Dealing with Global Warming needs Cultural Change

John M. Broder from the New York Times describes how Americans must move away from the Scientific innovations and statistical data in order to find solutions and work towards changing the way people in our communities think about Global Warming. Quoting Andrew J. Hoffman, an advocate and professor at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business and School of Natural Resources and Environment:

“It requires a shift in our values to reflect what scientists have been telling us for years,” he added. “The certainty of climate change must shift from that of being a ‘scientific fact’ to that of being a ‘social fact.’ ”

This way of thinking by John M. Broder and Andrew Hoffman is absolutely what must be done now. As a country, we must change the way we view the problems of Global Warming and put as a top priority. Change will only come about only when the majority of the citizens and politicians advocate issues such as the Civil Rights movement and in Broder's view, the connection between the smoking of tobacco and the banning of smoking indoors. It is because there were so much resentment that the change socially and politically is even possible. The same concept will apply to Global Warming. Either the nations of the world start changing their cultural views on this matter and begin a global movement or there will be a great disaster that will occur and force us to change prematurely.

Indonesia starts recovering from Natural Disasters

Indonesia has recently suffered a series of devastating natural disasters such as the 7.7 magnitude underwater earthquake, the 10 feet high tsunami wave created by the earthquake, and the volcanic eruption of Mount Merapi located on Java. The worst-hit part of Indonesia was the earthquake in the Mentawai Islands. Aubrey Belford of the New York Times goes on to describe the statistics:

Ade Edward, the emergency head of the Disaster Management Agency in West Sumatra Province, said the tsunami had killed at least 272 people and left 412 missing. About 16,000 people were displaced, officials said.

Not only were the Indonesian islands hit by a high-magnitude earthquake, but also with the eruption of their volcano as well. The biggest problem in helping victims of this crisis is that the weather has been horrible and that the waves of the sea has been unrelenting. This situation has become the worst of both worlds. Indonesia was hit by destructive natural disasters and now environmental conditions have been altered to the worst by these natural disasters to slow down the help. One of the reasons for the higher death rate was because Mbah Maridjan, a trusted elder of the village, convinced the people that there was no reason to leave Java. It is because of backward villages such as this one which was influenced by only one man that causulties are increased.

Mental Health Break

Millinocket brings Students from China

In the New York Times, Abby Goodnough describes how Stearns High in Millinocket, Maine has developed a transfer program for Chinese students from China. Their intent is to invest in this project which includes building a dorm system and weekend programs, and hopefully become firmer and more stable financially. Superintendent Kenneth Smith has already gone on frequent trips to major Chinese cities for recruitment. He has also invited Ms. Fox, who has experience working with Chinese transfer students, to help his faculty learn new ways of teaching these transfers.

There is one hitch. Under State Department rules, foreign students can attend public high school in the United States for only a year, a system that Dr. Smith considers unfair, given that they can attend private high schools for four years. He is pressing Maine’s Congressional delegation to seek a change, but in the meantime, he intends to recruit a handful of Chinese students to attend Stearns next year.

This is attempt can only be seen as a desperate last resort by Dr. Smith in order to revitalize his outdated school. Facts such as small size of the town, lack of high quality diverse educational classes, as well as minimal low-quality school materials all work against the logic of this idea. However, if this plan does succeed and if Chinese students are willing to transfer over to this school, then the profit would be substantial since the boarding, room, and tuition fee would be $27,000 a year.

India uses Cheap Ineffective Vaccines

Jacob Puliyel from The Guardian responds to the article Why fear of vaccination is spelling disaster with the developing world by Vivienne Parry. He agrees with most of what Parry is trying to convey, which is the fact that India is utilizing cost-reduced ineffective vaccines for Hib, or Haeomophilus Influenzae. Puliyel believes that many of these funds could be directed to better welfare programs and other basic needs in India such as clean water. Vaccines for pneumonia would also be viewed as a higher priority.

Treating the four cases of pneumonia in India, using WHO protocol, would cost $1. The pneumococcus strains prevalent in India are nearly all sensitive to inexpensive antibiotics like penicillin. In the US, which has been using the pneumococcal vaccine, there has been a strain shift – strains covered in the vaccine are being replaced by more antibiotic resistant strains. Vaccine has simply made the problem of pneumococcal disease worse. Yet this vaccine is being pushed in Africa and Asia.

