Will Smith's Slap Heard Around the World

  Sunday night’s Oscars was a show to remember but for the wrong reasons. It was supposed to be Will Smith’s glorious moment, possibly winning his first Oscar in his illustrious career. However, the event that preceded it would become the highlight of the night. When Chris Rock made a joke about Jada Smith, Will Smith’s wife, and her hair condition, Will Smith walked up to him and slapped him in the face. Smith would proceed to walk back to his seat and cuss out Rock, telling him to not make any jokes about his wife. This event, coined the “slap heard around the world” immediately shifted the mood for the Oscars. Denzel and Bradley Cooper could be seen later consoling Will Smith about the incident, giving him words of advice. 

Smith would later win the Oscar for Best Lead Actor for his role as Richard Williams in the movie King Richard. In his speech, he would become emotional and tearful, stating how Richard Williams was a “protector” and “defender” of his family. He even shared some advice he received from fellow nominee Denzel Washington: “At your highest moment be careful, that’s when the devil comes for you.” He then apologized to the Academy about the incident, hoping that he could come back in the future. However, there was no direct apology to Chris Rock, something that was criticized later on by many onlookers. Smith would issue a direct apology to Chris Rock on social media on Monday. 

A few days after the event, the Academy would release a statement stating how they asked Will Smith to leave but he refused to. They also acknowledged that they could’ve definitely handled the situation differently. Many actors/celebrities have commented on the situation with Wanda Sykes describing how it was “sickening”. Many have debated who was truly at fault for the slap. Was it Chris Rock for making an inappropriate joke? Or Will Smith for escalating the situation? Those who argued that Chris Rock was at fault pointed to how the joke was made on a touchy subject for Jada. She had stressed her alopecia, the disorder that causes hair loss, and how she struggled to deal with it in the past. Those who argued that Will Smith was mainly to blame state how Smith committed assault, a felony, on live television and that violence is never the answer. He acted very unprofessionally and could have handled the situation very differently.

Questions:

Who do you think is more in the wrong?

Do you think that the Academy should’ve reacted differently? If yes, how so?

Numbers have shown that the audience for the Oscars has declined over the years. For many, if not for the slap, they probably wouldn’t have even known the Oscars took place. Do you think the Oscars are falling out of style? Why or why not?

Sources:

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/30/movies/will-smith-chris-rock-slap-oscars.html

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/30/entertainment/academy-will-smith/index.html

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/27/entertainment/will-smith-chris-rock/

cnn.com/2022/03/27/entertainment/best-actor-will-smith-speech/index.html

Ukraine War Reignites Fracking Discussion in the U.K.

  In the midst of the Russia/Ukraine conflict, it has been hard to focus on anything but the devastating stories and breaking news that bombards all social spaces. As a result, effects such as the re-emergence of fracking in the U.K. have gone relatively overlooked by the public. In an effort to end the U.K.’s dependency on Russian energy sources, Boris Johnson is looking into ideas such as lifting its fracking ban, to allow the U.K. to tap into its supposedly abundant shale gas under the land’s surface.

According to the Independent Petroleum Association of America, “hydraulic fracturing is the process of injecting liquid and materials at high pressure to create small fractures within tight shale formations to stimulate the production and safely extract energy from an underground well…” The process has become highly controversial because of its negative effects on the environment. According to an interview that Kerry McCarthy, the Labour Member of Parliament for Bristol East, did with Huffington Post, “fracking would completely undermine [the U.K. 's] climate commitments and there is also a significant risk of air and water pollution.”

In the recent past, the negative effects of fracking have been pushed, but there are also valid reasons for it being reconsidered in the face of the Ukraine crisis. Fracking is an industry with a lot of potential to boost employment and support the economy as well as give the U.K. a safety blanket in the face of “geopolitical shocks like the one we are currently experiencing” (Rogers, Huffington Post). Though still, the looming rise of U.K. citizens’ energy bills and usage of over a thousand trillion cubic feet of land pose more barriers to moving forward in lifting the ban on fracking.

As the Ukraine War persists, it will be interesting to see how increasing pressures continue to pull the U.K. fracking discussion to the forefront of environmental, and now geopolitical controversy. 

How the Ukraine War Gave Fracking in the UK a Second Chance - The New York Times

What Is Fracking And Why Has The Ukraine War Put It Back On The Agenda? | HuffPost UK Politics

​​Fracking Has Its Costs And Benefits -- The Trick Is Balancing Them

Questions:

1. Is there a "happy medium" to be reached between the negative environmental effects of fracking and the positive redirection of geopolitical power?

