Darya Nemati Public Feed

Darya Nemati Capstone

Posted by Darya Nemati in Capstone - Block - Wed on
​Abstract:

My partner, Marlyn, and I began a partnership with Benjamin Franklin Science Corner in Paraguay this past October. The Science Corner hosted a series of science festivals throughout several cities this year and we were given the opportunity to be a part of the excitement. The goal of the festivals was to present science in a fun and engaging manner for students who are not fortunate enough to learn the material in school.

We cultivated a relationship via email and video chat with a group of five engineers. Marlyn and I quickly became familiarized with the education system in Paraguay. After some introductory conversations where we learned each other's strengths, we were given the task of displaying physics and chemistry concepts through simple experiments using materials that were easily accessible to the engineers in Paraguay. Each experiment that was displayed at the fairs required an intricate process to ensure the most successful outcome. My partner and I divided the work so that we each had very specific goals. My goal was to research and create science topics that would be exciting for students between the ages of eight and eighteen. Marlyn’s goal was to display the experiments chosen in the most engaging and creative way. After brainstorming ideas, we began the google hangouts to inquire about materials available and ideas for improvement. There was a good deal of back and forth communication before the final experiments were sent over to the engineers. The last step in the process was the troubleshooting, which took place after the experiments were created by the engineers. 

The first festival took place in the city of Caacupé on October 25th. The engineers were able to find and hotspot in order for Marlyn and I to witness the fair live. Hundreds of young students were in attendance, testing the experiments we had created for the festival. The look of fascination on the students’ faces was exhilarating. The second fair took place on March 27th in Villa Hayes and the last one will be held in Villarrica on May 29th. 


Final Product:

http://phillytoparaguay.weebly.com/


Bibliography:


  1. Mr. VK

    1. The most important source I can name is our mentor, Mr. Vk, who brought this project to us and has helped us tremendously along the way. Mr. VK is our number one source when it comes to communication with the engineers in Paraguay. He is cc’ed on all emails that are sent back and forth. He checks all work that is being sent over to the engineers before it is sent and always gives us his input. VK has also been a source for other sources that have come our way such as books and articles.


  1. Claudia & other engineers @ the ben franklin science corner

    1. Claudia, our main contact in Paraguay, works with a group of five other engineers at the Benjamin Franklin Science Corner. The BFSC has developed a partnership with the Franklin Institute, which is how my partner and I became involved. The BFSC is one of the organizations featured in the science fairs being held around the country of Paraguay. All of our science experiment proposals have been sent to Claudia and the group of engineers, who build the actual models and test all experiments before taking them to the fairs. We have had many google hangouts to help with experiment testing in any way we can and make any changes to the procedures or materials if necessary.


  1. "Benjamin Franklin Science Corner - About - Google+." Benjamin Franklin Science Corner - About - Google+. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Jan. 2015. <https://plus.google.com/+BenjaminFranklinScienceCornerAsunci%C3%B3n/about?gl=us&hl=en>

    1. The Benjamin Franklin Science Corner is the organization we are in communication with in Paraguay. Their mission is to bring science and technology to students who are not fortunate enough to get the experience in school. Most students in Paraguay are only in school for four to five hours a day and have no hands on science curriculum whatsoever. The Science Corner supports Paraguayan education by promoting science and technology among the youth and by promoting scientific education. The Benjamin Franklin Science Corner website has a blog and many photos that have aided us in our capstone process.


  1. "Fun Cool Exciting Science Experiments for Children and Kids." Fun Cool Exciting Science Experiments for Children and Kids. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Jan. 2015. <http://weirdsciencekids.com/FunExperiments.html>

    1. This source provides information about science experiments that will be used in our proposals to the engineers in Paraguay. The science fairs were organized with the intention of giving students around the area, who don’t have a strong science curriculum in their schools, the opportunity to get hands on science experience. This source provides many experiments that are simple and entertaining for the younger kids at the fair. The oobleck experiment was one of the most successful ones, despite the fact that it was one of the simplest ones. This source has brought many ideas to our attention, whether we use the specific experiment or not.


  1. "Experimental Procedure." Experimental Procedure. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Jan. 2015. <http://www.angelfire.com/scifi2/physics600/procedure.html>

    1. This source was used to create the Trebuchet for the first science fair and will be used again to better the second version of the model. We used this source only as a template for our model. The units we use here are different than the ones used in Paraguay, therefore we had to convert all units to the metric system. After doing that we also had to scale the original trebuchet down because size was a factor for the engineers. Although there were other procedures for trebuchets that we looked at, this source was the most comprehensive and specific one we found.


  1. "Chemistry." Science Fair Projects, Ideas, and Experiments. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Jan. 2015.<http://www.sciencefairadventure.com/Chemistry.aspx>

    1. This source was used for the ideas on Chemistry experiments. We had about four chemistry experiment proposals for the first fair. One was the shiny penny experiment which is always a classic for kids and very easy to show. The second, was also a simple one that involved the reaction between vinegar and baking soda. Another proposal was for an experiment that involved making slime, which is a great way to get students to do some very hands-on work in a fun way. The last one consisted of making saturated copper sulfate solution. The goal for many of these experiments was to create them using the most simple and attainable materials possible.   


  1. "Physics Science Fair Project Ideas." Physics Science Fair Project Ideas. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Jan. 2015. <http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/Intro-Physics.shtml>

    1. This source was used for the ideas on Physics experiments. We had about four physics experiment proposals for the first fair. The first one was building a parachute and using different shapes for the parachute to see the difference it would make. The second involved watching the motion of a trash bag filled with air. Another experiment was a water bottle toss, involving a water bottle with a poked hole in the cap. This experiment was a test of gravity. The last experiment, and my personal favorite was building a gyroscope using a bicycle wheel. The goal for many of these experiments was to create them using the most simple and attainable materials possible.  


  1. "Thinking about How to Evaluate Your Program? These Strategies Will Get You Started. Gajda, Rebecca & Jennifer Jewiss." Thinking about How to Evaluate Your Program? These Strategies Will Get You Started. Gajda, Rebecca & Jennifer Jewiss. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Jan. 2015. <http://pareonline.net/getvn.asp?v=9&n=8>

    1. Although our capstone is not necessary building a program, we decided that there should still be some type of evaluation to ensure our work was making progress. This source gives information on the most effective ways of evaluating a program and much more. The source includes a clear outline of the steps needed in order to evaluate the program, it’s progress, and it’s effectiveness. The source enforces the fact that having a specific audience is essential. Quantity and quality are both factors that are explained in depth. Assessing outcomes, achievements and indicators is very important in maintaining success in a program.


