Blog #6: Iran’s Kindergarteners to Get Lessons in Chastity, Modesty

Within this article, Iran has been working on teaching lessons about sexual chastity as well as abstinence into the school department for kindergarteners.  In addition, the curriculum will include knowledge of how to dress modestly and why they must dress the way that they do.  This approach is set to create a more intense and deeper connection to Islam culture and to start at a very young age, and create achieved values growing up.  Within this move, the police will have more strict enforcement in the matter, as it will create a “mandatory” outlook for children being raised in Iran. 

This article illustrates an extreme case from the education board, as well as the law enforcement.  With growing up in a country with the freedom’s the United States has, it is difficult to see the positive approach that Iran is doing.  Everyone is entitled to his or her own freedom, and forcing strict laws only on women and children is a double standard, especially if the men do not have many restrictions.  In my point of view, this law is asking to be fought against, though it does seem like would be the best interest for the women to follow what is being asked of them. 

http://www.educationnews.org/international-uk/irans-kindergarteners-to-get-lessons-in-chastity-modesty/

I.M.F. Urges U.S. and Europe

A three day meeting in Tokyo brought officials from the I.M.F. to urge the European and U.S. to take quick and aggressive action to clean up their financial stance.  The economy of the richer nations was down and only bringing the poorer nations down more.  The impact of the U.S. and Europe were having a negative effect on the more economically challenged countries who rely on exporting their goods to help lift them out of poverty.  Asia was noted as the one who is carrying most of the weight, and wouldn't be able to keep this up.  Although not all news was negative, there were signs of the financial crisis decreasing, but still was not moving up into positive numbers and effects.  One of the largest topics was about the Obama administration needing to come to a quick agreement on raising taxes and cutting spending in order to counteract this "fiscal cliff" that the nation was following due to the 2008 crisis.  U.S. is the largest economic nation and it's actions will effect all.

In the European Union, the French have signed agreements to follow a budget deficit treaty.  While the leader of France was originally against this treaty in his campaign, he has recently decided to back this treaty, because of the positive effects that it will have on Europe.  France is the second largest economy in the Euro Zone and it is important for them to lead in the right direction for economies like Germany.  This country is taking the steps needed to follow the suggestions from the I.M.F. and turn the Euro economy in the right direction.  "The treaty obliges the 25 members of the European Unionwho signed it in March to limit their deficits to prevent further debt crises. Countries are supposed to keep their budget deficits to 3 percent of gross domestic product, and countries with high debt must keep their structural deficits below 0.5 percent of gross domestic product. Only Britain and the Czech Republic refused to sign."http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/10/world/europe/french-assembly-approves-european-budget-discipline-treaty.html

Obama's plans for the new term has been to reduce the spending especially on military funding.  His ideas are to use the money to go toward funding schools, R&D and clean energy.  These proposals come with a huge savings to the U.S., as much as 476 billion dollars.  Not only is this saving money on war efforts to go to much more needed causes, but it is bringing families home, to the U.S.  "President Obama’s final budget request of his term amounts to his agenda for a desired second term, with tax increases on the affluent and cuts in spending, especially from the military, both to reduce deficits and to pay for priorities like education, public works, research and clean energy." "he budget would use projected military savings — a gimmick, Republicans say — to help pay for a six-year, $476 billion program to modernize the nation’s transportation network." http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/14/us/politics/obama-budget-raises-taxes-on-the-rich-to-spend-on-jobs.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/14/business/global/imf-urges-us-and-europe-to-act-decisively-on-debt.html?ref=europe&_r=0

Fight Against Meningitis Blog 6, Lakeisha Richardson

Every year many American children get vaccinated so they can be protected from different viruses and illness. Meningitis vaccination is only one of the many vaccinations offered to children in America. Meningitis is a disease that causes swelling in the brain and spinal cord. This disease can lead to deafness, learning disabilities and/or brain damage. While many Americans are protected from meningitis, there remain some countries fighting every year to avoid this disease. Many children and adults in Africa miss school and work because they are afraid to get meningitis. An article titled “New Immunization Effort Launched” talks about how vaccinations are available in 26 “at risk” countries. 430 million people within the targeted countries are affected by meningitis. Each vaccination costs 50 cents in U. S dollars. Making the vaccinations cost effective, helps protect those families who may not have otherwise been able to afford the vaccination.

