Wasteserv

From the day I went to the visit of the wasteserv I kept on rethinking how people in general don't really know how the cycle of the recycling process goes, unless they have ever been there for a visit.

One of the employees have showed us (the class) a presentation of how; the recycling should be separated, how it is effecting the environment, how the general waste is being thrown away at the Maghtab, the gas that the Maghtab used to pollute the air and made a lot of damage and much more about how they came out with a solution to recover the problem from letting the gas invade the air with pollution and more.

He (the employee) determined, that although they warn people on television programmes, leaflets, knocking each door house to explain the timing and days of the recycling pick up and what is appropriate to separate from the general waste, the employee said that some people still don't care about how to generate with the system and take out the bins at wrong times. Because of these people, this causes a lot of extra work to the co-workers that work at the wasteserv to stay eliminating the wrong rubbish that should not be in the green recycled bins.

Apart from what I have listed that made me so conscious regarding to peoples' neglect, there were much more things that people aren't aware of when they want to get rid of such stuff and throw them in the general waste, such like; shoes, soft toys, and much more, damages the machine.

After knowing all these strategies that the company goes through, so in return they help the environment, I felt like the only way I could help them is to share the word about these impacts and make people more aware of what happens when things go in the wrong ways.  

One Lecture

I have one particular lecture that I find so intimidating on how it delivers the lecture. The subject is about sustainability and agrivoltaic systems. The subject itself is quite broad and interesting to look up for. At this point on how the technology is evolving to sustain better our surroundings, is even more important to keep up with the updated system, so in return whoever can afford to buy the system can help the environment and enhance the beauty of the nature.

My argument about this lecture is on the delivery and representation of the subject. When the lecture came across to reading the brief and started off with the weekly lectures, I could not catch up with what this lecture was trying to get us to. When the students of my same class were asking the lecture certain questions about this life project subject, the lecture itself didn't know exactly what this concerns of. At a point I am not saying that the lecturer have to know everything precised but I expect that if the lecture chose to deal with this life brief, I would want to know more details about it.

Anyway, continue on arguing on the delivery of the subject, apart that at a certain point the lecturer should know more about what the subject concerns of, I would also want a good representation of such important key words that are harder to understand so easily, to start off on understanding better the subject. Again, I am not expecting that the lecture would spoon feed us, but giving a better explanation for the student to get into the subject, it would help us, the students to get on board.

 Now if you had to ask me how I would plan the lecture to explain better the subject, I would suggest on using videos that relate to the subject, using digital images in presentations, create a session of group work and let them express in write up or drawings with the important definitions from what I would have explained throughout the presentation. Something else that could intrigue the students is to plan out an outing that would relate on the system of solar panels and any other updates that have come out with these days about the sustainability.

These methods may intrigue more the students to get more interested into the subject and get the students more on track to come out with a stronger research concept.
 

Is Global Warming really happening?

Global Warming is one of the most hyped subject , but what is all of the hype about? Global warming is when there is a consistency of raising high hot temperatures and has nothing to do with climate change. Since the last ice age Earth's average temperature has been increasing very slowly over the last several thousand years it's only risen by about two degrees Fahrenheit but that has changed over the last century. During the revolution of the early eighteen hundreds, humans started to burn large amount of fossil fuels like coal and oil to power factories and mills.

Unbelievably these days we are still using a great amount of fossil fuels to so simple things such as electricity and providing transportation combustion or burning of these fossil releases carbon dioxide into the Earth's atmosphere. Scientist's have noticed an increased number in tornadoes and hurricanes.

Beyond the hype of it all due to climate change drastically changing our future life on how it will effect our lifestyle. The question remaining is : Is it fake ? With all the political agenda involved it has raised some serious doubts. Climate change is a good theory to believe why the ice in Antarctica is melting at a faster rate than freezing. However i believe that when water freezes it grows by a percentage so that ice is more denser which makes it heavier therefore pushes the water up and making the sea level go up.


If you look at the funny part of climate change there is the Greenland actually turning into a green tropical beach resort and the Netherlands becoming a water country (since it will be mostly flooded) Also people in New York won't have to book flights to Venice anymore because their skyscrapers will form nice channels for the water to run through. Besides that Venice will become popular among divers.


Reference:

"What Is Global Warming?". Nmsea.org. N.p., 2016. Web. 4 Dec. 2016

"Top Ten Reasons Climate Change Is A Hoax | Global Climate Scam". Globalclimatescam.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 4 Dec. 2016

"Climate Change And The Antarctic - Antarctic And Southern Ocean Coalition". Asoc.org. N.p., 2016. Web. 4 Dec. 2016

Racism within the Oscars

Have you ever thought that in the academy award has not always been fair for everyone to get the chance to win and be able to let out their sentimental speech in front of other multi talented celebrities?


