Women banned from swimming
In Mogadishu Somalia, an Islamic court banned women for swimming at the northern Mogadishu Leedo beach in Somalia's capital. It is one of the latest steps that imposes strict religious rule. I feel that this universal religion of Islam has been taken too far, and is suppressing the rights and progress of women. A member of the Islamic court explained the reasoning for this ban: "We stopped women from swimming because it is against the teaching of Islam for women to mingle with men, especially while they are swimming." For one thing, the women of that region swim fully clothed, and also they are usually on vacation with their families. Shouldn't they "mingle" with others in their families? Among with the bans against swimming, the Islamic group has also banned movie veiwing and publicly lashed drug users and broke up a wedding celebration because a band was playing and women and men were socializing together. I think that what the Islamic group has been doing is cultural imperialism.
Women banned from swimming
Mexico blocks genetically engineered corn
Mexico has recently reveled that it will now entirely block genetically engineered corn. Many environmentalists are worried that the planting of G.E. corn will cause the that corn to mix with the natural corn that has been planted more than 6,000 years ago. There are many different kinds of corn that is planted all around Mexico. The different types of corn are used for tortilla chips and tamales.
Many of the supporters of the g.e. corn are angered by this new law. They believe that the corn is better for the farmers and the economy. G.E. Corn would would help limit the use of pesticides and herbicide that would be needed to grow "natural" corn. They also stated that G.E. corn is already planted and used all around the world, they are wondering why Mexico would ban it. Many of Mexico's officials are wondering if they should have a certain and recognized area that would be only for the non-native corn.
I think that they should keep the ban on G.E. corn. There is already too many vegetables and fruits that are genetically engineered why would we want more? People are what they eat. If they continue to eat the G.E. food, who knows what side-effects it could have. I'm am not positive if there are any but I am also not sure if they has been any studies to prove that there isn't. Yes, G.E. food does have its benefits. It does help limit the use on pesticides and herbicides, which protects the people who eat the food with them on it and protects the surrounding area. Pesticides and herbicides can effect the surrounding flora and fauna. I think that this was a smart decision for Mexico.
Brazilian Tribe Protests in Iron Mine
Today, a group of about 200 Brazilian native people left the iron ore mine they had inhabited yesterday. The Xikrin Indians, which live in the surrounding state of Para, stayed in the mine as an act of protest. The tribe was armed with clubs and bows and arrows, demanding money and improvements to infrastructure. Also, the government’s Indian affairs agency said that the Carajas mine, CVRD, failed to renegotiate with the Xikrin as promised. The Federal Indian Bureau (Funai) stated that CVRD had not fulfilled a September renegotiation clause which was part of the agreement with the natives. However, the company denied that was part of the accord, and said that no clause existed, as well as saying that all terms of agreement were being honored. Also, the CVRD pays the Funai 4.3 million dollars, which is then distributed to the local indigenous population. However, the Xikrin Indians want the company to help build 60 homes for tribal members in two villages, as well as improve roads in the area. The CVRD stated that they would not negotiate with groups that use illegal methods to force companies to meet their demands. The company also claimed that because of the protests, the export of nearly 500,000 metric tons of iron ore was halted.
To me, I believe that the company is being stubborn and unfair. From reading this article, I feel that because the company is mining on the land that once was the Xikrin’s, the company should be more generous to the tribe. Plus, CVRD is the worlds largest iron ore mining firm, so I’m sure they have money to donate to the local tribes. However, I do believe that the Xikrin could have approach the issue better. Not only did they violently protest, but the also jeopardized their ability to negotiate with the company.
Brazilian Indians Leave Iron MineCVRD and Xikrin History
Greenland Melting Away
(image: melted ice creates a river in Greenland)
According to NASA, Greenland is quickly losing much of its ice due to global warming. Scientists say that its not melting as fast as they expected it to, but it is still melting quickly. NASA said that Greenland gained 54 gigatons of ice towards the middle of Greenland due to excessive snow, but it lost nearly 155 gigatons around the coast line. So it decreased in size by 101 gigatons of ice. In the 1990's the loss of ice pretty much equaled the amount gained, so this is a huge difference in only 16 years. Scientists say that this is only going to get worse and worse.
