Competition for America's First Ambassador of Education

CONGRATULATIONS!!! 
You have been selected as a candidate to become the very TOP person in education!!  If selected you will be given the title of the United States of America's first Ambassador of Education!!  With this new title, comes a TREMENDOUS task and not to mention a TON of responsibility.

(That's right, we're revisiting the educational issue, once again, in light of our recent discussion in class.)

Here's the scenario:
Last week it was announced that despite the attempted changes in the American educational system, the US has dropped to 40th place in education throughout the developed world.  Schools are in shambles and progress is at an all time stand-still.  Nothing seems to be working!  So, the United States Congress went on a head-hunting world tour to find someone to head up the nation's educational system and even changed laws so that the newly selected Ambassador of Education would be allowed to implement ANY changes in the American educational system that he/she felt was absolutely necessary to get us back on track.  Congress and even state governors have vowed that they are willing to do whatever it takes to get our schools back to the point of being at least in the top 10 of the world - if not the very top.  This job is going to demand that you "think out of the box" and come up with ideas that you believe are doable.

SO HOW DO YOU GET THE JOB???
Your task is to come up with FIVE key starting points / changes that you feel are ABSOLUTELY a must to begin putting America's educational system back on track.  You need to list the FIVE key things that you want Congress to push through and present them before the states.  List the FIVE changes with a brief description of why  you think they are ABSOLUTELY needed. Make sure your descriptions are clear and precise (to the point) and be prepared to answer questions that "members of Congress" (those responding to your proposals) may have for you.  In other words, be able to defend your plan!!

Those of you commenting on each other's post, are considered the "Members of Congress."  Your job is to pick through the various plans being proposed and really look them over.  Be critical!!!  If something isn't done, America's future is in serious jeopardy!!!  As it was once said, "The future of ANY country on this planet earth lies within it's educated mass!  A failure there, spells the doom of the country."

Once this blog is completed we'll be taking a vote in class which plans to adopt!!!

Return of a Superpower?

"The West is blinking in disbelief – Vladimir Putin just invaded Ukraine. German diplomats, French Eurocrats and American pundits are all stunned. Why has Russia chosen to gamble its trillion-dollar ties with the West?

Western leaders are stunned because they haven’t realized Russia’s owners no longer respect Europeans the way they once did after the Cold War. Russia thinks the West is no longer a crusading alliance. Russia thinks the West is now all about the money.

Putin’s henchmen know this personally. Russia’s rulers have been buying up Europe for years. They have mansions and luxury flats from London’s West End to France’s Cote d’Azure. Their children are safe at British boarding and Swiss finishing schools. And their money is squirreled away in Austrian banks and British tax havens.

Putin’s inner circle no longer fear the European establishment. They once imagined them all in MI6. Now they know better. They have seen firsthand how obsequious Western aristocrats and corporate tycoons suddenly turn when their billions come into play. They now view them as hypocrites—the same European elites who help them hide their fortunes.

Once Russia’s powerful listened when European embassies issued statements denouncing the baroque corruption of Russian state companies. But no more. Because they know full well it is European bankers, businessmen and lawyers who do the dirty work for them placing the proceeds of corruption in hideouts from the Dutch Antilles to the British Virgin Islands.

We are not talking big money. But very big money. None other than Putin’s Central Bank has estimated that two thirds of the $56 billion exiting Russia in 2012 might be traceable to illegal activities. Crimes like kickbacks, drug money or tax fraud. This is the money that posh English bankers are rolling out the red carpet for in London.

Behind European corruption, Russia sees American weakness. The Kremlin does not believe European countries – with the exception of Germany – are truly independent of the United States. They see them as client states that Washington could force now, as it once did in the Cold War, not to do such business with the Kremlin.

When Russia sees Spain, Italy, Greece and Portugal outbidding each other to be Russia’s best business partner inside the EU (in return for no mention of human rights), they see America’s control over Europe slowly dissolving.

