Is Domestic Violence A Way Of Life?

Samantha Stevens
Soc 202
Prof. Sills

According to the 2006 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey, sixty eight percent of Ugandan women had been beaten by their partners within the past year. The violence included everything from pushing to beating, forced sex and even murder. According to the survey, rural and/or uneducated women were more likely to be victims of domestic violence than their educated and/or urban counterparts. Horrifyingly, the survey showed that an incredible seventy percent of the women surveyed believed that the abuse was justified. Most of the women also said that they would not report even “unjustified” domestic violence because of fear of their husbands.

This problem is not isolated to such disadvantaged countries as Uganda. The Human Rights Watch states that domestic violence is a global problem, and one of the leading causes of female injuries in a majority of countries.

This Ugandan survey also shows that uneducated women are at a greater risk for domestic violence. Women must be educated in order to realize that this violence is not “justifiable”, but is rather a gross encroachment of their human rights. Education will also give these women greater economic and social independence, so that they need not fear their husbands.

While this particular survey showed violence in Uganda, domestic violence truly is a global social problem, and one that involves everyone. We must all do our part in order to end this horrible inequality.

Children back to school in Iraq

Schools in Iraq are back underway after the long summer break. This must be making parents a little uneasy condiering what is going on around them. "Sending your children to school in Iraq, especially in the capital, Baghdad, can mean sending them to an uncertain fate: bombings, rocket attacks, kidnappings, and random shootings have all claimed child victims." Each child has a curfew which is causing them even more stress. "And then there is the emotional toll of living with daily violence, risk and fear, and the often devastating effect on children's mental health and well-being. The violence in Iraq has led to large-scale displacement and this inevitably affects children's education."But what else are parents supposed to do? Not allowing your child to get an education will surely effect them later on down the road.

"Their schooling is disrupted and when they do settle in a safer area, they may find they are in overcrowded classrooms along with other traumatised children whose families have also fled the sectarian violence." "[The children's] schooling is disrupted and when they do settle in a safer area, they may find they are in overcrowded classrooms along with other traumatised children whose families have also fled the sectarian violence." The Iraq government has built 250 new schools for the new school year in hopes to decrease the overcrowding. Children wittnessing violence during their everyday lives are sure to be scared forever, but hopefully setting their minds to their school work will help ease them just a little bit.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7021064.stm

Countries Join Forces to Stem the Affects of Drug Trafficking from Afghanistan

Recently, representatives of the two countries of the Republic of Iran and Pakistan met to discuss ways to shield their countries from the affects of drug trafficking from Afghanistan. The fact that the two countries have decided to come together on this issue says a lot politically. The opium trade has become a serious issue and has begun to affect the two countries. However, the two nations have decided to join force in fighting the battle against the opium trade. Not only have these countries decided to take action against the trade itself, but also they have chosen to attack other aspects of the drug trade including: drug money laundering, drug labs, drug corrupted businesses, and the very smugglers that carry out the drug trade. Controlling these exacerbating factors, the two countries can cut a lot of strings to the drug trade. Also, the two nations have agreed to meet more often to discuss ways of maintaining and improving security.

I feel that the idea that these two countries have decided to come together and tackle this issue is a huge step. If other countries would step up and do the same, the drug problem could be almost eliminated. Sometimes I think that countries let politics get in the way of the greater good of all mankind. Although some countries don't see eye to eye on political issues, there are some issues that are just social problems and should be of concern internationally. I recall a couple posts ago that I was expressed the importance of nations joining together to tackle this problem. This is one of the first steps to controlling the problem. However, these plans have not yet completely been put into action, but the effort that is being put forth is the important thing. Also, I do feel that one specific thing that is discussed in the article is a very important point. "in the states that opiates are consumed should assume their share of responsibility for creating the "pull" factor that is fuelling the opium trade." Those countries in which opium is used by its citizens should not only be held accountable, but should hold themselves accountable for the portion of the drug problem that is caused from that "pull" factor. All in all, when multiple countries join forces to combat this problem, then I feel that there will be a drastic change in the percentage of drugs that are trafficked from Afghanistan internationally.

http://www.unodc.org/unodc/speech_2007_12_06.html

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The pain of Poverty Poverty is Injustice not Personal Failure

www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspex?id=668798

Why is the US plaqued by the most severe poverty in any industrialized country? We have such immense wealth and resources can we not fix this problem? Our way of dealing with the poor is to look the other way and to say deal with it poor people, pull yourself up get a job, get over it don't worry about welfare just leave us alone. This attitude does little to stop poverty. Poverty in the US is not the result of our citizens being less motivated than other countries but that most of our jobs pay at poverty level wages or there are no jobs to be found. The US also fails to provide a universal health care system, affordable low income housing and a quality education for all. The results of these things are that it leaves alot of people left out in the cold. It is also no coincidence that the US also has the highest rates of incarceration, infant mortality and ill trained students. We as a country need to rethink what we are doing who we vote for and what we can do to solve this growing delima.

Kendra Chilton

Kansas City Urbanization

Its a true fact that urbanization brings plentiful production to an area. Sometimes the public isn't as willing to accept urbanization with open arms. In Kansas City, Missouri the residence are very unhappy at the cities plans to introduce a metro connector to a rural area. The people of Kansas City are very unimpressed with some of the changes being made to the area. Some of the residence claim that there thoughts and comments are being unheard. Yet the city officials are saying otherwise. They claim that they have been trying to meet the needs of the public full force. They unfortunately can not meet all the different demands of the public and the growing cities needs. They claim to have suggested different alternatives like increasing the speed limit and making it a 2 to 4 lane road. This they say will also improve the roads standards because most of them arnt even paved. In the next couple of years they expect an influx of people into the city and that will drive up traffic counts. They already see it happening with the traffic doubling in a decade. A lot of residents are expected to lose homes and land. The residence believe that the road will bring urbanization to rural area and deplete all the natural wildlife and beauty to the region.
I picked this article because even though the issue is within the United States and not in a developing country, it points out some very important differences. The pluses of urbanization is starting to seep into areas where it is not wanted. To some not needed. The people oppose but yet are continuously denied by the county because the government is looking more toward the good of the future as opposed to the present. They don't want urbanization. At least not yet anyways and are extremely worried of what will happen to the land around them. It raises a good point. How much of urbanization can continue before the world depletes. Or even how much of urbanization can continue before it spreads into suburbia or even rural residential areas where people purposely move to escape the hussle and bussle of the city.
http://www.kansascity.com/115/story/294443.html

Aussie residents angry about new Wind Farm

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22495014-6A61,00.html
An article written by Mary Boiling for the Australian Herald Sun outlines how some residents in the town of Maribyrnong in Victoria, Australia are furious over a proposal to put a community owned wind farm in their neighborhood. The wind farm will cost approximately 3,000,000 per turbine, however each turbine will have the power to generate 1.5 megawatts of power. In Maribyrnbong 1.5 megawatts is enough power to bring electricity to 750 homes. Residents are upset because the city council has just backed a plan to begin building the 80m high wind farm just 200m from the West Gate Bridge. The decision will place the wind farm precariously close to the residential subdivision, Yarraville. The residents are upset that the massive turbines of the wind farm will be an eyesore. They are also worried that placing the wind farm so close to the bridge it will block some of the wind that the turbines rely on the generate power. Michael Clarke, mayor of Maribyrnong also questions the location of the wind farm, "This is not going to be the most efficient wind farm in Victoria, because it is away from the coast, and there is some impact on the level of wind from the bridge," he said. The city council's decision simply has most residents beside themselves because the land was originally slated to become a nature park. However city council members feel that having a wind farm in the midst of a nature park will be an added bonus. My reaction to the article is that I can see the benefits on each side of the issue. On the side of the city council, I feel that having a wind farm is a solution to a problem that is occurring on a global scale. The wind farms can be an efficient and clean form of renewable energy. The wind farms as pointed out in the article are not only energy efficient but also quiet. The wind farms are said to create less noise than the normal hustle and bustle of every day traffic that goes over the West Gate bridge everyday. On the other hand I can also agree with the residents in that placing a wind farm so close to a large obstacle such as a bring can block the amount of wind that is going to the wind farm. I do feel however, that the residents as outlined in this article are not as opposed to the idea of using a wind farm to generate energy, as much as they are opposed to having one built in their back yards. My solution for the wind farm debate is simply to locate the wind farm in another area, were it can still serve a useful purpose, but not be hoovering over someones home.