  1. "Designing a Survey." Designing a Survey. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Jan. 2015. <http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_ideas/Soc_survey.shtml>

    1. This source will come in handy when making the surveys for the next fair. I wasn’t expecting to have to research this, I thought I could just create one but then it dawned on me that I’d never made one. I didn’t know where to start so I decided why not look it up? Sure enough I found many credible sites, but I chose this one because it is specifically based on creating surveys revolving around science courses and curriculums, which is exactly what I will be evaluating. This source gives me ideas on what questions to ask, as well as objectives to keep in mind and templates to use.


  1. "The Popular Education News: What Is Popular Education?" The Popular Education News: What Is Popular Education? N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Jan. 2015. <http://www.popednews.org/newsletters/definitions.html>

    1. This source is valuable in learning how we want to connect with the students at the fair. Although, we won’t be there with them we want projects they see to be as meaningful as possible. Our goal is that students learn some science in a much more interactive way then they are used to. Popular education is a collective effort, one that engages students and allows them to work together and participate in the material. Popular education begins with learning the students’ ability and knowledge, which is what we want to learn through the surveys we will be giving at the next fair.

The Art of Rowing - A Digital Story

Posted by Darya Nemati in Storytelling - Rami - C on
My digital story is a compilation of some clips taken during my training that lead up to a race. My goal was to show the intensity of a sport that isn't as popular and well-known as many others. I didn't find the need to add much audio (besides the music) because the videos tell it all. I hope my audience just gets a chance to enjoy the short video and learn a little more about a new sport. 

A Universe's Story

Posted by Darya Nemati in English 3 - Pahomov - C on
​

“Welcome to our universe. A place where personality determines your destiny. A place where violence is not an issue because we have split our people into four different planets based on their personality, meaning no one will disagree and no one’s ideas will clash. A place where all thoughts and words are recorded through internal diaries/journals. Welcome to our four planetas; welcome to our universe. There are a few things you must know before you take the journey to our universe. Reginas and Rex is the planet for the proper and superiors. Feroces is the planet for the fierce and almighty. Mitis is a planet for the quiet and gentle. Ignotus is for the mysterious and unknown; the ones who don’t quite fit into any other planeta.” says an electronic voice far in the distance.

Aria rubs her eyes to make sure she’s not dreaming.

“What’s going on?”

“You have been chosen to look over Adrea and Silas, who have just turned eighteen,” replies the voice.

“Why? What is so special about being eighteen.”

“In our universe, eighteen is a very special year. It’s when the children become adults and they can finally be placed into the planeta they belong in.”

“When do I get to go back home,” asks Aria. She wipes a tear from her eye.

“Don’t cry darling. This is a chance to learn about your universe’s past. You will leave when you have your answers.”

“I AM IN THE PAST? What year is this?”

“It’s the year 3004. You’ve dreamt about the past, I’ve seen it, and now you’re here. You’re here because you are a curious one. You will be back by morning. Time goes a lot faster here. All you have to do is listen and you will hear the thoughts of Adrea and Silas.” The electronic voice shut off.

Aria sits and listens closely.


Dear Diary,


I wake up to a pounding on my door. Today is the day. There’s a sort of tingling in my fingertips and a churning in my stomach. Are the other 18 year-olds feeling as nervous as I am today? I’m about to chose my future. I may wake up 3000 light years away tomorrow morning. I may wake up and find myself in the exact same bed I’ve slept in for the past eighteen years. In the same 20-story brick building that I’ve lived in for eighteen years. What will I do if I have to spend the rest of my life in this hell hole? I’ve spent so much time locked up in this building that I swear I know where every single outlet and every sneak exit is. I’m bored, tired and so ready to find myself. I can feel it in my bones that my life is about to change.

I’ve never felt a sense of inclusion or belonging. While my roommates take three hours to get ready it takes me less than 10 minutes. They come out wearing short dresses that squeezes every inch of skin on their body into one straight figure. They wear so much make up that it makes me cringe. I can tell some of them don’t feel comfortable, but they’d do anything to fit in. It’s quite sad.

I don’t care. They look at me funny when I walk into the mess hall. They giggle when I trip and fall flat on my face in poise class. But I don’t care. I know that in a few days I will never see these people again.

But then I think again… Did any of the last eighteen years of my life matter? Instead of getting ready for the most important day of my life, I’m laying in bed writing in my diary. I should go. I should look nice today. I want to make a good first impression.

Hopefully I’ll be in a new bed tomorrow night. One that isn’t quite as big and fluffy because it makes me feel lost.

- Adrea


Dear Journal,

It’s Monday morning. But not just any Monday. It’s the Monday where I get to move out. I woke up three hours ago, even though I don’t have to be ready for another two. This is not like me at all. I usually am awaken by the yelling outside my door telling me I’m the only one still sleeping. I never get a warm shower because I’m too late and all the warm water has been used up, but today was different. The water was so warm that the steam fogged up every inch of the mirror. I stepped out of the shower and wrote the lyrics to “Feeling Good” by Michael Buble across the front of the mirror. I sang “It’s a new dawn, It’s a new day, It’s a new life for me, and I’m feeling good” all the way back to my room. I got a few glares and grunts from those who were still half asleep but I didn’t care. It was a good day and I was feeling hella good.

The longer I wait here, the more anxious I’m getting. I wonder how many Feroces are eighteen this year. How many will be joining me at the Annual Planeta Induction? Where will I be placed? Will I be Rex, the superiors? Will I be Mitis, the gentle? Will I be Ignotus, the unknown? I know I won’t be staying in Feroces. I haven’t proven myself tough enough. I’d cry before every shooting class as a kid. I was not afraid of getting hit by the sword, but of holding such a dangerous weapon. I really hope I’m Rex. They take fencing and archery classes instead, which is much more my style. I would be at the top of the chain. I once heard they live closest to the sun because they are the most worthy. I’ve also heard they drink wine and eat grapes every night. They live like royalty.

My biggest fear is being sent to ignotus. No one hears anything about that planet. It’s the farthest away from the sun, meaning it must be cold year round. Cold and dark. Very few get sent to Ignotus, so I bet it’s lonely.

- Silas


Dear Diary,

It’s cold and dark here. Where am I?

- Adrea

Dear Journal,

This is the last place I want to be.

-Silas


Dear Diary,

I’m trying to remember what happened in the past twenty four hours. I woke up yesterday as usual, in Regina. But this morning I am in Ignotus. Or at least that’s what I’ve been told. The breeze here is a little stronger and a little colder but I actually don’t mind it. It’s refreshing.

