by Shannyn Snyder

With nearly three-quarters of the earth covered in water, it would seem unlikely that there is water scarcity at all. However, water scarcity does not have as much to do with the availability of “any” water as it does with the availability of potable, or usable, water. Searching for potable water sources is a daily chore for over 2 billion women and children across the globe, who spend many hours each day hauling water from pumps and basins to their homes. In what is sometimes described as a “six hour journey,” this population, predominantly girls, spend their day fetching water instead of attending school or playing with siblings or friends.

In addition, children who are consistently exposed to hazardous, unpotable water or exposed to pumps or water sources that have been contaminated by water-borne bacteria, contract diseases such as cholera and they are often affected by life-threatening diarrhea from parasites in unclean water.

Not only does the work of transporting water inhibit a child’s ability to access education, but it is also “back-breaking” work. With endless household chores such as caring for livestock, siblings, washing, cooking, cleaning and storing, the need for obtaining water never ends, from morning to night, every day.  The heavy water, fetched in containers that vary in size, is carried on a child’s head for many miles, and with children carrying an average of one gallon or more, this water plus the container can weigh up to 10 pounds or more, which can also cause physical damage to a child’s body.  The older the child, the more water they typically carry, with adolescent girls and women carrying up to 45 pounds of water (roughly the weight of a kindergartner) on their head.

Nonetheless, disease, lack of education and deformities are not the only risk of fetching water for these children. They also face the risk of being attacked by vicious animals, such as crocodile and large cats that live along the water route.

Crocodiles Make Fetching Water a Life Threatening Experience

 Many communities around the world may take water for granted; but for those living along Malawi’s longest river, the Shire, water is something to die for. The 400 kilometre long river is the main outlet of Lake Malawi as it flows south into the Zambezi River.

 While the Shire River is the most convenient water source for people living on its banks, it is also home to killer crocodiles. Women and children, required by tradition to fetch water for their households, are most at risk from the crocodile attacks.

 ”In one area in Machinga, locals estimate almost three deaths a month,” Agnes Wilson, now in her late 50s, survived a crocodile attack seven years ago while fetching water from the Shire River in the south of the country. She escaped with her life but lost the use of her right arm.

 ”The crocodile attacked me just as I dipped the bucket I was using to draw water into the river. The beast tried to drag me to the deep end (of the) river, but I was luckier than others who have died. I was rescued by some men who were passing by,” she recalls.

 Despite almost losing her life, Wilson braves the crocodiles every day to fetch water. There is no other option for her and her community.”I have just accepted the risk I face every time I go to the river. Either I die of thirst or die while trying to fetch water…I may die fighting for survival if a crocodile attacks me again,” says Wilson.

 There are no statistics available for the crocodile population in Malawi, but people like Wilson claim there are many, especially in the Shire River.

 Traditional leaders in the south of the country, especially those from the Lower Shire Valley, have accused government of caring more about crocodiles than human beings.

 WaterAid, an international non-governmental organisation (NGO) that helps the world’s poorest people gain access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene education, indicated in a 2003 study that up to 44,000 people in the area had no access to safe water and had to resort to the crocodile-infested river for their water needs.

 A programme officer for WaterAid in Malawi, James Longwe, says he knows of three women in Machinga who have been seriously injured by crocodiles while fetching water.

 ”One of the women lost an arm, while the other two have very deep wounds on different parts of their bodies following the attacks,” says Longwe.

 He says that some communities have lost count of the number of people who have been attacked by crocodiles.

 Crocodile attacks are not the only dangers facing communities along the Shire River.

 The water quality from the river is itself poor: waterborne diseases such as cholera, diarrhea and dysentery are perennial problems in the area.

 The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) recorded over 4,000 cases of cholera, a disease associated with poor sanitation, and lack of hygiene and access to potable water, in the Shire region over a three month period last year.

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WHAT PIECE OF INFORMATION FROM THE ARTICLE ABOVE SHOCKED/SURPRISED/UPSET YOU THE MOST?