It is a relief to know that the World Health Organization is devoting time in trying to protect as many as 430 million families affected by meningitis. Parents who stayed out of work because of their fear to contact meningitis can now continue working and supporting their families. Children can continue to go to school to receive valuable education about how to live in their culture. Making vaccinations available to developing countries at a low price give that country a chance to grow. It can be very cost effective to nurture an ill adult or child. Meningitis was hurting many families especially in the targeted countries.

 

http://www.voanews.com/content/africa-meningitis-4oct12/1520404.html

More Reforms Expected to Boost India's Flagging Economy

India has made plans to open the doors to foreign investors in there multibillion dollar insurance premium and pension industries.  Currently investors are only allowed to invest up to a capped 26% for the insurance and it's closed completely to foreigners for the pensions.  They are also planning on making a way for people to report their earnings online, but want to be sure to establish an oversight committee to be sure it will be running legally and smoothly.  Other proposals are for the Indian government to come to an agreence on allowing companies such as Wal-mart enter their goods market.  There is a little controversy over this topic and the results could be the look more down then up.

Wal-mart is a multibrand retail industry that some have praised, and others have protested against.  While India is proposing the idea of wal-mart, there are good points that keep the fight to keep them out acceptable.  One anti-walmart activist proclaims that large retailers such as wal-mart just aren't good for small scale economies.  "Large-scale retailers had a devastating affect on small shopkeepers, workers, farmers and consumers in developing and developed countries. We are working against the relaxation of foreign direct investment without any protection to smaller communities. In Thailand, due to tremendous easing of foreign direct investment norms, 60,000 small traders were forced to shut shop. We fear the same will happen in India if big retailers come here." http://www.rediff.com/money/2007/apr/23inter1.htm

But speaking on the terms of these pension and insurance plans will benefit a lot of people who are working abroad, in particular women.  These investments are meant to help people to save money when they plan on returning to India to retire.  About 20% of the people working abroad are women and they are usually paid less than men, so this will deem to be a big help for the female Indian population. http://www.pancardnri.com/blog/how-to-invest-in-pension-life-insurance-fund-in-india-plif-for-nris



http://india.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/04/more-reforms-expected-to-boost-indias-flagging-economy/

Blog 6, Attempted terrorist Caught!

Blog 6
4:20 pm

Often times I don’t think we realize how much the US has a impact of the surrounding world. In this article a 21-year-old man was arrested in Palama, Majorca for attempting to plan and bomb a university campus. In the most interesting part about this planning Is that it was based on the killings in the United States in 1999, Columbine. This man was arrested because he had over 310 pounds of materials used to make bombs, one of which was ammonium nitrate. The Spanish Minister thinks the have avoided a massacre, in which I completely agree. Much like columbine and the most recent attack on Virginia Tech, these attacks were random and took the country by complete surprise. This man had blogged many times about his high regard for the American teenagers who murdered the fellow students. He was infatuated with the idea of taking those lives. His infatuation was in fact what led to him being investigated and arrested. His diary later exposed his want to make and plant shrapnel bombs around the University of the Balearic Islands. Luckily he was not successful. I know tis doesn’t fit under the crime category as much as some of the other post but planning to terrorize a country in definitely a crime and it get even more interesting when the plot and planning behind the crime is based on a United States of America Event. Looking at the social aspect of this crime, I know he hadn’t did any of things he planned to do yet, but he was in the works. In the US we would argue freedom of speech and the 1^st amendment but in this case he was a threat to society and himself.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/05/world/europe/man-accused-of-planning-bombing-in-in-spain.html?ref=world

