A Potent Fuel Flows to North Korea. It May Be Too Late to Halt It.

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Just recently North Korea has launched another missile capable of reaching places far away like Guam, and even possibly the United States' mainland.  These powerful  missiles are fueled by a technologically demanding and dangerous substance known as unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine.  This chemical compound is highly unstable, and the United States stopped producing it when NASA released a video on it's dangers back in 1966.

The Trump administration has succeeded in having the UN place a modest cut back of standard fuels being imported to North Korea, but this cutback does not include UMDH (the aforementioned rocket propellent).  While details regarding the U.S.'s efforts to disrupt the North's missile program are largely classified, the U.S. still have some vital questions unanswered regarding UMDH's usage and acquirement.  As of now, we are unsure of whether North Korea is receiving UMDH from China or Russia, or if they are capable of manufacturing it themselves.

Alongside the efforts of the U.S. to halt North Korea's missile program, high ranking officials such as president Trump seem to be publicly antagonizing North Korea, in a tweet Trump even referred to Kim Jong-Un as "Rocket Man" and stating that there would be long gas lines due to the cut back imposed by the UN.

While this problem occurs it remains true that civilians can obtain very little knowledge on the U.S.'s actions to halt the missile program.  Do you think that their should be more transparency in government when it comes to foreign military affairs such as this?  To what degree should we be focus our resources on this issue as opposed to domestic issues like the devastation caused by the recent hurricanes?  To what degree do you think antagonistic comments like Trump's and many others have any affect on North Korea's actions?

California may offer third gender option on driver's licenses

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/09/15/california-may-offer-third-gender-option-on-drivers-licenses.html

California state senate just passed a bill which would allow Californian citizens applying for public identification to choose a third option for their gender. This would most commonly be applied to state driver’s licenses. Instead of having “M” or “F” appear on their identification, people who do not identify with the typical binary genders could choose to have “X” appear. The bill also allows the parents of these citizens to officially change their gender on their birth certificates.  

As a citizen of California and an ally of the LGBTQ+ community, I am extremely proud to hear that this bill has passed through our senate. I think bills such as this that promote equality and inclusion are especially important in these extremely heated political times. No person should be forced to be labeled as a gender they do not identify with. This bill will not only validates everyone who currently does not identify as male or female, but also tells the youth in our state and our coming generations that it is okay to be yourself and identify how you choose.

The bill has been passed through state senate but is still waiting to be signed by our governor, Jerry Brown. If the bill is signed, California will follow Oregon as the second state in the US to allow citizens to choose to have an X appear on their identification.

Mexico Has an Earthquake Warning System, When Will California Have One?

Link:  http://www.latimes.com/world/la-me-mexico-quake-earth-warning-20170908-htmlstory.html

On Thursday, September 7th, Mexico had a magnitude 8.1 earthquake. Mexico has an early warning system which thankfully gave some people up to a minute warning before the shaking started.  It works because the seismic waves from an earthquake travel at the speed of sound, which is slower than our communications systems.  

California is developing its own early warning system, with the help of the U.S. Geological Survey (earthquake monitoring agency).  Trump planned on shutting down development in an effort to reach a balanced budget, but after many complaints from members of both political parties in California, a congressional committee voted to keep funding.

In addition to having an audible alarm component, the warning system is also expected to stop elevators and open elevator doors, stop natural gas in pipelines, and alert surgeons to stop their surgeries.

This is a news clip from Mexico during the earthquake:

If ESPN Wants to Discipline Jemele Hill, She Might Have Law on Her Side

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/15/sports/jemele-hill-espn.html

Background information: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/13/sports/jemele-hill-espn-white-house.html?action=click&contentCollection=Sports&module=RelatedCoverage&region=Marginalia&pgtype=article

This issue concerns both federalism and our first amendment rights. Jemele Hill, a host on ESPN, recently posted a tweet accusing President Trump of being “ignorant” and “offensive,” and also claimed that “his rise is a direct result of white supremacy”. The white house quickly fired back, and the current White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said that Hill should be fired for such slanderous comments against the president.

