1. The life of Shi Huang Di: a) 1200 BCE b) 200 AD c) 200 BCE .
2. Shi Huang Di’s version of the Great Wall was called a “precursor” to the later Great Wall. Precursor means
a) earlier version b) smaller example c) moveable pointer.
3. A tomb may also be called a : a) monument b) mound c) subterranean
d) mausoleum.
4. As a ruthless autocrat the First Emperor banned writing by __. a) Lao Tzu b) Tao c) Buddha d) Confucius.
5. The importance of his reign is intact after 2 millennium. That would be some a) 2 hundred b) 2 thousand c) 2 million years.
6. As a young king, Huangdi began construction on a) roads b) canals c) obelisks d) his mausoleum.
7. When a youth becomes king he usually has a powerful member of the court who acts as his guide to decision-making. That person’s title? a) proxy b) consort c) regent d) caretaker.
8. Shi Huang Di’s period of rule was preceded by a period of civil war known as a) Troubles b) Confucian c) Primitive d) Warring states.
9. Shi Huang Di unified China economically by standardizing the Chinese units of measurements such as weights and measures, the currency, the length of the axles of carts (so every cart could run smoothly in the ruts of the new roads). He also standardized the writing. T / F
10. Shi Huang Di seriously sought the elixir of life, a magical potion which reputedly would enable immortality.
What is an elixir? a) a pool of magical water b) magical cape c) health-giving drink d) hallucinogenic drug.
11. The huge terra cotta army buried with Shi Huang Di lies near which city? a) Beijing b) Shanghai c) Hong Kong d) Xi’an.
12. In one of his greatest construction projects, the Emperor Qin commanded the building of the Ling Qu __ .
a) bridge b) tunnel c) canal d) pagoda.
18. Epang Gong refers to a a) concubine b) palace c) river d) ruler in the city of Xi'an.
19. Many of the people in the Chinese court were referred to as eunuchs. This means that they were a) congenital b) silly c) asthmatic d) castrated.
20. Qin's main tomb has been exhumed but was closed to await more advanced archaeological technology. T / F
1. b 2. b 3. d 4. c 5. b 6.d 7. c 8. a 9. F 10. c 11. a 12. c
13. a 14. T 15. F 16. c 17. b 18. b 19.d 20. F
Nippon Review
1. ____ has been called the Father of both Anime and of Manga. a) Hayao Miyazaki b) Osamu Tezuko c) Soichiro Honda.
2. The principal origin of the big eyes employed in most Japanese manga: a) Walt Disney characters c) biological studies d) Hollywood characters.
3. Most Japanese are able to integrate 2 types of religious practice into their lives. Please pick 2 answers. a) Hindusim b) Buddhism c) Islam d) Christianity e) Judaism f) Confucianism g) Shintoism h) Atheism.
4. Japanese graphic books: a) anime b) manga c) Geisha d) sushi.
5. Japan is not an archipelago even though it has much tectonic activity. T / F
6. Though the nation is tiny, Japan’s population is almost half that of the US. T / F
7. In terms of altitude, Mt Fuji can be compared to the a) Appalachians b) Rocky Mtns.
8. Japanese greeting: a) Ni hau! b) Salaam! c) Namaste'! d) Konichi wa!
9. The stylish Japanese boxed lunch: a) bento b) manga c) fugu d) karesansui.
10. Buddhist belief: Suffering is caused by __ . a) cessation b) middle way c) attachment
d) nirvana.
Brief constructed response (2 - 3 sentences):
What is the worldwide significance of the numerous Japanese companies whose names are so recognizable to Americans? Examples: Sony, Honda, Canon, Panasonic, Fuji, Mazda, Yamaha, Nissan, Asics, etc.
Add a title. Be aware of your spelling, construction and logic.
1. b 2. d 3. b, g 4. b 5. f 6. T 7. b 8. d 9. a 10. c
The Odyssey of a Chinese teen: Not One Less
B 1. The film addresses the ______ gap between urban and rural populations. a) cultural b) economic c) legislative d) language.
F 2. Given the following bureaucrats: the Mayor, the brick factory manager, the clerk at the TV station, the TV station manager and the restaurant manager, we should conclude that the movie's director sees bureaucrats as mostly negative forces. T / F
C 3. The film primarily addresses this issue: a) history of China b) poverty in China c) rural education d) difficulty of life in the cities.
B or D 4. Which one of these characters is not battling the drop-out problem? a) Teacher Gao b) the Mayor c) Teacher Wei d) Zhang Huike.
A or B 5. Which one of these characters seems to provide a sense of balance and moderation? a) Teacher Gao b) the Mayor c) Teacher Wei d) Zhang Huike.
A 6. Which one of these characters is the most frugal? a) Teacher Gao b) the Mayor c) Teacher Wei d) Zhang Huike.
C 7. Which one of these characters shows heroic obstinacy? a) Teacher Gao b) the Mayor c) Teacher Wei d) Zhang Huike.
B 8. Shuixian School is located near the city of a) Hong Kong b) Xi’an c) Beijing d) Shanghai.
A 9. Is the mass media portrayed as a benign or a destructive force in China? The movie seems to say the news media is a) positive b) negative c) not a major factor.
C 10. A symbol of pride in learning and in the efficient use of resources in the school is: a) sending swift runner of the class to the sports specialty school b) flag c) chalk d) singing the anthem in an orderly formation.
A 11. "Keeping kids in school is harder than teaching them." Quote from a) the Mayor b) Substitute Wei c) Teacher Gao d) Zhang Huike.
D 12. Concerns about _____ dominate most of the characters and much of the film. a) ethics b) honor c) culture d) money.
Africa: the Refugees
B 1. Senegal: a) Mediterranean Africa b) West Africa c) East Africa.
A 2. Tunisia: a) Mediterranean Africa b) West Africa c) East Africa.
C 3. Tanzania: a) Mediterranean Africa b) West Africa c) East Africa.
B 4. Sierra Leone: a) Mediterranean Africa b) West Africa c) East Africa.
C 5. Sudan: a) Mediterranean Africa b) West Africa c) East Africa.
C 6. Nile region tribal people of Southern Sudan: a) Kakuma b) Ashanti c) Dinka d) Yirol.
A 7. Swahili is a language composed of European and African languages as well as
a) Arabic b) Islamic c) German d) English.
C 8. The indigenous people of Zanzibar are __. a) Europeans b) Arabs c) Africans d) Swahili.
A 9. The Nile River does not run through the center of this nation: a) Kenya b) Sudan c) Egypt d) Uganda.
B 10. The earliest slavers and gold traders to visit the continent of Africa were the a) Europeans b) Arabs c) Romans d) Swahili.
B 11. African-Americans are about __ of the US demographic: a) 2% b) 13% c) 33% d) 53%.
A 12. Body of water from which the Nile flows: a) Lake Victoria b) Mediterranean Sea c) Rift Valley d) Red Sea.
C 13. The Nile connects Ethiopia, Egypt, Uganda and __ . a) Somalia b) Yemen
c) Sudan d) Kenya.
B 14. The Sudanese government has targeted the Christian tribal peoples in the Darfur region. This relentless war has been called a) fratricidal b) genocidal c) suicidal d) fungicidal.
Gandhi and India
B 1. India is about 80% Hindu. There is a major minority, however, that claims some 13% of the population graph: a) Sikhs b) Muslims c) Tibetans d) Pakistanis.
A 2. Indigenous peoples of India: a) Dravidians b) Aryans c) Muslims d) Hindus.
C 3. Once an integral part of India, today this is a separate, neighboring nation dedicated to a Muslim population: a) Nepal b) Bhutan c) Bangladesh d) China.
D 4. Given the creative industries for which India and America are so famous, one would have to draw a close comparison between the cities of Los Angeles and
a) Kolkata b) New Delhi c) Porbandar d) Mumbai.
A 5. City noted as a software center: a) Bangalore b) Mumbai c) New Delhi
d) Madras.
D 6. In Porbandar the young Gandhi was profitably exposed to religions from 3 continents: a) Islam, Hinduism, Muslims b) Islam, Christianity, Catholics c) Christianity, Catholics, Hinduism d) Christianity, Hinduism, Islam.
C 7. Gandhi worked on ethnic amity (friendship) in India; that work centered on:
a) Untouchables, the caste system b) boycotting British textiles c) Hindus vs Muslims d) non-violent resistance by all Indians.
A 8. Site of a Holocaust-like mass murder by British troops: a) Amritsar b) Delhi
c) Champaran d) Kolkata.
T 9. The cuisine of India has absorbed influences from the regions in which you will find the cities of Mocha, Lisbon and Mexico City. T / F
F 10. Gold is the basic trade good that motivated Columbus to "discover" the Indians of the Caribbean. T / F
A 11. Gandhi's basic strategies did not include the use of the following: a) Indian frustration b) British law c) principles of Christianity d) British democracy.
A 12. A direct neighbor of India: a) Sri Lanka b) Afghanistan c) Iran d) Oman.
A 13. The highest and most extensive mountain border separates India from
a) China b) Bangladesh c) Pakistan d) Afghanistan.
B 14. Highest number of human beings in the region: a) Delhi b) Bombay c) Calcutta d) Bangalore.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Thurs quiz: demonstrate knowledge of Australia via a narrative rather than multiple-choice questions
Wallabies and Jumbucks: a Trek across Terra Australis is your teacher's title for this week's evaluation of learning, aka quiz.
In a brief narrative about a fictional journey across Australia students should use - and underline - 12 terms from our unit on Oz and the indigenous culture.
Use cities, bodies of water, animals, cultural terms like didgeridoo or walkabout.
If you'd like to write it in advance and bring it to class in draft or finished form, you may do so.
Take care with
- titling
- grammar
- spelling
- no need to use documentation if it is fiction.
It need not be long, but I would like to enjoy reading a story with a beginning, some conflict and resolution, and an ending.
My personal story is told from the point of view of an English lad who's traveled to New South Wales on a sloop in the 1850's, during the gold rush.
In a brief narrative about a fictional journey across Australia students should use - and underline - 12 terms from our unit on Oz and the indigenous culture.
Use cities, bodies of water, animals, cultural terms like didgeridoo or walkabout.
If you'd like to write it in advance and bring it to class in draft or finished form, you may do so.
Take care with
- titling
- grammar
- spelling
- no need to use documentation if it is fiction.
It need not be long, but I would like to enjoy reading a story with a beginning, some conflict and resolution, and an ending.
My personal story is told from the point of view of an English lad who's traveled to New South Wales on a sloop in the 1850's, during the gold rush.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Cro Magnons and the spread of homo sapiens
The Cro-Magnon were the first early modern humans (early Homo sapiens sapiens), says Wikipedia.
