Here's Why Disney Deserves Criticism For 'Mulan'
Mahdi Bhalloo 9.11.2020
Disney has justifiably and deservedly been scrutinized for filming part of the movie ‘Mulan’ in Xinjiang, China. In Xinjiang, the Chinese Communist Party has committed devastating human rights violations and persecution against the Uighur Muslims, as well as other minority Islamic groups. Xinjiang has locked up approximately one million Uighur Muslims in concentration / internment camps surrounded by guard towers and barbed wire fences. A video of a Uighur Muslim named Merdan Ghappar went viral as he recorded and revealed his bruised ankles, dirty clothes, and handcuffs chaining him to his bed. Many Uighurs have been killed, raped, and forced to violate their religious beliefs with alcohol, sterilization, forced abortions, and forced birth control. As an American company, Disney’s acts are absolutely disgraceful. The United States was built on the idea of freedom of religion, not persecution. The acts of the CCP need to be condemned, not rewarded. Disney is bowing down to China and giving them access to the world’s second largest movie market, despite their horrific genocide against minority Muslims. This movie needs to be boycotted at all costs. Allowing this to happen sends a message that genocides like this are acceptable and don’t need to be condemned. Furthermore, the lead actor, Liu Yifei, has expressed her deep support for the Chinese Police when they were accused of brutality against the Hong Kong protestors. The Chinese police were responsible for the shootings of Hong Kong protestors as they gathered to protest China’s extradition bill. Do Hong Kong lives not matter to Disney? Do the Uighur Muslims not matter either? Amnesty International has publicly criticized China and tweeted “Can you show us your human rights due diligence report?” A Washington Post reporter called the movie a “scandal,” and a Uighur activist stated “the hypocrisy is just too great to fathom.”
Let's Talk About 9/11
Aarya Agarwal 8.14.2020
Let me say this right off the bat. 9/11 was a horrid day in the history of our nation and it is important that we never forget so. The events that occurred on that day united the nation like no other event in history. However, once again the aftermath of 9/11 is dividing us. 2 days ago it was announced that the annual pillars of light to honor the lives lost on 9/11 would not happen this year due to COVID-19 health concerns. I fully understand the reasoning behind this. Setting up the light show takes a team of 50 people nearly 2 weeks of work in tight quarters. However, I also understand the other side of the argument, the symbolic importance of these lights. The truth is that these lights are purely symbolic. They’re not happening this year boohoo. Remembering 9/11 is about way more than just a light show. The official FDNY response to 9/11 was 5 seconds. Such bravery deserves to be rewarded with more than just lights. For example, The Victim’s Compensation Fund which covers health care for all those suffering due to their heroic actions on that day. This year after years of debate and refusal to do so, Senate Republicans finally passed a funding plan for the VCF. Despite this the VCF has had significant shortages in funds which have been filled in by The Mayor of NYC Bill DeBlasio. For those of you advocating for the light show to happen keep this in mind: if you really care, get these heroes proper funding. I know it's easy and it feels right to just fight for these lights but we have to keep the larger picture in mind. The decision to cancel the light show wasn’t even made by the Governor or the Mayor. It was made by the head of the 9/11 museum. I think we all need to redirect our anger towards the real issue here, funding for the VCF.
How Trump Is Handling The Covid-19 Situation
Reena Gupta 8.14.2020
Since the Coronavirus pandemic has started, there has been a lot of pressure on President Trump and his administration to take action to contain the spread of the Coronavirus. Many say he was late in taking action, disregarding the early guidance from scientists and other countries. For example, back in January 2020 when the Coronavirus was starting to become a concern, Trump regularly played down the severity of the virus and told the press that “We have it [Covid-19] totally under control,” and that, “It’s going to be just fine.” Even following Alex M. Azar II, the health and human services secretary, warnings to the President on January 30 about the possibility of a pandemic, Trump continued to not worry and called Mr. Azar an alarmist. Still, in the third week of February, top public health experts concluded that they should recommend to Mr. Trump to encourage the American people to be socially distant but the White House focused on other things. By the time that Donald Trump recommended social distancing across the country in mid-March, the severity of Covid-19 had already increased largely in the past weeks. Since then, things have only gotten worse, and President Trump’s Covid-19 response ratings have reflected the disappointment by the majority of the American people. In mid-March, 55% of Americans approved the way that President Trump was handling Covid-19 while in late July, his ratings dropped to a mere 33%. Furthermore, Trump repeatedly ignored recommendations from scientists about wearing masks to help further prevent the spread of Covid-19. When asked in April whether he should be wearing a mask, he replied, “Wearing a face mask as I greet presidents, prime ministers, dictators, kings, queens — I just don‘t see it.” Four months later, as the pandemic continued to grow, especially in the United States, when asked whether he would strongly suggest Americans wear masks, Trump answered, “If it‘s necessary, I would urge them to wear a mask and I would say follow the guidelines.” This would have been a lot more helpful in reducing the spread of the virus if Trump had recommended that the American people follow the Center for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines earlier in the year. While the U.S. has taken some action and ordered 100 million coronavirus vaccines from various vendors, they have yet to be approved although some vaccines have promising results. In addition, President Trump has persistently pushed states to reopen non-essential activities, which has only resulted in a surge of coronavirus cases. Take Texas, for example. Texas reopened in mid-April and even though cases started to spike once they had reopened, Texas continued the reopening process. Now, in Texas, there are thousands of new cases and hundreds of deaths daily. This is not due to an increase in testing though, as the number of hospitalizations are increasing daily as well. Texas is just one of the many states that has been pressured to reopen. The states that reopened earlier have seen a higher rate of positive test results than states that did not rush to reopen. If President Trump had followed the advice of scientists and experts, Covid-19 may not have been as widespread in the United States as it is today. A pandemic of this severity requires experts and a president who is willing to work with scientists rather than go against them.
How to Make Young People More Informed Voters
Stephanie Chan, Olivia Berg, Stefano Forte, Rebecca Oliveira - 8.3.2020
As generations pass, the movement and excitement to vote for our government officials has diminished rapidly. Our future voters and politicians are deprived of the opportunity to learn how to take on such a role. It is common for young voters to blindly follow their family’s beliefs or those of social media influencers without taking the time to do further research. Not only does this affect our communities, but it also affects each of us directly whether we realize it or not. The understatement of believing that education comes from one or two social-media posts has plagued our generation and will continue to do so if time is not taken to correct these habits.
There are less than 100 days remaining before the 2020 Presidential election… No matter what your political alignment is, always be wary of your sources. Oftentimes, young people stubbornly insist on only consuming media from their purported side of the aisle. This is detrimental to the pursuit of truth and fact if you limit yourself to media that fits (and specifically caters to) your worldview. In order to strengthen your arguments–and perhaps become privy to a perspective you never considered–you must be well-versed in as much unbiased information as possible. In terms of research on a federal level, we recommend using reputable websites like OYEZ or the White House Archives to see how candidates have voted and to get information on landmark cases. For example, you can’t trust Fox News or CNN to give you the whole story as they both have clear inherent biases to either side. It is imperative to find the source material being cited before taking your favorite political talking head’s opinion as fact. After all, facts come first and always prevail - your opinion should be formed after reading.
Educating students in a bipartisan and unbiased manner will create an environment in which students can continue pursuing their curiosities and forming their own opinions on the most prominent issues. Many young voters are unaware of the importance and impact their vote has on both a local and national level and are often sheltered from the issues in the world around them. Instead of focusing on the differences between political views, we should create awareness of the dilemmas that many politicians face in helping our communities to thrive. Politicians should also focus on an attempt to reach out towards younger voters to better educate their future leaders. Many teenagers feel disenfranchised by politicians and their policies, which needs to change.
The emphasis on state and local elections has unfortunately fallen short, yet these should be the most important to those who long to see real, positive change at a community level. Our advice to you: get to know who your local politicians and candidates are - your Senators, Congressmen, Assemblymen, and other local officials are often the ones making the decisions that will directly impact you and your loved ones. Look into what they support. Look into what policies they’ve implemented in your state or district. Your vote for President may be solid, party-based, and unchangeable, but upon further research you may not want to vote entirely down party lines. You may find that a local candidate who is running in the same political party you align yourself with may not have the same values as you when it comes to the legislation they support; conversely, someone in the opposite party may take stances that you agree with. Many official positions on a local level don’t have term limits that they must abide by - it’s imperative, therefore, to do research on politicians who have held their posts for years and see if they have implemented any positive change during that time. You should always vote for the person, not the party.
Although approaching an government official might seem intimidating, making an appearance at events will be cast as a valuable effort to seem affable and more relatable to teenagers. This type of effort is most valued and noticeable in schools, as it is where students spend a majority of their time. Educating students on the importance of voting and how to do so is crucial as it is a constitutional privilege, and you shouldn’t be complaining if you have the ability to vote and choose not to. Voting politics may not seem to not have a tremendous input in our lives; however, we need to be properly introduced to the topic in order to understand its importance. Educating students as to how the local and federal policies will affect them and their communities will likely stimulate conversations that should be had regularly in both a school and home environment. While discussing what has and will be done to improve society, it is important to discuss what changes students can make to create a positive ripple effect on their own lives and communities.
Having access to a “party test” will allow willing adolescents to recognize what party and views they identify, making registration less confusing to them, please be mindful that our political views might change over time. Here is the link to the party test many of our CEC board members have taken: https://www.politicalcompass.org/test
Here are some reliable bipartisan sources:
https://www.forbes.com/#edf0aca2254c
https://www.wsj.com/
https://www.reuters.com/
https://www.pewresearch.org/
There are less than 100 days remaining before the 2020 Presidential election… No matter what your political alignment is, always be wary of your sources. Oftentimes, young people stubbornly insist on only consuming media from their purported side of the aisle. This is detrimental to the pursuit of truth and fact if you limit yourself to media that fits (and specifically caters to) your worldview. In order to strengthen your arguments–and perhaps become privy to a perspective you never considered–you must be well-versed in as much unbiased information as possible. In terms of research on a federal level, we recommend using reputable websites like OYEZ or the White House Archives to see how candidates have voted and to get information on landmark cases. For example, you can’t trust Fox News or CNN to give you the whole story as they both have clear inherent biases to either side. It is imperative to find the source material being cited before taking your favorite political talking head’s opinion as fact. After all, facts come first and always prevail - your opinion should be formed after reading.
Educating students in a bipartisan and unbiased manner will create an environment in which students can continue pursuing their curiosities and forming their own opinions on the most prominent issues. Many young voters are unaware of the importance and impact their vote has on both a local and national level and are often sheltered from the issues in the world around them. Instead of focusing on the differences between political views, we should create awareness of the dilemmas that many politicians face in helping our communities to thrive. Politicians should also focus on an attempt to reach out towards younger voters to better educate their future leaders. Many teenagers feel disenfranchised by politicians and their policies, which needs to change.
