Today in human geo, we went over the test that I got a 100% on. It was the first test that I got a ding on and I was super excited about it. So we basically just went over the test and it went well. We talked a little about the exam and what room were in, and what it is going to be like. I got all of my previous quizzes out and went over them a little bit. Our exam is on Thursday. I am not excited for it but I don’t think it will be too challenging. Other than all of that we had a normal day. 

Today in human Geo, we reviewed for the test we were about to take on microfinance. Micro finance is a financial service, where small businesses, can’t access banks and other services, so they get microloans. When we took the test there was a lot of specific numbers you had to remember and I know that I definitely got a 100%. I am so confident that I will finally get the ding that I deserve. Mr. Schick is going to grade them right now, so I will know by the end of class what I got. He just left the room so when he comes back I will have my grade. I think the test was extremely easy. He just got back, and i got a 100% and i am so proud. 

1. What is Microfinance? form of financial services for entrepreneurs and small businesses lacking access to banking and related services.

2. Name 3 problems faced in developing countries? Disease, famine, drought, and pollution.

3. What is a microloan? A microloan is when a person lends a small amount of money to a developing business. Once the business is running good the lender will receive their money back.
4. Name 2 or 3 common uses for microloans?

• Starting up new businesses, Getting products for your business

• Getting a little kick start on your business
• Machinery or equipment

5. ways microloans can help?

-The businesses can have a positive effect on the community around them.

-It allows small business owners access to insurance.

6. What can you do if you want to start a new business, but don't have the funds for it? get a microloan

7. Can roads and bridges be a common use for a microloan? Yes

8. True or false, Electricity is one of the main problems faced in developing countries? True

9. True or false, a microloan is when somebody gives someone money in order to start a new business, and the loaner doesn't receive money back? False

10. Was this test useful? yes

Today in Human Geo, we didn't do anything today. Mr. Schick, let us do this PowerPoint with the class. It is this one program, where if you are invited to it, you can work on the document. So my whole class did together. It was pretty annoying, because anytime you would type something, someone would come right behind you and delete it. Then people were putting pictures of themselves on to and claiming that it was there slide. In the end we did get work done, and we had some nice slides, that were decorated and fancy. Other than that it was a normal class. 

In Human Geo today, we didn't do anything different. Mr. Schick wasn't here, so we had 2 different subs. All we did was play that game again, which I still think is kind of confusing. We also filled out the paper that we were supposed to. Other than that we didn't do anything else. We got into our groups once we walked in, so we got to work right away. Other than that we actually didn't do anything. So I am not sure what else to say in this blog because we didn't do anything too fun in class today.

Today in Human Geo, we just got into our groups and played that Peace Corp game again. I personally think the game is super confusing. Like I listen to the people when they talk, and it just very hard to understand how to play. But we also answered questions about the game. It is pretty hard to find the doctor that you had to find. Then for a while in class we were playing music. I really like this class because it is one of the only classes where we can be pretty much free, and just chill out for a little, instead of doing tons of boring work. Today’s class was pretty fun.

Today in human geo, we just checked our tests that we took. I didn’t do as well as I wanted to on this test, and I even had every single not in my blog. I think that it was just because we didn’t have much time and I was a little rushed so I kind of had to guess, instead of looking them up. Then I had a mess up in my grade so I emailed, Mr. Schick, and he changed it for me. That was basically all we did, it was a pretty hard test, so I don’t mind that I didn’t get an a. But I am kind of sad of that grade I got. 

Today in Human Geo, we got into groups, and played a game on the computer. I was pretty confused of what game this was, but it was kind of fun. It all tied in because we are doing a project on the Peace Corps or something, so this game kind of went along with it. I liked how you could play games in the game, because it made it a fun way to learn. I think Mr. Schick was smart to let us play this game as a project, because it is teaching us, but it is actually fun. But other than that we didn't do much. 

