1. What is an epidemic?
Occurs when new cases of a certain disease occur in a given human population, during a given period, substantially exceed what is "expected," based on recent experience.
2. What is a pandemic?
Is an epidemic of infectious disease that spreads through populations across a large region; for instance a continent, or even worldwide.
3. What is an infectious disease?
Is a clinically evident disease resulting from the presence of pathogenic microbial agents, including pathogenic viruses, pathogenic bacteria, fungi, protozoa, multicellular parasites, and aberrant proteins known as prions.
4. What is a virus?
Is a sub-microscopic infectious agent that is unable to grow or reproduce outside a host cell. Viruses infect all types of cellular life.
5. What makes the H1N1 virus a "novel" or "new" virus?
That it didn't exist before, it's a new disease that was recently discovered and has been spreading worldwide.
6. How do viruses mutate?
By infecting a cell, so they must be able to evolve faster than their hosts cells. If not, then the host cells would evolve to where a virus would no longer be able to infect. Cells change their surface receptors so viruses cannot attach; the viruses change their surface proteins so they can attach to the changed cell surface receptors. The viruses must always stay ahead of the evolution game.
7. What does it mean that this virus has "parts" from other known swine flus, human flus and American bird flus?
Could combine with the bird flu, which has been circulating for several years and is much more deadly.
8. How does that process happen?
Has spread all the way to the Norhtern Hemisphere, where the bird flu is present, and if the swine flu infectates someone that already has the bird flu, the diseases could combine, forming stonger and more dangerous virus.
9. How is the flu vaccine created?
Is made from inactivated viruses, grown in fertilized hens' eggs. After the shot, the immune system produces antibodies that attack the flu virus when it enters the body.
10. Why are some viruses transmittable from human to human while others are not (avian flu)?
Bird flus recquire few mutations to spread rapidly between mammals by respiratory droplets, so it only transmits with humans that have a direct contact with birds.
11. How does Tamiflu work?
Binding to and inhibiting one of the surface enzymes the virus uses to exit infected cells.
12. Scientists worry that H1N1 might become resistant to Tamiflu. How might that happen?
There are not enough Tamiflus for everyone, we might have to reduce the doses, which could accelerate the emergence of a virus resistant to the drug, and hamper efforts to spread the disease.
Reading Comprehension Questions
1. What is the most predictable thing about influenza?
The nature of the viruses that cause it.
2. How many people have died in Mexico? (based on the article as well as on latest news)
There have been 66 confirmed deaths and more that a thousand cases.
3. Name 3 countries where swine flu has been confirmed in the last three days.
India, Malaysia, and Turkey.
4. What are the symptoms of the swine flu?
Fever, cough, sore throat, and nausea and can range from mild to deadly.
5. When was the outbreak of the Spanish flu?
In 1918, after the World War l.
6. What percentage of the world population died of influenza then?
It killed 50 million people.
7. Why was there an emergency vaccination program in 1976?
Because there was one death and an emergency prevention program vaccinated 40 million people.
8. Name a few actions the Mexican government has done to curb the spread of swine flu.
Schools were closed for a short time, and opened again the 6th of May. Many public places like the movies, and restaurants, where closed indefinitely. Currently, restaurants rae opened with the condition that they'll have to take extreme precautions to conserve hygiene for clients. Churches, theaters, clubs, and bars were also closed temporarily.
9. What were the consequences for Mexico and Mexicans due to the actions taken by the government?
Our tourist economy has suffered the consequences. Especially restaurants, cinemas, clubs, bars, etc.
10. What industries were particularly hard hit?
All the public and touristic places, like hotels, restaurants, museums, fairs, cinemas, etc, because people don't attend and they're suffering an economical crisis.
Discussion Questions:
1. Mexico has shut down schools and other public spaces; do you think that was the correct thing to do? Why or why not?
Yes, because Mexico can't risk that more people could be infected, so it needs that people would not go to public spaces, so the flu, would not spread through many people, and the flu could finish.
2. More people die from the regular flu then from swine flu, why do you think this became a big news story?
Because people got afraid, they didn't know which flu they had, so they went to the hospitals, thinking they had swine flu, when they maybe had a headache.
