Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Final post
I've loved my Senior Year. I'm soooooooo looking forward to going away to college. Yearbooks are a great excuse to use when experimenting with acronyms (such as HAWS, DIAG, and others that have yet to come) of the most ridiculous varieties. Though to be quite frank I really don't have much left to say on paper (I fully blame having to write the letter to myself earlier) other than it's been a blast and new adventures await.
Political Science Internship
The work can vary in levels depending on what office a person is working at, but I learned a lot about myself and the work environment through my internship. I even recognized it in my last journal entry and went on an extensive rant about what interns for the National Peace Corps Association should know along with general friendly advice to help whichever future intern find their way instead of floundering the way I sometimes did. Though I probably learned as much, if not more, from my mistakes than from my success I always felt that the best method was to learn from your elders' past mistakes and then make new ones.
Procrastination
I don't care how much is going on throughout the year or what is only going to be happening for an extremely limited time only. Procrastination is not the answer to time management issues. It will only grow stronger and more cleaver the longer it is left alone. In order to properly deal with this wretched beast a person must swiftly and precisely cut it away from all access to distractions and other work. Understandable, procrastination is a cruel and vicious enemy but don't let that stop you from eliminating that bad habit.
Political Polarization
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/politics-is-the-great-divider-in-united-states/2012/06/04/gJQALpKSEV_story.html
This article was all about how recently American politics has become extremely polarized. Due to both the Democratic and the Republican parties re-evaluating their principles and heading their separate ways. This is part of why most legislature in Washington has been trapped in the partisan gridlock.
I enjoyed reading the article I picked at random. I also was able to read it clearly so I'd lable it a success.
This article was all about how recently American politics has become extremely polarized. Due to both the Democratic and the Republican parties re-evaluating their principles and heading their separate ways. This is part of why most legislature in Washington has been trapped in the partisan gridlock.
I enjoyed reading the article I picked at random. I also was able to read it clearly so I'd lable it a success.
Progress on dealing with Student Loans
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/white-house-rejects-gop-student-loan-proposals/2012/06/05/gJQAeRR8GV_story.html
Gridlock has frozen the progress of congress's ability to deal with student loans. Sadly, this gridlock appears to be a complete partisan issue rather than a matter of principles. This is shown by how Republicans and Democrats have meeting to discuss how the student loans could be managed and most of the suggestions erred on the side of ridiculous.
I feel that the article was well written. I found this one by browsing the main list on the website.I enjoyed reading the article.
Gridlock has frozen the progress of congress's ability to deal with student loans. Sadly, this gridlock appears to be a complete partisan issue rather than a matter of principles. This is shown by how Republicans and Democrats have meeting to discuss how the student loans could be managed and most of the suggestions erred on the side of ridiculous.
I feel that the article was well written. I found this one by browsing the main list on the website.I enjoyed reading the article.
Michael O. Leavitt, Romney, and Health Care
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/04/conservatives-attack-romneys-choice-to-lead-transition/?ref=todayspaper
Essentially this article is all about how Mr. Leavitt's involvement with the Health Care plan Obama has been working on is an indication of presidential candidate Mitt Romney's true views on the issue. Members of the right are afraid that Romney has no intention of fulfilling his campaign promises and will focus on doing what they don't want anyway.
I chose this article because I was curious on why Romney's running mate would be in the news. I was pleasantly surprised when I found out that the article beautifully covered the important points of Mr. Leavitt's involvement with the Health Care plan and tie in how that past involvement could become an issue for Romney. I really enjoyed this article.
Essentially this article is all about how Mr. Leavitt's involvement with the Health Care plan Obama has been working on is an indication of presidential candidate Mitt Romney's true views on the issue. Members of the right are afraid that Romney has no intention of fulfilling his campaign promises and will focus on doing what they don't want anyway.
I chose this article because I was curious on why Romney's running mate would be in the news. I was pleasantly surprised when I found out that the article beautifully covered the important points of Mr. Leavitt's involvement with the Health Care plan and tie in how that past involvement could become an issue for Romney. I really enjoyed this article.
Supreme Court makes Serious Precedents
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/05/us/secret-service-agents-cant-be-sued-justices-rule.html?ref=todayspaper
The United States' Supreme Court has had two cases involving the bill of rights. The main case covered in the article was a man claiming "his free speech rights had been violated when Secret Service agents arrested him after he made critical remarks about the Bush administration’s war policies." This case ruled against the prosecutor due to evidence pointing out that the secret service had just cause to believe that he could be a danger to whomever they were protecting. This is important because this precedent shows how our current supreme court values safety over security and that mindset will likely be a deciding factor in later cases should a bill whose focus is safety, but which also has questionable limitations on individual or group freedoms, is brought forth before the court.