The flint tools found in association with the remains at Cro-Magnon differ from the earlier cultures by their finely worked bone or antler points and flint points made for hafting, the production of Venus figurines and cave painting.[27]
Like Neanderthals, the Cro-Magnon were primarily big-game hunters, killing mammoth, cave bears, horses and reindeer.
Cro-Magnon artifacts suggest that they knew how to make woven clothing.[30] Apart from the mammoth bone huts mentioned, they constructed shelter of rocks, clay, branches, and animal hide/fur.
These early humans used manganese and iron oxides to paint pictures and may have created the first calendar around 15,000 years ago[31].
Anatomically modern humans evolved in East Africa some 100 000 to 200 000 years ago. An exodus from Africa over the Arabian Peninsula around 60 000 years ago brought modern humans to Eurasia, with one group rapidly settling coastal areas around the Indian Ocean and one group migrating north to steppes of Central Asia.[17]
A mitochondrial DNA sequence of two Cro-Magnons from the Paglicci Cave, Italy, dated to 23 000 and 24 000 years old (Paglicci 52 and 12), identified the mtDNA as Haplogroup N, typical of the latter group.[18] The inland group is the founder of North and East Asians (the "Mongol" people), Caucasoids and large sections of the Middle East and North African population.
Migration from the Black Sea area into Europe started some 45 000 years ago, probably along the Danubian corridor. By 20 000 years ago, the whole of Europe was settled.
The flint tools found in association with the remains at Cro-Magnon differ from the earlier cultures by their finely worked bone or antler points and flint points made for hafting, the production of Venus figurines and cave painting.[27]
Like Neanderthals, the Cro-Magnon were primarily big-game hunters, killing mammoth, cave bears, horses and reindeer.
Cro-Magnon artifacts suggest that they knew how to make woven clothing.[30] Apart from the mammoth bone huts mentioned, they constructed shelter of rocks, clay, branches, and animal hide/fur.
These early humans used manganese and iron oxides to paint pictures and may have created the first calendar around 15,000 years ago[31].
Anatomically modern humans evolved in East Africa some 100 000 to 200 000 years ago. An exodus from Africa over the Arabian Peninsula around 60 000 years ago brought modern humans to Eurasia, with one group rapidly settling coastal areas around the Indian Ocean and one group migrating north to steppes of Central Asia.[17]
A mitochondrial DNA sequence of two Cro-Magnons from the Paglicci Cave, Italy, dated to 23 000 and 24 000 years old (Paglicci 52 and 12), identified the mtDNA as Haplogroup N, typical of the latter group.[18] The inland group is the founder of North and East Asians (the "Mongol" people), Caucasoids and large sections of the Middle East and North African population.
Migration from the Black Sea area into Europe started some 45 000 years ago, probably along the Danubian corridor. By 20 000 years ago, the whole of Europe was settled.
What happened during the long period of glaciation called the Pleistocene?
The Pleistocene is the epoch from 2.588 million to 12,000 years BP (before the present) covering the world's recent period of repeated glaciations.
The name pleistocene is derived from the Greek πλεῖστος (pleistos "most") and καινός (kainos "new").
Pleistocene climate was marked by repeated glacial cycles where continental glaciers pushed to the 40th parallel (Shreveport is at the 32nd parallel) in some places. It is estimated that, at maximum glacial extent, 30% of the Earth's surface was covered by ice.
The sum of transient factors acting at the Earth's surface is cyclical: climate, ocean currents and other movements, wind currents, temperature, etc. The waveform response comes from the underlying cyclical motions of the planet, which eventually drag all the transients into harmony with them. The repeated glaciations of the Pleistocene were caused by the same factors.
The similarity of our present interglacial interval (known as the Holocene, Postglacial, or the Present Interglacial) to that of an earlier one about 400,000 years ago suggests that the next glacial will begin in about 20,000 years.
A major extinction event of large mammals (megafauna), which included mammoths, mastodons, saber-toothed cats, glyptodons, ground sloths, Irish elk and cave bears began late in the Pleistocene and continued into the Holocene.
Neanderthals also became extinct during this period.
At the end of the last ice age, cold-blooded animals, smaller mammals like wood mice, migratory birds, and swifter animals like whitetail deer had replaced the megafauna and migrated north.
Scientific evidence[11] indicates that humans evolved into their present form during the Pleistocene.[12]
The name pleistocene is derived from the Greek πλεῖστος (pleistos "most") and καινός (kainos "new").
Pleistocene climate was marked by repeated glacial cycles where continental glaciers pushed to the 40th parallel (Shreveport is at the 32nd parallel) in some places. It is estimated that, at maximum glacial extent, 30% of the Earth's surface was covered by ice.
The sum of transient factors acting at the Earth's surface is cyclical: climate, ocean currents and other movements, wind currents, temperature, etc. The waveform response comes from the underlying cyclical motions of the planet, which eventually drag all the transients into harmony with them. The repeated glaciations of the Pleistocene were caused by the same factors.
The similarity of our present interglacial interval (known as the Holocene, Postglacial, or the Present Interglacial) to that of an earlier one about 400,000 years ago suggests that the next glacial will begin in about 20,000 years.
A major extinction event of large mammals (megafauna), which included mammoths, mastodons, saber-toothed cats, glyptodons, ground sloths, Irish elk and cave bears began late in the Pleistocene and continued into the Holocene.
Neanderthals also became extinct during this period.
At the end of the last ice age, cold-blooded animals, smaller mammals like wood mice, migratory birds, and swifter animals like whitetail deer had replaced the megafauna and migrated north.
Scientific evidence[11] indicates that humans evolved into their present form during the Pleistocene.[12]
Magnet geography: Australia graphics
A summary of recent imagery in studies of Australia and the Aborigines, the indigenous peoples.
Aboriginal Australian figure from Dreamtime
1) What are two of the theories about how the Indigenous Australians first arrived in Australia?
A) They came across the sea in boats?
B) They were always there – The Dreamtime.
C) They arrived on foot.
D) They swam with the sea turtles?
2) How did the lost continent of Sunda and Sahul disappear?
A) Poor land management by the original Australians led to land erosion?
B) Continental drift pushed the continent under Asia.
C) Warming global climate signaled the end of an ice age and the melting ice raised sea levels.
D) A series of earthquakes?
3) Under the Dreamtime theory – when did people first arrive in Australia?
A) 50-65,000 years ago.
B) They were always there.
C) in the 1780s.
D) Beginning after World War 2.
4) Name one or more countries besides Australia where the hand was used a model for rock art –
A) Spain
B) America
C) Peru
D) Siberia
E) All of the above.
5) Why were many Indigenous Australians referred to as the “Stolen Generations?”
A) Aboriginal peoples were lost to small pox.
B) Indigenous Australian children were removed from their homes by the government and by certain other groups.
C) They died in the desert due to nuclear testing.
D) They were refused adequate opportunities for migration to other countries.
6) What features did the Rainbow Serpent create in the land?
1. The outback desert.
2. The Great Divide Mountains.
3. The lakes, rivers and billabongs.
4. The island of Tasmania.
ghtening.jpg
7) The above rock art is a picture of what?
1. The Rainbow Serpent.
2. The Spirit Women.
3. The Lightening Man.
4. The Billabong Man.
nd%20and%20Tool%20Stencils%20Art%20Gallery1.jpg
8) In the indigenous peoples' rock art, how were the pictures of the hands typically created?
1. They were pecked or carved out of the stone.
2. They were stenciled by blowing paint over the hands and onto the rock.
3. They were painted using reed brushes.
4. They were painted using brushes made of kangaroo hair.
9) What similar Federal Civil Rights Acts were passed in Australia in 1963 and the United States in 1965?
1. The Equal Education Act.
2. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act.
3. The Federal Voting Rights Act.
4. The anti-stolen generations act?
10) What is the Dreamtime Story in Indigenous Australian mythology?
A) The fear that the Indigenous Australians felt after the British colonized Australia.
B) An origin story about the beginning of life and the shaping of the land.
C) The decades during which the stolen generations were taken from their families.
D) The period in which the Indigenous Australians contracted Small Pox.
A) They came across the sea in boats?
B) They were always there – The Dreamtime.
C) They arrived on foot.
D) They swam with the sea turtles?
2) How did the lost continent of Sunda and Sahul disappear?
A) Poor land management by the original Australians led to land erosion?
B) Continental drift pushed the continent under Asia.
C) Warming global climate signaled the end of an ice age and the melting ice raised sea levels.
D) A series of earthquakes?
3) Under the Dreamtime theory – when did people first arrive in Australia?
A) 50-65,000 years ago.
B) They were always there.
C) in the 1780s.
D) Beginning after World War 2.
4) Name one or more countries besides Australia where the hand was used a model for rock art –
A) Spain
B) America
C) Peru
D) Siberia
E) All of the above.
5) Why were many Indigenous Australians referred to as the “Stolen Generations?”
A) Aboriginal peoples were lost to small pox.
B) Indigenous Australian children were removed from their homes by the government and by certain other groups.
C) They died in the desert due to nuclear testing.
D) They were refused adequate opportunities for migration to other countries.
6) What features did the Rainbow Serpent create in the land?
1. The outback desert.
2. The Great Divide Mountains.
3. The lakes, rivers and billabongs.
4. The island of Tasmania.
ghtening.jpg
7) The above rock art is a picture of what?
1. The Rainbow Serpent.
2. The Spirit Women.
3. The Lightening Man.
4. The Billabong Man.
nd%20and%20Tool%20Stencils%20Art%20Gallery1.jpg
8) In the indigenous peoples' rock art, how were the pictures of the hands typically created?
1. They were pecked or carved out of the stone.
2. They were stenciled by blowing paint over the hands and onto the rock.
3. They were painted using reed brushes.
4. They were painted using brushes made of kangaroo hair.
9) What similar Federal Civil Rights Acts were passed in Australia in 1963 and the United States in 1965?
1. The Equal Education Act.
2. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act.
3. The Federal Voting Rights Act.
4. The anti-stolen generations act?
10) What is the Dreamtime Story in Indigenous Australian mythology?
A) The fear that the Indigenous Australians felt after the British colonized Australia.
B) An origin story about the beginning of life and the shaping of the land.
C) The decades during which the stolen generations were taken from their families.
D) The period in which the Indigenous Australians contracted Small Pox.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Rock art motifs from Kakadu National Park, east of Darwin, Australia
The Aborigine motifs -
- Diamond patterns
- diamond-shaped scales
- heads amplified by radiant lines that extend into large, leonine auras,
- long, long arms
- cross hatching
- hands
- boomerangs and boomerang-related weapons
- herringbone rib structures
- knobby rodents
- turtles
- kangaroos
- dingoes
- emus
- circles within circles
- Diamond patterns
- diamond-shaped scales
- heads amplified by radiant lines that extend into large, leonine auras,
- long, long arms
- cross hatching
- hands
- boomerangs and boomerang-related weapons
- herringbone rib structures
- knobby rodents
- turtles
- kangaroos
- dingoes
- emus
- circles within circles
James Woods @ Magnet Shreveport: Aborigine culture
Materials presented and explained by guest lecturer James Woods, who worked with your teacher on plans for your instruction.
