Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Catholic Cemetaries in New Orleans
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AR3Z-fDlFsA
Because of flooding in New Orleans, tombs were built in the cemeteries to help keep the caskets from coming out of the ground when there is a big flood. In the catholic cemeteries, they would put more than one body into a tomb after a certain period of time.
Because of flooding in New Orleans, tombs were built in the cemeteries to help keep the caskets from coming out of the ground when there is a big flood. In the catholic cemeteries, they would put more than one body into a tomb after a certain period of time.
Ancient Greek Religion
Below is information on ancient Greek religion as well as a url from the history channel that provides a visual.
Traditional Greek religion was pagan polytheism, meaning that it included many gods and other supernatural beings. Greeks inherited many of their ideas about the gods from the Middle East. Their basic belief remained constant: People must honor the gods to thank them for blessings received and to receive blessings in return.Greeks considered the gods human-like in form and emotions. The gods did not love all human beings; rather, they protected and benefited people and states who paid them honor and avoided offending them. People pleased the gods by sacrificing animals and other foods, decorating their sanctuaries with art, offering prayers, and holding festivals. The gods became angry when people performed sacrifices improperly, violated the sanctity of a temple, or broke their sworn word. Greeks believed that angry gods inflicted punishments such as famine, earthquake, epidemics, or defeat in war.
Greeks also believed that the vast difference in power between people and gods made the divinities’ natures and purposes hard to understand, but traditional stories about the gods provided hints. Some people did not believe all the mythological tales of monsters and divine love affairs with mortals, but everyone respected the myths as lessons about the gods’ awesome might, their inscrutability, and the precariousness of human life. For more direct information people could go to oracles, temples where the gods were believed to answer questions or deliver cures by various means. The priests at an oracle relayed a god’s message, or the visitor could gain clues in a dream as to what the gods wanted. Seers at oracles told prophecies about the future. Pilgrims from beyond the Greek city-states flocked to major oracles, such as at Delphi, to ask for divine advice about marriage, children, money matters, and even foreign policy. The responses were always riddles, because gods were too complex to reply clearly to mere human beings.
As Greek religion evolved, 12 gods emerged as the most important. These gods were believed to assemble for banquets atop Mount Olympus, Greece’s highest peak. Their leader was Zeus, god of the sky. The other gods were Hera, Zeus’s wife and the goddess of marriage; Aphrodite, goddess of love; Apollo, god of the sun; Ares, god of war; Artemis, goddess of nature; Athena, goddess of wisdom and war; Demeter, goddess of grain and the harvest; Dionysus, god of wine and vegetation; Hephaestus, god of fire; Hermes, messenger of the gods; and Poseidon, god of the sea.
Source: encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_1741501460_5/Ancient_Greece.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88kkXrUevBY
Traditional Greek religion was pagan polytheism, meaning that it included many gods and other supernatural beings. Greeks inherited many of their ideas about the gods from the Middle East. Their basic belief remained constant: People must honor the gods to thank them for blessings received and to receive blessings in return.Greeks considered the gods human-like in form and emotions. The gods did not love all human beings; rather, they protected and benefited people and states who paid them honor and avoided offending them. People pleased the gods by sacrificing animals and other foods, decorating their sanctuaries with art, offering prayers, and holding festivals. The gods became angry when people performed sacrifices improperly, violated the sanctity of a temple, or broke their sworn word. Greeks believed that angry gods inflicted punishments such as famine, earthquake, epidemics, or defeat in war.
Greeks also believed that the vast difference in power between people and gods made the divinities’ natures and purposes hard to understand, but traditional stories about the gods provided hints. Some people did not believe all the mythological tales of monsters and divine love affairs with mortals, but everyone respected the myths as lessons about the gods’ awesome might, their inscrutability, and the precariousness of human life. For more direct information people could go to oracles, temples where the gods were believed to answer questions or deliver cures by various means. The priests at an oracle relayed a god’s message, or the visitor could gain clues in a dream as to what the gods wanted. Seers at oracles told prophecies about the future. Pilgrims from beyond the Greek city-states flocked to major oracles, such as at Delphi, to ask for divine advice about marriage, children, money matters, and even foreign policy. The responses were always riddles, because gods were too complex to reply clearly to mere human beings.