Back in Moscow, Russia hears American weakness out of Embassy Moscow. Once upon a time the Kremlin feared a foreign adventure might trigger Cold War economic sanctions where it hurts: export bans on key parts for its oil industry, even being cut out of its access to the Western banking sector. No more.

Russia sees an America distracted: Putin’s Ukrainian gambit was a shock to the U.S. foreign policy establishment. They prefer talking about China, or participating in Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. Russia sees an America vulnerable: in Afghanistan, in Syria and on Iran—a United States that desperately needs Russian support to continue shipping its supplies, host any peace conference or enforce its sanctions.

Moscow is not nervous. Russia’s elites have exposed themselves in a gigantic manner – everything they hold dear is now locked up in European properties and bank accounts. Theoretically, this makes them vulnerable. The EU could, with a sudden rush of money-laundering investigations and visa bans, cut them off from their wealth. But, time and time again, they have watched European governments balk at passing anything remotely similar to the U.S. Magnitsky Act, which bars a handful of criminal-officials from entering the United States.

All this has made Putin confident, very confident – confident that European elites are more concerned about making money than standing up to him. The evidence is there. After Russia’s strike force reached the outskirts of Tbilisi, the Georgian capital, in 2008, there were statements and bluster, but not a squeak about Russia’s billions. After Russia’s opposition were thrown into show trials, there were concerned letters from the European Union, but again silence about Russia’s billions.

The Kremlin thinks it knows Europe’s dirty secret now. The Kremlin thinks it has the European establishment down to a tee. The grim men who run Putin’s Russia see them like latter-day Soviet politicians. Back in the 1980s, the USSR talked about international Marxism but no longer believed it. Brussels today, Russia believes, talks about human rights but no longer believes in it. Europe is really run by an elite with the morality of the hedge fund: Make money at all costs and move it offshore."

Article From: http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/03/russia-vladimir-putin-the-west-104134.html#ixzz2v77eZbdx

Blog Question:

Has United States lost it's once "feared" and "respected" status in the world today?  Is Russia, as the article suggest, about to make a major move and re-establish itself, economically, politically and militarily as a major super power?

Speak Your Mind!!!

What's up with this blog topic??  Ah, inquiring minds want to know!!

Actually, nothing.  There is no trick or fancy goal alternative motive here - it is what it is.

For this week's blog - YOU - the awesome student of WORLD CIV HONORS is going to get a chance to "Speak Your Mind."  Plain and Simple.

So, what's on your mind? Is it politics, economics, sports, school, the weather, or maybe social issue.  The trick here is to simply "free write" whatever is on your mind.  What issue do you want to talk about? What's important to you at this point in time.

All too often you, as students, are told what to think, what to say, and to be quite frank, how to say it. Well, here's your chance to go completely "off the reservation" and talk about whatever you want to talk about!!!  So, don't waste this opportunity.  SHOUT IT OUT!!

Ok, since this is "technically" an educational blog, moderated by your's truly, I do have to state that there is a simple rule (yes, we always need "rules," right?) - you must be respectful of each others post.  That doesn't equate to a "holding-hands" and "singing around the campfire" moment - but respect.  You can agree to disagree and no one's post is considered "stupid" or "dumb."  Yet, that doesn't not mean you have to agree.  So, when posting comments on each others thoughtful topics, if you disagree, say it, but with respect.

Let the Dialog Begin!!

Blog Question:
Need I say it???  "WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND?"  SPEAK UP - BE HEARD!

What's Happened to Education in America?

There isn't much argument to the fact that education in the United States is in "serious trouble" and that if the country's future is to be secured then something must happen to reverse the downward trend.

Of course, there is plenty of people that are pointing fingers - laying blame here and there. 

Some argue that the problem is with the teachers - mainly the Teachers Unions that exist across the nation.  Inadequate teachers in the classroom and the difficulty that many schools face in trying to replace "bad teachers."