The emphasis on state and local elections has unfortunately fallen short, yet these should be the most important to those who long to see real, positive change at a community level. Our advice to you: get to know who your local politicians and candidates are - your Senators, Congressmen, Assemblymen, and other local officials are often the ones making the decisions that will directly impact you and your loved ones. Look into what they support. Look into what policies they’ve implemented in your state or district. Your vote for President may be solid, party-based, and unchangeable, but upon further research you may not want to vote entirely down party lines. You may find that a local candidate who is running in the same political party you align yourself with may not have the same values as you when it comes to the legislation they support; conversely, someone in the opposite party may take stances that you agree with. Many official positions on a local level don’t have term limits that they must abide by - it’s imperative, therefore, to do research on politicians who have held their posts for years and see if they have implemented any positive change during that time. You should always vote for the person, not the party.
Although approaching an government official might seem intimidating, making an appearance at events will be cast as a valuable effort to seem affable and more relatable to teenagers. This type of effort is most valued and noticeable in schools, as it is where students spend a majority of their time. Educating students on the importance of voting and how to do so is crucial as it is a constitutional privilege, and you shouldn’t be complaining if you have the ability to vote and choose not to. Voting politics may not seem to not have a tremendous input in our lives; however, we need to be properly introduced to the topic in order to understand its importance. Educating students as to how the local and federal policies will affect them and their communities will likely stimulate conversations that should be had regularly in both a school and home environment. While discussing what has and will be done to improve society, it is important to discuss what changes students can make to create a positive ripple effect on their own lives and communities.
Having access to a “party test” will allow willing adolescents to recognize what party and views they identify, making registration less confusing to them, please be mindful that our political views might change over time. Here is the link to the party test many of our CEC board members have taken: https://www.politicalcompass.org/test
Here are some reliable bipartisan sources:
https://www.forbes.com/#edf0aca2254c
https://www.wsj.com/
https://www.reuters.com/
https://www.pewresearch.org/
What a Second Stimulus Package Needs to Include
Azam Lalani 7.24.2020
Many coronavirus bills have been passed to combat the economic consequences of the pandemic, including the $2.2 trillion CARES Act which included provisions that were lifelines for so many families. However, these provisions merely served as band-aids for gunshot wounds and are set to end very soon. As a result, negotiations over a new stimulus package similar to the CARES Act are underway.
One of the main provisions that has sparked debate amongst Democrats and Republicans deals with unemployment benefits. Republicans believe that the weekly $600 unemployment benefits (that the CARES Act provides) incentivizes people to stay at home and not worry about acquiring a job especially because the weekly benefits they receive may exceed what they actually earned when they were working a job. As a result, their proposal is to provide a fraction of benefits the unemployed currently receive under the CARES Act so that people are motivated to get to work. While I do see this point, there are so many families who are actively working and still live paycheck to paycheck; they are hard-working Americans who need the weekly $600 even though they hold jobs.
Another provision within the package that is being debated is assistance for schools. Although $70 billion is planned to be allocated to K-12 schools, some like Senator Roy Blunt of Missouri have said that half of the funds are conditioned on whether the schools reopen or not. I believe that this is completely unfair as certain districts in the country may or may not be more fit to reopen compared to other districts; regardless, it shouldn’t affect the federal assistance they receive. The other parts of the package being discussed include aid to local/state governments, liability protections for businesses, payroll tax cuts, and funding for testing/tracing and vaccine development.
One of the main provisions that has sparked debate amongst Democrats and Republicans deals with unemployment benefits. Republicans believe that the weekly $600 unemployment benefits (that the CARES Act provides) incentivizes people to stay at home and not worry about acquiring a job especially because the weekly benefits they receive may exceed what they actually earned when they were working a job. As a result, their proposal is to provide a fraction of benefits the unemployed currently receive under the CARES Act so that people are motivated to get to work. While I do see this point, there are so many families who are actively working and still live paycheck to paycheck; they are hard-working Americans who need the weekly $600 even though they hold jobs.
Another provision within the package that is being debated is assistance for schools. Although $70 billion is planned to be allocated to K-12 schools, some like Senator Roy Blunt of Missouri have said that half of the funds are conditioned on whether the schools reopen or not. I believe that this is completely unfair as certain districts in the country may or may not be more fit to reopen compared to other districts; regardless, it shouldn’t affect the federal assistance they receive. The other parts of the package being discussed include aid to local/state governments, liability protections for businesses, payroll tax cuts, and funding for testing/tracing and vaccine development.
Kanye West's Presidential Campaign
Isabella Pang 7.24.2020
As if 2020 could not get anymore unprecedented, Kanye West declared on July 4th that he is running for president with the tweet: "We must now realize the promise of America by trusting God, unifying our vision and building our future. I am running for president of the United States. #2020VISION." While this well known world celebrity has every right to have the option of running for office, there are many uncertainties that come with such a large responsibility; starting with publicity and the need for attention from the media. Presidency isn't a game. America is not a game. Nor are we living in a time where the West could be seen as a fun distraction. Instead, we are living in unprecedented times that demand thoughtful, informed leadership -- not another celebrity fueled by his own ego to get attention. Nothing in West's background as a Grammy-winning singer -- with a history of erratic behavior -- says he is ready for the job as president as he has never participated in voting in the past. That means his run would be simply a dangerous distraction at a time Americans and desperately struggling with the effects of a worldwide pandemic. In recent events, Kanye West’s impassionate anti-abortion speech makes headlines for all the wrong reasons in leftists eyes. Kanye uses bible verses and personal examples to further justify his point, such as 'Thou shall not kill.' and “My dad wanted to abort me; My mom saved my life.” Kanye’s speech goes against the “My body my Choice” movement which is a huge topic of conversation currently which has the country divided.
Biden supporters across the country are speaking out on West’s potential candidacy, stating that the more votes for Kanye is equivalent to more votes for Trump. If the votes between Biden and Kanye are split, Trump would take the popular vote and likely the electoral vote as well.
Biden supporters across the country are speaking out on West’s potential candidacy, stating that the more votes for Kanye is equivalent to more votes for Trump. If the votes between Biden and Kanye are split, Trump would take the popular vote and likely the electoral vote as well.
UK Suspends Extradition Treaty With China
Reena Gupta 7.22.2020
This past Monday, the United Kingdom suspended an extradition treaty with Hong Kong to protest a new security law that gives China extensive powers. The move, announced in Parliament by foreign secretary Dominic Raab, raised concerns that this security law would allow mainland China to use the extradition treaty between the United Kingdom and Hong Kong for their own agenda. In addition, Britain has some special concerns and sees the new security law as a violation of the terms of a joint declaration that set out the semi autonomous status of Hong Kong after the colony was given back to China in 1997. In response, the London government has proposed a pathway to citizenship for numerous Hong Kong residents. Under that condition, 350,000 people that hold British National Overseas Passports and an additional 2.5 million who are qualified for them would be given 12-month renewable visas that would permit them to work in Britain with the possibility of eventual citizenship.
Using Physics to Improve AI
Azam Lalani 7.21.2020
Artificially intelligent systems are spreading into so many fields of human endeavor but in order to improve them we must understand the problems with their building blocks, artificial neural networks (ANN).
The problem with ANNs is that they are not well-equipped to understand the presence of “chaos” within a system. Usually, systems tend to move toward a state of equilibrium, however, much of the real world doesn’t move in periodic patterns. The complexity of the world is determined by the product of many interacting forces and the influence of multiple attractor states. Due to the presence of these forces and attractor states, small changes in the initial state of a system can result in drastic long-term differences. A well known example of this is the butterfly effect. These long-term differences are the “chaos” that ANNs have difficulty predicting.
As a result, researchers from North Carolina’s Nonlinear AI Laboratory incorporated the Hamiltonian function into various ANNs so that they could have a better sense of the “chaos” within a certain system. The function establishes the relationship of the energy and rate of change within a system. Instead of trying to keep track of the forces within a system itself, the function makes it easier by deriving forces from the energy state of the system. An example would be predicting the motion of a pendulum. ANNs without the Hamiltonian would try to predict the motion based off of one screenshot of the pendulum in one moment in time. The screenshot wouldn’t be too helpful as you wouldn’t know where the pendulum is in its arc. However, ANNs with the Hamiltonian are able to derive the energies involved in the pendulum’s movement, where it could be next, and a broader idea of the movement as a whole.
The researchers applied neural networks with or without the Hamiltonian to a Henon-Heiles model. This model is used to predict phenomena like the motion of stars around a galactic center. Despite the continuous transition toward chaos, neural networks with the Hamiltonian were able to predict the dynamics of the system.
The problem with ANNs is that they are not well-equipped to understand the presence of “chaos” within a system. Usually, systems tend to move toward a state of equilibrium, however, much of the real world doesn’t move in periodic patterns. The complexity of the world is determined by the product of many interacting forces and the influence of multiple attractor states. Due to the presence of these forces and attractor states, small changes in the initial state of a system can result in drastic long-term differences. A well known example of this is the butterfly effect. These long-term differences are the “chaos” that ANNs have difficulty predicting.
As a result, researchers from North Carolina’s Nonlinear AI Laboratory incorporated the Hamiltonian function into various ANNs so that they could have a better sense of the “chaos” within a certain system. The function establishes the relationship of the energy and rate of change within a system. Instead of trying to keep track of the forces within a system itself, the function makes it easier by deriving forces from the energy state of the system. An example would be predicting the motion of a pendulum. ANNs without the Hamiltonian would try to predict the motion based off of one screenshot of the pendulum in one moment in time. The screenshot wouldn’t be too helpful as you wouldn’t know where the pendulum is in its arc. However, ANNs with the Hamiltonian are able to derive the energies involved in the pendulum’s movement, where it could be next, and a broader idea of the movement as a whole.
The researchers applied neural networks with or without the Hamiltonian to a Henon-Heiles model. This model is used to predict phenomena like the motion of stars around a galactic center. Despite the continuous transition toward chaos, neural networks with the Hamiltonian were able to predict the dynamics of the system.
