Heart of Darkness III: Can be found in my HOD 2 blog, if you have questions, ask me cause i did that blog on parts 2 and 3.

Bush Baby: I feel like our nation is taking a huge gamble in Iraq right now, which is probably a thought many americans have as well. The end of the article states that it will either be a huge success or a huge failure. I'm sorry but a gamble a the craps table is not the same as a gamble with 21,500 young men and womens lives.
It's just a shame that we are wasting so many innocent lives over something that our country really shouldn't have been incredebly worried about. We weren't attacked by Sadam Hussein, we were attacked by a group that had nearly half Saudi Arabian's yet we didn't attack saudi arabia. No way. We said Sadam had something to do with it and went there instead. Sure, he was a bad man and should have been ousted, but the United Nations is there for that, If we really trust and belong in the united nations, we should have asked their approval. We didn't get it, yet we went on anyways. Mistakes happen but lies don't just happen, they're planned.
I understand pride and stick to it-iveness are two things on this mans priority list but damn, does he never admit he was wrong. I realize that to back out now would be detramental to our nation in so many ways but he can at least say "It was wrong, and we just need to ride it out, my administration and i would like to take RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR ACTIONS." Isn't that part of growing up, taking responsibility for your actions. the majority of americans think the war was and is wrong, top political minds do, democrats, republicans, independants, even members (or former probably) of his own staff feel it was wrong. I feel he just needs to say a few kinds words that go a little something like this: "I'm Sorry."

HOD Pt. 2 and 3 - Hopefully a comprehesion of both, if not i can do two.

Summary: The steamboat is stalled, in that time many people continue to talk about kurtz. They finally set off and make it close to where kurtz is, after encountering a shack enhabited by a russian trader. They then get attacked in the middle of the night by the natives, possibly ordered by kurtz, but they get to the center and find kurtz. He is obsessed with ivory, and not much else. They take him to the steamboat, kurtz that is, and hold him there for a the night to make the journey back. He runs away in the middle of the night, trying to go back to the natives but marlow stops him. They leave the center to go back to europe, in which time kurtz gets sick. He is near dead and he explains all of the things he wanted to do in africa and everything that he's done and he gives marlow his papers to hand off to sustain his legacy. He dies saying "the horror, the horror." this must mean the darkness in a mans soul and the horrible things that happened deep in the congo, where life is of the most primitive nature being tested in new times. Marlow gets sick but is nursed out of it and returns home, only to meet with kurtz's cousin, and girlfriend/wife. They all have different perceptions of kurtz than marlow, but they didn't know him in africa, they only knew him in europe. Everyone, mostly the company, wants kurtz's papers on the congo but marlow won't give them up, only giving a few and holding on to the rest because of the horror and shock.
I thought this was an interesting way to end a book. I honestly thought kurtz would be insane and eating peoples brains and killing animals to make beds out of and stuff but instead he just liked ivory and riches. I like how it showed that even though Kurtz had a possitive effect on so many peoples lives, those effects were back in europe where they didn't go out and matter. He was greedy when he needed to be a trendsetter, where he really would have mattered. In the end he died alone and in a dark place with nothing but, "the horrors, the horrors," to say. He died unfulfilled of his true mission because he let greed take him over. That is just what i interpreted. I have a feeling there is much more to learn about this book in seminar, because it seems to simple to be such a highly regarded book. Oh, plus the whole colonization aspect of taking over the lands and how he liked the savage way of life and how it's not really up to us. I think that may play into it as well. Very good book but not as powerful as i let myself believe it was going to be. Maybe as i mature i will understand its complexities and power much more.

African Current Event: THIS IS NEW!!!!!!!!!!!!

I read an article about Somalia and how they haven't had an established government since 1991 and one of their leaders who was key to keeping them from completely falling apart and starting insurgency, Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed, left Somalia in fear of his life and fled to Kenya where he was flown to Neirobi. Somalia has been in conflict with Ethiopia over religious beliefs for quite some time and has had much problem within itself keeping a structured government. This only hurts matters worse, almost to the point of full out chaos.
This article was interesting in the way that it just goes to show how unstable these countries are. A group of 200 could take over a capital building and take control of an entire country. It is savage warfare and principles taking over civilized governmental structure, which can only lead to disaster. I hope everything works out for Somalia, without much help from the U.S. cause we always seem to make things worse. Kosovo anyone?

Check this link out for pictures of Somalia: http://www.realtime-press.com/gallery/somalia/flash_slide_somalia.html

HOD

Wow! Yet another late blog. Here's a summary:

Charles Marlow, an Old man on a fishing boat and/or boat of some sort is out on the Thames river with his friends. He is an odd fellow but when he talks, you listen. He begins a speech, which his friends brace themselves for i should hope, and rants about roman times and how the river was very different and wars where faught there and a bunch of sentimental stuff that's gonna have to do with the ending of the book i should have no doubt. He then tells of how he saw a bird and it reminded him that he should go trade on a steamboat(nice connection!?!?!?!). He then goes to look for a job and, what-a-ya-know someone died! That and his auntie was sleeping with someone who knew someone so he got a job in a steamboat heading to africa and he meets with his manager and a bunch of this crew mates and they mostly talk about Kurtz, a very mysterious but successful man whom they are going to rescue from the heart of the congo (DANGEROUS!). It's just wild and it should get even better.

I did like this section. I like how marlow is speaking yet it stilll sounds like a narrorated story, because essentially it is, i just find that to be a cool way to write a book. I didn't think the vocab was that hard, it just made lots of sence that made the pictures in my head jump out more. Example: "Brought from all the recesses of the coast in all the legality of time contracts, lost in uncongenial surroundings, fed on unfamiliar food, they sickened, became inefficient, and were then allowed to crawl away and rest" (14) Conrad could have just said "they were unfamiliar with the place and got sick and didn't work well" but...he didn't cause he is a MASTER! The buildup of kurtz is cool too. Will he live up to the hype? We'll see.

I realize now that it may be too late to do the blog on the republic but... i am going to make a last ditch effort.

The republic was interesting because the cave could have meant so many things but...I thought this:

The darkness of the cave is regular human existance without exploration of philosiphy or humankind. The fire is the flicker of knowledge that we see, but many do not touch because we fear it, yet it brings us light. We are afraid of the unknown. The person who unchains us is the one who shows us the light, or teaches us new things. This light may harm the eyes, as it did for the people in the cave, but we adjust to it. This is why people did not like socrates. Because they could not adjust to his thoughts and teachings. There you have it. I'm sorry but it really means nothing now. Bet you heard alot about caves a while back.