Just What is the Fiscal Cliff?

via Council on Foreign Relations

Turn on the TV, log into the Internet; whatever one does, they cannot escape the constant stream of 'up to the minute' news about the fiscal cliff. International websites such as MSN even have a disclaimer above their headlines that reads the date and news, for example, December 27, 2012 as of 4:19 PM. This is almost a way of saying that it is the latest news available and is likely to change at any given moment.

The Fiscal Cliff is certainly out there making headlines, but I wonder if everyone actually knows what it is or if it even exists. As seen in the timeline above, the Council on Foreign Relations has laid out what they believe led to the fiscal cliff- a term used describe a bundle of momentous U.S. federal tax increases and spending cuts that are due to take effect at the end of 2012 and early 2013 (CFR). Analysts everyone claim that in order to avoid certain 'deleterious economic effects' Congress and the president should enact legislation concerning the debt ceiling, tax revenue increases, Medicare and the Affordable Care Act.

I wonder if the fiscal cliff really will occur what the government will do to solve or abate it from happening. To what extent could nothing have been done previously because of  lame-duck legislators or a lack of bipartisanship in the United States government? Please leave your comments below.

Plausible Deniability

Fire safety 'precautions', such as this staircase
(via Agence France-Presse — Getty Images)

I was reading an article in the New York Times over the weekend which really opened my eyes to the downfalls of modern day global markets and the current Industrial Revolution. In Ashulia, Bangladesh, the Tazreen Fashions Factory had a horrific fire that killed over 112 people. Similar to the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire of 1911, what started out as a small flame that could have been contained resulted in an astonishing example of lack of workers' rights and safety.

Going back to the Tazreen fire in Bangladesh, the factory, who mostly employs young men and women, which supplies clothing to many countries around the world, including to the United States company, Walmart, and apparel for the US Armed Forces. After reading the article, which featured "mounds of flammable yarn and fabric illegally stored on the ground floor near electrical generators and iron grilles blocking the windows," I first thought that despite the horrible conditions, they sounded like they were from another time (Yardley).  Didn't the United States and other countries in Europe (such as England) go through an industrial revolution over 200 years ago? Couldn't they have helped companies that they are partnered with go through their industrial 'growing pains'? Instead however, they have decided to deny all association.

According to the article, after the fire, "Walmart, Sears and other retailers made the same startling admission: They say they did not know that Tazreen Fashions was making their clothing" (Yardley). In an effort called, 'plausible deniability', the subject commits wrongdoing yet denies the act of ever considering to or actually implementing. I think these brands are committing this offence and not owning up to their mistake.

Walmart and Sears have since stopped subcontracting work to Tazreen Fashions. Some experts have wondered how a company like Walmart, one of the two biggest buyers in Bangladesh and renowned for its complex global supply system, could have been unaware of the connection. After all, the United States has been through an Industrial Revolution already, and could help their partners work through their struggles, but that would first require the United States brands to acknowledge their association with these new countries.

The DREAM Act- An Update

What is the US's role in the scope
of the whole world?

The Dream Act has been a subject of debate for a long time. What started out as a series of legislation discussed statewide and in National Congress ten years ago to give rights and citizenship to undocumented individuals has become a large group that hopes to expand its goals for the future.

In this week's Huffington Post, an article discussed how the group of 'illegal' immigrants now goes by a platform called 'United We Dream'. They hope that in the future, there will be "comprehensive immigration reform that would help the entire undocumented population, not just those who came to the United States as children," (Foley). The group states that they have been subject to extensive racial profiling and have had to jump through numerous, dangerous and expensive hoops to be considered for citizenship. The perspective legislation would also allow non-American born people to apply for a driver's license, access to health care, safe working conditions and equal protection under the law.

If the United States writes or even passes laws like this, they will be subject to a larger influx of people and the issues that come with them. However, I think the DREAM Act and associated legislation is a positive example of strengthening the economy and culture with new people and fresh ideas. In the same article, 'United We Dream' managing director Cristina Jimenez said that no matter what the United States government decides to do, they are going to have to accept the fact that Latinos are a growing majority in America, and political parties should not be taking this fact lightly. Any fluff legislation, like self-deportation or piecemeal immigration, are not part of the solution. The United States will have to take a bold stance either way and not try an interim solution that may be backless.

How do you think the United States should approach this issue? How does their decision impact the entire world?

The Price of a Quality Education

Harvard University

In America today, a college education has a continually growing importance and a continually growing price tag. Many argue that a degree from the Ivy League schools is becoming virtually impossible for most of America to afford and prosper at.

