In June of 1991, the Economist magazine reported that “a pair of Nike sports shoes that sells for $150 in the United States is made by Indonesian women paid the 29 of 58 cents a day.” The British weekly noted that 30 women on the line seemed glad for their jobs, the Indonesian government manpower minister had admitted that the nation’s official minimum 31 was below what was needed to make a living.

        In many American cities public transportation is a political issue. So many people live in these cities that it is impossible for them all to drive cars. Besides, many of them cannot afford cars. Many people want to ride fast subways and clean buses,  32  nobody wants to pay for them. This is a problem for city politicians, who want to be elected and reelected. Some cities pay for part of the cost of public transportation from taxes. However, the costs  33  as the price of fuel increases, and the politicians do not want to increase taxes. The rest of the cost has to come from fares that the passengers pay. 

        The fare system  34  from city to city. In some, such as New York, every passenger pays the same amount  35  he or she takes a short ride or a long one. In other cities, such as Washington, there is a system of zones. A passenger who only wants to go a short distance pays one amount. A passenger who goes through more zones pays more. 

        In all systems, passengers complain that politicians let fares get too high. Other people complain that politicians let taxes get too high. Everybody blames the politicians.

        Television is a major source of news for many people. Media outlets such as TV broadcasting companies  36  professional journalists to supply them with news stories. So, what makes a good journalist? First, a good journalist should get a lot of information about an event or situation. To do this, a journalist usually interviews  37  people. This way, s/he can tell the whole story, and not just one side, or opinion of it. Besides, a good journalist is  38  a breaking news story as quickly as possible. This means the journalist can report the story as soon as possible. In fact, professional journalists often  39  pride in being the first to report a story. A journalist’s job can be very interesting and exciting because s/he often gets to travel around the world. However, it is important to point out that a journalist’s job can also be very dangerous. Reporting a breaking news story often means being in place where there are wars, earthquakes, or tsunamis.  40  the situation around them is crucial for journalists in order to avoid getting hurt or killed. Being a good journalist requires a lot of hard work, an ability to evaluate information carefully, a willingness to take risks.

        Do you DIY, upcycle or craft? If so, come get free materials from the Spokane City Center this Saturday on April 22. Let's celebrate the Earth Day by saving things from going to the dump! 

        If your sewing machine never gets tucked away, your toolbox, glue and scissors are always ready for the next project, or you're just looking for some creative inspiration, we have you all covered. 

        We have collected expired and unwanted material samples for reuse and creative upcycling by educators, artists,DIY-ers, and crafters. Some of the things you might find include fabric, carpet, wall covering, wood, tile, stone, glass,rubber, and much more. Crafting with children is always fun, so there will be free activities for the kids too, such as bead crafts, clay modeling, collage, etc. Come join us! 

        The event goes from 9 am to 2 pm at FloForm, 5320 E. Sprague Ave., Spokane, WA. 

        NOTE: If you want first dibs, you've got to register by 5 pm this Wednesday to get in the door 30 minutes early. It's free, so what are you waiting for? Don't forget, the event is also BYOB — bring your own bag or box to carry your finds home.

        London is one of the top travel destinations in the world, but for a first time visitor, navigating this large city can be overwhelming. Using an Oyster card is an easy way to save time and money if you are planning to use public transportation in London. An Oyster card is a blue credit-card-sized contactless smartcard that can be used on every form of public transportation within London, including public bus, underground, railway, and some river boat services. 

        The Oyster card was first issued on June 30, 2003. The name was decided after a lengthy discussion. Two other proposed names were “Pulse” and “Gem.” “Oyster” was chosen because it sounded like a fresh name that was not directly linked to transportation; also, the hard shell of an oyster and the concealed pearl symbolize security and value.But perhaps the best reason is William Shakespeare’s quote “ The world is your oyster,” which means one has the ability and freedom to do anything or go anywhere. So far more than 60 million cards have been issued and over 85%of rail and bus travel in London is paid by using an Oyster card. The card never expires. It can be used after any length of time. Besides, deposits can be refunded on return of the card. 

        The best reason to get an Oyster card is cost savings and convenience. It is cheaper to travel in London with this card than it is to purchase individual paper tickets for each trip. The card allows 40 people to pass through a ticket gate per minute, 15 more than with paper tickets, and also makes boarding a bus three times faster. For London Underground and the railway system, passengers have to touch the card on an electronic reader when entering and leaving the transport system. The reader will show either a green or a red light. The former indicates that you have sufficient credit for your journey while the latter indicates you do not have enough credit and you have to purchase more credit before you can continue your journey. For the public bus service, which has fixed price, passengers only need to touch the reader at the start of the journey when boarding. If you touch the reader again when you get off the bus, you will be charged an additional fare.