China Moving Heaven and Earth to Bring Water to Beijing

Felicia Jenkins
10/30/10
10:50 PM

China Moving Heaven and Earth to Bring Water to Beijing.

China is a country of extreme weather patterns, dry with little rain in some parts, while other parts experience flooding. Because of the unequal distribution of water China wants to build several tunnel like structures to move water around the country, specifically into Beijing. The water will be coming from the flood plains in the south and the mountains in the west. This project will cost over $62 billion and is the largest building project in China other than the Great Wall. There will be 1000 feet wide canal and will go 180 feet below the Yellow River. The set of tunnels with go across many historical locations and will displace hundreds of thousands of people. All for the sake of having an adequate drinking supply in a major city

There are many skeptics to this plan ranging from ordinary people to environmental agencies- it seems as though none of this is being taken into account. At the bare minimum China is planning to dig thousands of miles worth of earth up, destroying fragile ecosystems and disrupting many natural filtering processes. What does this mean for the land and the farming communities around the tunnels? Many of waters are already polluted and are unsafe for drinking. Does that mean increased chemical processing of the water that will move thousands of miles? What affect will the chemicals have on the people and the land itself? The environment is unable to adapt overnight to such drastic changes. This plan also proposes to displace at least 330,000 Chinese. Where are they going to go? Their lives will be uprooted so that people living in the city can have an increased supply of water. This seems unfair. Sure the government has increased plans for compensation for the displaced people but is it worth it? They are literally being forced out of their homes and forced to get a new life. Can the government really do that? All in the name of “the greater good for the country.” But the question remains, is this tunnel really a good idea? And for whom?

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-china-water-20100929,0,3195261.story

Female mechanics overcome barriers in Senegal

Corinne Knowles

September 30, 2010

10:30 pm

This article is about two women from Senegal who are mechanics and have owned their own business since 2005. Female mechanics are practically unheard of in West Africa. When they first started out some people made fun of their for wanting to work on cars but now they are highly respected as business owners and were even invited to meet the Senegalese President, Abdoulaye Wade a few years ago. They have had a passion for this business for a long time. They attended a technical school for three years, worked as mechanics in repair shops, and eventually saved up enough money to open their own garage. According to the article, at first they had trouble getting men to trust them with their cars, they now have a successful business with eight employees, all men. The article mentions another female owner of an auto repair shop, Ndeye Coumba, who oversees thirty employees, ten of them being women.

I'm glad that I found this article tonight since we were just talking about gender roles in different societies in class today. The article does mention the fact that many women in Senegal do not pursue higher education, instead they often leave school early to get married and start raising a family. I think women should be able to choose if they want to get married, or have a career, or both, but it's nice to see these two women doing something completely out of the ordinary. I think a female mechanic anywhere would be an unusual sight and I could understand it being a difficult concept for men to get used to. This article is a good example of what feminism really means because it shows women having a choice in their future.

Article

Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease Attacks Bombay

Brooke Edmonds

September, 30, 2010

9:13pm

In South Bombay, recently a disease has started affecting many children in schools all around the area. This illness that has been going around is known as the hand foot and mouth disease (HFMD). HFMD is a common viral illness of infants and children. The disease causes fever and blister-like sores in the mouth and/or a skin rash. A child’s mother from one of the schools states “I don’t know from where my child contracted the disease from. However, the doctor suggested us to remain indoors as it is highly infectious. She was unable to eat properly due to throat infection, so the best thing for her was to stay away from school.” Doctors are saying that the disease just popped up and that it has resulted in many absentees in school. After more research some doctors are saying they don’t think the disease is as dangerous as they thought and that kids can start going back to school with certain precautions. But some doctors argue that this is not true and kids should continue to stay home.

When I came across this news article, it caught my eye because I had never heard of this hand foot and mouth disease and I was interested to find out about it. As I read the article I was surprised because it seems to be a big problem in South Bombay. This article gave a good description of what the disease does to children and it said that is leaves sores in different places all over the body. It did not actually tell us what causes the disease which would have been useful to know so people could try to prevent catching the disease.

http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_hand-foot-mouth-disease-attacks-children-in-south-bombay-schools_1445894

The Caribou Crisis

Sarah Ogletree

9/30/2010

7:13 PM

Caribou herds in the Arctic are declining at a rapid rate, not only noticed by experts, but also by the numerous indigenous peoples who rely on them for food and for clothing. This is a problem of endangered culture (ex. the Inuits, Eskimos, etc) but it is also a problem of a possible endangered species. Out of the 43 major herds that scientists have studied in the last decade worldwide, 34 are in decline. Caribou numbers have plunged 57% from their historical peaks! Some herds in particular have suffered more than others, for example, the Barhurst herd in Canada’s central Arctic. In a short 24 years, the herd has fallen from 472,000 to 32,000. That’s a decline of 93%.

