Emily+Suess

=Emily Suess= =﻿Week of June 20th= ‍‍‍‍‍1) National- =Ecosystem home to endangered wolves, owls and fish hit hardest by hot, historic Ariz. wildfire= Although the Arizona's largest forest fire in history has been contained, the effects of the fire will have more permanent effects. Because of the decrease in trees, shrubbery, and other plants that can hold soil with their roots, scientists say that summer rains will cause the soil to slide off the slopes and hillsides and flood towards people's homes. Another effect is that the fire has eliminated the homes of native wildlife such as wolves and owls. The heat, debris, smoke, and ash from the fire not only kills animals on land, but fish in the river as well (some effected in the Arizona-New Mexico area have already been identified as endangered). Animal experts, however, have also noticed that some of the animals (like deer and elk) have proved to be smarter than humans by evacuating long before the fire reached their area. I think this applies to our government because it can serve as a test as to whether or not the national government will play a big role in resoring the environment that it advocates in trying to protect. Although researchers state that saving the animals and cleanup will not be easy, I'm also hoping that environmentalists on the scene will help regenerate the forest in order to protect the wildlife and citizens living in Arizona and New Mexico (and that people will evacuate when told to evacuate). ‍‍‍‍‍Associated Press. //Washington Post.// 23 June 2011: n. pag. //The Washington Post//. Web. 26 June 2011. .

2) International- The health minister of France states that the E.coli strand that has been effecting dozens recently supposedly origionates from Germany. He states that he is "99% sure" because researchers have identified both the French and German strands as the same. Because of this, France restricted the sale of different seeds from the Thompson&Morgan company in Britain, although there is no current evidence of the seeds' contamination. In Germany, officials have supposedly located the source of the E.coli strain to a farm in northern Germany. I think outbreaks such as this are important to keep track of because our world has become so dependent on international trade and communication, problems such as a country's economic or health status can affect the economies and health of countries all over the world. For example, say before the publication of this outbreak a traveller has ingested or swiped the contaminated seeds into the U.S. without being caught by security, or a farmer ships the seeds to the U.S. without any health inspection. Then with easy access to travel the E.coli could spread throughout America. It's not a nice scenario to imagine but in my opinion,we need to be more involved and cooperative with other countries in order to prevent cases like these from happening. Associated Press. //Washington Post.// 26 June 2011: n. pag. //The Washington Post.// Web. 26 June 2011. []
 * **[|France says '99 % sure' E.coli strain that hit Bordeaux area same as German strain]**

3)Economic- =GOP compromise on debt: Cut military spending?= Currently, congressmen are debating whether or not the military should recieve reductions in spending. Officials have also stated that the bill will try to include spending cuts for the pentagon as well, but this depends on Republican approval when voting for the bill. Congressmen have tried to reach a compromise by adding a way to change how to tax buisness inventory, which will supposedly result in a revenue of over $70 billion dollars in ten years. Many congressmen, however, are still divided with regards to their views on the military's budget. While some congressmen view the budget as "loaded with pork" and can easily be cut down, others view this "extra meat" as necessary to the safety and protection of America's soldiers overseas. Although I am not aware of every organization the government funds, I'm sure that they have the resources to investigate these organizations to see if they are profitable and if not, cut them out of the overall budget. Montgomery, Lori, and Paul Kane. "GOP compromise on debt: Cut militaryspending?" //Washington Post// 26 June 2011: n. pag. //The Washington Post//. Web.26 June 2011. [].

=﻿Week of June 27th= 1) National- =Some With Histories of Mental Illness Petition to Get Their Gun Rights Back= This article discusses the issue of whether or not mental patients should be able to restore their gun rights and the haphazard way judges are dealing with this situation. When speaking to witnesses, most stated that the judges only talked to them for about five minutes and asked very general questions. It seems to that some judges are not handling this situation seriously enough because of their lack of information about potentially dangerous mental patients. One man they interviewed even asks why mental patients would even need a gun (my guess is for protection). Although I myself am not an expert on mental illnesses, I know some are more severe than others, so judges should have to understand the mental history of these citizens in order to make a decision. Luo, Michael. "Some With Histories of Mental Illness Petition to Get Their Gun Rights Back." //New York Times//. New York Times Company, 2011. Web. 3 July 2011. [].

