#10

http://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2013/08/al-qaeda
The headline of this article immediately caught my eye. It alarmed me to learn that the Al-Qaeda still exists as a threat to world peace. It sounds ignorant of me to say so, but because I hadn't heard any recent major news of acts of terrorism or of the Al-Qaeda, I had assumed that a lot of that hostility had died down. Was I wrong.
It seems to be that in fact, the US government has just become more discerning of what type of information to reveal to the public, and is more wary of letting any potential news that could cause alarm leak.
I understand that this probably for our safety's sake, but it would still be nice to be in the know of what is going on regarding our standing in the war of terrorism. It is alarming to learn only now how the government dealt with the intelligence of the conversations between Zawahiri and Wuhayshi. Even the author cannot keep from expressing his disapproval and informing the read of the "potentially major security drawbacks" of the White House's decisions.
To me, it seems that the government is not playing it smart, and should be more knowledgeable than this. They should know that this kind of reaction is what Al-Qaeda is hoping to get, and should be more cunning and wise. By dramatizing the situation, they are only making the long-term unanswered questions even more difficult to find a solution to. The US government should seek a different strategy to combat terrorism and build bridges.

#9

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-0807-amber-alert-20130807,0,3825126.story

DiMaggio is suspected of having killed Hannah/Ethan Anderson's mother then abducting her two children. All throughout California, citizens received an Amber Alert that notified them of the abduction and described the car and where it was supposedly headed. It was the first time California used the Amber Alert system, which is nationally administered by the FEMA.
Although I was initially upset that the author seemed to be more interested in the Amber Alert than the news story, I understand that his focus was originally intended toward the Alert itself.
The Amber alert has mixed reviews. For some reason, the author mostly focused on the negativism of the Alert. There are some staunch critics, such as Joe Curren, who went so far as to state that it is one of the most "unintelligent, histrionic, intrusive programs ever." I understand that the Alert could be disruptive, but it is insensitive to family members and friends of the Andersons. Anything that could lead the police to rescue the two children should be implemented. 
Of course, there is room for improvement, and the police should work to fix any systematic glitches. They should send out the text message to their own discretion and only contact the appropriate areas. At the same time, it is amazing that this technology is capable of reaching 97% of the population. The fact that most people own cell phones today should be used to the advantage of the greater whole. It is brilliant that authorities have thought of "harnessing" the large statistics of cell phone usage to inform the whole population. 
Overall, I think the Amber Alert does more good than harm, and is an excellent example of using technology for the betterment of society.

#8

http://www.economist.com/blogs/erasmus/2013/07/pope-gays
I thought it might be nice to continue on the same news story as I commented about on Monday. There are now many articles surfacing about the Pope's intentions when he stated that "If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge him?" This article also sets out to explore some possible motives for the Pope’s words.

Although the author makes note that the Pope might have been "trapped" into making such comments due to some personal issues, he soon dismisses it. He proceeds not to mention it for the rest of the article, inferring that the reader should forget about that reason as well. Thus, everything eventually boils down to the fact that the Pope is most likely just a truly kind-hearted person. 

I thought the Pope responded to the questions that were intended to trip him up with good discretion and wisdom. While still respecting the existing doctrines of the church, he reaches out to challenge others to adopt the same mindset as him. And admittedly, people are already being influenced by his words. Hearing from such an influential figure must have compelling effects, and even for the secular masses. People who might have harbored bitterness toward the Church's strict and unbending doctrines may begin to see religion and all those who follow it in a different light.

All in all, the Church has shifted to a more open-minded Pope, unlike his predecessor. It will be interesting to see what other actions this more progressive Pope will take. For now, he has certainly been successful in giving the Church a stepping stone for secular individuals to identify with.

#7

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/30/world/europe/pope-francis-gay-priests.html?pagewanted=2&_r=0&hpw

                Pope Francis was interviewed on the flight home from his first foreign trip. During the plane trip he was asked about his views on various topics, one of which was on homosexuality. Deviating from what the previous Pope had to say about homosexuality, Pope Francis said “Who am I to judge?” Although he wasn't specifically promoting homosexuality, especially as priests, he showed great tolerance for different orientations with his words.

