What happens when you are Chinese and your spouse is Canadian and your child is born in Belgium?
Answer: you have a child without a country, without a nationality.
Seem impossible?
Many countries do not allow children born within their political boundaries automatic citizenship. The home countries of the parents often do not grant automatic citizenship to babies of parents with mixed nationalities.
Imagine not being able to get a National ID card, no passport, no drivers license. Imagine having to trace your ancestry back generations to find a relative from a country who does not have residency requirements for citizenship?
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Windows Phones Not Particularly Innovative
Let's face facts, iPhone people are going to remain faithful iPhone customers, and people wanting iPhones are a persistent bunch. But, what about people that are on the fence, who want something different? Today, Steve Ballmer and Microsoft released their selection of Windows Phone 7 (WP7) smartphones. The field of smartphones has now grown by six interesting offerings. The question becomes, do these new smartphones represent a contender within the smartphone arena, or will they be fodder, and fall at the feet of Android and iOS?
PCWorld has evaluated these new devices, and run comparisons against iPhone and the Droid X (PCWORLD). On the surface, WP7 smartphones appear to have a number of weaknesses when measured against the iPhone, Droids, and even Blackberry (though no Blackberrys were part of the evaluation).
First, no WP7 smartphone has a better resolution than the Droid X (480x800), which itself has a lower resolution than the iPhone. The HTC HD7 does have a larger screen than the iPhone and equal in size to the Droid X (4.7in).
Common to all devices measured is a 1GHZ processor. However, engineers must have sized up their devices against the Apple iPhone, as they all seem to have the same limitations, with few exceptions. Each device has a fixed amount of internal storage, ranging from 8GB to 16GB. Droids can accept upto a 32GB user-installable microSD card. Three new WP7 phones (50%), from Samsung, Dell, and HTC have slide-out keyboards; only the Samsung Focus has a front-facing camera.
Next, WP7 smartphones have some interesting software limitations. WP7 does not support cut-and-paste operations, which are supported by the iPhone 4 and Droid. Also, for as tight as Adobe and Microsoft appear to want to be, the WP7 smartphones do not support Adobe Flash, which Android does. New WP7 smartphones support Wi-Fi but do not support Wi-Fi HotSpot, so forget about tethering.
Finally, what makes people envious of smartphones? Well, one thing is cool apps. People love their apps. WP7 smartphones have few apps to pick from. Microsoft was slow to make their developer's toolkit available. As a result, the app marketplace for WP7 is slim. Obviously, that will change, given enough time, and financial incentives from Microsoft to developers. Another hindrance that many makers are crying foul over is the software agreement that restricts changes to the user interface (UI). Expect all of the new WP7 phones to have an identical interface.
Do Microsoft Phone 7-based smartphones change the game? Do six new phones from prominent makers HTC, LG, and Samsung put Motorola and Apple on notice that there are new rules to play by?
Unfortunately, unless Microsoft plans on performing an upgrade to WP7 in the near future, and changing the licensing of the user interface, Apple, Motorola, Blackberry, and Nokia have nothing to fear.
PCWorld has evaluated these new devices, and run comparisons against iPhone and the Droid X (PCWORLD). On the surface, WP7 smartphones appear to have a number of weaknesses when measured against the iPhone, Droids, and even Blackberry (though no Blackberrys were part of the evaluation).
First, no WP7 smartphone has a better resolution than the Droid X (480x800), which itself has a lower resolution than the iPhone. The HTC HD7 does have a larger screen than the iPhone and equal in size to the Droid X (4.7in).
Common to all devices measured is a 1GHZ processor. However, engineers must have sized up their devices against the Apple iPhone, as they all seem to have the same limitations, with few exceptions. Each device has a fixed amount of internal storage, ranging from 8GB to 16GB. Droids can accept upto a 32GB user-installable microSD card. Three new WP7 phones (50%), from Samsung, Dell, and HTC have slide-out keyboards; only the Samsung Focus has a front-facing camera.
Finally, what makes people envious of smartphones? Well, one thing is cool apps. People love their apps. WP7 smartphones have few apps to pick from. Microsoft was slow to make their developer's toolkit available. As a result, the app marketplace for WP7 is slim. Obviously, that will change, given enough time, and financial incentives from Microsoft to developers. Another hindrance that many makers are crying foul over is the software agreement that restricts changes to the user interface (UI). Expect all of the new WP7 phones to have an identical interface.
Do Microsoft Phone 7-based smartphones change the game? Do six new phones from prominent makers HTC, LG, and Samsung put Motorola and Apple on notice that there are new rules to play by?
Unfortunately, unless Microsoft plans on performing an upgrade to WP7 in the near future, and changing the licensing of the user interface, Apple, Motorola, Blackberry, and Nokia have nothing to fear.
Apple plus Verizon Equals MiFi iPads
Consumers anxiously awaiting news about the Verizon iPhone should be excited about today's announcement from Verizon/Apple. According to Verizon Wireless (Verizon press release), beginning the last Friday in October (28th), shoppers will be able to purchase and Apple iPad and data package at 2,000 Verizon stores nationwide.
The data plan package requires that customers also purchase the Verizon MiFi 2200 Intelligent Mobile Hotspot. The MiFi 2200 connects the iPad to the Verizon network. The native iPad will not run on Verizon's 3G network, necessitating the addition of the MiFi 2200. Verizon will also sell the iPads as stand-alone units.
Verizon announced three plan packages, one for each of the storage space options available with the iPad, 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB. A 1GB data plan starts at $20/month.
The Verizon/Apple partnership represents the first strike in the wireless tablet market. Rumors began about two months ago regarding the development of a Google Tablet, powered by Chrome OS and built by HTC (Christian Science Monitor).
Some manufacturers, Lenovo, HP, Asus, offer tablets. However, these tablets are more like small laptops as they have an attached keyboard.
