I have been researching OPEC lately to prepare for my next paper and I found the home website of OPEC to be very interesting. It features the latest reports, announcements, speeches, publications, meetings, and general information about the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries. I found this site interesting because this organization directly affects anyone who owns a car that runs on gas. Overall, I think that it is important that we know more about the petroleum industry since rising demands and prices will greatly affect all of us in the future.
http://www.opec.org/home/
Ecological Debt
“The UK is about to run out of its own natural resources and become dependent on supplies from abroad, a report says.
A study by the New Economics Foundation (Nef) and the Open University says 16 April is the day when the nation goes into "ecological debt" this year. “
The story describes the concept of ecological footprint and describes why the UK goes into ecological debt earlier every year. There are some nice charts showing where other countries are in terms of ecological debt as well as some interesting links to the organizations that calculate these figures.
Britain now 'eating the planet'
For Mrs. Hartman
Since I can't really get a hold of you this weekend, I was wondering if it would be alright if I did a paper on " different population control methods and their effectivness" instead of "failure of governments to control population growth"?
There was another posting about
women’s rights in Saudi Arabia and I became interested to see if I could find some more information. I came across women’s rights in several different countries and read how they compared and how they differed.
Saudi Arabia Economic news
Today Prince Sultan prepared an agreement with Singapore so that they create an economic partnership and expand on their energy sector. This agreement is important because this might help disagreements in the region that might help spread peace across the entire middle east and help the US get out of the middle east. They also agreed to contiune the fight on terrioism which is a major victory for the US and might help end the war on terriosim and the war in Iraq. Here is a link where this story was written.
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1§ion=0&article=80650&d=13&m=4&y=2006
Oil Reserves of the world
Since the major point of discussion is oil and the amount of it in the world and most of it is. I found a website were it shows what countries have the most barrels of oil in them. For the majority it would be what I would expect but their is a few that surprised. Check this website out.
http://www.mapsofworld.com/world-top-ten/world-top-ten-oil-reserves-countries-map.html
4-12 Class notes
The Geography of Fossil Fuels
-Oil unevenly distributed in the area
-Saudi Arabia, Iran, U.A.E., Libya, Algeria, contribute significantly to oil production, while Morocco, and Sudan have few developed petroleum reserves.
-This region has 7% of the worlds population; hold 68% of the worlds proven reserves
Regional Economic Patterns
-HIGHER INCOME OIL EXPORTERS
-Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, U.A.E.
-Cultural landscape reshaped b/c of oil wealth
-Not all benefit-rural Shiite Muslims and foreign workers.
LOWER INCOME OIL EXPORTERS
-Algeria: Oil and Natural gas are its top exports, but political instability remains a problem
-Iran: Has huge oil reserves, but long war Iraq (1980-90) and withdrawal form world trade under fundamentalist government have lowered living standards
PROSPERING WITHOUT OIL
-Israel has highest living standard in the region
-Turkey has diversified economy, ahs seen growth
-Economic reforms in Tunisia
-Lebanon has potential for prosperity through tourism and telecommunications
REGIONAL PATTERNS OF POVERTY
-Sudan’s economy ruined by civil war
-Morocco is poorer than Algeria or Tunisia and suffers from brain drain
-Brain Drain- phenomenon in which some of brightest young people leave for better jobs in Western Europe
-Egypt’s prospects unclear, with growth in the 1990s, but large gaps between rich and poor
-Yemen is poorest country in the Arabian peninsula
Issues of Social Development
Varied Regional Patterns
-Israel has high living standard; but Jewish majority doing much better than Muslim minority
-Saudi Arabia has lower figures of social well-being than might be expected
A Woman’s Changing World
- World largest female workforce population
-In some countries of the region, women not allowed to work outside of the home or drive
-In Iran, womens roles changing
-Libya sees modernizing womens role as high priority
Global Economic Relationships
Changing global linkages
-Oil is the major export of the region
-Oil makes up 70% of regions exports
-OPEC still influences cost and availability of petroleum
-Israeli exports include cut diamonds, electronics, and machinery parts
-Turkey exports include textiles, food products, and manufactured goods.
