The Life of Thanksgiving

Dear all,

   Thanksgiving is coming soon... Do you know how it began?

Thanksgiving is mainly a day to thank God for everything. And from the Old Testaments, we can see that God ordered his people to have a feast to thank him:
           "Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days" (Lev. 23:29)

However, US is celebrating the Thanksgiving day, because of the famous story of the Pilgrims who escaped away from England to Holland due to religious persecution. They settled in Plymouth Rock and they began planting and harvesting with the help of some Indians... Instead of losing a big number of them while they are sailing to save their lives, they celebrated the harvest as their first surviving year...    

Then, the years round and the US presidents changed Thanksgiving date till it settled down on the forth Thursday in November... 

That's how the pilgrims celebrated to thank the Indians who saved their lives... Nowadays, we celebrate thanksgiving as a day to thank God for all the things he gave us and to remember how he loved us...

Here is a part of His holiness Pope Shenouda III, pope of Alexandria and the Patriarch of all Africa on the holy apostolic of Saint Mark the evangelist, book about "The Life of Thanksgiving"

Happy Thanksgiving... Hope you enjoy the book, and waiting for your comments... 

Thanksgiving by Maramero

One of your biggest problems in the life of thanksgiving is holding to your personal thinking rather than the divine planning. We would like to arrange our affairs with our human thinking, and according to our own methods. God might have another plan which we do not understand, so we become angry and do not give thanks! For example: if our demands are not met we are angry. Sometimes we go up a step, and do not get angry, but at the same time we do not give thanks.

Our endurance means that there is distress which we do not grumble about, but we bear in patience. While our thanksgiving means our confidence that this incident is good, for which we give thanks to God. Here, we are moved from seeing to believing and by faith we see the good in all what God does to us, not relying on human judgments which decide on the outside.

If the Divine inspiration says, “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.” (James 4:17).

More truly that God does the good because He is able to do so. Of necessity, I must believe that God does the good with me, because by nature He is beneficent and actually He does so.

 If my condition was bad, it could have been worse without God’s grace, but thank God He did not abandon me. Probably, my bad state is a result of my faults and I must blame myself.

As for God, I have to thank Him because He is not angry with me for my faults, and by all means He will help me to come out of it.

Then, I must have confidence in God’s wisdom and planning and do not rely on my human thinking and limited understanding. In all what happens to me I should say: There must be a divine wisdom behind this affair which will be revealed in time, and whether God revealed it or not, His wisdom exists and we thank Him for it. “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”(John 20:29).

This belief in the wisdom of God leads us to the life of submission, and the life of submission entirely agrees with the life of thanksgiving.

In this life, I say to the Lord: I thank you Lord because if you have found me a better position than my present one, you could have transferred me to it. Or, if I deserve more, you could have given me. Truly, you are always giving me more than I deserve. Enough for me to believe in your wisdom and love, in disposing my life and this deserves thanksgiving.

There are many normal matters in our life which really need thanksgiving.

The History of AUC Desert Development Center (Interview 1 + transcription)

Dear all,

   Again, you can find here the whole interview with Mr. Mahmoud Badran, the training manager of DDC...
And followed by the transcription for what he said...

Transcription whole interview by Maramero

Interview Script:
Music Fade in: Explosion - Soundtrack action volume 6 - free play music

Announcer: The AUC Desert Development Center was established in 1979 as a center of excellence in applied research and training promoting sustainable desert development.  
Mr. Badran: Egypt’s problem is the limited resources. Population lives on 4% of Egypt’s area, and 96% is desert. There is a huge overcrowding in population in the Delta & Valley. So, the Egyptian government strategy in the last decades was to reclaim the desert and move the population from the Delta & Valley to inhabit the desert. The American University in Cairo decided to help in this field, and to insure that the university is helping the whole society not only to educate the rich, but also to contribute in service Egypt.   

Announcer: Who started the idea?

