ENERGY; THE KEY TO LIFE AND ADVANCEMENT?

Science and Technology has improved significantly over the past hundred years. However, just every action has an equal and opposite reaction; there is both a positive and negative side to these advances. In our Modern World History class, we were assigned a topic to work with in groups of four. We would explore how to present our information in this technological world where an idea can spread from place to place within a few minutes.

My group, Zach, Mind, Best, and I set out to make an info graphic about energy. Firstly, we decided to divide the work into two parts. One person would find out what makes an info graphic effective, and would explore various programs that can be used to construct an info graphic. The other three were responsible for the research, data, and statistics that we would incorporate into our info graphic. We organized the data into categories based on the dates of when a type of energy was starting to be used. For example, the discovery of fire, human labors, and animal labors were grouped together. Meanwhile, electricity, batteries, and nuclear energy combined to make another category. Due to a strong recommendation from a member of our group who explored different programs that could construct info graphics, we decided to use Piktochart. Three of the members of our group concisely wrote down important data we must know about each category and found creative photos that supported the data. We then downloaded the work and sent it to the fourth member of our group, who made the timeline, organized the graphics, and added enhancements.

Just like everybody is unique in their own way, every member of our group had different  on what was important and should be included in the info graphics. We decided to let each person identify the different ideas they thought was important and why they thought so. Then after everybody had expressed their opinion, we worked collaboratively on picking the information we thought was important and vital to spread. Next, we divided the work into chunks, and set due dates. Everybody finished their task within the due date, and once everybody was done we would read over other people’s writing and give feedback. We would correct the grammar, and ask the member to add statistics, more information, be concise, or to take out unnecessary information. Everybody would then set out to correct and perfect their writing by the next class. All the members of our group, put aside their self-interest and enthusiastically did what was beneficial and to the interest of the whole group. Everybody contributed significantly to the info graphic which considering this is the first time we are making it, was something we should be proud of.

This assignment taught me much more than just about energy, but it also taught me how to make info graphics, and depict my message in a powerful and effective way by using support from images. I learned how to organize my work in a concise manner, how to use images to illustrate my data, and how to work collaboratively with my group members. I have learned that quality is much more important than quality, and that you can spread your message using a few words and a strong picture to describe what you meant. I have learnt to listen more instead of speaking and to put other people’s opinions into consideration.

As seen in my info graphic, I strongly believe energy is the “key to life and advancement”. Energy allows us to lead the busy and fast-paced lifestyle we possess today. Without oil for example, we wouldn’t have electricity and the way we transport from place to place would have to change. Over the past few hundred years, we have discovered and used various sources of energy. We started off using man power for much of our existence and learned how to control fire which allowed for warmth, protection, and food made available by using fire to cook. As development became stagnant in the 1700’s, we discovered coal which made it possible for steam power and the arrival of water pumps, train, and boilers. We then moved into an era of fossil fuels, namely oil which we now depend heavily upon. Next, we moved on to electricity and batteries, followed by nuclear energy respectively. The arrival of batteries was significant because it was a form of portable energy which was long-lasting and could be used whenever needed. We then started using renewable energy and bio fuels. What I have learned is that energy we produce is mostly consumed by the transportation sector, and that more than half of our energy goes to waste. If we start using fewer cars, and more BTS, or other forms of public transportation, we can help preserve the scarce amount of oil we have left. We also need to be more energy efficient, and start relying more on renewable energy because is benefits our environment for the betterment of our future generations.

What I felt was easiest to do in the info graphic was researching and categorizing the information into groups. What was hard was identifying the important information that people should know. We would have to go through all the unnecessary data, and write a summary about the topic and a concise and clear manner. After doing this with one or two topics, the process got much easier. Another thing my whole group and I found challenging was the design aspect. The people in our group have drastic differences in preferences which made it hard to select a design that suited everybody. However, after compromises and hearing different opinions, we worked together at different time periods of the day to construct a beautiful and well designed info graphic.

