Skip to main content

Home/ 5th Hour World Cultures/ Group items tagged effects

Rss Feed Group items tagged

Laurel Ackerman

Psychological Burden of Palestine - 0 views

  • While the Gaza Strip and West Bank areas have long witnessed the political ramifications of arms conflict, government controls, and economic sanctions, there is another deeper, though less tangible implication of these developments: the Israeli occupation has taken a costly toll on the mental health of the Palestinian population.
  • The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has thus been a product of religious strife as well as nationalistic aggression.
  • As of now, Hamas still controls the area of Gaza while the economic blockade from Israel and Egypt remains in effect.
  • ...5 more annotations...
  • In addition to the political and military effects of the occupation, there have also been significant health consequences, particularly psychological health. The occupation forces severe limits on the Palestinians, geographically as well as socially. There is a loss of any sense of achievement, since there are not many chances for growth economically and politically. Even more importantly, there is a pervading sense of homelessness, despite the fact that family homes were uprooted generations ago. This sense of homelessness also contributes to their reduced aspirations and growing depression.
  • the trauma and pain of the displacement of Palestinians in 1948 has not left the minds of the community today, but rather remains imprinted in their "collective consciousness." This idea of a "collective consciousness" goes hand in hand with the idea presented by Arthur Kleinman, Veena Das, and Margaret Lock that social suffering is an interpersonal and social experience that occurs due to a range of factors that vary across political, economic, and cultural areas.
  • the violence that inhabitants of the occupied regions of the Gaza Strip and West Bank witness has an impact on mental health
  • Gaza Mental Health Program has reported that the sonic booms caused by low-flying Israeli air force jets caused fear in children, with long-term effects ranging from headaches to shortness of breath, among other emotional disorders. The mental health of the inhabitants of the occupied regions must also be affected by the lack of control in their life. As the UNCTAD study states, access to water and electricity is often a political reward rather than a guaranteed service.
  • Until Palestine can find a solution for its psychological pain, it may have to continue to bear the burden of "collective consciousness."
  •  
    How does the conflict in Israel affect the futures of Palestinian children compared to Israeli children?  Seth, Divya. "A costly diagnosis: the psychological burden of Palestine." Harvard International Review 32.4 (2011): 11. Academic OneFile. Web. 8 Mar. 2011. http://0-find.galegroup.com.elibrary.mel.org/gtx/infomark.do?&contentSet=IAC-Documents&type=retrieve&tabID=T002&prodId=AONE&docId=A250216066&source=gale&srcprod=AONE&userGroupName=lom_accessmich&version=1.0 Summary: Although the political and military effects of the Israeli occupation in Israeli are very severe, the emotional, health, and psychological effects are very prominent as well. Depression, a sense of homelessness, and a loss of any achievement is infecting the Palestinian population and their health is declining as a result. 
Heather Kapenga

Misconception And Myths Surrounding ARVs. - 0 views

  • Despite all the efforts by scientists all over the world to find the cure for AIDS, all what they can boast of is the invasion of the anti-retroviral drugs, ARVs as they are commonly known. They are not a cure for AIDS but have proved to be the best option to prolong the lifespan of HIV infected people.
  • Realising the important role that these drugs play in helping people living with AIDS live longer, the Government subsidised the price of these drugs for poor people to easily access them.
  • the Government embarked on an ambitious programme to put about 100,000 HIV patients on ARVs, which target was however, not met.
  • ...12 more annotations...
  • Many people have talked strongly against the drugs and are championing calls for the stoppage of administering the drugs.
  • A survey conducted revealed that the majority were against the use of the drugs because they made people gain weight and that the medicine was an instant killer.
  • A strong myth of curing HIV/AIDS by having sex with minors has also cast a dark shadow on the Zambian community as the country has been rocked with cases of defilement and rape in the recent past. This has in a way helped the spread of HIV/AIDS.
  • Further, some people still believe that the drugs change the complexion of a person and make them lose their tempers easily with others thinking that the drug make someone's body swollen.
  • The drugs do not cure HIV/AIDS and have their guidelines that need to be followed at all costs if the drugs were to work normally and avoid complications.
  • Unlike some medicines that can be taken inconsistently without causing major side effects, ARVs can be dangerous and in extreme cases fatal if inconsistently and incorrectly taken.
  • And because of this failure to adhere to their use, the drug have been described as a danger to the human life. Some people have shunned treatment while others have remained reluctant to seek treatment for fear of the misconceptions.
  • A further survey, however, revealed that mostly, the negative attitude towards the drugs was due to the misconception and myths surrounding these drugs.
  • It is for this reason that the Churches Health Association of Zambia (CHAZ) recently organised a three day media workshop on ARVs in its continued effort to educate media practitioners and the general public on the advantages of ARVs.
  • "Once the media people know exactly how the ARVs work, their side effects and the benefits of taking the drugs, they would be able to correctly inform the public on the goodness of the drugs"
  • Apart from improving the health of an infected person, ARVs were invented to reduce the amount of HIV virus in the body and support the immune system to enable it fight the virus.
  • The ARVs are generally there to help the infected persons live longer.
  •  
    Research Question: What are the effects of HIV/AIDS in Zambia? Citation: "Misconception And Myths Surrounding ARVs." Africa News Service 26 June 2006. Student Edition. Web. 8 Mar. 2011 Summary: This article explains how in Zambia doctors are trying a new drug called ARVs. However, the people in Zambia are complaining about the major side effects that this drug does such as gaining weight, easily loosing their tempers, and even death. The people in Zambia want the drug to be dis-continued but, scientists argue saying that the drug is meant for people living with HIV/AIDS to live longer but will not heal them from HIV/AIDS. In fact the Churches Health Association of Zambia (CHAZ) organized a 3 day media workshop to show that the drug is effective and will not have those major side effects if used properly.
Brielle DeFrell