- Theories of the immigration of the indigenous peoples
- Lost continents of the Australian-Indonesian region: climate change and coastal lands.
- Artistic motif of the hand: a ubiquitous symbol.
- Dreamtime and aboriginal mythology.
- Rainbow serpent.
- Hunter gatherers.
Mult-choice quiz on Monday.
- Theories of the immigration of the indigenous peoples
- Lost continents of the Australian-Indonesian region: climate change and coastal lands.
- Artistic motif of the hand: a ubiquitous symbol.
- Dreamtime and aboriginal mythology.
- Rainbow serpent.
- Hunter gatherers.
Mult-choice quiz on Monday.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Billabong and Outback: Australian terms used by successful and global companies (indie work)
Indie work - choose one -
Research and compare the terms billabong and outback as well as the companies by those names and the companies' origins.
Research and compare the musical instruments called the didgeridoo and the scrubboard. The scrubboard is used as a rhythm instrument by at least 2 groups that I know: the Creole players of zydeco music and the mountain musicians who play American Appalachian blue
grass music.
Do not forget to follow my guidelines for essay writing.
Research and compare the terms billabong and outback as well as the companies by those names and the companies' origins.
Research and compare the musical instruments called the didgeridoo and the scrubboard. The scrubboard is used as a rhythm instrument by at least 2 groups that I know: the Creole players of zydeco music and the mountain musicians who play American Appalachian blue
grass music.
Do not forget to follow my guidelines for essay writing.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Australia map quiz Thurs: Uluru, etc
Map quiz: the usual 10 items. Bodies of water, cities, regions, neighbor nations.
Additional vocab, thanks to Wikipedia:
Billabong - an old river or stagnant body of water attached to a waterway.
Billabong is also a clothing brand and public company traded on the Australian Securities Exchange (as Billabong International) since August 11 2000. Billabong was founded in 1973 by Gordon and Rena Merchant.
Walkabout refers to a rite of passage during which male Australian Aborigines would undergo a journey during adolescence and live in the wilderness for a period as long as six months.[1] In this practice they would trace the paths, or "songlines", that their people's ceremonials ancestors took, and imitate, in a fashion, their heroic deeds.
billy - a tin can, maybe two litres (four pints) in capacity, usually with a wire handle attached to the top rim, in which 'swaggies' (and contemporary Australian campers) boil water to make tea (and to kill the beasties in the water they've taken out of the billabong).
jumbuck - a sheep.
squatter - as Australia was settled, there was of course little or no authority and bureaucracy in place. People 'squatted' on patches of land, grazed their animals, grew their crops and built their houses and fences. In due course, as authority arrived, it generally accepted the claims of whoever was in apparent possession of the land (aboriginals had been no match for armed white men, and anyway were largely nomadic across reasonably large areas).
tucker-bag - a bag to keep tucker in. Tucker is grub, victuals/vittles, or food.
waltzing matilda - Matilda was a mock-romantic word for a swag (the bag carried by a hobo), and to waltz matilda was to hit the road with a swag on your back.
Australianisms in 'Waltzing Matilda' courtesy of Roger Clarke.
Additional vocab, thanks to Wikipedia:
Billabong - an old river or stagnant body of water attached to a waterway.
Billabong is also a clothing brand and public company traded on the Australian Securities Exchange (as Billabong International) since August 11 2000. Billabong was founded in 1973 by Gordon and Rena Merchant.
Walkabout refers to a rite of passage during which male Australian Aborigines would undergo a journey during adolescence and live in the wilderness for a period as long as six months.[1] In this practice they would trace the paths, or "songlines", that their people's ceremonials ancestors took, and imitate, in a fashion, their heroic deeds.
billy - a tin can, maybe two litres (four pints) in capacity, usually with a wire handle attached to the top rim, in which 'swaggies' (and contemporary Australian campers) boil water to make tea (and to kill the beasties in the water they've taken out of the billabong).
jumbuck - a sheep.
squatter - as Australia was settled, there was of course little or no authority and bureaucracy in place. People 'squatted' on patches of land, grazed their animals, grew their crops and built their houses and fences. In due course, as authority arrived, it generally accepted the claims of whoever was in apparent possession of the land (aboriginals had been no match for armed white men, and anyway were largely nomadic across reasonably large areas).
tucker-bag - a bag to keep tucker in. Tucker is grub, victuals/vittles, or food.
waltzing matilda - Matilda was a mock-romantic word for a swag (the bag carried by a hobo), and to waltz matilda was to hit the road with a swag on your back.
Australianisms in 'Waltzing Matilda' courtesy of Roger Clarke.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Notes on Oz, aka Terra Australis
Ranked third in the Index of Economic Freedom (2010),[144] Australia's per capita GDP is slightly higher than that of the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, and France, says Wikipedia.
Australia is a prosperous developed country with a multicultural society.
It ranks highly in many international comparisons of national performance such as human development, quality of life, health care, life expectancy, public education, economic freedom and the protection of civil liberties and political rights.[16]
Australian cities rank among the world's highest in terms of cultural offerings and quality of life.
For at least 40,000 years before European settlement in the late 18th century, the Australian mainland and Tasmania were inhabited by around 250 language groups[12][13] of indigenous Australians.[14] After sporadic visits by fishermen from the immediate north, and discovery by Dutch explorers in 1606,[15] the eastern half of Australia was claimed by the British in 1770 and initially settled through penal transportation to the colony of New South Wales, founded on 26 January 1788.
The Indigenous Australian population, estimated at 350,000 at the time of European settlement,[41] declined steeply for 150 years following settlement, mainly due to infectious disease.[42] The "Stolen Generations" (removal of Aboriginal children from their families), which historians such as Henry Reynolds have argued could be considered genocide,[43] may have contributed to the decline in the Indigenous population.[44] Such interpretations of Aboriginal history are disputed by some conservative commentators, such as former Prime Minister John Howard, as exaggerated or fabricated for political or ideological reasons.[45]
Australia is the flattest continent,[119] with the oldest and least fertile soils;[120][121] desert or semi-arid land commonly known as the outback makes up by far the largest portion of land.
The driest inhabited continent, only its south-east and south-west corners have a temperate climate.[122] The population density, 2.8 inhabitants per square kilometre, is among the lowest in the world,[123] although a large proportion of the population lives along the temperate south-eastern coastline.[124]
Although most of Australia is semi-arid or desert, it includes a diverse range of habitats from alpine heaths to tropical rainforests, and is recognised as a megadiverse country.
Because of the continent's great age, extremely variable weather patterns, and long-term geographic isolation, much of Australia's biota is unique and diverse.
About 85% of flowering plants, 84% of mammals, more than 45% of birds, and 89% of in-shore, temperate-zone fish are endemic.[127]
Australia has the greatest number of reptiles of any country, with 755 species.[128]
Most of the estimated 22 million Australians are descended from colonial-era settlers and post-Federation immigrants from Europe, with almost 90% of the population being of European descent. For generations, the vast majority of immigrants came from the British Isles, and the people of Australia are still mainly of British or Irish ethnic origin.
In the 2006 Australian census, the most commonly nominated ancestry was Australian (37.13%),[158] followed by English (31.65%), Irish (9.08%), Scottish (7.56%), Italian (4.29%), German (4.09%), Chinese (3.37%), and Greek (1.84%).[159]
Australia is a prosperous developed country with a multicultural society.
It ranks highly in many international comparisons of national performance such as human development, quality of life, health care, life expectancy, public education, economic freedom and the protection of civil liberties and political rights.[16]
Australian cities rank among the world's highest in terms of cultural offerings and quality of life.
For at least 40,000 years before European settlement in the late 18th century, the Australian mainland and Tasmania were inhabited by around 250 language groups[12][13] of indigenous Australians.[14] After sporadic visits by fishermen from the immediate north, and discovery by Dutch explorers in 1606,[15] the eastern half of Australia was claimed by the British in 1770 and initially settled through penal transportation to the colony of New South Wales, founded on 26 January 1788.
The Indigenous Australian population, estimated at 350,000 at the time of European settlement,[41] declined steeply for 150 years following settlement, mainly due to infectious disease.[42] The "Stolen Generations" (removal of Aboriginal children from their families), which historians such as Henry Reynolds have argued could be considered genocide,[43] may have contributed to the decline in the Indigenous population.[44] Such interpretations of Aboriginal history are disputed by some conservative commentators, such as former Prime Minister John Howard, as exaggerated or fabricated for political or ideological reasons.[45]
Australia is the flattest continent,[119] with the oldest and least fertile soils;[120][121] desert or semi-arid land commonly known as the outback makes up by far the largest portion of land.
The driest inhabited continent, only its south-east and south-west corners have a temperate climate.[122] The population density, 2.8 inhabitants per square kilometre, is among the lowest in the world,[123] although a large proportion of the population lives along the temperate south-eastern coastline.[124]
Although most of Australia is semi-arid or desert, it includes a diverse range of habitats from alpine heaths to tropical rainforests, and is recognised as a megadiverse country.
Because of the continent's great age, extremely variable weather patterns, and long-term geographic isolation, much of Australia's biota is unique and diverse.
About 85% of flowering plants, 84% of mammals, more than 45% of birds, and 89% of in-shore, temperate-zone fish are endemic.[127]
Australia has the greatest number of reptiles of any country, with 755 species.[128]
Most of the estimated 22 million Australians are descended from colonial-era settlers and post-Federation immigrants from Europe, with almost 90% of the population being of European descent. For generations, the vast majority of immigrants came from the British Isles, and the people of Australia are still mainly of British or Irish ethnic origin.
In the 2006 Australian census, the most commonly nominated ancestry was Australian (37.13%),[158] followed by English (31.65%), Irish (9.08%), Scottish (7.56%), Italian (4.29%), German (4.09%), Chinese (3.37%), and Greek (1.84%).[159]
Saturday, May 08, 2010
Chemicals and cancer: panel cautions Americans on water, pesticides, hormones, radon, etc
To help people manage the (environmental) uncertainty prudently, writes Nicholas Kristof in the NY Times article, "New Alarm Bells About Chemicals and Cancer," a new, national report has a section of recommendations for individuals:
¶Particularly when pregnant and when children are small, choose foods, toys and garden products with fewer endocrine disruptors or other toxins. (Information about products is at www.cosmeticsdatabase.com or www.healthystuff.org.)
¶For those whose jobs may expose them to chemicals, remove shoes when entering the house and wash work clothes separately from the rest of the laundry.
¶Filter drinking water.
