Organic? Yes or No: Stop Lying to me!

In Global Ethics class we were asked to read a chapter from Michael Pollen's The Omnivores Dilemma. I thought this chapter was very interesting. It sort of changes the way you think about Organic foods. The word "organic" is one of the most powerful words in the supermarket today. It is an 11 billion dollar industry, which makes it the fastest growing sector of the food economy. All this wealth came from just farmers and consumers. There was no help from the government, which is incredible. One of the key innovations of organic food was to allow more information to pass from the grower to the consumer. In a way I guess that is true, but can we believe everything we are told? The story that struck me the most was the one about Rosie the chicken who was marketed as a "sustainably farmed" "free range chicken" from Petaluma Poultry, a ompany whose "farming methods strive to create harmonious relationships in nature, sustaining the health of all creatures of the natural world." When I first read this I thought, "Wow, this is really a great business and they must really treat their chickens well." After reading about the deceitfulness of some of these Organic companies, I began to question whether or not I could trust anything. I started doing some of my own research to see whether Pollen was right. I found out that the chickens are not allowed to go outside until they are 4 weeks old, but then they are slaughtered maybe two weeks later. They say they that they are a "free-range" farm but I think they are taking it way to far. We think of the world "organic" and we instantly conjure up some ideas. I think it is a great idea to provide information about each product but not when the truth isn't being told or when its being stretched too far. After reading this chapter I was able to make a connection with the company Enron. Both Enron and the Organic food industry care about one thing: Money. The Enron employees, included Ken Lay and Jeff Skilling, put their "hubris" ahead of the people. In the same way, the organic food producers told false stories, stories that would make them look better, in order to sell a lot of their products. Both Enron and these organic companies are deceitful. Enron refused to tell the general public what was happening within their company and these organic farmers aren't telling their consumers how their products are made. "Hubris" is the one word that can really tie the Enron scandal and the Organic food industry together. Both are looking for ways to make money, and both will do whatever is necessary to ensure that they do make money. The organic industry is doing pretty good right now but if more people read the book The Omnivore's Dilemma, will this industry have a result similar to that of Enron?

First ILE blog entry

Throughout the month of November I have gone to my internship 2 times out of a possible 4. I was sick one week and then I got off another week because my mentor was out of the country and there was nothing for me to do that day. The other two days I went I got to see a lot of patients. Most of them spoke english too, which is pretty cool because I can actually understand.
My most powerful experience throughout these last two weeks was probably getting to meet some people from Morrison. I met some sophomore girls on the basketball team and the varsity girls basketball assistant coach. It was nice getting to talk to each of them and learning more about their basketball teams. The first week in November I got to sit in on Patrick Truchons appointment. It was pretty cool watching my mentor work on his toe because I am so close with Patrick. This same day our train got delayed by an hour or so which was really boring. Every Wednesday I get to watch a physical therapy session from 1pm-2pm and I almost always fall asleep. The session itself is not boring but the music they play is so soothing ( which it is supposed to be, just not for me) and by that time I am pretty exhausted. The Physical therapist I usually work with knows that I get sleepy when I hear the music so he has started talking to me more and explains things to me as he works. I am definitely an outgoing person which is really good because I get to talk to a lot of people about their lives and how they injured themselves. On November 12th there was a really funny patient. He was explaining how he layed on his bed with his daughter but before he finished his story he had to clarify that his daughter was only 6 years old and he told me not to freak. He was a pretty cool guy! I hope to learn more about Biology and Anatomy so I am better equiped to help Dr. Hang with his research and any projects he may have for me. He would like me to work on a poster for the treatment Orthokine but he hasn't given me the specifics just yet. My internship is going pretty good so far. Sometimes I don't have anything to do but I take homework with me and I can also read more about Anatomy. I look forward to what the rest of the year has to bring.

Enron Scandal

Where are Lay and Skilling now?
The effect of "hubris" in the Enron debacle

Last Thursday we watched the movie Enron in Global Ethics class. I thought it was a pretty remarkable video. Before watching this movie I had heard the word Enron A LOT, but I really didn't know what it meant and why it was so important. After watching this video I now realize the impact the Enron scandal had on people in the US during the 1990's. A common question regarding Enron is probably, "Who is to blame for this scandal?" If I were to answer this based on what I learned from the video, I would say Ken Lay and Jeffrey Skilling. Lay was the CEO of Enron from 1986 to 2002, when he resigned. He was also the chairman of the company for a few months in 2001. Ken lay died on July 5th, 2006 while vacationing with his family. The Autopsies indicate that he died of a heart attack brought on by coronary artery disease. Skilling, who was the CEO of Enron in 2001, on the other hand, is sitting in prison right now. He is currently serving a 24 year, 4 month sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution in Wasceca, Minnesota.

"Hubris" has a huge impact on the way this Enron story unfolds. "Hubris" is defined as personal pride

Dongmen Shopping Center

It seems that you were really uncomfortable being inside DongMen. Granted, it is a dirty place. How do you feel knowing that people live in that environment, and children grow up there? What kind of reaction do you have when you see people living in a place like DongMen surrounded by the relative wealth of Hsinchu right outside? What do you think should be done, if anything? How do you think DongMen went from being an operational, thriving shopping center to its current state?

It kind of creeps me out to know that people live back inside that abandoned shopping mall. I think we take a lot of things for granted too. We all live in nice houses with hot water and food to eat when we want it but sometimes we forget about the people that don't have those luxuries. I think being in that environment for the few hours that we were there was enough to kind of make me thankful for what I have. I can't imagine what it would be like to be homeless. It must be very lonely, which is something I am not necessarily comfortable with. Our trip to dongmen didn't only involve homeless people though. Some of those houses were pretty crappy. Again, it just makes me thankful for what I have. As far as what we can do for them...nothing. I mean, I'm sure they are content with the way they are living because they have had so long to get used to it. I don't really think anything should be done. Its impossible to get everyone on the same level. Our society is a hierarchy where we have the high class, which is wealthy and then we have the lower class, which isn't as fortunate. That's just how it is. I'm sure some of the larger companies like SOGO, FE21, Windance, Carrefore and RT mart are the reason the shopping center isn't thriving anymore. How do we know that the shopping center used to be thriving? Honestly, I can't imagine that place being very successful. There are houses and every room is so tiny. The Dongmen shopping center is definitely an interesting place and I'm sure I will wander in there a few times.