Mr. Badran: It was the idea of Mr. Adly Beshay, the AUC physics professor. He thought that AUC should have an active role in developing the Egyptian desert. He presented his idea to AUC board of trustees. They accepted and contacted the Egyptian council of ministries to take the action. They issued the case no. 37 for the year 1979, to specify an area of 500 acres in south Tahrir directorate to establish the “Desert Development Center.”  

Announcer: What was the first aim behind its establishment?

Mr. Badran: The main philosophy of DDC is to make the desert an attractive place for life and to help in solving the desert habitants’ problems. So, this project is mainly based on three axes; the services, applied research and training.

Announcer: What activities did DDC get engaged in since its establishment?

Mr. Badran: AUC Desert Development Center is a non-profit institution that depends on self-financing under the AUC. We have three research centers; South Tahrir research center “on 575 acres,” Sadat City research center “25 acres,” and the head office in the main campus. The most important research that has been done since the establishment of DDC is in the field of Animal Production. New ways are introduced to improve the product of Egyptian cows from both meat and milk through the Hybridization of European cows with Egyptian ones. This research brought great results and was traded to farmers all over Egypt.

Another project was the analysis of crops remains like beans chaff and wheat hay to be used as animal’s feed. This research decreases the import of feeds and made use of the farm land remains.  

Citrus development was one of the researches that longs to 15 years in DDC labs.

Announcer: What did DDC offered to AUC departments?

Mr. Badran: We have been worked with the AUC science department in the renewable resources researches. Also, the AUC physics department searched in the wind energy and solar energy with the help of DDC. All of these researches were supervised by Dr. Salah Hagar.

Announcer: What did DDC offered to Ain Shams University?

Mr. Badran: We have worked with Ain Shams University, microbiology department, on a type of bacteria called Frankia. These bacteria absorb the Nitrogen and fix it in the soil that plant needs for feeding and growth.

Announcer: Do you want add any other comments about DDC?

Mr. Badran: The program was very successful, and the proof is its continuous operating since 1979 till now.

Announcer: Thank you very much about your time and about the great information you had given. Thanks Mr. Mahmoud Badran

Mr. Badran: Thank you. You are welcome.
Music Fade out: Explosion - Soundtrack action volume 6 - free play music

Credit for: Gaser El Safty for over transcription voice...    

Desert Development Center at AUC (Final Project Promo)

Dear All,
This is a promo for my final project about The history of Desert Development Center (DDC) at AUC. After prepparing some questions about DDC and its history, I have interviewed Mr. Mahmoud Badran, the Training Program Manager at DDC.
Here is the promo of 30 sec. for the interview...


DDC promo audio by Maramero

Here is a slide show for the Promo....

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

The Script:
Music fade in: Tlom - The law of Miracle - Intro (Golden Valley) song

Announcer: The AUC Desert Development Center was established in 1979 as a center of excellence in applied research and training promoting sustainable desert development.

Mahmoud Badran, Training Manager of DDC: "It was the idea of Mr. Adly Beshy, the AUC physics professor."

Announcer: Attend the Listening Session, at AUC's New Cairo campus on Sunday, December 12 and Wednesday, December 15 at 10 a.m. each day in the BEC building, room 1060.

Music fade out: Tlom - The law of Miracle - Intro (Golden Valley) song

Credit for: Gaser El Safty for over transcription voice...

Long Form Audio Documentary

Dear all,
If you follow our work step by step, I have presented short listening journal which can be any feature story from World Vision Report and NPR... Then, I have analyzed International News also from BBC and NPR of 5 mins...
Today, I am presenting for you long form audion documentary from BBC World Service Documentary, New Media in Kashmir...


Pic. taken from BBC website, designed by Mary Habib

Analysis of the Audio Documentary:

• Title of the documentary: New Media in Kashmir
• Audio producer: Suvojit Bagchi
• Narration: Suvojit Bagchi
• Length of the documentary: 22:32 min.