‍‍‍‍2) International- =Europe Agrees to Give Billions to Greece= After an alarming number of riots in the streets of Greece after another increase in taxes, European financial ministers have agreed to loan Greece about 12.6 billion dollars in financial aid. Weeks ago, CBS news explained on television that if Greece's economy crashed, many European countries would also suffer because of Greece's unpaid debts, thus sparking the mobilization of other countries to provide financial aid. This money, however, supposedly will only help them until September and European officials need to make a package that will add in over 90 billion dollars (which will supposedly last up to 2014). Although Greece is in desperate need of this money to stabilize it's economy, Jacek Rostowski (finance minister of Poland) states that they also need to find a way to boost economic growth within Greece as well as initiate in cuts in government spending. My concern is how Greece will be able to pay back all that money if it couldn't pay the previous debt off in the first place. It reminded me of how some car dealerships were given bailouts, but failed anyway. ‍‍‍‍Castle, Stephen. ".Europe Agrees to Give Billions to Greece." //New York Times// 2 July 2011: n. pag. //New York Times//. Web. 3 July 2011. [].

3) Economic- =Budget Needs Let Fireworks Fly Lawfully= Bans on fireworks in several states have finally been lifted, thanks to our poor economy. States that previously banned fireworks have realized that they lose money because people can travel to other states and spend their money there, thus increasing that state's revenue. Because some concerns about fires, states like Texas, Arizona, and Florida have initiated restrictions on the sale of certain fireworks. Since the sale of fireworks equaled about $952 million in 2010, states who have lifted the ban expect to have positive results with regards to an increased revenue. While this 4th of July will be a blast for those living in states who have lifted their bans, hopefully the risks that come with lifting it will be kept at a minimum so that their increased revenue won't go into cleaning up accidents. Martin, Andrew. "Budget Needs Let Fireworks Fly Lawfully." //New York Times// 2 July 2011: n. pag. //New York Times//. Web. 3 July 2011. [].

=Week of July 4th= 1) National- =Overriding the Jury In Capital Cases= Currently in Alabama, judges are allowed reject a previous sentence determined by a jury and have a criminal recieve capital punishment. One reason for this decision is that judges believe members of the jury do not have enough experience with capital cases and cannot cleary determine what makes a criminals crime worthy of capital punishment. Judges also state that they have more of a sense of racial equality and determining the mental stability of a criminal. Because of this overriding system, however, Alabama has beat Texas to become the number one death sentencing rate in the nation. My question is, if this country requires citizens to participate in government for instances like "jury duty" (doesn't matter if there is a difference between a capital or regular jury), shouldn't the government be responsible for educating the citizens so that decisions won't be made by one person alone? Liptak, Adam. "Overriding the Jury In Capital Cases." //New York Times// 10 July 2011: n. pag. //The New York Times//. Web. 11 July 2011. [].

