It’s been a great semester, everyone! One last time, if you missed one or two blog posts during the semester, this is your chance to make up one of those weeks. So, without further ado, let’s jump right into the thick of things!
The political scene is a worthy starting point this week. After several years of controversy, President Barack Obama attempted to end the “birther” debate by turning over a copy of his birth certificate to prove that he was, in fact, born in the United States. (If you’re unfamiliar with the controversy, according to Article Two of the U.S. Constitution, only natural-born U.S. citizens are eligible to be elected president.) The argument has since shifted, with some accusing Obama’s detractors of racism, while members of the GOP said that the timing of Obama’s birth certificate release only serves as “a distraction from the nation’s real concerns.” A number of individuals, though, are still questioning Obama’s legitimacy to serve in the White House, among them billionaire real estate tycoon and presidential candidate Donald Trump, who questioned the authenticity of Obama’s birth certificate and also asked why a number of other records from Obama’s past, such as his school records, financial statements, and passport, have not been released to the public. Consequently, Trump has been the biggest target of racism accusations in recent days. In the meantime, others on the right have fired back at liberals for “playing the race card” in order to deflect attention from the debate.
The racism debate is hardly the only political controversy surrounding Trump over the past few days. In an aggressive April 28 speech, he ubiquitously called U.S. political leadership “stupid” in the middle of a variety of other words not suitable for this blog. Mitt Romney, who many see as the top Republican candidate, has also seen some early attacks in the 2012 campaign cycle. And, in the odd political headline of the week, reports indicate that White House staff threatened to remove a San Francisco reporter from the Bay area press pool “for using now-standard multimedia tools to gather the news.” Somehow, none of this seems too surprising in today’s political scene. What do these developments mean to you? What are your thoughts on the political environment in which modern politicians operate? How about the “birther” and other records controversies, as well as the backlash in the form of racism accusations? For that matter, what trends do you see developing in the presidential election itself? With Obama almost certain to run for re-election, who do you think will challenge him, and what do you think the candidates’ chances will be?
The economy has also been a major concern as of late, with growth falling to 1.8%. The White House says that faster gross domestic product (GDP) growth is needed. Some analysts say this can be fostered through increased consumer spending, but the Obama administration has chosen instead to boost government funds by taxing the highest earners. At present, the dollar is still sliding, although officials don’t seem overly concerned about it, as stocks are climbing despite other shaky economic indicators. The oil industry appears to be one of the largest beneficiaries of the stock increases, as high gas prices have sent profits skyward. Both political parties are actively fighting over policies for the oil companies, although traders see little impact from the rhetoric. How do you feel about the economic situation, the actions that policy leaders are taking, and what needs to be done in the future?
While we’re on this political track, let’s take one last look at the big global issues. First, a number of conflicts have continued across the Middle East over the past few weeks. Fighting intensified in northwestern Libya within the district of Misrata, and a geographic error further west led to a number of Moammar Gadhafi’s troops being captured. As loyalists to Gadhafi attempted to retake an area near the border, the conflict progressed into neighboring nation Tunisia. The loyalists were subsequently captured by Tunisian forces after a 90-minute skirmish. Elsewhere, reports indicate Gadhafi’s soldiers have begun using child rape as a weapon to instill fear into their enemies. Aid workers told Daily Mail reporters that some children were held hostage for several days and, upon returning, were too traumatized to speak. The workers were especially concerned, however, about children in regions held by loyalist forces, such as Misrata, who might be facing prolonged abuse. In Syria, the bloodshed is only increasing, with a recent fight resulting in dozens of deaths. Death toll estimates are varied, but most estimates are giving number of at least 40 killed in government protest crackdowns. The crackdowns have not stopped thousands from voicing their anger with the government, ruled by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his family for 40 years, but the rising death toll on what has been called Syria’s “day of rage” is certainly stomach-churning. Not all of this news in the area is quite so graphic — the Palestinian factions of Hamas and Fatah agreed to a peace deal that some believe was a necessary precursor to any serious negotiations with Israel — but at the same time, Taliban forces struck against Pakistani security, and violence has also escalated in Uganda. I know that most of the comments on this subject have subsided over the past few weeks, so to keep this somewhat brief, what do you think about the ongoing battles being fought across the globe?
