Sunday, April 7, 2013

More Topics to Discuss, More Writing to Share :)

Dear All,

This is now really the last post for this term - and your opportunity to add ANYTHING you would like to add to this blog. Feel free to include samples of your own writing that you have not submitted in your portfolio and/or share anything that you find interesting or important.

Have a great summer!

Gudrun

29 comments:

  1. I found this a while ago, stumbling upon a photo of one of his sculptures.

    An artist, Jason deCaires Taylor has combined the environment and art into amazing sculptures. He creates underwater sculptures that encourage the development of coral. The growth and thriving coral in turn provides habitats for other marine organisms.

    His website: http://www.underwatersculpture.com/index.asp

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    1. This artists work is truly amazing! Thank you for sharing it with us.

      I was just wondering if you had any idea how the artist was able to create such amazing underwater sculptures?

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    2. I'm not sure if I understand your question, but he made molds with real people then transported those sculptures underwater.

      Here's an interview he did, explaining some of the process and inspiration.

      http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/art/news-interview-jason-decaires-taylor-underwater-artist

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    3. You found something really amazing! Thanks for sharing!

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  2. These past few months have enabled me to be introduced to a variety of people from all over Canada and the world. It has given me a new perspective along with new friends and a fresh outlook on life. I have been able to develop friendships with people I generally would not have gravitated towards. In general the first year experience is one I can't forget and will cherish in years to come. The academic side of the year has also been interesting and unforgettable. The courses have pushed my boundaries and created new study habits as well as giving me the opportunity to learn and understand new material. Its been been a life transforming experience and given me freedom to pursue my academic pathway.

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    1. That's good! I hope you will enjoy the rest of your studies as well!

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  3. I would like to share an essay that I wrote for English 110 last semester.

    https://docs.google.com/file/d/0Bx_Tn-8KHZULSy05Q29GNlNXS0U/edit?usp=sharing

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  4. One day I was browsing around on the internet and stumbled upon a photo album of work done by Thomas Barbey. The album consists of 14 photo manipulations done by Mr. Barbey. I found these images to be very interesting and I would gaze in awe at how the artist was able to make two very different situations mix into one another. I encourage you all to take a look at these spectacular pieces of art.

    The album can be found at http://imgur.com/a/rG9g4

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    1. Wow! Thanks for sharing, those were interesting pieces. I've never seen anything quite like it before. He uses a very interesting perspective in his art. The effect of combining the different situations makes his art very strong, and I agree with you, gives the viewer something to stare in awe at. Which piece is your favourite?

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    2. Thanks so much for sharing! This work it truly unique and very interesting! I really like the first piece, with the skier and the sheets. I think it is very cool! Thanks again for sharing!

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    3. Those images are really great! Thanks a lot for sharing. I think I'll use some of them as writing prompts next year :)

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  6. I would like to share some information about an organization I support - Kits for Africa. It is a little known organization that makes a huge difference in the lives of impoverished children in Africa that do not have the opportunity to participate in sports.

    Kits for Africa is a relatively new charitable organization that was developed in 2010 and domiciled in San Diego, California (Kits for Africa, 2010). J. Vere Reynolds-Hale, a South African who has resided in America for nineteen years, is the founder, President and CEO. His passion for sports inspired the establishment of this non-profit organization as a means to counter juvenile delinquency arising from a lack of financial resources. "Kits For Africa’s core mission is to provide support to needy children in extremely poor areas across Africa, working in association with the local provincial and national sports unions’ youth development programs," stated Reynolds-Hale. "Our primary focus is to make a tangible contribution in helping combat juvenile delinquency” (Kits for Africa, 2010). The organization encourages children to participate in sports in order to “foster their social skills, so they can develop a sense of achievement and shun drugs, alcohol and crime” (Kits for Africa, 2010). Kits for Africa is also led by Charlie Gillespie, Phil Flakes and Rubin Duffy, board members who direct the allocation of funds raised to various affiliated African youth sports unions. Currently Kits for Africa is in partnership with twelve organizations based in Africa, such as the Witkoppen Football Academy and Eshowe Junior Development Rugby Club (Kits for Africa, 2010).