Blackberry and Samsung, in addition to Google, are also planning their own true iPad-like tablets by the end of the year, the Playbook, and the Galaxy Tab, respectively.
The data plan package requires that customers also purchase the Verizon MiFi 2200 Intelligent Mobile Hotspot. The MiFi 2200 connects the iPad to the Verizon network. The native iPad will not run on Verizon's 3G network, necessitating the addition of the MiFi 2200. Verizon will also sell the iPads as stand-alone units.
Verizon announced three plan packages, one for each of the storage space options available with the iPad, 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB. A 1GB data plan starts at $20/month.
Some manufacturers, Lenovo, HP, Asus, offer tablets. However, these tablets are more like small laptops as they have an attached keyboard.
Blackberry and Samsung, in addition to Google, are also planning their own true iPad-like tablets by the end of the year, the Playbook, and the Galaxy Tab, respectively.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
AT&T and RIM caught the smartphone industry somewhat off-guard today. Three important announcements bellowed from the smartphone giant, RIM, today as the new Blackberry 9800, the Torch, was carried forth unto the world. RIM also released Blackberry 6 and a Blackberry 6 SDK for Java today, too.
Please hold your applause until the end...
While the Torch is something your current Blackberry friend might not hold so high as to make it difficult to talk into, or see, will it be enough to stave off the up-and-coming iPhone?
Weighing in at almost 6 ounces, the "Torch" may feel like you are holding one. The torch is packing a lot, though. Like a 624Mhz processor with 512MB of memory, a 3.2" (360x480) touch sensitive screen, a slide-out backlit QWERTY keyboard, and a 5MP camera, capable of shooting 640x480 video. Like most other smartphones, the Torch has a GPS on-board, offers free AT&T Wi-Fi, where available, and comes standard with 4GB of built-in storage. You will probably want to add more, so a microSD/SDHD slot is available for an additional 32GB of storage.
But does the Torch offer enough to keep current customers happy, attract new customers, and hold off the iPhone dogs? RIM is betting Blackberry 6 will handle all three concerns.
Blackberry 6, supposedly, has been geared for the social networker. The Torch and Blackberry 6 will handle Facebook, Twitter, MySpace (does anyone still use that?), plus support for the Blackberry Messaging Service, and RSS feeds. AT&T users will continue to enjoy (?) SMS and MMS support, too. A couple of additional features might come in handy, like the ability to embed location information in a text message. In other words, you could send someone information about where you want to meet, or where something is located, and tuck that info into your text message. Blackberry 6 also connects users to over 50 web-based video feed services, like youTube. Users can record, upload, and download video content directly to their Blackberry.
While AT&T execs and RIM execs are excited, or at least act that way - after all, three major U.S. smartphone makers have now outted products - I honestly do not see much to get excited about.
For example, no support for tethering, being able to bind your laptop to your Blackberry to get a network connection. In rural areas, or primitive areas, that is a nice feature to have. At least, none of the reviews nor RIM's own press release mention tethering. The screen is still small, a common complaint among current Blackberry users. The new 9800 uses the Webkit browser, however on the small screen, at that resolution, I fail to see the convenience. Finally, other smartphones, such as the Droid and iPhone, offer faster processors.
In the end, while the 9800 might be known as the "Torch," I don't see it igniting anything.
Source: RIM Media Release
Copyright (C) Michael Busby
Please hold your applause until the end...
While the Torch is something your current Blackberry friend might not hold so high as to make it difficult to talk into, or see, will it be enough to stave off the up-and-coming iPhone?
Weighing in at almost 6 ounces, the "Torch" may feel like you are holding one. The torch is packing a lot, though. Like a 624Mhz processor with 512MB of memory, a 3.2" (360x480) touch sensitive screen, a slide-out backlit QWERTY keyboard, and a 5MP camera, capable of shooting 640x480 video. Like most other smartphones, the Torch has a GPS on-board, offers free AT&T Wi-Fi, where available, and comes standard with 4GB of built-in storage. You will probably want to add more, so a microSD/SDHD slot is available for an additional 32GB of storage.
But does the Torch offer enough to keep current customers happy, attract new customers, and hold off the iPhone dogs? RIM is betting Blackberry 6 will handle all three concerns.
Blackberry 6, supposedly, has been geared for the social networker. The Torch and Blackberry 6 will handle Facebook, Twitter, MySpace (does anyone still use that?), plus support for the Blackberry Messaging Service, and RSS feeds. AT&T users will continue to enjoy (?) SMS and MMS support, too. A couple of additional features might come in handy, like the ability to embed location information in a text message. In other words, you could send someone information about where you want to meet, or where something is located, and tuck that info into your text message. Blackberry 6 also connects users to over 50 web-based video feed services, like youTube. Users can record, upload, and download video content directly to their Blackberry.
While AT&T execs and RIM execs are excited, or at least act that way - after all, three major U.S. smartphone makers have now outted products - I honestly do not see much to get excited about.
For example, no support for tethering, being able to bind your laptop to your Blackberry to get a network connection. In rural areas, or primitive areas, that is a nice feature to have. At least, none of the reviews nor RIM's own press release mention tethering. The screen is still small, a common complaint among current Blackberry users. The new 9800 uses the Webkit browser, however on the small screen, at that resolution, I fail to see the convenience. Finally, other smartphones, such as the Droid and iPhone, offer faster processors.
In the end, while the 9800 might be known as the "Torch," I don't see it igniting anything.
Source: RIM Media Release
Copyright (C) Michael Busby
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Farmers demand immigration reform | PRI.ORG
Farmers demand immigration reform … and not in the way that people think.
I do not know that many farmers. Not any more, any way. I spent many summers on my grandfather’s farm in southeast Nebraska. In the days of my youth I knew plenty of farmers. All of my grandfather’s neighbors were farmers. Regardless of the fact that I may not be in touch with many farmers today, the spirit of farming remains within me.
