Blog #8

Since we just finished reading Nectar and a Sieve, and we are now going to  be learning a bit more about Bollywood, I thought it would be fitting to learn a little bit more about Indian culture than what I already know. I always wondered what the red dot on the forehead meant in Indian culture. Turns out, it is called a bindi and it is often worn by young girls and women. They wear them because it symbolizes Goddess Paravati, and it means female energy. It's also supposed to protect women and their husbands. It is also decorative. It's made out of vermillion powder, and typically worn on a woman's forehead between her eyebrows. I also learned that bindi's can range from different colors, shapes, sizes, and materials. 

--->http://www.indiatravelite.com/feature/indiancustoms.htm

Blot #7

 

In an article I just read it wasn't about as much as about change, it was about an event that changed someone's life. While reading People magazine I saw an article about change. It was titled, “ The Face of Courage”. While Allena Hansen was outside in her own yard, a bear jumped out of the bushes and started attacking her. She eventually stopped fighting back and just when Hansen thought she was going to die, her two dogs jumped in and started to defend her. She escaped the bear but she was in extremely bad shape. When she drove herself to the hospital, workers there said she was ‘extremely calm for having half her skin hanging off’. Although her dogs got off with only minor injuries, Hansen’s injuries were seen as ‘ the worst the plastic surgery team had ever seen’. The bear had torn away her jaw, lips ears, and half of her forehead was torn apart. After surgery, about 10 hours, she had about 1,000 stitches. Even though the bear changed her appearance, Allena Hansen is still the same person on the inside. She decided she’s going to write a book about her experience to let people know that,  “When things look bleakest they can turn out all right. Given how much misfortune and terror there is”. 

picture----> http://www.healthline.com/blogs/outdoor_health/uploaded_images/Bear-Grandfather-Mtn-Tim-Floyd-779608.jpg

Blog #6

I recently read an article in People magazine, the article is titled “The Right Stuff” and is written by Bill Hewitt and Nicole Weisensee Egan. Just by looking at the cover I instantly knew this was the article I was going to write about for my blog. Captain Sullenberger is the pilot of US Airways Flight 1549. “Sully” managed to land the plane, holding 155 people plus the crew on the Hudson River. What happened was after take off the plane flew through a flock of geese that pounded the windshield and knocked out both engines. Sullenberger stayed calm and continued to proceed with a practical fashion. Instead of freaking out, and possibly causing 155+ people to die, he did what he had to do in order for the plane to make the landing. Sullenberger would have been unable to land the plane without hope. After clearing the George Washington Bridge by 900 feet, he guided the 80-ton plane along the river. In order to land the plane safely, Sullenberger had to be able to keep calm and not put any one at risk. Because he did so he is now named as one of Peoples “Heroes Among Us” and he also got to meet the president! 

Blog #5

I recently read an article on CNN.COM titled "Israel Expects Pope to Visit In May" It was about the Pope Benedict XVI choosing not to visit Israel in May when expected. "A papal visit to the Holy Land is always an exceptionally significant event, and we hope that it will be this time as well,"Israeli President Shimon Peres said. Peres escorts the Pope around places in the country. The last Pope that visited was in March 2000. A good 9 years since the last Pope came. It was announced that the Benedict would come after the controversy with the Holocaust denial with the Roman Catholic Church is put to a halt.

--->http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/02/15/israel.pope.visit/index.html

Blog #4

My gender roles blog is about an article called,"Gender and racial stereotypes in daily newspaper comics: a time-honored tradition?"Not only are men perceived as the greater common sex on television, but also comic books. When a local newspaper tried to switch it up and use different non racist and sexist comics, the public complained. However the more women appear as editors or on the set of television shows, the more respect the characters portray towards women. This article demonstrates that women are less valued than men when it comes to jobs and everyday life. I posted a picture  on a comic strip I found about sexist politics. It just goes to show how men perceive women. 

http://www.classicalvalues.com/Sexist_PA_Men.JPG

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2294/is_51/ai_n8694424/pg_2?tag=content;col1

Blog #3

I recently read an article about Madagascar. I never really realized how different,  people live in different places of the world. This article was titled, "26 Dead In Madagascar Violence". Right away, before I even read the article I was thinking, wow if something like that happened in America, it would be such a big deal. Then I read it, and it's a short article about a shooting that killed 26 people during an anti-government rally. Just when I thought that was the worst part. I read why they were actually rallying. It was because the mayor, Andry Rajoelina, declared himself the Indian Ocean island nation's leader and killed at least 80 people and wounded more than 300. That is a huge amount of people hurt.It just goes to show how different their culture is from ours. How huge of  deal this would of been if it happened here, but for Madagascar. It's just another headline. Just another day.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/africa/02/08/madagascar.violence/index.html?iref=newssearch

Blog #2

I was flipping through the pages of People magazine and I came across an article titled, "His Battle Gets Tougher". This article is about Patrick Swayze, the actor from the movie Dirty Dancing, and his battle with advanced pancreatic cancer. It all started when he flew from his New Mexico ranch to California to talk about a new TV show. While he was in NM he had a persistent cough that would not go away. Right when he got home he called the doctor right away, and went to the hospital for treatment. They diagnosed him with Stage IV pancreatic cancer. Swayze says the hardest thing about being in the hospital is being away from his animals, but he really enjoys having everyone offering to do everything for him. Even though so much is going down the drain for Swayze he keeps his head up high and says he's most happy to be alive, and he plans to stay that way.

Natural Disaster

I read an article called, "Kentucky National Guard goes door-to-door to deliver aid". This article was about, obviously, a natural disaster that occurred and how people were affected by it. There was an ice storm in Kentucky causing 91 of the 120 counties to declare emergencies. The effects of this ice storm was that, hundreds of thousands of people from Kentucky are left without electricity and fresh water. It's supposed to get warmer there, which should help emergency management crews clean up the state, but it also means the "risk of wet roads and falling chunks of ice", CNN said. There were also 7 related deaths from the storm. 64 water systems are down, and 93 are having problems. Although all these problems have hit, people are working together to find shelter because they're houses are too cold. Most people will be able to go back to their houses in around 7 days hopefully.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/weather/01/31/winter.weather/index.html?iref=newssearch