2. How does the U.K.'s fracking debate mirror/contrast that of the United States?

3. If the ban is lifted, do you think there will be proper regulation? Meaning, will lifting the ban open the door to a consuming environmental threat, or will it be used as a strategic tool in the Ukraine War?

An Update on "post-Covid" Inflation

    The Covid-19 pandemic has fostered an “unconventional recession,” as stated in “Pandemic Prices: Assessing Inflation in the Months and Years Ahead,” a piece written by Jared Bernstein and Ernie Tedeschi, White House economic policy advisors. This means that in an effort to curb the effects of the recession on the American public, the U.S. government must pave a path to modern economic recovery for which there is not a particularly strong historical example. However, despite these unique circumstances, inflation, a term not uncommon to citizens, remains a prominent threat to national economic security. In fact, the New York Times, reported an inflation rate of 7.9% in February of 2022, a number that far exceeds what policymaker’s deem acceptable (~2%).

    Though what is it that makes inflation imposed by the pandemic unfamiliar to policymakers? According to the Simon Business School at the University of Rochester, there are actually a few factors. One reason being that demand has skyrocketed, and producers can’t keep up with it. Demand fell significantly during the pandemic, so consequently the quantity supplied did as well. Since Americans were deprived of all unnecessary services and goods for an extended period of time, and that for the average-middle class American meant a general increase in savings. In the end, there was an excess of quantity demanded and a shortage of supply (made worse by supply chain disruptions).

    Secondly, the “base,” or growth rate of prices was very low in April of 2020 as the economy saw the first effects of the pandemic. Since the average prices decreased intensely before they began to climb back up again, the months following the beginning of the pandemic involved an unstable economic field. This is described as the  base effect. Though this problem is beginning to remedy itself as the “base” month of April 2020 drifts further away and a new economic cycle emerges.

    This is a very simplified version of what has happened in the economy in the past years, however. It must also be acknowledged what specific legislative and international moves such as the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries’ limitations on exports, Biden’s “moratorium on federal oil and gas leases,” and “Trump-era tariffs” have done to contribute to inflation of goods such as gas.

Simon Blog: Dean's Corner A Closer Look at Inflation

Pandemic Prices: Assessing Inflation in the Months and Years Ahead | The White House

Surging U.S. Inflation Raises Stakes as War Pushes Up Prices

Questions:

1. Will Adam Smith's "invisible hand" be sufficient in sorting out such a unique economic crisis?

2. How do the CARES Act and American Rescue Plan factor into the financial status of the average American post-pandemic?

3. Do you think the "pent-up demand" or "supply chain disruptions & misalignments" that contributed more to the issue?

The Politicization of Justice: Bork/Kavanaugh v. Jackson

    President Joe Biden honored his promise to nominate a Black woman to the Supreme Court. On February 25, 2022, the President formally announced his nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson. 

    Not surprisingly, but nevertheless interesting, is the fact that, if confirmed, Jackson will be the first justice to serve on the Court with work experience as a public defender, as opposed to a prosecutor. Former Justice Thurgood Marshall, long retired, was the last judge to bring any significant amount of criminal defense experience to the Court. This perhaps comments on a larger gap in representation within the nation’s highest court. In her work on the DC Circuit Court of Appeals, Judge Jackson “took ‘extra care’” to extend necessary knowledge to the accused, about the legal process, that they so often lacked. For these reasons, along with the rest of her work history and esteemed education, it's hard to not classify Judge Jackson as uniquely qualified for the job and a justice with a complete understanding of the law. Despite this, her nomination hearing turned into an attack on her identity and validity as a legal professional.

    Though supposedly, according to Ted Cruz, Judge Jackson’s hearing was far less malicious than that of Robert Bork or Brett Kavanaugh. The experience of Judge Bork, who failed to be appointed to the Court largely as a result of controversy over his problematic past and future regarding civil rights and political scandals, and Kavanaugh, who got nominated despite sexual assault allegations, were used to downplay the attacks on Judge Jackson. Cruz and his peers seemed to flaunt the ‘favor’ that they were doing Jackson in not questioning her irrationally as the democrats had supposedly done to nominees he favored in the past. Thus, creating the false narrative that Jackson has moral deficiencies comparable to Bork or Kavanaugh.

    The poignancy of Cruz’s comparison between the hearings of Bork and Kavanaugh and Judge Jackson is significant in pointing out the politicization of the legal system. It's undeniable that all three judges experienced politicized nominations, but Judge Jackson’s identity was weaponized against her, whereas Bork and Kavanaugh were just faced with the consequences of their actions. 

What's ahead for Ketanji Brown Jackson? Here's what Recent History Suggests.