Others make the argument that even though teachers may be a portion of the problem, it is not the sole issue as to why the United States is scoring so low on the global scale when it comes to math, science and reading.  For those individuals, they point to the decaying standards of the American family - mainly a lack of parental involvement and demands that their children perform at an acceptable level.  Instead, they blame the schools and remove responsibility from themselves and/or their children.

Still, others argue that its the entire educational system that has gone awry.  These individuals argue that the American school system has become more about social acceptance (the "kumbaya effect"); an emphasis on social behavior than on academics.  A large portion of this group also argues that just about everything under the sun has replaced the key emphasis of core subjects that are globally considered the bedrock to a good education for today's world: science, math and language arts.  Schools display their sports trophies within the main lobbies of nearly all schools and its undeniable that in some states across the country - high school and college sports rule!

Again, there is plenty of blame to spread around.  Read the following article that came out in December 2013. CLICK HERE for the article.  After reading the article, jump into the blog and let your voice be heard!

BLOG QUESTION:
Why are American school's failing?  Is there a way to fix this problem or is the future of the country in serious jeopardy?

Are We Attempting to Play God??

Genetic engineering: some call it "good" science and yet others state that it is nothing more than man trying to play "God."

Many scientist make the argument that with the advancements that are being made in the field of genetics, humankind would be crazy not to pursue the engineering of a more perfect, disease-free human.

Of course, those that strongly oppose this line of science basically state that age old saying, It's not nice to fool Mother Nature! - not to mention that their is such a great potential of abuse and long-term negative ramifications that we may not clearly understand at this time.

Recently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is examining a fertility procedure combines the genetic material of three people; all in the hopes of developing a child that would be free of certain defects.  Read the article that came out Tuesday, February 25th in the New York Times Health Section that discusses this issue.  After reading the article, jump right in and let's hear what you think about this week's blog question.

Blog Question:
Do you feel that the time has come for us to begin conducting genetic engineering on humans?  Do you feel that there are any true ethnic and moralistic issues that must be considered?  Just because we CAN do something, does it automatically mean that we SHOULD do something?

Is Evil, evil?

Ok, let me start by saying that I need to do a little "lead into" for this blog topic - just to make sure that we're all clear on the actual topic - "Is Evil, evil?"  So I ask that each of you do me the courtesy of reading what I have written here prior to posting your comments.

Several years ago I heard a speaker while in college speak about the importance of properly analyzing history.  The reason that I remember the core of his speech was that I found the topic to be interesting and the questions he raised to be thought provoking; and as most of you know, I love thought-provoking conversations.... the deeper, the better!  To my "sick" academic mind, a good evening would be to have a bunch of people sitting around and engaging in a great discussion on "deep" topics.  Anyway, moving on...

The professor was Dr. Demos of Yale University (btw, one of the most interesting history professors I ever had) and he was stressing how it is important for students of history, professors of history, research writers, etc., to learn to analyze history as history.  In other words, not give what they may conceive as clear-cut labels.  According to Dr. Demos, when we do that, we enter into a "wrong way to attempt to understand history."  History, of itself, has no unambiguously good actors or bad.  There are just actors.  In fact, good and evil should not factor in a historical analysis at all.  Properly done, history must be examined and analyzed from a dispassionate, almost other-worldly, perspective. Let me give you an example using the Civil War.

Lincoln fought a war to preserve the Union—a union that had been voluntarily, democratically entered by the various states and subsequent territories.  Take away the repugnant institution of slavery, and the Confederacy had the better democratic claim for what they wished to do, if the critical ideal for a democratic republic is self-determination.  Had Lincoln not been able to wrap his cause of preserving the Union in the flag of ending slavery, the 600,000 dead would have been an atrocious cost to pay in order to keep a voluntarily-entered union from being voluntarily and democratically dissolved.