Blog 6: Ikea Apologizes for Removing Women From Saudi Catalog

As we continue to talk about the trend of inequality amongst the genders, we see an incident arising in the last week or so about the furniture company IKEA which is based in Sweden. IKEA ended up Photoshopping women out of their catalog pictures for the catalog that was issued in Saudi Arabia. The company took every single woman out of the pictures that were displayed in the catalog in an effort to apparently appease a country where women have little rights. It is no secret that Saudi Arabia restricts rights to women that other countries guarantee. However, IKEA which is a company based in Sweden has in essence promoted gendered inequality by Photoshopping these women out. It has caused much public outcry due to the images going viral on the internet. IKEA has since apologized for Photoshopping the women out of the catalog for Saudi Arabia. Even so, the damage has been done and it has appeared that IKEA has bowed down to conservative laws that are in place over in Saudi Arabia in an attempt to preserve business.
The actions by IKEA are rather disturbing and upsetting. Coming from a country where equality is forefront, these actions contradict everything that the country stands for. Not only that, but it is blatantly showing that the company values revenue more than equality and in fact promotes inequality amongst the genders to gain this revenue. Even though IKEA has apologized for the catalog differences, they certainly have a long way to go to repair their public image with many individuals. Inequality for the sake of appeasing potential buyers should not be supported in any situation. Ideally IKEA has learned from this and will try to make up for it's mistakes.

October 5, 2012 4:00pm
http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/02/ikea-apologizes-for-removing-women-from-saudi-catalog/

Blog 6: Texas man facing execution for crime as teenager

USA:  Clemency urged for Texas man facing execution for crime as teenager

Anthony Haynes, 33, is set to be executed October 18, 2012 for a crime he committed as a young teenager.  Currently there are protestors stating that the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles and state Governor Rick Perry should grant Haynes clemency.  In 1999, Haynes was sentenced to death for the shooting and killing of an off-duty police officer in the state of Texas when he was only 19 years old.  The state of the Texas holds the highest rate of executions in the entire United States.  Also, Harris county, where Haynes’ case was tried has the second highest conviction rate; next to the state of Texas.  For the conviction to have been taken place, prosecutors had to convince the jury that there was no rehabilitating the criminal and that death was the only way to get justice for society.

In the report filed for the attempted appeal on the case, stated that there was no expert testimony presented for his mental health problems.  More than 3 dozen people have testified that they would be able to attest that the crime committed was totally out of character for Haynes who has no criminal background.  In 2009, the federal court of appeals ruled that Anthony Haynes should be given another trial based on claims of racial discrimination of the jury.  Only 1 of the 12 jurors was African Americans.  During the jury selection, the judge who oversaw the process had been dismantling and cleaning 2 guns right in front of those who were being considered for the trial.  However, the decision for a new trial was later over turned by the Supreme Court. 

The use of capital punishment for an individual who has had no past criminal history is unjust.  Not saying that a person who commits a capital crime should not be punished, however, death should not have been the only solution offered.  Also, the fact that he was such a young kid who may not have completely understood the consequences of his actions should have served in considering his punishment.  Serving life in prison with a possibility of parole later, could have given him time to reflect and change his ways of thinking.

Here is the link to the original article on this subject: http://www.amnestyusa.org/news/news-item/usa-clemency-urged-for-texas-man-facing-execution-for-crime-as-teenager

With Cuts, Free Education is No Longer a Cuban Birthright" - Blog 6

“With Cuts, Free Education is No Longer a Cuban Birthright”

             

             Cuba has been touted for having a free education system for several decades, since the revolution in 1959. The government controls all aspects of the education system, which seems to have had a positive impact on society (Reuters, 2012). Now, severe cuts have been made in the budget for education – according to President Raul Castro, this is because “the debt-laden country could no longer afford to maintain a bloated state bureaucracy” (Reuters, 2012). Student enrollment levels are down "almost 50%...as admission standards were raised and liberal arts careers slashed” (Reuters, 2012). The economy is shifting to be a service-based economy, with “more skilled workers and private farmers…at the high school level [an] emphasis is being put on sciences, pedagogy, agriculture, and skilled trades” (Reuters, 2012). Citizens are feeling the competitive push and are realizing that the benefits of the free education are no more, due to these cuts.

            This article brought to light an interesting system of higher education. I have not heard much about a free education system in Cuba, or anywhere else in the world. I wonder how high their taxes are, and how the government was funding this free education system. It seems as though Cuba is now feeling the crunch of globalization, with higher rates of competition for both jobs and spots in higher education. I think the free education system seems like a good idea in theory, especially since having a free opportunity for education may be the only opportunity that some students have. It will be interesting to see how these budget cuts change the future of students from a low socioeconomic status – will they be reduced to manual labor (which is just as important as a position in the business sector), or will they have the opportunity to pursue their dreams of being doctors, teachers, engineers, military personnel, etc.? I also think it is interesting to imagine this type of free education system in various countries around the world – the United States, Kenya, Ghana, Bulgaria, etc. Could it work? It would certainly increase the number of skilled workers seeking employment, which may not be for the best, given the high levels of competition in today’s international economy.