Although ESPN has publicly denied any connection to hill’s comments, they do not appear to have any plant to discipline her, and the issue gets tricky as soon as ESPN trying to take action against Hill. The network has its headquarters in Connecticut. Like all other states, the first amendment has already gone through the process of incorporation in Connecticut. Connecticut, however, has gone even farther beyond the rights guaranteed by the first amendment. They have a General Statute that prohibits any company, public or private, from disciplining or discharging employees based exercising their free speech. This piece of legislation is unique to Connecticut and is not part of our federal law, it also protects Hill from losing her job because of her comments about Trump. In Connecticut, the protection of free speech goes beyond the rights provided by the first amendment.

One of the purposes of the first amendments was to protect citizens against punishment from speaking their mind when it came to political matters. This helps or democracy stay strong as citizens are not afraid to share their opinions on our current government. I believe that Hill’s comments were completely justified, and she should not be fired from her job at ESPN or disciplined. Even so, there were probably more respectful ways that Hill could have carried her point across. I believe that in this incredibly heated political environment it is important to remain respectful and level-headed. If we do this, we will be able to have more effective discussions between people with different viewpoints.   

1. Do you think Hill’s actions and comments were justified?
2. Should Hill be punished her her speech?
3. Do you think that Connecticut’s further legislation further protecting its citizens freedom of speech is fair and just?

Manhunt on after homemade bomb wounds 22 on London subway

http://www.sfchronicle.com/news/crime/article/London-police-ambulance-confirm-incident-on-12199878.php

A picture was taken of the bomb on the subway

Today, at 8:20am in London, a homemade bomb went off on the subway. The incident was quickly labeled a terrorist attack by London polices. There have not been any arrests yet, but hundreds of London detectives and police are actively searching for the attacker. The bomb was not fully detonated, so nobody on the subway was seriously injured. When the bomb went off people fled from the subways leading to even more injuries and chaos.

Trump quickly responded to the incident on Twitter, not only claiming the attack was carried out by “a loser terrorist,” but also attacking the Scotland Yard and London authorities for knowing the attacker was a threat but not doing anything. The London authorities have not commented back, but it is unclear if they actually had the attacker on their radar.

This is the fourth terrorist attack on London in 2017. Al-Qaida recently urged their supporters to attack trains, but since the attacker for this event has not yet been found, it is unclear if there is any connection to the terrorist group.

Supreme Court allows broad enforcement of travel ban- at least for a day

J. David Ake/AP
On Monday, the Supreme Court saved President Trump's travel ban by continuing to block refugees from six mostly Muslim countries from entering the United States. When Trump first became president, he established a ban that forbade refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries from stepping foot in the United States. He ultimately revoked the first ban and replaced it with a less demanding version; one that only banned entry into the United States from six instead of seven countries.

Back in June, the Supreme Court partially supported the travel ban but said the administration could not secure people with "a credible claim of a bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the United States." The measure was intended to only last 90 days, meaning in October the justices will hear the different arguments. The government also initially wanted to deny the right of grandparents and other extended family members from entering but a federal district judge stopped from doing so. As of today, the court continues to follow this ban restricting refugees and the federal appeals court decided the administration could not block grandparents nor refugees.

I believe the Supreme Court supporting this ban was a horrible decision in the first place. America has always been a welcoming country to anyone who wanted to obtain the American Dream or to someone who came here to start a new life. By banning individuals the right to live in the land of the free, it destroys the welcoming environment we once had. When the justices decide to talk about the ban, do you believe they should keep or remove the ban altogether?

Video Link: 59516bc3e4b0b07aa6605d4c_t_1498508262911_master.m3u8
Article Link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/justice-dept-again-asks-supreme-court-to-allow-broad-enforcement-of-travel-ban/2017/09/11/6c3853ae-970b-11e7-87fc-c3f7ee4035c9_story.html?utm_term=.43eb2f7f406b

The Free Speech-Hate Speech Tradeoff

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Over the past year there has been an ongoing debate about what is free speech and what is hate speech on college campuses. When colleges have created policies to prevent hate speech, the courts have ruled their policies unconstitutional violations of free speech. Universities find themselves caught between the need to protect people's free speech rights and also maintain public safety and a comfortable environment on campus.