Scientists say the cause of the global decline is the result of the rapidly rising temperatures in the Arctic which are “throwing caribou out of sync with the environment in which they evolved.” For example, as the climate changes the Arctic spring comes earlier and earlier. So early in fact, that by the time calving season begins, the weeks of the lushest vegetation have already passed. Another issue is an increase in bugs, such as flies, and the migration of more southern animals into what was once strictly caribou land. Also, heavier and more intense ice storms keep caribou from being able to forage for food during the winter months. They can’t break through the ice, and many have succumbed to starvation. Other factors include the oil and gas industry, mining, logging, as well as hunting, though it’s not a major factor, it is further depleting the already struggling caribou herds.

Now, the caribou are facing yet another problem as highways are being built through their birthing grounds, underground (Uranium) mines are being proposed, and companies like ALCOA (leading Aluminum producer) want to industrialize areas within Caribou habitat. Through all of these things bring much needed jobs to the area, scientists and indigenous hunters worry activities such as these will seal the fate of the caribou. Anne Gunn (a former government biologist, now a scientific consultant), feels, unlike many, that the caribou can adapt to the changing climate. However, little is being done to protect caribou habitat, especially places such as birthing grounds. Gunn says, “For caribou it is all about ‘space’ — their perceptions of what space they need, including the space needed to distance themselves from us. Climate change and over-hunting are very serious factors that need to be addressed. But unless we give caribou the space they need, I’m afraid we’re going to see these declines continue.”

The vast decline of caribou is scary in that it is so large. With topics such as climate change, industrialization, and overall apathy presented towards the environment, the article is one that should draw attention. I agree with Anne Gunn that first and foremost the caribou’s habitat must be protected, but I also feel that as a global community we must be more sensitive to the consequences of our actions. The article itself did a good job of presenting both sides of the argument, and I thought it was great that it mentioned the proposed industrialization would bring much needed jobs. That was fair reporting, and they did it in a way that made the reader feel they were seeing both sides of the story, while still making the point that the caribou are in danger, and it’s a problem.

http://e360.yale.edu/feature/a_troubling_decline_in_the_caribou_herds_of_the_arctic_/2321/

Human Rights Violations in Zimbabwe

Elizabeth Bainbridge

9-30-10

6:50 pm

In Zimbabwe a number of human rights violations have been recently reported as the public has engaged in helping to create a new constitution for the country. The president of Zimbabwe, Mr. Mugabe, and the Movement for Democratic Change entered into an agreement in 2008 that the country must have a new constitution before the elections this year. The supporters of the MDC have come under great persecution, however, as many of them have been threatened, abducted, and assaulted. In outreach meetings members of the MDC have even been arrested, and scores have been tampered with. One member was killed last week, putting a temporary stop to meetings in Harare. While the rate of violence has supposedly subsided since the unity Mugabe MDC government came to be, the recent talk of a new constitution has rekindled some negative sentiments. The main dispute seems to be over who will have more power- the ZANU-PFs routing for the president, while the MDC members want elected legislators to have more influence.

What is going on in Zimbabwe is definitely a cruel violation of human rights. Even in the heated passion on political change, human lives should be respected. The fact that a member of the MDC was killed is appalling. The article told about the injustices that the MDC members were facing, but didn’t mention any instances of abuse towards the ZANU-PFs. This made me wonder if the article was biased, or if the MDCs were the only victims in the situation. Either way, the article shed light on the horrible things that are going on as a result of this upcoming political change.

http://www.voanews.com/english/news/africa/Constitution-Meetings-Spark-Human-Rights-Abuses-in-Zimbabwe-104010379.html

Obesity explosion in China

Hailey Ward
9/90/2010
6:30pm

Twelve year old Liu Tao weighs in at 115kg (253lbs). He is around 40kg (88lbs) more than what he should be for someone his height. He is a day patient at The Aimin Fat Reduction Hospital in Tianjin. It, along with many other hospitals and clinics are focused primarily on helping the Chinese citizens lose weight. Obese individuals are more likely to have major health complications such as heart disease and diabetes. The large numbers of obese people are already putting pressure on China’s health care system. His treatment is focused on a healthier diet, massage (to keep his skin elastic so it will shrink along with his waist) and acupuncture. In his first two weeks of treatment he lost around 9kg (19.8lbs).

Many believe that the one child policy in China has made the younger generation spoiled. Liu was allowed to eat whatever he wanted and admitting that he does nothing around the home. The education system in China can also affect a child’s weight. His mother claims that he leaves for school at 7am and does not return home until 7pm. After doing a few hours of homework and eating dinner it is 10pm. With a schedule like this exercise is not a top priority. Another contributing factor for obesity is the lack of space. China has expanded tremendously over the past 30 years. Paul French the co-author of Fat China: How Expanding Waistlines are Changing a Nation says that "There is very little public space in urban areas and even when there is you often cannot walk on the grass.”

Obesity is a problem that is sweeping the globe. Many people are unaware of the dangers their eating habits can impose. Many schools are more focused on getting thought the curriculum that they are unwilling to set aside time for physical activity. A child as young as twelve years old weigh as much as a grown man is completely absurd. Education is the key to preventing obesity. People need to be educated on the dangers of obesity. If we can educate the younger generation now we might have a chance of making a change. Clearly we know some of the contributing factors in obesity, now what can we do to change them?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11368027

Can Religion solve conflicts in the Middle East

Ashley Bennerson

9/30/2010

2:04 p.m.

