eigth issue
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| Issue 8 Dec 2012
4. Environmental Issues
Iskra Duchkovska
8. Obama 2016, China and the Middle East 11. THINK OUT OF BOX 14. Egypt’s revolution: Neeharika Bhogi
Moment of Truth!
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Mohamed Firas Arfaoui
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Environmen
Environmental issues. We’ve all heard those two words; at least I hope we all have. Just in case you’re one of those people that aren’t familiar what environmental issues exactly are, they are negative aspects of human activity on the biophysical environment, or to word it quite simply, environmental issues are what we as humans do to harm the environment we live in. By that, I mean climate change, sea level rise, toxins in our air, species extinction, land pollution, land poisoning, harmful fishing, contamination of drinking water etc.. Woah! A lot of those! And many many more. When we have issues, we seek for solutions right? That is why environmentalists and environmentalism emerged. Environmentalism advocates the preservation, restoration and/or improvement of the natural environment, and may be referred to as a movement to control pollution. Often, we hear that we need to care for the environment, and help the Earth. But,
if we consider this thoroughly we would understand that by helping the Earth and preserving it’s natural resources, we’re helping ourselves. Thereby, by harming our natural environment, which is the Earth, we are harming our health and well-being. Did you know that in children under the age of five, one third of all disease is caused by the environmental factors such as unsafe water and air pollution? Environmental factors influence 85 out of the 102 categories of diseases and injuries listed in the world health report? Worldwide, 13 million deaths could be prevented every year by making our environments healthier? Environmental issues affect our health in many ways, and in many forms, but I’d like to talk about indoor and outdoor air pollution, and water pollution especially. Jacques Yves Cousteau said: “Water and air, the two essential fluids on
which all life depends, have become global garbage cans.” Indoor pollution, how it affects you and how to protect yourself? The American Lung Association states that indoor pollution contributes to respiratory tract infections, asthma, lung cancer and other lung disease. Indoor air pollution is caused when harmful particles are trapped in your home. Sources of indoor pollution often include second-hand cigarette smoke, radon, formaldehyde and household products and chemicals used. What can you do? The easiest one to fix is second-hand cigarette smoke. Simply ask friends and family not to smoke around your home, or if you are a smoker yourself, do your best to stop. According to The American Lung Association cigarette smoke contains roughly 4,000 chemicals, of which 200 are known
Environmental Issues
ntal Issues to be poisonous. Formaldehyde is a colourless chemical that emits an irritating gas, and is cancerous. It can be found in wood, plastics, dyes, insecticides, textiles and rubber. So, before buying anything, ask for information from the manufacturer whether or not it contains formaldehyde. Paint, paint strippers, cleaning supplies, glues and adhesives contain volatile organic compounds (VOC), which may cause allergic reactions, respiratory tract irritation and cancer. Use products according to the manufacturer’s directions, buy only the amount of product you need and ventilate properly. Outdoor pollution and your health Outdoor pollution is caused by factories, cars, household appliances and so on. What can you do? Use energy-efficient appliances. Reduce
your heating needs by making your house more energy efficient. If you need to use an air conditioner, set it at a moderate temperature, around 23 degrees Celsius. When you leave the house, turn the air conditioner off. Don’t burn things in your yard. It’s especially harmful to burn garbage, plastics, cardboard, wrapping paper, particleboard, Styrofoam, painted or treated wood, or wood taken from saltwater and garden (if you do) without pesticides. Try not to use a car- walk, bike, carpool, or take public transit. If you have to drive somewhere drive more slowly. Reducing your speed from 120 to 90km/hr will decrease fuel consumption by about 20%. Water pollution, what can you do? Water makes most of our bodies, and if the water we drink is polluted, we are literally drinking toxins that harm our bodies. The water we drink at home comes from rivers,
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Iskra Duchkovska
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lakes etc. If those are polluted, our drinking water is polluted too. Industrial waste often contains many toxic compounds that damage the health of aquatic animals and those who eat them, meaning us. Suspended particles in freshwater can also reduce the quality of drinking water for humans. Heavy metals from industrial processes can pollute in nearby lakes and rivers. Heavy metals are toxic to marine life such as fish and shellfish, being toxic to the humans who eat them. Heavy metals can also slow development, can result in birth defects and some are carcinogenic. So what can we do? You can do a lot with following a few tips without any particular trouble. You should be careful what you throw down your sink and toilet, like paints, oils or other forms of litter. The water from your sink and toilet goes through several treatments,
| Issue 8 Dec 2012
like solids removal for example, and than directly to our lakes and rivers, and that is where we got it from the first place! So the water follows a circular movement. Use environmentally household products, such as washing powder, household cleaning agents and toiletries. Take care not to throw litter into rivers, lakes or oceans and take great care not to overuse pesticides and fertilizers, which contaminate the water we drink. There are many other environmental issues that affect our health, and to cover all of them, I’d probably need a few pages of the magazine (which is not the best idea). So I
Environmental Issues
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Iskra Duchkovska
chose to give you a few tips on preserving the quality of the air we breathe and water we drink, only because obviously as human being breathing is not a matter of choice, and being made of mostly water, it’s one of our basic needs. (A person can survive only three to five days without water!) So, do your best to preserve the quality of both water and air. Do it for yourself, and your future generations. As one Native American proverb goes:
“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children”.
