My Tumblr Blog

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My Tumblr Post #9

History not only tells us what happened in the past but it can also teach us a lot about the future. If there's one thing you learn in history class, it's that history tends to repeat itself. We can use this opportunity to study past events and the situation leading up to these events to gain further knowledge and insight into predicting what time hasn't revealed to us yet. It is our duty to educate ourselves about history and the events that lead us to the ‘here’ and ‘now’ and shaped the world as we know it. And because of this, it is also our duty to speak up when human beings endure suffering and humiliation, no matter their race or creed. One of the many topics we discussed in class that stood out to me is Genocide. There are quite a few of these that were unsuccessfully kept “hidden” from people and the media and some were completely denied even to this day! The Retreat from Kabul in the Anglo-Afghan war, more than 16,000 killed, The Armenian Massacres committed by the Ottoman Empire, up to 300,000 killed, The Rape of Nanking in China, up to 300,000 women and men raped/killed, Ukraine in 1941, and the Syrian Army against its own people in 1982 and the list goes on and on. Genocide, Massacres, Human slaughter, these are despicable acts. Atrocities like these have happened throughout history in many incidences all over the world.

Professor Morton’s American History class was very enjoyable, this being said by someone who never thought history class could ever be considered ‘Fun.’ I thoroughly enjoyed how Professor Morton blends the topics being discussed in class with media or movie snippets that would help me visualize the era or circumstances that were unfolding. And if there was any bias being presented by the media we would discuss that in class too. This taught me that the media was not always the best place to get information or facts because it is almost always very biased. My favorite assignment was almost every single one.. I'm not kidding. I submitted each and everyone of my essays because i enjoyed most of the topics we had home work in! And the selection of documentaries or movies we had to write about had something in them for everyone. I would definitely advise my friends to take this class with Professor Morton, but unfortunately he is travelling soon to Germany. With that i would like to thank Professor David Morton for making history class amusing for all of us, and i am glad i got to learn something from you before you leave onto better things. And i hope success is in your future! :)

[mahaayoub13-blog]

Extra Credit #1

My Tumblr Motion Picture Journal will be describing two movies (The Conspirator and Stonewall) that show instances of injustice made in history. These two movies movies show totally different angles and have different settings, but contain one big similarity: Injustice by the power holding government officials robbing an innocent person/persons of their own civil rights. Both movies were historically accurate and correctly depicted how the actual series of events occurred whilst elegantly weaving a story behind the characters to keep the audience engaged.

The Conspirator stresses on the events that unfolded after the shooting of President Abraham Lincoln and the country’s reaction towards the people who were convicted of the crime of conspiracy to kill and commit murder of the president, vice president and secretary of the United states and the events that took place during one of the nation’s most thorough investigations. The artful weaving of accurately told events and the telling of the story of a lawyer’s mission to defend the mother of one of the convicted felons keeps you captured and interested. There were no factual errors that i could point out, rather at times the attention to detail in correctly depicting all aspects of this historic time and event seemed to be a little confusing. There was a whole lot of information being provided, which was fairly unnecessary, but that did allow the audience to glimpse the many aspects of how the city began to treat the lawyer who chose to defend one of the alleged conspirator’s mother, Mary, in opposition to the state. The lawyer, Aiken, who went to great lengths to defend Mary was kicked out of clubs, had his loved ones driven away from him, and received criticism for fighting for Mary’s right to a just trial. The people with the power, the government officials, had already had their minds set and ruled her fate despite there being no evidence to convict her of the crime. This film was the work of bad history, the woman was *spoiler alert!* hung after being convicted of a crime she isn’t guilty of in an unjust trial. This trial influenced history in providing all convicts a chance to a just trial ruled by a civilian jury, in order to not repeat the unjust events of the Abe Lincoln assassination trial.

Stonewall shared the events that took place during the coming out of gay men and women in the US, at the same time very interestingly capturing it through the life of a teenage young man, Jeremy, who was kicked out of school and his house for being gay and getting caught engaging in gay sexual activity. At the time, gay people were labelled “sick” and were denied the right to work or to drink alcohol. The birthplace of the gay rights movement “Gay is Good”, Greenwich, New York, was the young boy’s destination in hopes of finding a place to belong, and there he encounters many hardships and resorts to prostitution as a way to make money. Later on the handsome young man had enough of the oppression and the unfair treatment so he ultimately joins a gay activist movement. The movie doesn’t emphasize the AIDS epidemic that wiped out thousands but stuck to a certain set of events. The movie was 2 hours long and there was a lot of personal interaction instances and relationship context that was not crucial that could have been removed from the story in order to shorten the length of the movie, but other than that i have no criticisms.