Causes, Effects and Management of Oil Spill Pollution of Nigerian Coastal Area - 0 views

  •  
    Research Question: What are the effects of the oil competition in Nigeria?  Uchenna, Obih. "Causes, Effects and Management of Oil Spill Pollution of Nigerian Coastal Area." Humboldt University, n.d. Web. 11 Apr. 2011. . Reflection: It's hard to imagine that so many problems could come from oil! It's crazy to think of the fact that it doesn't just hurt the water, but it hurts a lot of things on land too. Summary: Oil spills creates effects on biological things, fish production, and other general effects. For biological - it kills organisms and marine life, it can suffocate animals because of the heat the gets trapped underneath the oil, it can disrupt major food chains because it poisons algae, it hurts the birds and how they are able to fly, it causes oxygen levels to lower in the water, toxic effects can poison the animals which people eat and may result in food poisoning or death. Fish flesh is contaminated, sunlight isn't able to reach deep levels to create photosynthesis, covers the gills, directly damages fishing boats. It can also cause poverty, soil contamination, destroys fuel wood, contaminates drinking water.  Questions: What ways can we end oil spills? Is there a way to completely prevent them?  Are we going to be able to get rid of all the oil left in the water from the spills? 
Mackenzie Haveman

Academic OneFile  Document - 0 views

  • in the weeks, months and sometimes years that follow, the mental health effects may linger well after physical wounds have healed
  • Attention to psychological and emotional well being, say experts from Columbia's Mailman School of Public Health, is therefore critical to the long-term recovery of both individuals and communities.
  • have joined together to look at the mental health of Haiti's earthquake survivors and how they are coping.
  • ...4 more annotations...
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can be experienced by any individual exposed to a traumatic event. Common symptoms include severe depression, severe anxiety, substance abuse and hypervigilance, and extreme sensitivity to signs reminiscent of a potential threat, such as loud noise
  • roughly one in every five people who survive a disaster will experience PTSD or depression.
  • "There is a misconception that mental illness is not important in resource-poor areas, but it is, and [the world] has consistently underestimated its importance," said Galea
  • "Mental illness can be debilitating, and can delay both individual and community recovery--that's why paying attention to mental health issues after a disaster is extremely important."
  •  
    Research Question: Still today, what are the social, economical, and political effects of the earthquake in Haiti? Citation: "RESEARCHERS FOCUS ON PSYCHOLOGICAL CARE FOR HAITI'S EARTHQUAKE SURVIVORS." States News Service 24 Mar. 2010. Academic OneFile. Web. 16 Feb. 2011. Summery: This article is about researchers from Columbia University who look at the psychological conditions in Haiti's aftermath. These researchers talk about how the mental health effects may stick with the survivors, even though the physical effects may heal. Since there are many of the Haitians that have discovered these mental wounds, the communities is also greatly effected as a result--and it spreads. As a result of these mental illnesses-- Post-traumatic stress disorder falls into this category. This disorder can be experienced by anyone who has been exposed to a traumatic event in their lifetime. Some symptoms that this involves would be depression, anxiety, substance abuse, hyper vigilance, and extreme sensitivity to signs reminiscent of potential threat. About one in every five people who survive a traumatic event with experience this. Galea says, "Mental illness can be debilitating, and can delay both individual and community recovery--that's why paying attention to mental health issues after a disaster is extremely important."
William Leys

Flood study to examine health effects of mould and mud - News - Virtual Medical Centre - 0 views

  • Homeowners in flood-affected Brisbane suburbs are being asked to participate in a study that will examine the effects of mould and mud on people's respiratory health.
  • Laboratory director, Professor Lidia Morawska, said although the flood waters had receded in Brisbane, there were numerous public health issues associated with its aftermath.
  • Mould and dust from waterlogged materials and silt and organic debris in flood-affected areas could impact on residents' respiratory health, with the greatest effect typically seen in children and asthmatics, she said.
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • "Understanding human exposure is very important to know whether there's any risk to our health from mud and mould," said Professor Morawska."It is clear that after flooding there is quite a big problem with mould. This has been seen in many other parts of the world, including after Hurricane Katrina.
  • Professor Morawska said 15 households that were flooded and 15 homes that were unaffected were needed for the study, which would take place in coming weeks.
  •  
    Research Question: What are the effects of the Australian Flooding? Summary: Mold and dust have worked their way into people's homes. Test have to be done to see how bad that could be for the owner's health. Reflection: Much like the Katrina situation, they need to insure that they have a clean environment to live in. Questions: How invasive will the tests be? Is it something you have to be out of your home for a full 24 hours? "Flood study to examine health effects of mould and mud." VirtualMedicalCentre.com (2011): n. pag. Web. 10 Mar 2011. .
Haley Luurtsema

