Economic Hitman

Confessions of an Economic Hitman is a book written by John Perkins. This autobiography, reveals his career as an economist for an international consulting firm. Perkins defines economic hit man as: "Highly paid professionals who cheat countries around the globe out of trillions of dollars." He considered himself as an economic hitman because his job was to convince countries that are strategically important to the US to accept huge loans for infrastructure development and to make sure that the projects were contracted to the US corporations. In the book, Perkins leads the reader through his career and explains how he created economic projections for countries to accept billions of dollars in loans they could not afford.

There are a lot of important quotes that i found in the book that are part of his experiences during his career around the world. For example his first assignment took place in Indonesia, that was an oil rich country and had been described as "the most heavily populated piece of real estate on the planet." He said that if the US could gain control of Indonesia with debts that would incur thanks to the loans for these huge projects, they believed it would help ensure American dominance in Southeast Asia. Later the impact continues when he started his own company. He became involved with nonprofit organizations and their efforts to work with and help indigenous people in Latin America. He believes, "We have convinced ourselves that all economic growth benefits humankind, and that the greater the growth, the more widespread the benefits."

With all of this, i just want to say, that this book really help us see how a person that have been through a really though situations, it has been successful in life. Including the publication of this book, was complicated so that means that he is actually a good man to follow. This book, fills the blanks left behind by other writers of global theories, the book just tells us how each situation happen. I like to visualize all the steps to make everything possible so maybe that's why  i found great comfort in reading this personal story that allows me to do this.

Citation:

Perkins, John. Confessions of an Economic Hitman. San Fransisco: Plume, 2004. Print.

"John Perkins: Economic Hit Man." John Perkins: Economic Hit Man. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2014. <http://www.wanttoknow.info/johnperkinseconomichitman>.

Russia

Since late 2013, the Crimea has been facing a tough political crisis thanks to the inequalities that the Ukrainian people had with the former president Viktor Yanukovych. The population were manifested through marches and protests that ended in tragedy with the death of the least 100 people. However all has worsened due to the deployment of troops, that the Russian Federation and President Vladimir Putin were authorized from Saturday March 1, 2014. The Russian intervention has disabled the region and citizens through the violation of human, economic , social and cultural rights. In addition to violating international law by invading the territory of a sovereign country, in this case of Ukraine.

Consequently, the Russian military intervention has achieved that the international community rejects their aggressive acts and governments of the U.S. and Germany in the company of other nations have threatened to expel the Russian Confederation of G8 (industrialized countries) and the Organization World Trade Organization (WTO). (Pérez,2014) In one of the articles published by CNN referred to the fact in which Vladmir Putin had called illegitimate government Ukraine and accused the United States of collaboration to a coup, so he argued that Russia has the right to use military force. How do you think the government of the Russian Federation react to serious threats from the international community?

CNN published an article titled: Clinton compares Putin's Ukraine moves to Hitler, where you can find a different perspective of this problem.


Citation:

Perez, Martin. "Obama Advierte a Rusia De Aislamiento Si Sigue Interviniendo En Crimea." Eltiempo.com. N.p., 03 Mar. 2014. Web. 22 Mar. 2014. <http://www.eltiempo.com/mundo/europa/ARTICULO-WEB-NEW_NOTA_INTERIOR-13587560.html>.

"Clinton Compares Putin's Ukraine Moves to Hitler, Later Recalibrates." CNN Political Ticker RSS. N.p., 05 Mar. 2014. Web. 23 Mar. 2014. <http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2014/03/05/report-clinton-compares-putins-ukraine-moves-to-hitler-and-nazi-germany/?iref=allsearch>.

Power and Privilege

POWER is the ability to control or coerce another's behavior. In systems of oppression, power accrues to those who most closely approximate the mythical norm. Power also includes access to social, political, and economic resources. In social institutions (family, education, religion, media, government) reproduce hierarchy and ensure the maintenance of power in the hands of members of the dominant culture by normalizing the dominant culture so that hierarchical orderings based on gender, race and social class appear natural and inevitable. White nationalism is a political ideology that advocates a racial definition of national identity for white people. It has been argued by Leonard Zeskind that white separatism and white supremacism may be considered subgroups within white nationalism.

PRIVILEGE is a way of framing issues surrounding social inequality, focusing as much on the advantages that one group accrues from society as on the disadvantages that another group experiences. While the concept of privilege was originally limited to issues of race and gender, the term's usage has expanded greatly over the years to include other forms of social inequality, including class and sexuality. Many advocates of privilege theory believe that the main reason why privilege must be pointed out is so that those in positions of power can realize that they are privileged and can use this privilege to combat inequality. A system of privilege a family, a workplace, a society is organized around three basic principles: dominance, identification, and centeredness. An example to explain a little bit more this could be the white people are generally assumed to be law-abiding until they show some sign that they are not, while people of color are routinely assumed to be criminals or potential criminals until they show they’re not.

Race

Race is still a powerful social idea that gives people different access to opportunities and resources. Our government and society have created advantages to being white. This affects everyone, whether we are aware of it, or not. In POWER OF ILLUSION website, i found some facts about race.
Here are some of them...