On a very different international subject, the Kate Middleton and Prince William of England became husband and wife on Friday. In order to keep her arrival “lower-key,” Middleton went to Westminster Abbey in a Rolls Royce instead of the traditional carriage. (I never would have expected to use “Rolls Royce” and “lower-key” in the same sentence, but hey.) At this point, just about every aspect of the event has been thoroughly analyzed, whether reviewers are constrating its charm with its lack of passion, poring over the many short kisses (viewable in 3D!), critiquing the eight-tiered cake and the dress — possibly the item which underwent the most scrutiny, alongside other wedding fashion headlines like sister Pippa’s white dress, Kate’s reception attire, and all those hats — as well as less-obvious highlights like the royal matchmaker, the reception’s disco balls, and the cartwheeling verger. All that, of course, is apart from the withdrawal of Syria’s invitation, the private comments (subsequently lip-read and posted for the world to see), the 56 arrests, the record-breaking viewership, the distinct lack of sponsorship deals to take advantage of those viewers, and the tributes to the late Princess Diana.
Did the size of that paragraph terrify you? If so, then it did its job. Obviously, there’s no shortage of media coverage for this event, which has some viewers delighted and others infuriated. How do you feel about the media attention that this marriage has received? Is it an important enough event to monopolize multiple television channels (not just BBC) for more than a day, or is it just dramatically over-hyped?
Locally, much of the U.S. has been dealing with fierce storms over the last week. Not that I need to remind you of that. With the death toll nearing 300, searchers are still looking for tornado victims amongst the wreckage. Obama and his family recently visited the aftermath in Alabama and, shocked by the devastation, promised to help rebuild the region. The Red Cross is working here in Indiana, as well, and they’re calling for volunteers in their efforts. I doubt I need to pose questions on this topic, since you sat through the storms as they blew through the area, so just tell us what you think.
As you may have gathered, I happen to enjoy my share of sports from time to time. It’s still unclear whether we’ll see the NFL this year, though, as the order to lift the labor lockout has been held by the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis. This means that the lockout, which was set to be lifted on Friday, remains very much in place. It looks like the plans of the NFL and its players will have to wait, at least for the time being, even as the annual draft proceeds as scheduled. What are your thoughts about this court battle and its effects on all those affiliated with the league? If the lockout continues through the season, how will it affect the overall entertainment market? And what are the ramifications for the economy, given how much consumer and corporate spending (think: buffalo wings and million-dollar commercials) would otherwise be driven by Super Bowl XLVI?
Apple seems to have hit the jackpot as of late with leaping profits and projections, and they’ve now moved into third place among U.S. mobile phone brands. Meanwhile, Apple’s competition is suffering — Blackberry’s forecasts are poor; Nokia’s troubles forced them to cut 7,000 jobs; Verizon’s 4G network is dissatisfying customers and the Droid Charge release has been delayed; and Microsoft’s sales and weak projections, which were much weaker than Apple’s, have caused its sharpest stock drop since 2009. The recent purchase of iCloud.com, which Apple made to host its new cloud computing service, already has fans discussing what form it should take. The white iPhone 4 has also been selling well despite its chunkier shape, and some are already looking all the way ahead to the iPhone 6. Some are still concerned about the privacy issues we highlighted in last week’s post, especially given Apple’s apparent negligence in the matter, but a bit of insecurity with location data suddenly seems far less serious than the Sony crisis.
Oh yes, you knew we’d return to this. Sure, it seemed bad enough when the PlayStation Network was down for days on end with no explanation — some of us paid good money for that system! — but now that we know it was caused by a data breach that many are believe to be the largest of all time, everyone’s paying much closer attention. That includes multiple national governments — Congress has been questioning Sony about it, and Canada is conducting its own investigation — and since Sony actively hid the breach, it looks all the worse to the public. George Hotz, who hacked Sony several weeks back and was subsequently sued over it, blames Sony itself for the intrusion, saying that angering the hacker base was the surest route to being targeted. The story only gets worse, though. Some experts are now claiming that users’ credit card information was stolen along with their personal data and that the full database is up for sale. That amounts to several million accounts. There are still some questions about the incident, of course, including whether all the claims on hacker websites are legitimate and, much more frighteningly, whether similar havoc could be wreaked through Xbox Live. What do you believe actually transpired? If your information was on Sony’s systems, are you planning to take action to protect yourself? What can Sony and other organizations do to prevent future intrusions, and what can Sony do to make up for this, if anything? Are there any broader implications for electronic data transfers as a whole? How does this relate to Amazon’s own problems with their cloud computing network? How do you compare Amazon’s multi-day outage, and the way the organization subsequently explained and apologized for it, with how Sony handled its own incident?