¶Store water in glass or stainless steel containers, or in plastics that don’t contain BPA or phthalates (chemicals used to soften plastics). Microwave food in ceramic or glass containers.
¶Give preference to food grown without pesticides, chemical fertilizers and growth hormones. Avoid meats that are cooked well-done.
¶Check radon levels in your home. Radon is a natural source of radiation linked to cancer.
¶Particularly when pregnant and when children are small, choose foods, toys and garden products with fewer endocrine disruptors or other toxins. (Information about products is at www.cosmeticsdatabase.com or www.healthystuff.org.)
¶For those whose jobs may expose them to chemicals, remove shoes when entering the house and wash work clothes separately from the rest of the laundry.
¶Filter drinking water.
¶Store water in glass or stainless steel containers, or in plastics that don’t contain BPA or phthalates (chemicals used to soften plastics). Microwave food in ceramic or glass containers.
¶Give preference to food grown without pesticides, chemical fertilizers and growth hormones. Avoid meats that are cooked well-done.
¶Check radon levels in your home. Radon is a natural source of radiation linked to cancer.
Friday, May 07, 2010
Basic Japanese language phrases from Dailymotion.com and Japanesepod101.com
Basic greetings 2
Do you know what to say when you see someone you know in Japan first thing in the morning? What about right before going to bed? After watching this video, you will. This video teaches you the proper way to greet people any time of the day in Japanese! If you plan on going to Japan, you can must watch this this lesson!
http://www.japanesepod101.com
Do you know what to say when you see someone you know in Japan first thing in the morning? What about right before going to bed? After watching this video, you will. This video teaches you the proper way to greet people any time of the day in Japanese! If you plan on going to Japan, you can must watch this this lesson!
http://www.japanesepod101.com
A Japanese Haiku: simplicity, profundity
Possibly the best known Japanese haiku is Bashō's "old pond," says Kelsey Phillips Payne.
fu-ru-i-ke ya (5)
ka-wa-zu to-bi-ko-mu (7)
mi-zu no o-to (5)
Translated:[13]
old pond . . .
a frog leaps in
water’s sound
Have you written a spring/summer haiku?
fu-ru-i-ke ya (5)
ka-wa-zu to-bi-ko-mu (7)
mi-zu no o-to (5)
Translated:[13]
old pond . . .
a frog leaps in
water’s sound
Have you written a spring/summer haiku?
Hayao Miyazaki's animated movie, Spirited Away: the bath house
This was used by Hayao Miyazaki as the model for the bath house is Spirited Away, says a person at Flickr.com.
It is in an open air architectural museum inside of a huge park in Tokyo. Many things here served as inspiration for the popular animated film...
Next week we will complete our Japanese studies. Not before taking a look at a Miyazaki movie!
It is in an open air architectural museum inside of a huge park in Tokyo. Many things here served as inspiration for the popular animated film...
Next week we will complete our Japanese studies. Not before taking a look at a Miyazaki movie!
Thursday, May 06, 2010
Kelsey Phillip Payne @ Magnet Shreveport geography
Kelsey Phillip Payne is a philosophy grad of Adolphus Gustavus College (06), who has spent 4 years in Japan.
Born in Los Angeles and partly raised in Shreveport, he attended secondary school in Nashville before going to Minnesota to attend Gustavus.
In Japan he lived in Osaka and on the island of Shikoku in the city of Hamamatsu. He has spent several years teaching English to Japanese teens and is a translator.
His lectures and handout address the language and culture of Japan. We are delighted to listen to and interact with such a well-schooled student of the culture of Nihon.
Born in Los Angeles and partly raised in Shreveport, he attended secondary school in Nashville before going to Minnesota to attend Gustavus.
In Japan he lived in Osaka and on the island of Shikoku in the city of Hamamatsu. He has spent several years teaching English to Japanese teens and is a translator.
His lectures and handout address the language and culture of Japan. We are delighted to listen to and interact with such a well-schooled student of the culture of Nihon.
Tuesday, May 04, 2010
Japanese drink Oronamin C: William Wilcox, Larsson McSwain, Magnet Shreveport
Oronamin C Drink was served to geography students at Magnet today by Larsson McSwain, whose has been to Japan twice with his family.
McSwain also showed the class marvelous stuffed Japanese toys, origami and a slide show on life in Tokyo.
Larsson pproved himself a talented and thoughtful presenter!
McSwain also showed the class marvelous stuffed Japanese toys, origami and a slide show on life in Tokyo.
Larsson pproved himself a talented and thoughtful presenter!
Bento, the colorful, elegant boxed lunch of the Japanese
This Bento includes: shiitake mushroom, lotus, taro, eggplant, carrot and edamame. Hijiki salad, pickled greens salad. Egg roll, roast chicken, green salad with fresh cherry tomato. Spaghetti (!), tamagoyaki, shumai, shrimp tempura, kabocha, roast potato, tiny scallops. Some kind of bean (mung?) paste, surimi tempura, miso butterfish, yakisoba.
The box is made of molded plastic meant to resemble colored dishes on a lacquer tray. In fact, each colored "dish" also has a lovely design imprinted on it as well. It is as large as a serving tray and comes with a plastic lid covered with sakura blossoms (hence the name "sakura" for this bento).
Bento, says Wikipedia, is a single-portion takeout or home-packed meal common in Japanese cuisine.
A traditional bento consists of rice, fish or meat, and one or more pickled or cooked vegetables, usually in a box-shaped container.
Containers range from disposable mass produced to hand crafted lacquerware. Although bento are readily available in many places throughout Japan, including convenience stores, bento shops (弁当屋, bentō-ya?), train stations, and department stores, it is still common for Japanese homemakers to spend time and energy for their spouse, child, or themselves producing a carefully prepared lunch box.
Bento can be very elaborately arranged in a style called kyaraben. Contests are often held where bento arrangers compete for the most aesthetically pleasing arrangements. Kyaraben is typically decorated to look like people, animals, or characters and items such as flowers and plants.
There are similar forms of boxed lunches in the Philippines (Baon), Korea (Dosirak), Taiwan (Biandang), and India (Tiffin).
The box is made of molded plastic meant to resemble colored dishes on a lacquer tray. In fact, each colored "dish" also has a lovely design imprinted on it as well. It is as large as a serving tray and comes with a plastic lid covered with sakura blossoms (hence the name "sakura" for this bento).
Bento, says Wikipedia, is a single-portion takeout or home-packed meal common in Japanese cuisine.
A traditional bento consists of rice, fish or meat, and one or more pickled or cooked vegetables, usually in a box-shaped container.
Containers range from disposable mass produced to hand crafted lacquerware. Although bento are readily available in many places throughout Japan, including convenience stores, bento shops (弁当屋, bentō-ya?), train stations, and department stores, it is still common for Japanese homemakers to spend time and energy for their spouse, child, or themselves producing a carefully prepared lunch box.
Bento can be very elaborately arranged in a style called kyaraben. Contests are often held where bento arrangers compete for the most aesthetically pleasing arrangements. Kyaraben is typically decorated to look like people, animals, or characters and items such as flowers and plants.
There are similar forms of boxed lunches in the Philippines (Baon), Korea (Dosirak), Taiwan (Biandang), and India (Tiffin).
The anime eye, or manga eye, was created by Japanese artist Osamu Tezuka
Osamu Tezuka ( 1928 – 1989) was a Japanese manga artist, animator, producer and medical doctor, although he never practiced medicine.
Born in Osaka Prefecture, he is best known as the creator of Astro Boy and Kimba the White Lion, says Wikipedia.
He is often credited as the "Godfather of Anime", and is often considered the Japanese equivalent to Walt Disney, who served as a major inspiration during his formative years.[1]
His prolific output, pioneering techniques, and innovative redefinitions of genres earned him such titles as "the father of manga", "the god of comics"[2] and "kamisama of manga".
Born in Osaka Prefecture, he is best known as the creator of Astro Boy and Kimba the White Lion, says Wikipedia.
He is often credited as the "Godfather of Anime", and is often considered the Japanese equivalent to Walt Disney, who served as a major inspiration during his formative years.[1]
His prolific output, pioneering techniques, and innovative redefinitions of genres earned him such titles as "the father of manga", "the god of comics"[2] and "kamisama of manga".
Fugu Restaurant: Shibuya
Fugu (河豚, 鰒, フグ?) is the Japanese word for pufferfish and is also a Japanese dish prepared from the meat of pufferfish or porcupinefish.
Because fugu is lethally poisonous if prepared incorrectly, says Wikipedia, fugu has become one of the most celebrated and notorious dishes in Japanese cuisine.
Says J Pellgen, "The deadly fugu (pufferfish) that everyone in the West seems to be so terrified about. I guess there is reason for concern though. One slip of the knife and the poisonous excretions of the fish's liver can seep into the flesh and either paralyze or kill you. Get this... There is no known antidote. That is why a special license is needed to prepare fugu, and also why it tends to be expensive. Also, you may notice that fugu restaurants have locked metal buckets--these are for the toxic waste which must be shipped back to Tsukiji market for disposal!"
Because fugu is lethally poisonous if prepared incorrectly, says Wikipedia, fugu has become one of the most celebrated and notorious dishes in Japanese cuisine.
Says J Pellgen, "The deadly fugu (pufferfish) that everyone in the West seems to be so terrified about. I guess there is reason for concern though. One slip of the knife and the poisonous excretions of the fish's liver can seep into the flesh and either paralyze or kill you. Get this... There is no known antidote. That is why a special license is needed to prepare fugu, and also why it tends to be expensive. Also, you may notice that fugu restaurants have locked metal buckets--these are for the toxic waste which must be shipped back to Tsukiji market for disposal!"
Shinkansen, known as a Bullet Train, zooming through Kyoto
The Shinkansen (新幹線?, new main line) also known as the bullet train, is a network of high-speed railway lines in Japan operated by four Japan Railways Group companies, says Wikipedia.
Starting with the 210 km/h (130 mph) Tōkaidō Shinkansen in 1964, the now 2,459 km (1,528 mi) long network has expanded to link most major cities on the islands of Honshū and Kyūshū at speeds up to 300 km/h (186 mph).
Test runs have reached 443 km/h (275 mph) for conventional rail in 1996, and up to a world record 581 km/h (361 mph) for maglev trainsets in 2003.
Starting with the 210 km/h (130 mph) Tōkaidō Shinkansen in 1964, the now 2,459 km (1,528 mi) long network has expanded to link most major cities on the islands of Honshū and Kyūshū at speeds up to 300 km/h (186 mph).
Test runs have reached 443 km/h (275 mph) for conventional rail in 1996, and up to a world record 581 km/h (361 mph) for maglev trainsets in 2003.
Costumed girls hanging in the Harajuku area of Tokyo
Harajuku (原宿 "meadow lodging") is the common name for the area around Harajuku Station on the Yamanote Line in the Shibuya ward of Tokyo, Japan, says Wikipedia.