River Choreography

The main idea that we can draw from the article is that these large companies in science park are contaminating the world we live in, more specifically, the river. These businesses do their everyday routines in order to be successful business enterprises however they neglect one thing: the well being of Hsinchu residents. I think we can do a routine where we have trash scattered all along the river and we have to do a dance/routine in order to pick it all up. That way we can see the importance of throwing away trash, so we don't spoil the environment. I would suggest doing a scene where we walk through the water but the water in the canal is horrendous. We might be able to use the rocks going across the middle in some neat way. I really think that we should try some sort of trash routine. We can collect a lot of trash and somehow make it into a cool routine where we are dancing (since this is dance class) and picking up trash and throwing it away. I think we would have to incorporate some kind of crawling motion in order to pick up the trash. I think this idea has some potential, but I'd like to hear some other ideas. They might help me finalize my idea or come up with something new.

Cradle to Cradle

McDonough Ted-talk

“Our Goal is a delightfully diverse, safe, healthy and just world, with clean air, water, soil and power- economically, equitably, ecologically and elegantly enjoyed.”

I thought this ted-talk by William McDonough was amazing. The first time I watched it I wasn't that into it but after watching it a 2nd and 3rd time, I came to realize that it is actually pretty good. McDonough really stresses the whole idea of how we design things and takes a lot of factors into account. He said in the beginning of his talk that “design is the first signal of human intentions.” He goes on to question what our human intentions should be and how we are going to accomplish them. I think one of the questions he posed, which was, “How do we love all the children of all species for all time?”, was really good. He then explains how this has to be the first question we ask ourselves when deciding on a design. I could go on and on about this ted-talk but I'm going to control myself and focus on the designing of green buildings.

I think its incredible to see such amazing cities, where sustainability is the number one priority. It is really quite amazing that we can build buildings and still remain green. The things McDonough is working on is remarkable. This ted-talk really made me think of Angus and Jack, who both happen to be in France. Angus is greatly concerned with finding corporations that are sustainable and that aren't notorious for damaging the environment. Jack is very interested in green architecture and making the world a healthier place. I think there is hope, and like McDonough said, ““We see that the companies acting ethically in this world are out performing those that don't.”

This ted-talk also reminded me of the novel Ishmael by Daniel Quinn. The book talks a lot about mother culture and how long ago we split into two groups, the takers and the leavers. I see McDonough's plans for the Chinese cities as a step backwards or closer to the leaver lifestyle. With his ideas we are making the world a better place to live. Another question he asks is, “How can we secure local society, create world peace and save the environment?” I think this is a question we should all ask ourselves and really spend some time contemplating the whole concept. One way we can start is by spreading the word. We can take the initiative and try to be one of the first green schools in all of Taiwan. I could really talk about this ted-talk for another 30 minutes, but I shall stop.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_McDonough
http://www.mcdonoughpartners.com/
http://tw.youtube.com/watch?v=IoRjz8iTVoo

Hawken Chapter

Connection

Connection between "Waste Not" and SKOSMI

Upon completing “Waste Not” I sat at my desk and tried to remember the most important things I should have taken from the article. I found, after much thought, that this was impossible. This chapter was jam-packed with so much information that I just couldn’t do it. I then began to think about how my internship/senior project could relate to “waste”. How could a sports medicine clinic where the number one priority is helping people have negative impacts on the world? I tried to recall any section that talked about healthcare, and soon enough I came an interesting section. Although the chapter had 14 pages, I am only going to focus on a single paragraph. The first paragraph on page 58 talks about the amount of money “wasted” on healthcare each year. This made me think about how many patients might go in for therapy/massage that don’t really need it. “In health care, $65 billion is spent annually on nonessential or even fraudulent tests and procedures (including 420,000 unneeded caesareans).” That is $65 billion dollars that doesn’t necessarily need to be spent, which is considered wasting. It took me awhile to find the connection but I finally got it.

The paragraph at the top of page 58 made me think about whether or not patients at Shin Kong Orthopedic Sports Medicine Institute could fit into the same boat. I’d assume that they would although the article is mostly talking about people who seek help with obesity, heart disease, and dietary choices.

Another way that “Waste Not” might connect with my senior project is through the materials in which the Sports Medicine clinic uses. What did it take to make the tools and equipment that the clinic uses? How many trees were cut down to make them? How much water was wasted? Does the material include waste products or anything that may be harmful to the environment? These are all questions that I have yet been able to answer. Will I answer them? Yes, of course. I just need some more time in the environment to be able to ask these questions.

There are two ways (at least I think so) that this chapter, “Waste Not”, relates to my senior project/internship. First of all, it talks about the amount of money wasted on healthcare each year, which closely relates to the sports medicine clinic I am working at. Secondly, the chapter talks about the coke can and all the processes that it went through to get to its ultimate stage. I can look at the different sports medicine tools and equipment and do the same kind of thing. Are these materials used at SKISMO environmentally friendly?

I look forward to furthering my understanding of waste and how I can relate it to my senior project.

AP English: James Baldwin's intent for writing "Stranger in a Village."

James Baldwin, throughout the essay, expresses the anger or "rage" that he feels because of white supremacy. During this time period, in Switzerland, blacks were considering "exotic rarities", and when seen were treated as if they weren't human. Baldwin talks about how the children and sometimes even adults would touch his hair just because it was a different texture and wasn't seen everyday. I feel that Baldwin's intent for writing this essay is to express his feelings and beliefs about the way whites once treated blacks. In paragraph 25 of the essay Baldwin tells us that, "This worlds white no longer, and it will never be white again." Black men are no longer considered rarities and are finally accepted into society, as human beings. Baldwin talks about the rage he feels sometimes of the way he is treated.

"There is a dreadful abyss between the streets of this village and the streets of the city in which I was born, between the children who shout Neger! today and those who shouted Nigger! yesterday—the abyss is experience, the American experience." I feel this is a very important excerpt because It expresses the difference between the way blacks are treated in America verses, in this case, Switzerland. Baldwin's main intent is to express this difference and also talk about how blacks should be treated equally.

