Adultism Story

Adultism- a subject brought up in our class after we went to advocate for a cause and were accused of stealing- is a lot like sexism and racism: it affects people everyday, even if they don't realize it. Adultism hides in all kinds of situations, one being the simple act of babysitting. Whenever I babysit, I'm paid around $5, maybe $10, per hour. But when my much older sister babysits, she's paid double or more then double what I make. We have about the same amount of experience with young children, yet adults assume that because she's older she's more responsible and just an all around better babysitter. I think that is not fair at all: just because she was born in the 1980's opposed to the 1990's doesn't mean she should be rewarded more then me. I think if we all just took a step back and evaluated the everyday situations we're in, we would be surprised at the amount of adultism we endure.

9/11 thoughts and memories

9/11 is on my mind often, not because I’m bursting with knowledge on the subject or because I have personal connections with someone physically affected by the tragedy, but rather because the whole prospect that a group of human beings could actually end the lives of not only the twin towers, but also thousands of people completely shocks and frightens me. I have to admit, I have absolutely no memory of the actually day the planes were taken over and crashed: I was 5 years old and I imagine that day seemed like any other in my eyes. But since then I have definitely learned some, if not a good amount, of information about this significant event from studying it in classes and seeing images and footage in newspapers and on television. This includes photos of the twin towers being smashed, the planes engulfed in fire, people jumping and waving flags out of the buildings windows, and, the most memorable account, a TV program with actual audio footage from inside the plane and a detailed account of what happened.

Though I am not overflowing with knowledge by any means on the topic of 9/11, I do know that a lot of people hate Americans. I can see how some view the citizens of this country as greedy, self-centered, and uninformed about the views and conditions of others in the world. How ever, not every American is like that and I find it completely unreasonable and evil to take that anger out on average citizens who have done nothing wrong. I know the terrorists were from Saudi Arabia and that 5 (?) planes were taken over, one headed towards the pentagon, (which was taken over by the passengers and crashed in an empty field), 2 headed for the twin towers, (which both crashed into the towers), and the other two I think crashed somewhere in Washington DC. The immediate consequences were obviously the death of several thousand people and the destruction of the twin towers, but many things have changed because of the tragedy that affect our everyday lives. For example, when you go to the airport, you have to leave yourself more time because everyone and their luggage goes through excessive security before being allowed on a plane. The overall security of our country has been considerably tightened, for example, I was in New Orleans these past few days and when I attended the Mardi gras parades these helicopters would fly overhead, which my uncle told me has happened at every parade since 9/11. And, something everyone knows about, we invaded Iraq, which makes absolutely no sense considering the terrorists were from Saudi Arabia (Bush was president at the time.) Though these are just a few examples, I think the events of 9/11 have altered the way Americans think of their country and the way America operates.

Note: Though I’m interested in this class, I also have an intense fear of terrorism, flying, and 9/11 in general. I know it’s important to learn about this but I am concerned seeing as only a year or two ago I slept with my mom almost every night because of my fear of being bombed by terrorists, and I still hate flying and cry almost every time I have to get on a plane. I just thought I should let you know because I’m not sure what kind of affect this class will

Children Inspiring Hope: Report on Affects of Diet on Water: Leah and Helen

Water and Your Diet

It wouldn’t be completely correct to say that there is a limited amount of water, but there is the problem that water is one universal need and it must be shared between all living organisms on this planet. Humans are—so to speak—hogging a lot of the water that there is. An average American uses about 100 gallons of water a day. Just that is quite a lot. Then you must factor in everything we consume and exactly how much water was used in production. For breakfast, today, I only had an orange. Something as simple as an Orange on average takes 13 gallons of water to be produced. This number is surprisingly large, but oranges aren’t the only foods that use up so much water in their production. In fact, many things we eat on a day-to-day basis use a surprisingly large amount. For example, one pound of rice uses roughly 350 gallons of water, while on cup of coffee takes around 36 gallons and for every one-fifth gallon of milk there are 264 gallons used in its production. If I added up all my consumptions today, I would have easily used over 300 gallons of water, even if the only water I remembered consuming was two glasses during the day and a splash to brush my teeth.

The point is, everything you eat uses up water, whether it’s hundreds of gallons or just a teaspoon: but nothing requires more water to produce than meat. To simply produce the amount of beef in one hamburger, it takes 634 gallons of water. To compare, the average hot tub holds around 450 gallons of water. Now to produce a single pound of beef it has been estimated around 2500 gallons of water. That’s quite a lot. But you have to track that beef. Before it was plain old beef, it was a cow. The cow needed something to drink—water—as well as something to eat. The grass that was chewed upon by the cow must be watered so it can be pleasantly delicious. This is why your numbers get so high in the production of one pound of beef. And that’s when the question comes up, “Is using so much water for a lavish food item such as meat really worth it?” The answer is different for everyone, but it’s easy to lead a life without meat (however tasty it may be) and in doing so, lower your daily water usage immensely.