Every Sunday, young people dressed in a variety of styles including gothic lolita, visual kei, and decora, as well as cosplayers spend the day in Harajuku socializing. The fashion styles of these youths rarely conform to one particular style and are usually a mesh of many. Most young people gather on Jingu Bridge, which is a pedestrian bridge that connects Harajuku to the neighboring Meiji Shrine area.
Every Sunday, young people dressed in a variety of styles including gothic lolita, visual kei, and decora, as well as cosplayers spend the day in Harajuku socializing. The fashion styles of these youths rarely conform to one particular style and are usually a mesh of many. Most young people gather on Jingu Bridge, which is a pedestrian bridge that connects Harajuku to the neighboring Meiji Shrine area.
Geography @ Magnet: the Tibetan Buddhist Prayer Flag art project
The Wind Horse, fish, yin yang, mountains and other traditional symbols were captured by geography students as they made the flags for an art project based on the Tibetan Buddhist Prayer Flag.
The flags were a gift to Mr Normand's students, who presented reports on Tibet to Mr Trudeau's classes.
The flags were a gift to Mr Normand's students, who presented reports on Tibet to Mr Trudeau's classes.
The Gulf of Mexico and its fish: Capt Markham Dickson
Capt Markham Dickson is a former Shreveporter and Magnet grad who has a Gulf fishing service called Salty Dog Charters LLc. At this link you can see some of the numerous fish he has enthusiastically fished in the Gulf.
Today he is using his fishing boat to help in efforts to contain the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
Today he is using his fishing boat to help in efforts to contain the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
Monday, May 03, 2010
Japanese folk rock: the Yoshida Brothers
The Yoshida Kyōdai (吉田兄弟) are Japanese musicians and have released several albums under the Domo Records internationally as the Yoshida Brothers.
They are a pair of brothers and performers of the traditional Japanese music style of Tsugaru-jamisen which originated in northern Japan. They debuted in 1999 in Japan as a duo playing the shamisen. Their first album sold over 100,000 copies and made them minor celebrities in Japan, a fact that surprised the Yoshida Brothers themselves. [1] They have since attracted an international audience.
Their music has been a fusion of the rapid and percussive Tsugaru-jamisen style along with Western and other regional musical influences. In addition to performing songs that are only on the shamisen, they also use modern instruments such as drums and synthesizers.[2]
The commercials for the Nintendo's Wii video game console that began airing in North America in November 2006 feature the Yoshida Brothers song, "Kodo (Inside the Sun Remix)."[3]
They are a pair of brothers and performers of the traditional Japanese music style of Tsugaru-jamisen which originated in northern Japan. They debuted in 1999 in Japan as a duo playing the shamisen. Their first album sold over 100,000 copies and made them minor celebrities in Japan, a fact that surprised the Yoshida Brothers themselves. [1] They have since attracted an international audience.
Their music has been a fusion of the rapid and percussive Tsugaru-jamisen style along with Western and other regional musical influences. In addition to performing songs that are only on the shamisen, they also use modern instruments such as drums and synthesizers.[2]
The commercials for the Nintendo's Wii video game console that began airing in North America in November 2006 feature the Yoshida Brothers song, "Kodo (Inside the Sun Remix)."[3]
Tibetan Buddhists also use the sand mandala as a symbol of devotion
HH Dagchen Sakya Rinpoche Closing the Hevajra Mandala Lam Dre Tharlam Monastery Boudha Nepal
Originally uploaded by Wonderlane
The term is of Hindu origin and appears in the Rig Veda as the name of the sections of the work, but is also used in other Indian religions, particularly Buddhism.
In the Tibetan branch of Vajrayana Buddhism, mandalas have been developed into sandpainting.
Japanese Stone Lantern typically found in gardens and shrines
The stone lantern was introduced to Japan at the same time as Buddhism, in the 6th century, says thejapaneseconnection.com.
The ishidoro (literally "stone lantern") is the most common type, gracing gardens, temples and shrines throughout Japan even today.
Typically made of granite or syenite, ishidoro come in many different sizes and shapes, but common to them all is a hollowed upper part, made to hold electric lights, candles, or oil lamps, lighted on special occasions.
The 2,000 ishidoro that line the approach to the Kasuga Shrine in Nara (see below photo) are perhaps the most well-known in Japan. They are lighted twice a year, for the lantern festivals held in February and August.
Secular use of the ishidoro did not begin in Japan until the 16th century, when tea ceremony masters began to use them to decorate their tea gardens. Today Ishidoro are a common feature of many private gardens throughout Japan. Sanskrit letters or Buddhist icons/scriptures are typically engraved on the ishidoro.
The ishidoro (literally "stone lantern") is the most common type, gracing gardens, temples and shrines throughout Japan even today.
Typically made of granite or syenite, ishidoro come in many different sizes and shapes, but common to them all is a hollowed upper part, made to hold electric lights, candles, or oil lamps, lighted on special occasions.
The 2,000 ishidoro that line the approach to the Kasuga Shrine in Nara (see below photo) are perhaps the most well-known in Japan. They are lighted twice a year, for the lantern festivals held in February and August.
Secular use of the ishidoro did not begin in Japan until the 16th century, when tea ceremony masters began to use them to decorate their tea gardens. Today Ishidoro are a common feature of many private gardens throughout Japan. Sanskrit letters or Buddhist icons/scriptures are typically engraved on the ishidoro.
Buddhism: the eight-spoked wheel is a symbol of the eight paths to enlightenment
Buddhism is based on The Four Noble Truths, says thebigview.com:
1. Life means suffering.
- To live means to suffer, because the human nature is not perfect and neither is the world we live in. During our lifetime, we inevitably have to endure physical suffering such as pain, sickness, injury, tiredness, old age, and eventually death; and we have to endure psychological suffering like sadness, fear, frustration, disappointment, and depression.
2. The origin of suffering is attachment (or craving).
- The reasons for suffering are desire, passion, ardour, pursuit of wealth and prestige, striving for fame and popularity, or in short: craving and clinging. Because the objects of our attachment are transient, their loss is inevitable, thus suffering will necessarily follow. Objects of attachment also include the idea of a "self" which is a delusion, because there is no abiding self. What we call "self" is just an imagined entity, and we are merely a part of the ceaseless becoming of the universe.
3. The cessation (stopping) of suffering is attainable.
- The cessation of suffering can be attained through nirodha. Nirodha means the unmaking of sensual craving and conceptual attachment. The third noble truth expresses the idea that suffering can be ended by attaining dispassion. Nirodha extinguishes all forms of clinging and attachment.
4. The path to nirvana and the cessation of suffering is through 8 ways of correct living.
- The path to the end of suffering is a gradual path of self-improvement. It is the middle way between the two extremes of excessive self-indulgence (hedonism) and excessive self-mortification (asceticism); and it leads to the end of the cycle of rebirth.
1. Life means suffering.
- To live means to suffer, because the human nature is not perfect and neither is the world we live in. During our lifetime, we inevitably have to endure physical suffering such as pain, sickness, injury, tiredness, old age, and eventually death; and we have to endure psychological suffering like sadness, fear, frustration, disappointment, and depression.
2. The origin of suffering is attachment (or craving).
- The reasons for suffering are desire, passion, ardour, pursuit of wealth and prestige, striving for fame and popularity, or in short: craving and clinging. Because the objects of our attachment are transient, their loss is inevitable, thus suffering will necessarily follow. Objects of attachment also include the idea of a "self" which is a delusion, because there is no abiding self. What we call "self" is just an imagined entity, and we are merely a part of the ceaseless becoming of the universe.
3. The cessation (stopping) of suffering is attainable.
- The cessation of suffering can be attained through nirodha. Nirodha means the unmaking of sensual craving and conceptual attachment. The third noble truth expresses the idea that suffering can be ended by attaining dispassion. Nirodha extinguishes all forms of clinging and attachment.
4. The path to nirvana and the cessation of suffering is through 8 ways of correct living.
- The path to the end of suffering is a gradual path of self-improvement. It is the middle way between the two extremes of excessive self-indulgence (hedonism) and excessive self-mortification (asceticism); and it leads to the end of the cycle of rebirth.
Sunday, May 02, 2010
British Petroleum Deepwater Horizon oil spill location and description
One official source of news of the oil spill is at the BP Spill Response site.
Background, based upon the NY Times, National Public Radio and the BP Spill site:
- Off-shore well platform exploded, killing 11.
- The shut-off valve that was supposed to keep the ocean safe from an oil spill after an explosion did not work.
- Because the well is 5000 ft under water, evaluating the spill has been difficult.
- The well is about 50 miles SE of the Mississippi River delta.
- At risk is Louisiana's a) marsh lands b) fish, animals and birds that spawn and inhabit the marshes c) the fishermen who bring the coastal shrimp, fish and oysters to market.
- the oil slick is also moving toward the coast of Alabama (Mobile Bay, Gulf Shores, Dauphin Island, etc) and Florida (Pensacola, Destin, Seaside, etc).
- British Petroleum (BP) is trying a) put a steel & concrete cap on the well b) drill an adjacent well which would control the broken well.
- BP has hired fishermen to use their vessels in oil clean-up operations.
- Gulf currents are such ( see the Gulf Stream) that the spill may drift eastward - bringing more petroleum pollution to the coast of Florida.
Background, based upon the NY Times, National Public Radio and the BP Spill site:
- Off-shore well platform exploded, killing 11.
- The shut-off valve that was supposed to keep the ocean safe from an oil spill after an explosion did not work.
- Because the well is 5000 ft under water, evaluating the spill has been difficult.
- The well is about 50 miles SE of the Mississippi River delta.
- At risk is Louisiana's a) marsh lands b) fish, animals and birds that spawn and inhabit the marshes c) the fishermen who bring the coastal shrimp, fish and oysters to market.
- the oil slick is also moving toward the coast of Alabama (Mobile Bay, Gulf Shores, Dauphin Island, etc) and Florida (Pensacola, Destin, Seaside, etc).
- British Petroleum (BP) is trying a) put a steel & concrete cap on the well b) drill an adjacent well which would control the broken well.
- BP has hired fishermen to use their vessels in oil clean-up operations.
- Gulf currents are such ( see the Gulf Stream) that the spill may drift eastward - bringing more petroleum pollution to the coast of Florida.
Would you like to construct a Japanese mini dry landscape garden? Indie work . . .
Indie work takes an unusual turn:
- Get some wood, glue and sand and construct a shallow tray which will become a Japanese Rock Garden.
Any size will do. It may be square or rectangular. I've got one which is 4" X 15" and sits easily on a shelf yet is very satisfying when the sand is being raked.
You can assemble the wood pieces using tiny nails or white glue.
The bottom of the tray may be made of light cardboard.
The sand may be fine or coarse. You may use pea gravel if you have built a larger tray.
