Nearly 150 arrested at TikTok 'kickback' party after thousands attend viral California event

 

Adrian Lopez practically caused a riot, and it's all because of TikTok. The social media platform TikTok has over 670 million users with a range of content including but not limited to dancing, singing, news, activism, education, conspiracy theories, science, cooking, and innovation. When the young man first posted a short 30 second video inviting anyone and everyone to his birthday party at Huntington Beach, it got a mere 40 likes. However, throughout the course of one week, the hashtag ‘Adrianskickback’ gained over 265 million views on TikTok.

The viral Huntington Beach birthday celebration exploded in popularity, and over 2,500 people showed up to party. Not only that, but the function continued on in this capacity through both Friday and Saturday nights. People flew, drove, and walked in from across California, some even attending from out of state. According to Jennifer Carey, a police spokesperson, 121 adults were arrested by the HBPD along with 28 juveniles for unlawful assembly. Thankfully, nobody was injured.

Additional charges were filed, however. There are recordings and police reports documenting how teens started launching fireworks, throwing rocks and glass bottles, vandalizing property, and climbing on police vehicles. This led to some individuals who were clearly identified being charged with vandalism, launching illegal fireworks, failure to disperse, and violating a mandated curfew. Multiple police officers were on the scene before the party even started, but the attendees refused to back down.

I personally saw multiple videos regarding the huge celebration on my own TikTok account, and practically every one of my friends had heard about it. Some people I know even went. What started out as a birthday party quickly shifted into a borderline anti-police riot. It is unclear, though highly assumed, that political motivations sparked the violence against the police. 

This event shows how much of a hold politics have on our society that a birthday party, admittedly a savage one, could spiral into an act of violent political turmoil. TikTok is quickly becoming the most popular way for information to be spread, primarily through young people. Most likely, it will start to become one of the most popular and used news and media outlets worldwide.

Response Questions:

1. Did you hear about Adrian’s kickback through TikTok?

2. In your opinion, was the violence against the police politically motivated?

Sources:

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/viral-tiktok-kickback-beach-parties-broken-california-police-after-huge-n1268266

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9611963/TikTok-star-wild-birthday-party-saw-2-500-didnt-expect-video-blow-up.html

Faced with anti-vaccination parents, teens are helping one another get Covid shots

 

The rise in coronavirus vaccination numbers has evidently led to a lot of controversy between individuals of different beliefs. Primarily, these rifts fall between members of different political parties, or on opposite sides of the political spectrum. An inconceivable amount of false information has been spread about the different vaccines, Pfizer Moderna and Johnson & Johnson, in attempts to discourage individuals from getting them. Going as far as making outrageous claims that the shot will implant a tracker into your body, certain individuals are adamant about not being vaccinated.

Ethan Lindenberger, a 20 year old from Ohio who gained media attention in 2019 for getting his childhood immunizations despite his mothers wishes, wants to help those who are completely unable to help themselves at this time: The children of anti-vaxxer parents. In most U.S. states, every person under the age of 18 would need parental consent to get this life-saving vaccine. Lindenberger encourages teens to be smart about going against their parents, but to also actively take the initiative to advocate for what they need for their personal health: “Don’t get yourself kicked out or seriously in trouble...but, if you’re able to have that conversation, please get your shots as soon as possible.”

Another young woman named Kelly Danielpour runs her own organization called VaxTeen that aims to assist young people who want to be vaccinated against their parent’s wishes. In her opinion, the most important factor in convincing one’s parents to consent is education. If armed with the correct information, it realistically should not be hard to convince parents to let their children get vaccinated. However, in some cases, parents completely refuse to listen or believe it. Then, it is a matter of diving into minor self-consent. This not only shows how unnecessarily controversial this issue is, but also the toll it can take on family dynamics on mental health.

I am personally grateful to be double-vaccinated by Pfizer. It is astonishing to me that certain people are willing to put the lives of so many people at risk on the basis of terribly defended conspiracy theories and stubbornness. When faced with solid facts, these people actively choose to believe fiction. I am in full support of teens and young people fighting back against their anti-vaxxer parents and grasping at the opportunity to return to normalcy, and help so many people in the process. Fighting a worldwide pandemic should be a collective effort, not a constant battle.

