Friday, January 29, 2010

There is now abundant scientific evidence that humanity is living unsustainably

Sustainability is the capacity to endure.

In ecology the word describes how biological systems remain diverse. says Wikipedia, and productive over time. For humans it is the potential for long-term maintenance of well being, which in turn depends on the well being of the natural world and the responsible use of natural resources.

Sustainability has become a wide-ranging term that can be applied to almost every facet of life on Earth, from a local to a global scale and over various time periods.

Long-lived and healthy wetlands and forests are examples of sustainable biological systems. Invisible chemical cycles redistribute water, oxygen, nitrogen and carbon through the world's living and non-living systems, and have sustained life for millions of years.

As the earth’s human population has increased, natural ecosystems have declined and changes in the balance of natural cycles has had a negative impact on both humans and other living systems.[1]

There is now abundant scientific evidence that humanity is living unsustainably.[1] Returning human use of natural resources to within sustainable limits will require a major collective effort. Ways of living more sustainably can take many forms from reorganising living conditions (e.g., ecovillages, eco-municipalities and sustainable cities), reappraising economic sectors (permaculture, green building, sustainable agriculture), or work practices (sustainable architecture), using science to develop new technologies (green technologies, renewable energy), to adjustments in individual lifestyles.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Americans' electricity comes from Coal, which also sends up significant amounts of carbon dioxide


Geography Magnet
Originally uploaded by trudeau

Euro cities: Paris, Roma, London, Berlin


Paris 07
Originally uploaded by trudeau
Jan 28,29, Feb 1
Geography classes
Hours: 1, 3, 5, 6

Unit
Comparing the Great European Cities / Paris, London, Rome and Berlin

1. Research info and images.
2. Edit, identify appropriate material.
3. Assemble presentations.
4. Share work on Google Docs.

Each team of students takes a city and sub-divides into
- Demographics (pop, literacy, PCI, ethnicity, etc) - 3 images
- History (major conquerors, major periods, those famous in
technology, arts, business) 4 images
- Contemporary connections (trading partners, technology,
relationships w neighbors, languages, products & brand names, etc)
3 images

At the end of 3 research & assembly sessions, students will have
produced packages containing -
- minimum of 10 slides / images
- bulleted explanations (brief, edited material) on each slide (about 3 info bullets per image)
- images that are clear and large when projected
- spelling, grammar

- On additional slides: quiz for classmates / 7 multiple-choice general, simple questions.
- Map quiz items from the city and nation (Ex: Atlantic Ocean, Alps Mtns.) for class quiz. At east 7 items, 7 images.

Presentations will take place in the classroom.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Climate change / PBS.org / Frontline


Belgium 07
Originally uploaded by trudeau
1. In what ways might climate change affect the way people live?
- Sea level rise, diminished water supplies, severity of storms, rise in cost of living.
2. Describe how our economy and way of life are dependent on fossil fuels.
- Americans depend on coal for their electricity and petroleum to fuel their cars.
3. Describe the problems developing countries face in trying to modernize.
- There is a conflict between the goals of providing people with comforts - such as cars, highways and nice housing - and the maintenance of the environment.
4. Describe how U.S. policy toward global warming changed between the Kyoto Protocol and the 2007 United Nations Climate Change Conference held in Bali.
- During the Kyoto bargaining the US position was "We participate only if our work is equaled by the developing nations." During the Bali conference the US compromised and agreed to work with the majority decision, or the consensus.
5. Why is the expression “America is addicted to coal” true?
- Some 80% of our electricity comes from coal-fired plants and there is no substitute power in sight.
6. Why is “clean coal” technology going to be difficult to implement as an environmentally acceptable fuel for producing electricity?
- Clean coal requires burying the CO2 underground; that's a dubious plan.
7. Historically, what has been the U.S. automakers’ policy on fuel-efficient cars?
- Detroit will make cars fuel efficient when forced to by government policy.
8. How has this policy benefited the automakers and cost the American consumer?
- The car makers have concentrated on short-term profit, leaving the overall health of the company in jeopardy.
9. Explain how the oil industry’s attitude toward renewable energy is similar to the U.S. automakers’ attitude toward fuel-efficient cars?
- The oil industry tends to concentrate on short-term sales of petroleum rather than investing in renewable sources of power.
10. Describe the lesson learned after the Clinton administration’s attempt to encourage U.S. automakers to produce fuel-efficient vehicles.
- Automakers such as GM offered only a temporary commitment to efficiency.
11. With all the evidence indicating that fossil fuel consumption contributes to global warming, why do you think Congress is still unable to come up with a plan to address the problem?
- Political polarization is part of the problem. When the major political parties are in a war for power, legislation is slowed. Additionally, some conservatives have decided to dispute the legitimacy of global warming.

Monday, January 25, 2010

The Sunshine State: basic background on Florida's map

The United States Census Bureau estimates, says Wikipedia, that the state population was 18,328,340 in 2008, ranking Florida as the fourth most populous state in the U.S.[6][7]

Tallahassee is the state capital, Jacksonville is the largest city, and the Miami metropolitan area is the largest metropolitan area.

Per Capita personal income was $38,417, ranking 20th in the nation.[75]
Tourism makes up the largest sector of the state economy.
The second largest industry is agriculture. Citrus fruit, especially oranges, are a major part of the economy, and Florida produces the majority of citrus fruit grown in the U.S.

Cities to be able to place on the map:

Miami / Miami Beach
Tampa
Orlando
Pensacola

"Redneck Riviera"
archipelagos -
Florida Keys & Key West
Bahamas
Cuba

Miami: America's 4th population center


map
Originally uploaded by CaSQuiTo MoToRizAdo
The United Nations estimated that in 2007, Miami had become the fourth largest urbanized area in the United States, says Wikipedia, behind New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago.[5]

Miami is well-known as a global city because of its importance in finance, commerce, culture, fashion, print media, entertainment, the arts and international trade.[6][7]

An international center for popular entertainment in television, music, fashion, film, and the performing arts, Miami also has a powerful influence internationally.

The city is also home to the largest concentration of international banks in the United States, as well as home to many international company headquarters, and television studios.

The city's Port of Miami is the number one cruise/passenger port in the world and is known for accommodating the largest volume of cruise ships in the world, and is home to many major cruise line headquarters.

America's 4th center of population: Miami


Miami Morning, Cruise Style
Originally uploaded by tonyglaski

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Amadeus review quiz

Amadeus review / Trudeau

1. In which century did Mozart live? a) 1500's b) 1600's c) 1700's d) 1800's.
2. In which century did Mozart live? a) 15th b) 16th c) 17th d) 18th.
3. Mozart produced over 600 works. But he did not have a long life. He lived for __ years: a) 35 b) 45 c) 55 d) 65.
4. Mozart was born and raised in a) Vienna b) Munich c) Zurich d) Salzburg.
5. The affluent part of Europe: a) Western b) Eastern c) both parts.
6. Austria: a) Western b) Eastern.
7. Greece: a) Western b) Eastern.
8. Poland: a) Western b) Eastern.
9. Italian developer of the pianoforte: a) Ferdinand de Medici b) Count Orsini-Rosenberg c) Amerigo Vespucci d) Bartolomeo Cristofori.
10. Exhilaration! excitement! One of these words does not refer to such liveliness.
a) euphoria b) effervescence c) elation d) abjection.
11. The culture indicated when one mentions a Harem, the inner sanctum and women's area of the palace: a) Hindu b) Christian c) Jewish d) Muslim.
12. Composer from the Republic of Venice who worked as the Austrian imperial Kapellmeister from 1788 to 1824. He was one of the most important and famous musicians of his time: a) Giuseppi Verdi b) Antonio Salieri c) Count Orsini-Rosenberg d) Don Giovanni.
13. Mozart's father was his teacher and first manager. He was __ Mozart. a) Nannerl b) Maximilian c) Leopold d) Antonio.
14. The sister of Emperor Joseph of Austria becomes quite famous as a European queen: a) Eleanor of Aquitane b) Anne of Austria c) Madame de Maintenon d) Marie Antoinette.