I think that we need to do more to reduce the effects of global warming. I know that while people are starting to reduce car emissions, etc., it isnt enough. The melting of the ice in Greenland and the poles is increasing the sea level which will cause flooding in many of the coastal cities around the world. Hopefully something can be done to drastically reduce the ice melting soon, otherwise New York City could be under water in a matter of years.
What do you guys think about this?
Greenland Melts
The ozone is a layer of oxygen like gas that surrounds the earth protect
ing it from uv rays and other outer-space threats such as other types of radiation and or different types of solid objects. Nasa reports that the ozone layer, from September 21 to the 30th, had the largest hole ever recorded in history. The hole was a mere 10.6 million square miles in size. This hole is larger than the size of north America. The thickness of the ozone layer, in simpler terms than explained by NASA, is only about 1 cm thick. Virtually gone!!!!!! What causes this depletion???? Gases such as chlorine and bromine are to blame, says NASA. This is the reason that certain types of spray can devices have be banned in recent years. We as citizens of the earth need to think about what we are destroying, the ozone is one of the most important parts to survival of all life on earth. We need to be more conscience of what we are doing and the effects that they have on the earth and the components that make it.
As time lurches forward, people do weirder and weirder things. I have a subscription to Popular Science, which isn't really that good of a magazine, but it has some interesting stuff. In this month's edition, it talked about Russian plans to create a floating nuclear powerplant, which would supply power to the northern territories where it's too cold to effectively run coal and oil plants. The problem, of course, is that if the reactor was caught in a storm without control rods, it couldn't keep power without overheating. I don't need to say what would happen if that thing became another chernobyl in the water.
Also, there are plans to modernize construction of houses in such a way as to produce them like cars and computers, sections rolling out of factories every day. Total interchangability with standardized plans.
There are more plans to create custom, living houses. The frame would be made of trees which would be grafted together to form a single multitrunk, and a lattice scaffold would lay between the trunks to guide growing vines and roots into walls. The inside of the house would be packed with clay and straw for walls, which would be plastered to keep out water and pests. Water would be collected on the roof and treetops from rain to be used in a septic system, which would be cleaned by bacteria and fish. Solar panels held from thin bars attached to the naturally occuring treetops would help with electrical bills. The windows would be made out of a soy-based plastic, which, as the house grew, would stretch from a bubble-like form into a more flat pane. The upside to all this: You've got a LIVING HOUSE DUDE! Plus, the zoning board couldn't say anything about your house naturally expanding its size. The downside: Replastering the walls as it grows. These things could be grown and then transplanted to plots in five years.
The above link goes to the computer projection of the living house at popsci.com.
Africa’s two chief mountains, Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya are predicted to lose their ice/snow cover in the next 25 to 50 years. The only way to prevent this from happening is to stop the deforestation and to halt industrial pollution. The article stated that over the last 80 years Mt. Kilimanjaro has lost an amazing 82% of the ice cover and Mt. Kenya over the last 100 years has lost an astonishing 92% of its glaciers.
There is a plan of attack with help from the French Agency for Development and the Green Belt Movement who are preparing to plant 2 million trees in the next 50 years over an area of 4,942 acres on the mountains. There is an excess of carbon so the trees will offset the carbon and absorb approximately 800,000 tons of CO2 before 2017. Interestingly The World Bank, as mentioned in our text as a top agency, will buy the carbon under a Bio-Carbon Fund. The U.N. Framework on Climate Change has requirements and under a carbon credit program, industrial countries are required by a treaty to cut their greenhouse-gas emissions but can receive carbon credit in poor countries.
As I’m learning more in our geography class, I find it really disturbing that a large amount of the ice cover on the mountains is being lost and presenting such a crucial situation. Again this is another situation that could have been prevented if 20 years of humans clearing trees for farming hadn’t happened. Literally “millions of people depend on the 7 rivers” as water sources along with power generated by dams. These mountains are also very popular tourist spots which can lead to a drop in tourism and affect the local economy.
