TED talk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVQ7MOBXrg8

TED talk text first draft

Hello everyone, I am Joseph. Now I'm here to give a TED talk. My topic is related to religion, a topic that most people don't want to talk about. However, this topic is important to me because not all religions are treated equally and I want to let people know about this problem. This is the twenty-first century so we should be past the time of religious prosecution. So I will directly go into our main part: How do the Western governments unfairly treat Islam as a religion and Muslims as religious group?

I bet, as the first time I speak Islam, or Muslim these two words, the first thing you are thinking about is terrorist, beards, bomb.  In everyone's mind, or imagination, the terrorist with beards, the evils who brought lots of people pain and death. And also the insane terrorist organization Islamic State. Well nowadays, even the Indians or other people with beards are doubted as terrorists. Yes, the tragedy that happened in September 1st, 2001, which is famous as 9-11. After the attack happened, there are couple of new English words were made. For example jihadist, (jihad, Arabic which means holy war, was well known for the terrorists claimed to United States). As the worldwide fear of "Islamic terrorist attack", there's also a new world which is becoming more and more famous: Islamophobia. 

Exactly. Islamophobia, a word which sounds like a form of disease, means the fear of Islam. Now it takes from a fear of a group of terrorists raised up into the fear and bias of a religion, a religion with 1.5 billion believers. As the time we heard the Islamic terrorists attacks, we focus more about" oh they are muslims" but not as the real identity, terrorists. The 9-11 is the tragedy for the people who died in that accident, but also the muslims in this world. "As American citizens, we Muslims are increasingly subjected to unprecedented scrutiny when we travel by air, our bank accounts can be probed at will, and our conversations are recorded and our telephones are tapped for the flimsiest of reasons. A Muslim name, a foreign accent, or a native dress rings alarm bells in the minds of our fellow citizens." (Followers of Islam sujected to decade of unfair treatment, from The Blade newspaper)

That's the voice of the muslims from the land of free, United States. Bias is really hurting everyone. This time, I would like to introduce more about the sanctions from the government of West European countries. Here is what I found from an amazing BBC news article. 

The first is about France. The Hijab (Islamic scarf) controversy in France. In 1989, they forbid the wearing of the hijab in French public schools. It involved the problems of the position of Muslim women, the religious freedom and human rights acting but treated into different cultural groups, the situation of Muslim and Arab in France, and discussions of the "Islamist threat" to French society and of Islamophobia. It is a strong signal or a symbol as the first country in Western Europe which acted strongly in the way of policy and law to limit the freedom of a religious group, muslims. I have to say it is kind of sad to talk about, as a country which is well known as "freedom, equality and charity" but started to act aggressively at first.

Then let's move on to Belgium.

A law about banning the full-face veil was made in Belgium in July 2011. 

This law bans any clothing that shows up the identity of the dress in places like parks and on the street. Also public working places.

In December 2012, the government of Belgium rejected request for the ban to be annulled , they announced that it did not violate human rights. (BBC News)

Spain. Well this one used to be a well known Islamic country. 

Although there are no plans for a national ban policy in Spain, the city of Barcelona announced a ban on full Islamic face-veils in the public places.

Governments' sanction is made by the officers. Yes, they are high up and not really related to normal people. But it also perfectly reflects how people think about Islam, forward to the fear of Islam, Islamophobia. They wanted to ban Islamic scarf as a well known symbol to keep themselves feel safer and live better around the whole society. 

Government, as the protector of the country, the representation of citizen's rights, should protect or at least treat any groups equally and not discriminate against any groups. That is what I, also lots of people want to see happen. Because, once the bias starts to hurt and damage the innocent Muslims, at that time, we are all terrorists too. We are bombing their innocent hearts.  

TED talk sources summary

Well, there's not that much stuff to write because my sources are not that kind of complicated. It is basically same type but includes lots of information. For example, the big topic of my TED talk is about religious freedom, then it forwards to the one which I'm interested in, Islam. For smaller and more accurate topic, it is about how European governments unfairly treated Islam. The "disease" of them are Islamophobia. Their reaction is based on control the muslims population's dress code. They banned hijab for women, which is one of the most influent symbol in Islamic dress. And my recourses are basically about the different situations of different countries in EU.

