Damn. Damn. Damn. This has to be the toughest class I've ever studied for. But I need a break, and I need to vent. So you, noble reader, get to experience my short venting. CIA in the 3rd World is tough. And it's not as interesting as you'd think. Feel free to stop reading here; this probably isn't very interesting either. I made the mistake of purchasing my books after 3 weeks had elapsed in class. And then I made the mistake of purchasing them online. So I have only had my books for about 2 weeks now. Still, that should be plenty of time to do all the readings. Except that the readings are something like 150+ pages per class (twice a week). I've never had a class with so much information to process in my life. And y'all, I'm not a first year student. I'm a senior at UH taking a 3000-level course. I have two 4000-level courses that are both easier. They're both history as well. If you want me to tell you all about the First Crusade, I'm your man. I can tell you about the people who launched them and the major players within. I can take a blank map and label almost every major city in the Holy Land. I can tell you details of each siege and battle. But this CIA class is ridiculous. I think the first problem is that it's modern history... At least you'd think. Nothing we did or read in that class for the first week happened after 1800. None of it. People were making comments on whether or not we were ever going to get there. Next came US Foreign Affairs. Man, that's EVER so interesting. Now, complaining about not finding something interesting is my own fault. But we spent a full day on colonial economies in the 1700s. All we needed to know from that lecture could be summed up in once sentence. And we finally get to the CIA! Kind of. See, we talked about the creation of the CIA out of the ashes of the OSS. And we talked about Guy A in Washington's problems with Guy B. And how Guy B had a hard-on for British Guy A, except he was actually a Soviet spy. See, NOW the class is getting interesting! I was really enjoying it at this point. Then came the next lecture. There was no US Intelligence yet, just the military. So we talked about US and British actions in Iran. When I walked out of that lecture, someone told me they were falling asleep. And now it's the Midterm. We've talked about the CIA for all of 20 minutes, and I've read 200 pages of his book (in addition to other readings). And I wouldn't mind the 200 pages if he was a decent writer. But he repeats himself. A lot. I just hope the second half of the class is better. So I'd like to first give out some advice: Don't take 3 history courses in the same semester. Order your books early. Don't take CIA in the Third World
You could watch The Good Shepard as cliff notes pertaining to the beginning of the CIA. Probably not historically accurate enough though. I've been meaning to get a non-fiction book on the origins of the CIA...certainly a case of an unbelievable story except that it actually happened.
That's why I always took those classes during mini and summer sessions. I do much better where it's all condensed into a few weeks. Also, to be safe, I took them at a community college and transfered the credit. That way, if I just barely passed, the credit would transfer over but the grade wouldn't. Didn't matter 'cause I made A's anyway because I do well with the short sessions. I only had one day of math in college. I went the first day and never went back and didn't drop the class either. I made a C in that class. And that was the only math class I needed.
Nope! He's even got videos up of lectures from years ago. I think he's just really demanding. And, you know, I've BEEN to Guatemala. Twice. I'm INTERESTED in Guatemala. But the material is presented poorly. I understand how most of this leads to the conclusion that covert ops are really, really good. But, to take an example from the book, the US Americans viewed the Latin Americans as racially inferior and immature. They viewed them with "feminine" traits (irrational, illogical, emotional). And it was up to the Anglo-Saxons, who embodied "masculine" traits (reason, logic) to raise them up. So he says it in the first chapter when describing the US businessmen. And again about the US soldiers. And again about the Protestant missionaries. And then he repeats them later in the chapter. And then he repeats them in his conclusion. And then again in the second chapter. It keeps going.
Now if they only offer 3000 classes in community colleges.. I took summer courses at community college and I'd make an A and look back and regretted I spent so much time studying. I could've settled for a low B and used the rest of the time to enjoy the summer.
That makes not a lick of sense. On another note, this is definitely an Adderall induced typing rant. I've had them before.
For that matter, isn't it supposed to be hard? (that's what she said...zing!...uh, nm ). In all seriousness, you go to college to be challenged, right? I understand complaining about it, though, because it isn't anywhere close to what you expected. The good news on the repetition in the reading is that it should make his points easier to remember.
History is great, too bad not many job out there for history major, or I would have majored in that when I was in college.
Man, you are working really hard to make sure that jelafied takes on a different meaning than what that mentally disabled poster wanted
O'Brien. Looks like we've got another one. I just woke up. I aced the test. It's not like I wasn't PREPARED. =D And coffee? COFFEE!? Please. I'm (actually, unlike most of those others who claim it) ADD. I use methylphenidates and amphetamines. Coffee is an AFTERTHOUGHT. Speed, er, medicine works WAY better. And there's really no such thing as (insert drug here)-based rant when you've been taking 'em for 18 years. It's more of an I've-been-up-reading-for-hours-and-have-hit-that-wall-where-I-can't-cram- anymore-information-into-my-noggin-tonight rant. I used to do 'em all the time when I'd run out of medicine at North Texas and spend the night drinking coffee (jeez, why the HELL don't we have 7/11 in Houston? Stop n Go went out LONG ago. That's worth a poll) studying for my Japanese test. I'm just really, really, really good at ranting. Not so much after being awake 30 hours. For example, here's one of mine from when the Astros lost to sucklanta to miss the playoffs. When the Astros lost to the Cardinals in the playoffs a few years ago, I cursed out a friend of mine from St. Louis.
I feel your pain, but I really can't see the point of staying up 30 hours for studying purposes. Mix in a 5 hour sleep would probably be better time management for retaining knowledge. I've pulled a few all-nighters working on programs and essays, but never to study for a test.