Both movies tied together on several instances and on different times but similar events occurring was unfolding before my eyes. It was so sad to sit there watching this story being told that lead to our current reality, it was heartbreaking having absolutely no power to change it or prevent it from happening. It was truly an upsetting feeling that lead me to thinking how many times has this happened throughout history? How many times does this happen on a daily basis? What have we done to change it? and how to solve such a problem? It starts Now! And it starts from within each and every single one of us.

History class not only teaches past events but also teaches us lessons about the future too! We are only human and we all do mistakes but admitting to a mistake is the first step to making a change. Home of the most powerful country in the world, today the United States is proudly a nation that judges equally and for justice not for revenge (in most cases) and has legalized same-sex marriages in all 50 states. Still there are people who don't necessarily agree with equality and still there are instances in the world where people who misuse their powers resulting in unjust treatment of another human being. We arent perfect but we are better than we used to be and hopefully we are going to stay headed in that direction in order to secure a safe and prosperous future.

- Maha Ayoub

[mahaayoub13-blog]

My Tumblr Post #8

Taking you down into the depths of the slums and brothels of India, Born into Brothels, is a documentary about the lives of the children of prostitutes in Calcutta, India. An award winning documentary that is legitimately heartfelt, a tear or two swelled up in my eye as i became part of their family and shared every moment with these children as if i was actually there with them. The beauty is all in the very well documented perspective of the lives of these unfortunate kids. Documentary photographer Zana Briski came across the idea of teaching a group of children to use cameras and basic photography skills from their interest with the crew equipment. With the use of the photos these innocent kids have taken over the span of the documentary, (which took at least about 2 years in the making!) Zana artfully pieces together a true picture of an unhindered message which was a cry for help. The efforts of broadcasting their message through photography pays off when their artwork was auctioned and the kids and their mothers were invited to an art exhibit in Amsterdam. The money raised which was about $100,000 (or 4.5 million rupees) would help these poor kids get into school and provide them with the education they desperately needed.

Prostitution and its effects on families and children, a very touching subject, was elegantly captured in this very well crafted documentary which really got to me. While watching i felt connected and was concerned about the kids, which got me wondering what their life is like now about 10 years later and i worried i wouldn’t find out unless i do extensive research or went there myself to ask about them! (Not that that is a very reliable option, but not only was i really moved, but it motivated me to want to get out there and help any way i can) But there was no rock left unturned, this amazing project was great to watch, compressed into about an hour and a half movie, documentary photographer Zana Briski continued to follow the journey of these kids lives even after this great project was over to give the (very) captured and connected audience a sense of relief, and some bad news. Some kids are studying hard and doing well in school, others were forced to stay home and join the line of prostitution that runs through the family, and one girl ran away from home to a girls private school to pursue her dreams. After the documentary and the tears were over, i googled the project “kids with cameras” and searched on updates about the kids lives today:

“In November 2006, Kids with Cameras provided an update on many of the children's conditions, asserting that they had entered high schools or universities in India and the United States or found employment outside of prostitution[citation needed]. Kids with Cameras continues to work toward improving the lives of children from the Calcutta red light district with the plan to build a Hope House.[4] 2010 and 2009 were also published.” - Wikipedia

What i truly think made this an award winning masterpiece is the fact that the children are the ones who basically told the story. It was what felt like a pure message being spoken through the artwork of these kids whose futures now shines brighter than the sun. The hard work put into this project saved their futures and was genuine and selfless, which was truly inspiring. When the kids travelled to the art exhibit in Amsterdam, i could feel their joy. Brought up in a world of slavery and abuse, a world they saw no escape from now dissipates into the past and you can see them with your own eyes fly like a butterfly finally spreading its wings after being trapped in a cocoon, these kids voices were heard loud and clear. Lets hope ‘never again’ becomes a reality.