As Greek religion evolved, 12 gods emerged as the most important. These gods were believed to assemble for banquets atop Mount Olympus, Greece’s highest peak. Their leader was Zeus, god of the sky. The other gods were Hera, Zeus’s wife and the goddess of marriage; Aphrodite, goddess of love; Apollo, god of the sun; Ares, god of war; Artemis, goddess of nature; Athena, goddess of wisdom and war; Demeter, goddess of grain and the harvest; Dionysus, god of wine and vegetation; Hephaestus, god of fire; Hermes, messenger of the gods; and Poseidon, god of the sea.
Source: encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_1741501460_5/Ancient_Greece.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88kkXrUevBY
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
Hinduism
Hinduism is the third largest religion in the world. It differs from Christianity and Western religions. There is no single founder, or a central organization. Though many theories exist, the roots may be traced back to 4000 BC. Sacred texts include the Vedas, The Ramayana, and The Mahabharata. Though Hinduism is viewed in the west as a polytheistic religion it isn't exactly polytheistic, in fact, it is somewhat difficult to categorize the religion. Though some view it as monotheistic, the most accurate classifications are Trinitarian and henotheistic. Trinitarian because Brahman (God) is visualized as a triad: Brahma - the creator, Vishnu - the Peserver, and Shiva - the Destroyer. Henotheistic because a single deity is recognized (Brahman/God) and other Gods and Goddesses are recognized as facets, forms, and manifestations, or aspects of the supreme God.
Hindus believe in reincarnation. It results in a continuous cycle of birth, life, death, and rebirth. It is called "samsara." Karma is the accumulation of a person's good and bad deeds, so basically karma determines how one will live their next life. If a person has a lot of good karma - living a life of pure acts, thoughts, and devotion, they can be reborn at a higher level. Continuing this, one can escape "samsara" and achieve enlightenment. On the contrary, if one has a lot of bad karma, this can cause them to be reborn as a lower lever. The unequal distribution of wealth, prestige, and suffering is seen as consequences of one's soul's karma.
Hindus organize their lives around 4 "goals" aka "the doctrine of the fourfold end of life."
There are three goals (pravritti} for those in this world:
Dharma - righteousness in religious life, the most important
Artha - success in their economic life
Kama - gratification of the senses.
The ultimate goal (nivritti) for those who renounce the world is:
Moksa - liberation from "samsara." This is the supreme goal.
The "red dot" is a common question of non-Hindus. It is commonly referred to as a "bindi" by Hindus. It serves various purposes. It symbolizes the "third eye," this eye is considered to be more perceptive in that it is focused inwards toward God. Both men and women wear it; though men wear generally only wear it during religious ceremonies and prayer. Women, on the other hand, may wear it to symbolize marriage (the RED dot) or they may wear any color to match their traditional clothing. Generally divorced or widowed women, especially widowed women, do not wear a dot unless it is during religious ceremonies.
One of Hinduism’s important texts is the Ramayana, which is an epic about Rama. Though there are previous events that lead up to it, an important part of the epic is when Rama and his army build a bridge to link India and Sri Lanka, to fight their enemies which resided in Sri Lanka at the time. The bridge, a chain of limestone shoals, is 30 mi long. The bridge is referred to as Rama’s Bridge in the east and Adam’s Bridge in the west. Though there has been some speculation of the existence of this bridge and its origins, ultimate proof is resulted from pictures from NASA. The curvatures and composition reveals that it is in fact man-made.
Hindus believe in reincarnation. It results in a continuous cycle of birth, life, death, and rebirth. It is called "samsara." Karma is the accumulation of a person's good and bad deeds, so basically karma determines how one will live their next life. If a person has a lot of good karma - living a life of pure acts, thoughts, and devotion, they can be reborn at a higher level. Continuing this, one can escape "samsara" and achieve enlightenment. On the contrary, if one has a lot of bad karma, this can cause them to be reborn as a lower lever. The unequal distribution of wealth, prestige, and suffering is seen as consequences of one's soul's karma.