The Respectful Supreme Court Hearing That Wasn't - The New York Times

A Public Defender on the High Court

Questions:

1. How has partisanship affected the way the U.S. justice system operates? 
2. Given the shockingly informal questioning of Ketanji Jackson, do you see a path to reconstruction of respectable debate between differing ideology? 

3. Has Ketanji Jackson's hearing sparked productive conversation, or has it set the conversation back further?

Daylight Savings is a Trap

 Recently, the Senate passed the “Sunshine Protection Act,” which ensures that daylight savings time cannot be altered and remains permanent. This bill is popular among the people of America, yet scientifically daylight savings time is unhealthy for humans. After all, standard time, which is an hour behind DST, is more in alignment with the rising of the sun. Forcing people to wake up an hour earlier, and an hour darker has a plethora of negative effects. People’s bodies are simply more tired during this darker time during the morning due to the manner in which the body wakes itself up in reaction to sunlight. Studies show that the time shift raises stress levels, shortens sleep, increases depression, and even creates spikes in heart attacks, strokes, and car crash in the week immediately following the shift.

A specific age group that is hurt the most by daylight savings is teenagers, a group that already gets an alarming lack of sleep. Naturally, teenagers have a delay in their biological clock, because their melatonin (sleep hormone) peaks later than all other age groups, meaning they are inclined to go to bed later and also wake up later than everybody else. If we are to enforce a time system where it is darker in the morning, and lighter at night, teenagers will have an even harder time getting adequate sleep, as their body will want to sleep even later (darker in the morning=body does not want to wake up), and stay up even later (melatonin+longer sunlight) yet still be forced to wake up early. Scientifically, sleep deprivation has multiple serious side effects. The surgeon general notes that it can lead to higher levels of depression and anxiety in young people.

Scientifically, sleep deprivation has multiple serious side effects. The surgeon general notes that it can lead to higher levels of depression and anxiety in young people. Some argue that daylight savings will add more sun to the day, yet fail to acknowledge that every winter, we will experience long and dark mornings, where the sun won’t rise until 9 o’clock. Teenagers will wake up in the dark, their bodies unable to comprehend that it is time for school, and will likely suffer slower reaction times and increased levels of sadness and anger due to a lack of sleep. Beyond these effects, REM sleep will be shortened as well, which is an important factor to mental health. As far as DST goes, it only benefits big businesses, who will reap the reward of consumers driving for more hours and spending more time purchasing products, but for the rest of America, it is imperative to keep the time standard and help the masses gain better sleep in order to obtain better health.

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/03/daylight-saving-time-bad-teenagers/627095/ 

1. Do you think the U.S. should keep the time standard, convert it permanently to DST, or continue as is? Why?

2. Do you feel any difference in your sleep or mood throughout the day when America is in DST?

3. How important would you say sleep is to overall mental health and why? Have you ever had bouts where sleep was negatively affecting your mental health?

Fake News Takes Lives

Europe and North America separated by the vast Atlantic ocean do not help the relay of information accumulating from the already drastic events occurring in Ukraine. As tensions rise across foreign borders, tails of war are being chronically warped to fit agendas of world orders. 

As conflict and despair continue to riddle Europe's eastern borders there is a common outlier of unidentified sources throughout social media and major news corporations.  Even renowned television show Saturday Night Live jokes about the convoluted form of communication of said current events through apps such as Tik Tok and Instagram, however, the line between reality and satirical content seems to have disappeared. But are major news outlets and corporations really to blame? 

According to U.S soldiers alive, despite Russia's fake news’ report, written by Phil Stewart says a recent Russian news source published an extensive article claiming that three current members of the Tennessee national guard were killed in Ukraine and were sent there as US mercenaries. However, the US Military and Tennessee national guard reports deny all of these claims and prove that these three members were never stationed or sent to Ukraine and are all in fact alive and well. These allegations were made in Russia's Pravda newspaper. Phil Stewarts' article states “The National Guard speculated the militia picked the three men while reviewing official imagery associated with a 2018 deployment by Tennessee's 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment to Ukraine, suggesting all three had been in Ukraine.” The constant rotation of distorted claims and allegations like the ones written in the Pravda news article results in the vast and efficient spread of false information and tails.

Where do you find yourself getting most of your information from? 

Considering the distance from the actual conflict, how would we receive valid information about the war? 

Do you think we can do something to stop the spread of fake news? If so, what can we do?

