Week 2:Daily Blog Day 1 – Monday, January 31, 2011

Daily Blog Day 6 – Monday, January 31, 2011

Question: Identify the 'Venus of Willendorf'. What does it suggest that the beginnings of art and the domestication of animals happen during the same period in human history?

            The Venus of Willendorf is statue of a woman about 11 centimeters high carved from limestone not local to the area in which it was found. This statue is also referred to as the Woman of Willendorf. Archeologists believe that it is sculpted around 22,000 to about 21,000 BCE.  The Venus of Willendorf was found by the archaeologist Josef Szombathy in the year 1908 while on location at a Paleolithic site. This site was located in close perimeters to the village of Willendorf. This village is more importantly located in lower Austria. This figurine or statue is believed to be a symbol of fertility. The Venus of Willendorf itself tells us a lot about the time period in which it has made and the women, customs, culture, beliefs, and more important information about that time. When the Venus of Willendorf was discovered so were many different tools and pieces of things found around it. These things also provide useful information about the time period. Interestingly enough, huge amounts of pieces of flint were found around the sight. One thing people began to ponder during this time was the associate and correlation between the beginning or art and the domestication or animals that happened during the same period in human history. The first thing I must point out is that in every period of history change and new things come about as a result. Therefore, new things coming about are a result of the new broader range of thinking and people’s new thirst for knowledge, excitement, and other things that cause them to want to more fully explore the world around them. Also, on a more serious note, an important period of history came in the Neolithic period. This period is said to be from 5,000 to 2,500 BCE.  During this time the domestication of not only animals, but also plants was correlated with many things including the systemization of farming and the organization of people being grouped into communities. This period of time was when new history began. The Mesolithic period from 8,000 BCE to 5,000 BC and was classified as the middle. Finally, we reach where this art is from which was during the Paleolithic period. This period lasted from 30,000 to 8,000 BCE which is classified as old. These three periods are the three phases of prehistoric art. In each of these phases, the domestication of animals along with the advancement of things like art began and flourished. The Venus of Willendorf is an important part of history and a way we can find out more about our world then. Hopefully, now and in the future, it will continue to be a source of knowledge about what was going on during that time period.

Week 1:Daily Blog Day 4 – Thursday, January 27, 2011

Daily Blog Day 4 – Thursday, January 27, 2011

Question: Does history progress?

            History is a complicated and interesting thing we do not yet fully understand.  In fact, people have many different theories about history, but that is all they are theories. One interesting question that has been brought up is whether or not history progresses. To progress, it literally means when something is advancing towards or moving forward to somewhere of a common goal. The reason this is seen as something troubling to many is because of the inability to know what exactly we are progressing towards. I believe that history does progress. In my opinion, everything is meant to happen for a reason and that we all are always working or progressing towards something. For some, it may be that grand promotion you have been waiting for. For others, it may be the end of their life, but every person is constantly working towards something whether they know it or not. For example, we do not always know that we are doing something to get something, but in the end we are. You do not know that when you suddenly start to visit your grandmother it is not only just because you miss her until one day you go to visit and she is in the hospital. To me, this is just like history. Just because we do not know what or why we are progressing towards it does not mean we are not working towards something. In general, I think everything progresses even if you think things are not. A perfect example of this is the earth is constantly revolving around the sun and progressing, but we do not feel it. All the same, we feel its effects slightly and are given a hint by how the seasons change. This is why I feel that history does progress.

Week 1:Daily Blog Day 3 – Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Daily Blog Day 3 – Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Question: Will a "hypertext" world make us more accepting of cyclic history?

