Quiz prep for Friday

Hi Everyone,

the quiz for friday will be made up of several components. I have emailed each of you the quiz to your USF email address. This is the actual quiz! If you study it well and practice, you should do well. There is an attached reading task for which I will ask 10 comprehension questions. These you will get on Friday. Otherwise, the whole quiz is contained in the email.

If any of you have trouble viewing the files, let me know as soon as possible. They were sent as jpeg files.

Hope you do well!

P. Vahle

Course overview for the next (last) two weeks

Our Homework due Friday



1: Read all your classmates posts and write comments

2: Find and correct the errors in the "error sheet"

3: Read 258- 263 and answer the 2 questions in a piece of paper



By:   Saud.

Unjust Laws (Topic 1)

Unjust laws exists almost everywhere in the world. Its still considered a crime against the law for women to drive in Saudi Arabia. After all the pleas and protests for removing such a law, nothing changed until the day. So there was a famous story in a Saudi newspaper, it talks about a women who took her husband to a hospital, he was having a heart attack and was about to die, so the wife decided to drive his car to the hospital in a bold courages move, she saved his life in the last moment, and he could've passed away if she didn't act. At the time, she didn't really care about braking the law since her husband was between life and death, she learned how to drive in Dubai as she mentioned. The wife used her driving skills despite the strict unjust laws against females driving, she was considered as a hero in front of the public, but the government did not support this act in anyway. She did what any loyal wife would do to her husband and saved his life. So this is one small example of an act that justifies why we the humans are breaking the unjust laws sometimes!

Ghassan

Allowing Women to Drive

In Saudi Arabia, the law is based on the the Islam religion, and in Islam there is nothing in The Islamic religion prohibit the women from driving. So, people might ask why women are not allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia. The answer for that would be related to the history of Saudi Arabia and their traditional life style. Saudi Arabia have been conquered by the ruler family 3 times and during these three times, people have forgotten a lot of women rights and one of them was driving cars. I recall many years a go, women in my country were asking to get the equal treatment with men. So, the government started to give them some, but not all of their rights. One of their rights, is to be able to drive freely as men do. However, because this right has been almost forgotten by many people and no women in the past had the courage to ask for such a thing, people started to think that its the law that is not allowing for women to drive. Since Saudi Arabia is an Islamic country and the law is based on the religion, where did this law come from then? Not allowing our mothers, our sisters or our grands to drive is not a low of the Saudi Arabia government. The whole thing started after conquering Saudi Arabia by the ruler family.
Before there were cars, we had camels and horses as a daily transportation way to all people, male and females. But because what people have believed in and what become a part of Saudi Arabia's culture, women are not allowed to drive.
This issue in particular is being discussed in Saudi Arabia these days, and hoping they will come with a solution for it. It's unjust to not give women their rights, and unjust law would go down in a way or another. Maybe some people don't see this issue as a big thing, but people in Saudi Arabia see it that way. Allowing women to drive would change almost everything in Saudi Arabia, but the change can't be determined as a positive or negative change.



By Mohammed

 Driving a car in my city " Riyadh" has become like an adventure.  Under the hot son, a lot of people driving their cars in a city that does not have any modern transportations like trains, subways or even buses.  In fact,  people drive their cars in the worst streets ever where there is no good traffic lights and pedestrian.  Also, most the streets have a lot of detours of the electricity, water and internet that hinder you while driving.  The government says those  detour are services for the people. Actually,  those like traps or obstacles that cause cars wrecks in the streets and injure or kill innocent people.  The streets are very crowded since 12 years or maybe more.   the government could not found a solution even though it's the riches government in the world.  Also, the Minster of the transpiration in Saudi Arabia always states extremely ridiculous statements that makes me laugh.  For example, one time he stats that Saudi Arabia is the less country in the world in the trains' accident while we are actually only have one train and works by charcoals!!  I wish the government understand that they are not the right people to guide the nation of Saudi Arabia and leave the responsibility for who's more responsible to get better life in the Saudi streets and houses.



