General Suharto, the second president of Indonesia, invaded East Timor in 1975 and killed 200,000 of the East Timorese people. He also oppressed his own people, and forced many Indonesians into slave labor for the western factories. The West supported him for his anti-communist ideology and because he was buying weapons from western countries. During the Indonesian occupation there were extreme human rights violations in East Timor.
East Timor gained independence 7 years ago. Today East Timor's economy is struggling to improve, but it's difficult. The government continues using all money to subsidize food for the poor who spend all of their earned money on basic needs. Meanwhile, East Timor has found hope in offshore drilling in a spot known as the "Greater Sunrise." However, the boundary lines in the ocean are disputed, and now Australia is claiming that they should process the natural gas in Darwin, Australia, then get 50% profit. They claim that a 1972 treaty leaves the territory open to their drilling, and the East Timor is too unstable to handle the processing. However, as Pires, East Timor's Secretary of State for Natural Resources, says below, is it really fair for such a well-off nation to take so much from a suffering, developing country?
And below is Shakira's song, "Timor."
"If we forget about them, don't worry
If they forget about us then hurry
How about the people who don't matter anymore?
East Timor, Timor, Timor
We'll be tanning while it's sunny
They'll risk our hides just to make their money
Now don't you find that funny?"
My current playlist
Wednesday, 19 November 2008
Friday, 14 November 2008
Best way to go green: go vegetarian!
I just did my research paper for Environmental Science on the effects of being vegetarian on the environment, but little did I know that researchers have been saying that it's probably the number one best way to down-size one's carbon footprint, besides all the great personal benefits and ethical reasons for being a vegetarian.
Here's what I found out:
Vegetarianism is the number one answer to our current environmental problems:
- The livestock industry causes more greenhouse emissions and general environmental pollution than any other factor.
- 18% of global warming emissions come from raising chickens, pigs, cattle, and other livestock - this is more than from all the world’s transportation which ranks at 13%.
- January 7, 2007: the United Nations published a report stating: "The livestock sector emerges as one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global."
- The U.S. ranks the highest in world consumption of meat, and not coincidentally is responsible for 25% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions. The average person in the U.S. consumes 123 kg of meat a year, versus Germany that comes in second place, still with far less at 86 kg a year, and the developing world averaging 24 kg a year.
- Refraining from monetary and ideological support of the livestock industry tremendously down-sizes one's carbon footprint.
Vegetarians are healthier:
- Vegetarians have half the chance of developing heart disease as meat-eaters.
- Vegetarians have 40% of the cancer rate of meat-eaters.
- Meat-eaters have nine-times the risk of becoming obese than vegans do.
- Vegetarians have stronger immune systems, lesser chance of getting Alzheimer's, asthma, and osteoporosis, and for males, a lesser chance of impotence.
- On average, vegetarians live 6-10 years longer than meat-eaters.
- Even some scientists have produced research showing that vegetarian children tend to grow taller and have higher IQs than meat-eating children!
- Despite myths saying otherwise, a well-varied vegetarian diet provides for all nutrients we need, and actually is cheaper than eating meat. All diets need protein, calcium, iron, and vitamin B12.
- Most Americans have at least twice the amount of protein needed, which, especially in the case of too much animal protein, increases the risk of osteoporosis and kidney disease.
Vegetarianism respects animal life:
- Many religions take this into consideration: Hare Krishna, Seventh Day Adventists. Pope John Paul II once said that he strongly recommended that Catholics not go to bullfights.
- As humans, we've evolved to be the rulers of the earth: let's not be tyrannical, but show compassion.
Vegetarianism respects human life (my personal strongest reason for being a vegetarian):
- Why are we in developed countries, feasting on meat when there are children in Africa, Asia, and Latin America starving? These people would love to have just a little bit of the grains we feed everyday to animals!
- According to PETA's website, "We feed so much grain to animals to fatten them for consumption that if we all became vegetarians, we could produce enough food to feed everyone on Earth. In the U.S., animals raised for food are fed 70 percent of the corn, wheat, and other grains that we grow. The world’s cattle consume a quantity of food equal to the caloric needs of 8.7 billion people—more than the entire human population."
(I know a lot of y'all out there don't like PETA, but they have a point!)
Albert Einstein said, “Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.” With such strong evidence of the health, moral, and direct environmental benefits of being a vegetarian, plus the blessing of arguably one of the greatest geniuses to ever live, why are you NOT a vegetarian?