Today in Human Geo we took a test. It was the big test on the presidents, that we took a good week or so going over. I think i did pretty well on the test. I had like all the information on my blog and we were allowed to use our blogs, so that made it ten times easier, because with ought it i think i would have failed. The test was pretty long i finished with like one minute left in class. Mostly everyone finished before me, but that is just because i was stuck on some problems. I am just so happy and thankful that Mr. Schick let us use our blogs. It was a good thing i updated mine, because if i didn't i would not have done to good on it. The whole class we took the test, so we didn't do much else today in Human Geo.

Today in Human Geo, we went over the Presidents again. I was happy we did this because we have a huge test or quiz on it tomorrow and it is a lot to understand and study. I am not sure how I am going to do on that test, but I studied a lot for it. I think I know it but then I will go in tomorrow and take it and get a bad grade, it happens all the time. But anyway we just went over the presidents and finished talking about them and how they were important, and important facts about each one. It was like how their past made them important today. It was basically notes on their family’s and things they did before they went into office. Today was an alright class nothing to exciting.

Monday november 11, 2013

Today in Human Geo we went over the president thing again. We also found out that we were having a test in all of this stuff on Wednesday. I am not excited for the test because it is going to be really hard and i already know that it will. We had some good discussions even though it was a Wednesday which is really surprising. Class wasn't that interesting today, it was pretty boring. I honestly don't even know what to say anymore because we just basically did what we have been doing.

On Friday, we didn't really do much in class. We went over the last test we took. We basically just reviewed the questions, and went over our answers. Then after that we just looked at the world leader’s topic again. Mr. Schick basically just went over the world leaders, and different facts he though we should put in our blogs. Other than that we didn't do much. We had an hour delay that day, so class was cut a little shorter than usual. It was also a Friday class, so we had 2 mods of human Geo class. Also on Wednesday, we switched seats. I am not sure if I mention that but we did and I was so happy we did. Friday was a pretty boring class. 

Afghanistan is an Islamic republic headed by

President Hamid Karzai

He emerged as a resistance leader under Taliban rule and worked to undermine the regime.

He is well versed in several languages, including his native Peshto, Persian, Hindi, French and English.

Several times in 2001, Karzai warned the United States that the Taliban were connected with al Qaeda and that there was a plot for an imminent attack on the United States, but his warnings went unheeded.

source: Biography.com

Brazil is a federal republic headed by President Dilma Rousseff

She opposed Brazil’s military dictatorship of the 1960s and ‘70s, and served three years in prison, where she was repeatedly tortured.

She has been divorced twice.

She has a degree in economics, and now rules the country with the eighth-biggest economy in the world.

She underwent chemotherapy for lymphoma in 2009, and is now in remission.

 source: NYTimes

China is a communist state, ruled by President Xi Jinping

Xi Jinping is the son of revolutionary veteran Xi Zhongxun, one of the Communist Party's founding fathers.

He married folk singer Peng Liyuan, who also holds the rank of army general, in 1987. To many in China, Ms. Peng was the better-known half of the couple before Xi Jinping became leader of the Communist Party.

The couple have a daughter named Xi Mingze, who is studying at Harvard University in the US.

France is a republic headed by Francois Hollande

Hollande has no previous experience in a national government position.

The mother of his four children is Ségolène Royal, with whom he shared a 30-year relationship.

He was born in 1954 in the city of Rouen to an extreme-right physician father and progressive social worker mother. 

Germany is a federal republic headed by

President Joachim Gauck and Chancellor Angela Merkel

Graduated from University of Leipzig in 1978 with a degree in physics and physical chemistry; earned a PhD in quantum chemistry from the German Academy of Sciences in Berlin in 1986

Has been Chancellor since November 2005

Merkel has earned the top spot on the FORBES list of Most Powerful Women In The World for eight of the past 10 years.

sources: Forbes, Christian Science Monitor

India is a federal republic headed by

President Pranab Mukherjee

He taught Political Science at the Vidiyanagar College, and worked as a journalist before entering politics.

Mukherjee was rated as one of the best finance ministers of the world in 1984 and was adjudged the best parliamentarian in 1997.