2)Economic- =Economy Faces a Jolt as Benefit Checks Run Out= As the other half of the 2011 year passes, government safety nets that include "jobless benefits, food stamps, Social Security and disability" will finally run out due to more spending cuts. Economist fear that after this money is used up, consumers' fears of spending will increase and thus prevent money being pumped back into the U.S. economy. Although employers have been successfully adding jobs, there are not enough to meet the demand of the unemployed. By the end of this year the Federal Reserve will also limit the federal aid it gives to the states, thus limiting their power to try and improve their state revenue and the overall economy. They also talk about the pros and cons of offering unemployment benefits: while it provides enough money to live on and keeps some buisnesses (like small grocery/convenience stores) going, researchers say that many unemployed don't start looking for a job until their benefit deadline comes to a close. Rich, Motoko. ".Economy Faces a Jolt as Benefit Checks Run Out." //New York Times// 10 July 2011: n. pag. //The New York Times//. Web. 11 July 2011. []. 3) International- =Despite Violence, U.S. Firms Expand in Mexico= This article explains that although the drug wars in Mexico continue, American companies are still investing and operating in cities within Mexico or the bordering states. Some American company owners have asked the United States to allow them to stay because of their profits (which are much higher in Mexico than the U.S. because wages are much lower) and the fact that their goods therefore can be bought at cheaper prices than the same goods made in America. These companies have also contributed to Mexico's growing economy and employment rate. In order to protect themselves from the effects of the drug war, however, companies have invested in high concrete walls, barbed wire, guards, and security cameras. Because of the lower wages and less safety restrictions, unions, etc., I can understand why some companies would find it more profitable to settle in Mexico rather than the U.S., however, America as a whole loses some of the money that they make and thus does not help at all with our economic situation. Archibold, Randal C. "Despite Violence, U.S. Firms Expand in Mexico." //New York Times// 10 July 2011: n. pag. //The New York Times//. Web. 11 July 2011. [in&st=cse&scp=12].

=Week of July 11th= 1) National- =End of space shuttle program launches major challenges for NASA= As the shuttle //Atlantis// and it's crew complete their 12-day assignment, NASA struggles to find its focus on developing new ideas for the future. Because of America's current economy, they will find it hard to find finances and support for new programs. NASA also has to worry about finding new employees (scientists, engineers, etc.) that will bring new ideas and gain experience as the elders retire. Because of accidents in the past, NASA must make it a priority to have a focus on safety to keep future astronauts safe. I think this article is important because with the depletion of natural resources and the environmental problems we find on Earth today, we should invest the support of their research in order to possibly find new energy and life. I also think this is important because it keeps scientists thinking about the future and how humans will live and interact with the world(s) around them. Williams, Gail S. "End of space shuttle program launches major challenges for NASA." //The Washington Post// 13 July 2011: n. pag. //The Washington Post//. Web.13 July 2011. . 2) Economic- =Top Democrats laud GOP debt-limit move; Fed chief warns of ‘calamity’ if U.S. defaults= Although currently Democrats in Congress support the idea of increasing the federal debt limit, Republicans want to reject the idea because the package does not provide any spending cuts. Republican congressmen McDonnal and many other Republicans claim to stand against raising the limit as well as defauting and giving President Obama the power to increase the debt-limit. Some bankers have also stated that defaulting will also cause major economic problems and set "the job creation" back significantly. Drama has also ensued between Republicans and the president over tax increases and misinformation about Social Security and Financial Aid. Finally, McDonnal proposed a "backup plan" of raising the debt ceiling, which many Democrats embraced. I am particularly concerned about where this money is coming from. If it's a debt, then we don't have that money, so I guess my question is how do they spend money they don't have? Irwin, Neil, Felecia Sonmez, and Paul Kane. "Top Democrats laud GOP debt-limit move; Fed chief warns of ‘calamity’ if U.S. defaults." //The Washington Post// 13 July 2011: n. pag. //The Washington Post//. Web. 13 July 2011. . 3) International- =Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan calls for phase-out of nuclear power= Japan's earthquake and the chaos that ensued in one of the Fukushima nuclear plants have caused many Japanese to protest and cry for the removal of government officials. Because of this, Japan's prime minister has called for a japanese society that runs without the need for nuclear energy. He states that the nuclear power has proved too dangerous according to Japan's safety standards and although he does not have a specific plan, he wants Japan's dependency on nuclear power to decrease by over 20%. One of Japan's most popular newspapers, however, suggested that decreasing nuclear energy too fast will cause more shortages and ultimately hurt Japanese society more than help it. Hopefully, Japan will develop a plan to research an alternative and safer form of energy. Harlan, Chico. "Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan calls for phase-out of nuclear power." //The Washington Post// 13 July 2011: n. pag. //The Washington Post//. Web.13 July 2011. .

