We're Moving!

Ladies and gentlemen, NGHS AP World is moving into some new digs! We won't be too far, just to another side of the World Wide Web as WordPress will be hosting us next year. WordPress has some awesome features that I'm looking forward to making use of next year, so come check us out (right now we're still under construction) at http://nghsapworld.wordpress.com/. I'd love to get your feedback as well as to how to improve next year's blog. Also, feel free to follow us on Twitter next year at http://twitter.com/nghsapworld. I hope everyone is having a good summer. I'm now only 30 days from seeing my "son" (China)! Much of the trip will documented through my pictures and and journal entries. Check out the progress at the trip at http://asiapacifictours.blogspot.com. Good times!

Causes 2: Great Music, Greater Cause

Ladies and gentlemen, I hope all are having a good summer. I know some of you said that you'd be on here from time to time over the summer, so I hope that this blog post finds a few people. Towards the end of the year, many of you all were looking for charities to get involved in, especially when it come to Africa. I recently found a benefit album that you all may enjoy, and 100% of the profits go towards human rights. The major focus here is the ongoing crisis in Darfur. You can click here to see more about the album and the charity. The album features some of my favorite artists including Gnarls Barkley, The Decemberists, LCD Soundsystem, and My Morning Jacket. If you decide to purchase the album through a download or the mail, hopefully you will be exposed to some great music, as well as contributing to a greater cause. You can see more information on the charity and situation in Darfur below.

While I'm Away For the Summer...

Hopefully everyone will now look at history as something that is constantly unfolding, and you will want to keep up with it every day as the book continues to be re-written. You've known me for a year now, so you know that I will tell you that BBC News and NPR News are your best English language sources for keeping up. I would also like to tip you off on something that hit the blogosphere at 6:05 AM this morning, and that is NPR's new news blog, The Two-Way. I will not be posting to my blog over the summer, but I will definitely be posting to The Two-Way, and I look forward to perhaps reading some of you guy's posts too if you so choose to blog over the summer on major world issues (I know that now many of you are addicted to the blog format, so this is a great way to continue). You will also be able to keep up with how my China trip will go, how it is going, and how it went by following me on my other blog- Prill China Tour 2009. So for the final time ladies and gentlemen, it's been a pleasure getting to know you all, and I hope to see all of you again next year and the year after from time to time. So for the entire AP World History team at North Gwinnett High School, this is Roger Prill signing off, and wishing everyone a pleasant summer, and an incredible 2009-10 school year. Cheers!

Au Revoir

Enjoy your summer folks! This is the point that I say goodbye and wish you all the best next year. I'm glad that most of you seem pretty pumped about the exam yesterday, and I hope that you'll be happy with your score in July. Stay safe, stay smart, stay motivated, and PLEASE HELP TO MAKE THIS WORLD A LITTLE BETTER THAN THE IT CONDITION IT WAS IN WHEN YOU FOUND IT. Remember, it's never about how much you know, it's about how much you love what you know and what you plan on doing with it in the near future. In fact, over the summer, see what you may be able to do NOW by visiting this website. Cheers!

All Season Whapey Award Nominations

Ok folks, here they are, we take the best (and worst) of each season, and narrow it down to one winner in each category. This is also one excellent final bit of review. So without any further delay, here are you All Season Whapey Award nominees... VOTING CLOSES ON FRIDAY AT 11:59 PM.