Many companies who urge these useless vaccines are marking an increase of profit simply because of false advertising. By making it cheaper than domestic vaccine values, they are able to persuade the locals of India to buy this seemingly helpful vaccine. Puliyel puts out great statistical data that there have been multiple experiments which have disproved the actual healing of the Hib disease. Jacob Puliyel gives a valid point that the statements by Inidan Lobbying groups are absolutely false and that these groups are only looking for economic profit.

Chilean Miners Resurface

In the Times Magazine, Tim Padgett reports on the resurfacing of the 33 Chilean miners that were trapped in a gold and copper mine 700 meters underground. Since August 5, these miners had to stay in a safe-house and organize themselves and daily lives in order to survive as long as possible. After 69 days of being trapped underground, the first of the miners resurface. There is an outstanding amount of people gathered at this location filled with joyous tears and satisfied hope. The celebrations is described as:

Chileans, not known for exuberance, unleashed deafening cheers and chants through the chilly air above the San José mine — "Tonight we bring them back!" — along with confetti and balloons bearing the Chilean flag.

Is it purely amazing how these men were able to control their claustrophobic fears and contain their sanity while spending so many days encased in a room. This event has become one of the most significant points of Chilean history. It is important not because men were trapped underground due to mining in unstable foundations, but rather the nationalism that occurred in country. Everyone was rallied toward this event and the survival of these men meant everything to them. The Chileans are now more unified than ever because they were able to keep hope and miracles, such as the survival of all 33 men, kept the unification together.

US and China go GREEN

Elaine Kurtenbach reports in the Times Magazine that the Shanghai and the US are trying to cooperate and create a greenhouse gas emission limitation agreement. While both sides had their fair share of accusing the other side of emitting more carbon dioxide, these two countries have finally set aside their differences in order to help Earth. EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson has to say:

We regulate greenhouse gases in the U.S. We monitor and require emissions to be reported in the U.S. We have rules that are phasing in, slowly, regulations for reducing emissions from stationary sources

Now that China has put into progress their 5 year plan starting 2011, a foundation has been laid as an example of progressive movement into reducing greenhouse gases being emitted into air. China, the world's most productive country at the moment is willing to give up their factories that spew out carbon dioxide and change for a better cause, the survival of Earth. Now it is up to other countries to decide, will they progress alongside the US and China, or will they be left behind and in the near future be at the mercy to these progressing countries.

Political Party Quiz

The following are your scores. They are based on a gradual range of 0 to 12. For instance, a Conservative/Progressive score of 3 and 0 will both yield a result of social conservative, yet 0 would be an extreme conservative and 3 a moderate conservative

Conservative/Progressive score: 10
You are a social progressive. You generally consider yourself a humanist first. You probably think that religion and patriotism go too far in society. You probably consider yourself to be a citizen of Earth first rather than a citizen of your country.

Capitalist Purist/Social Capitalist score: 5
You are a Moderate Capitalist. You support an economy that is by and large a free market, but has public programs to help people who can't help themselves or need a little help. Pretty much you believe in the American economy how it currently is.

Libertarian/Authoritarian score: 7
You're a Moderate. You think that we all have certain inalienable rights that must be protected, but that sometimes laws need to be made to protect the majority's lives or quality of lives. You might think that the 2nd amendment isn't necessary anymore because letting everyone a gun is extremely dangerous to the community. You might also be against illegal drug use or public pornography because of its possible harmful effects to society.

Pacifist/Militarist score: 4
You're a Moderate. You think that in very rare occasions, the United States should invade a country in order to make the world better by spreading democracy or ending a tyrants rule. You also think that defense is very important, and we shouldn't lower the defense budget. You think that, while the Iraq War probably was a mistake, that we can make the world a better place by sticking with it and spreading democracy in the middle east.

Overall, you would most likely fit into the category of Democrat

Currently, after 69443 submissions, the average Conservative/Progressive score is 5.98, the average Capitalist Purist/Social Capitalist score is 6.72, the average Libertarian/Authoritarian score is 5.51, and the average Pacifist/Militarist score is 4.58