TED talk sources

Ten years ago a bunch of terrorists flew commercial airplanes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon and triggered a process that continues to extract a heavy toll in the form of blood and treasure. On that fateful day, thousands of innocent people, including a few hundred Muslims, died. As the dust settled, American Muslims found themselves besieged, vulnerable, and unwanted in this country even though they had nothing to do with al-Qaeda or 9/11 atrocities.

As American citizens, we Muslims are increasingly subjected to unprecedented scrutiny when we travel by air, our bank accounts can be probed at will, and our conversations are recorded and our telephones are tapped for the flimsiest of reasons. A Muslim name, a foreign accent, or a native dress rings alarm bells in the minds of our fellow citizens.

(Followers of Islam sujected to decade of unfair treatment, from The Blade newspaper)

The Islamic scarf controversy in France, referred to there as l'affaire du voile (the veil affair), l'affaire du voile islamique (the Islamic veil affair), and l'affaire du foulard (the scarf affair) among other bynames arose in 1989, pertaining to the wearing of the hijab in French public schools. It involved issues of the place of Muslim women, differences between Islamic doctrine and Islamic tradition, the conflict between communitarianism and the French policy of minority assimilation, the frequent confusion of the terms Muslim, Arab, and Maghrebin in France, discussions of the "Islamist threat" to French society and of Islamophobia^[1][2] and of strict secularity in state institutions.   

(From Wiki, Franch law and represents the place in EU)

 Belgium:

A law banning the full-face veil came into effect in Belgium in July 2011. 

The law bans any clothing that obscures the identity of the wearer in places like parks and on the street.

In December 2012, Belgium's Constitutional Court rejected appeals for the ban to be annulled, ruling that it did not violate human rights.

Before the law was passed, the burka was already banned in several districts under old local laws originally designed to stop people masking their faces completely at carnival time.

Spain

Though there are no plans for a national ban in Spain, the city of Barcelona announced a ban on full Islamic face-veils in some public spaces such as municipal offices, public markets and libraries.

At least two smaller towns in Catalonia, the north-eastern region that includes Barcelona, have also imposed bans.

The Netherlands 

Plans to impose a ban in the Netherlands under the country's previous centre-right coalition were shelved in 2012 when the government collapsed and was replaced by its left-wing rivals.

The earlier proposed ban reflected the influence of the anti-Islamist Geert Wilders, whose Freedom party was at that time the third largest in parliament and the minority coalition government's chief ally.

(All above from BBC news)

Valérie Amiraux. http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/jul/26/france-denounce-islamophobia-veil-riots. the Guardian

TED critique

http://youtu.be/MiVcYpfXg3k

TED talk topics

Religious freedom and the bias of it (Basically about Islam)

Cultural exchange between West and East 

The future of international culture ( coming to one common or saving all the colorful cultures on Earth?)

What I think about a good TED talk

As we all know, TED talk as known as a new kind of talking show becomes more and more famous. There are lots of good talkings, so I would share about how I think a good TED talk should be.

Generally a TED talk won't be that long, so it's possible for all the audiences to pay attention through all the talk and get all the information what the talkers want to share. So as the begining, a nice hook will catch most of the audiences' attention. Then turns into the time during they are talking. Mostly every good TED talk won't just let audiences to watch themselves talking all the time. They would bring some ideas supplemened such as imagines, videos, music and so on. Changing the form of a normal talking is the way to make it better and special.

Dabate2 research

Lowering MLDA 21 would be medically irresponsible. Alcohol consumption can interfere with development of the young adult brain's frontal lobes, essential for functions such as emotional regulation, planning, and organization. When alcohol consumption interferes with this early adult brain development, the potential for chronic problems such as greater vulnerability to addiction, dangerous risk-taking behavior, reduced decision-making ability, memory loss, depression, violence, and suicide is greater.

