Miss Earth Pageant

December 8, 2006

What is the Miss Earth Pageant?

The Miss Earth Pageant was recently held in Manilla. It was a contest with 84 competing women or “beauties for a cause” all around the world to be Miss Earth. The Miss Earth Pageant promotes environmental preservation. Did you know that Miss Earth pageants are the third biggest pageants in the world next to Miss World and Miss Universe?

Who Won?

Some of the top eight women were Amruta Patki of India, Marianne Puglia of Venezuela, Czech Petra Soukupova and Francys Sudnicka of Poland, Stefanie de Roux of Panama, and Meriam George of Egypt.

Meriam George of Egypt.

My Opinion

I think that the Miss Earth Pageant is a very good idea. It lets women from all around the world compete in a pageant that helps promote enivronmental preservation. I also like how the ladies in this contest are called “beaties for a cause”. I find it rather unfortunate that none of the ladies from Canada won, or if they even entered. I want to congratulate everybody who entered the contest, especially to the top eight and say good luck to everybody who is going to enter next year.

If You Want to Find Out More…

Link#1-http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/2006/12/04/egypt-miss-earth/

Link#2-http://freedomforegyptians.blogspot.com/2006/12/egyptian-beauty-tops-miss-earth.html

Link#3-http://www.elaph.com/ElaphWeb/Entertainment/2006/12/194994.htm


Two Posts Worth Sharing

December 5, 2006

Introduction

Mr. Fisher asked us to write about two blog posts that we found interesting. One post that found interesting was a post by The Nata Village Blog. They wrote about how a house in their neighboring village burnt down. The other post I found interesting was a post by Elaine. She wrote about how some people are poor and live in poverty.

“Family in Zoroga loses everything when their rondavel burns”

          



This post was written on November 30, 2006. It is about how Nata Village helped a family in Zoroga after they lost everything in the fire. I think this was very nice of Nata Village. They ask for your support to help this family. Please support if you can.

I can’t imagine how the kids must be feeling right now. I know I would be very upset if my house had burnt down and everything in it was destroyed. It makes me even more thankful for what I have and that my house didn’t burn down.

I wish the best of luck to Nata Village and the family in Zoroga.

“SAD, DEPRESSING, INDESCRIBABLE, BUT TRUE FACTS”

This post was written on November 13, 2006. It is about poverty and how a lot of people in the world are poor. I think this post was very well written and it brings out an important issue.

Elaine explains how almost half the world lives on two dollars a day. I was shocked when I read this. I could never imagine living on two dollars a day. She also states that one billion people entering the 21st century can’t even read, write, or sign their own names. I thought it was weird because I have been jealous of people in my class that can write neater than me. Now, I’m not. Here is a quote from Elaine’s blog: “There is a range of 2.2 billion children in the world and there are billion children in the world in poverty.” I found this very sad.

I thank Elaine for showing me and the other people that viewed this post that poverty is a really big issue and to be thankful for what we have.


A Very Sad Event

November 24, 2006

What Happened?

Three children aged 3, 4, and 5 died in a fire in Bahrain. They were two sisters and one brother. Their cause of death was smoke inhalationm, trying to light a candle. They tried to light a candle because their parents couldn’t pay their rent and utility bills, cutting off the electricity. “They lived and died off of candle-light”. 

My Opinion

I think it is very sad. A vague statement, but I am pretty speechless after finding out about it. It just makes me think of how lucky I am that my parents pay the bills. I’m also thankful that this didn’t happen to anybody close to me. I just can’t imagine how their parents must feel right now. I hope this doesn’t happen again.

REST IN PEACE CHILDREN


Solar Powered Street Lights In Aberystwyth

November 4, 2006

What are Solar Powered Street Lights?

Solar powered street lights are street lights that are powered by sunlight. These have been seen around the University of Wales, Aberystwyth. CLICK HEREto visit their blog. After all, I did get my information for this post off of there. Also, the Environment and Ethics Officer of the Guild of Students at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, talks about the environment and ethics around the university.

How Do They Work?