Just this week, I saw that Harvard University, one of the top schools in a country, is offering a free, extension program online. While the courses, such as Computer Science, Shakespeare and the World Wars, cannot be taken for credit towards a degree, they can regardless be taken. As part of the school's "learning initiative", they want to encourage education all over the country.

I think this sounds like a nice opportunity for those who cannot afford any type of education otherwise. The school also offers evening and online courses for a less expensive price tag for a Bachelor's degree. What do you think? To what extent do you think this program is worth the time of the faculty and its participants even though its not for credit?

Petraeus Scandal: Civil Liberties Under Fire

David Petraeus

Whatever one may think about the recent scandal involving the former C.I.A. director and four-star general, David Petraeus, the most important item to pull out of it is the fact that in attempt to find out more incriminating evidence, the government has violated his civil liberties.

Upon reading an article from The New York Times, I learned that the C.I.A. has violated his personal privacy by going through personal information such as emails and online photographs in an action called 'cyber-stalking'. According to Anthony D. Romero, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union,“This is a textbook example of the blurring of lines between the private and the public.” I agree with Romero: what began as a personal matter between two women and one married man, has become a high-trafficked issue appropriate for the tabloids, and certainly not one to be performed by such a high ranking official. Constitutionly, Petraeus has the right to his own privacy and intimacy. But, the fact that he is who he is in the Central Intelligence Agency and the women who has he has had an affair with, Paula Broadwell, also had high power with her security clearance as his biographer, they are in fact putting themselves out in the open in the public.

I find this issue between the C.I.A. and the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) to be fascinating. To what extent do you think that government officials should be subject to the fine line of public and private accounts? How has this been viewed and used in the past? 

The Public Transportation Debate

Whether it is getting to work, running errands or just getting around, people all over the United States are faced with the choice of transportation: personal or public? A lot of times, personal cars are the object of choice because of convenience and popularity. However, with the price of gas increasing due to pollution and depletion of fossil fuels, the public mode of transportation is becoming more mainstream. In the recent Presidential campaign, both major party candidates discussed how they hoped under their administration the United States would become energy-efficient, ie no longer at the mercy of foreign oil companies. With this in mind, I am surprised that there are not more accommodations and funding provided to increase usage of this communal mode, such as trains, subways and buses.

Growing up in Chicagoland, I have always been very used to using our local train system, the Metra. In today's Chicago Tribune, there was an article about the constant rising of train fares in Metra. According to Metra's new chairman, Brad O'Halloran, Metra will be introducing possible fare increases of up to 10 percent because "Metra customers would rather have regular, small increases that reflect rising costs, than large hikes". I am not sure I agree with this. Although regular, small increases due seem natural because of uncontrollable factors like inflation and usage, I do not think they occur at a steady state. In fact according to the same article, "Metra's Feb. 1 fare hike was the agency's biggest ever. The average increase for most regular riders was about 30 percent." This does not seem to be regular or consistent. In order to become more established and mainstream, Metra, along with other companies must find a middle ground when charging their customers.

I think the way people travel is a clear representation of what their society is really like. In fact, this trend of increasing fares inconsistently is not just in Chicago, but all over the country, including our nation's capital, Washington D.C. According to a Washington Post article, in June, "rail passengers faced average increases of about 5 percent." In reality, this is the third time in five years that the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority had raised its fares. But what I really wonder is, if administrations want people to use public transportation, why don't they make it the fare structure more holistic and self-explanatory?

Hurricane Sandy: What the Public Knows

Hurricane Sandy's predicted route, via
The Washington Post

Despite everything that has been going on this weekend, such as the World Series and the upcoming Presidential election, all anyone seems to be talking about is the upcoming Hurricane Sandy.

What was originally dubbed as a "Frankenstorm" by news sources is now attracting public attention, including newspapers and government officials. In today's Washington Post there were numerous articles about how there is "potential for widespread destruction and disruption for millions" of locals up and down the eastern coast of the United States. In one such article by Paul Schwartzman, Ann E. Marimow and Annie Gowen from The Washington Post, it is mentioned how several public officials, including Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, said "This is a serious, killer storm. People should hunker down and prepare for extended days of power outages and dangerous weather". In response to statements like this, the Washington Post finds that "hordes of anxious shoppers are crowding into supermarkets and supply stores", where no precaution is too small. Area schools have also been shut down through the early part of the new week for safety.

