What's in a NAME?

In academic and non-academic writing, the way words are capitalized matters: gaga is not the same as Gaga; and not is not quite the same as NOT. The well-known pop singer Lady Gaga seems to agree that capitalization matters.

In Lady Gaga to call her third studio album Artpop, Rick Kelsey writes about the music album that Lady Gaga is currently working on. According to Kelsey, the busy and financially successful Lady Gaga is planning to release her third collection of songs next year. He also tells us that she insists on the word ARTPOP being written in ALL CAPS.

It does look meaty.  

I wouldn't normally look at the Entertainment section of the BBC News, but I thought it would make a change from the more serious response I wrote about the unjust drug policy that my government foolishly wastes my tax money on. However, I have read stories about Lady Gaga before. She is a great headline maker. When she wore a meat dress, that did get my attention, which I'm sure is what she wanted. And on her recent visit to Thailand, she again made the headlines when she Tweeted about buying an illegally copied Rolex. The silly Thai officials then made more international headlines with their childish response to her joke. In fact, I was interested enough after the fuss of her visit to Thailand to actually go to YouTube and watch one of her videos: "Born this Way". The music didn't grab me as lot, but it had a good beat, and the video was very eye-catching; obviously a lot of other people, perhaps younger than me, think the Lady is great.

One thing I do like about Lady Gaga is that she peacefully but forcefully challenges traditional ways of thinking that might be rotten. She doesn't say they are rotten (or does she? Maybe I'm wrong about this), but she certainly makes people think, as the fuss about her performing in conservative countries like Indonesia shows. Sadly, some people are terrified of free and independent thinking. They want to use the law to ban anything new and progressive and force everyone to shut up. What they should do is defend their traditions if those traditions really are good. I think that if some part of a culture is strong, valuable and useful, the citizens will keep it. If a traditional bit of culture is not valuable or useful, isn't it better to throw it out and get something better?

So, are performers like Lady Gaga a force for good or a force for evil? Or neither?

__________

References

Kelsey, R. (2012, August 6). Lady Gaga to call her third studio album Artpop. Newsbeat, BBC News. Retrieved August 6, 2012 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/19140535

Languages and Importance

My name is Noom. I would like to regard myself as a little shy. I am open mind and nice and friendly. I am interesting Language such as French, Geraman and English. Before, I going to learn other language. I would like to be fluency in English first because English is very important for me and my job. I work for my parents company. We buy and sell house and condo. Our company also rent house and condo. Our customer mostly foreigners came for all over the world such as Europe, American and Canada. I have to communication with them in English. I have to reply email in academic English writing. 

The next language will be French. I think French is very romantic language. I used to be able to read French very well after I stopped work at travel agency, I forgot how to read and speak. At my work now we also need to be able to speak French many French people can not speak English.

German language also significang for my work. Thailand is nice weather many people from Europe migrate to live here. In the future, the number of internationl people in Thailand will increasing. So, Language is vital for people who deal with foreigner. Fore example, our company provide accomudation for those people. 

A bit about Peter - shopping and free time.

I did a quick brainstorm in my head, and shopping seemed like something to write a bit about. Actually, I usually hate shopping. I buy clothes only two or three times a year. When there is a sale on of a brand I like, I buy several shirts, and whatever else I might need. If it's for work at AUA, I buy half dozen shirts and a couple of pairs of pants. I buy fresh food every day, but that's pretty straight forward. I usually pop into Tops at Silom Complex on the way home after class, except that at the moment it's closed, so I'm going to Foodland in Patpong, which is OK, but Tops is much better. After my Sunday class, I usually meet friends for an early lunch at Siam Paragon, and then I go shopping in the Gourmet Supermarket there. I do actually enjoy that bit of shopping - I like eating, and there are some great things available there.

Shopping is not my favourite free time activity, but reading has been very high on the list ever since I was around ten years old. I grew up on a farm, which was fun, but definitely not the life I wanted, and I enjoyed curling up somewhere and just reading. I even read my school books! Thankfully, my parents had a lot of books in the house, and subscribed to some newspapers and magazines, so there was always plenty of varied and new reading material coming in. Today, as I've written in a comment here, most of my reading is no longer paper based: I still read novels, magazines, journals and so on, but these days it's nearly all online or on a Kindle.

And you? What would you like to tell us to introduce yourself?
(In case you're wondering about my title: I did choose the topics before I started writing, but if I'd changed my mind half way through the writing, it wouldn't have been a problem. I would have revised the title to reflect the changed content.)