Best Government

Byzantine Empire

Meiji Japan

Persia

Republic of India

Tokugawa Japan

Most Influential Society

Continental Europe

Great Britain

Mongols

Rome

USA

Most Influential Person

Confucius

Genghis Khan

Mohandas K. Gandhi
Napoleon Bonaparte

Peter the Great

Best Leader

Akbar

Cyrus

Genghis Khan

Mahmud II

Mikhail Gorbechev

Worst Leader

Adolf Hitler
Empress Dowager Cixi

Ivan the Terrible

Justinian

Xerxes

Best Conflict

Battle of Chaldiran

Cold War

Mongols vs. All

Rome vs. Nomads
Russo-Japanese War

Best Social System

Abbasid Empire

Meiji Japan

Mughal India

Persia

USA

Best Economic System

Byzantine System

European Capitalism

European Mercantilism

Japanese Free Market

Persian System

Best Labor System

British Industrialization

American Capitalism

Worst Labor System

Mao China Peasentry
Western Indentured Servitude
Western Slavery

Best Invention

Guns

Internet

Printing Press

Road Systems

Steam Engine

Worst Invention

Agriculture

Factories

Gunpowder

Guns
Nuclear Weapons

Most Influential Writer

Ibn-Khaldun

Karl Marx

Martin Luther

Best Cultural Contribution

Bread and Circuses

Europe's Renaissance

Industrialization

Motion Picture

Song Chinese Arts

Best Film

Aladdin (really?)

Darwin's Nightmare

Gladiator

Mean Girls

The Mission

Pakistan Continues to Heat Up

The growing reality is that the war on the Taliban has turned into a two front war, with the Pakistani government trying to push them back and perhaps out of Pakistan, and the United States, along with a small international coalition, trying to remove them from Afghanistan. The two growing issues seem to be (1) keeping the Taliban away from the nuclear arsenal in Pakistan (and yes, they are literally within 100 kilometers), and (2) a rapidly growing refugee crisis in Pakistan's Swat Valley. This is the real news story that we should be paying avid attention to. You can click here to get the latest from BBC News. You can also click here from the latest from NPR News.

Whapey Awards Season 5 Winners!

Well the USA racked up the most awards with 4, but India takes the big prize in Season 5, joining ranks with Persia, the Byzantine Empire, and Japan--all previous winners of the big prize this year.

Best Government: India

Most Influential Society: USA

Most Influential Person: Gandhi

Best Leader: Mikhail Gorbechev

Worst Leader: Adolf Hitler

Best Conflict: Cold War

Best Social System: USA

Best Economic System: Japan

Best Labor System: USA

Worst Labor System: China

Best Invention: Internet

Worst Invention: Nuclear Weapons

Most Influential Writer: Karl Marx (not alive in Season 5 mind you, but certainly has a huge influence over the season post-mortem)

Best Cultural Contribution: The Motion Picture

All Season Whapeys are coming tomorrow!!!

Pakistan (and its Nuclear Arsenal) in Grave Danger?

Through our discussions in this class regarding South Asian politics, we all know very well now that Pakistan is a member of the "Nuke 9." Therein lies the reason that so many globally are becoming increasingly concerned over the Taliban's incursions into Pakistan. With their entrance into Pakistan's Swat Valley, the Taliban is literally within 100 miles of Islamabad the capital, yes within 100 miles of taking Pakistan's nuclear supply. Keep in mind the Taliban is the same group that housed al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and funded and supported the attacks of 9/11. Yes, this Taliban is now edging ever closer to taking down the Pakistani government and their weapons arsenal. You can read on all the latest regarding these developments by clicking here to read the BBC Special Report on "Pakistan in Turmoil."

Mexico's Most Tragic Victim of "Swine Flu"-- The ECONOMY

Mexico finds itself in a terrible bind right now, the challenge of luring visitors back to Mexico. Tourism is one of Mexico's biggest revenue generators, and at the moment Mexico City alone is losing 100 million dollars a day. It seems that Mexico is indeed safe to visit, but how do you convince tourists of that. Apparently the government is very close to launching a huge ad campaign to re-generate tourism, but it will certainly be an up-hill battle. In era of economic uncertainty, this could indeed be devastating to the Mexican economy. You can read this story, and all the latest news on H1N1 by clicking here.

