Here it is the 3rd podcast I did with my friend Shawn for class. LINK

My 2nd podcast

Link

My podcast:

http://www.gabcast.com/mp3play/mp3player.swf?file=http://www.gabcast.com/casts/8538/episodes/1208828088.mp3&config=http://www.gabcast.com/mp3play/config.php?ini=mini.0.l“

The role of Date Palm’s in the Iraq culture is significant.  The Palm tree is that of much benefit with the regards that no part of it is gone to waste.  I found an example of this on Riverbends blog where she says “Every bit of a palm is an investment.  the fronds and leaves are dried and used to make beautiful, pale-yellow baskets, brooms, mats, bags, hats, wall hangings and even used for roofing.” (Riverbend 104)  Iraqi’s have gold because it allows them to have a stable form of money because the price of gold almost never fluctuates.  Gold also described by Riverbend is that of a cultural symbol for marriage and birth.  (Riverbend 99)  Tea in the Iraq culture is like that of the English culture (most likely derived during the occupation around 1920).  They sip tea in the morning, afternoon, and evening; in many cases this may not be formal but it bring a level of sophistication to every household.  The tea drinking is a time for everyone to talk and gather at the same time every day regardless of how busy they are.

These current readings have taught us that the Iraq culture is very similar to ours in many ways.  I think that it has opened my eyes to what is means to be an Iraqi; I only wish i can visit an Iraq where all these cultures are present without the threat of violence.

Alive In Baghdad

Corruption Fills Baghdad Passport Offices
3/10/08

http://aliveinbaghdad.org/2008/03/10/corruption-fills-baghdad-passport-offices/

This podcast covers the topic of corruption in the passport offices in Iraq.  Iraq has been having a problem with letting people leave or enter their country, this causes a problem with who they allow to leave.  The people that leave or enter could be bad, however the majority of them filing for a passport are good people.  The passport offices loses and or does not deal with certain passports if there is no incentive for them.  The podcast first shows a street in what i assume is Baghdad and then it goes into the offices of the passport office.  I found it very interesting to see how much work these people are doing in order to help their country.  I am assuming that they are under threat all the time with the risk of death.  I also found it not hard to believe that people would sell out since they are probably just doing it to support their families or own interests.  During war time there is always corruption so I was not surprised that Iraq was the same.  The person in the podcast is that of the head of the passports.  His job is hard to regulate it and I don’t blame him.  I think this video is what i expected of Iraq, it was cluttered and there was a lot of corruption.  War makes anything hard and confusing for the interim government.  I think the workers filing the passports was the most memorable because they were working so hard it looked like and yet so much was going wrong.  I would be discouraged if I was in their shoes but they are continuing to work.

Riverbend mentions Donald Rumsfeld as being the “Puppet Master” of Iraq.  Donald refers to Iraq as being like Chicago; then Riverbend says that’s true but what he doesn’t mention is that it would be like Chicago during the 1920’s.  I looked up Mr. Rumsfeld on Wikipedia to see if they had the same view on him as Riverbend (Riverbend hates him).  He is both the youngest and oldest secretary defence.  He served under Nixon and now George W. Bush.  Both presidents went down in history (or in Bush’s case going down) as being unpopular presidents of the United States.  He went to Princeton University for college on scholarships, he then attended law school but did not graduate.  On Wikipedia he did not seem like such a bad man; however the website only showed his achievements and not anything bad.  Overall I think anyone can have their own opinion and we all have the right to choose.

Riverbend. Baghdad Burning. New York: Feminist Press, 2005.

Donald Rumsfeld.  Donald Rumsfeld. Wikipedia.org/donaldrumsfeld, 2008.

Dear Riverbend,

Upon reading your book I have to say you have proved everything I thought about Iraqi’s.  I thought that your people where just like any other people as far as knowledge, however I had some misconceptions about the Muslim religion.  After taking advanced history classes at my high school those misconceptions were thrown out.  I have to ask how scared were you to learn that your country would be invaded by the United States? Were you ever afraid for your countries reputation?  From my perspective I have seen negative comments about Iraq in America, which is unfortunate, because after reading the beginning of your book I can make the assessment that Iraqi’s are an educated smart and well informed people.  I would like to meet you in person and discuss the current occupation, and to learn your view about what you think will happen to your country.

 From,

A fascinated reader

Riverbend. (2005). Baghdad Burning. New York: The feminist press at the city University of New York. This book gives a good description of what it is like to live in Iraq during the current occupation.  I found this book helpful in understanding the true nature of being an Iraqi.  “Baghdad Burning” gives a vivid and intimate account of what it is like to be occupied by another nation, and the fear that one must feel every day.  The book makes me ponder what the true meaning of being human being is; is it where you live or who you are?  I think that most Americans have a skewed vision of Iraq, and this book helps us make educated opinions instead of bias ones.

Upon reading the into and forward in the book “Baghdad Burning” I was not shocked to learn about an Iraqi woman’s perspective on the Iraq war.  The narrator talked about how most of the people in Iraq felt bad for the American troops, and that they only hated the government for poor planning of the war, and not so much the troops themselves.  I was shocked to find out when reading this how educated the Iraqi people are, and how they like American things.  In fact you can say that if they lived in America most of them would probably fit in.  My thoughts on the Iraq war in 2003 were for the most part unmemorable because of my age; I was only 13.  I thought that the war was necessary but on the other hand we were being told that by our government that we were supposed to trust.  I thought that Iraq posed an immediate threat to my safety.  Now that I am older and informed I know otherwise.  I have to say though that I agree with the narrator about her vision on the puppets that the United States put their own puppets in Iraq for leadership.  Overall I like what the author has to say about Iraq and it is giving me a different perspective.

Virginia Woolf describes her “room” as a place that she can be in without the discriminating eyes of society.  My “room” is the den at my house; the room is a giant room where I can think and not be judged.  I often do homework or I read books there in front of a fireplace.  This room is significant to me because I can work without the bias eyes of society looking down on me.  Unlike Virginia Woolf I have not let what others think affect me; sometimes if people are looking down on you then you must have a thick skin and ignore their trivial biases.  My room allows me to write what I want, read what I want, and do what I want without the judgment of others.  I appreciate what a quiet room without judgment does to the mind; it allows free flowing thoughts and actions.  My room is not used in the sense that Virginia Woolf uses hers for, but I can see how a room of one’s own can help you think without bias and accomplish things that you may not have done before.