Farming is hard business, and not just because the hours are long, and the work grueling, but also because the amount of effort required to eek out a living is extraordinary. Every cost saving measure is critical just to stay in business, let alone remain competitive.
Farmers need labor. Let the market determine the wages. That is how Free Market economies work, let the market set the cost of labor. This is how that negotiation might play out:
Free Market.
Now, you want to go about tampering with wages to make sure Life is Fair, then you are dealing with something other than a Free Market economy, perhaps State Capitalism. With State Capitalism, the government exerts control over many of the aspects of the economy.
I like the statement, “Democratic leaders are weighing how many votes they win by doing immigration reform and how many votes they lose by doing immigration reform.” [Mark Rosenblum]
I like it because this is politics, in a nutshell – screw what is best for the people, in this case, farmers – how can I keep myself in office? That is what Politics in the USA has come to..keeping ourselves in office, not working for the people of the United States.
Let’s forget for a moment the fact that this country was founded upon immigration. Immigration helps us in a variety of ways. Obviously, we need the help in agriculture. Immigrants do not steal U.S. jobs. When was the last time an attorney, an accountant, a web designer, a database manager, a doctor, a pharmaceuticals sales representative, chemist, etc., screamed because he/she couldn't find a job because an illegal immigrant was hired in their place? Now, if you want to talk about out-sourcing, then they might complain.
I've also talked to many local farmers. They tell me they have tried to hire high school kids, friends of their sons or daughters. They have put signs up in the high schools, or church. Yes, the farmers do get a few takers. For about a week. The heat, the physical work, the hours, the kids do not want to put the time in. Young farmers, too, tell me that they have hired friends, only to be frustrated when that person quits after a few days. Anecdotal stories, for sure, but the people crying against immigration appear to have little at stake, while those petitioning for immigration reform are pushed to the sidelines.
Illegals do fill jobs in the United States, no doubt. They harvest most of our vegetable crops. Without them, those crops would rot in fields. Illegal immigrants work in meat-packing plants in the Midwest. I remember reading many accounts in the Kansas City Star of a meat-packer in Kansas or Oklahoma or Iowa raided by INS. Dozens of illegals would be rounded-up and sent packing. I would wonder why or how illegals ended up so far from home, and, why Des Moines, why Dodge City?
As I would later find out, from talking to people in the industry - my dad ran in those circles - working at a meat-packing plant is not like working at the florist. Meat-packing plants stink, they smell. You bring that smell home on you. Not just the smell of dead animals, but all the chemicals necessary to kill bacteria. The work is hard, sometimes dangerous. The pay is not great. Turnover in labor is very high, in some plants line workers would turn over 100-150% over the course of year. That means that the plant has new employees every year. No one stays. In fact, employers found that American workers left more frequently than their immigrant counterparts. As an employer, one would have to ask themselves, "Wow, should I hire an local kid and train him, knowing he will stay for a two months; or, should I risk training an illegal who will stay a year or more?"
No, people are not looking at immigration the right way. Chasing illegals is like treating a cough when the patient has tuberculosis.
Immigration also transfers needed to skills to people that would otherwise not achieve those skills in their home country. Immigration helps provide income to families in their home country. Immigration loosens the cultural fears that ignorant people have; we learn about them, they learn about us. Think about this: how many more immigrants might there be if the remittance monies were not sent home to families? That money essentially keeps those people at home. Otherwise, they too, might be tempted to move to some place else. Americans also seem to think that the U.S. is the sole destination for immigrants. Again, our own egos at work. South America, Venezuela, Brazil, Argentina, and Chile are destinations, too. And, strange as it may seem, so is Mexico. If you live in El Salvador, Mexico might look pretty good.
Illegal immigration has more to do with Global Competition and American's vain spending habits, than people wanting to take advantage of us. Hell, we have more than plenty of our native population doing that right now.
If the United States had maintained possession of the territory it captured in the War with Mexico we wouldn’t even be having an Immigration Debate.
And, finally, who can we blame for this debacle? The railroad, .. and Texas, of course. The best plan for a southern rail system lay across the barren wasteland of northern Mexico. Texas, aka The Republic of Texas, was not strong enough to defend itself against the likes of Poncho Villa. Thusly, the Texans enlisted the aid of the U.S. government to aid in their war.
And so it goes.
I do not know that many farmers. Not any more, any way. I spent many summers on my grandfather’s farm in southeast Nebraska. In the days of my youth I knew plenty of farmers. All of my grandfather’s neighbors were farmers. Regardless of the fact that I may not be in touch with many farmers today, the spirit of farming remains within me.
Farming is hard business, and not just because the hours are long, and the work grueling, but also because the amount of effort required to eek out a living is extraordinary. Every cost saving measure is critical just to stay in business, let alone remain competitive.
Farmers need labor. Let the market determine the wages. That is how Free Market economies work, let the market set the cost of labor. This is how that negotiation might play out:
“Will you work for a $1 a day?”Then, if someone comes along and says, “I’ll work for 50 cents an hour,” what are you going to do? All things being equal, if you see yourself maximizing your profits without a loss of quality or production, I would guess that the new wage will be $0.50 an hour.
”No.”
”Will you work for $2 a day?”
”Nope.”
”Will you work for $1 per hour?”
”Hmmmm… okay.”
”OK, so we've got ourselves a deal!”
Free Market.
Now, you want to go about tampering with wages to make sure Life is Fair, then you are dealing with something other than a Free Market economy, perhaps State Capitalism. With State Capitalism, the government exerts control over many of the aspects of the economy.
I like the statement, “Democratic leaders are weighing how many votes they win by doing immigration reform and how many votes they lose by doing immigration reform.” [Mark Rosenblum]
I like it because this is politics, in a nutshell – screw what is best for the people, in this case, farmers – how can I keep myself in office? That is what Politics in the USA has come to..keeping ourselves in office, not working for the people of the United States.