Some speech that universities can legally regulate includes incitement, defamation, obscenity, fighting words, or speech that creates a clear and present danger. Keeping in mind the central principle of the first amendment that all ideas and views can be expressed, what can universities do to promote academic freedom, protect students first amendment rights while avoiding hostility that can result from clashing ideas?

Robert E. Lee Statue’s Removal in Dallas Delayed by Federal Court

A work crew began to remove a statue of Robert E. Lee from Robert E. Lee Park . The work was halted due to a judges order.  Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News

    Recent action has been taken to remove old historic confederate statues from parks or town areas in the south. Robert E. Lees Statues in Robert E. Lee Park was voted by the town to be removed when a federal judge, Sidney Fitzwater , halted its removal. It was planned to put the monument in storage with no final plan for the monument. Over a hearing they came to a consensus that having confederate monuments, street names or parks did not leave an open welcoming feel.
   
With regards towards historical monuments are they up to states control or are they under federal watch. If we begin to cover up the history that some are ashamed of or just leave a sour taste in our mouth is that the right choice.  I feel that this action is for the best as it shows a sign of progression through America. Many will show a backlash, but there is always a backlash to some change. States should hold the right to display certain things in their state or the right to remove things. Something that stood out in the article to me was the last paragraph getting a perspective from a supporter and opponent to the statues removal. It allowed an insight to both sights: Is it hate to remove the statue and them being destructive or is it standing for whats right.



Link: https://nytimes.com

Don't faint: The iPhone X could cost $1,000

                                                        

Most people currently own an iPhone. Apple's newest product (which hasn't been released yet) could cost up to $1000. What's so cool about this new gadget? Well, according to this article, the new phone will have facial recognition, a wider screen, and a 3D camera. Although this may seem unnecessary, consumers already pay almost $900 for a new iPhone. Would you want to buy the new phone? Do you think it's worth it?

Racism in St. Martin-Hurricane Irma

Damage from hurricane Irma in St. martin

St. Martin, a caribbean island, has been hit by Hurricane Irma, and evacuation efforts are taking place. This French territory has some mixed-race and black residents that complained about how white tourists were given priority to evacuate. St. Martin resident Johana Soudiagom says "It's selective. Excuse me, but we saw only mainlanders. That's a way of saying, 'I'm sorry, only whites. There are only whites on the boat'" when talking about the people who were able to leave the island. The French prime minister, on the other hand, claims that only the most vulnerable people were prioritized, and that evacuation of tourists first in a natural disaster was common practice. 

France's Representative Council of Black Associations issued a parliamentary inquiry to the French government on the basis that the ones evacuated were not "necessarily the most in distress." Louis-Georges Tine, the group's spokesman, says "In my eyes, Irma is for the French Antilles what Hurricane Katrina was for Louisiana in the U.S. — an exposer of racial and social inequalities." The group's spokesman also points out that "In Florida, there were more than 1 million evacuated, and France says that with four days' notice they couldn't evacuate a much smaller number. The question must be asked: Does it have to do with racism?"


In addition to the government, the French television reports are accused of being racially biased. Michael Giraud, a French researcher, says that the news reports showed more devastating situations to white victims as opposed to the non-white ones.

Link to article:
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/french-hurricane-rescues-raise-anger-racial-questions-49765931

Reporters stir up controversy by broadcasting in the middle of hurricanes

U.S. Department of Defense // Creative Commons

As Hurricanes Harvey and Irma were striking Texas and Florida, respectively, the media dedicated a tremendous amount of time to covering these natural disasters. However, just as many on-air reporters were advising residents of the affected areas to evacuate, take cover or avoid the storms as much as possible, they stood in the unsafest of conditions, oftentimes in the middle of the impact zones.

Although reporters broadcasting in dangerous conditions is hardly a new trend — it began in 1961 — viewers have been questioning this practice more than ever as of late. But according to CBS News correspondent Mark Strassmann, reporting in the wake of a hurricane actually sends a more urgent message across: "Part of that is that television is all about visual proof,” he said. “You want to persuade people that what they’re seeing is real and matters to them. And if they can see me standing out there getting knocked around, it’ll convince them that they should not do the same thing."