The following March the composer was summoned from Salzburg to Vienna, where his employer, Archbishop Colloredo, was attending the celebrations for the accession of Joseph II to the Austrian throne. Mozart, fresh from the adulation he had earned in Munich, was offended when the Archbishop treated him as a mere servant, and particularly when the archbishop forbade him to perform before the Emperor for a fee equal to half of his yearly Salzburg salary, says Wikipedia. The resulting quarrel came to a head in May: Mozart attempted to resign, and was refused. The following month permission was granted, but in a grossly insulting way. In Vienna, though, Mozart had become aware of some rich opportunities, and he decided to settle there as a freelance performer and composer.[34]
The quarrel with the archbishop went harder for Mozart because his father sided against him. Hoping fervently that he would obediently follow Colloredo back to Salzburg, Leopold exchanged intense letters with his errant son, urging him to be reconciled with their employer; but Wolfgang passionately defended his intention to pursue an independent career in Vienna. The debate ended when Mozart was dismissed, freeing him from the demands of an oppressive employer and of an over-solicitous father.
15. Mozart's father and his employer, the Archbishop, want the young performer to be a) independent b) obedient c) excellent d) intolerant.

Btw, the map at the top of the page is a plan for the housing development called Riverscape. The streets, houses, etc, that you see will be built adjacent to Magnet over the next several years.

The hand is pointing to the tennis court below the campus proper. Cutting diagonally across the upper right side is Fant Parkway.

Friday, January 22, 2010

Upfront magazine 01.18.10 - Climate change


Magnet pottery
Originally uploaded by trudeau
Upfront Magazine activities, pp 3 - 5
1. P 3: The implication is that "bovine" means a) wearing a bikini b) tourist c) cow d) avatar. answer: cow
2. The principal religion of India: a) Hindu b) Muslim c) Jain d) Sikh. All are religions of India. The principal is Hinduism.
3. The implication is that the term "sweatshop" means a place where __ labor for low wages. a) students b) peons c) union workers d) Central Americans Answer: peons, which means peasants.
4. P 4: The surname is your a) "first" or individual name b) "last" or family name.
5. Who has more variety in surnames? a) US b) China Answer: "last."
6. China has about almost %1000 more commonality in names than the US. T / F True.
7. a) Huang or b) Trudeau: which is going to offer almost 30 million mentions on Google? Which one has about 3 million items? Huang: 30 million links.
8. At the end of the day, would you say "It is what it is" or, you know, "Whatever" or "Anyway" or "May I go to the water closet, please?" a) You know me better than that b) Would you spell that one more time, please? c) No way d) Smart Harold watches Seinfeld re-runs every weekend. Answer: which shibboleth bugs you?
9. The length of text messages grew by what percentage in 2009? a) 20%
b) 80% c) we are waiting on those statistics. Answer: text messaging is still growing; the length of messages we do not know.
10. Might Mozart have played the 18th century violin which recently sold for $10 million? a) Yes b) No. Answer: Yes.
11. The Bard, aka Wm Shakespeare, probably wrote an additional historic play at age 32, says a Dutch software designer. The evidence lies in a writing comparison that seeks matching phrases in 2 pieces of writing. The software used to identify Shakespeare - and a probable collaborator, playwright Thomas Kyd - was developed to identify __ in student papers. a) originality b) plagiarism c) incompetence.
Is your lunch causing global warming? p 6 Answer: software which detects plagiarism. Magnet has such software, btw.
12. P 6: Greenhouse gas emissions are caused by auto exhaust, power generation and production of __, says Upfront. Answer: production of food.
13. Compare beef to chicken in regards production of emissions. Answer: Beef production is carbon intensive.
14. Instead of eating grasses, meat-providing animals are fed __ and __ . Answer: corn and soy - for quick marketability.
15. Animals contribute to greenhouse gas production by their __ and their __.
Answer: gas, which is methane, and poops, known after they hit the ground as cow patties.
16. Feedlot production centers in the US are so efficient that today beef, once a luxury item, is __ . Answer: cheap.
17. What's the resource that's a principal component of fertilizer? ___ . Answer: petroleum.
18. How does a 10,000 acre section of rain forest in Brazil have any relationship to an American burger from McDowell's? The rain forest acreage may have been cleared to plant corn to feed the beef herds bought by McD's for hamburger production.
19. Typical dietary sources of protein aside from beef? Answer: beans, fish.
20. Trying to control emissions has led to a strategy called cap and trade. Some environmentally-aware rock musicians have used cap and trade to minimize the impact of their touring. In terms of the consumption of electricity, gasoline and jet fuel, a performance tour can be unfriendly to the environment. The band Pearl Jam donated $100,000 to nine organizations working on climate change, renewable energy, and other green causes. On their previous tour, the band donated funds to help preserve Madagascan rainforest. Also donating to Green efforts: the Roots, Willie Nelson, KT Tunstall, Jack Johnson and Green Day.
21. Industrialized nations versus developing nations. What's the environmental issue?
Answer: Industrialized nations are comfortable and are ready to make sacrifices to offset environmental concerns; developing nations are striving to raise their material standards and are mostly ignoring the environment (ex, China) in their quest.
22. What does "sustainable" mean?
Answer: Sustainability is the capacity to endure. In ecology the word describes how biological systems remain diverse and productive over time.

Indie essays


Shreveport landscapes
Originally uploaded by trudeau
Research and compare (choose one) -

- Mozart and Michael Jackson
- Mozart and Paul McCartney
- JS Bach and Jimi Hendrix
- Vienna and Chicago
- Horses and chili peppers

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Geography classes in lbraray next Thurs-Fri-Mon on Great Cities of Europe


Magnet pottery
Originally uploaded by trudeau

Jan 28,29, Feb 1
Geography classes
Hours: 1, 3, 5, 6

Unit
Comparing the Great European Cities / Paris, London, Rome and Berlin

1. Research info and images.
2. Edit, identify appropriate material.
3. Assemble presentations.
4. Share work on Google Docs.

Each team of students takes a city and sub-divides into
- Demographics (pop, literacy, PCI, ethnicity, etc)
- History (major conquerors, major periods, those famous in
technology, arts, business)
- Contemporary connections (trading partners, technology,
relationships w neighbors, languages, products & brand names, etc)

At the end of 3 research & assembly sessions, students will have
produced packages containing -
- minimum of 10 slides / 10 images
- bulleted explanations (brief, edited material) on each slide
- images that are clear and large when projected
- spelling, grammar
- quiz for classmates / 7 multiple-choice questions - general, simple
review questions
- 5 (or more) locations for a map quiz

Presentations will take place in the classroom.

Geography class test-taking guidelines

Thurs is the usual day for geography quizzes. Because students who wait til Thurs morn or Wed night to print out notes may run into unexpected problems, I will offer these guidelines -

- notes for the quiz will stop with whatever I add to the blog on Tues afternoon before 5 pm. So you can print out on Tues night or Wed morn and avoid the last minute problems that can and do occur on Thurs.

- use notes only; sorry, no computers on the open-notes quiz.
- no communication during the quiz: no whispering, looking around, passing anything, murmuring, or extended peering into one's lap.