About the Production Quality:

• This documentary is mainly talking about the integration of Mobile Phones, Computers and the Internet in Kashmir, India as a new Media. The reporter shows the impact of new media communication in Kashmir's conflict zone. He first, went to one of the boys who use the mobile phone to shot the videos and current events happen in Kashmir. However, the father of 15 years boy was afraid to mention his name in the documentary. The reporter reached to the result that his boy is just shooting these videos just to impress his friends not more or less. Kashmiri people think that using this new media is a kind of expressing their freedom of speech, because it a kind of wide for the whole world to hear them. One of the reporters say that he can't write his actual name when writing articles on the Internet. However, he uses a nickname to hide his identity being afraid of kidnapping.
• The documentary was very interesting for me as I thought I will hear something new about media. However, at the end of the documentary, I felt sorry for them, because they are just on the edge of using the media that are introduced a time ago. I think, it's a progress for them and proof that New Technology is very important in our life. The music introduced at the beginning of the documentary was very interesting. Because, he used to mention the place he is reporting from, but in a different way. The way the reporter was describing the place he is going through, completed the missing image of the audio and made it more visualized like "sitting her on the board" "going up to the roof" "sitting in the room". What also interested me is that, the reporter mentioned the website of the video he is talking about in this documentary. That makes it more interesting for audience to go search about the story to watch the video.
• The natural sound is very descriptive. It is expressing every story the reporter is recording. When he was in the boat, there was a water sound that brings the fact that he is in a boat. The sound quality of the natural sound was good. No noise appear behind, but sometimes I have to concentrate more to understand his words; especially when he records in the street...
• The narrator voice was fine to the extent that he comes from Kashmir. He is Indian so his native language isn't English. He considers Indian people who know English are educated... So, I think he is educated also, but his voice quality isn't perfect due to language barriers. At the end of the documentary, I lose attention because the narrator voice pitch goes very slowly.
• The transcription voice quality was fine, but its quality was very law, because she can't deliver the same feeling of the main speaker.
• He said "el salam alekom" inside his words and I think it isn't in his script. So, his writing quality isn't applicable to his audience. Because he is supposed to talk to the whole world. 
• The documentary length was appropriate for a service documentary. It shows different point of views and various stories and places. The reporter recorded in the street, at the home of one of the war victims, border between India & Pakistan. So, the length of the documentary is fine compared to the places he recorded in.
• The documentary began very strongly. The music was very interesting. The lead in was very prospectively described, showing the reporter aim of the story. But at the end of the documentary, I lose attention due to the narrator's voice. It went very slowly. He cut the documentary with just a music which was somehow confused for me. I was wondering if the documentary ended or not!!! 

Breast Cancer

Hello,
This is a new post about "Public Service Announcement" for Breast Cancer... and the Breast Cancer Foundation in Egypt is sponsoring it... Enjoy it and comment...


Breast Cancer Upload Music

Local Officer: Mrs. Ghada Mustafa, Media & External relations Director
Organization: The Breast Cancer Foundation of Egypt(BCFE)
Contact info:33 Kasr El Aini Street, Suite 25, Floor 7, Fom El Khalig- Cairo 1141
Tel: (202) 23682 431/2
Fax: (202) 2368 2431
Mobile: 010 3491104
Email: info@bcfe.org
Website: www.bcfe.org

Headings: “Early Diagnosis” campaign
Air Date: October 2010 – April 2011

(Light Music)--> "Then Again" from: freeplaymusic.com
Woman 1: I lost my mom from it, would I have the same fate?
Woman 2: one of eight women has it nowadays; would I be one of them?
Woman 3: I’m approaching my forties, am I close to it?
Announcer: 96% of EARLY diagnosed breast-cancer cases get completely cured.
Breast Cancer Foundation of Egypt, For a Life without Breast Caner.
Visit Our Website: http://www.bcfe.org/

Is iPhone 4 better than 3GS?

