The Stimulis Stimulated!

I was very supportive of the idea of a stimulus package when the idea started taking root. While it would cost money, it would be able to save our economy from something much worse than what actually happened.
If these figures are true, I am very pleasantly surprised. One could only have hoped that the package helped over 650,000 jobs. However, I feel the goal of 3.5 million jobs saved/created by the end of next year is a little bit unrealistic, and that the government should outline ways that would allow them to reach their goal.

Paying for a green future

I think it is a huge step in the right direction for the EU to fund climate change. It shows that they are ready to make a change that needs to be made.
By no means is the EU making a huge change, the conditions they set make it not the most effective system, but it still shows that we are moving forward in society.

Afghanistan Troops

In our class, we discuss Friedman often, and I thought that this was very interesting.



The statements Friedman makes go along with my previous post. It is a person's own responsibility to fight for their rights, and they shouldn't depend on others to do it for them. The second point he makes, regarding peoples reactions seemed very insightful. It is something that is easy to comprehend and to follow, but to come up with the idea is very intriguing. I particularly enjoyed the parallel he makes between the golden gate bridge and America as a whole. We are a symbol of hope, but we are not succeeding in maintaining our reputation. This outlines the importance of the "nation building at home" he mentions.
To be honest, when the subject of Iraq came up, I began to lose interest, but was drawn in when he mentioned the necessity of fixing Iraq to stabilize the Arab-Muslim world.

Christianity in Iran?

I am all for religious tolerance, but am slightly unsure how to react to this story. The fact that the POPE has to ask Iran to give its people the right to religion is slightly offsetting. It kind of reminds me of an independent person's parent going up to a store and asking if their kid could have the job. While it might be difficult, I feel that it is a person/group's own responsibility to gain freedom by coming together themselves and acting.
I'm not saying people shouldn't get help with their resume or looking for jobs in the newspaper (sticking with the analogy), but it feels wrong to have other people fight for their cause.

MindBreak!

So, I thought this was interesting/funny, and thought that you all (all 2 of you!) should see it. The "funny" part is until 2:22 (just the song).

Capitalism!

Living in a society that fosters different opinions and encourages debates; many different angles apply to the complex idea that is capitalism. When this nation was founded, it was based on a largely market economy with a few regulations. Through different times and eras, these regulations have been added to, depleted, and revised. The balance of capitalism that has not yet been reached is a difficult one to find, and will not be solved overnight.
While capitalism cultivates ingenuity and drive, it can also harm an economy, as shown by corporations such as Wal-Mart, who abuse the capitalist system. Some of their workers are forced into situations that put them into poverty while working full time. Also, whole communities have been run dry because their whole economy has been sucked into a superstore such as Wal-Mart. The local convenience stores have lost to the corporations that have no higher authority who can prevent them from spreading and taking over the whole economy. Some may claim that corporations like Wal-Mart succeed because they are the best and say true to the ideal of the "survival of the fittest", but it is also at the expense of a nation’s people and citizens, which is not acceptable. Economic regulations are meant to prevent companies from abusing their power in such ways, but currently, they are not very effective in the situation faced today. These regulations need to evolve as the economy does, and are currently lagging behind.
One feasible solution to this issue has been put forth by Paul Hawken's interpretation of "Natural Capitalism". O ur industry is based on the productivity of workers. One way of doing this effectively is conserving resources; "reducing resource use creates jobs and lessens the impact we have on the environment" (Hawkin 5). To do this, the natural and environments need to be repaired. Once energy has been developed efficiently, the services that are essential in society would be provided at a lower cost; both financially and environmentally. The money that is spent towards dying industries should be funneled into things that are becoming more and more essential today. Some examples of these emerging issues are welfare and high labor taxation. The importance of welfare systems like health care in our society is becoming more and more apparent. By taxing people who work, the government encourages businesses to hire less people to do jobs that could be preformed by multiple people. Taxes need to be placed on an individual’s resource consumption rather than the work of individuals themselves. Natural capitalism will "ensure that economic systems more closely mimic biological systems, which have successfully adapted to dynamic changes over millennia" (Hawkin 8). If this system unfolds according to plan, it will begin to cure ailing societies as well as the planet. This transition will not be easy, nor will it be overnight. Major changes will have to be made to the way society functions as a whole and as people, we must adapt.