[mahaayoub13-blog]

My Tumblr post #7

This week’s review is about demagogues throughout US history. Merriam Webster Dictionary defines a demagogue as “a political leader who tries to get support by making false claims and promises and using arguments based on emotion rather than reason.” From the list of alleged demagogues given to the class, I picked “Louis Farrakhan: Angel or Devil?” He is the “leader of the religious group The Nation of Islam. He served as the minister of major mosques in Boston and Harlem, and was appointed by the longtime NOI leader, Elijah Muhammad, as the National Representative of the Nation of Islam.”(Wikipedia) He started his music career in the 1950’s and one of his songs stayed on the Top 100 Billboard Chart for 5 years in a row. He later was introduced to The Nation of Islam through a friend who plays the sax, Rodney Smith. Louis converted to Islam and rose quickly through the ranks becoming the leader of the religious group. (Wikipedia)

Louis Farrakhan brings up controversial topics about the government’s “New world order” and how the government’s aim is to divide and conquer the people instead of unite the people, his unsettling statements and theories stir up the media and makes him a target for hate from the media. He claims that his purpose is to enlighten the american people of the evil, oppressive government that holds all the power and that only 5% of the world understands the “laws of cause and effect” that come from power on a worldwide scale. Birth control, tyranny, the media losing credibility, and Donald Trump are just some of the topics Farrakhan brought up in this interview with Alex Jones, another fiery conspiracy theorist, who loves guns and fights for a “free society.”

This documentary was very eye opening for me, i always read about conspiracy theories and was sort of a believer of the new world order and watched shows and documentaries about 9/11 and how the government uses terrorism to oppress the people with fear, but this interview had so much information in it, i felt like i needed to watch it twice so i can process all the data and topics provided within the span of 52 minutes. And the fact that the interviewer was in the same mindset of the interviewee about the topics addressed, i felt that there is some bias in the message provided as the arguments seemed one-sided and were not debated during the interview. The credibility of the interview, in my humble opinion, was not as strong as it would have been if there was some arguments about the topics discussed.

This topic is relatable to the AMH 2020 Class as these demagogues are not the first nor the last that will make history, we are currently experiencing similar demagogues bringing forth their ideas and making a large influence on Americans. For example: the 2016 Republican primary with the highest votes coming to 40%, Donald Trump. Hopefully though we will see these demagogues for who they really are before their power gets too big and that much more destructive.

[mahaayoub13-blog]

My Tumblr post #6

20th century battlefields is a documentary about the 1991 Gulf war. At the time, Iraq had the world’s 4th largest army with over 1 Million troops under Saddam Hussein’s wing. He attacked Kuwait for the purpose of taking over the country’s oil reserves, which made up ⅕ of the world's oil reserves. After attacking kuwait’s small army with toxic nerve gas, torturing troops and killing them in the most cruel way imaginable, Saddam Hussein and his ruthless actions were far from over. The Iraqi army easily took over the Kuwaiti parliament and headed towards the border of Saudi Arabia, hoping to take over their oil reserves too. If that plan was to be completed, Saddam Hussein would have over ½ of the world’s oil reserves! Meanwhile Kuwait was being completely destroyed and its civilians were being executed in public, the media broadcasted these horrific images to the world and the UN got involved condemning the invasion.

Britain and the US along with 30 other countries and with the help of Syria and Egypt’s strong armies united with Saudi Arabia to help win the fight against Saddam’s evil tactics. In my point of view this union in a way brought the world together to stop Saddam Hussein’s reign of terror. The UN gave iraq a deadline just two days before Jan 17, 1991, which would mark the beginning of operation Desert Storm. My parents were living in Saudi Arabia at the time, as my dad was working for Saudi Aramco the world’s most valuable petroleum and natural gas company. We lived inside the Dhahran campus compound, which was a huge enclosed city with its own 7 star hospitals and their own arab version of publix, also women can drive and walk around without wearing an abaya, which is actually prohibited in Saudi Arabia, that is outside the secure walls of Aramco’s compounds of course. Saudi Aramco is a Saudi-American company that follows american laws on Saudi soil, its streets look identical to american towns, and had american workers as 50% of its employees, making it their home away from home, for them and their families. When Iraq dropped a missile on Dhahran, the whole city feared it was a gas bomb and my elder brother and sister who were 5 and 3 at the time, were two of the thousands who had to wear gas masks. My mom was 7 months pregnant with me, thankfully it was not nerve gas, but the bomb hit near to the south compound where we lived, and about 30 americans were killed. My parents told me about how they found a missile shell in our backyard, that turned out to be harmless and does not explode and how they called 911 to report it.

