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.
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
#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.
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.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)