As a theory, capitalism can be highly beneficial to societies, but regulations must be created and enforced in order for it to work for the benefit of a nation’s people.

Poverty

When more than 1 billion people are starving in the world, something has to be done. I feel like if this fact was more widely known among the general public and if it were talked about more, more would be done. Right now, poverty is something people don't like to talk about. We are comfortable living in our own world, and don't want to open our eyes to the fact people's lives are so bad. As individuals, we cannot be blamed for this; when we think about others suffering, we are affected by it. It depresses us. But as a whole; society needs to get over the fact that it is sad, and something needs to be done.

Apple is Taking Over the World.

Unsurprisingly, the Apple stock has reached a record peak. Much of Apple's success is based on its image. It represents the future- cool, sleek, and easy-to-use. While Apple may not be the best product on the market, its image seems to override its quality. I have to say; I am subject to this mild form of brainwashing. To me, Apple is just so much cooler than any PC. I believe that is how many people view the company. Also, it seems that during the recession is when Apple hit its peak. I know several people who are seriously struggling economically, yet they have the newest Macbook and iPhone products, regardless of its price.

Reprimanding FOX

The fact that one of the biggest news sources in America has been reprimanded by our president's administration is both hilarious and appalling. While many believe that FOX news is unreliable and incredibly biased, I feel as though people should be able to recognize this as individuals and take action themselves. To me, it feels like the government has been forced into babying us as citizens and they have to start to recreate our society by hand. That isn't their job- it's ours. It is almost like a parent who needs to give money to their 40 year old sons and daughters who can't make the effort to become independent people who have developed their own minds.

Health Care... again

Health Care is once more in the foreground of many people's thoughts after Kanye West's rude interruption and a boy being sent away in a balloon. I think that the fact that this is being taken seriously shows the progression of our society. While we may not have moved a long way, we have made baby steps, and I see this bill as a means to recreate and reestablish what it means to have life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness in America. While many of the proceedings remain uncovered by most media, the fact that it seems to be faring well in the process of passing is comforting.

Soaring Gas Prices

As Americans, our gas is cheaper than most of the world's, and as Americans, we are more dependent on it than most of the world is. I am continually surprised with the reaction of increasing gas prices has from society. I feel like as a group, Americans have more to worry about than the gas prices that "plague" our society, such as pollution cause by the gas and the repercussions we have on the rest of the world as a nation. The fact that people are driving less is considered negative in our society, something which I find to be ridiculous.

Welfare in America... ???

The high number of people who are unemployed and not looking for work is appalling, I think. We live in a country full of opportunities, but they are not always right under your nose-- you may have to put some effort into succeeding. This is one reason that America would not work as a socialist economy, such as those of our European counterparts. Here, people are motivated by working by things that they want, but if that main aspect is taken away due to lack of interest, people have nothing to work towards. While it may be viewed by society that work is to make money, I believe that work should also be enjoyed, and that should be what motivates people the most. A very large public welfare system would not be able to be properly administered in America due to the way people view work and respond to motivation. This statement is not aided by the fact that the unemployment rate is up to 9.8% now, which is a huge chunk of our population.

More Troops?

I agree that it will take more time to get out of Afghanistan than the American public would like it to because of what changes have been made while we have been in there, but I think requesting over 60,000 more troops is ridiculous. If anything, the number of troops in Afghanistan should be decreasing, not being raised. This means that more and more people are going overseas to take part in a movement and to do things that they may be against doing.

Another Story Never Told

Being overpowered in the media by the other larger news stories, this one seems to have slipped through the cracks. In the Philippines, there have been disastrous storms plaguing the country, resulting in floods and mudslides and other terrible disasters. It has been argued that the government did not warn people and did not supply them with ample recovery. This can be partly given to the fact that the communication lines are virtually nonexistent and constantly unreliable. From different sources the death toll ranges from 100- over 250 people. I feel as thought the world is almost running out of aid. While I am aware that so much more can be done to decrease world suffering, the money and energy necessary to initiate and follow through with intense aid is difficult to come by.

Bernanke is Still Planning...