Oh! The Annual Planeta Induction. Let me tell you all about it. All the Reginas lined up in the Aqua Ballroom. We were each assigned a number and slowly but surely they got to 2948230. My number was called. My heart was pounding so fast in my chest that I swore I’d faint before I could get to the Induction Room.

An old, grumpy-looking man stood in the doorway. He handed me a sheet of paper and told me to go inside. I went inside and sat at the only desk in the room. It was situated right in the middle, nothing else surrounding it. I flipped the paper over to make sure nothing was on it. I was very confused as to what I was suppose to be doing. Then all of a sudden a voice came out of no where. A voice I’d heard before. I think it was the voice I’d been hearing in dreams the past few nights. The voice told me to take the paper and look at it very closely. I put it down on the desk and all of a sudden little pictures started to appear on the page. At first they were very faint and I thought I was just hallucinating but slowly the pictures became clearer and clearer.

After telling the voice what I’d seen in the pictures, I was sent to a new room. This room was completely empty except for a single door. I opened the door and behind the door was the spaceship that would take me to my new planeta. My new life. My heart was beating faster now than it had when my number. If that’s even possible. I stepped inside.  No one had told me what my results were. I didn’t know where I was going. All I knew is that I wasn’t a Regina anymore.

My whole life I thought I’d be a Mitis, but something felt different today. I don’t know exactly what it was, but there was something in my stomach, not butterflies, but drums. Not just a tap, tap either, more like a boom, boom. I sat so quietly in that space ship that I could hear every organ in my body working. The pounding of my heart, the wheezing of my lungs, the ticking in my brain. I could hear it all over my silence. This is why I belong in Mitis. I am quiet and reserved. I like being this way. I really don’t mind it most of the time.

-Adrea


Dear Journal,

I think the system made a mistake. I woke up in Ignotus this morning. Ignotus was not even an option for me. Or so I’d hoped. I’m praying that a spaceship will come to Ignotus and rescue me. An officer from the Induction committee will step out and tell me they’ve made a mistake. He is going to tell me I don’t belong in this eerie place. But of course, it doesn’t happen.

So I’m part of Ignotus. This is my new home and my new life. All the new inductees are gathered to learn the ways of this planeta. The first thing we are told is that everyone will stay here until Visiting Day. Visiting Day is the day we get to use the planeta’s spaceships and go to the other planeta’s to visit the friends we’ve left behind. I wonder where all of my friend’s are. I bet Brutus is in Rex. He was always a very proper and poised kind of guy. Claud on the other hand, will definitely stay in Feroces. He belongs no where else but with the strong and fearless.

They told us we’re here because we’re unique but I think it’s bullshit.

- Silas



Dear Diary,

The first thing I learned about the Ignotus life is that each member was placed here for a unique reason. Supposedly, it’s the reason we never hear anything about this planeta. We are put here because we possessed something greater. Something better than the confinements we tried to hard to fit ourselves into. Maybe it’s the reason why I’ve never quite felt that I belonged and why even on the morning of I had absolutely no clue of where I’d be placed.

I think I’m going to like it here. It’s quite refreshing. There are so many different faces and personalities. I wonder if I’ll ever get to know all of these people. I think there are about 2500 new Ignotus. Some look excited to be here but some look so confused and frustrated. I would’ve been happy anywhere, as long as I didn’t stay with the Reginas.

My eye catches the eye of a boy, who looks especially angry. But his anger is a soft and tender kind, not stiff and resilient. I can tell that deep down he isn’t the tough looking guy who puts on an exterior because that’s what he was taught. I’ve never even seen this guy before but the way he looks back at me makes me all tingly on the inside.

- Adrea


Dear Journal,

I don’t know who she was, or where she came from but she was beautiful. Not in the way I’d ever seen before. Her skin glowed in the light, her hair dark hair flowing in the wind, and her eyes… Oh her eyes. They were this deep blue, like the depths of the ocean. She wore a velvet dress that hugged her body in the most pleasant way possible. I wanted to go closer. To say something. Or even just to take in the beauty. But something was holding me back. This wasn’t like me at all. Back in Feroces, I could go up to any girl and I swear I had the best game, but today I couldn’t do it.

Next thing I knew she was walking over to me.

“Hi,” she said in the most delicate voice I’d ever heard, “I’m Adrea.”

I stumbled to find words. I didn’t know what was happened. This never happened to me.

- Silas


Dear Diary,

I know I shouldn’t have but I giggled. I giggled at his uneasiness. But not because I was making fun of him, but because it was adorable. He shifted his weight from side to side and I could tell he was searching for words he said a thousand times before.

Finally he replied, “Hey, I’m Silas. It’s very nice to meet you.”

We’d been paired together for daily assignments, which meant we were going to spend a lot of time together. I was grateful I’d been paired up with someone who seemed to be just as awkward as I am. Our first assignment of the day was to gather our belongings and choose a room. I chose my room and Silas chose the room right across from mine.

His excuse being, “We need to be close together, since we are assignment buddies.”

I giggled again because who else says that kind of stuff? I was falling head over heels for this boy and I didn’t even know him yet.

- Adrea


Dear Journal,

I think this may be the first girl I’ve been shy around. I hate it, but I also kind of like it. Her laugh is so delicate and sugary. Every time I see her, I feel a little taller, a little more aware of life. It must have been an angel sent from above that paired us together on that very first day.

Our next assignment is to create a piece of artwork. I am in no way an artist, but they think because we’re “unique” we must all be creative. I hope they aren’t expecting much because this is not going to go well.  

I knock on Adrea’s door and ask if she’s ready for the daily assignment.

- Silas


Dear Diary,

I hear a faint knock on the door and fly out of bed. I must’ve slept right through my alarm this morning.

“I’ll be out in a sec,” I call in a sort of panic.

“Oh. Take your time,” he hesitates.

It’s been three months. We’ve settled in pretty nicely. Each of the new Ignotus pairs have gotten a new daily assignment everyday. This will be the last time until they give us permanent jobs. The point of these daily assignments was to find what we excel in. Being an ignotus means your talents are hidden deep within you and they have not yet been discovered. Some pairs have discovered their talents. Some are still searching. Silas and I would be part of the latter group.

This is the last chance. If we aren’t fit for today’s assignment we will be set for re-evaluation, which would mean another ride in the spaceship and another three months of adjustment to a new planeta. I don’t know if I could do it.

- Adrea


Dear Journal,

Adrea walks out of the room and we head into the art studio. The room smells funny and I already don’t feel like I belong. We walk over to the man who is silently spinning his clay pot. He tells us to chose anything in the studio and start working.