3. Why did people stop visiting Mexico? Why have Mexicans been discriminated? Do you think the fear of the disease is justified?
They were afraid that if they come to Mexico they will be infected too. Mexicans were discrimminated, because other countries were afraid that someone would infect their people.
4. What questions about individual and human rights does preventing the spread of flu raise?
That this flu, private us from our liberty, we couldn't go out, but it was only a week so the flu wouldn't spread, and we can go out again.
lunes, 18 de mayo de 2009
lunes, 20 de abril de 2009
Bag of Tricks
Questions 1:
1. Why are Plastic Bags so common?
Because plastic bags are so cheap to produce, sturdy, plentiful, easy to carry and store that they captured at least 80 percent of the grocery and convenience store market since they were introduced a quarter century ago, according to the Arlington, Virginia-based American Plastics council.
2. In what other ways is Plastic used?
It's used to sit balled up and stuffed into the one that hangs from the pantry door. They line bathroom trash bins. They carry clothes to the gym. They clutter landfills. They flap from the trees. They float in the breeze. They clog roadside drains. They drift on the high seas. They fill sea turtle bellies.
3. What are the benefits of Plastic Bags?
That plastic bags are very cheap to produce, they can be used in many ways, they can make life easier, and can help to transport things.
4. What are the dangers of Plastic Bags?
Plastic bags can spend eternity in landfills. Floating bags can be matched with jellyfish, to hungry marine critters. More that 100,000 marine animals die for eating or getting entangled in plastic. There are 46,000 pieces of plastic litter floating in every square mile of the ocean.
5. What has been done so far?
Only 1% of plastic bags are being recycled worldwide. San Francisco and Oakland outlawed the use of plastic bags in large grocery stores and pharmacies, permitting only paper bags. In Ireland the use of bags has diminished a 90%, since they established a 22 cent tax.
6. Has it been successful? Why or why not?
I think it haven't been succesful, because there are still lots of stores (Wal-Mart, Superama, etc) that they still give you plastic bags for everything even if you don't need it. This problem will continue forever, because we use it, the bags will dissapear when the people will not use bag at all.
Questions 2:
1. What are some of the potential benefits of charging fees for and/or banning plastic bags?
It can reduce pollution by inspiring people not to waste, because besides the danger that plastic bags imply, they would be also throwing away their money, so it makes them more careful and conscious about this situation and the people what they most care is money so if they are charched they will stop buying bags, only if they really need it.
2. What are some of the potential drawbacks of such programs?
That sometimes, the government uses the money for their own benefit and not for the countries' benefit. Maybe if they do it on a country like United States, Japan, Norway, etc; it would be perfect, because the people can pay for the bags, but if you do it on a country like Mexico, an African country, etc; it will be more difficult and the bags would have to be very cheaper so the people can pay for that.
3. Which benefits and drawbacks seem the most compelling? Why?
For me the best benefit it would be to make fees for plastic bags, because then the people will think it twice and will only buy bags when they really need them.
I think that if plastic bags are completely banned, it will cause more problems and more money, because it will have to be a machine, a factory, etc, though that can create jobs. But doing it will cause several damages to the ecosystem and we need to start taking care of it.
4. Would you support a local law charging fees for (or banning) plastic bags?
Why or why not?
I would be supporting it for charching fees for plastic bags, because like I say before the only way to make people stop or controling it, is by charching them, to make them pay, because money is the most important thing for people.
Questions 3:
1. Do you agree with this new law? Why or why not?
- Yes, I agree, because it's an excellent way to make all bag makers and stores care for their planet. It's a plan in which they have enough time to develop a new process of degradable plastic and materials, without losing all of their profit.
2. What has been done so far?
- Bimbo company already started a project in which all of it's new plastic packaging is oxo-biodegradable and contains an additive made by the British Company Symphony Technologies.
3. What needs to be done to enforce such a law?
There will be consecuences for those who don't follow it: they will face up to 36 hours in jail, or a maximum fine of 20,000 times the minimum daily wage.