Stripped of moral judgments, history abounds with irony.   Lincoln had to subvert the democratic will of the Southern state legislatures in order to preserve democracy.  He eventually used the greater evil of slavery as justification for his fight against Southern democracy, but it should never be forgotten that he didn’t issue the Emancipation Proclamation until 1863, well after hostilities had commenced.   He pinned his cause on eliminating slavery only when it appeared his cause of preserving the Union was in jeopardy.  One wonders, what rationale to hold together the Union would be available, if in the future some state democratically determined it wished to leave?  Considering that even client states like Iraq and Afghanistan have no choice about their limited participation in the Union, it would be outlandish to imagine that something would not be contrived if, e.g., Texas figured it would be better off going it alone, again.  Lincoln was lucky.  He had the abolition of slavery to steel the people’s hearts and minds to battle against their own people, and in some measure, against their own ideals.  Artfully leveraging slavery to his purposes was part of Lincoln’s genius.  It would take an even more astute politician to conjure such a compelling purpose today, if one of the several states sought leave to end its association.

Ok, continuing my example using the Civil War (yes, one of my favorite period so history to study), let's take a look at the Confederate General, Robert E. Lee.  Lee is perhaps the most mythologized and romanticized military leader in American history.  His tactical brilliance is routinely praised, though there is precious little evidence supporting the view.  In fact, Lee led tactical disaster after disaster, not least Pickett’s charge at Gettysburg, which as any reasonably astute tactician understands, and all Lee’s generals at the time fully well knew, was nothing more or less than Confederate suicide.  In many ways, Lee was the Union’s best general.  History is always written by the victors, perhaps explaining the enduring myth of Lee’s tactical brilliance.  The victors would not wish to imagine that Lee’s defeat was anything other than the product of their own valor and determination against a formidable foe.

So, are we correct to label something as "evil" simply to justify our own desire to elevate our own "goodness" or to justify something we consider (or in history's case - the victor) to be morally good.  Could not one claim that Lincoln was an "evil" man for leading the country into a war that, as stated earlier, actually went against the very principals of the Declaration of Independence? If you don't think so, maybe you should take the time to re-read the Declaration of Independence, for it clearly stated:

"...That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."

Would it not be equally justified to declare that Robert E. Lee was "evil" for leading the Confederate states into one disaster after another; only on the belief that for some reason the South was justified in it's succession?

What about other characters that we find throughout history?  Who is "evil"?  Why are they considered "evil?"  How will history look back at us 100, 500, or a 1000 years from now when they read that we aborted millions of unborn children (NO!!! THIS IS NOT AN ANTI-ABORTION MESSAGE!!!...but what if for some reason later on that it's discovered that a fetus at 1 week old can indeed feel pain...it would probably change the interpretations that some have about the "justification" of aborting a fetus...therefore the future may judge us completely different)?  Will we be considered an "evil" people?

Last but not least - the question must also be asked - is an individuals actions "evil" or is it the results of a given action that are evil?

Trust me, the topic is difficult to nail down and granted, the interpretations are just as varied as the events in history itself.  So here's the blog topic for this week.....

BLOG QUESTION:
Is Evil, "evil"?  Can we effectively and justifiably declare someone or something in history as being "evil" - if so how or why? 

Iran's "Sweet" Nuclear Deal???

As of Monday, the temporary nuclear deal with Iran took effect.  Those that support the deal proclaim that it is long overdue and necessary if there is ever any hope in establishing stability in the Middle East and effectively dealing with Iran.  Of course, those that oppose the deal claim that this deal will only empower Iran and that the Iranian government has a long track record of not being trustworthy or true to their word.  Many people see this deal as mere appeasement - often compared to how the world originally tried to deal with Hitler when he began to rise to power... a mistake that later on had serious consequences.

Read the article that was posted on the New York Times website to gain some background and inside knowledge of this issue.  CLICK HERE to read the article.

