Group items tagged

"Demand for Nigerian oil rises as Libyan crisis persists." The Punch. N.p., 27 Feb. 2011. Web. 1 Mar. 2011. . 2. SUMMARY: The United States and Europe are starting to become worried that oil prices will rise because of the crisis in Libya. Because of this, they are starting to look to other sources, Nigeria being one of them. Nigeria is not sure if they can supply the oil; Libya is the largest producer in Africa, holding 44 billion barrels of oil reserves. 3. RESPONSE: This may either help or hurt those who work for the oil industries. The oil industries in Nigeria have two choices if they can supply the oil: they can treat their workers better with the extra salaries, or they can splurge with it themselves and continue to oppress the oil workers. 4. QUESTIONS:          1. How do the Nigerian people feel about this change?          2. Will Nigeria be able to provide the oil?          3. Will Nigeria be able to help out its people with this investment?

On Friday, January 14 President Obama announced that he plans on easing trade and travel relations with Communist Cuba, including making it easier for U.S. citizens to travel directly to the island from American airports. The President added that he had instructed the relevant government departments to allow religious groups and students to travel to the communist-run island. For almost half a century, the debate has been raging over the United States' policy towards Cuba, which has been communist since Fidel Castro's coupe de etat in 1959. Free travel from the U.S. to Cuba was halted in 1963 under President John F. Kennedy. The explanation at the time for why Americans could visit the Soviet Union but not Cuba was that the communist government in Moscow was permanent but that Fidel Castro was temporary. In 1977, with Cuba still unchanged, President Jimmy Carter relaxed the travel ban. In 1982, President Ronald Reagan restored it. n 1998, with the Soviet Union "gone," Clinton loosened it and in 2004, with Cuba still unchanged, President George W. Bush tightened it again. Now President Obama is going back to the Clinton policy, which will make it easier for churches and universities to sponsor trips to the communist state. Obama's announcement calls for changes in policy at the Departments of State, Treasury, and Homeland Security, as both travel and remittances are involved in the changes, and the new regulations will be promulgated as modifications of the Cuban Assets Control Regulations and the Customs and Border Protection Regulations. The new policies call for the following reforms to Cuba-United States relations. According to the BBC, Obama's new proposals: * Allow religious organizations to sponsor religious travel to Cuba under a general license; * Allow accredited institutions of higher education to sponsor travel to Cuba; * Allow any U.S. person to send remittances (up to $500 per quarter) to non-family members in Cuba to support private e

Research Question: What is the cause of all the violence associated with the Mexican drug trade?  Source: The Christian Science Monitor Source Citation: Kurczy, Stephen. "Mexican car wash massacre: rehab centers latest target in drug war." Christian Science Monitor 27 Oct. 2010. Student Edition. Web. 11 Apr. 2011. Summary: In Mexico, within less than seven days, there have been three massacres taking at least 41 lives of young people who used to take part in the drug trade. This shows that the drug lords will do anything to keep information from authorities. The main target are those who are in clinics or drug rehabilitation, and overall the ones targeted are young people. These killings have spread across the country of Mexico and have resulted in more than 28,000 deaths since December 2006. Reflection: I am saddened when I read about how so many younger people are being killed, especially those that are trying to overcome their involvement with drugs. Also, experts say that youths are turning to a life of organized crime due to a lack of job opportunities or lack of an education.  Questions: 1) Is anything being done to stop further random shootings at drug rehab centers? 2) Are there other ways Mexico can decrease youth involvement with the drug trade? 3) Are drug lords doing this just to prevent former addicts from giving information? What are their motives behind such brutal shootings?

World Trade 22.8 (August 2009): p38(5). (2373 words)  Reading Level (Lexile): N/A Author(s): Dan McCue. Document Type: Magazine/Journal Summary: We been trading with Cuba for so long, since Clinton time. Now Obama trying to trade more with Cuba. 150 companies in 35 states are doing trade with Cuba. It would be good for  us and it would also be good for Cuba. Even tough Embargo thing still going on, but we still trade. Reflection: It good for both the side to trade. Cuba can get more product, food and other stuff. Cuban people can get jobs. But it also hard because we used to fought with Cuba. And Cuban are not really a social country. Question:  1. How long will the trading with Cuba last? 2. How many more companies would want to trade with Cuba?

Research Question: What effect does Costa Rica's ecological conservation have on it's environment and economy? Source: "Costa Rica's citizens of conservation: in their newly adopted homes, enclaves of foreigners support their local communities by using sustainable methods to preserve the land and the environment." Americas [English Edition] July-Aug. 2010: 22+. Academic OneFile. Web. 16 Feb. 2011. Summary: This article is about the success and help that people, not native to Costa Rica, have been able to bring to their "adopted land" in Costa Rica. They tell about what got them interested, what they did and how it has helped the country of Costa Rica. 

Inc. 29.5 (May 2007): p36(1). (666 words)  Reading Level (Lexile): 1090. Author(s): Sarah Goldstein. Document Type: Magazine/Journal Summary: What would happen if Fidel Castro dies? and pass down the power to his brother Raul. Open up the Cuba trading with U.S. Right now the Cuba economy is still small. Reflection:If the Cuba could open up trade  with America. Cuban would be better place, better economy. Because American business could go in and start making factory over there. People would have more jobs. Better money to take care of their family. The Cuba government is taking too much control on food resource. That would not be enough for the people in the country. America will help fixing that problem, and they will also make it equal for all the people to have food to eat. Question: 1. Will Raul let U.S go into Cuba and start open business? 2. What will Fidel Castro saying about this.