I find that this is a direct contrast to what we have been studying in class about how information is often kept from the public during 'perilous' times. Despite the connotation that we have been studying in class about 'perilous times' being during a war, the United States is in the middle of one, and is under threat of a serious (Category 2 hurricane) tropical storm. During WWI for example, the Committee on Public Information was set up in order to inform the American public of what they needed to know, and nothing more. While this group no longer exists today, I think the US is still wary of what information they make aware to the public and how it is interpreted. After all, allowing too much information about Hurricane Sandy, for example, could cause a mass panic and bad results that would take a long time to recover from.

America's Obsession with the New, and Fear of the Obsolete

The Madison Hotel, Phoenix via
Joshua Lott for The New York Times

The Madison Hotel,
demolished last week

In an age where everything is new and improved, faster the speed of light and gentrified to the point of perfection, the appreciation for old-fashioned life is fading. I read a New York Times article by Fernanda Santos (for the complete article, click here) talking about how even historic relics of America's past, such as Arizona's westward expansion compounds, are being threatened to be destroyed to make way for new and improved developments.

Today, in the age of the Internet, most things can be found online. Due to this, people all around the world can find information and news all at the click of a button. I think this new trend has led to a belief that if one can find it online, there is no point in going to see it with one's own eyes. For example in the context of the above article, if someone were to take a picture of the above tavern used centuries ago by American frontiersmen, then there would be no reason for it to remain standing. In fact, according to the article, in a city, "that prizes what is new, heaps of discarded history [are being crashed to the ground," The Madison Hotel stands in an area near to where the NBA team, the Phoenix Suns, play. Many old buildings in that neighborhood "were demolished to make way for the Sun's arena complex," and at one point, the Madison Hotel itself was at threat for being torn down and used for "extra parking space and two hotels". As you can see on the above right, it was torn down last week for the same reason. Does America value professional sports commercialism over preservation of the past?

Even homes by the world-renowned architect, Frank Lloyd Wright, have been on the chopping block. In exchange for the demolition of the house, "new homes were going to be built on the land". I happen to think that tearing down historic America is a disgrace to those who lived then. When Jim McPherson, the president of the Arizona Preservation Foundation, said, “How do you continue to tell a city’s story if the remnants of its past have all come down?” I think he got it right. What do you think?

Time Management in America

In the modern world of fast moving technology, transportation, and news, people everywhere, especially in America, find it hard to keep up. The clock seems to move faster than possible, and time goes by without looking back. Today, Americans confidently pack their schedules with item after item consistently, but why is it that there never seems to be enough time for it all?

You know the saying, 'time flies by when you're having fun?' I wonder if it still applies. In fact, in modern day America with such busy schedules, it seems that there is no time for fun, just work. In a June 2012 article for the New York Times, Indian correspondent Ariha Setalvad, writes that most educated, American young adults have, "a tendency to be overwhelmed [overworked] and carried away by a new lifestyle. [This] is not unusual." I think young people tend to think that time not spent doing work is unproductive, however sometimes one needs to pencil themselves into their schedule to relax. I find that one is more successful when they are more relaxed.

Another way to prevent stress buildup is to not overwork yourself and manage your time better. In fact, in some Latin America countries and Spain, locals take an afternoon siesta (time of rest) to relax. They take advantage of the time they have for each activity better and as a result, are successful in their own right. I wonder if Americans will ever adopt more tie management strategies into their day-to-day lives. I think it would help productivity in the long run; what do you think?

Gentrification and Word Choice in America

The English language has many words, some of which are vague such as the terms 'good' and 'bad'. The vaguer the word, the broader the scope of things they can describe. This can directly be applied to the classification of neighborhoods.  For example, when someone says that a neighborhood is 'good' or even 'a nice place', what do they really mean?

I guess this view is probably different around the country, but there is a distinct connotation in the minds of those who dwell on the North Shore of Chicago. Although it may be frank, many people define a good neighborhood as somewhere that has wealthy people and fancy homes. If one were to use direct logic, they could say 'good' people live there. But, in a 'nice' neighborhood do nice people really live there? This is not always the case at all.

On the flip side, I've often wondered what is means for a place to be considered a 'bad' neighborhood. While a bad neighborhood be poorer and not as well-maintained as others, it definitely does not contain 100% bad people.

Gentrification also plays a tricky role in this word war. When a city becomes gentrified, I don't think that it necessarily means that bad people and buildings are forced out with the influx of good, nice people, but I also wonder how people can really change (if at all) from being gentrified.

As seen in the image above from the American Gentrifier Magazine's December 2004 issue, some consider to gentrify is to force minority races out and whites in in order to make the neighborhood, 'nicer'. This debate and word war will plague America for a long time, especially since an African American president lives in the White House. What do you think?