EXPLAIN WHY

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CLICK “COMMENTS” BELOW TO POST YOUR RESPONSE

LETS TAKE A CLOSER LOOK INSIDE ONE OF THESE EGYPTIAN TOMBS. CLICK THE LINK BELOW AND COMPLETE THE ACTIVITY.

http://www.nms.ac.uk/kids/games_and_adventures/egyptian_tomb_adventure.aspx

AS YOU COMPLETE THE ACTIVITY, JOT DOWN AT LEAST FIVE FACTS THAT YOU LEARNED ALONG THE WAY. ONCE YOU COMPLETE THE ACTIVITY, COME BACK TO THIS PAGE, CLICK THE LINK BELOW AND ENTER THE FACTS THAT YOU LEARNED SO THAT YOU CAN RECEIVE CREDIT.

http://www.quia.com/quiz/3438305.html

OF

PYRAMID

CONSTRUCTION

This area is dedicated to the construction and architecture of the pyramids, how they were built, and the evolution in design from the step pyramid to the true pyramid. Beginning with the step pyramids of the 3rd Dynasty, and continuing for centuries, the pyramid is a marvel of construction, and is considered one of the “Seven wonders of the world.” The pyramids are the only of these seven that remain standing and intact.

The Step Pyramid

The earliest form of pyramid, the step, dates back to the 3rd Dynasty, and consists of several steps. A descending passage from the north leads to the burial chamber. Underground galleries surround the pyramid on all but the south sides. The first, and probably the only step pyramid ever completed, is that of King Netjerykhet Djoser at Saqqara. The Step pyramid is not near as pleasing to the eye as the True pyramid, which could explain the quick abandonment of this type of pyramid.

The True Pyramid

The true pyramid is a natural development and improvement on the step pyramid. The first true pyramids were introduced in at the beginning of the 4th Dynasty. The structure of a True Pyramid is virtually the same as a step pyramid. Packing blocks are stacked until the dimensions were right, and then finishing blocks (usually limestone) were the last touch. The aesthetics are much more pleasing than the step pyramid, but the construction isn’t really that different.

Construction Techniques

A major problem facing the builders of the Ancient Egyptian Pyramids, was that of getting the Large stone blocks to the height they required. the method shown at left, is the only one proven to have been used. The ramps were built on inclined planes of mud brick and rubble. They then dragged the blocks on sledges to the needed height. As the pyramid grew taller, the ramp had to be extended in length, and its base was widened, else it would collapse. It is likely that for the construction of each pyramid, several ramps were probably used.

The arrangement of the ramps used for building is in much dispute. Assuming that the step pyramid was built before the outer structure, and then the packing blocks were laid on top, the ramps could have run from one step to another rather than approaching the pyramid face at right angles.

Some of the pyramids indicate an accurate understanding of Pi, but the mathematical knowledge of the Egyptians did not include the ability to arrive at this by calculation. It is possible that this could have been arrived at “accidentally” through a means such as counting the revolutions of a drum.

The internal construction of most true pyramids consists of a series of buttress walls surrounding a central core. The walls decrease in height from the center outwards. In other words, the core of the true pyramid is essentially a step pyramid. The internal arrangement added stability to the structure. Packing blocks filled the “steps” formed by the faces of the outermost buttress walls and casting blocks (often Limestone) completed the structure of the true pyramid.

Architects and builders used a different form of construction in the pyramids of the 12th and 13th Dynasties. Mainly because of economy, for it was suitable for relatively modest structures in inferior materials. Solid walls of stone ran from the center, and shorter cross walls formed a series of chambers filled with stone blocks, ruble or mud bricks. An outer casing was usually added, and although quite effective in the short term, it did not even come close to the earlier construction methods. Pyramids which were built with this structural design are quite dilapidated and worn.