I walk over to box of paints and paint brushes. Anyone could tell that neither Adrea nor I knew a single thing about art. We had an hour to create a masterpiece. But how were we suppose to do that with no experience whatsoever.

I tell Adrea we should split up and each try until we find something that works. So I pick up the paints and brushes from the bin and walk over to an aisle. Adrea finds some new clay and sits down next to the man at one of the potter’s wheels.

I try painting a tree, then myself, then the view from the window. But each attempt fails miserably.

- Silas


Dear Diary,

I tried everything. I made a pot. I made a vase. Nothing is coming out the way the man’s pottery had. We have 15 minutes left and the clock is ticking faster and louder as the seconds went by. I’m panicking. We are about to fail our last challenge. I wass finally settling and now we’ll have to pack our bags and leave.

5 minutes left. I throw out all the old pieces of clay and took a new batch. This will be my last try. I gather my things and now 4 minutes to go.

- Adrea


Dear Journal,

3 minutes and 59 seconds. That’s all the time we have left. I rip off the picture I was drawing of the landscape and I just stand there. I watch Adrea as she rushes around trying to put something together. In 2 minutes and 15 seconds the judge will come by to see our art. I stare at Adrea’s delicate body, her silky hair and I know I can’t lose her to another planeta. I close my eyes, her image implanted in my mind, and I just start to paint.

- Silas


Dear Diary,

We are down to 60 seconds and the timer starts counting out loud. It drives me nuts. I throw the pottery and walk over to Silas. As I get closer I can see the details of his painting. It’s amazing. It’s… of me. I was astonished. The clock keeps counting down. 5… 4… 3… I want to shake his shoulders and tell him to hurry up. 2… But he’s so into it. 1… BEEP. Time’s up.

- Adrea


Dear Journal,

BEEP. I jump at the sound of the timer. Time was up, but my painting was is finished. The judge walks over to my painting. He praises it but tells us it would not do. We are going to be shipped back to be re-evaluated.

I hear a faint cry and turned around. Adrea is on the floor, palms pressed hard against her face. She cries so quietly, I almost don’t realize she’s there. I walk over and kneel by her side. I know exactly how she’s feeling. I’m feeling the same exact way. But I have to keep it together. I don’t want to show her weakness. I gently push her hair back behind her ears and kiss her cheek.

- Silas


Dear Diary,

“It’ll all work out okay,” He whispered in my ear.

And I want nothing more but to believe the sweet words coming out of his mouth, but I can’t do it. He gave me his hand and helped me up. We walk back to the rooms and pack our bags. This is it.

I look at the red and gray uniform I’ve worn for the past three months and start crying even harder. I have made friends here. I feel at home for the first time in my life. I have a sense of belonging and now it is all being torn away.

- Adrea

Dear Journal,

We sit in silence on the spaceship. I take Adrea’s hand and interlace my fingers into hers. I tell her we are going to get through this together and that no matter what we will go together. We will not let each other go. If I’m not mistaken I catch her smile, just a small one, but I’m sure it was there.

- Silas


Dear Diary,

I must’ve fallen asleep on the spaceship because I woke up in the re-evaluation room. All I can think about was being separated from Silas. We are going to end up together. We have to.

- Adrea


Dear Journal,

All I have to focus on was Adrea. We will end up together. I don’t think I can live without her. I have gotten so used to waking up every morning, knocking on her door, and going down to the creation room and completing our daily assignment together.

- Silas


Dear Diary,

I am in Mitis.

-Adrea


Dear Journal,

I am back in Ignotus when I wake up.

-Silas


Aria rubs her eyes and she’s back in her bed. She jumps up and runs into the kitchen.

“What year is this?” she asks her mother, who is making coffee.

“It’s 4820… Honey, is everything okay?” her mom replies.

“Oh NO! No, everything is not okay. Silas and Adrea aren’t together anymore. It’s all wrong. The system messed up.”

That night as Aria is sound asleep, the voice comes back.

“Aria, Silas and Adrea’s fate will forever be a mystery. However, we do know that the universe is now one because the system failed. All personalities are meant to live together, to fight, to love, to conquer, and to disagree. We should not be isolated from the rest of the world. This is why your universe is now one. There is a myth that says the planetas came together as one because Silas and Adrea’s love was so strong, it pulled them back together.”



Be the Change you Want to See

Posted by Darya Nemati in English 3 - Pahomov - C on
My Video: https://vimeo.com/89705079

Change is an enormous topic to tackle. The only way I felt completely confident that I would be able to express my thoughts was through video. The creative aspect of it enables me to send a message that I would be able to using words. I am a big believer in the saying “a picture is worth a thousand words.” This is also why I chose to use more visuals than text in my video and let the pictures take you through a specific event in history.

There are literally a million ways I can portray the message of an individual creating and sustaining change. However, I chose to focus on the topic of racism and the individuals who have helped change the perspectives of others. Racism is a very powerful indicator of how much our country has changed and how far it still has to go. We have all stories of racism or have encountered them ourselves, but I decided to focus on an event in our history that hasn’t been taught in school or hasn’t been talked about among peers.

My video opens with the march that occurred on January 17, 1987 in Forsyth County, GA. A march organized by many leaders such as Hosea Williams and Coretta Scott King to lower the level of racism in a county that suffered terribly of segregation. Georgia is the sixth most racist state in our nation. Forsyth County started with just one black and over 100,000 whites. Slowly the number of blacks has progressed but the ratio is still very unbalanced. What I am getting at here is that change is not possible without the hard work and commitment that happens behind the scenes. And although the county’s diversity has come a long way it still has room for change and that room will never fade. Like Dean Carter said at the Forsyth County march: "Today we have embarked on a journey, a journey that will take a lifetime to fulfill, the journey of worldwide brotherhood and understanding. Without this, Forsyth County, Georgia and even our nation will fail. Without brotherhood in a community, violence and intimidation will exist.”

You can’t sit back and expect change. This expectation is unrealistic and will never happen. Along with this comes the fact that change is constant. Nothing is ever perfect, which means things can always get better. Without the help of each individual a change cannot occur. We must go forth and conquer!

The Force of Love

Posted by Darya Nemati in English 3 - Pahomov - C on
The Force of Love
Comparing "Taming of the Shrew" to "The Proposal"

The idea of deception in marriage has been around for centuries, as seen in the play “Taming of the Shrew” written in the 1500’s. Petruchio, one of the main characters in the play, marries Katherine purely based upon his personal gain. The movie “The Proposal” made in 2005, portrays a very similar story line through the character of Margaret.