BLOG TOPIC QUESTIONS:
What is your opinion on this subject?  Is this a "good" deal or is it merely creating a much larger issue later on.  Should any country be able to tell another country that they can or cannot have nuclear "energy" or even nuclear weapons, for that matter?

NOTE: Please remember to respect each other's opinions.  Your part in this blog is NOT to tell other members of the class that their blog post were "nice," "good argument" "bad grammar" or anything such as that.  This is a discussion.  Just as you would discuss it in class.

Global Warming?

Is the earth heating up?  Is the earth cooling off?  Are traditional places around the world that experience traditional winters becoming tropical?  Or is the planet experiencing yet another flux in its history of temperature changes?

Your answer may vary depending on what side of the global warming (now officially known as "climate change") debate you may be on.  Some believe that if you don't believe in global warming than you are "uneducated" - even to the point that some scientist that have spoken out against the argument that there is a dangerous rise in temperatures around the world have been shunned by members in the science community.

Yet, there is evidence that shows that the throughout the history of the earth it has always fluctuated between a number of years of which the planet warmed and a number of years of which the earth cooled.  Scientist that argue against the idea of global warming state that the earth's rotation "wobbles" and throughout time the earth's axes moves slightly; which has a direct effect on the temperatures around the globe.

There is plenty of information out there that present both sides of this argument.  I would highly encourage you to take a look at them.  It's always important to know both sides of a debate.

BLOG QUESTION:
What is your opinion about Global Warming (or if you want to be politically correct today, you can call it "Climate Change")?  Defend your point of view.

No Work...No Money....

Some call it "Welfare" while others call it "Entitlements"... Some can argue that it is a nation's "moral responsibility" to aid those that are less fortunate, while others will argue that doing so on the back of others is an unfair system.  Regardless of which side of the issue you may be on, one thing is for sure - the welfare debate is only beginning; not only in the United States, but elsewhere in the world, as governments around the globe begin to struggle with mounting debt and having to make serious budget cuts.

Without a doubt, it is going to be a topic that the United States is going to have to address in the very near future; especially in light of new figures that have recently been released that indicate that over 100 MILLION Americans are currently receiving some type of Federal Welfare.  Opponents of the growing welfare programs argue that the United States is becoming a "Welfare State" and that the middle class and the wealthy are the ones that are being "forced" to pay for these programs - mainly through increased taxes.  Likewise, those that proclaim that the programs are vital due to the current economy, make the argument that those that have jobs should be assisting those that are without and even more so, that the weight of the funding for these programs should come from "taxing the rich" at a much higher rate.

Furthermore,  most individuals that are against the increased funding for the numerous federal welfare programs that exist claim that a large portion of those that are receiving these funds are abusing the system and "just lazy" - getting money for nothing.  Why would they want to work if they are going to get "free money" and "free healthcare"?  Those that are benefiting from these programs claim that there aren't any jobs and that it's not their fault.

One of the ideas that has recently gained traction is that those that receive a welfare check should be forced to work.  The argument is that there are plenty of volunteer jobs that recipients can work at; soup kitchens, hospitals, schools, picking up litter, etc.  Those that disagree with this approach argue that "forcing" people to work would be the same as slavery - forcing someone to do something they didn't want to do and that doing so would be unconstitutional.

So... I bet you can guess what this week's blog topic is.....

BLOG TOPIC: Should those that receive welfare benefits be forced to work x-number of hours per week in order to qualify to receive the benefits?

This week's blog topic was contributed by Lady Tank.....

Nelson Mandela

OUR TRIBUTE TO A GREAT WORLD LEADER!

This week, the world lost one of the greatest leaders it has been blessed to have, Nelson Mandela.  This week, we're going to discuss one of his many great quotes that will now live forever within the annals of history.  I hope that each one of you take some time to do some research on this great leader and that read some of his work, at some point in your life.  He was a positive light upon this world and learning more about him will only have one effect on your life and that effect will be a positive one!