READ THE INFORMATION AND VIEW THE CLIP ABOVE ABOUT HOW THE PYRAMIDS WERE BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN CONSTRUCTED. TAKE INFORMATION FROM OUR CLASS DISCUSSIONS AND SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS BELOW. YOU MAY EITHER EXPLAIN HOW YOU BELIEVED THE PYRAMIDS WERE BUILT OR COMMENT IN AT LEAST 6 SENTENCES ON ANOTHER STUDENT’S GUESS. (PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL OF EVERYONE’S IDEAS)

CLICK “COMMENTS” BELOW TO POST YOUR RESPONSE

What’s it like to be an 11-year-old in Peru? Here’s what a typical day is like for one Peruvian.

Aramí Farfán Garay

Hello! My name is Aramí Farfán Garay. I am 11 years old and in sixth grade. I live with my parents and three siblings in Lima, the capital of Peru. We moved here from Cuzco three years ago.

6:30 A.M.

I wake up and get ready for the day ahead. I share a room with my two younger sisters.

7:00 A.M.

My family eats breakfast together. We have bread with jelly, some fruit, cornflakes and yogurt.

7:30 A.M.

It is time to go to school. Mom drives Dad to work first. Then she takes me, my older brother and my sisters to school.

8:00 A.M.

Classes begin. My teacher starts the school day with a short lecture. After that, we jump into English and math.

10:00 A.M.

It is time for our morning break. Sometimes, my friends and I play volleyball. Other times, we like to just chat.

10:45 A.M.

Art class is next. We are preparing a present for Mother’s Day. I am making a clay picture frame decorated with my mom’s favorite flowers. I plan to put a photo of our family in the frame when it’s done.

12:15 P.M.

Lunchtime! I snack on a sandwich and a piece of chocolate cake from home. I will eat a bigger meal after school. During recess, I like to jump rope.

12:45 P.M.

We spend the next two hours studying Spanish.

2:45 P.M.

Mom picks us up from school. At home, I enjoy a real lunch. Today, we are having oven-baked rice, chicken and pineapple. For dessert, we have fruit with sweetened condensed milk. Watermelon is my favorite fruit.

5:00 P.M.

Off to ballet! My class ends at 6:30. When I get home, I shower and do homework.

8:00 P.M.

We have dinner with Dad. It is more like a light snack. We have yogurt or a milkshake, and a ham-and-cheese sandwich.

8:30 P.M.

Time for bed. I am not allowed to go on the Internet or watch TV during the school week, only on weekends. I am very tired. Mom and Dad give me a kiss before they tuck me in. Buenas noches. That means “good night.”

 Peru: Native Lingo

Quechua (pronounced “qheshwa”) is one of the two official languages in Peru (the other is Spanish). It was also the official language of the Inca Empire.Check below to learn how to say some common words.

How do I say?

Hello=

Napaykullayki (nah-pie-coo-yah-key).

 Friend=

Kuchuqmasi (coo-chew-mah-see)

 Please=

Allichu (ah-yee-chew).

 Where’s the bathroom?

Maypin bañu? (my-ping ban-yo)

Cool=

Kusa!

 I am speaking Quechua and you don’t know it!

Ñoqa rimashani runa simita, qantaq mana yachankichu! (nyoh-ka ri-ma-shaw-nee roo-na see-meet-a kan-tac mah-na ya-chan-key-choo)

HOW IS YOUR DAY SIMILAR TO OR DIFFERENT FROM ARAMI’S DAY?

CLICK “COMMENTS” BELOW TO POST YOUR RESPONSE

The year is 2000 BCE

The Inca tribe was not the first tribe of people to live in the Andes Mountains. People were living and farming in the western part of South America as early as 2000 BCE. Some archaeologists say they began farming as early as 5000 BCE. Like other ancient civilizations, these early people worshiped many gods. They built towns, worked metals, and made beautiful pottery.

The year is 1200 CE

Three thousand two hundred years later (3200 years later), the Incas were a small band of people who lived peacefully in a region that would become the modern day country of Peru. Their capital was the town of Cuzco. The leader of the Incas was known as the Inca, which means emperor. (The Inca is also called the Sapa Inca, which means “the only emperor”.)