                Personally, it was very refreshing to hear about a world leader who opened up about different controversial subjects so freely. It was nice to hear about an interview where no one was beating around the bush, and honest answers were being given. I find it invigorating that the Pope, who is such an influential figure, took a clear stance and was not afraid to oppose the views of the previous popes. Whereas most religious/political figures might choose to avoid such topics, Pope Francis made a point that he treats gays and lesbians with dignity. I’m sure his words will guide other followers to do the same.
                However, I do find it concerning that each Pope has such varying opinions and practices. Because we live in America, I’m not very familiar with how much presence the Pope has in everyday lives. Transitioning from a Pope who was so against homosexuality to Pope Francis, who is known for his “style of radical simplicity and his direct manner,” must be a rather big shift. I have to wonder if this can become confusing for the church at times. 

#6

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/26/world/europe/train-derails-in-spain.html?hp&_r=0

Wow. The pictures at the top of the article are really heart-breaking. Whenever these kinds of accidents occur, it really serves as a lesson for the whole world to learn from. My condolences go out to the passengers who have passed and all who were involved.
                I’m sure there will be more articles published as more details are revealed, however the article in its entirety was very vague and lacked exact statistics. The author seems to be basing key facts entirely from foreign newspapers. He used a lot of diction such as “reportedly” and “about” to indicate his ambiguity about the complete story.  The author also cites the Spanish train company and the Spanish newspaper “El País” as sources repeatedly throughout the article. I’m curious as to how various countries share information and manage news correspondence among each other. Nevertheless, I still appreciate the author’s attempt to inform the reader of whatever information he could find out. I’m sure most articles are written in this style that is unassuming and careful not to make any strong statements when writing about highly recent news.
               I have to wonder why the train was traveling over TWICE the speed limit. I’m not sure if this kind of speeding is something that occurs often or if it was a pure accident. The author briefly mentions that terrorism might have played a role, but that is not verified yet. Accidents like this only prove that we can never be completely safe and that anything can happen. 

#5

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/23/nyregion/rethinking-tournaments-where-sharks-always-lose.html?hp

            This article was a refreshing read for me. I never knew that annual shark-hunting tournaments were still in existence today. I can imagine that many green protestors would have been outraged by this event. It is actually rather surprising to me that the tournament continued in its original format of killing sharks as trophies for this long. In my personal view, I think it is long overdue for these events to come to an end. At least having a catch-and-release contest is one step closer.

            Although I found the background information on Mr. Mundus to be too extensive and long, I’m sure the author had other reasons for including the information. I felt that the author purposely took on a resolved tone in order not to raise any more conflict about the topic. He informs the reader that there was a “successful effort” to hold a contest where no sharks would be killed. He strategically highlights the compromise between the environmentalists and the long-time fishermen. The author might have chosen to emphasize the success of the contest so to focus on the positive side.

I also empathize with the fishermen. For many of them, this is a long-time tradition and livelihood. Although shark-fishing will most likely eventually be completely ended, it is alright to ease into things. I thought the circle hooks that supposedly injure the sharks less is a brilliant way to introduce changes slowly. It pleased the environmentalists and really required not much effort on the fishermen’s part.

#4

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/18/nyregion/early-morning-alert-issued-after-7-month-old-boy-is-abducted.html?src=mv&ref=general

                Police were able to rescue 7 month old Mario Danner Jr. after he was abducted by his mother through the use of an Amber Alert. The Amber Alert was sent out to all cell phone owners in New York. For many people, it was the first time in their life that they had received one, and it was also issued at 4 AM, which caused some irritation. However, it shouldn’t honestly be that big of an issue. Most people probably fell back asleep, and it could be silenced in the future. Of course, it was still a disturbance for many individuals, but the government only does it to ensure the safety of everyone and also speed up the process of finding abductees or spreading vital information that everyone would want to hear about. People who went so far as to criticize the text message should be more considerate of the intentions of the alerts. Meant to inform citizens about anything from weather-related news or other safety precautions, these widespread alerts are the quickest way since most people always have their phone nearby.

                At the same time, Amber Alerts should be used sparingly. Authorities should have a certain degree of discernment and only send them when absolutely necessary. Such emergency notification systems should be careful to not send texts excessively, which would eventually begin to actually annoy people.

