Christine's Honors Work

Lucinda Matlock Questions

2009-05-07T13:02:00.000-07:00

(1) Realizing Life- (reread Lucinda Matlock) What does it take to "realize life?" How do you realize life? Do you think anyone, ever, really CAN realize life? What kind of events might help us to realize life?

I believe this may be one of those things were you have to lose it to truly appreciate it. Although this may sound morbid, it may be true. One may have to lose what their idea of life to reality, or even have a near death experience to know what living truly is. I believe that it is possible to realize life, but only when you’ve passed on to Heaven will you really understand the true meaning of why we are here and what the grand scheme of the universe is. We may be able to get a small glimpse of it while we are still alive.

(2) "There's something way down deep about every person" How would you define that thing that makes us uniquely human, that connects us as humans, that makes us a part of "the circle of life?"
I would define it as being a soul, but that my religious take on it. Some people do not believe in religion and are strongly opposed to any idea of it. I believe what separates us from most animals is the fact that we have a soul. The truth is that each and every one of us is different and created specially and uniquely. We are part of the circle of life not only because we can be created, live, and then pass on (almost like the cycle of a butterfly), but that our bodies are practically the same material as everything else in the universe. It may be arranged in different sequences, but essentially it is all the same. When our bodies die, it decomposes and provides for other living creatures in the future, even other humans.

(3) "This is the way we were" What things (referring specifically to the list we made for the bulletin board items) do you think were handled the same or differently in the past as compared to now? (example: you will find that with regard to birth, things are far more open than even in the recent past. Dads come into the delivery room, with video cameras for goodness sake!)

Things that were regarded as improper or taboo back then are now acceptable. Just as with any culture what is acceptable and what is not is constantly changing. Before women would be seen as promiscuous if they left the house without five petticoats on underneath their corset and gown. Women now leave the house wearing shorts with a three inch inseam and tube tops that barely cover their breasts. Children are not longer expected to stand at the dinner table, and are in general more spoiled. I’m not saying that children should stand at a dinner table, but a hundred years ago an orange was a wonderful Christmas present, and now children want Power wheels and Barbies and electric scooters.

Virtue Journal

2008-07-24T11:08:00.000-07:00

Out of the virtues in the book I chose to do Resolution. It just seems to fit well with what I wanted to write about, so here goes -

Thursday, July 24th

This summer I decided I wanted to start working out and try to get in better shape. I've never been completely happy with the way I look and my weight. I was really over weight when I was around 10, and it really made a big impact on my life and how I viewed things. Every year I've gotten smaller, but never been exactly happy. The last winter I basically just sat on my butt and did nothing (the cafeteria food didn't help either) and I ended up gaining 30 pounds. I know its common for teenage girls to not be happy with their body, but I truly do not want a supermodel skinny body; I just want to be completely happy with how I am. I guess that was what made me even more irritated. So, every morning (and sometimes evening too) I either go for a jog or a bike ride. Its been really hard to get up every morning and go. Sometimes you just have to think about what you want and picture it in your head and then just get up and go. Jogging is really difficult at first, but gets easier as your lung adapt to needing more air and your muscles grow in the legs. Anyway, I don't have much to say about today. I got up at 9ish and went for a ride, even though if I'd done what I wanted I would have stayed in bed. In the end, I felt really good because I did it, and working out just makes you feel good, even if its painful during it.

Friday & Saturday July 25th & 26th

Man, its really hard to remember yesterday. That's sad, I know. Ohh, I remember now! Well, my mom stayed up until 11 pm making noise (she hasn't stayed up that late in 20 years XD) but she did, and I didn't get to sleep until 12ish. Usually if I don't get to bed around 9 I can't get up early at all the next morning. But, somehow I dragged myself out of bed at 8 and went for a bike ride.

Today I woke up kind of late too... I was irritated from the start of the day because everyone's been arguing and I had to watch our puppy so I didn't get to go anywhere. But, I did go home and thoroughly clean my room for 2 hours, and went swimming, so I think that makes up for it.

Sunday July 27th & Monday 28th

I kind of slacked off yesterday, which makes me feel kind of guilty. Casey was over, so I spent all day with him. However, I did go swimming for a while with him and still ate right... I just didn't go like I usually do.

Again, I'm a little sick today. I haven't gone yet, and I figure I should pretty soon before it starts thunderstorming out. Its so hard to keep on track after you've been doing it more than a month!

Tuesday July 29th

Today I went exploring for a longer bike route. There is a fork in Camp Benson, and I've been taking the one that goes to the left. Today I went the opposite way and I found out the hard way there was a really big hill. I did make myself ride mostly up it, though I had to stop close to the top because my legs wouldn't go anymore.

Wednesday July 30th

I got up to the end of (I forget the road name, the left fork off Camp Benson) and decided I wanted to see what Williams Road was like on a bike. It was a bit nerve wracking with the big tankers rolling past you (especially the one hat left the scent of manure trailing after it). I stopped by at Casey's house for a few minutes, but I had already been gone around an hour so I couldn't stay long.

Thursday July 31st

I got up this morning and saw the storm clouds rolling in and decided not to go then. I've been kind of busy the rest of the day so I haven't gone yet. My mom wants me to go to Riley's puppy obedience class with her, but I also need to go out and exercise.

Note: Sorry I haven't posted in a while, we've been having a slight problem with whats going on in our family and I've been too distracted to think straight.

Touching Spirit Bear - Ch 1 & 2

2008-06-28T17:44:00.000-07:00

Unfarmiliar Terms:

Tlingit Indians
Southeast Alaska
Ketchikan
Circle Justice
Youth Crime Statistics
First Nation
Devil's Club
At.oow
Plants, berries, and mushrooms of Alaska (edible)
Dangers in Alaskan Wilderness
Spirit Bears

Devil's Club::

This plant, found in South Eastern Alaska is a staple in the medicine cabinets of the Tlingit tribe for many different reasons. It is said to cure such serious ailments as tuberculosis and hypoglycemia, yet is also capable of curing cough, stomach ulcers, and common colds. This plant can be eaten in a variety of different ways - steeped, chewed, and brewed. Ginseng is a close relative to Devil's Club, which explains the diverse ways in which it can be used.
Although Devil's Club is found mostly in Alaska, it can be found as far south as Oregon. It is easy to spot, for it has wide frond like leaves, with a stalk armed with thousands of dagger like thorns. It also bears read berries, which are hightly attractive to bears and other forms of herbivorous wildlife. Devil's Club also possesses a spiritual aspect - members of the Tlingit tribe believe that this plant has the power to ward off evil.

Sources:
http://www.naturalstandard.com/index-abstract.asp?create-abstract=/monographs/herbssupplements/devilsclub.asp
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=3607496

the Founding Brothers

2008-06-11T17:16:00.000-07:00

The idea of a revolution is capable of being produced by one man alone, yet the commencement and completion of a revolution simply cannot be done in singularity, no matter how spectacular his intelligence, or how incredible his reason. A revolution must be in the minds of the entire Nation or group of peoples in which the revolution is brought about. Just as in a war, one man may wish to declare it, yet he will need an entire army behind him to be able to succeed. Just as a war is fought, so is a revolution - only without manpower and weapons, but with propaganda, will power and reason. In the case of the American Revolution, there were only a few masterminds behind this plot, yet behind them stood more people, and even though their intelligence was no where near their leader's genius, they found their strength in numbers. To look at these few elite leaders from a different more obscure perspective, imagine them to all be one person, or one machine. They were the driving force of the Revolution, all their skills and qualities added up to create a very affective machine. While not always working together, the different pieces and parts of the machine (the leaders as individuals) always did their job in one way or another - for although this machine was not perfect, the strange ways it fit together and entwined talent, eventually ended up with the success and end of the American Revolution. In effect, it takes many different personalities, view points, and thoughts to successfully aid the drive an entire revolution forward.

To begin, leadership comprised of mostly these attributes; a strong combination of personality, stature, energy, determination, strong opinion, optimism, grace, style of manner, a strong will, intellect, modesty, wisdom, experience, an bravery. After reading the novel Founding Brothers, by John Ellis, it is clear that the founding brothers must have possessed these qualities. Even though sometimes personality quirks and disagreements took place, these were all attributes that added up to the machine that aided, and by some views was the revolution.

"A desire to be observed, considered, esteemed, praised, beloved,
and admired by his fellows is one of the earliest
as well as the keenest dispositions discovered in the heart of man."