Let’s forget for a moment the fact that this country was founded upon immigration. Immigration helps us in a variety of ways. Obviously, we need the help in agriculture. Immigrants do not steal U.S. jobs. When was the last time an attorney, an accountant, a web designer, a database manager, a doctor, a pharmaceuticals sales representative, chemist, etc., screamed because he/she couldn't find a job because an illegal immigrant was hired in their place? Now, if you want to talk about out-sourcing, then they might complain.
I've also talked to many local farmers. They tell me they have tried to hire high school kids, friends of their sons or daughters. They have put signs up in the high schools, or church. Yes, the farmers do get a few takers. For about a week. The heat, the physical work, the hours, the kids do not want to put the time in. Young farmers, too, tell me that they have hired friends, only to be frustrated when that person quits after a few days. Anecdotal stories, for sure, but the people crying against immigration appear to have little at stake, while those petitioning for immigration reform are pushed to the sidelines.
Illegals do fill jobs in the United States, no doubt. They harvest most of our vegetable crops. Without them, those crops would rot in fields. Illegal immigrants work in meat-packing plants in the Midwest. I remember reading many accounts in the Kansas City Star of a meat-packer in Kansas or Oklahoma or Iowa raided by INS. Dozens of illegals would be rounded-up and sent packing. I would wonder why or how illegals ended up so far from home, and, why Des Moines, why Dodge City?
As I would later find out, from talking to people in the industry - my dad ran in those circles - working at a meat-packing plant is not like working at the florist. Meat-packing plants stink, they smell. You bring that smell home on you. Not just the smell of dead animals, but all the chemicals necessary to kill bacteria. The work is hard, sometimes dangerous. The pay is not great. Turnover in labor is very high, in some plants line workers would turn over 100-150% over the course of year. That means that the plant has new employees every year. No one stays. In fact, employers found that American workers left more frequently than their immigrant counterparts. As an employer, one would have to ask themselves, "Wow, should I hire an local kid and train him, knowing he will stay for a two months; or, should I risk training an illegal who will stay a year or more?"
No, people are not looking at immigration the right way. Chasing illegals is like treating a cough when the patient has tuberculosis.
Immigration also transfers needed to skills to people that would otherwise not achieve those skills in their home country. Immigration helps provide income to families in their home country. Immigration loosens the cultural fears that ignorant people have; we learn about them, they learn about us. Think about this: how many more immigrants might there be if the remittance monies were not sent home to families? That money essentially keeps those people at home. Otherwise, they too, might be tempted to move to some place else. Americans also seem to think that the U.S. is the sole destination for immigrants. Again, our own egos at work. South America, Venezuela, Brazil, Argentina, and Chile are destinations, too. And, strange as it may seem, so is Mexico. If you live in El Salvador, Mexico might look pretty good.
Illegal immigration has more to do with Global Competition and American's vain spending habits, than people wanting to take advantage of us. Hell, we have more than plenty of our native population doing that right now.
If the United States had maintained possession of the territory it captured in the War with Mexico we wouldn’t even be having an Immigration Debate.
And, finally, who can we blame for this debacle? The railroad, .. and Texas, of course. The best plan for a southern rail system lay across the barren wasteland of northern Mexico. Texas, aka The Republic of Texas, was not strong enough to defend itself against the likes of Poncho Villa. Thusly, the Texans enlisted the aid of the U.S. government to aid in their war.
And so it goes.
Technorati Tags: immigration,farms,farming,legislation,wisconsin,dairy,immigrant workers,migration policy
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Overcoming Cultural Ignorance
Ignorance can only be overcome through exposure to new ideas, and the people who represent those ideas, and through education.
And, the Media has failed to properly educate citizens regarding cultures, becoming a conveyance for the propagation of myths and half-truths.
I posed the topic, "Discuss the influence of religion within the Southwest Asia realm," to my world geography class. Responses were typical of people's impressions today. I'm not being critical, but a lot of what students stated in their responses are based in myth and half-truths, propagated by ignorant media who espouse propaganda and no facts, ignorant teachers at lower levels of education, and just ignorance of the general population. We tend not to process what we hear in church, in classes, or via media. If society could actually do that, we would be able to recognize inconsistencies when we see them.
Most people forget that Christianity has a very violent history. Consider the Spanish. Spanish Conquistadors forced native populations to convert to Christianity or die, whether those people be Aztecs or Jews (The Spanish Inquisition). Consider the racism practiced against Africans during slavery, and even thereafter. They were seen as non-Christian pagans and therefore white Christians could treat them, or any people of color for that matter. any way they wanted.
The Christian Crusaders who sought to evict Muslims from the Holy Land their ancestors walked away from would kill Jews along the way in order to practice for anticipated battles later. The Jews killed Jesus the Christ, right? Christians killed Jews and Muslims along the way. In many portions of the Southwest Asian realm, the Muslims protected Jews and Christians from each other. Think about it: the Hebrews/Jews have existed along side Palestinians for over 4,000 years. Jews and Christians have existed along side each other for about 2,000 years. Jews, Christians, and Muslims have existed side-by-side with each other for about 1,400 years.
People forget the history of Christianity is founded within this region. The People of the Bible were not Caucasians. Most of them were Semitic people, the ancestors of the Hebrews, and Persians, and Arabs. Moses was a Hebrew, a Semitic person. Abraham probably was from southern Iran or southeast Iraq. His first son, Ishmael, born of Hagar, would go on to parent the Arab people. Another son, Isaac, born of Sarah, would go on to parent the Hebrews. Because of Abraham's place in religious history, he is seen as the Father of Three Religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. These three religions are therefore termed, "Abramic" religions.
