ethnography opportunity

Ok folks. I have an amazing anthopological project to work on. i hope it will come to furition! Here is a synopsis. I hope to interview some people from the alcohol prohibition era.I blocked out the names of my collegues.



Oakland Historical Archaeology Project Profile

Director: Professor , M.A., Valencia Community College
Ph.D. Student, Department of Anthropology, University of Florida


Associates and volunteers: (UCF), (UCF), Tiffany George-Toole (UCF),
Archaeological excavations at the Chambless-Hull House (8OR9836)
Cemetery Recording and Mapping at the Old Oakland African American Cemetery (8OR9567)
Recording Oakland’s oral history through ethnographic interviews
Curate artifacts at and develop a cultural history display for the new Oakland Nature Preserve facility.
Educational outreach by teaching local school children about archaeology and the town’s cultural history
Old Oakland Hotel site-fieldwork TBA (pending).

Project Scope:

The project primarily focused on Archaeological Excavations in 2007-2008 at a homesite associated with one of the town’s pioneering families. Artifact analysis is continuing.

Artifacts that were among the most interesting recovered include a cross-amendable assemblage of ceramic kitchenware, a very high proportion of medicinal and hygienic related bottles, a high proportion of alcoholic related vessels, and metal tools.

Major Research Objectives:

1. Investigate aspects and events in Oakland’s cultural history absent from the written record.

2. Examine the artifacts and oral accounts to reconstruct the cultural history of historic Oakland by
looking at socioeconomic status, exchange networks, consumer choice, foodways, health,
self-medication, leisure, work and ethnicity.

3. Understand how the residents reacted to and interacted with early 20th Century American issues
such as the Pandemic Flu of 1918-1919, Prohibition to Alcohol and the Great Depression.

4. Promote public awareness of historical resources to all ages through educational
outreach.

5 Develop a cultural history display for the Lake Apopka basin for the new environmental education center of the Oakland Nature Preserve.

6. Publish and present our research to the Florida state master file, the Florida Anthropologist and various academic conferences.

Obama

I have done some research and have made a decision that I do not support Obama's foreign policy. To support his foreign policy!(too late now of course!!) would mean supporting the propaganda surrounding the Middle East coverage in the Gaza strip. I am sickened by what has happened.

Link to a useful website

Confused about the Arab-Israeli conflict? Here is a great link to the truth of the matter!

Americans should be ashamed!
http://www.ifamericansknew.org/

Pics when I was in Bahrain

Here are a couple pics of me in Bahrain! the Arad Fort was so neat!

Classes update

Today, I finally, after mucho anticipation, I must say, my last two classes were held. All I can say is WOW!
Islam and it's Empires
The Modern Middle East.

Same professor, similar formats and lots of work. :) Now, the professor is from Turkey and he is appears quite detached from the students and at the same time, he is VERY ENGAGED! Is that possible? I think so. Maybe he does not want to get too personal, which is fine. I am paying him to teach after all. lol

His style of teaching is to engage us, challenge us and make us hate reading as a pleasureable activity. Kidding about the later one. :) I do however, have high hopes for both classes. He warned us if we do not want to speak in front of a group, be engaged, debate, and THINK, the class is not for us. Well, I want all those things and thus, I am sticking around.

Time to read now....for real!
salaams!
anthrogeek10

School starts today!

I have Nutritional Anthropology tonight. I am looking forward to it. I will post on all my classes once they are held!

Curry fish

Here is a photo of curry fish I made for dinner one night. It was awesome! You can use any white fish or even shrimp. Give it a go! Need the recipe? Just ask. :)

Identity crisis?

Humans have so many ways to identify one another. Some of the labels are positive, some are quite negative. We put Homo sapiens in different boxes like race, religion and economic class. Some communities around the world are labeled as egalitarian (not us!). Those communities tend to have very little, if any status labels. I think those communities are interesting.

As a rule, we are labeled by our race, are we rich or poor?, educated or not?, etc.

Personally, I tend to be confused and have frequent identity crisis'. What I mean by that is I can related to both the East and the West. I have characteristics that mesh very well with the Muslim world. For example, I don't eat pork and have not for several years. I believe in the structure of a family/marriage (although "the family" can be left up to interpretation). I like wine and could be a wine connoisseur if I had the money. That does not mesh well with Islam. :)

In addition, I dress quite modestly for a Westerner, but think I would be able to be myself in hijab. I believe that a man can find eyes a turn on or hands. I dont wear shorts or a traditional bathing suit. My time in the middle east has affected me in alot of ways.

With regards to hijab, (I mean covering of the hair), I do not think I could do that long term. I would find that constricting. I do however respect the use of hijab for whomever who wants to wear it!! I want to make that clear.

I am also very independent and would have a very difficult time living in KSA for the long haul. I could do it for up to 2 years.

All that said, I feel somewhat out of place with all Westerners and feel out of place somewhat with a group all from the Mid East. Does any other Western women feel this way? I feel like the oddball! :)

anthrogeek10

Muslims detained in airport

This is absolutely DISGUSTING! I am really really mad about how obvious discrimination is being perpetrated at Muslims, with no justification whatsoever.
Of COURSE they were profiled. Here is the news link to a recent example.
http://www.wesh.com/news/18398038/detail.html

AirTran Passengers Cry Discrimination
Muslims Detained By Authorities
POSTED: 7:40 am EST January 2, 2009
UPDATED: 9:47 am EST January 2, 2009

ORLANDO, Fla. -- An AirTran Airways flight bound for Orlando from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport was delayed as 104 passengers deplaned because of a comment passengers said they overheard another passenger make.
Officials allowed 95 of those passengers to return to the plane, but detained nine others who are Muslim. The alleged comments raised security questions with passengers who in turn notified authorities.
Some of the nine passengers who were not allowed back on that flight said they feel they were profiled because of their religion. According to the Council on American Islamic Relations known as CAIR, the Muslims were also refused rebooking with the airline.

The nine passengers were cleared by federal authorities. AirTran Airways said all were offered full refunds and may fly with the airline again.