Dhahran and Tel Aviv were many of the cities affected during this war.

[mahaayoub13-blog]

My Tumblr Post #5

“How we got gay” is a short film that talks about America’s journey from diagnosing gay men and women as “mentally ill” in the 1950’s and 60’s, to passing a law that allows gay marriage in all states some 50 years later. Watching this very insightful film and hearing some stories from people living during that time was a real eye opener. During the 1960’s it was a serious crime to practice gay sex and in some cases patients would be given electric shock therapy for at least a year! This just goes to show how far the times have come.

In my American History class with the amazing Professor Morton, (and i call him that because seriously i had never previously had a teacher who made me(and others) interested in history!) showed several instances where the media played a major role in changing history and I believe that media had a somewhat strong role in this instance too. During that era of conformity, a few pioneers proposed the idea that gays have nothing to be ashamed of, that sent a message across the nation in newspapers so more people started to speak up. This “new idea” started to gain momentum and propelled America on its path to acceptance of homosexuals. Another example of the media’s role is when some parents came out and talked about how proud they are of their gay children which allowed more parents to be accepting also. This sparked envy for other gays, and longing for their parents and the community to be more accepting of them too. Watching that kind of reminded me of when i was younger and one of my classmates in school would complain about a teacher and their parents would side with their kids, which is the opposite completely in my case. My parents would always side with the teacher against me. How i longed for my parents to do the same for me :/ Haha, I thought that was funny but it made me feel connected to the story as i watched along.

A startling fact that really got to me was the government’s role, or rather the lack of it, when the AIDS epidemic began to take lives. Simply because the government and society shunned the gay community, they completely disregarded AIDS and did nothing to find a cure to help the sick and dying. This caught the eye of the media and the community began to feel the burden set heavily on their shoulders as they saw what their ignorance has caused. Soon more and more people began to speak up and decided action was needed NOW, thus the birth of “ACT UP” which was a non-violent direct action of the gay community and its supporters that tried for years to get their point across using vocal demonstrations and dramatic acts of civil disobedience. Finally some years later enough trials were made to get a drug out that helped save some lives.

This film has something for everyone i think, like in the end there was a segment about how gays don’t want to blend into the community and live like the stepford wives, which meant that despite gay marriage being legal, not all gay men wanted to get married and lead that kind of life. I really connected to that as i’m a 24 year young female and i don't really want marriage and kids in my life, I just don't see it in my future and like one of the interviewees in the film said, i don't feel like i have an emptiness or void in my life that i need a relationship to fill. Where i’m from (Jordan) society views me as someone who should get married and very soon! But I am glad that my parents don't pressure me, unlike most others which is ironic because of my previous school example.. huh, i guess this balances things out. lol.

After watching this film, i have stronger support to the gay community now that i know more about the struggles they had to go through. I am completely pro gay, in fact i am pro anyone, anywhere, anything. In my eyes we are all equal. I am also proud to live in a country where, despite the hardships, we came through and are on the path of acceptance. I hope one day we can put an end to all discrimination, not just of homosexuality, and have the entire country firmly believing in equality for all.

[mahaayoub13-blog]

Maha Ayoub - Blog Post #4

My name is Maha Ayoub. I am a Jordanian, born and raised in Saudi Arabia, moved to the Sunshine State a few years ago. Having lived in one of the world’s most religiously strict countries in the world, i have seen “the other side.” Also, i was born christian catholic but now i am not religious what soever(and for good reason.. which i will later explain), some people call it “Atheist”, but i prefer the term SPIRITUAL. Due to this, i believe that my views on religion are not from just one point of view and are more open-minded. Now that you know a little about who i am, let's get to the point:

After looking at different sources, i gathered that religious liberty means the freedom to be given the choice to follow or not follow a religious restriction, within the parameters of the law. It is not being forced to accept something that goes against your religious beliefs, but if it is the law then you should be pro or neutral. You cannot fight the law. As for religious freedom, in my opinion and as per the Religious Restoration Freedom Act it is the ability to practice any religion freely and that the law cannot stop anyone from doing so, except if the government was given reason to, then they would do so in the least invasive means possible.