Finally, I was going to talk about Friday’s Endeavour shuttle launch, as it represents the final trip for the “baby of the fleet.” Even Obama planned to be in attendance, demonstrating the significance of the event, but a problem with an auxiliary power unit heater forced a delay until Monday, at the earliest. Still, it remained an important day: House Representative Gabrielle Giffords, who suffered a near-fatal gunshot wound to the head on January 8, flew to Cape Canaveral to watch her husband, Mark E. Kelly, command the shuttle. She has amazed doctors with the pace of her recovery after a shooting that killed six and wounded 12 others. While the delay deprived her of the chance to watch the launch, Giffords ability to attend the near-event still proved how far she has come. In any case, here’s one last chance to talk about the event, including the future of space travel and where research will go from here. And for that matter, with SETI shutting down as well, how are we going to find aliens now?
We’ve covered quite a few big stories this week, but as always, if none of the above suit you, you’re perfectly welcome to comment on one of the below links or make a new post on a different subject. You’re also more than welcome to discuss what you’ve learned over the course of the semester and where you see yourself using those skills in the future — I always like hearing about the impact of this, so feel free! In any case, it’s been a pleasure seeing your contributions throughout the term. I can’t wait to see what you have to say during this final week of the COM 315 blog!
UPDATE: Given the timing, I’d be a fool not to add one last story to the list. According to a speech by Obama late Sunday evening, Osama bin Laden is dead. As CNN reported, “Osama bin Laden — the longtime leader of al Qaeda — was killed by U.S. forces in a mansion outside the Pakistani capital of Islamabad along with other family members.” By all means, feel free to use this as the topic of your comments this week. No matter how you look at it, no story this week is more significant.
Other articles of interest:
Yahoo says 1M users affected by email outage
Yahoo Finds Delicious Buyer
Hulu Plus hits Xbox Live April 29, free for a week
Three Foxconn workers arrested for leaking iPad 2 design
Sleep Can Wait. The Birds Are Angry.
Apple Rejects Immigrant ‘Smuggle Truck’ Game
Indiana Senate narrowly OKs ban on texting while driving
RIM shares hit in Toronto after profit warning
Barnes & Noble Accuses Microsoft of Patent Abuse
New Federal Guidelines Regulate Junk Food Ads for Kids
Advertisers Fire Back At Government Over Proposed Food Marketing Guidelines
Banning Barbie
Does Drinking With Parents Help Teens Drink More Responsibly? Not Really
5-Minute Screen for Signs of Autism Works in 1-Year-Olds
Homeless child enrolled in wrong school: What should happen to him?
8-Year-Old Sells Loaded Gun for $3 at Queens School: Police
Teaching turning into a rest stop on the MBA highway
Friendster to Erase Early Posts and Old Photos
Cuomo: NY law sheds 24,000 sex offenders from Web
South Africa photographer honored for Soweto photo
China’s One-Child Policy Brings the Challenge of an Aging Population
Obama’s Silence on Boeing Is Unacceptable
Civility on the Way Out? Add Dogs to That List
The new rules of sun safety
ER Visits Keep Increasing, Survey Finds
Manny Ramirez might play winter ball
MLB: 10,955 drug tests since ’07-08
Frank McCourt blasts Bud Selig, MLB
Dutch club VVV-Venlo sign 1-year-old child
May 01, 2011 @ 07:38:08
Regarding the wedding of Kate Middleton and Prince William of England:
It seems like all countries in the world paid attention on their marriage. It seemed a big issue to the English and according to statistics, which I’ve seen in a news article, the electricity consumption was extremely consumed right after their wedding because people wanted to have a tea time after watching the wedding on TV. When we consider how the English people loved Diana, it is reasonable the people to pay attention about the event.
