Week 16: "Saudi Women Shatter the Lingerie Ceiling" - NY Times

1. Women in Saudi Arabia are finally being able to sell lingerie and cosmetics in retail shops.
2. Gives more concrete women's rights to Saudi women, who are usually restricted by Shari'a law and religious police. 
3. Because of the increasing number of women in Saudi Arabia who are getting educated, the government is realizing the effect of their economic output on the country's economy as a whole if they hold jobs. 
4. This may lead to more freedoms for Saudi women, such as the ability to drive in Saudi Arabia without a male escort or hold a variety of jobs. 

This relates to me because of its impact on women's rights as a whole. Although the prospects for completely equal rights has increased over the past 100 years, the progress in the Middle East regarding women's rights has been significantly less than the progress in Western countries. However, because of the increased need for Middle Eastern countries to become involved in the Western economy, many Middle Eastern countries are acquiescing and allowing more rights to be had for women in their country. This does indicate more progress, but the gap between women's rights in Western countries and women's rights in Middle Eastern countries is still very large. 

Source: Lippman, Thomas W. "Saudi Women Shatter the Lingerie Ceiling." New York Times. 21 Jan 2012: n. page. Web. 12 Feb. 2012.<http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/22/opinion/sunday/saudi-women-break-a-barrier-the-right-to-sell-lingerie.html?ref=middleeast>. 

Week 15: "The True Cost of High School Dropouts" - NY Times

1. The amount of high-school-age kids dropping out of high school is a growing problem in the USA. 
2. A high-school graduate is more likely to pursue a higher-education degree and therefore end up making significantly more income throughout their life.
3. Every high-school graduate benefits taxpayers with an extra $127,000 over their lifetime, and has a 50-100% increase in lifetime income compared to an adult who didn't graduate from high-school.
4. Our economic competitors, in Europe and Asia particularly, are increasing their number of high school graduates while the US' number of high school graduates is dropping - this will negatively affect our economy. 

As a high school student, this issue heavily impacts my life. Although I know that I will not be dropping out of high school, I understand that this is a very prevalent issue in the US, especially in poorer areas. The state of our future economy is also influenced by the amount of money many American citizens are making in relation to the rest of the world; therefore, it is also influenced by the number of high-school graduates the US is responsible for (because high-school graduation has such an impact on a person's lifetime income). This article also serves as way to highlight the importance of education in America, and how the failing of the American education system will do nothing to help the future of the country.

Source: Levin, Henry M., and Cecilia E. Rouse. "The True Cost of High School Dropouts." New York Times. 25 Jan 2012: n. page. Web. 5 Feb. 2012. <http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/26/opinion/the-true-cost-of-high-school-dropouts.html?_r=1&ref=contributors>.

Week 14: "The lasting impact of good teachers" - CNN

1. A good teacher in a student's life substantially impacts the student's later life by way increasing the chance that the student attends college, earns more money, and avoids teenage pregnancy.
2. A study conducted by Raj Chetty, John N. Friedman, and Jonah E. Rockoff evaluated teachers by using the 'value added' method - the average improvement that a student of a specific teacher has throughout the course of a year. 
3. The difference between a low VA teacher and a high VA teacher's presence in a student's life can amount to a sizable sum - up to $2.5 million dollars lost/gained.
4. Teachers are the second most influential people in a child's life, next to a child's parents.

As a student who has had her share of good and bad teachers, it is interesting to learn about the impact that a teacher can have on a student - not just during the school year, but decades after graduation. This only adds importance to educational professions, which are usually underrated. The relevance of teachers in society and the influence that they have on the success of a country and the future of the world is higher than most think.

Source: Bennett, William J. "The lasting impact of good teachers."CNNOpinion. 11 Jan 2012: n. page. Web. 22 Jan. 2012. <http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/11/opinion/bennett-good-teachers/index.html?hpt=op_bn4>.

Week 13: Synthesis - How Thomas L. Friedman Views Society

By observing his column for about a month, one can see that Tom Friedman views society through a largely liberal lens and is particularly interested in international current events, and the impact that these events will have on the future of the world and the future of the US. His ardent support of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and its efforts to work with the Department of Transportation to increase the average mileage made by all cars manufactured by US automakers shows his concern for the state of the current environment, and how he believes that the government should intervene in order to encourage a more 'green' America. This belief is shared by mostly liberals, because many conservatives believe that the US government has no right to 'restrict' private businesses with deals like the one in process between the EPA and the Dept. of Transportation. Tom Friedman also displays a concern for the world as a whole and shows how his views are not always US-centric by discussing the protests in Syria in his column. He discusses the impact that the protests in Syria will have on the stability of it's government, and the potential impact that this could have on the rest of the Middle East (and maybe even the USA). 