He had a conflict with Rajiv Gandhi (who took over as Prime Minister from his mother Indira after she was assassinated in 1984) and started his own party – Rashtriya Samajwadi Congress.

source: The Indian Times

Iran is a theocratic republic, ruled by Supreme Leader Ali Hoseini-Khamenei, and President Hasan Fereidun Ruhani

In 1963, took part in street protests against the U.S.-backed Shah of Iran. After the uprising was quashed, Khamenei was exiled. Khamenei was imprisoned multiple times and, in 1975, was internally exiled to a remote region in southeastern Iran.

Was elected President of Iran in 1981 and re-elected in 1985.  Became Iran’s Supreme Leader in 1989.

source: Time magazine

Mr Rouhani has held several parliamentary posts, including deputy speaker and has also served on the Supreme National Security Council.

Was just elected President of Iran - June 2013

He has been openly critical of the outgoing president, saying Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's "careless, uncalculated and unstudied remarks" have cost the country dearly.

source:  BBC News

Israel is a parliamentary democracy,

headed by President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu

Shimon Peres was born in Belarus. To escape the persecution of Jews there, the family fled to Palestine in 1934.

When Arab forces launched their attack on the new state of Israel in 1948, Peres was given the chief responsibility for securing military equipment for Israel from abroad.

Later he organized Israel's nuclear program and is regarded as the father of Israel's atomic bomb.

As Israel's Minister of Foreign Affairs Shimon Peres was in charge of the Israeli negotiations during peace talks with the Palestinians.  In the autumn of 1994 he shared the Nobel Peace Prize with his own Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and the Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

source:  Nobelprize.org

As a child and youth he lived with his family in the US in the years 1956-58 and again in 1963-67

After his brother Jonathan (Yonni) was killed, in July 1976, in the course of the Entebbe Operation, of which he was one of the commanders, Netanyahu returned to Israel and started to advocate international cooperation in fighting terrorism.

Quote: "There are those who say that if the Holocaust had not occurred, the State of Israel would never have been established. But I say that if the State of Israel would have been established earlier, the Holocaust would not have occurred."

S

Mexico is a federal republic

headed by President Enrique Pena Pieto.

He was the eldest of four siblings in a middle-class family; his father, Gilberto Enrique Peña del Mazo, was an engineer for the electric company and his mother, María del Socorro Nieto, a schoolteacher.

Reports that he fathered two children in extramarital affairs while his wife Monica raised the couple’s 3 children, plus the investigation into the sudden death of his wife at home in 2007, have prompted many to call him the Teflon candidate because trouble seems to slide off him.

Two years later he announced his engagement to soap opera actor Angelica Rivera.  Rivera became his wife in a star-studded wedding ceremony two years ago and is now the first lady of Mexico.

sources:  New York Times, NBCLatino.com

Saudi Arabia is a kingdom ruled by

Abdallah bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud,

who is both King and Prime Minister

He has fathered 22 children, the youngest when he was 79.

He is worth approximately 21 billion dollars.

He was appointed commander of the Saudi Arabian National Guard, a post he was still holding when he became king.

In November 2007, King Abdullah visited Pope Benedict in the Apostolic Palace. He is the first Saudi monarch to visit the Pope.  In March 2008, he called for a “brotherly and sincere dialogue between believers from all religions.”

In 2011 he granted women the right to vote and run in future municipal elections, the biggest change in a decade for women in a puritanical kingdom that practices strict separation of the sexes, including banning women from driving (the only country in the world with such a ban).

sources: NYTimes, Saudi Gazette

The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy and Commonwealth realm,

ruled by Prime Minister David Cameron and Queen Elizabeth II

At the age of seven, the young Cameron was packed off to Heatherdown, a highly exclusive preparatory school, which counted Princes Edward and Andrew among its pupils. Then, following in the family tradition, came Eton, Britain’s top private school.

His first child, Ivan, who was born profoundly disabled and needed round the clock care, died in February 2009.

The experience of caring for Ivan and witnessing at first hand the dedication of NHS hospital staff, is said by friends to have broadened Mr Cameron's horizons. He had, friends say, led an almost charmed life to that point.

Cameron is the youngest Prime Minister (43 when he took office) in over 200 years.

