Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Online classes...

Can I just take this opportunity to warn about online classes in college. Some of you might think of the idea of online classes and think, "they are flexible, limited work, no commute, and less work than normal classes..." and a couple of those statements would be WRONG!! Yes, they are flexible with when you complete assignments, but they still require your to turn in a legitimate heft assignment at least 2x a week. There is "limited work" is a lie. "No commute" is true enough. "Less work than normal classes" is a lie as well!!! Seriously my online classes take up at least 5x times more hours of my week than my 2 ACTUAL classes combined!! It is ridiculous! There are discussion boards, reading responses, article analysis, etc. Most classes would have a discussion during class time about the reading, and if I didn't understand the reading or had no opinion about it, I simply would remain quiet... not in an online class!! You are expected to write about 500 words on everything you read and it is agonizing if you really have nothing to say!!!
Now I have taken some classes like "history of broadway musicals" and "shakespeare in film" where I had NO WORK and it was glorious... so if you are going to take an online class, go that route. But don't take English classes or history classes online... because they are ridiculously time consuming!

This is my soapbox for the day!

Posts to come...
Elsie Lane Thompson
Fashion Week Challenge

Sunday, October 03, 2010

World War I is officially over...

I am sorry, but this may be the complete history nerd in me, but it seriously was the highlight of my weekend to learn that World War I in essence ended today when Germany made their final reparation payment. For those of you who don't remember your history, I'll remind you...

At the end of World War I there was a Treaty of Versailles (signed in the hall of mirrors at Versailles Palace outside of France) where Germany was ordered to take full responsibility for the entire war and repay $33 billion dollars!!!!
This sent Germany into a complete economic breakdown. At one point $1 (USD) was worth 54 TRILLION German Marks... It was cheaper to burn money than buy fire wood. Poor Germans had no hope of recovery... then enters Hitler... good old Hitler with his plans to save Germany from destruction... and that takes us to World War II... it is pretty much agreed by most scholars that the Treaty of Versailles was the direct cause of World War II.
Anyway, today Germany made their last payment!! 91 years after the treaty was signed. Pretty cool!!!

So know that you have had your history lesson, here are some awesome pictures of my European travels as they relate to World War I and Germany...
This is me standing in the Hall of Mirrors where the Treaty of Versailles was signed
This is Munich, Germany... not directly related to World War I as much as it is crucial to World War II. Munich is where the Nazi party was formed!
This picture also has little to do with the wars, however it is taken at the Hofbrahaus in Munich!! (This is the place where the Nazi party started)
For those of you who wish to read more about this momentous day... check out this article!!