- John Adams

It is true, that while commanding a party such as a small team, one will need a lot of personality. Now imagine that person in the later 1700's, trying to control an unruly mob of citizens tired of oppression, a tired, hungry and sore army of soldiers about to give up on your cause, and most of all the other men of high rank an intelligence that you must collaborate with. To be a leader in this time period, and of this stature, you were required to have a great amount of personality. If you were a bleak, uninteresting man, most likely you were either to be completely ignored or degraded for lack of intelligence and then ignored. All of these men; George Washington, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Aaron Burr, and Alexander Hamilton possessed some form of personality, whether it be conflicting with his brother or not. It was simply an attribute that a man must have in order to be a leader. Secondly, a strong opinion and determination play a large role in being a leader,especially in this turbulent and troubled time. John Adams is a specific example of this. Having a Harvard education, Adams was a political leader, in fact, one of the most outspoken and biased men in the whole Continental Congress. While others cringed at the thought of stepping forward, Adams stepped forward bravely, (and sometimes in rage) to express his opinion. Once put into office as Vice President to General George Washington in 1789, Adams was still not satisfied. He felt insignificant, and expressed this so to his wife Abigail. He stated "My country has in its wisdom contrived for me the most insignificant office that ever the invention of man contrived or his imagination conceived." However, this did not thwart his attempts at creating the America he dreamed of. Finally in the year 1792, he beat General George Washington by fifty five votes and was elected the second president of the United States. John Adams's presidency was the end of the Revolution, something he had dreamed of for most of his life. In truth, a revolution if never completely over until the power of the General who had usurped the power to begin with was successfully transferred to a new president without dissension.

"Associate yourself with men of good quality if you esteem
your own reputation, for 'tis better to be alone than in bad company."

- General George Washington

Also needed for the intense role of leadership is bravery and stature. Although General George Washington may not have been the most intelligent man in the room, he certainly was a stately man. He towered above all the other men of intellect, at about six foot three and a half. His appearance was enough to make any man stop and listen to anything he had to say. He was not just a lengthy man, he was also broad. This image has continued to be the image of leadership and strength ever since this man came into the picture. He was a very virtuous man, and often quoted things as to diverge the true meaning behind his heart. "Labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire, called conscience." George Washington. It could have been bravery that made General Washington stand at the top of hill in the fog while bullets where whizzing past his head, or vigor and commitment. Yet, it could have been stupidity and irrational behavior. Yet, in the winter of 1777, he was also the commander of the troops in the miserable condition residing at Valley Forge. They were starving, weary, angry, tired, and hurt. Washington wrote in his journal that some of the men even had traces of blood on this feet from worn down shoes and walking in the bitter condition. Since an army marches on its stomach, and General Washington's army had so little, it is a spectacular feat indeed that they continued to fight.

"Do not anticipate trouble, or worry about what
may never happen. Keep in the sunlight."
-Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin was indeed a large driving force behind the revolution. He was the brains of this machine; the wisdom, the knowledge, and the good sense. Although he did not always expel his thoughts at the slightest provocation (like Adams did), Franklin knew when to keep his mouth shut, and this, was a very useful trick indeed. Not only will people think of you more conserved and not over-spoken, when you do finally decide to voice your opinion, one may well be listened to more intently than one that has articulated so boldly in the past. However, this is yet another example of how the many parts of the machine work together; they may not function entirely the same, yet put together they add up into a form of genius. Being an inventor by fame, a printer by profession, Benjamin was also a political and wise man. Men such as John Adams sought confidence in him; John Adams may or may not have made the decisions he had without the counsel of Benjamin Franklin. In short, every group of leaders, or leader as in individual must have good sense, and intellect. Without this plans will go awry, and even if, by chance, a good plan is in question, the peoples ask to follow may not give their absolute respect and confidence to a man they believe dim witted. Their hearts and minds will simply not be in it. These quotes "Anger is never without Reason, but seldom a good One," and "be Civil to all;sociable to many, familiar with few, friend to one, enemy to none," all pay tribute to his wise character and intellect.

To conclude, these were only a few of the men who contributed their daily lives to the cause of an American Revolution. They each possessed an array of the social and mental qualities that was and is needed to be a great leader. Working as one well oiled, machine (yet sometimes in conflict), these men have come together to create a spectrum of personalities and attributes. These men possessed personality, stature, energy, determination, strong opinion, optimism, grace, style of manner, a strong will, intellect, modesty, wisdom, experience, an bravery. Add these together with a catalyst of emotion, disagreement and war, you have the beginnings of the American Revolution . Subtract any of of these variables (men) and the outcome consequently would not have been the same. In effect, all parts of a well working machine must work together. If onepiece fails, the rest of the contraption cannot complete its duty. This is how the founding Brothers achieved such works of greatness. Leadership is not one quality, it is the combination of many fair ones; just as a revolution cannot be commenced without the support or acknowledgement of an entire Nation.

Propaganda

2008-06-07T08:32:00.000-07:00

"The fact that the peoples of the Colonies even must question as to the pertinence that we should declare war against these mongrels is absolutely atrocious! Have we not been oppressed in every single aspect of our daily lives, even to the point where we are not served with the right to elect what they may drink for breakfast. In my very own opinion, this should not be conceded! I, as a Citizen of the North, will not concede it! And as a Citizen, I must profess the desire that each and every one of you may join me in this Cause. Let me remind you, Gentle Folk, that our daily lives have been impacted by these unpleasant peoples. The lives of all around you; your neighbors, shop keepers, bankers, ship men, butchers have been affected. If you let these actions become commonplace, your children must pay the price for your torpid behavior. Must I go on?

In the year 1763, all Colonies were prohibited to cross the crest in the Appellation Mountains. We have come to this Country to maintain freedom! I ask you, tell me how this conveys our Colonial freedom? If we may not be allowed to live where we wish, what shall be next, I beg you? Will we be conserved to our homes and our very towns? If we allow Britain to dictate where we shall live, then what is stopping them from dictating other aspects of our lives?

Also, may I remind you, that in the year 1764 the Grenville Acts were presented, raising the direct tax of our very important commodities. We are now living in a world where we are not even permitted to send a letter without being taxed nearly half to death by the Crown. We cannot have wine to sweeten our tongues at dinner, nor molasses to disperse the bitterness of cooking. British troops are living in our very homes, the dwellings that we have worked so hard to maintain! Why must we feed and quarter these mongrels, when they are a threat to our safety and family! I, being a very devoted father of three young girls, am very concerned about their safety. Have you never experienced a drunken fool to wander into your home around the latest hour imaginable, making chaos and floundering about in a stupor? Let me tell you, it is a monstrous sight indeed! Many a night I have awoken in fear, and sought after the safety of my dear wife and children. I must work twice as hard to pay for their well-being, when I am barely able to pay for my family!

If this is not atrocious enough, consider this my brothers; the Townsend Acts! Can we not even enjoy the simple pleasure of morning tea? This expense is so loathsome that I have not even the though in my mind that I am able to pay for it!

And yet, I am not finished! Most horrid of all are these Intolerable Acts, which are consequently governed our lives in the most despicable of ways! The red coats have shut down our port of Boston, shut down our town governments, and appointed bloody Brit leaders instead of our own. Thomas Gage is not my leader, nor is the Crown! We Colonists cannot receive merchandise, not export it. Our source of income is dwindling by the very moment, and yet why do we not rebel? We have incredibly little, may I remind you. All of our belongings have been taken away from us, our food, our money, our homes, and even the lives of our fellow colonists!

Do you not remember the Boston Massacre? Does this not enrage you so that you would be willing to give your lives for the Cause of one Nation, and your liberty you have fought so hard to maintain? That gruesome day, March Fifth, yes -- I do recall it. I was there, in the crowd. Defenseless, for the most part (omitting only a few snowballs - and I do say, I would hope an army not be too frightened of a little water), we were fired upon, so unexpectedly that our Countrymen were shot and wounded by the impudence of the British troops to hold off a riot!

Now, I ask you, my friends, my brothers. Is this not intolerable in the most extreme? Is this not against what we have fought for so hard? We have made it this far, why should we even imagine giving up now? Will you not allow the Crown to violate your daily lives and rights so, because I tell you now - if you do not put up your first and rebel, then there will be no new land; there will be no United Country, nor even a Colony left under our own rule. It is plain to me, and should be plain to you -- this war will not be fought on a distant battlefield, it will be fought amongst us, containing every one of us. But if we do not fight, our way of life will simply cease to exist."

Industrial Revolution

2008-04-16T16:21:00.001-07:00

(note: my blogger isn't working well right now, so I cannot change anything italics, quotes, or pictures. I'll add them later.)

Did the process of the Industrial Revolution represent primarily a mental or a material revolution?

It is easy to argue that the Industrial Revolution was influenced by both mental and psychical aspects. However, the point of this essay is to establish that one or the other is the most prevalent. This, after considering both sides, must be that this Revolution was a landslide of mainly physical aspects, set off by thoughts and mindset - but nonetheless, a physical revolution.

To begin to prove this point, one must consider the opposite view. The Industrial Revolution, by definition is “ a period of rapid industrial growth causing a radical shift in focus from agriculture to industry during the late 1700's and early 1800's,” (as quoted from www.business2000.ie/html/resources/glossary/i.htm). This radical shift in focus is the mental section of this revolution. Without the masterminds behind such inventions as Division of Labor, the steam engine, and advancement in the textile industry, the Revolution, simply, would not exist. The people in this situation are what brought about the Industrial Revolution - the sudden burst in population brought out a need for better and more efficient ways to produce, transport and manufacture. This is where the people come into play. Human beings, in nature are competitive. They commonly strive to advance through each generation; their fathers and mothers expect them to be more, as their fathers and mothers had of them. This linear time frame is what pushes us to improve. As the demand shot up with the growing population, the demand for efficiency and numbers grew as well. The English needed a bigger and better way to amend their way of living. So, stating this it is clear that without the human factor (and the thoughts behind it), this revolution would be nonexistent.