The "War on Drugs": Winning or Losing?

We all know that drugs, as well as other enjoyable things like sugar, beef and pork, cause serious problems for society, with people dying early, suffering ill health, breaking up families, and lowering national productivity. But, although it is popular, is making drugs illegal a successful solution to the drug problem?

Australia seizes drugs worth $500m from Hong Kong ring reports on the seizure of an enormous amount of "ice" (yaa baa), heroin and other drugs in Sydney recently (2012). It says that the Australian police investigated for one year with the help of the United States Drug Enforcement Agency to capture the drug gang, who imported the drugs hidden in terracotta pottery.

When I first read this on the BBC News, I thought it was more evidence that making drugs illegal is a total failure. The police are saying that it's a success, but they are wrong. Drugs have been illegal for decades, and if amounts this large are still being imported for sale, then that seems to me to prove that the current drug policy is a 100% failure. What sort of people repeat exactly the same mistake knowing that it does not work? Idiots do this. And the policy of making some popular drugs illegal is idiotic because it's obviously a total failure. Drug dealers continue to go a lot of trouble to produce, export and import drugs because there is a very high demand from consumers for their products. That means that ordinary, normal people in Australia, and Thailand, and every other country, use drugs and want to use drugs.

These people, a lot of people in every country, obviously think that the laws against them enjoying their life without harming other people are unjust, so they ignore the law. The result is corruption of police, judges and politicians. The result is higher drug prices and profits for mafia groups. The result is more crime to pay for drugs. The result is more addicts with problems. Every result of the "War on Drugs" is bad for citizens and bad for society. So why are some drugs that ordinary, normal citizens want to use illegal? I've given some reasons why they should not illegal, but I can't think of any good reason why marijuana, heroin, or yaa baa should be illegal to buy and use. Can you think of any good reason?

And in the meantime, the "War on Drugs" will continue to be a very expensive failure that harms society. This does not seem rational to me.

__________

References

Australia seizes drugs worth $500m from Hong Kong ring. (2012, July 31). BBC News. Retrieved August 4, 2012 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-19058726

Something Tasty to Chew on

Do you think some people's eating habits are a bit weird? Does your culture eat any strange foods?

In "Plan To Slaughter Horses For Human Consumption Is Met With Distaste", Ted Burnham writes about the end of the US ban on killing horses for people to eat (2012). He says that although horse ranchers in the US like this idea, it is probably less popular with many other Americans.

I thought that Burnham's article was interesting, and as you will see, it fits very well with our readings in the first chapter of Quest. Although there are some foods I couldn't eat, horse would not worry me. And as Burnham also tells us, in Australia, my country, we regularly eat kangaroo, and I think kangaroo is a tasty meat. I usually have a kangaroo steak or something at least once on my annual visit to Australia. I can't see any good reason for objecting to eating horses. Why would killing and eating horses be any worse than slaughtering and eating pigs, cows, duck, chickens or dogs?

__________

References

Burnham, T. (2012, April 18). Plan To Slaughter Horses For Human Consumption Is Met With Distaste. The Salt. Retrieved August 1, 2012 from http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2012/04/17/150833468/plan-to-slaughter-horses-for-human-consumption-is-met-with-distaste

Tom's academic interest

My academic's interest is art and business. It seems totally different, but I like it. I became like art since I was young, because this subject is by far my favorite study when I was in a primary school. After that I was surprised that I would study in this major in bachelor study in Art education. This major is not pure art like visual art major, but is about art teaching.

Then, when I started working as a teacher in the school. My friends suggested some business workshops, NEC: New Entrepreneur Creation. This short course is free, or else you may pay just a bit and it is still running  by Department of Industrial Promotion. If you have some free time during weekends, you might like to join this.

Noom academic interest

I have a lot of interests, but not all of it has become my passion. I used to be a soccer player in school. I stopped because I found another interest which made me happier. I usually spend my time travelling and sitting on the beach. I have been to many countries which has beach such as ,Tahiti, Hawaii, Brazil , Uruguay, Argentina, Maxi-go and Australia. I like to swim in the ocean, but I don't like diving. I am not a risk-taking. I have a license for diving, but I don't like swimming underwater using special breating equipment. Do you like diving?

Austin's academic interest

Now, my academic interest is English. I want to improve my English for study in USA and i have to make it batter than now.