4. What campaigns would you suggest?
I will do videos on T.V, but I will pay to artists or soccer players, to do the comercial, so then the people would want to follow their example. I will put posters on the street. But basically I will use internet, like Facebook or Hi5, I will do groups like "for those that are against plastic bags" or like "Want to keep alive Acapulco, don't use plastic bags" and all those things with lots of images, with very few words. Also I will upload videos to Youtube so everyone in the world would see it.
1. Why are Plastic Bags so common?
Because plastic bags are so cheap to produce, sturdy, plentiful, easy to carry and store that they captured at least 80 percent of the grocery and convenience store market since they were introduced a quarter century ago, according to the Arlington, Virginia-based American Plastics council.
2. In what other ways is Plastic used?
It's used to sit balled up and stuffed into the one that hangs from the pantry door. They line bathroom trash bins. They carry clothes to the gym. They clutter landfills. They flap from the trees. They float in the breeze. They clog roadside drains. They drift on the high seas. They fill sea turtle bellies.
3. What are the benefits of Plastic Bags?
That plastic bags are very cheap to produce, they can be used in many ways, they can make life easier, and can help to transport things.
4. What are the dangers of Plastic Bags?
Plastic bags can spend eternity in landfills. Floating bags can be matched with jellyfish, to hungry marine critters. More that 100,000 marine animals die for eating or getting entangled in plastic. There are 46,000 pieces of plastic litter floating in every square mile of the ocean.
5. What has been done so far?
Only 1% of plastic bags are being recycled worldwide. San Francisco and Oakland outlawed the use of plastic bags in large grocery stores and pharmacies, permitting only paper bags. In Ireland the use of bags has diminished a 90%, since they established a 22 cent tax.
6. Has it been successful? Why or why not?
I think it haven't been succesful, because there are still lots of stores (Wal-Mart, Superama, etc) that they still give you plastic bags for everything even if you don't need it. This problem will continue forever, because we use it, the bags will dissapear when the people will not use bag at all.
Questions 2:
1. What are some of the potential benefits of charging fees for and/or banning plastic bags?
It can reduce pollution by inspiring people not to waste, because besides the danger that plastic bags imply, they would be also throwing away their money, so it makes them more careful and conscious about this situation and the people what they most care is money so if they are charched they will stop buying bags, only if they really need it.
2. What are some of the potential drawbacks of such programs?
That sometimes, the government uses the money for their own benefit and not for the countries' benefit. Maybe if they do it on a country like United States, Japan, Norway, etc; it would be perfect, because the people can pay for the bags, but if you do it on a country like Mexico, an African country, etc; it will be more difficult and the bags would have to be very cheaper so the people can pay for that.
3. Which benefits and drawbacks seem the most compelling? Why?
For me the best benefit it would be to make fees for plastic bags, because then the people will think it twice and will only buy bags when they really need them.
I think that if plastic bags are completely banned, it will cause more problems and more money, because it will have to be a machine, a factory, etc, though that can create jobs. But doing it will cause several damages to the ecosystem and we need to start taking care of it.
4. Would you support a local law charging fees for (or banning) plastic bags?
Why or why not?
I would be supporting it for charching fees for plastic bags, because like I say before the only way to make people stop or controling it, is by charching them, to make them pay, because money is the most important thing for people.
Questions 3:
1. Do you agree with this new law? Why or why not?
- Yes, I agree, because it's an excellent way to make all bag makers and stores care for their planet. It's a plan in which they have enough time to develop a new process of degradable plastic and materials, without losing all of their profit.
2. What has been done so far?
- Bimbo company already started a project in which all of it's new plastic packaging is oxo-biodegradable and contains an additive made by the British Company Symphony Technologies.
3. What needs to be done to enforce such a law?
There will be consecuences for those who don't follow it: they will face up to 36 hours in jail, or a maximum fine of 20,000 times the minimum daily wage.