=Week of July 18th= 1) National- =To improve U.S. education, it’s time to treat teachers as professionals= Today, education is one of the U.S's top exports. In this article, the author makes a stand to say that teachers should be treated in pay and benefits as professionals of their field. Because of their constant work to educate and expertise they must have to teach, they can qualify to match the definition of a "professional". Teachers not only have to behave in a professional fashion, but try to relate to children, teenagers, or adults in order for them to learn. Although teachers have to do this, the author states that their pay is far less than what lawyers and doctors recieve. The author also states that from his experience the quality teachers and schools in some other countries can be related to how wealthy it is (and for us, he states, is the opposite). To me, some of the defenses this author makes are valid and teachers should be more respected and compensated as educators of the future generations, but I'm sure most of the polulation experiences at least one horrid teacher in both personality and methods, so maybe in some areas the government should adress the quality of teaching in public schools. Associated Press. "South Africa: More than 250,000 gold miners go on strike over wage negotiations." //Washington Post// 28 July 2011: n. pag. //The Washington// //Post//. Web. 28 July 2011. . 2) Economic- =Default Seen as Unlikely, but Markets Prepare= With Congress still deciding whether or not to raise the debt ceiling, markets believe that the "worst-case scenario" of another crash and stop of economic revenue no longer seems impossible. Speaker John Boehner states that hopefully with an agreement to raise the debt ceiling, many markets will have more confidence in the government. Terry Belton (head of fixed-income strategy at JPMorgan Chase), however, states that markets are more concerned about a downgrade and then an increase in borrowing costs for the government, thus putting it under even more financial stress. Because of this, some companies have begun to stockpile cash. The author states that this event proves that companies have changed to a more pessimistic view of how the government and markets have been handling the economy. To me, if the economy has worsened as bad as all the economists say, wouldn't some sort of traumatic crash be inevitable? Applebaum, Binyamin, and Eric Dash. //The New York Times//. N.p., 23 July 2011. Web. 24 July 2011. .

3) International- (Email to Mrs. Gallo)! = Oslo Suspect Wrote of Fear of Islam and Plan for War = Within the past week Norway police charged suspect Anders Breivik ﻿ of the traumatic shooting and bomb attack that left 92 dead. Reporters in Norway state that this man is a radical Christian disgusted with the inc ﻿rease in Mus﻿lim immigration and calls for a "religious war". Publishing his plans and   theories online in a 1,500 page manifesto, Breivik associates himself with an international group that strives to eradicate multiculturalism (with Mulsims as their primary target) from all Western European nations. Evidently in 2002 this group held a confidential meeting in London and re-establish the Knights Templar (a Christian military order dating back to the Midevil era). While this operation temporarily failed, Breivik states in his manifesto that they will fight to protect the ways of Western Europe. Amazingly, within the manifesto Breivik also kept a strict record of all experiments that led to the creation of his bombs. The author of this article states that this group has similar goals and aspects as Bin Laden and Al Quida, just a different religion, and I would have to agree. Groups like these function off of fear, hatred, and arrogance (something this world really does not need more of). Erlanger, Steven, and Scott Shane. "Oslo Suspect Wrote of Fear of Islam and Plan for War." //The New York Times//. N.p., 23 July 2011. Web. 24 July 2011. .

