Do Better Wednesdays, Libraries Working for All, and Wind Turbines in Africa??

    A  prompt from old chapter 7, with the old chapter 10 tie-ins that require a world-class library system in every neighborhood: 

“I just gave a free debt law workshop at my local library as part of #ProjectDoBetter!”

How many folks recall that Mr. Kamkwamba, the 14 year old boy in the film The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, build that wind turbine thanks to having a library with books that helped him figure out how to build it (Ejiofor, 2019)? More about this in Phase IV…

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Click here to read, if you like:

B5, Hakan: Muhafiz/The Protector, or  Lupin Reviews

Holistic High School Lessons,

           or Long Range Nonfiction, or Historical Fiction

Thoughtful Readers, please consider reading about #ProjectDoBetter.

Shira

Shira Destinie Jones’ work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

We Can Do Better Wednesdays, Working for Libraries Prompt

    A funding prompt from the old chapter 7 (from the old chptrs 5 and 10 as they rely on libraries to make the rest of our public life more livable…): 

“I just asked for more library funding in my city, as part of
#ProjectDoBetter!”

How many shares of this prompt can you get?

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Click here to read, if you like:

B5, Hakan: Muhafiz/The Protector, or  Lupin Reviews

Holistic High School Lessons,

           or Long Range Nonfiction, or Historical Fiction

Thoughtful Readers, if you are on Twitter, please consider following   #Project Do Better  on Twitter.

Shira

Shira Destinie Jones’ work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

On Lesson Day 15, Saved By Libraries?

     This is GED/HiSET lesson plan Day 15 of 67, and a reminder of how libraries have historically been places of learning both intellectually and socially.  The Carnegie library, which was the DC Central library for many years, was, for instance, one of the few non-segregated places in the city where all could learn together in safety. 

      I am working on Draft 6 of my nonfiction offering to communities in our country of one long term proposal, and then hope to get back to my historical fiction stories, for which I appreciate the appreciation many of you sent me when I was writing Ann and Anna.  The work is hard, and the hands are few.  I hope that more will volunteer to serve, even before Phase II.

     I look forward to hearing your ideas, Thoughtful Readers.

We can really  Do Better.

-Shira   

Action Prompts:

    Share your thoughts on how to build buy-in to create a more equal, or at least less inequitable, society, please.   Guest posts are always welcome.  Writing, by the way, is my personal contribution to Project Do Better. 

What would yours be, if you had time?

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Click here to read, if you like:

B5, Hakan:Muhafiz/The Protector, Lupin, or La Casa De Papel/Money Heist Reviews,

Holistic College Algebra & GED/HiSET Night School Lesson Plans,

           or My Nonfiction  & Historical Fiction Serial Writing

Thoughtful Readers, please consider reading about #ProjectDoBetter.

Shira Destinie A. Jones, MPhil, MAT, BsCs

Shira Destinie Jones’ work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

French Fridays, No Empathy for Philippe le Bel, et Le Jour des Fourmis

Les vendredi 13 sont vu comme mauavais cars cetait le jour que le roi Philip le bel avait fait arreter tous les Templiers de la France au même jour. Et leurs bruler vif. Les fourmis avait échappés ça, au moins.

Friday the 13th is considered bad luck because that was the day that king Philip the Handsome of France managed to pull off the arrest of every Knight Templar in France on the same day. And burned them at the stake. At least the ants escaped that fate.

—

Voicie mon revu du 2me livre de serie Fourmis par Werber, ce que j’au acquis par la biblioteque d’un bled pourri dans le 56 en Bretagne.

  I got this book out of the public library in one of the small and very forgettable towns of Morbihan, in Britanny. (Dans le 56, as they say there, for the postal code beginning in 56…).

I found this second book in the Ants saga disappointing due to the increased spiritualism and preachiness, which his first book in this series touched on, but not nearly as heavily. He also gets a few things wrong that begin to become annoying by the end of the book.

J’ai trouvé ce livre pas a mon gout parce que le spiritualisme et ses efforts de nous dire quoi penser m’ont gêné. Ce n’était pas si lourd dans son premier livre. Aussi, il a raté quelques chose qui me commencé à gêner par le fin du livre.