During this assignment, we were exposed and faced with a challenge of using new means of presentation. Info graphics are a different way of presentation because they have a certain flow. Info graphics are “data visualizations” that present complex information quickly, and clearly. Info graphics are usually not many words that are supported by graphs, and charts. Info graphics must be digestible to the audience, and easy to understand. Good characteristics of info graphic include: reliability, created for a reason, information presented in a way that it is easy to understand (organization), creativity (“wow” factor), and the effective us of information/data. An info graphic is a very effective way of presenting information through the use of modern technology to construct it. The reason info graphics are very popular right now is because it presents data in a very innovative way. Too much writing is boring, and since info graphics are very concise, contains supportive and creative images, and is very well organized and easy to understand, it appeals to the general public who find info graphics as a good source of information. Just like the famous proverb, “A picture is worth a thousand words”, info graphics do not contain a lot of writing, but uses its graphics to depict the message.

Overall, I really enjoyed making this info graphic and working with my peers. However, due to time constraints, our final product wasn’t as “wow” as we expected but we did the best we could with what we had. The info graphic was well organized, consisted of clear information, was supported by creative and appealing images, and had a timeline to show flow and the order of things. The info graphic includes the most important things we think everybody should know about energy. This information ranges from the history of energy, to energy efficiency, and the future. I personally feel that our info graphic is an effective means of presenting data.

 
http://www.iptv.org/exploremore/energy/Energy_In_Depth/sections/timeline.cfm
http://matse1.matse.illinois.edu/energy/time.html
http://energyquest.ca.gov/story/chapter14.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Control_of_fire_by_early_humans 

What is religion and why is it important?

Many say the word “religion” comes from the Latin word “religare” which means to “to tie, to bind.” Religion teaches us about the philosophy of life; it connects us to the world beyond space and time. Often, religion is what brings humans inner peace. Religion is a system of belief shared by a group who has common ideas about life. They will teach us the difference between right and wrong and how to contribute to global peace. Often, people blame the use of religion to justify a war. Religion teaches about peace and non-violence and its intentions are innocent and pure. There is religion to teach humans how to be a better person. That is the main sole purpose. Religion also gives hope, faith, and new dreams to people who have lost the love of living.

Religion brings conflict due to different ideas of two groups; it never talks about fighting the other but instead how to achieve unified peace. Religion helps make a better person; it helps people achieve inner peace. Inner peace contributes to global peace which is very important. Without religion, believes, and hope, life is not as meaningful. Religion helps you discover your reason of being in Earth; it helps you unravel your potential of brilliance and how to contribute it to make the world be a much better place. Religion, in my mind is a wonderful thing that I believe has helped us through time to be an improved self.

All religions have the 16 common characteristics: awe before sacred, expression of anxiety before rituals, ritual expectancy, myth and ritual, magic, prayer, divination, “Mana” belief, animisim, worship of power, supreme being, taboo, purification, sacrifice, attitudes toward death, and totenism. All religions have agents of change who play and important role in spreading the religion such as Charlemagne who was the Holy Roman Empire and unified Europe under Christianity. Religions in motion (Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism) have common aspects of being convertible, came from existing religion of Judaism, focuses on moral/salvation, and their texts can be translated and transmuted into the social/cultural landscape. Religions convey how people should live their lives through laws embedded in Holy Scripture, morals from religious myths; and local religious services and personnel (priests). Belief systems contribute to conflict because of the encounter between different religions due to different perspectives and practices, ownership of territory, and issues of identities. Religious fundamentalism, territorial rights, and constant shifts in power bases all contribute to religious conflict. Belief system unites people through the strength of common faith, religious services, and significant religious individuals. Belief systems support societies by telling how people should live their lives, talk about concept of death, unification, and contributed to conflict.

To me, I believe religion and spiritualism is connected and not very distinct from each other. Both teaches us how to lead a good life and contribute to the society. Both connect us to the world beyond space and time. Spirituality distinct religion from everything else. When both are used, one can lead a beautiful life. To me, there is no difference between the two.

