I chose the title pollution a silent conspiracy because I think that we have too small awareness about polluting. We as people never think how much an average person wastes per year. But of course we as inhabitants are not the only pollutants. As we should know the biggest polluter is industry by all means. If I start to list all the different branches of industry that is making the pollution, the essay would be surely longer than 500 words. By my opinion the biggest pollutants in industry are chemical industries, industries that involve atomic energy and so on. If we think a little deeper we can soon see that almost every human activity produces pollution. We apparently don’t see that this is a big issue. Perhaps the government should do more to prevent illegal wasting on our planet. Maybe if we have had more listened to John Lennon when he said that we are the government and we should act now because nobody is going to give us the power if we don’t take it for ourselves things would be different. We are obviously undermining this problem. I think if politicians don’t change the laws and make it stricter nothing will change. If the sentences for polluting the environment would be higher then surely the people that are polluting would grab themselves for pockets and rethink about what are they doing to nature.
Also another problem is pesticides. Now days almost every farm fertilizes fields with pesticides. As we all know if land overfills with chemicals all insects that are very useful for the land die. Some scientists are saying that even if we stopped the pollution right now it would be too late for some living species. We can be very happy that we are leaving in this era, because we are still experiencing pretty good climate. But if the average person would life about 1000 years then we would be smart enough to change something. We would then soon see that ice is melting too fast, sea level is rapidly rising, deserts are getting bigger and bigger and similar.
One of the biggest problems is polluted drinking water. We in Europe don’t know how it is like to live without water. If the whole world would first have to boil the water before the drink, than they will know what I am talking about. Some of the people are digging the fountains to come to the water and some don’t have too that is the problem. Minority of people are in the direct contact with the nature that is why they are so careless about the nature. It would be nice to see if the government banned the transportation with cars. If that would happen then we would have cleaner air and the long disease would be reduced. I would also be happy if cigarettes wouldn’t be invented, because we would live longer according to what the doctors are saying.
I think that the whole system is wrong. We should have some kind of system that should change the way we are acting in whole.
sreda, 7. maj 2008
torek, 6. maj 2008
Soldiers Testify at Winter Soldier Hearings in 1971 and 2008
I am going to talk about “winter soldiers” that were involved in the war in Iraq and their psychical consequences. I will also (from other sources) present the war in other conflict places in history like the one in Vietnam.
CORE:
First assembly of “winter soldiers” was held in Detroit, Michigan. It was three-day gathering of 109 veterans and 16 civilians, from January 31 - February 2, 1971.
Vietnam veterans spoke about war crimes and atrocities by the United States Armed Forces and their allies in the Vietnam War, but first let me explain how the term “winter soldier” originated..
The term “winter soldier” first invented Thomas Paine, so-called father of the American Revolution when he spoke about “Sunshine Patriot” and “summertime soldiers” who deserted at Valley Forge, when they were fighting for independence of America.
This term was then used for the purpose of the Winter Soldier rally where they tried to show that American policies in Vietnam had led to war crimes.
The first testimonials at winter soldier gathering were very frightful. They told the stories of times that they had personally raped, cut off ears, cut off heads, taped wires from portable telephones to human genitals and turned up the power, cut off limbs, blown up bodies, randomly shot at civilians, shot cattle and dogs for fun, poisoned food stocks and generally ravaged the countryside of South Vietnam.
The National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Survey (NVVRS), conducted between 1986 and 1988, estimated that more than half of all male Vietnam veterans and almost half of all female Vietnam veterans that is about 1,700,000 in all have experienced “clinically serious stress reaction symptoms.”
The estimated lifetime prevalence (spread) of PTSD among American Vietnam veterans is 30.9 % for men and 26.9 % for women. An additional 22.5 % of men and 21.2 % of women have had partial PTSD at some point in their lives.
Male Vietnam veterans also have a 40 percent divorce rate, 23 percent of them having high levels of parenting problems. Almost half of all male Vietnam veterans suffering from PTSD between 1986 and 1988 have been arrested or jailed at least once, and the estimated lifetime prevalence of substance abuse or dependency (addiction) among male Vietnam veterans is nearly 40 percent.
Second Winter Soldier rally was actually continuation of the first Winter Soldier hearings held 37 years ago by Vietnam Veterans against the War.
Soldiers gathered at the National Labour College in Silver Spring, Maryland. They were again talking about their eyewitness experiences in that war. They basically followed the tradition of resistance in the military by gathering veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan to testify about their comprehension what was really happening in those two wars.