                Overall, I think the Amber Alert is an excellent example of how we can use technology to our advantage. 20 years ago, police searches and investigations would not have had the benefits of alerting the public in such an instantaneous way. It’s great to see how cell phone technology has allowed for such favorable results. 

#3

http://www.economist.com/blogs/americasview/2013/07/cholera-haiti

                Reading this article left me appalled. It is strange that the UN would even try to deny that the spread of cholera was their fault, even with the “great weight of scientific evidence” against them. Throughout the article, I read with the image in my mind of the UN as a child who insisted on not having eaten the cookie, even with the evident chocolate smeared on his/her cheek. It is unsettling to see them try to dodge the blame in such a juvenile way. All the evidence, including DNA sequencing, points toward the unsanitary UN base. The UN should be a role model for less-developed countries; however, Haiti is now seeking to sue the organization.

                Now I turn to question the UN’s motives for this statement. Perhaps they cannot afford the monetary compensation the Haitians are demanding, but that is highly unlikely. If it is their pride they are trying to protect, then that has already been impaired countless times. It is shocking that this was not the first time the UN failed to deliver. Many of their campaigns to stop epidemics were only half-implemented and effortless to say the least.

They should have considered the implications of their decision to deny responsibility. This story could potentially jeopardize the idea of international peace-keeping that the whole world has worked so hard to achieve.

In any case, it is unjustified for the UN to act above the law and to declare themselves “immune.” At this point, the very least the UN can do after spreading a disease to close to 7% of the nation is to offer a sincere apology.

#2

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/11/us/in-court-for-first-time-boston-bombing-suspect-will-face-victims.html?src=mv&_r=0

     Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the suspect in the Boston Marathon bombings made his first court appearance recently. At the first hearing out of what I imagine will be many more in the future, he pleaded not guilty to the charges of acts of terrorism.

     What I had not known before was that Tsarnaev is only 19. That really put things into perspective for me. What sorts of reasons or motivation could drive a 19-year-old to conspire such a huge crime? I mean, even apart from the allegedly terrorism-related implications, what leads a 19-year-old to become caught up in such detrimental actions?  

      Many of the victims of the family members also chose to participate in the hearing. Of course, it is expected and understandable that they would express their “raw emotion and anger” after the hearing outside. Seeing the person responsible for their suffering in person would obviously elicit such emotions. I appreciated the journalists’ decision to include quotes of the victims’ families’ words. In such a situation, the appeal to pathos is absolutely appropriate and gives the reader an opportunity to relate to the hurts of the families.

      At the same time, the journalists also mention Tsarnaev’s supporters, who might be family members, whom he “smiled at” and “made a kissing motion toward” during and after the hearing. A fellow wrestling-team member from Tsarnaev’s high school was also interviewed, of which its intentions I am unsure. I have to wonder whether they mention the “bad guy’s” personal facts on purpose, or are just writing conventions in journalism.

     Either way, with these new facts taken into account, the dilemma just becomes more complicated. Pointing fingers is no longer an option, at least for me, and I just feel empathetic about the whole case- toward both sides.  

#1

http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/07/travel/quest-asiana-crash/index.html

Many of us have been keeping updated with the recent Asiana plane crash, especially because it was a local event. Admittedly, finding out that the plane was an Asiana aircraft made the news more interesting to me as an Asiana flyer. It was relieving to hear there were not too many casualties, and as the article mentions, the passengers and staff responded appropriately to the accident.

The author goes on to claim that the more recent plane crashes are actually “survivable,” especially with the way planes are being designed and equipped. He cites that most planes are designed so that passengers can get out within 90 seconds. Even with any delays taken into consideration, that is a remarkable time.

However, the author does also place responsibility on the passenger to ensure a safe flight. It is imperative to be aware of all the exit routes and know what to do in emergency situations. The videos and manuals provided by the airplane are not meant to be ignored and overlooked.

More often than not, it takes a powerful reminder as such for us to reevaluate. Sometimes it seems that we start to listen and take heed to the directions after such events.  Instead of relying on tragedies to awaken us from our self-absorbed bubbles, we should take care to pay attention to warning signs and instructions beforehand. Being too lazy or busy is no excuse, and it is always better safe than sorry.

            This story is an interesting one to keep up with, and hopefully more details will follow.