4. What campaigns would you suggest?
I will do videos on T.V, but I will pay to artists or soccer players, to do the comercial, so then the people would want to follow their example. I will put posters on the street. But basically I will use internet, like Facebook or Hi5, I will do groups like "for those that are against plastic bags" or like "Want to keep alive Acapulco, don't use plastic bags" and all those things with lots of images, with very few words. Also I will upload videos to Youtube so everyone in the world would see it.
jueves, 12 de marzo de 2009
News Analysis
1) German Gunman 'Warned of Attack'
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7939528.stm
Who: Tim Kretschmer, German teenager
Where: Winnenden and Wendlingen (Germany).
When: March 11, 2009
Why: Was a woman hater, he showed warning signs of being emotionally disturbed. He always played shooting video games. He was obsessed with heavy metal music and guns. When he graduated from school with bad grades his father took him to a mental institution in which he was treated for several times. His dislike women because he said that they were always unfair. These problems in Tim´s mind were really heavy so he decided to attack the school.
What: The teenager had killed 15 people (students and teachers). He killed 9 students, 8 were girls, 3 of them teachers and 3 were students.
2) Gunshot Hit 5 Young Men at Chicago School
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/10/us/10chicago.html?_r=2
Who: Some gunmen inside a silver truck.
Where: Chicago, Illinois. South Chicago.
When: Thursday, January 8, 2009
Why: Nobody knows, they were only shouting 'they're shooting!'.
What: 5 teenagers were injured, when they were walking to the basketball gymnasium.
3) Gunman had list people 'who done him wrong'.
http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20090310/shooting_spree_090311/20090311/?hub=BritishColumbiaHome
Who: McLendon, Michael.
Where: Alabama, United States.
When: March 10, 2009
What: A person killed 10 people, including his family and then he killed himself.
Why: Some say the he was forced to resign Reliable Metals.
4) 2 Dead and 13 Wounded in California School Shouting
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/03/05/national/05CND-SHOOT.html?ex=1237089600&en=4b1f80bc46bc821d&ei=5070
Who: A ninth grader.
Where: A suburb in San Diego, California, United States.
When: March 5, 2001.
What: A ninth grader (15 years old) pulled a gun and opened fire, killing at least two and 13 wounded.
Why: Officials said they did not know what the motive was.
5) Texas city official: Mass shooting left scars, but Killeen 'resilient'
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/US/03/12/killeen.mass.shooting/
Who: George Hennard (35 years old).
Where: Killeen, Texas, United States.
When: October 16, 1991.
What: George went into a cafeteria and he opened fire, killing 3 people, 20 wounded people, and then he shot himself.
Why: He chose his victims.
6) Columbine High School Massacre
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbine_High_School_massacre
Who: Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold.
Where: Colorado, United States.
When: April 20, 1999.
What: Two students killed 12 students and a teacher, 23 were wounded, and then they killed themselfs.
Why: Eric Harris was angry with society, and they don't know why he did that.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7939528.stm
Who: Tim Kretschmer, German teenager
Where: Winnenden and Wendlingen (Germany).
When: March 11, 2009
Why: Was a woman hater, he showed warning signs of being emotionally disturbed. He always played shooting video games. He was obsessed with heavy metal music and guns. When he graduated from school with bad grades his father took him to a mental institution in which he was treated for several times. His dislike women because he said that they were always unfair. These problems in Tim´s mind were really heavy so he decided to attack the school.
What: The teenager had killed 15 people (students and teachers). He killed 9 students, 8 were girls, 3 of them teachers and 3 were students.
2) Gunshot Hit 5 Young Men at Chicago School
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/10/us/10chicago.html?_r=2
Who: Some gunmen inside a silver truck.
Where: Chicago, Illinois. South Chicago.
When: Thursday, January 8, 2009
Why: Nobody knows, they were only shouting 'they're shooting!'.
What: 5 teenagers were injured, when they were walking to the basketball gymnasium.
3) Gunman had list people 'who done him wrong'.
http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20090310/shooting_spree_090311/20090311/?hub=BritishColumbiaHome
Who: McLendon, Michael.
Where: Alabama, United States.
When: March 10, 2009
What: A person killed 10 people, including his family and then he killed himself.
Why: Some say the he was forced to resign Reliable Metals.