Response Questions:

1. Would you go against your parents to get vaccinated if necessary?

2. How do you feel about the farfetched ideas that the vaccinations contain trackers, magnets, etc.?

Sources:

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/faced-anti-vaccination-parents-teens-are-helping-each-other-get-n1268093

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-9614075/Teens-vaccine-hesitant-parents-helping-schedule-appointments-COVID-shot.html

Coronavirus cases and deaths in the United States drop to lowest levels in nearly a year

 

It seems that as a nation, the United States may finally be approaching the light at the end of a very dark tunnel. Currently, nationwide coronavirus cases and death rates have dropped to levels that have not been reached in almost an entire year. After a long and grueling period of lockdowns, quarantines, virus testing, and social distancing, perhaps the country can begin to adjust back to life as it was pre-pandemic.

Dr. Scott Gottlieb, the former head of the Food and Drug Administration, speculates that “by June, we’re probably going to be at one infection per 100,000 people per day, which is a very low level.” Additionally, the New York Times reported that the U.S. COVID-19 rate is now just eight cases per 100,000 people, a massive drop from the most recent peak in April which sat at 22 per 100,000. Deaths caused by the coronavirus are also down 14% to an average of about 552 each day.

This significant improvement in previously detrimental coronavirus numbers can largely be attributed to the more widespread distribution of vaccinations nationwide. An estimated 50% of all Americans have received at least one vaccine shot, whether it be through Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson. As exciting as this is, it is important to note that many communities across the country still have very low vaccination rates, which could very well revamp the spread of the virus. It is crucial that vaccinations continue to be distributed to all those who need them.

As these incredible steps are being taken toward a return to regularity that hasn’t been seen in a year, more obstacles may begin to emerge. There is a possibility that the coronavirus could begin to mutate and adapt to the vaccines that are meant to protect against it, causing a need for boosters or adjustments. Dr. Philip J. Landrigan, a public health expert from Boston College, shared his thoughts on the matter: “My biggest concern is new strains of the virus and the need to remain vigilant in the months ahead.” The citizens of the United States do need to remain vigilant in the coming months, but should also be happy about the blossoming hope of normalcy.

Response Questions:

1. If you have been vaccinated, what is your opinion on the possibility of needing a booster shot in a few months time?

2. Do you think things will ever fully be able to return to how they were before the pandemic? If not, what lasting effects do you believe there will be in society?

Sources:

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/23/us/covid-cases-vaccinations-united-states.html

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2021/05/23/covid-news-cases-hospitalizations-deaths-lowest-almost-1-year/5227164001/

Senate passes Texas bill limiting what teachers are allowed to teach students about historic racism and current events

 

House Bill 3979 proposed by Senator Bryan Hughes, which makes it mandatory for School boards from all 50 states to adjust their curriculum to limit the amount of current events and historical racism, was passed by the senate. The change is set to begin in the 2022-2023 school year. On May 22nd a Senate revised edition of the bill went back too the Texas house. Inside the revision it states to make students understand the Declaration of independence, but according to KVUE "it stripped more than two dozen requirements to study the writings or stories of multiple women and people of color that were also previously approved by the House, despite attempts by Democratic senators to reinstate some of those materials in the bill".

The bill is too say for a lack of a better word controversial. Many progressive groups and politicians in America think this bill is limiting towards school systems and caps what students can learn about the world. While other groups in favor of the bill believe that students only need to learn the basics of school and to look to extra curricular research outside of class to learn about the world. As well as Hughes replying "We do have teaching now that we want to get out that one race or sex is inherently superior to another, or the individual by virtue of the individual's race or sex is inherently racist, sexist or oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously" when questioned about why he wants the bill passed 

My opinion is on this matter is somewhere between in favor and it could use some work. While I, a libertarian, feel this is a bill that needs to be passed in a way. I do believe that the school system seems to be in favor of demonizing certain cultures that have no real justice being demonized. I feel like an example would be white people, not necessarily that some don't deserve it (nazi's, jim crow, kkk, etc) but to put down the other 90% with the purpose too make that culture feel bad for something most would never do. I feel that that needs adjusting. 

Questions

1. How do you feel this bill passing will truly affect school boards?
2. Is it a fair thing to reason that students will want to learn about the current world if not incentivized by their curriculum?  

• Links
• https://www.fox4news.com/news/texas-senate-passes-new-version-of-hb-3979-which-would-restrict-teaching-critical-race-theory-in-schools
• https://www.statesman.com/story/news/2021/05/22/texas-senate-approves-bill-limiting-how-race-racism-can-taught/5217696001/
• https://www.texastribune.org/2021/05/22/texas-critical-race-theory-legislature/

Tokyo's Covid Olympics

On Monday, Japan declared that they have reached a Level 4 Covid crisis. A nation being declared Level 4 means people are advised to not travel to that country. People being advised not to travel to Japan seems like a straightforward order however some might think otherwise. 

