No New Posts or Comments

Ok, Folks, the time for posting and replying is over as the final day of instruction is complete. Thank you for your efforts to those of you that took the time to participate in this experiment.

NeoLiberalism-Gag!

   Seriously, I don't agree with the whole idea of it. Macros seems to be a self-righteously absorbed revolutionary whose whole idea of changing things is motivated by his own willingness to prove others wrong. Quite Frankly Im not impressed...He should just leave things the way they are... The invisible hand that is the world will eventually bring everything to how they need to be!

Inspired rebellion

This book is about a group of oppressed people. In the book we see a group of uncompromising voice if indigenous people that are remaining in resistance to something that seems almost impossible to beat, which is the globalization of their land and culture. It shows how words generally can become weapons, through the propaganda and the writings of Marcos people revolted against their government and words became blood. The thing that you see most throughout the book is the Chiapas becoming a worldwide icon of anti-globalization. The rebellious acts of these people seem to urge democracy and liberation at any cost.  People all around the word could be inspired by the story that is woven in the history of these words they spread power and emotion, they inspired in people, and turned their anger into a revolution that has altered the course of Mexican politics. 

Modern Revolution

The Zapatista Army of National Liberation's ideas and their problems with the Mexican government are well documented by Subcomandte Marcos in Our Word Is Our Weapon. The indigenous people of Mexico felt that the government ignored their needs. The use of the internet and other technologies helped this insurgency gain support. The insurgents in many counties in the middle east also use the internet to help gain sympathy for thier cause. This new tactic of spreading propaganda that anyone can see has formed how modern day revolutions are able to gain so much support within and outside their own country. The international spot light that the internet propoganda helped gain these revolutions defiently fits the books name, Our Word is Our Weapon, because of how effective they have been in gaining support.

Effects of Six Drinks

After reading the History of World in Six Glasses it's interesting to see how the six drinks Standage used have affected the health of the world. All drinks have, in some way, been tied to poor health habits. Beer is full of simple carbs and sugar and overtime will damage the liver. Spirits and wine fall into this category as well. Coffee and tea are both addictive to people because of the caffeine that is in them and the caffeine flushes nutrients out of the body. Cola is considerably bad because it has high amounts of sugar and caffeine and throws of the ionic balance of the body.
This book explores six drinks and how they have related with world history, but have they also affected the health of people over time and contributed to problems such as obesity, heart disease, and diabetes?
Stephen Goodwin

Turkey-not just something you eat. FC

It interesting to note that Akcura "listed extreme tolerance in religion as one of the traits that the Turks carried with them as they moved across Eurasia. " A great reason for this is because of the location of Turkey. It was located in a region where cultures would come and intermingle. You would have Asian cultures, Middle Eastern cultures, and European cultures that would mix with one another. This provided the Turkish people with an opportunity to observe these countries first hand and enabled them to pick and choose the parts they liked the most and adapt them to their cultures allowing for a greater religious tolerance.

Coca-Cola good globalization-FC

Ok I can see the similarities between imperialism and globalization. The stronger countries make the smaller ones work for them. But the differences are so vast that they should be put in two totally different categories. For one imperialism really is oppressive and does force another countries way of life on people who do not want it. People in India did not like British people telling them what to do and profiting off their resources, and neither did think Incas when the Spanish tried to force Christianity on them. Now, globalization is different in that it benefits both countries. The poorer country gets jobs and the indigenous people now have money in their pockets they did not have before. Also, the stronger country benefits from cheaper production cost. Coca-Cola might be the embodiment of American ideals but it is not being forced down peoples throats. People continue to by Coca-Cola because they enjoy it not because they are scared America will punish them if they do not. Another American company that has been given a bad rap because of its global influence is McDonalds. McDonalds is the embodiment of fat greasy American hamburgers, and the company operates all over the world. But this does not mean that McDonalds is selling the world Americas obesity problems, they do market reaserch and adapt to their region. Like in Japan they sell shrimp burgers. One more thing globalization brings the world closer together, and forms more of global community. I believe the sake of maintaining economic power is more important to countries now that having complete military power. If one country has global economic power it has allies
-Edward Gooch

