Rising China

    Why is one of the largest economies receiving $2.5 billion a year from foreign aid?  That is a question on the lips and minds of many countries who give aid to China.  China says that it still needs aid because it is a developing country.  I personally believe its a classic "if you give a mouse a cookie" scenario.  If you have never read this wonderfully enlightening children's book, you should.  It may be a simple child-like perspective but how true it is in the adult world.
     China is spending money so frivolously with the Olympics and much more.  When is enough enough?  Take a hard look around you and pick up 10 items what percentage of those items are made in China?  Think about this: what would you think if Bill Gates gave millions of dollars to Mark Zuckerberg the creator of Facebook instead of donating it to the Feed the Children program?  How many people would be up in arms about the situation?  We need to take a hard look at situations to determine the road we wish to go down whether we help support boosting the worlds second largest economy to number one or try to take steps to maintain our own spot as number one.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100925/ap_on_re_us/as_china_too_big_for_aid

Invasive Species

Polynesian rat disbursement

    While watching one of the many survival shows that are on Discovery Channel, the hosts were trapped on one of the Cook Islands.  One of their biggest problems was the abundant and ever so bold rat population.  It made me think, How did they get there?   The answer is simple human migration.  The spread of invasive species goes hand in hand with the evolution of ship building and the ability to travel the world.  The spread of the Polynesian rat can be directly correlated with the migration of the Polynesian people from Taiwan to various Pacific islands including Hawaii.  Some species were brought by accident like the Polynesian rat; while others were brought with a specific reason in mind such as the Burmese python for the pet trade industry which has now become a major burden on the Florida ecosystem.

    Some governments are trying to take a proactive stance on invasive species because the result of an invasive species on the ecosystem could be catastrophically devastating. The Nile perch, for instance, was introduced to Lake Victoria for its commercial food value back in 1954, but then went on to destroy most the indigenous species.  80% of the fish population in Lake Victoria is now Nile perch.  So as it goes, we need to be more watchful and weigh the consequences of our actions when it comes to introducing a potentially invasive species to a habitat that it was not meant for.

Earthquakes & Tectonic Plates

 

http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=6519505557961984204

         Earthquakes are a devastating result of the collision of two tectonic plates.  The devastation can vary depending on magnitude and location.  The Richter Magnitude Scale is how scientist measure the strength of the earthquake. It can range from below 0.5, which would be equivalent to a hand grenade going off, to above a 10.0, which has never been recorded by man.  Some scientists have even speculated that the meteor that struck the Yucatan Peninsula was a 12.55 on the Richter Scale.  Other comparisons that we all can relate to are 2010's earthquakes in: Haiti, which was 7.0 on the Richter Scale; Chile, which was an 8.8; and more recently a quake that struck New Zealand with a 7.1.

         Plotting areas of major quakes on a tectonic map will show you that most locations fall on fault lines.  With this in mind, people should take certain precautions when living on fault lines but not all countries can afford such comforts.  Haiti, for instance, is a poor nation and when hit by the quake suffered a death toll of around 230,000 people.  New Zealand on the other hand had a quake .1 on the Richter Scale higher than Haiti but as of this moment suffered no casualties.  So, in a nutshell, when you live in an area with high probabilities of disasters, you should always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst.

Sights to be Seen

There are lots of wonderful sights to been seen while traveling around the world. If I should ever have the opportunity to see the world, I would love to explore Romanian castles nestled in the forests of Eastern Europe, take a safari in the wild and untamed plains of Kenya, navigate the twisting and turning isolated tributaries of the Amazon River, or watch great white sharks performing their aerial acrobatics off the coast of South Africa. Above all those, however, the place I want to explore most of all is Queensland, Australia.

Queensland is an absolute ideal location with its lush tropical rainforest surrounding the rich coastal waters where the Great Barrier Reef is located.  Queensland has a wide array of wildlife ranging from the adorable koalas and wallabies to the dangerous saltwater crocodiles and great white sharks.  This plush ecosystem and beautiful terrain are not the only reasons for my interest in visiting, though.  The laid back nature of Australians is a far cry from the constant hustle and bustle of most American societies.  With all this in mind, I would love to hear your top five places that you have never been to but would love visit.