Presentations

Today in West Civ we presented our power points that we had to do on the things associated with Guns, Germs and Steel. My group went first today so after that, these are my notes:

-Smallpox:

• contagious effected for 10,000 years.
• no cure
• Europeans brought the disease over by trade items.
• Symptoms: fever, discomfort, headache, back pain, vomiting
• Transmission: directly from infected person
• Emergency: one case is treated greatly and you are isolated

Writing:

• Evolved about 50,000 years ago
• Called cuneiform
• used to writing stories

We didn't get to far in the presentations but the test on the video is Tuesday.

North Korea: TEST!

Yesterday in Human Geo we finally had our test on North Korea.
When we first got into class Mr. Schick told us that it wouldn't be hard to pass or take long to take the test so we had an extra 15 minutes to study.

So we took the test- which was fairly easy (if you studied). I was soooooooooo proud of myself though because I got the little ding meaning I got an 90 WHICH IS AN A!
It was one of the last grades for the first semester and I'm glad I got a good grade that will bring my grade up even better!

I'm really excited for second semester because I have Mr. Schick again I will be in a classroom with people that have an interest in what we are learning! (:

North Korea, yes. Again

Notes for today:

So, who's in charge?
Kim Il-Sung (1912-1994)
  ruled from 1948 -1994

-Prime Minister 1948-1972
-President 1972 until death

Titles: Great Leader, Eternal Leader, Supreme Leader, Eternal President of the Republic.

under Kim Il-Sung:
-Kim Il-Sung viewed as a god
-establishment of "cult of personality"
-the people are required to show extreme devotion to him
-during early part of his rule, the state destroyed over 2000 Buddhist temples and Christian churches.

Passing the torch:
-Kim John-Il (1941-2011)
  Ruled from 1994 - 2011 as supreme leader

The mythology of Kim-Jong Il:
(I had to...) -His birth was heralded by a swallow, caused winter to change to spring, a star to illuminate the sky, and a double rainbow spontaneously appeared
He learned to walk at the age of three weeks, and was talking at eight weeks.
He wrote 1,500 books over a period of three years, along with six full operas.
According to his official biography, all of his operas are "better than any in the history of music."
The first time Kim picked up a golf age, he shot 38-under par round on North Korea's only golf course, including 11 holes-in-one. Reports say each of his 17 bodyguards verified the record-breaking feat.
He then decided to retire from the sport forever.
He could control the weather based on his mood.

The present Supreme Leader:
-Kim Jong-Un
  Born in 1983
  Became Supreme Leader
December 17, 2011, after death of his father
  32 years old -the world's youngest of state. 

Kim Jong-Un (Or as my mom calls him- Lil Kim) -"cool guy":
-attended school in Switzerland
-his school friends recalled he "spent hours doing meticulous pencil drawings of Chicago Bulls superstar Michael Jordan
-he was obsessed with basketball and computer games
-he is reportedly a fan of Eric Clapton

Kim Jong-Un - not so cool guy:
-On March 7, 2013, North Korea threatened the United States with a "pre-emotive nuclear attack". North Korea has revealed its plan for conducting nuclear strikes on U.S. cities, including Los Angeles, and Washington DC.

Kim Jong-Un is trying to "erase all traces of Father's rule" 11 months after stepping into power. Five of the seven men who had escorted his Father's hearse two years earlier had been purged, with his uncle Jang Sung-take one of the most prominent. Jang Sung-take is believed to have been executed by machine gun. It has been claimed that Kim Jong -un has also put to death members of Jang's family.

Kim is attempting to completely destroy all traces of Jang's existence through "extensive executions" of his family, including the children and grandchildren of all close relatives. Those reportedly killed in Kim's purge include Jang's sister Jang Key-sum, her husband and ambassador to Cuba, Jon-Yong-Jin, and Jang's nephew and ambassador to Malaysia, Jang Yong-chop. The nephew's two sons were also said to have been killed.

North Korea: military:
State:                                                                                             Active military:
People's Republic of China                                                           2,285,000
USA                                                                                              1,369,532
India                                                                                              1,325,000
Democratic People's Republic of Korea.                                      1,190,000
Russian Federation.                                                                       766,000
Pakistan                                                                                         642,000
Republic of Korea                                                                         630,000

North Korea

Today in Human Geo we finished up watching "Inside of North Korea". It was very interesting to see all of the things going on in North Korea.
The past dictators and the present one - Kim Jong Un, have completely dominance over those people. 

They praise these leaders out of fear of things like concentration camps and death.

Here are some of my notes from today:

-North Korea's concentration camps (one of the biggest being the Number 22) are essential to the North Korea government because, besides weapons and nuclear weapons they could use, without it there wouldn't be any fear.

-You would go in there if one of your family members tries to escape North Korea into China. They won't just take your mother, father, sister, brothers. They will take your mother, father. Sister, brothers, uncle, aunt, cousins, grandmother/father etc. and put them in these concentration camps.

-Even after you get out of China, it's no walk in the park like it would be in America or the UK or Europe, Africa etc. The Chinese question you and keep you under surveillance, always reminding you that if you get out of hand, they will send you back to North Korea.

-You have to go through the electric fence and then to the Chinese DMV.
-Everyone in North Korea literally praises the "Great Leader" (now Kim Jong Un). They praise him like Christians praise God or Muslims praise Allah.

-He gets praise and reverence for everything that happens in that country.
For example: (In the documentary, the eye doctor took the cataracts out of the blind peoples eyes so they could see again. Instead of thanking the doctor, the North Koreans praised their "Great Leader & General for making him see again.)

When you're out in public in North Korea and you're at an affair were you have to praise the leader, especially on camera, you have to saw "come deeply sadden you are". You have to act over the top grieved or it is considered not respecting the party and you could go to concentration camps like Number 22.

North Korea

Today in Human Geo we continued watching the documentary Inside of North Korea. I really like this unit and the video because North Korea is a very interesting country.

These are some of my notes:
-40% of the children in North Korea are fed poorly causing death and blindness.
-Juche- the attitude they have that they are "most powerful" and they don't need anyone. It basically means "up yours".

-The first leader of North Koran instilled the Juche into the minds of the North Koreans.
-He uses it to unify the North Koreans against the rest of the world.

I'm excited to finish the video on Monday!!

North Korea cont.

Today in Human Geography we didn't take notes but we watched a documentary about the these doctors and photographers stealing secret footage from inside North Korea!
It was really interesting for myself personally because rarely anyone comes or goes into North Korea, it is completely secluded from the rest of the world because of the country's dictator, Kim Jong Un (and the past dictators of that family.)

The documentary showed us small little clippings from when they went to North Korea.
I'm really excited to see the rest of the movie!

(by the way, I watched The Interview and it was funny but interesting.......)

We're back.....

Korea - North and South (...but mostly North):


What do you already know (about North Korea):
-oppressive government
-very secluded and isolated from the world
-currently headed by Kim Jong-Un
-Kim Jong-Un did not seem to like The Interview


oppressive government:
-state run socialist government that many consider toil be Stalinist dictatorship

-official name: Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)

-notice that they say "Korea", not North Korea - they claim to be the legitimate rulers of the entire peninsula.

Secluded and isolated:
-isolated by the government
-also somewhat isolated geographically
-after all, they are on a peninsula
-Pyongyang is the capital  
 *located at 39 degrees north (latitude)
 *Who's also located there?
 You guessed it, us! Belair, Maryland


We also talked about like on this picture:



That red line is North Korea, they are so secluded that they barely have any lights in their country besides the tiny one in the capital. The dictator won't let them have any technology or anything. It's very bad compared to South Korea and China and Russia.