Khanh+Dao

Khanh Dao

__Current Events__

~Week of June 20, 2011~

1) International News -US Pulling Troops Out of Afghan-

This Wednesday evening (June 22) Obama announced his order to pull out 10,000 US soldiers out of Afghan this year. Additionally, by the end of the next summer the remainder of the "surge" from 2009, (20,000 troops) should be arriving home as well. A rough estimate indicates that around 65,000 troops will be remaining in Afghan following the withdrawal. Future heobjectives include overcoming the Al Queda and Taliban, but at the same time, allowing Afghanistan to obtain its own secure government. On a lighter note, many diplomats and aid workers have been sent to Afghanistan to change the agricultural crop system. My reaction to this is that I'm glad that those soldiers will be able to have a safe return to their families. I agree with Obama' statement with how "We will not try to make Afghanistan a perfect place. We will not police its streets or patrol its mountains indefinitely. That is the responsibility of the Afghan government”, due to the long time involvement and investment in this war. However, I just hope that the people of Afghanistan can look to a brighter future and adapt to these upcoming changes.

Cooper, Helene, and Landler, Mark. "Obama Opts for Faster Pullout." //New York Times//. 22 June 2011. Web.

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2) Economic News -Job Jugglers on the Tightrope-

Although normally, people with more artistic careers tend to be the ones who pursue mulitiple job careers, an increasing amount of people from more diverse fields are beginning to do so as well. As Carl E. Van Horn, director of the John J Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers, says, “There are two types of people in this position: the graduate who can’t get a full-time job, and the person whose income isn’t sufficient to meet their expenses,”. Statistics show that recently the median salary from a four year degree program was $27,000, a $3,000 decrease from the previous years and in addition there are many who make less than $27,000. Additionally, despite having multiple jobs, many people still have many financial worries, including things such as retirement funds. As for the college graduates, studies show many of them are overqualified or "mal-employed" for their jobs (babysitters, bartenders, etc.) In my opinion, I feel bad for the people who have to constantly work multiple jobs in order to sustain themselves. It's disheartening to see that despite how hard they have to work, they still have many struggles in their finances.

Seligson, Hannah. "Job Jugglers on the Tightrope." //New York Times//. 25 June 2011. Web.

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3) National News -New York Allows Same-Sex Marriage, Becoming the Largest State to Pass Law-

On Friday, June 24, 2011, lawmakers voted 33 to 29 to legalize same-sex marriage. As Mr. Grisanti said, “I apologize for those who feel offended. I cannot deny a person, a human being, a taxpayer, a worker, the people of my district and across this state, the State of New York, and those people who make this the great state that it is the same rights that I have with my wife,” showing the importance of equal rights for all. Although personally and religiously, I do not support same-sex marriage, I believe that all citizens deserve the same and equal treatment. Currently, Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont, as well as the District of Columbia are among the other states that allow same-sex marriage. Polls showed how in 2004, 37 percent of the citizens of New York supported this legislation, but in 2011, 58 percent did, showing the increasing amount of support.

Confessore, Nicholas, and Barbaro, Michael. "New York Allows Same-Sex Marriage, Becoming the Largest State to Pass Law". //New York Times//. 25 June 2011. Web.

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~Week of June 27, 2011~

1) International News -Thais Back Ousted Prime Minister's Party in Landslide-

Recently in Thailand, the Pheu Thai party (the party of the fugitive former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra), headed by businesswoman Yingluck Shiniwatra, has won 264 seats out of a 500-seat Parliament. Although Ms. Shiniwatra has had no previous political experience, her excellent campaigning has made her Thailand's first female prime minister. Thitinan Pongsudhirak, director of the Institute of Security and International Studies at Chulalongkorn University, said “This whole election is all about the awakened voices. These people discovered that they can actually have access and be connected to the system,” to indicate the increased participation of all groups of people, including the poor. Despite the many who are optimistic about this new leadership, there are several who believe that Thailand's deep problems will take many years to fix. In my opinion, I believe that it is great how more people of Thailand are utilizing the right to vote. Although I am a bit wary of how Ms. Shiniwatra has had no political experience, at least the people have faith in their future leaders. I hope that she will have the capability to lead her country.

