Gabcast! <a href=”http://www.gabcast.com/index.php?a=episodes&b=play&id=8538&cast=73591″ target=”_BLANK”>A Blog of One’s Own #119</a><br><br><a href=”http://www.gabcast.com/index.php?a=episodes&b=play&id=8538&cast=73591″ target=”new”><img src=”http://www.gabcast.com/images/linkplayer.jpg” border=0></a>
It would come to my attention after reading the reading assigned (pgs. 70-79) that it did not mention any of the questions that you asked to be answered. To say the very least, I am a bit confused, but I can, however, summarize what did happen in the nine pages that I did read.
The reading discussed the raids of a family across the street from her in a few houses down. From what was described, it sounded horrific, taking the women, children, and sons out of the houses and onto the street and away, not knowing where the husbands or sons were going, and if they would ever hear from them again. I know that if I were in those shoes, I would be frightened. Wondering where my loved one was at any given time.
The podcast I decided to write about was one titled “Challenges at a Girls School in Baghdad.” The title of the series it was in was called Alive in Baghdad, and the date it was published was on May 21, 2007. The link below is where you will find this:
http://aliveinbaghdad.org/2007/05/21/challenges-at-a-girls-school-in-baghdad
The general topic was a girls school in the city of Adhamiya who are trying to stay open to further these girls education. The students, administrator, and a teacher are all interviewed, and asked various questions about the school, transportation on how to get there, and if they have encountered any accidents along the way. Many have said yes, and that a few have witnessed them committed by American soldiers. One of the girls who was interviewed had told the reporter that her family was frightened for her when she went to school. She said there were times where her parents would keep her for days from school, but she insisted that she wanted to continue.
The interior of the school looks rather bare with the exception of chalkboards and desks, and a few posters and decorations adorning the windows. I think that the viewer can learn that despite our differences, the students are actually quite similar to those of our own and that they are being faced with some of the same problems that other schools face. This video is rather different from the others that I have seen, and really shows an inside look of Iraq, and how it affects the school system. I found the actual accounts from the students the most memorable.
As I read the blog posts in Baghdad Burning:Girl Blog From Iraq, I realized she mentioned Donald Rumsfeld quite a bit. I have only heard his name before, and I did not know who exactly this man was. Upon turning to Wikipedia, I found out that Mr. Rumsfeld has quite a history with the US government and the presidential cabinet for quite some time. He was the 13th secretary of defense under President Gerald Ford, and was the 21st secretary of defense working under President George W. Bush.
He has also served under President Nixon in the House of Representatives and was the US Ambassador to NATO. He was known for “stirring controversy” with the CIA regarding the troops in Iraq and quarelled with them for a bit. He is a very strong Bush supporter, and is at his every whim, but is usually heavily criticized by the American people, as well as Riverbend states, Iraqis.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Rumsfeld#Run-up_to_Iraq
Rumsfeld was first mentioned in the reading on page 51, stating that he was in Iraq, and he found it to be a lovely place where electricity worked, people seemed happy and there was running water.
Riverbend. Baghdad Burning: Girl Blog From Iraq. 1st. New York: The Feminist Press, 2005.unknown, “Donald Rumsfeld.” Wikipedia. 9 Apr 2008 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Rumsfeld#Run-up_to_Iraq>
Dear Riverbend:
I can only imagine what you and the people of your country are going through right now. It deeply disturbs me that the troops our president (if that’s even the appropriate title to call him) calls “Heroes” are doing such things. My cousin himself was a soldier, and he says that he has been scarred by what he has seen going on in your country. He said he had seen some murders that he did not find necessary and felt bad for the common citizen. At first, I did not really mind that the soldiers were in Iraq. As a matter of fact, I was quite happy that they were going to solve the “problem” that was going on. That was nearly five years ago, and my views have changed since then.
After reading your blog, I realize that life really is not that different there than it is from here. When I thought of Iraq, I thought of no cable, no real internet access, and kind of beaten and rundown homes.By the way that you described it, it actually sounds kind of like the US, having all of the amenities. My eyes have been opened to a wider and more interesting outlook of Iraq. I silently pray everyday that the troops will be pulled out of Iraq, as I don’t think they need to be there anymore in the first place. You are right. You are your own country and you should be able to choose your leaders and how to run it. All the power to you, and God bless.
The book I am currently reading is:
Riverbend. Baghdad Burning: Girl Blog From Iraq. First. New York: The Feminist Press, 2005.
So far, after reading the introduction and the forward of this book, I have learned a bit about what had happened in the years from 2003 onward. Baghdad Burning: Girl Blog From Iraq is about a young woman who is living in Iraq when the war breaks out. She had once worked with computers, but had decided that she would make a blog. In this blog, she writes about the many hardships that she faces. This book explores what it is like from this woman’s point of view in Iraq. It is obvious that this book is related to the course due to the fact that the book itself is actually a “blog.” I also think that this book will benefit us because it opens our eyes to the world in Iraq, and what it is like to be living there at that time.
