Blog 11: Nigerians living in poverty rise to nearly 61%

Going along with previous articles about African countries and inequality we now look to Nigeria where poverty is continuing to rise despite economic growth due to the oil industry. Over six years from 2004 to 2010 the percentage of individuals in poverty (living on less than 1 dollar a day) has risen from 54.7% to 60.9%. Even with the oil industry being very successful many individuals reap little reward from its successes. In fact little revenue is used to benefit the people of Nigeria which in turn has sparked rebel groups forming and becoming popular among poverty stricken individuals. Furthermore, many Nigerians see themselves as being poor and this trend is rising. This eventually could lead to severe unrest in the country and create problems like riots and disputes unless the problem of poverty is addressed. It is an especially volatile and unstable climate when 93.9% of the population find themselves to be poor. 

As we have seen in previous articles global inequality severely affects African countries more so than most. These countries suffer from extremely high poverty rates and massive corruption within their governments. The people are fed up and becoming impatient with their situations and are beginning to demand that something be done. However, little is being done to help these individuals improve their situations. If this trend continues as eluded to earlier, then conflicts will arise and there will be violence and chaos in these countries. It truly is a testament to how bad inequality can get when such a large amount of the population is poor and feels poor even though their country is prosperous due to the oil industry. 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-17015873

Eric Spriegel 11/18/2012    3:20

Blog #11, Rape

This week I decided to talk about Rape, this is most definitely a huge crime in the world today. I watched a story on the news about a 2 year old who was raped. Her mother Amanda said her 2 year old daughter was raped by Jeremy Curry, She went through his phone and saw a video on his phone of him raping her daughter. Curry is pleading not guilty for reason of insanity. I think this story is a good example of this being a huge issue because she has complete evidence so therefore there should be no getting out of this. Rape is a very serious matter and it is quietly happening around the world. According to the article I read “Of the violent crimes reported on college campuses, 1,425 (53.2 percent) were aggravated assaults, 772 (28.8 percent) were robberies, 485 (18.1 percent) were forcible rapes, and four (0.2 percent) were murder or non-negligent manslaughter. In 2006, an estimated 673,000 (11.5 percent) of nearly six million women attending American colleges were raped, In 2010, 91.9 percent of rape or sexual assault victims were female. In fiscal year 2009, victim compensation programs paid $32 million for forensic sexual assault exams. These are just a few of the statistics that I found on the internet, there is so many different stories of girls being raped and so many statistics available online. I think it is interesting how many rapes happen on college campus’. I also found it interesting how much money the government spent to fund sexual assault exams. I think its great they are giving money to fund that. I do not think there is a surplus of things that we can do about rape though. I think its best to be aware of your surroundings and try to be aware of what you are doing when you are in an unfamiliar or sketchy place. Its also best to never be alone walking or out. 

http://ovc.ncjrs.gov/ncvrw2012/pdf/StatisticalOverviews.pdf

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nM46QQWxrY4

"Taliban Attacks Girls with Acid for 'Western' Education" - Blog 11, Caitlin Gault

This week, I read an article by Julia Lawrence in Education News entitled, “Taliban Attacks Girls with Acid for ‘Western’ Education”.  This article details the recent attacks of Taliban groups on women, whose leaders have “warned that the group will not stand for women getting a ‘Western education’, something that is forbidden by Islamic law as interpreted by the fundamentalist group” (Lawrence, 2012). These attacks are being used to invoke fear in girls and women, and prevent them from going to school and receiving an education. This article is an extension of a CNN article from last Saturday, which provides more detail about the attacks and the Taliban’s reasonings. One of the local leaders, Qari Muhavia, states that “If and when we find any girl from Parachinar going to university for an education we will target her (in) the same way, so that she might not be able to unveil her face before others” (Khan, 2012). These attacks are used to deter girls from participating in acts that could potentially bring dishonor to their family, including pursuing an education and participating in “illicit acts” (which are not defined in the article) with boys.

             

While it is hard to view this situation without being ethnocentric, I think that the tactics being used to punish the girls are extreme. If you must punish someone for receiving an education when it is forbidden, why not arrest them, or fine them, or do anything that is less harmful and scarring than acid throwing? One girl mentioned in the article was denied medical treatment by her parents and died shortly after from her injuries (Khan, 2012). That being said, I do not think that anyone should be kept from receiving an education if they would like one. I understand (at least a little) of the reasoning behind the Taliban discouraging an education for females, since they are a traditional extremist religious group, but in some cases, the girls’ parents are participating in throwing acid on them instead of protecting them. These girls are simply trying to better themselves, and it is becoming a dangerous dream.

Kahn, S. (2012, November 3). Pakistani Taliban target female students with acid attack - CNN.com. CNN. Retrieved November 9, 2012, from http://edition.cnn.com/2012/11/03/world/asia/pakistan-acid-attack/index.html

Lawrence, J. (2012, November 6). Taliban Attacks Girls with Acid for 'Western' Education | Education News. Web's #1 Source for K12 and Higher Education News and Commentary - EducationNews.org. Retrieved November 9, 2012, from http://www.educationnews.org/international-uk/taliban-attacks-girls-with-acid-for-western-education/ 

Blog 11: Hepatitis Viruses; A,B, C, D, and E

These articles talks about hepatitis. Hepatitis affects the liver and can cause permanent damage. There are several types of hepatitis they are A, B, C, D, and E. This article discusses how each type is transmitted through consumption of contaminated food or water. This is from improper or no hand washing; dirty hands. There is a vaccine for hepatitis A virus. Hepatitis A virus is transmitted or passed on through contaminated food (www.cdcnpin.org/scripts/hepatitis/index.asp).