4) 2 Dead and 13 Wounded in California School Shouting
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/03/05/national/05CND-SHOOT.html?ex=1237089600&en=4b1f80bc46bc821d&ei=5070
Who: A ninth grader.
Where: A suburb in San Diego, California, United States.
When: March 5, 2001.
What: A ninth grader (15 years old) pulled a gun and opened fire, killing at least two and 13 wounded.
Why: Officials said they did not know what the motive was.
5) Texas city official: Mass shooting left scars, but Killeen 'resilient'
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/US/03/12/killeen.mass.shooting/
Who: George Hennard (35 years old).
Where: Killeen, Texas, United States.
When: October 16, 1991.
What: George went into a cafeteria and he opened fire, killing 3 people, 20 wounded people, and then he shot himself.
Why: He chose his victims.
6) Columbine High School Massacre
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbine_High_School_massacre
Who: Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold.
Where: Colorado, United States.
When: April 20, 1999.
What: Two students killed 12 students and a teacher, 23 were wounded, and then they killed themselfs.
Why: Eric Harris was angry with society, and they don't know why he did that.
martes, 3 de marzo de 2009
News - Cuban shake-up claims key figures
Cuban Shake-Up Claims Key Figures
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7920047.stm
Who: Raul Castro, Carlos Lage, Felipe Perez Roque. Cuban polititians.
When: Tuesday, March 3, 2009.
What: Raul Castro announced a reshuffle that includes the removal of two of the country most prominent polititians.
Why: Raul Castro wants to put his personal stamp on a government that still bears the mark of his brother (Fidel Castro). So Raul Castro removed Carlos Lage and Felipe Perez Roque, because they were possible candidates for the presidency.
Where: Cuba
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7920047.stm
Who: Raul Castro, Carlos Lage, Felipe Perez Roque. Cuban polititians.
When: Tuesday, March 3, 2009.
What: Raul Castro announced a reshuffle that includes the removal of two of the country most prominent polititians.
Why: Raul Castro wants to put his personal stamp on a government that still bears the mark of his brother (Fidel Castro). So Raul Castro removed Carlos Lage and Felipe Perez Roque, because they were possible candidates for the presidency.
Where: Cuba
lunes, 2 de marzo de 2009
News Analysis
1. Who is Robert Mugabe? How long has he been in power? How popular is he?
Its the Zimbabwe President. He has held power as the President since 1987, since 28 years. Mugabe is hailed by many Africans as a hero, but he is not popular on his country because of his spends habits on this poor country.
2. Who is Morgan Tsvangirai? Which is/ has been his political role?
Its the Zimbabwe Prime Minister, the President of the Movement for democratic change and the key figure of the oppostion of President Robert Mugabe. It rules with Mr. Mugabe in a shared government.
3. What happened during last year's elections? Which was the outcome?
The three major candidates were President Robert Mugabe of the Zimbabwe African National Union - Patriotic Front, Morgan Tsvangirai of the Movement for Democratic Change, and Simba Makoni, an independent. As no candidate received an outright majority in the first round, a second round was held on 27 June 2008 between Tsvangirai and Mugabe. Tsvangirai withdrew from the second round a week before it was scheduled, citing violence against his party's supporters. The second round went ahead, despite widespread criticism, and led to victory for Mugabe.
4. Whis is the economic situation in Zimbabwe? How do the people feel about this?
It is a very poor country, and it has the highest inflation in the world. People are angry that a President has $250,000 birthday party when people doesn't have clean water or hospitals.
5. What do you think about the celebrations and the lavish party?Based only on the article below, define a conflict.
Its inmoral. Its the same as Mexico, that the rulers have big houses, nice cars, great parties, when at some places they do not have schools, hospitals, or even food.
Its the Zimbabwe President. He has held power as the President since 1987, since 28 years. Mugabe is hailed by many Africans as a hero, but he is not popular on his country because of his spends habits on this poor country.
2. Who is Morgan Tsvangirai? Which is/ has been his political role?
Its the Zimbabwe Prime Minister, the President of the Movement for democratic change and the key figure of the oppostion of President Robert Mugabe. It rules with Mr. Mugabe in a shared government.