The article begins with the question, “Is religion the problem in the Middle East conflict? Or can religion be the solution?” The answer to the question is religion is not the problem in the Middle East but rather it’s the people involved in the problem putting the blame on religion. Those who seek attention aren’t allowing a compromise to take place but are creating an image that religion is the heart of the conflict. The second question is, “Is the problem religion or extremism in religion? “ The answer to this question the problem is not Islam, Judaism, or Christianity. The problem is when certain individuals claim to be speaking for God, or defending God and act contradict to this teaching that love for God shows itself in respect for the other. They are considered extremist. The solution to these problems is for religious leaders to become more engaged and to speak out more forcefully to "dismantle the corruptions" and give a vision of life together in all its diversity.

When reading this article, one of the questions that came up was how there are many religions in the world and different people and things that people worship. My question is why is it so hard for there to be a mutual respect for those of another religion than you has? What it all boils down to is that everyone should have enough respect for each other as human rather than be bitter or angry with one another because of religions. Most religious text have similar ideas when talking about respect, it’s just a matter of the religious followers to adhere to these ideas.

Struggle for Expression

Article: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/30/world/middleeast/30syria.html?ref=technology

Syria is not well known for it's freedom of speech. Many people there are locked up for speaking out against the government, or other governments, or mentioning minorities, or a myriad of other offenses. The Internet has offered the escape for many, allowing them to post their thoughts/beliefs as an anonymous writer, via blogs, facebook, and more.

The article is a prime example of that. A Schoolroom beating was uploaded to facebook, where it was watched by a large number of Syrians. They then further sent it around, before it made it onto the news, and eventually, caused punishment for the offenders. This is cause for hope, even as a new law is being put into place which would stop all of this.

It is a battle which is being repeated all over the world right now, from the Land of the Free to the Republic of China. Net Neutrality, the fight over whether to police what is transmitted over the internet, and if policing occurs, to what extent. The counter-technology to prevent this, etc. Syrians hope they can continue to use the Internet, lest their voice be squashed completely.

15 Pupils Kidnapped in Aba.

The article was about something that took place in Aba on Monday, September 27, 2010. Gunmen hijacked a school bus full of fifteen Abayi International School students, along with the bus driver. The gunmen, who were spotted driving a Toyota Camry, held the driver down at gunpoint and stole his phone. They drove the bus to an unknown destination that no one knows where it is. The kidnappers are demanding 20 million dollars in order to release the victims. The students are in the age range between nursery and primary school students. Teacher and parents are all worried what may happen to the children. They have tried to convince the kidnappers to let the children go, considering how young they are. When it comes to analyzing this article, I have interpreted that the students are being kidnapped basically for money. Similar to what is happening in Mexico, criminals are kidnapping people, in this case children, to get unearned money. Most likely, the kidnappers will unfortunately receive the money because the parents and the school are going to do whatever it takes to get the children home safely. As for critiquing the article, I thought that the information was very informative. The article gave details about the event and how it happened and what the people are doing about it. However, I would like to know what the principal isn't wanting to tell the media. This is a horrible thing that is happening. These parents put their children on the bus that morning thinking that it was just a normal, everyday routine. They had no idea that they may never see them again. I hope that the children get back safely and that the kidnappers find justice.

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2010/sept/28/national-28-09-2010-001.htm

deforestation in Africa

Kierstin Lilly

9/29/10

6:00pm

The rate of deforestation in the “formerly tropical beautiful green zones of Africa” has been increasing because of the incentives to exploit forests. Deforestation is now being estimated at “2.6 million hectares annually, an area almost equivalent to Uganda.” Biodiversity, degradation of watersheds and desertification have been a result of the depletion of these forests and with the combination of deforestation and land degradation the problem of poverty in rural areas have sky rocketed. In the 1960’s the world’s forests accounted for 35 percent of the land where as today it has been reduced by almost 15 percent leaving the situation with the presumption that in the next 80 years there will be no forests left.

This article does a great job at pushing the problem at hand, right in the readers face. It tells you what the situation is right now as well as what will happen which is very a significant factor because most people do not realize the greatness of certain problems. The fact that the “land degradation exacerbates the problem of poverty in rural areas” is another huge issue in itself. Taking away the forests is basically taking away the peoples means of shelter, food, changing their climate conditions and several others things that are part of their means of living. When one situation is a problem for some it is also a solution to others. With the rise in population there is a higher demand for forest goods, which is a perfect example of helping one part of society and hurting another. Although “forests are a valuable environmental and economic resource for supporting natural systems and improving human welfare”, there has to be a balance between improving the welfare of some and destroying it for others.

http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/459/732893

First Amendment Still In Effect?