Results for AdvancedSearch (ke (Haiti )) And (ke (earthquake )) And (ke (effects))LIMIT... - 0 views

  • But in the weeks, months and sometimes years that follow, the mental health effects may linger well after physical wounds have healed.
  • critical to the long-term recovery of both individuals and communities.
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can be experienced by any individual exposed to a traumatic event. Common symptoms include severe depression, severe anxiety, substance abuse and hypervigilance, and extreme sensitivity to signs reminiscent of a potential threat, such as loud noise
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • ne in every five people who survive a disaster will experience PTSD or depression.
  • "Mental illness can be debilitating, and can delay both individual and community recovery--that's why paying attention to mental health issues after a disaster is extremely important.
  •  
    Research Question: Still today, what are the social, economical, and political effects of the earthquake in Haiti? Citation Source: "RESEARCHERS FOCUS ON PSYCHOLOGICAL CARE FOR HAITI'S EARTHQUAKE SURVIVORS." States News Service 24 Mar. 2010. Student Edition. Web. 10 Apr. 2011. Summary:This article is about the long term effects the earthquake has on the people. After addressing the physical needs such as medical care, food, and water, the long term effect is often forgotten. Weeks, months, and even years after, mental heath effects still prolong. That is why experts are stressing about long-term recovery for the person, and community. Things like PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and depression are diagnosed to 1 in every five people who survived a disaster. The article tells us, "Mental illness can be debilitating, and can delay both individual and community recovery--that's why paying attention to mental health issues after a disaster is extremely important." That is why experts want to look into this further and find positive lessons one can lean from the earthquake. 
William Leys

Coking Coal Supplies Tighten Further - Commodities - Resource Investor - 0 views

  • The situation is far worse than three years ago, when flooding also affected Queensland coal production. At that time (February 2008), the tonnage lost is estimated to have been only 5-6 million tonnes, McCloskey said. On the other hand, the effect on the recent floods appears to have more than counterbalanced fears of a slowdown in Chinese coal demand
  • “Can Australia and the rest of the coking coal market make up the lost tonnage in the balance of the year? The answer is: no,” McCloskey said. “Some people will not be able to make steel because of what is happening in Queensland,” he stated.
  • US producers have steadily expanded coking coal exports in recent years, from 37 million tonnes in 2009, to 55 million tonnes in 2010. This year, US exports are forecast to reach 65 million tonnes. much of which will be in the form of relatively low grade blending coals. These factors will help to restrain prices.
  • ...1 more annotation...
  • Brett Hartke
  •  
    Research Question: What are the effects of the Australian flood? Summary: Coking Coal from Australia is going to harder to get. The effect could end up being higher prices for steel production (what coking coal is used for).  Reflection: The flood had a serious effect on coking coal and as a result the production costs of steel will go up. This could effect any number of industries ranging from the auto industry to housing. 
  •  
    Hi Josh, you did a nice job with the annotations, but your summary and reflection could be more substantial...you are also missing questions.
Brielle DeFrell

Oil unrest grips Nigeria; Turbulent delta raises fears of global energy shock - 0 views

  •  
    Research question: What are the effects of the competition with oil in Nigeria?  "Oil unrest grips Nigeria; Turbulent delta raises fears of global energy shock." Washington Times 9 Feb. 2006: A17. Student Edition. Web. 16 Feb. 2011.Document URLhttp://find.galegroup.com/gtx/infomark.do?&contentSet=IAC-Documents&type=retrieve&tabID=T004&prodId=STOM&docId=CJ141860182&source=gale&srcprod=STOM&userGroupName=lom_accessmich&version=1.0 Reflection: I never realized how much oil could effect the whole country as a whole. That there would be so much blood spelt just because of the production of oil. That so many people would have to suffer from severe poverty because the government doesn't spread the wealth through the whole country. I can understand why the militia doesn't like the production of oil because of the effects it has on the land, but with how much revenue that comes out of the production I don't think Nigeria has a choice.  Questions: Is there a way Nigeria could lessen the effects on the land, but keep producing oil? Is there some way that the government could spread the wealth so no one was living in severe poverty?  Is there a way to stop the militia without them acting up and messing with the oil production companies? 
Heather Kapenga

NGOCC Laments HIV/Aids Effects On Women. - 0 views

  • COMTEX) -- THE Non-Governmental Organisations Coordinating Council (NGOCC) has said the HIV/AIDS pandemic has continued to have an adverse impact on women both in terms of infection and the burden of care giving.
    • Heather Kapenga
       
      Reaction: I was very surprised to find that women in Zambia are more infected by HIV/AIDS than men and how up to 4.9% of women are affected more by HIV/AIDS than men. I was also aware about how women would be caretakers but, I was not expecting around 90%. A couple ways they said that they can have less women end up with HIV/AIDS is for men to also do their part in taking care of those infected by the disease which should help decrease the amount of women affected by HIV/AIDS. Also to have more food provided as well should help those infected by HIV/AIDS. Questions:1. Will this solution really resolve less women from being affected by HIV/AIDS?2. Won''t men helping out HIV patients also get them more likely to be infected with HIV too?3. How can nutritious food help prevent someone from being infected by HIV?
  •  
    Research Question: What are the effects of HIV/AIDS in Zambia Citation: "NGOCC Laments HIV/Aids Effects On Women." Africa News Service 9 Mar. 2009. Student Edition. Web. 17 Feb. 2011. Summary: This article tells about the effect of HIV/AIDS in Zambia and how this is affecting the women in Zambia. It also mentions how women are more likely to end up with HIV/AIDS than men. Around 17.8% of women end up with HIV/AIDS compared to men who have 12.9% infected with HIV/AIDS. Plus it mentions a few ways on how they can prevent more and more women from being affected by HIV/AIDS.
lane rottschafer