Hindus organize their lives around 4 "goals" aka "the doctrine of the fourfold end of life."
There are three goals (pravritti} for those in this world:
Dharma - righteousness in religious life, the most important
Artha - success in their economic life
Kama - gratification of the senses.
The ultimate goal (nivritti) for those who renounce the world is:
Moksa - liberation from "samsara." This is the supreme goal.
The "red dot" is a common question of non-Hindus. It is commonly referred to as a "bindi" by Hindus. It serves various purposes. It symbolizes the "third eye," this eye is considered to be more perceptive in that it is focused inwards toward God. Both men and women wear it; though men wear generally only wear it during religious ceremonies and prayer. Women, on the other hand, may wear it to symbolize marriage (the RED dot) or they may wear any color to match their traditional clothing. Generally divorced or widowed women, especially widowed women, do not wear a dot unless it is during religious ceremonies.
One of Hinduism’s important texts is the Ramayana, which is an epic about Rama. Though there are previous events that lead up to it, an important part of the epic is when Rama and his army build a bridge to link India and Sri Lanka, to fight their enemies which resided in Sri Lanka at the time. The bridge, a chain of limestone shoals, is 30 mi long. The bridge is referred to as Rama’s Bridge in the east and Adam’s Bridge in the west. Though there has been some speculation of the existence of this bridge and its origins, ultimate proof is resulted from pictures from NASA. The curvatures and composition reveals that it is in fact man-made.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
WEEk 7 - Religion
Appropriately, this week's theme is religion. Some people aren't aware that Mardi Gras is a religious holiday. You could write about the cult of Joe Cain, Carnival in Brazil, Lent, or something unrelated.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Learning New Religions
Chinese police studying religious practices ahead of Olympics
July 24th, 2008 - 4:35 pm
XinhuaShenyang (China), July 24 (Xinhua) Police in the Olympic football co-host city Shenyang in northeast China are being imparted knowledge of different religious practices in a bid to understand foreigners and avoid insulting their feelings during the Games. More than 5,000 police officers have learnt the origins, forms, taboos, and classic works of Christianity, Islam and Buddhism in regular classes since the municipal public security bureau launched the campaign in March.
Besides theories and China’s religious laws and policies, they are also taking lessons in etiquette and how to solve emergency situations concerning religion affairs, said Yang Tao, training teacher.
Study of various religions was a part of a comprehensive Olympic training scheme the bureau initiated since January.
“More than 10,000 policemen have received training on English and techniques to communicate with reporters, and emotion control,” said Liu Kejun, chief of the bureau’s publicity department.
“China has pledged to aid the foreign media’s coverage of the Olympics, and we must work better to create a favourable environment for reporters,” said Liu.Xinhua
yahooBuzzArticleHeadline = "Chinese police studying religious practices ahead of Olympics";
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/uncategorized/chinese-police-studying-religious-practices-ahead-of-olympics_10075413.html
July 24th, 2008 - 4:35 pm
XinhuaShenyang (China), July 24 (Xinhua) Police in the Olympic football co-host city Shenyang in northeast China are being imparted knowledge of different religious practices in a bid to understand foreigners and avoid insulting their feelings during the Games. More than 5,000 police officers have learnt the origins, forms, taboos, and classic works of Christianity, Islam and Buddhism in regular classes since the municipal public security bureau launched the campaign in March.
Besides theories and China’s religious laws and policies, they are also taking lessons in etiquette and how to solve emergency situations concerning religion affairs, said Yang Tao, training teacher.
Study of various religions was a part of a comprehensive Olympic training scheme the bureau initiated since January.
“More than 10,000 policemen have received training on English and techniques to communicate with reporters, and emotion control,” said Liu Kejun, chief of the bureau’s publicity department.