Mydans, Seth, and Fuller Thomas. "Thais Back Ousted Prime Minister's Party in Landslide". //New York Times//. 2 July 2011. Web.

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2) National News -Court Overturns Michigan Affirmative-Action Ban-

Michigan's 2006 ban on consideration of race and gender in public university admissions was overturned by a federal appeals court on July 1, 2011. Despite how this ban was approved by voters, the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, in Cincinnati deemed it unconsititutional because it burdened racial minorities. Although a great victory for those who supported the coalition against the ban, supporters of the ban, including, Michigan's attorney general, Bill Schuette, stated that they will continue to fight for "entrance...based upon merit". As seen from the number of cases involving the ban on affirmative-action, it shows that this is an ongoing conflict that will need a solution soon. Personally, I believe that everyone deserves an equal opportunity and that race should not be a deciding factor for public university admissions. I thought it was almost surprising how this law didn't go through. However, since it would be a burden to the students affected by this ban, is it possible to offer other options to them?

Lewin, Tama. "Court Overturns Michigan Affirmative-Action Ban". //New York Times//. 1 July 2011. Web.

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3) Economic News - U.S. Consumer Spending Stalls as Wages Stagnate-

In May, Americans spent the least over a 20 month period, due of the increasing gas prices. Although incomes rose by 3%, the after-tax incomes only raised by 1%. As a result of the slowly rising wages, the economy is hurt due to the consumers having less money to spend. In May, although 54,000 jobs were created, the unemployment rate rose to 9.1%. Fortunately, economists predict that in around fall, the pace should increase to 3,2%. Currently two main factors the economy is depending on are the gas prices and the factories in Japan that are beginning to go back into business. In my opinion, from the predictions it seems that economy will be improving little by little in the near future. However those two factors are not something we should always rely on. There should be another more stable source.

"U.S. Consumer Spending Stalls as Wages Stagnate". //New York Times//. 27 June 2011. Web.

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~Week of July 4, 2011~

‍‍‍‍‍‍‍1) Economic News - Tight Budgets Whittle Away School Days-

Numerous summer school programs have been cut due to tight state and government budgets. For example, some statistics include Los Angeles decreasing its budget from $18 million to $3 million or many schools in rural districts having Mondays/Fridays off starting in September. As Justin Hamilton from the federal Department of Education said, “Instead of increasing school time, in a lot of cases we’ve been pushing back against efforts to shorten not just the school day but the week and year,” indicating the despairing situation. Many advocates for education who originally wanted longer and more school days to improve the education system, but their action has not been effective. Currently this is a reigning subject for lawmakers who are fighting for more days. In my opinion, I believe that more action is needed to reform education. Cutting these programs will not help the students of America. In addition, in comparison to many other countries, there are many areas in education that the U.S needs to improve on.

Dillon, Sam. "Tight Budgets Whittle Away School Days". //New York Times//. 5 July 2011. Web ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍ []

2) International News -European Union to Send Food Aid to North Korea-

The European Union announced that they would send $14.5 million dollars in aid to feed more than 650,000 Koreans who are starving. To emphasize the despair, the European Commision said, “Increasingly desperate and extreme measures are being taken by the hard-hit North Koreans, including the widespread consumption of grass.” Many people are malnurished and famine has become a chronic problem for North Koreans. The Elders ( a group created by Nelson Mandela), which is composed of Jimmy Carter, Mary Robinson, Martti Ahtisaari, and Gro Harlem Brundtland, emphasized the dangerous situation, which Carter called "a human rights violation" to refuse to help. The food shortages were originally created by problems within the economy and intensified by poor weather. Personally, I think that the EU is doing the right thing by investing in this project. Despite their good intentions, I can understand those who don't want to help if they have current problems in their own countries.