Lowering MLDA 21 to 18 will irresponsibly allow a greater segment of the population to drink alcohol in bars and nightclubs, which are not safe environments. 76% of bars have sold alcohol to obviously intoxicated patrons , and about half of drivers arrested for driving while intoxicated (DWI) or killed as alcohol-involved drivers in traffic crashes did their drinking at licensed establishments. Neighborhoods with higher densities of bars, nightclubs, and other alcohol-selling locations suffer more frequent assaults and other violent crimes. 

The right to drink should have a higher age of initiation because of the dangers posed by drinking. Many rights in the United States are conferred on citizens at age 21 or older. A person cannot legally purchase a handgun, gamble in a casino (in most states), or adopt a child until age 21, rent a car (for most companies) at age 25, or run for President until age 35. Drinking should be similarly restricted due to the responsibility required to self and others.

MLDA 21 reduces traffic accidents and fatalities. 100 of the 102 analyses (98%) in a 2002 meta-study of the legal drinking age and traffic accidents found higher legal drinking ages associated with lower rates of traffic accidents. [19] The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimated that MLDA 21 decreased the number of fatal traffic accidents for 18- to 20-year-olds by 13% and saved approximately 27,052 lives from 1975-2008.

dabate research

More than half of teenagers in the study played a computer game every day

Playing violent video games for long periods of time can hold back the "moral maturity" of teenagers, according to a study in Canada.

In-depth research into the behaviour of about 100 13- and 14-year-olds found over-exposure to violent games weakened empathy for others.

More than half were found to play video games every single day, with violent games the most common.

Researchers warned of adolescents losing a sense of "right and wrong".

Brock University academics studied the behaviour of pupils at seven schools in Ontario, trying to understand the relationship between the type of video games played, the length of time spent playing and how it might affect their attitudes.

Lack of empathy

The study found that playing video games was highly prevalent among this age group, usually between one and three hours a day - and playing violent games was very common.

"Violent" games were defined as those where players acted out the killing, maiming, decapitating or mutilating of other human characters. 

Such was the widespread nature of violent video games that researcher Mirjana Bajovic said it might be unrealistic for parents to try to prevent their teenage children from seeing them.

Many teenagers could play these games without any evidence of a change in attitude. And non-violent games seemed to have no adverse effects on "moral reasoning", regardless of time spent.

But the problems arose with teenagers who spent more than three hours every day in front of a screen, continuously playing these violent games without any other real-life interaction.

'Right and wrong'

Empathy, trust and concern for others, which should develop as teenagers grow up, were found to be delayed.

It was the combination of the content of games and the amount of time that seemed to affect teenagers' attitudes.

The study said: "Spending too much time within the virtual world of violence may prevent [gamers] from getting involved in different positive social experiences in real life, and in developing a positive sense of what is right and wrong."

For these screen-obsessed teenagers, the researchers say that parents should try to put them in social situations where they have to see other people's perspectives or needs, such as charity work.

During the Cold War, American children played with spy toys like those on the television show Man from U.N.C.L.E., and talked to each other on walkie-talkies. Today, they play video games that allow them to blast away at terrorists.

More Americans have been embracing home and hearth since the Sept. 11 attacks, and retailers are reporting that videotapes, televisions and video games are flying out of stores. But parents are wondering whether the violent combat and destruction that are the staples of today's video games are a little too close to reality for their children.

Some of the video games allow children to stalk and kill bad guys on the screen, and even fly a plane into an image of the World Trade Center. A new game that can be downloaded off the Internet allows users to take virtual whacks at a cartoon figure of Osama bin Laden.

Echoing those concerns, some video game manufacturers appear to be backing away from scenes of violence that used to seem like pure fantasy, one toy industry expert said.

"I think that the major changes you're going to see in games are going to be cosmetic in terms of removing images of the [World Trade Center] towers, but they're also going to be storyline in terms of focusing on rescue or heroism," said toy analyst Chris Byrne.