I chose this article because I haven't heard about the Supreme Court for a while and I was curious. I honestly didn't notice how well or poorly the article was written, though I would have appreciated a better run down of the court case. I did enjoy reading about what the Supreme Court has been up to though.
Friday, March 30, 2012
Is the Chinese Government Supporting a Campaign?
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/30/technology/hacking-in-asia-is-linked-to-chinese-ex-graduate-student.html?ref=asia
Japanese, Tibeten, and Indian computers are all getting hacked. The source of these hackings appears to be in China. If these people are supported, but not affliated with, the Chinese government then this is a campaign. In which case China is using hackers to mess with and gather information from Japan, Tibet, and India on a large scale and aren't looking to get caught. Considering that China is going to change leaders soon, an operation like this could be testing the waters and figuring out how these countries would react to something that the Chinese have planned, but beyond that I'm clueless to what they could possibily gain through this menevure.
Japanese, Tibeten, and Indian computers are all getting hacked. The source of these hackings appears to be in China. If these people are supported, but not affliated with, the Chinese government then this is a campaign. In which case China is using hackers to mess with and gather information from Japan, Tibet, and India on a large scale and aren't looking to get caught. Considering that China is going to change leaders soon, an operation like this could be testing the waters and figuring out how these countries would react to something that the Chinese have planned, but beyond that I'm clueless to what they could possibily gain through this menevure.
Iran Has Ninjas. And a Headline Error Might End Them.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/30/world/middleeast/iran-suspends-reuters-journalists-over-a-faulty-headline.html?ref=middleeast
Iran has always had control over it's media, sometimes the grip is tighter than others but its always been there. So it's not a surprise that if someone prints something that the government feels is a risk to security or if the content is a risk, they'll deal with the problem. There's not a lot that can geniunely scare a polition more than finding out that there are assassins in their backyard that they never knew about. Even as a misprint, Rueter's news report has marked Irans female practitioners of ninjitsu as a target. These women are now angry about the misprint because it may very well lead trouble straight to their doorsteps. If there ever was a story about the danger in not having your civil liberties openly guarded this would be one. It really makes me glad that the U.S. is stingy about protecting our constitutional rights.
Iran has always had control over it's media, sometimes the grip is tighter than others but its always been there. So it's not a surprise that if someone prints something that the government feels is a risk to security or if the content is a risk, they'll deal with the problem. There's not a lot that can geniunely scare a polition more than finding out that there are assassins in their backyard that they never knew about. Even as a misprint, Rueter's news report has marked Irans female practitioners of ninjitsu as a target. These women are now angry about the misprint because it may very well lead trouble straight to their doorsteps. If there ever was a story about the danger in not having your civil liberties openly guarded this would be one. It really makes me glad that the U.S. is stingy about protecting our constitutional rights.
China and U.S. Both Work for Myamar's Favor
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/31/world/asia/myanmar-reforms-set-us-and-china-in-race-for-sway.html?ref=asia
Myanmar is located between China and the Indian Ocean and until recently was a dictatorship with a great relationship with China and an extremely poor one with the U.S. Now however, Myanmar is a democracy who is swiftly improving their relationship with us. China sees this as us trying to steal their influence in Myanmar and even blammed the failure of getting the damn project accepted by Myanmar (who didn't feel support from the project on their own) on the United States diplomatic policies with Myanmar. I have a feeling that China's certainty that the U.S. is only interested in Myanmar because Myanmar is next to China, their determination to try and diplomatical shove the U.S. out, and Myanmar's desire to improve relations with the U.S. will all mix together and make for some chilling diplomatic talks over the next few weeks that will only grow colder with time.
Myanmar is located between China and the Indian Ocean and until recently was a dictatorship with a great relationship with China and an extremely poor one with the U.S. Now however, Myanmar is a democracy who is swiftly improving their relationship with us. China sees this as us trying to steal their influence in Myanmar and even blammed the failure of getting the damn project accepted by Myanmar (who didn't feel support from the project on their own) on the United States diplomatic policies with Myanmar. I have a feeling that China's certainty that the U.S. is only interested in Myanmar because Myanmar is next to China, their determination to try and diplomatical shove the U.S. out, and Myanmar's desire to improve relations with the U.S. will all mix together and make for some chilling diplomatic talks over the next few weeks that will only grow colder with time.