Week 12: The Next First (and Only) 100 Days - Thomas L. Friedman, NY Times

This week, Tom Friedman's column discusses the concept of 'The First 100 Days', and the conflicts that the next President will need to address (and hopefully solve) in the next 'First 100 Days'. First off, Tom Friedman mentions the gargantuan job crisis on which the future President will have to focus. He categorizes this crisis into three sub-crises: the crisis that resulted from the drop in consumer demand for goods/services, the crisis that resulted from citizens in long-term unemployment, and the crisis that resulted from I.T. job relocation to countries like India and China. By doing this, Friedman emphasizes the scope and scale of the crisis, and how difficult the resolution of this mega-crisis will be for the next President. To help alleviate this crisis, Friedman suggests the implementation of a short-term stimulus that expands the job markets of the future middle class, which no longer has the jobs in manufacturing American goods to depend upon. He calls upon President Obama and any future Presidents to implement a stimulus focused on 'jobs of the future' and the growth of hubs and networked urban areas.

Source: Friedman, Thomas L. "The Next First (and Only) 100 Days." New York Times. 10 Dec 2011: n. page. Web. 10 Dec. 2011. <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/11/opinion/sunday/friedman-the-next-first-and-only-100-days.html?ref=thomaslfriedman>.

Week 11: "This Is a Big Deal" - Thomas L. Friedman, NY Times

This week, Tom Friedman's column discusses the potential impact of the deal between the E.P.A and the Department of Transportation. This deal calls for annual mileage improvements of 5 percent for cars (and about 5 percent for light trucks and S.U.V.'s) until 2025. It also requires that all automobiles made by U.S. automakers must reach an average mileage of 54.5 mpg in 2025. Tom Friedman applauds this step towards making the U.S. more environmentally friendly and the U.S. cars significantly more efficient. He also emphasizes the impact that this deal will have on the U.S.'s energy and environmental agendas, and how this deal will shine a positive light on President Obama (because of his support). Tom Friedman references different  organizations, such as the Global Automakers trade association and the Safe Climate Campaign of the Center for Auto Safety to highlight the positive results this deal encourages. He criticizes the conservatives who are against this deal, emphasizing the negative impact that their anti-E.P.A. efforts had on the US economy and auto industry and sarcastically claiming that their efforts are, "a thing to be proud of."

Source: Friedman, Thomas L. "This Is a Big Deal." New York Times. 04 Dec 2011: n. page. Web. 4 Dec. 2011. <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/04/opinion/sunday/friedman-this-is-a-big-deal.html?ref=thomaslfriedman>.

Week 10: "In the Arab World, It’s the Past vs. the Future" - Thomas L. Friedman, NY Times

This week, Tom Friedman's column discusses the situation in Syria (as well as the slew of democratic uprisings in the Middle East). Tom Friedman says that while he deeply admires what the Syrians are protesting against and the bravery they are showing, he is worried that the longer the fighting and protesting is seen in Syria the less likely it is that a stable democratic government will be implemented. The prospect of a civil war in Syria not only promises a bleak future for the country, but it also negatively impacts the surrounding countries, which house many of the same sects and religious groups that Syria contains. He also emphasizes that the 'battle' the Syrians are fighting is quite literally an 'old vs. young'/'modernity vs. tradition'/'lexus vs. olive tree' battle - with the youth fighting for modernity and true democracy - and that we should support them.

Source: Friedman, Thomas L. "In the Arab World, It’s the Past vs. the Future." New York Times. 26 Nov 2011: n. page. Web. 26 Nov. 2011. <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/27/opinion/sunday/Friedman-in-the-arab-world-its-the-past-vs-the-future.html?ref=thomaslfriedman>.

Week 9: My Opinion

I personally believe that the Occupy Wall Street protests are justified. I agree with both Paul Krugman from the NY Times and Roland Martin from CNN in saying that the Occupy Wall Street protesters are protesting against the corporate greed of Wall Street and the unfair imbalance in the tax system. I agree with their statements that it is unfair how many of the top corporations of Wall Street are paying minimal taxes while the 99% of the population that is not in that elite category can barely afford to live. Unlike what the Washington Examiner is saying, I don't believe that the protesters are protesting against the freedom and liberty that made the US what it is today - in fact, I think that the are protesting for freedom and liberty and are emulating the dissenters that helped fundamentally shape the US into a relatively successful state. I also believe that many Republican politicians, Rightist supporters, and Wall Street moguls are blowing these peaceful protests out of proportion and reacting with false accusations and generalizations to suppress any criticism of the 1%. 

Week 8: "Panic of the Plutocrats" - NY Times

1. Republican politicians are over-exaggerating the Occupy protests, when in fact the behavior of the Occupy protesters are not as extreme as the behavior of the Tea Party protesters in 2009. 
2. Well-off Americans are responding to these Occupy protests with a sort of hysteria, because the system is rigged towards them and they don't want that to change. 
3. Anyone trying to financially reform the American economic system to allow for more equality (such as Barack Obama and Elizabeth Warren) are deemed as socialist and get a bad reputation from the 'defenders of the wealthy'. 
4. The Wall Street moguls realize how their position in this whole scheme really has no defense, so they frantically try to suppress any kind of criticism of their un-American doings. 

Source: Krugman, Paul. "Panic of the Plutocrats."New York Times. 09 Oct 2011: n. page. Web. 30 Oct. 2011. <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/10/opinion/panic-of-the-plutocrats.html?_r=2&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss>.