IPhone by Maramero

Hello, this is Mary Habib
I am sure that you have heard about Apple iPhone. But have you got the chance to use the new iPhone 4 to compare its new features with the old generations… I believe that technology is assumed to be guilty until proven innocent. So, let’s see what people think about new iPhone 4.
Mina Rady: “I think my smart-phone - I like it - it’s more practical in terms of the Keyboard. I don’t like the touch screen.”
On the other hand…
Beshoy Hosney: “The same thing exists everywhere, but iPhone is very great, because it allowed many applications. There is application that monitors your sleep if you slept well or not. Many applications”
These are some opinions about comparing iPhone with other smart-phones. However, Karim Aziz, as a fan of Apple iPhone has different opinion about iPhone 4 compared to its old generations. Especially, he is one of the users of the last three generations of iPhone: iPhone 1, iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS.
Karim Aziz: “Well the iPhone 4 is very fast comparing to 3GS. It has a new processor made by Apple named A4, which is very quick. It has as well, front facing camera to be able to video chat as face staring. And also the real camera of the new iPhone has a better quality of mega pixels of pictures with flash distance. It has new form factor. It isn’t the same size or form factor as the old 3GS. It’s squarer than the one before. When you use it, it’s a little bit weird. But you get used to it pretty quickly. Now, I really like it.”
Beside all of these new features, we can’t ignore the fact that new technology can be just a cover for out-dated products.
Mina Rady: “The new additions of iPhone 4 aren’t really new things. Which is also reveals how much out-dated the iPhone 3 was, that didn’t have multi tasking, or front camera or these other accessories. And still everyone bought it and always happy with it. Yea, it’s a kind of ironic.
In 1908, the nuclear physician, Edward Teller said that “may be the science of today can be the technology of tomorrow.” iPhone 4 is the science of today; imagine what will be the technology of tomorrow…

International News from BBC

Here is the BBC newscast analysis...


Title: BBC News
Announcer: Michael Pauls
Length of the newscast: 5 min
The newscast is summarizing the hourly immediate news. The first news was about building massive barriers in western Hungarian to protect people from toxic smash of a damaged reservoir. The elaboration on the first story was expressive, but it took more time of other news pieces. The announcer didn't mention the reporter's name.
In the second news piece, the announcer didn't stop a while to alert the listeners that the first story has finished. The second piece was about the conflict between Israel’s and Jews on democracy. His sentences are very long that makes the audience lose attention.
The third piece was impressive and self-explanatory. The voice of the officer was well positioned and audience can get it quickly.
The forth piece, about Nigerian Politian, is well separated from the last piece by "BBC News.
The newscast wasn't interesting to me, because it lacks variety of stories. It was all about wars and politics, how about other fields, like sports & entertainment.
The sound was clear. There weren’t any nat. sounds.
The announcer's voice was clear.
The newscast was 5 min. only, which is very suitable for news headlines. However, the newscast included many explanations that weren't that useful; as the headlines were self-explanatory.

International News from NPR

Hey all,
Hope you are doing well in your life & enjoying my blog...
Today, I will introduce new analysis for International News recording from both NPR (National Public Radio)and BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation)...

Title: NPR Hourly News Summary
Announcer: Crick Windom
Reporter 1: Mara Alyson - NPR News- Washington
Reporter 2: Ophelia Constantan - NPR News - Okra
Length: 04: 46
This newscast includes 5 different news reports. They are varied between politics and economics.
The first news report was about Chili minors and how they are treated. However, at the end of the report, the main habitants agreed that they understood how to live peacefully together. And the last quote in the report was "the minors won't be the same people. We have learned from diversity". What is nice in this news report that the announcer gave a promise saying that "all minors will be off by down tomorrow."
The second news report announced that President Obama fire up democrats in the upcoming midterm congressional election. And he is trying to make them not to give up. Then, he repeated his famous sentence "Problems can't be solved by night." The reporter from Washington said that "Democrats are less optimistic than republicans."
The third news report was about President Obama and Nat troops that have been killed in Afghanistan.
The forth news report calls for the creation of independent monitor to review mortgages in the American banks.  
The last news report looked t the Future of oil in Sudan. People would report even to join North or South of Sudan to decide the possible succession of Sudan. And the reporter from Okra said that there is tension on oil producing in Sudan.  
NPR newscast was really interesting, because it has variety of news reports in many fields. Also, the announcer reported many stories nationally and internationally. The reporters were informative and giving another information than the announcer present. So, they can catch the listener to their reports. The announcer had some silence stops which alert the listener that there will be another story to pay attention to.
The quality of sound was very good. The announcer and the reporters had clear voice. There was some nat. sound behind the reporters.
The announcer delivered his message well. However, his name and place wasn't clear in both the beginning and the ending of the newscast. So as the reporters, their identifications wasn't clear at all.
The newscast was suitable concerning the length. It was short or long, but it didn't reach the 5 min as all the newscasts supposed to be.