These are just a few of the main ideas that I got from reading this essay. I think I will try to read it again sometime this week to really capture the meaning of it. Wish I could have been in class to discuss Baldwin's intent, and what others took from the reading.

Western vs. Eastern medicine

Hello everybody! The question I am going to try to explore is, "How does Eastern medicine differ from that of Western medicine?" and "What specific role does Sports medicine play in our society, both locally and globally?" I am really interested in learning about the human body AND sports. What profession combines the two? A sports medicine doctor or Orthopedic surgeon.

I am privileged to have found a great internship opportunity in Taipei with a one of a kind Orthopedic surgeon who specialized in sports medicine. He seems pretty eager to get started and I know I can't wait.

As for how this internship will relate to my senior project, I'd like to compare the way the Western world conducts its medical routines with that of the Eastern world. Once I get my ideas organized I'd like to create a few guiding questions to help guide me along my journey. An example of a question I might ask could be, "Why is health care so expensive in the US, while we can get the same treatment for almost nothing here in Taiwan?"

I am also going to use this internship experience to learn more about myself. Is Sports medicine the field I want to be in? Do I really want to go to Medical school? Will I be happy with my job and at the same time make others happy?

While I am at my internship in Taipei I will be able to watch Dr. Wang ( I think thats his name...) perform medical techniques on his patients. (those with clothes anyway :P). If the doctor is busy I will have the opportunity to work closely with some of his assistants, who I hope speak English! I really look forward to starting my internship next week and will update you guys when I can!


If you're interested in checking out the website for where I will do my Internship, here it is:
http://www.skosmi.com.tw/

HSIP Influence

I began reading this article without any prior expectations or thoughts. I don't know much about the Hsinchu Science Park because neither of my parents work there and I rarely get the opportunity to converse with employees of the Science Park. Another reason I might not know or hear much is because I am foreign and don't speak Chinese fluently. HSIP has to be a big deal. I mean, its considered the Silicon Valley of the east, which is pretty important. I'm curious to know whether or not HSIP gets mentioned on the news often or if things stay behind the scenes.

After reading this article a few things stuck with me. We were asked to pick a topic from the article that most impacts us (as an individual), and I'd have to say the thing that impacts me the most is the amount of pollution these companies are creating outside of the factories. I honestly don't know too much about the science park so there aren't too many things that could affect me personally, probably because I am just unaware. Everyday we must travel outside to get to where we have to be, whether its school, music lessons, downtown, etc. This means that we breath the air that is in the atmosphere at that given time.

After reading this article I finally realize that the air we breath isn't all that clean and fresh. There isn't much we, the people outside of the companies, can do to prevent this either. I mean we could petition and try to get the government to do something about the way these companies are running their businesses but that is hard to do. The government and managers of these companies are all about the money. They want to market their particular cause the best way possible, hoping to make themselves look good. What most people don't know, unless you've read this article, is that these companies are not as good as they may "seem". The 1997 fire at UMC is a great example. The article states that the community overheard that the fire chief purposely chose to deny any sort of toxic chemicals for the sake of looking good, and environmentally friendly. A week or so later the guy was in the hospital, because of those very fumes that he denied being present at UMC. Its amazing to see what lengths people will go just to try and look good. I guess I'm sort of straying from my main idea: what impact the environmental wastes and pollution have on me.

Almost every time I go downtown I have to look into the canal, which is full of filth, trash and who knows what else. I've never actually thought about WHY the canal looks the way it does. Could it be because of these big companies and corporations? I'm really not sure. The companies put far too many toxins and far too much waste into the atmosphere, which we happen to be surrounded by. I think this is one of the biggest problems we face today, Pollution, and its affects on the community. So many people get sick and are sent to the hospital because of this pollution, and who gets blamed? No one! Companies continue producing their products regardless of how much waste they emit and the number of people admitted to the hospital continues to grow. Until the government decides to do something about these problems, we will be breathing in insanitary air. This article really opened my eyes to what is happening around me. Since being in Taiwan I have lost touch with the news and media world, mainly because I cannot understand what is being said. This article, being that it is in english, was very beneficial and I hope we can continue to promote awareness on this very important issue!

Changing the World

Trying to change the world, for the good, may seem like a daunting task that would take countless hours out of our already short lifespan, but this is not the case. Today there are a variety of things that we can do to help benefit the world, and the people that inhabit it. One thing that I will continue doing to help change the world is to kindly smile at a stranger. Having a positive approach to life can really rub off on people, and get people in the right spirits. Todays society is filled with murderers, rapists, child molesters, burglar's, and many other misguided individuals, buy maybe, just maybe, we can make a good impression on those people, without knowing it. All you have to do is simply smile! Most people that are upset in todays world are upset because they don't feel loved or accepted. If we benevolently send that all empowering smile in the direction of one of these individuals, we could easily make there day and possibly change their approach on life. What better than a world filled with happy people, right? Another kind gesture that we can try to utilize in our everyday lives, which parallels my first idea, is to say something nice to someone, maybe unexpectedly. Maybe you are walking into a restaurant, and you notice that there is a lady holding a young infant behind you. The first thing that should come to your mind is to hold the door open for the lady. Its a kind gesture like this that will put someone in a good mood or not. If people see you going out of your way to help, they will very much appreciate it. Sometimes even, you might get a gentle, thank you, in return, acknowledging your altruism. Now you may continue in and enjoy the meal that you would have enjoyed just 5 seconds earlier, had you not helped the lady and her child at the door. It feels good to help other people, and by doing so you might even be able to turn that misanthrope into a much more common role, a Philanthropist. As you can tell, in order to have a world free of crime, hatred and violence, we must have happy people, so I will try my best to encounter every situation with an optimistic and happy attitude, in hopes of changing people for the better.

There are also some other small things that can inevitable make the world a better place to live. Have you ever walked down a street with some friends, and noticed a great heap of trash scattered all over? You probably have, but did you do anything about it? Most likely not. One of the problems we face today as a society is that we all have unconsciously believe that it is not our place to pick up abandoned trash. We all, at some point in our life, have reflexively thrown that occasional snickers wrapper, or coke bottle onto the ground. I have seen people who have thrown trash onto the floor when there was a trash can less than 10 yards from them. One way I will instigate the betting of the world, is by simply avoiding to throw my trash on the ground. I will wait for the opportune time to dispose of my waste. Also, along with not throwing my trash anywhere but the trashcan, I will pick up trash that I come across and simply throw it away for the irresponsible person who thought nothing of it to leave their trash behind. If we all decide to take initiative and pick up the rubbish lying on the ground, we can together make the world a better and cleaner place.