Although Petruchio and Margaret’s motives for marriage are similarly selfish, the outcome of the deception is very different. Petruchio is blinded by the idea of wealth and power. Margaret is blinded by the commitment to her job. Petruchio continues this greediness throughout his life causing an unsuccessful marriage altogether. However, Margaret ends up falling in love which was never the plan and the couple lives happily ever after. The play and the movie reflect that having a successful marriage can only be possible with equal love from both sides. A successful marriage cannot be forced.


"Thou know’st not of gold’s effect. Tell me her father’s name, and ‘tis enough; For I will board her, though she chide as loud as thunder when the clouds in autumn crack."

(Act 1, Scene 2, lines 94-97)


In “Shrew”, Petruchio believes money will make him happy. In this quote, Petruchio says he will marry Katherine despite her renowned temper because the wealth is worth anything. Petruchio doesn’t care about love in a relationship, as long as he has the money he will be happy.  



Much like Petruchio, Margaret decides to get married for the personal benefits. However, instead of for wealth she is marrying in fear of getting deported.


Visual Essay ss
Visual Essay ss

In this screenshot, Margaret has just been told her bosses that she is in danger of being deported back to Canada, where she will not be able to pursue her career as a successful book editor. To avoid being deported she tells her bosses she is getting married to Andrew, her assistant. Andrew had no say in the decision and was taken much by surprise, which can be seen by the astonishment on his face after hearing the news. Margaret’s reasons for marriage are extremely similar to Petruchio’s because both lack love in the relationship and are only in it for the personal benefits.



“I am ashamed that women are so simple to offer war where they should kneel for peace.”

(Act 5, Scene 2, lines 177-178)



This quote suggests that Katherine surrenders herself to the marriage. All throughout the play Katherine was a woman who stood her ground. The fact that she is giving into Petruchio’s fake marriage implies this tough-girl attitude may have only been a facade; deep down she was only looking for someone to love her. Katherine felt like this marriage was the closest thing to love she would ever get, therefore submitting herself to Petruchio. This marriage never became successful because of the force Petruchio put on Katherine to agree with him and change her ways.



Margaret also surrenders but instead of staying in the fake relationship, she gets out of it, resulting in a completely different outcome than that of “Shrew”.


Visual Essay SS
Visual Essay SS

Margaret leaves Andrew at the altar, when she realizes her feelings for him are growing. The feelings of love start to form guilt and Margaret recognizes the faults in this forced marriage. At this point Andrew too, has generated feelings towards Margaret and realizes he cannot live without her. This is the scene where Andrew finally reaches Margaret again and asks her to marry him, “for real this time”. Unlike Petruchio and Katherine’s marriage, Andrew and Margaret create an honest and romantic relationship. The forced relationship was obviously unsuccessful but as soon as both characters shared feelings for each other the relationship became real as well.



The difference in the outcomes of the play and the movie only prove that love is essential to marriage. Happiness can only be achieved when the love is shared equally between two people. The idea of forced marriage caused by greed and selfishness has been apparent through the centuries but the idea of love being essential has certainly changed over the years. “Shrew” implies men are the powerful ones and women just follow their lead. Katherine continues to commit to a relationship that exhibits no love from either side. In “The Proposal” love is what brought the couple together again. After breaking off the fake wedding, Margaret and Andrew realized their genuine love for each other resulting in a real relationship after all.


Works Cited:

Shakespeare, William, and Thomas Goddard Bergin. The Taming of the Shrew;. New Haven: Yale UP, 1954. Print.

The Proposal. Dir. Anne Fletcher. Perf. Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. Touchstone, 2009. Online Video.


Humanities Final Portfolio 2013

Posted by Darya Nemati in English 2 - Block on

English and History have always been the weaker links for me as a student. I’ve felt more confident in math and in science ever since I was a little kid in kindergarten. Although they still may not be my strongest subjects I feel as though I have grown so much as a writer this year through the way I learned.


Writing is a bit tedious to me, although I love expressing my feelings through words I always seem to get writers block, I hit that wall and am not able to finish a piece of writing as well as I’d hoped. I still have room to improve on my writing, no doubt about it, but with the variety of work I was able to produce this year it has helped me build some confidence in the writing area. I can’t take the credit though because it was the curriculum that helped me so much. We learned each thing in such a new and different way that I never got bored with the work.


When things got challenging I feel as though I learned the most. One of the general understandings from the year was “When challenging yourself, you are bettering yourself” and I can say that my work is pure evidence of this. One example was our playwriting unit, where we were asked to write an entire one act play on our own, each about a totally different topic. Never in my life would I have expected to write a play. I didn’t know where to start or even what I would write about, but by the end of the process I produced a piece I was very proud of. A second example the general understanding for the year was our choice reading project. I chose to make a prezi, which I had never done before. It took me days to figure out how to use the website and then another few days to decide how I was going to display all my thoughts on to this incredibly new website. Both of these examples were quite challenging but they are the building blocks of creating a strong writer.


“Identity is everything” is another general understanding from the year that I feel showed up various times in our learning. When you know yourself, you can conquer almost anything. The first connection I make to identity is my culture and I was able to portray this in my language autobiography. Along with the writing we were also told to create a digital story which explains briefly the three parts of me and how they shape who I am. I was able to show how the different languages I speak connect to my daily life. Something I wrote during our language unit that stuck with me is “Language is personal because it joins people together”, I have found this true in many circumstances.


My OpEd directly relates to identity and the fact that you have to know yourself in order to love and understand yourself. It clearly states the problem of self harm in young teenage girls because of society’s definition of beauty. I say “The meaning of beauty in our society today is twisted and ridiculous.” and “It has been implanted in our brains that we must look that certain way and if we don’t we are considered ugly to society.” The way you look is part of your identity and you should not be ashamed of yourself no matter what.


Journal writing was something I really enjoyed this year and I feel they were the training wheels to the rest of my writing. Each entry was completely different from the one before, one day we were analyzing a quote, the next we were writing short poems, and the day after we are writing fully opinionated statements about world matters. Although sharing my opinions and debating with the class was always very fun, the creative writing pieces were probably my favorite because each persons was different and unique. We wear the mask was one of my favorite poems of the year and then we wrote our own. “We wear the mask to hide our face” was my first line. This goes hand and hand with the theme of identity that we worked on throughout the year, people hide their true colors because they are afraid their true selves are not good enough for the world. Never shall I forget was another journal entry that let me express a moment in the beauty of poetry. I wrote “Never shall I forget... that last race, spring season of my novice year.” Each line was a different part of the experience, explaining to the readers each special moment.