However, I don’t think it was not an important event in other countries to monopolize multiple channels for more than one day to broadcast and talk about it. It absolutely has dramatic elements including Cinderella story and the beautiful wedding, but people were too excited about those elements in wedding, which rarely affect any thing in our lives. I was also excited about their love story and the wedding itself but it was just for a one-day issue for me. I feel there is no worth to discuss about the wedding itself for more than one day.
May 01, 2011 @ 11:57:48
Speaking of that birther debate, as much as I want to say “yes its an distractor from the real issue in America”, it makes sense that some people are questioning it; as a Chinese we value rule or tradition law above all (well at least we used to be…) so that I understand why whether Obama is native American or not matters to some people. I mean in theory all we need is a good president, as long as he knows his job we shouldnt be bothered too much with where was he came from, but sometimes people would rather have an awful leader of their own kind rather than a wise one but from other places, which, seem to me, is pitted/understandable ╮(╯▽╰)╭
And in fact who knows what is the true purpose of this debate? Maybe it was released by government and aimed to mis direct public’s attention from something more important, that exactly served the idea of “distractor of more important issues”
You never know…
May 01, 2011 @ 16:16:08
Up until a few days ago I was very dismissive of Trump running for the presidency, but then I saw an press conference that he held and it really caught my attention. I thought that he was only talking about running to gain publicity and that really ticked me off, but then i finally heard what he had to say and i was taken off guard. He laid out what he thought should happen with the country and didn’t sugar coat it with political BS. He came out and spoke his mind and raised some good points and drew attention to things that should be looked at. Now I’m not saying that i would vote for him, and don’t necessarily agree with everything he is saying, but at least he is saying it and saying it clearly.Even if he doesn’t end up running i think that him running may give the US a wake up call about the reality of what we are dealing with.
May 01, 2011 @ 16:26:17
I’ll take the apple story in a bit of a different direction. This past wednesday, comedy central aired the newest season of south park (season 15) with an episode called “HumanCentiPad.” Yeah, that’s right. A spoof off of Human Centipede and the iPad, Steve Jobs tricks 3 people, including Stan from South Park, into participating in an experiment. How, do you ask? Well apparently the new Terms of Service stated that “If you agree, you may be forced to participate in an experiment that will sew your mouth or [butt] to another’s mouth or [butt].” Anyways, the episode is mainly criticizing people who do not read the Terms of Service before they agree to them. Another part of the episode is Cartman badgering his mother to get him an iPad. She offers to get him a less expensive version from Nokia, but he refuses, saying the iPad is where it’s at. On the drive home from Best Buy, after Cartman’s mom decides to get him nothing, the best part of the episode occurs. Here’s the dialog…
Cartman: (in funny little kid’s voice) Momma, do I have to be punished? Let’s go back to Best Buy and get the Nokia. That’s enough punishment.
Mom: No sweetie, you aren’t getting anything. You have to learn your lesson!
Cartman: Well, can we at least stop to get some food? because i like to be wined and dined after I get F*@KED!!!!”
Best… Episode… Ever
May 02, 2011 @ 15:16:47
Hey Brian,
I wanted to comment on the Osama Bin Laden story. I actually was watching CNN when the news broke out about Osama’s death. While I think this event will bring people peace of mind and it is definitely a historic event, I don’t know whether this is something people should be celebrating. I was watching the news during all of this and I actually heard the words “Celebrate” and “Death” in the same sentence when referring to Osama Bin Laden. Okay, yes this guy was a complete jack**s, but I’m a little bothered by using the words celebrate and death in the same sentence, regardless of who it is. I believe humans aren’t the ones who will ultimately judge Osama and his actions, so why are we acting like we are? CNN was showing clips of large groups of people outside of the Whitehouse barbarically yelling, screaming, and celebrating Osama’s death like as if somehow this event positively changes any of the issues we are currently facing in this country. If anything, this event could potentially cause more issues than we can handle as a country at the moment. Don’t you think that other countries around the world are laughing at us while they watch us in the streets celebrating Osama’s death? All while the U.S. faces problems in Lybia, an economic downturn in our own country, and a horrific bipartisanship that is tearing us apart as a nation. I just hope this event doesn’t distract us from focusing on our goals as a country and the problems that we are facing on a global basis. I’m also wondering how this event will affect all the budget cuts going on the country. I know defense will take a slight hit on budget cuts, but could this be the time when we may actually want to increase defense spending? I don’t know about you, but when I see a major leader of a terrorist organization fall, I also see a bunch of terrorist getting ticked off and fighting back even harder. I just hope things work out and we don’t let Osama’s death distract us from what we really need to be focusing on.