Saud Adi

unjust employment situation in China

    There is a very serious problem in China which is the unequal situation of employment, especially for people who want to work in government system. There are only one in thousand people can get the job as a civil servant, but eventually the people who get the job has relationship with people who has power or people who is rich. In fact, there is a test to pick people, but it is more easier to people who have relationship to get that job than   people who do have ability. The unjust situation cause the unequal circumstance that can not change in the future. Besides, the unjust social security system cause more contradictions between government and the masses, people who work for government do not pay for the social security while they can get 3 times salary than normal people. What's more, because of the lack of pension, someone in government proposal to delay the retirement time from 60 year-old to 65 year-old. The unjust system lead to strongly opposed by most people in China.


------Chen Qiu



Hi Chen,  Also we do have like this unjust issue in our country, some of illiterate rich people have more opportunities to get the governmental jobs.  I hope our countries change to the better.  Saud

                                Justify Breaking A Law

 

Many circumstances that justify breaking laws certainly exist in the history. From the Africa-American Civil Rights Movement to Velvet Revolution, a term, called Civil disobedience, specializes nonviolent actions taken in theses circumstances. “Civil disobedience is the active, professed refusal to obey certain laws, demands, and commands of a government, or of an occupying international power.” (Wikipedia Civil disobedience) For instance, Mahatma Gandhi, known as the preeminent leader of India independence movements from the British Empire, led Indians in protesting the national salt tax with the 400 km (250 mi) Dandi Salt March in 1930, and later in demanding the British to immediately Quit Idia in 1942, during World War II. (Wikipedia Mahatma Gandhi) He was imprisoned for that and for numerous other political offenses over the years. It is worldwide believed that Gandhi breaking the laws is justified in term of the numerous non-violent actions which defense for promoting India democratic freedom and protesting Indians human rights. He rebelled against the laws deemed to be unfair and was firmly convinced that citizens were morally responsible for the support of civil campaigns and unjust situations. In recent years, the rights of homosexual couples might be an unjust law. They cannot receive the rights that married couples have. For example, one partner would be not allowed to accompany with the other through it all if he or she were dying in the hospital due to being not legally considered “ family”. The homosexual marriage issues today is rather similar to the racism issues in the civil movement because they are both related to the rights for different groups of people in the society---- one is homosexual groups and heterosexual groups and the other is white people and colored people. 

Shirley

Unjust of Education in China_Kai

Unjust of Education in China

First of all, the tuition of education is so high that some poor students can't afford it. As a resultl, instead of going to university,they have no choice but start working. Unfortunately, if you want to get a good job, you must graduate from some famous unversities. Thus, the poor person who can't afford the tuition wont have a good job. Secondly, the entrance university examination is totally different in different part of China. For people who born in Beijing, if they want to go to study at Peking University or Qinghua University, getting 600+ scores in the entrance university examination is ok. However, for the other students from the other part of China, you have to get over 700 scores, it could be possible you can study at those kind of famous universities. Furthermore, you work at Beijing, if you want to your children study at Beijing, you must pay more tuition than the local. Moreover, the most unjust thing is if your family members who have got along with some famous school's master, you would have the advantage of being a student of that school. We called it, the relationship is more important than the others things. All things considered, if you want to study at a good school, it depends where were you born, how rich you are and does your family member has a good relationship with some school's leader. How unjust it is in China. 

Kai Zhou

It's really unjust Kai.   it's hard for those poor people in China to afford all these  money only to study and have a simple job..
Saud

Females have lower position than males in China

Topic 2

  In China, women and men have apparent position difference, even when they are children, people treat them in different way. There is an example which can describe this situation clearly. Most of chinese people prefer boys, when a woman get pregnant and she go to hospital, then the doctor will tell her the sex of her child, when she knows that her child is a girl, she will do induced abortion with a high probability, if this woman pregnant a boy, her family position will become highest in a second. In that several years, male are highly more than female, so in China, doctor can't let pregnant know their child's sex before they bring the child into the world.  Most of chinese people like boys because they think boys can carry on their family line, but girls can't, you know, children always follow their father's last name, rather than mother's. I think this is unfair not only because I'm a girl, I think everyone in the world have their right to live. People can't decide others's live even their children's. In this year, this situation is much better than before, but there are also some people who give the doctor money to "buy" their child's sex. I don't know how to solve this problem, do you have any idea?

