HSB4M Course

The Dual Digital Divide

2009-12-17T18:44:00.000-08:00

Internet availability needs to be increased to prevent the division between members of society.

More jobs nowadays are being offered that require internet access and it is also easier to find jobs using the internet, as it will give you a wide range of jobs available. The Pew Internet and American Lifes Study indicated that more than four million people go online each day to search for jobs. To solve this problem, I believe that a building dedicated to job searching should be built in communities. This building would include computers that can be accessed by the public, as well as services provided to help you obtain a job. The workers could assist you online if you are unfamiliar with how to use the internet, and they would also be able to assist you in the writing of your resume. Assignments at school are beginning to require internet use, which makes it faster and easier to complete assignments. To solve this problem, I think that schools should have after school activity sessions where students are able to use the internet for their homework. One bus would return to the school to bring home the students who stayed to use the computers. This would give all of the students the opportunity to use the internet, which would allow them to finish their assignments if they don't have internet access at home. Internet access is also becoming necessary for social interaction. Videos or information from websites are now more often brought up in conversations. In order to participate in these conversations, you need to know what is being talked about. However, many people don't have internet use because they can't afford it. Thirty percent of those who had an income of less than $20,000 per year used the internet. Eighty percent of those who had an income of $80,000 per year used the internet. This goes to show that more people with a higher income use the internet. To solve this problem, I think that the library should have special days set aside for social uses on the computer. This would increase the amount of people who go to the library, and hopefully end up in more borrowing of books since they are in a library environment.

If these listed changes are made, then there should be less of a division between members of society.

Sources

*Ms.Howlett, the sources have been sent to your email as the blog would not let me post the websites. Thanks.

Comparing News Reports on The Election of Barack Obama

2009-12-15T09:57:00.000-08:00

Both articles from the States and Canada discussed Obama becoming president. They stated that he was the 44th president of the United States of America and that he was the first black president in the States. Both articles talked about how this election has brought a change to America. In The New York Times article, McCain said, "We both realize that we have come a long way from the injustices that once stained our nation's reputation." The New York Times Article and The Globe and Mail article both said that large crowds of people came to watch the inauguration. Subway systems were even shut down, allowing people to safetly fill the streets. People continued to arrive, even though it was quite chilly outside. The article from the U.S., The New York Times, was filled with more information than The Globe and Mail article from Canada. Reasons for this could be that Americans would be more interested and want to read more about this event since their own country has been affected. In The New York Times article, Barack Obama told U.S. citizens that America is a place where all things are possible and that this election is very significant for African Americans. There was a record-high voter turnout for this election. People lined up before dawn and some waited hours just to vote. As printed in The New York Times, Obama said to his crowd, "The road ahead will be long, our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you, we as a people will get there." Obama has an added task added to his job as president, which is to govern the country through the recession a well as the wars. In this article, Obama also set a number of promises to the people of his country. He was going to cut taxes, get the U.S. out of Iraq and also expand the health care. McCain called Obama later that night to congratulate him and to offer his assistance any time he may need it. Obama also recieved a phone call from George Bush who congratulated him as well. After the winner of the election was announced, The New York Times recorded Obama saying, "To those Americans whose support I have yet to earn," he said, "I may not have won your vote, but I need to hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your president, too."

Sources

Hammer, Kate. "Obama becomes president." 20 Jan 2009. globeandmail.com. 14 Dec 2009. http://v1.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090120.wbigday0120/BNStory/JENNIFER+LOVEN+NANCY+BENAC/

Nagourney, Adam. "Obama Elected President as Racial Barrier Falls." 4 Nov 2008. The New York Times. 14 Dec 2009. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/05/us/politics/05elect.html

The Kyoto Protocol

2009-12-08T17:49:00.000-08:00

The Kyoto Protocol was designed to stabilize the amount of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere so that they don't interfere with the climate and lead to global warming. The main focus of the Kyoto Protcol is to reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions. Although greenhouse gases are necessary for life on earth, too much of them can cause major problems. Burning lots of fossil fuels contributes to the excess amount of greenhouse gases we emit. Too much carbon dioxide in our earth's atmosphere is causing climate change by warming the earth. Climate change is a huge issue in today's world caused by the excess amount of greenhouse gases. This protocol has been in effect since the year of 2008 and its first commitment period lasts until 2012. Each country that has signed onto the Kyoto Accord nominates a person from their country to manage the amount of greenhouse gases that their country emits. There are also consequences for the countries that signed onto this agreement but didn't reduce their greenhouse gases as much as they were supposed to. These countries will then have to reduce the amount that they were short by as well as an extra 30%.

Although it costs lots of money to keep the Kyoto Protocol in effect, some would argue that it would cost more not to have the Kyoto Protocol in effect.

Introducing the Kyoto Protocol has really changed the way that people treat this earth. They are more cautious as to how much CO2 they put into the air. They are also continually coming up with different way to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases released into our atmosphere. It has given people more of a caring perspective on this issue because they want to make the world a better place for future generations. This protocol has opened people's eyes about the damage that we have been causing to the environment and has caused people to show more respect towards it. It has changed the way that people act because they are now more cautious about the amount of greenhouse gases that they emit. I think that this change is desirable because it will help to slow global warming as well as inform large amounts of people about the state that our earth is in and what we can do to save it.