My Two Cents,
Manny
May 06, 2011 @ 15:28:52
I have to agree with Manny on the death of Osama. I was dismayed and discouraged to see the reactions people had to Osama’s death on Facebook and news outlets. Regardless of how bad or misguided Osama bin Laden actually was, I don’t think his death warranted any jubilant celebration whatsoever; any person’s death is a bad thing.
By celebrating Osama’s death or had we not burying him according to Islamic tradition, I think that all of the lies being told about the West or the United States would have held true in the minds of people in the Middle East or Osama bin Laden sympathizers. Osama is already going to be considered a martyr by al Qaeda and other Islamic militants from his death at the hands of the US military. After 9/11, I know I was mad seeing news footage of people in the Middle East or Far East burning our flag and stomping on it. Wouldn’t it have confirmed in people’s minds that we were truly Christian Crusaders had we not buried Osama respectfully at sea?
I was watching a panel discussion on C-SPAN about US-Pakistani relations and people were mad that Pakistan had such strong ties to China. One of the panelists pointed out that China accounted for 86% of Pakistan’s foreign aid and the United States only accounted for 13%. John Winthrop (1630) reportedly said that “we shall be a city upon a hill, the eyes of all people are upon us”; apparently Ronald Reagan also used that phrase. The Puritans thought that they would set an example of Christianity that would spread across the rest of the world. The same thing was thought of Democracy during the Cold War. I strongly believe that George W. Bush, Donald Rumsfeld, and Dick Cheney believe that by putting a democratic government in Iraq that all the other Middle Eastern governments (largely dictatorships and kingdoms) would be overthrown in support of democracy. They all failed.
May 02, 2011 @ 18:06:38
I’d like to comment about the current situation of the economy and the oil companies. A large issue with the reduced spending is the increase in gas prices. The economy has been able to rebuild partly due to the lower prices of gas, and it seems as though oil companies have the power to charge as much as they would like for gas. The recent surge of over $4.00 a gallon has caused the prices of any item that needs shipped to increase. That includes… pretty much everything in this country. Also, citizens have to spend more money to even go out and shop as well as do any day-to-day activities. With less money for disposal, there will be less used to purchase other goods and services. Also, with less available funds and higher prices, citizens will not spend much money and only buy essentials.
Taxing the rich is more of a temporary solution rather than a long-lasting one. While it will help our economy, getting consumable money in the hands of those who need to spend it will boost our economy at the core. By keeping the prices of essentials lower, the majority of the population will have more spending money to utilize. This has been proven to increase economies.
Traditionally, government spending such as during wartime have been able to boost the economy. We must think of a different way to get our funds. If the oil companies would adapt to new technologies and embrace them, we could not only utilize a cleaner and environment but also increase the economy of the world. It’s a known fact that oil companies hold patents for alternative energy sources for automobiles but do nothing to further their development. If we could use some of those patents to improve the lifestyles of those who need it most, we may be able to have the economy we so desire.
May 04, 2011 @ 08:35:52
Donald Trump is quite a guy. He is a very successful businessman which means he knows a lot about a lot. He knows how to keep something running and how to make it prosper.
I have seen a couple of his interviews and it seemed like all he had to say was “We’ll have to see about that.” He kept dodging questions, unless it was a question that he could use to make fun of Bill Cosby or President Obama.
I do not know what the law is for becoming President. I always thought that the president-elect HAD to provide some personal information now that he was a public figure (i.e. annual salary). If this is the case for birth certificates too, I say impeach the crap out of him now! He’s not above the law! However, if it is mandatory to make those documents public, he has every right to keep his birth certificate private. After all, who knows what could be done with that once it got into the wrong hands…
May 06, 2011 @ 03:36:17
I really liked the article about autism, and read some subsequent articles I saw on the right-hand side. I have a cousin with Asperger’s syndrome, which is a form of autism, and the articles really gave me a more in-depth explanation and some revelations about him. I had never really taken the time to look up information on autism, but I’m glad you posted that article and it caught my eye. I hope that the information will assist me in building a more understanding relationship with him as he gets older, as he is only 13 now.