The Dalai Lama said “All religion carries the importance of love and passion these are the fundamental values of human beings.” He also said “All these different philosophies have the same message of creating better human beings.”I am very inspired with his holiness the Dalai Lama because everything he said made me realize that it is true. All religion stress on the topic of love and not violence. All religion are the same in terms that they spread messages about the importance of loving one another and respecting each other. Love is most important and with love, we get peace. All religions are the same in terms that they all talk about the importance of love. All religion has different philosophies too, but all of them are to try and make us a better person, and to create better human beings. That is the purpose of religion; to create better human beings who value love above all. All religions have different teachings and gods, but all of them help and try to make us better people. They are teaching us good habits of meditation to connect with the universe. They are teaching us about love and how it spreads really quickly and makes the world a better place. This quote is really inspiring to me because it tells me that all religions have different philosophies and ideas but all of them link in two ideas, the idea of importance of love, and the philosophies to create better human beings. The Dalai Lama meditates a lot and he is connected with the universe, and he is teaching us his good habits in which we should adapt.

The President of Tanzania – “Humanity unites us” He is saying that our differences and diversity are the creation of the universe and we shouldn’t discriminate one another because of these differences which makes us unique and special with different thinking’s and ideas. If everyone in the world were the same, the Earth would be a boring place to live in. The Tanzanian President is saying that being different is a good thing and we should let our humanity unite us as different people come together and work together instead of letting the differences become stronger than our similarities and cause problems.  “Don’t deny the rights of another human being because this is a recipe for conflict; so let’s give every human being their place in this universe because this would make the world a peaceful, harmonious, and beautiful place to live” His quotes are all true and I agree to it wholeheartedly. If we all give respect to one another and are linked by the fact that we are all humans, we will prosper. We should respect the other person’s difference because it’s what makes them unique and different from us. If we all work together and give everyone equality of rights and respects, we can all move forward together to the right direction without leaving a group behind. If everyone moves forward together, there is no conflict and this way everyone is happy and we are truly at peace. We should all let our humanity link us and connect and the fact that we actually all came from the same family. We are all related by the idea of this and the idea that we are all humans and we should prioritize this fact and not hurt one another. We are all human beings and we should love and treat one another with respect. No one will be unhappy and we will all succeed and truly achieve inner and external peace. I respect this man and worship his quotes for it is true and leads me to thinking about it. 

Robert Thurman said “Love is everywhere. People who say a group doesn’t have it are the problem. ” This quote explains what is happening in this world which is why I like it so much. Love is everywhere, everybody has love in themselves. A group will discriminate another group and say that they are violent and are terrorists and that they don’t have love which encourages people to attack that group. This person is accusing that group because he himself doesn’t have enough love and is insecure which is why he is blaming that group. Most people are loving and it is human nature, and if a group gets discriminated, they will seek revenge. Also if a group is discriminated against, maybe it’s only one person in the group who is violent, and everyone else are good moral beings so you shouldn’t treat them badly. Love is everywhere, everybody has love and the people who accuse others that they don’t have love are the ones with the problems.

Mustafa Ceric said “I didn’t find god in catholic church, mosque, and/or any other place. But then I found god in my heart when I went home. “Inner peace and everything such as love starts from within. If you want to find love, you can go home to your family. If you want to find peace, you can go to your church. But first you must look within, because if you don’t have love, you will not be able to appreciate and see it in others. Mustafa did not find god wherever he went, but when he went home he missed his family was grateful to see them and his happiness and the way they treated him made him realize and feel that god was in his heart. God represents purity and love, and if you have it in your heart, you will be able to see wonderful things you did not see before. So when you are trying to look for anything, doesn’t go to others right away to blame them or ask them, but instead look within yourself and then you will find the answer. This quote reminds me of a quote from an anonymous person, “I was blind, but now I see”. If you seek an answer from within yourself and find it, when you feel love internally first, your life will change and you will learn to notice and appreciate new things you failed to notice before.