U.N. Chief Urges Climate Action

In this article it talks about the one-day meeting that 80 world leaders and others were at. This meeting discussed the issue of the rising climate. the UN chief, Ban put this meeting together so that they can talk about reducing the emissions of ozone harming gases. California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, told the group that this state was doing something to help cut back pollution where as President Bush said that the cutting back of this pollution would hurt the United States economic system and these low pollution standards should be placed on developing poorer countries. European countries have committed to reducing their pollution 20% by the year 2020. The article goes on to talk about the temperature rising 1.3 degrees over the past 100 years and the sea levels have risen by 6.6 inches.
I felt that this was a good article when it comes to talking about different countries views on the issue of global warming. But, this article someone portrayed Bush to be a little uncaring about the environment. It stated several times that he didn't want to have part in reducing emissions by a great proportion because it would hurt the economy. While it didn't say anything about other nations being reluctant to adhere to these expectations. but it did end on stating some facts about the environment that did prove a point why this is becoming a problem and isn't something the United Nations are just arguing about.

Article written by Charles J. Hanley
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1664922,00.ht

Mexico Military Welcomes Women

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/americas/09/28/mexico.soldiers.ap/index.html

Mexico is now doing something that they've never done: allowing women to be in the military. With their struggle to recruit men to the military, they decided to allow women to join. For the first time, Mexico is allowing women to train in elite military schools to become engineers, pilots and other careers that can rise to the rank of general. For the most part, the men in the military are handling this fairly well. As with anything new though, it takes time to get used to. I think this is great that women are being allowed more rights. The reasoning behind the equality is somewhat selfish, but none-the-less it is change, so it is good. No matter how the women gain more rights, it is important that they do. The women will be held up to the same standards as the men and will have to be in boot camp right along beside them. I think this is a great step for women to be able to enter the military if they choose to. This is definitely a huge step for mexico.

Anti-Poverty Protest at EU Headquarters

www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/09/27/ap4162554.html

Anti-poverty activist are protesting outside of the EU headquarters. They want the free trade negotiations to stop. They feel it will hurt the development that is taking place in poor countries. Years of talks between the EU and the APC or the (Asian Caribbean Pacific) group had to be haulted due to the fact that it did not benefit poor nations. They feel the agreement which will open up the countries market will cause agricultural and industrial problems. It would make it almost impossible for locals to compete. The EU Trade Commissioner wants them to come to terms by the end of the year or they will face possible import tariffs. They have to settle by January 1st for talks to be over because it is unfair for non ACP members. He feels that to stop the talks it would do more harm than good. He feels that it would be "playing poker with the livelihood of those we are trying to help." There are also some that fear African nations are not ready to handle a regional market. The negotiations are really behind and African nations are not cooperating. But the EU has promised a doubling of funds of by 2010, of 2.8 billion. Kendra Chilton

UK: Myanmar deaths ‘far greater’ than reported

In Southeast Asia, Myanmar also known as Burma, shots were fired to clear crowds across the country on Friday. Witnesses told CNN, police opened fire on crowds to disperse demonstrators, resulting in many deaths. Another witness saw 35 bodies lying in the street; however, this statement could not be confirmed. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown says he believes death toll in Myanmar crackdown to be “far greater” than has so far been reported. Authorities cut Internet connections, while graphic new video footage showed troops using deadly force. A day before, troops using automatic rifles fired into the crowd of anti-government demonstrators, reportedly killing at least nine people in the bloodiest day in more than a month of protests demanding end to military rule. Reports said by Friday, the crowds had died down compared to previous days of thousands of red-robed monks invading the streets. Details of the actual happenings in Myanmar are hard to be trusted. Both opposition and official Web sites that have been major sources of information have showed little to no updates on Friday. A resident of Yangon told CNN police had told people to stay in doors after midday. These restrictions came after the government had imposed a night curfew and banned gatherings of more than five people, the U.S. Embassy said, which worked in clearing the streets overnight. The Democratic Voice of Burma (Myanmar) reported many privately owned journals in Myanmar decided to stop publication in protest of official demands to pro-government propagandas. According to DVB, authorities are ordering publications to print articles written by the state media and other stories blaming the All Burma Student Democratic Front and the National League for Democracy for the protest. President George Bush urged Myanmar’s main trading partner, Beijing, to use influence to persuade military junta to end its crackdown.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/09/28/myanmar.protests/index.html

Fundamental Change is Needed To End Poverty!!

According to an article on the World Bank’s website, the World Bank Group is attempting to pull south Asia out of poverty by providing additional loans, credits, grants, equity investments, and guarantees. The total will reach nearly $6.9 billion in the 2007 fiscal year. This is an increase of $2.3 billion from last year. Eight countries in the region are using the World Bank’s support in 78 projects designed lower poverty and enhance growth by providing education, building infrastructure, health services, and improving government intuitions.
A number of different groups contributed to this increase. These groups included the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the International Development Association (IDA), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Investment Agency (MIGIA).
Globally the World Bank has committed $34.3 billion in the fiscal year of 2007. This is 7.8 percent more than the previous year. Nearly 60 percent of the World Banks commitments to South Asia came from the IDA. More than two thirds of this will be used rural development and human development.
I think that what the World Bank is doing is very good. It will help a huge number of people in South Asia. However, if eradicating poverty was as simple as lending money, we would see a lot less poverty in the world. Now I’m no expert, but it seems to me that there is something inherently wrong with a system that allows a few nations to get richer and richer, while the majority of the others remain poor. There have always been a number of groups donating millions of dollars, and yet poverty is still a huge problem. How can some people make so much money doing a simple activity, like playing sports, while others make pennies doing back breaking work? Just as cold medicine doesn’t actually cure the cold, lending money doesn’t necessarily end poverty. I believe the system is in need of fundamental change, but then again, I am no expert.
Source: http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/EXTPOVERTY/0,,contentMDK:21466806~menuPK:336998~pagePK:64020865~piPK:149114~theSitePK:336992,00.html

Fear & Loathing in Utah

This week Warren S. Jeffs, a so-called modern day prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was convicted on charges of being an accomplice to the rape of a 14 year old girl and faces a life term sentence; he also faces charges in Arizona for similar crimes. Elissa Wall, the accuser, stated that Jeffs forced her into marriage with her 19 year old cousin when she was 14 years old. The Church doctrine says that Jeffs's match-making was divine revelation and her only path to heaven. It took Wall three attempts to manage, "Okay, I do," at the altar. A couple of weeks after the marriage, Jeffs spoke to Wall saying that it was now time for her to perform her wifely duties. After Wall consummated the marriage Wall attempted suicide. Eventually Elissa Wall began and an affair when eventually led her to become pregnant by another man. When found out, Wall was excommunicated.

This story is an example of how dangerous fanatical religious zealots can be and how much damage they can cause. This isn't only a concern in American Society but across the world. People do unspeakable things in the name of religion--the unfortunate part of this is that when instances like this happen it completely taints the group as a whole. I've discussed several times the stigma with the Islamic Faith. Personally, it's not my business (nor should it be anyone else's) whether these Mormons want to have more than one wife because of their religious beliefs. What I have an issue is when you have religious leaders like Jeffs that take advantage of the power they are perceived to have and warp their ideas to force a 14 year old into marriage with her 19 year old cousin.

Health Care Reform in France

The World Health Organization recently ranked the French health care system the best in the world. Although the methods and data on which this assessment was based have been criticized, there are good grounds for being impressed by the French system. Yet in August 2004, with the national health insurance (NHI) system facing a severe financial crisis, France enacted Minister of Health Philippe Douste-Blazy’s reform plan. Like previous efforts at
health care reform, this one seeks to preserve a system of comprehensive benefits, which is supported by the major stakeholders. French policymakers typically view their NHI
system as a realistic compromise between Britain’s National Health Service, which they believe requires too much rationing and offers insufficient choice, and the mosaic of subsystems in the United States, which they consider socially irresponsible because 15 percent of the population younger than 65 years of age has no health insurance. Whether reform modernize
the health care sector and increase the quality of care, and it promises to control costs by increasing the efficiency of resource allocation within targeted expenditure limits. In these respects, the reform will reinforce the powerful role of the central state,
which will oversee vast institutional renovation, apply administrative and information technology to health care, and design incentives and regulations to improve quality. The limitations of state-led managed care, however, are rooted in the centralization
of policymaking in France and the successful resistance of the medical profession to all efforts at micromanaging medical practice and second-guessing physicians’ authority.