America's Tricky Relationship With Russia
Olivia Berg 7.17.2020
The United States and Russia have had a rollercoaster of a relationship for nearly a century, and things are not looking good. The two global superpowers went from World War II Allies to enemies in the matter of only a few years after emerging victorious against Nazi Germany. The United States was always wary about communism, but their concerns began to develop into fears once the Soviet Union started to expand and spread communism throughout Eastern Europe. The 44-year long period of tension and extreme competition that resulted between the US and USSR is referred to as the Cold War (1947-1991), representing the political power struggle between the ideologies of communism and democracy. The Cold War consisted of a series of proxy wars, a nuclear arms race, a race to explore space, the emergence of new policies and reforms, and an atmosphere of mass hysteria and propaganda at home. The fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the USSR signified the end of the Cold War in 1991, as well the United States’ successful containment and defeat of communism. Even after the Cold War ended, not enough has been done to improve their relationship and sustain it. The US and Russia like to point fingers and place blame as to where things went south between them, but like all relationships it takes two. Russia has done many things that the United States has disapproved of beyond the Cold War, including the invasions of Georgia (2008) and Ukraine (2014), interference with the US presidential election in 2016, and meddling with the governments of other countries like Venezuela and Syria. The Clinton, Bush, and Obama administrations all attempted to reset the United States’ relationship with Russia and form their own policies around them. However, all of their policies ended up revolving around the same refusal to accept Russia for what it was and will continue to be. Russia began to backslide on democracy once Vladmir Putin came into power as president in 2000, and the United States was not happy with what the country was becoming. Since then, US presidents have consistently expected Russia to work with them to make reforms to fit the United States’ standard and image of democracy, leadership, law, and economy. Term after term, Russia has shown its unwillingness to conform with these ideas, and no one seems to recognize that attempting to change Russia is unrealistic and a waste of time. Any peace made was never lasting or sustainable because someone always ended up unhappy with the policies and actions of the other. With President Trump in office, the US and Russia have been stuck in a deadlock for quite some time and it is not sustainable or healthy to either country. As sanctions have replaced foreign policy and investigations into Russian scandals continue, all hope has been lost for repairing the relationship during this presidency. As two of the leading global superpowers, the US and Russia have a unique role in maintaining peace and fostering global cooperation on the issues that really matter. It has been proven that Russia will not change for anyone, so it is time to start changing US policy towards Russia instead of depending on them to make changes they aren’t willing to make. The US needs to create more accepting policies in order to balance the cooperation needed for their relationship with Russia to work. Accepting Russia is the only way to preserve the already unraveling nuclear arms treaties between the two nations and prevent another event like the Cold War from happening again. The ineffective and fragile relationship between Russia and the US needs to be improved for not just their own benefit, but the benefit of all other countries. Having two of the world’s most powerful nations working together in a functional relationship is crucial to international cooperation on issues like climate change, coronavirus responses, terrorism, arms control, and so many others. Although it may not be easy, it is vital that the US and Russia work together and put in the time and effort to repair their relationship and find a balance between their extremes.
Science vs. Politics: Who Do We Listen To?
Namit Kapoor 7.17.20
At a time when partisan gridlock has been rampant throughout the country, our elected officials have begun to completely disregard the arguments of the other side. The polarization of our political system has led to our institutions achieving relatively little over the past few years, and it is the reason why the problems ubiquitous throughout the late twentieth century are still prevalent today. Unfortunately, partisan bickering has also led prominent elected officials to completely abandon science, including international consensus regarding climate change and now the coronavirus. I believe that science should unequivocally overrule political ideology. There should be no arguments regarding the abhorrent conditions of our planet or the CDC’s recommendation that wearing face masks during a global pandemic would help reduce the spread of a virus and save lives. Yet, throughout the past decade of our country's political discourse, statistics regarding the grim outlook on our planet's future have been completely disregarded by G.O.P. leaders. In the meantime, residents in our inner cities such as Flint, Michigan and “Cancer Alley” in Louisiana- where residents are over fifty times as likely to be diagnosed with cancer than the average American- are facing the consequences of their betrayal. This same disbelief on the part of Republicans has led them to consistently doubt the acute nature of the Coronavirus and to take little to no precautions to stop its spread. Prominent Republicans are continuing to normalize actions that are becoming increasingly difficult to defend, and until they learn to accept scientific consensus as fact, the outlook of our nation and our world seems increasingly grim.
The Undermined Role of Music in Our Society
Stanley Chen 7.17.2020
Take a moment to picture the diversity of the world that we live in, both racially and characteristically. You see people’s skins colored in white, brown, yellow, and orange. You hear people laughing, crying, shouting, or staying silent. Now, replace the individual people with works of music. Believe it or not, doing so opens you up to a completely new domain: the world of music. Just like people, music has evolved into a species that contains numerous counterparts. In Europe, you can find the dominant roots of classical music. In Asia, an idiosyncratic form of folk music flourishes throughout. An even more peculiar origin of music lies in Australia, where indigenous people introduced a special monotonal instrument known as the didgeridoo. These global music genres have not only been unique to their homelands, but they have also told their respective histories through the various moods that they offer. Recently, a new genre of music rose in America, known as pop music. As modern culture became more apparent, so did rappers and “beats.” Music has proven to unite humans in society together in times of crisis, and serve as a reminder that it can always be utilized as a universal venting source and a prideful tool of identity. Aside from social benefits, music has also contributed a considerable amount to the economy. As pop music arises, more jobs are in need of producers and performers, and sales have come to worth billions of dollars in total. The next time you turn up your ideal choice of music whenever you need it, pay attention to not only how effective it is to brighten up your day, but also how beneficial it is to the economy of the society that you live in.
How Do Presidential Candidates Win Young Voters?
Reena Gupta 7.17.20
With the upcoming November presidential election, it is crucial for presidential candidates to gain support from young voters. In the 2018 midterm elections, the number of voters from ages 18 to 29 more than doubled from 2014 which means young voters want their voices heard and should be a prime target of the candidates. So let’s get one thing straight. Regular advertising on social media may make the difference for one of the Presidential candidates. The idea of using social media to promote a political campaign was first demonstrated in the 2008 Presidential election when then candidate, Senator Barack Obama, used social media as an integral part of his campaign strategy. Obama used a variety of social media platforms including Facebook and Twitter to reach out to targeted groups of young voters and gain their support as well as donations and volunteers to further his campaign. Although there were other factors, Obama’s campaign strategy clearly worked. Obama won the 2008 election by a margin of nearly 200 electoral votes and 8.5 million popular votes. This year may be slightly different though. Facebook is the most popular social media platform with over 190 million active users in the United States and approximately 79% of online users from ages 18-29 in the U.S. report that they use Facebook. This would make Facebook an ideal place for Presidential candidates to promote their campaign ideas in hopes to gain young voters support. However, Facebook recently announced that they are planning on banning all political ads. Although it is too early to tell if Facebook will be going through with their plans, this could still potentially hurt candidates. If that were to happen, other social media outlets that they can use include Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat. Although these platforms have far less active users than Facebook, some advertisement is better than none. While TikTok has become extremely popular with those who are 18-29, the marketing strategy for it is currently unclear due to security concerns. In the past, it has been shown that TikTok can have a large influence over events such as public gatherings, corporate marketing strategy and more and may possibly be the missing piece to the puzzle.
Let’s Talk About Asian Americans and BLM
Neeya Shetty 7.17.2020
For years, Asian Americans have been plagued by the model minority myth. At first glance, many would assume that it is a positive label for Asian Americans. However, in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement, many have been using the model minority myth as an argument against people who are advocating for BLM. We must understand that most Asian Americans have a middle/upper class background and/or a higher education background before they come to America. This does not mean that Asian immigrants do not work hard, it just means that they have somewhat of an upper hand when it comes to climbing the socioeconomic ladder of the United States. To use Asian Americans as a tool to downplay the struggles of the African American community means to deny the long history of systemic racism in the United States. The idea that minorities should be pitted against each other is outdated, and frankly, racist.
The idea that Asian Americans are superior to African Americans is not only prevalent in white communities, but in the Asian American community as well. In South Asian circles, the derogatory word “kala” is thrown around. Asian Americans tend to throw around the n-word in casual conversations. More than once, I have heard some say “He/she only got into that college because he/she was black.” Asian Americans need to step up. There are many things we should be doing at home to support the BLM movement. We should be calling out racist friends and family, even if it’s uncomfortable for us to do so. We can’t be anti-racist when it’s only convenient to us, and then turn around and blame affirmative action when we get rejected by a college. Most importantly, we should be consistently educating ourselves about racism in our country and be open supporters of the BLM movement.
The idea that Asian Americans are superior to African Americans is not only prevalent in white communities, but in the Asian American community as well. In South Asian circles, the derogatory word “kala” is thrown around. Asian Americans tend to throw around the n-word in casual conversations. More than once, I have heard some say “He/she only got into that college because he/she was black.” Asian Americans need to step up. There are many things we should be doing at home to support the BLM movement. We should be calling out racist friends and family, even if it’s uncomfortable for us to do so. We can’t be anti-racist when it’s only convenient to us, and then turn around and blame affirmative action when we get rejected by a college. Most importantly, we should be consistently educating ourselves about racism in our country and be open supporters of the BLM movement.
The Misunderstood Necklace of Peace...
Aarya Agarwal and Abhinav Goyal 7.10.2020
Let's get one thing out of the way. The swastika displayed on the controversial Shein necklace is actually a swastik, a Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain symbol of peace and prosperity. Shein is an Asia based company with major offices in China and Hong Kong as well as production in Thailand. These are all localities with major Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain populations. For us personally, as Hindus, the swastik is a deep and powerful religious symbol with over 7,000 years of history behind it. Every major festival we draw one on the floor of our house to serve as a cautionary to evil spirits and hang more around the house to draw in prosperity. For many hindus, myself included, the swastik symbol is Saraswati, one of our chief goddesses. We as a population would like to continue using our ancestral symbol the same way we always have. Now I understand that for the Jewish population a swastika may be synonymous with the holocaust and the undeniable pain the Jewish population endured during that time period. However, a swastika is not a swastik. By being willfully ignorant to this fact you are ignoring my culture’s traditions and choosing to replace our history with recent events ignoring the nearly 2 billion practicing hindus and buddhists worldwide. Now the question does remain whether this pendant is a form of cultural appropriation or simply just offering a religious product to billions who may want one. But to call it anti-semitic is deeply hurtful to us, as it is to other hindus, buddhists, and jains.
The Case For Reopening School
Taran Singh 7.3.2020
Coronavirus closed all educational institutions including colleges, universities, trade schools, high schools, and elementary schools. As time has progressed, along with cases and deaths, officials are now looking at how, and even if, schools will reopen in the fall. Evidently, the reopening of schools will have to be based on a case by case basis so that the best decision is made. It may be safe to open a high school with 1,000 students, but it won’t be safe to open a university with 50,000 undergraduate students. However, the statistics make it very clear that high schools, middle schools, and elementary schools should completely reopen in the upcoming school year this fall. While the total number of cases and deaths from coronavirus are increasing in the United States, children account for, statistically, 0% of the cases and deaths if rounded to the nearest whole number. As of June 30th, 2020, 15 children, from ages 0 to 19, have died from coronavirus in New York, the hardest hit state so far. The fact that schools will consider not opening for students, who have a 0% fatality rate, is upsetting. Quarantine has hurt students academically, physically, and emotionally. Almost every report published shows that e-learning has not kept students up to state educational standards, and this will continue to happen if we do not reopen our schools in the fall and resort to e-learning. The results will be catastrophic in the future. Additionally, humans naturally desire communication and socializing with other human beings. With everyone staying at home, including students who can no longer see their friends, peers, and teachers, the United States is experiencing a mental health crisis because of coronavirus. Federal hotlines for mental health have seen a near 1,000% increase in calls. Healthcare workers, and even some children, have committed suicide as well because of coronavirus. By not reopening high schools, middle schools, and elementary schools in the fall, a disservice is being done against our youth. Children are incredibly fragile, and they need to experience a sense of normalcy, which can be done by reopening schools, to be able to live a healthy life. Students account for nearly 23% of our population, but they are 100% our future. If our society wishes to have a future where America exists and is prospering, our officials must reopen high schools, middle schools, and elementary schools so that our youth can experience normalcy and continue to adequately prepare for their futures.