“China has pledged to aid the foreign media’s coverage of the Olympics, and we must work better to create a favourable environment for reporters,” said Liu.Xinhua
yahooBuzzArticleHeadline = "Chinese police studying religious practices ahead of Olympics";
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/uncategorized/chinese-police-studying-religious-practices-ahead-of-olympics_10075413.html
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
nahuatl in mexico
Many people try to preserve their culture and language by continuing their language. This video is of a southern town in mexico is teaching nahuatl, the ancient language of the aztecs to the children in the area. They use games, dances and activities to teach the children because they believe their ancestors language is any important part of how they are.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOUSiULIJp4&feature=PlayList&p=98BE636411881FD5&playnext=1&index=2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOUSiULIJp4&feature=PlayList&p=98BE636411881FD5&playnext=1&index=2
The Tower of Babel story
From Genesis 11:1-9
And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.
And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.
And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar.
And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.
And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.
And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.
Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.
So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.
Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.
From Genesis 11:1-9
And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.
And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.
And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar.
And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.
And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.
And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.
Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.
So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.
Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Communication Issues
The url below is an episode from I Love Lucy. Though hilarious, it demonstrates how not being able to communicate while visiting another country can be challenging as well as frightening. Let's hope any experience you have internationally turns out as positive as her's did.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
WEEk SIX - Language
The posts this week will focus on language - development, disappearance, distribution...
DEATH OF LANGUAGES
About 2,000 rare languages may disappear on Earth in 100 years
29.11.2007
Source: Pravda.Ru
Pages: 1
A language dies on planet Earth every two weeks. This data was published by David Harrison, a linguist and deputy director of Living Tongues Institute, USA.
The death of a language means the death of a whole culture (flan.csusb.edu)
There are about 7,000 languages existing in the world today. Eighty percent of people living in the world today speak the widely-spread 83 languages, and only 0,2 percent interact in rare 3,500 languages.
Languages die quicker than Red Book animals. There are five disastrous areas for languages in the world: North Australia (153 languages), Central and South America (113), including Ecuador, Columbia, Peru, Brazil and Bolivia, North Pacific Plateau (54), including British Columbia in Canada, Washington and Oregon in the USA, North American Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico, Russian Eastern Siberia, China and Japan (23). To put it in a nutshell, 383 languages are in danger of disappearing for good.
A language may at time disappear immediately when the last person speaking it passes away. For example, there is only one person left speaking Siletz Dee-ni – the last language of 27 used by Indians residing in Siletz reservation. This language has practically died. As a rule, the youngest of those speaking rare languages are aged over 60. Only five elderly individuals speak Yuchi language in Oklahoma, for instance.
Rare languages mostly disappear being unable to compete with other tongues. In North and South America aboriginal dialects were ousted by European languages – Spanish, English and French. In Australia, numerous conflicts between aboriginal tribes and white settlers caused a precarious situation of many languages.
A similar situation was formed in Soviet Siberia, were authorities contributed to the extinction of a number of local languages, making local residents speak dialects of various Siberian regions.
About a half of all world languages have never been written down. When the last person speaking this language dies, the language disappears. The death of a language means the disappearance of everything else, that a nation had: their own world, their knowledge of time, biology, mathematics, etc.
Professor Sergei Arutyunov, the head of the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, considers the process to be the natural aging of languages. “This is a matter of the natural aging of languages. On the other hand, if 20 languages disappear every year, then it means than 2,000 languages will vanish in a hundred years. This could be a cultural tragedy for the human civilization. In Russia, for example, one language disappears every year. About 20 languages died in the USSR during the last 20 years of its existence. I at least know two of those languages,” the professor said.
Arutyumov sees no connection between the extinction of languages and globalization. “A language dies only when a small group of elderly people speaking it is left, whereas younger people refuse to use this language. Globalization and language is a different story,” the scientist said.
http://english.pravda.ru/science/earth/29-11-2007/101929-language-0
29.11.2007
Source: Pravda.Ru
Pages: 1
A language dies on planet Earth every two weeks. This data was published by David Harrison, a linguist and deputy director of Living Tongues Institute, USA.
