Blog Topic #11

This map on the left attempts to describe the different " dangerous" things that someone may encounter when visiting these different places in Australia. I guess if I ever plan on traveling to Australia, I have this map to clue me in on what I may see or experience in the different areas and territories.

What i find quite amusing is how in the center of Australia it has the word NOTHING. After taking World Regional Geography, I learned that, in fact, there truly is nothing towards the interior of Australia.  Another great touch is the "Sharks with frickin' lasers." Possible personal experience may have taken place on that description?

Blog Topic #10

After reading both the article by the CATO Institute and what our book had to say about aid from more developed countries and used clothing trade, I believe that this aid is causing more bad than good. For instance, the CATO article claimed that the per capita GDP declined from 1975 to 2000 by 0.59% in countries south of the Sahara. Clear evidence showing that our support to countries in Africa is causing the people there to not gain any kind of development, only feeding Africa's government leaders. So in the mean time, countries like the U.S. and Europe are supporting countries over in Africa with millions of dollars and all of that money is being placed in banks that these African countries set up in order for the heads of government to save the money and use it on their own accord. Because of these corrupt governments, no aid to Africa will make a positive impact on the people that live there. Unless this money is used for certain plans or development in Africa that is supervised by the countries donating, aid will not help Africa. The best way to help Africa is to develop mutual trade, industry, and infrastructure.

Blog Topic #9

On the right is a picture portraying the protests that are taking place in the capital of Egypt, Cairo. Just recently, as of February 11, Egypt had been ruled by Hosni Mubarak. The country was ruled autocratically, even though it was meant to be ruled under a multi-party semi-presidential system. This would mean that the power would be divided between the President and Prime Minister.

A lot of the reasons why protests had started in Egypt had to do with the protests in Tunisia, which is not too far West of Egypt. Others have brought up the beating death of Khaled Said who was killed by the police. However, the problems with Egypt are much bigger than one incident. Much of the issues are more focused on the political freedom. Egypt is ranked 138th of 167 countries on The Economist's Democracy index, which measures political freedom.

Now the country of Egypt has no head of government and is being controlled by the military. The protestors were able to accomplish what they wanted, no more Hosni Mubarak.

Blog Topic #8

This is the image that I was able to obtain from google earth. I think this perspective of the earth is really awesome! It is almost as if the earth should be viewed from this direction because Antarctica could almost seem like the Arctic. Also I always thought that Australia looked kind of goofy. It is all that way south and away from everyone. This way it almost seems like, to me, more central and looks better upside down.
From this perspective, it makes me think more about Southeast Asia and Oceania, which I don't often think about majority of the time. Also, when I think about Australia I often think about how south it is on the globe and if it is really that warm there. However, from this view it isn't considered south, it is very north!

Blog Topic #7

Her eyes tell a very clear story of the struggle and pain that she has had to endure through out her entire life. When the photographer took the picture of the 'Afghan girl', he didn't know her name or even the tribe that she was a part of, he only knew that she was a refugee from Afghanistan living in Pakistan. By being on the cover of National Geographic, she gained worldwide attention because of her captivating eyes and the suffering behind them.
The photographer and the National Geographic Television & Film's Explorer took a trip out to Afghanistan to find the 'Afghan girl' and to discover who she was and where she came from. Her name, they found out, is Sharbat Gula and is either at the age of 28, 29, or 30. She talked to the National Geographic team about how she could remember the picture being taken of her and the man that took her picture.
Her life consisted of losing her parents at a young age and then having to leave the country because of the Russians killing everyone. Her three sisters, one brother, and grandmother made the long trek to Pakistan to escape the fighting. Once able, she travelled back to Afghanistan to live a normal life. She now has three children and a husband.
The hard life that she once lived, she is still living.

Blog Topic #6

http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_china/2011-03-09/scaling-the-chinese-communist-party-s-firewall.html

In this article, the Great Firewall is discussed and what the people of China are doing about it taking over their internet capabilities. Many Chinese have decided to go against this policy that the Chinese government have put in place by using anti-censorship software to scale the wall and view other websites and articles that aren't approved by the Chinese government. A Chinese netizen claimed that he or she believed the Communist Party in China was right and discovered that the government has been keeping a lot of information from the people of China. Soon enough many more Chinese citizens will discover this misconception and fight for justice.