  

The Schooling System and How Effective Planning Can Help YOU Triumph It!

                Too much of something isn’t good, but I would like to think education is an exception. There is no loss for learning too much as we all are learning new things each minute. People often pursue more and more education in different areas up until an old age. My grandpa, who is now over 60, is in college for law education. Personally, I think education is a wonderful thing to pursue but I dislike the schooling system of grades, etc.

                Schooling originated long ago when boys went to school and lived in barracks. They would be trained to follow orders and do as they are told. They would eventually be drafted as soldiers in the war and the best in school were the ones who were best in following orders combined with a little skill. This is the base of our schooling today in which the same concept applies. Children are sent to school to follow orders and the ones who follow orders best gets the highest grade. The teachers will teach you an idea and you will have to understand it and attempt an assignment. Most students probably understand it but the one that follows the orders best and takes all the notes and hand in all the work in time gets the highest grade. The one with the highest grade goes to the most prestigious college and then get “drafted” and picked by companies in which they will continue to follow orders. It’s a never ending cycle.

                99% of students will become followers meanwhile 1% will become leaders according to various statistics. School is a training base and a system for students to be trained to be the 99% of the population and picked by companies. It was just like the military and schooling before, but now we are picked by companies instead of picking to fight in the war. Therefore, schooling is a marketplace for companies to choose from. We are trained to follow orders and 99% of us will continue to do so when working in companies. The one who follows orders best gets the highest grade.

                Most billionaires in this world can be considered as leaders because they often creatively construct their own companies. 1/3 of the population of billionaires did not graduate from school; meanwhile the other majorities were B students. These various statistics shows that these billionaires got B’s or failed because they did not follow orders well. They were born leaders and did not get trapped by the system. They overcame the system and learned what they thought was useful. They were independent men. The students who got A’s are followers who fell into the system just like a robot and were trained to follow orders. The B students who create multinational companies will pick these A students to work under them because these people follow orders well.

                Therefore the schooling system is a place with grades according to how well you follow orders. Companies will pick the ones who follow the orders best because that’s what they want. Schools teach you to follow orders and the ones that do get the highest grade. These people are followers and many billionaires aren’t A students. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying schools are bad. Schools give knowledge and education but its system and setup is wrong. Schools should teach in a more creative and allow students to be more independent, free, and creative.

                To conclude, the schools teach you to follow orders at a young age. It is a system and cycle where people with the highest grade or the best at following orders get picked and pulled to work in companies. Schools create followers, and 99% of the worlds are followers.

                A way to not get trapped by the system and allow you to be the 1% of the population is by proper planning. Plan what you want to be and imagine where you want to be 20 years, 30 years, 40 years from now. Then think back on how you are going to achieve that. There are many paths but if you choose a path and stick to it, chances are you will reach your goal because you know what you want. Proper planning will allow you to triumph the system and allow you to get to be whatever you want years in the future. Statistics show that 97% of people don’t know what they want and don’t plan ahead. They don’t make goals so they can’t complain they haven’t achieved anything because they themselves haven’t set a target. The 3% of the population who plans out what they want and what they want to be having a high chance of reaching their target.

                In the movie, Alice in Wonderland, Alice said to the cat “Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?” “That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” said the cat. “I don’t much care where—” said Alice. “Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,” said the Cat. This quote shows that if you do not know where you want to go or what you want to be you will just follow whatever comes your way and whatever life gives you instead of making your own destiny and pursuing your own future. You will just accept what life gives you even though it might not be what you want.

                Another quote is a very common one we all recognize. “Life is like a pencil without an eraser”. This quote is true for the 97% of the population who just start drawing. However, the 3% of the population will make a rough draft, practice the drawing, and carefully plan it out. When they draw the final drawing they will still make mistakes but just much less. They will finish with a more perfect drawing which symbolizes being more successful and achieving more in life along with more happiness.  