3. What happened during last year's elections? Which was the outcome?
The three major candidates were President Robert Mugabe of the Zimbabwe African National Union - Patriotic Front, Morgan Tsvangirai of the Movement for Democratic Change, and Simba Makoni, an independent. As no candidate received an outright majority in the first round, a second round was held on 27 June 2008 between Tsvangirai and Mugabe. Tsvangirai withdrew from the second round a week before it was scheduled, citing violence against his party's supporters. The second round went ahead, despite widespread criticism, and led to victory for Mugabe.
4. Whis is the economic situation in Zimbabwe? How do the people feel about this?
It is a very poor country, and it has the highest inflation in the world. People are angry that a President has $250,000 birthday party when people doesn't have clean water or hospitals.
5. What do you think about the celebrations and the lavish party?Based only on the article below, define a conflict.
Its inmoral. Its the same as Mexico, that the rulers have big houses, nice cars, great parties, when at some places they do not have schools, hospitals, or even food.
- a) Give the conflict a name and explain why you think it is a conflict.
- The inmoral party, it is a conflict because people of the same country fight over it.
- b) Who is involved and why?
- The citizens of Zimbabwe and Mugabe supporters.
- c) Explain in detail why the conflict has happened.
- Zimbabwe is in great need of hospitals, doctors and nurses because of the cholera outbreak that has killed more than 3000 people, and the ruling party instead of raising money for this disaster, raises money for a party for the president.
- d) Give a timeline of events (at least 5) related to the conflict.
- August 20, 2008: The cholera outbrake epidemia broke.
- Februry 21, 2009: Mugabe's 85th birthday and started getting money for his party.
- February 27, 2009: Tsvangirai visited Harare Hospital.
- February 28, 2009: Mungabe spent 250 000 in his clebration.
- March 1, 2009: Appealed to the international community to help Zimbabwe's crippled economy.
- e) How do you think this conflict can be solved and why?
- I think the only solution that can solve this problem is that the people that support Mugabe could take him out of the presidency, so they put another president that the people could choose.
viernes, 13 de febrero de 2009
Conflict
1. Country Name: Myanmar
2. Conflict: Cyclone victims need help to rebuild livelihoods
3. Copy the headlines and the link to a news item reporting on that conflict:
Myanmar: cyclone victims need help to rebuild livelihoods – UN
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=29715&Cr=Myanmar&Cr1=cyclone
4. Summarize the news item in your own words in 5 - 8 sentences:
The problem is that Cyclone Nargis that had hit Myanmar a year ago. It had made several damages on livehoods, agriculure, and had destroyed all resources that Myanmar people need to rebuild there homes. So the UN is helping the people on Ayeryarwady Delta that was the hardest hit point. Cyclone Nargis had destroyed all the rice fields on Ayeryarwady Delta, so those people doesn't have income, they lost there tools to rebuild the community, and they lost the agriculture.
5. Describe the conflict:
Cyclone Nargis had hit Myanmar a year ago, mostly on the Ayeryarwady Delta and had destroy everything, including all the agricululture, the rice fields, all the homes of the people, their tools to rebuild the town, etc. So now the UN is trying to making them get resources when the UN arrived at Yangoon on the 26 of January of 2009. This cyclone caused high livestock mortality, one third of fishing house-holds lost their livehoods. The most important thing is that, the cyclone destroyed all the rice production and now is expected to be half of what it was on 2007.
6. Explain why the conflict happened. Which ones are the roots of the conflict?
It happened because its a natural disaster and no one can do anything to avoid them. But I think that the main root of this conflict, is that Myanmar is the most poor country in Asia, so the UN needs to help them to rebuild what it is damaged, for example if this cyclone would have been in the U.S, Germany, Canada, Japan, etc; maybe there was not going to be any conflict because their governments can pay the disasters, but not with Myanmar, the country doesn't have money for this disasters and it needs help.
7. Answer:
a) Who is involved in the conflict?
Myanmar (people and government), and the UN.
b) Where is it happening?