Impressions from the Museum of Contemporary Photography

Last week, my AIS class went to the exhibit "Peripheral Views: States of America" at the Museum of Contemporary Photography at Columbia College. In one particular room, a whole wall was dedicated to images depicting locations around the country with the address 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. I think the point of the exhibit was to demonstrate that although these buildings have the same address as the President's White House, they are very different.

The image at left, was one of the less glamorous locations. The caption, which I posted below it, says that it is from Pennsylvania, which seems to make more sense to have this address located in a state by the same name, in contrast to the President's home in Washington, D.C. It's hard to believe that the same address could be home to one of the most recognizable buildings in America and others that are rundown and average.

Buildings represent America, because after all, who lives, works and uses them? American people. For example, if a building looks professional and well taken care of like the White House, the person who lives there probably is too. I don't think enough people realize how average America doesn't have white picket fences, a rose garden and a security team. Other images from the exhibit with the same address showed a church, a mall and a parking lot at the location. I think that if more citizens saw how different areas looked, they would have a greater appreciation for the true United States.

The Court Theatre's Jitney: The Role of Veterans in Society

Earlier this week, I saw Chicago's Court Theatre's production of the August Wilson classic play, Jitney. I really enjoyed the show and live theater in itself is truly amazing and thought provoking. The show highlights nine characters, and two of them are veterans. It takes place in 1977 in the wake of the conclusion of the Vietnam War and previously the Korean War in a non-licensed "jitney" cab station in Pittsburgh.

Two of the main characters, Youngblood and Doub, are both veterans of the Vietnam and Korean Wars, respectively. In one particularly grappling scene, the much younger man, Youngblood, talks to Doub about how his experiences in the war still affect him today and that the government did not care about him or any other African-American soldiers. The wiser, more level-headed Doub, croons to him about his own experiences and how after some time, he learned to move on with his life. He also suggested that Youngblood look at the positives of being a veteran, such as being able to take advantage of the GI bill.

Both characters represent the two parallels of how veterans react to their time in the service. While neither seem to exhibit any PTSD's, many veterans do. The GI bill, which presents veterans with opportunities after they serve (for more information, click here) is definitely something to take advantage of, but many soldiers feel that they do not want to be felt sorry for, like Youngblood. This must see play really demonstrates the role of veterans in today's society and before, to the audience. It is disconcerting to know that veterans have always felt under-appreciated throughout 20th century America.

9/11/12- How Americans View Today Differently

The WTC's, Twin Towers, after the two
planes crashed into them, via Getty

Most Americans remember the events of September 11th, 2001. How America's World Trade Center (WTC) became an 'innocent' target for the terrorist attack seen at left. How the attack evoked two wars that are still we are still affected by today, eleven years later? Maybe no so much.

Today in my AIS class, we talked about how the first and second anniversaries of 9/11 evoked a strong, passionate sense of patriotism in Americans everywhere. Eventually the patriotism cooled down as the effects of two wars began to take its toll on the US. I feel that although the patriotism did 'flare up' again after the 10th anniversary and the earlier assissination of the event's perpetrator's group leader, Osama bin Laden, it went down drastically to the point where it wasn't even mentioned. But I think that Americans don't respect the day as much as they should.

Although I've heard the argument that people die everyday and that day in September of 2001 was no different, I think it was a truly defining moment in twenty-first century American history. It determined how we became involved in two wars and how the relationship between the US and countries in the Middle East, such as Afghanistan, deteriated further from an already tarnished one. (For more information about the past conflicted relationship between the two, click here)

The fact is more American service members have died as a result of the events of September 11th than actually died that day. Although the whole situation is terrible, I think we should try a new solution to solve the conflict and prevent more deaths on both sides.
               Meanwhile I think we should show more thanks to our
                            soldiers deployed and their families.

To learn more, you can visit Operation Gratitude or the USO to see how you can help.

The American Obsession with Social, Public Media

Facebook and Twitter logos

Many critics today label the first decade of the 21st century, "the Information Age". With a consistent rise in technology, advancement after advancement enable more information to reach more people. Included in this information and technology boom are social network media sites that are free and easy to access, such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Some of the most common and frequent visitors and users of these such sites are 100% American. Is this is coincidence or are Americans developing an obsession?

At first, I thought these sites were a waste of time and only celebrities and their crazy obsessed fans would follow what they are doing up to the minute. Surprisingly by about 2008-9, Facebook really took off and according to a 2010 study, 41.6% of Americans had accounts and still use them today. Clearly it is not just a phase!