China Remembers the Sichuan Quake as We Approach the One Year Anniversary

It was almost a year ago now (May 12, 2008) that southwestern China was rocked by a 7.9 earthquake in Sichuan province. The tragedy of that day was too much to ignore for people around the world. Some places like Beichuan were literally reduced to rubble. As with so many natural disasters, the disaster itself didn't take center stage, but instead the governments preparedness (or the lack thereof) and the response (or the lack thereof) (one can easily recall to mind a similar situation regarding Hurricane Katrina here in the United States in 2005). Children were literally crushed in school buildings. Then the allegations began to emerge of government corruption and cutting corners on sub-standard building materials and policies. In any case, NPR is following the anniversary of the tragedy this week, and yes the controversy still rages on calling into question the effectiveness of the current system government in China. The situation certainly does expose the fact that there is an underground resistance to that was exacerbated by these events. NPR reporter Melissa Block, who just happened to be in the city of Chengdu (in the Sichuan province), is back in Chengdu this week for the anniversary, and she has an EXCELLENT blog she has set up called Chengdu Diary (that you can check out by clicking here).

Better News Emerging Regarding the 2009 H1N1 Virus

Well folks, it looks like things are easing up a bit, and there has been encouraging information from the CDC in recent days that we are not dealing with anything like the Spanish Influenza of 1918. I still personally applaud governments and non-governmental organizations for jumping on this quickly though because (1) we're not out of the woods yet, and it could come back with a vengence when the fall flu season kicks into gear, and (2) perhaps we've been able to keep the levels of spread of this one down because we have been so vigilent. At any rate, the latest is that Mexico will begin to slowly reopen starting Wednesday, and you can read up on the details by clicking here. Currently, the 2009 H1N1 virus has infected 1,025 in 20 countries, but only two countries (Mexico and the U.S.) have reported deaths. We still need to remain alert, but my trip to Mexico in June is actually starting to look like it will happen again.

This is Good Advice For Any Day... See You all Tomorrow at 7:45am in the Commons Area

Swine Flu, Ahem... Influenza A Update- Concerning News Coupled With Some Comforting News

Ok, so here's your daily update. From this point, said virus will now be referred to as Influenza A (this is more of a human thing than a pig thing, and yes, you can still eat pork Paris Hilton). Now, yes, Influenza A has been confirmed in LaGrange, Georgia. Again, this is no reason to panic, but we just need to be aware. It is a 30-year-old woman, and she is currently in a hospital. She apparently recently came back from Cancun. Obviously, this will be something Georgians will watch, but let's listen to Governor Purdue, who has reminded us this is no reason to panic, and that it's an isolated case. You can read this story by clicking here. Ok, so the good news now. (1) The WHO is saying that for now there is no need to talk about or consider raising the pandemic threat level to 6. (2) Although there was a leap in swine flu cases today, most of these were suspected cases that are merely being confirmed now. Finally, (3) EU Health Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou has said a possible swine flu global epidemic, or pandemic, would not necessarily cause widespread deaths, and is urging Europeans to remain vigilant, but calm. You can follow that story by clicking here. You can also view the official word of the WHO on video by clicking here. Hopefully a cap can be put on this soon.

"Darwin's Nightmare" Discussion Board

Again, I remained stunned from this film, now seeing it for a fourth time. There were no actors, there was no Hollywood stage, just a risk-taker with a digital camera in hand exploring the guts of famine-stricken Tanzania. For the students that came, perhaps the film was 1 hour and 47 minutes that changed your life. I recall addressing my students back in August and telling my students that this is not just a class, and we're not here to make high numbers on report cards. This is a life-changing experience if you allow it to be. This film proved that to me this afternoon once again. Usually when I show a film, when the credits began to roll, everyone gets up and leaves. With Darwin's Nightmare, although I myself was seeing it for a 4th time, I sat through the credits stunned as if it were my first time viewing the film. Then I got up, turned on the lights, and I saw teenagers stunned, speechless, and immovable. Ladies and gentlemen, hundreds of years of history crashed into the present with Darwin's Nightmare.