Pete's academic interests

 For now my academic interest is management. So I would like to prepare myself before I go to study aboard so I think Academic English Program is a good way for me I expect to improve skills in English for prepare myself before go aboard to continue study. I heard AUA  from my sister she told me that AUA has course from student that want to prepare themselves before go to study.

Mehdi's academic interest.

my  first academic interest is economic.When i was in high school the economy interested me. It was so amazing that how money circulate all around the world.

Som's academic interest

i started do ballet since i was 4 years old at waraporn-karnchana ballet school. there are many class of ballet. I stared at Pre-Primary. it teach just only how to move coordinate with your body and listen to the music. The second class is Primary. this is for 5 years old. After that there are 8 grade for basic level. People can study in Advance level when they re 11 years old.

in fact, i start learning about coffee. I think coffee is wonderful plant ^_^ in the future, i wish i hav my own outstanding coffee shop >w<

Anne's academic interest

My first real academic was photography. I like to go to other countries in order to take a photo such as taking a photo of  view and taking a photo of people. I think that taking a photo can bring my memories back.

__________

Pang's academic interest.

My academic interest is Law.I  learnt the basic Law when I was about 15 years old.I found that it was so interesting to learn because it is relating to my daily life.People need to know Law because there is no excuse when you break the law.No one can be excluded by saying they don't know it.Therefore,I set my goal that I would like to study Law in the university.I finally achieved my first goal by getting into Thammasat University.

Mo's academic interests

I was graduated in Veterinary medicine. Absolutely, science is my favorite. My research project at university was related to genetic. But during studying, I was rarely studied about it. So that I decided to learn more detail about genetic, I apply to genetic division in international program in Germany's university. My decision make many people confused why i chose to learn in Germany without fluency in German.

Yut's academic interest

I decided to study academic english at AUA because it is a good english program for me.  Last two year,  I used to study regular course.  However, I would improve my english is better not only speaking and listening but also writing and reading.

Benz's academic interests

I was interested in computer programing. I have played computer games since I was a child. Then, I want to learn how to create my own computer games.

J's academic interests

     My academic interest is finance. I think finance is very important for me because I don't want to be an employee all of my life. I would like to find someway to invest in something such as stocks,real estate or create my own business. The main purpose of invest is for financial freedom

Oh's academic interests

My academic interest is chemistry. Chemistry can be applied everywhere.You cannot refuse that you do not use shampoo,bath cream, body lotion or toothpaste in your routine life. These involve chemistry and this is the reason why I am interested in Chemistry. Moreover, Chemistry can make many amazing things. For example, carbon which is use as fuel can be the most valuable thing in the world which is diamond just only insert the high temperature and pressure.The arrangement of carbon molecule will then change so it it turns to be diamond.Thats amazing!!!!

Pantip's academic interests

My academic interset was travel business.I love to travel.I aways happy when I go to travel a new place.I can learn many thing  from the place that I travel.For example the language that they have

Peter's academic interests

My first real academic interest was biology. I loved growing trees and things when I was in primary school, and started reading high school biology books in my free time. I loved it. This lasted for a few years, and tehn my interests shifted to chemistry. In early highschool, chemistry was my favourite subject, but physics soon caught up and passed it. And all the time, mathematics was there. By the time I was in middle highschool, mathematics was my favourite subject. I loved the way the results were absolutely certain. I still enjoyed reading physics, chemistry and biology, but mathematics was me passion for the next few years, and continued when I when I went to university.

Welcome to Reading and Writing 3, term 5, 2012.

Thank you for registering for the Reading and Writing level 3 class in AUA's Academic English Program (AEP).

Over the next six weeks we will be working through two or three chapters in Hartmann's Quest 2 Reading and Writing [Quest] (2007), which might already be familiar to some of you from level 2 last term. As usual, we will be doing both a a bit more writing than Quest asks for and a bit more reading.

And this being 2012, we will be using the tools that are normal in modern academic institutions: email, the internet and so on; academics and students no longer submit their written work on scraps of paper, and we won't be doing that either.

I hope that you find the class both enjoyable and challenging so that our six weeks together will be productive and pleasant.

And if you ever have any question about anything, please feel welcome to ask us in class, email me, or write it up here on our class blog (Peter, 2011).

__________

References
Hartmann, P. (2007). Quest 2 Reading and Writing, (2nd. ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.

Peter. (2011, February). AEP, Blogging our class. Class Blog - AEP at AUA. April 22, 2012 from http://peteraep.blogspot.com/p/blogging-our-class.html