Interview and Articles (Case Study)

Endangered Languages 

People Interviewed:
Mr. Chophel (Staff)
Mrs. Chophel (Staff)
Tenzin Jigmey (Student)

Articles:

·        1. "Endangered Languages | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization."Endangered Languages | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Mar. 2014. <http://www.unesco.org/new/en/culture/themes/endangered-languages/>.

·         2. "Enduring Voices." National Geographic. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Mar. 2014. <http://travel.nationalgeographic.co.in/travel/enduring-voices/>.

·        3. The Wall Street Journal. Dow Jones & Company, n.d. Web. 19 Mar. 2014. <http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052748703467304575383131592767868>.

·        4.  "Endangered Languages." Ethnologue. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Mar. 2014. <http://www.ethnologue.com/endangered-languages>.

·         5. "Endangered Language Fund." Endangered Language Fund. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Mar. 2014. <http://www.endangeredlanguagefund.org/resources.php>.

·         6. "Wade Davis:Dreams from Endangered Cultures." Wade Davis: Dreams from Endangered Cultures. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Mar. 2014. <http://www.ted.com/talks/wade_davis_on_endangered_cultures>.

·         7. "Lost Language, Lost Culture." Government of Canada, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, Canadian Foreign Service Institute, Centre for Intercultural Learning. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Mar. 2014. <http://www.international.gc.ca/cfsi-icse/cil-cai/magazine/v04n03/1-1-eng.asp>.

The primary focus of my case study is the direct correlation between endangered cultures with endangered languages. The particular endangered language I chose is the Tibetan Language. Fortunately, Woodstock School welcomes Tibetans as part of their own community allowing me to interview some of them regarding the case of the Tibetan Language hence Tibetan Culture. A good friend of mine, Tenzin Jigmey, has spent approximately half of his life dedicated in being part of the Woodstock Community. I have asked for his opinion on the status of Tibetan Culture and Language, I also asked him if he could fluently speak Tibetan, also if he could follow up on his current knowledge of Tibetan Culture. I had asked the same questions to both Mr and Mrs. Chophel on the matter and all three responded fairly similarly. Arguing that Tibetan culture is slowly disappearing because of three major factors, immigration, globalization and political regression from China. In the Case Study I will further focus on a detailed analysis of the situation.

WITW 25th March

Article: Muslim Brotherhood members sentenced to Death

• Aljazeera (Most reliable when it comes to Middle East News) reports that an 'Egyptian court has sentenced 529 members of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood to death on charges including murder, in a sharp escalation of a crackdown on the movement.' This charge is reported to be the biggest mass death sentence handed out in Egypt's History another thing to note is that this was the 'quickest case' in history with no instant rebuttal of any sort. Interestingly it seemed that the nation, including the judge himself was strongly against the Muslim Brotherhood that it went as far as sentencing 500+ people (Majority of the Brotherhood). A quote sums this point saying, "When the trail begun with the procedural hearing, the judge doesn't listen to any lawyers or witnesses and doesn't even call the defendants, you are before a group of thugs and not the judiciary," Walid, a relative of one the defendants, told Reuters.

Question:

1. What has recently happened to Ukraine?
• Ukraine has ordered its troops out of Crimea after Russia has seized and annexed the peninsula in response to the fall of the Ukrainian government 
• http://www.aljazeera.com/news/europe/2014/03/ukraine-orders-troops-out-crimea-2014324125620276454.html
2. What has James Cameron announced regarding the G8 Summit?
• James Cameron announced that the G8 Summit will no longer be held in Russia because of its conflicts with Ukraine.
• http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-26722668
3. What has the PM of Malaysia announced regarding the Missing Malaysian Plane?
•  Malaysian Prime Minister, Najib Razak has informed the families of those missing in the flight MH370 that the plane has likely crashed in the Indian Ocean west of Perth.
• http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia-pacific/2014/03/families-told-plane-lost-indian-ocean-201432414843733737.html