Artful maps are an alternative to the memorized map quiz.
- include 15 identifications
- careful lettering
- neatly-sketched symbols: title frame, compass rose, ship or other symbol.
- colorful border
- all fields colored.
- borders with extra line or shadowing.
-

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Requiescat in pace: Taco Bell founder Glen W Bell


Taco Bell
Originally uploaded by mooshee85
Glen W. Bell Jr., whose idea in 1951 to sell crispy-shell tacos from the window of his hamburger stand became the foundation of Taco Bell, the restaurant chain that turned Mexican fare into fast food for millions of Americans, died at his home in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. He was 86.

Mr. Bell never forgot the first taco buyer at Bell’s Hamburgers and Hot Dogs in San Bernardino, Calif., one of three stands he owned at the time.

“He was dressed in a suit and as he bit into the taco the juice ran down his sleeve and dripped on his tie,” Mr. Bell recalled in “Taco Titan: The Glen Bell Story,” (Bookworld Services, 1999), a biography by Debra Lee Baldwin. “I thought, ‘Uh-oh, we’ve lost this one.’ But he came back, amazingly enough, and said, ‘That was good. Gimme another.’ ”

By the time Mr. Bell sold the chain to PepsiCo in 1978, it had grown to 868 restaurants. Today, the company says, more than two billion tacos and a billion burritos are sold each year at more than 5,600 Taco Bell restaurants in the United States and around the world.

Drive-in stands dotted San Bernardino when Mr. Bell opened his first one there in the late 1940s. One competitor, only a few miles away, was the original stand opened by two brothers with the last name of McDonald.

They all were capitalizing on the emerging Southern California car culture, offering prompt service and streamlined menus of mostly standard fare like hamburgers, hot dogs, French fries and milk shakes.

Requiescat in pace is Latin for Rest in peace.

Vienna, one of the world's most liveable cities

Ranked first in quality of life in 2 recent international evaluations, Vienna is a city with a long history of civility.

About 500 BC it was a Celtic center. The Celts were a diverse group of tribal societies in Iron Age Europe, says Wikipedia.

In 15 BC the local Celts were defeated by the Romans and it became an outpost of the Roman Empire.

Later it became capital of the Holy Roman Empire, a kingdom that included both Germany and Italy.

It lies on the River Danube.

The Austrian name for Vienna is Wien.

Vienna is well known for Wiener Schnitzel, a cutlet of veal that is pounded flat, coated in flour, egg and breadcrumbs, and fried in clarified butter.

Vienna has a long tradition of producing the finest cakes and desserts. These include Apfelstrudel (hot apple strudel) and Sachertorte, a dry chocolate cake with apricot jam.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Guten tag!


Guten tag!
Originally uploaded by trudeau
Quizzes on Thurs -

1. Mozart open notes, 12 questions.

2. Map (choose)
a) 15 items, title, graphics, all colored, homework
b) 10 items, borders, in class

Homework -
Read and stay on top of the web site notes.

Guten abend! Basic phrases from the Deutsch

Guten Morgen! "good morning" (used before noon)
Guten Tag! "good afternoon" (used between noon and 6pm)
Guten Abend! "good evening" (used after 6pm)

Tschüß! "bye"
Machs gut! "take care!" (informal)
Auf Wiedersehen "goodbye"
Gute Nacht! "goodnight"

Ja "yes"
Nein "no"

Bitte "please"

Danke "thanks"
Danke schön "thanks very much"



German is spoken in Austria, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Luxembourg, in addition to Deutschland.

Monday, January 18, 2010

Amadeus: quotes and questions

1. Italian court music adviser in Vienna on an opera by the young Mozart: "A young man trying to impress beyond his abilities."

2. Vienna Court music adviser on Mozart writing an opera on the Muslim Sultan's harem: "Do you really think that subject is quite appropriate for a national theatre?"

3. Viennese opera singer gossip: "My hairdresser said that everything this year is going to be Turkish."

4. The music-loving if unimaginative Austrian Emperor Joseph to Mozart on his opera: "My dear fellow, there are in fact only so many notes an ear can hear in the course of an evening."

5. The Archbishop-Prince of Salzburg to Leopold Mozart about his son, Wolfgang: "Your son is an unprincipled, spoiled, conceited brat!"

6. The Emperor's chamberlain to the arrogant Mozart: "You're not the only composer in Vienna."

7. Salieri to Mozart on the ability of the emperor to evaluate Mozart's latest opera: "The poor man can't concentrate for more than an hour. You gave him four."

8. When the Emperor and his advisors are first discussing Mozart, the Emperor recalls a childhood memory in which his sister was proposed to by a six year-old Mozart. Who was Emperor Joseph's sister? Marie Antoinette, eventually sent to France to become queen.

9. A maid is sent to Mozart's home to perform housekeeping duties at the bequest of an anonymous donor. Who sent her? Salieri.

10. Salieri's father on the Mozart family's musical life: "Would you like me to drag you around Europe, doing tricks like a circus freak?"

A review of details from the movie Amadeus

Amadeus, the story of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, review questions -

