Best Time of my Life!

What I have learned in Mrs. Lawson's class has been very valuable. I learned that Mrs. L is hands down the funnest teacher in the world to have. She has taught me in a very unconventional way but it has honestly helped me remember more information than any other class.
All because of the beautiful lady you see above, I am more aware of the world around. No longer am I ignorant. I know that poverty is very real and is very crippling in countries in Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, Niger, and other third world countries. I have also learned from her that the main source of poverty rooted all the way back to the beginning. I know geographic luck is the main reason for the uneven spread of countries throughout the world.

While some of the lessons we have taught have been grim, that doesn't mean there is no levity in the classroom. With all the knowledge we soaked up while in Mrs. Awesome's class, we all still had a very fun time in this class. I am looking forward to another great semester with a wonderful teacher in a wonderful class!

Unit 1 Afghanistan

Recap:
What I learned while studying Afghanistan is a lesson I will not soon forget. The topic I was given by the most gracious Mrs. Lawson proved to be a very solemn topic. It seems that there is nothing positive to say about Afghanistan health because health care in Afghan is almost non existent. It has the highest infant mortality rate in the world because they simply do not have the tools to properly deliver a baby. And the tools do not only lack in child care because 40% of all deaths could be prevented with proper medical supplies. They even have a shockingly low average life span of 46. Everything I researched and learned about their health made me realize it is time for us to help them.

Revisit:
I am just now finding out that there is a new threat to the Afghanistan citizens. That threat is known as the H1N1 virus. There has already been 450 fifty confirmed cases in Afghanistan and in some instances the virus has proved fatal. Some people may think that it does not effect us over in America but the truth of the matter is that it does. Aside from the 450 cases on the people of Afghanistan there have also been 140 confirmed cases on American soldiers. I think that it is completely outrageous that the people that are brave enough to put there life's on the line for our country should not be dying by an element we are able to control. If there are vaccinations in America there should also be vaccinations over in Afghanistan. This new health concern may be the most pressing and disappointing.

Reflect:
In my opinion I think the best cure to all the health problems in Afghanistan is nationhood. Sure Afghanistan is a supposed unified nation but would you actually consider them unified when several people are murdered a day because they are from different tribes? The biggest problem Afghanistan faces is the enormous lack of care amongst people of different tribes. If Afghanistan was able to achieve nationhood and unify then compassion would be showed to every person and they would be able to help each other out with all the growing health issues. When they decide to not care about one another then all they are doing is pushing themselves down deeper into a hole. To solve health problems they should depend on each other and become completely unified.

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE5672NW20090708

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/11/10/eveningnews/main5605992.shtml

Unit 4: Nationalism

Recap:
Nationalism is an extreme feeling of pride in one's country. Nationalism first emerged in France when it was still in the stages of reform. However it did not play nearly as big of a factor as it did in Germany. In Germany it was the key ingredient in uniting the Germans. Otto von Bismarck was the orchestrator of German unification and he did this by stirring up strong feelings of nationalism through many wars. With every battle he won, he brought Germany one step closer to being unified. Otto von Bismarck's success in unifying Germany proved to be the touching stone for every other group of people who wanted to be unified under one nation. The first day nationalism cry was heard it impacted Europe in the way that everyone was now willing to fight to be unified under a nation. For example, nationalism was the very reason that Italy began its quest for unification.

Review:

The story my group and I chose to do was the story of rise in revolt in Russia. The story we conveyed was of the serfs being repressed so they revolted and reformed. Nicholas used the police to wed out all who had liberal ides and whoever opposed the czar. However Nicholas did try to modernize by trying to limit power of landowners over surfs. Our group was to show all of this except the fact that the ending we conveyed was false. The serfs never do rise to kill the czar.
The story we were told to relates much to the story of Hungary. The Hungarians felt repressed because they did not have total self-government. However, the Hungarians did not accomplish what they wanted and were forced to compromise with Austria. This cycle of repression, revolt, and reform happened all over Europe ever since the first spark of nationalism was ignited.

Reflect & Re-invent:
I believe nationalism is both good and bad depending on the circumstances. It is the most useful tool to unite struggling a nation into a nation that is actually able to function. Afghanistan citizenzs, for example, need to be proud of their country rather than the tribe they belong to. Nationalism in Afghanistan would ease the tension between the citizens and fully unite Afghanistan. However, nationalism is the source of all racism. A certain race will belive their nation is superior to all the others and be completely intolerant to those nations and racism. If the world was able to re-invent nationalism to were the people were just as proud of their own background as they are tolerant to every other nation or race. If we are able to accomplish this. The world would be more united than every and we would all live so much more happily.

