"A Planetary Emergency (2007)"

This Nobel Peace Prize speech was given by Al Gore Jr for his team and his "efforts to inform about man made climate change". The theme of the speech is that the worlds climate is changing. It talks about how everything that we are doing as a world is ultimately impacting the environment in a negative way. "As a result, the earth has a fever. And the fever is rising." This is part of Gore's speech. He is stating here how the actions of people are producing a lot of unnatural gasses in which are heating the planet up. The heat being produced is more that what is being extracted from the earth naturally. In the speech Gore describes how we aren't doing this on purpose, but we ignore the signs. "But unlike most other forms of pollution, CO2 is invisible, tasteless, and odorless- which has helped keep the truth about what it is doing to our climate out of sight and out of mind". Basically saying how we only view things as problems that we can physically see, and that is our problem as a Nation.

What i take away from this speech is that we have to change our ways. It made me realize that by me driving as much as i do i am harming the planet in which i call home. When i read about this speech and see that the actions that everyone and i do, will ultimately destroy natural habitats, ice caps, etc. Something i feel i can do as a person after reading this is that i can help keep the environment clean by recycling and reusing material in which comes from nature so i don,t take away more from the environment. Something i learned from this speech that i didn't necessarily know before was that we "pump 70 million tons of global-warming pollution into the atmosphere daily". That is crazy and to be honest shameful.

I believe Al won the prize because he brought up a major, important issue that needs to be taken care of or the will be certain doom. He spoke of the problem and he gave ways in which we can over come the problem. In his speech he said "We have to expand the boundaries of what is possible. In the words of the Spanish poet, Antonio Machado, "Path-walker, there is no path. You must make the path as you walk." I feel that this really sums up the whole idea of him winning because, it stats that the future isn't planned out to a T. there is room for improvement and change, we the people just need to take a stand on the issue and work to find a solution. Also i believe Al won because he took on an issue in which many people wrote him off as stupid, saying that its not really a problem.But through all of that Gore kept pushing the issue an showing everyone why it truly is a problem and what the effects will be if we don't change. He didn't sugar coat it and he was straight to the point which I feel really showed he cared, which helped him win the prize.

Nobel prize speech-Zach Padovan

     Inner Peace and Human Rights is a speech the Dalai Lama gave after winning a Nobel Prize. this speech was one that not only interested me but spoke to me as well. The Dalai Lama speaks of world peace and how to achieve this. He says that everyone in the world has a responsibility to themselves and the planet to start with how they treat others in their community. The theme is to be responsible and ask yourself weather or not there is anything that you can do to be a better more peaceful individual in your own community "responsibility does not lie with the leaders of our countries or with those who have been appointed or elected to do a particular job. It lies with each one of us individually." he says this to make his audience realize that it has to be an individual effort. They way in which he speaks is convincing and also inspiring.

     The thing i took from this reading is basically in the simplest of terms be the best i can be whatever it is. as cliche as that sounds its true. It makes me want to really think about what i say before i say things, how it might affect others i'm talking to, it makes me want to do things to make others feel better about themselves in my own community. this speech made me realize that i, by myself can not change the world and create world peace, but i can be the best person i can be and that sure doesn't hurt the chances of creating a more peaceful planet. The 14th Dalai Lama won this prize because of his efforts to help create a peaceful planet. if anyone were to read this and critically think about it there is no way that they wouldn't want to become a better version of themselves.

     He speaks inspiring words, and these words are powerful and creative. He says that "true peace with oneself and with the world around us can only be achieved through the development of mental peace." he speaks f calming your mind and letting yourself be at peace and sit back and ask yourself if all the things your stressed and worried about in your everyday life are really that important. you have life, you have family, you have something that makes you happy and because of this you should let your mind be at peace . When you can do this for yourself you can achieve peace and others will follow you in finding and gaining a peace of mind.

The Revolution Of Spirit-Nobel Peace Prize Speech

      The Nobel Peace Prize Speech I read was called The Revolution of Spirit. It was written by Aung San Suu Kyi but her speech was spoken by her son. Aung San Suu Kyi couldn't make it to claim her Nobel Prize for Peace because she was held in detention due to her thoughts on human rights. The central theme of this speech was that on behalf of Aung San Suu Kyi she was accepting this Nobel Prize for Peace in honor of the people of Burma. Instead of accepting the prize for herself she dedicated it to the people of Burma who were struggling for peace, freedom and democracy and I find that to be an inspirational characteristic.
      The one thing that really stood out to me is how dedicated Aung San Suu Kyi is to her people and community. The fact that she dedicated her prize to others really speaks to her character and how much she cares for other people. Also the fact that even though she could not be there to speak on  behalf of her prize she had her son go and that to me speaks also to her character and how badly she wanted  people to hear her voice and listen to her concerns. The one quote that speaks to me a lot and gives me chills when I read it is when her son accepts her prize and dedicates it to the people. He says "She would say that this prize belongs not to her but to all those men, women and children who, even as I speak, continue to sacrifice their well being, their freedom and their lives in pursuit of a democratic Burma". This quote speaks to the amount of courage and care that Aung San Suu Kyi had and I think this is one of the main reasons why she won the prize.
      Another reason why I think that Aung San Suu Kyi won the Nobel Prize is due to the amount of concern she expresses through her speech. She really pushes for freedom of not only herself but freedom for the people of Burma. Her son later in the speech says something that really stands out to me and speaks to the character of his mother. He says "I know that if she were free today my mother would in thanking you also ask you to pray that the oppressors and the oppressed should throw down their weapons and join together to build a nation founded on humanity in the spirit of peace". The fact that Aung San Suu Kyi had the courage to speak out about her beliefs through her victory speech is really admirable. Most people would just thank everyone for giving them the Nobel Prize for Peace award and go on with their life. Aung San Suu Kyi had a different reason for writing this victory speech and it was not only to say thanks but it was to express her concern for the people of Burma and to persuade the oppressors to think about what they are doing to the lives of many children, women and men. She hoped through this speech to change the lives for many people and I find that very inspirational and that is why I find this speech to be one of the most iconic speeches that I have ever read.

