The End of an Era

Journal 4-6

I.
               After all of our discussions about psychics last week, I was very curious as to is currently the most famous psychic? Who is the most famous of all time? After much research, the answers have been found!
               Since everyone has their own opinions as to who is the "most famous", I have looked at a variety of sources and compared the results. America's most famous psychics of all time are Daniel Douglas Homes, Jeanne Dixon, and Tana Hoy (whom is still alive).The most famous "psychic" of today happens to be Paul the Octopus, who was made famous during the World Cup where he correctly predicted the outcome of all of Germany's 7 games as well as the outcome of the final match..

II.
                This past week in Ethic's Class was a very interesting final week. We covered topics ranging from our Heroic Imagination Projects, to Mr. C's last lecture. All in all, I couldn't have asked for a better final week of class!
                We spent two class periods this week talking about our Heroic Imagination Projects. I thought that it was a good idea to have these classes to discuss our projects, instead of just ending the year without discussing them. I really liked my group's project idea, and I think that some other groups had some great ideas as well. My suggestions for next year, would be to start at the beginning of the year, as opposed to the end of the year like we did. Also, just for the first couple of years, I would suggest downsizing the project a bit. Instead of changing the world on the first project students have ever created, maybe try to change the community or state until more knowledge and experience is gained to impact the world. Also, I would suggest devoting some more time in class for the projects, because it is extremely difficult to organize a meeting outside if school. All in all, I think that it went pretty decently for the first time through, but I know that everyone has learned the changes that need to be made for success next year!

                I just wanted to spend the last paragraph of my journal to talk about Ethic's class in general over the year. I really enjoyed being there and seeing Mr. C's bright and smiling face everyday!!! Everyday, this class really made me think and question the world around me. I learned so much that I didn't know before in this class, and I am so glad that you were my teacher Mr. C! Thank you for everything!

III.
               Since this is my last journal entry, I will not have a question to be answered for next week....
But,

 Leadership on Segways!!!

I couldn't resist.

Sources

America's most famous psychics and their abilities. (2011, June 4). Retrieved from http://www.streetdirectory.com/etoday/americas-most-famous-psychics-and-their-abilities-wolfjw.html 


Ethics. (2011, June 4). Retrieved from http://www.ethicsconsultation.net/

How segways work. (2011, June 4). Retrieved from http://science.howstuffworks.com/engineering/civil/ginger.htm


Most famous psychics in pop culture. (2011, June 4). Retrieved from http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/jul/14/list-psychics-popular-culture-all-time/

World cup 2010: paul the octopus wins punters a few squid - by correctly predicting yet another german result. (2011, June 4). Retrieved from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/worldcup2010/article-1293021/WORLD-CUP-2010-Paul-psychic-Octopus-correctly-predicts-German-result.html

Signing off.

Psychics!

Journal 4-5

I.
                Last week we spent a lot of time talking about the ethics of magic and magicians. I was very interested this topic, and after seeing many magicians perform, I was curious as to who were the top magicians of all time. After much research, the answers have been found!

               The list of the top three magicians varies from source to source, but after looking at the results of several polls, I have found the most common top three. Number 1 : David Copperfield. Number 2: Jonathan and Charlotte Pendragon. Number 3: Criss Angel.  

II.
              Last week in Ethic's Class was a very interesting and informative week, even though we did not have many classes. We continued our discussion of magicians and magic tricks, but we also began discussing the ethics of psychics. All in all, it was a great week!

              I thought that the most interesting part of the week was the documentary we watched on the ethics of psychics. I knew very little about mind reading and psychology, so this movie was very informative. I thought it was hilarious when the psychics were proven wrong! I had two favorite examples in this documentary. One was when Uri Geller was made a fool of on live television. It was even more remarkable that his career was not ruined by it! Another favorite was when the two ladies from Britain were trying to read the picture of the criminal. They were proven to be frauds because they could not even see that he was a mass murderer! I really loved how the host was able to mock the field of magic, while doing it in a comedic way that made the documentary very entertaining!  All in all, it was a very entertaining documentary and it was my favorite one of the year! I am so glad that we watched it!

