Thailand is a BEAUTIFUL place. I've been there many times; my last visit was in March. I went on a Habitat for Humanity trip to help rebuild areas that were devastated by the tsunami. Even after the years that have passed, many areas in Thailand are still in ruins, and Thailand's economy has suffered greatly as a result. Most beaches still look like this one in the picture. However, I visited one beach that was no longer a beach. Actually, it had a been a coral reef. However, as a result of the tsunami, all the water had left the area, and all that was left was a dry, dead coral reef on land. It was the strangest event in the environment that I have ever witnessed. Walking along this 'beach' was bizarre because coral was everywhere. It was literally a coral reef, without any water around it. It is amazing how powerful the tsunami that hit was, and how catastrophic its effects have had on Thailand's environment.

I absolutely love this picture, which was taken in the Red Sea. I got my scuba diving license in the Philippines during my freshman year of high school, and ever since, I have loved exploring the ocean. During my sophomore year of high school, my family traveled to Egypt during Chinese New Year. Half way through the week, we stayed at a resort right on the Red Sea. My dad, brother, and I went scuba diving in the Red Sea many times. It was so amazing! I got to swim with dolphins right next to me! I have never seen bluer eyes than this one particular dolphin, who became my best friend, had. I love scuba diving, I love the ocean, and I love looking at underwater pictures ( secretly, I've always wanted to be a mermaid :D ). I think the ocean is so beautiful. There are so many parts of it that we have yet to explore and it fascinates me. I love traveling all around the world, so that includes 'traveling' around different parts of the ocean. Scuba diving in the Red Sea was definitely one of my favorite scuba diving experiences, and when I saw this picture, I fell in love with it.

The ban on travel to Cuba should be lifted. There is no ban on traveling to other communist countries, like China, Vietnam, or South Korea. Why are there restrictions on going to Cuba? In a country that could use the income that Americans would bring it, it seems beneficial to let tourists spend time in Cuba. Tourists would spend money in Cuba, increasing the economy. As a result of an increasing economy, the standard of living would increase. There would be so many benefits for Cuba if Americans were allowed to go to this country. In the 1920's, Americans spent a lot of time in Havana, as it was the best vacation spot. This was beneficial to the Havana area. If the ban is lifted, tourist areas could begin to benefit again.
Also, if the ban is lifted, political tensions between Cuba and the United States might be lessened. Right now, it is understandable that there would be tension between the two countries, as the United States is basically insulting Cuba by not letting its citizens travel to Cuba. If Cuba could see that America respects Cuba as a country, by treating Cuba like any other country, Cuba and the United States might be able to work together better.
A change needs to be made. It is quite obvious that many people are beginning to see this, as a bill, over this issue, is in debate right now. It is unwise to not take heed to opinions on this issue and rethink the current situation. It is unfair to work with some communist countries, while still keeping Cuba out of the picture. It is clear that the age of decommunization has passed us by - this age is mainly focused on economic gain and benefits. From this perspective, the United States looks to the benefit of working with China and other countries, while they are ignoring the benefit that could come out of working with Cuba.
Also, how wonderful would it be for families who have been exiled from Cuba to go back and see their family and friends? How great would it be for them to be able to go home? I know some teachers in Hong Kong who are not allowed to go to Cuba because of the ban, and they have not seen their family in years. In my opinion, that is extremely wrong. No person should have their freedom of seeing their family taken away from them.

Mexico Mass grave may be Aztec resistance fighters
By Mark Stevenson

I thought this article was interesting because it explained Indian graves that were recently found. Scientists believe these people, buried in the bottom of a pyramid, were killed during the conquest of the Spaniards. I think this is really interesting because I love history and this time period is something I am studying right now. We talked in class about the Spanish influence in Latin America, and these graves represent the last stand the Indians made against this group of Europeans. As a result of them losing, Latin America has gotten a lot of of its modern culture from Spanish traditions and culture. It is interesting to think about how this continent has changed and how the culture of the people living there has drastically been affected. If the Spanish hadn't colonized Latin America, what would the continent look like now?


http://xrl.us/befz2y

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090211/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_mexico_mass_grave;_ylt=Aj5CEXmsroFWV.Jwrvc1jPi3IxIF

Approximately 73 million children are enrolled in a secondary education program around the world. There are about 122 million children in the world, meaning that only 60% of children are getting a secondary education. 

In China, around 80% of the children receive a secondary education, while only 49% of children in India receive this opportunity. The numbers throughout Africa are much lower than these. 45% of children in Northern Africa, 25% of children in Southeast Africa, and 13% in Central Africa. In Nigeria, only 5% of children get a secondary education. 

I chose a map showing the numbers of children receiving a secondary education in different countries because I am going into secondary education. I was wondering how many children receive this education. All the countries that have low levels of children receiving secondary education could be places I could go teach to give more children a chance to get an education. I think it's important to know what places in the world need more teachers and more schools. I think it's better to make a difference in a country that has higher needs. For example, I could stay in the U.S. for the rest of my life and teach in nice areas, like Seward, that already have a developed education system, or I could move to Cambodia, Vietnam, India, Indonesia, and other countries and help provide them with better opportunities. 

It's important for the world to be aware of where there is need in the world. As a result, those who are more privileged can help those in need. We need to be a world that helps each other. With globalization, it is easier to know what is going on in the world, and thus easier to help other countries. 

Afghanistan is listed as a LDC (Least Developed Country) because it is still developing. For years this country has been going through many conflicts, politically, economically, and socially, that have left the country in turmoil. Recently, the economy has improved significantly since the fall of the Taliban in 2001, with help from international powers. The recovery of agricultural growth and service sector growth have also been reasons for the improvement of the economic situation in Afghanistan. Real GDP exceeded & % in 2007. However, despite these improvements, there is still extreme poverty in Afghanistan. Afghanistan is landlocked, and highly dependent on international countries for aid, agriculture, and trade. Shortages in housing, clean water, electricity, medical care, and jobs continue to be a very significant problem in Afghanistan. The lack of political control, as the Afghan government is unable to extend its law to all of the country, cause serious economic issues. Afghanistan's living standards are among the lowest in the world and it will easily take another 10 years to boost these standards. Afghanistan will need continued support from international powers to become stable. Afghanistan not only has to improve its living standards and economy, but must also deal with its instability, corruption, and sustaining its budget. This country needs to create more jobs and rebuild its infrastructure, which has been destroyed by war. In this pyramid, there is a higher number of young people because many children are being born. In developing countries, the TFR is higher, meaning many children are born per family. However, many of these young people die before the age of 50. The amount of people who are above 50 is very low. This could be a result of the poverty and low living standards in Afghanistan. Disease, malnutrition, and lack of hygiene are possible reasons for the lack of people alive at older ages in this country. There is a lack of middle age people who can work and help the economy. Without a large work force, production of goods to be traded will not be as high or significant as it could be. In this pyramid, the population is decreasing with age.

Australia is a developed country, or a MDC (more developed country). The population of this country is not completely stable, but it is not drastically decreasing or increasing with time. It is beginning to become stable, as seen by the stability of people in the younger ages. If, when the people who are young now, grow up and have only 2 children per family, the population will become stable. There are many people between the ages of 20-50 who can work and fill the work force with laboring people. This strong work force can help the economy be stable, which will increase the living standard in the country. Australia has a stable economy and high living standards. It has a good medical care system, offers many opportunities to be educated, and provides high paying jobs. Globalization has connected Australia with the world, increasing its trade opportunities and communication with the world. As more opportunities are presented in Australia, people around the world are more likely to move to Australia. Tourism is also a good source of income for Australia, greatly helping its economy.