Islam and its adherents, Muslims, see themselves as the next stage within the Abramic religion framework. Muslims acknowledge the Tanahk, the Bible, and then add the revelations of the Mohammad, whom they see as the last prophet. Jews and Christians are People of the Book, the Qu'ran, and thusly have a special place. Islam recognizes all of the people found in the Old and New Testament, only they add an additional work, the Qu'ran. To clear up another myth, Allah is not the name of the Islamic "God." Allah is the Arabic word for God. Jews call God, YHWH (Yahweh), or Jehovah. Regardless of what you believe, as it really makes no difference, Muslims believe in the same God as the Jews and Christians.
Throughout history, Jews, Christians, and Muslims have been able to live together in relative peace. In recent history, since the late 1880's, the Zionist movement had been a leading cause of conflict within the realm. The movement for the creation of a Jewish homeland created controversy that persists today, and for the foreseeable future. Part of the problems of today can be tied to the way in which the British and French created the boundaries of the modern Middle East, without the consent of local populations.
One must also bear this in mind: Religion exists across cultural and ethnic boundaries. What do I mean by this? What I mean is this: An Arab can be Jewish, or Christian, or Muslim. A Palestinian can be a Jew, a Christian, or a Muslim. An Israeli can be a Jew, a Christian, or a Muslim.
None of the three religions can hold themselves up as bastions of Peace. Each religion has portions of violence that contradict the teachings of their holy people. Unfortunately, people have bad memories, politicize spirituality, and states institutionalize bigotry. What we must always keep in mind is how people use, manipulate, and corrupt religion towards their own goals. Remember, religion is a human construct, the set of cultural traits, rules, and ceremonies that humans undertake honor to their respective deity/deities. The conflict in Israel is not a religious conflict; it is a conflict over space, over landscape, and who has the right to control a scarce resource. When Israel fires on Palestinians, the possibility exists that those people could be Christian Palestinians, Jewish Palestinians, or Muslim Palestinians. Conversely, those Palestinians that create problems could be Muslims, Jews, or Christians. The media glosses over the complexity of cultures found in the Middle East. Rarely does a news network discuss the cultural complexity. As a result, the majority of populations, not just within the United States, but global populations, do not adequately understand the forces at work.
As a result, individuals form beliefs from erroneous information, myths, half-truths, our own bigotry, or propaganda. I personally have known people from most religions, Shinto, Hindi, Muslim, to name a few. Most people, by-and-large, go about their daily business, to satisfy their basic human needs, food, shelter, comfort. Look at the Christians around you. How many of them go to church regularly? Tithe regularly? Pray regularly? How many do you know that attend church only at Christmas or Easter? Read their Bible every day? Muslims are the same way. The vast majority do not read the Qu'ran every day, or attend mosque. They are humans, too, and susceptible to the same characteristics as everyone else. And, yes, there are Muslims that are more traditional. Christians can be that way, too. Pentecostals, Foursquare, some Southern Baptists, for example, seem extreme to more liberal or moderate Christian faiths, like Methodists or Episcopalians.
Do not let the media or talking head nitwits fool you: Usama bin Laden and his criminal organization is NOT representative of Islam. Most everything his group espouses is, in fact, anti-Islamic. The Taleban is the same way. The Taleban is an organization of tribes who feel their crude, misogynistic, and traditional way of life is being threatened. They also happen to be Muslims. However, again, nothing they present or espouse is supported in Islam. I understand what the media broadcasts, and much of what I have said contradicts the media. Remember that any literate person can read a tele-prompter.
Something must be said about religion versus customs, i.e. head scarfs, burqas, chadors, or any of the other full-length garments women, and sometimes men, wear. The wearing of veils, head scarfs, and body-length robes began well before Islam. Greeks, Persians, and Romans wore them long before Muslims. Body coverings of these types served a few purposes. Robes block the sun. Robes block dust and blowing sand. Robes also provided a way to show ones status in society. Women who wore robes and veils tended to be in the middle to upper class within society. Common women and prostitutes did not wear veils and wore less elaborate robes. Indonesia is the world's 4th largest country, in terms of population, a Muslim country, and women commonly dress as any Western person might.
Exposure and education can overcome ignorance. Ignorance is neither a bad thing or a good thing. Ignorance is curable, through education, unlike Stupidity, which is cannot be fixed.
And, the Media has failed to properly educate citizens regarding cultures, becoming a conveyance for the propagation of myths and half-truths.
I posed the topic, "Discuss the influence of religion within the Southwest Asia realm," to my world geography class. Responses were typical of people's impressions today. I'm not being critical, but a lot of what students stated in their responses are based in myth and half-truths, propagated by ignorant media who espouse propaganda and no facts, ignorant teachers at lower levels of education, and just ignorance of the general population. We tend not to process what we hear in church, in classes, or via media. If society could actually do that, we would be able to recognize inconsistencies when we see them.
Most people forget that Christianity has a very violent history. Consider the Spanish. Spanish Conquistadors forced native populations to convert to Christianity or die, whether those people be Aztecs or Jews (The Spanish Inquisition). Consider the racism practiced against Africans during slavery, and even thereafter. They were seen as non-Christian pagans and therefore white Christians could treat them, or any people of color for that matter. any way they wanted.
The Christian Crusaders who sought to evict Muslims from the Holy Land their ancestors walked away from would kill Jews along the way in order to practice for anticipated battles later. The Jews killed Jesus the Christ, right? Christians killed Jews and Muslims along the way. In many portions of the Southwest Asian realm, the Muslims protected Jews and Christians from each other. Think about it: the Hebrews/Jews have existed along side Palestinians for over 4,000 years. Jews and Christians have existed along side each other for about 2,000 years. Jews, Christians, and Muslims have existed side-by-side with each other for about 1,400 years.
People forget the history of Christianity is founded within this region. The People of the Bible were not Caucasians. Most of them were Semitic people, the ancestors of the Hebrews, and Persians, and Arabs. Moses was a Hebrew, a Semitic person. Abraham probably was from southern Iran or southeast Iraq. His first son, Ishmael, born of Hagar, would go on to parent the Arab people. Another son, Isaac, born of Sarah, would go on to parent the Hebrews. Because of Abraham's place in religious history, he is seen as the Father of Three Religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. These three religions are therefore termed, "Abramic" religions.