               In class, everyone did not have a chance to speak their minds about psychics, so I will do so now. Personally, I think that all so-called psychics are frauds. I totally believe that there is no such thing as a sixth sense, and that people possessing supernatural powers is completely ridiculous! I have never seen anything to make me believe that such things are true, and until I do I will continue to deny their existence. Who knows, there maybe someone in the world that actually may have a sixth sense, but the chance of this happening is very slim to none.


III.
                After all of this talk about psychics, I am very interested in learning more about psychics. Who is currently the most famous psychic? Who is the most famous of all time?

Please stay tuned for the answer next week!

Sources

5 greatest magicians of all time. (2010, September 30). Retrieved from http://www.blindloop.com/index.php/2010/09/5-greatest-magicians-of-all-time/

Crazy town. (2011, May 25). Retrieved from http://crazytownmayor.com/blog/781/manic-monday/ 

Joke pranks blog. (2011, May 25). Retrieved from http://jokesprank.com/blog/funny-jokes/hilarious-psychic-jokes-psychic-tarot-jokes-funny-astrology-jokes.html

Uri geller. (2011, May 25). Retrieved from http://www.uri-geller.com/dates_archive_01.htm

Illegals and Magicians

Journal 4-4

I.
               After watching Outsourced last week, I was very interested in the financial state of India. How many people are unemployed, and how many live in poverty? After much research, the answers have been found!

               India is estimated to hold one third of the world's poor. According to a World Bank study in 2005, 42% of India falls below the international poverty line, or over 456 million people. Despite this high number, the poverty level has actually significantly dropped from 61% in 1981.


II.
              This past week in Ethic's Class, we covered a variety of topics. We first talked about illegal immigration when we watched another 30 Days video. Also later in the week, we discussed and learned about the topic and art of magic by watching a punch of little videos. All in all it was a very interesting and informative week!

               The most controversial thing we talked about last week was the topic of illegal immigration. We watched the television episode where the "Minute Man" lived with the illegal immigrants. First of, how they found illegal immigrants that we willing to participate is a miracle to me. They could get deported for that, and I am pretty sure that the television show can get in huge legal trouble for knowing and not doing anything about it. Another heated issue in the class was the fact that the daughter was applying for college and for scholarships. Everyone was upset that she could do this when she was here illegally and have never paid taxes. She ended up not getting into her dream school, which I guess can be considered karma. Also I can only assume that she did not get her scholarship as well because at the end of the documentary, it states that she is attending a local community college.(not the one that she opens the letter from and I guess can not afford without the scholarship.) All in all, I  guess justice was served in a round about way for the family's illegal status. Personally I do not think that they should be granted amnesty, and to teach them a lesson, they should be deported. I do however think that the government needs to make the process of gaining citizenship or a green card much easier.

               Also this past week, we discussed the topic of magic, which was one of my favorite parts! Not everyone got a chance to speak about their views, so I will do so now. I personally love magic and think that it is very fascinating. I will probably never be able to do it, partially because my hand-eye coordination is not the strongest, but I admire all magicians. Some people can call them liars or frauds for a variety of reasons. True, the "magic" they do isn't really magic, but the stunts they preform are truly magical. Yes, they do deceive and  lie to the public, but it is not in a bad mindset; it is only for fun! All in all, it was a great week, and I can't wait to learn and discuss more about magic!


III.
            After talking a lot about magicians, I was very curious as to who are the most famous magicians in history? Who are the top 3 ?

Please stay tuned for the answer next week!

Sources

Illegal immigration. (2011, May 17). Retrieved from http://img279.imageshack.us/img279/3573/ramirezapr302006web8jj.jpg
Penn and teller. (2011, May 17). Retrieved from http://hubpages.com/hub/Penn--Teller-Bullsht-is-Bullshyt

Poor in india. (2010, June 11). Retrieved from http://www.teluguwave.net/news/nation-international-news/8-indian-states-have-more-poor-than-26-poorest-african-nations.html/attachment/poor-in-india_26

Poverty in india. (2011, May 17). Retrieved from http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Poverty_in_India

Outsourced

I.