- Iskra Duchkovska
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Obama 2016,China
and the Middle East
With a dramatic campaign brought to an end, it is reasonable to let loose the festivities and celebrate the second term of the 44th president of the United States. Yet, behind the stunning smile and the theatrical performances, Obama’s to do list is filling up with major challenges, and celebrating along Michelle is far from being the paramount priority of the overburdened president thus far. From the Iranian nuclear aspirations to the growing Chinese influence in the Middle East, this essay will draw on the time urgency and contextual realities of the MENA region in order to bring the casual reader a step closer to understanding how the US policies should evolve with regard to the Arab World if the US interests are to prevail in the region. “Iran is now 4 more years closer to the production of a nuclear bomb”, how familiar this seems given that Romney’s foreign policy hovered around this very sentence throughout his campaign, yet, as we see it today, the round of international sanctions championed by Obama are bearing fruitful results and bringing the Iranian regime closer to a financial meltdown. While the economic sanctions might prove to be the way to salvation, regional powers dependent on Iranian oil might beg to differ on the US strategic vision to impede the ayatollahs from procuring themselves nuclear capabilities. The Obama administration is faced with the choice of continued sanctions that might prove inefficient given the continual opposition of China (resources driven) and Russia (geopolitically immersed in the safeguard of the Iranian regime), or with the alternative of striking deep down in the Iranian territory. Such military venture, as foolish it might be, is rebutted by the former
Obama 2016, China and the Middle East
national security adviser and world renown strategist Brzezinski in the following terms:
“A war in the Middle East, in the present context, may last for years, and the economic consequences of it are going to be devastating for the average American: High inflation. Instability. Insecurity. Probably significant isolation for the United States in the world scene” Brzezinski to Newsmax TV Two choices, neither as promising as marketed to be, puts the US administration in the embarrassing position of accepting a nuclear Iran as a reality, a reality that might serve the American interests in fact, regardless of the catastrophic image the Israelis attempt to wave in mass media in order to favor a preemptive strike. While Israel’s ties to the US are unshakable and enhanced by a certain sense of commonality in terms of political, cultural and historical similarities, the Arab states converge with the US strategic vision only when mutual interests are involved. These interests range from security (as in the case of the Gulf countries) to economic assistance (Egypt among others), yet the critical aspect of such interests is that they are not exclusive to the United Sates, but are tightly linked to the economic and geopoliti-
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cal performances of international and regional hegemon. Such regional hegemon is embodied by China, an aspiring world player with an economy large enough to have its take on international politics and regional influence. China has been absent from the Middle East largely due to the US status in the region, yet as the US foreign policy accommodates the growing needs and fancies of Israel (ultimately alienating the Arab street), and as Washington’s tight policies increase pressure on postrevolutionary governments with a leadership not ready to accept a full allegiance to the white house, alternatives start shaping and Arab states are most likely to identify regional powers who can substitute the US in the Middle Eastern chessboard. China, with an appealing financial portfolio and a reassuring posture in the world scene is prone on undertaking the role of the major player in Middle Eastern politics, a role that doesn’t stem from choice but from necessity given the growing needs in oil of the Chinese industry and economy.