---Jessy



IF MALES CAN CARRY THE FAMILY LINES, FEMALES ACTUALLY BRING MALES TO THE LIFE.  SAUD :) 

The Unjust of Gender Status in China

   Cathy Zhu 

In China, there is an universal phenomenon that the status of female is lower than male in several aspects. Some women always get unfair treatments when they are in jobs or lives. In contrast, the men usually show an attitude that they can dominate their family rather than listen to their wife. This is because the history concept becomes an ideology construct rooting in men's perception. To be more specific, it is a well-know fact that China is one of four countries with time-honored and splendid history and civilization in the world.  In the history of China, Men ruled the household and had complete control over their life. The only role of the wife was like a servant to their husbands and produce sons for their family. At that time, it is highly important for men to provide all the marriage expenses in order to keep their dominant family status. Therefore, men always show the powerful substance condition to ask for getting marriage with their daughter to their father-in-law. Nowadays, due to the influence of ancient culture, men have a superiority complex to female. If women want to change this unfair condition, they must be independent both in economy and mental. Women should believe themselves and try to get equal treatments when they suffer unfair things. Similarly, it is vitally important for man to show their respect to the female.  

Homework Due Monday April15

1- Reread Letter from the Birmingham Jail 240 - 284 and get a better deeper understanding of the text

Be ready to discuss further details and informations

2- Write a draft of your comparing and contrasting Essay

Be objective and dont use (I) remember! Try to use 2 quotations at least !


Have a great weekend and good luck everyone!

Homework due friday

1-find 2 more articles that are related to your compare/contrast essay ( chose a quote from the article)

2- practice doing citation...

3- reading task on page 240-48 letter from the Birmingham Jail - get the general idea

Cheers mates

By Mohammed

Homework for Wednesday

1 Please keep writing the second body paragraph for a comparison and contrast essay which we started working on in class today.

2 start looking for articles that relate to your topic that will inform you as you write your paper. Please bring in one potential article.

3 we will discuss the chapter on citations that we read over the weekend, please be ready to discuss.

4 Read 'Letter to Professor Fels' on the opinion page (Page 4) of the Foghorn. Be ready to discuss.

See you Wednesday!

P. Vahle

Vocab for Monday quiz

Hello Everyone, here is a list of the vocab to learn for Monday's quiz. It is mostly from the blog post on the Urban Legands reading.

plausible: 1) worthy of belief, believable. 2) superficially fair, reasonable or valuable. 

"They often have some unexpected twist that is outlandish but just plausible enough to be taken as truth." 

outlandish: 1) exceeding proper or reasonable limits or standards. 2) bizarre: strikingly out of the ordinary. 

flee: 1) to run away from. 2) to run away often from danger or evil. 3) to hurry toward a place of security. 

"The officer runs to help the driver, and the drunk man takes the opportunity to flee the scene." 

pervasive: existing in or spreading through every part of something. 

cautionary: warning, precaution, prudent to minimize risk. 

unsubstantiated (adj.): Unsupported by other evidence

lurid (verb): horrible in fierceness or savagery   

gruesome: shockingly  repellent; inspiring horror

morbid: suggesting an unhealthy mental state and the horror of death and decay

folklore: the unwritten literature (stories and proverbs and riddles and songs) of a culture

unintentional (adj.): not done or made or performed with purpose or intent

outraged (adj.): angered at something unjust or wrong

heinous(adj.): extremely evil or horrible  

alligator: a big reptile with a long mouth and sharp teeth, that lives in lakes and rivers .

to flirt:  to behave as if you are sexually attracted to someone, usually not in a very serious way 

to abbreviate: to make a word or phrase shorter

persistent : existing for a long or longer than usual time or continuously / retained beyond the usual period

a sequence : A following of one thing after another; succession / An order of succession; an arrangement

 to illustrate : To clarify, as by use of examples or comparisons

 spate: noun, a large number of similar things or events appearing or occurring in quick succession, especially bad things

gruesome: very unpleasant or shocking, and involving someone being killed or badly injured

       Homework Due Monday

1. Complete the handouts

2. Write one paragraph relating to your topic going on the handouts

3. e-mail one copy of your final draft of the description essay to the professor

4. Monday short quiz: vocabulary----- chosen from recent vocabulary blogs( around 30)

                                    

                                    watch&read, then write a short compare and contrast paragraph of two things

Good Luck

By Shirley

Homework due Friday

Hello everyone.. Down there is the homework for Friday.. Have fun



1- come up with 5 potential topics for comparing and contrast essay.
- try to elaborate on them a little bit and tell why they are interested to you.