Elizabeth became queen on February 6, 1952, and was crowned on June 2, 1953.  Her reign has lasted 60 years - and counting.

source: BBC

Venezuela is a federal republic headed by President Nicolas Maduro Moros

Nicolás Maduro Moros worked as a bus driver before becoming politically active in the early 1990s.

Maduro was introduced to Hugo Chávez in 1992, after Chávez and other disenchanted members of the military were imprisoned for an attempted coup and Maduro began campaigning for  Chávez's release. (Chávez was released in 1994 and won election to the presidency four years later.)

After President Chávez won a third term in October 2012, he selected Maduro to serve as vice president. Maduro worked alongside the outspoken president, serving as one of his closest advisers as well as a loyal spokesman, until Chávez's death at 58 on March 5, 2013, from cancer.

source: Biography.com

Political Geography

           Germany 

 Mexico

Federal republic

President Enrique Pena Nieto                                

                                                          

Federal republic

President Joachim Gauck  

                     

                                                                                             

China

Communist state

President XI Jinping

Afganistan
Islamic Republic
President Hamid Karzai

India

Federal Republic

President Pranab Mukherje 

United Kingdom

constitutional monarchy and Commonwealth realm

Queen Elizabeth II

France

Republic

 President Francois Hollande

Brazil

federal republic

President Dilma Rousseff

Saudi Arabia

Monarchy

King and Prime Minister Abdallah bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud

Venezuela

federal republic

President Nicolas Maduro Moros

Isreal

Democracy, Parliamentary system

Shimon Peres

Iran

Theocratic republic

Supreme Leader Ali Hoseini-Khamenei

Today in Human Geo we retook our 5 religions test. I was so happy got to retake it because on the first one I got a pretty awful grade. I am pretty confident that on this test I got an A. But saying that now I will probably fail it. Anytime I think I do well I end up doing not so good. I know I got a much better grade then last time though. It is a Monday class which is never fun, but I wasn't too tired today. Then I found out what I got and it was so much better than my last test. Then we took notes and watched a video which was pretty boring. It was kind of funny because the man in the video was trying to be funny, but it wasn't funny and people were not laughing. But we did learn that Country

an identifiable land area (look at a map!)

a nation which has the same borders as a State

Nation

a population (group of people) with a common culture

State (with a capital “S”)

a population under a single government

synonymous with “country”

Nation-State

a single culture under a single government

Today in Human Geo the rest of the groups went that hadn't gone. My group was one of them. Ours was Christianity, and we basically just went up there and talked about our slides. My groups was pretty boring to me. Then I just took notes on the other people power points. We are going to have a test on Friday so I have tomorrow to study for this. I hope the test isn't hard because I don’t want to do badly on it. This class was pretty boring we didn't do anything fun we just looked at power points.

Today in Human Geo we went over our test which wasn't good because I didn't do too well on it. I think I already said something about this in my last blog but it just thought I would mention it again. Then a few groups presented their projects today. My group didn't have to go because one of the members was not here. Other than that I took notes, on the different religions. It had to do with Buddhism, Muslims, Christianity, Hindus, and Jews. We learned about all the religions and were having a test on Friday. Today’s class was normal nothing special.

Today in human Geo, we got into groups, and picked a religion, that we had to do a project on. My group finished our project, which I think most groups did. We had Christianity, which was extremely easy. We did like 10 slides of all facts and picture about Christianity. Today wasn't the best class it was nothing special and once again it was Monday morning. Also I didn't have breakfast so I was very hungry all through the hour class. But today, we actually talked a lot usually on Monday classes we don’t really talk too much because it is Monday and everyone is tired.

Today in human Geo we took a quiz that was unexpected. I didn't think we were going to have this quiz today, but we did. We did have a really good review before the quiz, so I did know some I the questions on the test others were kind of tricky and I had to guess on them. I am so hungry so it is a little hard for me to concentrate right now. Luckily I have off next so I can eat then. I am really excited it is Friday. This week has gone by so slow so I’m happy it is almost over. After this class my day is so easy. We have 2 periods of human Geo, so it is pretty long.