-Tourism includes religious and historical sites, other activities
Regional Connections
In your packet
Global Economic Relationships
The geography of tourism
-ancient historical sites and globally significant religious localities are large dew
-Tourist hotels and condos on the Mediterranean
-Ecotourism- tourism is a large part of the regional economy in Turkey, Israel, and Egypt
-Impacts to visual landscape, physical environment, and archaeological sites
CONCLUSIONS
-Southwest Asia and North Africa played critical in world history and globalization
-Important culture hearth and religious center
-oil plays world role
-political conflicts disrupt economic development
-tension between modern ways and fundamentalist traditions
The status of women in the middle east is a constant hot topic of debate. According to a few articles, the position of islamic women is frequently misunderstood. However, it is true "that Muslim and Western views of the role of women show sharp cultural differences."
Did you know that...The Holy Qur'an gave women economic and social rights long before such rights were attained by Western women? Sounds surprising-right?
Well, I decided to look up some sites to research a bit more. I found this really interesting one. You get to click on numbers to read the personal views of five women that live in Saudi Arabia. Then try to guess who each person is...
*A human rights campaigner
*A Saudi woman
*An expat from Canada
*A migrant worker from Indonesia
*A businesswoman from Jordan
*Check out this site...
GLOBAL EYE ON SAUDI ARABIA
Iraq stock exchange
Today in class Mrs. Hartmann said that there was an Iraq Stock Exchange, I had no idea! It's a fairly big one too! The stock exchange started in the beginning of summer 2004, and has gone pretty smoothly ever since. On opening day 589 million shares were traded. U.S. officials assisted Iraq on reconstructing their trading system. This proved to be beneficial because on June 24, 2004 there was stock trading in Baghdad for the first time in almost a year and a half. The
Iraq stock exchange will help improve their economy, especially their private sector. The link in this post takes you to the actual Iraq Stock Exchange website.
Apparently there was a car bombing at a marketplace in Khalis, north of Baghdad, which killed two people and wounded 23. The violence in Irag just seems to be increasing more and more the longer we stay in there, what should we do?
http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/04/12/iraq.main/index.html
Would you drive an electric car?
John Herou, from Princeton MN has been building and selling electric cars. His business, E-ride Industries, grew out of a custom golf cart business and he now sells his electric cars through dealers in six states. The cars reach a top speed of about 25 MPH and cost about 1.5 cents per mile to operate. You can travel about 55 miles on a single charge.
4/11/06
TriviaWhich sect of islam is associated with mysticism?
http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/society/A0858917.htmlThere is also links at the bottom of the page for more info on the religion Islam
NotesSemite languarge- Arabic/Hebrew
Berber-Older, Afro-Asiatic Language
Atlas Mts and Sahara Language
Speake Indo Europe Language
Persia dominate Iran
Kurd N Iraq NW Iran East Turkey
establish in china, russia, africa, phillipines, Malaysia, Indonesia
Muslim expand in W europe/ North America
Impact tradition/ globalization value
ottoman dominant
europe colony after WW1
political bouandary
Suez Canal
Europe Influence Egypt
British instrument Saudi Arabia
Israel made 1948
3 wars- 1956, 1967, 1973
Intifada (1987) Palestine uprise jewish settlement
conflict Palenstine/Israel
born in colonial era British empire 1932
Iran 1978-1979
Shities overthrow Shah
sudanesse fundamentalists overthrow democracy in 1989
Lebanon conflict Sunni/Shitie
Cyprus Greece Turkey Conflict
Green Line UN peacemaker in Cyprus
Israel/Turkey US allies/Iran, Syria enemies
Oil plays a role
After Notes we finished GIS
articleThis article talks about an expulsion of 3000 Shiites from the 'Sunni Triangle'. This was a retaliation of an expulsion of Sunnis from the predominately Shiite Southern Iraq. "This clash in Ramadi was one of the first times Sunni Arabs have been known to take up arms against insurgents specifically in defense of Shiites"
The Sunnis and Shiites have sympathy for one another for what they feel is foreign attempts to start conflicts between them.
I found this article interesting because you usually only hear about fighting against each other, not for each other.
Another issue was whether Shiites should have their own separate federal state in southern Iraq like the Kurds have established in the north.
Well, a new documentary is coming out soon. It's not ragging on politics, or gun companies, or drugs. Nope, it's focusing on the very ground we stand on. And Al Gore is taking the lead! This new movie, called An Inconvenient Truth, is a rallying cry on global warming. Now, I used to think that Global Warming was just a Hippy cry for change, but it seems that this issue is literally getting hotter and hotter by the day. It's difficult, because this will literally, dare I say, CHANGE THE WORLD!