To state simply, the Industrial Revolution carries an implication that it was physical. The word ‘Industrial’ conveys the thought that it has something to do with business, machinery. manufacturing, and trade. These are all very physical things. This Revolution was based around the fact that objects were being invented and improved upon. Some of the events that took place during this period of time are such; the British Atlantic Slave trade was completely annihilated, which brought about the end of plantations and farms reliant directly on slave labor. Europe lost formal control over the countries they had possessed overseas, but gained “wider economic dominance”. The Colombian exchange took place as well, bringing fourth the English discoveries of the food and animals brought from the New World. Foods such as potatoes, maize, cocoa, and tobacco became a large staple in many European diets. The potato and sweet potato replaced bread in places such as Ireland. Rubber and useful hardwoods were also imported to the European countries, changing building techniques. Animals such as new breeds of dog, horses, horned cattle, and sheep were also introduced to Europe. However, with these improvements there also came an epidemic of smallpox, measles, yellow fever, malaria, typhus fever, and tuberculosis, which broadly affected the "Amerindians", but not as dramatically in Britain and throughout Europe. “Oceanic migrations then, voluntary and involuntary slaves brought much death into the world and much woe,” - Wealth and Poverty of Nations.

Spain, on the other hand, was also incredibly wealthy, yet they squandered their money on war. “Spain chose to spend -on luxury and war. War is the most wasteful of uses: it destroys rather than builds,” - The Wealth and Poverty of Nations. Also, the quote “A fool and his money soon are parted,” comes into play with Spain in this particular period of time. Consider them the fool, thinking themselves the most important, incredibly pompous, and still believing that they had enough money to waste on things like war and extravagant items. In fact, a Spaniard of such pomp said just this: “Let London Manufacture those fabrics, of hers to her heart’s content. Let Holland her chambrays; Florence her cloth; the Indies the beaver and vicuna; Milan her brocades; Italy and Flanders their linens, so long as our capital can enjoy them. The only thing it proves is that all nations train journeymen for Madrid and that Madrid is the queen of Parliaments, for all the world serves her and she serves nobody.” - The Wealth and Poverty of Nations. Surely, this is a narcissistic statement. At the end of this crisis, Spain was deeply in debt. “Easy money is bad for you It represents short run gain that will be paid for in immediate distortions and later regrets.” - The Wealth and Poverty of Nations.

All of these transgressions point to the fact that for the most part, the Industrial Revolution was a physical one. The inventions, the laboring, the imports, the war, the money - they are all signs that lead to the answer that this was a physical event. It was set off by a series of thoughts centered around the demand and improvement of mankind (or their own peoples.) The inventions created during this period of time have brought America to be what America is; brought Britain to be what Britain is, and the same for the rest of Europe.

Jamestown vs. Plymouth

2008-03-04T17:29:00.000-08:00

To even begin to compare and contrast the involvement and relationships of the Plymouth Colonies, versus the Jamestown Colonies and their view on Native Americans, we must first understand how they interacted individually.

The first popularly noted explorer of the modern 'New England' went by the name of Captain John Smith. In the year 1614, he claimed this new world as his very own 'discovery.' At this time, European nations (Dutch, French, and English) were beginning to arrive in the land, looking for land, and other trades such as foods, or trades of wampum furs and beads. Captain Smith observed the land which he had discovered, and felt a sense of awe. The people were so peaceful, and close to the land in which they lived. The 'virgin' landscape – which he named it, was dotted with farms and small villages. What was once forest had been burned into vast open meadows, used for hunting wildlife. Yet, Smith did not understand; could not conceive that this land had actually been established. He did not see that a culture different from his own could even be viewed as a culture at all.

"Given a country so planted with corne fields, and so well inhabited with a goodly, strong and well proportioned people... who can but approve this most excellent place, both for health and fertility?... Of all the four parts of the World I have yet seene not inhabited could I heave but meanes to transport a colonie, I would rather live there than anywhere,” quoted Smith.

This is a very ironic situation, however, because the new settlers felt very free to consume and usurp Native produce, but yet they could not even admit that they had established a community, or that they had farmed the very food they were relying on.

A few years after the first settlers arrived, there came to be a great pandemic of smallpox and chickenpox, which swept across the Native Nations, killing up to (on average) ninety percent of tribes. Sir Ferdinando Gorges, one of Smith's common men saw this devastation, and seemed almost cheerful about it. He reasoned that such a large disaster that wiped out most of the Native population had to be a good thing. This was so because, now instead of having thousands of Native Americans to contend with, all they had to do was announce their control, and the Natives would have to comply, due to their lack in numbers. This came to be true: the settlements Salem, New Amsterdam, Providence, Boston, Plymouth and Jamestown were all built on desolate Native villages. They simply did not 'settle' the land, but 'resettled' it. Before they could build, they had to tear the land away from its people.

By the spring of 1621, more than half the English settlers had died of starvation. Thankfully, a local tribe by the name of Wampanoag came to the rescue, if only for a while. Understanding the danger of this action, the Wampanoags saw that, instead of holding a grudge on the colonist's for invading, they would try to make peace. They felt an urgent need to re-establish the equilibrium of their past world. Possibly a treaty with these new people would give them some peace at heart. Later, however, the Natives were tricked into accepting a new policy. Eager to become friends, they accepted although the deal was nowhere fair. Nearly every statute that the English applied to the Natives, they broke themselves. Meanwhile, the Native Wampanoags were supplying their colony with maize and other produce. When the Natives came to visit the Pilgrims, they panicked; eager to keep their seperatist lives in check. Banishing all but the Sanchem from their colonies, they alienated themselves from their suppliers. By the year 1633, after the Natives and Colonists had suffered a drought, the Natives had almost had enough. Their land had become increasingly scarce; their attributions had done little to make the new people accept them, and their population was dwindling dangerously low. Through the following years Native tribes began to fight with each other, and with the Dutch over trading goods. This resulted in a sort of anarchy within the Mohegan tribe, until a new Sanchem was anointed. The stability of the tribes steadily disintegrated, with the Puritans on one side pushing for all non-followers of their God to be exterminated, and the Pilgrims still pushing for land. Around the year 1637 was the great massacre of Mystic, which was the straw that broke the camel's back. The Natives were mostly annihilated from New England, and any that were left were under strict jurisdiction of the state.

The Jamestown settlers arrived on the coast of Virginia in the year 1607. This was a particularly bad time for them to arrive: the Natives were already suspicious of any newcomers, as well as the fact that the Powhatans and Chesapeakes were having an all out war. The first few weeks of settlement, the colonists were attacked several times by the surrounding native tribes. During the summer of 1607, more than half the settlers were infected, and died of disease. They had no experience with the land, and no experience of how to use the land to supply themselves with food. They realized that their only option was to look to the Powhatans for help. The Virginia Company assumed that they would require help from the Natives for the first year or so, but never dreamed that they would need their help for years, and eventually end up relying on them

. “Have great care not to offend the Naturals... buy Corne and all other lasting victuals... before that they perceive you mean to plant among them.”

Maize quickly became a staple of the colonists, and after ten years of dependance on trade with the Natives, the English ego was considerably damaged. The Governor of Jamestown gave this speech against reliance on the Natives, “Nothing can be more dishonorable to our nation then to stand in need of supplies of our most necessarie food from these base Savages nor more dangerous, then to have our lives, and the lives of the colony itself, to depend uppon the uncertain hope of trade with them.” It was also a very large blow to the community, when the colonists began to desert Jamestown to live with the 'savages', where food was plentiful, as well as freedom. Instead of seeing the Natives as friendly and willing to help, the English saw them as a treat to their well being .. even as devil worshipers.

“All things that were able to do to them hurt beyond their prevention, they adore with their kind of divine worship, as the fire, water lightening, thunder, our ordinance, peeces, horses &c. But their cheife God they worship is the Devil. Him they call Oke & serve him more of fear than love,” commented Captain John Smith.

As the idea of Natives worsened, the people began to hate them. Their need for food was still great, and therefore they began to take the food by 'compulsory purchase'; instead of fairly trading with the Natives, they raided their stocks and surpluses, leaving little but a few trinkets behind. This comforted their conscience, for a good Christian such as themselves would never steal. In the end, the Jamestown colonists just stole what they needed, making enemies with the Natives. Little did the colonists care, however. The Native Americans, at one point offered to teach the settlers how to construct fishing weirs, or how to grow maize, but they declined; they were more happy to grow tobacco and steal what they needed from the Natives.

After a while, the Powhatan tribe realized that no matter what they did for the English, they could never win.