  

Aung San Suu Kyi

Five Hundred Years of Mayan Oppression by Sarah Butts

 Rigoberta Menchú Tum

Let me start off with some background on the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, Rigoberta Menchu Tum. Rigoberta was born in 1959 to a poor Indian peasant family in Guatemala in a branch of Mayan culture. As a teenager she was involved in women's rights. Her family was accused of guerrilla activities and her father was imprisoned and tortured and later killed along with her mother and her brother. She then wrote a book about her life and tried to run for president for Mexico which she received only 3% of the votes. She then received the Noble Peace Prize in recognition for her work for social justice and ethno-cultural reconciliation based on respect for the rights of indigenous people in 1992.

1. What was the central theme or thrust of this speech? Rigoberta talked a lot about her Mayan heritage and of the Indians who gave a lot to our country while we don't treat them as we should. She stresses that she wants there to be freedom for the Indians and that we should appreciate mother earth because she is the reason why we live and we need to honor her for her gift. She says that she wishes that the relationship between the indigenous people and other people is strengthened.

2. What did you take from this movement or cause? I really learned alot about the Mayan culture and the Indians and I didnt realize how much they did for us and why we should appreciate them. The way she talked about her country should be the way we talk about ours which is with love and respect.

3. Why did you think this person won? I think that Rigobera won this prize because of her stories about the indignities and oppression suffered by Guatemalan natives, including her own family. She was active in bringing to the attention of the world the miseries of her people. Rather than leave in order to avoid repercussions for her outspokenness, she decided to stay and help educate the younger generation and mobilize them in a way that they would never have to suffer what she and her family had to go through. I admire her for that.

4. Two Quotes:
"To us mother earth is not only a source of economic riches that give us the maize, which is our life, but she also provides so many other things...root of our culture, recieves our ansestors, keeps our memories, anf we have to take care of her for the sake of our children and families." (Page593).

"That is why I dream of the day when the relationship between the indigenous people and the other people is strengthened, when they can join their potentialities and their capabilities and contribute to make life on this planet less unequal." (Page 594).

Inner Peace and Human Rights (1989)

This essay talked a lot about the Tibetan culture and what humanity can do to bring peace. "Today, more than a quarter of a million Chinese troops are stationed in Tibet." I had no idea that Tibet was controlled by the Chinese and that more than a sixth of Tibet's population has died as a result of their invasion and occupation. This is unfortunate because Tibetans are known for being happy, jovial people and never do any harm to others. The Dalai Lama has a solution. He says that we should focus less on the external things in life and that inner peace is the key to happiness and peace. "When we have inner peace, we can be at peace with those around us. When our community is in a state of peace, it can share that peace with neighboring communities, and so on." Obviously, the Dalai Lama won because of all his humanitarian works around the world over the years but it's also in part because he doesn't take all the credit. He gives tribute to his mentor, Mahatma Ghandi, and credit to the Tibetan people saying that it gives them all hope.

Blog Response to Nobel Peace Prize speech

The speech that I read was all about the Mayan civilization. He talked about how Mayan oppression directly stunted the technological growth of humanity. The Mayan civilization were extremely gifted in the fields of math, astronomy, agriculture, and engineering. They also had a good culture. They had many different kinds of art that left a lot of history for us to find now. The main thrust of this speech is that if we as humans could have lived together and not fought one another for power. Our world could be a much more developed race. The Mayans, a very smart and intelligent people were wiped out because of greed. And ultimately their extinction made it so that we never will know what else the Mayans could have come up with. The author of this speech even went as far to say that "If the Indian civilizations and the European civilizations could have made exchanges in a peaceful and harmonious manner, without destruction, exploitation, discrimination and poverty, they could, no doubt, have achieved greater and more valuable conquests for Humanity."

I took that we really should just all respect one another, and that we can't really judge the potential of people without really knowing them. I believe that if the Spanish actually knew how important the Mayan people could have been to the development of humanity they never would have wiped them out in the way that they did, or at least they would have tried to learn as much about the Mayan culture as possible before they wiped them out.

I think that this person won because he is very real in genuine. He is just a guy who is distraught because of the history of his people. And he really just wants there to be peace and equality. His closing remark really hit me and tied up his speech for me. He said, " That is why I dream of the day when the relationship between the indigenous people and other people is strengthened; when they can join their potentialities and their capabilities and contribute to make life on this planet less unequal.

Exploration #9

The study shows that after a year, overweight people on a low-carb low-glycemic-index diet lost just as much weight -- 8% of their original weight -- as people on a reduced-fat, high-glycemic-index diet. That suggests there's a range of healthy diets that can promote weight loss successfully.

What researchers have learned is that high glycemic index foods generally make blood sugar levels higher. In addition, people who eat a lot of high glycemic index foods tend to have greater levels of body fat, as measured by the body mass index (BMI). High BMIs are linked to obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.

High glycemic index foods include many carbohydrates such as these:

• White bread
• Pasta
• Rice
• Low-fiber cereals
• Baked goods
• http://diabetes.webmd.com