On Myanmar coasts basically, but the hardest hit point is Ayeryarwady Delta.
c) When did it happen and how long has it been going on?
This cyclone happened a year ago on 2008, but it still going on, but now that the cyclone ended they are trying to rebuild all the towns the rice fields, etc.
2. Conflict: Cyclone victims need help to rebuild livelihoods
3. Copy the headlines and the link to a news item reporting on that conflict:
Myanmar: cyclone victims need help to rebuild livelihoods – UN
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=29715&Cr=Myanmar&Cr1=cyclone
4. Summarize the news item in your own words in 5 - 8 sentences:
The problem is that Cyclone Nargis that had hit Myanmar a year ago. It had made several damages on livehoods, agriculure, and had destroyed all resources that Myanmar people need to rebuild there homes. So the UN is helping the people on Ayeryarwady Delta that was the hardest hit point. Cyclone Nargis had destroyed all the rice fields on Ayeryarwady Delta, so those people doesn't have income, they lost there tools to rebuild the community, and they lost the agriculture.
5. Describe the conflict:
Cyclone Nargis had hit Myanmar a year ago, mostly on the Ayeryarwady Delta and had destroy everything, including all the agricululture, the rice fields, all the homes of the people, their tools to rebuild the town, etc. So now the UN is trying to making them get resources when the UN arrived at Yangoon on the 26 of January of 2009. This cyclone caused high livestock mortality, one third of fishing house-holds lost their livehoods. The most important thing is that, the cyclone destroyed all the rice production and now is expected to be half of what it was on 2007.
6. Explain why the conflict happened. Which ones are the roots of the conflict?
It happened because its a natural disaster and no one can do anything to avoid them. But I think that the main root of this conflict, is that Myanmar is the most poor country in Asia, so the UN needs to help them to rebuild what it is damaged, for example if this cyclone would have been in the U.S, Germany, Canada, Japan, etc; maybe there was not going to be any conflict because their governments can pay the disasters, but not with Myanmar, the country doesn't have money for this disasters and it needs help.
7. Answer:
a) Who is involved in the conflict?
Myanmar (people and government), and the UN.
b) Where is it happening?
On Myanmar coasts basically, but the hardest hit point is Ayeryarwady Delta.
c) When did it happen and how long has it been going on?
This cyclone happened a year ago on 2008, but it still going on, but now that the cyclone ended they are trying to rebuild all the towns the rice fields, etc.
lunes, 26 de enero de 2009
Activity 2 - Pakistan: A Nation Divided
-Which is its location? What countries does it border with?
It is located on Middle East, at the South of Asia.
It's borders are:
North: China, Tajikistan, and Afghanistan
West: Afghanistan, Iran
East: India
South: Arabian Sea, India
-What does the geography say about the country?
The northern and western highlands of Pakistan contain the towering Karakoram and Pamir mountain ranges, which include some of the world's highest peaks: K2 (8,611 m) and Nanga Parbat (8,126 m). The Baluchistan Plateau lies to the west, and the Thar Desert and an expanse of alluvial plains, the Punjab and Sind, lie to the east. The 1,000-mile-long Indus River and its tributaries flow through the country from the Kashmir region to the Arabian Sea.
-What is the dominant religion? Which other exist?
The Dominant Religion on Pakistan are the Muslims with 173,000,000 people.
Othe religions are Sunni Muslims, Shia Muslims, Hindus, Christians, Ahmadis, Bahá'ís, Sikhs, Buddhists, Zoroastrian, Parsis, Animists, Atheists, Jews.
-What are the different ethnic groups?
Punjabis 44.15%
Pashtuns 15.42%
Sindhis 14.1%
Seraikis 10.53%
Muhajirs 7.57%
Balochis 3.57%
Kashmiris and Others 4.66%
-Which ones are the main customs and traditions?
