May Current Events

1. Israel Soldiers killed 10 on Gaza aid convoy

In International waters, about 70 miles out of Israeli's boundaries, Israeli soldiers stormed a flotilla of ships that were intended for Palestinians in Gaza, and there were 10 left dead because of it. Israel said it was defending themselves, but not only Palestinians, but many other countries around the world thought it was barbaric of Israel and unnecessary, and a lot of countries are taking direct action because of it.

I think this has a lot of world importance because Israel has gone through so much, even before it was a state, and now they are taking means to protect themselves a little to far. With other countries beginning to notice how hostile Israel is getting, they are doing more things to "try and stop it". Other countries are able to do this, however, the United States has a very strong tie with Israel, so we would have to support them in whatever route they end up going down.

2. Gunmen killed 5 at Pakistani Hospital

Four gunmen opened fire on a Pakistani Hospital on Monday. They opened fire because they were hoping to attempt to either kidnap or kill the suspect in last weeks attack on a religious minority. The shooting left 12 dead, and 4 police officers and a security guard also when police went back to examine the scene.

This has global importance because this is just one example of how people respond to violence with violence. If the world is ever going to have global peace, then people can not respond back in violence when a violent act is committed upon them.

3. North Korea will meet "War With War"

After South Korea had an anti-submarine exercise early on Thursday, North Korea responded by saying "they would meet confrontation with confrontation and war with all-out war". The state-ran news agency broadcasts that the South Korean leaders are "a group of traitors" and they will experience "unheard of disastrous consequences" if they misunderstand North Korea's will.

This has global importance because the hostility between North & South Korea has always been very extreme. But as the threats are getting more and more serious, and North Korea will soon be able to carry them out, the war that breaks out between them will launch the United States and other allies of South Korea to join in, as well as Iran being North Korea's main ally. That wouldn't be good, as it would lead to a possible WWIII.

Berlin Conference Effects On Africa

I think that the main effects that the Berlin Conference had on Africa was the splitting and dividing of African people and culture, and the slavery and segregation that is still seen today. When all different countries took over different parts of land, it split people apart from their fellow tribes / families, and in a way destroyed a lot of African culture. In many parts of Africa today, people talk french or english. Even though that can be viewed in a positive way, that isn't the way that it was suppose to be. The slavery and segregation is one of the harsher and more everlasting effects. When the white men came to Africa and claimed their territories, they also claimed the people in those territories as well, and made them work and treat them as inferiors. Then when they took Africans over to make them work in America, that made the situation double and hints of racism are still seen a lot over the world, and unfortunately to say, the United States as well.

Scramble For Africa

When i look at the quote, I think of countries "scrambling", or all racing to get the most control over Africa first. Everybody is so eager to split up Africa and take it all for themselves, they don't realize what they are doing to the people who are living their and their culture.

African Folklore

Rainforest Folklore

The summary of "The Spirit" is how a boy goes into the forest to capture an elephant for his dying people. He succeeds, brings it back to his village, but then is still hungry, so goes back to his trap and waits. A little boy though gets stuck in the trap, because he ran far ahead of his mother. The boy ate him, and went back to his village and told his uncles of his good luck. Then you hear screams from the forest, (little boys mom), and the men of the village grabs their guns and goes into the forest and kills her.

I don't really know much about African myth to know what was incorporating in the story; but this whole story was mention spirits a lot, hence the title. It talked about how the boys spirit carried him into the trap, and how forest spirits are dangerous.

I don't think anything was entertaining about the myth, I didn't like it.

I could apply it to my own life by incorporating it with the idea that people are only out for themselves, and to stay close to your parents.