mINdY's bLoG

2010-09-18T03:21:00.001-07:00

The BP Oilspill-Rachel Maddow Reporter/Carl Safina:Democracy Now!

2010-05-30T19:27:00.000-07:00

Rachel Maddow and Carl Safina both made great points about the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The oil spill is destroying everything in the area and many things are being affected.

Rachel Maddow said that there has been an event of the same exact thing that's happening now, 30 years ago. Nothing changed. The only way they ended stopping the oil spill is by drilling another hole in the pipe to reduce the pressure. Once in stopped 'exploding', they were able to put a cap on top. But, the only thing oil companies have gotten better at (since 30 years ago) is drilling deeper into the ocean, making it much harder for humans to get there IF something like this happens again. In 30 years, the oil companies have gotten worse at preventing these risks. In fact, they create greater and more risks such as: animals can be wiped out in a certain area, pollution, explosion etc. She has the proof: in 1979, the SAME EXACT THING HAPPENED, but nothing changed.
When an oil spill happened again in 1979, people tried many different things, but none of them worked for months. So, they ended up drilling that hole...
Carl Safina on Democracy Now said that many animals in the Gulf of Mexico are being affected. In fact, this season is the breeding season for particular animals like the Blue Fin Tuna, and birds like pelicans. There were clips during the interview of dead animals on the beach. There was also a part when he said people were using dispersant to 'cover up' the oil spill, but actually instead, the oil spill is becoming more toxic. People around the Gulf of Mexico in the US are getting sick. Places like Texas. Carl Safina makes a point when he says: Why haven't these people working in the companies ever come across the fact that an oil spill might suddenly occur like what happened, 30 years ago? They did not have a back up plan even though they should have known this would happen again.

HOW DOES THIS EFFECT US?
People in Texas are getting very sick because of the oil spill. The smell caused by the oil spill is sickening, much worse than the stuff you smell in gas stations! :P
I think that those people working in the oil companies should have had a plan to fix something that might happen also 30 years ago! We had 30 years, and we were not prepared.

Support and visit this website and join...!!-PlasticPollutionCoalition.org

All the Invisible Children-Tanza

2010-05-23T19:34:00.000-07:00

There is a boy that has to fight and kill other people. He is in a small group with about 5-6 others and one of them gets killed. There is one boy (the main character) that is in charge of planting a bomb in a school classroom in a village but ends up turning it off. He obviously does not want to kill people.

TED TALKS

2010-04-22T22:02:00.000-07:00

What does Adora say about adults listening to young people?
That adults underestimate kids and they should start listening to what we have to say.
What do you think about her argument?
I think that teachers COULD learn from students.
Adults COULD learn from their children.
I think that if this could actually happen, adults could think more creatively and everything Adora said about the next generation of adults.
What parts do you agree with, why?
I agree with the part when she said that adults should listen more to what younger people have to say. Some adults DO underestimate kids and don't trust them, so that brings up the fact that we are sometimes irresponsible. These are true, because at school, we're all kids and young people. I've seen kids being irresponsible and I could see why many teachers would not trust some students. But, kids also have things to say.
What parts do you disagree with, why?
There were not really any parts I completely disagreed with....
Describe what makes Adora such a confident speaker. Is she an example of why adults should listen more to kids?
I can tell that Adora definitely knows what shes talking about and she also sounds very confident about it. Her voice is very clear and allows people to listen very well to what she has to say. She is definitely an example of why adults should listen more to kids because her argument is very true. She is very good at speaking especially in such a large group of people mostly adults. I think many other students and even adults and teachers have been influenced by her speech. She is like a role model to people who want to become like her.