We will be making the simple wooden rake out of pieces of chopsticks in class on Tues. The in-class model will be very basic. You may want to make a nicer one to go with the rock garden tray.
- up to 10 pts.
- An illustrated flyer containing basic info will be posted on campus alongside the Japanese Rock Garden project.
- Japanese gardens
- Zen Buddhism (or just Buddhism)
- map of Japan
- up to 6 pts.
- Get some wood, glue and sand and construct a shallow tray which will become a Japanese Rock Garden.
Any size will do. It may be square or rectangular. I've got one which is 4" X 15" and sits easily on a shelf yet is very satisfying when the sand is being raked.
You can assemble the wood pieces using tiny nails or white glue.
The bottom of the tray may be made of light cardboard.
The sand may be fine or coarse. You may use pea gravel if you have built a larger tray.
We will be making the simple wooden rake out of pieces of chopsticks in class on Tues. The in-class model will be very basic. You may want to make a nicer one to go with the rock garden tray.
- up to 10 pts.
- An illustrated flyer containing basic info will be posted on campus alongside the Japanese Rock Garden project.
- Japanese gardens
- Zen Buddhism (or just Buddhism)
- map of Japan
- up to 6 pts.
Saturday, May 01, 2010
Japanese mini dry landscape garden
Karesansui 枯山水 (dry landscape gardens, also known as rock gardens and waterless stream gardens) are typically associated with Zen Buddhism, and often found in the front or rear gardens at the residences (houjou 方丈) of Zen abbots.
The main elements of karesansui are rocks and sand, with the sea symbolized not by water but by sand raked in patterns that suggest rippling water.
Representative examples are the gardens of Ryoanji Temple in Kyoto.
The main elements of karesansui are rocks and sand, with the sea symbolized not by water but by sand raked in patterns that suggest rippling water.
Representative examples are the gardens of Ryoanji Temple in Kyoto.
Indie work: seeing parallells in the histories of Yamaha and Honda
Two of the world's great companies, Yamaha and Honda have fascinating and long histories.
The Honda Cub motorbike remains a workhorse vehicle worldwide.
The Honda Cub motorbike remains a workhorse vehicle worldwide.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Hard Working Substitute Wei: "Not One Less" Wei Essay
This essay was written by award-winning social studies student Kristi Tso.
As a 13 year old substitute, Wei has to try to keep all 28 of her students from running away in the movie "Not One Less." But trying to do so has been a much harder job than she had expected. You might ask why does this matter to her. It matters to her because if she is able to do so, she will be given an extra 10 yuan on top of the 50 yuan that she is earning for subbing for a month. Although 10 yuan is equal to about $10 USD, it is a lot of money in the poor economy of China.
With students that don't really care for an education, she has to try extra hard to keep them in school. But with a student who is talented in running (being able to run fast), she has run into an obstacle having to try to keep her in school, but eventually she isn't able to keep her. With already one lose, she doesn't believe that she will get the extra 10 yuan, but because the mayor and coach said that they'll talk to Teacher Gao and that he wouldn't be angry but instead proud. Now with another student running away to the city to try to earn money in their hard economy, she has to try hard to earn enough money to get to the city and back with the student, Zhang Huike. While trying to find ways to earn money, she is able to teach her students basic mathmatetics without even trying. But since the the fare is way too high and they can't earn even money, that doesn't stop her. While trying to find ways to earn money, she is able to teach her students basic mathmatetics without even trying. She walks most of the way to the city, hitching a few rides there, taking a whole day. Even though when she gets there and cannot find him with the group he came with, she doesn't quit looking, but instead becomes stubborn, not giving up.
As a 13 year old substitute, Wei has to try to keep all 28 of her students from running away in the movie "Not One Less." But trying to do so has been a much harder job than she had expected. You might ask why does this matter to her. It matters to her because if she is able to do so, she will be given an extra 10 yuan on top of the 50 yuan that she is earning for subbing for a month. Although 10 yuan is equal to about $10 USD, it is a lot of money in the poor economy of China.
With students that don't really care for an education, she has to try extra hard to keep them in school. But with a student who is talented in running (being able to run fast), she has run into an obstacle having to try to keep her in school, but eventually she isn't able to keep her. With already one lose, she doesn't believe that she will get the extra 10 yuan, but because the mayor and coach said that they'll talk to Teacher Gao and that he wouldn't be angry but instead proud. Now with another student running away to the city to try to earn money in their hard economy, she has to try hard to earn enough money to get to the city and back with the student, Zhang Huike. While trying to find ways to earn money, she is able to teach her students basic mathmatetics without even trying. But since the the fare is way too high and they can't earn even money, that doesn't stop her. While trying to find ways to earn money, she is able to teach her students basic mathmatetics without even trying. She walks most of the way to the city, hitching a few rides there, taking a whole day. Even though when she gets there and cannot find him with the group he came with, she doesn't quit looking, but instead becomes stubborn, not giving up.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
A quiz on the Odyssey of a Chinese Teen in Not One Less
The Odyssey of a Chinese Teen
1. The film addresses the ______ gap between urban and rural populations. a) cultural b) economic c) legislative d) language.
2. Given the following bureaucrats: the Mayor, the brick factory manager, the clerk at the TV station, the TV station manager and the restaurant manager, we should conclude that the movie's director sees bureaucrats as mostly negative forces. T / F
3. The film primarily addresses this issue: a) history of China b) poverty in China c) rural education d) difficulty of life in the cities.
4. Which one of these characters is not battling the drop-out problem? a) Teacher Gao b) the Mayor c) Teacher Wei d) Zhang Huike.
5. Which one of these characters seems to provide a sense of balance and moderation? a) Teacher Gao b) the Mayor c) Teacher Wei d) Zhang Huike.
6. Which one of these characters is the most frugal? a) Teacher Gao b) the Mayor c) Teacher Wei d) Zhang Huike.
7. Which one of these characters shows heroic obstinacy? a) Teacher Gao b) the Mayor c) Teacher Wei d) Zhang Huike.
8. Shuixian School is located near the city of a) Hong Kong b) Xi’an c) Beijing d) Shanghai.
9. Is the mass media portrayed as a benign or a destructive force in China? The movie seems to say the news media is a) positive b) negative c) not a major factor.
10. A symbol of pride in learning and in the efficient use of resources in the school is: a) sending swift runner of the class to the sports specialty school b) flag c) chalk d) singing the anthem in an orderly formation.
11. "Keeping kids in school is harder than teaching them." Quote from a) the Mayor b) Substitute Wei c) Teacher Gao d) Zhang Huike.
12. Concerns about _____ dominate most of the characters and much of the film. a) ethics b) honor c) culture d) money.
1. The film addresses the ______ gap between urban and rural populations. a) cultural b) economic c) legislative d) language.
2. Given the following bureaucrats: the Mayor, the brick factory manager, the clerk at the TV station, the TV station manager and the restaurant manager, we should conclude that the movie's director sees bureaucrats as mostly negative forces. T / F
3. The film primarily addresses this issue: a) history of China b) poverty in China c) rural education d) difficulty of life in the cities.
4. Which one of these characters is not battling the drop-out problem? a) Teacher Gao b) the Mayor c) Teacher Wei d) Zhang Huike.
5. Which one of these characters seems to provide a sense of balance and moderation? a) Teacher Gao b) the Mayor c) Teacher Wei d) Zhang Huike.
6. Which one of these characters is the most frugal? a) Teacher Gao b) the Mayor c) Teacher Wei d) Zhang Huike.
7. Which one of these characters shows heroic obstinacy? a) Teacher Gao b) the Mayor c) Teacher Wei d) Zhang Huike.
8. Shuixian School is located near the city of a) Hong Kong b) Xi’an c) Beijing d) Shanghai.
9. Is the mass media portrayed as a benign or a destructive force in China? The movie seems to say the news media is a) positive b) negative c) not a major factor.
10. A symbol of pride in learning and in the efficient use of resources in the school is: a) sending swift runner of the class to the sports specialty school b) flag c) chalk d) singing the anthem in an orderly formation.
11. "Keeping kids in school is harder than teaching them." Quote from a) the Mayor b) Substitute Wei c) Teacher Gao d) Zhang Huike.
12. Concerns about _____ dominate most of the characters and much of the film. a) ethics b) honor c) culture d) money.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Grab some chopsticks and bring them to class on Tues
Geo students will make mini rock garden rakes by cutting and gluing pieces of chopsticks in class on Tues.
Zen Buddhist monks rake the gravel or sand in Japanese rock gardens each day. Ordinary Japanese people also have raked dry gardens.
The Japanese rock gardens (karesansui) or "dry landscape" gardens, often called "Zen gardens" were influenced mainly by Zen Buddhism and can be found at Zen temples of meditation, says Wikipedia.
Japanese gardens are a living work of art in which the plants and trees are ever changing with the seasons. As they grow and mature, they are constantly sculpted to maintain and enhance the overall experience; hence, a Japanese garden is never the same and never really finished.
The underlying structure of a Japanese garden is determined by the buildings, verandas and terraces, paths, tsukiyama (artificial hills), and stone compositions. Over time, it is only as good as the careful maintenance that it receives by those skilled in the art of training and pruning. Part of the art is to keep the garden almost still, like a painting.
Karesansui gardens can be extremely abstract and represent (miniature) landscapes also called "mind-scapes". This Buddhist preferred way to express cosmic beauty in worldly environments is inextricable from Zen Buddhism.
Zen Buddhist monks rake the gravel or sand in Japanese rock gardens each day. Ordinary Japanese people also have raked dry gardens.
The Japanese rock gardens (karesansui) or "dry landscape" gardens, often called "Zen gardens" were influenced mainly by Zen Buddhism and can be found at Zen temples of meditation, says Wikipedia.
Japanese gardens are a living work of art in which the plants and trees are ever changing with the seasons. As they grow and mature, they are constantly sculpted to maintain and enhance the overall experience; hence, a Japanese garden is never the same and never really finished.
The underlying structure of a Japanese garden is determined by the buildings, verandas and terraces, paths, tsukiyama (artificial hills), and stone compositions. Over time, it is only as good as the careful maintenance that it receives by those skilled in the art of training and pruning. Part of the art is to keep the garden almost still, like a painting.
Karesansui gardens can be extremely abstract and represent (miniature) landscapes also called "mind-scapes". This Buddhist preferred way to express cosmic beauty in worldly environments is inextricable from Zen Buddhism.
This weekend: Artbreak, Night of One-Acts, Relay for Life
Recommended this weekend -
a) Artbreak: S'port Convention Center, Ap 30 - May 2
b) Magnet Drama Dept's Night of One-Acts, Fri, Ap 3o, 6:30 pm
c) Relay for Life / Am Cancer Society benefit @ Lee Hedges Stadium,
Fri, Ap 30, all night.