From the articles i read or watched, i gathered that both sides have something or other to say about the opposite. Example: The gay couple who sued a christian baker for not baking their cake. Now, i am pro gay, but i mean come on. Really? They took it a little too far. The thing is people are complicated. If a christian baker is forced by law to bake a cake for a same sex marriage, then he must accept and abide by the law. Or keep it professional and see it for what it is, plain and simple: a business transaction. You are getting PAID for this, doesn’t matter who it is for. And if a gay couple have a bakery refuse to bake their cake then they should accept their views and take their business elsewhere. It is not the right answer to go sue them. Humans are complex beings and live in complex situations but must always find a balance in order to go about life peacefully. Both sides must be accepting of each other’s views. In most cases i think the right thing to do is keep it professional. Like the Hobby Lobby example, which I as a business major truly think the motivation behind it is just a way to save money, but labeling it as a “Religious freedom act” is simply a way to give it a boost. Just because the majority of americans are christian does not mean they can impose their beliefs on others.

What it boils down to really is the fact that none should be given more power above the other. The opponent and the impeding should both be equal, meaning neither should impose their beliefs on the other, and neither should deny or refuse to work with the other. Humans will never achieve peace or get farther in life if we don’t put these petty things behind us. We must be accepting to all people of all beliefs of any sex, color, or ethnic background, we are taught this since Kindergarten. After all doesn’t religion say this too? Let’s go back to one of the oldest sayings ever: Don’t judge a book by its cover. How do you know they are “bad” people simply because of their sexual orientation or their religion? You don’t.

In conclusion, we are ONE NATION, not part of the nation against the other. This is the reason why i choose not be religious, because it is one more barrier between people. If religion is not a positive thing then we must let go of it. The final message here is acceptance and love. ONE LOVE.

[mahaayoub13-blog]

Maha Ayoub - Blog Entry #3

Besides being a multi-billionaire business man with shares in booming businesses all over the planet, Donald Trump decided to run for president. Known for his great achievements and charismatic persona, the Donald’s boastful confidence and controversial opinions about several topics are what mostly catches the media’s eye as he tends to run his tongue a little more than he should(most of the time), putting himself in awful situations and spurring up conflict with people of all ethnic backgrounds, religions, ages, even flatly poking fun at the female sex and the disabled. Here are some of his famous quotes: http://ti.me/1giEkv8

Summary of the videos Mentioned:

Following (one of) his most controversial moments, Donald Trump defends his plan of temporarily banning Muslims from entering the US, highlights the word “temporarily” claiming that Muslims bring terror. While stating that he does not agree with discrimination of religion, he continues to say that there is hatred in the world and that he came about this plan to get to the root cause of the problem, despite the fact that what he said caused more hatred in the country. There was backlash from people all over the world as Trump’s statement spurred anger and disgust towards his “racist” and “extremist” plan. A segment showing a Muslim Imam agreeing with what Donald Trump was saying about protecting the safety of Americans from his fellow Muslims by stopping the radicals from getting into the country was an eye catcher. In that same video Ani Zonneveld, president of ‘Muslims for Progressive Values’, responds by stating that Trump was “back pedaling on his full blown statement” and that he is feeding on the fear of Americans. She continues by saying that the radicalism is already present in the US, as the reporter reminds the audience of the risk it poses on the country’s citizens stating that he is not willing to “gamble” with american lives. Ina agrees and before she got to her point, she was interrupted by the reporter rephrasing what she said and immediately closed the segment. Besides some strong believers in trump’s message, there is clear opposition on his plans and the nation disagrees with his views as the Legal party held a conference in which they stated that “It is not what this country stands for.” In a number of interviews with Donald Trump, the republican candidate repeatedly compares himself to former resident Eleanor Roosevelt on several occasions, stating that he was one of the greatest presidents ever to rule the Nation and that he was respected by all. The opposition though, is supported by many, including Hillary Clinton, who emphasizes the negative effects of Trump’s statements has on the unity of the nation. The Mayor of Philadelphia even goes to call him an “A-hole” on national television.