Mariam Ahmad

Government opens fire on Myanmar monks

On September 27, 2007, government security forces open fire on monks and other pro-democracy demonstrators, leaving one man dead and several others wounded according to the government in the nation's largest city. Images of people protesting were broadcasted by using cellphones and the Internet to attract world attention of the escalating violence between the military and the people. The military launched tear gas into the crowded to break up the protesting. Know one on the streets were safe including bystanders, who would eventually throw rocks and bottles to stop the arresting of the monks. The protesting began on August 19, over fuel prices increasing due to international pressures to isolate the military regime. The government showed no sign of backing down from oppositions and people such as the monks who would not let violence stop them from having the largest anti-junta protest since the 1988 democracy uprising where many peaceful demonstrators were gun down by soldiers firing into the crowds killing thousands.


The cowardliness of the Myanmar government refusal to listen to the people is a straight forward reason why the regime but be stopped. How many people must die before peace is reached or until the United States steps in? It is time that U.S. Government publicly admits that the military junta in Myanmar is a terrorist government and should be included into the war or terror. If this problem is ignored it will be another step toward a reflection of the Bosnian civil war and the genenocide of all who believe in democracy.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/09272007/news/worldnews/holy_shoot__govt_opens__fire_o.htm

Second Chances

The article opens with the brief story of Adam, a seventeen year old runaway. He is from Darfur, Sudan and left because his village was attacked. He had been running for four years already when he was arrested in Israel for crossing the border. He was brought to the attention of Dr. Chaim Peri, the director of Yemin Orde Youth Village. Dr. Peri says he believes ‘all children who reach the shores of Israel’ is his business. For 54 years Yemin Orde has provided homes and futures to abandoned and at-risk children from around the world. There are currently 500 residents from about 20 countries in the village with similar stories. Yemin Orde is a 77 acre village describe as ‘an oasis of tranquility, a vital ingredient in the healing of children scarred by years of conflict and abuse.’ Children as young as the age of five through the age of 19, some beyond are provided a safe place to live, education and a chance to develop life skills. Dr. Peri says kids are not forced to leave the village because they are like family. It is seen a community in which former residents are always welcome. Some come back and get married, some come by to visit and some stay and mentor. ‘It’s as international a community as there can be.’ says Dr. Peri. He states that the only expectation for the children is to give back. When speaking of tensions concerning the northern border Dr. Peri says the village tries to give a sense of security but reality is constant. A similar village is being build in Rwanda where genocide is rampant.
While reading this article I was touched because of the obvious genorosity someone could think to give to someone else. I feel that is it very important to give an outlet or safehaven for youth because without them, life would cease. Most young people that are not given a chance could be very brilliant and no one will ever find out because that chance was taken away from them. I think villages and opportunities should be put into all over the world because it is a positive movement.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7016176.stm

Questionaires Rating Job Postions in Australia

In Australia, many got the opportunity to take a survey that rated their job statistician as well as other things. The University of New England sent out 5,500 questionnaires. Over 100 thousand people from across the world will take this questionnaire which is given by the International Centre for Higher Education Research at Germany's Kassel University. This questionnaire will be used "to look at changes in the academic profession and workforce and to look at demography" according to Lynn Meek, director of UNE Centre for Higher Education Management and Policy. With the information that they gather they will get a better understanding of the academicsn Australia, and try to get the younger generation to take up this position. Countries who are involved in this questionnaire will be able to compare their responses to other countries to compare their satisfaction or dissatisfaction.
I liked this article because it is not something that you find here in the United States. I think that the schools and universities in the United States should do something similar to this so that the staff can see who are not satisfied with their job or the way that the system works. Maybe by doing this we, the United States, can change somethings about our educational system, and provide a better foundation. Also, like the staff in Australia, we can get more people to come into the educational field if the minor things are improved such as pay or more help within the classroom.

Mattel taking blame?

This week statements against Mattel have been piling up from the manufacturers in Chinese plants, and Mattel seems to be taking it. A statement from Mattel apparently is taking responsibility for denigrating China's reputation in the market. Chinese manufacturers are blaming sloppy management at Mattel for not conducting their own tests for contamination within their products. Chinese manufacturers quoted the sheer volume of products that were allowed to make it to stores with lead paint, the idea that they would rely on an external source to ensure the quality such a quantity of product. Which leads to Mattel's third recall announced on Wednesday. The problem is still lead paint but this time it's Barbie playsets and Fisher-Price toys and accessories, amounting to several hundred thousand pieces. This recent recall is being added to the already 18.2 million Chinese made toys from store shelves.
This leaves me wondering how many of these may have already made it into the homes of toddlers and children worldwide, and how Mattel could legally have not been testing their own products before shipping them to stores. Didn't they have some sort of corporate responsibility to the millions of children that play with their toys everyday? It's sad that the Chinese manufacturers that were toured this week were able to have the foresight to test every so many matches of products or cans of paint, when the toys weren't even to stay in country. They had spotless factory floors and paint scrapers to test the chemical components in the paint they used in production, or kept paints in isolation in order to test the batch before ever using it in the first place. Granted this may have been and probably was the model showroom for Chinese production, but at least they proved they have one plant that is doing things right.


source:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/09/04/china.tainted.products.ap/index.html

Gender equity for women in tourism

The World Tourism Organisation has chosen the theme for 2007 to be women and tourism. It is focusing on the potential for women to gain from tourism through employment. The UNWTO wants the tourism industry world wide to go beyond the rhetoric of women’s empowerment and take action. “The advancement of women and the achievement of equality between women and men is a matter of human rights and a condition of social justice”. Having women and men equality is essential to building a developed society. Tourism provides a large range of activities where women can participate in and possibly creates opportunities for entrepreneurship development in tourist destination. 46% of the workforce in tourism sector is women. In India, women who run home stay facilities, restaurants, crafts, small shops and street vending are very significant. Most of these jobs that are preformed in tourism are taken for granted or treated like they are invisible. Also in India, women and men who have practically similar jobs are paid very differently. Men get paid more for the same job that some women do. The proportion of wages for women is less than men’s wages.

I think this is a very good start for women around the world. It is important for society to have women and men’s job equal on all levels. While I was in India this summer my driver talked to me about this; how men and women do the same exact job, but women always make a lot less. He explained that his son works at a catering service with other men and women. The amount he makes is more than the amount the women make and they do the exact same thing.

http://southasia.oneworld.net/article/view/153602/1/1893

Child Labor in India

Mindy Collins

Child labor in India has always been a problem. The only legislation against it before last October was a restriction on which jobs children under fourteen could have. Children under fourteen were not allowed to be employed in dangerous occupations. The last legislation that was passed limited adolescent work in hotels, restaurants and as servants. However, this legislation has not changed anything. As families are becoming more nuclear, it is important that all of the people within the household help with its upkeep. As a result, the children are thrust into the workforce sometimes only earning the equivalent of two dollars and twenty-five cents per month.
With the help of recruitment agencies, the number of children under fourteen who are in the workforce has grown to twelve million. There is a possibility that an extra forty-eight million exist, but are not recorded. Out of this total of sixty-million, it is uncertain how many are working illegally. Nevertheless, these laws are not being enforced. It truly would be hard to keep up with all of the children because of the fact that they are working in the privacy of their employer’s home. Due to the private residency factor, it is hard to raid a home as opposed to a factory. Proponents of this illegal work say that they are happy to be a part of helping out the impoverished and supplying jobs. Others claim ignorance of the laws. In addition, the families of some send the children to the city to have a better life than rural living. It doesn’t matter that this work has previously gotten a bad rap for abuse and failure to allocate payment. The focus on regulating employers needs to shift to the recruiters in order for the madness to end.
Sixty million children is worse than excessive, especially to be under fourteen. It certainly does sound like a slave trade, working from sun-up to almost midnight and receiving beatings. The payment is also extremely low. The government needs to take some actions to support their laws. The overwork of these young children seems inhumane whether or not the families need the money.
http://libproxy.uncg.edu:2086/us/lnacademic/results/docview/docview.do?risb=21_T2152103441&format=GNBFI&sort=RELEVANCE&startDocNo=1&resultsUrlKey=29_T2152103446&cisb=22_T2152103445&treeMax=true&treeWidth=0&csi=8357&docNo=5