Castle, Steven. "European Union to Send Food Aid to North Korea". //New York Times//. 5 July 2011. Web

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3) National News -Court Rules Against Ban on Gays in the Military-

Currently the Court is reviewing a new law to determine whether or not gays, lesbians, and bisexuals should be allowed to serve in the military. The United States Court of Appeals issued the "don't tell, don't ask" policy, which was brought up by the Log Cabin Republicans. In 2010, after federal judge Virginia Phillips declared the ban on gays in the military unconstitutional, this case was brought up to the Ninth Court. Although Congress repealed it, it was a close decision, but as of right now the Department of Justice is still working on their decision. My personal reaction to this is that anybody, regardless of their orientation should be allowed to serve their country. The ban is not fair because everyone deserves an equal opportunity, so if they are fit for their job, they should be allowed fight in the military. Additionally, I'm curious to know the reason why they aren't allowed to be in the military because it doesn't seem like it would make that much of a difference.

Schwartz, John. "Court Rules Against Ban on Gays in the Military". //New York Times//. 6 July 2011. Web.

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~Week of July 11, 2011~

1) National News -Drought Spreads Pain From Florida to Arizona-

In the southern part of the U.S, fourteen states from Florida to Arizona, an extreme drought devastates thousands of corn, cotton, and other crops. Many farmers are suffering from the dearth of water and some have to sell their cattle because they cannot afford to feed them. Other areas such as the Southwest suffer from extreme heats and harsh winds. In Texas, the situation is the worst, because the United States of Department of Agriculture issued an approval for 254 counties to be eligible for federal relief. As for the reason of this bizarre weather, meterologists blame the weather pattern of La Nina, an abnormal cooling of the Pacific waters. Statistics say that consumers will feel the effect of this since the prices of some food itmes will rise. I believe that this weather pattern will only burden the economy even more. Although the government has a tight budget, I think that the federal aid is justified because it will only help the people in the long run.

Severson, Kim. "Drought Spreads Pain From Florida to Arizona". //New York Times//. 11 July 2011. Web.

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2) Economic News -Job Growth Falters Badly, Clouding Hope for Recovery-

The rate of increasing jobs is depressingly low, as statistics for last month was only 18,000 new jobs. Economists are shocked with the slow increase and the unemployment rate of 9.2% due to lower gas prices and the supplies from Japan (supplies were beginning to ship after stabilizing from the tsunami crisis). In addition, other aspects such as Europe's financial woes and China's economy beginning to slow, do not help the situation in America as well. Currently, statistics note that 150,000 jobs should be created per month to remain in balance with the population growth, but however 14.1 million remain unemployed. In my opinion, these statistics do not seem very optimistic for the future. Statistics show that our population growth and new job ratio is unbalanced, which could lead to more problems in the future. There's not much we can do but trust our leaders to pull us out of this messy situation.

Rich, Motoko. "Job Growth Falters Badly, Clouding Hope for Recovery". //New York Times//. 8 July 2011. Web.

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3) International News -Visa Delays Put Iraqis Who Aided U.S. in Fear-

Those supporting the U.S war effort in Iraq live a dangerous life and should be commended for their bravery. However, the terrorism fears in America, led to background checks, prolonging the time to get visas, especially since the withdrawal of troops will be soon. Iraqis who worked for the United States government (mainly interpretors) are in precarious situations and since they cannot evacuate to the U.S for safety, they face many death and bomb threats. As Becca Heller of the Iraqi Refugee Assistance said, “This is not a priority right now for anyone in the government," showing the distressing situation for those Iraqis who have been extremely helpful. Personally, I think this situation should not be ignored. Those innocent people need to be protected, especially since they have been assisting with the military, the main reason their situation is more grave. The fact that they are not American should not deter their time to get visas, due to their valient efforts.

Arango Tim. "Visa Delays Put Iraqis Who Aided U.S. in Fear". //New York Times//. 12 July 2011. Web.