4 Janvier, 12016 èH

     So, it turns out that I don’t like any of his other books as much as I did that first book (Ants). But it kept my attention enough to improve my French, and also my empathy for ants.

More on my continuing striving with French next week, friends:

    Salût ! 

Actions in support of literacy and hope that you can take right now:

1.) Share two different resources to translate the word “ants” into French.

2.)   Share your thoughts on how you like each of the resources you found,  perhaps as an update on your GoodReads reading,

3.) Write a blog post or tweet that uses a French word, tells a good story, and makes a difference.  Once published, donate one or more copies to your local public library, as I intend to do.

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Click here to read, if you like:

Babylon 5, Hakan: Muhafiz/The Protector, Lupin, or La Casa de Papel (aka Money Heist) Reviews

Holistic High School Lessons,

           or Long Term Nonfiction & Historical Fiction Writing

Shira

Shira Destinie Jones’ work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

French Fridays, Libraries, and Empathy for Ants?

Libraries are where the librarians, who find obscure bits of local knowledge, and make great book recommendations live!  This book is among the best books I have read, but I must say that the rule of the first holds: the rest of the books in the series went downhill.  Werber’s other books, too, were interesting from a philosophical point of view, but increasingly irritating as metaphysical works.  This one, however, I am half considering reading again! 

-back in 2015:

Les Fourmis by Bernard Werber
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Don’t kill any more ants!!
This book is worth learning French to read. Honestly. It had me worrying for the fate of an ant by page 40! Fascinating swap of perspectives, and hair-raising cliff-hanger ending. I have the 3rd book in this trilogy, but am anxiously waiting to get the 2nd from the library!

Ne tuez plus de fourmis !
Ce livre vaut la peine d’apprendre le français pour le lire. Vraiment. Il m’a fait soucier pour le destin d’une fourmi avant la 40e page ! Changement impressionnant de points de vues et fin incroyable. J’ai déjà le 3e tome mais j’attends avec impatience le 2e de la bibliothèque !

ShiraDest
22 Decembre, 12015 HE

View all my GR reviews

–

So, maybe I was over-empathizing with the   ants?

Action Items in support of literacy for All:

1.) Imagine two different ways to increase library funding.

2.) Share them with us in the comments, here, please.

3.) Share your thoughts on how you think you’d feel in a library if you were an ant,

4.) Write a story, book, blog post or tweet that uses Items 1-3 above, tells a good story, and makes a difference. I’m working on that through my historical fantasy WiP (after Do Better is published out the the community…). Once published, donate one or more copies to your local public library, as I intend to do.  Please tell us about your plans and how they go!

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Click here to read, if you like:

B5, Hakan:Muhafiz/The Protector, Lupin, & La Casa de Papel/Money Heist Reviews…

Holistic High School Lessons,

           or Long Term Nonfiction Writing or Historical Fiction prose

Thoughtful Readers, if you are on Twitter, please consider following   #Project Do Better  on Twitter.

 

French Fridays, Language Learning for Empathy, and Alexandre Dumas, père

My language learning posts will not be in the real-time I’d been trying to post in (summarizing, each week, my intended daily work on each language).  I don’t know why I find myself surprised at his use of slavery in the novel in such a callous way (who will tell them that they are legally free?) in the novel, given Dumas’ own racial background, but then perhaps he was trying to point out the injustice of the situation?

My notes for French this week will be looking for a show for next year to watch in French, and finishing up my listening to Le Comte de Monte-Cristo (The Count of Monte Cristo) by Alexandre Dumas (Sr.):

–

October 17, 2020 –19.0% “Une morte évité au dernier moment !
A death avoided at the last minute!”

 

October 18, 2020 –20.0%“Guillotiner des prisonniers, c’était la fête ?”

 

October 19, 2020 –29.0% “Another secret identity of a man saving the life of the son of the woman he loves who married his enemy…”

–

 

I must admit that I find it annoying when LivreVox changes readers, as it is jarring, and I also had a hard time adjusting to the Quebecois readers, as I listened to all of the 1001 Nights by a reader from continental France, which is the pattern I am used to.  More on my continuing striving with French next week, friends:

Yassas,   γεια σας!    Salût !  Nos vemos!  Görüşürüz!     ! שָׁלוֹם

Action Items in support of literacy and hope that you can take right now:

1.) Search for two different resources to translate the word “Hope” into French.