Environmentally, it seems like we are always trying to find solutions to make up for past mistakes. Maybe the original intent isn’t meant to be harmful, but hopefully, we’re learning and asking more frequently, “If we do this, what are the causes and effects of our actions? How will the past, present, and future be affected by our acts?
www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/africa/10/12/Kenya.enviroment.ap/index.html
Is anyone else with me on this?
I don't know if it's just me but a lot of the topics that are being posted, yes, are world and global events, but the topics seem to be a little limiting in the commenting capabilities, sure we can blab back and forth on how we think global warming is happening or not. But maybe it's a good idea to start posting on things that might have some more possibilities for commenting. Things that we can comment back and forth to. Blogger to blogger as Mrs. Hartman suggested. I think this blog will be a little more fun and interesting if we do it like that from now on.
Practice tests
Test Monday October 23rd
Chapter 4&5
Recap of Tuesday
Today in class we were presented with notes on chapter 5 which was based on the Caribbean region. To sum up the notes, we discussed that the Caribbean has high population densities and plantation agriculture is important. There are environmental issues affecting the Caribbean some being deforestation, water contamination, and sewage disposal. The climate is relatively warm all year long and talked about how 6 to 12 hurricanes move through this region annually.
In class we also went to the computer lab to finish up the GIS assignment. Many people were working on the high school assessment which was required to do. It involved picking a country in the Caribbean and focusing on ways to help protect yourself if a landslide, volcano, or flood would occur.
Notes Chapter 5
Population and Settlement: Densely Settled Islands and Rimland Frontiers
• 86% of the region’s population is concentrated on the four islands of the Greater Antilles
Demographic Trends
• Region is currently growing at a rate of 1.3%
– Fertility Decline
• Cuba and Barbados have lowest RNI (rate of natural increase)
– Education of women and out-migration responsible
– The Rise of HIV/AIDS
• Infection rate more than three times that of North America
• More than 2% of the Caribbean population between ages 15 and 49 has HIV/AIDS
Emigration
• Caribbean diaspora: the economic flight of Caribbean peoples across the globe
The Rural-Urban Continuum
• Plantation and subsistence farming shaped settlement patterns
– Farmlands owned by elite; small plots for subsistence agriculture
– No effort to develop major urban centers
• Rural-to-urban migration since 1960s
– Causes: mechanization of agriculture, offshore industrialization, and rapid population growth
» 60% of region today is classified as urban
– Housing
• Decrease in rural jobs played a major role in the surge in urbanization
• As urbanization occurred, thousands poured into the cities
– Erected shantytowns; filled informal sector
» Electricity pirated from power lines
• In Cuba, government-built apartment blocks reflect socialism
Cultural Coherence and Diversity
• Region is comprised of millions of descendants of ethnically distinct individuals (Africa, Asia, Europe)
• Creolization – process in which African and European cultures are blended in the Caribbean
The Cultural Imprint of Colonialism
• Plantation system destroyed indigenous systems and people and replaced them with different social systems and cultures through slavery
– Plantation America
• Designates a cultural region extending from midway up coast of Brazil through the Guianas and the Caribbean into southeastern U.S.
• Characteristics include European elite ruling class dependent on African labor force
– Mono-crop production: a single commodity, such as sugar
– Asian Immigration
• Result of colonial governments freeing slaves by mid 19th cent.
– Indentured labor: workers contracted for a set period of time
• Largest Asian populations in Suriname, Guyana, Trinidad, and Tobago
– More than 1/3 of Surinamese population is South Asian (from India)
• Creating a Neo-Africa
• Beginning in the 16th century, African diaspora – forced removal of Africans from their native area
– At least 10 million were brought to the Americas, and 2 million died en route
– Influx of enslaved Africans, plus elimination of most indigenous peoples
– Maroon Societies
• Communities of runaway slaves (“Maroons”)
– Many short-lived, but others survived and helped African traditions survive
– African Religions
• Most strongly associated with northeastern Brazil and the Caribbean
• Voodoo most widely practiced
• Creolization and Caribbean Identity
• Creolization: blending of African, European, Amerindian cultural elements into a unique system
– Language
• Spanish (24 million), French (8 million), English (6 million), Dutch (500,000)
• In some places, new languages have emerged
– Patois (French Creole) spoken in Haiti
– Creole languages are an expression of nationalism
– Music
• Several forms emerged in the region
– Reggae, calypso, merengue, rumba, zouk, Afro-Caribbean, others
– Steel drums
Geopolitical Framework
Monroe Doctrine: proclaimed that U.S. would not tolerate European military involvement in Western Hemisphere
– Example of neocolonialism: economic and political strategies that powerful states use to extend their control over other, weaker states.