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~Week of July 18, 2011~

1) National News -Legal Marijuana in Arizona, but Not for the Sellers-

Last winter, voters closely allowed medical marijuana in Arizona, but instead of an orderly distribution of the substance, confusion with the new law created many unofficial cannabi clubs. Although the law only allows the distribution of marijuana from a nonprofit organizaiton,the police have been constantly worrying about the rise of pot clubs that were created by finding loopholes in the new law. The problem stems from the fact that there are many patients who have a card that certifies them to medical marijuana, but however, there is no "official" place to receive their medicine. Joe Yuhas of the Arizona Medical Marijuana confirmed the predicament by saying, “In lieu of a regulated industry, we’re now creating an environment in which patients are growing their own with limited oversight, and these private clubs of questionable legality are popping up.” Personally, I think that this problem should not have happened in the first place. Since this is a tricky issue, the administration should have been more careful and placed more restrictions. It's troublesome to see that many people are taking advantage of this law.

Lacey, Marc. "Legal Marijuana in Arizona, but Not for the Sellers". //New York Times//. 23 July 2011. Web.

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2) International News -Protesters Urge President to Step Down in Senegal-

Thousands of protestors in Senegal gathered to protest against the current president, Abdoulade Wade, who is trying to extend his office time, a violation of the Senegal Constitution. The people at the rally urged Wade to step down peacefully because they would not like to have a coup d'etat (which would be the first in the nation's history). As Serigne Touray Faye, one of the demonstrators, said, “The president is doing whatever he wants, and he is not respecting the Constitution.” I think that it's great these people are standing up for what they believe in. Additionally, they are treating this situation in a very peaceful manner. I'm just curious to hear what the president's reasons or at least an explanation for why he wanted to do this. Didn't he have some sort of idea that the people would not react pleasantly towards his idea? I hope that the people's beliefs will be put into action without any violence so that this issue will be resolved smoothly.

Nossiter, Adam. "Protesters Urge President to Step Down in Senegal". //New York Times//. 24 July 2011. Web.

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3) Economic News -Home Sales Fall 0.8%; 3rd Drop in 3 Months-

Statistics detail that home sales fell .8% to an annual rate of 4.77 million homes a year. Economists note that this rate is far 2 million homes less than a healthy housing market. Contributing factors including high debts, stricter lending rules, and more expensive payments. Additionally,16% of home deals were canceled last month, showing how much this market is decreasing. Personally, this is understandable, due to the slow economy, in addition to the many people who are trying to pay off their current home loans as well. Honestly during these times, most people have other priorities and struggles to worry about than buying a new houses. In fact, many people have issues with their houses and foreclosure, so that could be a contributing factor. However, I feel sorry for the people in the field who are affected by this decrease. In addition to those in real estate who suffer from this decrease, those involved in construction would also have either lower wages or less jobs.

"Home Sales Fall 0.8%; 3rd Drop in 3 Months". //New York Times//. 20 July 2011. Web.

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~Week of July 25, 2011~

1) Economic News -Recession Study Finds Hispanics Hit the Hardest-

The Pew Research Center found that the median wealth of Hispanics fell 66% ($18,359 to $6,235) in a 4 year period. This center noted that the declines in median wealth for races have led to huge disparities in wealth. Other statistics include, the median wealth of African Americans dropping 53% ($12,124 to $5,677), Caucasians 16% ($134,992 to $113,449) and Asians 28% ($168,103 to $78,066) for a total median wealth decrease of 28% ($96,894 to $70,000). I couldn't believe it when I saw these huge decreases in wealth as well as the huge disparities between the different races. Some of these statistics showed households cut by over half. That would mean that in this time period, many people's lifestyles must have drastically changed. Additionally, since this is only the median wealth, there must be even more people living under these amounts. It's frustrating to see so many helpless in this situation.