Originally the Olympics scheduled for Tokyo in 2020 was canceled and postponed until July of 2020. Now the Olympics are scheduled from July 23 through August 8. Even before, people already begged the International Olympics Committee(IOC) to cancel the event scheduled for 2021. With Japan’s new Level 4 crisis, the IOC might be inclined to cancel this year’s Olympics. However, on Friday, the IOC said that despite whatever new health crisis appears, the current schedule for the 2021 Olympics will remain untouched. In response, Japan is attempting to get as many people fully vaccinated as possible before people start visiting Tokyo in time for the Olympics. Now protesters are asking how far the IOC will go before they cancel this year’s Olympics. 

Questions: 

1. What do you think would be a solution that everyone could agree upon? Or is there one at all?

2. Are the Olympics so important that it’s worth risking Covid for?

3. Do you think Japan’s effort to get people vaccinated will be enough to make the Olympics justifiably safe?

Sources:

https://olympics.com/ioc/news/tokyo-2020-enters-operational-delivery-mode

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/japan-olympics-us-covid-travel-advisory/index.html

https://deadline.com/2021/05/tokyo-olympics-japan-will-be-held-state-of-emergency-ioc-1234762448/

Cheese prices rising due to the pandemic

 

The price of cheese has become volatile due to the pandemic. Over the pandemic, there has been an increase in demand for cheese but a decrease in the ability to supply the goods. Cheese suppliers have been struggling. Initially when restaurants were closed the price of cheese hit record lows due to lack of demand for the good as restaurants are a huge amount of the demand for cheese. However, consumer demand has overcome the loss of demand from restaurants leading to record high cheese prices right after record lows giving a sense of volatility in the market. 

Another problem for cheese suppliers is the volatility of customer behavior. During the pandemic consumers initially overstocked on cheeses such as cheddar leading to all-time highs however once consumers started to produce more of this kind of cheese the market trend changed which led to a huge drop in price. With cheese producers unable to predict which kind of cheese will be popular accurately the market will continue to remain volatile.

Recently in late April 2021, the price of parmesan cheese hit record highs. The price of parmesan cheese was predicted to be the cheese to rise this year with its price increasing anywhere between 1.50 a pound to 2 dollars a pound total. In general parmesan, can cost anywhere between 12-24 dollars a pound depending on the type of parmesan cheese purchased. The reason for it was due to changes in the available milk supply. This year cheese has been significantly more expensive to a decline in available milk supply.

Questions

1.) What other factors do you think might have attributed to the rise of the cost of cheese over the pandemic?

2.) What do you think could cause the price of cheese to drop?

3.)Which states do you think are impacted the most by the volatile nature of the cheese market? Why?

Article Links.

https://people.com/food/parmesan-cheese-prices-expected-to-skyrocket-this-year/

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/22/business/cheese-cheddar-prices.html#:~:text=Cheese%20prices%20soared%20to%20a,higher%2C%20to%20%242.81%20a%20pound.

Israel and Hamas Call for a Ceasefire

 After 11 days of back and forth fighting, missile strikes, and rocket barrages, the government of Israel and Hamas who is in control of the Gaza Strip have agreed to an unsteady truce, which has so far been held for 3 days. Egypt who recognizes both states has been attempting lead negotiation efforts and mediate between both sides, as well as leading a delegation to the president of  Palestine who lives in the West Bank. 230 killed within Gaza.

People living within Gaza were finally able to walk outside from their shelters once the ceasefire went into effect on Friday. Many left UN run schools which were shelters, and attempted to return to their homes. Many were left with nothing, their homes being bombed out, unrecognizable piles of rubble. 

According to Al-Jazeera, there are still reports of Israeli violence towards Palestinians, such as a storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli Police in order to make way for Jewish settlers. 

Representatives from the UN are attempting to get aid into Gaza in an attempt to repair damages as well as give some Covid relief. 

The situation seems uncertain for now but we can only hope for the best.

Article Links:

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/5/23/israel-gaza-ceasefire-holds-as-un-launches-appeal-for-aid

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/05/21/world/israel-hamas-news

Questions: 

1. How should the US intervene?

2. Does the presence of a terrorist organization justify the bombing of civilian areas?

3. Should Israel be held more accountable for their actions, considering they are a much stronger nation both militarily and economically than Palestine? 

Volcanic eruption in eastern Congo, surrounding area in massive panic.