It seems that this whole mess that has built up over the years is not going to be fixed by our elders, but our generation, and the continuing ones after.
Hopefully this movie will open eyes to witness the dark corners of the building smog.
VOTE: Will you see this movie
Yes or No?
Why?
Notes 04-10-06
I. A Long Urban Legacy
A. City life began in Mesopotamia (Endu and Ur 3500 B.C.) and Egypt(Memphis and Thebes 2000 B.C.)
B. Rise of trade centers around 2000 B.C.
C. Centers of Islamic religious administration and advocation
- Ex: Baghdad, Cairo
- The original urban core of a traditional Islamic city is called a medina, has central mosque, bazaar
II. Signatures of Globalization
A. Urban centers have become focal points of economic growth (ex: Cairo, Algiers, Istanbul)
III. Migration streams
A. Rural-to-urban migration
B. Migration of low-wage workers from other regions to South West Asia and North Africa
C. Migration of workers from regions to other places (ex: Turkish guest workers to Germany)
IV. Shifting Demographic Patterns
A. Women in Tunisia, Iran, and Turkey are having fewer children
- Causes include delayed marriage, family planning initiatives, greater urbanization
B. High rates of natural increase in West Bank, Gaza, and Libya
C. Increasing population will strain cities, water supplies, and public services
V. Hearth of the Judeo-Christian Tradition
A. Jews and Christians trace their routs to the eastern Mediterranean
B. Monotheism- belief in one god
VI. The Emergence of Islam
A. Quran- Koran; believed by Muslims to be a book of revelations received by Muhammad from Allah (God), representing God’s highest religious and moral revelations
B. Islam means “submission to the will of God”
C. Five Pillars
- Repeat the basic creed to accept Islam (“There is no God but God, and Muhammad is his prophet”)
- Pray five times daily facing Makkah (Mecca)
- Give charitable contributions
- Fast during month of Ramadan
- Make at least one Hajj (pilgrimage) to Makkah
D. Theocratic state- one in which religious leaders (ayatollahs) guide policy; Iran is an example
VII. Major religious schism divided Islam early on, and still exists
A. Shiites- current name of group that favored passing power on within Muhammad’s own family
B. Sunnis- current name of group that favored passing power through the established clergy; emerged victorious
VIII. Ottoman Empire- Vast empire (Turks; included southeastern Europe and most of Southwestern Asia and North Africa, circa 1453)
IV. Modern Religious Diversity
A. Muslims majority in region, except for in Israel and Cyprus
- Sunni (73%); Shiites (23%) dominant in Iran, southern Iraq, Lebanon, Sudan, and Bahran
B. Sufism in region’s margins, and Druze of Lebanon
Should we teach Chinese?
A proposal currently being discussed in the Minnesota House of Representatives would invest $250,000 in increasing availability of Chinese language instruction in the state’s schools. There are currently only a few districts that offer Chinese as a second language and only about 15 people certified to teach it in the state. Chinese can be a very difficult language to master due to the large number of characters necessary to fluency. Many believe that knowledge of Chinese will be necessary to ensure a variety of business opportunities in the not so distant future.
Should we increase Chinese language instruction in Minnesota’s schools? Is this the best way to go about it?
Globalization in Google Earth
When we were at the Spatial Analysis Center on Friday for College Geo, the GIS program reminded me of Google Earth, which is GIS similar program that is like Arc View. The program is for the public and allows you to freely move through the world at a bird's eye view using satellite technology. They also have a similar table of contents on the side like we see in Arc View. The program is a free download for anyone who would like to give it a whirl.
I think this program is a great example of globalization through technology. We now have the technology developed where we can see any part of the world, instantly, through our home computers.
http://earth.google.com/
The difference of Sunni and Shitte Muslims
Often times in the news we hear of the two different parts of Muslim groups, Sunni and Shitte muslims. I did a speech on the difference between both groups and was surprised at the number of differences between the groups. I found this website:
here that was helpful in explaining the differences. The Shittes and Sunnis are two groups that occupy areas of Iraq currently, along with the Kurdish.
Immigrants Marching St. Paul
This afternoon a rally for immigration took place right in St. Paul. The
article mentions that the ralliers chanted "Yes we can" in Spanish in response to their view of unfair legal rights in the United States.