This can be called to be racist.

At the time of the mid-1940's there was this controversy where the ''black'' community were to begin addressing them offensively that are old-fashioned. One of the first actresses that has won the Oscar is Hattie McDaniel for her supporting role as Mammy in 'Gone with the wind'.

Looking up the word 'Mammy' brings up the signification as being ''Informal'' or ''Disparaging and offensive''. The word mammy is basically used to indicate that a black woman/man is doing her/his role as a servant or as a slave to a white family.

So basically the ''black'' people were being signified or directed to poor roles.








Bibliography:

"Oscar's First Black Winner Accepted Her Honor In A Segregated 'No Blacks' Hotel In L.A.". The Hollywood Reporter. N.p., 2016. Web. 27 Nov. 2016

"SHOULD BLACK PEOPLE CARE ABOUT THE OSCARS ?". YouTube. N.p., 2016. Web. 27 Nov. 2016

Ali Ferzat Visit

Having over Ali Ferzat at the institute and understanding his thoughts through his translator friend or co worker and seeing his gestures while expressing his thoughts was much more effective and admirable to know about him. I really enjoyed the experience of having over an important artist that is important and talented at his natural artistic intelligible artwork that has made a very large impact on what he passed through.

Thinking about it and looking at the real scenario of Ali Ferzat's experience, I realise how in life we pass through hard times to do what we love to do. Some people just give up, but others keep strong and they would do anything for their talent to keep going on, I rephrase on what Ali Ferzat has said to the audience that were there, including myself, he said that he was born to be as a cartoonist and it is his spirit, he also said that ''An artist should practice what he teaches'', from the last phrase he said made me think a lot because it has a good meaningful value, especially it encourages the people to do what they love doing by keeping up their practice on their spiritual or rather devotional work that they do. One can not teach without having the sentimental value practice that needs to be instructed to others that are interested on a particular subject.

That moment when Ferzat shared his past experience of the time when the people that wanted to break his hands to stop continuing drawing, one really should realise how much we should not take life fore granted and start realising how people would want to stop you from what you love doing because they would know you're good at what you do, but they would just want to destroy what you do.

Ferzat enphasises that he is not a politician himself, but his art is about expressing yourself. He said that he knows that the politic is something very serious and so he said that he enjoys giving them hard time by expressing what they do in reality and how they are destroying with what they do wrong.
Ali Ferzat said that one day it will end, but how it is going at the moment they are tasting their own blood.

He continues on arguing that art is more powerful than anything on earth. He only carries a pencil and something that he finds it very effective to that particular moment or mind thought he would be able to let out his reflection. He argues that the duty on art is to help make change in Syria.

Ali Ferzat said that he finds himself as an important figure because they never had anyone that expressed these type of messages about politician through works of art.

An important point that taught me through what he said is ''when art carries the pain of the people and expressing it widely, people will love you and even protect you''. It's peoples power that kept Ali Ferzat alive and this reflects well on the effectiveness of the power from below. He said that if people hated him they would have killed him along time ago. The civil society said that they wanted him alive and not dead, so thanks to his people that support him Ali Ferzat remained with us.

Ali Ferzat

Ali Ferzat, from the city of Hama in Syria, for the past 50 years it has been involved with civil war and dictated by one party Bashar al-Assad's militia. It is known to be the worst humanitarian of our time. This is where the one who sheds light comes and speak for the people not as a dictator but as a leader. 

 He has worked for several newspapers and magazines, where as an artist he produced cartoons without any captions. He frequently draws dictators’ satire to show their oppressive methods of ruling. This marginalize them and makes their social status lower which helps to give the people hope and courage to continue to demonstrate and be critical. Therefore In my opinion I think that art carries human and moral causes because in similar cases it helps people to transcend pain into hope. 

If one goes back to the roots of Mr Ferzat, I believe that he always thought different than everybody else.  There is one particular drawing whom he drew at just the age of 12 whom he had sent to the newspaper called “AL AYYAM” where he drew about the Evian accords on Algeria, which three days later appeared on the front page. What an achievement for a twelve-year-old, this is where he knew he was on the right path to become a voice. 

There are several drawings that challenged the party and has put the dictator and the regime in fear of not being feared and exposing their weakness. It was forbidden to draw the president and when Ali Ferzat crossed the line, it was then when people started being encouraged by him. When they saw an artist who spoke the freedom of speech and being rebellious through art. People started using his art for protesting.