Will Iran's Nuclear Facilities Lead to War?
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/30/world/middleeast/hard-line-on-iran-places-white-house-in-a-bind.html?ref=middleeast
Iran has been building nuclear facilities. The U.S. has made it clear that they need negotiate their nuclear program, but in making are stance clear we might be lead into military conflict. The rest of the article goes on to discuss the trials being brought up with diplomatic negotiations. This includes balancing on the fine line between making sure that Iran understands that we will follow through with action and threatening Iran with armed conflict. Honesstly, I'm simply glad that's a line I don't have to walk. We don't want Iran to continue expanding their nuclear program, but if we're not careful they will draw us into another armed conflict that we don't want. All I can say is best of luck to our diplomats.
Iran has been building nuclear facilities. The U.S. has made it clear that they need negotiate their nuclear program, but in making are stance clear we might be lead into military conflict. The rest of the article goes on to discuss the trials being brought up with diplomatic negotiations. This includes balancing on the fine line between making sure that Iran understands that we will follow through with action and threatening Iran with armed conflict. Honesstly, I'm simply glad that's a line I don't have to walk. We don't want Iran to continue expanding their nuclear program, but if we're not careful they will draw us into another armed conflict that we don't want. All I can say is best of luck to our diplomats.
Discent in China
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/30/world/asia/chinas-leaders-seek-unity-after-ouster-of-bo-xilai.html?ref=asia
China has always been a country that emphasized the importance of country unity and self-sacrifice. So it's unsurprising that any open (or even just noticable outside of China) discent in China is immediatley noticed and commented on. Mr. Bo, a high ranking Chinese official, cast a dessenting vote within the Politburo. Since then he's been put under an investigation, house arrest, and essentially replaced. In other words, the Chiness government does not appriciate open disagreement. This is probably going to smooth itself over and fade into the background to be picked apart at a latter point in time when dissent in china has gone past the point of no return.
China has always been a country that emphasized the importance of country unity and self-sacrifice. So it's unsurprising that any open (or even just noticable outside of China) discent in China is immediatley noticed and commented on. Mr. Bo, a high ranking Chinese official, cast a dessenting vote within the Politburo. Since then he's been put under an investigation, house arrest, and essentially replaced. In other words, the Chiness government does not appriciate open disagreement. This is probably going to smooth itself over and fade into the background to be picked apart at a latter point in time when dissent in china has gone past the point of no return.
Russian Police get a make over
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/29/world/europe/russia-jolted-into-action-on-police-brutality.html?ref=europe
So as a quick backstory of the Russian police, they are notorious for brutality and abuse. Yet the Russian government never bothered to deter the police force from their horrible brutality. Instead the government would look the other way while their police force raped and beat answers out of civilians. The only reason that any of this might change is because Sergei Nazarov told the paramedic of his abuse before dying. Now activists everywhere are using this tradgey to pave the way to a more controlled Russian police force.After Sergei Nazarov died dozens of cases of suspected police brutality have been opened, the Russian federal government isn't tolerating any excuses for brutality, and activists across the nation are working together to keep the ball rolling. I honestly think that it's an important step forward, but that it will be meaningless if the activists don't keep the pressure on the Russian government to continue with the reforms. Though if they do keep it up I wouldn't be surprised if Russia kept the change, Russia has made sudden complete changes pretty much overnight.
So as a quick backstory of the Russian police, they are notorious for brutality and abuse. Yet the Russian government never bothered to deter the police force from their horrible brutality. Instead the government would look the other way while their police force raped and beat answers out of civilians. The only reason that any of this might change is because Sergei Nazarov told the paramedic of his abuse before dying. Now activists everywhere are using this tradgey to pave the way to a more controlled Russian police force.After Sergei Nazarov died dozens of cases of suspected police brutality have been opened, the Russian federal government isn't tolerating any excuses for brutality, and activists across the nation are working together to keep the ball rolling. I honestly think that it's an important step forward, but that it will be meaningless if the activists don't keep the pressure on the Russian government to continue with the reforms. Though if they do keep it up I wouldn't be surprised if Russia kept the change, Russia has made sudden complete changes pretty much overnight.
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