  
     CHECKMATE.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Effective-Planning---A-Key-to-Organizational-Success&id=2047983

http://www.alice-in-wonderland.net/books/alice-in-wonderland-quotes.html

http://www.rzuser.uni-heidelberg.de/~el6/presentations/pres_c2_uss/TheAmericanSchoolSystem.htm

http://www.getahead-direct.com/gwtm12-effective-planning.htm

http://www.practitionerresources.org/cache/documents/36796.pdf

2012, what to expect

                2012 has just began and it has much expectations to be a better year than the one before. Whether it becomes a better year or not, depends differently on each person. If a person works hard, has passion in what they do, and learn to compromise, they will succeed. But if a person is selfish, and decides to sleep at home in front of the television all day and put life on God’s hands instead of going out and working their hardest, this might not be the best year for them. 2012, like many years before it will undergo big changes and many deaths caused by natural disasters. This year, technology will improve and become more efficient has users increase, economy is under a lot of stress, and third world countries have more investors and are slowly growing.

                As European countries owe banks money and have not returned it, the European crisis has occurred. The United States are quarrelling with Iran which could make Iran stop trading oil with countries who are allies with the United States. And with deadly natural disasters occurring in many different countries, 2011 was a year where the economy worsened and people investing in stocks lost a lot of money. However, 2012 is a year in which the economy could increase rapidly or decrease rapidly. Facebook is selling its stock this year as well as other big tech companies; stocks are starting to recover in this early month. However, if the US and Iran’s conflict is not resolved, and European countries do not resolve how to pay bank the banks, the world’s economy and stock could worsen even further than 2011.

                Each year, technology improves and 2011 was a year in which technology exploded and there was an increased amount of people using smart phones which made life easier and more efficient. However, in 2011 there was a technology war between several companies suing each other but what matters most is that the technology keeps on getting better and keeps on making our life easier. Take the invention of the iPad for example, and the inclusion of Siri in new Iphones. In 2012, there will be a significant increase in usage of social media which would mean that information and ideas will move around to more people and also at a faster speed. People’s lives and time are spent more on technologies such as computers. People used to play games using boards but now social gaming is becoming more popular such as friv.com in Thailand. News will also be more social as people get news from social media websites. The world will continue to be more connected as Facebook’s predicted users will surpass 1 billion users.  

                Africa is being recognized by foreign investors who are now investing in businesses and land in Africa as they see potential of Africa. Land prices are rising, and businesses are increasing in the continent. This is great for Africa because these businesses employ people and when these people have income equivalent to people from other countries, the continent can grow and move forward. People will head out of poverty and more will enter the middle class. Africa is moving forward into the right direction. Also with businesses comes the need for infrastructure and a better environment which will help Africa and its people get out of poverty and have a better life with a higher standard of living. Americans and Europeans are also purchasing a 2^nd residence in developing nations such as Guatemala.

Also, prices of books and movies are heading nearer and nearer to zero which means more people can afford them. There are more 1 day specials in price of books where the price decreased from $20 to $2. E-learning and E-books are also used more often and the users have increased from last year. More people area reading books and buying them on their Ipads for example. The price of movies in some places have decreased and people continue to illegally download movies from websites such as piratebay which is now banned in some countries.

As we all know, 2011 was a year of many deaths. Powerful and great men such as Osama Bin Laden and Steve Jobs had both passed away. Each equation needs to be balanced, and these great men have paved way for younger men to rise and enter our hearts as they change the world again.

Bibliography:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/innovations/post/patent-wars-2012-heres-what-to-expect/2010/12/20/gIQAruLpcP_blog.html

http://socialmediatoday.com/jsncafe/418461/social-media-what-expect-2012

http://mashable.com/2012/01/06/social-media-predictions-2012/

http://www.perrymarshall.com/20326/10-predictions-2012/

 

 

Will the world end in 2012?

