The Silk Road

The Silk Road

5/29/19

This is probably my favorite part of history. This is when the world really started to trade and bargain. I would of loved to be living during this time. The people and goods that would be coming through these routes must of been so interesting. The adventures and dangers that lurked during a travel would certainly feel exhilarating. Unfortunately, this is also brings items to civilizations that cause determent.  

To be a trader during the beginning of the silk road would have been so interesting. You would see goods that you have never seen before. You would taste food that you have never tasted before. I am just picturing this path of constant caravans, with interesting people, interesting cultures, interesting clothing, and so on. You cannot help to wonder how they would interact when they came across each others path. Did they help each other out? Did they take up arms to protect themselves? Did they share food? It must of been so interesting. 

Being the adventurous business man that I am, I could see myself spending my life trading and bartering. Acquiring some goods and trading them for a profit or for a move valuable good. This is the route of business. It would be difficult to use currency since it came from so many different regions, so it would be all goods. You would have to have your sturdy cart and ways to protect your goods. What is really interesting, is that you would come across items that no one has ever seen, such as gun power. This would give you an advantage. The whole idea that silks were being made and trade along these route must have been incredible for the person who first laid eyes and felt such a beautiful material.   

Of course with the good comes the bad. You would also be introduced to disease, criminals, drugs and other items that could possibly destroy a home civilization.  You also would have rulers who conquered all the lands and then tax the merchants along the route. Black powder was the start of conventional warfare, can you imagine seeing a bomb explode for the first time - OK you win, I give up. Still yet with all the bad, it would be so great to be part of such an adventurous time and place. 

The U.S. Empire

IS THE US THE NEW ROMAN EMPIRE

As I read about the Roman Empire and how powerful it was at the time, I cannot help to think if the United States is that powerful big behemoth that is destined to fall. It has been talked about by many before and it is a scary thought. The United States is not conquering lands and taking over their political and economical systems - or are they. 

The new ware is a proxy war and the United States is very good at it. There are so many money motivated global political moves that is being done by the United States. It might not look like it but we have a lot of power and influence across the globe. At what point does the rest of the world say enough is enough. At what point does the rest of the world say that the United States is too big and too powerful. The citizens in general feel this is the land of the free, the Jedi Warriors, the good guys and we are spreading freedom across the globe, but are we? I do believe that there is good intent with the majority of the U.S. population but I also believe that greed and money also control the political machine in the U.S. 

We have destroyed entire countries, wiped them off the face of this earth, only skeletons of their buildings left. This is the wrath of the mighty U.S. military. The largest military in the world - the Roman Empire. If you did not become part of the Roman Empire you were wiped out, very similar.

The uplifting outlook is that the U.S. allows the freedoms that other nations do not have. The freedom of religion is a big one, the freedom of speech, and so on and so on. Are we being managed? Well if you think you have a private life right now, you are only fooling yourself. The technology that we have developed has ensured that we do not have our privacy and to that I say "who cares". If you are not doing anything wrong that whats the problem. Isn't our life a big movie anyway?

I just hope that we do not end up like the Roman Empire and that we are end up being the Jedi Warriors, spreading good across the globe. I am very fortunate to be born her and living here with such freedoms. We do not allow slavery like the Roman Empire - or do we? When we have workers making poverty wages, isn't that slavery. Again, very similar to the Roman Empire. When we have an administration like the one we have today, I become very afraid of the possibility that our empire might just fall. 

Day One

DAY ONE?

BY KEN ARENDS

WORLD HISTORY

5/12/19

The beginning of time has always been the one thing that humans cannot determine. We have theories, scientific data, and technology but even if we really think we know - what was there before that.

Where does the universe end? Does it end? This is where religion comes in, who is the creator. Was it science, was it an almighty thinking God? This has been such a debate since the beginning of civilization. For me the universe is time and our time on earth is too limited to find the answer. As in the past, we did not know the world was round, we will always pursue the answer.

The Big Bang - did a big rock explode and scatter all the planets and stars? Where did the big rock come from? Are we all the planets just a bunch of dust that has been brought together by gravity? Where did the dust come from? We can go on and on. I once heard Morgan Freeman talk about God and was questioned by an Atheist, Morgan simply kept asking, "what about before that".

I am not a religious person, but I am a curious person. I have studied Theology and World Religions, but most of these studies really were about a profit or a disciple. Religion as we know it today, is one of the leading killers of all time. Many lives have been lost do to Religion and the disagreements of who is the profit of God. Even Muslims kill each other over different sects.

My thoughts are, lets just live and enjoy our tiny little lives, do good, be friendly funny and grateful. After reviewing the timeline of earth and the development of humans, from the Paleolithic era to present day, our time on earth is such a tiny spec. Just enjoy your spec of life!