Like the Pharaohs of ancient Egypt, the Inca had absolute rule over his people, which is why his people were called the Incas (the Inca’s people.) The ruling Inca usually treated his people with care. Like most ancient rulers, he lived in luxury. The royal family had the finest of everything, while his people were hard working peasants.

The Inca tribe quarreled now and then with neighboring tribes. For the most part, life was peaceful.

The year is 1430 CE

One day, around 1430 CE, a neighboring tribe started a war with the Incas. This was very upsetting to the Inca ruler. In those times, in South America, warring tribes usually killed the people they conquered. And the Incan army was losing badly.

The Inca ruler did not wish to die. He convinced himself that if he accepted defeat, the warring tribe might spare the royal family. The Inca ruler knew that even if they did spare the royal family, they would still kill most of the common people.

The ruler’s son, Pachacuti, could not believe his father was considering sacrificing his people. Pachacuti acted. He called on the gods to help him.

The Incas believed in a great many gods and goddesses, most of whom could be counted upon to help or hinder mortals in their wars and other mortal affairs. Legend says the gods decided to help Pachacuti save his people. The Incas were saved from total destruction when Pachacuti rallied the army, went into battle, and won the day.

The New Inca: After the battle, Pachacuti crowned himself Inca, replacing his cowardly father as the new leader of the Incan people. Pachacuti turned out to be a great leader. He rebuilt the city of Cuzco. He rebuilt the army and set about conquering neighboring tribes.

Incan Armies: The Incan armies were quite a sight. Their uniforms were very colorful. They marched into battle accompanied by drums, flutes and trumpets. The army was organized, well fed, and well trained. They wore warm clothing and protective headgear. They had plenty of medicine. Their weapons were superior to other neighboring tribes. Their main weapon was a wooden club. They also had bows, spears, and bolasses, which were Y-shaped cords with stones at three ends. They believed the gods were on their side. As time went on, when the Incan army marched their way, some tribes simply joined the Inca Empire rather than be defeated in battle.

Pachacuti did not kill the people he conquered. Instead, he invited them to become part of the Inca Empire. He built schools. He built fabulous cities and fortresses. He placed his royal relatives in positions of power in the government throughout the Empire. The Inca rulers who followed him did the same.

The Incan age of expansion had begun. In less than 100 years, the Inca would grow to become one of the largest empires of all time.

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WE WILL START TO LOOK AT THE INCA CIVILIZATION THIS WEEK IN CLASS. LOOK UP AN INTERESTING FACT ABOUT THE INCA AND SHARE IT AS YOUR RESPONSE

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WHY ARE RAINFORESTS BEING DESTROYED?

Every year an area of rainforest the size of New Jersey is cut down and destroyed. The plants and animals that used to live in these forests either die or must find a new forest to call their home. Why are rainforests being destroyed?

Humans are the main cause of rainforest destruction. We are cutting down rainforests for many reasons, including:

• wood for both timber and making fires;
• agriculture for both small and large farms;
• land for poor farmers who don’t have anywhere else to live;
• grazing land for cattle;
• pulp for making paper;
• road construction; and
• extraction of minerals and energy.

Rainforests are also threatened by climate change **, which is contributing to droughts in parts of the Amazon and Southeast Asia. Drought causes die-offs of trees and dries out leaf litter, increasing the risk of forest fires, which are often set by land developers, ranchers, plantation owners, and loggers.

In 2005 and 2010 the Amazon experienced the worst droughts ever recorded. Rivers dried up, isolating communities, and millions of acres burned. The smoke caused widespread health problems, interfered with transportation, and blocked the formation of rain clouds, while the burning contributed huge amounts of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, worsening the effects of climate change. Meanwhile, Indonesia has experienced several severe droughts in recent decades. The worst occurred in 1982-1983 and 1997-1998 when millions of acres of forest burned.