Unknown disease wipes out half of Afghan opium crop. - 0 views

  •  
    http://find.galegroup.com/gtx/retrieve.do?contentSet=IAC-Documents&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&qrySerId=Locale(en,,):FQE%3D(K0,None,23)opium+afghanistan++crop:And:FQE%3D(TX,None,22)opium+afghanistan+crop:And:FQE%3D(TX,None,23)opium+afghanistan++crop$&sgHitCountType=None&inPS=true&sort=DateDescend&searchType=BasicSearchForm&tabID=T004&prodId=AONE&searchId=R7&currentPosition=2&userGroupName=lom_accessmich&docId=CJ236030044&docType=IAC What are the effects of opium sales on Afghanistan ? Summary: in 2010 there was a huge dieses that swept over around 50 percent of all the poppy plants. They didn't know exactly what was causing it, they were wanting to blame British and U.S troops, but there was no way to prove anything. They thought it could be bugs but no way of knowing for sure. Reflection: I think that its interesting that there is a HUGE brake out with the plants and around 50% of them were killed and no one knows how?? That seems incredible to me that no one would no how to figure out what happened to them? Questions: 1) Why doesn't anyone know what happened? 2) Is there a reason that we don't know, why this happened? 3) How did this effect the sales? 4) How was this effected money wise? Citation: What are the effects of opium sales on Afghanistan
Mackenzie Haveman

Student Edition  Document - 0 views

  • The American Institutes for Research (AIR), as part of its commitment to the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) to help Haiti's education system, has responded to the devastating January 2010 earthquake by assembling emergency classrooms and providing special training for teachers to help them cope with the lingering effects of the disaster.
  • AIR has assembled temporary schools and classrooms, improved school hygiene facilities, distributed school materials, and provided training and psychosocial support for teachers and school directors.
  • At least 322 emergency classrooms have been assembled. More than 25,000 students have been able to resume their education. A total of 733 teachers and school directors have received special training so they can return to work.
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • AIR has also compiled a directory that identifies Haitian organizations that support primary and secondary education and school-based health activities in the country. The directory has made it easier to identify organizations working to provide education assistance in Haiti.
    • Mackenzie Haveman
       
      Response:I think that what AIR is doing is definitely very helpful. It is very important to help keep their kids in school and have them grow up with an education. I think that this is they type of help that Haiti needs in order to recover. I think that if there were different organizations or countries that could focus on one specific thing to help out with, like education, Haiti could be on their way to a healthy rebuilding. My research question is, "What are the social, political, and economical effects on Haiti after the earthquake." I think that this article definitely ties into my question in that of it can connect to the political point. The education system is definitely part of the political standpoint, and there are much more systems that are to be fixed that are parts of their politics. I think that education is definitely a great place to start because they can teach their children a new way of life, and it can potentially give hope for the country's future.  Questions:1. What are other systems that we can help in where we an go in and teach them? 2. Could the new generation of students potentially flip their society?3. Besides classrooms and training teachers, what else could be helped through the education system if they want their students to help make a difference?
  •  
    "AMERICAN INSTITUTES FOR RESEARCH'S CLINTON GLOBAL INITIATIVE COMMITMENTS BENEFIT CHILDREN IN HAITI AFFECTED BY THE JANUARY 2010 EARTHQUAKE." States News Service 21 Sept. 2010. Student Edition. Web. 8 Mar. 2011. Summery:  This article is about what The American Institutes for Research (AIR) is doing in helping the effects on Haiti. This institute has tried to focus on students and on education systems. They have helped assemble emergency classrooms and they have trained for teachers to be a part of a good education system and helped them deal with the unforgotten effects. There have been at least 322 emergency classrooms assembled, more than 25,000 students have been able to resume their education, and a total of 733 teachers and school directors have received training so they can return to their works.   
Haley Luurtsema

RESEARCHERS FOCUS ON PSYCHOLOGICAL CARE FOR HAITI'S EARTHQUAKE SURVIVORS. - 0 views

  •  
    Reflection: I believe that mental heath is  something that needs to be stressed more about. It effects both the individual and the community in many ways. I don't think people realize how after all the physical needs are met, people still go through terrible depression and PTSD like we are told. When an individual is mentally unhealthily, I believe it brings down the community and allows the negative effect to spread. That is why experts can stop the entire community from falling if they fix one individual problem.   Questions:1. What can we do about depression and PTSD?2. How can we help this not to spread through the community?3. How can Haiti work together and change as a community? 
Haley Luurtsema

Survey Highlights Haitians' Vulnerability; Access to food, shelter, healthcare less pre... - 0 views