Should College Athletes Get Paid
Christopher Leung 7.1.20
College sports are a modern-day form of slavery. Think about it: you have thousands of young men pushing their bodies and minds to the absolute limits of human capacity for their entire lives just for nothing in return, and if they protest or rebel, they are punished severely by being kicked off the team or losing their scholarships. You might think to yourself: well at least they get the chance to go pro in the major leagues where they might be able to make millions a year, but the statistics state that of the 73,660 young men in the NFL, only 1.5% of them will ever actually make it to the professional leagues, and of the approximate 50,000 people currently playing college baseball, only about 10.5% will ever make it to the professional leagues. Add this on top of the nearly $3 billion that the NCAA brings in a year,the serious health risks that sports players face every time they go out on the field, having to maintain good grades with tough college courses, and the fact that the colleges don’t provide insurance for their athletes, it’s easy to see why college athletes deserve a wage. The only silver lining to this one-sided transaction is that some players might be able to make extra bonuses from external organizations, such as a reward. For example, UT Austin student Joseph Schooling received a bonus of $740,000 from Singapore for winning gold at the 2016 Olympics. To colleges’ very little credit, they have begun to do a little bit more to help their student athletes in recent years, such as giving them free lunch, allowing US Olympians to compete in college while pocketing tens of thousands of dollars from the US Olympics Committee, and allowing international athletes to keep bonuses such as in the case of Joseph Schooling. For all of the entertainment that our favorite college athletes provide us with every week, don’t you think that they deserve a little bit in return?
Should the Fed buy Corporate Bonds?
Ashutosh Kumar 7.1.20
When the recession started in March, the Fed pledged that they would buy corporate bonds. However, the financial markets seem to have recovered from the initial coronavirus shock, which wiped away 34% of gains, and they also received interest rate cuts to zero to help the recovery. Despite the successes, Fed Chair Jerome H. Powell stated that he would “not even think about raising rates.” In addition to buying bonds from struggling companies, the Fed is buying from companies like Microsoft and Visa despite the tech sector’s sustainability as their unemployment rate is 1.3 percent. This raises the moral hazard question in which the Fed buys debt from companies that don’t need the central bank’s help. In defense of the Fed, this policy has “minimal impact on how those bonds trade,” according to Tom Graff, a Brown Advisory. Also, Powell introduced a Main Street lending program which could help medium-sized businesses. However, in the next recession, if the Fed were to use these tools more routinely in the future, markets might come to expect Fed credit intervention in all future downturns, which could misallocate resources and capital. And the Main Street lending program could also run a risk of allowing companies to act more speculative at the risk of taxpayers, and previous similar programs have shown it marginally helps the economy at best, and at worst gives wrong incentives to the market. Additionally, accountability could also be another problem because lawmakers asked Steven Mnuchin, the United States Secretary of the Treasury, about where the broader package of government relief money was going, and Mnuchin did not disclose that. The combination of the risk of misallocation of capital and a lack of accountability could mean an uncertain recovery and could lead to a moral hazard.
Should Presidential Candidates Address Mental Health Issues?
Stephanie Chan 7.1.20
Marking its territory in the interest of many adolescents and younger generations, mental health has become one of the biggest topics of discussion. Not only has the topic of mental health been affecting students to do better in the world, but it has allowed many to spread awareness of social media platforms. Being a student and a “Gen Z” baby, one must say mental health has taken part in my life. In high school, it’s common to hear a lot of people talking about how they relate to the mental health community. Not only were we vaguely aware of what the term “mental health” could consist of, but we were unaware of how it could potentially affect the community, our families, lives, and more. Mental health is most commonly ignored as it doesn’t seem to cause such a large ripple in our society; however, by taking a deep delve into the world of science integrated with the works of society, we can see that mental health affects everything that we do. Introducing this relatively new popular topic will most likely appeal to many adolescents who will vote, many of which don’t choose to participate in political discussions, nor get educated on what is happening in our world today, and listen in on what the candidates have to say. Currently, Presidential candidates have been expressing their opinions on the current issues at hand. For example, the coronavirus and the Black Lives Matter movement. Of course, this would have an appeal to the adolescent crowd. However, if mental health is not introduced in the future, many candidates would lack support or even the ears of the voters who are mental health advocates now. As of now, candidates have been talking about problems that affect only those that own homes, pay taxes, and people around the same age as the candidates (mid 30’s and older). The lack of attraction will most likely send an offset in future balancing of the bipartisan view. While these topics are still important and vital to keep track of, mental health and their opinion will drastically impact the voter age range and visions on the candidates. There are absolutely no negatives to this addition of this topic for debate. Yes, this might instigate further teasing from the opponent but politics always comes with a bipartisan view. Furthermore, it is necessary for presidential candidates now to address mental health issues. Not only does it affect our daily lives, but it will open the eyes of many young voters and allow them to recognize politics and their stance, while also allowing the candidates to highlight their plan to help those in need.
Do Something, Anything.
Barton Chen 6.30.20
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RucjF5YDM5g- TED TALK
“Why choose to reject when you can love?”
I said that in a 2018 TEDx talk I delivered at an event held at my school. Giving the talk itself was a daunting task. Hell, this talk almost did not happen the way it did. I was initially concerned about the ramifications about discussing topics such as sexuality and gender. These are sensitive topics in Asian cultures. My family is fairly conservative when it comes to social issues. In China, the country I live in, homosexuality was classified as a mental illness until 2001. The first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage, my country, Taiwan, would not do so until May of 2019. However, I reminded myself of the reasons behind my participation in social justice and advocacy — to share my own story and to inspire others.
The theme of the event was Emergence, and I talked about internalized homophobia, allyship, and my own identity as a queer man. Since then, my idea of the concept of Emergence has evolved. Listening to my TEDx talk the first time around, the Emergence is a play on the saying “coming out of the closet.” However, it is also an emergence from stigma, shame, and denial. I had become much more invested in social justice causes before, during, and after my TEDx talk, and it became clear to me that emergence is everywhere. It is not just confined to the emergence from the closet or the shadows of shame and denial. But it is instead a critical process for every movement. It is when members of a community are empowered and feel like they themselves are agents for change. Emergence is finding your own voice and using it.
Do something. Anything.
Oftentimes in movies, when airplanes are crashing, the panicked passengers cry out, “Do something, anything!” The world, right now, is that doomed airplane. As a member of society, we have an obligation to help those whose rights and interests are under attack. Multiple activists, including South African anti-apartheid activist Desmond Tutu and Romanian-American human rights campaigner Elie Wiesel, both noted that to be silent, to be indifferent, when the inalienable rights of a human being are violated is to be complicit in their suffering.
Doing something and making yourself heard is the importance of Pride Month. In 1969, LGBTQ people fought against police officers who had raided Stonewall Inn. People who could not accept the world as it is did something that revolutionized the world.
I said that in a 2018 TEDx talk I delivered at an event held at my school. Giving the talk itself was a daunting task. Hell, this talk almost did not happen the way it did. I was initially concerned about the ramifications about discussing topics such as sexuality and gender. These are sensitive topics in Asian cultures. My family is fairly conservative when it comes to social issues. In China, the country I live in, homosexuality was classified as a mental illness until 2001. The first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage, my country, Taiwan, would not do so until May of 2019. However, I reminded myself of the reasons behind my participation in social justice and advocacy — to share my own story and to inspire others.
The theme of the event was Emergence, and I talked about internalized homophobia, allyship, and my own identity as a queer man. Since then, my idea of the concept of Emergence has evolved. Listening to my TEDx talk the first time around, the Emergence is a play on the saying “coming out of the closet.” However, it is also an emergence from stigma, shame, and denial. I had become much more invested in social justice causes before, during, and after my TEDx talk, and it became clear to me that emergence is everywhere. It is not just confined to the emergence from the closet or the shadows of shame and denial. But it is instead a critical process for every movement. It is when members of a community are empowered and feel like they themselves are agents for change. Emergence is finding your own voice and using it.
Do something. Anything.
Oftentimes in movies, when airplanes are crashing, the panicked passengers cry out, “Do something, anything!” The world, right now, is that doomed airplane. As a member of society, we have an obligation to help those whose rights and interests are under attack. Multiple activists, including South African anti-apartheid activist Desmond Tutu and Romanian-American human rights campaigner Elie Wiesel, both noted that to be silent, to be indifferent, when the inalienable rights of a human being are violated is to be complicit in their suffering.
Doing something and making yourself heard is the importance of Pride Month. In 1969, LGBTQ people fought against police officers who had raided Stonewall Inn. People who could not accept the world as it is did something that revolutionized the world.
COVID-19 and Its Effect on the Environment
Stephanie Chan 6.19.2020
Before the three month pause on our nation’s working force and traveling, pollution rates were skyrocketing. Now outside of the US, we see streets filled, not with cars, but wildlife. The abandoned cities show a decrease in CO₂ emissions which are resulting in a trend across the world. Since the beginning of the pandemic, data shows that global emissions have decreased by approximately 8%, the largest drop since World War II. Based on research, it is fair to say that throughout these situations where travel is limited, emissions are lowered. But does this mean that the pandemic and the whole world being on pause benefits the environment in the long run? The answer to the question is no. History has taught us that a gap in the growth of population might seem positive, however when compared to the unforeseen aftermath, there is a high chance that there will be a “stagnation” in many aspects of society. For example, we saw the downfall in the economy just last month and unemployment rose to almost 21%. Besides the economy, a loss of important genetic, cultural, and intellectual diversity is predicted to occur, which we can already see in the community today. Considering all the factors, many wealthy people try to exploit the situation and gain a large profit, typically resulting in the furthered deterioration of our environment. In the US, the national Environmental Protection Agency is now allowing factories and power plants to regulate their own pollution of air and water. We can also see the plastics industry taking advantage of this by producing one-use items to promote the safety of the community, while the fossil fuel industry is looking forward to the government winning in favor of usage via stimulus. These lucrative businesses have always grown, especially because of the fears. It might seem as if the trend will continue to go downhill however. In the foreseeable chronicle of events, it can be assumed that many will take advantage later on and the detrimental effects will continue to rain havoc on our environment.
Should Military Bases Named After Confederate Soldiers Be Renamed?
Stephanie Chan 6.19.20
Robert E. Lee, Braxton Bragg, George Pickett, and Ambrose Power Hill Jr. are just some of the forts in the United States that were named after well-known Confederate soldiers and generals. Over the course of our history, the American Civil War (1861-1865) would be dubbed as our saddest, most dishonorable event in American history. So why name American forts after men that led the Confederates, or the opposing side in a war of civil unrest? Many would say it was to preserve the culture of having the greatest American soldiers recognized, no matter what group they belonged to. However, amidst protests against police brutality and racism across the nation getting louder and louder, the public has finally demanded a set change in the names. Activists and organizations have tried to change the names of the forts since they were named, but the answer would always remain the same: it would be too “controversial and divisive”. America is supposed to be one big “melting pot” right? It’s also supposed to have equal rights for people, correct? So what’s the point of naming a place that is supposed to represent our nation if the name represents those that disrespected what our nation was supposed to mean? We are given Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness by the Declaration of Independence, none of which were represented by any of those names. Yes, those are names of the past and we should be moving on to bigger and better things, but how are we supposed to do that while proudly representing a group of people that gladly wanted to secede from the US just for the purposes of wanting to abuse the rights of colored people. Many people have been suggesting new names for the forts such as the generals that fought in other historical battles and have done good for the world. So, based on our power today, the forts named after Confederate soldiers and generals should most definitely be changed. It’s not that those individual generals were bad or wrong, it is the fact of morality. That is certainly not what we intended to build our country back when we initially gained our independence. Instead, we should continue to stand for what our initial goal for this country was: freedom and justice for all. We can not do that by honoring a time in society where we treated each other as lesser people, we must continue on this path forward to build a better country for upcoming generations. We can not rewrite the past, nor can we predict our future, however what we can do is write our future. By changing the names, we are proving that humanity will continue to do better.