Reflection:

In my opinion, Donald Trump is simply stating what some people are thinking, but that does not make their thoughts, and his actions, right or even acceptable. We are talking about a very experienced sales man here, he is trying to make a connection to get their votes. His play on words and skillful conversational tactics are superb, when it comes to defending his claim, but what criminal isn’t? It is a crime to hate on or to discriminate any group of people based on their beliefs in today’s progressive and open-minded society. We are children of the 21st century, where is world peace in this plan of his? Today’s world desperately needs a message of peace and unity more than anything. Setting “his plan” aside, simply stating this idea and getting votes for it divides the people and encourages hatred in the nation that he one day hopes to lead. What leader preaches dividing the nation rather than uniting it?

How These Topics are Relevant to AMH2020 Class:

It seems that history tends to repeat itself, and while repeating amazing and positive changes that occurred is greatly welcomed, knowingly echoing an act that is racist in any way is not to be supported in today’s times, especially in the “greatest nation in the world.” There is noway this country will elect this joke of a candidate as president. The similar acts in history include The federal Immigration Act of 1924 banning immigration of Japan Americans from entering the US. That was actions of minds from almost a decade ago, are we really going to let this happen?

Do i agree or disagree with any of the arguments brought up:

Both, i agree with some of Donald trump’s ideas and hope that his message brings fear to ISIS and the radicals from harming more innocent people, but i disagree with his method of sending this message out to the masses. There is a way in which a leader speaks to earn people’s respect, and in my opinion, Donald Trump is nowhere near that kind of respectful attitude. He is causing more problems than he is solving, or hoping to solve, with his plan that he expects to uphold if elected president.

Which caused the strongest reaction:

The ban on Muslims caused the strongest reaction for me. As it is fact that crime can happen anywhere in any country and of people following any religion from any background. It is true that ISIS is an Islamic terrorist group and needs to be stopped ASAP, but i don’t believe that they can be tamed with fear. You don’t fight fire with fire, every body knows that, but Mr.Trump here doesn’t seem to agree with that. I am not Muslim, but i am an Arab, and above all i am human, I believe in peace and unity for all, not unity of one group against another. No discrimination is the message we should preach in order for us to pave the way for the children who hold the future of not just the US but the whole world.

For a good laugh please visit this website:

http://trumpdonald.org/

[mahaayoub13-blog]

Maha Ayoub - Blog Entry #2

Wacipi Pow Wow

The Pow Wow and its meaning

It is a spiritual practice that members of the Native American tribes from all over the country come to celebrate in a traditional dance ceremony that represents the renewed cycle of life. This documentary mainly shows the Dakota and Ojibwe tribes, and their traditional dress and dances during the ceremony wearing their finest clothing which they work on for many hours. The dancers dance in a circle in the center doing their traditional dances surrounded by the audience and the rhythmic beat of the drum. This dance practice carries deep meaning to the Dakota and Ojibwe tribes and represents three main points: The eternity of life, the fact that life takes many shapes and many forms(the physical aspect), and helping to mentally build back the spirit in them through the pulse of the drum and the dance(the mental aspect).

The Dance

It originated from their ancestor warriors who would come back and tell stories about their journey to members of their tribe while gathered around a fire, acting out the story in a dance demonstration. Carried down generations it became tradition and now men, women, and children participate to dance and sing competitively in this uplifting spiritual ceremony. There is no specific movement to follow, the dancers simply tune into the beat of the drum as it flows through them. The Dakota and Ojibwe tribes carry this tradition into their lives to help them find guidance and answers within themselves that they cannot find elsewhere.

The Drum

It is not just an instrument it has a spirit of its own living inside the drum, whom they believe is the spirit of a chosen female warrior. The drum plays a vital role in the Pow Wow as it is said that its beat represents the song of life present in all living things and brings health, strength and well being to the people.

The Outfits

They take many days to prepare and different parts of the outfits carry different meanings. For example the arrows and spears are worn as accessories for protection, the mirrors reflect back bad energy and evil spirits, and eagle feathers for strength. The women’s outfits have geometric or floral designs with different beads and each tribe usually has a set of colors to set them apart as the ceremony is a great way to meet new people for men from a tribe cannot marry women of the same tribe.