Tennessee Enacts a New Anti-Abortion Law, Which is Similar to Texas’s

 Texas created the “Heartbeat Bill” which was enacted on May 19, 2021. The “Heartbeat Bill” states how one cannot receive an abortion once the embryonic or fetus’s heartbeat has been detected. According to science, a heartbeat can be detected after 5-6 weeks, and a woman is able to tell she is pregnant after 2-3. Within this time period, if a woman chooses to have an abortion, it is not an easy process to receive one as quickly as possible. It requires constant doctor visits, counseling appointments, and dealing with private coverage restrictions. There are many more steps to go through this process. 

Recently, Tennessee Republicans have created an extremely similar copy to Texas’s “Heartbeat Bill”. This new legislation they are creating is not only going to prohibit a doctor from performing the surgery, but private persons can even launch civil actions against anyone who assists someone else in getting the treatment after six weeks of pregnancy. Instead of offering a patient a six-week window, the Tennessee version announced Tuesday would prohibit all abortions.

What these laws all have in common is the fact that they are not considering the potential environment the baby can live in, if the mother were to be unfit to provide a healthy and safe life for the baby. Furthermore,  after all of the diverse organizations in favor of abortion such as “Whole Woman’s Alliance” or “NARAL”, protesting against their district courts to change the law within their state, their voice is never heard. What can be changed is the representation within the district courts, because women’s bodies seem to be dictated by elderly, white, conservative men who have no sense of what a woman must undergo in this process, and the harm the baby can potentially live in due to these unethical laws being created.

https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2022-03-15/tennessee-lawmakers-introduce-texas-styled-abortion-bill

https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/when-can-you-hear-babys-heartbeat#Babys-heartbeat

https://carnegieendowment.org/2018/02/20/tackling-women-s-underrepresentation-in-u.s.-politics-comparative-perspectives-from-europe-pub-75315

https://www.prochoiceamerica.org/

What do you think should be done for the nation to protect the right to an abortion? 
Do you think the Supreme Court can intervene and enforce Roe V. Wade? 
What is your opinion on all of the new laws being passed to prevent abortions? 

New Covid Subvariant Leads to an Increase in Cases

The new BA.2 subvariant of Covid has emerged in some European countries and experts are blaming the removal of pandemic restrictions. 18 European countries, including the UK, France, Italy, and Germany are facing rises in Covid cases. World health Organization (WHO) regional director Hans Kluge announced the news yesterday and is blaming the sudden policy changes regarding pandemic restrictions. He says the lifted measures are “brutal, from too much to too few.” Many European countries have lifted much of their restrictions early this year but it is unclear if they should be reinstated.

The BA.2 subvariant has popped up across the globe and has halted the cline of infections in the United States. According to the CDC, up to 35% of new cases are due to this subvariant. New infections in the US are down 96% from pandemic records but with the prevalence of BA.2, the decrease is beginning to plateau. However, even though the new variant spreads 80% faster than Omicron (CNBC), it still does not pose a serious threat to those who are vaccinated. Because of this, restrictions are continually being lifted and all 50 states have removed overall mask mandates. Chief Medical Advisor Anthony Fauci has spoken out saying that there's no need to reimplement Covid restrictions and that there most likely won’t be a surge. Still, it is better to be safe than sorry. Those who have gotten both doses and their booster shot are more than 90% protected against hospitalization and death and those with only two doses have up to 70% protection.

Cases may continue to rise, but the US has now shifted their focus from regulations to hospitalizations when assessing the threat the virus poses. Additionally, when asked about the variants implications concerning travel, Dr. Leana Wen, a professor of health policy and management at George Washington University, explained that while there may be some uncertainty, there is little risk for those that are vaccinated. She recommends wearing a mask in crowded indoor settings and to know the rules of places you are traveling to. Severe illness has been limited and, for the average person, BA.2 will only lead to mild illness. While this may be true, allowing the virus to spread without taking any precautions may lead to another outbreak. The more the virus spreads, the more chances for mutation and while the chances that it becomes more deadly are slim, it is always a possibility. Governments must balance possible outbreaks with returning to “normal” and there is no easy solution. 

Questions:

Do you think we should continue to have pandemic restrictions? To what extent should we have them?

How do you feel about the new variant? What about future variants?

How does education influence the way people see Covid?