Rebecca Harrelson
9/29/10
3:07

Hossein Derkhshan was sentenced Tuesday after being convicted of several offences, including spreading propaganda against the ruling establishments and insulting Islamic thoughts and religious figures. The former wife of the Iranian-Canadian blogger who was sentenced to more than nineteen years in prison for his provocative writings says she’s stunned by the ruling.
The ex-wife Marrijan Alemi, was told to be happy with the sentence, because at least Daraohshan was not sentenced to death. “What I think is they put the word out of the death sentence so that when the sentence of nineteen years came out, they would be happy,” Alemi said. If that theory is true it completely unacceptable and unjustifiable. The Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon believes that no one should be punished anywhere for simply exercising one’s inherent right to freedom of expression.
Hossein was also convicted of promoting counterrevolutionary groups and working with “enemy states,” because he visited Israel five years ago. Derakhshan has long been a staunch advocate of free expression in Iran and published his political views, and emerged as an unlikely supporter of the Iranian regime and President Mahmoud.
Derakhshan was born in Iran, but moved to attend a university and later became a Canadian citizen. Of course Iran does not recognize dual citizenship's.
Derakhshan has long been an advocate of free expression in Iran, and published his political views, and emerged as an unlikely supporter or the Iranian regime and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. So when the Iranian government invited him to Iran in 2008, he accepted. “He got an invitation from one of the organizations of the Ahmandinjad government to go back and work for them,” said Alemi.
I’m not exactly sure how Hossein was legally arrested, and charged. It seems a little ridiculous that words can cause so much of an uproar. I’m hoping the Canadian government steps in and either reduces his sentence or bails him out of this mess completely. What are your thoughts? Do you think words should have this much effect?
http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20100928/Derakhshan-Iran-sentence-100929/20100929/?hub=TorontoNewHome

Drone Kills Top al Qaeda Official in Pakistan

Two Senior Pakistan security officials informed CBS that a U.S. drone attack killed Shaikh Fateh, or Sheikh Fateh, one of the members of al Qaeda.  One of the two officials said it was a “major victory” in the campaign against the al Qaeda.  The attack was on the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan, in Waziristan.  The other official said that the leaders of this terrorist group, the al Qaeda, are feeling, or should be feeling badly penetrated by this drone attack.  This attack has been a successful one for the U.S., but has raised the number of drone attacks in the area around the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan. 

Some would believe this U.S. drone attack is a success for the fight against the al Qaeda.  However, with that said, all these attacks that are occurring on the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan might not be such a good thing.  Yeah if the U.S. military keeps beating down on the area, surely the al Qaeda will probably flee after a while; but what about any innocent bystanders?  If the number of these drone attacks keep increasing, a lot of lives might be taken in which a big percent will be innocent people; families, mothers and children just walking back to their homes and then blown away from attacks from different people.  Is it right to take the risk of killing many innocent lives with all these attacks to take out the group of terrorist?  What if they flee and the U.S. keeps attacking without knowing they had already fled?  

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503543_162-20017917-503543.html

Rabies in Vietnam

Morgan West

Sociology 202

09/28/10

9:00 PM

In Vietnam, there has been an increasing amount of rabies deaths. According to the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, the cause is a decreasing management watch and an ignorance of the warning that was given. Although his could be a contributing cause, there could also be other factors. One of these other factors is the population of people who live in rural parts of Vietnam, who eat unvaccinated dogs. Eating a do, without knowing if it is vaccinated, is obviously a very serious risk for the country. Rabies is a horrible disease that effects close to 60,000. Very few dogs in Vietnam are vaccinated, which will not help this outbreak. If dogs do not being to be vaccinated then there could be an exponential amount of people getting rabies. The problem with vaccinating dogs is that most of the dogs are traded without the government’s knowledge. Without close watch of dogs and the rabies spread, it can effect even more than it already does.

This is a very serious problem that the Vietnamese population needs to be aware of. This article directly relates to the huge problem that rabies can cause if it does not get controlled. I think it is ridiculous that the health authorities have not done anything about this. They had sufficient warning, and yet they have not yet they did not properly warn the citizens of Vietnam. This article goes into detail about the causes of rabies and what should be doing not to stop it. I would have liked to see a more extensive report and explanation on what rabies is, so that the readers know the seriousness of the disease spreading. The article explains what should happen, as of right now. This was a very interesting article, and rabies in Vietnam is a very serious problem.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/28/health/28glob.html?ref=health

Air Pollution Stands in way of Hong Kong Growth

Shannon DeWitt
9-27-10

“Businesses want to be here, but in terms of people wanting to live (here), there’s still some way to go,” says Alex Fong, CEO of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce. This quote is referencing the issues of bringing workers willingly to work in Hong Kong, China, while the pollution has become so bad and detrimental to people’s health that the air pollution related health care has accumulated to $1.4 billion dollars of the last five years. Air pollution has gotten so bad that not only are outside people, Americans for example, losing interest in moving here to work, but natives of the area are also considering moving away to avoid the health risks. The article states that a 2008 poll revealed that 40% of member companies had trouble recruiting people to work in the city because of air pollution. The people that are able to be convinced to move, who are willing to overlook the risks of catching the “Hong Kong cough,” have to be paid more for their services. This increasing pay-out to employees and increasing costs of healthcare is making it less attractive for businesses to be located in the city, and fears are rising in the country that businesses may just pick up and move to a more economically attractive location.

