Abstract
This paper briefly discusses how the popular vine, known in Japanese as "suikazura," seems innocuous enough since it has no thorns or snarls, no intimidating sharpness and can be found growing commonly in gardens across the nation, particularly in the South and rural Midwest. In particular, the paper looks at how unfortunately, for all its delicate beauty and nostalgic sweetness, Japanese honeysuckle is also one of the most tenacious invasive plant species in United States history. It examines how each year, the rampant spread of Japanese honeysuckle causes millions of dollars in economic and agricultural damage and countless man hours in devotion to chopping, burning, digging, and otherwise weeding out this formidable pest.

From the Paper
"Japanese honeysuckle was first introduced in the West in the early 1800s as "Halliana" or "Hall's honeysuckle," an exotic variation on the native American honeysuckle species. First popular in New York, it sold quickly as a novelty import from Japan, which had just recently lifted its centuries-long ban on international trade. The vine was eagerly promoted by nurseries and florists as a unique decorative element. With small, sweet-smelling trumpeted flowers of stark white and pale yellow, dainty oval leaves, and hardy green vines perfect for wrapping around trellises and pillars, it appealed to recreational gardeners across the East coast. "

Tags:Lonicera, japonica, vine

Abstract
The paper looks at how Greg Campbell's book "Blood Diamonds: Tracing The Deadly Path of the World's Most Precious Stones" tells the story of how De Beers took over the mining and the marketing of diamonds. The paper discusses the violence and bloodshed that is a near-constant theme within the process of mining diamonds in Sierra Leone, and highlights how Campbell contrasts this to the advertising and selling of diamonds in the global marketplace that is slick, glossy, high-tone and offers not the slightest hint of bloodshed and the chopping off of men's hands at the mines. The paper discusses Campbell's contention that the diamonds al-Qaeda acquired from Sierra Leone were linked to the hijackings of the Twin Towers and examines the De Beers' PR representative's justifications of the horrors caused by conflict diamonds.

Outline:
The Economics of Diamonds
The African Diamond Economy and Terrorism

From the Paper
"The story of how one company took over the mining and the marketing of diamonds is told very thoroughly by Campbell. That company is De Beers, and having been established in 1888 and at that time in control of 90 percent of all the diamonds in the world, De Beers spent the twentieth century pursing a plan that was "...as simple as it was ruthless: buy as much of the world production as possible and tightly control global distribution" (Campbell, p. 108). Much like the OPEC group can control the price of oil by cutting back on production, De Beers has controlled the price of diamonds by "curtailing either production or distribution" - putting only enough stones on the market to keep the price up where De Beers wants it (Campbell, p. 108).
"And even though De Beers ended up owning most of the diamond mines in the world, in the same way as a cartel owns the trafficking rights to heroin and cocaine in Mexico, or Columbia, to be able to keep the price up beyond diamonds' real actual value, De Beers also had to promote the myth that for anyone anywhere in the world, if you fall in love with a woman you must give her a diamond to seal the deal. Campbell spends a fair amount of narrative on the De Beers' marketing strategies, as if to prove what a bunch of fools the men of the world are when they fall for marketing phrases like "A diamond is forever," and "Show her that you'll love her for another thousand years" (Campbell, p. 112).'

Tags:Sierra, Leone, mines, violence, al-Qaeda

Abstract
This paper deals with the subject of recycling and the concern about deepening the "ecological footprint" that we are leaving on the earth. The paper relates that this concern has motivated the recycling of everything from paper to plastics, but that consumers who are concerned about the environment and who conscientiously recycle and buy recycled products, may not similarly understand the impact of their textile purchases. The paper then discusses the environmental problems created by the production and disposal of textile and looks at measures we can implement to alleviate the problem. The paper asserts that at every chain of the steps that are required to create a product, the textile industry and the consumer must be hyper-vigilant so the planet does not become hostage to our obsession with wearing the next new thing.

From the Paper
"The inevitable costs caused by manufacturing new products means that even though new technologies are evolving in terms of how to create new products, it is also important to develop new ways to use existing textile fabrics in circulation. "According to the Council for Textile Recycling, nationwide over four-million tons of post-consumer textiles enter the waste stream every year. Most go to landfills, but around a million tons are collected by charity groups. About half of the textile products collected is sold as second-hand items, and the rest eventually goes to rag graders."

Tags:chopped, reclaimed, rag, graders, hyper-vigilant