Moving on, I’m glad Osama’s officially dead. I agree to most degrees, with Manny, that a death is not something to celebrate. But never in our lifetime has there been anyone that has committed such a heinous act that hit so close to home, and devastated so many lives. While celebration of his death is not proper even in my own eyes, it sure does feel good.
Lastly, Brian, I would like to thank you for the way you taught this class this semester. While the work load was not large, which is probably the thing I thank you for the most since I had 18 credit hours, the course work and the things you emphasized in class did enable us to learn the things you set out to teach I believe. I for one, even though my speaking abilities are nowhere near where I would like them to be, feel that I made some pretty good leaps and gains in my ability to speak and ability to prep for a speech. And I would wager that a lot of that success comes from the time you took to talk with me individually when I had questions and the techniques you emphasized.
Thanks again,
-Kyle Vogel
May 07, 2011 @ 16:15:43
I feel like I know several people that should read ‘The new rules of sun safety.’ I knew a couple girls that went tanning weekly and probably have the skin texture of my wallet right now. The article states that tanning beds increase your chance of melanoma 75% and 90% chance wrinkles and age spots. However, the article doesn’t say how often you need to go to the tanning bed for this to happen, which I kind of find as an odd omission, but I imagine it doesn’t take much.
Major props to the girl that was bright orange in high school. While you looked goofy and I could spot you blocks away with your fake tan, you may be the smartest of the tanners in the long run.
Also, I found the part about wear sun-safe clothes very interesting (recap: light-colored clothes = bad, darker clothes = good). Wearing dark clothes in the hot sun can be very uncomfortable but I am very intrigued about the SunGuard dye that you add to your laundry to boost your clothes’ protective power. I’d like to know the science behind that.
Most of the things in the article are common sense kind of things but there will be many people who will regret not following the warnings.
-Derek
May 07, 2011 @ 22:04:17
I think hulu plus on xbox 360 will be interesting though this is nothing new for the console. For the past several years netflix has been available to xbox live members though I believe it is slightly more then hulu plus. They basically provide the same service and from personal experience I know that netflix on xbox 360 is incredibly convenient. I imagine Microsoft is quite happy with this deal as it brings the 360 closer to being considered more of a home entertainment console like the PS3 rather then simply considered a gaming console.
May 08, 2011 @ 22:34:08
I am writing in response to the Angry Birds article. I can agree with the author of the post. I went CRAZY for Angry Birds when it first came out. For some reason, I had a desire to play it ALL the time and I didn’t even own a phone that had access to an app market so I couldn’t buy the game. I was introduced to the game through a family member who has an iPhone. Because of him, I am hooked to the game. I don’t know what causes people to get hooked to the game though. Maybe because it’s so simple yet complex that the game has become famous. However, I’ve played similar games to this game but they’re just not as fun. Birds and pigs though? Are you serious? These two animals probably never interact in real life but they are the known icons for this game. I’ve found myself asking random strangers if I could borrow their phone just to play Angry Birds. It’s kind of pathetic. Lol. Overall, the game is fun and I applaud Rovio for “creating” this game.
May 08, 2011 @ 23:17:48
Well, our course blog will be coming to a close in just a couple of hours, but I’d like to make one last comment to highlight those of you who have posted thus far this week.
The royal wedding was indeed a huge event in some areas, Ji Hyeon, especially England itself. I hadn’t heard about the electricity consumption issue, but I suppose that would make sense given the custom. (I doubt that as many people in the U.S. organized a 6:00 a.m. tea time.) Still, one has to wonder about about the degree of attention devoted to the wedding abroad, before, after, and during the ceremony. Anyone who happened to check the main page of Yahoo! in the two weeks preceding it would have seen more and more stories taking over the news space. Was it really so important to overshadow local and national events? I’m inclined to say no, myself.