These solar powered street lights work by using photovoltaic (PV) solar cells. This means that it uses sunlight, not sunshine.The solar radiation coming from the sunlight is converted into energy. Then, I’m guessing, energy is turned into light.

These solar powered street lights are stored in a battery during the day and they kick in when it gets dark outside.

Is the Solar Powered Street Light a Good Thing?

Of course this is good thing. For one, solar energy is 100% renewable. This means that there would be no fuel costs. The only costs would be for purchasing, installing, and the maitenance for the product. Secondly, it fights off global warming and climate change because over the lifetime of the solar powered street light, it would be more than recovered with the electricity savings. This means that there is no use taking power from coal-fired plants.

What Do the Solar Powered Street Lights Do for the University?

Unfortunately, the impact of these solar powered street lights are small compared to carbon emissions of the university. At least it’s a start though, right?

My Opinion…

First of all, I would like to congratulate the Environment and Ethics Officer of the Guild of Students at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth on such a well written post. The solar powered street light is an awesome idea. It helps fight off global warming and climate change, which is great! If every city/town had these, it would help fight off this “inconvenient truth”. This isn’t the only thing we need to do to save our planet, though. We have to work together not only locally, or nationally. We need to work as a globe. I wish I could tell you guys out there how to stop this, but I can’t. After all, I’m only just a kid.


Lebanon Politics and Men

November 1, 2006

Introduction

This is a response to a post by Moussa Bachir, who writes for Global Voices. Global voices is a website that hosts blogs that have to deal with many different countries and different subjects. For example, I am subscribed to “Jamaica”, “Racism”, and “Disaster”. Are you subscribed to anything from Global Voices? Moussa Bachir has written about Lebanon politics and how it is so uncertain. She also wrote about how men can be described like an animal.

Lebanon Politics

Before I explain Lebanon’s politics, I will tell you a little bit about Lebanon. Lebanon is a small country located in the Middle East. CLICK HERE to find out more about Lebanon. Here is a map, flag, and the coat of arms of Lebanon below.

Lebanese blog posts have mostly bickering about political views. This is creating an atmosphere of uncertainty of Lebanon. Many of the posts this week are bleak with little hope for the future of the country. Moussa says that this is strange for people who take pride in being life-lovers. She also states that this might be a phase the the Lebanese people might be going through.

Here are some links to websites and blogs that talk about this issue:

  • LINK#1 Shows quotes that describe the situation.

  • LINK#2 States the situation by saying “this is a country hanging in a void”.

  • LINK#3 Tells about gun silencers caught by security forces at the airport in Beirut.

  • LINK#4 Describes the cylce of crumpling and rebuilding the Lebanon society by comparing it to the myth of the Sisyphus.

  • LINK#5 Tells us that the political situation getting worse with little hope for the future.

  • LINK#6 Tells us that more victims of the Israeli war on Lebanon are falling almost daily more than two months after the cease fire was announced.

  • LINK#7 Points out to findings that point to the use of uranium bombs by Israel against Lebanon.

  • LINK#8 Reports about unprecedented traffic jams around the city.

  • LINK#9 Discusses the initiative for consultation that the President of the Parliament proposed to the different Lebanese parties.

  • LINK#10 Explains how Lebanonesque sees Lebanon experiencing in the near future what Iraq experienced in the near past.

  • LINK#11 Tells that the past week witnessed incidents involving Germany in Lebanon and the Israeli army.

  • LINK#12 Shows how Mustapha hears about these skirmishes in the news and points in another direction.

My Opinion on Lebanon Politics

I think that what is happening in Lebanon is horrible. I hope that it doesn’t come to Lebanon experiencing what Iraq did. Well, I say good luck to the Lebanese people. Don’t give up on hope!

Men-Metephors

CLICK HERE to go to Maya[at]NYC. She is the one that used metephors to describe men.
Here are her metephors:

Some men are Lions. Majestic, handsome and successful. As the lions of the jungle, they rule in their kingdom, make their women do the work, wait for food to come their way, while looking over affairs with affected grace. They are feared and admired by everyone who crosses their path. A woman feels special just being able to say “I once knew a Lion.”