On the other hand, WBPF (a West Palm Beach ABC affiliate) reporter Whitney Burbank doesn't feel in danger while reporting in the midst of a hurricane, as she knows her bosses look out for her safety. "“My employers are pretty careful if something is unsafe,” she said. "They don’t want you to do a crazy live shot in the middle of a tornado. If it’s too windy to go out, they’re going to say, ‘Don’t do it.’”

Even so, many argue that placing reporters in any setting under Harvey or Irma is a step too far. While seeing a report on the hurricane in front a green screen no doubt has a lesser effect than seeing a reporter struggle to get words out while dealing with intense winds and rain, we also have to take into account the safety of our journalists. Do the benefits of seeing a reporter in dangerous conditions outweigh the dangers they pose to them as individuals?

Links to articles:

New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/10/business/media/hurricane-irma-broadcasts-safety.html?mcubz=1

CBS Miami: http://miami.cbslocal.com/2017/09/10/cbs4-reporter-staying-safe-hurricane-irma/

China is considering banning petrol and diesel cars

12 day traffic jam in China

China is one of the most polluted countries in the world due to the harmful gasses from factories and car traffic. In an effort to reduce the pollution, China is planning to ban the production and sale of petrol and diesel cars. They are trying to have electrical vehicles be a 8% of each car-producer in 2018, 10% in 2019, 12% in 2020, and 20% by 2025. China will be implementing a policy similar to Britain and France, who plan to stop sales of petrol and diesel vehicles by 2040. 

As of now, China has the biggest car market in the world, making 28 million cars last year to account for a third of the global total. Though banning environmentally-harmful cars will be quite challenging, China had the biggest electric vehicle car market last year, totaling 336,000 vehicles sold. Chinese-owned car company Volvo Cars is planning to make electric cars for global sale in 2019, and companies like General Motors Co., Volkswagen AG and Nissan Motor Co. have announced that they are planning to establish joint ventures with Chinese manufacturers.


Links to articles:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/china-petrol-diesel-car-ban-gasoline-production-sales-electric-cabinet-official-state-media-a7938726.html
http://www.bbc.com/news/business-41218243 

Violence in Portland after Anti-White Nationalism Protests

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Police collected items like gloves and bats before allowing people into the rallies

These are the 7 who were arrested in Portland

On Sunday, the Antifa group threw smoke and projectiles at police officers in Portland. AAntifa stands for Anti Fascist and they are radicalists who try to fight far-right principles. They had done this during a protest against white nationalism. This all started when the police attempted to change the route of marching. This lead to tensions between the Antifa group and Patriot Prayer, an opposition group. The rally with Antifa was set up by, Portland Stands United against Hate. Officials said that the Portland group has a permit while Patriot Prayer’s possession of a permit is unclear.

The Patriot group wanted to have a rally in Portland but actually moved it to Vancouver to try and prevent conflict. Before the protests, Portland’s Mayor Ted Wheeler said that he wouldn’t accept any violence. In the end, police arrested 7 people in Portland and 2 in Vancouver. Also, at least one or two police officers were injured.

My opinion: It’s clear that the racist protests in Charlottesville were horrible and something that should never be repeated. I believe the rally that was supposed to happen was okay because it should’ve been peaceful. However, the fact that again violence has occurred is disappointing. In my opinion, the national government and state governments should take more action to put more police officers on duty and try and decrease the amount of protests.

Discussion:

1. Do you also believe that the national government should get involved in this issue?
2. What other solutions are there other than direct government action? Can the citizens do anything to improve this growing problem
3. Lastly, article 2 briefly mentioned how the election of Trump has caused an increase in the activity of Antifa members. What is your take on this? Do the president’s words or remarks in any way play a role in this problem?

