Here's another good use of Internet tools to highlight the background of our political figures. San Franciscan Robert Kay put up this website called Obama's Neighborhood. It too is about Hawaii. But the website explores Obama's world in Hawaii in far greater depth than does the tourist's view given of Obama's Hawaii.
In fact, there are views here of the actual homes his family lived in, the friends that are still close to him, and Google maps of where he wandered and what he did. I'm simply amazed at how much the Internet lets us learn about history, and about the various leaders of our communities. I feel so fortunate to be alive in this era of technological advancement and enhancement.
Trivia time: Did you know Barak was once known as Barry, and that his mother's first name was Stanley?
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Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Obama's Hawaii
Here's a great use of the blogsphere - Hawaii's Official Tourism site has a page on Obama's Hawaii. It's hard to remember that he was raised in Hawaii! With a father from Kenya, a mother from Kansas, and a step-father from Indonesia, Hawaii may not come to mind when we think of his roots. However, this website is right to claim fame for being a part of his formative past. It's a great way to highlight Hawaii, and provide more depth on a key individual of the 21st century. How's that for an impact by a blogger?
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Class Podcasts
Here are more podcasts I enjoyed that were done by COIN 63 classmates: Tyler celebrates his father's 60th birthday, and Vani talks about her visit home to her brother's wedding. Here's Hee-Sun reading an Emily Dickinson poem (with a great music background), Thanksgiving musings from Geri, and news from Mike.
And then there's Dawn. I don't think she's a current classmate, but her podcast is online with the rest of ours. In fact, she's even got an audio with slides. So, enjoy!
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And then there's Dawn. I don't think she's a current classmate, but her podcast is online with the rest of ours. In fact, she's even got an audio with slides. So, enjoy!
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Circus Libris: Books Begin Early
Here's a great podcast, from classmate Karen. In it, she reads a story, and a good one at that. Check it out!! Circus Libris: Books Begin Early
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English Version
I found an apropos English version of C'est Fini:
That's All, Folks! At least for now - but, I'll be back!
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That's All, Folks! At least for now - but, I'll be back!
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Tuesday, December 9, 2008
C'est Fini
Well, it's over! The fall quarter at Foothill has finished. I've posted all my homework, and I'm just waiting now for the results. WHEW!!
The thought that came to mind, as I breathed that sigh of relief, was "C'est Fini". Well, I thought, what does THAT mean? It sounds right, but... Naturally, I looked it up. The first reference that came up was to French gestures, a Google link that went to About.com. That didn't sound right, so I went to Ask, and Answers, and even chechked out Wikipedia, which surprisingly had nothing to say.
The most interesting information came from this article in Time Magazine, about the discovery of a song by that name in August, 1944. Written in 1941 by a Jewish man hunted by the Gestapo who fled Nice "to the Alpes-Maritimes to join a band of the Maquis", the article summarizes that "Its title reflected its composer's despair: C'est Fini (It Is Finished)." Bing Crosby later recorded an American version of the song that was quite different, and crooned about the symphony created by love.
Now THAT seems apropos (oops, another word I'd better look up). It's with a mixed bittersweet feeling that I end this class. There is so much more I want to learn! And, I am so less-than-satisfied with what I accomplished. Yet - it has been fun. I HAVE learned a lot, and I've met a few nice people (could it be you?) that I may continue to correspond or converse with. So, on that note, I will bid adieu, just as I ended my podcast (though it's barely audible).
I will make one more comment about blogging: Just writing this, I've learned more about myself, some of them things I never knew. And I've explored new territitory - learned about the Alpes-Maritimes, Bing Crosby, and French colloquialisms. For me, this is the true value of blogging - it's a learning tool par excellence. For years I wrote in a notebook, looking up words in a dictionary as I stumbled upon new ideas, and fleshed them out with implications. Today, as a blogger, this opportunity is greatly expanded, for I have many more resources within easy reach. Blogging, for me, is a mind-expanding "drug" of the highest order.
I will end with a toast to the 40th anniversary of the creation of the mouse. I may not be around for the 40th anniversary of blogging - but I'm glad I'm able to benefit from it today!
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The thought that came to mind, as I breathed that sigh of relief, was "C'est Fini". Well, I thought, what does THAT mean? It sounds right, but... Naturally, I looked it up. The first reference that came up was to French gestures, a Google link that went to About.com. That didn't sound right, so I went to Ask, and Answers, and even chechked out Wikipedia, which surprisingly had nothing to say.