This week's Blog Topic:
Analyze the following quote from Mr. Mandela:

"I detest racialism, because I regard it as a barbaric thing, whether it comes from a black man or a white man."

BONUS: Feel free to add any knowledge you may have about this great man, or something that you learned recently about Mandela that has left an impression on you, personally.

SPECIAL NOTE: This week's blog topic was suggested by one of my APUSH 2 students.  If you have a topic you'd like for us to discuss, drop me an email.  If I like it, I'll post it!!!

Good Science...bad science???

Oddly enough, we’re going to continue on our “science” type theme this week, but with a slight (or major) twist.  I didn’t actually plan it this way, originally, but heard this great discussion on how “beneficial” science really is…or isn’t…

Science, for the most part, is the accumulation of knowledge in a systematic method to create general truths on the operation of the universe, most commonly referring to “the physical world and its phenomena, the nature, constitution, and forces of matter, the qualities and functions of living tissues.” (Webster’s) For this blog it can be understood to be the development and utilization of new technology and the expansion of human knowledge in the modern era, though it should be noted that not all technological advances are from rigorous scientific analysis (such as the industrial revolution) and science has only significantly influenced technology in the last two centuries. What it means to be human is itself another debate, but here it can be understood to be both the collective entity of the human race and the defining features of humans which make them distinguishable from other beings (you know, what separates you from your dog or cat or other life forms).

Advancements in science have occurred for thousands of years as far back as the Ancient Greeks (who many believe invented scientific principles), and their effects are becoming ever more pronounced. Production has shifted to mechanized factories and even killing in warfare is being replaced in parts with unmanned drones. The boundaries of medicine are being expanded with possibilities of cloning and stem cell research. Science has allowed acts that would otherwise be impossible for humans to consider undertaking. It has created previously unknown abilities to heal the sick or destroy all of humanity with Weapons of Mass Destruction.

Blog Topic: The question is whether or not being able to undertake those acts is a benefit, and whether science does more to improve lives or harm them.

Foreign STEM Graduates

Here at Secaucus High School, we have what is known as the STEM Academy (aka Science & Math Academy...or the Math and Science Academy... depending on your preference.... kind of like which came first, the chicken or the egg...)

As the U.S. economy staggers out of recession, many see the growth of the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields, known collectively as STEM, to be crucial in keeping the United States competitive on the global stage.

In addition to facilitating the study of these fields among American youths, some STEM proponents argue that immigrants who come to the United States to learn about the sciences should be encouraged to stay here once they have graduated. They fear that otherwise, foreign STEM grads will take their skills and education to their home countries, costing America the opportunity for job-creating innovation. The STAPLE Act, which would grant immigrants who earn Ph.D.’s in STEM fields permanent residency and exempt them from immigrant quota limitations, is one initiative being proposed to keep foreign STEM graduates on U.S. soil in the hopes that they will create successful companies and more jobs for Americans.

Opponents say this and similar measures would have the opposite effect, taking jobs away from Americans and suppressing wages in the fields. In addition, many opponents feel that the over emphasis on STEM related subjects belittles the other equally academic fields in the Arts and Humanities.

Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies and author of The New Case Against Immigration, Both Legal and Illegal and How Obama is Transforming America Through Immigration, feels that the idea is a good one, as long as it's restricted to those receiving a Ph.D.  He stated:

""Staple a green card to every foreign STEM grad's diploma!" say the politicians and lobbyists. But the real question is, which foreign STEM graduates should get green cards?
Foreign students getting bachelor's degrees most certainly shouldn't, because that level of achievement is hardly special. Even the tech companies pushing for the "staple" legislation don't want that; Texas Instruments's human resources director testified before Congress last year that her firm doesn't sponsor foreign students with bachelor's degrees because there are plenty of Americans to choose from. In fact, there were in 2010 1.8 million Americans with engineering bachelor's degrees who were not working in engineering. And that's not all STEM fields—just engineering."

