Is war ever necessary?

I do not believe war is necessary. For one thing, it is usually spawned from a fight over power. Different countries wanting more land, more resources, and more wealth. (Gold, God, and Glory, basically.) This is one of the most naive things to start a war over, in my opinion, because the three G's shouldn't be one's main priority in life.
Secondly, the cons of war significantly outnumber the pros, especially when dealing with the outcome. Many people are killed unjustly, and the level of brutality and rashness increases among people.
War is like an attitude; it brings a sense of fear, rage, and sorrow to many. I feel that war brings people further from a utopia, which is a generally desired state of being.

So in conclusion... war = bad.

How My Life Would Be Different

1. Copernicus, Kepler, and Galileo defend the Heliocentric Theory:
If these astronomers had not discovered this, we could be living in a world which believes that the Earth is the center of the universe, which could really scew our knowledge of the solar system. Without the Heliocentric Theory, we would not understand our place in the universe and about all the different planets and stars around us.

2. The Scientific Method:
If Francis Bacon had never created the Scientific Method during the Scientific Revolution, scientists would have no set code to follow while working. This could lead to error that could affect a nation, discoveries unrecorded, faulty scienctific products, etc. Without the scientific method, science would be chaotic and uncontrolled.

3. Isaac Newton:
If Isaac Newton had not discovered and explained gravity during the Scientific Revolution, we would have no idea why things fall. This would wipe out all inventions of planes, helicopters, or any other sort of flying device, which would make traveling long and tiring. It would also affect science, in terms of determining the gravity on another planet.

4. The French Revolution:
If the French Revolution had never happened, France would probably still be governed by an absolute monarch. Individuals would have little to no rights and would be ruled by a power-hungry leader.

5. Industrial Revolution:
If the Industrial Revolution had not occured, things would be dramatically different. There would be no factories in which to produce quick and easy products, meaning that prices would go up on items imported and hand-crafted. New technology to reduce labor would be nonexistent as well, such as the cotton gin. No cotton gins would likely increase the number of slaves. However, if this revolution had not occured, there would be no child labor and unsafe working environments.

6. Marxism, Natural Right, and Freedom:
If Karl Marx, John Locke, and Voltaire had never existed during the Enlightenment, we would not have as much freedom as a nation. The people would hold no power, while the nation's leaders and business owners would hold it all. We would have no rights, no freedom of speech, and no freedom of thought.

7. Government:
Without Montesquieu, there would be no individual branches of the government. Our government would be simplistic, weak, and power hungry. We would also have less people to help lead the nation.

8. Declaration of Independence, English Bill of Rights, and Napoleon Bonaparte:
Without these two important documents (which were created during the Political Revolution), we would have a lot less freedom in the US and Great Britain. There would be less rights for individuals. In France, without Napoleonic, France would be a smaller nation and have less rights.

9. Nationalism and Imperialism:
Without these two things (which were created during the Age of Nationalism and New Imperialism), many countries would not have expanded as much and would have a lot less natural resources, which are needed for industrialization and markets.

10. In Africa:
Without the Industrial Revolution and the Age of Nationalism and New Imperialism, there would not have been such a high demand for slavery, and in our country, discrimination might be more apparent because there would be less African Americans there.

Effect of European Colonization

How did European exploration and colonization forever change the landscape and lives of people in the Old World and the New World?

Positive:
-The Europeans gained a few things from the Americas. They were introduced to corn and potatoes, which were highly nutritious and very easy to grow. This increase in 'easy foods' helped Europe.
The Europeans also gained new lands from the Americas, increasing population and territory.

-The Americas were introduced to quite a few things as well. The most important thing they gained from Europe was various foods (such as citrus fruits) and livestock (horses, cattle, pigs, chickens, etc).

-Africa gained weaponry through trading.


Negative:
-The Europeans were not affected negatively by the discovery of the Americas.

-The Americas suffered greatly from the Europeans. One way they were affected was through disease. All the livestock brought over from Europe had diseases that the natives had no defenses against. This caused huge spreads of sickness and death over the land. The natives of the Americas were also forced into work for the Europeans, and often mistreated or killed.
Because of the discovery of the New World, the natives of the Americas lost their land, became sick, and were forced to work.