Islam and its adherents, Muslims, see themselves as the next stage within the Abramic religion framework. Muslims acknowledge the Tanahk, the Bible, and then add the revelations of the Mohammad, whom they see as the last prophet. Jews and Christians are People of the Book, the Qu'ran, and thusly have a special place. Islam recognizes all of the people found in the Old and New Testament, only they add an additional work, the Qu'ran. To clear up another myth, Allah is not the name of the Islamic "God." Allah is the Arabic word for God. Jews call God, YHWH (Yahweh), or Jehovah. Regardless of what you believe, as it really makes no difference, Muslims believe in the same God as the Jews and Christians.
Throughout history, Jews, Christians, and Muslims have been able to live together in relative peace. In recent history, since the late 1880's, the Zionist movement had been a leading cause of conflict within the realm. The movement for the creation of a Jewish homeland created controversy that persists today, and for the foreseeable future. Part of the problems of today can be tied to the way in which the British and French created the boundaries of the modern Middle East, without the consent of local populations.
One must also bear this in mind: Religion exists across cultural and ethnic boundaries. What do I mean by this? What I mean is this: An Arab can be Jewish, or Christian, or Muslim. A Palestinian can be a Jew, a Christian, or a Muslim. An Israeli can be a Jew, a Christian, or a Muslim.
None of the three religions can hold themselves up as bastions of Peace. Each religion has portions of violence that contradict the teachings of their holy people. Unfortunately, people have bad memories, politicize spirituality, and states institutionalize bigotry. What we must always keep in mind is how people use, manipulate, and corrupt religion towards their own goals. Remember, religion is a human construct, the set of cultural traits, rules, and ceremonies that humans undertake honor to their respective deity/deities. The conflict in Israel is not a religious conflict; it is a conflict over space, over landscape, and who has the right to control a scarce resource. When Israel fires on Palestinians, the possibility exists that those people could be Christian Palestinians, Jewish Palestinians, or Muslim Palestinians. Conversely, those Palestinians that create problems could be Muslims, Jews, or Christians. The media glosses over the complexity of cultures found in the Middle East. Rarely does a news network discuss the cultural complexity. As a result, the majority of populations, not just within the United States, but global populations, do not adequately understand the forces at work.
As a result, individuals form beliefs from erroneous information, myths, half-truths, our own bigotry, or propaganda. I personally have known people from most religions, Shinto, Hindi, Muslim, to name a few. Most people, by-and-large, go about their daily business, to satisfy their basic human needs, food, shelter, comfort. Look at the Christians around you. How many of them go to church regularly? Tithe regularly? Pray regularly? How many do you know that attend church only at Christmas or Easter? Read their Bible every day? Muslims are the same way. The vast majority do not read the Qu'ran every day, or attend mosque. They are humans, too, and susceptible to the same characteristics as everyone else. And, yes, there are Muslims that are more traditional. Christians can be that way, too. Pentecostals, Foursquare, some Southern Baptists, for example, seem extreme to more liberal or moderate Christian faiths, like Methodists or Episcopalians.
Do not let the media or talking head nitwits fool you: Usama bin Laden and his criminal organization is NOT representative of Islam. Most everything his group espouses is, in fact, anti-Islamic. The Taleban is the same way. The Taleban is an organization of tribes who feel their crude, misogynistic, and traditional way of life is being threatened. They also happen to be Muslims. However, again, nothing they present or espouse is supported in Islam. I understand what the media broadcasts, and much of what I have said contradicts the media. Remember that any literate person can read a tele-prompter.
Something must be said about religion versus customs, i.e. head scarfs, burqas, chadors, or any of the other full-length garments women, and sometimes men, wear. The wearing of veils, head scarfs, and body-length robes began well before Islam. Greeks, Persians, and Romans wore them long before Muslims. Body coverings of these types served a few purposes. Robes block the sun. Robes block dust and blowing sand. Robes also provided a way to show ones status in society. Women who wore robes and veils tended to be in the middle to upper class within society. Common women and prostitutes did not wear veils and wore less elaborate robes. Indonesia is the world's 4th largest country, in terms of population, a Muslim country, and women commonly dress as any Western person might.
Exposure and education can overcome ignorance. Ignorance is neither a bad thing or a good thing. Ignorance is curable, through education, unlike Stupidity, which is cannot be fixed.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Do I really want my boss to know I’m at the baseball game?
Apple, Facebook Get Into Geolocation – PCWorld
I’ve been rambling on for a few years about the burgeoning growth of location-based services (LBS). A few years ago, I read a report regarding the use of LBS in Japan. The Japanese have been enjoying (that maybe too broad of a characterization) LBS since 2001, when the first GPS-enabled phones were introduced.
America is finally catching up.
Geolocation certainly is an interesting technology. I am not going to say the technology is good or bad. Technology is a TOOL. Technology is AMORAL. Not IMMORAL but amoral; a complete absence of good or bad. How technology is used depends on ethics and morals of the wielders. Machetes can cut down shrubs and bushes, making an effective path. Machetes can also bludgeon and amputate limbs.
Businesses around the world are looking to further push their goods and services into the market. What better way than to push out coupons to people within a few blocks of a store? If you are in town, and need to find a restaurant, check your phone; the restaurant will TELL you where it is and give you a map and driving directions! Awesome, huh?
Many parents are installing apps in their children’s phones to make sure the kids are where they say they are. Or, at least aid in finding a lost phone.
On the other hand, with the ubiquity of cell phones, coupled to the right apps, your presence could be discovered by lots of people, friends, family, Macy’s, BestBuy, and all law enforcement agencies, and maybe even people that do not have your best interests at heart.
The possibilities cannot even be imagined, really, not fully.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Hey! Who Turned Off My Gene!?