So the film itself. What is it saying? The question has been asked as to what exactly is Darwin's Nightmare. Or, to put it another way, if Darwin were alive today and if he were to have a nightmare, would it look like this film? Would the fish that triggered this gold rush, the Nile perch ("sangara" in Swahili, or "mkombosi," which translates, ironically, as "the savior"), be part of his nightmare? Would the fact that this fish now devours its own young, having eaten virtually all the other fish in the lake--would this trouble Darwin enough to have nightmares? Would the local people figure into his nightmare, those who, say, will cut down a 100-year-old mango tree, which could feed 100 children, in order to make the fires which will boil a few cups of tea? Are, the consumers of the Western world (of which the Nile perch is an eerie metaphor) whose bottomless appetites set everything we see in the film in motion, are we the nightmare? One of the great strengths of this film, it could be argued, is that it leaves this and many other questions unanswered. Or leaves them for us to answer, as best we can.

So for those of you who saw the film, what are your thoughts and reactions? Your thoughts...

Season 5 Discussion Board- If You Learned Only Six Things in Season 5, Remember...

1. Due to improvements in health care and the decrease of the death rate, the world population went from 1 billion people in 1900 to over 6 billion. The movement of people has also increased throughout the world, with many in search of better economic opportunities. Some refugees, too are being forced to leave their homelands.

2. Traditional social structures have been challenged as a result of movements which have attempted to empower the working and peasant classes, such as the introduction of communist governments in various parts of the world.

3. Women gained the right to vote in many parts of the world and access to new economic opportunities and education. The development of the birth control pill empowered women by allowing them to control their own reproductive systems.

4. The world became more and more integrated through technology, cultures blended, and some came to dominate. At the same time, religious fundamentalism has developed in some regions, possibly to combat this Western-dominated culture.

5. This rise in the nation-state and nationalism has led to the adoption of political systems from totalitarianism to democracy. At the same time, the rise of a more globally connected world may blur the lines of the nation-state.

6. The world wars demonstrated the influence of technology on warfare, but also indicated the decline of Europe as the global power. Colonial areas asserted themselves and fought for independence, but were later faced with a new global conflict called the Cold War. since the end of the Cold War, nations have made attempts at both economic and political reforms, and international and multinational organizations have made attempts to find a new world order.

Season 4 Discussion Board- If You Learned Only Six Things in Season 4, Remember...

1. Industrialization led the world to become truly interdependent. Industrialized nations in nations in search of raw materials and new markets often imperialized areas to protect their economic interests.

2. Populations grew and many people migrated to cities in search of work in factories. Free-wage laborers were more desirable in this new market-driven economy than force labor. As a result, slaves and serfs were emancipated.

3. Women gained some economic opportunities in the factories but were paid considerably less than their male counterparts. These new economic opportunities and Enlightenment ideals pushed women to fight for political rights, as well.

4. The working-class emerged as a force for change. Through organization into unions, these workers were able to advocate for improved working conditions, which were dangerous and oppressive.

5. Western culture strongly influenced many Asian and African areas through colonization. At the same time, Asian and African culture and art strongly influenced European intellectuals and artists. Enlightenment ideals such as equality, freedom of speech, and freedom of religion became very influential in many parts of the world, yet in other parts, traditional religious organization maintained power and influence.

6. The ideas of the Enlightenment said that the government was responsible to its people, inspiring revolutions and independence movements and pushing some governments to experiment with democratic values. This democracy, however, proved to extend to a limited class of people. "The nation" and nationalism became the new concepts of identity in the 19th century, and would soon spread to many parts of the world.

Do You Really Want to Make a Positive Impact???

