Room 613 Student Blogs - 2005/2006

My Birthday

First day of summer,

The day of my own birthday,

I shall celebrate.

The Story of Islam in India

By: John C.

     It all started in approximatly 700A.D. when Muslims from Southwest Asia came to India. They came from Saudi Arabia and usually to visit the coast of India and used to trade with them, but that was very ancient. On a regular day, they came invading Pakistan and North India, but these invasions were not continuous and not all Muslims were Islam. However, they went to convert Islam “through the sword”, meaning they had the choice of death, adopting Islam, or having two taxes, a Jeziya (poll tax) and a Kharaj (property tax). A number of local Indians in the coastal area of India, which is Kerala, decided to join the Islamic world. This process of converting Indians (India’s people) to Islam was done in the 8th century. Most of the Indian Muslims who converted to Islam were put in a lower class in the Indian society and, like in the Muslim world, the Muslims of India were placed in two main sections of Islam, Sunni and Shia. But, it was said that the two sections had tension between them. However, they still lived on from then to the present of 2006.

This summary added to my knowledge by telling me how they got Islam as a religion and what they did for India to have that religion and I hope it will teach you, too.

For more information, go to:

http://adaniel.tripod.com/Islam.htm

or

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_in_India

In Washington, studies in science labs have come up that sun-spawned cosmic storms that have caused havoc with orbiting satellites and power grids have been thought to be 50% stronger in the next 11-year solar cycle than the last one!  Astronomers have volunteered to do a long-ranged forecast to find any solar activity that might start now in 2006 or later in 2008, but they didn’t give any predictions on any of the solar storms.  The astronomers still hoped to create early warnings to power companies, satellite operators, and other power and satellite companies around the world to prepare for these storms. These solar storms can be more than a happening, they can cause satellite failures, disruptions in electrical grids and blackouts, and can be a living nightmare for astronauts in outer space [where they] can be severely violent.  To all astronauts, be very careful and stay on Earth, who knows what might happen up there.  This is a newscast from yours truly, John.

Dear My American Friend,

Here in Istanbul, Turkey, things haven’t been the same as it used to have been since 1925. Everyone here has changed the way they dressed by males wearing hats with brims than a fez, which is a felt hat with a flat top. Females don’t wear veils to hide their faces in public places and are going to school now! Well, it’s official, Kemal Ataturk, meaning “father of the Turks”, a.k.a. Mustafa Kemal has changed our way of life permanently. Mustafa Kemal was our powerful president of Turkey, but he more likely had all the power making him a dictator of this republic and his was the only political party to be allowed to run for office. But one day in 1925, he was found wearing Western clothing with a brimmed hat and made a law to ban all fezzes and veils from that day forth. After World War I, Kemal wanted to make great changes to Turkey, so he ended the rule of the Ottoman sultans, making Turkey now a republic, but that wasn’t enough for Kemal. Making Western clothing the fashion that was sweeping the nation for all people, thanks to Kemal, and he moved to our capital, Ankara, and introduced the Roman alphabet. Everything changed for 5 decades since today when Kemal died now in 1938 and everything should be back to normal in time, maybe. All for a good cause, I guess.

Your Turkish Friend,

John Akmed

Out of all the places in the world, the one true place I want to go to is China. I always wanted to see the “Great Wall of China” and see all the great places on top of the wall all over China. One fascinating city in China I would want to go is Beijing, especially at night, with all the lights, paintings, and monuments made there. Best of all, I can also meet new people and make new friends from half way around the world. China is a great place to be and I can’t wait to go there!