1. How does Mozart propose to Constanza?
He says it backwards. 'Em yrram.' Mozart finds speaking backwards very amusing, especially when obscenities are involved.
2. What does Salieri NOT include in his promise to God?
The virtue of charity. he said, 'In return I give you my chastity, my industry, my deepest humility- every hour of my life.'
3. How do the Mozarts secure extra money?
They pawn household objects. Gold snuffboxes to be exact.
4. How many times is the opera Don Giovanni played in Vienna?
Five. Salieri said, 'Through my influence, I saw to it Don Giovanni was played only five times in Vienna - but in secret I went to every one of those five, worshipping the sound that I alone seemed to hear.'
5. The first time we see Mozart as a child, for whom is he performing?
For the Pope. He plays the harpsicord blindfolded, then repeats the same tune on the violin.
6. The first time we see Mozart as an adult, for whom is he performing?
The Archbishop of Salzburg. He makes an embarrassing late appearance, because he's fooling around with Constanza.
7. What is the first of Mozart's operas we hear parodied in the common theater? Don Giovanni. The ghost of Don Giovanni's father is played by a midget.
8. How many years pass between Mozart's death and Salieri's attempted suicide? 32. '...and he kept me alive to torture! Thirty-two years of torture, thirty-two years!'
9. What is Constanza's 'penalty' for losing a round of musical chairs? To show her legs. A very risque' act for the day!
10. What is the name of the Mozarts' maid? Laurel. She's hired by Salieri, who uses her as a spy.
11. How old was Mozart when he composed his first symphony? Age seven. 'This man had written his first Concerto at the age of four, his first symphony at seven, a full-scale opera at twelve!'
12. How many Italians serve as the Emperor's musical advisors? There are three. All musical idiots, according to Mozart.
13. Where does Constanza go to get her health back? The spa. She was sent away by her mother, after Wolfgang's drinking and erratic behavior took their toll on her.
14. Who from the cast was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar? Both
principal actors were. Abraham won, but graciously remembered Hulce in his speech.
15. What did Salieri's father call the child Mozart? Old man Salieri called him "A trained monkey." Salieri the child wanted to make music. His father asked him if he wanted to be a trained monkey like the young Mozart. Throughout his youth, Mozart and his sister Nannerl toured the palaces of Europe as child prodigies. Other detractors also referred to the child Mozart as a trained monkey. More of a reflection upon the father than the child?
16. What did Salieri call Mozart? "The creature." In fact, Mozart had a very puerile and off-color sense of humor. He enjoyed speaking backwards and had a high, strange laugh.
17. Who is Mozart's employer when the movie begins? The Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg. Mozart was unhappy working under the patronage system of his day. His employment with the prince archbishop was frustrating and stifling. The last 10 years of his life (age 25-35) Mozart strove to be a successful independent musician. If he had lived longer, he might have been the first composer to triumph over the patronage system. As it happened, Beethoven is credited with being the first.
18. Although Constanze and Mozart had six children, only two lived to adulthood. How many were shown in the movie? One. Only Karl Thomas is shown in the movie, and the child never says a word! In truth, Constanze gave birth to a son, Franz Xaver Wolfgang, in July 1791, 5 months before Mozart died. This pregnancy/child was never shown or mentioned in the movie! (There has been some speculation about the paternity of Franz Xaver.) Of the six children, Karl Thomas and Franz Xaver Wolfgang were the only two who survived into adulthood. Salieri actually taught Karl Thomas as a composition student after Mozart's death. He taught him for free.
19. In 1984 "Amadeus" won eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor. Who won the Best Actor award? Salieri: the actor F. Murray Abraham. Ironically, Salieri (Abraham) finally beat Wolfgang (Hulce) at something! Sam Waterston was also nominated for Best Actor in "The Killing Fields" and Simon Callow is the actor who played Schickaneder (not nominated). Maurice Jarre, who won the 1984 Oscar for original score ("A Passage to India") remarked that he was glad that Mozart was not eligible for nomination!
20. Who was Emperor Joseph's famous sister? (The child Mozart asked her to marry him.) Marie Antoinette. Emperor Joseph mentions her several times in the movie. He references the time that the child Mozart asked her to marry him and he later mentions that his dear sister Antoinette "is beginning to fear her own people"... smart girl. (Her own people finally guillotined her.) Maria Theresa was Joseph's and Antoinette's mother and Elizabeth was Joseph's niece.
21. What mask does Leopold choose for the costume party scene? Tragedy/comedy. This is the mask that is resurrected for Salieri's harrassment of Mozart in the movie. In truth, the strange circumstances surrounding the "Requiem" commissioning are thought to be the work of Count Walsegg, a nobleman who was notorious for commissioning compositions and trying to pass them off as his own.
22. What did Count Orsini-Rosenberg remove from "The Marriage of Figaro" score? The dance scene. Count Orsini-Rosenberg was the Italian born master of opera in the court of Emperor Joseph II. Viennese composers were required to get his permission before beginning work on a new opera.
23. "The Magic Flute" is classified as "singspiel". What does Schickaneder call it in the movie? He calls it a vaudeville. "Singspiel" is very much like musical comedy. Vaudeville describes it well. In the hands of a genius such as Mozart, however, the resulting "Magic Flute" transcends the genre and becomes a masterpiece. Recommended: http://detnews.com/showtime/9710/16/opera/opera.htm ...a fascinating comparison of "The Magic Flute" and "Star Wars".
24. According to the movie, from whom does Mozart get his inspiration for the Queen of the Night's famous aria? Frau Weber (his mother-in-law). I don't know if this scene has any historical basis, but it is a rich moment in the film! Originally, Frau Weber was Mozart's landlady. He fell in love with her older daughter who did not return his affections. Then he turned his attention to Constanze, the younger. Maria Magdalena Hoffdeml is the focus of great rumor and speculation concerning Mozart. Although she is never seen or mentioned in the movie, Maria was Mozart's piano student and alleged mistress. One of the Mozart death theories has Maria's angry husband attempting to murder her, poisoning Mozart, and committing suicide. Maria was pregnant during all this, supposedly with Mozart's child.
25. Whom does the movie portray as the commissioner of Mozart's "Requiem"? Antonio Salieri. The rumor mill of the day was filled with stories of Salieri's poisoning of the great Mozart. These rumors are actually mentioned in Beethoven's conversation books. The entire movie is based on the assumption that Salieri's old age confession and alleged letter is truth. In fact, no proof exists to support the idea that Salieri murdered Mozart. Proof does exist that he resented him, was very jealous of him, and sabotaged his work, but no proof of murder. Facts: Salieri was frequently at Mozart's deathbed and attended his funeral. The "Requiem", however, was eventually completed by Mozart's composition student, Franz Xaver Sussmayer (recognize the youngest child's name?) who often accompanied Constanze to the spa at Baden Baden.
26. What "miracle" made it possible for Salieri to pursue music in Vienna? His father choked to death. Salieri's father was a businessman who forbade his son from following in Mozart's footsteps. His death made it possible for Salieri to fulfil his dream... or at least to try.
27. When preparing to meet the Emperor in Vienna, how many wigs does Mozart try on? " Mozart tries on three wigs, one of which is a decidedly unorthodox shade of pink. Indecisive, he asks his hairdresser, "Why don't I have three heads?" and then erupts in his annoying, high-pitched giggle.
28. After Mozart hears Salieri's march of welcome, how does he humiliate Salieri in front of the Emperor? He corrects and embellishes the march. After pointing out that a phrase "doesn't really work," he improves the phrase, and then plays variations on the march's theme. Salieri's face is wonderful as he seethes with rage while trying to look composed for the others in the room.
29. When Emperor Joseph suggests that Mozart would make a good music teacher for his niece Elizabeth, what protest does Salieri offer? Choosing Mozart might look like the Emperor is playing favorites. Salieri tells the Emperor he wants to protect him from any appearance of showing favoritism. Princess Elizabeth rolls her eyes at this, seeing the truth much more clearly than her uncle. In the director's cut, Salieri also suggests that Mozart has taken advantage of female music students in the past.

Friday, January 15, 2010

Magnet's school web site has been updated: Caddomagnet.net is simpler, cleaner than before

Among the items on the new version of CaddoMagnet.net I'd like to point out to students and parents:

- If your teacher forgets to read or post them, you can read the Weekly Announcements online.
- Scholarships are in your future. And you can get acquainted with the possibilities when you start perusing the Counselor's News.
- Check to see if you've overlooked one of the Teacher Websites.
- There's also a recent-stuff News Archive.
- A link to the Library Website.
- School matters Contact Information.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Mozart was home-schooled and schooled on the road by his father


8/18/07 Mozart Residence
Originally uploaded by karinderella
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born to Leopold and Anna Maria Pertl Mozart at 9 Getreidegasse in Salzburg, capital of the sovereign Archbishopric of Salzburg, in what is now Austria, says Wikipedia.

Then it was part of the Holy Roman Empire.

His only sibling to survive past birth was Maria Anna (1751–1829), called "Nannerl".

His father Leopold (1719–1787) was deputy Kapellmeister to the court orchestra of the Archbishop of Salzburg, and a minor composer. He was also an experienced teacher. In the year of Mozart's birth, his father published a violin textbook which achieved some success.

Leopold eventually gave up composing when his son's outstanding musical talents became evident.[8] He was Wolfgang's only teacher in his earliest years, and taught his children languages and academic subjects as well as music.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Mozart desired a composer's position in Vienna, city of music

During Mozart's formative years, his family made several European journeys in which he and sister Nannerl performed as child prodigies. These began with an exhibition in 1762 at the court of the Prince-elector Maximilian III of Bavaria in Munich, then in the same year at the Imperial Court in Vienna and Prague.

A long concert tour spanning three and a half years followed, taking the family to the courts of Munich, Mannheim, Paris, London, The Hague, again to Paris, and back home via Zürich, Donaueschingen, and Munich. During this trip Mozart met a great number of musicians and acquainted himself with the works of other composers.

These trips were often arduous. Travel conditions were primitive,[10] the family had to wait patiently for invitations and reimbursement from the nobility,[11] and they endured long, near-fatal illnesses far from home: first Leopold (London, summer 1764)[12] then both children (The Hague, autumn 1765).[13]

After one year in Salzburg, father and son set off for Italy, leaving Wolfgang's mother and sister at home. This travel lasted from December 1769 to March 1771. As with earlier journeys, Leopold wanted to display his son's abilities as a performer and as a rapidly maturing composer.