It interests me that the main concern of this particular article is the economic concerns, rather than the health of the inhabitants. Their health issues are mentioned, but only in reference to the costs of their healthcare and its influence on further labor immigration. If it is the economic concerns that will bring the most attention to the issue then I say that any attention is good attention. The air pollution in Hong Kong has become a very serious issue and should be addressed as such.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/world/2010-09-24-hongkongsmog24_ST_N.htm

REFILE-U.S. seen losing renewable energy race to Asia

In a race of using the best technology for alternative energy seems like the U.S. is always left in the back of the line for what ever reason. This blog touches on a couple of reason why we are losing this battle when we are capable of doing so much more.
Countries like India,South Korea, Malaysia and the Philippines have put effort into helping this global problem. Unlike the U.S., they have a decent amount of funding for the development of alternative energy. As Ravi Viswanathan, a partner at New Enterprise Associates told a hearing chaired by U.S.Representative Ed Markey, "These nations have outpaced the U.S. in recruiting, incenting and developing domestic manufacturing of solar, wind,and battery technology.". One of the biggest failures we have in this area is when Senate failed to pass a climate bill this year that would put a price on carbon emissions, so it must pass laws that would create demand for alternative energy or fall further behind, experts told the panel.

Businesses are sometimes torn between whether they should do the right thing or to do what would increase their salary, and in many cases to do the right it usually involves some spending. This is what we see in this instance, where the Senate might be hesitant to pass bills because they know that the major companies wouldn't agree with the new bill. To improve the quality of the blog I believe the author should of including the ratio of the decision on the failure to pass the climate bill and maybe some more quotes from those who declined the decision and why they voted it down. We got to ask ourselves whether we should do whats morally right or whats economically right.

Aim for Global Health Resolutions Continue

Kelsey Layton
11:17 AM
September 27, 2010

There are many global health issues that are being addressed today, and even more issues are being added to the list to this day. Hiliary Clinton has just recently announced a $63 billion global health initiative and wants to focus on maternal and child care, these are types of things to aim at fighting dieases such as; malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS. Although we have worked on fighting diseases such as polio and respiratory disease, they want to aim at issues that are more fit to the budget.Also they want to be able to ensure health care for women and girls. Terry Miller, and economist at the Heritage Foundation, stated that we right now are focusing on infectious disease, but when we should shift to also concerning ourselves with non-infectious disease also. Miller said, "I would like to have seen a little more emphasis on improving outsomces for a society as a whole in an equitable way across all genders. Many people in the health field are calling for a broader balance in the health system of public health. In this article i think that it really does make sense. We as a society do need to think about all the health issues that are being looked into with out money, and we need to learn to balance they money between them. In this article the the quote said by Miller stated that we wanted to see improvement for the outcomes for society as a whole. This is true, we need to start by trying to improve the big "issues" for the people in the society and not waste our money on problems that are not 'big'.

http://www.voanews.com/english/news/usa/Maternal-Child-Health-Infectious-Disease-Focus-of-Obama-Administrations-Global-Health-Initiative-102064123.html

President's Empty Words?

Rebecca Harrelson
10:51
9/26/10

Human Rights First welcomes the strong signal sent today by President Obama. A meeting convened by the U.N. Secretary-General was designed to focus international attention and mobilize broad support ahead of the two votes that may lead to the breakup of Africa's largest country.
Obama sent a clear message to both the Khartoum government and the Government of Southern Sudan that the schedule must be kept, and that peace processes for Darfur and Eastern Sudan must also be implemented.
Obama's statement that the U.S "will not abandon the people of Darfur," effected many nationally and internationally. Human Rights First President and CEO Elisa, noted "High level diplomatic efforts by the U.S must be sustained past this week and must focus not only on the parties in the region and beyond who have the potential to encourage or derail progress toward peace in Sudan."
Since the recent violence there, emphasizes has been put on the importance of continued U.S and international attention to that region of Sudan. A draft of the Communique to be released following this afternoon's meeting made specific mention of the need to halt arms flow in Darfur. Where an arms embargo in place since 2005, has never effectively been enforced.
What I would like to know, is how a embargo act has been in place since 2005, and for five years has not been enforced, or even spoken of. Obama is saying the "the U.S. will not abandon the people of Darfur," but forgive me if I don't think this President will follow through with his words. When in 2003 Bush stated that forking over thousands more dollars didn't "fit our budgetary process," Bush said. When will the nation wake up and realize there is more outside the walls of the United States of America.

http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/media/ij

HUMAN RIGHTS: VIETNAMESE POLICE MURDER INNOCENT CITIZENS

Michael Hammersley

September 22, 2010

Human Rights

In another case of police corruption, Vietnam has been accused of 19 cases of police brutality, which resulted in 15 deaths. Human Rights Watch has found that Vietnam has a systematic problem of police brutality, which has been covered up over the last 12 months. Victims died after beatings that were inflicted while they were detained. Some victims were killed in public while police arrested them but used excessive force. Vietnamese citizens have been protesting for the past year but it has only been recently that world news has picked up the story. Offenders of minor infractions such as riding a motorcycle without a helmet are being murdered but these cases go unnoticed as the press is controlled in Vietnam by authorities. Now that Worldwide News Organizations have taken the story and exposed it. Vietnam has ordered that these police officers apologize to the families yet no other action has taken place.