           In 1999, there was a rumor that the world was going to end in 2000. Various fortune tellers confirmed this and people set out having fun and spending all their money. On the morning of January 1, 2010 people were angry when they woke up to see that the world did not end and they had cashed out their bank accounts. The same rumor arose in 2003 but when it didn’t happen, the date was moved to 2012. The rumor suggested that the world was going end by severe natural disasters caused by a planet approaching Earth. There were several severe natural disasters in 2011 which lead to some people starting to wonder if the rumor were true. However it was not true and 2012 began with much expectation as people hoped for a better year. New Year’s Resolution were written and as this year approached, people hoped to check off most of it as possible. 2011 brought the deaths of many great and powerful men, and there were big political changes. What will happen in 2012?

2012, is predicted to be doomsday. The world’s weather is starting to become unpredictable. Take Thailand for example. One day it is very cold, while the next day it is very hot. Natural disasters are also occurring more often and are very severe. Will 2012 be a year with an increased occurrence of natural disasters? Will 2012 be a year where weather cannot be predicted? Will the world end in December 21, 2012?

The world has been going great for over 4 billion years, and scientist suggest that the story of the world ending is all a hoax. The rumor suggests that the planet Nibiru, which was discovered by Sumerians, is headed towards Earth. The rumor also suggests that a solar storm will appear, and that there are planetary alignments which could threaten life. The Mayan calendar was pulled in to support the arguments. Several other evidence was given but scientist does not find any of them have correlation or are true. Scientist is tracking asteroids and meteors and confirms that there are no threatening asteroids. Scientists believe that there is no evidence supporting this theory and that it is all made up.

Some people totally believe that the world is going to end on December 21, 2012. They have gone ahead and quit their jobs and spent their moneys as they believe they wouldn’t need it again next year. They are enjoying themselves and living life to the fullest which is great! But when 2013 starts, like many before them, they will have to face the truth that the world did not end and that they will have to suffer the consequences.

Personally, I do not believe the world is going to end in December 2012. I am a man of science and agree with scientists saying that there isn’t enough concrete evidence to support this theory of a doomsday. Claims of the world ending have occurred before and this is not new. However, I do believe that there are some things we cannot explain and that a man of higher authority such as god exists. But I totally support the scientists who claim the world will not end on December 21, 2012. As we all know, natural disasters will occur this year and might take the lives of many of our fellow humans. However, this is normal and happens every year. We shouldn’t think it has any correlation to this rumor and “fake” theory.

Bibliography:

http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/2012.html

http://www.endoftheworld2012.net/

http://abcnews.go.com/International/story?id=5301284&page=1

http://www.lifexpert.com/special/is_21_december_2012_end_of_the_world.html

 

Another year of great change, the summary of 2011

2011, like many years before it, was a year of great change and moving forward. Many of the world’s great men had died. Some like Steve Jobs had made our lives easier, while others like Osama had threatened our lives for many years. Both these men were different, but both were great and powerful. 2011 was also a year of disasters, major political change, technological change, ending of terrorism and a more united world, as well as a year of protestors.

            The most important thing in 2011 is the downfall of terrorism and a more united world through the cooperation to eliminate terrorists and dictators such as, Gaddafi, Osama Bin Laden, and Kim Jong-Il. This sent a positive message back to the people. It’s a year we moved forward in terms of eliminating the world’s most feared people. And it’s important because terrorism has just taken a step back. Worldwide cooperation improved and countries helped each other in eliminating terrorists. The deaths of these evil men has just made our lives safer but as we all know, the world is balanced and evil men will soon rise to replace these men. Let’s just hope that when they do rise, worldwide cooperation will have taken a step ahead and will help us catch and stop these men before they can cause much harm.