Grass Flattening Dance

It represents the warriors that were moving ahead of the tribe to select the next campsite. The dancers dance in honor of the bravery of the warriors who used to weave through the tall grass undetected by prey. This dance is said to bring about good fortune.

Jingle Dress Dance

It is a dance of the Ojibwe Tribe, in which women wear dresses sown with handmade shiny metal cones that clank together as the agile dancers do their shuffle, thus called the Jingle Dress Dance. The unique outfit also includes a fan that the women hold up during the dance to honor the drum. This dance represents strength and wellness as the women shuffle in a zigzag movement that requires stamina.

Fancy Shawl Dance

Otherwise known as the Graceful Shawl Dance, is a more contemporary type of dance, in which women of the Dakota Tribe move with ease and grace to showcase their nimbleness. For this dance, the women sometimes wear shoes with deer hooves crocheted on them, as the deer beautifully moves quickly yet gracefully.

Men’s Fancy Dance

It is the dance of the Dakota Tribe, where young men dance like a “Blazing Fire” wearing large brilliantly colored outfits that have many ribbons of different colors designed with eagle feathers or rooster hackles, which represent continuity and unity. This dance requires quick and varied footwork where these active young men move to represent a rainbow and the animal kingdom.

This movie was great to watch, it was touching and had something in it that everyone can relate to. In a way we(people of the universe) are all the same, but we are all just slightly different in our practices. What i found from watching this movie was that these Native American tribes are accepting to all people and consider every person they meet as a relative and their tradition and message stresses unity. I was amazed to find so many similarities in their ways to several other religions i read about: Christianity, hinduism, and mainly buddhism as the respect for all living things and the eternal cycle of life is highlighted several times during the movie and they show great respect to the blessings of mother nature.

Putting myself in their shoes i think i would be proud of this documentary showing the ways of my people. There was no bias that i could see because there were many interviews with several members of the tribes of different ages, but you can never know the complete image of something so this is my ‘outside looking in’ opinion. All in all, i personally enjoyed watching this documentary and felt truly connected to these spiritual beings, who are no different than you and me.

[mahaayoub13-blog]

Maha Ayoub - Blog Entry #1

The last time i was ever in history class, besides last wednesday at Seminole State College with my, very entertaining, professor David Morton, was a very long time ago. Currently, at the age of 24, looking back at my middle school years I remember being sort of a bookworm and really enjoying subjects like geography and history that now seem so dull and boring to me.  I currently don't really like history, but i legitimately enjoyed wednesday’s class, and hopefully by the end of this semester there will be a change in my outlook as i allow it to takeover.

There is a quote by Steve Jobs i heard the other day that reminds me of history and how it affects our daily life.  “You can't connect the dots looking forward you can only connect them looking backwards.” he stated at the Stanford Commencement Address in 2005.  This quote stood out to me because, in a way, that sums up what history is, it is actions in the past that determine our future.  And what is our future if it weren’t for the past.  People evolve with time depending on actions that are taken NOW.  We are currently making history.  During the previously mentioned Wednesday class with Professor David Morton, there was a discussion about the 13th Amendment and how it affected people’s view about slavery today, not just in the U.S. but also later on, the world, because as humans we are affected by the collective consciousness. There was a movie mentioned in class, “Lincoln” by Steven Spielberg, about the ratification of the 13th amendment in 1865. The weaving of media into the class was very entertaining and inspired me to watch the movie. *Popcorn popping* Excuse me while i go watch it now. I am very excited.

[veesko]

Coco Bodu Hithi - Maldives

Situated on a dreamy island in the North Male Atoll, Coco Bodu Hithi is a sprawling 5-star Maldivian resort surrounded by superb beaches and perfect turquoise waters. Among its 100 luxuriously appointed accommodation units, guests will find everything from spacious, artfully designed Island Villas with private beachfront terraces to the uber exclusive Coco Residences. Overlooking a sparkling blue lagoon, these stylish over-water sanctuaries come with private infinity plunge pools and stairs that lead into the gorgeous marine-life-rich waters surrounding the property. The resort boasts a lovely over-water spa, an impressive wine cellar, and a striking variety of dining venues to choose from.

TripAdvisor

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Take me there...

[mahaayoub13-blog]

If you can dream it you can do it.

Walt Disney