                After watching the film "Promises" last week, I am very curious as to how the children are doing now. What has happened to them after the updates in 2004? After much research, the answers have unfortunately not been found. 

               I have searched and searched and have been unable to find an update on the status of the children past the update that was done in 2004. This leads me to believe that the film makers may have been denied filming access or the children simply did not want to participate any more as they grew older. As seen in the other updates in the film, the children became less and less willing to meet with one another, and this may be why they did not do an update.

 

II.

 

                Due to AP Testing and the SCA Teacher Appreciation Breakfast, I was only able to be in Ethic’s class for one day! On that Thursday that I was in class though, we watched and discussed the documentary Outsourced. All in all, it was a very interesting and informative day of class!

                Outsourced  is an episode of a television show called 30 Days, where people are forced to live in environments for thirty days that are completely opposite from what they are accustomed to. In Outsourced, a former employee of an outsourced company lives in India with a family that does the same job as he used to. It was very interesting to see the difference in the qualities of life between the Indian and American people, even the difference between different Indian people! I had seen pictures before about the poverty in India, but I never knew that people who actually had jobs and families lived in the slums! I always thought it was the unemployed that lived there! It was a truly eye-opening experience to me as well as the people involved with the documentary. 

                Since I wasn’t there on Friday, I was not able to discuss the documentary that in depth. I thought I would take the time now to state my opinion on outsourcing jobs.  Before watching this documentary, I was totally against it. I thought that it was extremely wrong to give jobs away to people who are overseas. I didn’t think that it was right for people to be robbed of their jobs, nor did I think that the people overseas deserved the jobs. After watching the documentary though, I partially changed my mind. After seeing the poverty and despair in other countries, I do feel that others deserve the outsourced jobs. One job in the US would be the equivalent of giving fifteen other people jobs in India. I do, however, feel that it is wrong to lay off American workers, so now I feel for both sides of the situation. I am kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place because I don’t know which side I feel for more. 

III.

 

                After watching Outsourced, I am very interested in the financial state of India. How many people are unemployed? How many people live in poverty? 

Please stay tuned for the answer next week.  

Sources

Morgan spurlock’s “30 days”. (2008, June 14). Retrieved from http://beastandbean.wordpress.com/2008/06/14/morgan-spurlocks-30-days/ 

Outsourced. (2011, May 8). Retrieved from http://certifiedrandom.com/sites/certifiedrandom.com/files/u1/0806outsourced.jpg 

Promises. (2011, May 8). Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/pov/promises/  

The promises film project. (2011, May 8). Retrieved from http://www.promisesproject.org/index.html 

Poverty reduction. (2011, May 8). Retrieved from http://www.agricultureinformation.com/mag/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/poverty-reduction4.jpg  

Promises

Journal 4-2

I.
               About a month ago, we discussed JR and his art projects. After a lot of talk, I became very curious as to what he was up to now? What is is next big idea? After much research, the answers have been found!

              JR is still up to his old art styles and looks to be continuing in that direction for quite some time. One of his most recent projects was called Los Surcos de la Ciudad project or The Wrinkles of the City in English.  His inspiration was based on an encounter in Cartagena, Spain, where its elderly whom were considered to be the memory or history of the city. JR took pictures of their wrinkles and marks of time and pasted them along the buildings and streets of old Cartagena. It serves as "a living memory of a city changing faster than they themselves age." This project originated in Spain, and currently has reached Shanghai, China, as part of the Biennial at The Shanghai Art Museum.

II.
               Since my past blog update, we have covered a wide range of topics in Ethic's Class. These topics range from computer programs that are designed to cure cancer to movies about children in war torn countries. All in all, it was a very interesting and informative period of time!