Like other places throughout the world, Vietnam is not the only country where events like this run rampant. The article I wrote about last week including the journalist living in Turkey and if we look at our own past, the Rodney King incident. Police and authorities gain a mentality in some situations where they think they are above the law. Even in situations where the people are completely sane and understand the laws of the country in which they live. The “Stanford Prison Experiment” is a great example of that. Human nature and the power of one over another in my opinion fuels these attacks.

http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2010/09/22/vietnam-widespread-police-brutality-deaths-custody

France Can Be Al Qaeda's New Target

On Wednesday, the French Foreign Ministry confirmed the claim by Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb that the group had kidnapped 7 foreign workers from Niger last week, which included five French Nationals. Lately there have been several threats towards France, like the one towards the Eiffel Tower. The Eiffel Tower was evacuated last week after authorities received a bomb threat. Not only was this important monument threaten but  also was different means in public transportation in France had similar threats. "We have serious indications coming from a reliable intelligence telling us that there's significant risk of an attack," says Frederic Pechenard, director of France's National Police, told Europe 1 radio. 

I think that these attacks coming from Al Qaeda can have a great affect towards France. People will start to become more afraid of coming out due to the threats towards their country. The French will be scared because they know what this group can do, since the whole world realized what they did towards the United Stated in 9/11. Although, nothing yet has happened towards the country of France. For the members of Al Qaeda it is a good thing that the people of large and important countries are afraid of them. This way, their attacks are easier for them to create, although it may be higher due to an increase towards national security.

Whooping Cough in Children

Emily Ferland
Soc 202-01
September 24, 2010
4:50 PM

Many states recommend that young children are immunized with at least four doses of the whooping cough vaccine by the age of three. Twenty seven states have lowered that amount of dosage, which is resulting in the spread of the disease because the dosage just isn't enough. Some of these states allow parents to have children go without the vaccinations because of their "strong beliefs" against vaccinating their children. Such states like Texas, Ohio and California are states that allow this "strong beliefs" law. The biggest problem with these beliefs are that of the states with the highest counts of whooping cough, all three of these states fall into that category. Many of these states do not enforce adults to become vaccinated either, this causes for great concern. Children can contract the virus from those who have go with out vaccination. Infants are at the highest risk for virus because they have absolutly no immunity to the virus.

Globally and internationally this causes for great concern. The biggest concern with this virus is that nationally, many states do not enforce parents to have their children vacinated. A child is at great risk with out any sort of vaccination. Another concern is that whooping caugh is not just a national crisis, it is also international. Such virus' can kill infants and young children. In many countries, families can not afford such costs for healthcare and vacinations.

Internationally this is a social problem. The problem can be fixed by states enforcing that their children become vacinated. Although this is easier said than done, others may occur it would be a social problem because parents are being enforced to do something that they feel is not right for their child.


http://www.examiner.com/infectious-disease-in-rochester/low-vaccination-rates-drive-whooping-cough-outbreak

Women gather downtown to 'take back the night'

Corinne Knowles

September 25, 2010

4:30 pm

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the annual Take Back The Night March for Fredericton Canada. Many women gathered to hear guest speakers and march around city hall with signs. TBTN is about violence against women and the fact that they shouldn't be afraid to go outside after nightfall. Colleen Thibodeau, a volunteer at their crisis center and a victim of sexual assault herself said, "Sexual assault and violence must be eliminated so all women can walk safely on our streets, which is our basic right as members of society." Program coordinator for the center, Jennifer Gorham, spoke to the crowd about violence against women in Canada and in other countries all over the world. Gorham's goal is to shed light on this subject and get people talking about it.

I chose this article for two reasons. First of all, I had never heard of the town Fredericton until right now, and secondly, when I think of sexual assault and violence against women Canada isn't exactly the first county that comes to mind. Take Back The Night is an amazing concept because it doesn't just focus on what we as women can do to keep from becoming victims it also focuses on the fact that we shouldn't have to be afraid. Just because a woman is walking down the street alone at night doesn't mean she's asking to be attacked. Some men should have more self control. In different parts of Europe, such as Italy, Germany, and England, this march is referred to as "Reclaim the Night," and it was started in the last 1970s. Similar marches can also be seen in Australia and India. It has become a wide spread global event over the past 30 years.