I think that it is amazing that the whole world trusts what Bernanke says regarding the future of our economy. During a press conference, he stated that once America will get back on track, the government's hand on the economy will tighten. Soon after, the value of the dollar rose substantially compared to recent falling rates. Maybe America will become a respected country once more in the near future.

Heath Care Debate.. Part 2

I believe that health care should be given to all those who require or want it. From what I can remember, the reports mentioned in this article are the first concrete numbers we have received from the government. I think it would have been useful to see the actual percentages that the taxes would be raised by, because to us, $829 billion is just a number. It has no tangible meaning. I do think however, that this will be good for the country if it is adopted. The article also mentions the fact that our debt will be reduced by $81 billion a year, which is something that needs to be done.
The problem with the non-profit insurance companies is that they will have to compete with the private insurance for prices. I posted about this before on my blog, and I still feel that the public option would be the best for the country at this time.

Lets go to the Moon!

NASA is sending two unmanned spaceships to the moon to detect the presence of water-ice. I think that this is a good idea and will further our understanding of science, and can be helpful to our future, however I am slightly concerned with the price that the mission was set at. I believe that $79 billion is a bit steep for our current state of economy. I am not sure as to what percentage of the funding NASA receives from the government, but I feel like our money can be used to do better things right now. We could be spending money on helping our economy and creating more jobs for people.

The Olympics for the Olympics

I find it ironic that there is a competition to host the Olympics in your home country. I definitely see the benefits of the economic status that the Olympics brings, but I think that that is not what the Olympics are meant to mean to the world.
To me, the Olympics are meant to be a means by which different nations can build relations that can result in beneficial diplomatic results.
I understand that this viewpoint is naive, but I sincerely believe that the Olympics are meant to build peace, and the notion of having a contest to host them is slightly absurd.
Thanks for Reading!

When You Only Got a Hundred Years To Live....

According to the BBC, 50% of all babies born today will live until they are 100. To me, this seems more harmful then beneficial. While it may seem callous, I believe that if the world continues to increase its population at the rate that it is today, then the age that people live to needs to be maintained, or else the world would not be able to function.
Something needs to be done, I don't think that people should be able to live to see their great-great-great-great-great(...)-grandchildren. To me, that seems to be taking away a huge part of humanity.

Why Make the Vaccine then?

I don't think that the H1N1 vaccine should be "released" this year if there is a greater risk of it being harmful than a normal flu vaccine. If the information in this video is correct, and there is a chance of getting another highly harmful condition from the vaccination, this vaccine should not be administered to anyone who is worried about their health. I would rather get the flu then mercury poisoning. But that's just me.

We can't expect it to get better overnight...

This article states that the economy is getting better, but enforces the idea that the economy is still shaky. I think that this should be suspected in the economic situation that we have been in in the last years. I believe that the way that things are set out to be completed according to this article, the economy should be able to fully recover and eventually return to its previous standing.

Finally; Doing Something About Distracted Driving

Recently, my cousin was over from England, and she noticed something about our road system, and it went along the lines of "people in America don't know how to drive!" I have to say, I agree. Here in America, our road system is very organized and driver-friendly compared to most other countries in the world. Yet, we still find ways to make it bad; we text, we call people, we turn up the music so loud that people driving on the opposite sides of the freeway can hear us.

Last year, more than 500,000 people were injured and nearly 6,000 were killed in crashes involving inattentive motorists, though it was unclear how many were due to such actions as text messaging.

These seem like trivial and stupid things to harp on but when you look at statistics like that, something needs to be done, and the fact that that the federal government is taking control of a situation like this is something I find somewhat comforting.

Tsunami and Earthquake hits the Samoas

I have mentioned this before, and I will probably mention this again. I find myself more and more disappointed with the media of today's society. If you were to go onto msn or yahoo.com, you would notice immediately that filming for John and Kate Plus Eight has been stopped by threatening signs posted on the lawn of John's house, or a quiz to find out what Truman's real middle name was, but only after the closest search would you notice that there was an earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia that has killed over 1,100 people.
Now, onto the second major natural disaster that has devastaed the area around Indonesia in three years. The quake and the tsunami destroyed much of what survived the tsunami in 2007, and destroyed much of what has been built since.
The world needs to recognize that help is needed, and it needs to support the countries that have been affected by this tragedy.