               My favorite part of this time period was the viewing of the documentary "Promises". This is a film that is centered around Palestinian and Israeli children who are growing up in the middle of the Palestinian-Israeli land conflict. At the beginning of the movie, I thought that it was very interesting to see how strong and severe some of the children's views were. It is very sad that they were taught the need to kill others instead of compromising. It was also very interesting to see their views change over time as well, especially in the Bonus Features! As the children matured, they became less and less for compromise and peace, and more for beating the other ethnicity by any means possible. It was very apparent that they were turning into the adults that they had originally criticized!

               Everyone did not get a chance to speak their views about the movie in class, so I will take the opportunity to do so now! At the beginning of the film, the twins were my favorite characters. I feel that they were the most moderate and least ingrained with false ideas. I was very shocked and upset to see that they ended up becoming the very thing that they originally never thought of becoming! They became soldiers that may have easily killed the Palestinian loves ones of their old friends! I understand their desire to help their country, but I honestly can't believe that they would turn against their friends after they swore they wouldn't!

III.
               After watching the film "Promises", I am very curious as to how the children are doing now. What has happened to them after the updates in 2004?

Please stay tuned for the answer next week!


Sources

Jr (artist). (2011, March 30). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JR_%28artist%29#2010

Ronsee, E. (2008, June 15). will and goodwill, policies and promises. Retrieved from http://www.documentaryfilms.net/index.php/will-and-goodwill-policies-and-promises/ 


Shahad, Initials. (2011, April 2). The wrinkles of the city shanghai // jr. Retrieved from http://visualtherapyonline.com/2011/04/02/the-wrinkles-of-the-city-shanghai-jr/ 


The promises film project. (2011, April 27). Retrieved from http://www.promisesproject.org/index.html

Art from the Heart

Journal 4-1

I.
               Last week I was very curious as to how the Artinians from Sound and Fury were doing today. After lots of research, an exact answer has not been found.
               I have read through the Sound and Fury website, as well as many, many other sources, and a direct response to this question has not been found. I assume that the Artinians want to live their lives free from the media, so they do not publish a lot of updates. I did find one recent picture though; it is shown below. Who knows, maybe they will make another documentary again soon?

II.
               This past week in Ethic's Class was a very interesting and diverse one. At the beginning of the week, we talked about turning the world inside out through art, and the film Promises. We also spent some time talking about our HIP projects, and we had a very special guest speaker come in to talk to us about grant writing. All in all, it was a very interesting week in class!

               This week we covered so much, so it is hard to choose my favorite topic! After thinking about it though, I would probably have to say that JR's TED Talk was one of my favorite activities. I had never heard of this idea before, and I thought it was really amazing! I thought it was neat to see him turn from illegal graffiti to multifunctional art! I thought that the comparison portraits of Palestinians and Israelis were very interesting and tied very well into our next topic! I can't believe that the people in the film couldn't distinguish between the two, but still hated the opposite culture! How can you hate someone if you don't even know who they are?!? I think that goes to show the ridiculousness of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict!

                On Friday, the "official grant guru" came in to talk to us about writing grants. We didn't really have a chance to discuss our thoughts in class since we ran up to the bell. Before Friday, I didn't really have a good idea as to how complex grants are! I knew they were long, but I didn't know that there were extremely strict guidelines! I also didn't know that you could go to jail if you didn't fulfill your idea!!! I thought that she had a ton of valuable information, as well as many new ideas and resources that could help us with our projects.
 
III.
               After a lot of talk about JR and is art projects, I am curious as to what he is to now? What is his next big idea?

Please stay tuned for the answer next week!

Sources

Inside out project. (2011, April 9). Retrieved from http://platinumcheese.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/riojr2.jpg

Inside out project:a global art project. (2011, April 9). Retrieved from http://www.insideoutproject.net/ 

Photo gallery. (2011, April 9). Retrieved from http://www.soundandfuryfilm.com/sixyears/index.php?section=photos 

Promesses. (2011, April 9). Retrieved from http://www.cinemagora.co.uk/ movie-4143-promises.html 

ASL, Deafness, and Implants... Oh my!