“Well perceive and well know you intend to destroy us, that are here to intreat and desire your friendship, and to enjoy our houses and plant our fields, of whose fruit you shall participate, otherwise you will have the worst by our absence, for we can plant anywhere, though with more labour, and we know you cannot live if you want our harvest, and that reliefe wee bring you ; if you promise us peace, we will believe you, if you proceed in revenge, we shall abandon the country.”

As epidemics struck the Natives, their power dwindled evermore, and they were eventually forced out of their own land by the onslaught of new colonists.

When comparing the contrasting these two situations, the first thing to jump out of the epidemics of smallpox and chicken pox. In New England, the first onslaught wiped out almost ninety percent of the local tribes, but did nothing to the English settlers. This made it much easier for them to take over the Native land. In Jamestown, the first epidemic struck the colonists themselves, turning the tables. Later, however, the Powhatan tribe was affected, but not in such a great way as in the North.

Second, is how the Natives were viewed. In New England as well as Jamestown, they were seen as 'savages', as people with no economy or sense of government. This was all completely wrong, of course, yet even though all this was under their very noses, they refused to believe it. The land had been farmed and processed; the very food the Jamestown settlers relied on was grown by the Powhatan tribe; yet they refused to belief that they were farmers and had technology greater than themselves. The Natives were viewed as vile and Devil worshipping creatures, either to be driven away or educated in their own, very correct views on religion.
Also, in New England the way the Natives were exterminated was different than the way they were in Jamestown. The people of New England enraged the native tribes to a point were the began to destroy themselves. Their population was already at a low point after the pox swept in and annihilated their community. The New England colonies were not very quiet about the way they drove the Natives from their nation. The extermination in Jamestown was less sudden. Starving and working the Powhatans to death, they finally drove them away into extinction as more and more settlers arrived and built on their land. The Natives were slowly, but surely wiped out.

All of the tribes in both cases were shocked beyond belief of what was happening to them. To try to re-establish their old equilibrium of peace and harmony, they attempted to become friendly with the English. The settlers in both cases ended up in a bad spell of starvation. The only reason the two colonies survived was because of the Natives themselves. The only difference is, the people of New England did not steal from the Natives as the Jamestown colonists did. Yet, still, in the end of both situations, their land was taken away from them.

“The Times are exceedingly altere'd. yea the times have turn'd everything upside down, or rather we have chang'd the good Times, chiefly by the help pf the white people, for in Times Past, our forefathers live in peace, love, and harmony, and had everything in great plenty...but alas, it is not so now...”

*Quotes out of the Earth Shall Weep, James Wilson

Cyclical vs. Linear Time

2008-02-23T15:45:00.000-08:00

While looking at Native American, and the English world of early America, you will find there are several differences between their religion, and view of time. Because the two communities never intermingled before the first explorers came to their shores, they had completely different views of time and space. In fact, the two societies had no idea that the other even existed. It is common belief, that while observing the Native America we discovered, the English were looking 'back in time' to a less advanced culture. This is debatable, because the view of the Native Americans did not call for advancement, like our society does; simply because they did not view time the same way.

Native American time is cyclical - of, relating to, or characterized by cycles (dictionary.com). This means, that instead of having a single line of time, going onward and onward without any stopping (as is the belief of common day America), but that time was like a circle, or a spiral. The same events would happen over and over again, in one way or another. Time, in their sense, was stoppable. Scott Momaday once explained Cyclical time, stating

"It is an interesting concept... I don't know that anyone can explain it... I think instead of being something that passes by, it is static, and people walk through time as they might walk through a canyon, and one can pause and stand in time... It isn't something that necessarily rushes by, one can take hold of it.”

Linear time, pertaining to or represented by lines (dictionary.com) was the common belief of the Englishmen, and other Christian societies. Linear time is simply the view that time stretches onward into space; that it cannot be stopped, and one cannot see the end of it, because time is infinite.

One thing that can be contrasted is how religion played a part in the development of the view of time. The English at the time were predominantly Christian. The book of Genesis in the Bible explains this view of time well. The story in Genesis states that a man and a woman; Adam and Eve were created in a great Garden of the name of Eden. They were created to rule over the beasts and the Earth, but never to touch the fruits of the forbidden tree. Yet, human nature overpowered Adam and Eve, and they were cast out of the Garden, having upset God. God, cursed all human kind, sentencing us to work and toil for long hours to make our living in a place very different from the Garden. As well, the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ also proves that we live in a world of linear time.

“According to St Augustine of Hippo, the Universe of going along in a straight line...if time is cyclic Jesus Christ would have to be crucified again and again. There would not be, therefore, that one perfect and sufficient sacrifice, oblation and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world. Time had to be a straight line from the creation to the consummation to the last judgment.” (Alan Watts).

In Christianity there is a sense of a “fall from grace” - the being thrown out of paradise, to thrive in sin until Armageddon. Without linear time this belief is not possible.

Cyclical time for the Native Americans meant that there was no fall from grace as the Christians see it. They were simply created by a power higher than themselves. Yes, there were wrongdoings to be learned from, but there was no belief of a thing called 'sin', or anything equivalent to it. Since time is cyclical, there would be no need for forgiveness and improvement, since they did not believe they were progressing, eventually to the enlightenment, and judgment of their God over them. Their 'myths', or stories of how things have to pass were delivered orally, and not in a scripture as the Bible is. The Native American way of life did not look upon time as a force rushing past them on and on until eventually the end of their existence was terminated.

The sense of society and way of living was different between these two cultures, also. The English were people that valued improvement. Knowing that time was passing by, they strove to create new solutions, gain knowledge, build things bigger and better before... to become better people individually. They owned their own land, houses, and money. If another human wished to have something they did, they would have to buy or trade for it; it was not generously given. Each generation was expected to do better than the last. Knowing that with each passing year knowledge was to be gained raised the bar for ever new generation. Learn more than the next, and you will acquire more money, and more knowledge, and then pass that on to your children.

Native Americans did not think so selfishly: they shared their food and land as form of commonwealth; 'this is not anyone's land, it is everyone's land.' They did not have such a strong from of individuality, but a sense of community. They lived and thrived off the land, thus being incredibly close to nature and its animals. They believed that all animals were on the same level as themselves, and to disrespect a creature was a bad thing to do, and

would upset the gods. A French missionary once described the behavior of the Innu tribe : “the Savages do not throw to the dogs bones of female Beavers and Porcupines, - at least, certain specified bones, in short, they are very careful that the dogs do not eat any bones of birds and of other animals which are taken in the net, otherwise they will take no more except with incomparable difficulties ... it is remarkable how they gather and collect these bones, and preserve them with so much care, that you would say their game would be lost if they violated their superstitions.”

The English Christians view of time affected them so that they strove to excel; to gain more knowledge and wealth. They believed in time as a straight line which would continue onward forever. The Native American view of cyclical time created an environment of a close community, dwelling with and around the earth and creatures. They believed they did not need to change or improve their way of living, because life was a cycle, and this was the way they would be, forever onward. These two societies are more different than they are the same, yet they are both brought together through religion.

Essay Question

2008-02-08T17:28:00.000-08:00

Compare and contrast cyclical and linear time, and describe the way of life each view brings.

Local Maine History Paper; Clifford Dairy Farm

2008-01-16T19:48:00.000-08:00

Outline

I. Introduction

a. early life

II. Farm Life

a. beginning of the farm

b. livestock, machinery, and chores

c. the process of dairy farming

d. family stories

III. Conclusion

a. bibliography

Through the years, Dairy Farming has always been a difficult and labor intensive career. The number of active Dairy Farms in Maine is dwindling, and it is important to save the legacy of the farms from the past. Here is the story of the Clifford Dairy Farm.

I asked my mother, Betty Wright to tell me about my ancestors, since I know so little about them. It was amazing what she told me.

My grandmother’s full name is Mildred Lydia Nurmi Clifford, usually called Mildred or Millie by her friends. She was born on May 21, 1923 and was raised at 50 Roosevelt Street, Innwood Long Island, New York. There were four children: Helen (a half-sister from Axel's – her father’s first marriage), Lauri (pronounced loud-ie), Grammy and Paavo, her youngest brother. All are of Finnish descent. Mildred’s mother’s name was Lydia Nurmi. As a first generation immigrant, Mummu (which means grandmother in Finnish) arrived from Finland on a boat to be a housekeeper, thereby paying for her passage. She married Axel Nurmi, my great-grandfather, a carpenter by trade.

Mildred grew up in a place named Innwood, a suburb of New York City. She attended Public School number two in Innwood for grades Kindergarten through grade seven; Lawrence for eighth grade and a new Lawrence High School for grades 9 through 12. From September to November of 1941 she attended Browne's Business School in Jamaica, Long Island, taking secretarial classes. From 1944 to 1947 she attended Providence Bible School in Rhode Island.

After she finished those classes in 1941, she kept books for a dentist named Dr. Pinto during the summer. She then ended up with more responsibility than handling receipts, however; she also mixed amalgam (an alloy of mercury with another metal or metals) and acted as assistant to Dr. Pinto also. On December 29, 1941, she began commuting by train to the City to work for Wilson Fastener Company. On May 20, 1942, she started working for Piquot Mills, which took her to the 29th floor of the Empire State Building every day. This is back when New York was at its Golden Age.