Some men are Tigers. Energetic, forceful and never take no for an answer. Natural born hunters, they hide, they lock on their prey, attack, and then leave satisfied. Ruthless and selfish. Some women will say “I survived being with a tiger”.

Some men are Dogs. They sit around, faithfully waiting their master. They cry when she cries, laugh when she laughs. They will tolerate mistreatment, they will accept treason. For them, their master is their life. A woman, bored, once said “I was stuck with a dog”.

Some men are Cats. Elegant and agile. They can adapt to any situation. Although they love to feel your touch, adore to be pampered and spoiled, they can forget you in a flash, if once, their dinner is lost. Smart and selfish, territorial and possessive, they make you attached and remained unattached. You serve their purpose. And one day, they decide to move elsewhere. A lucky woman can proudly say “I was once loved by a cat”.

Some men are Rats. Small and dirty, they feed on other people’s lives. They live in the dark, hide from the light, carry diseases and scare the frail of heart. No woman wants to say “I once fell for a rat”.

Some men are Gorillas. Hairy and big, their presence is obvious. Loud and heavy, their movements are slow, their voices harsh, their manners unrefined. Make them angry and they stomp their chests, bang the doors, pull their hair. But they have a heart of gold. And their happiness can be bought simply with a banana peel. A woman will fondly remember “I used to swing with a monkey”.

Some men are Roosters. They scream their achievements, they strut in their field, parading their comb, splashing their noise on the neighborhood chicks. Useless and pretentious, they don’t think too often. They spread their seeds like a sewing machine. Until one day, they get slaughtered by the farm’s thug. A woman will look down as she admits “I once believed a rooster”.

And some men are just Men. The real Men. They walk with you, run for you, cover your back, light your way, carry your sorrow, hold your fears, share your joys, wipe your tears. They pray for you, talk to you, open their hearts for you. Some can even cook for you. They come in all colors and shapes. Sometimes loud and unrefined, often insecure and possessive, for them you accept to play the prey. You might even let them win. Because, from the beginning of time, every woman wanted to say “I am His. And He is Mine.”

My Opinion on Men-Metephors

I think that it is very neat that somebody can just put the personalities of men in to metephors of animals. It also shows how women would look at the men in the metephor. Great job Maya[at]NYC!

 

 


Nata Village: Do the (Red) Thing

October 28, 2006

What is the (red) thing?

The (red) thing is a campaign by Gap to support AIDS in Africa. Bono, from the band U2, convinced Gap, and other companies such as Apple, to make their products red. Part of the money that companies make off of project red go to AIDS research in Africa. Here is a point that my teacher, Clarence Fisher, brought up. “Are these companies only doing this to support AIDS research in Africa, or is there something else involved.” This is a very good point. My teacher also said that publicity could be a part of it. I completely agree. Another possibility is bragging rights. If I were a part of Gap or Apple, I would be bragging my butt off. Even though it is quite childish, you never know, right?

What does this have to do with Nata Village?

Nata is a small town in Botswana, Africa. They have their own blog that tells about their daily lives. CLICK HERE to go to their blog. One of their posts, written on October 25,2006, was about how Nata was featured in Gap’s campaign by Current Tv and Gap. They are extremely proud to be a part of this campaign.

(Above) This is what you would see on Current Tv

(Below) This is what you would see on Gap

My Conclusion

My conclusion is that this is an incredible campaign and I hope it goes well. It also makes me wish our town had the Gap so I could buy a shirt to support AIDS research in Africa. I hope you guys support this wonderful campaign.


Pictures Instead of Words

September 13, 2006

Mike “Boogie” wins Big Brother 7

Steve Irwin died September 4, 2006

Lukas Rossi is the new lead singer of SuperNova

Do you guys think that pictures instead of words are a good idea?

What’s your opinion on what I just showed you?

Well, I’m just playing around, trying something new. Who knows, I might write posts like this once in a while. And that’s the end of that. :)