It’s interesting to hear the different opinions people have on the “birther” debate. I hadn’t considered the question of background, Jiefei… that’s interesting! One has to wonder if similar ideals guided our founding fathers when they were crafting the Constitution. Regarding the documentation, I presume that any presidential candidate must provide ample proof of citizenship, as well as other factors such as the minimum age and such. While it may not be shown to the public, David, my guess it that one would have to deliver it to some government official.
As for Trump, while his speeches may be abrasive to some, it’s hard to deny that he speaks his mind, Matthew. Perhaps his candor will be refreshing, or maybe the bluntness will push people away. He is a successful businessman, though, as David noted, so we’ll have to see if that expertise will translate into political success. Either way, it certainly adds some excitement to the primary process.
The economy is certainly a pressing issue, especially as gas prices continue to leap past $4/gallon, as you noted, Marcus. That will make it increasingly hard for those across nearly all economic strata to go about their day to day lives, and it certainly makes luxury expenditures more difficult to justify. I will note, though, that most oil companies have been actively working to make the transition to being “energy” companies instead, as they’re well aware the days of oil wells are finite. Part of the challenge for them is not knowing which alternative fuel will rise to prominence. It’s difficult to make a strong investment when that money could be going down the drain. One way or another, though, it would appear that a different solution needs to be enacted.
Osama bin Laden’s death is certainly a historic event, but it is odd to watch people’s reactions to it. Given that the main reason bin Laden was so reviled was because of al Qaeda’s killings, it seems strange that one more death would be something to celebrate, Manny. It certainly doesn’t do much to make the U.S. forces look like the “good guys,” as you indicated, Chris. Transforming the founding principles undergirding any culture is extremely difficult in the first place, and if that mission had any chance of success, allowing bin Laden to look like the martyr certainly weakens such efforts. With that in mind, of course, a degree of relief is understandable in the midst of this protracted battle, as Kyle noted. Outright celebration may take things too far, but if you believe that more lives would be lost had bin Laden remained around, we might at least be glad for those individuals’ preservation.
On a related note, given that last week Twitter users had to ask questions like “Who is Osama Bin Laden and why should I care?” and “Is he in a band aswell? [sic]” one has to wonder where, exactly, the mind of the average American is. If so many soon-to-be-voters don’t even know who bin Laden is, I doubt they know much else about the conflict as a whole, so it’s hard to say what policy decisions will be made in the near future in attempts to cater to the populace.
James, I like that anecdote! It certainly makes you think twice about blindly agreeing to Terms of Service agreements. I’m sure many people in our class have probably lost count of how many to which they’ve agreed without reading. I wonder, too, whether it would work the same way if they were paper contracts instead. The internet, and computer use in general, tends to come with the illusion of invulnerability. Perhaps that recklessness will one day come back to haunt us. Not that it will stop us from enjoying our favorite apps. Randy, I tend to think there’s a certain quirkiness factor that, superimposed on top of proven gameplay, makes a game really grab our hearts and maintain our attention. It’s the same reason that a plumber squashing turtles or a blue hedgehog breaking the sound barrier will keep us coming back for more. Certainly, I’m sure that others have different thoughts about it, and there are a number of features that have to coalesce to make a sensational game, but I think the cute, comical quality of Angry Birds is one of the big things that drove it to prominence.
Kyle, I know several people on various levels of the autism spectrum, so I identified with that article, as well. I’m glad that article helped in terms of understanding the syndrome and what your cousin deals with and feels every minute of every day. I’m also glad that this course was so helpful for you — as an instructor, that’s really the biggest reward of all, so it’s great to hear that! Thank you for making my day.
I found the sun safety article interesting too, Derek. Too many people are very reckless in that regard, even though so much knowledge has been disseminated on the subject in recent years. I sincerely hope that more people will pay closer attention to the risks they are taking and choose long-term health (and, quite frankly, long-term beauty) over a bit of short-term shading.
Finally, Bob, you’re right that Hulu Plus isn’t much of a surprise for the XBox 360. We’ll see if convenience is important enough to consumers that they subscribe, or if the standard Netflix setup will be enough for them.
Anyway, since this is likely the last comment I’ll be making on our class blog, I just want to thank you all one last time. It’s been a great semester, and it was a pleasure to work with all of you. I’m glad that I was able to be part of your growth as presenters, and I wish you all the best in the future!