Today in Human Geo we had a shadow in our class. We talked about a lot of random things, like drugs and jail. we talked about jail most of the class, and talked about how drugs should or should not make you go to jail.I didn't really care about our conversation it was too random. What i don't understand is why jail is so good to people with basketball and weights and other things.

In Human Geo, we took notes again today. We basically went over the notes from yesterday. I am not sure why we did this but we did. It was good because it meant I had to take basically no notes. Then at the end of the class we watched this video. I am not sure what it was called but it was about these 3 people answering questions for college kids. The on girl asked a question that said why is America the best country. The main guy of the show said that it is not a perfect country and he said a ton of facts about how it isn't. I totally agree with him. This is not the best country. Our economy is not the best, we have a lot of poor people, and many other things. It is basically all about your opinion though. I like the video we watched.

In Human Geo we took a lot of notes today. We took so many notes it took 3 pages front and back to take all of them. We basically talked about religions mostly the whole time. We talked about in different places how many different people there are, and different religions. Like in Florida we talked about how many different people were down there including Hispanic, white, and so on. Other than that I can’t even remember what we talked about it was first period and it was super boring, so I didn't want to be there. So today’s class was nothing special. 

We did nothing in Human Geo today. Mr. Schick wasn't here today. We took a test which wasn't graded, and it was very boring. The test looked really long but it was actually pretty simple, and quick but that is probably because I guessed on like 97% of them. After that, we basically sat there the whole class playing games, and doing absolutely nothing. I don’t know why we had to take that test because it was kind of point-less. Well that’s wrong it did have a point, but I just didn't want to take it. Anyways today was super boring. 

Today in Human Geo we went over our quiz that we took. I did much better than I thought. The only reason is because I got some wrong, but I got them marked wright, and for being honest, I kept the points which was good. I like when teachers do that. A lot of my teachers do that which is pretty cool. Any ways after that, we took notes on a new chapter which was kind of boring. For some reason whenever I go home I can never remember what happened and I had it first period so I was super tired. I guess I just don’t have the best memory. But anyway this class was pretty boring we didn't do anything super interesting today. 

Today in Human Geo we took a quiz, that was unexpected, and I probably didn't do too well on. I think I did alright but I didn't ace it. We didn't do anything fun today, and I don’t really want to blog. I am doing it in class because we are allowed to. I have off next and I am super hungry so that’s all I am looking forward too. The test was about the vocab we did back in September so I didn't really remember most of it. It is also raining and that is very distracting for me. Then we talked about the Kiva or Kifa or whatever it is called. The We started talking about marrying a horse again which is such a strange topic.Today’s class was kind of boring. 

Today in Human Geo we got back our quizzes on the movie and I honestly did not do as well as I wanted to. I was a little angry because I watched the movie I just totally forgot all the stuff. But other than that we kept talking about the population stuff and how it changes depending on the location. The questions we were getting asked by Mr. Schick were pretty hard and you had to think about what kind of town they lived in. Other than that we didn't do anything to exciting. I took a few notes on what we were talking about but not too many. Today our class was pretty normal, nothing to crazy.

Today in Human Geo we took a quiz on the movie we watched. It was pretty easy, but hard at the same time. We were allowed to use our notes, but I didn't put a ton of specific stuff into it so it wasn't much help. I think I did okay but I guessed on kind of a lot of them. Then we started talking about something that had to do with pyramids and stuff. I can honestly say I can’t remember what we talked about in class.   It was last period, so I was very excited to go home. I probably should have studied a little more for our quiz but I think I did alright. 

Today in Human Geo I was late to class because I was late to school. When I got to class we were finishing the movie we have been watching. The ending was pretty good. John Bul Dou returned to his country and has been returning to US every once in a while. He also started a foundation for kids, and built a hospital in his town. Mr. Schick was saying that he wanted John to come to our school but it would cost like 6,000$ which is a lot of money. Mr. Schick also showed us a website where you can go and lend money to people for their business and then when they get the money they will pay it back. I think it is a pretty cool system, because you can help people start their business and you get paid back. 