Human Culture Plays a Role in Natural Selection - NYTimes.com
I’m tolerant of a lot of stuff, gays, Republicans, Keanu Reeves; and there are a few things of which I am not tolerant: ignorance, racism, bigotry, and milk. I cannot help milk, though. My lactose intolerance is genetically coded into me. My ancestors decided some thousands of years ago that raw milk was not for them – can’t say that I blame them, I loathe milk – which had the effect somewhere along the way of turning off the gene that contains the instructions for digesting lactose.
People that live in Northern Europe, a society that still maintains a rich Milk culture (pardon the pun, I am not referring to yogurt), have switched-on genes for digesting lactose. They do not suffer the same gassy, cramping, and bloating that other Europeans and people of European ancestry tend to suffer from, like myself.
People in Africa, especially south of the Sahel, also tend to be lactose-friendly. The Maasai in Kenya are an example of a culture where lactose tolerance lasts throughout life.
Genetics difference between people and cultures is not limited only to whether or not they can digest milk, though. East Asians and Native Americans have variant genes that provide them with hair that is thicker than European or African hair.
Scientists hypothesize that variation among humans derive from a variety of responses, from climatic stimulus, dietary changes, and changes in geography.
Geneticist and Evolutionary Biologists are faced with many research problems. Of the 20,000 or so genes in the human genome, most are not understood. The genes can be broadly classed but specific functions and interrelationships with other genes is still a mystery.
Culture makes us who we are today. According to some scientists though, cultures 20,000 years ago or more, also had a hand in making us who we are today, too.
Up In The Sky! Is it a Bird? A Plane? Oh, God! It’s a Helicopter Toilet!!!
For Pennies, a Disposable Toilet That Could Help Grow Crops - NYTimes.com
Imagine living in rural Kenya; or, rural India; or, rural China, and Nature rings you up, and says, “Hey, you need to evacuate your colon, pronto!”
Facilities in the developing world can be crude, few, and far-between. In rural areas facilities become a tree or a hole in the ground. And, perhaps, a plastic shopping bag. Once your mostly-digested breakfast from yesterday, or chicken from lunch and the associated fecal coli-form bacteria that is happily munching away on what your body could not use, is placed inside said plastic bag, and tied closed, that bag is then tossed aside, or flung. The “flinging” then becomes known as a “helicopter toilet” or a “flyaway toilet.”
I imagine the “helicopter”-effect arises from the difference in weight and the effect that has on the bag’s center of gravity, causing the bag to rotate through the air as if a propeller. Yay! Kids probably think this is great fun. Much like buffalo chip throwing contests here in the States, I envision places having Flyaway Toilet Competitions. Maybe they even have medals! Get your name in the local paper. I wonder if they would calculate a handicap; some people generate large stools that would translate into greater distances. Against people like me, they would have an unfair advantage. Perhaps classes, like flyweight, welterweight, bantamweight, and heavyweight, similar to boxing, would make for a fair Flyaway Toilet Competition. Winners could receive the Golden Sack.
Seriously, though, 40% of the world’s population does not have access to a toilet, according to the United Nations. Taking care of human waste becomes an issue of sanitation and therefore human health.
A Swedish inventor has devised biodegradable bags to hold human excrement. Anders Wilhelmson’s new Peepoo bag takes human excrement, neutralizes harmful biotics, and converts it into fertilizer. When the Peepoo bag is buried the resulting fertilizer can be used to support agriculture.
I honestly had no idea there was a World Toilet Organization or a World Toilet Summit 2010. I can imagine driving past the Hampton Inn and seeing, “Welcome, World Toilet Summit 2010 Attendees! Please Do Not Leave the Seat Up,” on the welcome sign. I want the “Please Poop On My Day” t-shirt and the other cool swag I bet they have.
But these diligent and thoughtful people are concerned with handling human waste (HW). Can we convert HW into biogas and cook with it? I would hope so; lighting a match in some men’s rooms would probably result in 1st and 2nd degree burns, loss of eyebrows and facial hair, and significant property damage.
What about composting HW? Sure, why not. Kill the harm pathogens, and some chemicals, bury the bag, let it decompose; then, wah-la: fertilizer to help feed the masses.
Great stuff!
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Studies in Intelligence
As much as I enjoy the study of a wide-range of topics, I must reveal that the title of today’s post has nothing to do, in the literal sense, with how the brain works.
“Studies in Intelligence” is a little used resource provided by our government’s Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed from the CIA’s home page, the resource provides a series of articles, opinions, and histories regarding the collection and use of information gathered to help government officials create and adapt policies used for managing relationships with other countries.
I say it is “little used,” as I have know few people that realize that the CIA has documented its own exploits, and the exploits of intelligence agencies of foreign governments around the world. The agency itself acknowledges that the source is barely used beyond its own agency and a few others.
The breadth and depth of information available is pretty staggering. Readers can find articles about a secret war in El Paso, TX. The United States was working with factions during the Mexican Civil War. The Office of Strategic Services (OSS) was the precursor to the CIA. Few people probably realize that our National Parks were used as training grounds for our spy network. However, an online book, published by our National Parks Service documents the use of public lands for clandestine operations.
An afternoon or evening could easily go by reading the documents available from Studies in Intelligence. One of my tenets of teaching is that to understand how people, or countries, are today, they have to be examined in an historical context. Why do they act that way? Why do we (the United States) behave the way we do? Why are some countries friendly with some and grumpy with others?
Resources like the National Security Archives and the Studies in Intelligence can help fill in our gaps in knowledge. Not that these resources provide a complete answer into and of themselves, but the picture becomes less murky once more details are illuminated.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
The National Security Archive
The National Security Archive
Most Americans, and by most I mean about 99.9% of Americans, have no idea what goes on behind the scenes of our government. I would guess that most of those in government have no idea what goes on in government. Yes, perhaps in their tiny niche of government, the illuminated government, they might be knowledgeable about. Where there is light, there is also shadows, and casting around in those shadows is the National Security Archives, housed at George Washington University.