Sources:

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/23/world/coronavirus-newsletter-intl-23-03-22/index.html

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/03/23/covid-omicron-bapoint2-subvariant-will-soon-dominate-in-us-but-fauci-doesnt-expect-another-surge.html

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/22/health/omicron-covid-variant-wellness/index.html

https://www.wsj.com/articles/omicron-ba-2-variant-represents-rising-share-of-u-s-covid-19-cases-11647979879

Chinese Plane Crash is Yet Another Loss for Boeing

On Monday, 3/21, the Boeing 737-800 NG model crashed in China. This model is often referred to as the safest aircraft ever made but it sadly led to the death of 132 passengers. Meant to replace the 737 Max, which was grounded globally due to multiple deadly crashes, the 737 NG, or Next Generation, had just 11 fatal accidents out of more than 7,000 planes delivered in the past 25 years. According to radar data, which is based on the transmissions from the plane, the aircraft began to descend well outside the normal flight parameters. After just less than a minute, the plane began to climb back up to flight level just before it nosedived at speeds of up to 31,000 feet per minute into the ground. Rescue teams have been unable to find any survivors and have found one of two black boxes: a device that stores all important details during flights.


Monday’s crash comes at an extremely pivotal time for Boeing as they were aiming to restart 737 Max deliveries to China after a three-year halt. Last year, Boeing Chief Executive David Calhoun said the company desperately needed new orders from Chinese airlines to compete with the recovery of the market. China was also the first to officially ground the 737 Max, which raises increased concerns for the future of Boeing’s relationship with China. COVID and the grounding of the aircrafts caused the company travel demands of China to increase and significantly lowered the demand for planes. Boeing’s stock has dropped over 50% since the end of 2019, slicing over $100 billion off their total value. Because of this, Boeing is in dire need of another jetliner order from China. Boeing has caught major momentum since the beginning of 2020 but resurrecting deliveries and taking new orders is essential for the success of the company. The last few years were not kind to Boeing but the future is still uncertain.

Boeing’s losses have also negatively impacted China as well. Before COVID, China relied heavily on Boeing’s production for their growing travel sector. This importance was highlighted by China’s response to President Trump’s tariffs. Rather than taxing Boeing jets in retaliation, China decided to only put a 5% levy on small U.S.-built aircrafts. Furthermore, China is unable to only rely on Airbus, Boeing’s European competitor, as there is a massive backlog of their jets. Chinese company Comar, however, has been developing a replacement for the 737 and is planning to enter it into service sometime in 2022. China’s command economy also allows it to require that airlines purchase from Comar over Boeing, potentially hitting Boeing with yet another blow.

Questions:

Do you think Boeing will bounce back as travel increases?

How does China's command economy impact the relationship with Boeing?

Sources:

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/03/23/black-box-found-from-boeing-passenger-jet-that-crashed-in-china-state-media.html

https://www.wsj.com/articles/china-eastern-plane-crash-complicates-boeings-china-relationship-11647968883

https://www.wsj.com/articles/boeing-swings-to-profit-on-defense-and-jet-sales-11627474051?mod=article_inline

https://www.barrons.com/articles/boeing-stock-had-a-terrible-2020-forget-2021-its-all-about-2024-51608888600

Western Unity is Crippling the Russian Economy

In a time when Russian President Vladimir Putin expected division, western unity has emerged. Rather than remaining neutral, the US and other western countries have been active in condemning the Russian invasion. The US and other countries have banned Russian oil imports, certain Russian banks, and Visa and Mastercard have suspended operations. These sanctions have taken a toll on the Russian economy as we have seen a more than 30% drop in the Russian Ruble. Russia has been unable to wean itself off imported goods and the Russian economy is taking a hit because of it. According to Janis Kluige, a specialist in the Russian economy at the German Institute for International and Security affairs, “The Russian ambitions were unrealistic to start with because a small economy like Russia’s isn’t able to produce complex and high-tech goods by itself. It’s just simply not possible” (WSJ).While Russia has looked to reduce reliance on imports, it has actually worsened in recent years. In some industries, nonfood consumer goods, imports accounted for nearly 75% and in other sectors, the percentage is even higher.

Sanctions on imports to Russia affect the entire supply chain as a lack of production causes the idling of Russian employees. In Russia’s automaker industry, over 15,000 employees could be idled because of lack of production. Russian companies simply cannot produce the advanced computer chips imported from China and the US and these companies lack alternatives. In addition, as the Ruble decreases in value, the price of goods that can be imported increases dramatically. According to experts, it may take years for Russian companies to produce advanced goods needed for these fields and for now, they rely heavily on Western technology.


As Russia continues to suffer unsustainable losses in Ukraine, President Joe Biden and other western leaders are planning emergency in-person summits to plan for the future of the war. It is expected that the NATO leaders will roll out another set of sanctions on Russia that could add additional measures on Russian oligarchs, finances, and energy imports. Increasing support to Ukraine has also been discussed but no decisions have been made. The war has brought forth unity throughout western countries with Britain in the process of buying a 500 million dollar defense system from the US. Biden also plans to offer military support for NATO countries in eastern Europe, but not directly in conflict. The US has not used any military action when it comes to the war. In a study conducted by Pew Research Center on March 15, 2022, 85% of Americans believe that the US should keep strict economic sanctions on Russia. In addition, 35% of Americans favored U.S. military action even if it risks nuclear conflict with Russia. Even with a large percentage of people interested in military action, Biden has stated that “our forces are not — and will not — be engaged in the conflict with Russia in Ukraine.” There is no certain outcome in this war but it is clear that western countries have taken a strong stand against Russia.