Reflect on Shop till ya' Drop

2010-03-11T17:45:00.000-08:00

• How did it feel to have more or less money than other people in the class?
It felt like real life in a way because my family is not a really low class or a really high class...but there was only one person in the really high class so I felt like I was in a pretty good place.
How did it feel to see what you could and could not afford at the Global Mall?
Bad because I wanted to eat high quality food, not just junk food with high fat related to heart disease, :| get indoor plumbing, and have solar panels.
• How many of you could not afford education? What would your lives be like if you could not go to school?
All of us in our group could afford education, just not the best because we were more worried about things we REALLY need like food and water. If we could not go to school, we would probably not be able to get really good jobs that would pay well.
• How would it feel to have to choose between food and health care?
Food is something you need, more than health care, but what if you were to get sick? I would definitely not be able to decide very easily. I would probably end up choosing food because that is something you absolutely need in order to live.
• How many of you have ever been very sick or gone to a hospital or had friends and family who have? What would your life be like now if you had been unable to get medical care?
If I were unable to get health care, I would be SICKLY worried for my family members or friends because what if they did not get better, but just kept getting more sick? My life would probably be MUCH different.
• What were the impacts caused by people with fewer Global Mall Dollars, and what were the impacts caused by people with more Global Mall Dollars?
People who had fewer Global Mall Dollars do not make as much of an impact as people with more Global Mall Dollars in the environment. For example, in order to get beef sometimes, some countries might chop down forests and trees to build ranches and take care of cows to ship to other countries. That is a pretty big impact to the environment for rich people. People who have fewer can get beef from cows owned by themselves or from friends who own cows. That doesn't make as much of an impact to the environment.

DemocracyNow.org

2010-03-05T02:21:00.000-08:00

1. Synopsis: what is this interview about?
The interview is about how girls and women are affected by the way they think of themselves, such as the way they think they have to "please" someone or fit in.
2. How is Eve Ensler being a global citizen? What is she doing to make a difference in the world (give examples)?
Eve Ensler is being a global citizen by writing stories about girls and women around the world and helping them start over and take control. Instead of living a life like most people would if they had a lot of money, she chose to live in places that are hard to live in and help women and girls that need it. She helps and visits women in hospitals and tried to get a girl that was on the streets off because she was such a mess.
3. Give one example of how girls can end up in harmful situations because of societal pressures "to please" others.
Some girls might choose to be in hard relationships with people that can hurt them. These people might tell them not to tell anybody and that if they do, they threaten them. This could really affect girls if they don't speak up...
2. What do you think are the connections between The Story of Stuff and Eve Ensler's story about the girl in the factory making Barbie doll heads?
In both stories, people are getting hurt in a way. There are places in both stories where people are not thinking about the product that they purchase. For example, the barbie. A girl from China is in a sweaty factory making barbie heads and women and girls in the Story of Stuff are also in factories working in factories with bad gases. It's not like every little girl that gets a barbie for Christmas asks "Mommy, who made my barbie?" Some people just don't care...

Disaster in Haiti...

2010-02-07T19:58:00.000-08:00

This 2010, there has been one of the worlds biggest disasters in Haiti. An earthquake of 7.0 magnitude and an estimated amount of three million people were affected by the earthquake. On February 3rd a few days after the earthquake first struck, an estimated number of 200,000 people were dead and about 300,00 people injured. There were many aftershocks after at about 4.5 or greater magnitude. It struck in the most populated area of the country.
The earthquake caused many deaths and injuries. It was a big affect to the population. Many buildings have been destroyed and a few countries are trying to aid and help. The most quickest country to come to aid landed within 24 hours of the earthquake. This country was Port-au-Prince from Iceland. This disaster will probably remembered for a very long time because of the number of people it killed and injured, and the destruction that it caused.