Journal 3-9

I.
               Last week after a lot after a lot of talk about the Deaf community, I was very curious about the deaf population. I wondered how many people in this world are deaf? After much research the answer has been found!
               There are over 250,000,000 deaf or hard of hearing people in the world, and  there are over 16,000,000 deaf or hard of hearing people in America! That's a lot of people!

Here is an interesting graph I found!

II.
               Unfortunately I was not in school last week, so I missed an entire week of Ethic's Class! (Consequently this journal entry will be in a slightly different format.) On my own though, I finished watching Sound and Fury and Sound and Fury 6 Years Later. Both of these documentaries were very informative, as well as entertaining!

               After watching the last 15 minutes of Sounds and Fury, I was partially satisfied and partially angry. As mentioned in my last blog, I totally support cochlear implants. I think that they are a great resource for deaf children, and they provide unlimited opportunities in the future. I was very glad that one family decided to get their children implanted, and I was even more excited to see the results! It was truly touching to see the young boy hear for the first time! I was, however, upset that Heather was denied an implant, even though she wanted one. I could almost feel her pain as her potential future was stripped away from her! It was absolutely devastating!

                After that documentary, I also watched the sequel. When I figured out that Heather received her implant, I was so excited for her! I was so happy!!! I was even more shocked when I learned that her mother also got one, even after her protest 6 years earlier. It was amazing to see Heather learn to talk and hear like a normal child! Even though her voice does sound a little strange at some points, she has progressed so much since we saw her in the last documentary! This sequel documentary clearly supports the implants and shows all of the benefits of having one. I was also happy that it made the point that implanted children easily and cohesively lived in both the deaf and hearing worlds, which was a big issue before. All in all, both of these films were by far the best documentaries that we have watched thus far!

III.
               After watching both Sounds and Fury and the sequel, I am very curious as to how the Artinians are doing today?

Please stay tuned for the answer nest week!


Sources

A hearing person. (2010, October 8). Retrieved from http://journeyindeafculture.blogspot.com/
Clements, S. (2007, November 15). About us. Retrieved from http://deafworldmissions.blogspot.com/

Photo gallery. (2011, April 4). Retrieved from http://www.soundandfuryfilm.com/sixyears/index.php?section=photos 

 Welcome to soundandfuryfilm.com!. (2011, April 4). Retrieved from http://www.soundandfuryfilm.com/sixyears/

Now You Hear Me; Now You Can't

Journal 3-8

I.
               Last week after a ton of talk about the internet, I was very curious about how many people actually use the internet. After much research, the answer has been found!

               The answer to this question is a bit difficult to calculate because of the massive amounts of internet use. The general answer seems to be that just over a billion people used the Internet in 2008. Of these, about 500 million use the Internet at least once a week, making them more-or-less permanent citizens of the Internet population. That's a lot of people!!!

II.
               This past week in Ethic's Class was very interesting, partially because Mr. C wasn't there! At the beginning of the week spent some time talking about Heroic Imagination. Later in the week, we began watching Sounds of Fury and learning about the deaf community. All in all, it was an interesting week.

               I definitely thought that watching Sounds of Fury  was the most interesting part of the week! I knew that there were many deaf people in this world, but I never knew how complex their world was! This movie truly enlightened me to the deaf community! I never knew that there were schools created especially for deaf children, as well as deaf housing communities. I think that it is absolutely wonderful that the US has the options available! I think that the children would benefit greatly by being around other children that deal with the same disabilities. They could learn from each other and come out better in the end! I feel that the same thing is true about the deaf housing communities. The families could be interdependent and learn a lot from one another.  All in all, I am inspired by their determination and ability to overcome their adversities.