Here's what I found out:
Vegetarianism is the number one answer to our current environmental problems:
- The livestock industry causes more greenhouse emissions and general environmental pollution than any other factor.
- 18% of global warming emissions come from raising chickens, pigs, cattle, and other livestock - this is more than from all the world’s transportation which ranks at 13%.
- January 7, 2007: the United Nations published a report stating: "The livestock sector emerges as one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global."
- The U.S. ranks the highest in world consumption of meat, and not coincidentally is responsible for 25% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions. The average person in the U.S. consumes 123 kg of meat a year, versus Germany that comes in second place, still with far less at 86 kg a year, and the developing world averaging 24 kg a year.
- Refraining from monetary and ideological support of the livestock industry tremendously down-sizes one's carbon footprint.
Vegetarians are healthier:
- Vegetarians have half the chance of developing heart disease as meat-eaters.
- Vegetarians have 40% of the cancer rate of meat-eaters.
- Meat-eaters have nine-times the risk of becoming obese than vegans do.
- Vegetarians have stronger immune systems, lesser chance of getting Alzheimer's, asthma, and osteoporosis, and for males, a lesser chance of impotence.
- On average, vegetarians live 6-10 years longer than meat-eaters.
- Even some scientists have produced research showing that vegetarian children tend to grow taller and have higher IQs than meat-eating children!
- Despite myths saying otherwise, a well-varied vegetarian diet provides for all nutrients we need, and actually is cheaper than eating meat. All diets need protein, calcium, iron, and vitamin B12.
- Most Americans have at least twice the amount of protein needed, which, especially in the case of too much animal protein, increases the risk of osteoporosis and kidney disease.
Vegetarianism respects animal life:
- Many religions take this into consideration: Hare Krishna, Seventh Day Adventists. Pope John Paul II once said that he strongly recommended that Catholics not go to bullfights.
- As humans, we've evolved to be the rulers of the earth: let's not be tyrannical, but show compassion.
Vegetarianism respects human life (my personal strongest reason for being a vegetarian):
- Why are we in developed countries, feasting on meat when there are children in Africa, Asia, and Latin America starving? These people would love to have just a little bit of the grains we feed everyday to animals!
- According to PETA's website, "We feed so much grain to animals to fatten them for consumption that if we all became vegetarians, we could produce enough food to feed everyone on Earth. In the U.S., animals raised for food are fed 70 percent of the corn, wheat, and other grains that we grow. The world’s cattle consume a quantity of food equal to the caloric needs of 8.7 billion people—more than the entire human population."
(I know a lot of y'all out there don't like PETA, but they have a point!)
Albert Einstein said, “Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.” With such strong evidence of the health, moral, and direct environmental benefits of being a vegetarian, plus the blessing of arguably one of the greatest geniuses to ever live, why are you NOT a vegetarian?
Sunday, 9 November 2008
President Barack Obama
I would like to say congratulations to our new leader, President Obama. I am definitely happy to see all the hope his election has brought to the people. Although I'm sure there will be policies I disagree with during his presidency, he has my utmost respect as president, and I'm proud to live in a country where someone can come from a struggling single mother on food stamps to become arguably the most influential man in the world. As his sister Maya says in this video, Barack comes from a truly American family. Something I appreciate about him is that his life has been strongly influenced by globalization, and we lack those kinds of politicians in Washington.
I'm also glad to see that the young people had record turnout this year! From what I hear from the Rock the Vote campaign, 24 million young people turned out to vote, more young voters than we've ever had in American history.
Also, the third-party got good turnout as well. From what I've read, Nader got about 677,000 votes. I couldn't find the exact numbers on Ron Paul, but he did well in Montana. Ron Paul got 2.2% of the vote in Montana, which is quite strong considering that McCain won there by 49% versus Obama with 47.2%.
I'm also glad to see that the young people had record turnout this year! From what I hear from the Rock the Vote campaign, 24 million young people turned out to vote, more young voters than we've ever had in American history.
Also, the third-party got good turnout as well. From what I've read, Nader got about 677,000 votes. I couldn't find the exact numbers on Ron Paul, but he did well in Montana. Ron Paul got 2.2% of the vote in Montana, which is quite strong considering that McCain won there by 49% versus Obama with 47.2%.