 

Today at around 6 o'clock EEST the Mount Nyiragongo volcano near Goma erupted in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo or DRC. this marks the first time it has erupted since 2002, where it killed roughly 250 people as well as leave 120,000 to 130,000 people without shelter and most without food and water.  When Nyiragongo erupted 600,000 or more people with in the Congo city of Goma fled to neighboring cities like Gisenyi. Although the potential refugee count goes up as the lava flows towards the Rwandan boarder, according to International NGO Safety Organization (via CNN) said "In the event of an evacuation, customs between Goma and Gisenyi are closed overnight,"

The appropriate authorities and governmental bodies have taken actions to keep temporary immigration and political refugee status running as smoothly as possible. As well as the proper wild life conversationalist organizations are to monitor and help the areas of the rainforest and populations of the rare mountain gorilla that live with in the blast radius of the 12,000ft volcano. 

Questions:

1. How do you think the eruption will affect the immigration and emigration between Rwanda and The DRC?
2. What do you think the long term ramifications of the soot and ash will be on the local population of people and animals?

LINKS

https://www.voanews.com/africa/eastern-congo-volcano-erupts-plan-evacuate-goma-activated

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/volcano-eastern-congo-erupts-triggering-panic-nearby-goma-n1268252

https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/22/world/volcano-mount-nyiragongo-goma-congo-eruption/index.html

https://reliefweb.int/report/democratic-republic-congo/human-health-and-vulnerability-nyiragongo-volcano-crisis-dr-congo

Police continue to stay a hot topic in the news

 

With the country of the United States having so much backlash for its history with slaves and continuous disagreement with the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, many individual cases have been broadcasted for the world to see the true understanding of what it means to be a person of color in America. 

With violence seeming to continue across the U.S. with people that are African American, America has undergone a huge setback in their time of equal opportunity for all. 

The BLM protests since last year have played a huge part and continue to do so in the work to move the stride forward to enable that every single person regardless of race has the same rights and freedom of opportunities as others. 

In the case regarding Ronald Greene, his family was told that he died in a car crash when in reality the body cam footage shows him being brutally hit and tased to death. This is a simple example of the larger picture that needs to be ended and stopped.

The report from the LSP said that two troopers pursued a vehicle being driven by Greene following an attempt to pull over Greene for a traffic violation of some sort and it ended when he crashed his vehicle.

The largest problem that is faced here is the effects of the disagreements surrounding this topic. With most of the separation and anger being to the opposing side. The worst part about this that many could agree with is that most people just want the same thing. Most want freedom of opportunity and this is not present throughout much of the United States right now.

Thinking Questions:

1. Why does this keep happening in our country and not others?

2. What needs to be done in your opinion to limit these individual cases?

3. What is the most important aspect of a police stop or an arrest because that seems to be where most o these situations happen?

https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/20/us/ronald-greene-video-louisiana-police-death/index.html 

U.S. Supreme Court Votes 9-0 Not in Favor of No Warrant Gun Seizures in Landmark Case

This past Monday the landmark fourth amendment Caniglia v. Strom came to an end when the Supreme Court voted unanimously in against giving police officers open-ended licensees for conducting seizures of firearms as it infringes on the fourth amendments guarantee of “the right of a man to retreat into his own home and there be free from unreasonable governmental intrusion.”

The case of Caniglia v. Strom is a case from August 2015 that started because of an aggressive oral argument over a joke between Edward and Kim Caniglia. The aforementioned joke was over a coffee cup and Kim's brother, as the argument was started by a joke Edward tried to end it with one. Pulling an unloaded handgun from a nightstand and gesturing it towards Kim. Jokingly saying “Why don’t you just shoot me and get me out of my misery?”. After spending the night in a motel, Kim phoned Edwards' number, and with no response and remembering the previous night's conversation, Kim began to fear for her husband's life. She dialed 911 and stated the situation thus leading to the police arriving at the Caniglia home and seizing two handguns with no written argument. No civil charges were filed until Edward was denied the repossession of his firearms after he was cleared of any suicidal tendencies.

This court ruling confirms that no police officers and government officials/agents may seize firearms without a warrant or legal document. This ruling also ends a 50 year old 4th amendment loophole through the use of the cady v dombrowski trial which ruled that the police were allowed to search an impounded car.

Questions:

1. Do you believe that the initial case was blown wildly out proportion?
2. Do you believe the police should have the ability to seize firearms from private property with out a warrant?
3. Would you consider this to be a massive victory for the justice system or a flawed oversight being reconciled?