               We did not really have a chance to talk about the movie this week during class. We also did not have a chance to share our opinions about whether or not we ourselves would have a Cochlear implant if we were deaf. Personally, I would definitely get one! I know that there are a lot of risks, but there are a ton of benefits! Having the gift of sound is a wonderful thing! The opportunities that open up to people who can hear are endless! I honestly do not understand why people wouldn't want to have the procedure done! People say that it would "change them". Yes,it will change them, but for the better!


III.
               After a lot of talk about the Deaf community, I am very curious about the deaf population. How many people in this world are deaf?

Please stay tuned for the answer next week!

Sources

Deaf expressions. (2011, March 26). Retrieved from http://monica-deafexpressions.blogspot.com/

Esteem hearing implant. (2011, March 26). Retrieved from http://www.audiologyindia.com/technology.html 


How big is the internet?. (2011, March 26). Retrieved from http://www.wisegeek.com/how-big-is-the-internet.htm

What is the internet?. (2011, March 26). Retrieved from http://depts.alverno.edu/cil/mod1/webtutorial/internet.html 

The Horrors of the Internet

Journal 3-7

I. 
               After all of the talk last week about the “Tank Man”, I was very curious about what other people thought of the incident. What was the response of other citizens in China? After much research, the answers have been found, well sort of.

               The general responses of people in other countries are ones of gratitude, bravery, and happiness. They are inspired by his actions and his enormous amount of courage. In China however, things are different. The Chinese government censors so much information that most of China does not even know that the event even occurred! If you Google Tienanmen Square in China, you will not find the multitude of images of "Tank Man" that you would in the United States. When interviewed, many Chinese students did not even recognize the image of "Tank Man", or they were taught to not recognize it. All in all, the true response of the Chinese people is unknown because of the oppressive strength of the Chinese government.

II.
                This past week in Ethics class, we finished our discussions of the "Tank Man", discussed the power of economic growth on China, and began talking about the power of the internet. We also began discussing the technology of the future. All in all it was a very interesting and action-packed week .

               My favorite part of this week was our discussion of futuristic technology. I love thinking and imagining what will happen in the future, so this was right up my alley!I think that it is amazing how greatly the world of technology has changed just in my life time! I remember using cassette tapes to listen to music, only having 6 television channels (where only 4 really worked well), and playing board games for fun. Now we have televisions that are taller than men and more t.v. channels and shows than we could ever watch, as well as iPods, cell phones, GPS systems, and in some cases, robots to do our work for us! It is kind of scary to think about how fast our world is changing around us! So many things are evolving, and I can't even imagine how much different the world will be in 5 years, 10 years, or even 20 or 50 years!

               Over the weekend, we had to watch a Frontline video about "Growing Up Online". I found this video to be very, very interesting! Before our discussions about the Internet, I never really realized how dependent I was on the Internet! I remember when my family first got the Internet, and it is amazing to look back and see the progress it has made! The first internet my family had took over 5 minutes turning on, and once it was on, it took another 5 to get to a web page! Now it takes my computer less than a few seconds! Now, our world revolves around the Internet, and we can rarely escape it! The Internet does provide us with a great and endless resource that can truly help us, but it also can be very dangerous. People can steal our identity, money, and information through viruses, as well as tear you apart on a social networking site. There have been many deaths and injuries that have been brought about through the internet as well. I honestly think that people are still trying to learn how to deal with the full magnitude of the Inernet, and until that happens, I think there will always be trouble.

III.
               After all of this talk about the Internet and technology, I am very curious as to how many people actually use the Internet? I remember the Internet taking off and watching it grow, but how much has it grown?

Please stay tuned for the answer next week!

Sources

Growing up online. (2008, January 22). Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/kidsonline/view/

Mobile computing – technology advancement for modernity. (2011, March 20). Retrieved from http://mxcomputing.com/publications/mobile-computing-technology-advancement-for-modernity//

Tank man. (2011, March 12). Retrieved from http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/d8/Tianasquare.jpg/300px-Tianasquare.jpg

 

Ted, T. (2009, June 3). I will never forget tank man - will you?. Retrieved from http://www.tedstake.com/2009/06/03/i-will-never-forget-tank-man-will-you/ 

The internet. (2011, March 20). Retrieved from http://www.carefulmarketing.com/

Tank Man

Journal 3-6

I. 