            Our changing world plays a large part in our understanding of new and more intricate things. This includes our understanding of history, as well as, our understanding of the sciences, technology, humankind, and so much more.  One of the things that have brought us to be better and share knowledge easier is the creation of the internet. The internet in so many ways has enhanced our ability to learn and grow as one large family. It is one big resource full of endless information. The ability we have uncovered through the internet is the fact that people all over the world can have information about anything they want and be better informed. This huge advancement uncovered so much more though.  On the internet, hypertext is a common thing we often do not even realize when we are navigating through the internet’s vast supply of knowledge.  It is when the text is blue and underlined. This means that it is a hyperlink that will take you to another site related to that word once you click on or select it. This is called hypertext. This enables internet searchers to find lots of information on any topic. If you were to consider if a hypertext world would make us more accepting of theories of history like cyclic history, you would be interested to find it probably would create an impact.  Hypertext would let people easily find access to information on the topic with lots of supporting information as well. Weather, this would cause them to become more accepting would be dependent if they believe in it. Although, I believe that hypertext makes it at least more likely that people would be better informed to make a better decision. Therefore, hypertext does create the potential for a more accepting view of cyclic history.

Week 1:Daily Blog Post Day 2 - Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Daily Blog Day 2 – Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Question: Don't our traditional forms of information communication, notably "the book" and especially "the textbook" contribute to our belief in linear history?

            Traditionally in history, people learned about history by reading what people wrote in books and text books. Most if not all of these people’s book formatted history as linear history. Linear history is the idea about history that is expressed on a time line. You can look at it from the past forward or from the present backwards, but it all expresses the same thing.  Basically, linear history is the belief that all things happened in sequential order and that history has a beginning and an end with no real patterns. If this is true, we start to wonder if these two things, being linear history and the traditionally way of learning about history, textbooks and books, are connected. I bet the book and the textbook’s traditionally way of learning contribute to our belief in linear history. These books are formatted in a way that strictly promotes only linear history learning.  We are in a way are brainwashed in our early childhood schooling years and made to think that there is only one way to look at things and that is through linear history. Without us even knowing, teachers and other people make linear history the main idea in our mind when we look at history. Human nature is to do what we are taught as well as what we see, hear, and observe around us. If linear history is used in most textbooks, which it is, that is what we will apply to our life. Therefore, traditional forms of communication for sure will contribute to our beliefs in linear history for better or for worse.

Week 1:Daily Blog Day 1 – Monday, January 24, 2011

Daily Blog Day 1 – Monday, January 24, 2011

Question: Is modern life "always" better than it was in the past?

            Modern life sometimes does not seem like it is that much different or better than it was in the past, and the truth is it isn’t.  In one perspective, you have to consider the meaning of better. If you take better and look at it closely you realize that this is asking for you unique individual view on the present modern time compared to a different time. This is what makes it trick. You need some kind of base line to classify better and what it is asking. Many things could get mixed up because of individual people’s personal perspectives. For example, in simple times, if one person, let’s say named Fred, was poor as a child, but in modern times was rich. He would probably say modern life is always better than in the past. Although, if there is a was a man named Bob who was rich as a child, and then poor now, he would most likely say that modern life is not always better than in the past. This is why you have to classify the question more clearly. If you were to classify this under history it seems, there has been a constant up and down in things. For example, the stock market constantly moves up and down, and that we constantly go into depression and back out into growth again and again. Therefore, you cannot say that in history that has never ever been a point when modern life was not lower than a point in the past. Although, this constant up and down in our society is still causing advancement in society. In the end, ultimately we should end up in Modern Life better than we had been in the past. That is if you were measuring how something is better by the economic situation. This shows that you really have to classify what you mean by better. Are you asking better as in economic growth or as in better in something else? In my personal perspective, modern life may not always be better but it is constantly working towards in the end being better than when it started off in the past.

Question 14

We can be taught to be better young men and women using technology is ......by Hope Kelly and Emily Cassidy.......

1. Use computers better and properly in class.
2. Being taught how to use your math calcuator in new and different ways
3. Use online textbooks
4. Not use computer for all classes, so you can have different ways of learning
5. Teach others what we have learn so we can expirence both sides of the school experiance
6. Use things like the nook or electronic readers
7. Get more updated systems in the library that are easy to use and helpful
8. More reasearch databases
9. Incorperate Service and technology
10. Learn how to fix your own technology problems by working in the Tech lab
11. Email more work to teachers

Question 8

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Question 9

The French president is confident in teaming up with the US to fight terrism and thinks that they will be very important allies.