Pakistan has many cultural practices like, food, monuments, and shrines that were inherited from the rule of Muslim Mughal and Afghan emperors. The national dress is the shalwar qamiz that's originally from Central Asian. Women wear brightly coloured shalwar qamiz, while men often wear solid-coloured ones. The variety of Pakistani music ranges from diverse provincial folk music and traditional styles such as Qawwali and Ghazal Gayaki. There are many festivals celebrated annually in Pakistan like Pakistan Day (23 March), Independence Day (14 August), Defence of Pakistan Day (6 September), Pakistan Air Force Day (7 September), the anniversaries of the birth (25 December) and death (11 September) of Quaid-e-Azam, birth of Allama Iqbal (9 November), the birth (30 July) and death (8 July) of Madar-e-Millat. Labour Day.
-How is this his life different from yours?
I think the life of Minhaj it's totally different from mine, because we are from different religions, and Muslim is a very difficult religion, because of it's principles. Some things Minhaj can't do are he can't have sex before marriage, don't drink alcohol, nor eating pork; so with my religion I can do those things. Also I think it is very difficult for Minhaj to choose with his college friends or with his family and Muslims friends.
-Which custom caught your attention?
It caught my attention many things that Minhaj did, but what most caught my attention is that Muslims can't drink alcohol, because I think nothing happens if you take a cup of Vodka or Bacardi, and I think that this Islam principle makes several cases like Minhaj case.
-How does his religion affect his way of acting?
I think that Islam makes him only make friends with Muslim people, because he can't have sex, can't drink alcohol, etc; so I think that's what teenagers mostly do, so he is being forced by his religion to make Muslims friends. Because that is what the Koran say, it is the holy book for Muslims and they need to obey it.
Name: Rashid Al-Fayed
Age: 19 Years
Religion: Sunni Muslim
Ethnicity: Punjabi
-How often do you go to a religous service? Where? What happens there?
I had made religuos rituals all the days of my life, mostly two time a day, I'll try I do them on my home with my family or on the Mosque (I feel better to do them there). On our rituals we do very important things like when sunset and sunrise, we get on our knees and we repeat the mantras (to thank God).
-Do you know anyone of a different religion? How do you get along?
I know some people from other religions, some of them are from the same ethnicity so that makes a lot of conflicts between them, I think it is okay to being friend with people from other religions, but respecting there religion, and trying to keep you're thoughts or the way you're family and religion thinks.
-Do boys and girls hang out socially? Do you go to parties?
We can hang out with girls but the girls need to have the neccesary clothes so the only part of their skin that can be shown are their eyes. We usually hang out with people from the same religion (Sunni Muslim), and when we go to parties it is usually boring because we can't drink, nor have sex, because the Koran prohibited those things.
-How many people live in your house? How do you interact?
All my family live in my house (cousins, grandparents, brothers, parents, uncles, etc); we interact very good, because we have lived there long ago so for us now it's normal, and we are a very good family.
-Who goes to school in your family?
My oldest brother was the only one that had went to school, now my father can't send us because some terrorists groups had conquer the industry of my father, so we needed to go very quick, and now I'm working at another industry of my dad.
-How do you dress?
On important days for our religion we dress the traditional way, and on other days we dress very normal, but allways with the turban.
-Which ones are your daily chores?
I only perform this chores when we eat, at sunset and sunrise, and on religios celebrations.
-What does it mean to be belong to your ethnic group?
What Punjabi means is Shahmukhi ਪੰਜਾਬ province of Pakistan is by far the country's most populous and prosperous region and is home to the Punjabis and various other groups. The province was founded in its current form in May 1972, and our Pakistani-administered Azad Kashmir, Jammu and Kashmir. It means a lot to me this ethinc group i could give my life and if another ethnic group came to make suffer my people I would hit him and his group or even kill him.
-Where are your relatives from?
Long ago we were from Saudi Arabia, but we move to Pakistan, because of USA. Now we are trying to make some more money and move to Canada.
-Do you hang out with people of other ethnicities? How do you get along?
No! That would be the last thing I would do.
-Do you have to marry someone of your same ethnicity?
Yes, my father wants to marry me with his friends daughter, but I love a girl called Samara that's Sindhi.
-Describe a typical tradition.
I think that the most important tradition on Muslims; is that once on your'e life you have to go to La Mecca, and pray their.
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