I (Leah) have been a Vegetarian for nearly four years, and I (Helen) have recently become one as well on account of a bet made with Leah. Vegetarianism is a life style that can be chosen by anyone, anywhere. No one is kept from going vegetarian because of where they live, how they live, who they live with, etc.; besides, it’s the best, and easiest way to reduce your water footprint or, in other words, to ‘go green’.

Before our research in this topic, neither of us knew the extent to which water is used in the food we eat. When people talk of reducing their water footprint, they focus on things such as taking shorter showers and not watering the lawn, when they should be focusing on what they eat and how much water is used in their foods production. The best way to change the way you eat and consume water through food is by being educated about it. Hopefully the word will get out and people everywhere will start taking into consideration their diets affect on water usage so we can move along in solving the issue of water in the world.

Sources:

Dunn, Collin. "Measure Your Food's Water Footprint - Planet Green." Planet Green : Sustainable Living, Energy Conservation, Earth Day. 23 Apr. 2008. Web. 13 Feb. 2011.http://planetgreen.discovery.com/food-health/measure-your-foods-water-footprint.html

"News Headlines." CNBC Mobile Home. Web. 13 Feb. 2011.http://www.cnbc.com/id/39156898/There_s_How_Much_Water_In_My_Hamburger

"Water Footprint: Introduction." Waterfootprint.org: Water Footprint and Virtual Water. Web. 13 Feb. 2011.http://www.waterfootprint.org/?page=files/home

Berger, Eric. "How Much Water Does It Take to Make ... ? | SciGuy | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle." 02 Apr. 2011. Web. 13 Feb. 2011.http://blogs.chron.com/sciguy/archives/2010/04/how_much_water_does_it_take_to_make.html

"Save Water And The Planet By Going Vegetarian." Free Articles Directory | Submit Articles - ArticlesBase.com. 18 Aug. 2008. Web. 13 Feb. 2011.http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/save-water-and-the-planet-by-going-vegetarian-526278.html

Nelson, Jeff. "How Much Water to Make a Pound of Beef?" Vegsource.com. 01 Mar. 2001. Web. 13 Feb. 2011. http://www.vegsource.com/articles/pimentel_water.htm

Water Crisis Awareness

1. What are some of the major water issues facing the world today?

The Earth changes every day. Sometimes those changes add to the beauty of the world in which we live, and other times they create problems that we are challenged to find the solution to. Climate change, war, and natural disasters are all big issues we are working on as I type, but possibly the biggest and most important is water. Today, around one in every eight people, roughly one billion human’s, do not have access to clean water of any sorts. Only about 2.5 percent of water on Earth is fresh, and around two-thirds of that supply is stored in snow cover and glaciers. Water might be a renewable resource, but it’s not an immeasurable one, and though lack of clean water is a big issue, for the millions upon millions of people who don’t have any, the problem they face is about accessibility rather then scarceness. While we often take for granted the fact that clean water is accessible to us at the push of a button, so many people don’t have that luxury and are forced to travel to streams or rivers miles away to retrieve water that is not the cleanest by any means. To put this issue into perspective, I have collected some tragic facts on the affects of the lack of clean water on people all over the world. Because of water-related sickness 443 million school days are lost each year. The Earth’s largest cause of infection is lack of sanitation. Because of water-related disease, 3.5 million people die each year, 84% of which are children and 98% of which are in the developing world.

2. What are people doing to help?

Although water is a very big concern throughout the world, there are luckily many things being done to help. For example, Ryan Hreljac, the creator of a foundation known as “Ryan’s Well”, learned about the need for clean water in developing countries when he was in the first grade. With help from his friends and family, Ryan was able to save enough money to build a water well in Africa, which went up in 1999, when Ryan was seven. He continued to save money and build wells until his project became a foundation in 2001, and to this day “Ryan’s Well” still serves water deprived areas. So far, “Ryan’s Well” has brought safe water and better sanitation to more then 705 thousand people by building more then 630 wells and 700 latrines. This is just one of many organizations set out to improve the way people everywhere live by giving them access to the clean and safe water they deserve.