Rising homelessness in California (Especially Rural Counties)

Article

Blake Braafladt talking with two people living under an abandoned overpass

It’s been observed that California’s high housing costs are causing homelessness in unexpected places: rural areas. Throughout California, the homelessness rose by 15 percent in the past 2 years. Places being affected include northern Sacramento Valley, El Dorado and Butte County, just to name a few. In many’s eyes, this is shocking because these areas have never really had considerable homelessness. Since the areas don’t have many shelters, people simply have to spend their nights and do other activities outside. The total California homeless population is 135139, which is the highest of any state, and analysts predict that this number is going to keep rising. One of the biggest factors that is causing this increase in these rural areas is that there are few jobs in those areas, but rents and house prices continue to rise. Rene Evans, the director of a group helping the homeless in El Dorado, described the situation: “We have no year-round emergency shelter. There aren’t enough jobs up here in the mountains. That, and rents that are always getting higher, keep people circling down the drain so they can never get back up again.”

Just to present some numbers to prove the issue in rural areas, median housing prices have gone up 37 percent in the El Dorado County and 55 percent in Butte County along with an 88 percent increase in median rent in El Dorado and one of 53 percent in Butte County. To give an example, Marci Butler from El Dorado used to pay around half a $600 rent, but now she finds her rent moving closer to $1000. Right now, to help the homeless San Francisco spends around $305 million annually and many are unsure of the prices in the rural areas because this is so new to everyone.

El Dorado has taken action to create a Coordinated Entry System that will help guide homeless people. They have also garnered $500,000 from California to create supportive housing units. Although the lack of homes is a priority, it’s not the only thing to focus on. With substance abuse and mental illness rising in these areas too, efforts are being taken to tackle that problem.

Furthermore, Chico, in Butte County, has been having an outreach group of the Police Department look for and offer shelter to people sleeping in the woods. The shelters in Chico and Oroville have 200 beds and are always full. It has been said that Chico attracts many homeless people from other small counties, especially when the winter sets in.

Although these efforts are being taken, there is a lot of uncertainty in how to solve this problem and the counties often understate the problem.

Personal Opinion: I believe this relates a lot to Frank’s article and how the cost of living has gotten too high. It is really disappointing that even rural areas, where most people didn’t expect, have been experiencing similar price increases. Again, like most I am unsure of what would be the best way to proceed as there is no historical record of how this problem has been dealt with in the past. My main suggestion is not only to create more affordable housing areas, but also to find a way to expand the job opportunities in these rural areas so the people can also make money to pay for the housing if they ever have an opportunity in the future. Also, considering the drug and mental illness problems in the areas, creating jobs may be able to improve those issues.

Discussion Q’s:

1. What is your reaction to the problem here? Are you guys in any way surprised that California has such a high homeless rate?
2. What do you guys think is the best approach to make sure that the homeless have better living conditions?
3. It’s clear that the state and local governments have been getting involved in this problem, but do you guys think that the national government should pay attention to this too?

Rents Keep Jumping in San Mateo

San Mateo has always been known to have particularly high rental rates, and recent reports continue to support this conclusion.

Zillow rates the media rent across the city at a incredibly high $3850. In comparison, the median rental costs of two-bedroom units in Seattle is $1700 in Seattle, $1400 in Austin, and $1000 in Dallas. The monthly cost of a one-bedroom unit in San Mateo is on average $1000 more than in San Francisco, $700 more than Redwood City, and $500 more than Pleasanton. The median rental cost of a two-bedroom unit in San Mateo is $3,140 more than the national median. Moreover, rent costs have jumped 150% from last year until now.

The rise in rental costs has been attributed to this region being the "nation's most undersupplied housing market when compared to available jobs", according to ApartmentList analysts.

But what solutions are there? Local officials are being urged to approve more building. An ongoing construction project in Bay Meadows, San Mateo has added in many new housing and apartment units over the recent few years.

Links:
San Mateo Rental Cost Rising

Discussion Questions:
1. Do you believe that increasing the pace at which we build housing is the solution to rising rental cost problems?
2. As students of Aragon High School, I believe the great majority of us live in San Mateo. Do these statistical reports make you realize and appreciate how we're living in one of the nation's most expensive housing areas?

BART Begins Operational Testing to Future Berryessa Station

Warm Springs/South Fremont BART station

BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) has been moving forward recently with its Silicon Valley Extension Project. For decades, the southern terminus of the rail system in Alameda County was Fremont Station, located on Mowry Ave. in Fremont in between Mission Blvd. and Fremont Blvd. However, as the Silicon Valley continues to expand, greater demand has arisen for BART to extend its southern terminus down into San Jose, America's 10th largest city and the heart of the Silicon Valley.