            2011 was a year of natural disasters which have impacted many countries greatly. There was the earthquake and tsunami in Japan in March 11 which killed an estimated 15,836 people, the flood and mudslides in Brazil which killed 1000 people, and the devastating flood in Thailand which lasted several months. Each year, there are many natural disasters but this year was the year we had more of those. The natural disasters in 2011 were deadly and had a large death toll which entered Wikipedia’s list of deadliest natural disaster. The tsunami and earthquake in Japan followed by the nuclear issue brought 350,000 people to become homeless while another 1.4 million of the population were living without water. The Fukhushima nuclear eruption lead to the evacuation of over 180,000 people while many other people were said to be infected by the radiation exposure. It was the worst crisis in 65 years. The flood in Thailand leads to business, economic, and tourism downfall. It showed the vulnerability of the country to deal with these issues which occur often and this event has lead to the government saying they will deal with this issue and insure it does not happen to this extent again. People were homeless, trapped without food, and the damages were severe.

            2011 was also a year of major political change which will enter history books and remembered in time. There was a death of dictatorships such as the death of Kim Jong-Il. The death of these dictatorships allowed for countries to have a change to become a country of democracy with higher freedom and more rights. Sudan was also split into two, with South Sudan gaining independence. Popular uprisings in different parts of the world also occurred often this year as well as the gaining of more rights such as the ongoing Yemeni uprising, and the Syrian uprising. However, there are still political problems needing to be dealt with such as the issue in Bangladesh where women are slaves to men and have much less rights and freedom. The government must change and the issue must be dealt with. The United States and Iran are fighting verbally, meanwhile there are ongoing conflicts such as the South Kordofan conflict and the operation Linda Nchi which is part of the war in Somolia which started in 2009.

            In conclusion, like many years before it, 2011 was a year of great change. Mainly there was the death of powerful and great men, big political changes, and destructive natural disasters. The death of powerful and great men will pave way for new and younger men to enter our hearts and change our lives. Big political changes will be remembered in time as it entered history books and lead to many changes in different countries around the world. Destructive natural disasters have alarmed governments who will work together to make sure they never happen to this extent again. Another year passes, another year of great change, say your goodbyes to the beloved year of 2011.

Bibliography:

http://www.er-d.org/JapanEarthquakeTsunamiMar2011/

http://baleta.blogspot.com/2011/03/natural-disasters-2011.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_natural_disasters_by_death_toll

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wars_2011%E2%80%93present

http://www.googlezeitgeist.com/en

       

Is cotton the core of life?

There aren’t many products around the world that everybody uses and can afford. For example, computers are used every day by people in first world countries yet many poor people in third world countries are deprived of it. However, there is one product that the rich and the poor, the young and the old use daily, without this product; our lives will be much different for it’s of great importance. Cotton is one of the most important resources today as it is the center and base of medical and textile field, it the world’s leading cash crop which is used more than any other fiber, and it has a high demand and is consumed everywhere.

This cash crop’s origin is unknown but remains of cotton textiles were found in the Indus Valley and it is believed that the Harappan civilization were the first to grow the crop to be used as fabric for clothing and towels in 2500-3000 BC. The Harrapa people migrated from Africa to India and were hunters but eventually became farmers and grew the crops next to the Indus Valley. The farming techniques of cotton were developed in India and were soon exported across the monsoons and the Indian Ocean through ships. Due to its high price it limited supply it started off not being very popular.  Cotton was soon spread to China, East Africa, and then to Muslim nations in the Middle East. Cotton was very popular in Muslim nations and soon they started producing textiles made from cotton. The supply for cotton then increased but its demand has risen slowly. Many years later, cotton had spread to Europe, America, and most of Africa and more techniques on producing longer fibers were found. In the 1700’s cotton became more valuable, popular and England saw its potential after cotton has replaced flax and wool as many countries’ most popular fabric. England’s industrial revolution was based on importing raw cotton and dispersing them throughout the world which lead to the growth of their empire. The supply had risen and so has its demand. Many countries such as India, China, United States, and France also had begun producing cotton to meet its growing demand. The demand had risen sharply and became very popular and cotton industry was profitable. As there was much more supply to meet the demands cotton has became inexpensive and appealed to the majority of the world’s population.