LOGGING AND TIMBER HARVESTING IN THE RAINFOREST

One of the leading causes of rainforest destruction is logging. Many types of wood used for furniture, flooring, and construction are harvested from tropical forests in Africa, Asia, and South America. By buying certain wood products, people in places like the United States and Europe are directly contributing to the destruction of rainforests.

While logging can be carried out in a manner that reduces damage to the environment, most logging in the rainforest is very destructive. Large trees are cut down and dragged through the forest, while access roads open up remote forest areas to agriculture by poor farmers. In Africa logging workers often rely on “bushmeat” for protein. They hunt wildlife like gorillas, deer, and chimpanzees for food.

Research has found that the number of species found in logged rainforest is much lower than the number found in untouched or “primary” rainforest. Many rainforest animals cannot survive in the changed environment.

Local people often rely on harvesting wood from rainforests for firewood and building materials. In the past such practices were not particularly damaging to the ecosystem because there were relatively few people. Today, however, in areas with large human populations the sheer number of people collecting wood from a rainforest can be extremely damaging. In the 1990s, for example, the forests around the refugee camps in Central Africa (Rwanda and Congo) were virtually stripped of all trees in some areas.

AGRICULTURE IN THE RAINFOREST

Every year thousands of miles of rainforest are destroyed for agricultural use. The two groups chiefly responsible for converting rainforest into farmland are poor farmers and corporations.

Poor farmers in many parts of the world rely on clearing rainforest to feed their families. Without access to better agricultural lands, these people use slash-and-burn to clear patches of forest for short-term use. Typically, they farm the cleared land for a couple of years before the soil is exhausted of nutrients, and they must move on to clear a new patch of forest.

Agricultural companies are clearing more rainforest than ever before, especially in the Amazon where large tracts of rainforest are being converted into soybean farms. Some experts believe that South America will someday have an area of farmland that rivals that of the American Midwest. But much of this farmland will come at the expense of the Amazon rainforest.

In Asia, especially Malaysia and Indonesia, large areas of rainforest are being cleared for oil palm plantations to produce palm oil, which is used widely in processed food, cosmetics, and soap. Today palm oil is found in some 50 percent of packaged snack foods, a proportion that is growing because palm oil is the cheapest type of vegetable oil. Unfortunately, the forests that are being destroyed for palm oil production are home to many endangered species, including orangutans, pygmy elephants, Sumatran tigers, and Javan and Sumatran rhinos.

CATTLE IN THE RAINFOREST

Clearing for cattle pasture is the leading cause of deforestation in the Amazon, with Brazil now producing more beef than ever before. Besides raising cattle for food, many landowners use cattle to expand their land holdings. By simply placing cattle on an area of forest land, landowners can gain ownership rights to that land.

Most of the beef produced by Brazil is consumed by Brazilians, but some is exported to overseas markets.

ROAD CONSTRUCTION IN THE RAINFOREST

Road and highway construction in the rainforest opens up large areas to deforestation. In Brazil, the Trans-Amazonian highway resulted in the destruction of huge areas of forest by colonists, loggers, and land speculators. In Africa, logging roads give access to poachers who hunt endangered wildlife as “bushmeat” or meat sold to city dwellers. Some of the poached wildlife—especially rhinos, pangolin, and tigers—goes to Asia where it is used for traditional Chinese medicine.

Therefore it is very important that when new roads are built in rainforest areas, they are carefully planned to minimize the environmental impacts. One way to reduce deforestation from road construction is to create protected areas on either side of the road.

Pulp and paper production from the rainforest

The production of pulp for the paper industry has been one of the biggest causes of deforestation in parts of Indonesia over the past 20 years. Vast areas of rainforest in Sumatra have been logged and converted into fast-growing plantations consisting of only a single species. These plantations are used to produce fiber for wood-pulp and paper, which is turned into cardboard packaging, fast-food wrappers, printer paper, and junk mail. Just think about how much paper we use on a daily basis: paper, in one form or another, comes with almost every product we buy. In some cases that paper is produced directly through the destruction of rainforests.