Dr. Norm Matloff, a professor of computer science at the University of California opposes this idea and any legislation that would promote this program.  Dr. Matloff wrote:

"Flooding the STEM labor market with foreign students produces stagnant wages. This disincentivizes many of our best and brightest young Americans who hold STEM degrees from seeking careers in the field; instead, they often pursue law or M.B.A. degrees. Reportedly 25 percent of Massachusetts Institute of Technology engineering graduates now go to Wall Street instead of launching careers in technology. Proponents of "staple a green card" proposals should worry about an internal brain drain in the United States."

Blog Topic Question:
Should foreign STEM graduates get green cards? If so, should it be restricted to only those that obtain a Ph.D in their field

Blast off to Mars!!

Ok, I know that the title of this blog may sound strange (yes, I would also agree), but let me explain.  This week, we are going to pretend that all of us have volunteered to be the first people to colonize the planet Mars.  Water has been found and scientist have been cultivating the planet so that it can sustain life.  The reality is that you're a long way from home....a really long way....(it would make the separation from say the historical "Old World" and "New World" look like a simple walk across the street!!).

So, as you prepare for your trip to the Red Planet, we have to decide on a few things....

This Week's Blog Questions:

You can carry only three things with you (due to strict weight limitations)... what would you take?
Think about the make up of your class.  Someone has to be in charge...who?  What type of government are you going to put into place?  What are some of the rules that you would establish that would be non-negotiable?  What do you do with those that refuse to obey the rules?

PS> Even though this is somewhat of a "fun" blog topic this week, the answers to the above questions aren't as easy to answer as one may think.  The decisions that you make will have MAJOR implications and may determine if you survive or not!  Give your responses some thought.

Feared or Loved?

Let's say that you suddenly found out that you were a relative of a king or queen of a powerful country and the ruler is childless.  The king or queen suddenly dies and the people of that country begin scrambling to find how is the closest heir to the throne... and they discover that it is YOU!

Now you are faced with the key question of which Machiavelli wrote about in his book The Prince.  Machiavelli asked the question: whether it is better to be loved than feared, or the reverse.  Machiavelli's response was "The answer is, of course, that it would be best to be both loved and feared.  But since the two rarely come together,l anyone compelled to chose will find greater security in being feared than in being loved."


This week's Blog Topic:
As a ruler, it is better to be loved or feared?  Be sure to defend your answer and provide clear examples for support.

Is It Possible??

A young man I went to college with once told me that he had an awesome dream that one day, not too far into the future, a group of people were going to sit down and come up with a way to bring about world peace.  He said that in his dream that intellectual people from all over the world met at some big conference and were sitting around a large circular table and for days debated on how to bring about true world peace.  As with most dreams that we have, he couldn't recall what the solution was nor any of the various arguments that had been made - only that he remembered that in the last part of his dream news media from all over the world were spreading the news of their success.  I'll never forget how about 10 of my friends sat for hours discussing rather or not that could ever be possible.... or if it is nothing more than a pipe dream.

So, this week, you're going to dive into the conversation and see what you, the future of this planet believe and think about the possibility of "true world peace."  Before you develop your answer, you do have to consider a few key things.  One, you'd have to be able to identify what are the main things that divide the people around the earth (i.e., politics, religion, economics, etc.) and secondly, what issues, if any, could we develop effective compromises on that would allow us to come together.  Trust me, it's not an easy topic nor would it be an easy task - but if history has taught us anything, it has taught us that doing nothing, ALWAYS results in nothing and if people want to do something bad enough, humankind normally finds a way (both for good and bad).


THIS WEEK'S BLOG TOPIC IS:
Is world peace truly obtainable?  Why or why not?  What issues will keep us from obtaining a workable compromise?  What issues could possibly bring us together?  Or is obtaining true world peace, simply a dream?

The Boulder....