Italian composer Antonio Salieri - did he hate Mozart?

Antonio Salieri (18 August 1750 – 7 May 1825) was an Italian composer and conductor from the Republic of Venice. As the Austrian imperial Kapellmeister from 1788 to 1824, he was one of the most important and famous musicians of his time, says Wikipedia.

In the 1780s while Mozart lived and worked in Vienna, he and his father Leopold wrote in their letters that several "cabals" of Italians led by Salieri were actively putting roadblocks in the way of Mozart's obtaining certain posts or staging his operas. There is evidence of Salieri's having engaged in such conspiratorial acts. At the beginning of the 19th century, increasing German nationalism led to a tendency to transfigure the Austrian Mozart's character, while the Venetian Salieri was given the role of his evil antagonist.[1] Carl Maria von Weber, a relative of Mozart by marriage[2] whom Wagner has characterized as the most German of German composers, is said to have refused to join Ludlams-Höhle, a social club of which Salieri was a member and avoided having anything to do with him.[3] These rumors then made their way into popular culture. Albert Lortzing's Singspiel Szenen aus Mozarts Leben LoWV28 (1832) uses the cliché of the jealous Salieri trying to hinder Mozart's career.

There is very little evidence of a contentious relationship between the two composers.

Mozart's Turkish opera: Abduction from the Seraglio

Harem (Turkish, from Arabic حرم ḥaram 'forbidden place; sacrosanct, sanctum', related to حريم ḥarīm 'a sacred inviolable place; female members of the family' and حرام ḥarām, 'forbidden; sacred') refers to the sphere of women in a usually polygynous household and their quarters which is enclosed and forbidden to men. It originated in the Near East and came to the Western world via the Ottoman Empire, says Wikipedia.

The term serraglio (Italian from Persian sarāy "palace, enclosed courts") carries a similar meaning.

In modern colloquial (and humorous) English, "harem" may denote a number of female followers of a charismatic man.

Effervesce: geography vocab


Effervesce
Originally uploaded by Digital Trav
Effervesce
1 : to bubble, hiss, and foam as gas escapes
2 : to show liveliness or exhilaration

Euphoria
Euphoria is a feeling of intense happiness and excitement.

Vermeer painting: Young Woman Seated at a Harpsichord

The harpsichord was most probably invented in the late Middle Ages. By the 1500s, harpsichord makers in Italy were making lightweight instruments with low string tension. A different approach was taken in Flanders starting in the late 1500s, notably by the Ruckers family. Their harpsichords used a heavier construction and produced a more powerful and distinctive tone. They included the first harpsichords with two keyboards, used for transposition.

The harpsichord was widely used in Renaissance and Baroque music. During the late 18th century it gradually disappeared from the musical scene with the rise of the piano.

The piano: pressing a key on the piano's keyboard causes a felt covered hammer to strike steel strings. The hammers rebound, allowing the strings to continue vibrating at their resonant frequency.[1] These vibrations are transmitted through a bridge to a sounding board that couples the acoustic energy to the air so that it can be heard as sound. When the key is released, a damper stops the string's vibration.

The word piano is a shortened form of the word pianoforte, which is derived from the original Italian name for the instrument.

The invention of the modern piano is credited to Bartolomeo Cristofori (1655-1731) of Padua, Italy, who was employed by Prince Ferdinand de Medici as the Keeper of the Instruments. He was an expert harpsichord maker and was well acquainted with the previous body of knowledge on stringed keyboard instruments. It is not known exactly when Cristofori first built a piano. An inventory made by his employers, the Medici family, indicates the existence of a piano by the year 1700; another document of doubtful authenticity indicates a date of 1698.[citation needed] The three Cristofori pianos that survive today date from the 1720s.[5]

Sketch and label the neighbors of Austria

Western Europe

Austria -
- Salzburg
- Vienna
- Alps

Neighbors -

Italy
Switzerland
Liechtenstein
Deutschland
Czech Republic
Slovakia
Hungary
Slovenia

- Munich

Which part of Europe is generally affluent? Western or Eastern?

For each nation, choose a) Western or b) Eastern -
1. Switzerland
2. Hungary
3. Italy
4. Russia
5. Austria
6. Poland
7. Denmark
8. Bosnia
9. Ukraine
10. Greece

1.a, 2b, 3a, 4b, 5a, 6b, 7a, 8b, 9b, 10b

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

The difference between Western Europe and Eastern Europe


The Known World
Originally uploaded by jenbrea
The Europe that you know from movies and literature is nearly always Western Europe. From Spain to Germany, it is the best-known and most affluent part of the region.

On the east of Germany lies Poland and the Czech Rap and all the nations of Estern Europe, such as Bulgaria and Romania. Much of Eastern Europe, including Russia, is dominated by the Slavic ethnic group.

Eastern is not nearly as well-off as the West. Austria's per capita is almost $50,000 per year and that of Bosnia, some $8000.

Why? Partly owing to the 50 years the Ossies (Easterners) spent as communists. At the end of WWII the Russians forced the Eastern European nations to become communist. Thereafter their material lives lagged well behind those of France and Germany, nations that were democratic, free enterprise countries.

Review of classic Communism -
1. Total control over lives.
- housing
- jobs
- travel
- totalitarian control

2. Dictatorships.

3. Control over businesses -
- stores
- factories
- farms

While the Russians Vladimir Lenin and Josef Stalin put the communist dictatorship into action, the ideas of an ideal communist state were developed by German philosopher Karl Marx.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, 1756 - 1791, Vienna, Austria

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (German: [ˈvɔlfɡaŋ amaˈdeus ˈmoːtsart], full baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart[1] (27 January 1756 – 5 December 1791), was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era.

He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music. He is among the most enduringly popular of classical composers.

Wednesday, January 06, 2010

Semester exam: notes, old quizzes, essay background

The 100-question multiple-choice, open-notes exam is, I believe, fair and neither too easy nor too hard.

But it is important to additionally prepare to write the comparison essay. You could pick up as much as 10 points bonus credit by writing an effective 1-page essay.

Tuesday, January 05, 2010

Vancouver to Quebec, a Canada quiz & answers

It's a quiz, eh!
T 1. Canada’s population is about one tenth of the US population, although it is slightly larger than the US in area. T / F
A 2. An island in Eastern Canada came under British rule with the Treaty of Utrecht (1713). This resulted in a serious change in the population of a) Nova Scotia b) Quebec c) Massachusetts
d) Montreal.
B 3. Canadians often speak 2 languages, owing to their nation’s ethnicity: a) English & German b) English & French c) English & Inuit d) English & Canadianne.
B 4. Born and raised in Montreal: a) Michael Cera
b) Sieur d’Iberville c) Beausoleil d) Celine Dion.
A 5. The French who were born in Louisiana colony were called a) Creoles b) Acadiennes c) Cajuns d) Gumbo.
D 6. Between their impoverished life in Western France and their impoverished life as pioneers in Louisiana, the French colonists spent about 150 years in a) the Caribbean b) British Columbia c) Toronto d) Acadia.
B 7. Guy Laliberté and Daniel Gauthier founded a) Canadian Waste Disposals Systems b) Cirque de Soleil c) the rock band Rush d) Quebec City.
C 8. The nation’s capital: a) Quebec b) Montreal c) Ottowa
d) Toronto.
D 9. The Great Lakes connect to the Atlantic via the
a) Illinois-Michigan Canal b) Erie Canal c) Niagra Falls
d) St Lawrence River.
T 10. Part of Canada is an archipelago. T / F
B 11. “Canada is also geologically active, having many earthquakes and potentially active volcanoes,” says Wikipedia. This would refer to __ Canada. a) Eastern b) Western c) Northern d) Southern
D 12. The coordinates are 45N, 73W: a) Toronto b) Winnipeg c) Detroit d) Montreal.
B 13. Land area: which is larger, the a) US or b) Canada?