Personally, I think it is important that Western countries are taking a hard stand against the Russian oil exports. Having Western Europe rely on Russian oil gives Russia a significant amount of power over other countries and could potentially allow for Putin to go unpunished. In addition, because countries have been unable to rely on Russian oil, they are finding other sources of oil. While gas prices have risen significantly, not relying on Russia while they are on the other side of the war is a fair tradeoff in my opinion.

Questions:

How do you think this war will influence the world economy in 10 years?

Do you support US intervention in the Russia Ukraine War? Why/Why not?

How should Russian businesses adapt to the changing economic situation?

Sources:

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/20/politics/joe-biden-europe-trip-vladimir-putin/index.html

https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2022/03/15/public-expresses-mixed-views-of-u-s-response-to-russias-invasion-of-ukraine/

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2022/2/25/22949351/ukraine-russia-us-troops-no-fly-zone-nuclear-weapons

https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/official_texts_192489.htm

Newsom Relieves Stress of Thousands of Waiting Seniors

 

UC Berkeley and local group Save Berkeley’s Neighborhood (SBN) have continued to fight a legal battle regarding the local housing crisis. Over the years, SBN has filed multiple lawsuits against UCB, concerned that the University’s housing plans violate the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Under CEQA, developers must consider the environmental implications of new infrastructure before gaining approval. Housing plans do not only threaten the environment but also the housing crisis. SBN’s litigations were closely analyzed when the California Supreme Court upheld the lower court decision, ruling that UC Berkeley had to limit their enrollment to the 2020-21 enrollment size. 

Many high school seniors would have reaped the consequences of the court’s verdict. In effect, this court decision would force UCB to reduce the number of admitted students by 5,100. On March 14, 2022, however, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation that halted the court ruling, ensuring that the University’s intended 2022 enrollment could ensue.

In regard to the development of new housing, the environment is an example of a trade-off and negative externality. Construction would emit more greenhouse gasses into our atmosphere, thereby affecting everyone. In terms of trade-offs, the fight for more housing forces one to consider a clean environment versus housing security--goals fighting against one another. Similarly, this relates to a trade-off between housing for students vs. housing for residents. Like a production possibilities curve, there is a finite amount of land and housing. Therefore, the more space there is for new student housing developments, the less space there is for residents. 

Personally, I think that Berkeley shouldn’t have disregarded SBN’s concerns for so long. Clearly, their recent lawsuit was provoked by previous efforts to help the local housing crisis and environment. At the same time, however, I support Newsom’s new legislation. The court decision would have affected so many anxious students. For the class of 2022, the college admissions have already held so much uncertainty, with Covid-19 moving classrooms online or test centers being canceled, that a drastic reduction in admissions seems unfair. Moving forward, I think that UC Berkeley could gradually adapt its student body to meet its housing availability. This way, there would be fewer abrupt reductions which could hurt many students, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Moreover, the demand for off-campus housing could reduce, giving residents more housing options or security. After all, retaining housing for residents is just as important. 

Questions:

What are your thoughts on Newsom’s decision?

How should universities ensure that there is sufficient housing, while also maintaining environmental policy?

How will these concerns affect admissions in the future?

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/16/education/uc-berkeley-admissions-court-ruling.html

https://www.wsj.com/articles/uc-berkeley-enrollment-case-fuels-wider-battle-for-student-housing-11647259200#

https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/UC-Berkeley-s-Catch-22-Legal-actions-from-16993465.php

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/10/us/uc-berkeley-student-housing.html

https://www.gov.ca.gov/2022/03/14/governor-newsom-signs-legislation-to-ensure-access-for-incoming-uc-berkeley-students/

