Day 4 of research

Today I got my flyer stamped and approved by the school. This flyer is for the use to raise awarness about alternative fuel sources, and to get people to come to the marketplace of ideas on the day I present, so that I can give them facts about alternative fuel sources, and make people understand why they are so important. My flyer has a crossed of OPEC sign, and says "Don't let OPEC and gasoline control the $." This is to grab people's attention and let them know that OPEC has to much control and gas prices are getting too ridiculous. I hope that this flyer works in grabbing the attention of the people at DHS, and that some people come to learn more about alternative fuel sources.

Day 3 of Research

I researched what the possible solutions were to the problem:
1.Electric efficient cars- This innovating company is trying to help countries make the switch to completely electric cars. The better place car is a completely electric car, and uses electrical charging to fuel the car. Each car has a battery on the bottom of the car, which is able to go for 100 miles before needing to be charged. The company provides charge stations for you, and you can charge your car when you’re at work, sleeping or doing whatever you are doing. Charging takes 4-8 hours for the car to be fully charged. There are also 30 minute charge spots, which charge the cars eighty percent of the way, but those are more expensive to deploy. Each battery is supposed to last for 200,000 miles, and if you ever get to that point, switching the battery is free, and so is any mechanical need to the car. California and Hawaii are states which have been involved with better place and the company is bringing an electric taxi program to cities in California such as San Francisco and San Jose. They announced this October 27, 2010, so this should be happening in the soon future. On September 30, 2010 Hawaii announced that they would be deploying EV infrastructure. They will set up charge spots in Palo Alto, and start with seven cars to experiment with how the better place solution could work in America. http://www.betterplace.com/the-solution-batteries
2.The Nissan Leaf- 100% electric car, no tailpipe emission or emissions whatsoever, the range is about 100 miles, 120 V portable charging cable and 240 V home charging dock for charging the car, recycled fabric on the inside of the car, http://www.nissanusa.com/leaf-electric-car/index#/leaf-electric-car/specs-features/index
3.Mercedes is developing an all-electric car, the S400 BLUE hybrid will go 105 miles before needing to be recharged, it will use lithium batteries and will be able to be charged either by directly plugging in or using a small dynamo like device that will charge the car while it is driving. http://www.benzinsider.com/2008/03/mercedes-benz-developing-100-electric-car/

Day 2 of Research

I researched what the problems are, and I found 5 main problems:
1.OPEC (Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Venezuela) has way too much control over oil prices, and this has had a lot of affect with the U.S going into Iraq and Libya to secure their situations and by doing this, American lives are at risk. http://www.eia.doe.gov/dnav/pet/pet_move_impcus_a2_nus_ep00_im0_mbbl_m.htm
2.Terrorists groups are directly funded by countries that we are purchasing oil from. Abul Nidal Organization in Iraq is directly funded by Iraq, Libya and Syria. The Palestine Liberation front takes money from Iraq and Libya. Hamas is funded by Iran and benefactors in Saudi Arabia. The Palestine Islamic Jihad is funded by Iran and Syria. Harakat ul-Ansar is funded by supporters in Saudi Arabia. http://www.cdi.org/terrorism/terrorist-groups.cfm
3.Gas costs keep on going up due to instability in the Middle East. In 2006, gas prices were topped off at about 3.05 dollars a gallon, in 2007 gas reached 3.2 dollars a gallon, in 2008 gas prices reached as high as 4.12 dollars a gallon, retreated to 2.7 dollars a gallon in 2009, in 2010 they grew a little hitting 2.9 dollars a gallon, and in 2011 they have surged back up to about 3.8 dollars a gallon. This high pricing is a problem for Americans, where about 57%, 171,000,000, people drive cars on a daily basis. http://gasbuddy.com/gb_retail_price_chart.aspx
4.The American dependence on oil is something that is troubling. About 171,000,000 people drive cars on a daily basis, and because of that, America needs to import gallons on top of gallons to meet the needs of Americans. By switching to electric and using our natural sources, we can stop this huge dependence on oil. http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_percent_of_Americans_drive_cars
5.Gasoline is terrible for the environment. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average adult breathes over 3,000 gallons of air every day. Children breathe even more air per pound of body weight and are more susceptible to air pollution. Air pollution threatens the health of human beings and other living things on our planet. While often invisible, pollutants in the air create smog and acid rain, cause cancer or other serious health effects, diminish the protective ozone layer in the upper atmosphere, and contribute to the potential for world climate change. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/10/26/fyi/main2126583.shtml