Reuters. "With Cuts, Free Education Is No Longer a Cuban Birthright - NYTimes.com." The New York Times. N.p., 3 Oct. 2012. Web. 5 Oct. 2012. <http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/04/world/americas/with-cuts-free-education-is-no-longer-a-cuban-birthright.html?src=recg>.

Blog #6- Crime

Courtney Speer, 31, is a high school teacher in Bryant, Arkansas. She has been accused of having sex with one of her students on multiple occasions. The victim is a 17 year old former student who the 31 year old allegedly had sex with at her home in

Benton, Arkansas on more than one occasion, as well as in the school parking lot a couple of times. School resource officers were the ones who reported the inappropriate relationship. Many parents were disturbed to hear that a person with a position of trust

over students could do such a horrible thing. Speer recently turned herself in after the investigations started and she has also resigned from her position as an english teacher at the high school.

The issue of inappropriate relationships between teachers and students is not just a problem found in the United States, teachers take advantage of students sexually all over the world. A ballet teacher in the United Kingdom, 27 year old Sarah Pirie, has

been accused of kidnapping a young male student and having sex with him. She is alleged to have taken many teenagers before to hotels in Manchester. She is facing five charges of sexually touching a 15 year old boy. More than 300 teachers in Queensland, Australia are under investigation for inappropriate behavior with students. One teacher got students to strip naked and took sexually explicit photos of them, while another allegedly had a threesome with students in the back of his car after a gay pride parade. Many teachers had managed to slip through the net without being found and allowed to be re-hired in Queensland, Schools. While the Queenslandʼs Department of

Education is working to gain more background information on teachers these kinds of sexual abuse and inappropriate relationships are happening throughout other parts of Australia and all over the world. Most of the teachers “flying under the radar” and being able to continue to teach. This is a global problem that needs to be taken seriously and previous sex offenders should be kept from ever being allowed to slip through the cracks and be able to commit such crimes in different schools and possibly other countries.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,588252,00.html?test=latestnews

http://www.asiaone.com/News/Education/Story/A1Story20100324-206491.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/04/courtney-speer-teacher-sex-student_n_1939353.html?utm_hp_ref=crime

Blog 6: Being a Lesbian Activist in Uganda

In Uganda, a very Christian, West African country, homosexuality is illegal (technically a sexual act with someone of the same gender.) Lawmakers of Ugandan government are debating a bill that would impose severe punishments and even lengthier sentences for homosexuals. Just last year, a bill was turned down that proposed the death penalty of Ugandan homosexuals, if convicted. There are many lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) activists and human rights organizations that are trying to stop this bill from being passed in Uganda, who are not protected and very prone to death threats, violence and sometimes murder. Last year, an activist was murdered due to a Ugandan newspaper publishing his name under a headline stating "Hang them!" The current sentences for homosexuals in Uganda are misdemeanors and the individual can spend anywhere from 30 days to a year in prison, including being tortured by police or prison officials. This is not all though, many lesbian women in Uganda are subject to rape by their fellow clansmen or others to try and make them "proper" women. Sometimes these crimes are taken too far, LGBTI peoples have been raped, tortured and beaten, and killed due to their sexuality alone.
 The LA Times spoke to Jay Abang, a 28 year old LGBTI activist that is a program manager for Freedom and Roam Uganda, a human rights organization trying to fight the law. Abang states that the Ugandan community has become more hostile and are willing to enforce the law, if passed. She also states that a main reason for this issue is because of the community being ignorant, uneducated, and misinformed. Many Ugandans believe that homosexuality is all about sex, rather than thinking of the people as human beings wanting to be in a relationship with another human being. Many meetings hosted by human rights organizations, specifically pro-LGBTI organizations, are being disbanded by government officials and making accusations of the organizations. These accusations include telling people how to recruit people to be gay and having homosexual intercourse in the room of the meeting. Coming out as a homosexual in Uganda can set the stage for being disowned by your family, even your clan or village. Many LGBTI people end up running away from home due to safety issues.
This is a huge problem that needs a lot of work. The hatred located in Uganda has stemmed from the fundamentalist Church, which is a large part of Uganda as a country. One way to take care of the problem is to go back into the church and advocate, educate, and create awareness about the truth of homosexuality. Because of Uganda being a very Christian nation, it is very hard to go within the church to host awareness of homosexuality due to the violence. Many LGBTI Ugandans are looking for international help and awareness. There are many petitions going around via internet to make other countries around the world aware of the problem, which has started to receive a lot of attention. Many countries have stood up and spoke out, saying that the bill is not right. Uganda may listen, especially because they are very dependent on aid for their country. Hopefully this bill will not pass and L

