Sunday, December 18, 2011

Botanical Agents Tomatoes

Originating from South America, tomatoes was spread to all parts of the world, and later made had high demands for it. Demands for tomatoes rose, until they began to plant them in local farms. It was first thought to be poisonous, due to its color and its sour taste. But it wasn't long until they figured out, it is not poisonous, and is actually good for cooking ingredients. Since the discovery of tomatoes being used for cooking, the idea started spreading rapidly, soon rose the demand for it. Even today, we can see that all countries have tomatoes, even in food. Tomato sauce, tomatoes in Thai Som Tum even, tomatoes in burgers, or salads, etc. Tomatoes is now consumed and used all over the world. Originating from South America, and spread by various factors. Like trading, colonization, exploration, etc. Though what predicted to spread tomatoes the most was Spanish conquering South America, and the Columbian Exchange. With the Spanish colonizing the South Americas, tomatoes were distributed to its home country, and its colonies. Which is why the colonizing of South Americas were one of the main factors, contributing to the spread of tomatoes. The other factor is the Columbian Exchange. An exchange between all parts of the world, exchanging all sorts of things, but mostly agricultural items. Trades ranging form slaves, animals, varieties of plants, etc. Tomatoes was one of the exchange. With the constant, rapid spread, and the rising demands for tomatoes. Tomatoes quickly dominated the whole world. You can see tomatoes everywhere, all continents have it. Because of its durability, it was able to grow in just about any terrain, or any weather (except extreme cold, or hot of course). With the high demand, the supply of tomatoes was scarce. Since tomatoes are very durable and adaptive, people started planting them in local areas to avoid importing them. The impact of the spreading of tomatoes is great. They are just everywhere, it is almost impossible to miss. It is also used in many types of food, despite the cultural differences. For example, pasta, and pizza in Europe, burgers in central America, Som Tum, right here in Thailand, salads, etc.

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Flooding

There are 3 main forms of flooding: Flooding from a dam, flooding from heavy precipitation, rise of sea level. For Thailand this year, they experienced the 1st and 2nd form. Flooding from a dam usually happens when either the dam breaks, or they had to release water from it. Due to political problems, the main reason why the flooding is that bad. Due to the yearly monsoons, heavy precipitation occurred, filling up the dam rapidly. The government was warned that they had to release some of the water, and that some parts of the country is going to experience minor flooding. They did not respond until they were forced to release huge amounts of water from the dam, causing total destruction almost all over the whole country. It was predicted that if they had released small amounts, over time the flood would not be as high, and wouldn't last that long.

Talking about the damage, this event is one of the worst, and the most damaging event in Thai history. The damage done, and the money needed to repair, and heal from this event is horrifying. The worst thing about this is that most factories are in the middle part of Thailand, which is the part affected by the flood the most. Most of the factories were flooded, and had to be temporary closed down. Only a few factories were lucky to survive the flood. Since the factories are down, the export and the money earn from it, manufactured goods, and other products were destroyed. This is a major problem, because money earned from export is one of the most valuable source of income for Thailand. Not only factories, but many of the rice fields and farms were also affected. Since rice is one of Thailand's greatest exports, and the source of food, Thailand is even more damaged. With the regions around Bangkok flooded, that was a wake up call for the government to do something. Instead, they waited to the last moment to build barricades, without any planning or consult from the scientists that worked on flooding. Again, they just made it worst. Scientist said, barricading was not a good option at all. Since water from the dam was massive, there is little to do, but to let it flood and spread the water out so it that it doesn't last that long. They also suggest methods, to improve the barricades, but again for the second time the methods and ideas were rejected and ignored. Finally, the flood reached Bangkok, where it did the worst. Businesses, schools, hospitals, tourism, more factories, the water and electricity stations, etc were damaged. Huge numbers of businesses either gets damaged or totally bankrupted. Schools were closed down, even some hospitals were affected. Tourism shoots straight down. The water station flooded, leading to temporary problems with access to clean water, some power stations were closed, the list continues. The very sad thing about this is that, more that 600 people died, due to electrocution, drowning, diseases, or from animals (crocodiles lose from the farm, snakes, centipedes, scorpions, etc). 


Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Population 7 Billion THE LIST

1. World population expected to be 9 billion on 2045: With the rapid population growth from all around the world. It is estimated that there will be 9 billion of us in 2045. Just with 7 billion alone, today we have huge problems associated with over population. If this keeps up, it is also predicted that food supply and natural resources will be our main concern.