Hepatitis B virus is transmitted through open wounds or contact with contaminated blood or body fluids. There is a vaccine, which is given in a series. This vaccine series is given mostly to people who work closely with the public and who are at risk.

Hepatitis C virus is transmitted through blood. There is no vaccine for hepatitis C virus. Hepatitis D virus “only occurs in people already infected with hepatitis B virus (www.cdcnpin.org/scripts/hepatitis/index.asp).” Hepatitis D virus is transmitted through an open wound or contact with contaminated blood.

Hepatitis E virus transmitted through contaminated food and water. Hepatitis E virus is worldwide; this virus is found in bad conditions within food and water. “Hepatitis E virus is a waterborne disease, and contaminated water or food supplies have been implicated in major outbreaks. The ingestion of raw or uncooked shellfish has also been identified as the source of sporadic cases in endemic areas (http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs280/en/ ).” “Hepatitis E virus causes acute sporadic and epidemic viral hepatitis (http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs280/en/ ).” One article states that there is currently no approved vaccine for hepatitis E virus in United States, and another article states “China’s State Food and Drug Administration in December 2011 approved a hepatitis E vaccine (http://www.nature.com/news/hepatitis-e-vaccine-debuts-1.11687 ).”

The symptoms that are public knowledge for hepatitis are jaundice, anorexia, affected liver, abdominal pain, fever, nausea, and vomiting.

 

www.cdcnpin.org/scripts/hepatitis/index.asp

 

www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs280/en/

 

www.nature.com/news/hepatitis-e-vaccine-debuts-1.11687

 

 

 

Blog 11: International Criminal Court prosecutor: Kony will be arrested in 2012

The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court says he has "no doubt" that fugitive African warlord Joseph Kony will be arrested this year because the international spotlight has helped boost the hunt for the Lord's Resistance Army leader.  Luis Moreno-Ocampo said the fact that 100 million people watched the first video about Kony's crimes in just six days showed that "the world today understands that justice has to be done" - and he expressed hope that the world will put a spotlight on other fugitives including Sudan's president and a Congolese army general to help bring them before the court.  There are now 121 countries that are parties to the  ICC, but Moreno-Ocampo said even countries that are not parties, like the United States, Russia, China and India, have supported referrals to the permanent war crimes tribunal - and the US is supporting the collection of evidence for possible future prosecutions of crimes in the Syria conflict.  Thousands of people have been killed since the Lord's Resistance Army took up arms in 1986 in northern Uganda. The rebels abducted thousands of children and forced them to become fighters or sex slaves and were notorious for mutilating victims by cutting off their tongues and lips.  The ICC, based in The Hague, Netherlands, issued arrest warrants for Kony and four of his senior commanders in July 2005. Kony is charged with 12 counts of crimes against humanity and 21 of war crimes, including murder, rape, mutilation and the forced enlistment of child soldiers. Three of Kony's top commanders are also wanted by the ICC for war crimes and crimes against humanity.  The ICC also has accused Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir for orchestrating genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Darfur.  I believe that it is a good thing that Kony should be arrested this year.  No one like him should have the opportunity to remain free to continue the crimes that he has committed.  This man has committed numerous crimes against innocent people and he needs to be held accountable for them.  It is definitely important that he be arrested this year and put on trial, and be held accountable for the things that he has done.

http://www.ndtv.com/article/world/international-criminal-court-prosecutor-kony-will-be-arrested-in-2012-194916

Blog 11: Sustainable Living Nov. 11 Lauren Epperson

The international Energy Agency is predicting that the price of oil barrels are going to increase because of the current events that have taken place in the major oil industries across the world. All of the major oil producers are worried what this rise in oil barrels is going to do to their companies investments. Experts are concerned that this event will have an effect on the current economic situation we are all face and it will harder for countries to recover. All across the world consumers are scared of the effects that this change can have. This change in the oil market is coming at an interesting time when the price of crude has dropped but at the same the International Energy Agency is expecting the demand for energy to increase over the next 25 years. This increase for energy is coming from countries that are expanding and are industrializing. On top of this governments and industries are being pressured to comply with new regulations regard the environment to help solve the problem of climate change.

As countries expand because of globalization and the spread of industrialization that oppose an interesting problem. As cities and countries they require more resources to meet the basic needs of life. This puts stress on environmental resources because we have already exhausted the sources that are easily available. This is why the price of oil has risen because there is not as much available. Our world is also in a time where we are trying to our outlook on the environment, making a bigger priority. This is done by changing policies and government regulations. To meet these new standards and to make the environment more of a concern cities are turning to more sustainable forms of living. Some examples of sustainable living that cities are turning towards are alternate energy sources and less dependency on fossil fuel. Sustainable living is all about reducing consummation and preserving resources to last for future generations.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/nov/09/international-energy-agency-oil-price