Last Blog: Lower Ninth Ward

Hi everyone I am Mahanaj Sultana. Today I am going to describe the after Katrina situation of lower 9th stand which is based on you tube video under “Hurricane Katrina: The Drive: New Orleans Lower 9th Ward” title and this video is prepare by tom Ryan and mitt wisdom. As we all know that After Hurricanes Katrina, the majority parts of New Orleans faced lots of damage, but the city's Lower Ninth Ward was hit hard. There is no word to explain the cost of this devastation. Director of this video said the only way to truly understand their actual situation people have to be there, not only that according to this video they mention “Blocks after blocks miles after miles in lower nine wards the devastation never appears to end”.  According to their statistic lower 9^th stand population is 14,008 among them 98.3% people are African American,60 death bodies were found,  just 59% of them owned a house and majority of them are poor .

 

On that situation where government should stand with them but basically government do nothing. People feel ignorance from government side. Majority of them couldn’t leave the city when hurricane Katrina was about to hit because of lack of money, lack of transportation system and due to government awareness. For an example some of lower 9^th stand people were not informed that Katrina was going to hit and the government announced an compulsory departure just a day before.  Among the Lower nine stand people many of them didn’t have personal vehicles neither government provide any transportation system which is helps them to move out from this place. Some of lower 9^th stand resident just didn’t want to leave their houses in this case government fail to create awareness among them. As we all know that they are poor so they can aspect more attention from government but reality is different. As a result they faced most dangerous natural devastation. According to you tube video a women stated that “Katrina do not do all of these, government helping other countries people but they do nothing to help the people of USA”. This statement shows that how much spreads disappoint a New Orleans people due to act of government. But New Orleans are lucky in one case because had some really kind and brave neighbours. They are some people who stayed there to help other. Among them Pryor and Knight were two resident who worked together and helped people. So it proves that if we can work together we can reduce our losses. Lower 9^th stand people still suffering various problems so I believe that if we can start working together then again we can make a better place for them. 

Blog # Group Work

 Dennis
 Rashad
 Mahanaj
                                              Coral Reefs and  Rising Co2 

  A coral reefs life is dependent on its level of saturation in algae. This algae gives it the very diverse and rich coloring so needless to say its very important to the reefs. As the ocean absorbs more and more Co2,the water temperature rises. this in turn causes coral reefs to excrete  algae which in turn make the corals themselves appear white. This lowers the saturation levels in the coral reef, and causes 'bleaching'. The saturation levels are determines by a complex formula scientist developed. It involves multiplying the calcium and carbonate ion concentrations and dividing it by stoichiometric solubility. While this is all informative and enlightening, how do we know for a fact that these figures and formulas are even real? Who's to say these terms hold any relativity to coral reefs saturation or the expulsion of algae. What if there's a another reason why the algae is being released other then the heating of sea water, which isn't affected by Co2. Even Elizabeth Kolbert mentions that "no one is quite sure" (390).