Links:

• https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=4444496144365799313&q=caniglia+v.+strom&hl=en&as_sdt=2006&as_vis=1
• https://www.reuters.com/business/legal/us-supreme-court-limits-police-power-enter-homes-with-no-warrant-2021-05-17/
• https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/20pdf/20-157_8mjp.pdf
• https://www.npr.org/2021/05/17/997487541/supreme-court-restricts-police-authority-to-enter-a-home-without-a-warrant

House passes a Bill to investigate Jan 6th incident

 

Earlier today, the US House of Representatives voted to create a commission to lead an investigation regarding the White House riot that happened in January of this year. The bill passed with a majority of 252 voting for and 175 members voting against.

Unsurprisingly, the vote was split amongst party lines as many votes have in recent years. Only 35 Republicans voted for the bill with an effort being made by those that created the bill, Democrat Bennie Thompson and Republican John Katko, to make this a bipartisan effort that will investigate only the facts of the riot, with both parties working together in order to not polarize the issue and once again create disunity along party lines. Half of the members of the committee would be assigned by Democrat leaders while the other half would be assigned by a Republican leaders (5 members each coming to a total of 10 on the committee). 

However, despite some collaboration between House Republicans and Democrats, there are still many Republicans who attempted to stall the bill and are currently in opposition of it passing the Senate, namely Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. This seems to be purely a political move by the GOP with Senator John Thule stating that creating this commission would be bad politically for the party.

The overwhelming majority of Republicans being against this legislature as well as Thule's statement illustrates that such an investigation can seriously compromise the power of the Republican party that they have only recently gained. As already illustrated with the massive difference in the popular vote during last years election, the Republican position is resting in a very precarious place and that it might be time for the party to reconsider changing some of its political standing and think of a new strategy to gain support. Despite the bill having a difficult chance at passing the Senate, requiring at least 10 Republican votes, the possibility of just a simple investigation of a quite clearly terroristic act being able to shake the party significantly is demonstrative of a shifting political environment.

My hopes lie in the fact that the bill will indeed be able to pass the Senate and thus be a unifying, nonpartisan effort to try and uncover the truth behind one of the most shocking events in our country's recent history. Perhaps through this effort some of the extreme polarization that has been built over the past four years will dissipate slightly and act as a unifying force for the United States which as of late has been quite disunited. 

Link to the article: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/house-vote-bipartisan-commission-probe-jan-6-capitol-attack-n1267896

Questions:

What do you think the outcome will be if the bill won't pass the Senate?

How seriously would Republican influence be compromised if the legislation does indeed pass?

Is there a chance that this will dispel some of the polarization within our political structure through the bipartisan nature of the investigation?  

Taiwan's Second Wave

 

  

Situation

    As of May 2020, Taiwan became one of the few countries whose Covid cases would reach one to zero, occasionally five, new reports daily. In the past few weeks, Taiwan’s apparent triumph against Covid had recently revealed itself to be nothing more than a hollow victory. As of May 17th, Taiwan reported over 300 new Coivd related cases within 24 hours; which begs the question, what went wrong?

Preparations

    Taiwan was mainly efficient at lowering the infection rates after the SARS outbreak of 2004 since Taiwan established the National Health Command Center(NHCC) to combat any future outbreaks; one of these future cases happened to be the Covid-19 epidemic. Taiwan had to take action against the potential epidemic as of December of 2019. Taiwan’s early action and heavy preparation helped reduce the peak of their infection rates, which never surpassed 26 new cases in a day. As of January 2020, Taiwan began enforcing stricter traveling restrictions through water and air. These restrictions were one of the sole reasons why Taiwan had almost a non-existent infection rate.

Reopening

    On March 22, 2021, Taiwan announced that it will no longer have a travel restriction against foreigners. It didn’t take long for Taiwan to suffer the consequences of removing a new policy. Taiwan’s infection rates averaged about four through six new cases a day until it reached a shocking 207 on May 16th and 335 on May 17th. Taiwan’s Covid infection rates raised from 0% to nearly 6,700% in the span of three weeks.

Second Wave

Now Taiwan is taking immediate action against Covid by reapplying their travel ban, closed bars and gyms, made it mandatory to wear face masks while outdoors, and suspended all schools for two weeks. The Health and Wellness administration suspected the cause of a rapid spread is Taiwan’s very low vaccination rate; less than 1% of the total population of Taiwan is fully vaccinated.     The future of Taiwan’s fight against the second wave is uncertain, but recent actions by the Taiwanese government shines an aura of hope for the faith of their citizens.

Questions:

What do you think is the best course of action for the Taiwanese government if they want to fight the second wave? What is stopping the world from returning back to normal if we run the risk of having wave after wave? What is your opinion on the power of vaccines, and does it play a role in Taiwan’s second wave?