1. Are our gun control laws too strict? - 28% said yes, 72% said no
2. Should gay marriage be legalized? - 64% said yes, 36% said no
3. Should we consider invading Iran? - 24% said yes, 76% said no
4. Should intelligent design be taught in public schools alongside evolution? - 50% said yes, 50% said no
5. Does the US need a system of universal health care? - 60% said yes, 40% said no
6. Should marijuana be legalized? - 57% said yes, 43% said no
7. Should we repeal [or substantially change] the Patriot Act? - 58% said yes, 42% said no
8. Does the US have a right to stop countries we do not trust from getting weapons? - 51% said yes, 49% said no
9. Should we end (or reduce the use of) the death penalty? - 40% said yes, 60% said no
10. Should there be a higher minimum wage? - 67% said yes, 33% said no
11. Does affirmative action do more harm than good? - 64% said yes, 36% said no
12. Is the United States spending too much money on defense? - 55% said yes, 45% said no
13. Should embryonic stem cell research be funded by the government? - 59% said yes, 41% said no
14. Should flag burning be legal? - 44% said yes, 56% said no
15. Should all people (rich and poor) pay fewer taxes? - 60% said yes, 40% said no
16. Should the US begin withdrawing from Iraq? - 77% said yes, 23% said no
17. Is it sometimes justified to wiretap US citizens without a warrant? - 34% said yes, 66% said no
18. Should the government be involved in reducing the amount of violence/pornography in tv/movies/games/etc? - 25% said yes, 75% said no
19. Should the United States only start a war if there is an imminent threat of being attacked ourselves? - 76% said yes, 24% said no
20. Should stopping illegal immigration be one of our top priorities? - 56% said yes, 44% said no
21. Is outsourcing of American jobs justified if it allows for cheaper goods? - 29% said yes, 71% said no
22. Are all abortions unethical? [with the exception of risk to mother's health] - 38% said yes, 62% said no
23. Should social security be privatized? - 55% said yes, 45% said no
24. Should the United States ever go to war even if the UN is against it? - 52% said yes, 48% said no

Free-Speech in China

In the Time Magazine, Christopher Bodeen discusses how Communist Elders are advocating the right of Free-Speech. A letter was posted online by these retired political figures stating how invalid the some of the newer rules and regulations were because they restricted China's 1982 constitution which gives the people of China the right of Free-Speech. Parts of the letter directly challenges the of the goverment:

"If the constitution is violated, the government will lack legitimacy. The people must assert and exercise their legitimate rights,"

For many years, regulations upon regulations have covered the fact that the Chinese, in fact, do have the basic freedoms of speech. However, after so many years the people have grown accumstomed to the fact that free flowing opinion is not accepted in society and definately abhored by the government when it is being challenged. This movement by the earlier generation of leaders shows great provocative intentions for the government because they are bringing back what they most treasured in their years of political influence. The next would have to include the involvement of the common people. These leaders must rally their opinions to match what is morally correct in order for this movement to be successful.

Farms gain MONEY

Scott Kilman compiled a very statistical analysis of how the growth of farms economically are increasing in the Wall Street Journal. On a more interesting scale, the American farm belt is doing fairly well even though the American economy as a whole is still struggling out of the recession. Globally, the Asian economic bloom is supporting the American farming sector with Asia's exports. Even the cotton belt owned by America is starting to see a betterment economically. These cotton farms are able to sell for more while producing more products with newly bought machinery.

Overall, the USDA projects net farm income to climb 24% this year to $77.1 billion, the fourth highest ever. In September, farmers were being paid 62% more for hogs than a year earlier, and 32% more for milk.

 This unexpected growth in the farming industry of the United States can only benefit the efforts in trying to bring the overall American economy back on its feet. The main fact is that the American producing sector is doing well. The production unit of America is the base foundation of a good economy. A producing country that is able to escape the hole that drags nations into becoming a consuming nation, aka present day US, can finally look towards gain instead of lose. Hopefully the farm belt will continue growing positively and start bringing other sectors of production in America economy back up.

The End of "Don't ask, Don't tell" in the Service?

In an article in the New York Times by John Schwartz, Judge Virginia A. Phillips of Federal District Court for the Central District of California enforced the banning of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy for those serving in the military sector. This new rule by Judge Phillips has a very high probability of being repealed by the United States government. Judge Phillips states:

the 17-year-old policy “infringes the fundamental rights of United States service members and prospective service members” and violates their rights of due process and freedom of speech.

Even though this act by the judge is not agreed upon by the majority of Americans, this is still a big step forward for the United States. Just as Christian Berle, the acting executive director of the Log Cabin Republicans, states, by mixing heterogeneously in the military sector, the United States is able to scout only the best, and not exclude the exceptionally talented based on their sexual orientation. However, the main concern comes from the opposition in opinion from the high-ups of the military and inside the government. There is no doubt that the overall case will be repealed. Many traditionally sentimental military leaders also feel that this separation should be clearly defined. Until moral barriers are broken among the power-holding decision makers, the end of "don't ask, don't tell" is far from us. Nevertheless, it is up people such as Judge Phillips who are willing to take the heat and journey into unquestioned. Without these outspoken advocates, change is not likely to happen.