Blog Topic #5

This map shows the exportation of crude petroleum around the world. As the map portrays, the region of the middle east plays a dominant role in the exportation of crude petroleum with 58% of the total crude petroleum. Some other countries that export a large amount of crude petroleum include Norway, Venezuela, Nigeria, and Mexico.
The exportation of crude petroleum is one of the most significant exportations taking place in the world today, at least for the United States. Our daily lives are focused on transportation and getting to where we need to be and gasoline is one of the main reasons why this transportation is possible. In many countries that aren't as developed, transportation occurs in more of a natural way. This map is a great example of globalization because it shows how important our trade between other countries is to our way of life. Without crude petroleum our society would be living in closer communities and not travel as much as we do. The first motor vehicle was invented in the United States and now many other countries around the globe have adapted this way of transportation. Once the other not as well developed countries become more developed, I'm sure they will also take on these traditions.

Blog Topic #4

In the movie slumdog millionaire, Jamal is a contestant on the show Who Wants to be a Millionaire. He is asked many questions that he is able to relate to his life experiences, even though he grew up in the slums and works as a chai wallah. In one of his questions he is asked what weapon Lord Rama holds in his right hand. Jamal can relate this back to when he was living in the slums and witnessed a boy who was dressed up as Lord Rama.
Lord Rama is significant in Indian culture because he is known as one of the deities, or supernatural immortal beings that are known as holy or divine. He lived as a human and is known to have been a perfect human and ideal man. Lord Rama in Hinduism is also known as the Lord of Self-Control or the Lord of Virtue. He is found holding a bow and arrow to signify that he is ready to destroy evil.

Blog Topic #3

I chose this video because I'm a biology and chemistry major and find the creatures from other parts of the world very intriguing! It is amazing how many different life-forms live on this planet and how many we haven't even discovered yet! This sting ray is definitely the biggest sting ray I've ever seen and I wouldn't want to be swimming where he lives. I believe that the biology of a country has a big impact on that country's culture. Many places in the United States aren't influenced by true wildlife, unlike Southeast Asia. A lot of their food comes from the bodies of water around them. I would love to be able to visit a country in Southeast Asia and be able to see how much different it can be to live in a different country!

Blog Topic #2

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/careers/a-case-for-cool-steady-managers/story-fn717l4s-1225999952030

The country of Australia, like the United States, contains many people who are not natives to their country. Many of the people in the United States are descendants of immigrants that traveled from Europe. Australia has the same type of history with a lot of immigration, but still has many natives that control parts of the country. In our text it discusses how 25% of the people living in Australia are immigrants and that 70% of that population have British or Irish ties. (pg. 646)

In this article I found, it analyzes the great need for case managers, the people that illegal immigrants can talk to about what it takes to become a true Australian citizen or the need for the illegal immigrants to return to their homeland. These case managers are not the ones who decide who will be staying in Australia and who will be leaving, but they can influence the decision made by stakeholders. The number of case managers needed in Australia is very high since the number of people living in these immigration detention centers is above 6500.

Australia, like the United States, is working hard to allow people residency or send them to a place that will. The idea of immigration will take a long time for both countries to situate, but the plan to fulfill this goal is already underway.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/samantha-in-the-best-of-both-worlds/story-fn6bmg6l-1225988437627

Australia day is a great day for the many European immigrants that settled Australia in 1788. However, for the Aborigines, this country's holiday doesn't have a great meaning. When this First Fleet made its appearance at Botany Bay, the Aborigines had already settled the land of Australia by coming from islands in the Pacific. The arrival of these European immigrants had a big impact on the lives of the Aborigines. Many of the natives in Australia died because of disease carried over from Europe and this caused the natives to make their new settlement towards the interior of Australia. The Aborigines are still very prominent in Australia today, even with such strong European influence. (pg. 645)

This article is a great example of the conflict that exists in Australia between the European influence and the Aborigines. Australia Day is a day when the Europeans made their first settlement to the mainland of Australia. This day may be a great holiday for the European descendants, but for the Aborigines it has no meaning. Samantha Harris, in this article, talks about how hard it is to choose a side since she has both influences in her blood. She likes having her indigenous traits, but also likes her European traits. Without one or the other, she wouldn't be alive today.

Blog Topic #1

 Often times when other countries consider globalization, they consider Western societies taking over and remodeling cultures. When I consider globalization, this picture is what comes to mind. In this picture it depicts, not a world divided, but a world working together and helping one another and building each other up. As we work together we become more influenced by one another. Not only do more industrialized countries help form this world and make it more prosperous, every person from every country has a great impact on this world. Different countries interact everyday through trade or foreign affairs and help allow these countries to understand the importance of our interconnectedness.