=Week of July 25th= 1) National- =Automakers, Obama administration agree on fuel efficiency standards through 2025= To combat the amount of greenhouse gas cars emit every day, President Obama and major car manufacturers are working to raise the standards of fuel efficiency between 2017 and 2015. To cut the emissions by 50%, cars and small trucks would eventually have to average 54.5mpg (163g per mile of CO2) by 2025. This agreement dated back to 2009 where Obama agreed with automobile manufacturers and unions as well as California Officials to allow them to set their own efficiency standards with the Clean Air Act. Obama's statement on Friday stated that raising the standards of fuel efficiency now will "result in significant cost savings for consumers at the pump, dramatically reduce oil consumption, cut pollution and create jobs”, and thus tackle the other problems the United States is dealing with. Although many environmentalists support this, some big automobile manufacturers are dissatisfied because trucks are some of their most popular automobiles (because they are either deisel or have powerful engines that use more gas than the average vehicle to pull larger loads). To me, this sounds promising in the years to come but I think it will be difficult for engineers and manufacturers to meet this new standard because of today's economy. Eilperin, Juliet. //Washington Post// 27 July 2011, Automakers, Obama administration agree on fuel efficiency standards through 2025 ed.: n. pag. //The Washington// //Post//. Web. 27 July 2011. []

2) Economic- =Evolution of a debt deal= This wasn't necessarily a news article, but a series of graphs and analyses that compare the different plans and how much money they will save or use. With Democrats and Republicans constantly disagreeing on how to handle the economy, the first graph shows that the "middle road" goes for a plan that costs between 2.5 and 3 trillion dollars over the next decade and the plan will be a mix of tax deductions, health care cuts, and war drawdown. The next chart shows where the House(Boehner Proposal) and the Senate(Reid proposal) are disagreeing (or agreeing) about the steps that need to be taken in order to fix the economy. IWhile the two agree in no tax increases, in "step 1" of recovery they differ by how much they think the debt ceiling needs to increase and whether or not the president should recieve the power to do so. The Reid proposal also wants to cut war spending. In "step 2", the House and Senate both agree that a special commitee needs to be organized out of lawmakers to oversee economic recovery. The Boehner proposal, however, also wants a balanced budget amendment. The next two charts explain what will happen after the Boehner proposal is passed (or denied), and how popular the plan is between Dems and Reps in the House (it looks very close and could lean either way so Reps should try to get more Dem votes). Congressional Budget Office, Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, comp. //Washington Post//. N.p., 28 July 2011. Web. 28 July 2011. . 3) International- =South Africa: More than 250,000 gold miners go on strike over wage negotiations= On Thursday, hundreds of thousands of miners went on strike looking for better conditions and wages that reflect the rising prices of gold. These workers have also joined up with diamond and coal miners who also began to strike this week hoping that the gap between the workers and employers could be decreased. Worker's complaints are well defended because miners can lose limbs and lungs from the falling debree, caveins, and massive amounts of dust. While economists state that mines will lose millions a day, the owners could simply increase production to make up the lost time during the strike period. I'm sure for the miners it's very critical to have change because of their extremely low pay and recognition for the work they do even though there are unions (it reminds me of the early 20th century United States). Associated Press. "South Africa: More than 250,000 gold miners go on strike over wage negotiations." //Washington Post// 28 July 2011: n. pag. //The Washington// //Post//. Web. 28 July 2011. .

=Week of August 1st= 1) National- =Jail Time Yields a Clash on Vegetarian Meals= Dave McDonald, jailed for 99 days under drug-related charges, refused to eat non-vegetarian meals during the entire stay in prison. He now strives to have jails provide vegetarian meals for inmates. Some animal and human rights activists have now backed McDonald with his efforts to provide more nutritional or specific meals for prisons in California. Currently, they are fighting to say that some personal beliefs should be equal to religious beliefs or medical conditions recognized within many prisons. With regards to McDonald's actual arrest, no controlled substances were actually found within his shop, and locals were shocked of his arrest and even offered to pay his bail. After McDonald returned to his shop, the author grimly states that it lay in ruins and he now had no appartment because of his time in jail. I don't really have a comment for this but if jails can have masses and the like for some prisoners is it that hard or more expensive to give vegetarians a salad bar or something? James, Scott. "Jail Time Yields a Clash on Vegetarian Meals." //The New York// //Times//. N.p., 4 Aug. 2011. Web. 7 Aug. 2011. .