In the past, before the BART Silicon Valley Extension Project began, transit service connecting the Fremont BART station with the Silicon Valley was provided through Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) routes 120, 140, 160, 180, and 181. They used the highways 680, 880, and 237 to connect Fremont BART with various other locations in the Santa Clara County area.

But in the long term, demand for a one-seat ride from Alameda County into the Silicon Valley has risen, necessitating the BART Silicon Valley Extension Project. Thanks to federal funding, the project has been rolling forward. As of April 2017 BART opened a new station, Warm Springs/South Fremont Station, located ~4 miles south of the original southern terminus. And BART continues testing further, onwards towards Berryessa Station, located between Berryessa and Mabury Roads in San Jose, CA. That was the main focus of this article- that BART is now starting to operate trains between Fremont and Berryessa station, running at various speeds between 5 and 80 mph to ensure the proper operation of train components on the new track.

traffic on the Interstate 880 southbound approaching 237 junction (Milpitas, CA)

And you may ask-- why should I care about BART extension? Right now the 680, 880, and 237 corridors are gridlocked during commute hour. Spending hours locked in traffic not only adds extra additional carbon dioxide emission to the environment, but also makes drivers fatigued and stressed. Time is money, and time wasted sitting in traffic is money lost to the American economy. Not only that, a full 10-car BART train can carry some 200-300 people at standard capacity (standing room only). During commute hour, I would estimate a single BART train to carry some 400-600 riders. Imagine 400-600 additional cars on the highway, adding to the gridlock. And did I mention that the Silicon Valley is expanding so even more cars are now trying to get there?

Thank God we have BART.

Read more here:
Berryessa Extension Testing
BART Silicon Valley Extension Project

Discussion Questions:
1. What other practical advantages does setting up the BART Silicon Valley extension provide?
2. List some potential barriers that might discourage the public from riding BART. What can we do to address and eliminate these barriers?

Decline in Obamacare Funding

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Source 2

Since his campaign, Mr. Trump has clearly been against the Affordable Care Act. The Affordable Care Act gives federal funding to insurer companies so that eligible customers can pay less money out of their pocket for expenses such as copayments or deductibles. As an opponent of Obamacare, President Trump had made plans to decrease and eventually stop funding towards the plan. Many health analysts predicted that insurance premiums would go up and that such plans from Mr. Trump discouraged insurance companies to not participate in Obamacare markets in 2018. The republican House of Representatives claimed that the federal reimbursements were not actually supported by congressional appropriation. A judge actually agreed with the House but suspended the claims after the Obama Administration appealed.

Recently, the fundings for Obamacare ran out on September 1st. The Trump administration only promised to cut funding by 41 percent, but the complete lack of funding has caused layoffs and a decrease in outreach programs. The Trump administration stated that they would cut the budget for people who weren’t able to meet their enrollment goal, but still give them a base of $10,000. However, in the past week or so, several companies have received no information about the budget, leading to job losses and some companies having to run on donations.

Connection to class topics: Clearly, the situation with the judge backing out on her statement when the administration appealed exemplifies the weaker nature of the judicial branch compared to the legislative and executive branches. Also, President Trump having the power behind Obamacare and its budget shows how the executive branch has more powers behind carrying out the law than any other branch of government.

Questions:

1. Looking at the current situation, do you think the Obamacare powers should still be in the hands of Trump?
2. Why do you believe that these companies have not received information on budgets?
3. Why do you think Trump would’ve still cut budgets to Obamacare considering the possible rise of insurance premiums and insurance companies dropping out of the Obamacare markets?

What effect will Hurricane Irma and Harvey have on the US economy?

Texas's coast affected by heavy rain and winds

http://www.foxbusiness.com/features/2017/09/07/how-hurricane-harvey-will-ripple-through-u-s-economy.html
http://money.cnn.com/2017/09/07/investing/economy-hurricane-irma-harvey-florida-texas-jobs/index.html


For the past few weeks, the United States has had to endure the effects of Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma, some of the worst natural disasters in United States history. As these storms continue to damage cities, economists are analyzing the impact of these storms on the United States economy.