As I graded the tests that you all took on Monday, I was impressed by how many people said that they truly want to dedicate themselves to a cause and make a positive impact. As impressive as this always is to hear, I find that our sense of urgency can quickly fade when we say we want to do things in the future. EVEN AS TEENAGERS, YOU CAN MAKE POSITIVE CHANGES IN THE WORLD RIGHT NOW! Making goals is only half the battle. Now is the time for action. Now is the time to involve yourself in positive volunteer service, not just in our small community, but at global levels. Yes, you can be a global force for positive change right now. As so many of you have acknowledged, globalization has made the impossible possible, and globalization does not have to be a negative thing. Could you use globalization and the tools that we have before us to help children in Ethiopia learn how to read for example? Sure, you saw the World Bank's statistics on this blog last week that 68% of all Ethiopian women are illiterate. Gone are the days, however, that we look at such things and say: "Oh, that's too bad. I feel so lucky to live in this country." Now is time for action! In the words of Edmund Burke: "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." As I've said before, I'd rather fail trying to be part of the solution than succeed being part of the problem. I am glad to know that news organizations like CNN not only present the news but also give their viewers opportunities to explore solutions to the problems they see on the news instead of just shaking their heads and changing the channel. The program is called CNN Impact Your World. Students have asked me what they can do now to help those dealing with tragedy. Folks, if you simply click here, you'll notice there are a multitude of global volunteer services you can involve yourselves in right now, and that span the full range of interests, from refugees to poverty to health to natural disasters to children to the environment. If you find something you like, talk to me and I'll be glad to work alongside you in the trenches.

Announcing a Special Encore Presentation of "Darwin's Nightmare" on Thursday, April 30

Due to popular demand, I will be showing an ENCORE presentation of Darwin's Nightmare for the first time in the history of this class. It seems like the students that saw the film yesterday have pretty much unanimously demanded that this be required viewing for an AP World History student. Again, as I mentioned in a previous post, YOU DON'T TRULY UNDERSTAND THE SITUATION IN AFRICA UNTIL YOU SEE THIS FILM. The encore will be Thursday, April 30, starting at 2:30 pm. The film has a runtime of around 1 hour and 47 minutes. As always, the trailer can be viewed below.

The Season 5 Whapey Awards (VOTE!!!)

Ok folks, now that season 5, and the series, is officially over, it's time for awards season. Once again, this is our opportunity to award the "best" in world history at the end of a season. This is also a great opportunity to reflect critically on content learned. The categories for voting will be listed below, and all you have to do is nominate your selection in a comment post. Voting closes at 11:59pm ON SUNDAY. We'll tally the votes, and the winner will be announced Tuesday, May 5. If any of you are in need of volunteer hours and would like to come in after school or during 6th lunch on Monday to tally votes, I'll be happy to have you. That would be a great help. Happy voting. Don't forget: next will be the All-Season Whapey Awards! Here are the categories for season 5...


[NOTE: DO NOT COPY AND PASTE OTHER VOTERS' BALLOTS. YOU MAY ONLY COPY AND PASTE THIS ONE TO FILL IN. VOTE INDEPENDENTLY!]




Best Government:

Most Influential Society:

Most Influential Person:

Best Leader:

Worst Leader:

Best Conflict:

Best Social System:

Best Economic System:

Best Labor System:

Worst Labor System:

Best Invention:

Worst Invention:

Most Influential Writer:

Best Cultural Contribution:




[NOTE: BECAUSE OF THE SEASON 5 FILM FESTIVAL, WE WILL HAVE SEPARATE VOTING FOR THE USUAL FILM CATEGORY AFTER OUR ENCORE PRESENATION OF DARWIN'S NIGHTMARE ON THURSDAY].

The WHO Raises Pandemic Threat Level to 5

Today the World Health Organization raised the pandemic threat level from 4 to 5 (the highest level is 6). According to the WHO's Dr. Margaret Chan: "All of humanity is under threat." Again though, medical professionals, as well is government officials, are stressing the need not to panic. I just saw an interview with Dr. Sanjay Gupta on Wolf Blizter's Situation Room, and he basically said that the reason for raising the threat level has a lot more to do with the scope and not yet the severity. Swine Flu is now in 11 states, but Georgia is not yet one of them. However, according to a Georgia health official, the likelihood of Georgia not being affected is nil. Health officials in Georgia expect to be dealing with cases, as Atlanta is an obvious international crossroads. In any case, you can click here to get the latest from the BBC.