2) Economic- =China Tells U.S. It Must ‘Cure Its Addiction to Debt’= After Standard&Poor downgraded the U.S.'s debt, Chinese official Xinhua warns Washington to "live within its means" and rid the addiction it has to debt. Although this displeasure coming from one of the America's largest foreign holders, China feels that it must still buy bonds and hope that it's fears of its money being devalued will not occur. A Chinese newspaper even stated that "The U.S. government has to come to terms with the painful fact that the good old days when it could just borrow its way out of messes of its own making are finally gone" and reccomends to cut military and social welfare spending, showing that China begins to feel economic superiority over the U.S. Japan also has begun to express its concerns with America's economy, its own economy needs to stabilize before they adress their holdings with the U.S. Although it has its own holding, population, and economic problems, China's economy continues to grow at about 9%. To me, this is a very dangerous warning because now we may lose other countries' confidence and our economy will just completely shut down. Barboza, David, and Hiroko Tabuchi. //The New York Times//. N.p., 6 Aug. 2011. Web. 7 Aug. 2011. . 3) International- =Evacuations in East China for Typhoon= Because of Typhoon Muifa, hundreds of thousands of residents and thousands of ships were evacuated from the Zhejiang, Shanghai, and Fujian Provinces in China. The Chinese government has also shut down flights in Shanghai and may close some rail lines. Many have died already from this typhoon not only in China but the Philippines, North Korea, and Japan as well. Thousands will also lose their homes because of this storm and flooding will ensue in several areas. The farmland destroyed in this typhoon can also cause food shortages. This is important because in my previous article, China was practically scolding the U.S. for their economic problems, but wont hundreds of thousands of people homeless in an already overpopulated nation cause more problems for Chinas economy as well? The Associated Press. "Evacuations in East China for Typhoon." //The New York// //Times//. N.p., 6 Aug. 2011. Web. 7 Aug. 2011. .

=Week of August 8th= 1) National- =As Texas Dries Out, Life Falters and Fades= This year's drought in Texas has been recorded as one of the worst in its history. The dirt is bone-dry, ponds and small lakes dry up, and animals are beggining to die from the lack of vegetation. Although some rain found its way to Texas, the area has been so dry that the water evaporated as quickly as it came. Although this may seem unimportant to the average American, buisnesses in Texas are suffering. For example, cattle ranchers are selling off their herds because the grass does not grow back. The cows are used for meat but then there are no more to keep the buisness going. In other areas, farmers are "plowing under dying wheat" and trying as hard as they can to keep their crops alive. While residents try to keep their way of life stable, researchers say that long droughts have been the norm for Texas over the centuries, but state that Texas will eventually remain hotter and dryer than it has ever been. Personally, if the researchers statements are correct, the culture of texas (ranchers, ten gallon hats, steaks, etc.,) might become old and dried up with the land. Parker, Richard. "As Texas Dries Out, Life Falters and Fades." //The New York// //Times// 13 Aug. 2011: n. pag. //The New York Times//. Web. 14 Aug. 2011. <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/14/opinion/sunday/ as-texas-dries-out-life-falters-and-fades.html?_r=1&scp=11&sq=august%2014,%202011 &st=cse>. 2) Economic- =White House Debates Fight on Economy= Currently, President Obama and his advisors are debating whether or not they need to be more aggressive with regards to economic recovery. Some advocate passing ideas that appeal to both sides in Congress (but are not particularly heplful). Others wish to have tax incentives for buisnesses looking to hire more workers and helping homeowners keep their houses (when facing foreclosure). Democrats, however, see Republicans as an antagonistic force with regarding change and will "point a finger" at those who refuse to cooperate. Although President Obama will try to gain support for his second term, the ailing economy and increased numbers of unemployed and homeless are problems he will have to try and fix again if elected to a second term. To be honest, I chose this article because of the "debates fight" in the title, our suffering economy reflects how ridiculus this all seems to me with Democrats and Republicans refusing to cooperate with each other (to me it seems they both have a my way or the highway mentallity). Applebaum, Binyamin, and Helene Cooper. "White House Debates Fight on Economy." //The New York Times// 13 Aug. 2011: n. pag. //The New York Times//. Web. 14 Aug. 2011. <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/14/us/politics/ 14econ.html?scp=11&sq=august%2014&st=cse>.