Her Bible school training changed the direction of her life; in the summer of 1947 she took summer Bible School in Stowe, New Hampshire. She learned to drive and accepted a job in 1947 as a rural Bible Schoolteacher in Maine, traveling to the local one- room schoolhouses (Unity, Troy, Dixmont among them) to teach children their Bible stories. As a result of her life as a farmer's wife and mother of five children, Mildred learned to cook and bake, sew and can garden vegetables. She loves to play the piano (since girlhood) and sing in the choir. At her college recital she played Liebestraum, which she learned by heart and continued to play for her children, a beautiful and moving piece composed by Franz Liszt. All of her life she has maintained a Christian outlook. All of her life, she has never lost her temper, spare only once, and that was a long time ago.

My Grandfather’s name is Charles Lovell Clifford, born June 17, 1923 at Greene's Corner in Troy, Maine. Troy has been his home all of his life, though his family moved from Greene's corner to Roger's Corner and after he and my Grandmother were married, they lived on Barker Hill Road and then on Troy Center Road where they remain to this day. Known as Charlie, he had an older brother James Oscar Junior, who died early in life from tuberculosis; another older brother Stanley Lewis, who was killed by a robber attempting to hold up the gas station which Stanley managed in Florida, and a younger sister, Dora Letha, who lives in Monroe, Maine with her family.

Charles went to school in one of the five one-room schoolhouses in Troy; he attended Greene's Corner Elementary for grades one through eight (no kindergarten was offered). Grades nine through twelve took him all the way into the next town, to Unity High School (where Betty eventually went to Junior High). After high school, Charles worked on road crews for the Maine State Highway Commission but quickly decided that this was definitely not the life for him. Bosses who sat around all day while the workers worked like crazy just didn't seem right and was not tolerated for very long.

On October 12, 1947, Columbus weekend, fate struck. Mildred was staying with Betty and Tom Hawkswell while teaching Bible school; she attended a funeral for a friend, Bill Barnes, who lived across from Josey Rogers (and across the street from Charles’s parents). Who else should attend the funeral but Charles himself, which is how these two met. Later, on January 30, 1948, it was thirty below zero and Mildred’s gas line froze on her car, leaving her stranded. Charles came to get her and she ended up staying over at Charles’s parent's house. Well, on April 8, 1948, Mildred got her engagement ring and they were married June 5, 1948 at the Burnham Baptist Church, chosen because of its center aisle since both Mildred and Charles are Protestant.
Charles and Mildred started their life together on a small farm on Barker Hill Road in East Troy. They had one cow, a few sheep and a pretty little cocker spaniel named Goldie - no electricity or indoor plumbing. Their firstborn, Paul Lovell, arrived on May day 1949, followed by James Lawrence (April 3, 1950), then Nancy Lydia (July 16, 1951), my mother, Betty Lynda (December 9, 1955) and Stephen Lee (July 28, 1960). The summer of 1955 took the family from their farm in East Troy to a larger one on Troy Center Road, actually three old farms, now combined into one. The two story farmhouse, attached timber frame horse stable and dairy barn were where Betty was born and raised. The one herd dairy cow farm begun in 1948 became a two hundred head farm with the help of five strong children. Charles worked very hard over the years, raising the animals and crops, such as wheat, hay, and corn for the animals. They always had a big garden to help feed the family and a few apple trees scattered around the farm for fall picking. Charles loved the outdoors and through necessity, became a skilled mechanic, carpenter, plumber, electrician, herdsman, veterinarian, and any other trade required to keep the farm and home. He always loved horses and has a good eye for horses; before the use of tractors he kept teams for running the farm and pulling out pulp from the woods during the winter months. They had several ponies, beginning with the old black and white pony Tony. Charles also loved family picnics and country music. He always held the attitude that it was best to buy the best, then treat it well and make it last as long as possible. This philosophy stood him well and was passed on to his children - good advice and a good way to live. Charles always administered the discipline in the family, and a sound spanking was in order a few times, usually as a result of some dangerous action that had to be nipped in the bud, but occasionally for something that got his goat, like not getting up in the morning when the work was waiting or being just as hard-headed as he was. Being opinionated and stubborn probably held Charles Clifford in good stead through a lot of hard times.

While talking to my grandfather, Charles L Clifford, he reminisced about all the machinery and chores that had to be done while his farm was still up and running. Sometimes, he didn’t have much to say, but he really is a highly opinionated man.

He claims that in the highest days of his farm, he owned around one hundred – seventy or so Holstein mixed with Jersey dairy cows. As well as this, he owned chickens, geese, pigs, and a small pony for his daughters Nancy and Betty to ride. Betty recalls that she owned three while she lived on the farm, one named Star, one Tony, and one Bobby.

As for the equipment he owned, he is sure that he must have owned at least two large tractors, a hay rake, a bailer, a manure spreader, and an old farm truck.

Larger animals, such as pigs and dairy cows were considered the men’s job. Charles, Jim, Paul, and sometimes Steve (if he was old enough at the time) would go out into the fields at first daybreak and begin their loading of bails onto the truck. This of course was extremely hot, sweaty work, and under no circumstance was a women asked to do this job. Betty wanted to come along, and even if she was allowed, she had to sit inside the truck and listen to the radio. Her older sister, Nancy was usually off doing her own thing, and her mother Mildred usually occupied her time with reading hymns and praying.

In the morning, around four o’clock or earlier, the boys would be woken up to milk the cows, before every school day. If they didn’t have to go to school, they would be set to work doing other various chores, such as the pig sty, or bailing hay, if need be. Milking cows in the bitter cold is a very tedious job, day after day, in the pitch black of the morning.

The smaller jobs were left to the women. Such as tending to the chickens and picking the vegetables from the garden. House cleaning was also viewed as a ‘woman’s job’, so Mildred spent most of her time inside.

Dairy farming today is very different then the way that it was done on the Clifford farm. The actual obtaining of the milk is not a very difficult process; however keeping your livestock alive and healthy is a costly and tiring job. Out of the one hundred and seventy cows they did own, only one hundred were mature and milk producing. A healthy cow will produce somewhere around six to seven gallons of milk each day. That’s seven hundred gallons of milk every day, which needs to be pumped, refrigerated and shipped off to market. Imagine waking up before the sun even rose to pump with your hands seven hundred gallons of milk.

After the boys had woken up, they would (most likely) dawn their coats and jackets and head off to the barn, where the cows would be tied up by their necks in separate milking stalls. The milk is withdrawn from the udder using a pulling and squeezing motion. Once the milk is acquired, it must be refrigerated. It could be put in a “milk tank”, where the milk is continuously cooled by a doubled walled system, where cooling coils fill the space above and around the milk.

Farm Life, family stories.

Over the years my mother, Betty has told me many stories of growing up on the farm with her brothers and sister. Some of them are quite funny, while others are unnerving. However, these are stories, which if not written down, will vanish over time. Some of these stories, the participants may not want to be told; (you’ll see what I mean once I tell you). Anyway, here is the first story that comes to mind.

“the Apple Tree”

It was fall, and my mother was a young girl. She and her older brothers Jim and Paul decided to go out into the field and pick some apples, although this was a difficult task since the apples were up high and hard to reach. So, they took their pony along with them, and walked out to the apple tree. Once they go there, Jim and Paul climbed their way up into the tree and began shaking the branches, trying to get the apples to fall. My mother was standing beneath the tree, next to her pony. Unexpectedly, an apple fell onto Bobby’s (the pony’s) hind quarter’s and startled her, sending her running through the manure – covered pasture. My mother, startled as well became tangled on the cart which the pony had carried. Bobby didn’t mind of course, and galloped across the field, thoroughly drenching her in mud and manure. She recalled that later, her father Charles had taken her into the shed and sprayed her down with ice cold water from the hose.

“the Fire”

Betty was in her college years, and had been gone off to school, away from the farm. Her brothers, Jim, Paul, and Steve were out working in the fields. When they returned one afternoon to their farm house, it was ablaze. They could save nothing from it. Later, they built another farmhouse nearby, but by that time most of Charles’s and Mildred’s children had already gone off and started lives of their own.

“the Blueberry Jar”

The names in this story are to be untold, since disclosing them may lead to embarrassment. Well, the story goes like this. Mildred, my grandmother had a bunch of jars of canned blueberries. It was mid-winter, and the boys (I won’t say which ones) were hankering for from fresh fruit. Of course, being young boys as they were, had a clever idea. They snuck down into the cellar were the blueberries sat, and opened a jar. After eating the entire jar of berries, they began to panic. What would they do with the jar? If Charles found out, they would get a spanking. So they schemed, and came up with yet another clever idea. They both needed to use the bathroom. What if they went in the jar, and passed it off for kerosene? After slipping the jar amongst the other kerosene jars, they snuck up the stairs. Later that day, Charles came downstairs to light a fire. Taking the jar, he opened it, to discover it had a peculiar odor. Knowing very well what had happened, and that it was not, in fact kerosene, he went upstairs and gave the boys a proper punishment.