“China’s presence in the Middle East has grown exponentially over the past decade and is affecting the region’s strategic environment. Chinese influence is multidimensional, encompassing economics, defense, diplomacy, and soft power.1”
In such circumstances, attending to the fancies of a certain ally become less urgent than securing states whose allegiance can be lost to potential competitors, thus the Middle Eastern agenda of Barack Obama should cut on the support to Israel (not much of a political suicide given the fact that the presidential campaign is over and the super PACs are not as meaningful now that the results are out), and deploy a strategic vision preliminary aimed at accommodating the post-revolutionary Arab states through financial, political, diplomatic and military support. Such attempt would leverage the US interests on two levels: first by providing a stronger geopolitical stance in the region for American interests through USfriendly governments, and second through the establishment of a pressure regional bloc that can downsize Chinese access to oil resources. Such US foreign policy, coupling stronger unconditional support for post-revolutionary Arab states and firm refusal to bend to Israeli appeals will inevitably disarm Iran from its main source of support in the Arab and Islamic world, depriving it from popular compassion and thus disabling proxy factions such as Hezbollah from tapping into anti-US feeling as main recourse for recruitment and military support to the mullahs in Teheran.
1. James Chen, The dle East, Institute
emergence of China in the Midfor National Strategic Studies
THINK OUT OF BOX
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Neeharika Bhogi
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80% WOW!! This is how you would probably react when someone has scored it and mostly it’s when you’re the one with just a passing mark. Oh god!! Why did u do this to me?? Well, this
| Issue 8 Dec 2012
is what that bounce on your head. Ever thought what would be the future of the person who scored 80% by rote learning from books and the person who scored just a passing mark
for a simple reason that he was more passionate doing something else apart from studies. This article is purely dedicated to those people who have a certain mindset and
Think Ou are no more a yardstick to measure the ability of any individual. When comes to companies, it hires people who are equipped with good communication skills, innovative ideas and strategies to
make companies more productive where as people think marks does the magic! In conclusion, the development of a person depends on how bravely
he/she deals with things in life but not how many marks he scores in their exams. Eventually to become successful in your life you don't have to strive to get 80%, it does not matter if u don’t get it; make
assume that people scoring more would have a great future ahead and the one scoring below average would serve nowhere. People in the latter category can take it as an inspiration.
Life is not all about learning things only from books, its about understanding things practically a person scoring more might be a book worm and the one who has knowledge only
THINK OUT OF BOX
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Neeharika Bhogi
about things taught to him and the not scoring more might be interested in doing something more than that. Now-a-days studies have only become quantitative and not qualitative and marks
utofBox sure you dedicate yourself completely to the things you’re passionate about. A person for his/her overall development must not only depend on books but also have to take a look at the world out,
people, experience, exploration, learning and enjoying life to the fullest. After all You Only Live Once. ENJOY THE LIFE!! THINK OUT OF BOX. Neeharika
Bhogi
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Egypt’s revolution: Moment of Truth!
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Mohamed Firas Arfaoui
Egypt’s revolution
Egypt's revolution has been tested and challenged since the first day of its "success". A heavy price in blood, turmoil and economic decline continued to be paid until the first civilianpresident-elect Mohamed Morsi ousted the military from power. Civilian assumption of the government has been a chief revolutionary demand. Thus little criticism could be heard when the president dismissed the chief of the then ruling military council general Tantawi and some other chief military generals. After this historical breakthrough, Egypt continued on a shaky path towards enacting a new constitution and forming new republican and democratic institutions. In part this was due to anti-revolutionary forces and their continued fight against change. Not all the blame falls on the partisans of Mubarak's deposed regime though. After historical free elections, the parliament was dissolved by court rulings. The constitutional assembly (responsible for drafting the constitution) kept being un-
der the same threat as well. This insecurity, coupled with growing political divide weakened the democratic transition process.