Sources:

Taiwan's Covid Statistics

CNN Report

Global Times Report

Taiwan's Initial Victory

List of Taiwan Travel Policies

CDC Lifts Mask Mandate

 

On May 13th, the Centers for Disease Control lifted the mask mandate that has been in place since last year, as many people across the country have finally been getting their vaccinations. The CDC cites that there are "numerous reports" regarding the validity and effectiveness of the vaccine, and this is reason enough to let people who have been vaccinated to be able to walk around without their masks. 

According to the director of the CDC the most recent seven day average of new Covid Cases falling by 23% and the White House Covid Advisor saying that deaths related to Covid are at their lowest in over a year. 

Because of this overwhelming evidence that vaccines are working this is a relatively surefire sign that perhaps there is a chance at the United States and the rest of the world having an opportunity to reopen and the CDC giving a thumbs up to those who have been vaccinated, this chance is slowly becoming reality.

Despite the CDC giving a thumbs up for those who have been vaccinated to be more lax in their behaviors, some states might not go through with this until a later date. In the past some Conservative states have already given the go ahead for looser mask rules so there's no reason to say that states which have already had strict rules might extend these rules for a longer time, until the state legislature considers it safe for states to open up. California has been shown to be one of the states with the lowest Covid Cases due to the successful implementation of social distancing policies so perhaps until a certain statewide threshold is met, the State might continue to enforce these policies.

The possibility of this outcome is related to the concept of dual federalism, with states being able to set their own rules on public health, which has already been shown with states like Texas relaxing their mask requirements before the CDC giving the go-ahead. 

On a side note: I do not think that this will go over as smoothly as the general idealistic view of a post-vaccine world. After our behaviors being so significantly altered and conditioned to always be wearing masks in public and always trying to keep a distance from those we aren't sure about being safe or not, it will most definitely difficult to re-adjust to the social norms that once existed in a pre-Corona Virus world. I do not believe that many people will be able to take their masks off and adapt to life despite longing for over a year now for things to return back to normalcy. 

Links to articles:

https://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/s-science-convinced-cdc-lift-mask-mandates-rcna932

https://www.chicagotribune.com/coronavirus/vaccine/ct-coronavirus-unmasked-anxiety-20210312-rdicvxz4nrg2fhii5rrxolsuti-story.html

Some Questions to take note of:

1. Do you think people will be willing to take off their masks?

2. Should we return to the social norms of pre-Covid times, why or why not?

3. Do you think some states will keep strict guidelines or will they comply with the CDC mandate?

The Conflict between Israel and Palestine has entered Gaza

 

In Gaza currently, Palestinians are fearing for their life as Israeli troops await on the border launching shells and unleashing ammo all over the city. 

This continuous conflict is one that is dangerous and is the focus of foreign relations currently as it has been an ongoing conflict for some time now.

The conflict arose after on May 6, balloon attacks were launched from Gazza and sett off fires and Itamar Ben-Gvir a far right politician from Israel. Although yes this was the most recent cause, these two countries have been going at each-other for awhile since the early 1920's when Israel claimed for the occupation of many Palestinian countries. 

The reason for this weeks violence in particular having to do with Gaza is the worst since 2014. The spiraling of Palestinian rocket fire and Israeli airstrikes is something that is never wanted to see anywhere in the world.

The continuation of these actions could lead to more serious damage for both countries and long lasting problems. 

The largest effect that this fighting has is now the start for engaging the country of Lebanon as well. Three rockets were shot off from Lebanon into northern Israel's sea but neither country claimed these shots although several militant groups are stationed in Lebanon. 

If other countries continue to get involved or seemingly have some sort of place in this fighting and these shots between Israel and Palestine, it will not be healthy for anyone. The fundamental problem that many have with this is that both sides are struggling with the same problem. The confusion continues as Israelis get attacked in Palestine and Palestinians get attacked in Israel and it is simply NOT WORTH IT.

The most interesting thing is that the war has carried over to the U.S. meaning that people here have begun to pick sides for who they think is in the right and which side is in the wrong.

Thinking Questions:

1. Is it smart for other countries to get involved in this conflict to help draw it to an end? Why or Why not?

2. Why does this violence continue to happen between these countries do you think? Why can't it end for good?

3. Propose a way to solve this conflict that you might see working as if you were a leader as one of the countries. 

Sources: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-57110368 

As more get Vaccinated Biden begins to open up America again

 

The Coronavirus Vaccine and outbreak has been the center of attention for some time now as it has impacted everyone and their daily lives for sometime. 