U.S. Involvement in the Middle East
Taran Singh 6.17.2020
In 1945, the world was in shambles and people were living in fear of having to witness another war like World War II. To promote peace, shared values, and prevent more atrocities and wars from occurring, the United Nations was formed. Today, the United Nations continues to be the largest intergovernmental organization with 193 member states and dozens of agencies and bodies like the Security Council, General Assembly, World Health Organization, and Economic and Social Council. It is responsible for promoting peace, human rights, sustainable development, equality, improving access to necessities and resources, public health, and its core values, stated in the UN Charter, is to make the world a better place. The success of the United Nations is something that has been disputed since the organization came into existence. The organization is more successful in terms of its ethics than its policies, as most General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding and member states may choose whether to sign and implement them. This is because the United Nations must respect the sovereignty of nations, meaning that countries have the right to regulate their internal affairs without foreign influence. Beneficial policies and resolutions cannot be enforced whatsoever because of this concept, and they can only be promoted and taken as a suggestion. The UN has passed thousands of resolutions and executed countless missions, yet there continue to be world leaders who refuse to be a part of something that will benefit their future. Just because something isn’t required, does not mean that it shouldn’t be done. A prime example of this is shown through resolutions relating to climate change, where it is scientifically proven that action needs to be taken and policies need to be implemented to create change. Many are struggling to understand why there are world leaders who refuse to sign legislations and implement frameworks that will benefit them, as well as all future generations. Very few industrialized nations have taken further steps and implemented the policies or met any of their emission reduction targets that they have agreed to and envisioned when they signed documents like the Paris Climate Accords. Some nations, such as the United States, have gone as far as withdrawing from the agreement entirely due to their inability to act on such important issues. Many young activists have spoken up and demanded that further action be taken towards the shared goals of our future, but the preservation of national sovereignty prevents the UN from intervening and enforcing agreements as such. Member States of the United Nations aren’t bound to their agreements and the UN can’t do anything to make them comply with them, displaying their policies themselves are not completely successful or taken as seriously as they should be. The ideologies presented and promoted by the UN have always been morally successful and surely have impacted the actions and beliefs of millions. However, the policies themselves can not be successful unless everyone is actively implementing them and committed to working towards the shared goal of a better future.
The Possibility of a Second Lockdown
Namit Kapoor 06.17.2020
At a time when major cities are in the process of reopening businesses and people are congregating in confined areas while protesting the murder of George Floyd, many epidemiologists are concerned with the possibility of a second shutdown. In the past week, twenty-one states have experienced an increase in the total amount of Covid-19 cases discovered. Of these states, Alabama, Oregon, and South Carolina experienced the greatest surges in newly discovered cases. This spells disaster for vulnerable populations because the vast majority of unconcerned people were initially reluctant to abide by social distancing regulations, and if another lockdown is mandated by state and local officials, they may be even less willing to take the call seriously. More small businesses will also deteriorate if forced to shut down once more due to the preexisting burden they already face from the first shut down. Furthermore, students may also face the burden of slipping farther behind in their studies if schools are shut down for the 2020-2021 school year. The U.S.government will also have to go further into debt to bail out corporations and to provide stimulus checks for working-class families. Many GOP leaders have been reluctant to these stimulus checks in the previous few months, noting that the U.S. is slipping further into debt with China to a point where we will not be able to pay it back. The United States has already spent over $5 trillion bailing out individuals and businesses due to the Covid-19 pandemic, resulting in a total of $26 trillion in debt. With the impending crisis that may result due to such a substantial debt, tensions between Republicans and Democrats may become more schismatic. In the meantime, however, health officials are urging people to abide by social distancing regulations and to reopen in a manner that takes into account statistics and the welfare of all people while keeping our most vulnerable populations protected.
The UN: Successful or Unsuccessful
Olivia Berg 6.12.2020
In 1945, the world was in shambles and people were living in fear of having to witness another war like World War II. To promote peace, shared values, and prevent more atrocities and wars from occurring, the United Nations was formed. Today, the United Nations continues to be the largest intergovernmental organization with 193 member states and dozens of agencies and bodies like the Security Council, General Assembly, World Health Organization, and Economic and Social Council. It is responsible for promoting peace, human rights, sustainable development, equality, improving access to necessities and resources, public health, and its core values, stated in the UN Charter, is to make the world a better place. The success of the United Nations is something that has been disputed since the organization came into existence. The organization is more successful in terms of its ethics than its policies, as most General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding and member states may choose whether to sign and implement them. This is because the United Nations must respect the sovereignty of nations, meaning that countries have the right to regulate their internal affairs without foreign influence. Beneficial policies and resolutions cannot be enforced whatsoever because of this concept, and they can only be promoted and taken as a suggestion. The UN has passed thousands of resolutions and executed countless missions, yet there continue to be world leaders who refuse to be a part of something that will benefit their future. Just because something isn’t required, does not mean that it shouldn’t be done. A prime example of this is shown through resolutions relating to climate change, where it is scientifically proven that action needs to be taken and policies need to be implemented to create change. Many are struggling to understand why there are world leaders who refuse to sign legislations and implement frameworks that will benefit them, as well as all future generations. Very few industrialized nations have taken further steps and implemented the policies or met any of their emission reduction targets that they have agreed to and envisioned when they signed documents like the Paris Climate Accords. Some nations, such as the United States, have gone as far as withdrawing from the agreement entirely due to their inability to act on such important issues. Many young activists have spoken up and demanded that further action be taken towards the shared goals of our future, but the preservation of national sovereignty prevents the UN from intervening and enforcing agreements as such. Member States of the United Nations aren’t bound to their agreements and the UN can’t do anything to make them comply with them, displaying their policies themselves are not completely successful or taken as seriously as they should be. The ideologies presented and promoted by the UN have always been morally successful and surely have impacted the actions and beliefs of millions. However, the policies themselves can not be successful unless everyone is actively implementing them and committed to working towards the shared goal of a better future.
The State of Our Economy
Aarya Agarwal 06.12.2020
The simplest explanation is no one knows. Originally economists had predicted that economic recovery would come in a v shape. However, most economists have abandoned that model and predictions are being changed everyday. However, one thing is clear, it is obvious that the real recession hasn’t even started yet. As an example let's take a look at the last catastrophic event in the United States of similar scale, 9/11. Post 9/11 the stock markets took a dip and quickly recovered the next month, similar to what we saw these past 2 months. However, this wasn’t the real recession which would actually come a year later as companies went under in the changed world post 9/11. Covid 19 has changed the world forever and as companies like Hertz, Neiman Marcus, and Modell’s are in different stages of bankruptcy the real impact will be felt when these companies are dissolved. The short burst of economic growth we are seeing right now can be attributed to the pedal to the metal approach both the Federal Reserve and The Government have taken, injecting 7.5 trillion dollars into the economy in just a few short months. While this is paying off right now, it may be a dangerous approach. Most economists are predicting that economic recovery will be w shaped, with a 2 economic downturn. In case of this neither organization has any tools left at their disposal to combat this. As this high level of uncertainty continues caution is highly advisable for all organizations, private and public. We need to ease out of our lockdown state back into an open economy and be prepared for more to come ahead, especially with a possibility of a second wave on the horizon.
What is the most Important Change we need in our Police
Stephanie Chan 06.10.2020
When we are young, we are taught that the police are there to save us. They’re here to protect, shield, and serve us. They are our knights in shining armor, wearing their gleaming badges, and helping the community become a safer place. But does society think that now? Considering recent events, the answer to that question is no. The whole system’s honor and the name have been tarnished by the disgusting actions of so many cops. Not only is this “system” broken, but it violates many civil and moral rights. What we see in society today is entirely unacceptable. Not only have we come to light about police brutality, but their continued violent actions to “disperse” crowds has angered protesters even more. But the question stands: What is the most important change needed in the system? Is it the entire de-funding of national forces, the need for more training, or is there no need for change? All are wrong. Not only do we need to improve the morality of these officers, but we need training and civil testing for them to recognize that it is not acceptable, by any circumstance, to harass someone whether it be a personal, racial, stereotypical, nor bias-motivated reason. We must come to the conclusion that the need for moral training and recognition of the diversity of our country is what is most necessary. Directing police funds to other areas of needed budgets will not solve the problem of the lack of morality that stains our society. The need for one to teach the appropriate way to address a certain person is needed, the need for recognition that despite our differences we are the same, the need for the system to recognize ways of brutality and how they should be treating areas of protest. Yes, the whole system needs to be “rewired”, but it is more important that we address and fix the most important change at hand and improve the quality of our society while maintaining our initial moral efforts.
Should the Federal Reserve Bailout State Budgets
Ashutosh Kumar 06.10.2020
Around a month ago, the Democratic and Republican party were debating whether to let states declare bankruptcy or bail them out but go even deeper into debt. However, as time went on, a third option became more viable. Let the Federal Reserve buy up to $500 billion in municipal bonds from State Governments. Even in the 2008 recession, this policy was never implemented. The Federal Reserve claims that this is a temporary fix to keep states solvent, prevent budget cuts, and avoid tax hikes during the economic downturn. In March, investors realized that in the short term, local and state governments would run out of liquidity and decided to withdraw. This caused interest rates on bonds to increase from just under 0.5% to 2.75%. When the Fed stated that they would buy municipal bonds, the interest rate fell back at 1%. However, some states do not need liquidity in the short term, but if they see states like Illinois getting an interest rate of 1%, whereas states like New York pay the 2.75% interest, the solvent states will likely opt into the Federal Reserve program, which could increase the $500 billion into a few trillion. To prevent the exponential increase of debt, the Federal Reserve should buy bonds from the open market rather than newly issued bonds. This should allow the Federal Reserve to buy bonds from any State that needs funds no matter when they were issued while preventing States from making budget cuts. In addition, this would allow the Federal Reserve to disciple bad states like Illinois from making irresponsible fiscal moves while preventing the people of the state from suffering because the Fed can buy enough bonds to help the people but not enough to make sure the state changes their budget decisions.
Mental Health Matters
Anushka Gupta 06.08.2020
As a mental health advocate my main goal is to decrease the stigma surrounding mental health in my community and all over the country. It so often happens that people struggling with mental health related disorders suffer in silence because they are afraid of the backlash they might receive from telling others. After personally acknowledging the effects of mental health on myself and others in my community, I’ve made it my mission to advocate for mental health for students. I serve as a member of the student advisory committee (SAC) for the nation’s premier nonprofit organization supporting mental health awareness, Active Minds, and I also am the co-president of the Active Minds club at my school. Through these platforms I’ve been able to cultivate a positive environment regarding mental health related issues by educating my peers about mental health related disorders, inviting speakers to share their stories, planning activities to promote awareness, and talking about self care.