Tavernise, Sabrina. "Recession Study Finds Hispanics Hit the Hardest". //New York Times//. 26 July 2011. Web

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2) International News -Unsettling Wariness in Norway, Where Police Are Rarely Armed-

An unfortunate incident in Oslo, Norway caused the police administration to rethink about its normal policy for arms use. Michael Schwirtz explained that "Violent crime has been steadily increasing, jolting a society used to leaving doors unlocked and children to play without fear". Normally, the law stated that police officers must have permission to take possession of a firearm, which they usually did not have to. Some other opinions include how some believe that if police officers to have a faster access to weapons, then criminals, as a reaction, will also begin to be more heavily armed. In addition, the fact that Norway did not have to have their police force armed gave the people a sense of pride. In my viewpoint, I believe due to these incidents, the police must be properly armed in order to fufill their duties of protecting the people. Although it's disheartening to see such a peaceful country have steadily increasing rates of crime, this incident goes to show that times are changing.

Schwirtz, Michael. "Unsettling Wariness in Norway, Where Police Are Rarely Armed". //New York Times//. 26 July 2011. Web.

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3) National News -U.S. Imposes Sanctions on 4 International Criminal Groups-

As part of the a plan to combat international criminal groups that could potential effect U.S security, the Obama adminstration placed strict sanctions. These groups include the Zetas (a Mexican drug group), the Yakuza (Japanese mob army), Camorra (a crime network in South Italy), and the Brothers' Circle (an Eastern European criminal group). The sanction would freeze any of these groups' assets, prevent them from purchasing American property, and ban members from entering the United States. Personally, I agree with the measures that the American government are taking. Harsh restrictions are needed to deal with these dangerous groups. It makes me wonder why these haven't been issued earlier. For all we know, there could possibly be some underworld interactions already happening in the U.S. Although the battle against these international underworld groups will be difficult, this is one way the U.S adminstration can combat against these groups.

"U.S. Imposes Sanctions on 4 International Criminal Groups". //New York Times//. 26 July 2011. Web.

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~Week of August 1, 2011~

1) International News -Somalis Waste Away as Insurgents Block Escape From Famine-

Currently in southern Somalia, there are more than 500,000 children starving because the Shabab Islamic group is preventing people from leaving. Additionally, many Western aid organizations have been banned from entering this area to give these deprived victims food. As a result of the Shabab group blocking the area, aid groups, such as the UN have begun airlifting emergency supplies. “Somalia is one of the most complicated places in the world to deliver aid, more complicated than Afghanistan,” as said by Stefano Porretti (who heads the World Food Progam’s efforts in Somalia) noting the grim situation. It's sad to see how millions of Somalians are suffering from starvation. I don't see how that insurgent group can allow all those people to suffer. The fact that they won't even allow aid groups to enter is cruel. Additionally, since aid cannot be given to them, this situation shows how desperate and isolated these people feel.

Gettleman, Jeffrey. "Somalis Waste Away as Insurgents Block Escape From Famine". //New York Times//. 2 August 2011. Web.

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2) National News -Death of Homeless Man After Beating by Police Stirs Outrage-

Kelly Thomas, a metnally ill homeless man, was allegedly beat to death by Orange Country police, who were trying to quiet him down. Although the exact circumstances are unclear and this incident had little attention at the beginning, eventually since pictures and videos were spread across the Internet, many people were outraged. As Ron Thomas, father of Kelly Thomas said, “Nobody else cared. My son was brutally beaten to death by six cops. It needed to get attention," noting the shocking situation. Personally, I was completely surprised that the police took it that far as to kill the man. Although, I was not there at the situation, still, the man was cruelly beaten for unknown reasons. Even if the man was doing something to violate the law, I still think that the police could have handled it in a better manner. I do not believe that the police should be able to use such excessive force for a case such as this one. I think there should be some action taken in order to prevent some police officers from mistreating citizens who are not threatening society.

Lovett, Ian. "Death of Homeless Man After Beating by Police Stirs Outrage". //New York Times//. 2 August 2011. Web.

