Thursday, October 25, 2012

Devil's Highway

While getting research information for the synthesis, I came upon this pretty sweet interactive map on the Devil's Highway. I figure I am not selfish enough to keep this for myself, so Shizzam!

Monday, October 8, 2012

Dark Roads



At the beginning of summer, I decided to pick up rollerblading. Though out of fear of embarrassment, I never wanted to skate during the day time. So instead, I would go out every night at about ten and skate until midnight. In this picture, I am behind the large hill behind the Bright House on the bike path and every time I would ride by, a deathly feeling would shoot through my body as I looked out into the dark, devious riverbed. I felt like something was always going to pop out and attack me whenever I road past there, so I have now changed my paths for my well being!

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Rhetorical modes in Shangri-La

In the second chapter of Ted Conover's The Routes of Man, detailing his excursion through the chaddar, he elaborates on the importance of the roads connecting the small civilizations with their religious, as well as, educational purposes, all the while showing the destruction of the once vivid culture through the very same roads. Conover starts off the chapter by exemplifying the hardships the teens must endure by trekking through the fourty mile frozen gauntlet. He then transitions to his personal narrative of how he stayed in the local's housing, and made his journey with the towns people. Conover delves into historical evidences regarding India, Pakistan, China, as well as Kashmir, all done in a chronological fashion by using the process analysis. Conover defines the term "scheduled tribe" meaning a group with its own ethnic background that was poorly integrated into the nation and required special attention such as medical care and education. Lastly, he ends with argumentation brought on by two sides. On one side, an author, Nordber-Hodge believes that if the people of Ladakh build these roads, they will effectively be destroying their longstanding culture that has been treasured for its serenity. And on the other side, Choetop, saw that there was far too much culture and religious backings in Ladakh and was actually dampening the potential of those living there. If they were able to have more communication and commerce through the construction of roads, that Ladakh would be able to develop into something fantastic, instead of stagnant traditions, with minimal education.