Runaways

Courtney Keeton
IGS 233B
6th Blog
Crime
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20996555/
My article this week comes from the Mexico/California border. Three minors from Mexico were arrested in California on suspicion of smuggling drugs across the border. While under arrest and still in handcuffs, the boy stole the car in which they were being detained and headed back across the border to Mexico.
The boys were originally pulled over, as I mentioned, for suspicion of smuggling marijuana across the border. When the officer stopped them to investigate, he left his car running, keys in the ignition, while he arrested them. With the police car still running, he put all three boys in the car while he searched their vehicle for the alleged drugs. One of them grabbed the steering wheel and “high-tailed” it back to Mexico. When the border patrol confirmed that the car was in fact stolen, the Mexican police used helicopters to search for the car and the thieves. According to the article, the car was the only thing found in a small, remote, town in Mexico near the border.
Although there isn’t really an ending to this article, at this point I would assume that the boys are still running. It’s just funny to me that the officer would arrest them and then put them into a car with the keys still in the ignition. What made him think that because they smuggled drugs they wouldn’t steal a cop car. I hope justice is served in both illegal actions the boys were involved in, but more importantly, I hope that cop learns from his mistake and thinks of what people in desperation will do.

Global wisdom can craft solutions to urban woes

The theme to the World Expo in Shanghia, 2010,”Better City, Better Life”, which is in direct response to the growing urbanization trends in China and other developing countries. In China leaders and scholars are coming together to plan for this growing trend. Thus last week more than 200 scholars, officials, and urban planners from cities worldwide met and prepared for Shanghia. Although China was at the center of discussion, protected historical heritage, new technology, and balanced urbanization was also covered at the gathering. Some of the main considerations for China include. Because China adds nearly half the worlds total in square footage, which is 2 billion new square meters of floor area each year. According to the United Nations Development Program, 400 million new inhabitants will consume the city in the next 20 years.

By observing other nations problems and solutions to urbanization, China can help their case by learning from others. Since urbanization causes traffic congestion, air and water pollution, and consumes huge amounts of energy and raw materials, China must prepare itself. One solution China gained from observing Copenhagen, Denmark’s Capital is “ The "City Bikes" program in Copenhagen, Denmark's capital. People can ride 2,000 public "City Bikes" for free, easing the problem of vehicle pollution. Once you find a "City Bike" in 110 sheds and insert a coin equivalent to 25 Yuan (US$3.20) in the lock, you can take the bike. When you return it to a shed, you get your money back.” The collaboration also includes better designs for houses. Some of the designs incorporate just windows, but by doing just this it helps save energy. Other features include sustainable energy technology, things like solar and wind power. The article really concentrates on the solutions that China is gathering from their collaborations. It really takes into account the problems other developing nations have faced and why they have faced them. I really like this article because you can see that China is really making a solid attempt to make urbanization a good thing for there nation. All of the meetings they are having and all of the solutions they are coming up with, really make sense. I think that this will greatly help China because they are taking into account China’s pros and cons, so this system is being created by China for China.


http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/?id=332629&page=2&type=Opinion

Tough anti-terror checks await all visitors to Japan

Soon all visitors to Japan will be subjected to tough new anti-terrorism checks. Biometric technologies will are being put into place to scan for fingerprints and take an electronic picture. New guidelines will be put into action on November 20th although this date is subject to change. All passengers to Japan must comply with the new regulations with a few exceptions such as those with permanent residency, teenagers below 16, diplomats on official visits and those invited by the head of any ministry of the Japanese government. The travel agencies do not foresee this new policy deterring travelers from visiting Japan because passports hold so much private information as it is, this will be no more of a violation of privacy than checking passports. Also, they are taking measures to see that the process takes less than 30 seconds so there are no inconveniences.
These tough anti-terror checks will most likely provide the Japanese people with a greater sense of security as well as the travelers. With as many visitors as Japan has (up to 10 billion expected by 2010) they need to take greater measures to ensure their peoples safety. The scanners will be looking for people who are already on the terrorist list and for people who have previously been deported by Japan. I predict this new safety measure will take more time at first because people will have to get use to the new system. Also, people will probably complain about it being a violation of their privacy and other stuff but I think it will be well worth the extra time and inconvenience just to feel secure. I have seen these new devices they will use. I went to Bermuda and at the customs counter they had equipment sitting on the counter that looked high tech. There were two slots you place your forefingers in and look into the camera and it takes a picture of you. They didn’t use them when we went through and I wondered why but now I know that in the future they will be used in Japan and the rest of the world probably isn’t too far behind them.

http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=11&art_id=52845&sid=15231910&con_type=1

India's Outsourcing

India’s Infosys Technologies’ isn’t that known in America but has been growing and producing “back offices” all around the world. Infosys Technology has a campus in India where people from different backgrounds get a feel for programming.

Recent college graduates, including ones in the U.S. have turned down major jobs to come and learn. Infosys has a six month program for students, and after completion they can return home to join another “back office” elsewhere.

Outsourcing jobs is known very well on American soil, but now India is “jumping the gun” and joining the group, alongside China, Mexico, and even Morocco. India’s demands are bilingual, that need to keep up with the other outsourcers.

It has made India wealthier and has expanded globally very fast. There are other offices in Thailand, Czech Republic, China, and the United States.

There are other technology companies in India such as Wipro, who have offices in Canada, Romania, and others. They aim to come to America soon, where they feel there are less developed areas, such as Virginia and Idaho, where they could prosper.

Infosys although as been on target reaching jobs before other big companies around the world do. Some of those areas include the Philippines, and have allowed them to gain their companies they have had to sell in previous years back (China, Mexico, and Czech). Outsourcing gives companies financial gain, broadening their product and selling to new markets. It allows them to grow and flourish without having to deal out that much money. For India jumping on the “bandwagon” is just a sign of a growing economy.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/25/business/worldbusiness/25outsource.html?_r=1&ref=worldbusiness&oref=login

Is Iran building an A-Bomb?

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad denies all accusations that Iran is building an A-bomb. He also said that Iran and the United States is not going to war with each other. He is to speak on Monday at a Columbia forum, he will also answer questions. Then on Tuesday, Ahmadinejad will address the U.N. General Assembly. In Columbia, the president Lee Bollinger has promised to probe Ahmadinejad on things such as human rights. The United States has accused Iran of helping Shiite Iraqis that are targeting U.S. troops. An accusation that Iran denies. Tensions have risen even more between Iran and the U.S. especially because we accused them of creating nuclear weapons. In a 60-minutes interview, Ahmadinejad said, "Well, you have to appreciate we don't need a nuclear bomb. We don't need that. What need do we have for a bomb. "In political relations right now, the nuclear bomb is of no use. If it was useful it would have prevented the downfall of the Soviet Union." He also said that the two countries are not going to war with each other. The US it trying to solve the tension diplomatically rather that militarily and we are also saying that the tension will not lead to war.
Tensions are bound to happen between countries because of different beliefs, customs, and people. We have to hope that Iran is not building nuclear weapons. If they are then we need to deal with the situation in the best way possible. We also have to hope that they are not supplying weapons and supplies to Iraqi militants who are against the US.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/09/24/us.iran.ap/index.html?iref=newssearchtant who are against the US.

Chocolate Covered Narcotics

Last week, federal agents raided and shut down a factory specializing in making candy treats. Their not-so-secret ingrediant became more relevant in the last year. These treats were claimed to only be intented for medical marijuana patients (since medical marijuana can be prescribed in California.) On the contrary in fact though, the factory had ties with major drug dealers, and pot clubs, ordering over 4 tons of chocolate in the past two years to make marijuana treats with. Amongst the products there were "tainted" versions of the following: peanut butter, jelly, butterfinger, mr.goodbar, rice crispies treats, moonpies, ice cream, cookies, and even energy drinks.