3. How can the problem of water allocation and safety issues be resolved?

The issue is not that the water situation is helpless and there’s nothing we can do, the issue is that we have to buckle down and do the things the earth and our fellow human beings require of us. If a well was put up in an area facing a water crisis: 1. People could save 2 hours and 45 minutes getting water 2. You could use the extra time to start a garden with your new water source and can feed the family 3. Your children spend more time in school opposed to getting water. (Scenarios from charitywater.org) Also people are sent into developing countries suffering from lack of water to educate citizens about the importance of hygiene and sanitation. When people are educated they’re more likely to do something about the situation, or demand help from places that do have water. If people get in those areas and work to supply them with fresh water and education on the issue, this whole water crisis would be a lot less complex.

4. How can we, as a class, contribute to these solutions?

Though different foundations and projects are doing a lot to help with the world’s water crisis, there are also many things individuals (or in our case, a class) can do. For example, fundraising! If we ran a bake sale, car wash, or something along those lines we could raise money and donate it to a place like “Ryan’s Well”. Also, spreading the word and educating other about the lack of clean water in developing countries all over the world can do a lot of good for the cause. When people are really informed about something they’re more likely to take action and work to better the situation. Finally, we could try to preserve our own water and be thankful for what we have instead of using it for things such as 30-minute showers and watering the lawn. If we cut back on our own supply we would be saving more water for everyone to enjoy and not just using it up greedily. As you can see, there are many things to be done as individuals, and as a class, to end the water crisis and provide safe, clean water to those who don’t have it, but desperately need it. We just have to do them.

World Today: Jack Lalane

Jack Lalanne

Francois Henri “Jack” Lalane, a very famous nutrition, fitness, and exercise expert, sadly died on Sunday at the ripe old age of 96.  Born September 26, (my birthday!) 1914, to two French immigrants, in San Francisco, California, the first 15 years of Lalane’s life were nothing like the 81 that followed. Growing up he ate very unhealthily and had violent episodes aimed at himself and others. Lalane was even forced to drop out of school for 6 months because of his behavioral problems and the fact that he was 30 pounds underweight. Then something happened that changed his life: Jack attended a talk held by a well-known nutritionist at the time, Paul Bragg. Bragg’s ideas on health and fitness had a great impact on Lalane, who went home and began changing his life around right away by turning to a strict vegetarian diet and focusing on weightlifting and bodybuilding. Having only two meals a day, with snacks. Lalanne usually went to the restaurants that new what he would get.

Lalane finished high school and began going to night class at Oakland Chiropractic College and ended up graduating with a Doctor of Chiropractic degree. He later opened his very own health spa/gym and was a big fitness advocate, inventing things such as the first leg extension machine and weight selectors. But what Lalane is probably best known for is “The Jack Lalane Show,” a fitness and exercise program beginning in 1951 that remained on TV for 34 years. Lalane also published several books and videos having to do with nutrition and fitness, he even recorded a song with Connie Hanes and invented different “Power Juices”.  He opened lots of fitness studios, through out the country.

Lalanne went on to marry Elaine Lalanne and have three children: Jon Lalanne, Yvonne Lalanne, and Dan Doyle. He died on January 23, 2011 because of respiratory failure due to pneumonia. Pneumonia is an inflammation, or infection by the lungs. Cased by bacteria, and virus. It can also be caused y inhaling vomit, or other foreign substance. In cases of pneumonia the lung air sacs are filled with mucus, pus, and other liquids. That way the lungs can’t work properly. So air can’t get to cells, and blood. He was in his California house, with his family. They were watching the football game. His daughter said that he was looking good in till a few months ago. He had a surgery in December, stating that some thing was going on. Jack Lalanne once said, “I can’t die. It would ruin my image.” But unfortunate he did die.  Lalanne left his wife, 2 sons, and a daughter. Lalanne was a great athlete. In his life he won many awards.  We will miss him, as well as his work out videos.

