Time Travel

Carl Sagan talks about time travel in an interview with PBS. Since Carl was an American astronomer the thought of time travel fascinated him. Carl mentions wormholes and that extraterrestrial life could be living on earth and disguised in invisibility cloaks. The possibility of time travel does exist but it would require a major advance in our technology. Einstein suggests that no one can travel as fast as the speed of light which makes the thought of time travel hard to believe.

The Human Mind

The human mind can work for or against us and we are responsible to keep it under control. If we allow our mind to relax, our imagination can run freely and give us great ideas for writing, speaking, or creating something to name a few. For example, Thomas Edison used his mind and imagination to develop and create light bulbs. On the other hand, our minds can be very dangerous and untrustworthy. We live in a society where we want everything right away and we are always trying to satisfy a need or desire. Unfortunately, if we don’t keep our minds in check it can ruin our lives and relationships. For example, we can run up debt to satisfy a need or ruin a marriage by viewing pornography to fill a lustful desire. The human mind can be a wonderful asset as long as we keep it in check.

Hip-Hop Music

It is hard for me to develop any positive response when I listen to hip-hop music. When I think of hip-hop musicians Rhianna comes to mind. I can’t associate the same feelings I get when comparing these artists to other genres of music. When I listen to music by Rhianna, she is expressing her emotions and feelings but in a very odd manor compared to traditional music. I also think of hip-hop artists as individuals who come from broken homes who had a terrible childhood growing up. I can’t understand many of the words in the songs which makes hip-hop music more annoying. Unfortunately, hip-hop music is becoming the way the younger generation is viewing the world.

Environmental Awareness and Activism

Environmental awareness is important for the world. As a world, I believe we all have a responsibility to take care of the planet we all share together. It is important we are all aware of the resources we have at our disposal and that we don’t waste or destroy them. Environmental activism is the voice of reason for our scarce resources that don’t have a way to defend themselves. For example, animals rely on the environment to survive and they are unable to warn the human population when they are disrupting the ecosystem needed for survival. Environmental activism is also necessary to protect us as a society. It is important that individual countries act responsibly by not polluting the air or become irresponsible with renewable energy sources such as nuclear power. If there was not environmental awareness or activism, the earth could become a very dangerous place to live.

The Prison System

The prison system in the United States is broken. I think the system has become broken because of the strain the justice system has put on it. The prison system is a necessary entity in our country but it is overcrowded due to severe recidivism. The state of California is unable to keep up with overcrowding so they are being forced to grant parole more frequently or place more criminals on probation.

The prison system does have many failures.  The burden on tax payers is so extreme in some states that it costs more to house an individual prisoner then educate a single student. Also, there is abuse and mistreatment of prisoners that goes on every day. I am reminded of a psychotic female prisoner in an Ohio prison that undressed herself in her cell and correctional officers left her alone for several hours as a source of entertainment. The prison system is broken but the reluctance to rid the system will always be there.

The Art of War

The Art of War is still talked about in society today. In fact, there was a movie based on the Art of War concept. The fact that it was written by a Chinese general makes it even more fascinating. The Art of War is broken down into four steps. Laying plans is the first step which highlights identifying the strongest officers and army of the opposing force. The plans also involve developing a strategy for defeat based on enemy response. The second step is waging war which describes the type of warfare to be used against the enemy as well as judging the enemy response based on economics of supply and demand. Attack by Stratagem is the third step in the Art of War. This step involves attacking the enemy based on a number of different scenarios. The final step in the Art of War is Weak Points and Strong. Identifying the weaknesses and strengths of the enemy is crucial in winning a war. The Art of War is fascinating today because many of these tactics are still used today and modern technology enhances the use of this strategy well beyond what the Chinese general ever anticipated.