population growth is a serious problem that faces many countries today but many steps have been taken to solve this problem which make me feel optimistic about the future of population .For example, government are encouraging people to control and reduce the birth rate. In addition ,people become more aware of this problem that may affects negatively the future of their lives and their children's lives. However, overreducing birth rate can generate high rate of aging people which can lead to pessimistic outcome. There will Many jobs and few people that lead to unbalance life and cause serious consequences.
As of now, the population is growing at such a rate that in the near future, the planet will no longer be able to support the huge numbers. I think the industrial countries already accomplished many different solutions to population growth. Therefore, I think they have to help the emerging countries to solve this problem. For example,United Nations has chosen to allow different countries to set a maximum size for families living in that country such as: China.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Hapiness
Happiness is a state of well-being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy.Happiness can be defined differently among people.For me, I think it's a situation in which a person sentenced to life as beautiful and stable life free of pain and pressure, at least from his point of view. For some people, it may be a true joy that springs from the heart and does not depend upon the circumstances, for others it's being able to do something for someone and not expect something in return or it may be defined as seeing the smiles on their children's faces.In fact, every person is seeking for happiness no matter how happiness is define as. .In my opinion, you don't find happiness, you make happiness. You choose happiness. You can reach happiness by doing what brings you the most meaning and contentment to your life over the long run.
Sunday, July 8, 2007
Summary of the Lecture
It is an interesting lecture about communication. The first part of the lecture shows how different culture communicate differently.A study on groups of Japanese students and American students , with 2 female and 2 male in each group, shows that the American students have direct style in communication.In contrast, the Japanese style was indirect.They don't use the same language with all people.For example,the don't speak to their friends the same way they speak to their boss or their family.Furthermore,they tend not to argue or confront in their communication.In addition, the study shows that American students have direct style when they start and handle conversation or when they argue.On the contrary, the Japanese style not direct. They tend to start the conversation by ladies-first then by age order.
The second part of the lecture is about conversational coherence between different gender and different ages which shows interesting results. For example,when men talk to each other they usually not face each other.But when women speak to each other the tend to face each other even if their chairs are not facing which shows the different physical alignment in conversation between men and women.In addition, 8 years old boys use few words and feel discomfort when they speak to each other.However, 8 years old girls feel comfortable to share their story with each other and support each other. 12 years old boys talk about many short topics such as sport; according to research, 55 different topics in 20 seconds.In contrast,the girls talk about fewer longer topics.From age 15, girls and boys tend to speak more like adult but still there is different between them. for example, in troubles talk,boys wants to show their experience with no sharing or supporting to each other. However, girls shows their support to each other by focusing on 1 gril's problem. As boys become adult(age 25),they face difficulty in choosing a serious topic and they don't speak about any personal reflection whereas girls tend to speak about their personal relationships with support to each other.
The third part is talking about TV debates and achieving "expert status".TV debates it's a TV show usually start at midnight for 3 hours that discuss different topics such as social, politics, culture...etc.Peole invited in the show are experts and concerns.A study on these shows finds that men talk more than women and they present them selves as an expert and everybody expect them.In contrast to women, their status as expert is not expected by everyone and they end to be as concern.Finally,communication in workplace.Each work place has different environment depending on the status and connection between people.In addition, there are two types of meeting in the workplace,structural(formal): 1 at a time approach and informal.In the formal meeting, men tend to speak more than women.however,in structural meeting men equal women in participating.
In my opinion, people can notice the differences in communication between men and women in many places and in many situation.From my own experience, I observed these differences in young age kids. My friends' 3 years old sons play with each other as if they are fighting, they run after each other, kick each other and they rarely speak to each other and if they did, they say few words.Whereas other freinds' daughters when the meet each other, they speak a lot in somehow a language as if they really understand each other or as if they are speaking a real language, they laugh, they hold each other hand and share their dolls or other toys.
The second part of the lecture is about conversational coherence between different gender and different ages which shows interesting results. For example,when men talk to each other they usually not face each other.But when women speak to each other the tend to face each other even if their chairs are not facing which shows the different physical alignment in conversation between men and women.In addition, 8 years old boys use few words and feel discomfort when they speak to each other.However, 8 years old girls feel comfortable to share their story with each other and support each other. 12 years old boys talk about many short topics such as sport; according to research, 55 different topics in 20 seconds.In contrast,the girls talk about fewer longer topics.From age 15, girls and boys tend to speak more like adult but still there is different between them. for example, in troubles talk,boys wants to show their experience with no sharing or supporting to each other. However, girls shows their support to each other by focusing on 1 gril's problem. As boys become adult(age 25),they face difficulty in choosing a serious topic and they don't speak about any personal reflection whereas girls tend to speak about their personal relationships with support to each other.