I could name a hundred different general understandings from the history and English course of my sophomore year but to me the ones that stood out the most were “Identity is everything” and “When challenging yourself, you are bettering yourself”. I felt directly connected to these statements both through my writing and my morals. I grew not only as a writer this year but a person who knows herself, her identity and her limits of challenge.



Screen shot 2013-06-10 at 5.16.57 PM
Screen shot 2013-06-10 at 5.16.57 PM

Never Shall I Forget- English Journal #41

Posted by Darya Nemati in English 2 - Block on
Never shall I forget... that last race, spring season of my novice year. 
Never shall I forget the joy and tears of that bittersweet moment. 
Never shall I forget standing on that dock having our coach place the gold over my neck as the people in the stands stood up and cheered for us.
Never shall I forget how close we grown with our coach.
Never shall I forget how much we learned from her, and how much she inspired us. 
Never shall I forget the revenge we wanted on Merion Mercy that day and the excitement when we achieved that revenge.
Never shall I forget the commitment we had put into this sport that year.
Never shall I forget the pain, the sweat, the tears, and the smiles.
Never shall I forget... that last race, spring season of my novice year.

History Journal #14

Posted by Darya Nemati in World History - Block on
​"The only thing more dangerous than an idea is a belief. And by dangerous I mean thought provoking. I mean: people might get killed."

There is no doubt in my mind that I agree with this quote. It is saying that beliefs can be the most dangerous thing when it comes to fighting. Beliefs are what set people apart and the reason for all the conflict in the world. Any human being in the world has his own beliefs whether they decide to share them or keep them hidden. An idea is already bad enough because it leads to disagreements. But with a belief, there is something personal, and people stay very true to their beliefs and easily become enraged and offended when people disagree.

Language Autobiography- Inhabiting Language

Posted by Darya Nemati in English 2 - Block on

Intro:
​In this unit we mainly focused on language through different peoples eyes. We read many stories and watched a couple videos all sharing their unique perspectives on language. We went in depth talking about the person’s relationship to their language and analyzing the pieces of literature. During the unit we wrote two mini- scenes about language in our life that eventually led to our benchmark project, the language autobiography. Our autobiography is a story of the way we see language in our lives. The way we each portray language in our homes or with our friends, the advantages, and the disadvantages that come with it. We had to investigate the themes we had learned about in the unit and connect them to our autobiography in some way. The autobiography is both an analysis on language in our life and also a reflection of what we see happening with language in our daily lives.


Autobiography:

I come from a very diverse family. My mother was born and raised in Italy, my dad in Iran, but my siblings and I were all born here in America. I was fortunate enough to be taught all three languages and be able to speak every one fluently. I am still exploring the advantages and disadvantages that come with speaking more than one language. It is very different when I speak English from the two languages I speak at home. I automatically associate Italian and Persian with family, not just my parents but also my aunts and uncles.   

English is more of the “proper” language for me, the one I speak at school and use for papers and projects. I have noticed that even when I speak English with my friends, I tend to speak pretty formally.

“I would rather be anywhere else right now…” I say. “I don’t have the energy to workout, I just want to go to bed.” “Today’s workout is 4 x 2500m! Go stretch and do your core workout and then hop on an erg and start your pieces.” My coach explains to the entire team.

I look around the room and see everyone’s smile slowly start to fade.

“Wow Nicole, are you trying to kill us?” I say jokingly to my coach.

“Oh man…This is gonna be a long day, I ain’t ready foh dis” I hear someone say across the room and everyone nods in agreement. We know the sooner we start the sooner it will be over so we quickly get to work.

The workout is finally over and my teammates and I are sitting on our ergs breathing heavily, legs shaking and sweat all over.

“OMG Why do we row? What is wrong wit us? Ugh ma body hurts! I hear these statements coming from all over the room. 

I do not use slang and I do not shorten words, like many people do when they are just talking casually. Maybe this is because of the fact that it wasn’t my first language and that I started speaking English when I was about 3 or 4. Prior to that I only knew Persian and Italian. I don’t have a clear explanation as to why I only speak English in it’s “standard” form but it is probably because I only use what was taught to me in school.  I already switch between so many different languages on a daily basis, there is no need for another an extra way of speaking.

It can get confusing and crazy for an outsider to hear how we talk at home because there is a little bit of Persian here, a little bit of Italian there and also some English. “Venite giu.” My mom called up to us from the first floor. “Ho detto venite!” “We’re coming, we’re coming!” We call down to her. My sister, my brother and I run down the steps, because we know that if we don’t go now she’ll keep calling us. “Apparecchiate la tavola per cena.” “Oh good it’s dinner time. I’m starved.” My little brother says as he gets the napkins from the kitchen. “Chiara, hurry up and get the plates,” I say. “And what are you gonna get?” My sister says accusingly. “Chill. I’m getting the cups.” Now my mom is annoyed because we’re bickering. “Ragazze.” Everyone was busy setting the table and cooking dinner that we didn’t even notice my dad came in the house. “Salam.” We hear his voice as he walks through the door, soaking wet from the rain. “Salam Baba!” we all say. “Chetori?”  I ask. “How was work?” asks my sister. "Khoob, let's eat!" responds my dad, but no one is as happy as my brother to sit down and have dinner.

Even though for others it may be confusing, to me it is an environment I feel comfortable in. People do not realize the impact of language; the way it shapes a person and their life. I could never quite place my finger on the exact feelings I have toward language.  After reading this quote by Emil M. Cioran, I knew I had found it and I automatically fell in love with it: “You inhabit a language rather than a country.” (Cioran) Location does not make you who you are but culture does and language goes hand in hand with culture. Yes, it is true that people adopt habits and ways of life from where they live. Language though, is more of who you truly are inside, what makes you who you are as a person. We will always be connected to that deeper thing inside of us, the real us. Even when other things become a part of us and new experiences change us, we always hold on to that instinctive origin.

Language has definitely been a big part in shaping who I am today. Many people do not realize that language is more than just a bonus on a job resume or college application. They think language is only about using it to get to a higher, better place. It allows me to be different. Language has much more depth and personal connection than just that. It allows me to talk to many different people and to travel to unique places. I really love to travel and luckily I am able to do so very often. The experiences I have had traveling internationally have truly grown on me and taught me numerous valuable lessons. I love it so much because of the fact that I am very diverse and we have family in many parts of the world. I feel like it has made my mind very open to different cultures and languages. It hurts to see people being judged only because of their skin color or cultural differences. If everyone were the same, spoke the same language and had the same traditions, our world would be lifeless and boring.



Works Cited:
Cioran, Emil. Rumanian- French born philosopher. Anathemas and Admirations, “On the Verge of Existence” (1986). Print.