Every day America is faced with the problem of illegal immigration, mainly from Mexico. Some of the worries include importing drugs through the border and also illegal aliens taking away job opportunities from Americans. The article however is talking about legal immigrants. I do believe that if an immigrant of another country comes to the United States and passes all the tests and qualifications for being an American citizen, they should be treated like one; including the receiving of legal rights. I think it is unfair to treat those who have followed the law less than those who were naturally born here and follow the law.
Immigration has always been a part of United States history, but now as globalization has grown, I would predict less immigrants coming to the United States as countries throoughout the world modernize.
4-5-06
-SW Asia and N Africa extend 4,000 miles
-This region is a culture hearth, a region that witnesses many cultural innovations that subsequently diffuse to there parts of the world.
-Development of Petroleum industry has had large impact on the region
*OPEC= member countries make profound influence on global prices and petroleum.
*Islamic Fundamentalism- this aspect of Islam that advocates return to more traditional practices calls for measure of civil and religious authority and challenges enchroament of global pop culture
environmental Geo.: Life in a Fragile World-A long history of human settlement in SW Asia and N Africa has left its mark on the environment.
(Regional Landforms)
SW Asia is more mountainous than N Africa
-North Africa
Maghreb= "West Island" includes Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. Dominated by Atlas Mountains.
-Southwest Asia
*Levant=eastern Mediterranean region of Southwest Asia has mountains and highlands.
*Anatolia= peninsula of Turkey is a geological active plateau
*Mesopotamia.
Physical gee. of SW Asia and N Africa-Patterns of Settlement
Arid
Deserts stretch from Atlantic coast across Africa, through the Arabian Penninsula, and into central and eastern Iran.
Mediterranean climates in the Atlas Mountains and the Levant coastline caused by altitude and latitude.
(Legacies of a Vulnerable Landscape)
-Lengthy human settlement has led to environmental problems,
Deforest and Overgrazing
-Human activities and natural conditions have reduced most forests to grass and scrub
*Salinization=Buildup of toxic salts in the soil from centers of irrigation.
hundreds of thousand of acres of farmland degraded.
-whew
And, the rest, in summary, is that N Africa and SW Asia are some pretty cool places. Cheers to them. :)
The whole day was consumed with notes. If you need more detailed info. for your own private notes, just come talk to me.
US vs Iraq AND Iran?
As soon as I thought there was nothing to blog on this evening...I came across an article on my homepage. It seems to be public knowledge that Iran is increasing their nuclear power, and according to
MSNBC.com, the United States is switching their international agenda to focus primarily on Iran and the safety of our troops in Iraq. As usual, we have a tentative plan of action: air strikes. For now, we have taken surveillance of the land by searching for traces of nuclear activity, taking still shots of the land, and using radar since 2004. The only other nation seemingly interested in taking action against Iran is Israel; Britain has no interest in assisting the U.S. should we attack the region.
As soon as I thought there was nothing to blog on this evening...I came across an article on my homepage. It seems to be public knowledge that Iran is increasing their nuclear power, and according to
MSNBC.com, the United States is switching their international agenda to focus primarily on Iran and the safety of our troops in Iraq. As usual, we have a tentative plan of action: air strikes. For now, we have taken surveillance of the land by searching for traces of nuclear activity, taking still shots of the land, and using radar since 2004. The only other nation seemingly interested in taking action against Iran is Israel; Britain has no interest in assisting the U.S. should we attack the region.
King Abudullah II. of Jordan and graduate of Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts, requested a similar prep school for his country. It will mark the records, as the first coeducational boarding school in the Middle East. The school, called Kings Academy, will be located in Madaba, Jordan and filled with up to 600 students (grades 9-12). The primary goal is to bring American education to the region and help prepare boys and girls for work in both the private and public sectors. "Although the academy will have an American flavor, Dr. Widmer acknowledged that it would "need to represent the culture and tradition of the Middle East." I think this is a perfect example of cultural hybridization, as traditional culture is intertwined with American culture. In my opinion, this is important so the region want lose it's own, personal culture.
Not only that, but Academy officials plan to send recruiters across the region to identify promising students, including those in "Palestinian refugee camps and small villages." This is important because, less fortunate people will also be given the amazing opportunity. Hopefully when the school is finished in 2007, it will start a beneficial and innovative style of education in the Middle East.
Check out this site and article
THE NEW ACADEMY