Some soldiers and marines at Winter Soldier described the frustration of routinely raiding the wrong homes and arresting the wrong people. It was common for unarmed Iraqis to be killed at US checkpoints or by US convoys, they said. Many said they were congratulated on their “first kill.” Some even desecrated Iraqi corpses. One soldier said that he refused to pose in a photograph with a corpse when his fellow soldiers prodded him. He said no–not in the context of an ethical basis, but he sad no because it wasn’t his kill. You shouldn’t take trophies for things you didn’t kill. That’s how his mind was set back then.”
Several veterans said it was common to carry a stash of extra automatic weapons and shovels to plant near the bodies of unarmed civilians they had killed to make it look as if they were combatants. Others described the surreal sensation of committing cold-blooded murder without facing any consequences. Jon Michael Turner, who served as a machine gunner with Kilo Company, Third Battalion, Eighth Marines, said he shot an unarmed Iraqi in front of the man's father and friend. "The first round didn't kill him, after He had hit him in his neck area. Afterwards he started screaming and looked right into his eyes. Because he couldn’t stand it watching him he took another shot and took him out. The man was then carried away by the rest of his family.
Some researchers are saying that large numbers of American soldiers returning from combat in Iraq and Afghanistan are showing signs of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other psychiatric difficulties, like post-traumatic stress disorder, major depression, substance abuse, impairment in social functioning and in the ability to work, and the increased use of health care services, very similar to those in Vietnam War. One of the reasons is that average age of the fighting personnel is just 19.
A study published by the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) found that one in six soldiers returning from Iraq was suffering from a variety of emotional problems.
Today, five years after the invasion began, nearly 160,000 troops remain stationed in Iraq, close to 4,000 have died. The number of Iraqis dead is still unknown. It could be more than a million.
Morality of war
Throughout history war has been the source of serious moral questions. Although many ancient nations and some modern ones have viewed war as noble, over the sweep of history, concerns about the morality of war have gradually increased. Today, war is seen by some as undesirable and morally problematic. At the same time, many view war, or at least the preparation and readiness and willingness to engage in war, as necessary for the defence of their country. Pacifists believe that war is inherently immoral and that no war should ever be fought.
CORE:
First assembly of “winter soldiers” was held in Detroit, Michigan. It was three-day gathering of 109 veterans and 16 civilians, from January 31 - February 2, 1971.
Vietnam veterans spoke about war crimes and atrocities by the United States Armed Forces and their allies in the Vietnam War, but first let me explain how the term “winter soldier” originated..
The term “winter soldier” first invented Thomas Paine, so-called father of the American Revolution when he spoke about “Sunshine Patriot” and “summertime soldiers” who deserted at Valley Forge, when they were fighting for independence of America.
This term was then used for the purpose of the Winter Soldier rally where they tried to show that American policies in Vietnam had led to war crimes.
The first testimonials at winter soldier gathering were very frightful. They told the stories of times that they had personally raped, cut off ears, cut off heads, taped wires from portable telephones to human genitals and turned up the power, cut off limbs, blown up bodies, randomly shot at civilians, shot cattle and dogs for fun, poisoned food stocks and generally ravaged the countryside of South Vietnam.
The National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Survey (NVVRS), conducted between 1986 and 1988, estimated that more than half of all male Vietnam veterans and almost half of all female Vietnam veterans that is about 1,700,000 in all have experienced “clinically serious stress reaction symptoms.”
The estimated lifetime prevalence (spread) of PTSD among American Vietnam veterans is 30.9 % for men and 26.9 % for women. An additional 22.5 % of men and 21.2 % of women have had partial PTSD at some point in their lives.
Male Vietnam veterans also have a 40 percent divorce rate, 23 percent of them having high levels of parenting problems. Almost half of all male Vietnam veterans suffering from PTSD between 1986 and 1988 have been arrested or jailed at least once, and the estimated lifetime prevalence of substance abuse or dependency (addiction) among male Vietnam veterans is nearly 40 percent.
Second Winter Soldier rally was actually continuation of the first Winter Soldier hearings held 37 years ago by Vietnam Veterans against the War.
Soldiers gathered at the National Labour College in Silver Spring, Maryland. They were again talking about their eyewitness experiences in that war. They basically followed the tradition of resistance in the military by gathering veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan to testify about their comprehension what was really happening in those two wars.
Some soldiers and marines at Winter Soldier described the frustration of routinely raiding the wrong homes and arresting the wrong people. It was common for unarmed Iraqis to be killed at US checkpoints or by US convoys, they said. Many said they were congratulated on their “first kill.” Some even desecrated Iraqi corpses. One soldier said that he refused to pose in a photograph with a corpse when his fellow soldiers prodded him. He said no–not in the context of an ethical basis, but he sad no because it wasn’t his kill. You shouldn’t take trophies for things you didn’t kill. That’s how his mind was set back then.”