2- read ch 16, page 402-416 " documenting research paper "
- get familiar with how to cite resources

3- pick an article from the internet, newspaper or magazine and read it.
- write 1 paragraph summery about it and bring a hard copy of your article to the class of Friday


By the way, the reading that you're going to do, has nothing to do with the comparing and contrast essay. In other words, you can pick any kind of article to write a summery about it..


Cheers mates


By Mohammed

H.W Due Wednesday April 3rd

1: Complete the handout and return it back next class.

2: Read the students' essays on page 216-219.

3: Post 3 new vocabulary words from your novel, Foghorn or whatever.

4: In the last Foghorn, we've already read about 2 articles about Pope Francis. Read them again, and write a comparison and contrast paragraph about them.  Please Send Your Comparison and Contrast Paragraph Before the Class to Our Prof's Email.

POSTED BY: Saud Otaibi

Peace Be Upon You..

H.W Due Next Monday April 1st

Hi Everyone..


Here are all the assignments due next Monday April 1st, 2013



1: Complete the last draft of the descriptive essay and return it on Monday.

2: Read the story 294- 296, and be ready to discuss in class.

3: Get prepared to discuss the first chapter of your novel with classmates in class.

4: Read the Handout carefully.



Peace Be Upon You..

Saud Otaibi

Vocab Words

Spate:  a large number of similar things that happen in a short period of time, especially bad things


Harvester:  someone who gathers crops.

Gruesome: very unpleasant or shocking, and involving someone being killed or badly injured:


BY: Saud Otaibi

Urban Legend 





There is an old deserted hospital called Er'qa located in my city Riyadh.  The hospital is completely destroyed and not working any more because there are rumors that old hospital have become a place for the ghosts. Also, the hospital is out of all kind of public services like water, electricity and maintenance.   This hospital was one of the first hospitals in my city. However, The hospital now is out of service because of this issue.  A lot of people say that they have seen fires and loudly screams come out from that hospital.  I've never been near to the hospital and I advise you to not go that place unless if you love to get an adventure.





Saud Otaibi

From my point of view, only superstitious people believe in these kind of stories.
Humans tends to spread rumors and believe them , so next time im going to check this place when i go back home.
Very Interesting Urban legend overall.

Ghassan Khalid-

The Quilt

I met this woman at the convention I attended last weekend. She had quilts like the ones in the story we read in class, so I was intrigued to find out about them from her. 

urban legend Shirley

                                               Shanghai Vampire Urban Legend  

                In the 1990s, an urban legend about vampire was familiar to the public in Shanghai. A doctor who returned after studying abroad in German became depending on human blood to keep existing after a failure in the biochemistry engineering study. It was said that he was a researcher employed by a research institution established together by a Shanghai overseas-funded enterprise and Beijing Yanyuan Medicine enterprise. He committed crimes many times, and two policemen who were sucked dry were sacrificed for arresting him. The last time he appeared in the public was in Hongkou Park. Students took garlic and wore cross necklaces to the schools in that year. Also, the policemen went to the schools to refute the rumor and strengthened patrol in the public. Shanghai TV station apologized to the public after they broadcast the news, and a programa called "Orient 110" gave a formal explanation at the same time. It was said that his colleagues saw him writing something in ancient Hebrew language and staying in the lab to studying something alone after others off duty. So, people don't know whether it was true event or not to this day, but this urban legend is spreading on the Internet and among people talk so far in China.

Urban Legend In Saudi Arabia byGhassan

Forsan Island

There is an urban legend that i kept hearing so much about it back home, Alot of sailors along side with elder folks confirmed to me that whenever boats or yachts passes by,This island named Forsan, wich is 40 miles north of the shores, everything suddenly disappear as if the ocean swallowed boats including humans!