This company believed to have sproated after medical marijuana began to boom. They were shipping to many different parts of the world, including California and Seattle. Federal agents also seized 460 pot plants from the company. Police are still on the lookout for the fourth subject believed to have assisted with the company, Tainted Inc. Parents are becoming worried that this candy might end up in the childrens halloween basket. Once again people, check your kids candy, or better yet, go out with them. Remember the candy apple scare a few years back? Geez. While one suspect was being arrested, a DEA agent shot her Doberman Pinscher dog, says her boyfriend, who had no affiliation with the company. Police will be taking the investigation further.

Information obtained from:
http://abcnews.go.com/US/WireStory?id=3662965&page=1

Buddhist monks started a march to try and get the government to change the high fuel prices that they are suffering from. The monks began their march on Friday and they had 1,500 participants. The monks march for four straight days in Yangon. While this is occurring the U.N. begins to realize that the rising tumor in Myanmar needs to end before serious problems occur. Incidents like this are often stopped before they gain any type of power but this time the government left the marchers alone. They let the march continue in hopes that this would never happen again. The information ministry Ye Hut said, “The Myanmar government will not declare a state of emergence. You can see the government handles the situation peacefully.” The monks held there last marched on Tuesday because the government failed to apologize on Monday for allegedly roughing up some of the monks. Dozens of activist have been detained by the authorities. The Hong-Kong based Asian Commission urged the residents of the Buddhist community to come out and support the monks march in Myanmar.

The last article I wrote about was the beginning of these marches on Thursday. This is a terrible event that should have never started. Instead it has lasted for four days and the monks have not received what they ask for. They only ask for more reasonable living conditions. This is a very realistic request that the monks ask for. They are also doing the march in a very peaceful manner that is not going to harm anyone. The monks have suffered from a government that is taking advantage of their human rights.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,297579,00.html

Action finally being taken in Burma.

Protesting in Burma continues. As aforementioned, the trigger of this uprising is due to the junta's decision to double fuel prices. The protests are peaceful and the crowds are mainly composed, it sounds like, of nuns and monks. These unarmed protesters are being killed and hauled away to jail in trucks. There are protests and demonstrations going on in London. People are really starting to take notice. Suddenly, there is a demand that the junta pay attention to the human rights of Burmese civilians. This past Wednesday the UN security council besought the junta to restrain themselves from harming the civilians and destroying their homes. It was probably a very strong suggestion. Also, last night the US imposed economic sanction on 14 members of the junta While US and European unions push for intervention Russia and China argue that it is an internal matter which we ought to leave alone. Regardless, it appears that action, albeit maybe slow, is being taken to ameliorate the situation in Burma which has previously been a spectacle for us for some time now.

I always feel bitter when people suddenly stand up and say things like "We will not sit here and watch while Burma suffers at the hands of its government!" I guess there is no time like the present and at least we are finally doing something...but I always ask myself "so where were you 6 months ago or whenever this fiasco began? Was it okay to sit and watch for a little while then?" It isn't fair...I certainly can't say I have done anything....but that is how it is with me. I am glad we are finally taking action. I suppose it was necessary to let Burma try to handle the situation themselves since they took it upon themselves to protest in the first place. It got bad enough that they felt a need for change and they stood up for that belief. However, the time has come where it seems things have gotten to a point that is out of civilian control.
I thought the bit about China and Russia was interesting and I wonder why they want to leave this issue alone. Maybe it's for the whole "let them try and do it themselves" reason. I think I honestly laughed at the note regarding this... "China and Russia - with dubious human rights records - argue... " It really is kind of an underhanded bash at their levels of morality. Of course their "dubious records" imply that they are totally pro- beating up on poor defenseless civilians. It does make me wonder if this is a reliable and unbiased source.Well, considering the subject matter most people would be biased towards Burma...none of that junta pride! nonsense. Anyway, discounting that one amusing "fuck you guys" note, I found it to be pretty unbiased.

What's behind India's success in the global knowledge economy? One key is a boom in private schools for all.

India's education rate is booming. Maybe knowing English has something to do with this and might help explain the recent economic success in India.
The best people in India get a decent education. Besides the Indian Institutes of Technology and the India Institutes of Management, there are about 20 other schools and institutions for science, engineering, medicine and liberal arts. Both parents and students are 100% dedicated and night after night, middle-class Indian parents insist on their children to do homework. By 15, the children are packed off to coaching schools to help them prepare for entry into the highly competitive colleges.
What is changing is access to good, quality education, which is rare in government-run schools. A national study by Harvard University found that 1 out of 4 teachers in state-run primary schools is absent in a typical day, and the ones that do show up, about half of those do not teach. Private schools however, are teaching very well. There are privaste schools for the rich and for the poor. Private schools for the poor cost between $1-$3 per month and are spreading very rapidly in the slums of India.
Even though teacher salaries tend to be 2/3 lower than those on average, the students math score were 22% higher than those in public schools. And 16% of students in private schools scored 10 points higher on their reading and math scores. If they continue raising the quality of education, India could be even better position for the knowledge economy.

www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11571960/site/newsweek/

Compassion critical in miscarriage cases

Kristyn Phillips
http://abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/09/28/2046816.htm?section=australia

A new system of care for women at risk of miscarriages was announced by Health Minister Reba Meagher. The system will immediately send these women that are at risk to a maternity unit. The reason for this change is not only for the clinical care but for the emotional needs of the mother. The Deputy director-general Richard Matthews believes that the best treatment for those women is "supportive human contact, explaination, pain relief, and most importantly privacy." The changes should not cost extra to implepement.

Miscarriages are terribly upsetting situation to be in especially for the family. It is always harder on the mother of course. In my opinion I think that these new implements will be helpful to the mothers. It will allow time to heal. Being in the presence of the supportive nurses and having the family there with them will give them time to be alone with them and relieve the emotional heartache of losing a child.

"Ahmadinejad Bolsters Iranian Ties With Bolivia and Nicaragua"

http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/09/28/america/iran.php

Thursday in La Paz Iranian President Ahmadinejad pledged $1 billion into Bolivia's economy. Such an investment will be made over five years and will allow the country to access their natural resources, generate more electricity, as well as finance agriculture and construction projects. After making the announcement Ahmadinejad left for Venezuela where he was warmly greeted by President Chavez. Chavez called the Iranian President ' "one of the greatest anti-imperialist fighters" and "one of the great fighters for true peace." ' Venezuela is also one of the few nations that supports Iran's nuclear power research. The US refers to the growing ties among Iran and other Latin American nations as being analogous to that of Russia and Cuba during the Cold War years.

I am afraid of the relationship that appears to be developing among Iran and other nations that hate the United States. The Iranian President appears to be sowing discourse all throughout the world. Countries such as Bolivia, Venezuela, and Nicaragua need the money put into their economy, but there has to be other ways than by taking it from a country that clearly supports terrorism. The UN has the ability to help invest in these countries without strings attached. The Iranian President would like nothing more than to see the US suffer from another terrorist attack and Ahmadinejad is allying himself with countries that would be happy to see that as well.

Many biofuels have more climate impact than oil

In this article by Emma Graham-Harrison, she is discusses how some of our alternatives to using diesel fuel are actually speeding up the process of global warming. This all seems to be due to the fact that the common methods used in producing these “green” alternatives uses farming processes. The rapeseed is used in many countries like Europe and seems to produce up to seventy percent more greenhouse gases than standard diesel fuel. This is an alarming percentage and one that affects many countries who depend on Europe for the supply of these products. The farming methods such as the particular fertilizer used, tends to release more harmful gases into the environment. Researchers and scientists suggest if we use low nitrogen crops and better agricultural methods then we could benefit overall in the future.
It seems as if researchers are in a constant battle over the right method to use to slow down global warming. Just when it seems there might actually be relief in sight for global warming, new information develops on potential hazards about the current methods. It is suggested that now poplars and little willows might be better for the environment, but then will that be eventually dangerous? Only the future will tell, as this is certainly a process of trial and error. Although this is discouraging to many scientists and to us all, we are going to eventually figure out safer methods to use to save our environment. This might take several years but we are headed in the right direction as far as research and discoveries are concerned.