Endangered Language = Endangered Culture (Not the other way around)

Language is most arguably the core of all cultural practices. We often neglect language as part of our culture when in fact, language is the essential base factor of it. We use language everyday and every moment of our lives as our medium of communication but it is being constantly being lost in a significant rate, hence so does culture with it. According to UNESCO, it is estimated that 'half of 6000 plus languages spoken today will disappear by the end of the century. With the disappearance of unwritten and undocumented languages, humanity would lose not only a cultural wealth but also important ancestral knowledge embedded, in particular, in indigenous languages.' (UNESCO)  The essay will focus on the importance of language embedded on cultures and how the loss of language is directly correlated to the loss of culture.

WITW (March 18th)

Article: Crimea Region declaring independence from Ukraine and applied to Join Russia

• According to Aljazeera (Least Bias source), the United Nation has approved the document saying that all countries of the world to recognise the Republic of Crimea as an independent state. In response to Crimea's declaration of independence, European Union foreign ministers moved towards imposing more sanctions on Russia over its role in the breakaway. But, Mikhail Malyshev reported that a televised news conference that the final tally was 96.8 percent in favour of splitting from Ukraine. Knowing this, US has begun giving official warnings to Russia especially upon Putin but Putin refuses to budge by stating that the vote was legal and consistent with the right of self-determination, according to Kremlin.   

Questions:

1. What has happened to a Hezbollah  Leader in Lebanon?
• A suicide car bomb attack has killed at least up to four people including a Hezbollah leader in Hezbollah-dominated area of the Bekaa Valley. (Hezbollah; small militia, Radical Shi'ite Muslim organization in Lebanon.
•  http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/03/car-bomb-lebanon-kills-hezbollah-man-201431620585592964.html
2. What has the US Navy seals done in the past week?
• US Navy SEALS have boarded and taken control of an oil tanker late that escaped earlier this month from a rebel-held Libyan port with armed men at the helm, the US Department of Defence said. 
• http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2014/03/us-navy-seals-board-rouge-libya-oil-tanker-201431710529805169.html
3. What has North Korea done yesterday?
• North Korea has fired 25 short-range rockets from its east coast into open water near Japan. 
• http://edition.cnn.com/2014/03/16/world/asia/nkorea-missile-launches/index.html?hpt=hp_t3

Endangered Cultures (Languages)

Hawaiian
The Hawai'i was one of the world's most literate societies with over 90 percent of the population able to read and write. The language and culture was almost destroyed as a result of Hawaii's annexation to the United States in the early 20th century.

Kalmyk

The republic of Kalmykia lies in Russia, at the southeastern corner of Europe. It is home to the continent's only Buddhist indigenous people, the Kalmyks, who speak an endangered Mongolic language. The language, hence culture almost died in the hands of Stalin but miraculously survived and persevered.

Koro

Is an endangered Tibeto-Burman language spoken in Arunachal Pradesh, India with an estimated 800 to 1000 speakers. Until recently, Koro was a hidden language, not acknowledged in scientific literature or by local and national political structures as a distinct language. After immigrating out of Tibet, the community broke off and disintegrated.

Quechua

Quechua was the unifying language of the Inca Empire. Though Quechua is the indigenous language for many groups in the Andes, it is being displaced by today's dominant language (Colony): Spanish.

Isthmus Zapotec

The Zapotec Language family of Oaxaca and Vercruz, Mexico comprises a large number of distinct indigenous languages that can be traced very far back. Historically, government teachers discouraged use of the Zapotec language further quickening the extinction process. 

Source: http://storymaps.esri.com/stories/2013/endangered-languages/

Presentation Review

Samiha: Solar Energy

• She has mentioned several solar projects such as SEIA that help in increase labor opportunities. She also mentioned the sun to home capacity and it's efficiency in absorbing solar energy.

Taklha: Wind Energy

• He has mentioned the efficiency of the energy and it's cons such as the animals getting killed, the noise pollution and the looks. Also he explained the availability of wind energy around the globe. 