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3) Economic News -Even Marked Up, Luxury Goods Fly Off Shelves-

Despite the slow economy, many upper class Americans are still purchasing luxurious items such as designer clothing and luxury cars. Surprisingly, these high-end business are faring better than other retaliers. In fact, these stores are able to increase their prices instead of discounting them. Statistics include that in July, these stores increased by 11.6%. As Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody's Analytics, said, "This group is key because the top 5 percent of income earners accounts for about one-third of spending, and the top 20 percent accounts for close to 60 percent of spending.That was key to why we suffered such a bad recession — their spending fell very sharply.” These statistics seem optimistic, but I hope that in the near future other stores can recover as well.

Clifford, Stephanie. "Even Marked Up, Luxury Goods Fly Off Shelves". //New York Times//. 2 August 2011. Web.

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~Week of August 8, 2011~

1) National News -Video Intensifies Interest in a Mississippi Killing-

Although at first, James C. Anderson's death appeared to be a hit and run, closer inspection reveals that he might have been targeted because of his race. For instance, Robert Shuler Smith, the Hinds County district attorney, believes that a group of white teeenagers targeted Jackson because he was an African American. One witness claimed that he heard the boys yelling "white power" while laughing and bragging about their action. I was shocked when I saw this article because it noted the intense racial tensions within this area. In addition this article noted that it was some type of "teen culture", meaning that these practices are almost "accepted" in a way. These teens committed a terrible crime and I feel terribly sorry for that man and his family. I hope the administration can do something about this incident so something like it will not occur again.

Severson, Kim. "Video Intensifies Interest in a Mississippi Killing". //New York Times//. 8 August 2011. Web.

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2) International News -Rioting Widens in London on 3rd Night of Unrest-

Lately rioting and unrest has been occurring in big cities in Britain, such as London, Birmingham, and Liverpool. These riots and destructive fires have been one of the biggest social outbreaks in Britain in the last 25 years. These incidents have arised from the severe economic situation in addition with Prime Minister Cameron's cuts on many social programs. Additionally, with the Summer Olympics of 2012 coming up in Britain, the administration will have to find a way to calm these outbreaks in order to convince the Olympic officials that it will be safe. With so little time, I wonder how Britain will be able to fix all of these troubles to prove to the Olympic counsel. Although it is terrible that the people have to result to violence, I think these incidents are an indication of the desperate situation for those British citizens. In order to quell these issues, I think that the British government will have to give in to some of their demands.

Burns, John. "Rioting Widens in London on 3rd Night of Unrest". //New York Times//. 9 August 2011. Web.

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3) Economic News -U.S. Seeks Ideas on Renting Out Foreclosed Property-

The U.S administration was thinking of proposing the idea of renting its "storage" of foreclosed homes. This idea stemmed from the fact how houses were slowly being sold and how there was not much construction.Timothy F. Geithner, the Treasury secretary, said, “Exploring new options for selling these foreclosed properties will help expand access to affordable rental housing, promote private investment in local housing markets and support neighborhood and home price stability." If this proposition is accepted, as a result, there should be opportunities for more jobs and affordable rental housing. Personally, I think this could be a good idea. Although I'm not sure how this idea could affect the future, it currently seems like a good idea to create more jobs and benefit many people.

Wyatt, Edward. "U.S. Seeks Ideas on Renting Out Foreclosed Property". //New York Times//. 10 August 2011. Web.

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~Week of August 15, 2011~

1) International News -Contractors Are Accused in Large-Scale Theft of Food Aid in Somalia-

One rising problem in Somalia are food aid thefts by business groups. Currently the United Nations World Foods Program is looking into these thefts and trying to figure out a possible solution for this situation. Due to the mass amount of chaos and violence in Somalia, many people believe that only a few of the aid kits and supplies are truly sent to the people who need it. People have come up with several methods to combat this problem. For instance, instead of giving out large supplies, they can give individual portions at special centers. Another solution was to deliver the food by airlift. Predictions of this grave situation include how the famine in south Somalia will begin to spread because this drought is one of the worst in the past sixty years. Personally I think it is terrible how these groups are stealing the aid from these impoverished people just so they can make a profit and become wealthy. These people are commiting cruel and malicious acts towards their own people. I'm glad that there are efforts to try to stop these crimes and I hope that the people of Somali can receive their aid packets.