• Life in the “American Backyard”
• U.S. maintains a controlling attitude toward the Caribbean
– Often designed to protect U.S. business interests, sometimes at the expense of local autonomy and democracy
• U.S. imposes its will via economic and military force
– Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
• Is a commonwealth of the U.S., its people are U.S. citizens
• Independence movements seek secession from U.S.
– Cuba and Regional Politics
• Cuba began as a Spanish colony
– Gained freedom in 1898
– Revolution brought Fidel Castro to power in 1959
» He nationalized economy and established ties with U.S.S.R.
– Cuban Missile Crisis challenged U.S. Caribbean dominance
• Independence and Integration
– Independence Movements
• Haiti: slaves revolted, gained independence in 1804
• Today, most Caribbean countries are independent
– Regional Integration
• Beginning in the 1960s, experiments with regional trade associations to improve economic competitiveness
– Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM) – proposed regional industrialization and creation of Caribbean Development Bank to help poorer states
» 13 full members (former English colonies)
Economic and Social Development: From Cane Fields to Cruise Ships
• From Fields to Factories and Resorts
• Historically linked to world economy through agriculture
• Tourism, offshore banking, assembly plants more important now
– Sugar
• Crucial to the economic history of the Caribbean
• Importance of sugarcane has declined somewhat
– Since 1990 Cuban sugarcane harvest reduced by 50%
– The Banana Wars
• Major exporters are in Latin America (not Caribbean)
– Several states in Lesser Antilles are dependent on banana production
– Sales depend on trade agreements and consumer whims
– Experiments with other crops to reduce dependency on bananas
– Assembly-Plant Industrialization
• Foreign companies invited to build factories
– Free trade zones (FTZs): duty-free and tax-exempt industrial parks to attract foreign corporations
– Companies may benefit more than host countries
• Assembly plants found in major cities
– Offshore Banking
• Offers specialized services that are confidential and tax-exempt
• Localities make money from registration fees, not taxes
– Bahamas ranked 3rd in 1976, but now 15th
• Proximity to U.S. is appealing
• Attracts money from drug trade
• From Fields to Factories and Resorts (cont.)
– Tourism
• Cuba’s earlier role as a tourist destination stopped with rise of Castro
• Other islands now popular
– Five islands hosted 70% of the 14 million tourists who came to the region in 1999 (Puerto Rico, Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Cuba)
• Tourism is dependent on overall health of world economy and is vulnerable to natural disasters
• Capital leakage: serious problem involving huge gap between gross receipts and total tourist dollars that remain in Caribbean
– Many corporate headquarters are outside of the region, and profits flow out of the host country
• Social Development
• Overall improvements socially, but Haiti is still in bad shape
– Education
• Low illiteracy in Cuba and English colonies
• Brain drain: a large percentage of the best-educated people leave the region
– Status of Women
• Many men leave home for seasonal work
• Women control many activities, but lack the status of men
– Labor-Related Migration
• Intra-regional, seasonal migration is traditional
• Remittances – monies sent back home
Earthquake
Just the other day the biggest earthquake in the Pacific archipelago in two decades occurred. This earthquake took place near hawaii and measured at 6.7 magnitudes. Fema has said that it is sending a team of 75 people down to assess the damage. The earthquake caused power outages and schools to close. After the earthquake the governer declared a disaster declaration for the entire state. Many houses were damaged and moved off of the foundation, but there were no deaths as a result of the earthquake. This year the Ironman World Championship Triathlon was scheduled to take place in Hawaii and in fact many of the participants were out training when rocks started tumbling into the roads. The triathlon will still take place on saturday even with the damage from the earthqauke. This earthquake did not end right away there were also many aftershocks that were felt. The biggest problem this quake caused was a temporary disruption to the 2 main ports. It created a problem because they depend greatly on the shipping of basic things such as toliet paper.