As many students around the country begin to navigate through this so-called “temporary normal,” many have reported that life in quarantine has taken a negative toll on their mental health. According to a survey done by Active Minds, the nation’s leading non-profit organization for mental health awareness and education for students, 38% of the 3,239 high school and college students surveyed experienced stress due to lack of focus in academics/work. In today’s digital world, it’s pretty easy to be distracted when working/studying from home due to social media disruptions. Students are beginning to adjust to virtual school by setting goals for themselves or even making a to-do list. Additionally, 28% of all students felt that the most stressful aspect of quarantine was the disconnection they felt from their family and friends. Although technology such as facetime, zoom, and netflix party have helped students connect with one another on a virtual platform, many still feel isolated from their peers due to the lack of in-person communication. One shocking statistic found by the COVID-19 survey conducted by Active Minds was that 55% of all students surveyed reported that they had no idea where to go to receive help for their mental health. Unfortunately mental health resources are not emphasized enough in schools. Some resources that are always available to everyone are the Crisis text line (text “Brave” to 741-741) where you can receive help from a trained crisis counselor, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline (Call 1-800-273-TALK (8255)), and the Disaster Distress Helpline (Call 1-800-985-5990) which is available for anyone experiencing emotional distress as a result of a natural or human-caused disaster. All of these hotlines are open 24/7 and they are strictly confidential, so your privacy won’t be compromised under any circumstance. Although feelings of loneliness and sadness have become more prominent during this time, some ways to combat these feelings are to set aside a time everyday to talk to friends and to explore a new hobby that may interest you such as reading, painting, or even writing. Self care, however that may look for you, has also become increasingly important to practice during these times of uncertainty. Some self care strategies that students have begun to practice are gratitude journals, mindfulness, exercising, or even just giving yourself a break sometimes. We all need to be more patient with ourselves and understand that we are doing the best we can in these unprecedented circumstances.
As many students around the country begin to navigate through this so-called “temporary normal,” many have reported that life in quarantine has taken a negative toll on their mental health. According to a survey done by Active Minds, the nation’s leading non-profit organization for mental health awareness and education for students, 38% of the 3,239 high school and college students surveyed experienced stress due to lack of focus in academics/work. In today’s digital world, it’s pretty easy to be distracted when working/studying from home due to social media disruptions. Students are beginning to adjust to virtual school by setting goals for themselves or even making a to-do list. Additionally, 28% of all students felt that the most stressful aspect of quarantine was the disconnection they felt from their family and friends. Although technology such as facetime, zoom, and netflix party have helped students connect with one another on a virtual platform, many still feel isolated from their peers due to the lack of in-person communication. One shocking statistic found by the COVID-19 survey conducted by Active Minds was that 55% of all students surveyed reported that they had no idea where to go to receive help for their mental health. Unfortunately mental health resources are not emphasized enough in schools. Some resources that are always available to everyone are the Crisis text line (text “Brave” to 741-741) where you can receive help from a trained crisis counselor, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline (Call 1-800-273-TALK (8255)), and the Disaster Distress Helpline (Call 1-800-985-5990) which is available for anyone experiencing emotional distress as a result of a natural or human-caused disaster. All of these hotlines are open 24/7 and they are strictly confidential, so your privacy won’t be compromised under any circumstance. Although feelings of loneliness and sadness have become more prominent during this time, some ways to combat these feelings are to set aside a time everyday to talk to friends and to explore a new hobby that may interest you such as reading, painting, or even writing. Self care, however that may look for you, has also become increasingly important to practice during these times of uncertainty. Some self care strategies that students have begun to practice are gratitude journals, mindfulness, exercising, or even just giving yourself a break sometimes. We all need to be more patient with ourselves and understand that we are doing the best we can in these unprecedented circumstances.
Athletes Taking a Knee: Freedom of Speech or Disrespect?
Taran Singh 06.05.2020
Before coronavirus stopped everything, the United States witnessed football players take a knee during the national anthem, which started with Colin Kaepernick. While those who took a knee during the national anthem tried to claim that it was in the name of police brutality and racism, many Americans interpreted it as an attack on America and believed that it was disrespectful to the country, especially those who fought for it. Both sides have their arguments and values, however it’s important that we, as a country, create a precedent today regarding what kneeling during the national anthem is about. One can make the argument that, of course, racism still exists today on a smaller scale and that police brutality still exists as well. However, the place to take out your anger about these two issues is not on the national anthem. Athletes should use their platforms and advocate for change outside of football, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Also, athletes should separate their profession and personal beliefs. People who come to stadiums to watch a football game aren’t paying to see athletes take a knee during the national anthem, nor are they paying to hear about an athlete’s personal opinion about something. They’re paying to see athletes play a sport for their entertainment. Diffusing politics into every aspect of our culture is never good and often escalates tensions unnecessarily. Not to mention, kneeling for the national anthem is an attack on the same Americans who once gave their life to keep it up such as in the battle of Iwo Jima where the famous photograph of Americans planting the United States flag was taken. The National Anthem is a symbol of unity among the “United” states of America. That’s why it is the “National” anthem. There have always been times in America where unity has been much needed such as the civil war. With coronavirus and the George Floyd incident, the country could definitely use some unity today which is why all athletes should stand for the national anthem.
The Destruction of Rioting and Looting
Sahit Dokku 06.05.2020
As we all know protests over George Floyd’s Death have been going on for more than a week all around the nation. All races are uniting together to protest against police brutality and racism. When I first heard of these protests I viewed them as violent because citizens were throwing firecrackers, rocks, glass bottles,etc at police officers and at buildings. I thought this was wrong of the protesters to do because they were acting on their emotions instead of thinking before the act. They didn't know the harm they were doing to innocent people indirectly. Destroying and looting small businesses and even big businesses is not the right way to go about this kind of movement. People depend on these small businesses for their income and the coronavirus already made it much harder for people to do business and now these protesters are just adding more damage. For big businesses, many consumers depend on them for clothes, shoes, and groceries, and now consumers are deprived of these resources. Throwing rocks and glass bottles at police wont do anything to them because, first they have proper equipment and they have more dangerous weapons. Now if we bring this to the George Floyd incident, after Derek Chauvin killed Floyd, most Americans felt pain and decided to act on that pain. Pain is a never ending cycle until one side has love for the other. So we must change their view on police brutality and racism and we have to do this in a convincing manner. The protests right now are angering some of the police because they believe what Chauvin did was right, and they also feel pain because they believe their fellow officer has been arrested and convicted wrongly. Like the protesters, some police want to take revenge, which starts the cycle of pain again. So how do we stop this cycle of pain? The answer would be to convince everyone that police brutality and racism is wrong. However, the means of doing this is difficult. I once believed peaceful protests were the way, but many protesters are getting arrested,injured, or dying just for standing there expressing their thoughts. But the ways in the 20th century wont work now in the 21st century. I don't want to see anymore of our brothers and sisters die, cops and protesters. We must take it to the internet where we can sign petitions, pressure the government, and speak our minds freely. And like Mayor Keisha of Atalanta said, if we want change everyone over 18 must be registered to vote and I agree because that is where we the people have power over the government. To summarize briefly, it’s our duty as humans to help each other and lead each other down the right path. If we stoop to the federal government's level we are just continuing this cycle of pain. We can not act on our emotions but instead we can speak on them and convince people through words and examples. We can change this country through voting and unity. We must convince everyone in this generation that racism and police brutality is morally wrong, so the following generations don't have to go through what we had to. This is what Martin Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi did as well. Our goal is to prevent future generations from going through what we have gone through.
We the People vs The Economy: Should States Reopen?
Stephanie Chan 06.03.2020
Amidst all the pandemic responses and scares, the question still stands: should and when will states reopen? Currently, all states have begun in their phases of reopening; some states are reopening businesses and restaurants while others outline plans to allow the public to go out. While the number of cases slowly dwindles day by day, the number of jobs are dropping by the millions everyday. The instability of the economy right now will no longer be able to sustain our country, nor the financial capital of the United States of America. Although there is a chance of increased cases of coronavirus, there will be no way of saving those people in need if there is no more money left in the economy. Reports have stated that in one or two months, New York will not be able to continue paying for unemployment. By reopening states, we would have a more stable infrastructure for all aspects. We will be able to buy more, consume more, and help our people for longer durations of time. Reopening states is the only probable way we can help our nation. The spread of the disease can still be prevented by allowing the workforce to come in at waves, which is currently being discussed in some states. The pros of reopening states simply outweigh the cons. If the states do not reopen, businesses will continue to struggle and our economy will continue to shrivel and become unable to help the people who are out of jobs, which lies at approximately 21.5%, or just about 40 million people. If unemployment continues on its projected path, it will soon pass 24.9%, the US’s record high during the Great Depression in 1933. We must regain a sense of normalcy and have our states reopen while taking precautions of the risks.
Federal Reserves vs Main Street
Ashutosh Kumar 06.03.2020
As the United States enters a severe recession with a projected 52.8% GDP decline in the second quarter of 2020, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell tried to implement a program where the Fed buys 85-95% of the bank loans for struggling companies. The bond-buying program is where banks loan credit to medium size main street companies, and the Fed will buy most of it to minimize the risk. However, this strategy will run into the issue of banks intentionally loaning out risky loans and selling them at inflated prices. To counter this, the Fed will not absorb all the risk and leave some ownership to the Banks to prevent speculative lending. This kind of credit is similar to the Great depression-era business loans which yielded a return of minus 3 percent. Rather than the Fed accumulating too much risk to improve the economy marginally, the Fed should focus more on expansionary monetary policy. According to Scott Sumner, an economist at Mercatus Center at George Mason University, the Fed would help the economy by focusing on “monetary stimulus rather than what you might call credit stimulus,” because it would “improve liquidity and maintain stable nominal GDP growth.” As interest rates go towards zero, the Federal Reverse policy can increase the supply of base money either by quantitative easing or by level targeting. This policy has two advantages over maintaining a stable credit line. First, this policy should raise the expectation of inflation to rise during a recession, which boosts aggregate demand; second, this policy does not need to buy risky assets; instead, the Fed can buy it as a last resort. If the Fed enacts these policies, they can help stop the drastic fall of GDP and keep main street from collapsing rather than implementing a speculative and destabilizing program.