Nat. Sound

Hello,
As I promised that I'll show you an example for 5 different Natural Sounds...
Here you are, natural sounds analyzed by order for a student day at AUC:

Nat-Sound by maramero88


1st. Car Engine preparing for going away followed by bus brake.

2nd. Walking shoes climbing up the stairs.

3rd. Running water with Birthday party. "That's why you can hear Happy Birthday to you!"

4th. In the Restaurant, El 3omda, calling for "koshary, plz" "New order"

5th. Finally, playing Basketball in the sport's department court.

So, now, what did you feel when you hear these sounds?
Also, you can send your imagination away by putting a good scenario for these sounds, I ordered them in a way that can be logically speak....

Enjoy and waiting for your comments....

Natural Sound

What is Natural Sound?
It's the sound that is there in the real world when we're taping action sequences. Can be used behind reporter track or narration, or can be used at full volume (nat sound full) so the pictures and sound tell the story without any track.

Watch the next Video, the sound that is done behind the singer is the natural sound that looks like natural sound for the music, but its mainly done with the other 6...



Enjoy and wait for my Edited Recorded Natural Sound Audio :)

Editing...

Hey Guys
Today we will have a new interesting study... It's AUDIO EDITING :)
We will use a program called "Audacity"
Yalla, go on... Play with Audacity and prepare yourself for Audio Editing :)
Soon, I will post my second audio about Natural Sound :)

Smile Sets Everything Straight

Smile Sets Everything Straight by Maramero

Maryhabib Latest Music Upload Music

I believe that smile is the curve that sets everything straight. Right now, this belief is ruling my thoughts and action in my day to day life. It wasn’t easy for me to keep my smile always on my face in my hard times, but I realized that it opens the closed doors and takes away my burden. “This I Believe” that my smile is my way to live longer: I will live healthy, happy and surrounded with my friends.

Smiling is a habit. As soon as, I learnt to always smile, I became open to everyone. Four years ago, I was freshman student in the America University in Cairo, and I had a conflict with my close friend who made me angry and I left her. I was very sad. I went walking in the garden where I met Raeef, one of my colleagues and the wisest person I know between my friends. In spite of my crying, I smiled in his face. He looked at me and asked: “Why you are crying?” I told him what happened. And after we finished, I got surprised he told me: “You were crying but you smiled at me. This smile on your face lets me know that you need me!”

I’ve read that it takes 17 muscles to smile and 43 to frown. So, I think that my smile can be my best medicine in life when I start to worry. I remember when I was in Washington DC having my semester studying abroad, I felt worried about my studies. Happiness ran away from my days. And I forgot to smile. Then my cousin, Karim, sent me a song by Bobby McFerrin named: “Don’t Worry Be Happy”.

Hahahaha… I found myself laughing loudly. It really made me happy because it just made me smiled.

And in reality that was my mum’s advice: “remember always to smile, because you don’t know who will fall in love with your smile!” Since then, I’ve recognized that my smile always opens closed doors with many surprises.

“This I Believe” smile saves miles because it sets everything straight on my way to success in life and among my friends...

SMILE FOR LIFE

The Theme for this week is Smile for Life :D :D
So Let's all SMILE FOR LIFE...

Cars, cont...

Back...
The second audio will be about Is Haiti a dumping ground for America's leftovers?
This audio is a continuous series to know more about Used Cars in America and where do they export them? Haiti is one of the places that import American Cars by shipping from Boston.
Let's analyze this audio like the last one.