Letter to Mr. Bernard Murdoch

2010-02-05T00:33:00.000-08:00

Dear Mr. Bernard Murdoch,
I have learned a lot today in class when you made your speech.
How Kiribati will be completely underwater in 50 years or even less!!
I will never forget the part in a video you showed us where the place all the people meet for a gathering was almost underwater....and when you told us that there was a tsunami that might have hit Kiribati.
I thought your presentation was very interesting and I learned a lot of new things, especially hearing it from somebody who is actually experiencing something to really suffer for.
I wish I could do something more, but I guess I will try to save electricity and spread the word that there are actually countries in the world that are drowning because of global warming (caused by us) and we should try to do everything we can to prevent that from happening because it might happen to our own home countries someday!
Thank you for your presentation.
~Mindy Kim

Avatar

2010-01-22T02:45:00.000-08:00

1. The story in Avatar is really based on the age old story of colonization. Describe why Jake's colleagues want to destroy the tree the Navi live in. Do they realize that destroying the tree essentially destroys the Navi's habitat? Why or why not?
Jake's colleagues want to destroy the tree because there is a mineral in the tree that they want. They work for cooperation's that will give them money for the minerals. Because the mineral in the tree would pay them so much money, they had no choice in their minds but to destroy the tree. Even though they know that destroying this sacred tree would destroy the Navi's habitat, they want the money. They don't really care about living things actually living in it and call it home.
2. Describe a similar conflict from history.
A similar conflict form history would be like when the Native people living in America had to move out of their homes because other people were settling. They had to move out or else these people would have killed them.
3. Describe a similar conflict happening in the world today.
A similar conflict that is happening in the world today would be like how the humans are not caring for the earth. People are littering and emitting bad toxins and gases into the air which pollutes the earth and is beginning to badly harm all things living on earth. The polar caps are melting, many trees are being chopped down, greenhouse gases are being emitted, and many people are also littering.

In Avatar, nature and the Navi have a very strong bond. The Navi treasure nature, while humans are trying to destroy it. I think that we in the present can help save the environment a lot by adapting some of the attitudes towards nature that the Navi have. If we also treasure nature, we would be more careful not to litter and be careful about cutting trees. There are many things that could improve with the bond between the present humans and nature, if we act like how the Navi did in the movie.

What Does a Good Citizen Look Like?

2010-01-17T18:02:00.000-08:00

Everyone is a citizen of something. Can you count the number of citizenships you are part of? You can be a citizen of many things at once, but you also have to do something for that community. It may be your family, school, nation, world and many other things. Being a citizen gives you rights, and also duties. To be a good citizen, you must keep these duties in mind.

You are a citizen of many important things, including your family. The duties you have depends on your family. But there are probably rules and important things your family expects you to follow. Your family would probably expect a certain behavior from you. Being a good citizen of your family might look like doing your homework before you play games, or taking out the trash. Even making your bed is a simple duty your family can expect from you. A few rules your family might want you to follow is don't go outside of your neighborhood/apartment/house without letting them know or without permission. Doing simple things in your community can be seen as being a good citizen. Some communities need practiced citizenry like at school. Helping others can be practiced. When you are at school, there could be problems that need to be improved. There could be cliques and stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination everywhere around you. People can think these things and sometimes even show them physically, which is usually a bad citizen. Cliques are made up of people that share a certain belief and sometimes do not allow other people who do not believe the same thing, to join. Sometimes these cliques have a certain bias against other people. They could be bad, but not all the time. But, there are people who have crossed these social boundaries like Rosa Parks who refused to give up her seat to a white man, or in the present, president Barack Obama who is the first African-American president in the U.S. You can cross these social boundaries too!

Now, being a good citizen of your nation looks like being a good citizen of your country. Like all other communities of citizens, there are laws and duties, including paying taxes. Some nations have a prejudice against other nations. They could be good but most of the time, bad. Some nations also have a bias or hidden bias against other nations which are determined from negative prejudices or stereotypes. Social scientists believe that kids learn things/ideas about other people at a young age without fully understanding what it means. Even though they do not understand, they learn and remember it when they are older. But even though prejudice is not bad 100% of the time, things can be done about it even though it could take a lot of effort because it is like our human nature. Prejudice and stereotypes can hurt other peoples feelings, especially if you show them. Some people might show obviously that they prefer certain "types" of people than others. That stereotype might not even be true because it is usually a thought. An exaggerated belief. There are also unconscious stereotypes and prejudices which we don't really think about in our brains, but its in there. These are called hidden biases because we are not conscious about them. You can help other people actually think good things about those stereotypes and prejudices because they are not always good things. You can find out for yourself if those stereotypes and prejudices are true. Become friends with people you have had stereotypes and prejudice against. Talk to them.

