Blog post Minerals

Many American and western companies use minerals mined in Africa. Many of these minerals go into consumer goods that are used every single day by an average citizen. However, these citizens do not know where and how the minerals are produced. They are mainly made in mines that are controlled by warlords. These warlords then use these minerals to sell and to trade for weapons to control their regions. They enslave many citizens and conquered people. They use children to work in their mines and to be soldiers in their armies. The warlords do not care one bit about the people of the region and concisely abuses them.

If there was a law that outlawed the trade of these minerals could this be put to an end? The SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) is now making a law that enforces companies to show where they got their minerals. Companies are not stopping to buy these minerals because they will not be allowed to use them. Apple, Motorola, and Advanced devices are some of the companies that use these minerals. The law is expected to come into effect this year. The SEC is still drafting a regulation for this issue. This will cause many companies to lose money but for the best.

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/a-rule-aimed-at-warlords-upends-african-mines-08042011.html   

Social project

Jacob Hedley

Social Action Project FYS

Dr. Shutkin

Many people buy diamonds are not really sure where the diamonds originate. These diamonds can come from Russia or from Africa. The way they come from Africa is usually referred to as “Blood Diamonds” because the way they are obtained. The way these Diamonds make their way to western countries are through the illegal trade. The Diamonds are traded by the warlords, which go to arm dealers. The arm dealers will then sell the diamonds to third parties. The diamonds are obtained through slavery. When a warlord conquers a village, he takes the able inhabitants of the village and forces them to work in the mines. The inhabitants that cannot work in the mines are killed. Some of the children are forced to serve in the warlord’s army. The workers are not given breaks and are forced to work until they die. The warlords are not concerned for their health because another village means more workers. If a worker is injured they will be killed or have their limbs hacked off with a machete.

            The diamonds fuel the warlords with money, weapons, and powers. They are the main reason why the warlords have the ability to fight and to continue to fight. Without the diamonds the warlords would not be able to obtain the resources necessary for their rebellion. So to stop the warlords and to stop this injustice all you have to do is stop the trade of the diamonds. There was bill that was created to stop this. The bill forced all diamonds to have a receipt and prove where the diamonds came from and how they were obtained. The bill has yet to pass. A lot of people will have the diamonds and not even know it. The diamonds are in a lot of consumer products.

The way I could alert people through this injustice is through a documentary. The movie “Blood Diamond” was created in 2006 and starred Leonardo DiCaprio. The film takes place in 1990s Sierra Leone and was about a arms dealer that had a change of heart and found a ruby red diamond. He helps a man who was forced in the mines to make public the issues of the blood diamond. The film was a blockbuster hit and was very popular in the United Sates of America. The film was the first time I was introduced to the issue. The film was the first time the issue was introduced to a lot of westerners. Because of the effect the film had on others, and me I have decided to do a documentary for my social action project. I have experience with video editing and making movies. I will show clips from the movies and then relate them to what is actually going on a do voice overs to narrate what I am talking about. This is the best way to do this project because I think movies and documentary get the message across better to people. The YouTube video Kony 2012 had a very large impact and made people across the United States alert to what was going on with the children soldiers. I hope my video will have the same effect.      

Works cited.

http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-work/issues/business-and-human-rights/oil-gas-and-mining-industries/conflict-diamonds

http://www.brilliantearth.com/conflict-diamond-child-labor/

http://www.english-online.at/current_affairs/blood-diamonds/african-diamond-conflict.htm

http://www.commondreams.org/views/061200-102.htm

Discussion Questions?

Do you think prosperity is possible without growth? If yes how so?

Should there be a min. wage?

What was the one thing you pulled away from the reading and the lecture on monday?

Arab Spring and the powers of social media.

During 2011 many arab countries saw change in their governments. The reason this change was able to take place was because of social media. Protesters would organize the demonstrations on Facebook and then make sure everything was in place on twitter. They would also spread their ideas through youtube to the world. The Governments that were being overthrown even went to the extremes of shutting down social media networks. So this raises the question for me and everybody else. How powerful is social media? If social media has the power to overthrow governments what good could it do in this world?

1) United States, Russia, Australia, and Canada.
2) effects the soil mining towns and affects residents and workers by dust and accumulation and it is regulated by the government.
3). it effects your cognition and development.
4). it has the same effects as manufacturing.
5) circuit flip chips, bonding agent for lcd lights.  

Many people know about and all of the poor working conditions. A lot of these poor working conditions take place over seas. They have nets set up in china so workers will not be able to commit suicide. When apple was about to release the iPhone 5C the workers had to work longer hours and in worse conditions. The labor violations apple's producer has committed is extensive. This begs the question how far people will go just to make a profit.

http://venturebeat.com/2013/07/29/oops-china-labor-watchs-report-on-apple-working-conditions-confirms-cheap-iphone/

What do you think of her work conditions?

Do you think that her family is helping her or holding her back?

Do you think we should waste technology like that?

Describe a way to stop technology waste?