Another problem we face today is Global Warming. One thing I will begin to do is spread the word of the harmful effects Global Warming has and its capacity to destroy us all, including the animals and every other living organism that lives on this earth. If we simply cut back on the amount of water we use a day and change our light bulbs regularly, we are promoting the bettering of the world. I have made a promise to myself that I will abide by these small tasks, in hopes of reducing the global problems we are facing every day. One person can't make the problem go away, but they sure as hell can help spread the word and get people motivated. To try to prevent any further damage from Global Warming, I will try to educate people about the seriousness of this issue. Together, as a school community, we should begin contemplating ideas that will help attenuate Global Warming on the the grand scale.

I, Tyler Willis, WILL do everything in my power to make the world a better place to live!!

Grizzly Man

The documentary Grizzly Man is an intriguing video that I seem to have a hard time forgetting. The whole video is comprised of footage from this mans 13 summer voyage with these magnificent creatures. This man, Timothy Treadwell, spent summer after summer filming and trying to become one with these animals. There is much controversy over whether or not he should have been able to do this. I truly believe that however crazy it may be, this expedition into the wild with the Grizzlies is acceptable. I think his reasoning behind being out there with these animals is strong enough to permit him to do so. People think that this guy was crazy and disturbed. Who in their right mind would want to walk up to a Grizzly and pet it on its nose? Who would want to sleep every night in a little tent, providing very little protection? Why should this man be able to go into the wild and disturb these wild animals from their normal everyday lives? These are just a few questions that people may be asking themselves, and they definitely make for good debate. No one will ever truly understand what Treadwell was thinking but people will each have their interpretations. I believe that Treadwell’s past had a big influence on his decision to live in the wild with these animals. I have a good feeling that he might have been depressed to a certain degree. He was a heavy drinker, probably due to depression. In his early years he had a near fatal overdose, which for sure changed his perspective on life. He got injured during his younger years and lost his scholarship to the school of his choice. Also, his father mentioned that the thing that ruined him the most was probably not getting the job he applied for. Without understanding Treadwell’s background you may be quick to assume that he is a deranged and crazy man. I tend to believe that he is just very dedicated and addicted to his obsession of wildlife. “I had no life. Now I have a life.” This is a quote that Treadwell stated in his documentary. It shows you how he feels about his life. Before his experiences with the bears, he was depressed and considered himself to have no life. After his encounters with the bears, he claimed to have a life. So basically, I feel it all comes down to how poorly life was treating him before his travels into the wild. He found a new life and new friends on the flat lands of Alaska. It was here that he finally starts to realize that he belongs out with these bears. He thought the bears needed a caretaker, someone to look after them. Everything he did was with the right intention, but outsiders viewed it as not normal, crazy, and just plain right unacceptable. I agree with his morals and ideas of life. He truly wanted to become one with the bears. The more you know about these animals, the easier it is to understand them. I can relate to Treadwell in that I used to always go fishing when I was in the US. Everyday after school I would be out on the stream, deep down in the woods. I guess you could say fishing consumed my life. During these adventures each day, I would think of myself as a 20 inch palomino trout. If I were a trout, what kind of food would I want today? Its sunny, kind of windy and the water looks clear. These are things I thought about while I was wading up and down the stream. I really had to become one with the fish, so I could understand them, and in my case catch the fish. Treadwell was doing what he loved to do. I think people need to realize that what he was doing was for the good. Was he on his butt talking about what he COULD do? No. He was out doing it! That is something people don’t understand. His motives were all for a good cause. He wanted to become a better person. He wanted to create awareness around the world about the dangers of hunters and the dwindling populations of animals around the globe. He taught classes to young students in hopes of educating them about the problems these bears are facing. Throughout the movie you could really see the emotional side of Treadwell. You can tell that he was dedicated to these animals and would do anything to help them. I think the use of foul language is crucial to this documentary. Treadwell freely expressed all of his ideas. This makes me wonder, Did he want people to see this? What was his intention to do with all this footage? Would he have made his own documentary? Watching this video made me think of a lot of things. I thought about how very few people have such close connections with animals. I think its great that Treadwell had such close relationships with these Grizzlies and even the foxes. I thought it was amazing to see Treadwell interact with these wild animals. I think being able to form a relationship with the foxes made him that much more eager to form relationships with the bears. So all this comes down to one simple question. Was Timothy Treadwell a hero? I would start by pondering what exactly being a hero entails. When I hear the word hero, I think of someone who is admired for certain achievements or the bettering of society. So, would I classify Treadwell as a hero? I would have to say yes. He was out trying to make a difference in the world, regardless of what others thought. No not everyone agrees with what he was doing but you got to give him some credit for being an individual with drive and passion. He had a fond love for animals, more specifically, the grizzly bear, and didn’t let anyone stand in his way. I thought it was cool to see Treadwell walking with the bears in the very last scene. The whole movie Timothy wanted to become one with the bears and in the end that was the feeling I got. Its incredible to watch him get so close to these wonderful yet scary creatures. Timothy Treadwell’s story is the epitome of people taking their passions in life to the furthest extreme. He did what he loved, and no matter what people say about him, he had good intentions and died the only way he would have wanted to. RIP Timothy!

I could write so much more on this video, so if you have any questions let me know!