The grass roots of success (Lebanon's Hezbollah Islamic fundamentalist group) The Middle East - Giles Trendle Trendle, Giles. "The grass roots of success." The Middle East Feb n220 1993: 12+. Student Edition. Web. 8 Mar. 2011. Summary: This article tells of how the group Hezbollah evolved from a smaller Islamic fundamentalist group to a political power in Lebanon in the 90s. The group was not always hurting and attacking Israel and the US, but also looking to make life better for the poor and down-trodden in Lebanon. Reflection: We often think of Hezbollah as a terrorist organization who does nothing but attack Israel with their rockets and their suicide bombers. But at one time, at least in the early 90s, the group was improving the living conditions for the poor in Lebanon, providing education and clean water as well. This group is not strictly terrorists. Questions:  1. How long as Hezbollah able to keep these programs? 2. Do they still hold a majority in Parliament? 3. Have living conditions changed/improved overall since the early 90s?

What is the effect of the trade embargo on the Cuban Economy? Summary: Cuba Has struggled though the rule of Fidel Castro. There are still  many signs of what the effects are today, classic 1950's cars are still quite common in the nation because cars have become so expensive to by from the government. Despite all of these things Cuba has accomplished many things; they have accomplished one of the highest literacy rates in the world and a great health care program. They send doctors throughout the Americas and Africa to help others who are less fortunate then themselves. Response: It is quite impressive what Cuba has been able to accomplish what they have given the fact that their government owns almost all of their businesses and controls so many aspects of their lives. I think it is amazing how they have adapted to how to live in a communist government, making their own repairs to their cars and still making 50 year old cars run instead of buying new cars. They have come a long way as a nation but I think they still have a long ways to go before they can be a great nation.   

1.Christianity today:Raising the compassion bar by jeremy weber http://find.galegroup.com/gtx/infomark.do?&contentSet=IAC-Documents&type=retrieve&tabID=T003&prodId=STOM&docId=A134816038&source=gale&srcprod=STOM&userGroupName=lom_accessmich&version=1.0 2. A school in chicago raise money for food for the people in Africa. They sacrificed movies and other things like that to donate. At first there was a lot of controversy and doubt about the project but they were soon able to buy all the items out of the world vision catalog. 3. People do not understand what is going on or even believe it and if that they do not know what to do about it. For a couple o dollars that we spend on coffee we could buy something like a chicken or some kind of animal that will help these people, who have been orphaned and can barely survive, actually rise from the life of poverty and give them a small amount of hope. It seems like we can not give up something we can live without to help give something that someone else can't live without. I have done things for 30 hour famine that I think is a part of world vision I really enjoyed what I did and it didn't  harm me any and I got to experience what a child there must experience. 4. What can our students sacrifice for others and what have we sacrificed? If staff and students prayed everyday about an issue what would happen? Why do we let our selfishness and fear control our mind?

How does the Israeli-Palestinian conflict affect the futures of both Israeli and Palestinian children? Danin, Robert. "A Bold New Palestinian Approach Can Succeed ." Council on Foreign Relations. N.p., 11 Jan. 2011. Web. 8 Mar. 2011. . Summary: The Palestinian Authority prime minister Salam Fayyad, has decided to embark on a different strategy in regard to peace with Israel. He has "abandoned 'armed struggle' and international intervention... and instead, by changing social and political realities & concretely preparing for independence, Mr. Fayyah is trying to change perceptions of what is possible." From an economical standpoint, the strategy seems to be working. The economy has been boosted, & Palestine is moving more and more towards being able to become an independent state. Reflection: In theory, this is a great was for Palestine to work with Israel. However, time will tell how this new strategy will pan out. It may be that Israel would take advantage an idealist such as the prime minister, & it may be also that the Palestinian people will not stand behind a solution that is this inactive. Time will tell if this new strategy is a positive step towards Palestinian independence, or if it is merely an idealistic dream. 

Research Question: What is the cause of all the violence associated with the Mexican drug trade?  Source: The Economist (US) Source Citation: "Get Shorty; The Mexican drug trade." The Economist [US] 18 Sept. 2010: 105(US). Student Edition. Web. 11 Apr. 2011. Summary: At the top of the Sinaloa cartel is Joaquin Guzman Loera, also known as El Chapo meaning shorty. Despite growing up in a poor family working opium poppies, he has later been known as Mexico's most legendary escapee and was named 41 on the list of the world's most powerful people by Forbes magazine. He controls a lot of Mexico and although he tries to focus on business, it is still brutal. Reflection: Two parts of this article that really stuck out to me where that the Mexican drug cartels are the most powerful organized-crime group in the Western world, and that even if El Chapo were to fall, there will be plenty more where he came from. These two things really emphasize the power and enormity of the drug trade. Questions: 1) If the government is able to stop major drug lords, will this help stop the drug war? Or will more rise to power as a drug lord? 2) How does someone from such a poor background come to great amounts of power? 3) Is the only way to not let the cartels be the most powerful organized-crime group by stopping people like El Chapo?