Article

History of TBTN

Somali Sex Trafficking Ring in Minnesota

A sex ring in Minnesota was discovered after investigators asked a judge for permission to look into a 15-year-old's cell phone records who they believed was the victim of prostitution. They believe the young girl was lured into a large prostitution ring run by Somali gangs. A Somali-American activist named Abdirizak Bihi has counseled about 20 young Somali-American women who have been victims of sex trafficking in the Twin Cities. He says they have ranged in age from 15 to 23 and have grown up in the States. They are often lured in after running away from home because of clashing with strict parents. Bihi is working to educate the Somali community about the crisis with their youth.

It is always hard to learn about sex trafficking rings in the U.S. It is hard to believe that it happens here but we cannot afford to pretend that it does not happen. The more I read about sex trafficking in the U.S. the more I realize how most victims are immigrants who do not feel they have any rights to contact authorities or they are young run aways, or they are both. I hope to continue learning more about the sex trafficking issues here and around the world. The more we educate ourselves on the problem, the more likely we are to find solutions that work.

I thought this article was fairly well written, though I would have liked to learn more about how they found the 15-year-old girl and what led the authorities to believe she was involved in a sex ring.

Article Link

Possible 'Evolution' in Disease Resistence

In the case of genetic diseases, the type of genes a person carries determines what the person is at risk for. When determining the origin of the gene that indicates the risk of disease, researchers compile a list of factors that contribute to the makeup of the genetic code that is addressed in the afflicted person. Health factors include environmental exposure, diet, and activities that can alter the biology within oneself. Once these factors are established, tests are implemented to try the theories associated with the cause of the many different types of genetically derived ailments. These tests take a long time to establish a basis for treatment because many genetic diseases occur over time, so likewise, it will take time to find leads toward a cure. As with the case of the genetic disease called tuberculosis, time is one of the huge factors associated with the resistance to the disease, along with another emphasized factor, population density.


A news journal in London mentions a genetic variant that protects against tuberculosis which is prominent in populations that have a long history of city living. It was said that because ancient cities had poor sanitation and high population densities, diseases had an ideal breeding ground. It was also mentioned that because of natural selection, humans developed a resistance to certain diseases over time. In order to test this theory, researchers analyzed DNA samples from 17 different populations in Europe, Asia and Africa--the countries where there are cities that have been around for thousands of years. University College London professor Mark Thomas said that the results showed that almost everyone in these areas had this gene. A researcher says it's an example of human evolution at work. The authors of the study say that although the population in ancient cities have this gene, it's not necessarily because of the population density. It is said that all the ancient cities involved in Arabic invasions: Spain (711 to 1492) and India (12th century), have the gene. An ancient city population that wasn't involved in Arabic invasions (China), does not have the gene.

As said before, it takes a long time to establish a basis for treatment pertaining to genetic diseases. In order to find a lead in the search, one must look into the common factors associated with the links. In this case, all the ancient countries involved with an Arabic invasion at some point in time has the variant anti-tuberculosis gene. A study can be done with Arabs not only in their homelands, but in all countries where there is a high population of Arabs. It is possible that a lead can be found within certain ethnic groups. Arabic culture may contain aspects of livelihood that is preventative of particular diseases such as tuberculosis. Perhaps, if that is true, then other populations in other parts of the world can adopt components of the culture and strive towards an ailment free life. First, before it's safe to do so, it may involve the study of other cultures around the world as well and, perhaps, the fusion of different cultures that are preventative of disease. A social study can be involved in this search for a definite answer, because the study itself is indicative of a social problem. This problem may be solved by observing and testing the hypotheses of the cultural differences in every social group. It is possible that cultural differences, at the least, play a part in finding a key.

11 million children under age 5 die from malnutrition and preventable diseases, each year

Hailey Ward
9/24/2010

According to UNICEF around twenty two thousand children die every day due to poverty. Having children die the poorest parts of the world in unnoticed by many people in the United States. Developing countries are struggling with underweight children. Almost twenty eight percent of children in developing countries are underweight or stunted in growth. Some surprising statistics; For the 1.9 billion children from the developing world, there are: 640 million without adequate shelter (1 in 3); 400 million with no access to safe water (1 in 5); 270 million with no access to health services (1 in 7). These statistics are alarming. Millions of children are dying every year while people in other countries are living more than comfortably. Out of these children 1.4 million die each year due to lack of safe drinking water and proper sanitation. As we discussed in class and this article as well, many people in developing countries are living on less than one dollar a day.

This is such as hard concept for many people to grasp. Millions of people, not only people, but innocent young children are dying every year because of lack of food and unsafe conditions. In the United States we are blind to the suffering of other individuals. We see infomercials on television and politely skip past them. We as a society do not want to face what is really happening in other parts of the world. We are barely concerned with what is happening in our own nation. The deaths of children in developing counties almost seem invisible. More attention needs to be paid to families in other parts of the world. It is embarrassing that we are letting so many children die each year because they do not have FOOD and WATER, two very important things that we take for granted every day.