Pakistan's Aurat March Faces Opposition

March 8th, 2022 marked the fifth year of Pakistanian’s Aurat March (Women’s March). Known as International Women’s Day, Pakistani women have continued to face criticism from conservatives. The World Economic Forum even ranks “Pakistan 151 out of 153 countries in its 2020 Global Gender Gap Index Report,” highlighting the opposition women face (DW). A common argument from anti-feminists states that the Aurat March defies Islamic values, instead of promoting Western values. In fact, Pakistan minister for religious affairs, Noor-ul-Haq Qadri demanded that Imran Khan, Pakistan’s Prime Minister, counter the Aurat March by declaring March 8th Hijab Day instead. And while march organizers recognize that there’s no reason to choose between the two events, they argue it’s still one’s personal choice what they choose to celebrate. Thus, “more than 1,000 veiled women” created and attended their marches to counter pro-gender equality rallies (The Guardian). Utilizing a more violent approach, the president of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl, which is a majority political party led by clerics, threatened protestors with batons. Threats of murder, rape, and other forms of online abuse have even caused Aurat March leaders to deactivate their social media. Regardless, Pakistani women have continued to take charge and hold their Aurat March to promote this year's theme of #BreakTheBias, conveying the idea that there is a lack of acknowledgment in society’s inequality. Specifically, Pakistani women aim for more reproductive rights, economic and environmental justice, and better access to public spaces. One of the march leaders, Sheema Kermani, mentions that they “are scared, but [they] know that without putting [themselves] in such a dangerous situation [they] cannot bring change” (NYT). They plan to use various forms of art to express their discontent with the current patriarchal mindset, thus promoting a pace for “women, transgenders and nonbinary folks” (NBC). 

Considering the more conservative values Pakistan is known for, I’m, unfortunately, not too surprised about the current opposition Pakistan women face. Relating it to backlash related to cases like Roe v. Wade, the divisive stances on abortion is exemplified through protests such as the Aurat March. Thus, events taking place during Women’s History Month may continue to heighten these tensions. Critics of the legal reasoning behind reproductive rights argue that abortion is morally wrong to take away a “life” and that it oversteps a boundary of judicial activism. As a result, Noor-ul-Haq Qadri may use a similar line of reasoning to strengthen Pakistan’s Islamic values, in order to declare March 8th Hijab Day. As of right now, I predict that the declaration will not take place, although it is highly possible. Even if it were to take place, then feminists will of course cause an uproar and spur enough attention for some reconsideration. More likely, it would occur later on when tensions escalate and there’s an evident need to gain more conservative followers or to maintain order.

1. What do you predict will happen if March 8th is Declared Hijab Day?

2. How would you react to the various comments Pakistani feminists face?

3. What course of action do you think the government and/or feminists should pursue from here on out? 

https://www.dw.com/en/womens-day-pakistani-women-demand-bodily-rights-gender-equality/a-52685628

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2022/mar/09/hijab-marches-compete-with-pakistans-international-womens-day-rallies

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/06/world/asia/pakistan-aurat-march-women.html

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/pakistani-international-womens-day-marchers-face-threats-rcna18938

https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3169198/when-women-march-justice-pakistan-it-out-necessity

https://dailytimes.com.pk/885193/qadri-proposes-to-mark-intl-hijab-day-on-march-8/

https://www.geo.tv/latest/403429-pakistans-aurat-march-2022-to-be-or-not-to-be

 

Iranian launches missiles near US consulate in Iraq

 

    A barrage of missiles hit in northern Iraq with Iran claiming responsibility for its actions. The US consulate sat nearby and caused alarm to many in the area with missiles hitting some residential areas. The attack was in retaliation from an Israeli strike that occurred in Syria that had killed members of Iran's Revolutionary Guard. "Iran's powerful Revolution Guard said on its website that it attacked what it described as an Israeli spy center in Erbil" (AP News). There were no injuries reported luckily but this marks an escalation of conflict between Iran and the US. Iraq is a sovereign country but being both allies of Iran and the US puts pressure on Iraq as a place of tension between the two countries. White House national security advisor Jake Sullivan stated, " We will support the Government of Iraq in holding Iran accountable, and ...The United States of America stands behind the full sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Iraq"(AP News). The last time Iran has directly fired missiles into Iraq was after U.S. forces used drone strikes to kill General Qassem Soleimani. The resulting missile strikes hit a U.S. base which resulted in multiple U.S. troops suffering with brain damage. America has been recently trying to create a new nuclear containment deal with Iran to limit research and use of dangerous missiles. In 2018, President Trump had pulled the U.S. out of the Iranian nuclear accord which caused many surrounding countries to grow worried. The deal to create a new treaty between the two countries seems to have taken a turn with Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the U.S.'s supply of military equipment to the Ukraine military. 