The Turks in World History, p. 218-237 FC

The assimilation of Turks in Europe in the late twentieth century determined how they viewed themselves and their evolution as a people. The Turks in World History depicts that although Turks saw themselves as a people but they chose to have the buffet effect. They chose to accept certain backgrounds in their ethnicity gene pool and also had to choice to claim others. The picking and choosing on what they decided to put on their plate was determine who they were and what they were going to be in Europe.
The Turks in World History explains how Islam and the culture that follows had an impact on the later assimilated Turkish population. Also Findley mentions how politics of the Turks took its role in European history mainly Germany. Findley talks about about the genetic make up of the Turkic identity which was set up by the migrations of different people across Asia and Europe.
Through the pages I read about the extensive background of the Turkic identity and how the people slowly evolve. Findley gave great examples of the leaders and of influential people that would show Turkic pride. The example of the caravan and weaving of rugs as a comparison to the Turks show how they were made up and how they assimilated to Europe with their overwhelming numbers because of the push and pull factors such as work openings and move to urban life from rural living.

Okwondo's Fury FC

On an interesting note, in Things Fall Apart, Achebe uses a much more westernized look back towards the culture of Niger. With the ability to look back upon his home country during a time which it was in the midst of being colonized, gives Achebe the ability to critique and criticize the incoming colonist but what we should also see is that he simultaneously is doing the same towards his fellow tribesmen in Niger. Achebe uses Okwondo as his focal point and tells of numerous ordeals which he felt Okwondo acted as many tribesmen of that time period probably did, however he criticizes Okwondo’s actions which gives off that much more westernized society feel to me. A few examples are when Okwondo beats his wife, or even pulls a gun on her, when he kills Ikemefuna, and when he beats his son. All of these situations are met with solemn responses from his fellow tribesmen telling the reader that these are wrongful acts of violence when in actuality they were probably part of the culture, which he is defending.

Kory Kaspar

Coca-Cola FC

I did not find Coke's impact on the world to be as significant as the books earlier drinks, especially tea. The other drinks we read about were generally shown in a light were they helped humanity greatly or changed the culture. i do not see how Coke did either. Unlike tea which is very healthy and gives you minerals the body needs, coke arguably harms the body more than it hurts it.

What I got out of the chapter was that coke was the first beverage to reach a global appeal. As the author says, WWII played a big part in that. Sending 16 million soldiers around the world with coke in their hands will do that. When reading the chapter I also got the feeling that coke was the first modern beverage, it used massive advertising to accomplish what it has become today and created a trend that all majot brands follow today.

David Northup FC

The Power of Coca-Cola FC

So far the theme of this book had more or less been on the idea that these various drinks changed the world in which we live, some chapters with more success than others. Most of the beverages created a cleaner drinking source, facilitated academic thought, protected sailors, fueled workers or were used in trade agreements to influence empires. The chapters on Coca-Cola fall short of these other arguments, the only truly new concept heralded was the legal caffeination of children. Sorry, but I don't see that as a great stepping stone in civilization like fermented drinks, nor was it the healing remedy it first claimed to be. (although I did find the tidbit about Coca-cola not being able to put children in its ads until 1986 pretty neat)
He attempts to make connections to the U.S. involvement in WWII and globalization, but the text clearly shows that Coca-Cola was not a leader in these fields but a follower. Coke followed the troops, it followed the spread of the U.S.'s sphere of influence, it did not colonize on its own bringing things into the American empire. It gave a morale boost to the troops but that was about it, I doubt it changed the course of the war. It changed the course of the company, the world (especially America) changed the company and made it what it is today, rather than the company making the world what it is today.
These chapters make very little in terms of describing influence, they just tell the story and don't show much on how the world was changing, avoiding the original thesis, so I see these as being the weakest point in the book.

-Spence Gaskin

coca-cola FC

Coca cola not only brought together the United States but brought together the world. " Coca Cola had established itself one very continent on Earth, carried on the coattails of the American military", with many of the countries we have seen that war spreads culture, from the Ottomans interacting with civilians and spreading their culture to the Americans in WWII. Somethings are not liked that we enhabit such as Europeans spreading Syphilis to the Native Americans (Even though to the communists they thought coca cola was just as bad i think).
In the epilogue they talk about how everything reverts back to water and this is very true, and how the big craze is bottled water because it is ' better for you' but most likely if you ask a student on campus what water they are drinking ( in their bottle) they will say they have refilled it with the water fountain. Ill go on a little enviromental tangent but there is no need to always be buying water bottles and wasting plastic when tap water (filtered) is just as good for you.
so we have learned throughout the semester what brings people together and in the book it is water and in life it is just being humans that does it.