Question 7

A food hub links regions’ producers to new markets and is “a centrally located facility with a business management structure facilitating the aggregation, storage, processing, distribution, and/or marketing of locally/regionally produced food products.”  This is important because it provides jobs in rural areas, expands market opportunities for agricultural producers, and increases access of fresh healthy food for consumers.

Vegetables can be found closed to John Carroll at Brad’s produce at 550 Asbury. Poultry at Andy’s Eggs at 2601 Harford Road in Fallston, MD  21047, and Beef at Ruff's Chance farm  at 2418 Thomas Run Road  Bel Air, MD  21015.

I think that every Monday the cafeteria staff should go pick up fresh produce, poultry, and meet from the above places. I am sure they probably will be willing to make deliveries. Also, if we want fresh produce we can start a garden and begin to harvest our own fresh vegetables. This could really help increase the healthiness and quality of the meals served here at John Carroll.

Question 2

The car is blue.
It was 8:45 EST on 9/11.
The church is Trinity Church.
The bus has 10 people on the top deck.

Question 6

      Climate change is caused by global warming. Human activity is definitely contributing to climate change as it has been increasing the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The climate is warming and since the late- 19^th century it has increased about 0.74°C. The U.S got a lot of snow because the earth is changing and it is adjusting.

Question 5

Question 4

      There are a lot of different names for pop soda in New Mexico, because it is in the middle of the crossroad where these people as speak differently. Also, as people moved to New Mexico they brought their customs and ways with them. New Mexico has lots of different people in it that all brought their individual way to speak and way to say soda.

Question 3

The most unfriendly city is Los Angeles. http://www.koreatimes.com/article/639588

Exam Question 1

1.      In the following graph, there is a sudden dip in 2001. This is because of the attack on the twin towers on September 11, 2001. Statistics are greatly affected by what is happening historically. For example, the number of immigrant to a country may depend on whether or not the country is in civil war. If a country is in war immigration into the country is probably going to be low, but the surrounding countries will probably be high as people flee their own country for the safety of others. Another example is when a country is at war before and during the war factory and their emissions will increase because of the equipment needed for war, but after the war the emissions will go down. This is why statistics and history are interconnected.

Language Q and A

I have decided to interview a John Carroll student whose primary Language is Gujarati to learn about what it was like to learn English and to find out about his experiences. I found it interesting how Gujarati is still important to him today. Also, I liked seeing how happy and proud he was to know multiple languages.  This is my Interview with him.

Q: What is your full name?

A: My full name is Faizan R. Multani.

Q: Does your name have any meaning in your language or special importance?

A: Yes, It means prophet, but not a prophet like from God. It is more like a money prophet.

Q: What grade are you currently in here at John Carroll?

A: I am a senior here, but for the past three years I went to Calvert Hall. Over the summer I transferred here to John Carroll.

Q: What is your primary language?

A: My primary language is Gujarati.

Q: How many languages do you know in all?

A: I know about six altogether. In addition to knowing both English and Gujarati, I know a few other Indian languages. In India there are a million different languages, so it is common to know more than one.

Q: What language do you take in school?

A: I took Spanish back at Calvert Hall, but I am not currently taking a language here at John Carroll.

Q: Where were you born?

A: Actually, I was born in Philly.

Q: How old were you when you began to learn English?

A: I was about five years old or so.

Q: Was it difficult to learn English?

A: I would have to say no, not really.

Q: Do you like knowing more than one language?

A: Yes, I guess.

Q: Has knowing multiple languages provided new or unique opportunities for you?

A: Yes! It definitely helps my ability to relate to more people. Overall though, there is nothing that really sticks out to me.

Q: What are the benefits of knowing multiple languages?

A: Well, you can talk in front of people without them knowing what you are saying. My cousin Quasay and I talk in our primary language when we make fun of people in from of them and we don’t want them to hear.

Q: Do you still speak your primary language at home or with family and friends? Why or Why Not?

A: Yes. It just makes sense to because that is our first language, although, I do not always speak it with my cousin Quasay. Most of the time I talk to him in English, that is, unless we are together with all of our family which is already speaking Gujarati.

Q: What influenced your parents’ decision of to America?

A: I guess work.

