A Crude Awakening

1) In the second presidential debate, Senator Obama mentioned that the United States uses a fourth of the world's oil but only produces two percent. I think when he says this that he is implying that we are using more than we are making shows statistic significance. I believe that he is saying America should be more responsible in conserving instead of producing more or consuming. Although the statement doesn't push his message clearly. He compells us to reduce the amount and need for oil.

2) The movie affected the way that i saw the drilling for oil in the National Wildlife Refuge because i didn't see how important and damaging oil drilling could be. I still believe that the National Wildlife Refuge should be preserved.

3) I do believe that politicians don't report all the information about peak oil because it can be suspicious and bringing upon bad news isn't going to help the public love you, or telling people that we need to spend and use less won't give you a better chance at office. The opportunities the American public can offer to politicians are a way to lead and some people find it easier to ignore problems.

4) If i were living in one of those countries, i would feel very shocked and i would want the oil drilling to stop. It is very harmful to the environment and after a boom, the city can fall to pieces.

5) If i were living in Saudi Arabia, i would be angry that the documentary showed the images and results because i could lose business or people would want to produce and consume less.

New York Times Haiti

After the earthquake in Haiti and natural disasters before, the impact is staggering on Haiti's banks and damages on the capital, Port-au-Prince. If the Haitian economy can improve, other problems can most likely be fixed also. Haitian microbanks are expanding and still providing loans for people. Losing a third of its clients, the Finca Haitian bank gained more with grants from the Citibank Foundation. I believe that America and other countries could help as humanitarians by lending money as well. The government in Haiti is expecting new banking regulation so the industry has a chance of improving.

Discussion Questions

1. Tropical and subtropical coniferous forests types of biomes exist in Haiti.

2. Tropical forests may affect the level of hardships in Haiti, because the environment doesn't supply a lot of food or agriculture with nutrition, shelter may not be as easily built or secure compared to other types of environment.

3. If Haiti did recieve 50 billion dollars in aid money, many of the problems could be solved, but i'm not exactly sure how permanent the things will be good before another earthquake or hunger.
However, there is no doubt that many things could be improved, such as health care, food and shelter, supplies.

4. Paul Farmer is much more than a foreign doctor, he's socially and emotionally engaged with the people of Haiti and politically enthused. These public positions helps him depict his message and humanitarian achievements with Haiti. His passion for helping others along with his positive attitude is generous, he is very effective.

5. I think that Paul Farmer's priorities are focused on Haiti and globally instead of locally. His role in international programs and global health community are not as effective as the role he plays in Haiti. He is already doing great things for Haiti, but he could do things as well for equal problems played out locally. I think it's alright because he's doing what he's passionate for.

6. The Nissan Leaf commercial is really cute, i do feel bad for the polar bears, but I'm unsure of why the energy efficient things costs more. We could find other alternatives to save the world.

Mountains Beyond Mountains Discussion

1. Haiti is a Carribean island, officially the republic of Haiti. It is the main setting of the novel "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracey Kidder where Paul Farmer, a humanitarian, is helping people with illnesses and poverty. It was the first Independent country of Latin America and the first black-led nation since the slave rebellion in 1804. It is the poorest country in the Americas presently.

2. Mountains beyond mountains to me means endless problems, and mountains to climb. The title of the novel means the journey to solve these problems. My experience with mountains are probably with life in general, striving for accuracy and doing the best i can in high school, applying for scholorships and colleges. All of those things are mountains in life that keep coming.

3. Kidder uses the term "narrating Haiti". By that i think he as the narrator of the novel, means that his observations and journal records are the existing mountains which he's experienced with Haiti. He is depicted as the story teller of Haiti and Paul Farmers works.

4. Haiti is covered by the fingerprints of France and United States because it was involved during the Independence of the Haitians inspired by the French Revolution and the freedom for all men. The colony was originally for the production of sugar and slaves were sent to work on those plantations. Slaves fought for their independence in the Revolution of Saint Dominigue. President Thomas Jefferson refused to recognize Haiti. As a wealthy country, there are moral obligations to help countries in poverty and provide humanitarian support but wealthy countries don't have 'responsiblities' for other countries.

5. Partners in Health catches my attention because it provides poor nations with health care. I would consider making a donation because it is a good cause and benefits many others in need.

WIRED: The Web is Dead

Larry Roberts, the operations manager of the Lead- Impacted Communities Relocation Assistance Trust, makes sure that people have been cleared out for demolition in Picher, Oklahoma. His job is to inspect contaminated buildings that the state of Oklahoma will buy and tear down.
Miners found lead in Picher, making the town the center of that market. Picher was the 20th century boomtown, mining belt that ran through Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri producing most of the lead for US bullets in World Wars I and II. Miners found zinc, which helped keep tanks and other steel from rusting during the wars. When lode ran dry in 1970, the mining companies moved out and residents and state governments offered residents an average of $55 per square foot to evacuate their homes. Picher was a dead city. Some people refused to leave, calling themselves chat rats. Roberts wanted nothing to do with them.
Places like Pitcher are why Congress passed the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980. Civilization is slowly poisoning us from lead mining, to car commuting. Power grids will burn out, climate hears up and industrial accidents ravage the ecosystem and the cities. In the mid-'90s blood tests showed that 63% of the cities children were suffering from lead poisoning. The EPA spent $140 million trying to replace the topsoil and in 2000 the lack of progress, ordered that the town needed to be evacuated.