A Summation; Midterm

2008-01-15T14:18:00.000-08:00

When looking back upon everything studied this unit, every piece seems to fit together flawlessly, however, it is another task to take it into one’s own hands and try to explain this in an essay. The quote given at the end of chapter twenty-nine in the Wealth and Poverty of Nations (by David Landes), “cultivate a skeptical faith, avoid dogma, listen and watch well, try to clarify and define ends, the better to chose means”, means simply this: Be skeptical, avoid a clear set of rules of what is right and what is wrong, and use this to try to find the truth, because this is wherein the real wealth lies.

When observing the flattening world around us, the world such as Thomas Friedman explained it to be in his book the World is Flat, truth and honesty is a very important virtue. For one, our society is highly based on a system called the cash nexus, an ideology where people only communicate for one reason: money. Their dealings are simply business based; they would never have met unless on business or money occasions. In this situation, trust and virtuosity are important traits. One must trust the person he or she is dealing with, or they will simply not make a deal at all. As well as this, humans have been searching for the truth since the beginning of time; even more so since the dawn of the humanist era. The basis of thought of humanists is belief that inquiry is more important than rules, that humans should view themselves as individuals, not just as one statistic amongst thousands following the same rules, just as blindly as everyone else. This caused them to yearn to find out more about themselves, thus, the search for truth. Humans today are mostly humanists. We are individualists; our Flat World proves this. A poor person born in a country other than a superpower can still input his or her ideas into the World, still be a part of the workforce, even if they are not physically there. One person is able to make a large difference, with or without money. That is the power of the Flat World, that is the power of individualism, and that is the power for the search for truth in oneself. (1, Medici Money)

The search for truth has passed along all through the ages, from the great philosopher Socrates, to the astronomers of the Renaissance, to the humanists, to the revolutionaries in the French revolution, to the mechanics and craftsmen working in the Industrial revolution, to now; our Flattening World. In some way, humans have been searching for the truth, not only in the world around them, but in themselves as well. There is no way to discover more unless you ponder what you already know, and look forward. If you deny that you are wrong, or could possibly be wrong, then you will never learn.

To make this point even clearer, take Dr Faustus for example. This was a man who had everything he needed. He had money, a home, and most of all intelligence and knowledge. But having gained knowledge, he wanted more. Faustus was a humanist, and being curious as he was in the world he was hungry to learn as much as possible, and improve himself as an individual. Thinking nothing of the consequences, he sold himself to Lucifer, only to revoke his oath once the damage was already done.

"The unexamined life is not worth living," Socrates

What Socrates was trying to state is that you must examine every bit of your life. Any preconceptions you may have about your existence may be false. Do not accept things for the way they are, question everything, do not be taken for a fool. If we as humans did not question why, then we would never have learned. If we did not look up into the sky, and wonder why and what those bright shining lights were, we would have never invented the telescope, would have never seen the things we have seen, would have never sent a man to the moon, and never have any further ambitions. You must questions your life, yourself, and everything around it to learn more about yourself. The people of every time period, from Rome, to the Renaissance, to the Industrial Revolution, to the Flattening of the World, they all are inspecting things more closely, each time more discoveries are made. Yet it is not good to be too sure of oneself, like Dr Faustus, or you may end up in deep anxiety. To learn more, you must question everything. Socrates once stated, that

Dogma can never truly be avoided; however, the entire humanist revolution came to be because of the Dogma from the Catholic Church. They wanted to be individuals; they did not want to be drones, wandering through life thinking of nothing but God in Heaven, and the Devil in Hell.

It is partially a good thing, but partially not. It is not good to have boundaries to limit your thinking, but also without those boundaries, one would never know what they were missing and may not ever think to look beyond without the extra push to revolt.

Again, what has been learned is that being skeptical is a good thing – questioning your life is the only way to move forward and attain truth. Finding the truth and a sense of individuality has been an important aspect in the way of life through the ages. Yes, we must always keep trying to improve, to learn, and to be better people. It is simply not in human nature to accept that things are the way they are, and there is no way to improve them.

Revolution

2007-10-21T10:47:00.000-07:00

It is debatable which aspect of PERSIA most influenced the revolution of the 1400's, however there is no better way to fully describe every point of this reformation in history without this acronym; PERSIA, or politics, economics, religion, society, intellect, and aesthetics. Revolution is well defined as “an overthrow or repudiation and the thorough replacement of an established government or political system by the people governed.” Although sometimes stated as a uniform set of years, revolution does not happen all at one time, and certainly does not happen quickly. At first, it begins with discord and unease in the people. This may just be one voice speaking out, dislodging the rock that begins the avalanche, or this may be the result of many voices scheming and conversing together. It is clear by the actions of the people of Florentine, though, that when they feel sometimes in their society is unjust, they will fight for what they believe is right, and this inevitably caused a revolution.

One of the major factors that brought about the Renaissance Revolution was the eruption of Humanists. Humanists essentially were against the Catholic Church of the time, because of their belief that every day was worth living and the human soul and mind should be studied. They believed that people as individuals were extremely important, hence the name Humanist, whereas the Church believed that (or as the Humanists saw it) one should live life devoted completely to God and not delve into the meaning of one's own life. You lived to serve God, and should therefore be perpetually afraid of damnation. Humanists brought about the Revolution because they saw things in a whole new light. They brought new conversations to the people of Rome, they were able to break the mold and let the citizens wonder and question their society. For once there was a driving force questioning the all-powerful Church, when before every last being of Rome had bowed down before it.

Also associated with the Church, the though that one could pay off sins with money was accepted. This, however, was only a tool for the wealthy. The idea was this; donate a sum of money to the Pope, and your sins will be rebuked, you will no longer have to suffer the wrath of Hell. The Humanists hated this, saying that it is wrong ( a sin, even ) to attempt to pay off sins to get into Heaven, and it is an impossible feat, which will only get your closer to Hell. The power hungry Church would never say such a thing, for it was trying its best to maintain power (power equals money) in this time of crisis. This is a very discriminating tendency the Church has, and if the nobles by way of coin can redeem themselves, then the poor cannot, this will only cause displeasure in the community, which will lead to the Revolution of the Renaissance.

Another aspect that certainly aided the revolution is the banking and the money the citizens possessed. If you were a poor plebeian, you were only allowed to deal in less expensive coins. It was the way it had always been, and it was the way it was always supposed to be. If you were a patrician, you could deal in florens, which were worth far more than any plebe would ever dream of owning. The merchant trade was extremely lucrative, and as the business grew larger and more prosperous, the dissolute merchants soon became more opulent than the nobles. This enraged them, seeing that they could not climb the hierarchal ladder and become a noble, yet they could own more money, wear better clothing, have a better estate, while the nobles themselves were forced to commit usury, a sin itself to maintain even a semblance of wealth. This infuriated the citizens, causing them to revolt. They wanted justice, but they also wanted to be rich. Usury was a major issue as well, concerning the fact that the new society without so much association with the Church might allow such a thing, but the mix with the old society condemned it as a sin. The bankers used usury to keep up their wages, and this was a very good thing for them. It is clear why they would embrace the Revolution.

It is clear now how all the aspects of PERSIA work together to create a Revolution.

Humanism vs. the Flat World

2007-10-21T10:46:00.001-07:00

What is Humanism? It is the belief that inquiry is more important than rules, that humans should view themselves as individuals, not as a large mass hurtling towards one destination or the other (ultimately Heaven or Hell.) It is the belief that humans should count every day as important, and live as though it were about to end the next, not by means of indulgence, but by looking deeper into the meaning of things.

There are a few similarities and differences between Renaissance Humanism and the Flat World of today and the future. Before this new revolution and way of thinking, people were totally and completely focused on the Church. Will I sin today? Will I be forgiven? Will I be sent to Hell? Constantly worrying about sinning, God, and their Religion, obeying every rule the Church set out for them and not even stopping to think for themselves for a moment. Then, around 1400, came the Humanists. They had a new way of thinking... they were able to outsmart, and outdo the priests. Why? Because they were willing to look beyond things, and not just accept them for the way they are commonly believed to be so. This is similar to what we are seeing today in our economy; in our 'Flat World'. People born thirty years ago are completely blown away by what is happening. To the newest generation, things do not seem too strange; we grew up with computers, with the Internet, with mp3 players and high definition television. We are the Humanists of our society, introducing a new idea, which some may or may not wish to entertain, but eventually it will be accepted globally. What the Flat World is introducing to us, is the idea that anyone with the IQ can gain knowledge, anyone with the knowledge (with just an Internet connection) can go on to do great things. They can be connected with the rest of the globe, and as an individual, work, and achieve, just like anyone else would be able to. This is similar to Humanism, because it is both resting on the point that individuality is a good thing.