My grand father also confirmed the stories and descrcribed,as its a whirlpool that eats what ever that comes to its way, he adviced not to go anywhere near there,its a very local urban legend that is popular in our hometown.

Thats why i never go close to that place,so be careful everyone!

By/:Ghassan Khalid






((I think this place is called "Bermuda Triangle" and I heard that whirlpool is a place where all the  devils live.  However, I accepted your advice to not go there because it seems a real dangerous place.))

Saud Otaibi..

Response: Its is similar place to The  Famous tringle but its located in the Red Sea , so im pretty sure its different.

Ghassan Khalid

Urban Legend in China _ Kai

Niu Lang & Zhi Nu (the cowherd and the weaver)
This is a long and touching story in China.It represents that a hard way to be a long distance relationship.A female fairy who named Zhi Nu (weaver),was the youngest of seven daugthers of the Queen of Haven, who married Niu Lang (the cowherd), However they can only meet each other once a year on 7th July.


(I like the story, it seems so interesting but I wish you provide us more about the queen and her family.)

Saud Otaibi..

The introduction is decent, but we need more details because we cant assume the surrounding details or the moral

Ghassan Khalid-

Urban Legend In China --------Chen Qiu

There was an urban legend which was spread widely several years ago in China. The legend was spread through internet by chatting tools. It is said that one of famous snacks in China called barbecue lamb kebabs which were sell by national minority people from xinjiang in northwest of China, were polluted by HIV. The people from xinjiang had stalls on the side of road in cities, they were HIV sufferers and they were not satisfied with social status. So they used bamboo sticks dig in their blood and then used these sticks to bunch lamb and sell barbecue lamb kebabs to other people and lead people to have HIV. The legend created a public sensation and from that time I did not eat these on street stall anymore, it impressed me because my parents and even teachers talked about this. But eventually, it was proved not true because that when the lamb kebabs were barbecued, HIV will be killed by high temperature so it does not cause illness. Since then, the legend is used to alerts children not to eat on street stalls because it would not make sure about the food safety. 

Its a well written Urban legend overall, and what rally matters from what i understood is the aftermath, people still believe that food is contaminated although its proven to be wrong! this idea sticked inside the back of peoples minds.  
Ghassan Khalid

Urban Legend in China－－Gui Da Qiang

Once I chat with my grandmother, she told me there really some ghost in the real world. And her mother had met once. There is the story she told me.

"It's a story that real happened on my mom. When I was 25 years old, I married with your grandfather and we lived in Hebei. My mom came here to visit us from Beijing. After she got off the travel bus, there was a cemetery, to arrive the village, she must walk through the cemetery. Then she went into the cemetery. About 2 hours later, she still in the cemetery. She could see the village just 200 meters far from there, but she couldn't go out the cemetery. She felt just like several walls around her, she couldn't go. Suddenly, a man walked there and asked her,' Do you need help? I saw you walk around and around and around.' Then she told him what happened, he told her, many people had encounter it as same as she met, people named Gui Da Qiang, means it's ghost stopped you and made you can't go out."

I believe in this, because it was a real story happened on my great-mother.

[by Jessy]

Urban Legend in China ---   Yongqing Zhu ( Cathy)

 

Several years ago, I heard a terrifying story from my friend. 

A boy wanted to go to his university in suburb in advance, so he took the last bus at night. One day. He waited in the dark and cold night for a long time. When he got on the bus, he felt uncomfortable about the environment in the bus though there are only a few people. Later stops, three people wore Qing dynasty cloth walked in the bus and sated in the end. The boy thought they were taking some movies at night. At that time, an old woman shouted to the boy: " You steal my purse." The boy felt confused and said he did not do that. The woman stubbornly forced him to go off the bus with her to the police. The boy had no idea and had to go off the bus. After they saw the bus leaving, the boy felt angry and told the woman he did not steal her purse. The old woman said: I know you did not do that; I just want to save you. Whether you notice that the tree men got on the bus without feet. The man recalled the situation and felt scared. He took a taxi to home. The next day, a new on the newspaper: An accident happens in the suburb.  He checked the bus number and found the bus was the last bus that he took.