Thursday, 6 November 2008
Emmanuel Jal - Warchild
Emmanuel Jal, a powerful rapper born in the village of Tonj in southern Sudan (he thinks in the year 1980 - he's not sure), was a little boy when civil war broke out and his father joined the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA). After his mother was killed when he was seven years old, he left for Ethiopia with thousands of children who had been told that they could be educated there. However, when Emmanuel got to Ethiopia with the other children, they were taken to a military training camp by the SPLA. The camp was disguised as a school in front of UN and international aid employees. After fighting as a child soldier in Ethiopia and later in Sudan, he was discovered by a British woman, Emma McCune, who convinced him to let her adopt him and smuggle him to Kenya.
In this song he says:
"I believe I survived for a reason: to tell my story, to touch lives. To all the people down there struggling: storms only come for a while, and then after a while they're gone."
Listen to the lyrics.
And here's Emmanuel talking about arms control in Africa. He calls on the international community to play a bigger role in the import and control of arms into Africa.
In this song he says:
"I believe I survived for a reason: to tell my story, to touch lives. To all the people down there struggling: storms only come for a while, and then after a while they're gone."
Listen to the lyrics.
And here's Emmanuel talking about arms control in Africa. He calls on the international community to play a bigger role in the import and control of arms into Africa.
Tuesday, 4 November 2008
#1 reason I will not vote Obama
For a while, I was persuaded by my Obama-supporting friends that Obama was the lesser of two evils (even though I held to it that voting for the lesser of two evils is still voting for evil). They made a good argument. Obama wants everyone to have subsidized health care, something which I love having in Spain. (I pay 35 euros a semester for unlimited, high quality hospital visits, and any medicine I've bought has cost between 2.50 - 12.00 euros.) Also, McCain is quite military-focused, and many people think he could lead us further into the neo-fascist phenomenon that George W. already provoked in his time in office.
So yes, I agree that McCain is a bad choice for president. Especially as a pro-lifer, I don't think that McCain has done much for the pro-life movement, but neither has Obama. I realize that it's hard in this day in age to define when life begins, so despite my strong opinions on abortion, at the moment I won't be too harsh on them for that. However, when I found out that Obama voted in October 2007 AGAINST banning partial-birth abortion, I decided that my conscience will not permit me to vote for Obama.
McCain can at least say that his greedy, ethno-centric military policies are to help the people at home and supposedly gain peace in Iraq. Obama can't say that partial-birth abortion is anything but brutal killing of a child coming out of his mother's womb. I can't vote for someone that inhumane, and I can't say that Obama is the lesser of two evils.
I post this in hopes that those of you with a heart for humanitarian causes, especially for those of you with sympathy for the weak and innocent of our society, will rethink whom you're voting for. I realize that Obama has charisma, but there are truths much deeper than a nice looking face and superficial speeches.
Please get out to the polls today, and please make a wise, well thought-out decision!
"Those who stand for nothing fall for anything." -Alexander Hamilton
So yes, I agree that McCain is a bad choice for president. Especially as a pro-lifer, I don't think that McCain has done much for the pro-life movement, but neither has Obama. I realize that it's hard in this day in age to define when life begins, so despite my strong opinions on abortion, at the moment I won't be too harsh on them for that. However, when I found out that Obama voted in October 2007 AGAINST banning partial-birth abortion, I decided that my conscience will not permit me to vote for Obama.
McCain can at least say that his greedy, ethno-centric military policies are to help the people at home and supposedly gain peace in Iraq. Obama can't say that partial-birth abortion is anything but brutal killing of a child coming out of his mother's womb. I can't vote for someone that inhumane, and I can't say that Obama is the lesser of two evils.
I post this in hopes that those of you with a heart for humanitarian causes, especially for those of you with sympathy for the weak and innocent of our society, will rethink whom you're voting for. I realize that Obama has charisma, but there are truths much deeper than a nice looking face and superficial speeches.
Please get out to the polls today, and please make a wise, well thought-out decision!
"Those who stand for nothing fall for anything." -Alexander Hamilton
Monday, 3 November 2008
One more endorsement: Vote Ron Paul tomorrow!
Both definitions from UrbanDictionary.com:
"5. ron paul
Ron Paul is a constitutionalist.
Ron has never voted to raise taxes.
Ron has never voted for an unbalanced budget.
Ron has never voted for the Iraq War.
Ron has never voted for a federal restriction on gun ownership.
Ron has never voted to increase the power of the executive branch.
Ron has never voted to raise congressional pay.
Ron has never taken a government-paid junket.
Ron voted against the Patriot Act.
Ron votes against regulating the Internet.
Ron voted against NAFTA and CAFTA.
Ron votes against the United Nations.