    “Sport has the power to change the world, the power to inspire, the power to unite people in a way that little else can.” (Kits for Africa, 2010). Kits for Africa aims to “provide sports opportunities to the underprivileged children of Africa”. With additional opportunities, children are empowered to “build confidence, develop new skills, and reinforce principles … to succeed both on and off the field.” Kits for Africa’s website notes that unemployment rates in Africa are approaching twenty-five percent, and there is alarming drug use and crime in poverty stricken areas. Youth development programs are underfunded. These factors profoundly magnify the necessity of support for organized sports, which are positive outlets used to reduce the widespread delinquency among youth (Kits for Africa, 2010).

    Kits for Africa supports youth development organizations in Africa by supplying them with sports equipment (Kits for Africa, 2010). Organizations are chosen by the Board based on an application outlining objectives and agreement to adhere to the Kits for Africa requirements. Kits for Africa focuses on assisting rugby, football, cricket and girls netball programs which target the most at-risk youth (Kits for Africa, 2010).

    Kits for Africa relies on funding through donations, fundraising, T-shirt sales and corporate sponsorships. All contributions are made and received with the objective of assisting to create a lasting difference in the lives of destitute, vulnerable children in Africa. Gold Sponsorship level is $1,500 and Platinum Sponsorship level is $3,000. In 2011, Kits for Africa had three Gold Sponsors and four Platinum Sponsors. Donations can also be made online and to date, several individuals have generously taken the opportunity to contribute in that manner. Events are also held to raise money, such as a Soccer Tournament and Boot Drive. The first annual Kits for Africa Soccer Tournament in 2011 raised over $13,000. Since its inception in 2010, Kits for Africa claims to have raised over $21,000 worth of sporting equipment for the impoverished children of Africa (Kits for Africa, 2010).

    If you would like to find out more information you can visit http://www.kitsforafrica.org

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  7. Another artist I've discover a few years ago through my art teacher. Marina Bychkova. She lives in Vancouver and attended Emily Carr.

    She makes ball jointed porcelain dolls. That's all I'm going to say about, check out her work if you have the time.

    http://enchanteddoll.com

    My favorite doll from her work is the Cinderella.

    http://enchanteddoll.com/galleries/cinderella2/cinderella2.html

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  8. I just recently watched an episode of The Big Bang Theory where the main character, Sheldon, explains about the theory of Schrodinger's Cat. Therefore, I decided to write a poem to explain this theory! Let me know what you think of this!

    https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eF5r1vGdJGD_fhTDWzYd6gsmIn3ehKOnhYB1LDLUQXM/edit

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    1. Very interesting poem, Hans! Thanks for sharing!

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  9. This term is almost over and I thought I should share some of the bad listening habits that most of us have. Some of the good listening skills that I already have acquired help me a lot when I’m communicating with others. I was surprised that there are more than just one bad habit that I need to work on. After realizing this, I was able to notice the little changes I could make in order to make myself a good communicator and a better listener.

    The worst habit would probably be calling the subject dull. That doesn’t occur in history or economics classes, but it happens particularly in science and maths since I’m not very interested in those subjects. Study shows if you tell yourself that you’re not interested in something constantly, it then becomes a preconscious and thus letting out a lot of useful information. I love the quote that G.K Chesterton made many years ago that “In all this world there is no such thing as an uninteresting subject, only uninterested people.” I find it quite true because even if it’s the most boring course, there will still be something interesting there for you to discover. However, if you easily become uninterested in one subject, then you’ll not be able to find them. Chesterton’s quote teaches me that I should always stay positive and be interested in what I learn, because attitude is everything.

    I find it very difficult almost impossible for me to listen when there are distractions, either internally or externally. It’s hard for people to concentrate on what the other person is saying whenever others are talking loud nearby. I find it so difficult because I can’t devote all my attention to them. Getting distracted easily is bad because if there’s something important people are trying to tell you, you won’t be able to hear everything due to the noise. Good listeners are able to adjust themselves to whatever distractions there are and are able to ignore them, that’s what I strive to be. I could practise this skill by shutting out the noises and focusing all of my attention on the message that the sender is trying to send.

    Lastly, I tend to criticize the speaker privately about the way they deliver their message and how they dressed. I know its lack of respect and impolite, but I do this unintentionally and only realized what I did after I already offended the speaker. My experiences over the past few years have taught me that the important part is what is being said, not how it is being delivered and we should only give our attention to the part that’s worth giving.

    These bad listening habits seem small in nature, but they can have a huge negative effect while you learn or communicate with others. Like Mike Myatt said, “Once you really start to listen, and with intention, your whole world opens up.” I think if you don’t possess the skill of active listening, you will miss out on a lot of opportunities in life.