Unit 3: Urbanization & Idustrialization

Recap:
In what I learned, Urbanization can't be said to be either positive or negative. In the long run, it improved the Quality of life. However, during the time of urbanization life became a living hell for the factory workers. Sure the new technology made production must faster but workers still were forced to work unbearable hours for excruciatingly low payment. However, if a person belonged to the upper class life was very good and life was easy. It was a complete contrast of the life of a factory worker.

Revisit & Reflect:
Louisville, CO would be the city I feel that would best suit me. The population is 18,358 which right about the population size I would be looking for. It has a very low crime rate for the major city it is which is prime for raising a family. It has all the simplicity of Huntsville except there is much more to do. Another good thing about Louisville is that it doesn't have all the hustle and ustle that most big cities like New York can't seem to go without. This is a city anyone would love to live in.


http://www.idcide.com/citydata/co/louisville.htm

http://donkeehouse.com/?p=252

Unit 2 Guns, Germs, and Steel

Recap:
Every poor or wealthy country all came about due to geographic luck. Whether it was meant to be or not, nobody can control the family are born into. This is why those who are born in a stable family are considered lucky. It is the same concept with geography. Early citizens of the world were the same way. They were as prosperous as the land they lived in would provide.Europeans were able to make advancements due to the fact that their geography was more favorable than other lands. They were able to grow wheat which proved to be the most useful crop in history next to tobacco (just kidding about the tobacco.) While the rest of the population of the world was trying to feed themselves Europe was so advanced it had a surplus of food so artists and craters were able to work on inventions and still be fed. Other places like Africa however were not as lucky so they became a poor country so they have been in a hole ever since other parts of the World began to prosper.

Revisit:
The sad thing about today is that wealth is so unevenly distributed. There are people who live in Beverly Hills all the way down to people that live in the streets in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe is the second poorest country and the average yearly income is $500. This is obviously not enough money to live off and the sad thing is that most of the people in Zimbabwe are forced to live off. In fact, there are nearly 2 million citizens that need food assistance in Zimbabwe. You may think that we should be helping them but for some reason President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe is denying all outside help. Its seems the only way we can help is by replacing that delusional leader with one who actually wants to improve the quality of life for their citizens.

Reflect:
In my opinion, geographic luck is completely unfair. It is the root of all the uneven spread of wealth throughout the world. However, I believe that the geographic luck may have put certain places in deep holes but it is not impossible to overcome the hardships of poverty. If the wealthier countries pitch in then the third world countries can finally claw themselves out of the deep hole they have found themselves in.


http://www.mapsofworld.com/world-top-ten/world-top-ten-poorest-countries-map.html

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=87373

http://www.thenation.com/blogs/state_of_change/416927/gop_gov_likens_obama_policies_to_zimbabwe_s

St. Augustine (FL), United States

St. Augustine in Florida is a city in which a lot has happened. I would say that this city is absolutely crawling with historical facts. I thought the most enjoyable way to visit a historical city is by riding on one of the informational trolley buses. Boy was I right! I have never learned as much as I did on that bus. I learned that St. Augustine is the oldest European city in the United States. It was first visited in 1513 by the Spanish and became Spanish central power in America 200 years later.
Aside from the trolley I decided to also make a visit to Fort Matanzas, a national monument. I happily payed for a tour guide who informed me that the fort was a major field of conflict as European nations fought for control in the New World. Fort Matanzas is a place you must visit if you are ever in St. Augustine. If you enjoy history you will enjoy a stay to in Augustine.

Sources: http://www.nps.gov/foma/index.htm
http://www.staugustinelinks.com/st-augustine-history.asp

Picture Sources: http://ridethisbike.com/uploaded_images/st-augustine-fl-orange-st-751330.jpg http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://i1.trekearth.com/photos/53304/ft_matanzas.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/photo834890.htm&usg=__-7bln9KfjHyoze-7DTWudHuwrC4=&h=512&w=768&sz=67&hl=en&start=54&tbnid=lQ4O7SybMd-HtM:&tbnh=95&tbnw=142&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dfort%2Bmatanzas%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D18%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26start%3D36

Vapi, India

I was recently in India. Since I was traveling the whole country I decided to stop by a city named Vapi. What I saw there was just sickening. The city seems to be withering away. I asked a local what was so wrong with the city and he told me about all the industries are polluting the rivers with all of their repulsive wastes.