Peoples Temple

Influence of Prophets


Today in Global Ethics class we watched a very shocking and mind-boggling video. The video was about the People’s Temple founded by a man named Jim Jones. Jim Jones was obviously a very influential person seeing as though he caused over 900 people to commit suicide. He was responsible for the November 18, 1978 mass murder-suicide. The people of the People’s Temple took cyanide poisoning and many young children died as well. I found this video to be very disturbing. The influence these prophets have on people is ridiculous. What kinds of things was this guy saying to cause such a crowd? Why would people kill themselves just because he said so? I don’t understand why people pay attention so much to prophets. This video made me think of Ishmael because in the book Ishmael, Ishmael talks about how we humans always turn to our prophets for advice. That seemed to be the case for the People’

Jane Goodall Connections

“There isn’t a sharp line dividing humans from the animal kingdom,”

This is the focal point of Jane Goodall’s Ted talk. Throughout most of her ted talk she is trying to bring the voice of the animal kingdom into affect. There isn’t a great distinction between the human race and that of other creatures on this planet. Human arrogance has led us to believe that humans are far greater and advanced than any other living animal on this earth. As Jane points out, this belief is false. Jane Goodall’s speech closely relates to the novel Ishmael. Ishmael expresses essentially the same concerns about the human race as Jane does. Both of which provide us with different viewpoints or perspectives on how humans inevitably supposed to go about living. Mutually, both Ishmael and Jane Goodall have are trying to address the fact that humans are not as dissimilar from other animals as we are told by Mother Culture. Chimpanzees are doing many things that would lead us to believe they are closely related to humans. Some of these marvelous creatures are so intelligent that they are capable of using a computer. These chimps are able to use sign language as a means of communication. One of the most astonishing things that helps me prove further that the line between humans and chimps is distinct is the fact that these chimps have been observed using grass to fish termites out of wood. They have even made their own tools by stripping the leaves off of a branch and later using it to fish out termites. This accomplishment would be considered a human characteristic yet these chimpanzees are capable of doing it. “ We must now redefine man. Redefine tool or accept chimpanzees as humans.” I think this quote is very powerful. It makes you realize that although we have been told different, chimps are more or less very similar to us in many regards. These chimps can kiss, hold hands and make movements similar if not identical to humans. These creatures are able to hunt just like human beings and they even share their pray. All of these things are thought to be human prerogatives in which only we humans are able to accomplish successfully. Both Ishmael and Jane Goodall are trying to raise awareness to the human culture. There are things that we don’t understand and these two are trying to help us understand these things. Ishmael talks about how any organism will automatically assume that it is the juggernaut and the world was made for them. Ishmael and Jane are very similar because they want to create awareness of the problems that we are facing but seem not to care about the after affects. We just take it all in as though its inevitable and destined to happen. These qualities that we assumed were strictly human characteristics are being observed in other species. I think the quote I used before demonstrates this whole idea very well. “ We must now redefine man. Redefine tool or accept chimps as humans.”

Another point that Jane Goodall focuses on is the way humans have carelessly destroyed our environment. She talks about her time in the deep deep tropical rain-forest of Ecuador which can only be reached by plane. She spends time with Indigenous people who are fighting every day to keep their forests. Every day they have to worry about Deforestation because these ignorant and selfish people want oil and wood. This made me think back to the part in Ishmael where he introduces Takers and Leavers. I think this is a perfect example of that. The takers would obviously be the people trying to destroy the forests of these Indigenous people. I don’t see why these people would have to come all the way into the “deep deep tropical rain-forest of Ecuador which can only be reached by plane.” These leavers, Indigenous people, are living reasonably good lives without the fear of the poisoned world. We humans(takers) are destroying this world slowly but surely. We are using up resources like we have an endless supply of them. If we keep on living as though this world was made for humans and only humans we will run into major problems down the road.

One thing Jane Goodall, Wade Davis, Ishmael, Phil Borges and E.O Wilson all have in common is the willingness to explore different ideas. Each one of these individuals are attempting to spread awareness in hopes of making the world a better place. Humans are destroying the world we live in and unless we start to realize that we are not alone on this journey we are doomed. More and more research is being done to prove that humans are not as separated from all other creatures on this earth. Chimpanzees seem to be closely related to us and the only thing that really differentiates the two of us is that we have a sophisticated spoken language. Although we have this language that is so powerful we tend to abuse it. We can use communication to get across just about anything we want. We have the internet, television, videos etc. So much can be done to save the world and I think that’s what each of these individuals is trying to accomplish. Inevitable we’re harming ourselves. The Roots and Shoots program Jane Goodall has started is only a start. The program is in place to give us each hope and to change peoples lives. Hope is in our hands It is up to us. We’re the ones that can make a difference. We can change the world.

Walmart: High cost of low prices

Tyler: “Hey Ryan. You want to go get some fishing lures and go fishing?”
Ryan: “Yeah man. I was thinking we could go over to Dicks or that one small shop downtown.”
Tyler: “Nah, why don’t we just go over to Wal mart? They have cheap stuff and lots to choose from.”
Ryan: “Yeah that’s cool with me”