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    1. Excellent points, Josh! Thanks a lot for sharing your ideas and suggestions!

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  10. The current scare of obesity, threat of inactivity, and the current health outcomes plaguing society today is cause for real concern. Understanding health, in terms of lifestyle factors or individual motivations has brought us only so far in understanding the health of society. It is important to recognize that the blame does not fall solely on the individual, but also on the constructions of the physical space that surrounds us. Designing cities that promote active transport( walking, biking, long boarding) as Vancouver has is one of many ways Urban Planning can help influence health outcomes.

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  11. A while ago I was thinking about why we don't question theories. After a lot of thought I came to the conclusion that there are a few aspects about theories that makes them convincing. I think the most pivotal aspects of a theory that make it convincing is whether it is intuitively or mathematically supported. Another important aspect is repeatability, as this not only improves the accuracy of experimental data, but also aids significantly in supporting a theory as it is happening more regularly and is a visual aid to convince people. The proposer of a theory is also very important, as this the certification and other qualification of this person are likely to influence how convinced people are by a theory. However, as with most theories there is an aspect of not yet disproven. Despite many theories being accepted and used with great certainty, we can never be one hundred percent sure of a theory as we must subject them to trials by other qualified personnel and the test of time. It is those who challenge theories, despite the widespread belief in a theory that are remembered and revolutionize their field. People such as Einstein who is the best recent example.

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  12. I feel that getting involved in your community in some way is incredibly important. Whether it be a sports team or a club on campus, making the effort to extend beyond the daily drudgery we've grown accustomed to can help one make connections that would have otherwise passed us by.

    This year I joined an engineering student team, UBC SailBot. From scratch, we build an autonomous robotic sailboat that we then enter into an international competition. Joining the mechanical subteam was honestly the greatest decision I've made in the past 12 months. I've met students from many different engineering disciplines, and made close friends that I probably wouldn't have met in my lectures and tutorials. Professionally, I've gained hands-on experience with SolidWorks and carbon fibre that I can take with me to my future projects.

    If you have the opportunity to, I highly recommend getting involved in an engineering student team or other teams that would be able to help you gain industry experience.

    More information on UBC SailBot can be found at our awesome blog here: http://ubcsailbot.org/

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    1. UBC SailBot sounds like a great project! Thanks for sharing!

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  14. In the past Easter holiday, the crew of movie "Hector and search for the happiness" was filming some scenes in UBC. My friend and I went to volunteer the extras on the set because we both like one of the main characters Simon Pegg. Here is my review of my favorite movie of him named "Shaun of the dead". He is also the writer of the movie.

    This movie is not a regular zombie movie. It is actually not frightening for 80% of the time. However, it is extraordinarily funny and clever. The 80% of time you would feel a sense of humor of the writer.

    Shaun is so-called loser at his age, no ambition, no passion, and no motivation. Sometimes he standing on the carpet with bare feet and yawning in the morning just has no difference between a zombie. When zombie virus is spreading over the whole city, Shaun and his friends, after a long time of unawareness of the odd, decide to or have to take control of their own lives. However, this is not a movie that talks about heroes or how to become a hero. Although we do see some unusual glowing features from Shaun, the ending breaks them just in a second.

    The ending is a clever one that displays how human finally find the trick to control zombies and drag their lives back onto normal tracks. Yes, back to the normal track, nothing changes, the ordinary person still live an ordinary life, and the boring person still consume their bore. As if the life is so dull and dry that even the end of the day and zombies could not help but dissolve and be absorbed to become part of it.

    Perhaps, Shaun is just one of the thousands of zombies. When compared to those who unfortunately become a true physical zombie, he is not that different. His body is alive, but his behavior is dead, and his mind operates in the same way of that zombies do (like what movie sets, the zombie can only react to the object they are fond of). It is hard to tell who is more lucky to live here, the ridiculous living status of human Shaun or zombies.

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    1. Very interesting! Thanks for sharing your experience!

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  15. I wrote and sent you a portfolio after visiting the Museum of Anthropology, but I did not receive any feedback. I guess it may be a good idea to post my portfolio online so that everyone can also give me some feedbacks as well.

    https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9aDQs62hOirejI4N0lDTjJBb0k/edit?usp=sharing

    Moreover, I am not so sure about how to describe an author's language in his/her speech and how to increase the length of my essay without including too much irrelevant information. Could you please give me some examples of those?

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