Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Deep Thoughts with Jack Handey

"The wise man can pick up a grain of sand and envision a whole universe. But the stupid man will just lie down on some seaweed and roll around until he's completely draped in it. Then he'll stand up and go, 'Hey, I'm Vine Man.'" Jack Handey

Life. Can be some pretty serious stuff - usually. Remember to work hard, be smart, make good decisions, laugh, take risks (not Vine Man type risks), enjoy your friends, enjoy yourself and make a difference.

If you could, write a bit on the blog about your past year in the CSB and the School of BIS. Non-graded stuff, just for us to live and learn from.

Thanks \Tbone and Rogie

Friday, February 8, 2008

C19 - A Village Called New York - C 20 - Tea With The Taliban

Blog Chapter 19 - A Village Called New York

  1. What is a Wahhabi Madrassa? How are they significant? (Explain their purpose and what they hope to achieve - use facts and figures to back up your statement)
  2. What is the signifcance of the chapter 19 title? Explain.
  3. Paraphrase Syed Abbas speech.
  4. What does Mortenson say the true core tenants of Islam are?

    Blog Chapter 20 -Tea With The Taliban

  5. "Dr. Greg, Shib, Madame Kathy, come,"...."a table is nearly available, and I fear....foreigners will simply grasp it." Describe what is happening in this situation and what it means.
  6. Was Mortenson at risk having tea with the Taliban?
  7. Describe the happenings at the American Consulate in Katmandu, Nepal.
  8. How does William Butler Yeat's "The Second Coming" relate to Three Cups?

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

SUPER FAT TUESDAY

Nothing like a bit 'o politics to get a Wednesday started off right. Answer the following:

  1. Why was yesterday called Super Fat Tuesday?

  2. What was at stake politically?

  3. What were the results of yesterday's Super Elections (minimum of top two for each political party and the number of pledged delegates each has won)?

  4. What is your opinion? Detailed response that could relate to: who won, the significance of race, sex or religious beliefs of the candidates, what type of president the eventual winner will be, etc.

  5. Make a prediction on who will be elected our next president in November.

Monday, February 4, 2008

C 18 - Shrouded Figure

"Let nothing perturb you, nothing frighten you. All things pass. God does not change. Patience achieves everything." Mother Teresa

This chapter we've read for today is teaching a lesson. The events that occur, Mortenson's activities and interactions between individuals, and the movement of the Shrouded Figure from beginning to end are the author's way of making a point. What is the lesson? What is the author trying to teach? After you've decided on the lesson of this chapter, support your conclusion. How do the events in the text come together to teach the lesson? (It may be of benefit to think about the chapter title, the quote used, the individuals we are introduced to in this chapter, the advice given)

Monday, January 28, 2008

C12 - Haji Ali's Lesson

"Sit down. And shut your mouth,’"Haji Ali said, "You’re making everyone crazy…"



"...We may be uneducated. But we are not stupid. We have lived and survived here for a long time." "That day, Haji Ali taught me the most important lesson I’ve ever learned in my life, Mortensen says …. " (p150)

____________________________________________________________

1. What life lesson did Mortenson learn from this uneducated, illiterate man? Your answer must use supporting statements taken from the text to defend your statements.
2. Describe in detail a situation in your life where you have learned a valuable life lesson from another person, place or experience. Or, you may use the same lesson that Mortenson learned from Haji Ali and relate it to your own experiences.
3. After you have posted your answers to questions 1 & 2, read through other students comments and choose one to post a response back. List the name of the student you chose and comment back on both their answer to number 1 and their life lesson in number 2.

Friday, January 25, 2008

3 CoT - Image Interpretation


Using the image of the Mortenson's from their family Christmas card, answer the following:



  • What do you think the Mortenson family picked this for their Christmas card?

  • Does the caption they used, "Peace on Earth" mesh with your interpretation of who (and what) Mortenson believes in?

  • Using the image, predict what you feel will happen next.

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

C11 - Six Days



There is a candle in your heart, ready to be kindled. There is a void in your soul, ready to be filled. You feel it, don't you? --Rumi

Authors use titles and quotes to catch attention and forecast main ideas of the text you are reading.


  • How does this title and quote relate to the text?
  • Before you read the text, what did the title and quote lead you to expect (what did you think would happen)?
  • After you read, did your way of thinking about the title and quote change? If so, how? If not, how did you know what the chapter was about?
  • Okay, you have been hired to rename this chapter based on your reading. What would you change it to?
  • Reread the quote by the famous 13th century poet Rumi - how does it apply to this chapter?

3 CoT - C7 - Hard Way Home - C8 - Beaten by the Braldu - C9 - The People Have Spoken - C10 - Building Bridges


1. Write a short summary of each chapter (no more than 35 words) that easily conveys the message/story of that particular chapter.
2. C7 - page 79 - What do you think Mortenson means when he says, "Not for the first time, Mortenson wondered if Pakistan wasn't more of an idea than a country." Use context from the chapter to support your opinion.
3. C8 - What kind of person do you think Changazi will turn out to be over the course of this book?
4. C8 - page 90 - "Mortenson pushed the kidney to one side of the bowl and ate only rice swimming in the greasy gravy, but no one seemed to notice." Explain his action and its meaning.
5. C8 - page 97 - What does Haji Ali mean when he says "...Before the Ibex can climb K2 he must learn to cross the river..."
6. C10 - Why did Mortenson have McCown act like a big boss from America?

Monday, January 21, 2008

Bring in your QUESTIONS

Go through the chapters from this weekend (7 - 10) and prepare a list of questions you have from the reading. These will be turned in to Rogan.

Friday, January 18, 2008

C5 - 580 Letters, One Check - C6 - Rawalpindi's Rooftops at Dusk

Answer each of the following with well thought out responses:

C5 - 580 Letters, One Check
  • Summarize the highs and lows Mortenson experienced in this chapter through brief examples.

  • Explain who each of the following are and what role they played in this chapter: Tom Vaughan - Kishwar Syed - Westside Elementary School - Tom Brokaw - Jean Hoerni

  • Describe Kishwar Syed (in regard to dress, personality, etc.)

  • Describe Jean Hoerni (in regard to dress, personality, etc.)

Chapter 6 - Rawalpindi's Rooftops at Dusk

  • Discuss the art of doing business in Pakistan

  • Compare and contrast 4 different business activities between Pakistan and the US

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

3CoT - Self Storage - Chapter 4

This chapter is titled Self Storage and begins with the following quote:

Greatness is always built on this foundation: the ability to appear, speak and act, as the most common man. -Shams-ud-din Muhammed Hafiz

Your first posting will be to answer the following questions:
  1. Why do you suppose the authors chose Self Storage as the title of this chapter? Write your response and give examples from the text to support your answer
  2. Re-read the quote shown above. What does the quote mean to you? Do you agree or disagree with this? Please support your opinion
  3. Read the last sentence of chapter 4 - how has the author used foreshadowing? Using contextual hints from this sentence, briefly explain what you think will happen next and why.