  • Haitians' lack of access to basic needs such as food, shelter, and healthcare, even relative to neighboring Dominicans.
  • The effects of a 7.0-magnitude
  • 60% of Haitians said there had been times in the past year when they didn't have enough money to purchase food that their families needed, while 51% said there were times when they could not afford adequate shelter.
  • ...8 more annotations...
  • Haitians were far more likely than any other population in Central America or the Caribbean to say they have had trouble providing shelter
  • Haitian President Rene Preval said some hospitals have collapsed as a result of the quake, further handicapping a public healthcare system poorly equipped to handle a disaster of this proportion.
  • Fewer than one in four (22%) said they were satisfied with the availability of quality healthcare in their communities, and one in nine (11%) said healthcare is accessible to anyone in the country.
  • Poor sanitation and lack of access to clean water are likely to make cholera and other waterborne diseases a major problem
  • including roads and highways, and schools -- were decimated by the quake. These facilities too were already seen as insufficient by most Haitians polled a year ago. About one-third were satisfied with the roads and highways (31%) and the schools (35%) in their communities
  • n the wake of a disaster, friendships and family ties become lifelines, serving as conduits for material as well as emotional support.
  • 30% said they have no relatives or friends they can count on for help
  • foreign aid both to make the country more resilient to natural disasters, and to improve access to basic social services like healthcare
  •  
    Research Question: Still today, what are the social, economical, and political effects of the earthquake in Haiti? Citation Source: "Survey Highlights Haitians' Vulnerability; Access to food, shelter, healthcare less prevalent than in neighboring countries." Gallup Poll News Service (2010). Academic OneFile. Web. 16 Feb. 2011. Summary: This Article is about the Haitian people and their lack of basic needs such as food, shelter, and healthcare. The 7. magnitude earthquake effected manly lives of civilians in Haiti. Although, 60% of the people said that in the past year they didn't have enough money to even purchase food for their families needs. While 51% said that they could not afford a shelter. President Rene Preval said that hospitals having been destroyed, the public healthcare system is even more helpless. The Article tells us that less than 22% say that healthcare was fine to begin with in Haiti. Along with 11% that said healthcare was accessible to anyone in the country. Which leads to poor sanitation and lack of clean water in the area. In conclusion, Bill Clinton emphasized that foreign aid must make the country more resistant to natural disasters, and improved basic needs such as healthcare if people wish to survive. 
Haley Luurtsema

SYSTEM WOULD HELP HAITI BUILD, MODIFY EARTHQUAKE-PRONE STRUCTURES. - 0 views

  • Civil engineers studying the effects of Haiti's devastating earthquake have concluded that a relatively simple system could be used by officials to quickly decide how to modify existing buildings and construct new ones that would better withstand future quakes.
  • The system represents a practical method to improve the earthquake resistance of buildings
  • About 40 percent of the buildings were heavily damaged, and findings showed that about 90 percent of those damaged structures would have been classified as vulnerable if the system had been in use.
  • ...7 more annotations...
  • The researchers surveyed 170 buildings damaged in the January 2010 earthquake.
  • Irfanoglu said. "Its strength is in its simplicity and the ease of measuring it in the field."
  • What the index tells you is that for a given-size building, the smaller the columns and the fewer the walls between the columns, the more likely the building is to have severe damage," Irfanoglu said. "Its strength is in its simplicity and the ease of measuring it in the field." The index is a ratio of the combined cross sectional areas of all of the ground-story columns and walls compared to a building's total usable floor area.
  • "captive columns,"
  • wall is attached to a column but does not extend as high as the column, leaving a portion of the column unsupported
  • The flaw is widespread in Haiti
  • About 60 percent of the 170 buildings had captive columns.
  •  
    Research Question: Still today, what are the social, economical, and political effects of the earthquake in Haiti? Citation Source: "SYSTEM WOULD HELP HAITI BUILD, MODIFY EARTHQUAKE-PRONE STRUCTURES." States News Service 19 Oct. 2010. Academic OneFile. Web. 16 Feb. 2011. Summary: This Article is about engineers studying the effects of Haiti's terrible earthquake. They tell us that if the people had constructed their buildings differently, many would not have been destroyed so dramatically. The engineers have found a system to improve the earthquake resistance of buildings. Out of 170 damaged buildings surveyed in January, 40% were heavily damaged, and 90% of those buildings would have been vulnerable if the system was in place. The Article goes on to tell us that for a certain sized building, the smaller the columns and fewer the walls between the columns, the more damaged the building will be. They discovered that most homes in Haiti had these "captive columns." This is were a wall is attached to a column, but does not extend as tall as the column, leaving a portion unsupported. It tells us around 60% of the 170 buildings had captive columns. However, the engineers have decided to follow the system to help reinforced concrete buildings today. 
Heather Kapenga

Now SACCORD Seeks to Resolve HIV/Aids Conflict. - 0 views

  • However, for the Southern African Centre for Conflict Resolutions of Disputes (SACCORD), political leaders could be key in helping to mitigate the effects of this pandemic.
  • He observed that what killed people infected with the HIV/AIDS was not the disease itself alone but the attitude that people cast on such patients.
  • Habasonda said it was sad that stigma had reached high levels - extents where people got depressed and died because no one took the interest to take care of them.
  • ...6 more annotations...
  • "It is high time that we mobilised the much needed political will so we mitigate the effects of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. This disease is dangerous and unless we act now, it will wipe us all out," he said.
  • It is apparent that all the arguments by these learned colleagues point but to one aspect, the need by lawmakers and the Government in particular to redouble efforts in fighting the pandemic. HIV/AIDS is not a health problem, but the most serious socio-economic problem that Zambia, indeed Africa has ever faced
  • He said it was sad that access to anti-retroviral (ARV) therapy was almost impossible in some constituencies that his organisation had taken a pilot project to sensitize people on the dangers of the pandemic.
  • Habasonda said voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) centres were other facilities that were not available in remote areas. He said the issue of CD4 count machines was worrying and Government should address it.
  • Habasonda said HIV/AIDS should not remain within the bounds social issue but it should be mainstreamed in political circles for the fight to be won.
    • Heather Kapenga
       