The challenges could be realizing exactly what is going on, and it could be a trouble if some things are either lost in translation, or if she uses words that we may not understand.
Upon reading the forward written by Ahdaf Soueif and the introduction by James Ridgeway, my eyes were open to what exactly and how about we went forward with such things. In the forward, I read that Riverbend was once worked with computers, but as the war hit the career was interrupted. It was then when she decided to start a blog as a normal Iraqi woman.
“I wish every person who emails me supporting the war, safe behind their computer, secure in their narrow mind and fixed views, could actually come and experience the war live” (pg. 1 of the foreword) says Riverbend. It also states that no one really knows very much about her. It also further explains that her brother stated as “E” is by her side. “sharing her tasks and thoughts” (pg. 1 of foreword)
As we enter the introduction Ridgeway goes into a discussion of how we used to be friendly with Iraq as well as the discussion of gas and how there were many wars throughout the years. There are also many statistics stated regarding how many deaths there have been throughout the years.
As I sit here in my humble “abode” and reflect on this night’s reading, I realize just how far we have gone in comparison to Miss Woolf’s time. From going from a time where women were highly looked down upon when it came to authoring such literature, to now, when some of the most common authors are women, we have made strides and efforts and we have finally broken into this field of art. How glad that makes me.
” Give her another hundred years, I concluded, reading the last chapter-people’s noses and bare shoulders showed naked against a starry sky, for some one had twitched the curtain in the drawing-room-give her a room of her own and five hundred ayear, let her speak her mind and leave out half that she now puts in, and she will write a better book one of these days. She will be a poet, I said, putting Life’s Adventure, by Mary Carmichael, at the end of the shelf, in another hundred years time” (Ch. 5 pg. 94) This is what Woolf had said as she placed a book back. In chapter five, she discussed the looking of various books, and what the author may have been thinking and such. She discussed mainly Mary Carmichael and her writing, reinstating that one needs money and a room of their own to write.
I do actually have a room of my own, yet it is no where here, not physical so to speak. Yes, it is in the depths of my mind, in my own little world. I sit alone, oblivious to anything that goes on around me and I write; write anything and everything that is on my mind. It is when I am in that room, the room that lies in the depths of my soul that I am most comfortable. I don’t, however, in this room, need any money. I care not about money, simply about the content that runs beneath the pen and across the page.
“I told you in the course of this paper that Shakespeare had a siste; but do not look for her in Sir Sidney Lee’s life of the poet…She lives in you and in me, and in many other women who are not here tonight, for they are washing up the dishes and putting the children to bed. But she lives; for great poets do not die; they are continuing presences; they need only the opportunity to walk among us in the flesh” (Ch. 6 pg. 113) I found this quote meaningful and endearing to me, as I am a writer in my spare time, I agree with Miss Woolf. There really is an author in all of us, all we need to do, is simply awaken her/him.
**With Apologies to Virginia Woolf
Upon browsing the interweb, I found a very interesting post regarding tips and a news channel upon the television titled “Fox News” Apparently, this news station does not agree with providing tips to the workers of a said coffee company called “Starbucks” They think the idea is absolutely ridiculous! My opinion on this: I do not see anything wrong with leaving a tip for someone who just did something you could damn near easily have done yourself.
If you go to a store, solely to get a cup of coffee, why not give the person a tip? Is it not common courtesy in this society? I believe what this news company is saying, although their opinion, is stupid and should not be publicly broad casted for the world to hear. Do we really care about such things? I understand now that both men and women that work in these cafe’s deserve a bit extra money. They are payed low in the first place, why not make their day just a tad bit better by tipping them? Really now, really.
http://jezebel.com/370940/jesus-died-on-the-cross-so-you-would-tip-your-damn-barista-fox-news
After reading chapter two, I realized that there was much irony in what Virginia Woolf was writing to the people. I believe my favorite quote of irony had to be when she was discussing when men write about women.
“Women do not write books about men–a fact I could not help welcoming with relief, for if I had first to read all that men have written about women, then all that women have written about men, the aloe that flowers once in a hundred years would flower twice before I could set pen to paper.”(pg. 27) she explained, and I had to say I chuckled. After reading everything that men had said about women, I realized that she is right, there really isn’t anything women write about men very often.
Another quote I found amusing was “Unfortunately, one has had no training in a university, the question far from being shepherded to its pen flies like a frightened flock hither and thither, helter-skelter, pursued by a whole pack of hounds” (p.28) This was said when she was referring to a student that was studying with her and was apparently getting slightly aroused I guess. I found it funny.
The final quote I found interesting was when she was discussing being angry about wealth and such. “Rich people, for example, are often angry because they suspect that the poor want to seize their wealth” (pg. 34) It is sad, because is she really saying it like that? Is there hidden meaning behind this?
Feministe Lifehacker Jezebel T Blog