Considering this, Humanism and the Flat World can also be contrasted. As written earlier, the people of the Renaissance were extremely connected to their Church. They lived their lives to get to Heaven, and first and foremost considered themselves to be Christians. This is both similar and different to our situation, because our separation is between our Country and our people. To explain further, complete this sentence "I am a(n)..." did you think of your country? In a Flat World, it will not matter what color your skin is, it will not matter what language you speak, it will not matter what country you live in, or what gender you are of. In a Flat World, it is completely about individuals interacting. This is both like and dislike Humanism. It is dislike the Renaissance Humanism because we are separating ourselves from our title of American, yet we need the principle of Humanism to do so.

Humanism, if you think about it is essential to the Flat World. Without it the way our society runs would be completely strict and overpowering. The only knowledge we would learn would be what our parents, and grandparents learned before us, and we would only do what they deemed acceptable for us to do. Without Humanism, our society would not exist.

The Once and Future King : T H White

2007-08-31T10:49:00.000-07:00

As I read through this book, I was thinking about the these questions: were people generally evil, or good, what was humankind capable of, and what relevance does the book still have? I started listing some things that I thought were relevant, and could help me prove my point.

Good or Evil:

Dark magic.
White magic (Merlyn).
Adultery/lying/cheating/stealing/jealousy.
Enjoyment of causing others pain?
Chivalry.
Love, friendship.

Capabilities:

Magic.
Love.
Courage.
Imagination.

Relevance:

Kay is a trouble maker but is favored over Wart (Kay is Sir Ector's Son).
Ghost stories.
Love.
Adultery.
Growing to adulthood.
Peace (Lyo-lyok).
Belief in magic?
Heroes.
Loss of friendship.
War.

Impressions:

Use of words and way of speaking.
Tales of courage never go out of fashion.

Good Or Evil?

Dark magic shows up a lot in this book, from the beginning when Merlyn is suspected of being a dark sorcerer, to Morgan le Faye, the evil faerie that haunts Robin Woods's forest. You could also consider lying, cheating, stealing and jealousy to be another kind of Dark magic that takes place in this book. Lancelot, Arthur's best friends and trusted knight became very jealous of his queen, Guenever. They had an affair together, breaking the trust and friendship between Arthur and Lancelot.
Knights in this book also seem to enjoy causing each other pain. Whether it's jousting, or battling to the death, they just seem to like shedding blood... and it makes me wonder.

What magic, chivalry, friendship and love are some of the things that counteract the evil in this book. Just like Art and Kay were good friends since childhood, Mariam and Robin were lovers, and Merlyn and Nimue were as well. Merlyn cast white magic to help stem the flow of darkness, and help train his beloved Art to be King.

Capabilities:

Even though the scientific and engineering capabilities of the medieval people were not anywhere near as advanced as they are today, they had something: belief. They believed in magic, that magic could build castles of food, in fairies, in questing beasts, and phoenixes. They also had courage, and friendship, which in my opinion is far better than any technological capability we have today.

Relevance:

Kay is favored over Wart because he is royalty. I think there are a lot of people who have experienced at least something like this in their lives, even if its not because they are not the son of a Sir.

If you turn on the tv at night, or go to the movie store, you're bound to see movies with ghosts in them. People just enjoy wondering whether ghosts are real. Its the question, "what happens to you when you die?" that has haunted people from the beginning of time.

Love is ageless, and is a human emotion everyone is bound to feel at least once in their lifetime. In this book, love helps bind people together, and it also breaks apart friendships.

Every person on this earth has been a child, and in the first part of this novel, Malory lets Art and Kay experience the changing from a boy to a man.

America has experienced several wars - including the one our youth is growing up with now, the War on Terror. Boys graduate from high-school, to go on to basic training, and then are deployed off to war to serve their countries. Some of them die, leaving behind, family, friends, and loved ones. Others come back with horrible stores, and are changed for life. War and fighting is an ageless problem. The solution to War has never been solved; only dreamt of. I think, that as long as we are humans and posses human nature (greed, hate) that there will always be war. Lyo-lyok's world is beyond greed and hate; what is hers is everyone else's.

Even though belief in magic is no where near as strong as it used to be during medieval times, there are still people that believe in magic and consider it to be real. There are fortune tellers, and magicians. People also consider emotions such as love to be a kind of magic.

Whether it's Spiderman or Superman, Harriet Tubman, or Joe DiMaggio, America, and the world loves heroes. They make us believe that we can do the impossible, or make us happy when we're down, and give us hope when we have none. Heroes, whether they're from two thousand years ago, to modern times are ageless.

I think everyone has experienced losing a friend, and can connect to Arthur, whether it be to lies, disagreement, or time.

Impressions:

The way the characters speak in this book is rather odd, like the way they say 'edducation', instead of 'education'. Or is that just because Sir Ector is drinking at the time? Anyway, you can tell that the novel has been written quite a long time ago by the way sentences are worded.
For example, I was reading about when Art is sent off by Merlyn to visit the Badger. He had this conversation, which struck me as odd.

"Come out of that, thou tramp, prepare to meet thy doom."
"Measter Brock," implored the unfortunate pig, "come now, doan't 'ee be okkerd, sweet Measter Brock, my duck. Hearken to an urchin's prayer! Grant the dear boon of life to this mosst uncommon tiggy, lordly measter, and she shall sing to thee in numbers sweet or teach 'ee how to suck cow's milk in the pearly dew."

~

"Stop singing," said the Wart, "for Heaven's sake. Un-curl. I won't do you any harm. Come, you silly little urchin, and tell me where you learned these songs."
"Uncurl is one word," answered the porpentine tremblingly - it did not feel in the least fretful at the moment - "but curling up is still another! If 'ee was to see my liddle naked nose, measter, at this dispicuous moment, 'ee might feel a twitching in thy white toothsomes;"

I just find it curious and funny because the way we would have said it is "No way, I'm not coming out... you'd just eat me!"

The World is Flat : Thomas Friedman

2007-08-31T10:37:00.001-07:00

The flattening of the world effects everyone, or at least Friedman says it does. I think it only effects the countires which have middle class to extremely wealthy economies ( which are being leveled out.) I think that the extremely poor, poverty stricken countries are being left in the dirt, because they don't have, or barely have an economy to begin with. But, also, the flattening of the world is effecting the younger generation (me, and my classmates) who are going to go on and be incorporated with all these new ways of doing business which were never used before. This generation is supposed to be used to doing things electronically, a way our parents never imagined.
What do you need from our parents, teachers, and peers? I think just being brought up in a world that is used to doing business in a "flat world", and being properly educated about what we will need to do to make a living. I'm not sure whether a flat world is a good thing or not - I suppose some of the things are an advantage (fast communications, cheap labor), but there are also downfalls to outsourcing all your business. The quality goes down, and you are relying on outside the country for necessities. Like it or not, it's happening, and like Friedman said, its nearly unstoppable.

The World is Flat : Thomas Friedman

2007-08-18T08:49:00.001-07:00

Chapter Four : The Great Sorting Out

digitalized sales

I was always used to thinking that, the more likable, the more charismatic you are, the farther ahead you will get when it comes to business. I suppose it must be true when you actually do meet with the person, as in being a car dealer. But even today, I'm not even sure if you need to meet with one to buy a car. Would you even need to go to the lot? You could take a virtual tour of the car, if you wanted, most likely.
What I'm saying is; everything is digitalized, you don't need character to be a good salesman. You need a degree and a computer.

The World is Flat : Thomas Friedman

2007-08-18T08:35:00.000-07:00

Chapter Four : The Great Sorting Out

death of the operator

Its kind of stupid, I think. The way friction is meant to be reduced, yet, only more is created. Like the way Friedman described how he called directory and a machine picked up. He had to keep asking over and over again for the name, but the machine wasn't adept enough to be able to understand him. You have to speak in a slow, clear tone, and maybe after the third try you'll get through. It's meant to be easy, to make things go quicker. It kind of reminds me of the visa commercial, with everyone rushing through and the guy decides to use cash instead, and it completely throws off the balanced routine they had going. Except what Friedman describes is on a much bigger scale. But anyway, what I'm saying is if there was a human on the other line, it would be quicker, easier, and more satisfying.

The World is Flat : Thomas Friedman

2007-08-18T07:45:00.000-07:00

Chapter Four : The Great Sorting Out

who's top dog?

So now the people who were once considered to be the poorer, second - class citizens (to Americans) are the ones who are being given a chance to use their knowledge and their intelligence, instead of getting a job driving a taxi or something paying just as low. Plus, since the world is being 'flattened' their companies are getting the chance to trump the ones in America when it comes to bidding. So you begin to wonder, who is really top dog now? Is it India, with all the manufacturing with the population of a billion plus, or is it America, who relies on outsourcing to places like India for all its goods and services?

The World is Flat : Thomas Friedman

2007-08-18T07:26:00.000-07:00

Chapter Four : The Great Sorting Out

frictionless is bad?

"from the telegraph to the Internet, every new communications technology has promised to shrink the distance between people, to increase access to information, and to bring us ever closer to the dream of a perfectly efficient, frictionless global market ... Some sources are worth protecting, even in the face of a global economy that threatens to flatten them."