These networks have also played an important part in popular culture (for example someone could tweet something to #leonardodicaprio and it would show up on his page) Twitter especially has become a medium for political upheavals, ie the Arab Spring, and the current American Presidency campaign. Voters can "hash tag" a favorite candidate to draw more attention to them and their campaign. To learn more about hash tagging, click here.

Whether or not one believes in the process of these social medias, it clearly demonstrates the clear, American trend and obsession of wanting to show off and boast physically what they have. For example, someone may post a picture of them with their new car or manicure etc. Despite the material possessions mentioned, I don't think they have anything to do with the consumer market place. I think it is just once again a forum for Americans, who think they are superior, to show off what they have and brag to the whole worldwide web. What do you think?

How the American Economy and School System Have Become One in the Same

I was watching the Democratic National Convention this week and I noticed that of among many issues and hot topics being discussed, two of the most pressing were the depreciation of America's education system and the recession-plagued American economy. Before today, I thought they represented two completely different things; until I saw an article by Kirk Johnson on the New York Times website called, "School District Bets Future on Real Estate". (For the complete article, click the link above).

The town of Gervais, the topic of this editorial, is located in rural Oregon. What once was a town of farmer families, is now a 'commuter suburb' and has quadrupled in size in the last four years. Because of the financial recession, the town has been forced to cut corners; such as eliminating their arts and music programs and reducing staff size. The most drastic effort to cut costs was to, "put three of the five school buildings in the district — all six miles or more from town, on the market [for sale]." The district superintendent, Rick Hensel, claims that by offering some of the school property on sale for residential contractors or farmland, the town can make bank. Oh, and if it goes well, they plan to do it with more of their schools to the point where they can consolidate the district, K-12, into one (1!) school in the center of the town.

A school playground in Gervais, OR that is for sale
near an apple orchard via Jonathan House

In ideal circumstances, this would help the town regain some financial stability and restore some programs that were cut, but still, that is if EVERYTHING goes perfectly. I do not agree with this town's decision. Unfortunately, it is a clear example of how the almighty dollar has become more important comfortable learning environments. The American school system is already weak (U.S. children have consistently ranked low in global education studies and tests) and it needs all the help it can get. And if there is one thing in American society that is weaker than the public school system it's the uncertainty of the real estate market and the economy. The American school system should not rely on economy, and it will be shown after the doomed, unsuccessful result of the Gervais school sale.

The Power of Compliance in Sports, and American Culture

The Four Slams, via Tennis Ticket News

Every early fall, the world of tennis turns its eyes towards New York City, for the annual United States Open, a professional 'Grand Slam' tennis tournament. The greatest to play tennis have performed on the world stage here.  Some consider the Four Slams, at right, to be almost as momentous as the Olympic Games themselves, which only turn up every four years. This being said, the athletes always give us, the fans, something to think about that really is a lot bigger than just tennis, and in this case it is the sudden retirement of many successful stars.

Roddick playing 2012, Getty

Two of tennis' top players, Kim Clijsters, and Andy Roddick, have both officially announced their retirements from the sport of professional tennis; one day apart from one another, on August 30th and 31st. While critics had known that Clijsters was coming into the Open as her last tournament, Roddick's announcement was quite a surprise. Although Roddick had been thinking about retiring for some time, the Bleacher Report notes that Roddick said in a press conference following the announcement, "When I was playing my first round [at the U.S. Open] I knew." And although Roddick claims that, "walking off at Wimbledon, I felt like I knew then", and had been thinking about retiring for months, I think when he saw how the public and peers positively reacted when Clijsters announced officially her retirement, he thought it would be the perfect time. When he was asked if anything might have influenced his decision, Roddick claimed that it was "just time". Could the power of compliance be bearing its ugly head in the American sports world?

Although it may be the case of Roddick, other seasoned tennis stars, such as Serena Williams, are thinking otherwise for themselves. Ms. Williams said, "so many people are retiring. It's incredibly sad for me to lose a friend on the tour. It's going to be hard." Williams also stated that she has no desire to follow in Roddick's footsteps anytime soon, "I wouldn't have anything to do! I want to stick around for another 20 or 30 years." Despite the apparent hyperbole in her final statement, Williams does definitely defy the common misconception that all Americans and athletes simply follow in each other's footsteps to no avail. As a fan myself, I hope these players stick around for a long time and that Roddick is the last of the modern greats to retire so soon after the loss of another great player. What do you think, is it reverse psychology or just a coincidence?