Angad: Solar Energy

• He has focused on the future predictions of solar energy and it's environmental impacts. He gave a solution to the cons (animal killing, noise pollution and the looks) from Tenzins presentation. 

Istuti: Solar Energy

• She has described the differences between PV solar energy and manual heating systems that can be installed in homes. She also described the solar power consumption of both today and its future (using the increasing rate).

Kethayun: Ethanol Energy

• She has described how Ethanol energy works and it's promising resource capabilities (using grain, maize, alchohol, potato, rice and different varieties of corn). She also mentioned the easy installation and process. 

Jihoo: Solar Energy

• She has included statistical data that can be compared to that of other renewable energy sources. She also offered a worldly point of view that promotes solar energy because of its potential such as its infinite availability of solar energy. 

Aashna: Biodiesel

• She has focused on the environmental friendly aspects of Biodiesel energy (How our wastes can be used for energy). She also mentioned the rise in demand for biodiesel energy from 2010 to 50 with China topping the chart. 

What in the World (March 11)

Article

• The Ukrainian crisis continues to worsen with the two sides; US and Russia have neglected negotiations and are not coming close to a common agreement. The two sides are protesting against each other making matters alot worse than it already is.  Also both sides officials such as Putin and US Secretary John Kerry both have started to ignore or reject each others talks.
• http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/muscovites-rally-for-and-against-kremlin-actions-in-ukraine/495915.html
• http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26524056

Questions:

1. What has recently happened with the Malaysia Missing Aircraft?
• The search widens as the aircraft is still reported missing. Thailand, Malaysia, Hongkong and Vietnam police has decided to support and help in search of the aircraft.
• http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia-pacific/2014/03/search-widens-as-malaysia-plane-still-missing-2014311544093791.html
2. What has Qatar done with it's foreign policy?
• Qatar has defended it's foreign policy in which is based upon the Muslim Brotherhood ideals.
• http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/03/qatar-defends-foreign-policy-over-gulf-rift-20143111143148361.html
3. What has the Arab League Rejected in the past week?
•  The Arab League has rejected Israel as a Jewish Nation.
• http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/03/arab-league-rejects-israel-as-jewish-state-201439161231209704.html

Why are we still dependent on Fossil Fuels?

Ever since the industrial revolution, fossil fuels continue to become the core fuel source that run everything technological and mechanic, literally almost everything in today's society uses fossil fuels. We depend on fossil fuels like water for our body. We become thirsty for energy constantly because everything we do is dependent on fossil fuel. Today 85% of the world's energy is from fossil fuels and the rest by renewable energy. Renewable energy is far to compete against fossil fuels in everything it encompasses including efficiency, cost and price. In the movie, the crude awakening, it mentions that "oil is our god", in some degree that is true especially in a society that is hungry for energy.  Unfortunately our world is growing hungrier for energy as developing nations quickly catch up with the rest of the world. For example China and India together are the highest fossil fuel consuming and demanding nations in the world. Of course, this is justified because of their mass population but as we are constantly told, oil doesn't grow on trees. As demand exponentially rises our supply only drops even faster. It's inevitable, we are running out of fossil fuels but we still use it like it's endless. The reason for this is because we have been using fossil fuels for decades and we never imagined an end to it. Throughout the years, we have developed technological advancements in producing efficient energy from fossil fuels and found all the ways to locate and refine the resources. We have invested too much on something we relied on and, at the same time, we were blind to see its depletion. We were warned even before the world-scale industrial boom but we chose to ignore it because we couldn't fathom a time where fossil fuel has run out. But in the end, it is inevitable. Sooner or later it will end (maybe even in our lifetime) so we must find alternatives of energy and invest on its future it holds.

Three Sources:
http://www.lenntech.com/greenhouse-effect/fossil-fuels.htm
http://theenergycollective.com/scottbittle/257356/25-years-now-and-still-relying-fossil-fuels
http://needtoknow.nas.edu/energy/energy-sources/fossil-fuels/