Consequently, pulp and paper production is now one of the biggest threats to the critically endangered Sumatran tiger.

Extraction of minerals and energy from the rainforest

Gold, copper, diamonds, and other precious metals and gemstones are important resources that are found in rainforests around the world. Extracting these natural resources is frequently a destructive activity that damages the rainforest ecosystem and causes problems for people living nearby and downstream from mining operations, especially from toxic runoff into river systems. There have been cases of mining companies–sometimes working with local police or authorities–forcibly displacing forest people from their lands in order to exploit mineral riches. Examples are gold mining in the Brazilian and Peruvian Amazon, rare earth mining in the Congo, and gold and copper mining in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.

Some of the world’s most promising oil and gas deposits lie deep in tropical rainforests. Unfortunately oil and gas development often takes a heavy toll on the environment and local people. Oil and gas development in rainforest areas causes displacement of local people, air and water pollution, deforestation, and construction of roads that open previously inaccessible areas to deforestation. High energy prices in recent years have spurred increased exploration of rainforests for oil and gas. The western Amazon–including Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Brazil–has seen a lot of activity. More than 70 percent of the Peruvian Amazon–including indigenous territories and conservation areas–is now under concession for oil and gas.

Dams are also a big threat to rainforests, particularly in the Amazon, the Mekong (Laos and Burma or Myanmar), and Malaysia. Dams disrupt river systems, flood rainforest, displace forest people, and support activities that cause more deforestation. In Sarawak, which is part of Malaysian Borneo, more than a dozen dams are being planned. These will force thousands of forest-dependent people to move and will inundate important rainforest areas. The power generated by the dams will be used for large-scale mining activities, causing further destruction. Similarly, in Brazil, Belo Monte dam will block the Xingu river, a tributary of the Amazon, flooding more than 100,000 acres of rainforest and displacing more than 15,000 people. Electricity from the project will power mining activities and industrial agriculture that will destroy yet more rainforest. Indigenous people, scientists, and environmentalists strongly oppose the project.

 Population and consumption

The underlying cause of most environmental problems is human population and over-consumption: both the population in the temperate region that relies on resources derived from tropical rainforests, and the expanding population of developing tropical nations, who exploit the rainforest for survival.

While it may seem hard to believe, people in rich countries like the United States have a disproportionate impact on the environment through our consumption patterns. We use far more resources than poor farmers in tropical countries. For example, the food we buy in grocery stores may be produced through deforestation for soy in the Amazon or palm oil in Indonesia. The materials and energy to build and power our mobile phones and laptops may come from the destruction of rainforests in the Congo and Colombia. The paper we use for printing, packaging, hygiene products and the books we read may be produced from the logging of rainforests in Indonesia. Only by reducing our environmental footprint at home can we ever hope to save rainforests and other wilderness areas.

Overpopulation is a major concern. As more people are added to the planet, there are fewer resources to share. Crowded conditions and scarcity of resources often lead to conflict or other problems. Animals lose habitat to cities and expanding farm lands.

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CLICK THE LINK BELOW AND RESPOND TO THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS ONLINE:

http://www.quia.com/quiz/3393238.html

1. What are some of the reasons why rainforest trees are being cut down?
2. What were some of the effects of the 2005 and 2010 droughts in the Amazon Rainforest?
3. How are people in places like the United States and Europe directly contributing to the destruction of the rainforest?
4. How do poor farmers contribute to the Rainforests destruction?
5. How has the development of roads in the rainforest, led to the endangerment of wildlife?
6. What valuable resources can be found in the Amazon Rainforest?
7. How will the construction of the Belo Monte dam contribute to the destruction of the rainforest?
8. How does overpopulation contribute to the destruction of the rainforest?

MEXICO CITY—As dozens of major American corporations continue to move their manufacturing operations to Mexico, waves of job-seeking Mexican immigrants to the United States have begun making the deadly journey back across the border in search of better-paying Mexican-based American jobs.

