Blog Topic # 11

This is a map of the United States, with the most-known movie associated with the state it is from. I have seen only a handful of these movies, but I found this to be interesting on a personal level as I am from South Dakota and take great pride in the fact that the movie listed on the map for SD is Dances With Wolves, both a popular and well-known film. 

I have been to the actual spot where this movie was filmed, a few minutes' drive from my house (off of Highway 16, on the way to Mount Rushmore to the Black Hills), located at the Ft. Hays Chuck wagon Dinner and Show (a tourist attraction that I highly recommend). I have not seen the movie itself, however, but it is on my list of movies  to watch, as I hear it is a great one.

Blog Topic #10 Sub-Saharan Africa

After reading the sections in the textbook regarding foreign aid to Sub-Saharan Africa, as well as the article from CATO institute, it is my opinion that the people of Africa need leadership, not aid. The old adage "Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man  how to fish, feed him for a lifetime" could not be more applicable than in this situation.

It is my opinion that by giving the country aid, it merely teaches dependency, not independence. It creates money laundering and scams, not development.
Rather, there should be a greater focus on development, and creating an infrastructure and industry.

Blog Topic #9 Civil Unrest in the Middle East

Yemen.

Opposition rejects Gulf plan, Saleh accepts

Yahoo News.

 The protests in this Middle Eastern country are taking place mainly because the president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, was given the option to step down through a Gulf Arab initiative. The protesters do not like this plan, partly because it gives Saleh immunity from prosecution against his past wrongs.

Saleh himself welcomed the plan.

Opposition spokesman, Mohammed al-Sabry, is quoted: "Who would be a fool to offer guarantees to a regime that kills peaceful protestors? Our principal demand is that Saleh leaves first."

Since early February, Saleh has been dragging his heels over U.S. attempts to have him agree to step down, trying first to win guarantees that he and his sons will not face prosecution.

More than 100 protesters have been killed in clashes with security forces, and activists have said that they want to see legal action taken against Saleh and his sons.

Tens of thousands of protesters filled the streets of Sanaa, Taiz, Hudaiba, Ibb, and the SE province of Hadramat to protest against the Gulf plan. General Ali Mohsen, a kinsman of Saleh whose units are protecting those protesters in Sanaa, is quoted to have said on Monday, "[Saleh]...hopes all parties will accept this initiative and not miss the opportunity."

Shortly after the opposition rejected the Gulf initiative, Saleh accepted it. He believes that it is his duty to oversee the transition of power in new elections, and he "has no reservations about transferring power peacefully within the framework of the constitution."

Blog Topic #8 Google Earth

 I found this image from Google Earth to be interesting because it shows  the Earth from an almost entirely water-covered perspective. It made me realize how isolated Hawaii is from the other land masses.