As we begin our study of the Exploration Period in class this week, I thought it would be interesting to discuss what you believe would be a "Boulder Event" that would have a dramatic change on the Earth, dramatically effecting humankind, much like events that took place during Renaissance, the Scientific Revolution and the Exploration Period.

Due in large to the Scientific Revolution, the Exploration Period was able to take place due to the advancements in technology - the development of the compass, the sextant, the astrolabe, and a number of key advancements.  With these major advancements in tools of navigation, people began to expand outward and to explore the world, which had positive and negative results.

So, with that theme in mind.....


This Week's Topic Question is:

What "invention" would revolutionize the world today and create a major "Boulder Event" that would have not only an immediate effect, but would also have a major impact on humankind years beyond?

What's "Right"? What's "Wrong"?

A historian's job isn't to determine what events in history are "right" or which ones are "wrong" - but the problem that lies with this approach is that historians are "human," and by that fact alone, it is often difficult to separate the human element from the simple recording and "objective" evaluation.  Yet, philosophers, of which there are many great examples (such as Socrates, Aristotle, Hegel, Locke, Hobbs, etc.), on the other hand have the ability to look at a wider perspective of events.  They often provide us with bits and pieces of wisdom that we, ourselves, can devour and analyze.

For this week's topic, we are going to take the words of such a philosopher and you, the great and awesome members of Lord Gehm's WCH class, are going to do the "devouring" and the "analyzing" of his bit of wisdom.  Remember, you don't have to agree (for, as we know, we all have opinions), but we do have to defend our point of view.

This Week's Topic:

"Genuine tragedies in the world are not conflicts between right or wrong. They are conflicts between two rights." (Georg Wilheim Friedrich Hegel) - Analyze this statement.

Cause and Effect

Throughout our study of history, one thing always remains constant - Cause and Effect.  As we have often discussed in class, history does not happen in a vacuum.  Every single event, from the "Big Bang" to more recent events such as 9/11, had a beginning and something caused that event to happen. Not only did something cause the event to happen, the event had an effect.  All of you are completely familiar with the concept of.... wait for it.... get ready.... "RIPPLES!!" We discussed the grain of sand effect (almost unnoticeable ripple effect) to the bolder (very large ripple!) within the "pool" of time and history.  This week, we are going to look at the "bolder effects" on history.

TOPIC: What event in history do you think has had the greatest impact on mankind?  Why?

Remember, each of you are required to post and each of you should comment on others post - you may or may not agree with someone's opinion, but keep in mind that each one of you of you have the right to your own opinion.  All post and comments must be done respectfully and written in proper English (sorry, not text message lingo!).

Welcome to WCH Blogging!!!!

This blog is to help students to be able to "discuss" topics beyond the classroom and hopefully be beneficial to them when discussing current affairs, historical topics, and yes, with your writing. Keep in mind that this is to be an additional tool that helps you in this class and should NOT be considered something that was designed to create more work on you.

With that said, each student is expected to contribute to the conversation.  You will receive a quiz score for your contribution to each topic that is posted.  Each one of you must post an original post (your own thoughts and opinion) and you must comment on at least three (3) other fellow student's post - provide feedback - both positive and negative (respectful criticism, at all times).  Each one of you will be scored on the contribution you make and the responses you make to others' post.  Please note: responses to someone else's post does not include comments such as "nice post," "I fully agree," or any form like those.  Your responses must be insightful and thought out.

Keep in mind that at times, some of the topics can be controversial and it is extremely important that you always respect the opinions of others.  Any student that purposely belittles another student's post will be dealt with in accordance to school policy. The rule of thumb is: "Agree to Disagree."  All of us have the right to our opinions and just because you do not agree with someone else's point of view, does not make them "stupid" or "dumb." Present your arguments intelligently and your counter-arguments respectfully.

Proper grammar DOES COUNT and you need to write in complete sentences.

So, here we go on this new adventure in learning from each other - let's have fun with it, but at the same time, learn.

Good blogging!