A parade in Mahabad Iran was hit by a bomb, killing ten people

Jordan Saunders

This past Wednesday a bombing attack occurred during a parade in Kurdish-city in Mahabad; which is in northern Iran near Turkey. The parade was in reference to the Iran-Iraq war that started thirty years ago.  Although the bomb exploded fifty feet away from the parade it killed ten people and harmed about twenty military soldiers.  Most of the people that died were women and children; two of which were wives of military commanders.  The attackers are still unknown, but officials believe to have an idea on which group holds responsibility for the bombing.  Whichever group that created the bomb planned it in the ground near trees with a timer on it. The bomb seemed to be aimed toward the Iran military. Officials believe that a group of Kurdish seperatists are responsible. There are about forth thousand members of the Kurdish seperatists who have been attacking in Turkey in large amounts. With all the bombings and attacks going on in Iran; the government officials are apprehensive of the Kurdish population joining teaming up with the Kurds in Iraq and Turkey; by which they will create a Kurdish nation against the other countries.

The Kurds seem to want power and control of their population; and it does not seem like the attacks and bombing are going to stop. They have rights and beliefs that they are fighting for against the government; in the same way that the government is fighting against them.  This war among these groups needs to stay apart and tend to their own views.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/23/world/middleeast/23iran.html?_r=1&ref=middleeast

Global Crime: Mexican Media Brought to Their Knees by Drug War

Global Crime: Mexican Media Brought to Their Knees by Drug War

The Mexican media primarily its newspapers were left reeling once again, with the murder of a young photographer last week. The 21 year old man worked for El Diario de Juarez, a prominent newspaper in the city of Juarez, Mexico. In reaction to the murder the newspaper printed a featured cover story editorial titled “What do you want from us?” It is now believed there have been some thirty or more Mexican media related murders in the past four years. These killings are directly attributed to the ongoing bloody drug war being waged by the cartels. The ongoing violence directed toward the media in Mexico has just added more to the ever growing culture of fear felt across the country. The cartels have a very simplistic way of dealing with those who oppose them; the police who won’t take bribes are killed as well as the journalists who bring attention to the cartels activities. This has put a serious stigma on the ability for the Mexican media to do their job in an unmitigated manner. The article was a seeming plead for understanding, “We ask you to explain what you want from us, what we should try to publish or not publish, so we know what to expect”. Which in layman’s terms means what can we or can’t we say so that we don’t end up on that murdered journalist list? However the article was in no way a proverbial cry of saying “we yield”, the Mexican media especially those who work for El Diario de Juarez will continue to do their jobs. They are just hoping for a level of understanding with the cartels so they can do their jobs without overtly putting their own lives in danger.

In response to this article I feel like it really is a testament to how truly bleak the situation in Mexico has become in regards to the drug war. There are now over 28,000 people dead as a direct result of the war. The cartels operate with no fear or concern other than rival cartels. Cartel members will murder police, civilians, journalist with just as much disregard as they would a rival cartel member. The ever ascending death toll and heightened violence have statistical projections at truly mind numbing figures. If the violence continues on its upward curve there could be over 70,000 dead by the year 2012. The Mexican government is ever so quickly getting to the brink of losing total control in the country.

-Rob Pantell

source - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-11370310

Water Resources in China

Erin Lankford
September 24 2010
4:50

Shared rivers that run through Asia are being argued over. The source of water is shared in countries and signed agreements over water regulations are scarce which results tension in Israel, India and Pakistan. Millions of people are supplied water from the Tibetan plateau which has slowed in recent years due to exploitation of resources. The damage to the Tibetan plateau ecosystem impacted the water flow to the rivers and is now at the lowest in history. Rapid growth is the culprit and it is still continuing. In China the Han communists in charge implement their plans for rapid growth by mining the plateau for jade and gold, native flora, and building hydraulic power stations. Many dams are planned to be built along with more hydraulic power stations. The native herdsmen that inhabit this land are then forced to settle their cattle in one place instead of rotating to new parts of land. This causes a lot of harm to the environment because the grasses are eaten, then the roots, and the land becomes barren and is not given enough time to recover. This results in loss of wetlands, grassland degradation, and glaciers retracting. China believes that the loss of water is simply that of natural causes and has nothing to do with the dams they have placed. In Thailand there were droughts that resulted in ships being stranded but because of the dependence on China economically they did not call them out as the one to blame. The reservoirs on the river evaporate and that decreases the flow downstream. It is easy to see that it is not natural factors but that it is human actions that are resulting in the decrease of the water resource.

Since the countries that share these rivers do not have any type of regulated agreements it is very likely that this will cause a great amount of tension. China is responsible for causing most of the damage by depleting the land of natural resources at a rapid rate as well as constructing a great number of dams along a major river. According to China though they are not causing any harm and think that the drought is simply that of a natural occurrence. By them not seeing that they are responsible it is impossible for any changes to be made that could help the situation. In Thailand they suffered from a drought when the river ran dry but China did not suffer any damage. Thailand is downstream so whatever actions China takes on the River will impact Thailand, who is dependent on China. When the water supply becomes scarce there is an increased level of tension between these bordering countries. Since all the communities are interconnected there needs to be an agreement made that protects the source of water.

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/43119/