The death of a language means the death of a whole culture (flan.csusb.edu)
There are about 7,000 languages existing in the world today. Eighty percent of people living in the world today speak the widely-spread 83 languages, and only 0,2 percent interact in rare 3,500 languages.
Languages die quicker than Red Book animals. There are five disastrous areas for languages in the world: North Australia (153 languages), Central and South America (113), including Ecuador, Columbia, Peru, Brazil and Bolivia, North Pacific Plateau (54), including British Columbia in Canada, Washington and Oregon in the USA, North American Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico, Russian Eastern Siberia, China and Japan (23). To put it in a nutshell, 383 languages are in danger of disappearing for good.
A language may at time disappear immediately when the last person speaking it passes away. For example, there is only one person left speaking Siletz Dee-ni – the last language of 27 used by Indians residing in Siletz reservation. This language has practically died. As a rule, the youngest of those speaking rare languages are aged over 60. Only five elderly individuals speak Yuchi language in Oklahoma, for instance.
Rare languages mostly disappear being unable to compete with other tongues. In North and South America aboriginal dialects were ousted by European languages – Spanish, English and French. In Australia, numerous conflicts between aboriginal tribes and white settlers caused a precarious situation of many languages.
A similar situation was formed in Soviet Siberia, were authorities contributed to the extinction of a number of local languages, making local residents speak dialects of various Siberian regions.
About a half of all world languages have never been written down. When the last person speaking this language dies, the language disappears. The death of a language means the disappearance of everything else, that a nation had: their own world, their knowledge of time, biology, mathematics, etc.
Professor Sergei Arutyunov, the head of the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, considers the process to be the natural aging of languages. “This is a matter of the natural aging of languages. On the other hand, if 20 languages disappear every year, then it means than 2,000 languages will vanish in a hundred years. This could be a cultural tragedy for the human civilization. In Russia, for example, one language disappears every year. About 20 languages died in the USSR during the last 20 years of its existence. I at least know two of those languages,” the professor said.
Arutyumov sees no connection between the extinction of languages and globalization. “A language dies only when a small group of elderly people speaking it is left, whereas younger people refuse to use this language. Globalization and language is a different story,” the scientist said.
http://english.pravda.ru/science/earth/29-11-2007/101929-language-0
PandemicFlu.gov
This Web site is maintained by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. It is a comprehensive site devoted to the history and tracking of influenza. There are interactive maps and many facts on the site as well.
http://www.pandemicflu.gov/
http://www.pandemicflu.gov/
Friday, February 13, 2009
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Friday, February 6, 2009
WEEK FIVE - Geography of disease
This week, posts will focus on spatial aspects of disease. Why are some regions more prone to infectious disease? What specific diseases are making news now (bird flu, cholera..)
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Your Family May Once Have Been A Different Color
This is an interesting article to listen to on NPR about how our skin colors have changed through migration over time.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=100057939
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=100057939
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Give my regards to Broadway
Cultural and economic factors are both pull and push factors that lure people to New York City.
Many young people are attracted to New York City because of Broadway and the theater district as well as the museums, symphony, opera and the financial district. The City provides economic opportunity that comes from the financial district and the companies with headquarters in New York for all races, colors and creeds. The garment industry provides employment for poorer people immigrating from Latin America and other countries.
Many young people are attracted to New York City because of Broadway and the theater district as well as the museums, symphony, opera and the financial district. The City provides economic opportunity that comes from the financial district and the companies with headquarters in New York for all races, colors and creeds. The garment industry provides employment for poorer people immigrating from Latin America and other countries.
The Human Migration
Below is a link that will take you to a map that shows how Mankind has migrated across the earth. Most Scientists believe that it all started in Africa and the human population bloomed from there. This map from National Geographic shows that and has an interesting article to go along with it. The Link is http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0603/feature2/map.html
Whooping crane migration
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGX52B9iXXU
A team of scientists are raising whooping cranes from birth then teaching them how migration works through the use of an ultra-lite plane disguised as a mother whooping crane.
A team of scientists are raising whooping cranes from birth then teaching them how migration works through the use of an ultra-lite plane disguised as a mother whooping crane.
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