Past Issues Haunt us Today: Police Brutality
Daniel Yu 06.03.2020
The world is always claiming to be against police brutality and the debate should be unanimous against it. However, United States citizens have reemphasized the issue with the recent killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020. What we see now is rioting and pillaging across the nation, quite the same reaction towards the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. during the 1960s Civil Rights movement and is the spitting image of the infamous Los Angeles riots in 1992 after the beating of Rodney King. Eric Garner’s death sparked the Black Lives Matter movement, yet the officer responsible was not indicated. Michael Brown and Breonna Taylor’s deaths resulted in no charges at all. Interestingly, the list goes on and on of African-American victims. However, not many people know about Daniel Shaver, who was killed by the police in 2016 while unarmed and sobbing. The result, second-degree murder charge, non-guilty verdict, and a $30,000 pension for the officer. Daniel Shaver was white. Not many people know about John T. Williams, a Native American woodcarver, who was shot by the police after the police failed to express his orders correctly in 2010. It is unfair to say that the police have bounties on all African Americans. It is fair to say that modern policing is incredibly flawed, which has barely changed as time passes. The voices of victims are unheard and the controversy has become more than just another police brutality killing. Rioting is to be expected. Protestors are being suppressed and there is no other way to have their voices heard. Where are the regulations? Where is the fairness? Some officers are currently attacking protestors and failing to discourage rioting even after videos are resurfacing as proof of police brutality among peaceful protestors. Police brutality has not stopped and will not stop short if the current policing does not change now for the future. It is crucial that coronavirus headlines do not dismiss what is happening to American citizens by the police.
Science Fiction Turned Reality: The SpaceX Launch
Olivia Berg 6.1.2020
The world has been an extremely dark place in recent months due to the devastating effects of the coronavirus pandemic and protests sparked by the death of George Floyd. It’s a good time to appreciate and spread more uplifting stories of achievements happening throughout the world. Saturday marked the first launch of NASA astronauts into space in over 9 years. A Falcon 9 rocket was launched while carrying two NASA astronauts, Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley, in a Crew Dragon Capsule which served as a test launch to ensure that the Crew Dragon met the safety standards of NASA for future launches. After about 19 hours since their launch, the astronauts docked at the International Space Station (ISS) early Sunday afternoon and were greeted by the three astronauts who composed the ISS crew for the past several years. The launch was sponsored by SpaceX, a company privately owned by none other than the famous billionaire, engineer, and technological entrepreneur Elon Musk. SpaceX is the first and only private business to launch human astronauts into orbit, accomplishing a feat that only government space programs once attempted. Although the mission will not be considered a complete success until Behnken and Hurley return to Earth in the Crew Dragon, it is still considered a tremendous accomplishment for both SpaceX and NASA that brings a lot of hope and possibilities for future missions. Since 2011, NASA has relied on Russia to complete routine missions to and from the ISS and if the SpaceX mission is successful, NASA hopes to start their own routine trips again. The ability to send more NASA astronauts into space brings the potential to enhance the scientific research and studies being conducted at the International Space Station. Once routine missions begin, there is a high chance that space will become more commercialized with tourist trips and other businesses hoping to follow in the steps of SpaceX or invest in space travel.
A New Era of School: E-learning's Report Card
Isabella Pang 06.01.2020
As the coronavirus pandemic forces schools and college campuses to go online, the model of education has suddenly been disrupted by the new “normal.” As normality takes the form into something so unrecognizable, we ask ourselves: what is the future going to look like? Speaking for all students that value a quality education, the future is not online education since the cons outweigh the pros. Firstly, online professors usually have a limited role in teaching, as they primarily guide students through the pre-written or pre-recorded course material, rather than teaching it. The majority of the interaction with professors comes from class discussions and feedback on assignments. Some students who thrive in one-on-one interaction with their professors, may have trouble with the new format of schooling. This new way of teaching is extremely broad, which puts the students with disabilities at disadvantage for a quality and effective education. To further extend the point of disadvantages in online learning, not everyone has access to a computer in their homes; or, their computer might not be equipped with the latest technologies which inhibits their online learning experience. Many online schools are still working to build their technical support, so students may be on their own when attempting to troubleshoot problems. And lastly, and undoubtedly the most important factor in a quality education, is the lack of social interaction. One of the benefits of attending courses in a traditional brick-and-mortar school is the peer-to-peer interaction. Although most online courses do have a discussion area where students are required to talk about specific questions pertaining to that week’s lesson, this is done primarily through writing, making it more difficult to form lasting bonds. This discultory new norm of education is not going to last long, as it does nothing but harm the futures of students. We need our normal back.
Despite the Coronavirus Pandemic People Are Uplifting Their Fellow Humans
Anushka Gupta 05.31.2020
It’s no secret that the current pandemic has negatively affected millions of people worldwide. Despite the current panic state, people all around the world have still managed to reach out a helping hand to those in need. Tens of thousands of people have stepped up to help deliver medicine and groceries to those who are infected. According to the BBC, more than 1000 volunteer groups have been set up to help those who are self-isolating. In Lewisham, South London, Seren John-Wood set up the first mutual aid group dedicated to delivering medicine and groceries to those in their community who are vulnerable. This support network has grown so rapidly due to the involvement of thousands of volunteers that people who need assistance are placing a red card on their windows to indicate that they need help. Some dieticians, therapists, and dementia specialists are even providing their services for free to the public. People are even posting postcards on Instagram which offer to help those in need in their community by dropping off necessities. In order to lighten the mood, children have been drawing rainbows and putting them on their windows. A few restaurants in Birmingham, Alabama have been supporting their front-line workers by providing free meals. According to the School Nutrition Association, KTLA, more than 2 in 3 U.S. students who eat school lunches regularly depend on this meal for their daily source of nutrition. School districts in Houston are offering drive through meal services and in San Francisco eighteen food pickup sites are opening at schools in order to provide breakfast, lunch, and dinner to all children 18 and younger. Additionally, even education companies such as Discovery Education are making a positive difference by offering free access to their curriculum and personalized learning strategies. This act of kindness helps millions of parents around the world who are struggling to teach their young children while working. Athletes have even decided to support their community. According to CBS, NBA star Kevin Love is donating $100,000 to help Cleveland Cavaliers arena workers. People around the world are joining forces to help their own communities during the pandemic and spread positivity to their neighbors.
China's Debt Trap vs. the US
Ashutosh Kumar 5.29.2020
The two largest economic powers, the United States and China, are in direct conflict to control the coronavirus' narrative and its recession. As the world enters a global economic downturn, the poorest countries are starting to worry about defaulting on Chinese development loans. While China claims that it is trying to build infrastructure in poorer nations as an alternative to the IMF, the United States and other countries in the European Union are beginning to accuse China of predatory lending to countries like Kyrgyzstan and Pakistan to build China's One Belt One Road project. A key difference between Chinese loans from the IMF and the World Bank's loans is that the People's Bank of China offers high interest, shorter maturities and asks foreign assets and property as collateral for those loans. As the leaders in the indebted nations call for help, the United States should play a bigger role in financing development projects. The United States foreign aid program has two advantages over the Chinese development loans. Unlike China, US loans typically have lower interest rates, and don't demand much collateral, and second, the US demands fiscal responsibility for infrastructure projects and national budgets. This could also help alleviate some fiscal austerity in those countries if the United States stepped in because as China lowered the reserve ratio for their banks, this signals that China's liquidity is low, and this could lead to harsher punishment for any countries that decide to default on their debt.
Musk's Blasphemy
Aarya Agarwal 05.10.20
During Tesla’s Q1 earnings call on April 29th, Musk ruthlessly attacked California government officials. California officials had ruled Tesla’s Fremont plant a non-essential business and blocked its licence to open. This caused an enraged Musk to threaten moving the factory and the jobs that come with it out of California. For Musk, a leader in the business community to threaten this is just unacceptable. This is just another example of corporate America playing games with the rest of the nation. A corporation is trying to bully a state for a profit while most people are concerned for their health and safety. As a leader Musk should be working to alleviate the cost of this crisis on the average man not put them in further danger. And while Musk did make a valid point on bringing furloughed employees back to work, the White House’s stimulus plan was passed with the purpose of allowing these employees to tide over until it has been deemed to be safe to go back to work. Let's be clear, it is not yet safe. That is not a decision the business gets to make. It is safe when the government and medical experts say so and as of today, May 10th we are still waiting for that to happen.
How Monday's Oil Fiasco is Indicative of America's Coronavirus Failure
Aarya Agarwal 04.20.20
On Monday, oil prices in the United States went negative. Companies were paying customers to take excess oil off their hands. Put simply there were 3 reasons for this. First, a global oil war in March caused production to skyrocket and even though Russia, Saudi Arabia, and the United States have agreed to a production cut, this cut does not go into effect until May. This excess production then coupled with the 75% decrease in oil demand has led to a classic situation of supply outpacing demand. This brings us to the 3rd and final issue, Cushing, Oklahoma. Basically, there are 2 standards for the pricing and sale of oil. The first is Brent, used by most of the world. The second is the West Texas Intermediate (WTI). In the WTI system when oil is sold it physically changes hands. To accomplish this there is one center that the WTI relies on in order to keep this system running: Cushing. Because all oil is traded in Cushing it must be stored nearby to be available for the actual exchange of goods. Cushing has run out of room for all the excess oil being produced. Companies have run out of space to store this oil and even worse the main pipeline in and out of Cushing cannot accommodate the increased capacity. Meanwhile, the Brent system is flexible with multiple access points and has adapted to meet the new challenges of the day. The WTI system just like the rest of the nation is failing. Oil has always been one of this nation’s most resilient industries and now it is hurting also due to a lack of preparation and short sightedness. Oil Companies’ ever increasing desire for profits led them to increase production drastically and it is hurting now. This is comparable to how many medical supply companies purposely keep production low in order to increase the value of life saving machines like ventilators and the nation is paying for it now. This nation has also refused to adapt. The WTI refused to adapt and create additional points for the sale of oil and the rest of the nation is having a hard time adjusting to the economic downturn. As unemployment claims have reached all time highs and promised stimulus checks have been delayed for frivolous reasons like adding President Trump’s signature, this nation and its leaders have refused to change. If there's a time for change, now is the time.
Why Deceased Healthcare Workers Should get Veteran Benefits
Sneha Singhi 04.20.2020
The coronavirus has affected many people globally. This virus was first seen in China, and it rapidly grew around the world, hitting the United States the hardest. Thousands of Americans in health care, EMS, public transportation & other essential services (all collectively called COVID warriors) have been working very hard to fight this virus. As per Andrew Cuomo, “one-third of frontline workers are members of low-income workers, and people of color, disproportionality make up the frontline.” These warriors have the choice to stop working, however, they decide to keep working to help the country. Due to constant contact with COVID infected people and scarcity of protection equipment, there is an increase in the number of COVID cases seen in this group of people. A few of these infected COVID workers have also lost their life. They are also modern martyrs and deserve support and recognition in the American society. According to the United States Title 38, which is related to the Veteran’s benefits, the families of deceased veterans receive various monetary benefits such as pension, gratuity, and more. However, deceased COVID warriors, who may be suffering financially, do not receive any benefits. This petition is to bring in attention the contribution of the ‘COVID warriors’ who have lost their lives while performing their duty and appeal to the lawmakers, to recognize their contributions and provide support and safety to their families like we do to the veterans.