3) International- =After British Riots, Conflicting Answers as to ‘Why’= Last week was the largest and most destructive case of stealing and violence in recent British history. Some blame the distrust of officers, others modern society, and still others blame technology for these random acts of thievery and violence. Despite this, no one has a clear answer to why this all occurred. The stolen objects in question usually do not even seem that devious: mostly food, water bottles, and surprisingly a trash can (stolen by an 11 year old). During these riots, some shocked onlookers eventually gave in to the disarray and began stealing whatever was within reach. Authorities state that about 1,200 have been arrested and many of the looters had firearms or drugs with/in them during the theft. When asked, almost all the accused state that they were caught in the moment or blamed mob mentality, but still no one knows truly why this happened. To me, there must be someone or a group advocating this and if not, people are just giving in to excuses like "everyone was doing it", which is very immature and lacking moral standings. Somaiya, Ravi. "After British Riots, Conflicting Answers as to ‘Why’." //The New// //York Times// 13 Aug. 2011: n. pag. //The New York Times//. Web. 14 Aug. 2011. <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/14/world/europe/ 14looters.html?pagewanted=1&sq=august 14&st=cse&scp=48>.

=Week of August 15th= 1) National- =Perry Mines Texas System to Raise Cash for Campaigns= John McHale, longtime financial supporter of many Democratic leaders, has recently begun to support Republican Rick Perry with campaign money. Rick Perry came into the presidential campaign this week with his previous reputation as a fundraiser, however, he has used his office to increase the amount of funds he recieves by private donors. Reporters state that he has used government grants to help businesses who donated generously toward his fundraising campaign. Perry, however, states that the funds were used to create jobs and expand state revenue through these businesses. His Texas Enterprise Fund and Texas Emerging Technology Fund have also been criticized for giving money to businesses, but the answer to create more jobs remains the same. Other cases have been made where Perry supposedly gave privelege or funds to donor buisnesses, but most have been discredited or ignored by Perry. I would like to know if his funds actually did create more jobs, otherwise this affirms my "whomever has the gold makes the rules" idea of modern government. Confessere, Nicholas, and Michele Luo. "Perry Mines Texas System to Raise Cash for Campaigns." //The New York Times// 20 Aug. 2011: n. pag. //The New York// //Times//. Web. 21 Aug. 2011. <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/21/us/ politics/21donate.html?scp=24&sq=august%2021&st=cse>.

2) Economic- =The Sad Statistic That Trumps the Others= In this article the author states that another cause of our economy's slump is that our productivity is decreasing. A decrease in productivity shows that a business/company has borrowed to much and wasn't able to produce and sell enough to pay it back or profit. Because labor productivity has decreased and hourly wages increased, the economy remains "sluggish" and stunts recovery. This author sees the problem with failed Healthcare and wasteful expenses that are related to healthcare. Researchers state that the slow/non-creation of jobs is a long term problem and has started sincethe 1980's. American companies have also gone overseas in order to find cheap labor and parts, thus further contributing to the economic problems. Unfortunately, this author seems to be right with regards to other reasons the economy isn't getting better, but he didn't provide an answer despite his intelligent research. Cowen, Tyler. "The Sad Statistic That Trumps the Others." //The New York Times// 20 Aug. 2011: n. pag. //The New York Times//. Web. 22 Aug. 2011. <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/21/business/economy/ weaker-productivity-is-a-worrying-sign.html?scp=3&sq=economic%20august%2021&st=cs e>. 3) International- =Trains That Run Like, and on, the Wind= Currently in Berlin, the Deutsche Bahn company is trying to create a train that runs solely on wind and solar power. With this, Germany hopes to increase its carbon-free intake up to 28% and eventually be carbon-free by 2050. The prime reason for this new incentive is simply because their customers demand it, and the demand increases each year. After the nuclear disaster in Japan, Germany halted all nuclear expansion and vowed to get rid of their nine plants by 2020. The company, however, states that although renewable energy comes at a higher price, customers will be willing to pay for it. Although many skeptics believe that this is just "greenwash" and will never succeed, I hope that they can create an efficient train that reduces their carbon print so that other countries will strive to do so as well. Kirschbaum, Erik. "Trains That Run Like, and on, the Wind." //The New York Times// 21 Aug. 2011: n. pag. //The New York Times//. Web. 21 Aug. 2011. <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/22/business/energy-environment/ trains-that-run-like-and-on-the-wind.html?ref=world>.