Today in class we looked at our quizzes, and we watched some of the movie. I wish we didn't have to right this blog, and we would've had to if some people in the class would have liked the Facebook page. I don’t really like blogging because usually I have no idea what to say and I get super bored of writing. But anyways, I honestly don’t even remember what happened in the movie we watched, I kind of totally forgot. I did pretty well on the tests we got back. It was out first test so next time I will know what to expect. I got and B+ I think but I am not definitely sure. Today’s class was nothing interesting, we mostly talked the whole time, but that id okay because talking is always fun. 

Today in Human Geo we continued to watch the movie we were watching. So in the movie basically they got their jobs, which were like flipping burgers at McDonald's, working on like caskets I think that is what they are called and some other things I can’t think of right now. We didn't get too far in the movie, but we did continue to see how they are living in America. We also saw how John Bul Dou, I think it was him at least, and he found out that he lost a lot of his family. He lost a lot of uncles and cousins back in his old country. He found out his mother and sisters were still alive but they were very sick. So he said that he was going to do something about it. Then we looked at John Bul Dou’s Facebook page which was pretty cool.  

Today in Human Geo we continued watching the movie we were watching previously. This movie is like an hour and a half or something like that so it will probably take another class or two. Basically the movie really picked up. I thought it was some really sad movie and it was all depressing, but then they three main characters I mentioned yesterday, came to America. It was kind of funny because while they were on the plane the really had no clue what anything was. They were eating straight butter, and soap. Then when they found there was to Syracuse and Pittsburgh, they settled in to their homes. In their homes, they learned how to turn on lights, eat food, go to the grocery store, and basically figure out what life is here in America.  They are going to start working soon, so then they can pay back there airfare, there apartment bills, and for their food. 

Today in Human Geo we talked about the 25 questions we did last week. When we were answering questions, if we got it wrong Mr. Schick would throw an apple at you. Of course it was a foam apple. Then we started to watch a movie on people in Sudan. This video is really sad because in people were dying, and they were so unhealthy. There were three main characters so far. Panther Bior, John Bul Dau, and Daniel Abul Pach. These people had to travel away from their homes with no food and no water. This documentary is called God Grew Tired of Us. Sudan is next to Chad and Ethiopia. There was a population of about 86,000 Sudanese. There were a few girls but mostly guys, because the girls were killed. The guys would get shots so they could not reproduce. The people in Sudan have very rough live.

1. What is the population of the United States?

          316,668,567

2. What are the five largest countries in the world, by population?

          China, India, United States, Indonesia, and Brazil

3. What is the population of Pakistan?

          193,238,868

4. What kind of government does the United States have?

           Constitution-based federal republic; strong democratic tradition      

5. What is the unemployment rate in Zimbabwe?

          95.00

6. What is the largest country in the world by area?

          Russia

7. What country has the third greatest number of airports?

           Mexico

8. What country has the greatest number of exports?

           China

9. What country exports more oil than any other?

          Saudi Arabia

    

10. What country imports more oil than any other?

          United States

11. What country has the second largest proven reserves of crude oil in the world?

         Venezuela

12. Can women serve in combat roles in China’s military?

Yes

13. What is GDP?  Gross Domestic Product
14. What country has the highest GDP per capita in the world, and how much is it?

          Qatar  103,900

15. Is the US in the top ten for GDP per capita?

            No we are 14

16. Most of the countries with the highest birth rates can be found in what continent?

           Africa

17. 11 of the top 12 countries with the highest number of deaths from HIV/AIDS can be found in which continent?

           Africa        

                                  

18. What other country is in the top ten?

            India

19. Where does the US rank in HIV/AIDS deaths?WER

 62

20. Is the US #1 in number of cellular phones?

          No

21. What percentage of the US is Roman Catholic?

23.9%

22. What percentage of Mexico is Roman Catholic?

          82.7%

23. What is Net Migration Rate?

Net migration is the difference between immigration and emigration in a certain       area during a specified time frame.

24. Does the US have the highest Net Migration Rate in the world?

No

25. According to the Factbook, what is the current population of the entire planet?

7,095,217,980