Exercise in Women Reduces Risk of Breast Cancer

Summary: Breast Cancer is an ever present problem for women around the world which many women unfortunately go through. A new study has found that exercise greatly reduces the risk of breast cancer in women despite their age, how long they have been exercising, as well as how much they weigh. Women who exercise more than one hour a day were seen to benefit the most and have lowest breast cancer risk by 12 percent. Researchers did note that the amount of activity wasn't a necessity and that women who exercised not as long and vigorous also saw benefits of lowered risk for breast cancer. The decrease also doesn't matter of where the women is located.

Analysis: A recent study has shown that breast cancer risk is greatly reduced if women are some what active. They do not have to exercise a great amount, however those who worked out an hour a day saw the best benefit. These women's risk were 12 percent, it didn't matter the women's weight, age or menopausal status just as long as they were exercising. Another positive piece was that it was universal and that it did not matter where the women was located but that the benefits were the same. This is a positive for women due to the amount of those affected by breast cancer each year and it could be very beneficial for those in developing countries where medical treatment is difficult as well as prevention.



Analysis:
Source: http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2014/03/20/291894075/exercise-cuts-breast-cancer-risk-for-all-women-everywhere

Blog 6: Journalist Among 9 Killed in Afghan, Teresa Lindsey. 03/21/2014 4:35 p.m.

Summary

The article titled “Journalist Among 9 Killed in Afghan Attack discusses an incident that occurred on Thursday night inside of a luxurious Serena hotel in Kabul. Four gunmen slipped handguns inside of their socks and launched an attack that killed nine people; four of those were foreigners (from Canada, India, Pakistan, and New Zealand). Among the people killed were an Afghan journalist, Sardar Ahmad and four members of his family who were celebrating the Persian New Year and also a former Paraguayan diplomat who had come to Afghanistan to observe next month’s elections. The Serena, with its high walls and heavy fortifications, was a magnet for foreign dignitaries and officials, along with well-heeled Afghans, who swarm the hotel’s restaurants, coffee shop, and full service spa. Spokesman for the Interior Ministry, Sediq Seddiqi told reporters that the attackers were all young men who entered the hotel saying that they were going to eat in one of the restaurants inside of the hotel. The men were searched before entering the hotel at the guardroom which is about 50 yards from the glass encased lobby, and the search failed to uncover the six small pistols that were hidden inside of their shoes and socks. The guns were wrapped in plastic to mask them from being detected from the metal detectors and were smaller than the size of a hand. Two workers reported seeing men walking around the public areas of the hotel asking when the Nowruz celebration would start. The workers stated that they didn’t appear to blend in. Once the Nowruz celebration began the men started their assault on unarmed guests around 9 p.m. and shot and killed seven people in the restaurant and two people in the lobby. The police quickly cordoned off the area around the hotel, which is less than a mile from the presidential palace. The police were confused at first because they trying to figure out if an attack was underway or if there had been a fight between guests, which was what had initially been reported. Afghan security forces overcame the attackers before midnight. Two of the attackers were killed in the restaurant and another was killed in a nearby bathroom. Throughout the attack, guests were hiding in their rooms or found shelter in safety bunkers around the complex and some called friends in Kabul trying to figure out what was going on. The Taliban quickly claimed responsibility for the attack and the fears were reinforced that the election to replace President Hamid Karzai will be accompanied by widening bloodshed. There have been a series of attacks the past two weeks which have made it apparent that Afghan and foreign civilians are likely to suffer the brunt of the violence. The violence that has recently occurred, range from a suicide bombing at a bazaar in northern Afghanistan to an assassination of a Swedish journalist on a crowded street in Kabul. The focus on Friday for Afghans and foreigners alike is mourning the dead and figuring out how the gunmen managed to get inside Serena. Mr. Seddiqi told reporters that the attack “put the Serena’s advanced security system under question,” suggesting the assailants may have had inside help.

Analysis

This article highlights the violence that innocent people suffered as a result of politics. The Taliban wants to disrupt the elections and subject Afghan and innocent foreigners to undue harm. This particular hotel has been subjected to violence by the Taliban repeatedly. The hotel attracts a certain type of clientele not to mention how luxurious it is and as a result it offers an attractive target for militants. I can’t imagine checking into a hotel and hearing gunshots and having to run for cover. To know that because of someone’s stance on politics at any given time regardless of where you are you could very well be a target is very unnerving. I just wish that maybe one day it won’t matter who is running for a political position or what law is in effect that you don’t agree with. Violence is not the answer and too many innocent lives are lost as a result of nonsense. When will all this madness stop?