-Another important continent affected by the discovery of the Americas was Africa. The Africans were considered strong and harder working than the natives, so they were shipped to the Americas to work. This affected the Africans greatly, because many died from the long voyage, harsh conditions on the boat, and harsh conditions once they reached the Americas.

Discovering the Undiscovered

The rewards of such a voyage could be promising if I discovered a new species of plant/animal or if I found a new planet that humans could inhabit. The risk involved could be significantly high, considering that it's an unknown area, but my theory is: if no one else will do it, go for it! Some of the risks could include: getting stranded in space due to a malfunction in the ship's system, or getting eaten alive by some alien creature... I think I would go, despite the risks, because I'd have the chance to make an amazing discovery. In economical terms, I could also make a considerable amount of money doing so. :)

The Printing Press and the Internet

During the Dark Ages, times were literally dark. The literacy rate was about 1% out of the entire population, and those who could read or write were usually church officials. However, after the growth and decay of the bubonic plague, times changed. The Renaissance began and the Europeans began to believe that literacy and knowledge were crucial to living a good life. One man who took matters into his own hands was Johann Gutenberg, who changed the way books were made forever. He took the slow, painstaking moveable type method and created a printing press, which dramatically increased the speed of which books could be made. Because of this, the prices of books dropped significantly and because of the affordable price, the literacy rate skyrocketed. Thanks, Gutenberg! :)

The printing press. Yay!

The internet is an invention that has greatly changed the way we live today and the amount of information we can browse. It contains millions of private and public, academic, business, and government networks that enable communication, work, and education. Before the internet, books were relied on to convey knowledge (thanks again, Gutenberg!) While books are still used, the internet is much faster and more user-friendly. The biggest influence it has had is in the education field. It has provided faster, more up-to-date information for students to learn and study. It’s even provided the necessary information for me to write this paragraph! :)

This is a visual depiction of one portion of the internet's network. Amazing, eh?

Carpe Diem?

"Pluck the Day"

I agree with this saying 95%. (The other 5% I'll explain shortly.) I believe in living every day to the fullest and to savor every moment, good or bad. I especially try to acknowledge the bad moments because then I can enjoy the good ones even more. I am definitely one to try and understand how I'm feeling every at different moments, to better understand myself. I also think that practicing this type of gratitude can help you be more appreciative of the little joys in life.

Now, the reason I slightly disagree is because completely ignoring the future can be foolish in some situations. To some degree, I like to think about the future and imagine what I'd like to be doing in it. At the same time, that sometimes leads to worrying too much, which brings me back to remembering to enjoy the moment I'm in.

It's a cycle. :)

Impressions from Local Religious Centers

At the Al Huda, the first thing I noticed was that it was small but cozy inside. It had a very quiet and placid atmosphere. I really enjoyed Dr. Rasheed because he was very polite and kind, and he explained himself thoroughly so we could understand everything well. One thing I was really pleased to discover was the reason that Islamic women wear the cloths to cover themselves. At first, I had misunderstood this concept, but I learned that they do it to be modest and to prevent any rivalry or jealousy. It contributes to the overall goal of all Muslims: to be equal. Another thing I learned was that the Five Pillars of Islam were created by Allah, not by Mohammed.

At the Congregation of Children of Israel, I was in awe of the absolute beauty of the place. Everything had a very regal feel to it. I especially liked the sanctuary. It was gorgeous! I was very interested to learn about Jewish culture because that was one religion I didn't know much about. One thing I became clear on was Sabbath, which is a weekly day of rest for the Jewish. I was also very interested to learn about Jewish funerals. Unlike Americans, when someone dies in the Jewish culture, they bury the person fairly soon and have a set period of time (seven days) to grieve before they return to regular life. I think that makes more sense because it often takes a long time to recover from a loss and going right back to a social life can be difficult if rushed.

At St. Joseph's Catholic, I was again struck by the beauty of everything. I especially liked the Sanctuary where I found the stained glass windows to be absolutely beautiful. It was interesting to see the different stations of the bible all along the walls, but it was informative. Also, the fact that the church had created a little area for the Hispanic members to worship was very thoughtful and accommodating. Since I am most familiar with Christian culture than any others, I didn't learn anything specific that I didn't already know.

(St. Joseph's)