Last week I was very curious about the genocides in history. Which was the worst reported genocide in history? After much research the answers have been found!

The worst recorded genocide was in China under the orders of Mao Ze-Dong in 1958-61 and 1966-69 where he killed 49-78 million. Jozef Stalin is in second place with 23 million in the USSR in 1932-39. Adolf Hitler is in third in Germany in 1939-45 with 12 million. These numbers are very staggering, as well as shocking. Most people consider the Holocaust to be the worst genocide in history, when in fact it comes nowhere close to being the worst. 

On an interesting note: In Stalin's and Mao's cases, one has to decide how to consider the millions who died indirectly because of their political decisions. “The Chinese cultural revolution caused the death of 30 million people, but many others died of hunger. Stalin is responsible for the death of 23 million Russians, but only half a million were killed by his order.” 

II.

            This past week in Ethic’s Class, we spent a lot of time talking about bravery and heroic imagination. We finished The Ghosts of Rwanda and began to discuss the “Tank Man”. All in all it was a very interesting and informative week!

            I think that the most interesting part of the week was our discussion of “Tank Man”. Before this class, I had never heard about the story! I am very glad that we covered this, or else I may have never found out! I cannot believe the astronomical amount of bravery and courage that one man had to stand up to those tanks. I am also equally surprised that the operators of the tanks did not run him over! They only tired to go around him until “civilians came and took him away”. All in all, I think the whole situation is kind of fishy, but I truly admire his bravery. I do not know many people in this world that would be able to do that!

            We did briefly discuss the fact that “Tank Man” was never identified, but we never discussed anything else. After doing a little research, I found that the British tabloid the Sunday Express named him as Wang Weilin, a 19-year-old student. Weilin was later charged with "political hooliganism" and "attempting to subvert members of the People's Liberation Army." This claim has been rejected though by Internal Communist Party of China documents, which reported that they could not find the man. One party member was quoted as saying, "We can’t find him. We got his name from journalists. We have checked through computers but can’t find him among the dead or among those in prison." Numerous theories have sprung up as to the man's identity and current whereabouts. The rumors now say that the man is now living in Taiwan.

III. 

            After all of this talk about “Tank Man”, I am very curious about what other people think. What was the response of other citizens in China?

Please stay tuned for the answer next week!

Sources

Lost to genocide. (2011, March 12). Retrieved from http://tamilentertainmentfromireland.com

Tank man. (2011, March 12). Retrieved from http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/d8/Tianasquare.jpg/300px-Tianasquare.jpg

Technology. (2011, March 12). Retrieved from http://moremeteos.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/tiananmen_tank_man_time_cover.jpg

The worst genocides of the 20th century. (2011, March 12). Retrieved from http://www.scaruffi.com/politics/dictat.html

Ghosts of Rwanda

Journal 3-5

I.

                Two weeks ago I was very curious as to how many people are still bullied in high school, middle school, and elementary school. I wondered what  the average number was? Also, how many people stand up for others, or do they just become bystanders? After much research, the answers have been found!

                 According to the 2009 Indicators of School Crime and Safety, one third of teenagers reported being bullied at school, and only about one third of the bully victims actually reported being bullied. In middle schools, 44% of students reported bullying problems compared to the 20% in elementary and high schools. These statistics are staggering and need to be fixed!

II.
               This week in class, we spent a lot of time talking and discussion the Rwandan genocide. We learned the background about the situation, and we also began watching The Ghosts of Rwanda. All in all it was a very interesting week!