2. Great medical Improvements: Over the past 100 years, medical improvements were spiking. New cures, vaccines, discoveries, prevention methods, etc. Great medical improvement has been 1 of the major factors, contributing to mass population growth. Because people are expected to live much longer, with these new medical improvements, death rate had decreased.

3. Overpopulation is going to cause huge problems: With the population rapidly increasing, resource consumption is increasing aswell. Natural resources are almost depleted, in addition the increased in population, huge problems will be created. 3 most important resources include food, water, and fuel. Already, in some countries both food and water are scarce, like for example in some parts of Africa. With the consumption growing, and not enough resources to support it, it is predicted to cause problems like: Wars over food and water, or fuel, starvation, depletion of fuel, etc.

4. Population estimated to grow by 80 million each year: Right now, 80 million each year is over the top. Population is growing way too rapidly.

5. Close to a billion people go hungry each day: Like the problems of overpopulation, already the beginning phase of starvation had already begun. With the rapid population growth, it is expected to be much worse in the future.

6. Educated women are more likely to have fewer children: It is predicted that, educated women marries much later than uneducated women, due to the fact that they have to go to school, college, or university. Also that fact that, poorer families wanted many children to assist them in work. 

7. Better sewage systems decreased deaths, and expand life expectancy: Better sewage system greatly decreased diseases, and the spread of diseases. With better, cleaner source of water, Cholera, and others, are almost eliminated. Though only in poorer countries, or regions, that sewage system still falls behind standards.

8. Food supply predicted to be unable to support population: With the constant, rapid growth of population. It is expected that the food supply will not meet the consumption of the massive population. Unless better agricultural technology emerges, or the population growth decrease.

9. China, home to a fifth of the world's population: China is currently home to 1 fifth of the world's population. China is 1 of the first to experience over population. They now enforces the famous "One Child Policy" law.

10. Developing countries will account for 95% of population growth in future: Specifically in Africa, average family sizes consist of about 5-6 children. Poorer countries like these, lack birth control, and sex education. With no sex education and birth control, population grows rapidly with the increase of HIV/AIDS. The population in Africa had increased over 50% in less than 50 years.


Thursday, December 1, 2011

Dictatorial Regime

There are many types of dictatorship in the world, some good some bad, good ones great, bad ones devastating.

There are 3 types of dictatorship, Totalitarian, Authoritarian, and Benevolent. Totalitarian is a dictatorship, in which has complete control over the country, and tries to control the citizen's way of thinking. Looking at the pass totalitarian dictatorships, clearly, this type never seem to succeed. This type seems to fail, everytime, or gets defeated sooner or later. 2 good examples of this would be Adolf Hitler and "The Holocaust," Pol Pot and the "Khmer Rouge." Adolf Hitler envisioned, a society with 1 pure race. With that idea, he convinces people to eliminate all of the different people. For example Jewish people, homosexuals or the disabled. About 6 million Jewish people were massacred in this even. Another example, Pol Pot in Cambodia. Again, Pol Pot has envisioned a pure, perfect society. His first idea was that: The Khmer empire back in time, was at its greatest. We can become better, if we erase all that we have, and continued where the Khmer Empire fell. What he did was that he made a series of laws and a list of the types of people needed to be executed. Intellectuals, professors, religious people, ethnic, city people, were targeted. Technology was completely destroyed, leaving the rest of the people farming. With technology gone, and everyone needed it to farm, food supply dropped horrifically, death toll from starvation and disease was extreme. All of what these dictators do, it was usually useless, unnecessary, and completely outrageous and destructive. People affected by events like these, are driven to escape the country, and off to a better, more peaceful place. Refugee, and immigrants people are very high. Despite the border patrol, people were desperate to save themselves, that is why the amount of people leaving totalitarian dictatorship countries are quite high. Same goes for authoritarian dictatorship, though authoritarian dictatorship isn't as bloody as a totalitarian.








Differ from the rest of the other types, benevolent dictatorship is just simply, benevolent. The name says it all, "benevolent." Like the definition of benevolent, benevolent dictatorship is very good. For example Singapore, is a benevolent dictatorship. A benevolent dictatorship is a dictatorship established, truly for the good of the people and its country, with absolutely no desire for corruption. Singapore is actually quite developed today. In-fact, the population of Singapore is mixed with Chinese, and many of Singapore's neighboring countries. Differ from others, people are actually interested in coming to Singapore, rather than moving out of it.