                Cotton was first produced and consumed in India. Then a big amount of it was produced by the Muslim nations for its textile industry. After cotton had became the most popular fabric in Europe, several of the world’s powerful European nations such as England had began producing a lot of it at a high rate. Then in 1914 most of the cotton used in the world was produced by America. Cotton was first consumed in South Asia, then in the rest of Asia and the Middle East. It was then consumed by Europeans and the Americas. Cotton business revenue in the U.S. economy exceeds 120 billion. The top six cotton producers are China (33 million bales), India (27 million bales), America (18 million bales), Pakistan (10.3 million bales), Brazil (9.3 million bales), and Uzbekistan (4.6 million bales) who account for 83% of the world cotton production. The top five exporters in 2011 are America, India, Brazil, Australia, and Uzbekistan. Top cotton importers are South Korea, Taiwan, Russia, Hong Kong, Japan, Turkey, Indonesia, Mexico, Thailand, and Italy. Today, cotton is consumed in most parts of the world because it can be used for many things such as textile and clothing, bedding and curtains, and in the medical field in terms of bandages and cotton buds. 2.5% of the world’s land is now used for the production of cotton.

                Cotton is easy to farm, and people were discovering that it could be used for many things. Cotton being warm, soft, clean, and natural made it more popular and a better mode of clothing. It was a good business and due to its popularity it created a huge demand that persuaded many countries to produce the fiber. People began consuming it more and using it for a range of products which lead to the demand rising.  It was used more and inventions made the production process faster. Cotton shaped many countries economy and became more important over time. Its demand has risen over the years and many countries have tried to produce more cotton to meet the growing demands. The demand for cotton is the highest it has ever been with a demand of 23 million tones but a production of 26 million tones has met the demands and kept cotton affordable and inexpensive as there is a surplus of supply.

            There are many ways to do something just like there are many different ways and techniques to grow cotton. Some ways are simple, yet some are very complex. There are also many detailed steps involved. A cotton plant takes around 4 to 5 months before it is ready to harvest. Its development starts off with germination and emergence, seed establishment, canopy development, flowering, and maturation. Cotton’s growth can be affected by cold temperatures and bad soil moisture which would damage the plant. When there is a natural disaster such as a tornado or earthquake, the supply of cotton decreases leading to a shortage. People will complain as prices rise and companies will try to meet the demands.

                Cotton is a major industry in many countries and the most used fiber. It is America’s leading cash crops, and cotton is used daily by everyone in all cultures, races, genders, and social classes. Cotton is soft, warm, clean and natural. Cotton exists in our shirts, jeans, underwear, undershirt, socks, turbans, pillows, bedding, towels, curtains, cotton buds, bandages, thread, and fabric. Most textiles and clothing we wear are made from cotton because it keeps us warm and it is soft. Without bandages, cotton buds, and other medical tools made from cotton, medical care wouldn’t have been able to come this far. Our life is based upon this luxury crop which we use so often.  We use cotton so much that we don’t appreciate and notice its significance and importance. Imagine life without cotton today. We wouldn’t be able to use soft towels to wipe our face and body after taking a shower. We wouldn’t have warm and soft clothing to wear. Our pillows will be hard, and our beddings will have to be made with something else, thus not keeping us warm at night. The demand for cotton has risen annually because we find more uses for it and it is a very important crop that we have grown used to. Cotton is clean which gives us good hygiene and keeps us healthy too. Cotton’s impact on us is that it has made improved our life and is the best mode of clothing. It has changed what most things are made of and it replaced wool. However, recently cotton is being replaced by synthetics and one reason is because synthetics and polyester are cheaper and its thread is stronger. 

                The moving of cotton has caused Southernization to occur. Without Southernization there wouldn’t be westernization because why would Europeans want to be involved with countries like India and China. They must be involved with India and China because the techniques of growing cotton, etc came from India. India and China are also a big exporter of cotton.