Human Rights- What is Human Trafficking?

After reading a few articles in the book Global Issues, Local Arguments by June Johnson I was able to truly understand what human trafficking meant and how victims of human trafficking are trafficked. Many victims of trafficking are forced to work in prostitution or sex entertainment. However, trafficking also takes place as labor exploitation, such as domestic servitude, sweatshop factories, or migrant agricultural work. Traffickers use force, fraud and intimidation to force women, men and children to engage in these activities. Force involves the use of rape, beatings and confinement to control victims. Forceful violence is used especially during the early stages of victimization, known as the ‘seasoning process’, which is used to break victim’s resistance to make them easier to control. Fraud often involves false offers of employment. For example, women and children will reply to advertisements promising jobs as waitresses, maids and dancers in other countries and are then forced into prostitution once they arrive at their destinations. Intimidation involves threats of serious harm to, or physical restraint of, victims of trafficking; any method, plan or pattern intended to cause victims to believe that failure to perform an act would result in restraint against them; or the abusers family. Victims of trafficking are often subjected to “debt-bondage,” usually in the context of paying off transportation fees into the destination countries. Traffickers often threaten victims with injury or death, or the safety of the victim’s family back home. Traffickers commonly take away the victims’ travel documents and isolate them to make escape more difficult. I am also aware that there is a huge difference between human trafficking and migrant smuggling. Migrant smuggling consist of migrants consent to being smuggled and smuggling is always transnational.

Stock Market- Is the Stock Market Connected to the Presidential Election?

I strongly believe that the stock market and the American election are connected to each other. Even though the stock market has an effect on the global economy which always leads to – How people vote for the next president, it’s not the only issue that causes people to choose between both potential presidents. Home mortgages, unemployment and other issues also have a vital impact in this election.
Facts: The real gross domestic product (GDP) grew at an annualized rate of only 1.6% in the first quarter of this year. Workers are paying a heavy price for the capitalist downturn: over 2.4 million jobs have been lost since employment levels bumped up in March 2001.
“Unemployment rose half-a-million in the first quarter of this year, taking the official total to 8.8 million, a figure which substantially under-estimates the true numbers”. Faced with this, Bush appears to have only one economic policy, which is really no policy at all, an example, tax cuts for the super-rich.
The Mortgage Bankers Association, a national industry group, reported today that almost 5% of home mortgages were delinquent at the end of 2006, meaning the homeowner was at least 30 days behind in making payments. A record 0.54% of mortgages entered foreclosure during the fourth quarter.
Fortunately, jobs have continued to increase, albeit modestly, and unemployment has remained low. Inflation in the US has stayed remarkably steady, so that those high energy costs don't seem to have worked their way into prices of other goods and services. Growth is continuing in Europe and among our other major trading partners.
Going back to the stock market- Millions of households invest money in stocks, bond, and CD. As investors they are expecting their Portfolios to mature (Future pensions) and when a firm collapses the investor loses his Assets. (This can have a great impact in the upcoming election) For the most par people are going to expect both candidates to speak on this topic.
Predict the future: I’m not sure what is going to happened but, I do believe that Obama is an OK candidate: all I know is that we are going to be in debt…good luck with our taxes!

Speaking Globalization-Is Globalization Hurting or Helping Nations?

When people speak of globalization the American people think of change. But, instead of concentrating on a broad word like change we should be think progress in technology, cultural enrichment and economic growth. The rise of technology and trade allows for modernization in the improvement of non-mainstream perspectives. Rather than weakening cultural and national identity within societies, globalization actually strengthens traditional cultural forms. Globalization builds and supports nations to develop and allows for more fair competition. Progress in technology is known through out the world. Technology is one of the vital key factors in improving a person’s self-esteem and can sometimes be the only form of receiving information. According to the article, Behind the Digital Divide located in The Economist magazine, women feel that their lives are improving and because of technology they feel empowered.
Globalization is not a threat to cultural diversity. One is able to say this because a culture will not fundamentally change just because a local McDonald's store opens up in the area. A culture is based on the values, traditions, and unique aspects of the way they act with others. Globalization is actually helping spread each unique culture out there, whether it is though the Internet, through the economy, or by the lowering of barriers between parts of the world. Lets face it; even though globalization has some advantages and disadvantages the greater outcome is economic growth. By allowing globalization to take place enables nations to develop and allows people to trade freely around the world.
Essentially, I am arguing that the rise of globalization, technology and trade allows for modernization in the improvement of non-mainstream perspectives.

~*Abby's Proust Questionairre*~

What is your idea of perfect happiness? Sending time with the people that I love the most

What is your greatest fear? Not finding what I am working towards

Which historical figure do you most identify with? Cleopatra

Which living person do you most admire? Catherine Wayman

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? Not being patient

What is the trait you most deplore in others? Jealousy

What is your greatest extravagance? I save most of my$

What is your favorite journey? The one taken with loved ones

What do you consider the most overrated virtue? N/A

On what occasion do you lie? When I try not to hurt others

What do you most dislike of your appearance? My thin hair

Which living person do you most despise? Despise is a strong word

Which words or phrases do you most overuse? Take for example

What is your greatest regret? Not regretting anything

What or who is the greatest love of your life? Strength

When and where you the happiest? Outdoors/ camping

If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be? Nothing

What do you consider your greatest achievement? College

If I could choose what to come back as, what would it be? A Rabbit

What is your most treasured possession? My life

What do you regard as the lowest depth of mystery? Life

Where would you like o live? Where no man has ever been

What is your favorite occupation? Walking on the beach

What’s your most marked characteristics? My eyes

What is the quality you most like in a man? Honor /intelligent

What is the quality you most like in a woman? Carring /intelligent

What do you most value in your friends? Their time

Who are your favorite writers? N/A Still trying to look for one

Who is your favorite hero of fiction? Pocahontas

What is it that you most dislike? Hypocrite people

How would you like to die? Laying on the beach at a beautiful sunset

What is your motto? Give light and the darkness will disappear…oh! and fake it , till you make it!