=Week of August 22nd= 1) National- =A Dream Fulfilled, Martin Luther King Memorial Opens on National Mall= Today, The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial opened on the National Mall in Washington D.C. A whole four acres, this monument is the only one featuring an African-American. The design is supposed to mirror King Jr.'s quote from his "I have a dream speech": "With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope". They expect hundreds of thousands of people to visit this monument within the first week and before the dedication on Sunday. Only one complaint was made: King Jr. stood facing the Jefferson memorial instead of the Lincoln Memorial, but most stated that they did not mind. Although I don't think that this single monument will change the way people think and act, I do think it is a wonderful commemoration to a man who gave his life to justice and equality. Tavernise, Sabrina. "A Dream Fulfilled, Martin Luther King Memorial Opens on National Mall." //The New York Times// 22 Aug. 2011: n. pag. //The New York// //Times//. Web. 22 Aug. 2011. <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/23/us/ 23mlk.html?ref=us#&wtoeid=growl1_r1_v1>.

2) Economic- =With a Long List and Short on Money, F.D.A. Tackles Food Safety= This summer alone, the ecoli and salmanilla outbreaks have killed few and sickened or poisoned hundreds. Currently, the FDA is working to write down and enforce a list of laws for farmers and producers as a warning not to sell contaminated goods. They fear the government, however, may cut their spending and thus decrease the amount of power/force the FDA has over these new laws. The laws in question will result in "hand-washing stations" and regulating the amount of animals that come through the crops (because the ecoli breakout was said to have started in deer roaming and eating the crops). In order to appease farmers, members of the FDA have been visiting different farms in order to learn the different techniques and methods of growing crops in order to better understand farming and make the new laws accordingly. Still, many farmers believe that the FDA should improve on the weakest and most hazardous farms first (because many of the farms they visited had no safety violations whatsoever). I find it a little insulting to discover that the FOOD and Drug Administration doesn't know how a farm works and operates if thats' part of its job. Neuman, William. "With a Long List and Short on Money, F.D.A. Tackles Food Safety." //The New York Times// 22 Aug. 2011: n. pag. //The New York Times//. Web. 22 Aug. 2011. <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/23/business/ with-a-long-list-and-short-on-money-fda-tackles-food-safety.html?ref=business>.

3) International- =North Korea to Auction Resort Owned by South= North Korean officials gave residents of a South Korean-owned resort 72 hours to evacuate before it was auctioned off. Other South Korean hotels, restaurants, stores, etc. have also suffered this same fate within North Korean territory. Despite this threat, however, South Korean owners of Hyndai-Asan state that if this occurrs North Korea will be filed in an international lawsuit. To some, this resort was a symbol of peace between the two nations, until a man shot a South Korean woman who went outside the borders of the resort in 2008. Now, the leader of North Korea is being accused of pocketing money made from this resort and using it to fund his nuclear programs rather than attending to his starving people. To me, this seems like another incentive for North Korea to attack South Korea again and use this as an excuse. Sang-Hun, Choe. "North Korea to Auction Resort Owned by South." //The New York// //Times// 22 Aug. 2011: n. pag. //The New York Times//. Web. 22 Aug. 2011. <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/23/world/asia/23korea.html?ref=asia>.