Digital Story from Darya Nemati on Vimeo.

Language Autobiography- Inhabiting Language

Posted by Darya Nemati on

Intro:
​In this unit we mainly focused on language through different peoples eyes. We read many stories and watched a couple videos all sharing their unique perspectives on language. We went in depth talking about the person’s relationship to their language and analyzing the pieces of literature. During the unit we wrote two mini- scenes about language in our life that eventually led to our benchmark project, the language autobiography. Our autobiography is a story of the way we see language in our lives. The way we each portray language in our homes or with our friends, the advantages, and the disadvantages that come with it. We had to investigate the themes we had learned about in the unit and connect them to our autobiography in some way. The autobiography is both an analysis on language in our life and also a reflection of what we see happening with language in our daily lives.


Autobiography:

I come from a very diverse family. My mother was born and raised in Italy, my dad in Iran, but my siblings and I were all born here in America. I was fortunate enough to be taught all three languages and be able to speak every one fluently. I am still exploring the advantages and disadvantages that come with speaking more than one language. It is very different when I speak English from the two languages I speak at home. I automatically associate Italian and Persian with family, not just my parents but also my aunts and uncles.   

English is more of the “proper” language for me, the one I speak at school and use for papers and projects. I have noticed that even when I speak English with my friends, I tend to speak pretty formally.

“I would rather be anywhere else right now…” I say. “I don’t have the energy to workout, I just want to go to bed.” “Today’s workout is 4 x 2500m! Go stretch and do your core workout and then hop on an erg and start your pieces.” My coach explains to the entire team.

I look around the room and see everyone’s smile slowly start to fade.

“Wow Nicole, are you trying to kill us?” I say jokingly to my coach.

“Oh man…This is gonna be a long day, I ain’t ready foh dis” I hear someone say across the room and everyone nods in agreement. We know the sooner we start the sooner it will be over so we quickly get to work.

The workout is finally over and my teammates and I are sitting on our ergs breathing heavily, legs shaking and sweat all over.

“OMG Why do we row? What is wrong wit us? Ugh ma body hurts! I hear these statements coming from all over the room. 

I do not use slang and I do not shorten words, like many people do when they are just talking casually. Maybe this is because of the fact that it wasn’t my first language and that I started speaking English when I was about 3 or 4. Prior to that I only knew Persian and Italian. I don’t have a clear explanation as to why I only speak English in it’s “standard” form but it is probably because I only use what was taught to me in school.  I already switch between so many different languages on a daily basis, there is no need for another an extra way of speaking.

It can get confusing and crazy for an outsider to hear how we talk at home because there is a little bit of Persian here, a little bit of Italian there and also some English. “Venite giu.” My mom called up to us from the first floor. “Ho detto venite!” “We’re coming, we’re coming!” We call down to her. My sister, my brother and I run down the steps, because we know that if we don’t go now she’ll keep calling us. “Apparecchiate la tavola per cena.” “Oh good it’s dinner time. I’m starved.” My little brother says as he gets the napkins from the kitchen. “Chiara, hurry up and get the plates,” I say. “And what are you gonna get?” My sister says accusingly. “Chill. I’m getting the cups.” Now my mom is annoyed because we’re bickering. “Ragazze.” Everyone was busy setting the table and cooking dinner that we didn’t even notice my dad came in the house. “Salam.” We hear his voice as he walks through the door, soaking wet from the rain. “Salam Baba!” we all say. “Chetori?”  I ask. “How was work?” asks my sister. "Khoob, let's eat!" responds my dad, but no one is as happy as my brother to sit down and have dinner.

Even though for others it may be confusing, to me it is an environment I feel comfortable in. People do not realize the impact of language; the way it shapes a person and their life. I could never quite place my finger on the exact feelings I have toward language.  After reading this quote by Emil M. Cioran, I knew I had found it and I automatically fell in love with it: “You inhabit a language rather than a country.” (Cioran) Location does not make you who you are but culture does and language goes hand in hand with culture. Yes, it is true that people adopt habits and ways of life from where they live. Language though, is more of who you truly are inside, what makes you who you are as a person. We will always be connected to that deeper thing inside of us, the real us. Even when other things become a part of us and new experiences change us, we always hold on to that instinctive origin.

Language has definitely been a big part in shaping who I am today. Many people do not realize that language is more than just a bonus on a job resume or college application. They think language is only about using it to get to a higher, better place. It allows me to be different. Language has much more depth and personal connection than just that. It allows me to talk to many different people and to travel to unique places. I really love to travel and luckily I am able to do so very often. The experiences I have had traveling internationally have truly grown on me and taught me numerous valuable lessons. I love it so much because of the fact that I am very diverse and we have family in many parts of the world. I feel like it has made my mind very open to different cultures and languages. It hurts to see people being judged only because of their skin color or cultural differences. If everyone were the same, spoke the same language and had the same traditions, our world would be lifeless and boring.



Works Cited:
Cioran, Emil. Rumanian- French born philosopher. Anathemas and Admirations, “On the Verge of Existence” (1986). Print.

Digital Story from Darya Nemati on Vimeo.

Pipeline Monologue Project

Posted by Darya Nemati in World History - Block on
​I.  Introduction:
In our history class we had to write three different monologues, each in a different perspective about the Keystone Pipeline. With the approval of the federal government the pipeline will be built starting from Canada and running all the way through the country down to Texas. This pipeline will carry oil throughout the country, which will lessen our dependence on foreign oil. This pipeline could help our economy in many ways but can also be a very harmful thing if something goes wrong.
My monologues show different reactions to the building of the pipeline. The first monologue is President Obama contemplating the different views on the pipeline. The president has almost made his decision until he has a conversation with his daughter who has a very opposite opinion. He goes through an emotional decision on whether he should approve the pipeline or not. My second monologue is said in the point of view of an average middle class worker who gets offered a job working on the pipeline. He goes back and forth trying to decide whether or not he should take the job and leave his family or stay home and take care of his pregnant wife. My last monologue is from the perspective of a fish who has suffered a lot. This monologue has a bit of a more comical side to it. The fish is very worried about being killed by the the pipeline if there happens to be an oil spill. He is very offended by the fact that humans get to make all the decisions. Overall this monologue has taught me a lot about the pipeline itself and the different effects of it. I have researched the pros and cons on the topic and realized that every person can have a different opinion based on their lifestyle. This pipeline can help the economy by providing more jobs but can also harm us. If something goes wrong then it can harm people’s health and also harm the environment. There has been a lot of debate and controversy on this topic but hopefully they will come up with the right decision soon. I hope you enjoy my monologues.