Jennifer Collins
http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSL2790018020070928?sp=true

Wave of Bombings and Shootings in Iraq

A wave of bombings swept through Iraq Wednesday, killing at least 50 people and raising fears that al-Qaeda had launched their earlier promised new offensive. The U.S. blamed the wave of bombings on the terror movement. Police reported at least six car bombings around the country Wednesday, an increase of attacks, but still lower than last years. The deadliest attack occurred when a suicide bomber detonated an explosive truck close to a home of Sunni Arab tribal leader near Sinjar. The attack was reported to have killed 10 people and nine wounded. There were five other attacks occurring throughout Iraq on Wednesday killing 40 more people and wounding many others. While US troops were fighting al-Qaeda, one soldier was reported killed. The US military spokesperson announced that the troops would be stepping up efforts and keeping pressure on extremist networks.

American and Iraqi troops are trying their hardest to end this war of terror in Iraq. More and more suicidal bombers are popping up everywhere. Al-Qaeda looks to be stepping up their declaration of war previously announced by Osama bin Laden. The only thing the militants can do is to step up their efforts a little more, like they said they are going to do. Although with the increased terrorism the end of the war might not be as close as many would like. As things start to look like they are dyeing down, more acts of terror keep popping back up.

E.E.O.C. Files Lawsuit Against Bloomberg L.P.

In a recent article in New York Times it was stated that the federal government had filed a lawsuit against Bloomberg L.P. for discriminating against women. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said, “the company engaged in patter of discrimination against pregnant women, including decreasing their pay, demoting them, diminishing their job duties and excluding them from employment opportunities.” Later the lawsuit named three employees who had complained about the unfair treatment and said it started in 2002. It was stated, “a number of women who became pregnant or had just given birth were replaced by junior male employees, excluded from management meetings, and subjected to stereotyping about their abilities to do their jobs because of their family and caregiver responsibilities.” However, when the women reached out to the human resources department, their complaints were ignored. Spencer H. Lewis, Jr., the New York District Director for the E.E.O.C. said, “employers need to be aware that it is unlawful to discriminate against women based on their pregnancy or act on stereotypes concerning their roles as caregivers.” As well as, “no working woman should be forced to choose between motherhood and her livelihood.”


In my analysis of this article, I can definitely see the inequality that has brought up this lawsuit. I think it is sad that women have to second guess themselves if they want to deal with the consequences of having a child and working at this facility. I also think it is horrible for the human resource department to totally disregard the situation, had they dealt with it when it wasn’t such a big deal they could have possibly saved this lawsuit from ever happening. Once again you see women are the targets for inequality in the workforce just because it seems to society that they are vulnerable, and I think this lawsuit is a warning to other firms that women aren’t what they use to be and WILL stand of for their rights.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/27/business/27cnd-pregnant.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

Global wisdom can craft solutions to urban woes

Here is an article that presents a more hopeful side of the recent boom in global urbanization. Recently, a group of Danish and Chinese architects and experts on urban planning worked together to start devising a plan for a better, more sustainable city. Their work will be exhibited at the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center through October 12. The group has been working to come up with ideas related to housing, traffic, and even address the problem of nature in cities. Shanghai is different than most urban cities because it lacks nature. The group hopes to develop a city layout that will promote more urban parks. A great example of the future plans come directly from Copenhagen, Denmark. The city is starting a program called “City Bikes”. City Bikes will provide 2,000 free, public bikes for anyone to use in the city. They are housed in 110 sheds spread across Copenhagen. The only catch is you must insert a coin in the bike to unlock, equivalent to about $3.20, but you get the money back when you return the bike. This program is something that I think will work out quiet well. It will reduce the amount of traffic, there will be less of a need for major roads, and the pollution levels will also drop.

This article does not go into much detail about the Shanghai Expo, or even the developments of the Chinese and Danish architects. It is however, a ray of sunshine in the mess of urbanization, providing a few hopeful examples that eventually all cities will keep in mind when developing. I was attracted to this article because it involved Denmark, a Nordic country, and one year ago I studied abroad in another Nordic country, Finland. So this region of the world is very close my heart. I believe that the world could benefit from the Nordic model of living in general. They seem to have it together when it comes to creating the greatest good for the greatest amount.

http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sp/article/2007/200709/20070927/article_332629.htm

Digging for solutions to energy crisis

This article is about energy sources and the use of geothermal energy source. Of the potential energy resources available to us, only two are completely clean: solar and geothermal. The second of these, however, has been neglected. The article also talks about Iceland and how it was one of the poorest country in Europe, and has changed and becoming more developed. A key element in the countries development was the shift from imported coal and oil to geothermal energy. Iceland now uses geothermal energy to generate a large portion of its electricity and nearly all of its heating needs. In collaboration with the United Nations, Iceland has been offering technological assistance to countries that want to develop geothermal projects of their own. In collaboration with the United Nations, Iceland has been offering technological assistance to countries that want to develop geothermal projects of their own. In addition, Icelandic energy companies also have been involved in geothermal projects in Europe, Asia, and the United States. Iceland has been active in training people in geothermal technology and in raising awareness of climate change. Iceland intends to fight for clean energy, and even countries as large and powerful as the United States might benefit from its knowledge and experience.

This article was very informative. I think this article explain that the world has a big problem on their hands with global warming and we need to start using the natural resources that we have so we can cease this problem. In the article the president of Iceland stated “Geothermal power might become a dominant clean energy resource in the United States if the necessary technological leadership and the necessary political leadership can join hands in this area.” I think that this statement is true because the leaders in this country are worrying and spending money on unnecessary things.



http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/2007/09.27/11-iceland.html

Girl in photo not Madeleine, reports say

Read the full story

A young girl photographed in Morocco is not the missing British toddler Madeleine McCann, according to British media reports on Wednesday.
The Evening Standard newspaper featured a new photo of the child, said to be the daughter of a local olive farmer, under the headline "It's not her."
Reporters descended on the remote hillside village of Zinat in the north of the country after the image of the young girl being carried on a Moroccan woman's back was flashed around the world as a possible sighting of four-year-old Madeleine.
But it quickly emerged that the girl in the photograph was believed by villagers to be 5-year-old Bushra Binhisa, the daughter of an olive farmer.

A Spanish couple had taken the picture. They were vacationing in Morroco in late August, and were taking pictures of pretty much everything. The blonde girl caught their eye, so they snapped one of her as well.

It really sucks that it's not really her. I'm sure the parents and many others around the world (considering how large this story is) all got their hopes up, only to have them crushed so soon after. Well, the search goes on.

Racism in the Middle East

For ages now there has been resentment by many in the Middle East towards the American government and other western government’s policies. This resentment has been shifted to racism against Semitic people and people who appear to be Semitic, more specifically Arabic. Since the acts of terrorism on September 11, 2001 against the United States, Semitic minorities within the United States have been discriminated; including minorities not involved in the acts, such as Indians, and have even been beaten killed. This issue is deeper than religion and race, includes factors such as country of origin, physical appearance, and political beliefs.

These accusations against Semitic people are occurring in western countries, and therefore I find it incomprehensible that with our knowledge and level education we have today in America, people are still discriminating against those of the Middle Eastern decent. By generalizing their appearances, these proponents of racism have the perceived notion that Arabs are evil. If a person is wearing a turban, for instance, the assumption would be that the individual is a terrorist suspect. This violates so many of our country’s standard beliefs and civil rights. In conclusion, ignorance breeds ignorant acts. It takes a lot to learn about another culture, but takes only a second to apply pop-culture belief towards an innocent soul.

http://www.globalissues.org/HumanRights/Racism.asp#RacismintheMiddleEast

Ethnicity and Religion in International Politics: The Middle East, the Balkans, and India-Pakistan

The article begins with Susan Woodward, Professor of Political Science at the City University of New York’s Graduate Center, discussing the lessons that the US has learned from the Balkans, the Middle East, and India-Pakistan. When reviewed, the main conflicts were due to an ethnic and religious conflict. These conflicts are results in old hatreds held against each other that were repressed during the Cold War. It was a struggle between more liberal identities on one side, and ethnic, religious, national, and racial identities on the other. Susan Woodward quotes, “the more ethnically heterogeneous and pluralistic a society, the more likely it is to be peaceful and democratic,” meaning the more diverse a society is and the more accepting of other cultures, the less violent humanity will be.