Exam bonus points comparison essay: how to score 10 / 10


The Computer Lab in B3
Originally uploaded by trudeau
Prepare your notes in advance (see topics in earlier post), then write your comparison essay during the exam.

Here's what I look for as I score a comparison essay at 10 pts -

- Snappy title
- Explanatory subtitle
- Vivid opening.
- Facts, specific details (2 pts.)
- Blended or integrated topics, not separated into blocks.
- Spelling, grammar.
- Length - about 3 items of comparison on each side (2 pts).
- Legibility.

The Yucatan to Venezuela / the Caribbean quiz / answers


coquinas
Originally uploaded by trudeau
The Yucatan to Venezuela / the Caribbean quiz

Post-storm debris on the Gulf
Originally uploaded by trudeau
B 1. There are 2 official names for the Caribbean archipelago. Choose one of them: a) Virgin Islands b) Antilles c) Bahamas d) Gulf-Caribbean Islands.
A 2. There are 2 official names for the Caribbean archipelago. Choose one of them:
a) West Indies b) Indies c) East Indies d) Caribbean Indies.
D 3. The Caribs and Arawaks were Caribbean residents that we would most appropriately call
a) historic b) disease-ridden c) primitive d) indigenous.
A 4. The Caribbean islands are latitudinally associated with the symbol of a) cancer b) capricorn c) equator d) prime meridian.
B 5. Islands that are popularly considered "Caribbean" but in fact are located in the Atlantic: a) British Virgin Is b) Bahamas c) Antilles d) Cayman Is.
A 6. A self-governing unincorporated territory of the United States in the Caribbean: a) Puerto Rico b) Haiti c) Jamaica d) Trinidad.
D 7. An additional territory of the US in the Caribbean: a) Bahamas b) Cuba
c) Turks and Caicos d) Virgin Is.
F 8. Puerto Ricans have a median income that is about double that of the people in the poorest US state. T / F
C 9. The nation responsible for the language spoken by Brazilians: a) Spain
b) France c) Portugal d) Venezuela.
A 10. The popular herbal tea called yerba mate is most closely associated with the nation of a) Argentina b) Chile c) Brazil d) Peru.
B 11. Nation whose Carnaval costumes are often unusually tall and often supported by rolling armatures: a) Cuba b) Trinidad c) Jamaica d) Brazil.
A 12. Marine iguanas are a famous item in scientific history. They are found on the islands called the a) Galapagos b) West Indies c) Antilles d) Falkland or Malvinas.

The Greater and Lesser Antilles / quiz & answers


Sun meets gulf
Originally uploaded by trudeau
The Greater and Lesser Antilles / Trudeau / world geography

D 1. Archipelago associated with the research of British naturalist Charles Darwin:
a) Antilles b) West Indies c) Florida Keys d) Galapagos.
A 2. Yerba mate is a healing tea that, as a communal drink, is a ritual in the nation of __. a) Argentina b) Brazil c) Ecuador d) Colombia.
B 3. This South American nation, unlike the majority, does not speak Spanish. In fact, it is a Portuguese-speaking society: a) Argentina b) Brazil c) Ecuador d) Colombia.
D 4. The first Europeans to explore the coast of Africa and to bring African slaves to Europe for sale. a) Spain b) France c) England d) Portugal.
D 5. The first Europeans to sail around the Cape of Good Hope at the tip of the continent of Africa and continue to India. a) Spain b) France c) England d) Portugal.
D 6. Bill Gates is a mogul who qualifies for all these categories except one:
a) entrepreneur b) philanthropist c) software architect d) headquartered in Silicon Valley.
B 7. The Greater Antilles includes Cuba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico and __ .
a) Haiti b) Hispaniola c) Dominican Republic d) Trinidad.
A 8. The most appropriate descriptive term for the Arawak, Carib and Tainos peoples:
a) indigenous b) harshly laborious c) murderous d) disease-resistant.
A 9. Capital of Puerto Rico: a) San Juan b) Port-au-Prince c) Santo Domingo
d) Nassau e) Kingston.
C 10. The US has held an economic embargo against Cuba for 47 years. The principal factor in the decision to continue the embargo is the fact that the island remains a
__ nation . a) Fidel Castro b) dictatorship c) communist d) Russian.
A 11. Brazilians have developed a national dance that is a martial arts-based, music accompanied, Afro-Brazilian creation. It is called a) capoeira b) feijoada
c) berimbau d) yerba mate.
C 12. The island of the Lesser Antilles that is closest to Trinidad: a) Barbados
b) Guadeloupe c) Grenada d) St Lucia.

Brazil, land of futbol / quiz & answers


Alex's grandad is in Brazil
Originally uploaded by trudeau
A 1. Which nation is larger in area? a) US or b) Brazil?
F 2. Brazil has approximately two thirds the population of the US. T / F
T 3. The population of Sao Paulo is within two million of the population of NYC. T / F
F 4. The population of Rio de Janeiro is significantly larger than that of Los Angeles. T / F
Void C 5. In Brazil the word "Real" refers to a a) bank b) po-boy c) dollar d) member of the national futbol team.
D 6. Brazilians are a bit different from their neighbors inasmuch as they speak a) French b) Spanish c) Brasiliano d) Portuguese.
Void F 7. Recently, Brazil has discovered a considerable oil field in the mountainous region. T / F
D 8. Brazil's chief environmental problem continues to be a) deforestation b) loss of crop land c) governmental bribery d) reduction of the Amazon rainforest.
C 9. The national flag features a yellow __ on a green field. a) triangle b) rectangle c) rhombus d) tetrahedron.
C 10. The orb on the flag refers to Brazil's a) aerospace technology
b) history of coastal navigation c) position in the Southern Hemisphere.
F 11. Patagonia is a wild and scenic region in the extreme south of Brazil. T / F

Monday, January 04, 2010

Tallest Building On Earth opens: Burj Dubai renamed Burj Khalifa

The world’s tallest fountain, the world’s highest swimming pool, on the 76th floor; the highest observation deck, on the 124th floor; and the highest mosque, on the 158th floor.

At a cost estimated at $1.5 billion, the Burj Khalifa took five years to build, is over 160 floors high and has comfortably surpassed the previous record holder in Taipei.


Mohamed Ali Alabbar, chairman of Emaar Properties, the developer behind Burj Khalifa, told the BBC that the building's design had posed unprecedented technical and logistical challenges, not just because of its height, but also because Dubai was susceptible to high winds and was close to a geological fault line.

"We have been hit with lightning twice, there was a big earthquake last year that came across from Iran, and we have had all types of wind which has hit us when we were building. The results have been good and I salute the designers and professionals who helped build it," he said.

Wrote the New York Times, “Dubai not only has the world’s tallest building, but has also made what looks like the most expensive naming rights deal in history,” said Jim Krane, author of “City of Gold: Dubai and the Dream of Capitalism.” “Renaming the Burj Dubai after Sheikh Khalifa of Abu Dhabi — if not an explicit quid pro quo — is a down-payment on Dubai’s gratitude for its neighbor’s $10 billion bailout last month.”