The third part is talking about TV debates and achieving "expert status".TV debates it's a TV show usually start at midnight for 3 hours that discuss different topics such as social, politics, culture...etc.Peole invited in the show are experts and concerns.A study on these shows finds that men talk more than women and they present them selves as an expert and everybody expect them.In contrast to women, their status as expert is not expected by everyone and they end to be as concern.Finally,communication in workplace.Each work place has different environment depending on the status and connection between people.In addition, there are two types of meeting in the workplace,structural(formal): 1 at a time approach and informal.In the formal meeting, men tend to speak more than women.however,in structural meeting men equal women in participating.
In my opinion, people can notice the differences in communication between men and women in many places and in many situation.From my own experience, I observed these differences in young age kids. My friends' 3 years old sons play with each other as if they are fighting, they run after each other, kick each other and they rarely speak to each other and if they did, they say few words.Whereas other freinds' daughters when the meet each other, they speak a lot in somehow a language as if they really understand each other or as if they are speaking a real language, they laugh, they hold each other hand and share their dolls or other toys.
Monday, July 2, 2007
Post-Reading Discussion
1-It was very surprising and unexpected ending. In fact, I wasn't sure that this is the end of the novel.I thought I may missed some pages. I don't know if I'm really satisfied with the ending or not. Although the ending is more realistic, it has been changed all what i hardly started to believe just before I reached the end of the book. However, the end pulled the whole book together very well in spite of some question that i couldn't find a clear answer to it. For example, why did Pi asked the investigators, Mr.Okamoto and Mr.Chiba "Which is the better story, the story with animals or the story without animals?". And what did he mean by better! did he mean what makes them feel better? or Which is more reasonable? Furthermore, why the author didn't want to declare the reason that cause the cargo ship to sink? I think he wants his reader to try to solve the puzzled questions.
2-In my opinion, the major themes of this book can be classified into three parts according to the three chapters of the book: First, the nature of god, religious belief describing three religion: Islam, Christian and Hindus and the relation ship between science and religions. Secondly,the relation ship between human and animals and the will to live. Thirdly, Life is story and you can choose your story.
Describing Pi's life through his childhood and describing how did he survive in a life boat with a tiger for 227 days after the cargo ship sink with his whole family was clear illustration to these themes.In fact, the clever way of the storytelling makes you believe that it's a real person life.
3-While I'm reading, I think I felt that the characters in this book are real. The main character is Pi a son of a zookeeper from India. His family including his father, mother and brother Ravi were in Pi's life only in the first chapter of the novel cause they died when the ship sank in the ocean.Since the whole book is focusing on Pi, makes u feel as he is a real person.There is other main character which is the tiger called Richard Parker.Although, he is an animal but since the story was describing him in details for many pages while he was in the life boat with Pi, make you believe or at least have the doubt to believe that it was a real tiger.
4-In my opinion this story was clear and easy to read. However it was hard to understand or imagine what the author is really talking about . What kept me reading this story is to know how did Pi survive with a tiger in a life boat. In fact, I became so bored with the length of pi and the tiger survival story and only in the last chapter the author very clearly spelled out the meaning of the book.
2-In my opinion, the major themes of this book can be classified into three parts according to the three chapters of the book: First, the nature of god, religious belief describing three religion: Islam, Christian and Hindus and the relation ship between science and religions. Secondly,the relation ship between human and animals and the will to live. Thirdly, Life is story and you can choose your story.
Describing Pi's life through his childhood and describing how did he survive in a life boat with a tiger for 227 days after the cargo ship sink with his whole family was clear illustration to these themes.In fact, the clever way of the storytelling makes you believe that it's a real person life.
3-While I'm reading, I think I felt that the characters in this book are real. The main character is Pi a son of a zookeeper from India. His family including his father, mother and brother Ravi were in Pi's life only in the first chapter of the novel cause they died when the ship sank in the ocean.Since the whole book is focusing on Pi, makes u feel as he is a real person.There is other main character which is the tiger called Richard Parker.Although, he is an animal but since the story was describing him in details for many pages while he was in the life boat with Pi, make you believe or at least have the doubt to believe that it was a real tiger.
4-In my opinion this story was clear and easy to read. However it was hard to understand or imagine what the author is really talking about . What kept me reading this story is to know how did Pi survive with a tiger in a life boat. In fact, I became so bored with the length of pi and the tiger survival story and only in the last chapter the author very clearly spelled out the meaning of the book.
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