This is a conversation I actually had with my friend Ryan this summer. I’m sure it would have been said a little bit different but the main idea is still clear. Wal Mart is the answer to many people’s problems. Before watching this movie I would have said only good things about Wal Mart. My friends have worked there. I buy all kinds of outdoors stuff there. I even buy food there sometimes when I’m out with friends. Heck, I’ve even bought clothes there because of the low prices. Wal Mart was like my home away from home when I lived in the US. Anything you could possibly think of you could purchase at Wal Mart. After watching the whole movie it kind of made me sad and angry at the same time. Wal Mart is responsible for worker exploitation; nastily raising prices, practicing monopoly illegally, tax scams, censorship and fraud, for making us believe that Wal Mart is just a normal everyday retail store. This wonderful place that I once knew it is hurting America drastically. I used to love going into Wal Mart because you never knew what new things you would find. I would always get that sticker from the old man who welcomes people. Everybody always seemed like they were in a good mood and pleased to help you find things. What I once thought to be a spectacular place is turning out to be a devastating cause for not only the US but also the entire world. One of the biggest problems people have with Wal Mart is that it is taking over and causing small businesses to shut down. My fondest memory of the video is the very first story. This little store named H & H Hardware located in Middlefield, Ohio was run out of business by the all and powering entity, Wal Mart. This little shop was around for 43 years and was making everybody in the town happy. People would come in for their everyday needs and each person knew one another. I think its sad to see how powerful Wal Mart truly is and how it’s hurting local economies. For every Wal Mart that opens, two small ma and pa shops close down. These Wal Mart CEO’s and managers don’t care about the people. They don’t consider all the things that we are forced to sacrifice. They don’t care about the people who lose their families. All they care about is making money! “We used to drive through town going, 3 months, 6 months, 3 months, 6 months of when they’ll be closing.” This is a quote from Weldon Nicholson, Manager of a Wal Mart for 17 years. It just shows how selfish these people really are. Its sad to see all these little ma and pa shops who regularly received good business be forced to shut down because the drop of sales. I think it’s very cool to see that in some cities people are standing up and saying, “No, you are not building a Wal Mart in our town.” This movie reminds me of Al Gores movie on Global Warming. Both movies are about very serious topics that are happening as we speak. Both are affecting the world but it seems like not many people are aware. I think the best way to get points across is to spread awareness. The more people know the truth the better off the world will be. We need to spread this information and get people to join the bandwagon. Another big problem surrounding Wal Mart is its Inadequate Health Insurance that is remarkably high. “They are a billion dollar company. Why can’t they provide better medical packages for their employees so they can actually afford it.” This is a quote from an irritated employee trying to raise a family. Wal Mart is actually encouraging employees to go on welfare. I think that is ridiculous. Wal Mart is making over 220 billion dollars a year and they can’t provide a reasonably priced medical package? Wal mart doesn’t provide its employees sufficient amounts of money. Most of these people that work at Wal Mart are trying to raise families and bringing in 7 dollars an hour just isn’t cutting it. Low wages and expensive health care packages are causing great distress for these workers. Wal mart drives down its retail wages 3 billion dollars every year. A recent study by the University of California- Berkeley says that Walmart costs tax payers in California 86 million dollars a year. Wal Mart is the world’s largest retail chain and it can’t afford to assist its employee’s one bit? They are able to keep low prices because they are underpaying their workers. They can afford to sell things cheap because they are getting the money they would have lost from their employee’s. Wal mart is destroying the world. People can’t provide their families enough food and small businesses are being shut down because of the competition. Its like trying to race a car on foot. Its physically impossible. After watching this movie I would have to recommend not shopping at Wal mart. The money you spend at wal mart is going up the chain and right into the CEO’s pockets. I don’t think I will shop at Wal Mart anymore because I know that the money I spend will go towards the expansion of more Wal Marts. People have workers right and they aren’t getting that working at Wal Mart. Wal Mart is messing up America and is working on China as we speak! I think this video is a lot more interesting the second time you watch it. After the first time you really don’t have a complete grasp of what is being said. The second time you have a good foundation on the context and it makes it easier to follow. This movie has definitely made me think twice about shopping at Wal Mart again. It will be super hard to convince all of my friends back home but I will give it a shot.

Tyler: “Hey Ryan. You want to go get some fishing lures and go fishing?”
Ryan: “Yeah man. I was thinking we could go to Wal Mart?”
Tyler: “No way man! Wal Mart is bad news. Haven’t you watched the movie, Walmart: The High Cost of Low Price?”
Ryan: “No. Should I watch it?”
Tyler: “Yeah. In the meantime, lets go to that little sports shop downtown.”
Ryan: “Yeah sure!”

Ishmael blog #1

In Global Ethics class for the past few weeks we have been reading the book, Ishmael. In a nutshell the novel is about a gorilla named Ishmael that presents an alternative view of human history to a pupil who is looking to save the world. This alternative view is a proposal for a different program for human lifestyle change. We are at the point now where Ishmael introduces the presence of a law. More specifically, it is the Law of life.

“It is the peace-keeping law, the law that keeps the community from turning into the howling chaos the Takers imagine it to be. It’s the law that fosters life for all---life for grasses, life for the grasshopper that feeds on the grasses, life for the quail that feeds on the grasshopper, life for the fox that feeds on the quail, life for the crows that feed on the dead fox.”

This quote makes me think back to E.O. Wilson’s ted talk about interconnectedness. In his ted talk he talked about how all things are connected and if one thing gets disconnected a catastrophe is bound to happen. That’s exactly what this law is stating. We all must follow this law or else death is inevitable. Take for example the A,B and C society. You would look at their way of doing things as inhumane and horrible but in reality it is working. They have a law that they follow invariably and they are a successful society. The only problem is that this example is not in any way real. We have this problem in our own society. There are rules that we must abide by and if we don’t we are inevitably going to become extinct. One thing we know is that Man is subject to unalterable Laws of life. This meaning that we have a Law for life just like we do for aerodynamics and gravity. We must follow this law or we will be forced to pay major consequences. We takers are assured that these laws don’t apply to us. What we don’t know is that whoever and whatever violates the laws will become extinct. We tend to be ignorant towards the whole idea that we have a law. We have gotten to the point where we think we are better than everything else and that it doesn’t need to apply to us. Ignorance of these laws does not in any way lessen their effects. I like the analogy about how we’ve jumped off a cliff in our civilizational aircraft and that although we believe we’re flying, we are actually accelerating at a constant rate and are bound for collision with the earth. A crash is imminent but we tend to avoid that and say that there is no problem. We think we will be OK if we just keep pedaling harder. There are many things that the Takers do that native people or natural systems would not. We exterminate our enemies. We don’t just kill because we need food. We kill because we want vengeance for something that has happened. We are the only species on earth that will purposely kill another living creature because we can. Hitler is a prime example of how we exterminate our enemies. We also destroy our enemies’ food supply. The rule we are following right now is that every square foot of this planet belongs to us. We can put it all under cultivation, which means that our opponents are out of luck and are forced to become extinct. We need to take what we need, and leave the rest alone. This leads me to the last thing that takers do that is never done in the rest of the community. We store excess food when we don’t need it. We are greedy and take as much of a certain something as we can because we can. You don’t see a lion kill 2 gazelles in hopes of saving one for the next day. One of the main ideas that I have drawn from this reading is that with diversity of species we are ensuring ourselves survival and peace for all. One species exempting itself from these laws would undoubtedly threaten all other species. We would end up with a community in which diversity is destroyed in order to support the expansion of one species. This again goes back to the few ted talks that we watched. Right now it seems that the takers are at war with the world. This seems kind of strange because we are actually trying to make the world a better place. How can so many people think we are making the world better when we are really making it worse? I don’t think we would necessarily have to be at war with the world if we would just give up on trying to reach unlimited growth. I think if we had to define the biggest problem with our society(taker society) it would have to be Competition. Competition is the lead cause for almost all of our problems. We compete for so many things and its hurting us in the long run. I will talk more about this problem in a later blog entry. The law of life is not optional. “Any species that exempts itself from the rules of competition ends up destroying the community in order to support its own expansion.” There’s one thing we need to remember. If we all obey the laws of life we can live in a nice, peaceful and diverse community where everybody and everything is happy just like the A, B and C community.