Geography open notes quiz on Sept 10; call it Tres Hombres

C 1. Native to and occurring naturally in an area. a) indigent b) indiginal c) indigenous d) indigital.
A 2. Arabic greeting; "Peace!" a) Salaam b) Ramadan c) Shalom d) Ciao.
A 3. Jersey is one of the Channel Islands on the coast of Normandy, France. It is owned by the a) British
b) French c) Irish d) Belgians.
D 4. The remaining piece of the US Ethnic Population circle graph, according to the US Census Bureau, after
giving slices to Hispanics, African-Americans, Asians, American Indians and other minority groups: a) 19%
b) 44% c) 66% d) 74%.
B 5. New Orleanians refer to suburbs such as Kenner as being on the West Bank. Decide whether the French Quarter is on the a) West Bank or b) East Bank.
B 6. The damage to New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina was due mostly to a) wind damage b) levee failure
c) loss of wetlands d) catastrophic conditions.
A 7. Because of its rivers and widespread deposits of alluvial soil, Louisiana has developed much of its wealth through a) agriculture b) petroleum c) seafood d) history.
C 8. A landlocked, mountainous nation in which the Taliban once sheltered the operations of al Qaeda.
a) Iran b) Iraq c) Afghanistan d) Pakistan.
B 9. Most directly associated with the 9/11 attacks: a) Taliban b) al Qaeda c) Afghanis d) Arabians.
A 10. a) Henry Hudson b) Hernan DeSoto c) Lewis and Clark: Which exploring group opened the Atlantic rim to trade and development?
A 11. A) Conservative b) liberal: strongly supports lower taxes.
A 12. A) Conservative b) liberal: strongly against government regulations that control the economy.

Lawrence of Arabia study guide answers, numbers 62 - 86


Lawrence of Virginia
Originally uploaded by trudeau
See the list of Lawrence of Arabia study guide questions on the class blog for the questions. Here are more of the answers . . .

62. Guerrilla warfare, fighting by ambush, sabotage and hit & run, is from the French word for war: la guerre. It is also from Spanish, meaning "little war."
63. True. The Arabs know that the Europeans cannot resist the idea of profiting from ownership of the Middle Eastern nations.
64. A long intermission gives this director another way to bring the musical score to the audience.
65. US reporter Lowell Thomas wrote about and took photos of Lawrence in the desert war. The newspaper stories and lecture tours presented by Thomas made TE Lawrence a name known across Europe and America.
66. Turkish railways running across Arabia were the target of the Arabs under master demolitions soldier TE Lawrence.
67. The Geneva Conventions set the standards in international law for humanitarian treatment of the victims of war. The Geneva Conventions seek to protect people who are not or are no longer taking part in hostilities, for example:
* wounded or sick fighters
* prisoners of war
* civilians
* medical and religious personnel
68. After looting their victims in warfare, the Arab soldiers return home. The loot is their paycheck. This is worrisome to the British, who have a formalized system of pay.
69. Farraj has been wounded and cannot be left behind since torture will be his fate. Knowing this, Lawrence decides to kill Farraj rather than leave him.
70. Extreme battle fatigue causes Lawrence to flaunt himself in Deraa. He is tortured. The Turks don't realize that Lawrence is the famous enemy figure and he is released.
71. Yes; a Circassian is the same as a Caucasian. Thus there are some indigenous people in the Mid east who look European.
72. Caucasian Mtns lie east of the Black Sea; they are below Russia and above Georgia.
73. On the eve of the battle for Jerusalem we see Lawrence try to resign from the British Army.
74. The Sykes-Picot Treaty is a WWI agreement that establishes France and England as colonial masters of the Middle East.
75. Lawrence is, indeed, guilty of having told the Bedouins “half lies” about the British plans to control the Arabs after the war. He was being naive as well as struggling to change the future.
76. The Turks tortured him in Deraa.
77. Near the end of the campaign Lawrence seems to have become less idealistic and more jaded or cynical.
78. Hired soldiers are called mercenaries.
79. Gen Allenby is driven about in a Rolls Royce.
80. The Arabs are first to overpower the Turks in Damascus.
81. The tribal people form a government in Damascus. It is called the Arab National Council.
82. Arabs are incapable of managing the logistics of Damascus. The
water, electricity, medical and emergency factors were beyond their capabilities.
83. The Arab tribal leaders leave Damascus and return to their homes in the Arabian peninsula.
84. Lawrence is quite uncomfortable with his celebrity status after his return to Britain. He would rather be known as a writer than a war hero.
85. Lawrence was recognized as a significant writer. His book Seeven Pillars of Wisdom was a popular book; it is still on the market some 70 years later.
86. Lawrence was dead at age 47.

A wee quiz on 3 ginormous cities & the answers


NYC: Five Boroughs
Originally uploaded by trudeau
A wee quiz on 3 ginormous cities

C 1. The approximate metropolitan population of Chicago in millions? a) 4 m b) 6 m c) 9 m d) 12 m
B 2. Chicago was founded on a portage between 2 bodies of water. Lake Michigan and a) Lake Superior b) Mississippi R c) Lake Huron.
C 3. Which recent presidents were closely associated with Los Angeles?
a) Reagan & Carter b) Kennedy & Clinton c) Reagan & Nixon
d) Nixon & Eisenhower.
A 4. Jean Baptiste du Sable was the founder of a) Chicago b) Los Angeles c) NYC.
B 5. Named for a female: a) Chicago b) Los Angeles c) NYC.
A 6. World's Fair of 1893: a) Chicago b) Los Angeles c) NYC.
C 7. Founded by the Dutch. a) Chicago b) Los Angeles c) NYC.
A 8. Oprah. a) Chicago b) Los Angeles c) NYC.
C 9. Bagels: a) Chicago b) Los Angeles c) NYC.
B 10. Health food: a) Chicago b) Los Angeles c) NYC.
B 11. Largest city in the most populous state. a) Chicago b) Los Angeles c) NYC.

It's the Hard-knock Life - For Us quiz & answers

C 1. A similarity between Shreveport and the Windy City, Chicago, is found when comparing this factor:
a) Shreveport is part of the Bible Belt b) population c) Millenium Moon mural d) foods.
C 2. The run-down Manhattan neighborhood in which many poor immigrants (notably East European Jews, Italians and Chinese) got their start is the a) Upper West Side b) the Midtown area
c) the Lower East Side d) SoHo.
B 3. Four of the boroughs are located on islands. Name the two that share space on one island. a) Bronx, Queens
b) Brooklyn, Queens c) Queens, Long Island d) Brooklyn, Long Island.
A 4. In NY harbor are famous islands such as Liberty Island, Governor's Island and one small island which was a center for immigration: a) Ellis Is. b) Rikers Is. c) Hudson Is. d) Roosevelt Is.
B 5. The European explorer given credit for first examining NY harbor was a) Peter Minuit b) Giovanni Verrazzano c) Henry Hudson d) Duke of York.

A 6. The earliest site of European settlement in NYC is at the __ tip of Manhattan. a) Southern b) Northern c) Eastern d) Western.
C 7. Major university associated with Manhattan: a) Harvard b) Stanford c) Columbia d) Yale.
C 8. When you see landmarks such as Rodeo Drive, Venice Boardwalk and Arnold Schwarzenegger you know the topic is a) Chicago b) NYC c) Los Angeles.
D 9. Dutch governor of the NY colony who famously bargained with the Algonquian peoples:
a) Peter Stuyvesant b) Henry Hudson c) John Peter Zenger d) Peter Minuit.
A 10. Influential, wealthy part of Manhattan: a) Upper East Side b) Lower East Side c) Little Italy
d) Harlem.
A 11. Name the ethnic group that was welcomed by immigration laws in the mid 1800's and excluded from immigration by changes in the laws in the late 1800's. a) Chinese b) Jews c) Italians d) Africans.

Three cacophonous cities & answers / geography quiz 5


NYC
Originally uploaded by trudeau
Three cacophonous cities / geography quiz 5


C 1. Largest city in the American Midwest. a) Los Angeles b) NYC c) Chicago.