“I came to this country seeking the job I sought when I first left this country,” said Anuncio Reyes, 22, an undocumented worker who recrossed the U.S. border into Mexico last month, three years after leaving Mexico for the United States to work as an agricultural day laborer. “I spent everything I had to get back here. Yes, it was dangerous, and I miss my home. But as much as I love America, I have to go where the best American jobs are.”

Reyes now works as a spot-welder on the assembly line of a Maytag large-appliance plant and earns $22 a day, most of which he sends back to his family in the U.S., who in turn send a portion of that back to the original family they left in Mexico. Like many former Mexican-Americans forced by circumstance to become American-Mexicans, Reyes dreams of one day bringing his relatives to Mexico so that they, too, may secure American employment in Mexico.

Despite the considerable risk illegal immigrants face in returning across the border, many find the lure of large U.S. factory salaries hard to resist—at 15 percent of the pay of corresponding jobs in America, these positions pay three times what Mexican jobs do.

Still, the danger is very real. When 31-year-old illegal Arizona resident Ignacio Jimenez sought employment at an American plant in Mexico, he was shot at by Mexican border guards as he attempted to illegally enter the country of his citizenship, pursued by U.S. immigration officials who thought he might be entering the country illegally, and fired upon again by a second group of U.S. Border Patrol agents charged with keeping valuable table-busing and food-delivery personnel inside American borders.

“It was a nightmare,” Jimenez said. “Many became disoriented and panicked, and some were mixed in with immigrants going the other way across the Rio Grande and ended up swimming to the wrong country.”

He added: “My cousin almost drowned. They fished him out and sent him back to wash dishes at T.G.I. Friday’s.”

Many say the trip across the border as illegal Mexican-American emigrants offers them a chance to land the American jobs in Mexico they never have been able to get as illegal Mexican-American immigrants in the U.S.

“It has always been my goal to have a good American job,” Johnson Controls technician Camilla Torres, 27, said. “Many Mexicans now see Mexico as the land of opportunity. Mexicans will not stop trying to get here, no matter how much the Mexicans wish we would not.”

Indeed, the trend of illegal re-emigration is causing great resentment among the local Mexican population, and tension between Mexicans and illegally re-entered Mexicans—dubbed repatriados—continues to build.

“I hate these Mexicans, always coming back here to Mexico from America and taking American jobs from the Mexicans who stayed in Mexico,” said 55-year-old former Goodyear factory manager Juan-Miguel Diaz, who lost his job to a better-trained repatriado last March. “Why don’t they go back to where they went to?”

Still, Jimenez, Reyes, and hundreds of others say they have no choice.

“The American Dream is alive and well in Mexico,” Reyes said. “If I work hard, save my money, and plan well, I will be able to send my children to a good school—and who knows? If they study hard, perhaps they will get jobs someday at the new plant General Motors is building in China.”

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Many Mexicans have left Mexico to enter the United States illegally with the hopes of finding a better job. As American companies have started to develop on the Mexican side of the border, many Mexicans try to return back home illegally to secure jobs at these American plants. In your opinion, should Mexicans be allowed to travel back and forth between Mexico and the United States for work in order to prevent countless deaths in the desert and drownings in the Rio Grande river?

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CLICK “COMMENTS” BELOW TO POST YOUR RESPONSE. PLEASE RESPOND WITH A MINIMUM OF 6 SENTENCES

Dollar?

The paper bill featuring George Washington’s face could soon disappear from American wallets. Congress’s Joint Committee on Deficit Reduction is considering a proposal to end production of the $1 bill in favor of the $1 coin. The move, which would cost money in the short term, eventually would save the government an estimated $5.6 billion over 30 years, according to the Government Accountability Office. Paper money only lasts about 42 months before it needs to be replaced. Coins are much more durable, or long lasting. But the switch would be a controversial one.

An Unpopular Coin

Most Americans prefer the bill as currency, even though most European countries use coins instead of small bills. In 2002, the Government Accountability Office conducted a nationwide public opinion survey on the use of dollar coins. According to a report from the office, “the public was not using the $1 coin because people were familiar with the $1 note, the $1 coin was not widely available, and people did not want to carry around more coins.”