Sources

*Ms.Howlett, the sources have been sent to your email as the blog would not let me post the websites. Thanks.

The Pullout From Vietnam

2009-10-29T20:03:00.000-07:00

You are an American soldier on his way home after the pullout from Vietnam. Write a letter to a friend or family member describing your feelings about returning home.

Dear Elizabeth,

I'm finally on my way home and I can't wait to see you and the kids! It's been tough for me without being with the ones I love so much. Let Brandon know that I'm looking forward to helping him out with his baseball skills when I get back. Has he grown much since I last seen him? Who knows, maybe by the time I get back, he'll already be past my waist! How is Alicia doing? I miss seeing her cute little face. I have pictures of all of you with me, but it's still not the same as seeing you. It's been stressful for me fighting in the war, but soon I'll be back home again. I never thought I'd be as happy to see our little brick house as I will be soon. Everything that I had taken for granted before now seems so precious to me. I feel proud to have fought for our country, but am extremely sad for some of my other troop members who never survived to reunite with their families. We have been pulled out of the war as a result of the people of our country wanting the war to end. Although we had been told by our government that this would be an easy win, it didn't turn out that way. Vietnam was more tough to fight than we'd expected. Anyways, I'll see you soon. Say hi to the kids for me!

Love, Karl

Returning To Canada

2009-10-29T16:15:00.000-07:00

You are a Canadian soldier recently returned to Canada. Post to your blog about your experiences and feelings about returning to civilian life.

I am so happy to be back home again with my family! We Canadians are so lucky to have the freedom that we do. War is a very hard situation to be involved in. The toughest part for me was watching my friends die right in front of me. I had grown very close to them while working with the Canadian forces, and it was hard to see them go. However, this did make me more thankful for my own life. I realized how precious it is, and how soon it can be taken away. I thank God every day for answering my prayers so that I could return home to see my wife and my two children. The smiles on their faces as I came in the front door made me feel like my life couldn't get any better. It is more relaxing for me to be able to wake up to the birds singing instead of gunshots. It was so terrifying not knowing when or where others would come and attack. I felt so jumpy and my eyes were constantly scanning my surroundings. I always had to be on the lookout to warn my fellow troop members if they were in danger. I will always remember those I fought with and will live my life to the fullest, because I never know when it will end.

Generation Explanation

2009-10-27T18:51:00.000-07:00

All of the other generations that I studied in this unit had very unique and different components. I can say right away that my generation(Generation Y) is not like the baby boom because there are way less people. Many soldiers had returned home at the end of World War II and as a result of this, many babies were born. These births had not been restricted in any type of way like they now can be by birth control pills or abortion. That is one of the reasons why the birth rates declined. During my generation, people started to become dependent on computers and technology. Although generation Z is really those who are more reliant upon computers, my generation led others into this type of living. Technology changed the way we go about our everyday lives and the types of jobs that are now available. It made communication easier but it also decreased verbal communication skills. This would lead to tough times while dealing with other people or co-workers because they are not used to communicating with people face to face. I think that the music of this time was people's ways of entertainment, and what they enjoyed listening to. The fashion statements that people made expressed who they were as an individual. It makes other think about how they are judging each other. Although judging people by their clothing seems shallow, many people fall into that trap and come to a conclusion of who that person is before even meeting them. The major events of my generation affected the world, and how people responded to what was happening was also very important. Major events can completely change many people's direction in life, but it is up to us if we let that happen.

What's With Wardsville?

2009-10-23T09:34:00.000-07:00

What is the approximate distribution of the population in terms of ethnicity, sex, and age?
In Wardsville, there are approximately 500 people. Out of those people, there are more senior residents than middle aged or younger people. There is a senior citizens apartment building as well as two nursing homes in my town. There are also more males than females as some studies show that females live longer than males. There are more caucasian people in my town. However, there is a wide variety of people with different ethnical backgrounds.

Has your community changed over the years, or has it remained pretty much the same?
My community has pretty much remained the same over the years. I am aware that houses continue to go up for sale but they are soon moved into by other families, which keeps the population constant.

What are some of the unique challenges presented by the demographics of your community?
A unique challenge presented by the demographics of my community is that the population signs for Wardsville haven't been changed for at least seventeen years. This could be because the population has remained within the same number, which would mean that there hasn't been any poulation increase or decrease.
Another challenge is that my town is so small, so not many people would choose to live there if they wanted to close the business. There is another slightly larger town located fifteen minutes away, but most job opportunities are 30-45 minutes away.
Another challenge is that since Wardsville and surrounding area is so small, it is hard to keep schools open. There aren't many people who attend some of the local schools, and some think it is better to close these small schools down.

If the community has changed over the years, what are some of the challenges presented by that change?
One of the changes over the years is the economic recession. This is the cause of many people losing their jobs and because of this, families have to move to where many jobs are offered. Since my town and surrounding area doesn't have a large amount of businesses, people would be moving away from Wardsville.