HW due Wednesday March 20th

1. Work on your 2nd Draft--based on feedback, and read Rough Draft out loud, then make corrections.   Don't forget to bring your 2nd Draft to class. [ Just bring the paper you work on, it could be the rough draft with different color correction.]

2. Read handout and finish tasks.

3. Read How Urban Legends Work  start on page166 of book.

4. Make an appointment at Writing Center. [ The appointment should after next Monday]

5. Send your 2nd Draft to professor before Sunday 8pm.


[ By Jessy ]

HW due on Friday

1. Read page 130 to page 133, then start brain storming, and bring it for Friday.
[ Brain Storming is about your Describing or Defining Essay]

2. Read The New Immigrants on P366 of We Are America


By Jessy

shirley

                                                     Chinese Style Blind Date

                  In China, parents and their sons or daughters attending a blind date together is a traditional activity when their children's ages are over the traditional marriage age. Though arranged marriage have been prohibited in 1950, Chinese style blind dates are general and traditional views on marriages do not change greatly.  To a women, they must marry before 27 years old, or they will be defined as "leftover ladies"--- a hot word in today Chinese society. The final point is still that a women is a failure as long as she do not marry yet no matter how succeed she is in career. To a man, becoming an ideal mate means that having a car, a house and a well-paid job, a nice height is better. Traditional Confucianism emphasizes that the importance that marriages fulfill the social obligations must be higher than personal desires. The birth control policy strengthens this expects further. People think that the younger should support the old, that is to say, marrying with whom is related to the whole family. But, there is also a gap generation between 80s or 90s and the older generation. They do not urge to marry compared with their parents. As we see, Chinese style blind daters look for not only charming smiles or passional fire but also future money and social relationships.

Nasser Alajaji - Oil

Oil 

Probably, One of the most things you have mostly heard about Saudi Arabia is Oil.  The Oil in Saudi Arabia was founded in 1925. The economy before the foundation period was unorganized and independent, where individuals efforts were taken place just to generate daily life demands as minimal goal to live. In result of the oil foundation now a days Saudi Arabia has became one of the most rich governments. Therefore, Saudi Arabia started to playing a major rule in international relations in this world in both ways above and under!

"We must confront the privileged elite who have destroyed a large part of the world'

-R.I.P Hugo Chávez.


Nas,

Hutong Culture has changed in Beijing_Kai_3/5/13

Hutong culture has changed a lot in Beijing, maybe in so many parts of China. As the capital of China, Beijing have to develop everything. For instance, Economy, transportation... Instead of being a powerful city, Beijing ignore something essential to people-- Traditional culture. High building represents the wealth of a city, so the government decided to remove the Hutong and build some modern construction. Hutong is known all over the world, if you had been there,did nothing but walk throug Hutong, you will feel somgething special. Perhaps as people say you have to lose something when you get some. 

Yongqing Zhu (Cathy)

Qin Dynasty

Southern and Northern Dynasty

Tang Dynasty

Song Dynasty

 Ming Dynasty

 Qing Dynasty

 Republic of China 

Each dynasty in China had its own memorable culture. The many facets of color and design that emerged during a dynasty's reign made every aspect of Chinese culture, including our wearing apparel- highly acclaimed works of art. During the Qin and Han dynasties, changes in the style of dress were dramatic. In addition, the Tang dynasty was the most thriving, prosperous, splendid, and glorious period of ancient Chinese culture and art. The style of women’s clothing during the Tang dynasty is the most outstanding in China’s history.Tang dynasty attire had many different styles, and was ever changing, which enabled the look of the Tang dynasty style to remain elegant, noble and poised, and forever unique and amazing. Moreover, Manchurian-style clothing with short narrow sleeves was the popular mode of dress in the Qing dynasty. The style was slender and rectangular in form. The saddle-shaped collar was large enough to cover a person’s cheeks and protect the face. Nowadays, the clothes are becoming more simple and colorful. While pondering these beautiful, fascinating wardrobes of the ancients, one feels a part of their past, and it is easy to realise the broad and profound inner nature of Chinese people.