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/22/world/asia/gunmen-open-fire-at-a-luxury-hotel-in-afghanistan.html?rref=world

Blog 6: Using Big Data to Prevent World Hunger

Using Big Data to Prevent World Hunger

The article entitled "Using Big Data to Prevent World Hunger" discusses how hunger is one of the two main factors of extreme poverty; the other being famine. Just months ago, the Global Hunger Index reported that nineteen countries experience hunger to severe levels, in which they refer to it as "alarming" or "extremely alarming". Of these people, one out of every eight had experienced a chronic level of undernourishment between the years of 2010-2012. In order for farmers to get a big lead on lessening world hunger and increasing their food supply, are by giving not only farmers, but also scientists and entrepreneurs’ unlimited access to agricultural big data. Big data's contributions has the potential to increase crop yields by informing farmers when it's best to plant, manage, and harvest crops. Big data also covers rainfall levels, pest and disease control, projected prices at local markets, and plant genomics and weather conditions. The Climate Corporation is a branch from big data which could ensure farmers the best time to spray fields for pests. One of the major goals of this project is to aid Africa, who is listed as the world’s worst performing agricultural producer, to better productivity. France is making contributions as well, hoping to release an app granting African farmers with the ability to discover their soil type, give directions as to how each field is to be planted and harvested, and provide a place where they’re able to purchase planting seeds locally. 


 As it has been made completely obvious, hunger is clearly a vital contributor to extreme poverty all over the world. There is no town, city, state, or country that suffers from poverty without hunger being a key issue. We often time hear about hunger in Africa. Sometimes it seems as if Africa is the only country/continent that has such a huge epidemic. That's because of the nineteen countries who have extreme levels of hunger, Africa ranks at number one. It's good to see that countries other than the United States are trying to lessen this problem. It is also good to see that this agricultural big data has the potential to increase the food supply in so many countries across the world. This would be great for countries with failing economies. Maybe sharing this data would possibly increase wealth across the world. Eventually, it would lessen the billions of dollars we spend yearly providing food to underdeveloped countries. Being that third world countries suffer from social stratification, I do believe this could be a turning point and there won't be such a huge divide between the rich and poor countries if that data is used correctly. This could produce  more stable economies due to the buying, selling, and trading of goods that would all come overtime.








 http://cloudtweaks.com/2014/03/using-big-data-prevent-world-hunger/

Blog #6 : How Business Can Lift People Out Of Poverty: 4 Insights From The World's Best Social Entrepreneurs

Summary

          This is a very interesting article that discusses the power that business can have on affecting, and improving poverty on a world scale.  The article starts off by asking the question "How do you profitably sell to a customer who earns less than $2 per day?".  The article discusses a new kind of entrepreneur, who is springing up and looking at things differently.  This is, with business being the best way to fight poverty.    Sam Goldman, an engineering student from Stanford, makes low-cost solar lanterns that are specifically designed for people making $2 a day.  Jordan Kassalow, who owns an eyeglass company called VisionSpring, has successfully sold over 1 million pairs to people in developing countries.  Prema Gopalan, has built a network of women entrepreneurs across rural India that sell all kinds of transformational products that can lift a rural household out of extreme poverty.  These social entrepreneurs view their customers—the world’s poorest people—as collectively comprising the world’s largest under-served market, with an annual purchasing power of over $1 trillion.  They do this through 4 steps.  Through recruiting and empowering local changemakers, building a movement and not a market share, embracing competition as a strategy to scale impact, and how it's about mission and not money.

Analysis

          This article was very inspiring and surprising.  I am so used to corporate companies taking advantage of, and exploiting the poor and less fortunate.  Whether it is through working conditions, pricing, or product.  This new "brand" of entrepreneurs, and the way they look at things is much different than your typical businesses or corporations.  They are actually designing their businesses around not only profiting off the poor, but by helping them in the process through cheap prices and products that are designed to target their needs.  Their views are very original, thoughtful, and nontraditional.  People like Sam Goldman, Jordan Kassalow, and Prema Gopalan have the potential to change the consumer world.  My favorite quote from the article stated, "If you really want to succeed in the toughest market on earth, you need more than a sales plan and a profit motive – you need a mission."  This is a very powerful and accurate message.  Especially when you are making products that target the poorest in the world.  Their mission is simple.  Make products that the poorest in the world can afford, and benefit from at the same time.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/ashoka/2014/03/21/how-business-can-lift-people-out-of-poverty-4-insights-from-the-worlds-best-social-entrepreneurs/