Music, food, walking, jogging, etc.
a) Artbreak: S'port Convention Center, Ap 30 - May 2
b) Magnet Drama Dept's Night of One-Acts, Fri, Ap 3o, 6:30 pm
c) Relay for Life / Am Cancer Society benefit @ Lee Hedges Stadium,
Fri, Ap 30, all night.
Music, food, walking, jogging, etc.
Drop outs often find their way into the criminal justice sustem
The United States has the highest documented incarceration rate in the world, says Wikipedia.
The USA also has the highest total documented prison and jail population in the world.[1][4][5]
2,304,115 people were incarcerated in U.S. prisons and jails in 2008.[3][7] In addition, according to a December 2009 BJS report, there were 92,854 held in juvenile facilities.
The USA also has the highest total documented prison and jail population in the world.[1][4][5]
2,304,115 people were incarcerated in U.S. prisons and jails in 2008.[3][7] In addition, according to a December 2009 BJS report, there were 92,854 held in juvenile facilities.
Not One Less quiz on Thurs: see previous questions on this site
An earlier post on MondoTrudeau offered some 19 questions to guide you in watching the movie. Please add those questions to your material for the quiz on Thurs.
Constructed response to the list of Japanese companies
Constructed response:
What is the larger significance of the 3 columns of Japanese product names on the board?
Answer: It is apparent that the Japanese have had a huge impact on the US and the world through the success of their consumer goods. From Sony to Honda, these companies are among the most trusted and valued in American life.
What is the larger significance of the 3 columns of Japanese product names on the board?
Answer: It is apparent that the Japanese have had a huge impact on the US and the world through the success of their consumer goods. From Sony to Honda, these companies are among the most trusted and valued in American life.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Making Tibetan Buddhist flags in geography class on Thurs
Please make sure you have colors with you on Thurs. After the quizzes we will make paper Tibetan Buddhist flags.
A prayer flag is a colorful panel or rectangular cloth often found strung along mountain ridges and peaks high in the Himalayas to bless the surrounding countryside or for other purposes, says Wikipedia.
There are two kinds of prayer flags: horizontal ones, called lung ta (meaning "Wind Horse") in Tibetan, and the vertical Darchor. "Dar" translates as "to increase life, fortune, health and wealth", "Cho" translates as "all sentient beings".[1]
Traditionally, prayer flags are used to promote peace, compassion, strength, and wisdom. The flags do not carry prayers to 'gods,' a common misconception; rather, the Tibetans believe the prayers and mantras will be blown by the wind to spread the good will and compassion into all pervading space. Therefore, prayer flags are thought to bring benefit to all.
Lung Ta (horizontal) prayer flags are of square or rectangular shape and are connected along their top edges to a long string or thread. They are commonly hung on a diagonal line from high to low between two objects (e.g., a rock and the top of a pole) in high places such as the tops of temples, monasteries, stupas or mountain passes.
Traditionally, prayer flags come in sets of five, one in each of five colors. The five colors represent the elements,[1] and the Five Pure Lights and are arranged from left to right in a specific order. Different elements are associated with different colors for specific traditions, purposes and sadhana:
* Blue (symbolizing sky/space)
* White (symbolizing air/wind)
* Red (symbolizing fire)
* Green (symbolizing water)
* Yellow (symbolizing earth)[1]
The center of a prayer flag traditionally features a "Ta" (powerful or strong horse) bearing three flaming jewels (specifically ratna) on its back. The Ta is a symbol of speed and the transformation of bad fortune to good fortune. The three flaming jewels symbolize the Buddha, the Dharma (Buddhist teachings), and the Sangha (Buddhist community), the three cornerstones of Tibetan philosophical tradition.
Surrounding the Ta are various versions of approximately 400 traditional mantras (powerful ritual utterances).
A prayer flag is a colorful panel or rectangular cloth often found strung along mountain ridges and peaks high in the Himalayas to bless the surrounding countryside or for other purposes, says Wikipedia.
There are two kinds of prayer flags: horizontal ones, called lung ta (meaning "Wind Horse") in Tibetan, and the vertical Darchor. "Dar" translates as "to increase life, fortune, health and wealth", "Cho" translates as "all sentient beings".[1]
Traditionally, prayer flags are used to promote peace, compassion, strength, and wisdom. The flags do not carry prayers to 'gods,' a common misconception; rather, the Tibetans believe the prayers and mantras will be blown by the wind to spread the good will and compassion into all pervading space. Therefore, prayer flags are thought to bring benefit to all.
Lung Ta (horizontal) prayer flags are of square or rectangular shape and are connected along their top edges to a long string or thread. They are commonly hung on a diagonal line from high to low between two objects (e.g., a rock and the top of a pole) in high places such as the tops of temples, monasteries, stupas or mountain passes.
Traditionally, prayer flags come in sets of five, one in each of five colors. The five colors represent the elements,[1] and the Five Pure Lights and are arranged from left to right in a specific order. Different elements are associated with different colors for specific traditions, purposes and sadhana:
* Blue (symbolizing sky/space)
* White (symbolizing air/wind)
* Red (symbolizing fire)
* Green (symbolizing water)
* Yellow (symbolizing earth)[1]
The center of a prayer flag traditionally features a "Ta" (powerful or strong horse) bearing three flaming jewels (specifically ratna) on its back. The Ta is a symbol of speed and the transformation of bad fortune to good fortune. The three flaming jewels symbolize the Buddha, the Dharma (Buddhist teachings), and the Sangha (Buddhist community), the three cornerstones of Tibetan philosophical tradition.
Surrounding the Ta are various versions of approximately 400 traditional mantras (powerful ritual utterances).
Monday, April 26, 2010
The NY Times describes 36 hours in Kyoto, the imperial capital of Japan
The NY Times travel story by Jaime Gross opens thusly -
KYOTO, the former imperial capital of Japan, is a vibrant mash-up, an ancient city electrified by the breathtakingly new. Cruise the futuristic food halls of a department store, gaping at the perfect fruit and glistening sea creatures, before zipping up to the traditional floor, with its kimonos and tea ceremony implements.
See 2,000 ancient temples and shrines, then dine at a sleekly modern restaurant. Glimpse a geisha gliding down a cobblestone lane, bracketed by wooden machiya houses, and feel yourself catapulted to the 18th century — until you see her duck into a very 21st-century taxi, with a passenger door that opens and shuts automatically.
See more here.
KYOTO, the former imperial capital of Japan, is a vibrant mash-up, an ancient city electrified by the breathtakingly new. Cruise the futuristic food halls of a department store, gaping at the perfect fruit and glistening sea creatures, before zipping up to the traditional floor, with its kimonos and tea ceremony implements.
See 2,000 ancient temples and shrines, then dine at a sleekly modern restaurant. Glimpse a geisha gliding down a cobblestone lane, bracketed by wooden machiya houses, and feel yourself catapulted to the 18th century — until you see her duck into a very 21st-century taxi, with a passenger door that opens and shuts automatically.
See more here.
Product placement in Not One Less: Coca-Cola China
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines internationally. The Coca-Cola Company claims that the beverage is sold in more than 200 countries.[1] It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company in Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke, writes Wikipedia.
Originally intended as a patent medicine when it was invented in the late 19th century by John Pemberton, Coca-Cola was bought out by businessman Asa Griggs Candler, whose marketing tactics led Coke to its dominance of the world soft-drink market throughout the 20th century.
The first sales were at Jacob's Pharmacy in Atlanta, Georgia, on May 8, 1886.[8] It was initially sold as a patent medicine for five cents[9] a glass at soda fountains, which were popular in the United States at the time due to the belief that carbonated water was good for the health.[10] Pemberton claimed Coca-Cola cured many diseases, including morphine addiction, dyspepsia, neurasthenia, headache, and impotence.
Coca-Cola was sold in bottles for the first time in 1894. The first outdoor wall advertisement was painted in the same year in Cartersville, Georgia.[18] Cans of Coke first appeared in 1955.[19] The first bottling of Coca-Cola occurred in Vicksburg, Mississippi, at the Biedenharn Candy Company in 1891.
Pemberton called for five ounces of coca leaf per gallon of syrup, a significant dose; in 1891, Candler claimed his formula (altered extensively from Pemberton's original) contained only a tenth of this amount. Coca-Cola did once contain an estimated nine milligrams of cocaine per glass, but in 1903 it was removed.[31] Coca-Cola still contains coca flavoring.
Originally intended as a patent medicine when it was invented in the late 19th century by John Pemberton, Coca-Cola was bought out by businessman Asa Griggs Candler, whose marketing tactics led Coke to its dominance of the world soft-drink market throughout the 20th century.
The first sales were at Jacob's Pharmacy in Atlanta, Georgia, on May 8, 1886.[8] It was initially sold as a patent medicine for five cents[9] a glass at soda fountains, which were popular in the United States at the time due to the belief that carbonated water was good for the health.[10] Pemberton claimed Coca-Cola cured many diseases, including morphine addiction, dyspepsia, neurasthenia, headache, and impotence.
Coca-Cola was sold in bottles for the first time in 1894. The first outdoor wall advertisement was painted in the same year in Cartersville, Georgia.[18] Cans of Coke first appeared in 1955.[19] The first bottling of Coca-Cola occurred in Vicksburg, Mississippi, at the Biedenharn Candy Company in 1891.
Pemberton called for five ounces of coca leaf per gallon of syrup, a significant dose; in 1891, Candler claimed his formula (altered extensively from Pemberton's original) contained only a tenth of this amount. Coca-Cola did once contain an estimated nine milligrams of cocaine per glass, but in 1903 it was removed.[31] Coca-Cola still contains coca flavoring.
Thurs reading comprehension quiz on Not One Less and map quiz on Nippon
In preparation for the open notes quiz on Thurs, please print out or take notes on 3 sections of the material on Not One Less found on Wikipedia.
a) the intro
b) plot
c) themes
Map quiz on Nippon, the Land of the Rising Sun, aka Japan.
Use 10 identifications.
1. S Korea
2. China
3. Russia
4. Kyushu
5. Shikoku
6. Honshu
7. Hokkaido
8. Sea of Japan
9. Pacific
10. Nagasaki
11. Hiroshima
12. Kyoto
13. Tokyo
14. Mt Fuji (Fuji-san)
a) the intro
b) plot
c) themes
Map quiz on Nippon, the Land of the Rising Sun, aka Japan.
Use 10 identifications.
1. S Korea
2. China
3. Russia
4. Kyushu
5. Shikoku
6. Honshu
7. Hokkaido
8. Sea of Japan
9. Pacific
10. Nagasaki
11. Hiroshima
12. Kyoto
13. Tokyo
14. Mt Fuji (Fuji-san)
Friday, April 23, 2010
Vietnam vet interview: 15 pts / Book report: 20 pts
This weekend you should check to see whether you have filed your
1) 2nd sem book report (20 pts)
and / or
2) Vietnam veteran interview (15 pts)
on a Google Doc entitled Book Report (or the book title)
or Vietnam Vet (or something equivalent).