      Reaction: I was actually pretty surprised to read that there were people that were not dying from complications of HIV/AIDS but, instead there are those that are dying from being so depressed about having HIV/AIDS because of the attitude the people placed on them for being infected with HIV/AIDS. This relates to my research question because the SACCORD realizes how big an effect this HIV/AIDS epidemic has been in Zambia and they want to work with the Government to come up with ways that they can help with those who are suffering from this disease and for those who are dying of depression because they have HIV/AIDS. Questions:1. Besides trying to get therapy and counseling in Zambia is there anything else that the Government and SACCORD can do to help those who are suffering from complications of HIV/AIDS?2. What if therapy and counseling doesn't help those who have depression and many people still take their lives? What will the Government and SACCORD do then?3. Will therapy and counseling really help these people or not?
  •  
    Research Question: What are the effects of HIV/AIDS in Zambia? Citation: "Now SACCORD Seeks to Resolve HIV/Aids Conflict." Africa News Service 12 Aug. 2005. Student Edition. Web. 11 Apr. 2011. Summary: The summary of this article is that SACCORD (Southern African Centre for Conflict Resolutions of Dispute) political leaders want to try and help those in Zambia who have been infected by HIV/AIDS and did a one day workshop in Zambia and they found out that there were people who were not only dying from complications of HIV/AIDS but there were also people dying from the attitude people had on them which led those people to become depressed and died. SACCORD wants to team up with the Government and come up with ways that they can help these people not only emotionally but physically as well. That's why SACCORD wants to try and get therapy and counseling in Zambia for those who have HIV/AIDS so that it can help those who are depressed from becoming dead and the HIV/AIDS epidemic wiping out all of Zambia.
Haley Luurtsema

RESEARCHERS FOCUS ON PSYCHOLOGICAL CARE FOR HAITI'S EARTHQUAKE SURVIVORS. Part 2 - 0 views

  •  
    Research Question: Still today, what are the social, economical, and political effects of the earthquake in Haiti? Citation Source: "RESEARCHERS FOCUS ON PSYCHOLOGICAL CARE FOR HAITI'S EARTHQUAKE SURVIVORS." States News Service 24 Mar. 2010. Student Edition. Web. 10 Apr. 2011. Summary:This article is about the long term effects the earthquake has on the people. After addressing the physical needs such as medical care, food, and water, the long term effect is often forgotten. Weeks, months, and even years after, mental heath effects still prolong. That is why experts are stressing about long-term recovery for the person, and community. Things like PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and depression are diagnosed to 1 in every five people who survived a disaster. The article tells us, "Mental illness can be debilitating, and can delay both individual and community recovery--that's why paying attention to mental health issues after a disaster is extremely important." That is why experts want to look into this further and find positive lessons one can lean from the earthquake. 
William Leys

AFP: Australia floods to cut growth: bank - 0 views

  • SYDNEY — Australia's record floods will shear one percentage point off growth in the March quarter, the central bank said Tuesday, with preliminary estimates showing a 15 percent drop in coal output
  • "The biggest effect on GDP was likely to arise from swings in coal production, with many Queensland mines severely affected by wet weather since December," the bank said in the minutes to its latest interest rate meeting, published Tuesday.
  • Treasurer Wayne Swan has flagged a 0.5 percentage point drop in growth for the current fiscal year due to the floods, which killed 35 people and brought the nation's third-largest city, Brisbane, to a standstill.
  • ...1 more annotation...
  • The coal industry, which flooding virtually shut down in Queensland last month, stood to lose about Aus$5 billion (US$5.02 billion) in exports from the crisis, while agriculture could take a Aus$2 billion hit, Swan said.The floods were followed by a top-level cyclone which Treasury estimates wiped out Aus$700 million in rural production, Aus$200 million in coal exports and Aus$100 million in tourism activity.
  •  
    Research Question: What are the effects of the Australian Flooding?Summary: People are all losing money because Australia's 3rd largest city (Brisbane) completely came to a halt from the floods.  Reflections: It's bad that Australia is going to lose a large chunk of their GDP, at the same time it isn't just going to effect them. Japan is  a huge importer of Australian coal. A good 10% of that coal is now under water and that will make it more difficult for Aussies to get coal to Japan, which in turn could raise the prices of Japanese made cars in the U.S. Questions: How much equipment was damaged as well?  
Bryce Lutke