With many people getting vaccines and with the open field of now most ages able to get them especially this week, the leniency of the government and what they mandate has began to ease up. As more people get vaccinated, and the Covid-19 cases continue to shrink, the decisions made by the government should only seemingly revert closer and closer back to normal life before the pandemic.

It is evident that these matters and these political ideals have been turned into a full out anger argument. With the simple ideas behind wearing a mask turning into emotionally based arguments, Biden has ultimately expressed an idea of safety that has been carried throughout this entire process.

As the continuation for bettering the Covid-19 situation, Joe Biden deserves a lot of respect and appraisal for the way that he has handled the situation under stressful times through everything that has happened, and he has held up his promises and ideals.

Not mandating masks when surround with other with the second dose of the vaccine as well is great news to many and can hopefully regain the normalcy that was previously taken accounted for. 

Although not everyone will agree or support these conditions, it is evident that it is a step in the right direction as over 100 million people in the United States have gotten their second dose of the vaccine helping to benefit all. 

Thinking Questions:

1. Was this the right time to start being lenient on the mask wearing in your opinion? Why not earlier? Why not later?

2. What prompts the idea for people to disagree on something as simple as wearing a mask?

https://www.nytimes.com/ 

Facebook Upholds Ban of Donald Trump for Six Months

Yesterday, an Oversight Board from Facebook reaffirmed the ban that the social media site had placed on Donald Trump's account after his connection to the events of January 6th at the Capitol. The board "did not find an indefinite suspension justified" because no such punishment was listed in any Facebook policy, so the board gave Facebook six months to make a final decision. Facebook will have the opportunity to create a standardized plan to address similar situations and decide on whether to un-suspend the account or ban it permanently. 

Many people have claimed the account suspension to be an oppression of one's 1st amendment right to free speech. However, others have argued that networks like Facebook have the ability to create their own policies that people who decide to opt-in to the terms and use the platforms must adhere to. The problem is that when a site becomes nearly ubiquitous as a means of communication (like Facebook has), the platform and the activity on it gains immense influence. 

That's not Facebook's fault, but it is Facebook's responsibility to maintain a positive, truthful, and safe atmosphere for all of its users. Where does a network draw the line between allowing certain speech and censoring it? I advocate for tighter speech restrictions on accounts that are above a certain level of popularity. These high popularity accounts have much more influence on the types of actions that Facebook wants to prevent, and should therefore be held to a higher standard. 

Questions:

1. Should social networking sites be able to censor/ban certain accounts?

2. Is the suspension of Donald Trump's account a violation of his rights?

3. IF you support the idea of reducing the power/influence of large tech companies like Facebook, what are some ways to do that?

Why Aren't Primarily Muslim Nations Denouncing China's Uyghur Treatment?

By now, you likely know of the accusations against China's treatment of about 1 million Uyghur Muslims. In the recent few years, China has significantly increased its "reeducation" efforts towards this sect of Muslims, creating detention centers and enforcing brutal measures to control the population and affirm one's loyalty to the communist party. This behavior has garnered heavy criticism and condemnations from humans rights groups and many western countries. However, the response from primarily Muslim nations, especially in the Middle East, has not been what one might expect.

Two years ago, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt were among 37 countries that signed a letter to the U.N. Human Rights Council praising China’s “contribution to the international human rights cause” while claiming that China restored “safety and security” after facing “terrorism, separatism, and extremism." That letter was not an outlier. When Saudi ruler Mohammed bin Salman traveled to China last year, he stated that China “China has the right to take anti‐terrorism and de‐extremism measures to safeguard national security.” Some Islamic organizations have made similar statements. Further, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the UAE have arrested exiled Uyghur Muslims living domestically and even sent them back to China.

Obviously, the effect of money is not usually overestimated. Many of the Middle Eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt, which have praised China, greatly depend on China for investment and business. Other countries that haven't spoken in favor or against China (like Qatar or Iran) also greatly depend on Chinese investments.

Nonetheless, economic explanations can only go so far, and the political and cultural complexities of Islam likely play a part. Uyghur Muslims are a minority, and so some journalists believe that their removal would help strengthen the reigning groups in Muslim society. While primarily Muslim nations may dislike certain sects or groups of Islam, China is against the greater Islam. This makes the motives of the two different groups aligned now but offers no guarantees for peace in the future.

This relates to our recent economics discussions about GDP and the fear of stagnant growth. China supplies many Middle Eastern countries a spectacular amount of their GDP and invests heavily in Muslim countries, allowing and promoting growth. This growth is so important to many political groups that they may pass on the ethical option to allow for growth to continue in society.