I completely agree with Susan Woodward’s statements. The ethnic and religious conflicts with other countries will occur due to different cultures, and disagreements will happen, however, if a society is purely diverse, people will soon become more accepting with other cultures and learn to compromise with these differences. War is not always the answer to all cultural disputes. Positive growth can only occur, as my thesis clearly states, when invested parties agree with their differences.

http://www.cossa.org/seminarseries/ethnicity.htm

Sacrifice: Child Prostitutes from Burma | BrunoFilms.com

Sacrifice: Child Prostitutes from Burma | BrunoFilms.com: "Each year thousands of young girls are recruited from rural Burmese villages to work in the sex industry in neighboring Thailand. Held for years in debt bondage in illegal Thai brothels, they suffer extreme abuse by pimps, clients, and the police. The trafficking of Burmese girls has soared in recent years as a direct result of political repression in Burma. Human rights abuses, war and ethnic discrimination has displaced hundreds of thousands of families, leaving families with no means of livelihood. An offer of employment in Thailand is a rare chance for many families to escape extreme poverty. Sacrifice examines the social, cultural, and economic forces at work in the trafficking of Burmese girls into prostitution in Thailand. It is the story of the valuation and sale of human beings, and the efforts of teenage girls to survive a personal crisis born of economic and political repression."

Mexican Crime

Mexico- One of the worlds most dangerous countries. Gangstyle-slayings and kidnapping are only two of the common crimes making Mexico one of the leading countries in crime reaching new levels every year. The Homicide rate in Mexico is higher than any other country in the western hemisphere.

In 2006, the crime level increased 22 percent, and in only the first half of 2007, it has increased by 25 percent from the previous year. An overall increase of 155 percent since 2001. Mexican President Felipe Calderon who has been setting tough standards in his war against violence, crime, and drug trafficking, sent troops to the country side to track down the drug suspects.

Mexico is also experiencing pipeline bombing, having underground members of political related groups bomb natural gas lines all throughout the country. These bombers are smart, they know what they're doing, and Mexico is having a difficult time finding these people.

" Experts believe the EPR, a Marxist group that traces its origins to the armed guerrilla movements of the 1970s, finances its activities with ransom from kidnapped businessmen. The guerrillas say the attacks will continue until authorities release two comrades who disappeared in Oaxaca in May; state and federal officials say they're not in government custody."




http://www.mercurynews.com/nationworld/ci_6976297

No Freedom of Religion for Muslims In Goa

Stephanie Branson
SOC 202 9/28/07

No Freedom of Religion for Muslims in Goa
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007%5C09%5C23%5Cstory_23-9-2007_pg7_36


The article that I read for this week discusses that of the Muslims in Goa having no freedom of religion, more specifically those Muslims of South Goa. It talked about how they have been denied in practicing their faith and why they should not be able to do so especially seeing as how the Hindus and Christians all have their religious freedom. Yet the Muslims have been denied in such religious beliefs such as permission for a burial ground, prevented from praying in their own premises, as well as not being able to build structures for religious education. It has even gone so far as having the first organized communal violence in Goa in March of 2006 due to this lack of freedom of religion. There had been a structure that was built that was going to be used for religious education purposes for the children of the community yet it was said that the structure was illegal and that it had to be destroyed. In turn the Muslims did their best and petitioned so that the structure could remain in which it was passed yet the structure still received damages.
After reading this article I was just amazed at how the Muslims had been denied their right of religion. I could not imagine how they must be feeling in Goa being denied the right to have faith and even going as far as not being able to have a burial ground for their deceased, not being able to pray, and even having your religious structures destroyed. I know that everyone has different beliefs but that does not mean that you deny someone of their beliefs just because it is not the same as yours. You should have enough respect to understand that everyone has different beliefs and if you are not going to take the time to understand and learn theirs then do not bother with it and stay focused on your own beliefs but don’t take away from others.

Human Rights Film Festival Sept 27 Osama

27-Sep Osama (2003)

Discussants: Danielle Bouchard & Beth Walker

"A 12-year-old Afghan girl and her mother lose their jobs when the Taliban closes the hospital where they work. The Taliban have also forbidden women to leave their houses without a male "legal companion." With her husband and brother dead, killed in battle, there is no one left to support the family. Without being able to leave the house, the mother is left with nowhere to turn. Feeling that she has no other choice, she disguises her daughter as a boy. Now called 'Osama,' the girl embarks on a terrifying and confusing journey as she tries to keep the Taliban from finding out her true identity. Inspired by a true story, Osama is the first entirely Afghan film shot since the fall of the Taliban."

Upcoming films in this series:

1-Oct      Moolaadé

9-Oct      Dying to Get In

22-Oct    Dirty Pretty Things

5-Nov     In This World

12-Nov  Life and Debt

20-Nov    Invisible Children

28-Nov    Night and Fog     

 

http://www.uncg.edu/~sjsills/cci_filmfestival.html

--
Stephen J. Sills, PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Sociology
320 Graham Building
PO Box 26170
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Greensboro, NC  27402-6170
http://www.uncg.edu/~sjsills/
sjsills@uncg.edu

Soc Advising

People with undeclared majors should still seek advising at CASA. However, if you have
declared a Soc major (as either primary or secondary), then you need to
now see Dr. Westervelt for advising. Note - this is the only way you can get your advising code, which is the necessary for registering for classes.

China's One Child Policy

Thirty four year old, "Mrs Wu, from a village in Anhui province, has two healthy children, an 11-year-old daughter and a seven-year-old son". This may not seem like a big deal to Americans but in China, having more than one child is not the norm. "China's family planning rules are often referred to as the one-child policy, but there are a significant number of people like Mrs Wu who are allowed to have more." Taking a second look at this "one-child" policy uncovers some ways around it. The vice-minister at the National Population and Family Planning Commission, "Mr Wang, explained that only 35.9% of the population is limited to having just one child. These people live mainly in urban areas. "Rural couples, accounting for 52.9% of the population, are able to have two children if the first one is a girl." "Mrs Wu was able to have two children because she comes from the countryside and her first child was female." Mrs. Wu stated that, "when [she] got married I only wanted one child. But because it was a girl, my parents-in-law wanted me to try for a boy to carry on the family name".

"Couples from certain ethnic minority groups can often have more than one child, as can people who are the single children of "revolutionary martyrs". Overseas Chinese who settle in China are also exempt, and when both parents have no siblings themselves they can have more than one child." There are also people who, even though they are legally entitled to only one child, have two or more anyway. Paretns are often fined for not abiding by these rules, but the penalty is often very low for wealthy couples. This fine is based on how much the couple earns and varies from region to region.

The population growth in China has been on the rise since about 2003 and is predicted to increase. Research shows that "...63% of all couples in China could end up with only one child, 36% with two children and only 1% with three or more". Even with this data, the norm in China is a household containing only one child.





http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7002201.stm

Which voice does it really belong to?

Rivers State Deputy Governor wife, Dr. Mina Ikuru, challenged women in government at a one day workshop on ‘protocol and security.’ The challenge is a movement against hostile acts and for people co-existing peacefully. She is also urging them to rally their people together and accept government rules and agendas. The workshop was headed by the State Ministry of Women Affairs at Hotel Presidential, Port Harcourt. Ikuru says women in government have ‘responsibilities and expectations’ in a democratic administration. She says they have taken up an important and wider element that needs positive contribution by adding to the development of society. Women need to realize their importance and role in government and private sector administration. She urges education on being law abiding citizens and good behavior to aid the government in reaching goals. The goal of the workshop is to become a tool of empowerment, education, and draw attention to increasing female participation made up of female commissioner and wives of commissioners, to prevent humiliating behavior in society. As chairman of the workshop, Professor Nimi Briggs commended women in leadership positions in Nigeria for performing well and challenged the present female administration to make a difference. Pastor Nancy Nwankwo believes the workshop will reassort the female participants to strive to become role models in their mixture of enterprises.

