Helle Everyone

I have a World Issues class final project to do. My topic is the holocaust and I have to show how it is stil currently a world issue. Any ideas on how it's still a current world issue would be appreciated, I have a few but they're not very strong. Thanks.

-a history student

p.s. frig...I love history

Hello all:

Just wanted to let you know about one of the books I'm reading. The book is Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky (Kurlansky, Mark. Salt: A World History. Alfred A. Knopf Canada. 2002). The book is a little bit of a dull read at times but still holds some interesting themes. I am not finished it yet, only about 100 pages into the book so I can't give you a complete overview.

The book essentially traces back through history the uses, trade, and overall influence of salt on the development and progresss of the different civilizations and areas of the world where humans inhabit. The author points out how salt in its different chemical forms has been and still is essential in development of humans both biologically, politically, culturally, and socially. The book very much opens your mind to the fact that salt has played just as much if not more of a role in human life over the ages as water. Just as we see in history areas of human habitation springing up around water sources such as rivers, it seems it was equally important that humans inhabit an area that was near to some form of salt resource, or a body of water where salt could be imported. As well, an area of human habitation could be settled soely on a trade route and rely soely on trade such as Tim Buk Tu ( yes, ITS A REAL PLACE!) As well, our bodies cannot function without water and sodium, and we cannot produce water or sodiuem ourselves, we need to get them from external sources. Therefore, as mentioned above, making salt at an almost equal level of importance to humans as water.

Anyway, I'll write more on it when I finish the book. Don't hold your breath, I have the attention span of a flea so it takes me forever to read a book.

p.s. frig...i love history

-a history student

Hllo all:

Recent events in my life hace produced a question in my mind that I would really like some feedback on. Where is the line drawn between intellectual/personal freedom and complete conformatism? Too much freedom without some kind of boundaries leads to anarchy but too much control and comformation to that control ( such as the law) often leads to oppression by the people who create and enforce the control. Sometimes in my mind it seems that our own society is on the edge of anarchy and conformatism (not sure if thats a word haha), but maybe this is the ideal place for a society to be. It may work like a perfect chemical balance for example; if there is more or less of one of the chemicals a negative reation is bound to ensue.

I just had a thought to add to my last statement that might throw a wrench into things. There have been many chemical mistakes that have led to valuable scientific discoveries. Is it possible then that we as a society are afraid of the change that will occur if we have too much free thought or too much control? Is it possible that, if exercised correctly, that having too much free thought or too much control could benefit a society?

I know this is a very complicated issue, and I'll contiunue to think and write about it but I would really like to hear some other ideas on the questions.

p.s. frig, I love history ( think about it, this topic does have historical connections)

-a history student