US MINT

Each dollar coin produced by the U.S. Mint costs 30 cents to make.

In 2005, Congress passed the Presidential $1 Coin Act, which authorizes the production of millions of $1 coins honoring every deceased President. The move was an attempt to boost the dollar coin’s use. Since then, the coins have piled up in Federal Reserve vaults as many Americans continue to ignore them. While 60 percent of dollar coins produced by the government make it into circulation, more than $1 billion worth of unused dollar coins sit in the vaults. But experts say that Americans would simply get used to using $1 coins if dollar bills were no longer available.

A Two-Sided Coin Debate 

The Joint Committee on Deficit Reduction, which is made up of 12 members of Congress, is charged with the task of finding ways to save the U.S. government money and pay down our nation’s debt. Those who support doing away with the dollar bill say that this would be an easy way for Congress to save money. Vending companies and mass transit agencies support the use of the $1 coin because it is easy to use in vending and ticketing machines.

Paper and ink producers are against the switch. It would result in a loss of business to companies such as the Massachusetts-based Crane & Co., which makes the paper used for U.S. bills. The armored-car industry, which transports money, is also against the switch because the coins would add weight to their trucks and increase their gas and maintenance costs.

For now, the switch is not certain.  The committee has not yet released its official proposal for reducing government debt. What do you think? Should the government switch to $1 coins to save money?

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Should the U.S. government replace the paper dollar bill with a dollar coin to save money? Why or why not?

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Click “COMMENTS” below to post your response

6 SENTENCES REQUIRED FOR FULL CREDIT

Potato

Issue

Schools are still free to pass the potato. On Tuesday, the U.S. Senate voted to block a proposal by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that would have limited the amount of potatoes and other starchy vegetables served in schools.  The USDA had wanted to make the changes to the federal school lunch program. It would have limited the amount of starchy vegetables to two servings per student per week, or about a cup. And those starchy veggies that are high in carbohydrates would also have been banned from school breakfasts . The limit aimed to reduce the amount of fried potatoes, such as french fries and tater tots, served in schools.

SHANNON DININNY—AP

For now, schools can still serve tater tots to students after the U.S. Senate blocked a proposed potato limit.

The Senate blocked the USDA’s proposal by amending, or changing, a spending bill that included funding for the department. The amendment blocks the USDA from putting any limits on the amount of servings of potatoes or other vegetables in school lunches. Senator Susan Collins of Maine, a spud-growing state, sponsored the amendment. “[USDA’s] proposed rule would have imposed significant and needless costs on our nation’s school districts at a time when they can least afford it,” Collins said.

Food Fight

Those in favor of a potato limit say that children get enough potatoes already and should be encouraged to try other vegetables. The group Center for Science in the Public Interest pushed for the restrictions. “USDA’s proposal was about helping kids to eat a very wide variety of vegetables, and I think that point has been lost in all this,” said the Center’s Margo Wootan. “Other vegetables have a hard time competing with potatoes.”

The proposed change upset potato growers, who believe potatoes were being unfairly targeted. Some schools have criticized the USDA’s attempt to tell them exactly what foods they can or can’t serve. Critics say the USDA should focus on advising schools on how to prepare the potato instead. Potatoes can be a good source of fiber and potassium. Many schools already prepare french fries with less grease and serve potatoes in healthier recipes.

The USDA is expected to release a final list of guidelines for the federal school lunch program next year. Senator Mark Udall of Colorado, another potato-growing state, also sponsored the amendment that blocked the spud limit. “This amendment seeks to ensure flexibility for schools to provide nutritious and affordable school meals,” he said.

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DO YOU THINK YOU ARE MATURE ENOUGH TO DECIDE WHAT IS GOOD FOR YOU TO EAT AND WHAT IS NOT? HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT LAWS THAT LIMT YOUR CHOICE OF FOOD IN SCHOOL?

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