(Image taken from: http://blog.world-mysteries.com)

1. Race is a modern idea: Ancient societies did not divide people according to physical differences, but according to religion , status, class and even language.
2. Race has no genetic basis: Not one characteristic, trait, or gene distinguishes all members of one race from all members of another race.
3. Skin color is only skin deep: Most traits are inherited independently of one another. The genes for skin color have nothing to do with genes for hair texture, eye shape, blood type, musical talent, or athletic ability.
4. Human subspecies don't exist: Unlike, many animals, modern humans have not been around long enough, nor have populations been isolated enough, to evolve into separate subspecies or races. Despite surface differences, we are among the most similar of all species.





Citation:
"Race-The Power of an Illusion." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2014. <http://www.pbs.org/race/>.

Lemon Tree Film

Image taken from: www.wikipedia.com

Summary of the movie:

Salma is a 45 years old widow from a Palestinian village who lives next to the border between Israel and the West Bank. Her husband died 10 years ago, her so is in America and her daughters are living their own lives far away. Her father left her a lemon grove planted 50 years ago, which she takes care of with an older friend of the family. They both see the trees as having souls and feelings which is why they take care of them with love.

Her routine and way of life is turned upside down when Israel, the new Israeli Defense minister moves into a new house along with his wife Mira. Their house sits rights on the edge of Salma's lemon grove and Israeli security forces tell that terrorists could hide in the trees and threaten the safety of the minister. For this they set up a military watchtower and issue an order that the lemon trees must be exterminate. In a letter informing Salma of this decision, the Israeli authorities promise to compensate her for the loss, but she is shocked by the injustice of this order and the disrespect for her home and vocation.

She decides to challenge the military decision in Israeli courts. Determined not to lose her trees, she goes armed with nothing but courage and hope. For this she finds a Palestinian lawyer (Ziad) to represent her, but they both realize that winning the case is really difficult. While the case was going, she and Ziad confront their mutual loneliness and a tender romance begins between that surprises them both and touches them deeply. 

On the other side, Salma finds a connection with a person that she hasn't even spoken but who intuitively understands her. Mira, the minister's wife, when always wants to see the lemon grove. As time goes on, she observes Salma's courage and independence in the face of power. She senses the loneliness they share and the integrity it takes to stand up for what one believes in.

At the end, the lemon trees where uprooted because they missed the case.

Reaction: 

I think that the Israeli-Palestinian crisis needs less construction of walls that separate peoples. Lemon Tree is an important film that shows the simple but morally elegant way to what happens maybe daily between this countries. Israel may be building walls to keep the Palestinians out, but it also built its very own prison.

We can look at how the ethical integrity of Salma originates empathy in Mira, for then we take the well-being of others to heart and are moved to be generous and start caring.  

Israel/Palestine Wall

Here is an interesting video, from september 2007, where you can see everything about the dividing wall

Teletón 2014

Teletón is a usually several hours long charity event, which is currently performed in different parts of the world in order to raise funds.

In Colombia Teletón is an organization created by the solidarity of the Colombians who seeks to be a leader in rehabilitation and full inclusion of people living with disabilities, through centers, programs and partnerships.

From Friday 28 February at 10 pm to Sunday 02 March at midnight, this event is going to last.
I think this type of charity events are really important because shows that there are people out there that actually really care for the others, and they are supporting the ones in need. Also this shows that when a country is united together for a good cause, you can achieve the proposed goals and overcome obstacles. For more information on what is going on you can go to www.teleton.org.co that is the official webpage where you can also donate online if you are outside the country.

Link: http://www.noticiasrcn.com/nacional-pais/teleton-2014-colombia-recaudar-10659397532

Finance

This blog caught my attention because its a blog inspire on Finance.
Link: http://bbfinance.blogspot.com/

Finance is a world in which all my life I'll be related because I decided to study business. I want to take this blog efficiently because the person who writes articles there, speaks with a clear language and that makes it easier to understand for me, then I think it is very important that I have found this blog.

Israel-Palestine

Link to the news: http://www.economist.com/blogs/pomegranate/2014/02/israel-palestine-talks


I found this interesting article in the news because it talks about the Palestinian-Israeli issue that has been going on for many years. My opinion according to the theme of the report is that people so easily forget that Palestinians were throw out of their homes to make way for the State of Israel. Most of the Palestinians that were kick out have been refugees since 1948. Israel has broken the trust of the International Community by settling on the occupied territories, starting businesses there and profiting from those lands. Also they get Palestinian farm land that has been farmed for generations to become environmental preserves or military zone. Israel has kept the Palestinians as refugees and on the edge of poverty always needing rescue. They have been warn, the UNSC has tried resolutions that the US has not voted on or rejected.
It is time that the US take a much harder "tough love" approach with Israel, because you do not stand next to a friend while they are doing some crime, unless you want to considered yourself as an accomplice to the crime


Citation: "It's Gone Quiet." The Economist. The Economist Newspaper, 27 Feb. 2014. Web. 02 Mar. 2014. http://www.economist.com/blogs/pomegranate/2014/02/israel-palestine-talks.