The president making speech on the reforms, however the drawing shows that air bubbles are going out.

Due to controversial drawings , most of the state never thought that he was based in Syria but in Europe or the United States.  There is also a drawing  dating back to several years ago showing a symbol of how power from below is run in Syria. It shows a step by step guide of a human life cycle that some dictators are given power either from inheritance or automatically from birth to death.

Another that has withdrew my attention is this drawing which shows the state spending money on wars , on killing and destruction and leaving the people seeking for dignity.

This is what I believe has put Ali Ferzat in danger , because drawings like these aren’t easily accepted especially in a regime that has ruled for fifty years and whose essence is to bully people. An activity that goes beyond their border normally leads to a punishment or perhaps in this case a price that one must pay.

On the 25^th of August 2011 , Ali Ferzat was leaving his office at 5:00 am like he normally does, driving his way back home in empty streets only to notice that there was a car following him. He suspected something as he had received threats before through his social media and phone. All of a sudden they rammed his car and opened the doors with man power. The doors were broken down even though they were not locked, this shows how angry the aggressors were. They entered his car and put a bag over his face and handcuffed him. Bodily harm was committed in his car and was dragged to their car where he was put on the back seat and was forced to sit in a specific position to be able to get hit on his hands. I believe this was done to break his hands, to send a message to not to draw more.

After this occurrence, the whole world covered this story and this has made the artist feel very honored that art can still have such an impact and send a message to the heart of the people, as he has power of a Syrian’s voice.

After recovering he found it difficult to draw again, both physically and mentally, however he still hopes that he produces stronger art than ever before.

Reference list:

Stelfox, Dave. "Ali Ferzat, Cartoonist In Exile". the Guardian. N.p., 2016. Web. 13 Nov. 2016

Stelfox, Dave. "Ali Ferzat's Cartoons – In Pictures". the Guardian. N.p., 2016. Web. 13 Nov. 2016

Power from below

I think Power has two elements on how to understand it. There's the good power and the bad power. But what makes good and bad? The good should always reside with the community and not to be abused, the bad is considered bad because of the actions and who holds the power.

Power can be broken down into some arenas,

Physical force is the control of the means of force whether in military or police, wealth which gives the ability to buy results and to buy almost any kind of power. There's the power of government which that states the law to compel people to do or not do certain things. For example, as a democracy we the people give the power to the government to the elections. We choose who we think is the best to use the power to enhance our society and life. In third world countries where the state is in a dictator ships power emerges from the threat of force. Then there is the social influence or what other people think that it's okay.

This is mostly used by celebrities either to endorse themselves or for the good however they can change behavior. A social figure can motivate enough people to change the way of thinking and action. If a mass of people collectively show interest it is more likely for growth.

In everyday life, perhaps even in the Maltese Islands forms of power can be noticed everyday, there is social status such as ministers and police members, this allows them to have such abilities over the civilians. In the case of a police member, can give an order or penalties to the public.

In the case of the government there can be a dictatorship which usually emerges from either bad choices of the society or the government turns corrupted. One can easily see the cases of Hitler how he was elected as a good person and turned out to be deadly dictator. Power can be given to the wrong people very easily, one case that came up to my mind is by watching the television series Narcos where I learned that Pablo Escobar, a narcotic drug dealer who ran for president at the same time. He emerged by giving the poor people money (power) and brainwashed them to believe how he wants to be portrayed.


Sources:

"Ja Of Nee". YouTube. N.p., 2016. Web. 3 Nov. 2016.

"Top 10 Pablo Escobar Facts". YouTube. N.p., 2016. Web. 3 Nov. 2016.

Controversies on Spatial and Architectural Design

Controversies in architecture and design never live up to their expectations however in some cases some tend to virtue more than most. Perhaps this research can enlighten a reader to seek knowledge not as an observer but as interested reader.

Enlisted are the websites which I have visited to commit myself to find out to get fruitful information, both in research and as a reliable source.


Santiago Calatrava: The World's Most Hated Architect? 

Renowned for several impressivc works that had built Calatrava an outstanding reputation has helped him to be trusted with the most remarkable projects. Calatrava before being a recipe for disaster used to turn engineering into an artform. Art in the works of Seville's Puente De Alamillo which was functinal and now very popular among the locals and visitors was a beautiful piece. It all went wrong for Calatrava when he took over big projects with a small vision. Unfortunately, one of the projects he is in-charge of the world's trade centre transportation is wildly overbudget and behind schedule. The list continues with a slippery bridge in Bilbao, over budget bridges in the Netherlands and a flood prone Opera House in Valencia. Although he has been critised and bleeded by the press, he still believes that he can mantain the momentum of his reputatuion.