I talked to a scientist to see what this is doing to their environment and the feedback was not good at all. He told me that people, animals, plants, and waterways have all been affected by the amount of pollution. He said that the city’s mercury level in its groundwater is 96 than safety levels. There have been more than 50 industries involved in the pollution of the local soil and groundwater. I think the only good that came out of this trip is that realization I now have that we all need to be a more active part in helping the less fortunate and I request that you do the same.
Sources: http://www.supergreenme.com/go-green-environment-eco:5--Vapi--India http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1661031_1661028_1661019,00.html
Picture Sources: http://decibelmagazine.com/assets/uploads/2009/01/alt_vapi.jpg http://www.supergreenme.com/data/images/1/500x333_vapi1.jpg

Copenhagen, Denmark

One place you must visit before you die is Copenhagen, Denmark. The whole city is just beautiful. I was walking around when I realized that everyone always seems happy. It is almost as if there is radiance about the city. I also noticed that everyone always seems to be in a business suit. I did some research and found out that Copenhagen has the highest net average in the world right now. That means the average income for a working man in Copenhagen must be insanely high. No wonder everybody always seems happy!

One area you must visit while in Copenhagen is the Amalienborg Palace. This palace is one of the most exquisite buildings I have ever been in. The tour guide informed me that this is the very palace that the Queen of Denmark stays during the winter. That is why if you do ever get a tour inside it is only a tour of the rooms that are not in daily use of the Queen when she lives there. Copenhagen is a great city and I’m sure it is a city you would love to visit.

Sources: http://www.citymayors.com/economics/richest_cities.html http://www.visitcopenhagen.com/content/tourist/what_to_see_and_do/events/event_calendar/venue_info?VenueID=76
Picture Sources: http://mamofrizzi.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/tb_copenhagen_denmark.jpg http://www.hottnez.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/2005643602_4008470fa4.jpg

Boston, United States

Hey there. I’m pretty sure you have heard about a city called Boston. I am also confident that you have been there. I implore you to visit Boston once more and when you do I want you to pay attention to the neighborhoods they have. If you pay close attention you will realize that pretty much every neighborhood has its own personality and distinct appeal, mostly due to the fact that some of the neighborhoods are GIGANTIC!

One neighborhood I couldn’t help but notice is Back Bay. I was just walking around the area when I overheard a tourist talking to his friend. I may be mistaken but I thought I heard him say that Back Bay had 88 restaurants, 52 bars and clubs, 18 hotels, and 42 things to do! I think that might be the equivalent to an average American state. If you are the type of person that enjoys anything from partying to cite seeing then you will absolutely LOVE Boston.

Sources: http://www.cityofboston.gov/neighborhoods/ http://www.nileguide.com/destination/boston/overview/neighborhood-guide
Picture Sources: http://www.iaes.org/conferences/future/boston_68/city_info/boston.jpg http://www.boston.com/community/photos/raw/Back_Bay_Evening.jpg

Hong Kong, China

Hong Kong is so interesting! The culture and activities over there will keep you busy for days. One of my favorite places I visited was the Hong Kong Heritage Museum and you will not believe how wonderful it was. I was lost in that museum for hours finding an interesting fact everywhere I turned. The Avalokitesvara (Guanyin) is the most beautiful statue I’ve ever seen and I found it there.
A fun twist on culture I found there is that there is a movie theater in almost every neighborhood. And they seem to love Western movies and almost always run them in English with Chinese subtitles. I found that funny because I was in China not America. Also, it is socially acceptable over there to accept a phone call during a movie which I found rather annoying because the movie happened to be at its climax as somebody’s wife called demanding him to tell her were he was. But don’t let that stop you from coming to Hong Kong because you will have the time of your life over here.

Sources: http://www.landscope.com/living-in-hong-kong/living/culture

http://www.heritagemuseum.gov.hk/english/gen_info.htm
Picture Sources: http://www.heritagemuseum.gov.hk/images_collection/chin_anti/chin_anti_2.jpg http://bbs.chinadaily.com.cn/attachments/month_0904/HongKong_6181__

N2hxPtBkKo4I.jpg

Urumqi, China

As you know, I have been traveling across the world and one of the places I visited was a Chinese city called Urumqi. This is possibly the worst city in the world to visit. At times it might be beautiful but if you visit there you might be taking a few years off your life. It is the most polluted city you will ever visit. In fact, I saw a man wearing a doctors mask to try and filter out the cities poisonous air.
The only good thing about is that Urumqi is surrounded by desert and barren mountains. That means their deadly pollution is only hurting themselves. This place is so polluted that hundreds of flights from the Urumqi international airport had been delayed by low visibility. Low visibility is due to smog. I researched this city and the only positive thing I found about it is that Urumqi will invest 5 billion yuan ($731 million) to clean up wintertime pollution this year. At lest they are trying to clean themselves up. If this place doesn’t clean up I suggest you never visit.

Sources.: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/200903/13/content_7574388.htm
http://alisonbate.ca/2009/01/14/winter-in-the-worlds-most-polluted-city/

Picture Sources: http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2006/03/10/national/10phoe583.jpg http://msnbcmedia2.msn.com/j/ap/bej80303050811.hmedium.jpg