    This event seems to have gone unnoticed by most of the world with more obvious events like Russia's invasion of Ukraine with has dominated the new for now multiple weeks. I feel that keeping peace in the Middle East is really important to the world similar to peacefully stopping Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Iran getting nuclear weapons would become an extremely dangerous situation that would lead to all sorts of horrible outcomes in the Middle East. A deal set up by Obama in 2015 and later taken away by Trump had created a nuclear deal that limited Iran's nuclear program from continuing the creation of nuclear weapons. Iran's history with nuclear missiles has been long and complicated with all large countries and the UN putting pressure to stop the creation of these missiles. One of the most interesting stories was one about a computer virus called Stuxnet that was created by the US and Israel which would mess with Iran's nuclear plants by damaging computer systems. Its use on a uranium enrichment facility in Natanz resulted in the destruction of 1,000 of Iran's 6,000 centrifuges (Washington Post). Overall, this attack shows an increase in tensions around the Middle East on top of the horrible situation in Ukraine.

What could be the impacts of such attacks on the US and Iraq?

Do you think that war with Iran could be possible and what should be done to avoid it?

Should nuclear deals with Iran be one of the U.S.'s priorities?

Sources:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/irans-revolutionary-guard-claims-missile-attack-raising-tensions-11647173230

https://apnews.com/article/iran-missile-attack-erbil-iraq-us-consulate-7a4ea6281fe6191a4e4b640c58c7fd49

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/03/12/irbil-attack-iraq/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/stuxnet-was-work-of-us-and-israeli-experts-officials-say/2012/06/01/gJQAlnEy6U_story.html

https://www.armscontrol.org/factsheets/Timeline-of-Nuclear-Diplomacy-With-Iran

Yoon Suk-yeol of the People Power Party Wins South Korea's Presidential Elections

 On March 9th, 2022, Yoon Suk-yeol of the People Power Party was elected President for South Korea’s next five-year term. With more than three-quarters of South Koreans casting their votes, Yoon was able to narrowly pull ahead in the polls with 48.6% of the votes, while his longtime opponent, Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party, won 47.8% of the votes. Considering the various scandals both candidates faced (ie. corruption, sexism, nepotism), political scientist Ahn Byong-jin of Jyung Hee University says that it was “a contest between the unlikeable, a choice of who is the lesser evil” (NYT).

One factor citizens considered would be his occupation as a successful former prosecutor, suggesting that Yoon has less experience in politics and foreign relations. Regardless of his background, he claims that he wants to “remove the incompetent and corrupt democratic party from power” after outgoing President Moon Jae-in's government was exposed to ethical dilemmas and policy failures regarding the housing crisis, income inequality, and lack of social mobility (NYT). Domestically, Yoon aims to enact a “real estate policy of supplying 2.5 million housing units…” and “reforming the comprehensive property tax system” (Council On Foreign Relations). Regarding gender inequality, the two candidates have divisive stances. As an anti-feminist, Yoon was able to appeal to young voters, particularly young men who consider women as a “threat” toward work opportunity and thus amplifying the current unemployment crisis. Yoon also mentioned in his campaign that he hopes to abolish the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, while also raising the penalty for falsely reported sex crimes (CNN).

Considering Yoon’s stance on international relations, he mentioned in his campaign toward solidifying his ties with the USA and Japan, effectively, pulling away from China and mitigating China’s growing influence. Under the Biden administration, he aims for South Korea to join the USA, Australia, and Japan to form the “Quad,” advocating for a “free, open and inclusive order in the Indo-Pacific” (Politico). Yoon also refuses to ease sanctions until North Korea “makes active efforts in complete and verifiable denuclearization” (CNN), taking a more confrontational stance. 

The South Korean Election demonstrates the influence of public opinion. We can consider the effect of voting based on policy rather than party as shown through how young men voted for a candidate that aligns with their values and benefits them. Furthermore, we are able to also recognize the international economic effects and how that influences opinion. Because China is South Korea’s main export destination, Yoon will have to consider how South Korea’s economy will be impacted after leaning toward China’s rival global superpower, the USA. Personally, I believe that the USA will benefit in the short-term and gain an ally, but the increasing tensions with China and North Korea may spiral into a bigger problem in the long run.

1. Why do you think voters saw Yoon as the “better option” despite him not having as much experience in politics?

2. How do you think Yoon’s presidency will impact the USA both positively and negatively?

3. What do you think Yoon will do (or at least, what he should do) to appeal to citizens who voted against him?

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/03/08/world/korean-election

https://www.cfr.org/blog/south-koreas-real-estate-policy-and-presidential-election

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/10/asia/yoon-suk-yeol-new-south-korean-president-stance-intl-hnk/index.html

https://www.politico.com/news/2022/03/09/south-koreas-yoon-suk-yeol-new-president-china-00015960

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/03/08/south-korea-presidential-elections-yoon-feminist/

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-03-09/south-korea-s-yoon-projected-to-win-presidential-vote-kbs-says