Under these severe conditions, Morsi issued his most controversial constitutional decree to date. The document is titled “concerning the protection of the revolution”. It provides that Trials for crimes against the protesters of Tahrir Square are to be repeated under a new chief Attorney general. The former prosecutor, which was appointed by Mubarak, is blamed for providing only weak evidence against key figures in the political and security apparatus of the old regime. The inefficiency of evidence has led to alleviated rulings and to wide disdain from revolutionary fractions and forces.
dissolution threats. The courts will no longer be able to rule on dissolving any of these elected entities. This opens the door for an interesting possibility: For the already dismantled legislature can possibly be reinstituted. Another effect is that the decision relieves the constitutional assembly from the constant threats it is facing by courts that are reviewing cases that argue its unconstitutionality.
Both the legislature and the assembly are direct products of the first free and internationally approved elections in Egypt’s history. Moreover, both reflect the confortable majorities that Islamists, both the Justice and development party and the Nour party, enjoyed in these elections. Many political and religious players have withdrawn from the constitutional assembly But the constitutional decree judging it was “dominated by raised far more controversy Islamists”. Many religious and because of its clauses that grants political groups have objected to presidential decrees, the legisla- its composition and walked out tive branch and the constitution- of the committee short of the al assembly immunity against completion of the constitution’s
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draft. Along with former contenders that lost the presidential race to Morsi, they lead the wave of protest against the decrees enacted by the president.
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ing and evolving. The president has reinforced the temporary and limited nature of his decree. More importantly he has affirmed that he will not back away from protecting “legal and elected entities”. The president The unrest continues to rage and of the constitutional commithas claimed at least 2 lives so tee (assembly) has affirmed that far and violence is not yet conThursday will be a “historical tained. The opposition claims moment” and that the draft of that the president-elect has the constitution will be comassumed dictatorial powers by pleted. making his decisions immune to the courts checks. Morsi’s Fundamentally, the real battle is adversaries have contained their still between the revolution, the rivalries in the hopes of compel- change it entitles, and the reacling the president to withdraw. tionary forces of the Mubarak It is notable that Chafik[5], a dictatorship era. Many of the former Mubarak prime minister, fractions that participated in has joined the quire and affirms the revolution are lured by the that “the will of the people” will reactionaries into believing that not be defeated. The polarizathe decree and Islamists are a tion is acute in the street. The common enemy worth comprodecision by Islamist parties to mising for. This explains the delay support demonstration astonishing alignment of radihave eased some fears. Only to cal adversaries behind the banbe replaced by angst regarding ner of opposition and protest their announced Saturday proof the decrees. This “tactical” tests where they will be in direct alliance between some revolucontact with the opposition sit tionary fractions and reactioninners in Tahrir square. ary pro-Mubarak ones might be interpreted as good willing but Throughout my writing of the a rushed gesture. Nevertheless, above words, events kept pound- to allow for the reactionaries to
regain credibility and attempt to topple the revolution as a whole is not a tactical mistake but it is a strategic one. The democratic transition faces serious risks in case the elected constitutional entities continue to be challenged and prevented from completing constitutional tasks. The state of insecurity and instability threatens a reversion to dictatorship that many global powers and the Mubarak regime remnants are ready to invest in. Given the current conditions, the constitutional decrees of the first democratically elected president of Egypt should be supported. Meanwhile a close eye should be kept at the speed at which the constitution and the legislature are formed and their powers restored.
Mohamed Firas Arfaoui
Egypt’s revolution: Moment of Truth!
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Mohamed Firas Arfaoui
Moment of Truth
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Our founder Almustafa Mahmoud Khalid has been working on sponsoring an international conference in Malaysia for the past 7 months, and the work finally paid off. Independent Skies Magazine is proud to announce that we were one of the sponsors to the international Conference on Advanced computer science Applications and technologies (ACSAT) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. What ISM has done to the conference might not seem too big as we provided camera men for ACSAT and sales men for the booths of Design for Scientific renaissance (the organisers of the conference). Independent skies support does not stop there as we are currently working on a promotional video for ACSAT, stay tuned for Independent skies production announcement. This was a huge step for ISM as it was step one for many big collaborations to come. Thanks to all of our friends for making this happen. it is because of your support ISM is reaching out to more people around the world. Please accept our highest regards, The Independent Skies team.
Almustafa Mahmoud Khalid Sponsored by:
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