Questions:

1. Should the Muslim counties denounce China's treatment of Uyghurs? Is it worth the potential fallout?

2. At what point (if at all) should a country sacrifice economic gain and take the moral high ground?

Sources: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/china-mass-detentions-uighur-muslims-un-letter-human-rights-a9003281.html

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/05/04/why-do-some-muslim-majority-countries-support-chinas-crackdown-muslims/

Commodity Prices Rise, Sparking Fears of High Inflation

The prices of basic commodities, especially materials needed in the construction and manufacturing industries, have skyrocketed recently due to supply shortages caused by the pandemic and tariffs left behind by the former president. Prices for steel, semiconductors (mainly used for autos and electronics), drywall, aluminum, and lumber (the price of which has nearly tripled) have all increased, making it harder for construction companies to build houses and auto manufacturers to produce cars. In the housing sector, aggregate demand has stayed high, resulting in even higher prices due to the low supply of houses. The semiconductor shortage has already taken effect in the auto industry, where producers are sometimes having to cease production in factories for weeks at a time due to not having enough materials. Automaker Ford said that its production in the second quarter would be “about 50 percent lower than planned and that the shortage would reduce the company’s profit about $2.5 billion in 2021” and the Alliance for Automotive Innovation stated that “Automakers could end up making as many as 1.3 million fewer vehicles this year as a result of the shortage.”

The Federal Reserve is not overly concerned with the situation at hand, and chairman Jerome Powell said that it was expected to see “short-lived price spikes as the economy reopened and consumers started spending again.” Powell views this type of inflation as something that is temporary and won’t roll into a much bigger problem. However, many others like Honeywell CEO Darius Adamczyk foresee inflation taking hold and potentially wreaking havoc on the economy.

Biden and his team say they are closely monitoring the situation, but many groups want them to take action. For example, carmakers are asking the administration to order semiconductor producers to prioritize them first, as automakers make up a significant portion of the economy. Altering the supply chain is a long and arduous process, and any changes to help one industry could hurt another. 

This situation relates directly to what we’ve talked about in class. As supply falls and demand stays constant or increases, the price of goods will rise as a shortage is incurred. The increased prices of goods that suppliers face will make their way to consumers in the form of higher prices. This current price inflation could be nothing but a short-term spike, or it could turn into a long-term problem.

Questions:

1. Should the government take steps to regulate the supply chain and prioritize more crucial industries? If so, for how long?

2. Who should handle the situation to stop the threat of looming inflation - the White House, the Federal Reserve, the Treasury, or someone else?

3. In earnings statements last month, some of America’s largest companies warned that higher commodity prices would soon be passed on to consumers. How long do you think the price increases will last?

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/03/business/economy/commodity-shortages-inflation.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage

https://www.forbes.com/sites/billconerly/2021/04/27/commodity-prices-warn-of-coming-inflation-but-thats-not-certain/?sh=44ae0a48117b

Spotify complains of Apple's anti-competition, joins the ranks of Fortnite

 

The European Commission, which regulates antitrust behavior in the European Union, charged Apple with “squeezing out” competing music-streaming sites by forcing them to use Apple’s in-app payment system. The charge originates from Spotify, which competes with Apple Music yet must follow Apple’s purchasing guidelines in order to appear on the app. Otherwise, they may face a fate like that of Fortnite, who was kicked off Apple’s AppStore for avoiding the in-app payment rules--namely a 30% commission on in-app purchases. Epic Games, which owns Fortnite, also lodged a complaint through the European Commission and has an upcoming federal trial in the U.S.

In response, Apple have defended their rules and commission rates, saying that they want apps in their stores to succeed. They pointed out that Spotify has been very successful early on through exposure gained in the AppStore despite its rules, and that it remains successful having removed paid options from the iOS app. Apple also argued that its 30% commission rate was similar to that enforced by Google Play’s App Store and Amazon App Store. Thus, their practices are common in business and offer a level-playing field across virtual ecosystems. However, many in the EU and the U.S. seek legislative action against all three companies. They say that these restrictive and costly regulations by these gatekeeper apps prevent a level-playing field for apps and that virtual app stores have become a necessity. The U.S.’s Justice Department and FTC have filed similar lawsuits, such as one notable antitrust hearing last year by the House Judiciary Committee with Apple, Google, and Amazon.

It appears to be an uphill battle to regulate massive gatekeeper apps, but more and more companies and governmental bodies seek to change such oligopolistic bodies as these. 

Questions: 

1. How and why should “gatekeeper” apps such as Apple be regulated, if at all?

2. What do you think will be the result of all these trials?

3. Do you think that limiting these oligopolies is good for the economy (consider economies of scale, incentives, recent history)?