Several veterans said it was common to carry a stash of extra automatic weapons and shovels to plant near the bodies of unarmed civilians they had killed to make it look as if they were combatants. Others described the surreal sensation of committing cold-blooded murder without facing any consequences. Jon Michael Turner, who served as a machine gunner with Kilo Company, Third Battalion, Eighth Marines, said he shot an unarmed Iraqi in front of the man's father and friend. "The first round didn't kill him, after He had hit him in his neck area. Afterwards he started screaming and looked right into his eyes. Because he couldn’t stand it watching him he took another shot and took him out. The man was then carried away by the rest of his family.
Some researchers are saying that large numbers of American soldiers returning from combat in Iraq and Afghanistan are showing signs of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other psychiatric difficulties, like post-traumatic stress disorder, major depression, substance abuse, impairment in social functioning and in the ability to work, and the increased use of health care services, very similar to those in Vietnam War. One of the reasons is that average age of the fighting personnel is just 19.
A study published by the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) found that one in six soldiers returning from Iraq was suffering from a variety of emotional problems.
Today, five years after the invasion began, nearly 160,000 troops remain stationed in Iraq, close to 4,000 have died. The number of Iraqis dead is still unknown. It could be more than a million.
Morality of war
Throughout history war has been the source of serious moral questions. Although many ancient nations and some modern ones have viewed war as noble, over the sweep of history, concerns about the morality of war have gradually increased. Today, war is seen by some as undesirable and morally problematic. At the same time, many view war, or at least the preparation and readiness and willingness to engage in war, as necessary for the defence of their country. Pacifists believe that war is inherently immoral and that no war should ever be fought.
ponedeljek, 21. april 2008
COMMENTARIES ABOUT FOOD SHORTAGE AND ITS RISING PRICES
I decided to review few comments about food shortage and rising prices of it.
Bridgetkindle thinks that we are exaggerating. She is saying that “there is surely food shortage, but this doesn’t mean it’s the whole world experiencing this”. By one hand it is true because the video article was mostly focused just on some countries like: China, India, and Indonesia. Other countries such as: Cameroon, Senegal, Bangladesh, Haiti, Mexico and Indonesia were just mentioned and are not representing the whole world. She also thinks that every country should be producing food, “without reliance on other nations”. By my opinion she isn’t realistic about that. Some countries just can’t produce enough food for they don’t have enough water or other natural elements.
In some other article Vania Mendes thinks that the shortage of food will affect everybody, especially the ones who are living in privileged west. I agree that it will affect everybody but I don’t think that the “privileged west” will suffer most. We are not struggling with our salary like the ones in poor countries and we are having enough natural goods to overcome this problem. I agree with her that too much food is going to waste and that we have to change our mentality to overcome this problem.
By my opinion we are not aware about our consequences. We are too occupied with daily rush that we don’t see the problems that are encircling us.
Bridgetkindle thinks that we are exaggerating. She is saying that “there is surely food shortage, but this doesn’t mean it’s the whole world experiencing this”. By one hand it is true because the video article was mostly focused just on some countries like: China, India, and Indonesia. Other countries such as: Cameroon, Senegal, Bangladesh, Haiti, Mexico and Indonesia were just mentioned and are not representing the whole world. She also thinks that every country should be producing food, “without reliance on other nations”. By my opinion she isn’t realistic about that. Some countries just can’t produce enough food for they don’t have enough water or other natural elements.
In some other article Vania Mendes thinks that the shortage of food will affect everybody, especially the ones who are living in privileged west. I agree that it will affect everybody but I don’t think that the “privileged west” will suffer most. We are not struggling with our salary like the ones in poor countries and we are having enough natural goods to overcome this problem. I agree with her that too much food is going to waste and that we have to change our mentality to overcome this problem.
By my opinion we are not aware about our consequences. We are too occupied with daily rush that we don’t see the problems that are encircling us.
torek, 15. april 2008
sreda, 26. marec 2008
sobota, 19. januar 2008
Recenzija: Michael Palin's New Europe
Danes sem gledal ponovitev oddaje . Žalostno, da ni bila predstavljena Slovenija. Avtor je začuden, kako je lahko neka Slovenija sprožila osamosvojitveni proces v Jugoslaviji. Res žalostno, da se avtor ni bolj potrudil in raziskal zgodovino Slovenije. Prikazano je bilo kot, da nič drugega ne obstaja kot Alpe. Brez ljudi, mest, duše itd..
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