BBC NEWS | Americas | Keeping Cuba on the economic road - 0 views

  • In many ways, this communist island in the Caribbean has managed to survive despite the odds.
  • One of the effects of the embargo is that the streets of the Cuban capital, Havana, are still filled with many of the same old American cars
  • were here when Fidel Castro came to power 50 years ago.
  • ...27 more annotations...
  • Geovani Perez drives a red and cream 1959 Buick convertible. It was built the year that Fidel Castro came to power. Like much of the Cuban economy, it's still running - if only just.
  • Cubans have become masters of improvisation.
  • The only cars that Cubans are legally allowed to buy or sell are those built before the revolution.
  • It's the same with housing. Most Cubans have title to their homes and can pass them on to their children but there is no open market to buy or sell land or property.
  • One of the goals of Fidel Castro's revolution was to create an egalitarian society.
  • Private enterprise was banned and everyone from doctors to factory workers was paid the same.
  • Today Cuba has one of the most centrally controlled, state-run economies left in the world.
  • It is inefficient and the average salary is barely $25 (£17) a month.
  • Since taking over from his ailing brother
  • Raul Castro has initiated some modest but symbolic reforms.
  • "Socialism means... equality of rights and opportunities, not salaries. Equality does not mean egalitarianism," he said.
  • President Castro has ordered that workers should receive bonuses based on productivity.
  • Cuba should be self-sufficient in food but instead spends $2bn (£1.4bn) a year on imports.
  • It is the small private sector which produces most of the food
  • Cuba remains a one-party state
  • Politically, though, there are no signs of reform.
  • A few critical voices within the communist party are tolerated.
  • Alongside the old American cars, the roads here are also full of old Russian Ladas.
  • Drive past any school and the children's uniforms are another reminder of the Soviet
  • Primary school children wear red and white, with a red neck scarf. Just like their former Soviet counterparts were, this age group are called the Pioneers.
  • Education and health are both known here as "triumphs of the revolution".
  • Cuba boasts one of the highest literacy rates in the world.
  • The health statistics are equally impressive. All the key indicators from infant mortality to life expectancy are among the best in the Americas.
  • Its doctor to patient ratio is one of the highest in the world.
  • Health care has now become a major export.
  • Cuba sends tens of thousands of doctors and health workers to some of the poorest parts of Latin America and Africa.
  • From the earliest days of the revolution, one of our objectives was to let other countries in the third world share in our achievements.
  •  
    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.   
Joy Merlino

Impatient Palestinians Eye Arab World In Flux : NPR - 0 views

  • Could the Arab Spring pass over the Palestinians?
  • With the peace process going nowhere, the threat of new violence increasing and the Palestinians badly divided, people in the West Bank and Gaza are surveying the rapid changes in the rest of the Arab world — and growing impatient with stagnation at home.
  • In Ramallah, the seat of the Palestinian Authority, officials are quietly working on a plan: Going for statehood without agreement with Israel, bypassing the moribund peace process.
  • ...20 more annotations...
  • Abbas' prime minister, Salam Fayyad, has long cited September 2011 as the moment his people will be ready for independence, after a two-year program of rehabilitating courts, police and other institutions. It also coincides with the annual meeting of world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly.
  • "I believe that change is coming to our part of the world. We need as Palestinians to catch the moment," said Saed Issac, a 22-year-old law student in Gaza. "It's time for national unity first, to elect new leaders, and to work hard to achieve our task to end the occupation."
  • Issac was referring to Israel's control over Palestinians' lives — which Palestinians feel applies not only to the West Bank, where power is shared in a complex arrangement dating back to the 1990 autonomy accords, but also in besieged Gaza, even though Israeli settlers and soldiers pulled out five years ago.
  • In Israel, many eye the changes in the Arab world warily, fearing freedom could unleash more hostility — and that is doubly true when it comes to the Palestinians.
  • the Palestinians were influenced by "the trauma of Hamas' rise in the Gaza Strip, relative prosperity in the West Bank" and the expectation of statehood materializing within months. If that expectation is disappointed "a political tsunami" will result, he predicted.
  • A paradoxical challenge results: Hamas won elections but rules Gaza in authoritarian fashion, while Fatah, despite canceling recent elections, has made strides in convincing the world community that in the West Bank it is genuinely laying the foundations of a functioning independent state.
  • The picture that emerges from interviews with top Palestinian Authority officials, most off the record, marks a break from past policies that ranged from negotiations to violence and terror attacks. It combines what seems like genuine commitment to nonviolence with utter impatience with more talks with Israel.
  • "Negotiations have hit a dead end, and the U.S. administration is not willing to pressure Israel. Therefore, we have no other option except taking our case to the international community," said Palestinian negotiator Mohammed Ishtayeh.
  • Although revolt seems unlikely for now, the crowded coastal strip has experienced a series of demonstrations with youths calling for national reconciliation between the two Palestinian territories.
  • The Palestinians say 120 of the 192 countries in the General Assembly have already granted full diplomatic recognition to Palestine, including a recent string of Latin American nations. Many have said the state should be based along the pre-1967 boundary between Israel and the West Bank — effectively taking the Palestinians' side on the border question, since Israel hopes to keep parts of the West Bank under a future deal.
  • Israel had previously dismissed the General Assembly as toothless, but that is starting to change.
  • In an interview with the Jerusalem Post Friday, former Israeli U.N. Ambassador Gabriela Shalev warned that a General Assembly resolution might be meaningful if passed under the auspices of so-called Resolution 377, a little-used device dating back to the Korean War that permits the body to recommend measures ranging from sanctions to the use of force in cases where the Security Council members cannot reach unanimity and peace is imperiled. "This would seek to impose on us some kind of Palestinian state," Shalev was quoted as saying.
  • Although a General Assembly declaration might not force immediate change on the ground, the Palestinians see it as a major step that would "give us new political, moral and legal standing against the Israeli occupation," Ishtayeh said.
  • Inspired by the unrest elsewhere in the region, the Palestinians are also considering backing the diplomatic offensive with peaceful — and photogenic — mass marches and sit-ins across the West Bank, confronting Israeli checkpoints and settlements.
  • One senior Palestinian official said the strategy, following the successful uprisings that ousted leaders in Egypt and Tunisia, would be meant to push the U.S. to take action.
  • A Facebook group called "Let's End the Occupation" has already sprouted up, saying it is preparing demonstrations near the Beit El settlement near Jerusalem later this year.
  • If all else fails Palestinians warn they might disband the Palestinian Authority — a move that would saddle Israel with responsibility for civil and security affairs in the West Bank, huge expenses and a public relations nightmare.
  • As long as peace talks were an option, Abbas could not afford to alienate Israel by embracing its archenemy this way. But the equation changes now that hardly a single Palestinian official can be found who believes in peace talks anymore: World recognition demands a unified front. And because the new strategy does not actually require the Palestinians to offer Israel formal peace, Hamas could be more likely to go along.
  • But there is a certain foment growing from within. Its scale is difficult to gauge, because fear is still widespread, but recent weeks have seen repeated popular protests, which Hamas has alternately supported and violently dispersed.
  • "Hamas needs to listen to the young generation's demands," Fahmi said. "The whole world is changing. You can feel it. So can Hamas."
  •  
    How does the conflict in Israel affect the future of Israeli children compared to Palestinian children? Summary: This article is discussing whether or not the uprisings in the Middle East will spread to the palestinian lands. Given the fact that the leaders in the Palestinian lands no longer believe in the effectiveness of Israeli peace talks, the thought is that the spirit of the riots being held in neighboring countries will be caught by the Palestinian people. The attempt is to become recognized as a sovereign state; before this was to be attempted through peace talks, now the thought of many is to forgo the peace talks and deal directly with the international community.  Reflection: Our research question was focused mainly on the Israeli conflict alone; however, with the current rebellions and unrest in the rest of the MIddle East, it makes logical sense to explore their effect on this conflict as well. It is very true that these uprisings may lead to a want for an expedited statehood. We will just have to see how this all plays out.  
Kyleah Vander Klok