Week 7: "Occupy Wall Street is more of the Left's familiar flapdoodle." - Washington Examiner

1. The views promoted by Occupy Wall Street don't consist of any new ideas.
2. They are protesting against the individual freedom that has made the USA what it is today - a prosperous and free country.
3. Occupy Wall Street is promulgating the same concepts that were supported by past Leftist movements in the Great Depression Era and the 1960's.

Source: "Occupy Wall Street is more of the Left's familiar flapdoodle." Washington Examiner. 10 Oct 2011: n. page. Web. 22 Oct. 2011. <http://washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/2011/10/occupy-wall-street-more-lefts-familiar-flapdoodle>.

Week 6: "Occupy Wall Street Goes Global" - TIME

1. The camera placement behind the police makes the viewer feel protected and paints the protesters in a bad light.
2. The light shed on the protesters makes them the focus of the picture. and literally highlights their presence in the photo.
3. The sheer number of protesters compared with the two police officers in the picture makes it seem like the protesters are encroaching on the police's territory and authority.

Source: "Occupy Wall Street Goes Global." Photograph. TIMEPhotos. Mary Altaffer. TIME, 2011. Web. 16 Oct 2011. <http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,2094925_2317871,00.html>.

Week 5: "New York City Attempts to Remove Occupy Wall Street Protesters from Park Encampment" - National Post

1. The lack of photographic focus on the NYPD rids them of individual identities and labels them as a single faceless force, not a department made up of many individuals.
2. The focus on the peace hand-signs made by the subject makes the subject seem harmless and peaceful, and also provides a parallel to 1960's USA and hippie protests.
3. The black/navy blue/white chromatic scale of the road and NYPD in front of the subject sharply contrasts with his red beanie hat, which also mimics the red light of a traffic signal or a 'STOP' sign. 

Source: "New York City Attempts to Remove Occupy Wall Street Protesters from Park Encampment." Photograph. Photos: Fourteen arrested while “Occupy Wall Street” staves off eviction. Spencer Platt. National Post, 2011. Web. 16 Oct 2011. <http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/10/14/photos-occupy-wall-street/>.

Week 4: "Occupy Wall Street protesters are American patriots" - CNN

1. Some people do not understand that the USA was formed by dissenters, and that the Occupy Wall Street protests are an example of this dissent.
2. The Occupy Wall Street protesters have a right to protest, as mentioned in the Bill of Rights (the freedom to assemble and the freedom of speech).
3. Corporate greed and  the increased pay of Wall Street workers compared to the drastic fall in wages for the 'common worker' is completely unjust. 
4. The Occupy Wall Street protests are trying to make the financial industry's main goal helping the USA on a long-term basis instead of only caring for themselves, not attacking capitalism.

Source: Martin, Roland. "Occupy Wall Street protesters are American patriots."CNNOpinion. 10 Oct 2011: n. page. Web. 16 Oct. 2011. <http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/08/opinion/martin-occupy-wall-street/index.html?hpt=op_bn6>.

Week 3: "In pictures: Life inside Liberia's archaic jails" - BBC

1. The light outside compared to the darkness inside represents that there is a brighter future outside the jail.
2. The bars between the area of light and the darkness inside represents how the jail's inhabitants are prohibited from accessing a brighter future. 
3. The picture's subjects stare at the camera (or the viewer) to represent how they can't do anything and can only wait for someone else to help them.

Source: Frame 3 out of 10, "In pictures: Life inside Liberia's archaic jails." Photograph. BBC News. First Last. 2011. Web. 25 Sep 2011. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14993991>.

Week 2: "Time to raise taxes on the rich" - CNN

• Worker productivity in the USA has been rising, along with the wages for the top 1% of Americans, but the wages for the rest of the American population have been inert.
• Almost 75% of Americans support raising taxes on the rich, including Republican voters.
• In the past, America has cut the taxes on the rich and expected it to help the economy again and again, but to no avail. 
• The actual tax rate that big businesses and corporations pay is now the lowest in several generations, and lower than what middle-class Americans paid in 2007.

Source:
Kohn, Sally. "Time to raise taxes on the rich."CNN. N.p., 14 Sep 2011. Web. 18 Sep 2011. <http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/14/opinion/kohn-tax-the-rich/index.html?hpt=op_bn6>.

Week 1: "Delhi bomb: Indian group 'may be behind' court attack" - BBC

The investigation following Wednesday's bombing in New Delhi, India, has led to the conclusion that the attack may have been the work of militants based  in India. So far, two militant groups, Harkat-ul Jihad al-Islami (Huji) and the Indian Mujahideen claim to be behind the attacks. Although Huji has Pakistani origins and is reportedly linked to Al-Qaeda, the militant group has not been recently active in India. This discovery is encouraging India to work on battling terrorism in India by going after Indian militant groups instead of Pakistani militant groups. Also, the recent bombings in Pune, Mumbai, and Delhi are putting the Indian government under more and more pressure because there are concerns that the government will not be able to handle the increasing threat.

Source:
Majumder, Sanjoy. "Delhi bomb: Indian group 'may be behind' court attack." BBC News. BBC, 09 Sep 2011. Web. 09 Sep 2011. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-14849681>.