                I thought that the movie was the most interesting part of this week. I had learned about the Rwandan genocide before, and had seen Hotel Rwanda, but The Ghosts of Rwanda was totally different. It really hit me emotionally. Seeing the actual footage from the genocide was difficult. Watching a movie with actors is one thing; you can kind of tell yourself that it isn't true and didn't happen. Watching the real footage is different; you have to believe it. It honestly makes you wonder how the world let this happen! I can't really describe how I felt watching that movie; I don't think that there are words. I just remember thinking how much I didn't want to see the pain of the people, but my eyes were glued and I couldn't make myself look away. I felt that if I did, I would be letting one of the 800,000 people who died down.

               One thing that we did not get a chance to talk about was our opinions on how the situation should have been handled. Personally I would have kept the UN troops in Rwanda, and probably even increased the numbers of troops to get the situation under control. I would have also tried to evacuate as many Tutsi and Hutu moderates as I could to save as many lives as possible. Also I would initiate some peace keeping/compromising  actions to stabilize all political and cultural tensions. Hopefully with all of this, the situation would be resolved. If I was in charge, those are the actions that I would have taken to hopefully correct the conflict.

III.
               This week we talked about the Rwandan genocide. I am very interested now in the impact of other genocides. Which was the worst reported genocide in history?

Please stay tuned for the answer next week!

Sources

Ghosts of rwanda (2004). (2011, March 6). Retrieved from http://www.socet.org/php_BB3/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=260470 


Ghosts of rwanda. (2011, March 6). Retrieved from http://www.fundfilm.org/films/films_detail.cfm?id=766 


National Center for Educational Statistics and Bureau of Justice Statistics, "Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2009" 


Ross, A. (2009, June 11). Helping other people escape - bullying. Retrieved from http://www.thetankgroup.com/?p=3

Be the Difference.

Journal 3-4

I. 
               To me, Heroic Imagination means everyday heroism. Everyone has a stereotype of what a true hero is, but when in fact anyone can be a hero. You don't have to wear a cape or have super powers to make a difference; you can do small actions that have huge effects. Heroes have to act and can not be bystanders. If people can learn and train themselves to always act, they can be a hero and make a big impact on the world!

II. 
               Heroic imagination and traditional leadership are different concepts, but they also have some similarities. Both involve people stepping up and being a leader, whether by example or by command. By participating in both styles, a positive difference is made on the world. Heroic imagination however is focused on the leaders behind the scenes. These leaders are everyday people that have made the choice to act and help others. In traditional leadership, normally one person is raised up on a pedestal leading others. These leaders are out in front for the world to see, unlike the heroic imagination leaders that are back in the shadows waiting to act.


III.
               There are many people who embody the heroic imagination. One "well known" person is Ginger Littleton, a school board member involved in the shooting incident during a school board meeting in Florida. 
She decided to stay in the room even after the gunman ordered her to leave. She swung her purse at him, in an attempt to knock the gun out of the gunman's hand. She fell to the ground, and the gunman stood over her but did not kill her.Some people think that she is just crazy and was trying to get herself killed. I feel that she was actually a hero in waiting and was extremely brave. I think she truly exemplifies heroic imagination.

               There are also many other general examples of heroes in waiting. One example would be someone witnessing the stealing of a woman's purse and then chasing after the criminal. Another example would be someone helping a child that looks lost or alone and then helping them find their parents. A third example would be someone who witnesses another person falling or getting injured and then helps them, gives them first aid, and helps them to a hospital. A final example would be someone who witnesses a shoplifter in the act and then turns them in to stop them. All of these examples showcase normal everyday people who decide to act and make a positive difference in someone's life.

IV.

Be the Difference. Be the Hero.

               

Sources

My super hero (a contest). (2009, August 15). Retrieved from http://mssinglemama.com/2009/08/15/my-super-hero-a-contest/ 


Rambling gunman dead after opening fire at florida school meeting . (2011, February 26). Retrieved from http://www.pastapadre.com/forum/showthread.php?p=251144

School board shooting: clay duke turns gun on himself after confrontation (video). (2010, December 15). Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/15/AR2010121503060.html

What is hip?. (2011, February 26). Retrieved from http://heroicimagination.org/about/what-is-hip