Artic Tale

This documentary film from the National Geographic Society about the life cycle of a walrus and her calf, and a polar bear and her cubs, is just phenomenal. I thought the footage was very professional and remarkably done. I think it’s incredible to actually see the lives of these animals so intimately. I couldn’t believe some of the camera angles that these photographers were able to utilize. As you can probably tell, I am extremely fond of the way this video was created. I love animals, and by scrutinizing the polar bear and walrus’ life, I learned a lot about how these animals live. I thought it was unbelievable how the baby walruses memorize the whiskers on the elder walruses. This whole idea is just unbelievable. Another thing that I felt was pretty interesting was the fact that the polar bears can smell through 3 feet of ice. That just goes to show you how much stronger some animals noses are than ours.

Throughout this video, a few things struck me pretty hard. First, I will talk about animal emotions, specifically, the polar bear and the walrus. These animals showed so many signs of emotions throughout this video, that I began thinking human beings experiencing the same emotions as these bears and walruses. It actually made me think of Jane Goodall. She said in her Ted talk something about how humans aren’t as far above all other creatures as we would like to think. I thought it was incredible to watch these animals show emotion. The fact that these photographers were able to capture it all on tape is extraordinary. I can vividly remember four good examples of emotion being portrayed in this documentary. When Nanu’s brother became ill, and eventually passed away, Nanu and her mother actually cuddled with him. Instead of continuing on their way(due to Global Warming, which I will touch upon a bit later), they stayed and showed the brother that they love him. This was one of the times I took these animal emotions and tried applying them to my family. I think it is amazing to see these animals express themselves the way they do. Also, during this same scene, Nanu can be seen licking her mothers head, which I feel shows empathy. She knows, she being Nanu, that her mother is hurting because of this loss and she tries to comfort her mother. When Nanu and her mother had to part ways is another example of these bears showing emotion. You can speculate, just from watching the relationship between the mother and daughter, that they were feeling pain and were both sad. This scene actually made me feel kind of sad as well, but for another reason. Not because the bears were parting ways, but because I know I will have to do the same in a year and a half. All of us will be leaving for college, and our parents won’t be coming along for the ride. The only difference between us and the polar bears and walruses is that we have had 18 years with our parents, while they only have three years. Nonetheless, this scene made me think of my future and really had an impact on me. The scene where Auntie sacrifices herself definitely shows emotion as well. She doesn’t want anything to happen to Seela, so she did what she had to do. You can sort of see the sadness that Seela felt during this part of the film. In the end of the film, they show Nanu and her new “boyfriend”, playing around in the snow. This was a good example of how these bears can show love and affection. At one point, the two bears just lied on the ground, motionless. There were many other times throughout this film that these animals expressed certain emotions but I think I touched upon the more important ones.

I think the main message of this documentary had to do with Global Warming, which again made me think back to our first semester. I remember watching Mr. Loken’s polar bear video back when we talked about endangered animals. Now, I feel like I have a better understanding of why Polar bears are becoming extinct. These bears, and other creatures, are forced to partake in a trek across the Artic to more suitable land/ice. The reason they are forced to travel is due to shorter winters and ice that freezes later and melts sooner. The ice is melting faster and faster each day and is expected to be completely gone by 2040. I was shocked to hear that Polar bears miss their prey 19 out of 20 attempts. So, between not having strong, sturdy icebergs and having a shortage of food, the polar bears (and Walruses and other Artic creatures) face much adversity. The reason Nanu actually had to leave her mother earlier than is customary is because of the changing climate conditions. Global Warming is very detrimental to our earth, and if precautions are not taken, we are in for a short and abrupt ending. I thought this video was very powerful and an ideal portrayal of what we are doing in the classroom.

(Sorry if my wording gets a little messy towards the end. I’m really tired!)

Animal Emotions Questions

Ask the experimenters why they experiment on
animals, and the answer is: "Because the animals
are like us." Ask the experimenters why it is
morally okay to experiment on animals, and the
answer is: "Because the animals are not like us."
Animal experimentation rests on a logical contradiction. ~Charles R. Magel


Do we have an ethical responsibility toward animals?

I really don’t know the answer to this question. I’m sure we might have some obligation to respect animals but it doesn’t seem like this is happening. We kill animals for food so we don’t go hungry. I was thinking yesterday about how many animals we must kill each day just to support our needs. Almost everything I eat can somehow be tied back to an animal. I think its easier to accept the fact that I’m not the one killing the animals. I just eat them which is fine with me because it tastes good. I think if I were to experience the whole process I would be sad and think twice before I stuck another piece of steak in my mouth. I respect animals and I think we might have an ethical responsibility toward animals but I’m really not sure. I hope to learn more this semester so I can answer this question with certainty.


Do animals have emotions? Give examples if possible.

Again, this is a really tough question. I don’t have enough background information to answer this at a high level. I’m not sure if all animals have emotions though. I kicked my cat down the stairs last night and she kept coming back. You would think she would have stopped but she didn’t. Animals don’t stay mad. Its hard to believe that animals could have emotions but then I don’t know a lot yet. My guy instinct tells me that they do have emotions, which is why we are covering this topic this semester. We will see how us humans are determining how the destiny of these animals. I really look forward to seeing some examples of how animals have emotions. I think it will be pretty interesting.

Fast Food Nation

I thought that the movie Fast Food Nation was very interesting. It was a real wake up call for me. My whole life I grew up in the United States eating fast food. I never took into consideration that I could possibly be eating meat or all the animal cruelty that has gone into the production of our food. The main reason this video interested me is that in the US I butcher pigs with my family. Once a year we order around 15 pigs and shoot them one by one in the head. I always accepted it as normal and part of every day life. I actually helped slit the pigs’ throats so they would die sooner. I kind of just did it because its what I was told to do and because I wanted to eat pig meat. I honestly never thought about animal cruelty or how animals have emotions. Those pigs don’t want to die. Now that I recall, I can remember the pigs screaming for their life as blood gushed from their throats. I thought the movie was very informative in that it provided examples of how we are abusing animals. I don’t know if it will prevent me from eating fast food but it definitely made me think. I sincerely believe that if I were involved in the production process, I would be a vegetarian. I think its easier to be on the receiving end of the meat process because then you don’t really know what has been put into it. I’m thinking about reading the novel, Fast Food Nation. I heard its better than the movie and provides more examples. Overall I thought the video was good because it didn’t just talk about the fast food side of it. It included Mexicans jumping the border and it really portrayed reality. I will write a second blog entry in the future after I read the novel.