Blog 6: Ex-Somali PM Won't Contest War Crime Claims in US

The former prime minister of Somalia on Thursday ended an eight-year legal battle by accepting legal liability for alleged war crimes and killings that occurred under the regime of dictator Siad Barre. But he denied wrongdoing and said he never approved any slayings.  Mohamed Ali Samantar,  now 76, was a top official in the Barre regime serving throughout the 1980s as vice president, defense minister and prime minister, up until the months before the regime's collapse in 1991. But for more than a decade, he has lived quietly in the Washington suburb of Fairfax, Va., surrounded by a large extended family. Samantar was sued in 2004 in U.S. District Court in Alexandria by several members of the Isaaq clan, who said they suffered brutal repression, including torture and mass killings, under the Barre regime.  Samantar told the AP he was fundamentally offended by the idea that an American court could pass judgment on a Somali dispute.  "I worked 40 years for my country," he said. "I was faithful to my country and abided by the law."   On Thursday, as jury selection was about to begin, Samantar said he would accept a default judgment against him and would not contest the allegations.  He made clear, though, that while he accepts legal liability he admits no wrongdoing.  "I request to accept default, but that doesn't mean I'm guilty," he told the judge.  I believe that this is a cop-out.  I believe that Samantar should have to see and hear what he did to these people for so many years.  They are most likely scarred for life due to the events that took place in Somalia.  However, I don’t think this should be taking place on American soil.  I believe that anything that happened should be corrected and handled in Somalia.  The US has no interest in it and should not be imposing on this man’s life.  If anything is to happen, he should be exported and tried in his country.  I think that we as Americans too often take matters that are none of our concern into our hands.  And this needs to stop.  We need to worry about what is happening here as opposed to being so wrapped up in what is happening in other countries.  

http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/ex-somali-pm-wont-1359996.html

Blog 6: Reducing Carbon Emission October 6,2011 Lauren Epperson

The European Union has imposed new guidelines for carbon emission standard. One of the areas that new guidelines are being imposed is in the airline industry. The Association of European Airlines (AEA) says will pose problems when trying to meet them because they do not have the money to fund all of the changes. On a brighter note the EU Director of General Climate Action announced the European Airlines will be participating in a cap and trade system that will hopefully reduce their emissions. If this is successful it should generate revenue for the airline industry. The resistance from the European Airlines is not the only obstacle that the European Union is struggling to reduce carbon emissions but other international airline industries do not want to make changes either. Even though the businesses do not want to make changes environmental groups are pushing for stricter guidelines to be put in place. It is reported in the article “Aviation currently represents three percent of carbon dioxide emissions worldwide. It is one of the fastest growing sources of man-made emissions.” Something needs to be done if we want to reduce climate change and air pollution. Humans are the only ones that can make the changes because we are the ones who cause the problem in the first place.

Much of the resistance for change comes from companies saying that they do not have the funds to make the changes to keep up with the new standards. Some of this could be true but I think the bigger issue is that political systems and our economic system drive some of the decisions that companies make. If the companies made the change that means that they would have to spend their money to make those changes. Forced changes such as these cause companies to produce goods or services for cheaper which can decrease quality or the consumer will have to end up paying more for the service. In the end the consumer will be affected by the decisions of the company or governmental policy. Most consumers support environmental movements and want to reduce our carbon footprint. This is just proof that sometime bigger intuitions inhibit change of an important problem such as the impact that humans have on the environment.

http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,15418962,00.html