The drugs, the drugs - 0 views

  • the blanket assumption that everyone dying in the country has Aids, and the lack of education to give people an informed choice of whether to rake the drugs or not, many Zambians will do anything (even go hungry) just to buy what they believe are "life-giving" drugs, without thinking about their side effects.
  • he was given the drugs because he had had a cough for a month.
  • "there are many people in Africa with latent TB just waiting for HIV to come and acrivate it", TB has become the most HIV related disease on the continent today.
  • ...7 more annotations...
  • It is, therefore, very common that people testing HIV positive, or even assumed to be, are immediately prescribed TB drugs as a first option.
  • families in Lusaka who have lost loved ones to what they believe were the side effects of the "anti-Aids" drugs. All of them said their relatives were not tested for HIV -- they were assumed to be infected by the virus because of the symptoms their illnesses showed
  • There is growing pressure on the Zambian government to acquire anti-Aids drugs than finding preventative measures.
  • There is, therefore, an urgent need for people to be given an informed choice before being put on the anti-Aids drugs.
  • People should also be told that being on the drugs is not a short-term measure because half courses (which are what most Zambians can now afford) are a death sentence. People need to know that as soon as circumstances (usually financial) force them to stop taking the drugs, the death clock starts to tick even faster because their immune systems have been compromised by the drugs.
  • some Zambians are clearly nor dying of Aids. Their illnesses are wrongly diagnosed, which leads to wrongly prescribed drugs and untimely deaths.
  • silent killer stalking the land is the fear psychosis that grips many every time they have a headache, a cough or diarrhoea. The "boosters" are not really helping much.
  •  
    1.Nyendwa, Fred. "The drugs, the drugs." New African Dec. 2000: 31. Academic OneFile. Web. 13 Apr. 2011  http://find.galegroup.com/gtx/infomark.do&contentSet=IACDocuments&type=retrieve&tabID=T003&prodId=AONE&docId=A68767983&source=gale&srcprod=AONE&userGroupName=lom_accessmich&version=1.0  2. Fear and hastily diagnosed AIDS has caused many deaths. The people do not know the effects of what certain drugs can do to a person. The doctors at hospitals give a diagnoses that a sickness is AIDS without testing and are putting them on dangerous drugs that can be deadly. 3. It is good that they are concerned for the people and are trying to keep them from getting TB but they do need to do testing because the people are scared of getting the disease and are uneducated so much that they don't know the difference from a normal sickness and AIDS and if the doctors are not telling helping then people are dying needlessly. 4. How much fear has been put into HIV/AIDS and is it right to do that? How can we lessen the fear of getting the disease and increasing the education in what it is? Is it bad that we are educating these people about the disease? Are we over exaggerating the possibility of getting HIV/AIDS and the whole epidemic?
1 - 20 of 88 Next › Last »
Showing 20 items per page