BLOG # 6

Climate Reparation for Zeitoun’s Detention

Hey I am Mahanaj Sultana. In this blog I am responding to an assignment in my ENG 101 class, do I feel that America Government owes Zeitoun for incarceration? Yes, I feel US Government should compensate to Zeitoun for considering as Al Qaeda in prison though he was not a terrorist during Katrina. Reparation is actually a proposal of compensation should be provided to victims by who creates the crisis. As we everyone knows from the history Jews received compensation for their losses during the Jewish Holocaust. Moreover, Blacks did not get reparations for slavery because many legal experts point to the fact that slavery was not illegal in the USA. Blacks and Jews were deprived their rights as a group of people but Zeitoun was detention because of his religion. During Katrina 2005, Zeitoun was captive illegally and soldier mentioned him as “Al Qaeda” during in Katrina (Eggers 212).That’s why Zeitoun asked by self, “When a crime is committed by a Christen, do they mention his religion (Eggers 37)? He actually did not evacuate himself and he devoted himself to save impoverished people lives when US Government disappeared during Katrina to navigate the abandon people in New Orleans  But being a Muslim, Zeitoun was accused of being a part of Al Qaeda by National Guardsmen and was arrested. Though they did not have any justified prove that he was a terrorist. It concludes that they judge somebody just by appearance. At that time, Government did not approve the NDAA which can arrest anyone to suspect as terrorist so  Zeitoun detention was really illegal. In climate debt argument, Lidy Napcil said, “We should be begging for but something that is owed to us, because we are dealing with a crisis not of our making” (klein 240).This statement gives a clear notification that who make a crisis , they should be give reparations for victim's damages.we can conclude that , why  Zeitoun faces the difficulties when he is not Al Qaeda. He is a general Muslim person who just wants to help his Neighbors who were not Muslim. If we see the history then we can see that Al-Qaeda acts served only the US foreign policy. Hillary Clinton said “the people who are fighting today against Al-Qaeda, we were funded them 20 years before” (Hillary Clinton). The roots Al Qaeda was started in 1979 at Afghanistan by a particular group of Muslim people who fought with the Soviet Union because US government created and funded Al-Qaeda in order to fight the Soviet Union to getting the power of control Asia. Al Qaeda is multipurpose fighters who are being used efficiently by the US government.At end of story  who creates Al Qaeda, she will be pay the compensation. Then why today Zeitoun and other Muslim people are recognized as a terrorist regarding their above suspicion. For this reason,US Government, "climate debt" to the Zeitoun for their mistake to call him Al Qaeda and to give him undefined  mental torture.In addition, debt is not a charity it is the right of Zeitoun and his family.

Bibliography

1) Hilary Clinton: who created Al Qaeda?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dqn0bm4E9yw [Accessed on 11/30/12]      

2) The book of Zeitoun by Dave Eggers

3) The Climate Rage by Naomi Klein  from book of "The Global warming Reader " by Bill Mc kibben

Blog  #  Cafe Orientation 

Hey everyone, i am Mahanaj Sultana. In this blog i am actually talking about super orientation about introduce the new English literature major for student at Laguardia College. I got new explanation about literature where we can express our feelings,play with words, reading,creative writing.Through writing and literature  subject students' skill will develop in literary analysis,interpretation, persuasion and also writing research paper. Students can easily transfer their major in four years college.The another subject "creative writing" under the literature major will start next semester.Any major student like nursing, communication and marketing  can join this class.I think this class will really help in our future position.I love creative writing and i have already decided i will attend this class.If any student wants information about this class, you can talk with the English department or our excellent professor Dr.Rogers.My believe if we think about highest job opportunity of any major then it must be English literature such as public reader, adviser,TV reporter, counseling, fundraising, marketing, advertising, teaching and radio broadcasting etc.There were a lot fun games and i hope you will join in cafe orientation next time.

Favorite Tweet

I like to talk aboput  the tweet  of Vince Li

How sad was that Zeitoun could't even "get a piece of paper" before he' taken into the boat (Eggers 207). Things might be easier if he did.    

I think this tweet is interested because the piece of paper would be made more easy for zetioun to Tell kathy he was still alive but thats also true the police station could not give  permision to use phone.          

