Nov. 8: For the past couple of weeks I’ve been busy reading
business and writing articles on the internet and the newspaper, trying to
think of ways on where I should go in my career and life. The thing is, I do need to write about other
things too like the news. Maybe I should
do some charity or activism in my career.
The Reason I Jump: I found this book through reading
the book section in the newspaper, but I put this in my news email because it’s
about autism:
“A story never before told and a memoir to help change our
understanding of the world around us, 13-year-old Naoki Higashida''s
astonishing, empathetic book takes us into the mind of a boy with severe
autism. With an introduction by David Mitchell, author of the global
phenomenon, Cloud Atlas, and translated by his wife, KA Yoshida.
Naoki Higashida was only a middle-schooler when he began to write The Reason I Jump. Autistic and with very low verbal fluency, Naoki used an alphabet grid to painstakingly spell out his answers to the questions he imagines others most often wonder about him: why do you talk so loud? Is it true you hate being touched? Would you like to be normal? The result is an inspiring, attitude-transforming book that will be embraced by anyone interested in understanding their fellow human beings, and by parents, caregivers, teachers, and friends of autistic children. Naoki examines issues as diverse and complex as self-harm, perceptions of time and beauty, and the challenges of communication, and in doing so, discredits the popular belief that autistic people are anti-social loners who lack empathy.
This book is mesmerizing proof that inside an autistic body is a mind as subtle, curious, and caring as anyone else''s.”
Naoki Higashida was only a middle-schooler when he began to write The Reason I Jump. Autistic and with very low verbal fluency, Naoki used an alphabet grid to painstakingly spell out his answers to the questions he imagines others most often wonder about him: why do you talk so loud? Is it true you hate being touched? Would you like to be normal? The result is an inspiring, attitude-transforming book that will be embraced by anyone interested in understanding their fellow human beings, and by parents, caregivers, teachers, and friends of autistic children. Naoki examines issues as diverse and complex as self-harm, perceptions of time and beauty, and the challenges of communication, and in doing so, discredits the popular belief that autistic people are anti-social loners who lack empathy.
This book is mesmerizing proof that inside an autistic body is a mind as subtle, curious, and caring as anyone else''s.”
Teen volunteers: I read in the Metro on Nov. 5 that
there is the 5th annual Teen Nick HALO Awards which recognize teen
volunteers. It was founded by Nick
Cannon and will air on Nov. 17.
Child porn: In the Metro on Nov. 5, “54 Canadians
snared in child porn sting.” The sting
was about a 10 yr old Filipino girl was going to perform sex acts on
webcam. The group Terres des Hommes was
operating out of Amsterdam. More than 1000 adults from 71 countries were
identified in the 10 week project.
Nov. 10 Rob Ford: This Toronto
mayor admits to smoking crack cocaine.
He’s not going to stop being a mayor.
Yeah, well I hope he gets help for his drug addiction.
Bear attack: On Nov. 1, 2013, I read “Man rescued months after bear
attack.” Marco Lavoie, 44 is an
experienced hiker and got rescued after 3 months in a remote forest in Quebec.
Charity: “Brangelina wine raises $14,000 for charity”
by Harriet Alexander on Nov. 2, 2013. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt sold a barrel of
organic white wine that they produced for $14,000 at an auction. The charity money goes to support an
agricultural project in Africa.
Kenya
rape: On Nov.1, 2013 in the Metro “Kenyan women demand justice for rape
victim.” A teenager publicly identified
as Liz was allegedly gang-raped. Liz is
now in a wheel chair. The police
arrested the rapists, but only made them cut grass at the police station as
punishment.
300 women protested it and more than 1.3 million people have
singed an online activist group Avaaz calling for the prosecution of the
rapists. A picture is a woman holding up
a sign that says: “Slashing grass is not punishment for rape!”
My opinion: I hoped there was a lot of grass for them
to cut, but I also want justice and send the rapists to prison.
U of A campaign: On Nov. 6, 2013, in the Metro “U of A campaign tackles
sexual violence.” The Accountability
Action Project is “educating men by hosting discussions, workshops and
inspiring conversations amongst men who might need guidance on the issue.
It also mentioned about how 100 men pledged at city hall to
not use violence is their relationships.
The project will discuss: “gender roles, masculinity, sexism, homophopia
and preventing violence.”
“Typically we tend to focus on survivors of sexual violence
who tend to be more women so the Accountability Action Project is just trying
to create that space” says Melanie Lintott, Gender Based Violence Prevention
Project coordinator.
Omar Khadr: He is back in the news. On Oct.
4, 2012, I posted an email I got from Amnesty International:
Anonymous made a comment: What would have happened if Omar
Khadr had killed a Canadian citizen? Yes...welcome back indeed. Killed an
american soldier, showed NO remorse, has ties to al Qaeda??
Should have left him there.
Should have left him there.
Nov. 19 Seva Canada:
I was reading the Metro and then later read about this charity in the Globe
and Mail. In Metro: “90% of the 39 million blind people in the world
live in low-income countries and the majority won’t walk into a hospital and
request sight-restoring surgery for something as treatable as cataracts, the
leading cause of blindness.”
Seva has been restoring sight for 30 years. A lot of people live in rural and remote
areas. They mentioned Chime is blind and
her 6 yr daughter Tashi is her only companion.
They are homeless beggars in Nakchu, Tibet
and they beg for food and money. She
then went to Seva. She can see and go to
work and Tashi can go to school. They
have a future. A 15-min operation costs
$50.
Plan Canada:
This helps people in 3rd world countries like kids going to school,
and pigs and goats so they could raise it.
Statistics: I was reading in the Globe and Mail
on Nov. 14, 2013 that is
National Philanthropy Day.
Gen Y (born 1981-1995) 62% give, $639 average annual gift.
Gen X (born 1965-1980) 79% give, $831 average annual gift.
Boomers (born 1946-1964) 78% give, $942 average annual gift.
Civics (born 1945 and earlier), 87% give, $1507 average
annual gift.
Shine the Light: I read about this in the Metro on Nov. 15, 2013 and it’s in Ontario. It’s a London Abused Women’s Centre.
First Female Speaker: I was reading the Metro on Nov. 15, 2013 about Isra Almodallal
is appointed as Hamas’ first female spokesperson. She’s 23 yrs old and she studied in the UK.
“I’m not going to defend things I don’t believe in, but have
responsibility to deliver our message on
specific issues like prisoners and access to Jerusalem. Maybe I will cover feminist activism in Gaza. The job is to make people understand the
situation here.”
Naila Ayesh, former director of Gaza-based Women’s Affairs
Center says about the government
should do more: “But they believe in a man’s society and use our religion
against us.”
Amnesty International says: “four in five Gazans are
dependent on humanitarian aid.”
Isra says: “It’s a great challenge and I will work all the
time.”
That’s great, I hope she can help her people.
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