Hawaii's Big Island counts blessings after quake
According to an article I found while scanning
www.fark.com, (A great resource to find interesting articles from all over the world)
calling a child "naughty" can traumatize them.So, what exactly are you supposed to do when your kid acts up? Call their actions "naughty", which sounds like a good point. But how many 2 year olds will be able to say that their parents traumatized them by calling them "naughty" 30 years from now, bawling in front of their shrink who will likely respond with a sigh and advise them to "grow up"? Quite honestly I think we are babying our children far too much.
Kids act up, you discipline them in a gentle yet effective and firm way. This is how kids learn. Sweet lord, sometimes it feels like every time a child does something wrong, we give them a cookie after politely saying that they shouldn't do that just so they don't feel bad. Kids are far more mentally resiliant than we give them credit for. How do I know this? Because my parents are just fine. Pretty sure my friend's parents are just fine. They were scolded, spanked, even yelled at on occasion, and they aren't blubbering to a psychiatrist about it.
There are such things as positive reinforcement, like rewarding children who do well with a cookie (unless you go to SHS, such actions violate the wellness policy) or verbal praise. These are meant to encourage these actions. Negative reinforcement would include time outs, loss of privelages, and before it became politically incorrect, spanking. These are meant to discourage bad behavior. "Hmm! If I eat a whole package of mom's expensive chocolates while she is at work, I don't get to watch TV tonight.
Better not do that again, huh??It feels like we are taking it too easy on kids, which could lead to some major problems later on in life. Kids are tough, and they gotta learn, so discipline accordingly and fairly. Otherwise, you're the bigger baby.
In Rome two subways crashed killing at least one person and injured as many as 60 others. Some are still trapped underground. It is still not known if it was human error or some sort of technical fault from the subway trains. This is unlikely though because the trains were brand new. Also witnesses on the second train that hit the first say that the driver (who died) ran the red light going into the station.
Right when I saw this I thought of terrorist attacks but it seems that this is not the case. Also the transportation expert himself "ruled out" that it was a terrorist attack. But I would not be surprised if in a few days this comes out at some attack. Otherwise the driver of the second car would have to be having sucidial thoughts because why else would someone blow a red light with high speed subway trains??
For a more in depth look at the story here is another link that was posted later
Class Notes 10/16/60
Notes for Oct. 16
Some are abbreviated some are in full... Questions talk to Mrs. Hartman
Insurgency and drug trafficked
Traffickers
guerilla groups have controlled large parts of their country through violence and intimidation.
-FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia) ELN (National Liberation Army)
Columbia has the highest murder and crime rate.
Drug cartels- powerful and wealthy organized crime significant.
economic and social development: Dependent Economic Growth
Most Latin American countries are "middle income"
Development Strategies
Import substitution- creating support for domestic industries by imposing inflated tariffs on all imported goods.
Industrialization-
Manufacturing emphasized size in the 1960's. Growth poles- planned industrial centers
Maquiladorsas and foreign investment
maquiladoras: Mexican assembly plants that line the US border.
informal sector: provision of goods and services without government regulations.
Primary exports
Latin America specializes in commodities in the 1950's.
Bananas, coffee, cacao, grains, tin, rubber, petroleum, ect.
agriculture production
since 1960's agriculture has become more diversified and mechanized.
Products: Silver, sinc, copper, iron ore, bauxite, gold, oil, gas. Mexico, Venezuela, Ecuador all export oil.
Mining is becoming mechanized in logging areas. Exportation of wood pulp is larger. Planting new forest have brought new forest that have made the forest more diverse and brought new diverse native species.
Latin America in the Global Economy
dependency theory
expansion of European capitalism created Latin American conditions of under development.
Increased economic integration with Latin America and U.S. market.
Neoliberalism as Globalization
Neoliberal policies stress privatation, export production.
Dollarizatoin: process in which a country adopts the U.S. dollar as its official currency.