This article makes the statement ‘behind every good man is a good woman’ very true. I feel it is past the time that women should be stepping from behind their husbands and making their ideas and voices heard. Wives of government officials obviously have as much influence if not more than their husbands which make them become a force to be reckoned with. Hopefully most will use this power to positively influence like in the article above. This makes me wonder, if these type ideas come from the wives, how much more is being broadcasted, just in a male voice?????

http://allafrica.com/stories/200709200625.html

Arab Human Development

On the UNDP website I found an article on the human development reports on Arabs. This specific article presented the rise of women in the Arab world.
In this article it states that there has been some significant achievements in the advancement of women in Arab countries. In the Arab human development reports the main objectives do, however, require further effort. Before the women's advancement can be complete they must first "enable the equitable aquisition and utilization of human capabilities and the exersize of human rights." The status of women in these societies is often problematic in most if not all aspects. Including cultural, social, economic, and other political factors.
Social reform, as described in this article, was shooting to enable the rise of women. This is to aid in the elimination of discrimination. The convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women (CEDAW) is described in this article as a main need. This describes the wings of a bird which symbolizes the rise of women in arab communities. The CEDAW being one of these much needed wings and the other wing would be a movement in Arab civil society which would be both effective and wide-ranging. This wing engages both men and women supporters. It would empower women along with the society and also consolidate societal reform initiatives.
The report in this article calls for the adoption of time-bound affirmative action. This of course is tailored to the specifics of each Arab society. This is needed for the expansion of participationof women in all aspects of human activity.
"This is considered imperative to dismantle the structures of centuries of discrimination."
"Arab women have managed to attain outstanding achievments indiverse fields of human activity."

Israeli women and the military

This is a late post for the week of September 14.

All combat jobs were recommended to be available to women by an Israeli committee. This could mean tense changes for their military. The last all-male bastions are front line infantry, armor, and special forces, and would be the last to be integrated. The announcement was used for long-term planning to ‘maximize the abilities of women for the overall benefit of the armed forces.’ Men and women have been drafted since 1948. In the war for the country’s independence, men and women fought side by side and before that women did the same jobs as men in pre-state underground groups. Later on, women were transferred to desk jobs. It was recommended that women be allowed into any unit they’d like and serve the same amount of time as men. Currently men serve three and women serve two. Retired general Yehudit Ben-Natan is in total support of the mixing of women and men. She rejects the idea of women not being in the front line because of risk of death, danger, and uncomfortable situations. She says the main purpose of the military is combat so that’s where women should be also. Retired major general Yaakov Amidror disagrees totally. He says that women will never be a physical match for men in front-line units and the military should invest resources elsewhere. The inspiration comes from Canadian and European integrated units. Only about 2.5 percent of women serve in combat jobs. The military plans to implement their plan within five years.

Integrating women into combat jobs is a good thing to me because women have worked so hard for equal rights for so long. If there are women in the military with the desire to work alongside men, knowing the risk and responsibility they’re taking then they should be allowed the opportunity. I think that allowing women to be equal in all aspects of life will slowly but surely close the gender gap. I do not believe in underestimating anyone so just because a person is labeled female or male does not justify not giving that person a chance at an area in which they may excel.

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/09/17/africa/ME-GEN-Israel-Women-in-Uniform.php

"U.S. captures militant tied to killing of Sunni tribal leader"

September 16, 2007 - American military officials say they have captured a "suspected militant linked to the assassination last week of a Sunni tribal leader [Abdul Sattar Buzaigh al-Rishawi] in western Iraq who had collaborated with the American military to fight jihadists." A U.S. military statement announced that Fallah Khalifa Fayyas al-Jumaili, the man captured and arrested during a raid near Balad, north of Baghdad, was "involved in a plot to kill several Sunni leaders working with the Americans against Sunni extremists." The military would not disclose information on Jumaili's link to Abdul Sattar's death as they said it would compromise their sources and methods. Sattar was killed on the first day of Ramadan, and Sunni extremist groups have already made threats online that "the month would be particularly deadly." The Islamic State of Iraq, another name for Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia, claimed responsibility on Friday the 14th for Sattar's death. The following Sunday, violence in Iraq spread, "with gun battles and bombs in several parts of the country." The death toll has been numbered at around 50 or more people, with numbers still rising as violence seems not to cease.

Abdul Sattar's death came as a shock to both Iraq and America. The man's death is incredibly unfortunate considering his work in disarming and disabling Sunni extremist groups and increasing security for his people. This war that began because of different religious beliefs seems to have spiraled into one of political gain, religious superiority (if there is such a thing), and pure hatred. More than 50 people have lost their lives in various parts of Iraq just in response to Sattar's death and Al Qaeda's claim of responsibility for it. The fighting seems to have no end in sight; the country, no hope for peace. Tensions are high and pressure is building to find the people responsible for Sattar's death, but what can be done when these religious factions keep killing each other for the only apparent reason that their victims have different religious beliefs (and not even a different religion!)? Perhaps I am just feeling lackluster at the present moment, but it seems more and more as if there is no real hope for the people in Iraq to find peace between different religious groups.

Damien Cave
16 September 2007
The International Herald Tribune
Baghdad
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/09/16/news/iraq.php

Post 5

Fujimori's return

Courtney Keeton
IGS 233B
5th Blog
Crime
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/americas/09/22/chile.fujimori/index.html
This week my story comes from Peru, where former president Alberto Fujimori is facing five corruption and two human rights abuse charges. Fujimori held his presidency in Peru for almost a decade and is alleged to have participated in many accounts of government corruption and ordered death-squad killings during that time. With notice of the charges, Fujimori fled to Japan where he holds dual citizen ship, but later returned to South America. He is now residing in Chile where he was placed on house arrest for six months. The house arrest was lifted as long as Fujimori agreed not to leave the country.
It was thought, upon Fujimori’s return to Chile, that he was attempting to try to have another run at office in Peru. But Peru’s congress had previously declared him morally unfit to govern. Fujimori has denied the allegations calling them “politically motivated,” but is not ruling out a possible political reappearance.
Based in this article alone, before having read any back story on the subject, I would not be a fan of Fujimori, let alone vote him back into a position of power or rule. The fact that he felt that he needed to flee from allegations that, according to him, are not true, makes me believe he’s just a tad bit guilty. I just hate that hearing stories about the infringement on human rights. Hopefully, guilty or not he’ll get what he deserves.

I smell death upon you

Madeleine McCann, 4 years old now, missing for over 4 months, could be just a hoax? Never missing infact but still media and the public are clinging to the idea of murder, or even accidental murder. The parents are in too deep now to admit to any foul play if applicable. Their fundraising has produced over 2 million dollars to help find the little girl.

After a survey was taken in Portugal, media news representative was surprised, even SHOCKED to find out that only 20% of people survived believe 100% that Madeleine was actually kidnapped. A recent story also suggests that someone else might have been involved in the possible murder, a man who incinerates animals in his backyard. And around the same time as Madeleines "dissapearance" was forced to stop his burning. Why? Because of a "horrible smell" coming from his backyard.

Why was he never stopped before, I wonder? If he was always just burning animals, then why now, was he told they smelt horrible. No neighbor change, or change of type of burning animals, or accidents have been reported with his incinerator. Foul play, I presume. Police also state that Madeleine's parents are not making it any easier to find her, if even missing, because they are unwilling to help. The parents reply with the same worn out record line, "We will return to Portugal at any time to assist with the investigation." They seem to busy with their lives though to worry about anything but their defense, in which there is no real evidence to prove them guilty. So why are they even worried? They are not being interviewed again. They have not been called to court. They have not been charged as anything else but simply "suspects" along with a handful of others. Why are they so apprehensive to let their guard down, if they have nothing to hide that is?

Guard dogs trained to "smell death" have done their duties, and have giving indication Madeleine is in fact, dead. Media will not verify this though. They did in fact respond to Madeleines stuffed creature, that she carries with her everywhere, and Madeleines mother would not part with since Madeleines dissapearance. If you ask me, I think this case is wrapped up.

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1662459,00.html

African towns overrun by flooding

In North Carolina we are experiencing a drought. In Kampala, Uganda all they are seeing is water. They have been experiencing rains that have flooded their lands in some places to their mid-section. The rains have affected everyone in this and surrounding areas if not everyone. Most lost their houses, and others have lost their livelihood by their crops being destroyed from the fields being covered in water. As if these things were not bad enough, the health of these people are now becoming a more dangerous problem. With standing water the spread of disease can happen much more rapidly as well as the breeding of such insects as mosquitoes that lay their eggs on standing water's surface. With most African countries not having meteorological service it's unclear how much rain has actually fallen but there is little sign of it stopping soon.
I think this article was a good article about this topic but i felt that it should of have more substance. I would have liked to know more about these people and their lives rather than just the rain divesting them.

Article: http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/africa/09/16/africa.floods.ap/index.html
Written by: Associated Press