Gettleman, Jeffrey. "Contractors Are Accused in Large-Scale Theft of Food Aid in Somalia". //New York Times//. 16 August 2011. Web.

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2) National News -New York Moves to Crack Down on Abuse of Disabled-

Currently the New York government has been working towards enforcing laws for the abuse of developmentally disabled people. For the numerous past years, the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities has been completely depending on itself and even had to resists disclosure. The problem was that the agency was not report instances where the disabled were abused, thus sparking the change in enforcing a new law to fire those who do not report criminal activity. As Governor Andrew M. Cuomo said, “Government programs operate effectively and provide better services for taxpayers when they work together,” adding how he hoped that this new law would “strengthen care and protections for individuals with developmental disabilities.” Additionally other action that will be taken includes labor agreements and trained recruits who know how to communicate with the disabled. Personally, I think this is a great step towards equality. It seems that the N.Y administration is really motivated to set forth these new actions to protect the rights of the disabled.

Hakim, Danny. "New York Moves to Crack Down on Abuse of Disabled". //New York Times//. 17 August 2011. Web.

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3) Economic News -Bank of America Plans Big Layoffs to Cut Costs-

In the near future, Bank of America is planning to cut 3,500 jobs in order to reduce costs. Due to how the stocks fell by 50%, Brian T. Moynihan, chief executive of the bank, is trying to cut expenses by $1.5 billion. Additionally, further job cuts have been totaled to about 10,000 in the following month. Other statistics include how the shares of Bank of America fell from $15 to $7.50. I was shocked at the huge numbers of jobs that would be lost. Not only would the families directly impacted from this decision would have some hard times, in the long run, the economy will suffer as well. Although I understand that Bank of America needs to stay competitive and carefully manage their funds, these huge number of cuts is quite harsh. I hope that other companies won't follow its example and that those who were cut will find another job to replace it soon.

Schwartz, Nelson. "Bank of America Plans Big Layoffs to Cut Costs". //New York Times//. 19 August 2011. Web.

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~Week of August 22, 2011~

1) International News -Suicide Bombers Escalate Assaults on Afghanistan-

In south Afghanistan, suicide bombers had three assaults in the Helmand and Kandahar Provinces. Seven civilians were dead and many were wounded as a result of these conflicts. Aizatullah, a local police officer, said “I saw bodies of police, soldiers and civilians bleeding and screaming everywhere,” describing the violence and chaos in this area. There have been several instances of suicide bombers and steadily increasing amount of deaths and wounded civilians. Statistics include, in a six month period 1,462 were killed, a 15% increase from 2010. It's terrible for these innocent bystanders to be pulled in such a bloody and dark conflict. The fact that these groups are actually targeting the innocent makes it even more depressing. I worry for their safety and I hope that the Afghan administration can find a way to prevent all these deaths.

Rivera, Ray. "Suicide Bombers Escalate Assaults on Afghanistan". //New York Times//. 28 August 2011. Web

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2) National News -With Katrina in Mind, Obama Administration Says It’s Ready for Irene-

From the past experience of being unprepared to face Hurricane Katrina, the Obama adminstration assured that if any countries severely affected by Hurricane Irene needed help, then they would be ready to give any aid necessary. In preparation for the Irene, the federal administration had monitors stationed in order to track the weather and disaster response teams scattered across the coastal states. Many organizations, such as the Red Cross even had emergency response teams ready to dispatch and help victims of Irene. The impact is supposed to be serious enough to cause severe flooding. I'm glad that the government has taken this matter seriously and how everyone is working together to try help the people affected by Irene. I hope that these preparations will be enough to keep people as safe as possible.