> "Santiago Calatrava: The World's Most Hated Architect?". Co.Design. N.p., 2016. Web. 19 Oct. 2016.https://www.fastcodesign.com/3039658/santiago-calatrava-the-worlds-most-hated-architect

MP wants Luqa 'So called' monument removed as soon as possible

There has been quite a hassle on the Luqa monument for several vulgare issues, to mention a few it's dominating the Luqa area, as mr John Schembri said. The debate was about the removal of the monument because of the popes visit in 2006 and that Malta is considered to be known as a catholic country. For which the monument itslef was meant to be as an abstract fantasy based on Mediterrainean colours.

> "MP Wants Luqa 'So-Called' Monument Removed As Soon As Possible - The Malta Independent". Independent.com.mt. N.p., 2016. Web. 19 Oct. 2016.

''Is human activity primarily responsible for global climate change?''

I included this debate subject because I think it is relevant to the design subject, since it's our role to take care of such situation, it is in favour to our creative ideas and inventions where one can come out with a good solution.

> "Climate Change Procon.Org". Climatechange.procon.org. N.p., 2016. Web. 19 Oct. 2016.

New Meausures tackle overcrowded housing 

England are proposing new measures to improve housing for tenants by giving them constitutional rights and landlords can now be liable to offence if they dont obtain a licence which declairs the living of the tenants. If the landlord doesn't obey there is now a prosecution. The writer believes by tackling this problem the rental homes would be more of a quality sufficient living. The council have funded in order to apply raids to homes to see if it by the law. 

> "New Measures Tackle Overcrowded Housing - Press Releases - GOV.UK". Gov.uk. N.p., 2016. Web. 19 Oct. 2016.

Schön Model

Lullaby

When I was at the time of the beginning year in secondary school, I remember that after I finish from school I had to go get the bus to home, since there were no private buses that could take me to my living location. So I crossed the road to go waiting at the bus stop and my bus was about to come, I pointed out my thumb out so the bus would stop and I went in. There were plenty empty seats where I could sit and I decided to go at the last row.

The Time I used to finish school was at half past two so I used to get on the bus at around twenty to three or at ten to three if I'll miss the twenty to three bus and what I don't want to miss out is that at that time there were still the old Maltese traditional buses.

Back to where I was explaining where I sat, of course after a long summer of enjoying the sun and beach, being back to school after a day of listening the teachers muttering to what things we need and for what we need them I got tired and started feeling sleepy. And yes, what I did is closed my eyes and left the journey take me to where it wants.

All of a sudden after a while having my siesta at the back seat, I opened my eyes and I started feeling all flustered and at the same time hoping I didn't miss my stop but back than I was realising that the bus was stationed at the last stop. I went down to look for the driver and asked which bus I had to go on to get back to my location.

Then I went on another bus and made sure to keep my eyes open until I arrive to my destination. While I was going back I was thinking that people, including the driver might have not seen me since I was at the very back and after this experience from what has just happened I said to myself to try keeping myself active not to sleep again.

Until I got back home it already started getting dark and I started feeling all mixed up, frustrated and pressured at the same time because I still needed to go get done all my school errands.

How does it feel to be back? and what or why critical thinking is important?

How does it feel to be back?

It's my sixth year of attending in the same college and now I have just begun my second degree year. The feeling of being back again feels frustrating, as from my previous experiences in the same institute I got used to the procedure of feeling stressed, intense, encountering lots of struggles according to time limitations, until all the assignments will be done and handed in for the first and second semester.

Confronting the first week of another beginning year after getting into the summer vibe of enjoying all the free time, family gathering meetings, relaxing, spare time experimenting on using different software's and much more. Now that I have gotten back to the school routine with a list of assignment tasks to get done already, feels like I have to contribute against another larger battle from last year. 

what or why critical thinking is important? 

To begin with I think that critical thinking has an important value. Critical thinking can be a feedback or rather a reason that can be of a backup of what one person is thinking. It can be a configuration in the mind, thinking what if? or what is? The subject of that current situation doesn't have to be bad or good. I think that critical thinking has an important value because it puts the mind to work and start to study from what the eyes have just seen or from the ears have just listened or maybe from what the body has just felt. After a while the mind starts analyzing about the same subject and starts asking how? and why? Anything can go through critical thinking, prior to that individual will have a mind.