World Today #2

Civil Unrest in Tunisia

Leah and Adriana

Recently, violence has erupted in Tunisia, a North African nation bordered by Algeria, Libya, and the Mediterranean Sea. Citizens have been protesting all over the country, expressing their anger over the lack of job opportunities and the dishonest and unfair way in which Tunisia is being run. The chaos officially began on December 20, when unemployed, 26-year-old university graduate, Mohammed Bouazizi, tried to commit suicide by setting himself on fire in the town of Sidi Bouzid. Bouazizi had been selling produce, which police had confiscated due to his lack of a permit. This single desperate act caused a spark that has grown into a raging bonfire over the last weeks as people protest and march for their rights and for justice. Dozens of Tunisians have been severely injured beaten, shot and killed, mostly by police who say they act violently for self-defense. But others have also committed suicide, such as Houcine Falhi, who electrocuted himself in the middle of a demonstration over unemployment. The violence has spread all over: towns such as Sidi Bouzid, Menzel Bouzaiene, al-Ragab, Miknassi, Sfax, Kairouan, and Ben Guerdane. All of the country’s schools and universities have been closed, and will remain closed until violence ceases. The protests were lead by college graduates, and were later followed by workers and young professionals. There was a curfew last Friday in the capital. No groups of people bigger than 2 were aloud outside by 5pm, and by 8pm no one was aloud outside. There was some shooting that night in several neighborhoods around the capital. The police threaten if they saw anyone after curfew they would be shot. The airports are closed and the U.K travel agents are taking out tourists from the country. The U.K, USA, and France are among the countries advising to not go to Tunisia unless necessary. Ben Ali, Tunisia’s president for over 23 years and very hated at the moment, has fled amidst the unrest, leaving the prime minister in charge. President Ben Ali is unwanted, because there is no employment in Tunisia. There are cheers and smiles because of the President leaving. People tore down any poster, or massive pictures of the President. Some even several stories high that were on Lamp post, or billboards. The Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi is planning to meet with political leaders to start a new government.

There have been shooting in the past days that have lasted up to 4 hours. A resident said her neighbors saw other armed men break through check points in civilian cars. There was recently a shooting Sunday January 16, 2011 that accrued out side the Tunisia palace. Caused by anger. The prime Minister said numerous groups of armed people have been arrested that Sunday. Leaving out how many. There have been worries on food shortages like milk, fresh fish, and bread, since you can’t go outside like normal; because there might be a shooting. Resident have been told to stay away from windows and keep curtains closed. A resident from Carthage said the saw four men in a taxi speed through a military checkpoint, going toward the Palace. Police shot at the car, but the men threw fire at them. “The coming days will show who is behind them.” Said Ghannouchi. Hoping to find out who is behind everything.

It’s very dangerous in Tunisia right now, and the best thing the residents of Tunisia should do is stay at home. We can only hope for the best.

http://www.theworld.org/2011/01/11/unrest-in-tunisia/

http://http://www.theworld.org/2011/01/11/unrest-in-tunisia/.aljazeera.net/indepth/spotlight/tunisia/2011/01/201114142223827361.html

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/4/20110114/twl-tunisia-see-s-unprecedented-civil-un-41f21e0.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2011/01/16/AR2011011603649.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12198106

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/15/world/africa/15tunis.html?scp=2&sq=Tunisia&st=cse

World Today

Two weeks ago northeastern Australia was hit by Cyclone Tasha, affecting an area the size of France and Germany combined in a huge flood that has named this spring their wettest ever. Parts of Australia have received huge amounts of rain since November, causing the Fitzroy River of Rockhampton to go 30 feet over its flood average water level and shutting down 40 coal mines, destroying numbers of homes, wiping out fields of crops, and affecting more then 200,000 people. While the river continues to rise, senior forecaster in Brisbane, Gordon Banks, tells us that the water is getting close to record levels. The local Mayor of Rockhampton, a town of 75,000 that’s been hit hardest by the flooding, says, “You can look down a street for a kilometer and see nothing but water.”

At least 10 people have been killed since the terrible weather began in November, around three of the deaths having occurred since Saturday, including a 41 year old woman who drowned while attempting to cross a causeway, and a 38 year old man who was killed after being swept off a small boat along the Boyne River.

To add to the chaos, snakes (some highly venomous such as taipans, brown snakes, and red-bellied blacks) have become a huge problem as they climb trees and hide in houses as a way to escape the floodwater. Crocodiles have also been spotted around the area of Rockhampton.

By Saturday the city had been partially evacuated, and Australia Prime Minister Julia Gillard supplied people affected by the floods emergency relief on Monday, assistance including loans for farmer with flooded land. Many residents of Rockhampton and areas close by who may not be able to return to their homes for up to a month are taking refuge in evacuation centers.

Rescue teams have been going into Rock Hampton to help with food supplies and other supplies. Estimates of the damage and lost production go as high as $9 billion. Food, drinking water, and medical supplies have been airlifted into Rockhampton by the military, and the town has been offered aid from both the U.S and New Zealand. Hopefully, water levels will decrease before much more damage is done.

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/01/australian_flooding.html

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6BU09620110102

http://beta.quedit.com/magazin?list_id=680

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/Australia+floods+cause+catastrophic+damage/4062053/story.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12111264

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110104/wl_asia_afp/australiaweatherfloods