Microsoft is changing its popular Flight Simulator game, removing depictions of the twin towers. Activision's yet-to-be released Spiderman 2: Enter Electro is being redesigned for the same reason. French company Ubi Soft Entertainment postponed its planned October release of Tom Clancy's Rogue Spear: Black Thorn to modify the game's content, which originally let players combat terrorism.

debate topics

1. All students should have an after school job.
2. Homework should be banned.
3. Human cloning should be banned
4. History is an important subject in school.
5. Same sex marriage should be legal.
6. The government should provide wireless service for everyone.
7. Androids are better than iPhones.

spoken words poem

http://youtu.be/DgdsJGw89EI

Speech Video

http://youtu.be/yzCOnZuTuHk

Blog

Today is the first day of school which is just right after Spring Break. It's very close to the end of the third marking period, which is seventy five percent of the Sophomore year, just about less than two weeks. So now it's a good time to do some reflection about the schoolwork that we did during this marking period. Unfortunately, I was absent about the classes for about a month, which brings me lots of troubles and also some grades down. But after I come back, I think that I have already brought my status better, and ready to do better schoolwork. As the last marking period that I talked about the goals in the new marking period, it was to bring better about writing skills and spoken language. Basically about Public Speaking this single specific class, I think the point is more skills about speech. During the project that we did these days, the graduate speech, I believe I can... This is the first topic about public speech and also the first time that I get in touch about public speaking. This is a really useful project which can directly help us about pupblic speaking skills. I think I already improved during this project. For example, the outline, thoughts , and the right way to think and write a kind of speech text. Then the speaking practise can make me find out the things that I can't do well durig speaking. For example, eye contact.  I think the work that I still need to work on more is about the speed control, and pronunciation. It's always great to speak more fluently like a native speaker. I think based on the video which we took about the speech, I may have to improve more about the way to do speech, how to show audiences more about us, the confident face. The things that I will do different compares with this marking period is that I will do more practise. Practices always help the most on every work, especially publicing speaking. 

Speech text draft

Speech text draft

I believe that if there is something hard for you try to accept that challenge in a positive way, then you could win it. Conversely,  if you do not move forward, then there is only a little opportunity left for you. We gain everything and the way we grow is always because of positive attitude. I agree with this because I had that kind of experience myself, and after I tried it in a positive way, then I can look back, and see that I overcame a problem which I didn't believe I could.

I've been studying in United States for about two years. When I first came here, I couldn't speak English clearly and I can't understand what the teachers talked about in class and meeting. I was really scared. I felt like I have been threw to a different world: Not only the people look different here, the language they speak look much more different. I was envious that how they speak that kind language so fluently, and every time I saw they talked and laughed I was wondered that what kind of way they communicate? It looks impossible for me to speak like them. Maybe some day? Or never. I thought, if I even can't understand what teachers are talking about everyday, then I don't have any reason to stay here. Then I wanted to try and change it. When I was in China, my English was really bad. When I was in primary school, I hadn't passed any of my English tests. I am from Harbin, which is the biggest city in Siberia and also the Northeast part of Asia. It's really close to Russia, the shortest time we go from my city to Russia is just about one hour. So there are huge Russian influences in there. In the other cities of China, schools teach English as our second language and the most important language course. But in where I am from, lots of schools teach Russian as our second language. Although this is not a good excuse, but I still didn't believe that there can be some changes about my English. But I have to try. Then I started to ask teachers about all the questions that I didn't know. I stopped my classes by lots of questions, and I tried to speak. Every time when I met the questions and discussions that I know, then I stood up and tried to talk. Although I couldn't speak for a whole sentence by myself and I have to use my phone as dictionary, but I got experiences from that. I chose not to care about how others taunted about me. 

Three months has past, the results of this hard time is finally I can basically understand about my classes, and I can speak English clearly and easy to let others to understand. There was one day, that I was sitting in class and listened to class as usual. Suddenly I felt that I didn't listen to what people were talking but I can understand them. I can't describe how shocked , unreal and surprised I was. Before, I was sitting there and paid 100% attention to listen, but only about 30% of the information I could get. Until now, every time I remembered this, I feel really appreciated about these three months. I overcame my difficult problems, and got on the way to get better. I think this a kind of mode, which can be used in doing everything. Once we tried and insisted, then we would be on the way of success.