Since Hurricane Harvey started earlier than than Hurricane Irma, the economic impact of this natural disaster is becoming more clear. Just last Thursday (08/31), the number of jobless claims had the highest one-week jump since Superstorm Sandy in 2012, according to the Labor Department. The gas price in Houston has also increased from $2.35 last month to $2.66 last Wednesday, resulting in some inflation. Hurricane Irma has not had as much of an economic impact yet, but it is predicted to have an even bigger effect than Harvey when it hits Florida's big cities.

Analysis: I think that that the number of jobless claims will increase as after the storm is over as opposed to right now because people generally file jobless claims after the whole storm is over. Though these hurricanes are devastating to the people that lived in those cities, I do not think the entire nation's economy will not be affected very much in the long run. In fact, there could be a possibility of a better economy after all the relief efforts are over, since the amount of spending and the number of jobs increase. Hurricane Andrew, Hurricane Katrina, and Superstorm Sandy are all evidence of this. I completely agree that the impact on the lives of residents in affected areas are much more important to consider than the impact on the economy.  

Discussion Questions:
How do you think the Hurricanes will affect our economy?
How long do you think it will take to recover from this?

Confusion between United States and China Regarding North Korea

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There has been talk between President Trump and President Xi Jinping of China involving the situation in North Korea. On Wednesday, they had a 45 minute conversation regarding the topic and President Trump described it as a “very, very frank and very strong phone call.” Trump has also reached out to leaders from South Korea, Japan and others to help garner more support against North Korea. In addition, as many of you know, Trump has been talking about fighting North Korea with “fire and fury” if they posed a threat to the U.S. or allies.

President Trump (left) and President Xi Jinping of China (Right)

Both Xi and Nicholas Burns (a former diplomat) had told Trump that it is in his best interest to be careful in what he says in order to prevent an escalation of the current situation. The UN Security Council had recently imposed sanctions on North Korea’s testing of intercontinental ballistic missiles in July. Although at first Kim Jong Un backed down on his plan to fire missiles, he recently launched one over northern Japan and conducted an underground test of what was claimed to be a hydrogen bomb.

Amidst all of this, the U.S does not have a clear plan of action. People who were supposed to be involved in working with China, including Jared Kushner and Rex Tillerson, have either been caught up in other affairs or have disagreed with Trump on specific policies or broader views. There has also been mixed signals coming from the U.S. as the Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has threatened to cut off trade with anyone trading with North Korea. This, and other steps being taken to institute an oil embargo on North Korea do not bode well for the U.S’s relationship with China. Moreover, Mr. Trump has recently called for an investigation on China’s theft of technology from American companies, and has been demanding steps for stricter regulations towards Chinese steel exports. Amidst all of this, President Xi has been doing all he can to take care of the issue with North Korea. Such actions from the United States could possibly strain the alliance with China, especially since there is a lack of someone to actually discuss and help ease tensions between the two countries.

Discussion Questions:

What is your opinion on the mixed signals the U.S. government has given to the Chinese government? Was it a wise move for Mr. Trump to start an investigation of China or to plan for stricter regulations on steel trading with China?

What has President Trump done that is either helpful or not helpful to taking care of the issue in North Korea?

What do you guys believe is the logic behind Trump’s oil embargo plan?

Trump Sides With Democrats Over Debt Ceiling and Amnesty for Children

Link to Article 1

Link to Article 2

Photograph by Alex Wong / Getty

 Unexpectedly, Trump has chosen to side with the Democrats in regards to the budget plan. As the US national debt approaches 20 trillion dollars, the two parties in congress have become divided about what to do. The GOP presented Trump with a proposal to postpone the debt ceiling to December, as well as an increase of disaster relief funding to $15.25 billion dollars. Trump has decided instead to side with Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi, the Senate and House Minority leaders on a plan to suspend the debt ceiling. While there is little practical difference between these two proposals, the main difference is that Trump has chosen to look to the democrats for a solution.