Worst Recession in Decades Piles Pressure on EU to Agree New Relief Package
Olivia Berg 4.19.2020
Not only has the coronavirus cost the world thousands of lives, it has begun to unfold the deepest economic recession that the world has seen in decades. We have already begun to see the effects of recession on the economy and it is difficult for experts to predict how bad things will get due to the unique circumstances that the coronavirus forced upon the world. The global gross domestic product (GDP) is projected to shrink by approximately 3% in 2020 due to the coronavirus. The complete and partial lockdowns of over 40 countries are the main force behind the recession. Nearly all of the G-20 nations, who have the most advanced economies in the world, have set aside trillions of dollars towards relief programs to get a head start at combating the devastating effects of an economic recession. Many of these plans put their money towards relief payments to unemployed individuals, wage subsitizations, fiscal stimulus packages, interest rate cuts, tax postponements, liquidity injections, tax cuts, and other beneficial programs or policy changes for their citizens and businesses that are suffering. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has forecasted that the European Union (EU) will be hit the hardest by this recession with a projected average shrink of their GDP by about 7.5%, varying in each nation. Italy and Spain will likely be the most affected nations with projected economic contractions of 9.1% and 8%. The EU is among the few members of the G-20 who have not agreed upon and implemented a plan for any of these programs and changes to policies.The financial chiefs of the EU have reached an agreement upon a €540 billion coronavirus relief package. This package would encompass €100 billion dedicated towards employment insurance, €200 billion towards liquidity for companies, and €240 million to stabilize the economy. However, there have been extremely stunting political disagreements among members of the EU in regards to the terms of the programs and the extent to which governments can use money from these funds. Some nations look towards implementing a solution that would involve the distribution of highly controversial “corona bonds” that would essentially issue a collective European Union debt rather than debt of individual nations for the purpose of economic relief. With the proposal of the issuance of corona bonds, the risk of a second sovereign debt crisis in Europe is also presented, which is a risk that very few countries are willing to take. The coronavirus relief package serves as a much safer solution that keeps in mind the long term reconstruction of the EU, as it uses funds allocated from the European Stability Fund and the European Investment Bank. In recent weeks, pressure has been building up on the EU and it is now up to the leaders of each nation to agree to the relief package and its terms. If the nations of the EU do not act now and agree upon a solid plan as one body, the pressure will continue to build and the effects of the recession become more prevalent. The EU’s lack of unity on a financial relief plan has also sparked widespread concerns and questions of millions about their future stability. How can the European Union continue to call itself a union if it lacks the fundamental concept of unity?
John Krasinski: SomeGoodNews
Aditya Lodha 4.14.2020
John Krasinki, famously known for his portrayal of Jim on the NBC hit sitcom series, “The Office,” has started his own youtube channel during this time. The 40 year old veteran comedian and actor has recently a channel called “Some Good News.” It’s no secret that it is a time of crisis, with a global pandemic going on outside our houses, what people need at this time is just “Some Good News.” John Krasinski, has decided to put a positive twist to all the negative news happening, and decided to share some hope in this time of darkness by posting positive uplifting content on Some Good News, which currently has 1.74 million subscribers. Krasinski talks about anything and everything, ranging from interviews with Steve Carrell, to sports updates. The actor is not ignoring what is happening in the world but is instead looking at the good that comes out from it. For example, like a quieter and more still Earth meaning less pollution, or an alternative to what to do while quarantined in our homes. John opens up to his viewers and gives heartwarming talks, honors health care workers who put their lives on the line, while connecting with his viewers, literally, by calling them and seeing how the pandemic affected them and their families, but always seeing how they are making the best out of it. I strongly recommend checking out Some Good News especially with everything happening right now.
Coronavirus and Healthcare: How Healthcare Needs to Change
Taran Singh 04.14.2020
It’s clear that the aftermath of the coronavirus will create new policies in healthcare so that all countries are better equipped to deal with a novel virus in the future. Previous Presidents including George Bush and Barack Obama have stressed the importance of investing in healthcare to protect the American people. The novel virus has exposed a lot of the United States’ inefficiencies in healthcare, both in the administrative and clinical part. There are a few important changes that need to be made in hospitals. For starters, hospitals should be federally mandated to have a minimum stockpile of items based on factors such as how many beds and doctors they have. They should always have enough equipment that will last a few months at minimum. On the state level, governments should allow private companies to easily work with hospitals when it comes to testing production and lab analysis. Too many restrictions on the state level have delayed the production of testing kits and results which has in turn delayed everything. Federally, the government needs to restore the pandemic team at the CDC that can advise the President on emerging health threats and the best course of action to contain it. The federal pandemic team was removed by President Trump to cut federal costs however this virus has shown us the importance of taking action early. If we can implement these new changes in healthcare, the United States will be much more efficient in dealing with the next health threat.
5G Cell Towers: Are They Safe?
Taran Singh 4.14.2020
Just a few years ago, the talk of creating nationwide 5G systems had just started. Today, that idea is quickly becoming reality with internet and communications companies implementing 5G cell towers all over America. As with all new technology, concerns have been raised by people over the health risks that 5G cell towers pose. Rumors over social media such as the cell towers emit higher levels of radiation than 4G towers and that the 5G towers can spread coronavirus have quickly spread with a lack of scientific backing. Many skepticisms have opposed implementing this new technology until further research has been done on them and strict regulation has been put in place. While it’s important to be skeptical of new technology, the risks of 5G cell towers have been blown out of proportion mainly by social media. As of today, there are no credible studies published that show 5G cell towers being so unsafe for people that the new technology should not be used. Scientists and experts have also been quick to reassure everyone that the towers do not spread any virus or disease, including coronavirus. The conspiracy theories surrounding 5G don’t have any credible backing and have been mostly debunked. Internet and communications companies such as T-Mobile and Verizon should be allowed to place new 5G cell towers to provide a faster internet speed to everyone. In the free market, as long as there are safety regulations in place, this product will benefit everyone. It’s time to embrace it
A Potential Solution to Plastic
Taran Singh 4.14.2020
The biggest downside to plastic is the impossible task of breaking the material down fast enough. Plastic waste takes 1,000 years to decompose naturally and other plastic materials such as bottles take hundreds of years. A new development has now allowed scientists to bring that time period to just a few hours. A company named "Carbios" have developed a new enzyme that can decompose plastic bottles in just a few hours. It has partnered with companies including Pepsi to bring their product into the industrial scale in just five years. Chief Scientific Officer Alian Marty stated, that Carbios hopes to make their product usable for all companies by 2024 or 2025 so that the planet can reduce the amount of plastic waste in landfills and in the ocean. If the new technology works, all companies that produce plastic products should embrace the new invention for the purpose of keeping the planet clean. Plastic has been responsible for killing marine and terrestrial plants and animals by reaching places it does not belong such as in the ocean and in farms. The new technology seems very promising for creating a cleaner planet and ecosystems. All companies should embrace it so that the environmental toll their products place on Earth is minimized to the fullest extent.
South Korean Soccer Star Forced to Complete Compulsory Military Service
Tyler Costin 4.10.2020
The world of sports has been completely halted for almost a month now due to the coronavirus pandemic. All athletes are forced to stay at home and self-isolate. However, one soccer star was forced to leave his home and fly halfway across the globe, making many soccer fans wonder why, myself included. Son Heung-min, a 27-year old South Korean forward for Tottenham Hotspur in the English Premier Division, was the soccer star who went back home to South Korea. So far this season, he has racked up 16 goals and 9 assists in 32 appearances, which ranks him amongst the elite attackers playing in Europe. However, as his teammates and fellow athletes rest with families during this break, he is being forced to comply with South Korean law. All native-born South Korean males have to complete a mandatory military service between the ages of 18-28 and depending on what branch of service you choose, you could spend up to 3 years completing it. Heung-min Son was forced to leave self-isolation to complete this mandatory service as he will be 28 this summer. However, he did receive a partial exemption from the service as he and the South Korean national soccer team won the soccer event at Asian Games. His service has been drastically reduced to only four weeks which must be a huge relief for Son.
Racial Inequality of Coronavirus
Ariane Lee 04.09.2020
As towns and cities across America have begun to release early data on the COVID-19 outbreak, the racial impact of the virus is making itself known. In Louisiana, African Americans make up 32% of the population but 70% of coronavirus deaths. Similarly, in Chicago, blacks account for 69% of death despite only constituting 30% of the population. This disproportionate pattern of fatalities has also appeared in NYC, Milwaulkee, Detroit, and more. Experts have cited several reasons for this disparity, the most prominent being that black Americans have more comorbidities and less access to healthcare. Together, the higher rates of existing health issues like hypertension, diabetes, and lung disease and lack of preventative care create a deadly combination.Coronavirus has also disproportionately affected African American employment; occupational racial segregation has resulted in an estimated 20.7% unemployment rate of Black Americans, despite an official national unemployment rate of 4.4%. Another chilling racial impact of COVID-19 concerns mask usage. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently issued guidelines recommending all Americans to wear homemade face coverings in public. However, this ignores the unfortunate reality of the presumed criminality of black men. Not only are facial coverings part of traditional criminal descriptions, but they are also associated with gang affiliation. Many people of color have spoken out, saying that they will not wear homemade masks in fear of being racially profiled or endangered as a result. This lose-lose situation is just another consequence of America’s troubled history with race.
AP Exam Changes Amid Coronavirus Pandemic
Taran Singh 04.07.2020
The College Board introduced changes to each specific AP exam on April 3rd. Every test will consist of either one or two free response questions and the original grading scale of 1 to 5 will remain. The tests will be 45 minutes and will be taken by students at home. This new format is not favorable for students because it’s impossible to truly show your knowledge in a class based on one or two questions. What happens when the two questions for one test relate to topics that the student didn’t do well in? Does that qualify them as “bad” students? Or even if the opposite happens, a student who hasn’t done well in an AP class gets lucky because the test questions related to two topics they did well in. Are they now “good” students? It’s impossible to measure a student’s knowledge based on one or two questions. Student’s have worked hard and tried their best to master every topic they’ve learned in AP classes so that they can succeed. They’ve practiced with the original tests the whole year and all of that practice is obsolete now that there are new tests that no one has ever taken. It’s also impossible to practice for the new tests since they’re new. The College Board has also been very vague with information which has left many questions from teachers and students unanswered. It’s clear that the College Board should stick with the original AP tests except administer them at home.
How COVID-19 Is Shaping The Next Generation
Stanley Chen 3.28.2020
Statistics have proven that the coronavirus is of little concern for young people: only 2.4% of reported cases are of people under the age of 18 (WHO). Yet despite such a low infection rate among children and teens, this next generation is being impacted as severely as are the elderly people. Why so? We must take into consideration that young humans have a malleable brain. The circumstances that youngsters are exposed to early on in their lives will surely permanently shape the way that their brains interact with the outside world. In this troubling age of coronavirus, we can only imagine the amount of times that these naive children are being told daily to “wash hands” and “keep social distancing.” While these are surely positive personal hygiene practices, the fact that this next generation could grow up to be adults who are paranoid freaks with health anxiety, is worrisome, as such paranoia could interfere with daily life activities. Speaking from a more serious perspective, this coronavirus pandemic could also instill racist minds into children. This cruel generation is already known for spreading racist remarks on social media, such as the notion that Chinese people like to eat certain domestic animals. With China being the known location of origin for the coronavirus, we can only imagine for these racist remarks to intensify. With the pace in which our society is currently progressing in, in 2050, the adults that run the world might not be dead from coronavirus infection, but they might certainly be of a completely different characteristic: naive, anxious, racist.
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