Being a good citizen of the world is important. Sometimes even more important than other citizenships. Choosing what you do as a citizen of the world can count on your life. There are the laws and duties, and one of them are very specific. A problem that keeps getting bigger. Human beings are slowly destroying the planet. Global warming is taking over the world. People are littering and emitting bad toxins and gases into the air which encourages global warming. Our polar caps are melting, tornadoes are getting stronger. Global warming is the warming of our planet which is very bad because the earth might eventually be completely flooded with water! People need to work together as citizens of the world and help stop this. The future depends on the people in the present, the choices we make. If global warming continues at this rate, our world could be in very bad shape sooner than we expect. Citizens of the world can help protect the earth by picking up trash and saving electricity. There are many simple ways to help slow the warming of earth. Even saving paper or reminding other people about global warming could help. Helping other people could make a big change. If more people are aware that global warming really exists, more people will try to help. If all the ice on our planet melts, earth will be flooded and humans would not be able to live. Global warming is a big problem and people need to work together to slow it down and help. There is no reason not to!

Now imagine our world with no such thing as citizenship. How can everyone work together? How much harder would things be? Being a citizen-especially a good one-helps others and others will help you too. Just make sure not to forget the importance of your duties and what citizenship means. That's how a good citizen should look and feel. Being a good citizen depends on you, and the world. Citizenship is important.

Gustav Mahler

2009-12-07T19:34:00.000-08:00

1. What is Romanticism?
Romanticism is a movement in art during the late 18th and 19th centuries. It stressed the importance of feelings, imagination, self-expression and individual creativity in literature and painting. It is a musicological term referring to a certain period, theory, compositional practice, and canon in European music history from about the 1815 to 1910.

2. How does your subject fit into the world of Romanticism? (Their work, in life)
Gustav Mahler wrote romantic music. He combined the ideas of romanticism.

3. Are there elements or aspects of your subject that are not romantic in nature?
He bridged late romanticism and early mondernism to the 20th century. He had more classical music in his compositions.

4. His music bridged the gap between late romanticism and early modernism. In what way?
Gustav Mahler's goal was to try and preserve the past traditions of earlier composers.

5. What was his most important or famous composition?
His Symphony No.5 is arguably the best known Mahler symphony.

Elliot Carter

2009-11-25T20:28:00.001-08:00

a.What was his most important contribution to music? Explain.

Elliott Carter’s most famous and important contribution to music was metrical modulation which is the technique of seamlessly going to form one pulse to another. He did this in his pieces of music and it made his music different from others.

b.Why was his approach to music composition so different?

People say his music is admired but he is not easy to love...they say that in his music, there is no specific “single, steady rhythmic pulse or recurring melodic themes to grab onto.” Sometimes, his compositions did not fit into what “classical” music should sound like. “Players are drawn to his music because of its challenges and his ability to write well for their instrument.” His music sounded different and he had his own way of composing.

c.How influential was he? Who were some of the people he influenced?

Elliot Carter taught students. People also studied his music in universities.

Social Boundaries

2009-11-15T18:47:00.000-08:00

Discussion Questions...
1. Have you ever felt like this? What was it like?
Yes, because I did not always fit in with the group. It didn't feel so good because people didn't treat me the same way as they did to the people that actually fit in.

2. What ideas are missing? In our school, what is the main thing that makes it hard to reach across boundaries?
I'm not sure, but to me, I think not being able to speak Chinese is hardest.

3. Why does this kind of stuff happen?
I think this kind of stuff happens because everybody is different, not everybody agrees to the same thing all the time, etc.

4. What in your life has made you feel this way?
Moving to Taiwan and people.

5. Why do people see these things in different ways?
Because everybody has different ideas and thoughts!