Day 1 of Research

Today I read an about the american dependence on oil, and found out that 57 % of Americans drive cars. Thats 171,000,000 people that drive cars on a daily basis and that is only the United States. That number to em is staggering, and shows how large our dependence on oil truly is. Without oil, our country would go into a frenzy. The dependence on this limited resource is what causes the prices of oil to always change, and makes our wallets smaller than we would all like them to be. To stop Americans from depending on oil so much, it is time for us to switch to electric cars. Yes oil is a huge industry, and this will hurt our economy a little bit, but these cars are more affordable, and more people will be able to drive. Our earth may not be affected by oil now, but why do we want our grandchildrens grandchildrens granchildrens children to have to suffer the consequences of our neglect to how much we are damaging the environment. It is time for Americans to stop being so dependent on oil and to try and make a difference. By implementing electric cars into our society, not only will we be helping America not have to rely on the Middle East and make people pay less for their car, but we will be helping the enviroment and keeping our air clean.

Last day and final tiyul: Mount Herztel

The last day of our trip was one that was very sad but very eventful. We went to Mount Herztel which is where Theodor Herzel, the father of Zionism, and many other very important Israeli figures are buried. This was something that was very moving because we were able to see the graves of the people that we have been learning about all quarter. We were able to stand within feet of the people that helped our country stay alive. This is something that was very mind blowing, and life changing. In Mount Hertzel, we went to the graves of Theodor Hertzel, the father of Zionism, Zeb Jabotinsky, the militant zionist who thought that the people should come back to Israel and fight for their survival, Chanah Senesh, the women who made aliyah to Israel and ended up fighting in World War 2 against the Nazi's for the Jewish people, Yitzack Rabin, the Israeli Prime Minister who was assassinated by a Jew while trying to negotiate peace with the arabs by turning over lots of Israeli land, and Michael Levin, a boy who went on our same trip to Alexander Muss High School in Israel during the second Intifada, ended up making Aliyah to Israel, fighting in the second lebanon war as a paratrooper, and dying for his country. To be able to see the graves of all the people in the same location is something that was amazing. This is an experience that i will never forget and one that was life changing. Maybe one day I will want to be buried there amongst the people that helped save our religion.

Golan Heights Tiyul

This past week we went to the Golan Heights for a Tiyul and learned about how the Golan Heights factored into the six day war. During the six day war, the Syrians tried to overtake the Golan Heights in the most concentrated tank battle of all time. This battle is one that the Israeli's miraculously one, by shooting their last 40 capsules, hitting 40 tanks, and scaring the entire rest of the tanks away when the Israeli tanks had no more ammunition to fight. This story is one of true heroism and shows how even against all odds the Jewish people somehow find a way to prevail. The Golan Heights is a very beautiful place, and a place of strategic importance for the Israeli's as it overlooks Syria and gives the Israeli's higher ground on the Syrians if they ever try to cross through to Golan Heights and fight the Israeli's. I really liked this Tiyul because we got to see the tanks that were still there from the battle and we were able to see an opposing country right in front of us. It made me feel satisfaction that the people of my home land fought so fearlessly and so valiantly to be able to stop the Syrians from taking over the Golan Heights and taking over the country that we love so dearly.

Purim in Tel Aviv Tiyul

Yesterday we went to Tel Aviv for a Purim celebration. This was very fun. The whole city was in costumes and celebrating the holiday of Purim. In Israel, Purim is not only the celebration of defeating Haman, as Mordechai and Esther prevailed in stopping Haman from murdering all of the Jewish people, but it is a celebration of how the Jewish people have overcome the threat of extinction time and time again over the years, and the celebration of the fact that Israel and the Jewish people. While in Tel Aviv, there were many interesting things to see. For one, There were people parading around the whole city in costumes for 3 days. We were only in Tel Aviv for one day, but the fact that for an entire weekend they were celebrating, shows the significance of this holiday to the Jewish people, and the fact that it has much more relevance to the Israeli people than Halloween does to the American people. This holiday was one that I had always considered to be for kids, but yesterday I realized how much more this holiday truly was, and was able to see how much each and every Israeli appreciated it. If i ever consider to move to Israel someday, I know I would go all out for Purim.