Q: Can you write in any of the languages?

A: After learning how to speak languages, I also learned how to write them. For example, I know how to write in Arabic.

Q: How many languages?

A: I can only write in Arabic which my dad taught me. Also, of course I can obviously write in English. I have to know that especially because of school.

Q: Do you enjoy learning languages? Was it fun to you?

A: It kind of was and kind of wasn’t. Most of the languages I learned when I was younger so it basically came for the most part naturally. This made it more fun because it didn’t necessarily seem like work to me. Later, when I was older, my dad made me learn Arabic. That was more difficult and wasn’t quit as fun because it was more challenging.

Q: Have you ever visited India? Why or Why not?

A: No, and I just haven’t been yet. I don’t exactly know why though.

Q: Do you think you will ever visit India? Why?

A:  Yes. I think I will be visiting this coming summer.

Q: How much family do you have in the U.S.? How much family do you have left back in India?

A: Most of my family is in India, but almost all of my uncles are here in the U.S.!

Q: How did you learn English and your primary language?

A: I learned my primary language first and later learned English through school and television.

Q: What was the hardest language to learn?

A: Arabic

Q: Does knowing multiple languages help you learn new ones?

A: Yes, definitely.

Q: Will you seek a profession where you would need both or multiple languages?

A: No not really. At least, I will not search out a job because of it.

My Exchange Trip to Haiti

Dear Journal,



            After a month stay at a school in Port-au-Prince and another month stay in the poorer region called Jacsonville, I am excited to be going back to my family and the air conditioning, electricity, and all the other modern conveniences I have missed during my stay. Although as much as it was a struggle, especially in the poorer parts of Haiti, I have still had some pretty incredible experiences here and created amazing friendships that will last a lifetime. This journey I have had in Haiti has been an amazing, eye opening adventure I will never forget. I am so sad that five days from now I will be leaving for home back in the United States. I still remember the huge 15 km earthquake that shook the place where I was staying and Haiti along with it in January of 2010. Yesterday, I went to school at St. Rose of Lima where I have been going for this month I have been staying in Jacsonville. I know I was lucky to have attended one of the nicer schools in Haiti. Although, there tuition of 135 dollars is way less than John Carroll’s for sure. The students are all so kind. I know my teacher, Mrs. Dellss, who accompanied us as a chaperon on the trip knew the principle well, but still! I know I will miss them, most of all. One of the things I learned there was how Columbus was involved in Haiti’s history in addition to ours in the U.S.!  Also, the school is very religious and it surprised me in a good way. Did I mention that they through a goodbye celebration for us? It was amazing. Today, I did not have school so my Haitian friends and I took a walk through the town area. It was sad how poor the areas in Haiti could get and it always touches me when I walk there. Also, we hung out down by the river while the mothers cleaned the clothes. Later I visited all of my friends in Jacsonville and began to say Goodbye. When I visited Johanne, a close friend I met when I was looking around the town one day, she was still morning over the loss of her infant born last week that died only three days ago. In Haiti, there is an 8.5 times greater chance of dying in infancy. But even though this is not uncommon, it is still extremely sad for the family. This is one of the many sad things I have found hard to deal with in Haiti. Tomorrow, we pack up and begin our journey home.  It is not always easy to get where you need to go. Dirt roads that easily get muddy and become unable to travel on can make us miss our flight home. There is just so much to write about Haiti, I don’t want to stop. As much as Haiti may be a nice, eye-opening place to visit the poor parts are not the greatest place to live. I want to do everything I can to help them. Well then, pray for safe travels and for my friend I will be leaving behind in Haiti! I hope everyone has an experience like this at least once in their life.

                                                                        Your friend,

                                                                                    Hope




This is the home of Johannne my firned I met one day in the town.

 



This is St. Rose of Lima School where I attended in Jacsonville.

 



This is how muddy the roads can get when it rains.
These puttles are very deep and trucks can get stuck.



Bibliography

If Haiti were your home instead of The United States you would... (n.d.). Retrieved January 5, 2011, from If It Were My Home.com: http://www.ifitweremyhome.com/compare/US/HT

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