2.) Share them with us in the comments, here, please.

3.) Share your thoughts on how you like each of the resources you found,  perhaps as an update on your GoodReads reading,

4.) Write a blog post or tweet that uses a French word, tells a good story, and makes a difference.

*****************

Click here to read, if you like:

B5, Hakan:Muhafiz/The Protector,  Lupin, or Money Heist

Holistic High School Lessons,

           or Long Range Nonfiction, or Historical Fiction

Thoughtful Readers, if you are on Twitter, please consider following   #Project Do Better  on Twitter.

Shira

Shira Destinie Jones’ work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

A Neglected Part of Black History

Here is what language-learning and family history research can do for your health: perspective…

-History of Black Slavery in Puerto Rico, by Soler:

Historia de La Esclavitud Negra En Puerto Rico by Luis M. Soler

This extensive and not easy to read, but well worthwhile history of slavery in Puerto Rico, shows the importance not only of where we have been, but also what tools we have now and how to evaluate them in the light of past and present situations. The author comments that a Cooperative could have saved the small coffee producers of Puerto Rico, though not on whether that would have enabled the liberation of their enslaved workers. Yet this is a step forward in the analysis of both labour relations and the history of People of Color in the Americas.

I now also know that the family of my enslaved 5xGreat Grandfather Miles Manzilla could even have originated in Spain itself, potentially. Our shared origins are important to know, both for understanding why enslaved workers would have defended their masters during Indian attacks, and also in deciding how to relate to our history of enslavement today. What feelings remain to be resolved on all sides?

P. 15 del pdf = P. 21 del libro
La Corona y los esclavagistas se creaban liberales y generosos, evidentemente, pero sus esclavos no compartieron ese sentimiento!
The Crown and owners thought themselves generous, but their slaves disagreed!

P. 25=32: Ya sabîa Bartolomé de Las Casas pero no de Fray Antonio de Montesinos a favor de los indigenes.
Dominicans vs Franciscans ??

P.33 Las Ordenanzas No Fueron Cumplidas…

         The Orders (…of the King to protect the Indigenous/Indian/Native Population) were Not Obeyed…

 

P.33=P.40: At least he admitted his error before he died;

                   Al menos se admetîa su error antes de su muerte.

 

P.77pdf=P.86: The author thinks that a Cooperative would have saved small producers in PR from the falling coffee prices (due to Cuban overproduction)…

 

P. 126 So France had a Black Code, too? Of course, where did the southern colonies/states (USA) get them from…

3 November, 1839: Pope Gregory XVI condemned the Slave Trade? and Baltimore, and Maryland…

In summary, there was not only lots of Mestisage, but a good bit of back-and-forthing of slaves between PR and the English and French-speaking colonies. Thus, entirely possible that Miles Manzilla, Sr’s family was of Spanish colony origin.

Read, Write, Run, Teach !

ShiraDest
18 February, 12016 HE

View all my reviews

–

 

 Nos vemos!  

Action Items in support of health for all that you can take right now:

1.) Consider your thoughts on slavery and the modern-day effects on Black families in the USA.

2.) Share them with us in the comments, here, please.

 

Action Prompts:

1.) Share your thoughts on how we can build empathy in our society today

2.) Write a story, post or tweet that uses those thoughts.

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Click here to read, if you like:

Science Fiction/Fantasy Shows,  Lupin, or Money Heist

Holistic High School Lessons,

           or Long Range Nonfiction, or Historical Fiction

Thoughtful Readers, if you are on Twitter, please consider following   #Project Do Better  on Twitter.

Shira

Shira Destinie Jones’ work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

 

Day 65/67: Five Month GED, Parabolas, and Public Libraries

Parabolas, always exponential, describe falling, thrown, (or ?) objects: symmetry is … symmetrical.

–Clearly, a library at each campus of each Adult /Continuing Education site would be helpful, as well as quiet study cubicles, for those with no place to study at home.