The most interesting information came from this article in Time Magazine, about the discovery of a song by that name in August, 1944. Written in 1941 by a Jewish man hunted by the Gestapo who fled Nice "to the Alpes-Maritimes to join a band of the Maquis", the article summarizes that "Its title reflected its composer's despair: C'est Fini (It Is Finished)." Bing Crosby later recorded an American version of the song that was quite different, and crooned about the symphony created by love.
Now THAT seems apropos (oops, another word I'd better look up). It's with a mixed bittersweet feeling that I end this class. There is so much more I want to learn! And, I am so less-than-satisfied with what I accomplished. Yet - it has been fun. I HAVE learned a lot, and I've met a few nice people (could it be you?) that I may continue to correspond or converse with. So, on that note, I will bid adieu, just as I ended my podcast (though it's barely audible).
I will make one more comment about blogging: Just writing this, I've learned more about myself, some of them things I never knew. And I've explored new territitory - learned about the Alpes-Maritimes, Bing Crosby, and French colloquialisms. For me, this is the true value of blogging - it's a learning tool par excellence. For years I wrote in a notebook, looking up words in a dictionary as I stumbled upon new ideas, and fleshed them out with implications. Today, as a blogger, this opportunity is greatly expanded, for I have many more resources within easy reach. Blogging, for me, is a mind-expanding "drug" of the highest order.
I will end with a toast to the 40th anniversary of the creation of the mouse. I may not be around for the 40th anniversary of blogging - but I'm glad I'm able to benefit from it today!
Read more!
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Blogging Review
This week's assignment included creating a podcast, and reviewing our blogging experience. Well, I've finished with the podcast - now I need to review my exploration into the world of blogs - in 15 minutes or less! Well, that's a tough assignment, and I really can't do it justice. So, I'll just settle for a few observations.
As much as I've blogged (I have 20 blogs!), I rarely get the full experience of being a blogger. I rarely share my blog postings, and few of my family or friends even know about my blogs. Nevertheless, the blogging experience is rewarding to me. It allows me to express myself in a way I have not found before. When an idea comes to mind, when an opinion forms, when an observation overwhelms me, I have an opportunity to DO something with it. I can post a picture, I can share my feelings, I can reach out to the world - if only here on "paper", or out there online.
Does it matter that no one reads what I write? No, I don't think so - I get the enjoyment and satisfaction I seek, without the public exposure that scares me. And I bet I'm not alone! In fact, I've been able to guide a few others into the blogging experience in this limited way. Not everyone is a public blogger, and there is a place for those of us who express ourselves online, but "privately".
What have I done differently through these class assignments? I've subscribed to other people's blogs, for the first time in my life. Most of them belong to family and friends - for that is my interest. But a few are designed to motivate me, or educate me, or entertain me. We'll soon see how rewarding this becomes. For now, it's enough to begin a new tack. Maybe someday I'll get up the nerve to interact with other unknown bloggers. But for now, this is enough. I am growing and exploring the world around me, and I continue to learn new technologies which enable me to create satisfying experiences. Isn't that what life is all about? No wonder millions, like me, have become bloggers. It has become a part of the way we lead our twenty-first-century lives. And I sure hope this satisfies our assignment requirements!
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As much as I've blogged (I have 20 blogs!), I rarely get the full experience of being a blogger. I rarely share my blog postings, and few of my family or friends even know about my blogs. Nevertheless, the blogging experience is rewarding to me. It allows me to express myself in a way I have not found before. When an idea comes to mind, when an opinion forms, when an observation overwhelms me, I have an opportunity to DO something with it. I can post a picture, I can share my feelings, I can reach out to the world - if only here on "paper", or out there online.
Does it matter that no one reads what I write? No, I don't think so - I get the enjoyment and satisfaction I seek, without the public exposure that scares me. And I bet I'm not alone! In fact, I've been able to guide a few others into the blogging experience in this limited way. Not everyone is a public blogger, and there is a place for those of us who express ourselves online, but "privately".
What have I done differently through these class assignments? I've subscribed to other people's blogs, for the first time in my life. Most of them belong to family and friends - for that is my interest. But a few are designed to motivate me, or educate me, or entertain me. We'll soon see how rewarding this becomes. For now, it's enough to begin a new tack. Maybe someday I'll get up the nerve to interact with other unknown bloggers. But for now, this is enough. I am growing and exploring the world around me, and I continue to learn new technologies which enable me to create satisfying experiences. Isn't that what life is all about? No wonder millions, like me, have become bloggers. It has become a part of the way we lead our twenty-first-century lives. And I sure hope this satisfies our assignment requirements!
Read more!
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