Ron votes against the welfare state.
Ron votes against reinstating a military draft.
Ron votes to preserve the constitution.
Ron votes to cut government spending.
Ron votes to lower healthcare costs.
Ron votes to end the war on drugs.
Ron votes to protect civil liberties.
Ron votes to secure our borders with real immigration reform.
Ron votes to eliminate tax funded abortions and to overturn Roe v Wade.
Ron votes to protect religious freedom."
And the below definition is super funny. (Fact #4 contradicts my "Is Obama the Messiah?" post, but at least it's for a good cause!)
"4. ron paul
The only politician able to earn Chuck Norris' respect. Here are some facts about Dr. Paul.
1. Ron Paul doesn't go the gym. He stays fit by exercising his civil rights.
2. Ron Paul delivers babies without his hands. He simply reads them the Bill of Rights and they crawl out in anticipation of freedom.
3. Ron Paul doesn't cut taxes. He kills them with his bare hands.
4. Jesus wears a wrist band that says "What Would Ron Paul Do?"
5. When Ron Paul takes a shower, he doesn't get wet...the water gets Ron Paul.
6. Ron Paul could lead a horse to water AND convince it to drink, but he doesn't believe the government has the right to so he refuses.
7. Ron Paul's midi-chlorian level is off the chart.
8. When Chuck Norris gets scared, he goes to Ron Paul.
9. Studies by the World Health Organization show that Ron Paul is the leading cause of freedom among men.
10. Ron Paul makes the U.S. dollar want to be a better currency.
The moral and constitutional obligations of our representatives in Washington are to protect our liberty, not coddle the world, precipitating no-win wars, while bringing bankruptcy and economic turmoil to our people.
--Ron Paul
Capitalism should not be condemned, since we haven't had capitalism.
--Ron Paul
Our country's founders cherished liberty, not democracy.
--Ron Paul
You wanna get rid of drug crime in this country? Fine, let's just get rid of all the drug laws.
--Ron Paul"
"5. ron paul
Ron Paul is a constitutionalist.
Ron has never voted to raise taxes.
Ron has never voted for an unbalanced budget.
Ron has never voted for the Iraq War.
Ron has never voted for a federal restriction on gun ownership.
Ron has never voted to increase the power of the executive branch.
Ron has never voted to raise congressional pay.
Ron has never taken a government-paid junket.
Ron voted against the Patriot Act.
Ron votes against regulating the Internet.
Ron voted against NAFTA and CAFTA.
Ron votes against the United Nations.
Ron votes against the welfare state.
Ron votes against reinstating a military draft.
Ron votes to preserve the constitution.
Ron votes to cut government spending.
Ron votes to lower healthcare costs.
Ron votes to end the war on drugs.
Ron votes to protect civil liberties.
Ron votes to secure our borders with real immigration reform.
Ron votes to eliminate tax funded abortions and to overturn Roe v Wade.
Ron votes to protect religious freedom."
And the below definition is super funny. (Fact #4 contradicts my "Is Obama the Messiah?" post, but at least it's for a good cause!)
"4. ron paul
The only politician able to earn Chuck Norris' respect. Here are some facts about Dr. Paul.
1. Ron Paul doesn't go the gym. He stays fit by exercising his civil rights.
2. Ron Paul delivers babies without his hands. He simply reads them the Bill of Rights and they crawl out in anticipation of freedom.
3. Ron Paul doesn't cut taxes. He kills them with his bare hands.
4. Jesus wears a wrist band that says "What Would Ron Paul Do?"
5. When Ron Paul takes a shower, he doesn't get wet...the water gets Ron Paul.
6. Ron Paul could lead a horse to water AND convince it to drink, but he doesn't believe the government has the right to so he refuses.
7. Ron Paul's midi-chlorian level is off the chart.
8. When Chuck Norris gets scared, he goes to Ron Paul.
9. Studies by the World Health Organization show that Ron Paul is the leading cause of freedom among men.
10. Ron Paul makes the U.S. dollar want to be a better currency.
The moral and constitutional obligations of our representatives in Washington are to protect our liberty, not coddle the world, precipitating no-win wars, while bringing bankruptcy and economic turmoil to our people.
--Ron Paul
Capitalism should not be condemned, since we haven't had capitalism.
--Ron Paul
Our country's founders cherished liberty, not democracy.
--Ron Paul
You wanna get rid of drug crime in this country? Fine, let's just get rid of all the drug laws.
--Ron Paul"
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