II. Monologues/Videos

A Family Bond
Monologue #1- President Obama
(sitting at his desk pondering)
America’s future is in my hands... I have to think about what’s good for our people, their health and also the environment. I have to listen to everyone’s opinion but also have America’s best interest at mind. I can’t screw this up. I love my job and the people our nation but it is so difficult... What am I suppose to do? (starts to get frustrated) There are too many papers on my desk, and this office is a mess! I can’t concentrate and I feel a migraine coming on. (gets up and starts pacing)

Our economy is in great danger and the pipeline could be the perfect thing to improve it. Building the pipeline will open up about 20,000 new jobs. There are so many people suffering to feed themselves and their children because the lack of jobs. Now they can get a job, earn money, and live a better life.

(his daughter walks in with her school essay she wants him to read)

So this project is for your history class? You’re learning about the Keystone XL pipeline! What an interesting topic, am I right? You don’t think building the pipeline is a good idea? But what about all the jobs? (pause)
You have such a caring heart for the environment! You have a very great point in this essay, you said: If the pipeline is approved and there is an oil spill it can harm the earth and many people’s health. I love your essay! I am absolutely positive you are going to get an A+.
It has really given me some things to think about, because I have to call and make my final decision on the pipeline in a couple of hours.

(turns his head and says to himself) If I approve this pipeline I will not only lose the environmentalist’s votes for the upcoming election but I am going to disappoint her... I can’t she’s my little girl... what will she think of me if I approve it. She’s going to think I don’t care about the environment and the people’s health, she doesn’t understand anything about the economy yet... and I can’t blame her she’s so young, there is no need for her to worry about these matters. She is already super bright. I want to be a role model for my children, someone they can trust. So they can look at me and say... I want to be just like daddy. I want to be their hero.

(one the phone with president of TransCanada) I have made my decision on the pipeline you are planning to build... I think...

The End



What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Stronger
Monologue #2- Average Middle Class Worker
(On the phone with boss)(country accent)
Whoa, whoa, whoa, stop right there! You want me to do what now! (stops in the middle of the street, abruptly) Okay, so you’re saying I have to drive all the way up to Canada tomorrow morning? That’s about a 20 hour drive. This pipeline idea you’re talking about could be a good thing. I just don’t know if it’s worth leaving my family and home for so long. (pause) I just better be getting some good money for this job because it sounds like it’s going to be a long and strenuous project. (pause) Great! (pause) All right I will see you tomorrow morning 6 A.M sharp with my decision. (Hangs up the phone)
(Opens the front door to house)
Honey I’m home! (pause) I just fed the horses and the sheep out back, oh and I  also milked Sally, so you won’t have to worry about that. I am such a good husband. (smiles proudly) I have some news, take a seat at the table. So my boss called me earlier today and gave me a new job offer but it’s a long one. (pause) I am going to be building a pipeline that starts from Canada to Texas. I will be away for quite a while and it will be very difficult. But I am going to make some good and well deserved money. (pause) So do you think I should do it? I mean I know it’s a big commitment and I am going to miss you so so much. Maybe I shouldn’t go... it’s too far away... I’m not going to do it. (pause) Are you sure? But what if something happens to you and I can’t come back fast enough. You’re right I could do a lot with the money I earn. We can get the baby some nice clothes and I can build her a new crib. Oh and also get her lots of new toys. (pause) You really want me to go? Okay I’ll do it for you, on one condition? You have to call me every night before you go to bed so I can make sure everything is OK. If anything happens I’m back here in the blink of an eye. If not then I will be done and back in 5 months just in time for our precious child to be born.
(Thinks to himself) I have to get mentally and physically prepared for this job I am going to work day and night, rain or shine, with thousands of other people just like me. Dammit.... I knew I should not have skipped going to the gym so many days this month.

Oh well I am up for the challenge! What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.. (not convinced) according to Kelly Clarkson.  I’ll pack my bags and work hard for my wife and the baby that’s on its way. (walks out with smile on his face)


The End





SelFISH
Monologue #3- Fish
I just swim around all day, trying to survive and not get eaten by those big fat fish. Those stupid whales and sharks swim around eating whatever they please, it’s like they own the place.... I am nothing! Everyday it’s something new and I am trying not to die. It’s either the big fish trying to eat us or the fish hooks that come down from the human land that try to kill us. Wow, those humans are so greedy. They have all this food and still they come down here to eat us! Like you don’t think you have enough to eat... that’s why you are all obese. Greedy fat pigs!
I have had the worst experiences down here in the south. That BP oil spill killed nearly half of my family and I was almost a goner too. I thank the lord every night that I didn’t die that horrible day. (starts to tear up)  I could have been dead right now... and they are thinking about building a new pipeline... (shakes his head) I swear these people have no brain whatsoever. They decide to try something new but when it fails they go and make the same mistake again... like I said they are dumb! Someone needs to knock some sense in those stupid humans.
They are going to build this new pipeline after a having a thousand different debates and arguments about it. (emphasize and make it dramatic) Then... they are going to stand up nice and straight and be all proud of themselves until... The darn thing explodes and kills all of us! I am way too beautiful to be ruined by their stupid oil spills. OMG! What will the rest world do without me!  It’ll be nothing without me, absolutely worthless.
I believe this is by far the worst idea those airheads have come up with. All they want is more of that green papery stuff with the numbers on it and the very unflattering picture of that Franklin dude. (makes a disgusted face) I am so sick of it! Just because they live on land they decide they are going to be the rulers of everything and everyone. But no... you just watch because one day I will be the one making the decisions and they are all going to suffer! (evil laugh) Muhahahaha

The End




III. Appendix

  1. Keystone XL pipeline is going to cost about $7 billion and will run nearly 2,000 miles to connect Canada’s oil sands to refineries around Houston and the Gulf of Mexico. (New York Times)
  2. The pipeline will  reduce our reliance on foreign oil and enhance our Nation's energy security. (Presidential Memorandum)
  3. Tar sands mining and production will harm forest’s fragile ecosystem, waste enormous amounts of water, and disrupt the lives of people in the area. (Friends of Earth)
  4. The most critical issue of building the pipeline is the quality of materials, welding and inspection performed during the construction. (The Typee)
  5. The pipeline can create thousands of jobs or destroy the life and livelihood of people in the midwest. (PBS Video)
  6. Tar sands oil is about 16 times more corrosive than any other oils, which means there will be more ruptures and leaks in the pipeline, making it much more dangerous. (PBS Video)


Bibliography

Monologue #3: SelFISH from Darya Nemati on Vimeo.

RSS