Lipton, Eric. "With Katrina in Mind, Obama Administration Says It’s Ready for Irene". //New York Times//. 28 August 2011. Web.

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3) Economic News -U.S. Economy Grew Slower in Spring Than Previously Reported-

Currently, the U.S. Economy grew an annual rate of 1%, which was slower than the estimation by economists. This decreasing rate means that the economy could possibly have another recession. As economists stated as part of their reasoning, "Nine of the last 11 recessions since World War II have been preceded by a period of growth of 1 percent or less". Despite the slower rate, many economists still believe that the economy will eventually grow to 1.5% to 2% in the near future. These statistics do not seem to optimistic, but I really hope that the economy will be able to fufill that growth prediction. If America were to fall into another recession, it would be tough to recover.

"U.S. Economy Grew Slower in Spring Than Previously Reported". //New York Times//. 26 August 2011. Web.

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__Reactions__ __﻿__ //June 27th 2011// //﻿// In reaction to Emily’s article about guns’ rights for mental patients, I do understand how cautious the judges need to be with this situation. However, for some reason, I agree with her how the judges are not taking this situation seriously. Although it is safe to just ban people, in order to give everyone equal rights, I believe that in order to give someone the right to possessing arms, they must have a thorough background check.

//July 4th 2011// //﻿// In reaction to Julia’s article, I agree with her on her thoughts about the Afghan bombing. Why must the Taliban bring innocent, let alone their own people, into this violence? It was a good thing that NATO intervened before anymore violence could occur for that moment. Many people in Afghanistan must live in constant terror and fright.

//July 11th, 2011// //﻿// In reaction to Danielle’s article about the new Australian law, I agree with her opinion for how it is fair for Muslim women to remove their face veil to be checked if necessary. Although I do understand that this is a religious custom, it is for the sake of protection and security. In addition, the law still permits them to wear their face veil, so in reality, it is only a precautious measure.

//July 18th, 2011// //﻿// In reaction to Caroline’s article about the attack in Norway, it was shocking to hear how almost a hundred people died from this explosion. I hope the police finish their investigation as to what the reasons for attack were, so that future ones can be prevented. I also agree with Caroline’s point how Norway will need to change its system to combat crime so it can be more effective.

//July 25th, 2011// //﻿// In reaction to Catherine’s article about FAA distributing licenses, it was strange to hear how people would lie about their licenses. It makes me wonder what they’re trying to hide or even their motives for doing so. It goes to show how this organization needs to work on security to prevent any dangerous individuals from boarding our planes.

//August 1st, 2011// //﻿// In reaction to Delaney’s article about the kidnappings in China, it was terrible to hear that officials would steal babies and sell them for profit. The fact that the Chinese government allowed this to happen is unbelievable! Babies that could be put up for adoption in places, like America, could have been victims of trafficking. I hope that the administration will do something to address this situation soon.

//August 8th, 2011// //﻿// In reaction to Katherine’s article about stocks, it’s disheartening to see the stocks have big decreases. The fact how the U.S keeps falling in recessions is not pleasant and I wonder how we can recover if we keep doing so. Not only is it happening in America, but worldwide as well, noting the distressing situation for many.

//August 15th, 2011// //﻿// In reaction to Katie’s article about the deportation, I think that it’s a good idea to individualize each situation because every family is different. I think that this way it gives a more humane way to deal with this issue. Although it may take more time and resources, I hope that the administration can perform their duties fairly and cautiously.

//August 22nd, 2011// //﻿// In reaction to Laura’s article about forced medication, I think that this is one of those rare circumstances when it is alright to do so. Although he is a murderer, I don’t think that gives us the right to deprive him something this important. Perhaps the medication is a contributing factor as to why he did the shooting. Nonetheless, I don’t think that it means that he shouldn’t have any punishment due to this reason.