 Beyond just the debt ceiling, Trump has also implied that he would sign a congressional bill replicating DACA. He also traveled with Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, a democrat facing "a tough reelection effort in a solidly Republican state that Trump carried in 2016 by 36 percentage points." Trump complimented her, referring to her as a "good woman." Despite this change of alliances, Trump is still set on his tax plan, which Democrats are likely to oppose.

 His support for child amnesty is also something to take note of. While he canceled DACA with an executive order, he doesn't seem to see the issue as closed. He on twitter stated that if Congress can't find a solution he will revisit the issue, likely desiring that congress takes the blame from conservatives who don't think America's immigration policy is strict enough, and from liberals who think the opposite.

Questions:
 What impact will Trump siding with Democrats have on how conservatives see him?
 What should America do to reduce the decifict that it has every year?
 What is the cause for this apparent shift of alliance?
 

Russian Firm Paid for Political Ads During 2016 Election

Link to Article

By Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images.

 Recently Facebook announced to congress that it had discovered the origin of certain ads that were displayed during the 2016 election. A Russian company known to publicize the state narrative were discovered to have spent $100,000 to advertise on Facebook. While a ¨small portion¨ of them contained Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump directly, most of the ads were focused around  divisive issues that the two candidates disagreed on ¨from LGBT matters to race issues to immigration to gun rights.¨
 While Facebook only disclosed the source of the ads and not which candidate or platform they seemed to support, it is likely that this will be taken as evidence that Trump´s campaign received social media help from Russia. While $100,000 is comparatively small when put next to Trump´s overall campaign fund, investigators are primarily focused on whether the Trump campaign was in contact with the Russian government and/or this corporation when these ads were placed; they are less concerned about the actual effect that these ads had on the election.
 Some congressmen such as representative Adam Schiff of California see this as a warning sign of potential foreign involvement for future elections, as he sees this as a sign of malicious intent on the part of the Russians.

Questions:
 Is this the extent of Russian involvement in the 2016 election?
 Should Russia as a state be punished for the actions of a corporation in their nation? If so, how?
 Should we prevent foreign companies from political advertising?

Chinese Attitude Sours Towards Unruly North Korea

China and North Korea alliance propaganda from the 1950s

An analysis of Chinese government attitudes towards its unruly nuclear neighbor, North Korea, has demonstrated shifting attitudes leaning in opposition against Pyongyang's continued aggravation of tension.

There was no end to the Korean War. After signing an armistice in 1953, both parties temporarily stopped fighting without declaring a winner. Supporting the South side was the US, whereas supporting the north side were China and Russia. For years after the Korean War armistice, China has been the main ally to North Korea and supplies more than 80% of North Korea's oil and other vital trade resources. Although the UN may agree to draft increasingly harsh sanctions on the North Korean regime, it is up to China to enforce these restrictions.

Yet recently with continued nuclear tests from North Korea, the global community has largely united in outrage against the rouge nation. Chinese government attitudes towards North Korea has soured, as the events serve to be an embarrassment to President Xi Jinping during global leader conferences such as the BRICS summit, which occurred hours after Pyongyang's most recent nuclear test of a bomb seven times as powerful as Hiroshima.

In this complex interplay of global events, China may be the only one left now with a true, direct ability to stifle the ambitions of the North Korean regime while incurring minimal civilian damages. The US could respond against North Korea with a pre-emptive strike, but doing so would likely invite retaliation from Pyongyang, which would bomb innocent civilians in Seoul, located only about 100 miles away. Yet the role of the Chinese government in this issue is nuanced as well; China would be very unhappy to see a collapse of the North Korean regime only to find a US ally right on its neighbor. As tensions continue to rise, instead of focusing only on US and North Korean inflammatory rhetoric, eyes around the globe ought to focus upon China as well, since China is the middleman that might be holding the keys to defusing of tensions.

Discussion Questions:
1. What should China prioritize- global security or national interests- in addressing the North Korean regime? What do you believe China will prioritize?
2. What can the United States do to advance its interests with respect to influencing Chinese government decisions?

Links:
China Grows Weary of Its Unruly Neighbor
Shift in China-North Korea Relations