Feature information
1. Title of the feature: Is Haiti a dumping ground for American's leftovers?
2. Who produced the feature: Chris Burrell
3. Length of the feature: 5 min. 20 sec
4. The link of the feature:
http://www.worldvisionreport.org/Blogs/Is-Haiti-a-dumping-ground-for-America-s-leftovers

Production Quality
1. Description of the feature: The announcer mentioned the place where the feature took place and from where the shipping cargos are exported. In addition to that, the feature states that this activity can be a result of Humanitarian aids from the Red Cross to the developed countries.
This feature is practicing the free speech as it shows what people do with the aids given to developed countries and how they used it as a trading means.
The using of certain expressions that are likely related to shipping and container business such as "Cargo, trailers, yard, etc" is a two edged weapon, because it may be a detailed descriptive feature for listeners who are specialized in this business and it can be difficult for those who aren't interested in this field.
The announcer discussed the issue from different point of views: Educational views as of Massachusetts university International Trade & Public Policy- people on the ship board who works in cars handling - American Chamber of Commerce.
The feature also describes the view of Public Policy considering Haiti as storage place for old plastics and cars; all about trashes from mattresses to cars.
2. Quality of the sound/ nat. sound: one of the ways of catching attention is to put a women voice who speaks quickly that let the listeners trying hardly to focus to understand the introduction of the audio.
In this audio, the nat. sound entered after the introduction to clarify what was the announcer saying plus forming the needed atmosphere for the story. As, for shipping, we heard a ship horn - for handling cars on board, we heard metal moving and containers closed.
3. Quality of the announcer's voice: The announcer voice is very clear. However, she is speaking very quickly - especially at the beginning - that make some of the listeners lose the introduction that makes the feature clear.
4. Length of the feature: The length of feature is okay as it shows many aspects and different point of views.

Waiting to know which features interest you. See you in another feacture from your choose.

Cars...

Hi,
Today, we will have our first activity on audio analysis. My grandfather told me one day; if you want to know how to write, read a lot and if you want to be a good speaker, listen a lot...
So, we are going to listen to two of the chosen videos about Cars... They are different in features, length, and also Nat. sound....
Let's have our first audio analysis about Low in Supply, Used Cars Costing Drivers More.
In our analysis, we will answer certain questions that are suggested by Dr. Kimberly Fox, the American University in Cairo lecturer professor.

The preliminary information, that you should pay attention to for any feature, is:
1. Title of the Feature: "Low in Supply, Used Cars Costing Drivers More"
2. Who produced the feature: "Chris Arnold"
3. Length of the feature: "3 min 34 sec"
4. The Link to the feature:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129781218

Then, we will look at the Production Quality:
1. Description of the feature: The feature is talking about the reason of the rising prices of used cars by the change of the economy, it's all about supply and demand.
What catch the listeners attention is the more than one interviewee who answers the announcer's questions about used cars and how the economy affected the price of their cars now. The announcer is making his interviewees answer his questions briefly.
Also the announcer is trying to give solutions for who wants to buy used cars like searching the internet so his last announcement was of the women voice about going on NPR.org....
2. Quality of the Sound/ use of nat sound: Sound is almost clear and the nat. sound of cars traffic makes the listeners attracted to the info. presented.
While asking questions the nat sounds give you the sense that they are outsider and in between the cars dealers.
3. Quality of the announcer's voice: Its very clear and the pattern of his voice is attainable for the listeners.
4. Length of the feature: Its not that long or short, 3 mins. and half are very suitable for a piece of info. to be clear with interviewing different views like fathers who are under budget wise, nurse practitioner, and dealers.
5. Other Comments: .... Left for you, waiting to hear from you :)

Wait for the second audio analysis...

Our Guide

Our Guide to Radio Production will be:
"Sound Reporting: The NPR Guide to Audio Journalism and Production", Kern. Jonathan.

Waiting your comments and opening discussions on
Chapter 1, Sound and Stories