The National Security Archives uses the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to accumulate the behind-the-scenes workings of our government andmake them available for public consumption.
A recent posting I ran across in the New York Times, or Washington Post, reminded me of this great resource for people interested in geopolitics, geography, and history.
In 1975, the CIA, operating what looked like a fishing trawler, attempted to recover from the seafloor of the Pacific Ocean a Russian submarine, repleat with "Atom" weapons (atomic missiles). Sounds like a scenario straight from the files of 007, no?
Where did the submarine sink? 1,560 miles northwest of Hawai'i, in 16,000ft of water, with a complete loss of life. From where did the submarine set sail? The Russians had (it may still be there) a submarine base on the Kamchatka Peninsula, the port city of Petropavlovsk.
How the CIA knew the submarine went down is still a mystery, and no one knows for sure what happened. Soviet subs were notoriously dangerous, though.
Most Americans, and by most I mean about 99.9% of Americans, have no idea what goes on behind the scenes of our government. I would guess that most of those in government have no idea what goes on in government. Yes, perhaps in their tiny niche of government, the illuminated government, they might be knowledgeable about. Where there is light, there is also shadows, and casting around in those shadows is the National Security Archives, housed at George Washington University.
The National Security Archives uses the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to accumulate the behind-the-scenes workings of our government andmake them available for public consumption.
A recent posting I ran across in the New York Times, or Washington Post, reminded me of this great resource for people interested in geopolitics, geography, and history.
In 1975, the CIA, operating what looked like a fishing trawler, attempted to recover from the seafloor of the Pacific Ocean a Russian submarine, repleat with "Atom" weapons (atomic missiles). Sounds like a scenario straight from the files of 007, no?
Where did the submarine sink? 1,560 miles northwest of Hawai'i, in 16,000ft of water, with a complete loss of life. From where did the submarine set sail? The Russians had (it may still be there) a submarine base on the Kamchatka Peninsula, the port city of Petropavlovsk.
How the CIA knew the submarine went down is still a mystery, and no one knows for sure what happened. Soviet subs were notoriously dangerous, though.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Chinese Censors Order Avatar out of Theaters – New Tang Dynasty Television
Chinese Censors Order Avatar out of Theaters – New Tang Dynasty Television
Rather than fix the behavior, shoot the messenger seems to be the policy.
Funny. Most reviews/feedback I have read has compared Avatar to “Dances With Wolves” only set in space.
Apparently, there are numerous guilty consciousnesses (sp?) to go around. Americans feel guilty because of the poor treatment of the Native American populations. Chinese feel guilty because they evict people from land that the government wants to exploit, and bullies and thugs are hired to do the dirty work.
Wonder how the movie fares in Europe…? I bet the British love Avatar because of the memories of Colonialism that the movie must revive!
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Can You Spot the Hidden Heart Dangers
Can You Spot the Hidden Heart Dangers?
Ok, the day is late, or early, depending on your perspective, but I want to get this article noted. Once we get past how we need to watch our mouth health, the author notes several heart factors that include considerable geography.
The Fourth (4) Hidden Danger deals with race. Many minority groups have an increased risk of heart disease. Even within race, minority women within certain ethnic groups might have a higher risk than others.
Where you live can have a part in heart disease. Women who live in low-income neighborhoods tend to have a higher incidence of heart disease. People that do not have access to sidewalks, walking trails, or parks tend to have a higher incidence of heart disease. Neighborhoods that do not have amenities to support or encourage active lifestyles tend to have residence that have higher levels of heart disease. Neighborhoods with a cluster of fast-food restaurants and convenience stores also have higher rates of heart disease.
The gender of your doctor may make a difference in whether your risk for heart disease is assessed. Women doctors tend not to consider age.
Finally, what we eat can indicate a risk for heart disease. Fish is a common protein high in omega-3s that help remove blood fat. Tuna, salmon, and mackeral are good sources of protein, have important and sensitive habitats, and in the case of salmon, are potentially being over-fished.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
The Cove
Ric O’Barry caught the first dolphin used in the 1960’s television show, “Flipper.” He subsequently caught four more to help with the television series. The show was filmed in his front yard essentially, with using dolphins he was responsible for training. The first dolphin died, committed suicide according to Ric. The stress of being held captive was too great. The dolphins were much smarter than we humans give them credit for being. As a result of his years of interaction with dolphins, Ric believed that dolphins were being systematically abused by everyone from the spectators at aquariums, to the institutionalized abuse at the hands of the Japanese.
A very controversial film, as the Japanese fisherman are not portrayed as anything other than abusive murderers, and people that wrangle dolphins for aquariums are nothing more than criminals. In one small town, Taiji, hundreds of dolphins are rounded up for sale abroad, for use in shows like Sea World; are killed as an aquatic pest and a direct competitor to human consumption of sea food; and are also killed for food in Japan.
Whether you agree or not, the film raises some interesting points. The IWC (international whaling commission) controls whaling activities. Since 1986, the IWC has banned whaling and the killing of dolphins. Japan refuses to acknowledge this ban. World fishing stocks are being depleted, and the Japanese argue that this is not due to increased human consumption, but due to increased consumption by dolphins and whales. The Japanese government sanctions the dolphin harvest, which is guarded by local police. Dolphin meat itself has a high amount of mercury, which is incredibly toxic, and is being introduced in the school systems without parent’s knowledge. Japan is also using economic incentives to encourage other countries to support Japan’s efforts to repeal the ban on whaling.
This is a documentary so be prepared for slow moments, disturbing imagery of dead dolphins, dolphins dying, dolphins being cut-up, etc. The movie is not graphic throughout but does have its moments, and has some adult language occasionally. Otherwise, the film is pretty interesting and emotionally evocative.
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