BLOG# 4

Lower ninth ward and how money affected people during hurricane katrina

 Hi everyone I am Mahanaj Sultana. In this I am going to discuss about how money played a complex role to make choice limited for the residents of New Orleans' Lower 9th Ward during hurricane. After Hurricane Katrina, the majority parts of New Orleans faced lots of damage, but the city's Lower Ninth Ward was hit hard. Before 29 August, 2005 few Americans had heard of the Lower Ninth Ward. After Hurricane Katrina, extensive flooding in the lower nine ward drew national attention among USA government and people. There was no word to explain the cost of this devastation.  That was known as most demolished place in New Orleans. According to the “The drive” video in you tube “Blocks after blocks miles after miles in lower nine ward the devastation never appears to end”. Among the 20,000 people most of are African Americans who lived in the Lower Ninth, and majority lived below the poverty line (Katrina & Beyond, New York public radio 2005). Those who had money they moved their houses in other places but poor residents could not move because of insufficient money as well as neither there were own transportation which was helped them to move out from that place. So they had to stay there as a part of that disaster. Few residents said, “Everyone seems to think the poor, lower income people that don’t do anything [live here],” one resident claimed. “But they’re hard-working people down here” (Juliette Landphair, Journal of American history 2007). Residents who lived they faced suffer so much. The whole city was intertwined with water surrounding it and lower nine ward faced horrible devastation because some of areas were flooded with 20 feet water which means water covering entire home. Residents needed evacuated due to rising water. As the water level dropped and properties landed as an unmerging destruction. That’s means that poor people lost everything whatever they had before hurricane. On the other hand, Zetioun who had money, he wanted to stay his home during hurricane. He wanted to save his house, took care his business and also he got a purpose of his life. He thought why he bought canoe because of “God’s will” and he could save people lives. (Zetioun 124)

         

 Still there were some people who loved their place more than their life. They did not leave their place. Corey Robinson is one of them he is resident of  New Orleans' Lower Ninth Ward it never crossed his mind to “leave New Orleans' Lower Ninth Ward”  not even after Hurricane Katrina. (Tim Padgett, Times Lists 2010). He continued that we all loves our place and we want to give another chance to Lower Ninth but “you don't see too many of your neighbors anymore. It hurts a lot". (Tim Padgett, Times List 2010). Already six years left but still lower nine ward looks like a “ghost town” and the grass has growth taller just like people’s houses. (Cain Burduea,  Black Voice 2011). This is proving that how money affects to making people’s decision. Those poor residents of lower nine ward faced that disaster because of lack of money. They could understand that they were standing in front of death but they could not shift their places. They were going to lose everything their houses, their properties even though their lives. But they were helpless. They were nothing to do unless facing the monster hurricane Katrina. If they had money they could survive from that and led a happy life which they deserve to do.

                                                                    Bibliography

                                                       The YouTube video "The Drive"

                            Black voice article “6 Years After Katrina Lower 9^th ward still Bleak” by

                                                                  Cain Burdeau

                                                      Journal of American history

                                                       Tim Padgett, Times List 2010

                                     Katrina & Beyond, New York public radio 2005

Hurricane Sandy

Hurricane sandy was a strong storm which took everything with her. I cannot forget what I saw in this storm. The wind was like a freezing storm; trees are fallen down and block the road. Airlines have canceled thousands of flight about 1,810, hospitals are out of electric and MTA is closed for unannounced days(foxnews). In night time, I was reading “zetioun” book on 29th October.  Suddenly i heard one voice from my neighbor house fire fire…………..I just got up from my bed and went outside with my family because we thought fire in our house also. Then we saw my neighbor’s car was burning because an electrical wire in water touched the car. The car was burning about half an hour and the power of our area has already cut off. In Breezy point, the NY city coastal community destroyed 80 to 100 homes by fire (Foxnews).  Even though from morning Monday 29^th October we could not drink water, we felt toxic materials in water. I think we should establish “Water Tank” in our houses where we can save rain water through the filtration as whole year. It’s not modern machine but at least we drink safe water in big catastrophe. I heard from Foxnews “Lower Manhattan” is also facing same problem in water. My father told me, we should leave our house. We could not stay our house without water and power. That time I felt why Zeitoun did not want to live his house and why he was so positive thinking to stay his house. From my own experience it was really unfortunate moment when anyone leaves her house specially when we do not know what will happen in next. NJ Gov. Christie said that about damages from sandy is “unprecedented” and “unthinkable”. It is really made a record of damages in NY (Foxnews). Now I am just waiting when I can go back my home from my aunt’s house.