C 2. Called the US “Second city.” a) Los Angeles b) NYC c) Chicago.

C 3. Al Capone & other gangsters ruled here in the 1920’s. a) Los Angeles b) NYC c) Chicago.

C 4. First settler was Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable. a) Los Angeles b) NYC c) Chicago.

C 5. Founded in 1837, 2 years after Shreveport. a) Los Angeles b) NYC c) Chicago.

A 6. Juan Rogriguez Cabrillo was a founder. a) Los Angeles b) NYC c) Chicago.

C 7. Lincoln Park and Millenium Park. a) Los Angeles b) NYC c) Chicago.

C 8. Northwestern University. a) Los Angeles b) NYC c) Chicago.

B 9. “Gotham.” a) Los Angeles b) NYC c) Chicago.

A 10. Second largest US city. a) Los Angeles b) NYC c) Chicago.

A 11. El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina . . . a) Los Angeles b) NYC c) Chicago.

Water, Water, Everywhere quiz & answers / Sept 3

Water, Water, Everywhere quiz / Sept 3

c 1. Louisiana river that has the same name as a great river in Southern China: a) Sabine b) Red c) Pearl d) Chang.
f 2. The Mississippi River is the longest river in the United States, with a length of 2,340 miles from its source in Lake Itasca in Minnesota to its mouth in the Gulf of Mexico, says Wikipedia. T / F
d 3. Raising Canes is a business that was founded in a) NYC b) Albany
c) Chicago d) Baton Rouge.
d 4. Choose the city closest to 34N, 118W: a) Boston b) Manila, Philippines c) Madrid, Spain d) Los Angeles
d 5. Latitude and longitude of Shreveport: a) 32N, 94E b) 32E, 94N c) 32S, 94N d) 32N, 94W.
f 6. The Prime Meridian runs through London and the Equator runs through Hong Kong. T / F
b 7. The dates of Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting, are based on a __ calendar. a) solar b) lunar c) Islamic d) Asian.
a 8. Condensation, precipitation, infiltration, runoff & evapotranspiration relate to the __ cycle. a) hydrologic b) life c) ocean d) atmosphere.
a 9. A GPS unit can be replaced by the classic instruments called the
a) sextant & chart b) sight & chronometer c) chronometer & chart
d) chronometer & sextant.
a 10. Originating and living or occurring naturally in an area or environment: a) indigenous
b) indigent c) independent d) indiligent.
f 11. According to the US Census Bureau the ethnic breakdown of the US shows a slightly higher total for African Americans, at about 14.8 %, or 44.3 million, as opposed to Hispanic Americans, who are at 13.4%, or about 40.9 million. T / F
b 12. The terminus (end point) of Henry Hudson's 1609 voyage is the same as the terminus of the Erie Canal: a) Buffalo b) Albany c) NYC d) New York state.

Semester exam: Canada quiz answers


canada: important neighbor
Originally uploaded by trudeau
Maple Leaf Quiz / Geography Open notes review # 6

A 1. This city is the second-largest primarily French-speaking city in the world, after Paris: a) Montreal b) Toronto c) Vancouver d) Ottawa.
B 2. Because of the city's low crime rates, clean environment, high standard of living, and friendlier attitudes to diversity, _____ is consistently rated as one of the world's most livable cities by the Economist. a) Montreal b) Toronto c) Vancouver d) Ottawa.
C 3. It has become the third-largest film production centre in North America after Los Angeles and New York City, earning it the nickname Hollywood North.
a) Montreal b) Toronto c) Vancouver d) Ottawa.
A 4. Home to the world-renowned dance troupe Cirque du Soleil.
a) Montreal b) Toronto c) Vancouver d) Ottawa.
C 5. Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne, Sieur de Bienville and his brother Pierre Le Moyne, Sieur d'Iberville were born in a) London b) Paris c) Montreal d) New Orleans.
C 6. Acadians are French people who spent some 150 years living in the region of Canada called: a) Acadiana b) Arcadia c) Nova Scotia d) Quebec.
F 7. Canada’s population is about one tenth of the US population; the US is also slightly larger than Canada in area. T / F
B 8. Oklahoma is part of the American region called the: a) Midwest b) Southwest c) Northwest d) Southeast.
B 9. The Empire State Building was creamed by a B-25 bomber during the __ era.
a) WWI b) WWII c) Korean War d) Vietnam Conflict
C 10. Strawberry Fields is a location in both a) NYC & London b) Chicago & London c) NYC & Liverpool d) Chicago & Montreal.
B 11. "OMG, my mother said I have to put my phone up." a) shillalagh b) shibboleth c) shilly shally d) shilling.

Fun, fun, fun: Semester exam materials


Germany by Lexi
Originally uploaded by trudeau
Semester exam - see exam schedule posted earlier - will comprise

- 100 multiple-choice questions to be answered on Scantron sheets. Bring a #2 pencil, right?

- The 100 will be drawn from questions used in all of the quizzes posted online this semester. Some of the questions will be straight-up copies of the earlier posts, some will be tweaked. Read carefully, needless to say.

- Additional points will come from a brief (about one page) comparison essay to be written in class.

You may choose your topic -
* Compare Lawrence and George Washington.
* Compare the nations of Israel and the US.
* Compare the sports of Brazil and Britain.
* Compare the cuisine of Jamaica and Louisiana.
* Compare the Amazonian rain forest with the Mississippi valley.

Magnet Semester Exam Schedule Jan 6 - 8, 2010
Wed, Jan 6, 2010
8:30 - 8:40 homeroom
8:45 - 10:30 exam - Third Hour
10:30 - 10:40 break
10:45 - 12:30 exam - Fourth Hour
12:30 - 1:00 lunch
1:00 students leave school. Teachers will be in classrooms.

Th, Jan 7
Same sched as above.
Exams:
1st Hour
5th Hour

Fri, Jan 8
Exams:
2nd
6th


Students must not leave classroom during testing.
Exam must count as 20% of semester grade.
Report cards handed out on or around Th, Jan 14.
Jan 11 begins the 3rd 9 wks and 2nd semester.

Semester review: the Mexico / Tenochtitlan quiz


Lee Spruell / Mexico
Originally uploaded by trudeau

Tenochtitlan Quiz / Geography / Trudeau

A 1. Found on the Baja Sur peninsula: a) Cabo San Lucas b) Mazatlan
c) Tijuana d) Acapulco.
C 2. A Dia de los muertos parody of a Mexican upper class female is referred to as
a) calacas b) Marigold c) Catrina d) Ciudad.
A 3. A Dia de los muertos altar, displaying offerings in honor of a deceased relative:
a) ofrendas b) calaveras c) pan de muertos d) a Mictecacihuatl.
A 4. The elements of the holiday Dia de los muertos reflects 2 cultural traditions: a) Aztec & Spanish b) Spanish & Mexican-American c) Texan & Mexican d) Pacifican & Caribbean.
B 5. The tradition of papel picado is derived from the a) Spanish b) indigenous c) French d) Mexican.

D 6. Chocolatl, the royal Aztec potion, is based upon a) currency b) corn flour c) chilies d) cacao bean.
A 7. The Aztec calendar: a) 365 days a year b) 360 days per year c) influenced the Roman calendar d) influenced the Mayan calendar.
B 8. In danger of over-harvesting: a) barracuda b) shark c) chiclets d) calacos.
D 9. Central America is also properly called a) North America b) South America c) Caribbean America d) Mesoamerica.
C 10. Pretty much the same place as Mexico City: a) Aztec calendar
b) Chocolatl c) Tenochtitlan d) Quetzalcoatl.
B 11. Cacophonous: a) densely populated b) harshly noisy c) roach-ridden d) shibboleth.