Both are required in this semester's average.
1) 2nd sem book report (20 pts)
and / or
2) Vietnam veteran interview (15 pts)
on a Google Doc entitled Book Report (or the book title)
or Vietnam Vet (or something equivalent).
Both are required in this semester's average.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
The First Emperor Quiz
1. The life of Shi Huang Di: a) 1200 BCE b) 200 AD c) 200 BCE .
2. Shi Huang Di’s version of the Great Wall was called a “precursor” to the later Great Wall. Precursor means
a) earlier version b) smaller example c) moveable pointer.
3. A tomb may also be called a : a) monument b) mound c) subterranean
d) mausoleum.
4. As a ruthless autocrat the First Emperor banned writing by __. a) Lao Tzu b) Tao c) Buddha d) Confucius.
5. The importance of his reign is intact after 2 millennium. That would be some a) 2 hundred b) 2 thousand c) 2 million years.
6. As a young king, Huangdi began construction on a) roads b) canals c) obelisks d) his mausoleum.
7. When a youth becomes king he usually has a powerful member of the court who acts as his guide to decision-making. That person’s title? a) proxy b) consort c) regent d) caretaker.
8. Shi Huang Di’s period of rule was preceded by a period of civil war known as a) Troubles b) Confucian c) Primitive d) Warring states.
9. Shi Huang Di unified China economically by standardizing the Chinese units of measurements such as weights and measures, the currency, the length of the axles of carts (so every cart could run smoothly in the ruts of the new roads). He also standardized the writing. T / F
10. Shi Huang Di seriously sought the elixir of life, a magical potion which reputedly would enable him to achieve immortality.
What is an elixir? a) a pool of magical water b) alchemist's mixture c) health-giving drink d) hallucinogenic drug.
11. The huge terra cotta army buried with Shi Huang Di lies near which city? a) Beijing b) Shanghai c) Hong Kong d) Xi’an.
12. In one of his greatest construction projects, the Emperor Qin commanded the building of the Ling Qu __ .
a) bridge b) tunnel c) canal d) pagoda.
2. Shi Huang Di’s version of the Great Wall was called a “precursor” to the later Great Wall. Precursor means
a) earlier version b) smaller example c) moveable pointer.
3. A tomb may also be called a : a) monument b) mound c) subterranean
d) mausoleum.
4. As a ruthless autocrat the First Emperor banned writing by __. a) Lao Tzu b) Tao c) Buddha d) Confucius.
5. The importance of his reign is intact after 2 millennium. That would be some a) 2 hundred b) 2 thousand c) 2 million years.
6. As a young king, Huangdi began construction on a) roads b) canals c) obelisks d) his mausoleum.
7. When a youth becomes king he usually has a powerful member of the court who acts as his guide to decision-making. That person’s title? a) proxy b) consort c) regent d) caretaker.
8. Shi Huang Di’s period of rule was preceded by a period of civil war known as a) Troubles b) Confucian c) Primitive d) Warring states.
9. Shi Huang Di unified China economically by standardizing the Chinese units of measurements such as weights and measures, the currency, the length of the axles of carts (so every cart could run smoothly in the ruts of the new roads). He also standardized the writing. T / F
10. Shi Huang Di seriously sought the elixir of life, a magical potion which reputedly would enable him to achieve immortality.
What is an elixir? a) a pool of magical water b) alchemist's mixture c) health-giving drink d) hallucinogenic drug.
11. The huge terra cotta army buried with Shi Huang Di lies near which city? a) Beijing b) Shanghai c) Hong Kong d) Xi’an.
12. In one of his greatest construction projects, the Emperor Qin commanded the building of the Ling Qu __ .
a) bridge b) tunnel c) canal d) pagoda.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Not One Less created by one of China's most successful directors, Zhang Yimou
Zhang Yimou (born November 14, 1951) is an internationally acclaimed Chinese filmmaker and former cinematographer.
One of Zhang's recurrent themes is a celebration of the resilience, even the stubbornness, of Chinese people in the face of hardships and adversities, a theme which has occurred from To Live (1994) through to Not One Less (1999).
His works are particularly noted for their use of colour, as can be seen in his early trilogy (like Raise the Red Lantern) or in his wuxia films such as Hero and House of Flying Daggers.
One of Zhang's recurrent themes is a celebration of the resilience, even the stubbornness, of Chinese people in the face of hardships and adversities, a theme which has occurred from To Live (1994) through to Not One Less (1999).
His works are particularly noted for their use of colour, as can be seen in his early trilogy (like Raise the Red Lantern) or in his wuxia films such as Hero and House of Flying Daggers.
Final exam schedule May 25 - 27, 2010
Tues, May 25 -
- 8:30 - 8:40 / Ch One
- 8:45 - 10:30 / 3rd hr exam
- 10:30 - 10:40 / break
- 10:45 - 12:30 / 4th hr exam
- 12:30 students are dismissed to car pools
- 12:30 - 1:00 / lunch in cafeteria followed by bus pick up.
Wed, May 26
same as above
- 1st hr exam at 8:45
- 5th hr exam at 10:45
Thurs, May 27
- 2nd hr exam
- 6th hr exam
Students may not leave the classroom during exam testing periods.
Exam must count as 20% of semester grade.
Report cards will be mailed.
- 8:30 - 8:40 / Ch One
- 8:45 - 10:30 / 3rd hr exam
- 10:30 - 10:40 / break
- 10:45 - 12:30 / 4th hr exam
- 12:30 students are dismissed to car pools
- 12:30 - 1:00 / lunch in cafeteria followed by bus pick up.
Wed, May 26
same as above
- 1st hr exam at 8:45
- 5th hr exam at 10:45
Thurs, May 27
- 2nd hr exam
- 6th hr exam
Students may not leave the classroom during exam testing periods.
Exam must count as 20% of semester grade.
Report cards will be mailed.
Wei Minzhi in Zhang Yimou's movie Not One Less
Not One Less, a story of China
1) Not One Less is a movie whose dialogue is in a) Mandarin Chinese b) Cantonese Chinese c) Rural Chinese.
In the following prompts choose between a. Teacher Gao b) the Mayor c) Teacher Wei d) Zhang Huike.
2) Most frugal character.
3) Battling the drop-out rate.
4) Money conscious.
5) Menial work.
6) Moderating influence.
7) Strongest allegiance.
8) Stubborn.
9) Happy-go-lucky.
10) Philosophical and accepting.
11) Chinese currency: a) yuan b) yen c) Chinese dollar.
12) Shuixian School is located near a) Xi’an b) Beijing c) Shanghai.
13) Symbol of pride in learning and efficient use of resources in the school: a) sending swift runner of the class to the sports specialty school b) flag c) chalk.
14) Type of humor which crosses cultural borders: a) religious b) political c) scatalogical d) sarcasm.
15) The director of Not One Less: a) Jet Li b) Zhang Huike c) Zhang Yimou d) Shi Huang Di.
16) Substitute Wei is about age a) 12 b) 13 c) 15 d) 17.
17) Why do 5 students sleep in the schoolroom? a) they live too far away to walk to school each day b) saving their money for college
c) paying off family debt by work at the school.
18) "Keeping kids in school is harder than teaching them." Quote from
a) the mayor b) Wei c) Teacher Gao.
19) The manager of the brick factory donates money to Wei and her class and says, "Call me a philanthropist." a) Person who sees the bad in life but tries to remain good. b) Person who is philosophical about life c) Person who gives generously to public causes.
1) Not One Less is a movie whose dialogue is in a) Mandarin Chinese b) Cantonese Chinese c) Rural Chinese.
In the following prompts choose between a. Teacher Gao b) the Mayor c) Teacher Wei d) Zhang Huike.
2) Most frugal character.
3) Battling the drop-out rate.
4) Money conscious.
5) Menial work.
6) Moderating influence.
7) Strongest allegiance.
8) Stubborn.
9) Happy-go-lucky.
10) Philosophical and accepting.
11) Chinese currency: a) yuan b) yen c) Chinese dollar.
12) Shuixian School is located near a) Xi’an b) Beijing c) Shanghai.
13) Symbol of pride in learning and efficient use of resources in the school: a) sending swift runner of the class to the sports specialty school b) flag c) chalk.
14) Type of humor which crosses cultural borders: a) religious b) political c) scatalogical d) sarcasm.
15) The director of Not One Less: a) Jet Li b) Zhang Huike c) Zhang Yimou d) Shi Huang Di.
16) Substitute Wei is about age a) 12 b) 13 c) 15 d) 17.
17) Why do 5 students sleep in the schoolroom? a) they live too far away to walk to school each day b) saving their money for college
c) paying off family debt by work at the school.
18) "Keeping kids in school is harder than teaching them." Quote from
a) the mayor b) Wei c) Teacher Gao.
19) The manager of the brick factory donates money to Wei and her class and says, "Call me a philanthropist." a) Person who sees the bad in life but tries to remain good. b) Person who is philosophical about life c) Person who gives generously to public causes.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Bonus credit for attending Shakespeare in the Centenary Band Shell on Th, Ap 22, Fri, Ap 23, 8 pm
The Tempest is a play by William Shakespeare about magic and about men stranded because of a shipwreck.
Performances of The Tempest by drama students at Centenary College are free to high school students on Th and Fri, Ap 22 - 23.
The site is outdoors; it is the Band Shell in the middle of the Centenary campus.
Bonus credit for attending!
More info from assistant professor of drama Emily Heugatter:
eheugatt@centenary.edu
Performances of The Tempest by drama students at Centenary College are free to high school students on Th and Fri, Ap 22 - 23.
The site is outdoors; it is the Band Shell in the middle of the Centenary campus.
Bonus credit for attending!
More info from assistant professor of drama Emily Heugatter:
eheugatt@centenary.edu
Week of Ap 18: Quiz on Wed and presentation on Fri: either Master Kung (Confucius) or Kublai Khan
Open notes quiz on Wed:
a) Qin Shi huang di
b) early Chinese technology
c) geography of China and East Asia from your atlas
No map quiz.
Research and production of a presentation on one of the figures below (Mon and Wed in lib) to be presented via a Google Doc on Fri:
a) the teachings of Confucius
b) the conquests of Kublai Khan
12 pts: include 6 images w bulleted info, including a map of China.
a) Qin Shi huang di
b) early Chinese technology
c) geography of China and East Asia from your atlas
No map quiz.
Research and production of a presentation on one of the figures below (Mon and Wed in lib) to be presented via a Google Doc on Fri:
a) the teachings of Confucius
b) the conquests of Kublai Khan
12 pts: include 6 images w bulleted info, including a map of China.
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