God's Must Be Crazy reflection

The past two days in Global ethics we watched a very funny movie called, The gods must be crazy. Before reading the novel, Ishmael, this video would have just been a comedy to me. After reading Ishmael I was able to make connections between the two that I wouldn’t have been able to previously. This movie helped me picture what we have been talking about in class the last few weeks. We have been talking a lot about the takers and leavers and what each group does differently. In this video both stories are being told. The Bushmen are obviously the Leavers while the guys with guns would be considered the Takers. I found the main character, Xi, to be very interesting. In the beginning he was oblivious to everything. He knew only what he had been taught and knew nothing about other things. I guess that makes sense. How can you know something you don’t know? In the beginning Xi was innocent and was living a happy life. He and his tribe were able to find food when they needed it, and they put leaves out to collect water. There was no crime, fighting, punishment and no bosses. I think the main thing I got from this movie was comparing and contrasting the two concepts of takers and leavers. The first thing I saw that reminded me of Ishmael was when they killed that animal with the dart. I remember talking about the laws of life and how the Takers kill even though its not for food. I think its cool how the Bushmen were able to kill this animal and then apologize to it, saying the family needs it to survive. This is one difference between takers and leavers. Takers will kill for the sake of killing while leavers will only kill if its necessary. The Bushmen had no sense of ownership either. They didn’t even know what ownership was until the coke bottle arrived. Something that stuck me was the American lady who delivered mail to her neighbor by car. I think that demonstrates how much we take advantage of things. We created the car in hopes of being able to travel long distances because other wise its too hard. We the takers are lazy!!! I thought it was also neat how the Bushmen didn’t have any set schedules or times. I think the takers tend to get too caught up in schedules and having to be here at this time and then there at so and so time. Throughout this movie I actually thought about what it would be like to be part of the Bushmen tribe. Walk around half naked and never have a fight or argument. I wouldn’t have to worry about SAT’s and getting into college. I wouldn’t have to buy an apartment and settle. I wouldn’t have to go to the grocery store every week to buy food. I wouldn’t have to buy gas to drive my car. I wouldn’t have to wake up each morning knowing that I could die today. I said I thought hard about wanting to join this leaver culture but in reality, I don’t think I could. Not after living in the taker culture anyway. I appreciate the things I have here and although a lot of my troubles would go away, I would most likely want to stay. This reminded me of Ishmael when they talk about the homeless person. A homeless person doesn’t reap the benefits of society. They are poor and don’t have enough food. They sleep outside and get weird looks. With all this happening they would still be hesitant to go back in time and become a taker. I think the fact that we wouldn’t want to go back in time is astonishing. I guess you would have to wipe my memory for me to do it: because without the knowledge of this place I could be content living in Africa with the Bushmen. I think the biggest turning point in the movie, The God’s must be crazy is when the coke bottle falls from the sky. From there on out you can really notice a change in the way the Bushmen behave. All those things that I was saying they didn’t do started to become apparent in their everyday relationships. Wanting of ownership sprang about as well as anger, jealously, hate and violence. It made them unhappy The way they treated the coke bottle amazes me. They started using it to play music, rub snake skin, make headbands, smash roots and beat things. It became a tool that everybody wanted because no one had seen it before. That single coke bottle took their innocence without them knowing it. Eventually they realize that they don’t want this change in the tribe. They decide that its causing them too much trouble and they must get rid of it. They believe the gods gave it to them, which again shows their innocence and how much they know outside of what they have. An example I saw of a taker culture is when the men with guns raided the small city and took their food. That’s one of the four things takers do to disobey the laws of life. Like I said, the main thing I got from this video was a comparison between taker and leaver culture. Its neat to watch Xi, a leaver, react in a taker environment. When he gets put in prison he doesn’t know how to act. He doesn’t know what prison is. For all he knows it could be a good thing or a bad thing. Also the gunshot was another new experience for Xi. He must have thought it was thunder. He’s never seen a gun in his life so its all new to him. I think this video was very interesting. It’s an older movie but I didn’t seem to notice too much. It was very funny and helped me to picture our discussions in class. I would definitely watch this movie again.

Unicorns of the sea: Dying in the depths

Species are at risk as global warming makes feeding, migration and even breathing critically difficult. By Geoffrey Lean

Narwhals, the "unicorns" of the sea, are in particular danger as whales and dolphins, already depleted by centuries of hunting, are driven towards extinction by global warming, a new report reveals.

Whales that depend on the edges of rapidly retreating polar ice - the narwhal, beluga, bowhead and right whales - are especially vulnerable, as are those living in particularly restricted areas, such as the northern end of the Gulf of California. Those that migrate thousands of miles may be at risk from changes along their route.

The narwhal, the male of which has a left tooth that juts eight feet from its skull, has long fascinated the world. Elizabeth I paid £10,000, more than for a new castle, for a single spiralled tusk. The royal sceptre is made from one.

By some estimates, narwhal numbers are now falling by as much as 10 per cent a year. As the Arctic ice shrinks, their food is also diminishing.

To make things even worse, adds the report by the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society to be published soon in the nature conservation journal 'Oryx', an anomaly in climate change is leading to more ice in and around Baffin Bay, in northern Canada, the narwhal's main wintering area. This is freezing over the cracks in the ice and patches of open water where they need to surface to breathe.

White beluga whales and the bowhead whale are similarly threatened by the retreating ice, while the right whale is a victim of changes in the North Atlantic Oscillation, which is related to the Pacific weather system that causes El Niño.

But perhaps the most endangered species of all identified by the report is the rare vaquita dolphin, found in the Gulf of California. As the seas warm, marine species usually head for cooler waters, but the vaquita has no escape route as its way north is blocked by land. Mediterranean fin whales and humpback whales in the northern Indian Ocean may be caught in similar marine cul-de-sacs, while white-beaked dolphins living over continental shelves off north-west Scotland also have nowhere to go.

Welcome

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