Continuing to learn, and helping others continue to learn, helps our society, so I am posting these lesson plans in the hope of helping others to help themselves to learn, whether one has yet to finish High School, or merely wants a refresher.

But, the fun parabola question is: will this space tour transportation (rocket) travel in the form of a parabola on the way to and from the Space Station?  Babylon 5, we’re almost there! 

“

Axiom Space said three private individuals and a former NASA astronaut will fly aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule for an eight-day stay on the station.

 

…”

 Week 18/18

Day 65, week 18

Grammar: Essay Writing -Continue working on your Conclusion paragraph

Math: parabolas and the axis of symmetry

Science: reading , and a little algebra to go with it…

Please see the Lesson plan for Day 65’s Exit Tickets

(Day 64 … Day 66)

Actions in support of literacy and hope that you can take right now:

1.) Search for two different sites about parabolas

2.) Please tell us where the information for today’s reading comes from, how you know that the sources are reliable, and who funded them.

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Click here to read, if you like:

Narrative and Prose Nonfiction,     

or  Holistic High School Lessons,

or Historical Fiction Serial Stories, including  Ann & Anna‘s escape…

 

Shira

Shira Destinie Jones’ work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Day 56/67: Five Month GED, More Math Language Learning, and Libraries

     We keep seeing the need to translate problems into mathematical terms, or into the language of mathematics, in order to solve those problems.

 

      Libraries and librarians can help us translate mathematical, scientific, and social problems into terms that can facilitate problem-solving, if we fund our libraries properly.  How would you solve part of the problem of public library funding?

Today’s reading relates to figuring out for yourself what are useful online materials to help you learn mathematics on your own:

“Overview:

This course is also intended to provide the student with a strong foundation for intermediate algebra and beyond. Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to: simplify and solve linear equations and expressions including problems with absolute values and applications; solve linear inequalities; find equations of lines; and solve application problems; add, subtract, multiply, and divide various types of polynomials; factor polynomials, and simplify square roots; evaluate, simplify, multiply, divide, add, and subtract rational expressions, and solve basic applications of rational expressions. This free course may be completed online at any time. It has been developed through a partnership with the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges; the Saylor Foundation has modified some WSBCTC materials. (Mathematics 001)

“

 End of week 15/18

Day 56 Week 15

Grammar: Compound subjects

Math: translating and solving simple inequalities

Today we focus on the science of finding tools to help solve problems

Please see the Lesson plan for Day 56’s Exit Tickets

(Day 55 … Day 57)

Actions:  

1.) Search for two different sources to learn about your local library system’s funding,

2.) Please tell us where your information comes from, and how you know that the sources you found are reliable,

3.) Write a book, story, blog post or tweet that uses your findings, and then, please tell us about it! If you write a book, once it is published please consider donating a copy to your local public library.

***************** 

Click here to read, if you like:

Narrative and Prose Nonfiction,     

Holistic High School Lessons,

      or Historical Fiction Serial Stories

Shira

Shira Destinie Jones’ work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Day 51/67: Five Month GED, Linear Relationships, and Free Text Books

     So, what is a linear relationship, and why should we care?  Earlier lessons have started on this topic, so you should already have a few hints!  

     Some volunteer libraries of freely available open source text books are available, and of high quality.  By searching carefully, you can find the resources to help you meet your learning goals independently.

 Start of week 14/18

Day 51 Lesson Plan, Week 14

Writing -Continue working on your Cons paragraph

Math: Linear expressions

Some more exercises on solving linear equations, Thanks to Canada!

Day 51 Exit Tix

(Day 50 … Day 52)

Action Items:  

1.) Search for two different possible uses for the word linear,

2.) Where did you find the definitions, and why do you find those sources credible?

3.) Write a book, story, blog post or tweet that uses your thoughts, and then, please tell us about it! If you write a book, once it is published please consider donating a copy to your local public library.

4.)  Feel free to answer the exit ticket questions in the comments, or pose any other questions you may have about the lesson, if you wish.

***************** 

Click here to read, if you like:

Narrative and Prose Nonfiction,     

or Holistic High School Lessons,

or Historical Fiction Serial Stories

 

Shira

Shira Destinie Jones’ work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.