possible.
Women are outspoken about the cosmetic change and tolerate pain better. Men, too, are opting for cosmetic surgeries; gynaecomastia for flatter, firmer chests and high definition body sculpting for six-pack abs are a rage now. But they seem to prefer to keep it under wraps. There are engineers who opt for rhinoplasty to look presentable on the job and keep the nose job a secret, says Dr Rohit Krishna, consultant cosmetic and plastic surgeon at Max Hospital, Gurgaon. “At least 60 per cent of the people who come for cosmetic corrections do so for career prospects,” says Krishna. “I also find it common among those who come to cities from smaller town for work. They feel insecure about how they look and that affects their confidence. The age group is mainly 20 to 30 years. As far as surgery is concerned, Vaser liposuction is becoming very popular and is the latest in ultrasound liposuction technique.”
And nothing can stop those who wish to enhance their looks, not even age. Bangalore-based lawyer Neelam, who is married for 25 years, spent over 02 lakh on two quick surgeries recently, to look "complete" when she looks at herself in the mirror, and feel "confident" when she meets her clients. First, she went in for breast augmentation. Months later she braved a lower abdomen liposuction. A part of the 'ugly' fat from her tummy was transferred to her face for a correction. It was painful. At times, it was unbearable. But she braved it all for a career boost. She refrains from revealing her full name and identity fearing that it might trigger unwanted criticism in her family. “At this age, I didn't do it to attract other men. I just wanted to look good and presentable. My job demands it, especially when you feel you are not young and energetic anymore. When people look at you, it's the personality that adds to the impression,” she says. “Now I look good and it feels good to look different. It's made me more confident at work. I feel like I have made another fresh start after so many years."
Sometimes it's just the smile that matters on the job. And people are spending over a lakh for just a smile makeover. The dental spas are proof enough. “You are never fully dressed for a job without a smile. Smile makeovers and bleaching teeth are becoming a regular makeover affair just like getting the hair or eyebrows done," says Dr Aqeel Reshamvala of the Smiles Ahead dental clinic in Navi Mumbai.
He had a client with low confidence levels after three years of unsuccessful job hunt. “He had a missing tooth since childhood and was conscious about it every time he smiled. During one of his interviews, the recruiters even asked him bluntly to look up and smile," says Reshamvala. "We gave him a quick smile makeover based on his skin tone, lips and colour of eyes and hair. He visited us again last week with sweets, a wide smile and a lot of confidence as he finally got a salesperson job at a car showroom."

The other side
Increasing cosmetic surgeries and demands apart, there are experts like Dr Shrirang Purohit who refuse to do surgery when it is solely to increase job prospects. “I do not think that this [job prospect] is a medical indication for surgery but I do keep getting requests from patients, more so from the non-glamour fields, to improve the way they look,” says Purohit, consultant plastic and cosmetic surgeon in Mumbai. “I do not encourage patients to undergo the surgical procedure. It is very risky and prone to problems if the surgery that is done does not ensure them the job or career growth they aspire for. Except for the glamour industry, there is no correlation between surgery and better job prospects. I do not do any surgery for increasing job prospects."