So, after all this talk about how a 'frictionless, flat' market would be a great thing to have, now he says we should preserve some of the friction? What does he mean by that? - that he doesn't think that manpower should be eliminated completely, if it were means to make the economy smoother? I don't know; I'm not an economist.

The World is Flat : Thomas Friedman

2007-08-11T10:43:00.000-07:00

Chapter Two : The Ten Forces That Flattened the World

the internet

Friedman is right - by using MSN or google search, if the information is there you could find just about anything about a person. People don't realize how much information they put out on the internet about themselves. If you post on a forum, or have a myspace account, anything you say there is public and can be viewed, no matter if your page is set to private or not. All it takes is a conversation and that person would probably be able to look up a lot about you. If I told someone my age, my name was Christine and what state I lived in, it wouldn't be hard to find out what highschool I go to. The Internet can be dangerous, but it can be very helpful too.

The World is Flat : Thomas Friedman

2007-08-11T10:30:00.000-07:00

Chapter Two : The Ten Forces That Flattened the Word

quality of work

Offshoring to China can't really be a good thing, can it? Yes, the cost of production, payment and benefits is cut drastically, but what about America? It may just seem like a good thing right now, with all the cheap labor our companies are getting - but what about the quality of the products? Wouldn't it make sense that the more money and effort you spend on something, the better and more it will be worth? So really, if you want good products you need to spend money on them. Large companies don't seem to care whether their products are well made as long as they continue to rise in power and money.

The World is Flat : Thomas Friedman

2007-08-11T10:20:00.000-07:00

Chapter Two : The Ten Forces That Flattened the World

gazelles & lions

Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up.
It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed.
Every morning a lion wakes up.
It knows it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death.
It doesn't matter whether you are a lion or a gazelle.
When the sun comes up, you better start running.

Keep running; don't get left behind in the Global Economy. If the world is going to continue to become flat, the lion needs to catch up to the gazelle, instead of just progressing farther and farther ahead.

Le Morte d'Arthur : Thomas Malory

2007-08-11T09:21:00.000-07:00

chiv·al·ry (shĭv'əl-rē)
n. pl. chiv·al·ries

The medieval system, principles, and customs of knighthood.
1. The qualities idealized by knighthood, such as bravery, courtesy, honor, and gallantry toward women.
2. A manifestation of any of these qualities.
A group of knights or gallant gentlemen.

So was King Arthur real or wasn't he? If he did actually exist, he wouldn't have lived the life the fables and legends made him out to have lived. It says that Sir Malory wrote the legends while in prison during the time of the War of the Roses. Being a desperate person in a desperate period of time he probably would have liked the idea of a great ruler and a hero for the people of Briton. Just like today, we create heroes like Superman who are able to do the impossible for our society even when nobody else is able to.

In Arthur's time, attributes like loyalty, honor, and bravery were held much higher than they are today. You had to be committed 100 percent to your King and your cause. If you weren't, you weren't a good Knight, and you were likely to commit treason and be executed for doing so. Today's society is more lax, although we value those things, I don't see it being pushed upon men as a necessity. (I wish it was.)

The Tragical History of Dr. Faustus : Christopher Marlow

2007-08-08T13:53:00.000-07:00

What is a Faustian Bargain?

Dr John Faustus is well learned in languages, astrology, and other subjects. He prides himself in being one of the most intelligent scholars in Germany. However, Faustus yearns for more power - power which he cannot find in just books. He discovers necromantic powers in a strange book and calls upon a demon named Mephistophilis in a forest. He then questions Mephistophilis about hell, he replies,

"Why this is hell, nor am I out of it:
Think'st thou that I, that saw the face of God,
and tasted Eternal Joys of Heaven,
Am not tormented with ten thousand hells,
In being depriv'd of everlasting bliss?"

Little did Faustus know, that he would end up much like this 'sweet Mephistophilis'. He also told Faustus of Lucifer, the arch regent and commander of the spirits in hell. Faustus, eager to gain more knowledge by any means asked Mephistophilis what good he would do Lucifer, and he replied "enlarge his kingdom." Dr. Faustus then requests that Mephistophilis go to Lucifer to ask for a deal: Faustus wishes to have twenty four years of knowledge and power with all the demons of hell at his command. After these twenty four years his soul will be Lucifer's. Lucifer agrees happily.

After Faustus has sworn to Lucifer his loyalty in his own blood, he begins to realize that the power he was promised is not what he expected. After his twenty four years have dwindled to and end, the people of Europe have come to hate him. Every time Dr Faustus contemplates repenting, he is lured back to Lucifer. He believes that he is too hardened for repentance, and that God would never accept him into Heaven. On the night of his death, Faustus begins to pray, but since he has enjoyed the service of demons for most of his life, it is too late.

Faustus was too eager for more knowledge, and for him, knowledge equaled power. Sorcery and magic was something dark and secret, making it more tempting. So, being drawn into the dark arts in search of power he met Mephistophilis, and made a pact with Lucifer. Faustus believed that through such a higher power like the devil, he could achieve greatness, no matter if it was only for twenty four years. Later, though, he learned that his greed led to his downfall and eternal damnation.

A faustian bargain: to give up anything or all that you have in search for something you believe is bigger or better, which will eventually end in your downfall.

The World is Flat : Thomas Friedman

2007-08-08T07:33:00.000-07:00

Chapter Two : The Ten Forces that Flattened the World

blogging and information gathering

I guess if you want a lot of information, give everyone a way to express what they know in a nearly free and easy way (a blog, for example). Some of it may be true, some of it may not be. But if you're a journalist, it's probably a great tool for you to have.

The World is Flat : Thomas Friedman

2007-08-08T07:03:00.001-07:00

Chapter Two : The Ten Forces That Flattened the World

part of the competition?

"the fortune hunters wielded geological-modeling software and database mining tools rather than picks and shovels. The big winners were from Australia. And they had never even seen the mine."

So for the miners in the Goldcorp Challenge, it was a matter of who's engineering was better, and who had the best equipment. Manpower didn't play a role in who discovered where the next 6 million ounces of gold lay hidden, like it once had. The way software and engineering plays a role in society today, it does seem like kind of a competition to make the 'best'. But now that America is outsourcing to places like China to have it's goods made, how can it be part of the competition? How can they even claim that 'American' engineering is even American anymore? Yes, America can still create ideas on it's own, but everything is becoming intertwined. Does this make any sense?

The World is Flat : Thomas Friedman

2007-08-05T07:32:00.000-07:00

Chapter Two : The Ten Forces That Flattened the World

losing communications?

I can see how all of this could be a very good and convenient thing. How doing things electronically could save time and human energy. But, just to think about it - what if communications were lost? Even for an hour? How much money would be lost just because they could not take a phone call, or send an e-mail. Should a business really rely solely on electronic communication to get its work done? My dad works for GE, and everyday he conferences with people from Florida, India, Japan. What would happen if their communications were lost? Its just a “what if.”

The World is Flat : Thomas Friedman

2007-08-05T07:30:00.000-07:00

Chapter One : While I Was Sleeping

the world isn't entirely flat.

The way Freidman says the flattening of the world is happening all over - I can’t see that. Or maybe I just don’t understand completely. There are places in the world that aren’t catching up at all, places like East Africa, who are still suffering from AIDS and poverty. What kind of economy do they have? I can’t see that they are catching up or flattening out with America, or China or India at all. I just see that they’re left behind because they are too poor.

The World is Flat : Thomas Friedman

2007-08-05T07:29:00.001-07:00

Chapter One : While I Was Sleeping

no more dirty work?

Why does America want to have workers who are unmotivated? At least that's how it seems. The way they work if they’re ‘homesourced’ is that they can work at home, be comfortable, and not have to get down and do the dirty work other foreign countries are willing to do for less? Sure, it may make them more productive in what they are doing, but does America really want to be stuck the ones relying on everyone else for food, oil and other necessities? If America puts too much stock in other countries outputs, then we will no longer be the superpower. Not forever, at least.

The World is Flat : Thomas Friedman

2007-08-05T07:06:00.000-07:00

Chapter Two : The Ten Forces That Flattened the World

the "personal" computer

The Internet emerging was a major tool for globalization. You didn’t have to be a company, it could be personal. You could have your own PC, and with little cost you could send anything across the globe. That means anyone with a little money and a connection could do it - but still leaving out a big point. What about the people who didn’t have the net? What about the people in the small, extremely poor countries? The world isn’t flat for them.

The World is Flat : Thomas Friedman

2007-08-05T05:59:00.000-07:00

Chapter One : While I Was Sleeping

ambition in India

If jobs such as telemarketing are prized and 'well paid for' in countries such as India but not in America how is the playing field being leveled? I suppose it makes sense because America is the world's superpower and when compared to countries such as India it is extremely wealthy. A well paying job for an Indian would most likely be a poorly paying job in America. So, I can see what Friedman means because Indians are being paid a 'relative' amount of good money to do a job Americans won't. Greed is an issue in America, but not so much in India. In India, ambition is more the point.