U.S. dollars circulate with countries national currency. Tends to reduce inflation, eliminates fears of currency devaluation and fears of currency breakdown, reduces costs of trade also.
Social development
Improvements since 1960's. Dec\lining child mortality rate, along with higher rates for life expectancy and education.
Important role for non-government organizations (NGO)
The Status of Woman
many woman work outside the home (30-40%)
legally, woman can vote, own property, and sign for a loan but is less Leila to happen than among men.
Low illiteracy rates
Highest rates of illiteracy are in the central Americas
Trend toward smaller families because of low illiteracy rates.
North Korea's nuclear testing is causing uncertainty among many other countries. South Korean soldiers fired sixty shots as a warning after five North Korean soldiers crossed the border into the demilitarized zone. Later, it was discovered that one of the five soldiers in the zone was armed; the other four North Korean soldiers were unarmed. "While such border skirmishes are not unheard of, they are relatively rare. Saturday's incursion was only the second this year, the official said. The North sometimes orchestrates border skirmishes to jack up tensions at sensitive moments in international standoffs." North Korea doesn't seem to be interested in diplomatic relations or changing their stance on continuing development of their nuclear weapons program.
This is just one example how the tension and concern is on the rise. I'm not sure what North Korean soldiers were thinking by entering a demilitarized zone with the current tension in the air; South Korea was only standing their ground out of fear. I seriously think North Korea needs to come out of the closet and state what their intentions are. Until official diplomatic talks take place between nations, the tension and concern will continue to rise. It is my hypothesis that unless there are diplomatic talks soon there will be a use of force.
In an attempt to rebuild the country of Lebanon the country is using advertisements to give people hope. While billboards and signs were not popular in the country years ago have now been introduced to the landscape. Many of the billboards are put up by banks advertising low interest rates and encouraging people to invest money into the bank. Others are from manufacturers looking for business advertising washing machines, refrigerators and other home appliances.
Many of the billboards contain bridges. They include sayings such as “You destroyed the bridges, so we crossed through people’s hearts.” “Together we will rebuild the bridges between today and tomorrow.” or “Keep Walking”. The signs are an attempt to rebuild pride and unity in the war stricken country.
A gueriila group, Hezbollah, has put as much as $140,000 into the creation of adds. Their campaign in called “Divine Victory” and they have hundreds of billboards across the country. Adds can be read in Arabic, English and French. More negative posters put out by the group include pictures of dead children and destructed cites with the words “Made in the U.S.A”.
The addition of billboards to Lebanon shows a sign of western inspired ideas moving into other countries. Also with the billboards being in different languages the country is showing a more diverse cultural acceptance.
An Iowa company is recalling 5,200 pounds of beef products distributed from seven different states because the product could be contaminated with E. Coli. It is believed that the same strand of E. Coli that affected the spinach supply could be affecting beef products. The government stated that no illnesses have been reported due to the consumption of beef. I don’t think that it is a government requirement to recall the product, but rather precautionary measures taken by the company. In that case, I’m glad that the company is taking measures to protect it’s customers before the government has to step in. The package in the latest call has the establishment number "Est. 2424" inside the USDA mark of inspection.
The news article from CNN contains more information on the recalled products. I find this interesting that the same stand that affected spinach may be affecting our beef products. I think that it is necessary to get this information out just incase any of the recalled product is in our refrigerators at home.
The World Health Organization stated that a deadly epidemic pneumonic plague has struck the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. There has been reports of numerous cases with the current death count in the twenties. The first cases of this outbreak have been traced to Isiro. Last year, 150 cases of the plague became evident in Zobia. The highly-contagious disease was spread by diamond mine workers in Zobia and surrounding areas.
It is essential to diagnose the disease rapidly and treat the disease with antibiotics to reduce possible complications and fatality. The ones affected by this disease have been isolated while treatment is being administered. All individuals who have had contact with one of the victims carrying the disease are being treated as well to prevent a further outbreak.
It is certainly a good thing that we have organizations such as The World Health Organization to keep disease and illness under control. Without organizations such as WHO, outbreaks of disease would have the potential to strike globally killing millions.