Students wear uniform everyday---Jessy

In my country, students must wear uniform during school time. School leaders think wearing uniforms can not only make students more academic, but can also avoid students comparing their social status. We wear the same clothes, so that poor students won't be jealous of rich students. Although wearing uniform has benefits, we don't like it. I think wearing uniform makes us looks without active. Students wear  the large ugly uniform everyday, they even don't know what can they wear without uniform, students lost their creativity. I think this must be change in the future day.

Setting off firecrackers in China------ Chen Qiu

   There is a very important custom in China which is setting off firecrackers during the spring 

festival. The legend is told that there was a monster called ‘nian’ which liked to eat people at the time of spring festival in ancient China. In order to let the monster get away from people, they use firecrackers to shock monster. So the custom was hand down and now the purpose of setting off firecrackers is to celebrate the New Year. I am glad to celebrate Chinese New Year but I was not happy to have this custom because there are many disadvantages. It is polluting the air when we do it, most of families prefer to do it at 12 o’clock at night of the end of the year in lunar calendar, so it is very smelly and the sky seem dark after that. At the same time, there are left garbage everywhere on the way, nobody would like to clean up the garbage, it is a big burden for cleaner and it seem really dirty that I did want to go out every spring festival. In fact, there are plenty of people were hurt by firecrackers during the festival. So I really want to change this traditional custom to another way which is more safety and environmental. And there is an electronic firecracker I see online like picture 3, I hope this will be spread.

(Saudi Arabia and Banning Females From Driving) by Ghassan

I come from lovely city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and till the day females cannot actually drive there own cars back home but actually have to get male drivers to take them around as its still illegal and against the law till the day for females to drive. Its the only country in the world that has such a rule due to religion related topics . In islam religion we do not have anything in particular against women driving as its a more of a Saudi tradition as all females are allowed to drive in all gulf countries with no gender discrimination involved . The problem is that 9 million saudi females have to depend on 9 million drivers so we have to depend on foreign manpower and the number is not decreasing by any chance .With a lot of support and opposition it remains one of the most controversial topics as some females can drive only inside closed compounds but not in the normal streets ! .From my point of view i think that the government needs to make changes sooner than later and study the situation and make researches carefully as we are in 2013 and things are moving much faster than back in the days ! .

by Ghassan Khalid

Homework due Wed ;)

The homework is
1- complete the handout P40-P45

2- Think about something important, something tradititional, write about something that has to change in your country.. nothing personal..




By Mohammed Bakhsh

Summary of Parking Wars At USF

In the evening of Feb. 21, a meeting took place at McLaren Hall. It had the present of city supervisor Eric Mar and university terrace association of residents who live between LM and main campus. The meeting was about discussing the parking changes and installing meters and posting time limits from two hours parking limits to just one hour. Most people of USF neighbors protested about SFMTA plans for revenue rising and changing parking limits. When Eric Mar came to the subject of parking and his support for a proposal to remove 150 parking space along Masonic ave, a member of UTA hissed. " This not Manhattan or Paris, we don't have subway that was built a 100 years ago. We just don't have the density" said by a member of UTA who hissed at Eric Mar during the meeting. As for the UTA member, he was on a wheelchair, he felt of the direction that SFMTA is taking, and increase parking regulation was extreme and discriminating against disabled and old people. Other part of the meeting took the chance to discuss the student population at USF. The problem was, students take parking spaces almost all day, while that parking space could be use by a resident or their visitor. Another meeting will take place regarding the parking changes in the near future.


By Mohammed Bakhsh

Summary by Ghassan

The Article in the Foghorn newspaper talks about the non stopping parking wars that takes place around the USF campus . The SFMTA or the Municipal Transportation agency already made parkings a harded task for students because of the new regulations that city is applying to make it harder than ever in an obveious scheme from the agency to raise money city wide which is extremely discrimnating to the elderly and the disabled . Another city supervisor is suggesting to remove over 150 parking spots along Masonic Ave which was an obserd idea to many residents who lives around USF .
in the meeting a resident of the mission bay neighborhood testified that despite the wide local opposition of installing parking meters went ahead with little or no notice as a sign of undemocracity.
others argued that students should sign a "pledge" not to drive thier cars to university which many students did not like the idea .

Yongqing Zhu (Cathy)

The Dream of Bride- Vera Wang

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