MARYROSS' blogs

This article talks about how China is beginning to look towards Japan for help and seeks relief operations after the deadly earthquake that destroyed the southwestern Sichuan province. Because of the magnitude of the quake, China is welcoming countries or militaries that are ready to provide them with different materials. Japan plans to dispatch Self-Defense Forces aircraft to transport tents and other relief supplies to the main airports but the troops can't enter and see the disaster in the affected areas. The official death toll increased to 68,516 and another 365,399 were injures while there were almost 20,000 people still missing. In addition about 5 million people are left to be homeless.

Labels: Current Event

We watched this documentary about Louis Kahn and about his accomplishments duirng his lifetime. Louis Kahn was a world famous architect who was renowned for the Exeter Library, Salk Institute and Bangladeshi Capitol Building. During his lifetime Kahn had three different families at the same time. At first I didn’t really understand why Nathaniel Kahn was doing a documentary about his father. However when I discovered that he always hoped that someday this father would come live with his mother, I understood why he travelled the world visiting his father’s buildings and meeting Louis’ colleagues, students, wives and children. Louis Kahn died bankrupt and alone after a heart attack in New York City’s Penn Station. His body laid unclaimed for three days until his identity was established. Going back to the article and journal write we did today in class about ethics, I think Louis Kahn did live his life around his ethical views. Ethics is a philosophical belief of knowing from right or wrong and living a good life. Louis was from a poor Jewish origin. However this origin helped shaped his actions in life. I would say that he had the immigrant work ethic and drive to succeed because in society today we see immigrants working very hard in farms, fields, factories, etc. just to help their families live better lives. For Louis, on the other hand, his ethics helped him win a university scholarship but his ethnicity was discriminated and was blocked entry from Philadelphia’s best architectural circles. However Kahn didn’t let that stop him from expressing his creative side and from there, he found a new direction for his architecture after touring the ancient Greek, Roman and Egyptian ruins. However even being the world famous architect still led him bankrupt in the end. In my opinion ethics is just a personal justification instead of a universal truth. Referring back to the journal we did in class today about having ethic lessons to be a graduation requirement, I don’t think that it will help shape who a person is. I mean you do need ethics to be a co-worker, student, teacher, employer and etc. but I think ethics can be learned in the outside world where you make your own decisions whether you think that it is wrong or right. Going back to the documentary about Louis Kahn, he made so many great architectures in his lifetime but those buildings don’t really show who he personally is and reflect the life he lived just to design those buildings. In my opinion I thought that this documentary was pretty dry although I liked looking at the different designs and architecture that Kahn created when he was still alive. His architectures are one of a kind and different from the architectures during his time. However today there are also architectures that were inspired by his buildings and designs which really makes him world famous. He didn’t just have architectures in the U.S. but also in India which really shows how far he has come to accomplish something that, I am guessing, makes him happy.

Labels: Movie Reflection, Writing

Source of Article

Labels: Current Event

In this article by Matt Baxter, talks about how classrooms have become more hi-tech over the years and how it is not necessary to a child's education. I mean in my perspective, I think that use of computers is better than old textbooks. To put it in other words, whatever you read in a textbook can be found on the Internet and sometimes can be more in depth than it is in books. However spending about $5 billion on education technology is way too much. I mean how can they get the money for more hi-tech supplies if they're cutting down the budget for other curriculas like sports, music, etc. I agree that a child should at least know how to type on a keyboard, access the Internet, and use specific programs when they're a bit younger because it gets them ready for the later years to come when they have to work on these programs or research information on the web. Even though not every student will become a computer programmer or graphics designer, they should still be able to know how to access hi-tech gadgets like a computer or laptop. Having a hi-tech classroom in high school is convenient because it gets us ready to use certain programs that we will eventually be using in college. However in middle school or elementary school, I think that just by knowing the basics of using different programs like word processor is good enough. I mean, come on, they have to type up research papers, book reports, projects, etc. so it is necessary that these classrooms are hi-tech. Conversely, I don't think that technology education should be spent over billions of dollars especially at a young age. But it's still better to have some technology background when you're younger because it makes it easier to access different programs.

Labels: Writing

This is a picture that I took of my cousin break dancing at the studio where I also practice. Everyone in this picture have imitable break dancing skills.

Labels: Vocabulary

Temporary Logo:

Mission Statement: Our organization would target those who are experiencing the effects of the chemical Agent Orange which was used in chemical warfare by the U.S. against Viet Cong. Our goal is to spread knowledge of this type of harmful effects that this chemical has to the human body in order to find solutions and relief to those who are affected by it.

Labels: Project

[E/C???]
I have no idea where this was taken but I remember that I was at this party and it was all normal and stuff. However I, on the other hand, took it a different way and saw normal sense as a really joyful experience. It was like I was on ecstasy because of the sudden joy I was feeling at the party.

Labels: Vocabulary