Another Blow to Tokyo

After the earthquake rated over 9.0 on the Richter scale hit Japan two weeks ago, the entire country was in shock, but then a tsunami came as a result of the earthquake, destroying anything and everything that it came in contact with, and destroying all the buildings and places and things that Japan had fortified through earthquake precautionary measures. Then, the nuclear reactors that were hit by the tsunami began to have some trouble, consisting of some explosions and a near-meltdown. As if Japan wasn't suffering enough, the country has been dealt yet another devastating blow. Juro Osawa and Hiroyuki Kachi detail the new story out of Tokyo in their Wall Street Journal articled titled "Tokyo Issues Warning on Water" on March 23, 2011. 

Tokyo officials said infants in Japan's capital shouldn't be given city tap water due to elevated radiation levels, as the country's nuclear crisis broadened into a public-health issue for its biggest city.

Some Tokyo tap water could represent a long-term health risk to infants, officials said Wednesday, after tests done earlier this week at three Tokyo water plants showed levels of radioactive iodine-131 at one plant exceeded the government's threshold for consumption by infants.

Because of the troubles with the nuclear reactors from the tsunami hit, Japan is now struggling mightily with issues concerning radiation. Along with the immensely elevated levels of exceptionally dangerous airborne radiation, radiation has now infiltrated the water supply of Tokyo and possibly other cities in Japan. Hopefully this is the end of an incredible wave of disasters hitting Japan and the country will be able to recover and reconstruct.

Time for CSU's to Get Their Act Together

Everyone knows that the economy of the state of California is one of the largest economies in the entire world. Everyone also knows that the California's economy, and more largely that of the United States, is very close to its lowest point ever. Part of this economic failure is due to bad practices, and some of it is simply due to bad luck. The bad practices probably have more weight for you if you're not into the whole "luck" thing (which I can understand because I am not very into it either), but regardless, California is in a hole, and needs to change those bad practices into good ones. The California State University system  is in shady territory currently because of a "commingling of public and private funds," as Nanette Asimov states in her San Francisco Chronicle article entitled "CSU audit suggests better accounting on foundations." Asimov also explains that:

California State University should fix sloppy accounting practices that have led to confusion about which funds are public or private, says a new internal review of the $1.2 billion managed by more than 90 campus foundations and private enterprises on CSU property.

To be completely honest, parts of this article are entirely over my head, yet I can understand the gist of it, and I understand that the CSU's should not be so careless with their accounting. Dealing with cuts in their budget should be the main issue that they are dealing with, they shouldn't be dealing with their own "sloppy accounting practices." This misstep exemplifies the laziness and carelessness that America has exhibited lately, which is possibly one of the bigger contributors to its economic failures.

Duncan and Obama Double-Team Issues in Education

The declining state of education in the United States today is miserable and embarrassing. Even though increasing numbers of credentials are expected for higher-paying jobs today, few people take the time and effort to obtain these greater credentials, and a large number of people either don't go to college, or attend college for a couple years, then drop out. In an attempt to ameliorate some of the issues in education, the Obama Administration, primarily Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, has taken steps and developed educational plans for the future. One of these reforms in education came in an announcement on Tuesday, March 22, 2011, by Vice-President Joseph Biden. The New York Times article by Tamar Lewin entitled "Incentives Offered to Raise College Graduation Rates" covers the story on the Obama Administration's recent additions to improve America's educational system: 

During a news briefing Monday, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said the program, to be formally announced Tuesday by Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., would include only incentives — no “sticks” — for reforms aimed at helping the administration meet its goal of adding eight million college graduates by 2020...In addition, as part of its 2012 budget, the administration has proposed the $123 million “First in the World” initiative for programs that hold down tuition, increase completion rates and move students through college faster. Last, the $50 million College Completion Incentive Grants would reward states and schools for reforms that produce more college graduates.

This move will definitely serve Americans, as well as the country as a whole by stimulating the economy through having a more educated workforce and by adding money to states that succeed in improving their number of college graduates. Hopefully this move will motivate states like Arkansas, Nevada and New Mexico to improve the education of their citizens, only 28% of which currently have college degrees.

E-Waste

This Saturday and Sunday, from 9-3 both days, Acalanes High School will be host to an electronics recycling event, called E-Waste. Acalanes has been a part of E-Waste for the past two years As the Fundraising Officer for BuildOn, I wanted to set up this event, partly because I wanted to continue this BuildOn, Acalanes, and Lafayette tradition, and partly because this event usually brings in a significant amount of money in fundraising for our club. By setting this event up through BuildOn, our club is able to make a percentage of the profits from the recycled goods that people bring in, in addition to receiving donations from people recycling their used electronics who come through the Acalanes parking lot.This event was somewhat of a hassle to set up, but as long as we get people constantly driving in, then I know we will be able to make a substantial amount of money close to what we made last year. I will be spending at least six of my weekend hours, three on Saturday and three on Sunday, to this event.
While it may seem tempting, the money we fund-raise never goes to use for the club's operations; all the money always goes to purchasing supplies for the Trek trips that will now be available every season of the year except fall. These Trek trips are what BuildOn members and supervisors live for because going to a developing country and helping build a school there is an incredibly fun and memorable experience because you know that you are making a difference and you are having fun at the same time. Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be able to go on one of BuildOn's Trek trips because, even though a trip is offered this summer and graduated seniors are allowed to come, it does not look like our club will have the proper fundraising necessary ($5,000 for two people) in order to support a trip this year. With the expansion of BuildOn to colleges across the country, hopefully I will be able to continue my involvement with the organization and be able to possibly attend a Trek For Knowledge.

Showtime, Gone

Netflix, a company that offers movies and television shows both online streaming to your computer or wireless device, or shipped to your house, has experienced incredible growth since the launch of its "Watch Instantly" program in 2007. Netflix offers a variety of Starz and Showtime productions available instantly, along with the thousands of movies, and some people, especially those work for the companies that manage Starz and Showtime are criticizing Netflix because it essentially defeats the purpose of Starz and Showtime, which offer a greater variety of shows and movies. According the March 23, 2011 article in the Wall Street Journal by Nat Worden titled "CBS to Remove Some Showtime Content From Netflix," Showtime is moving on to bigger and better things. Worden states that: 

CBS Corp.'s Showtime unit said it will remove some of the premium cable network's shows from Netflix Inc.'s streaming video service, days after the online video distributor said it planned to offer its own original programming.

Showtime spokeswoman Johanna Fuentes confirmed that it will remove from Netflix all episodes of TV series that are currently running on the channel when the current distribution deal expires this summer. That leaves Netflix subscribers with limited time to watch old episodes of shows such as "Dexter" and "Californication," which are currently available on the streaming service.

Showtime has decided to step away from Netflix with its newer shows with its contract with Netflix expiring within the next few months. This move marks yet another of Showtime's attempts to bring in more direct revenue, along with offering "its own original programming." Netflix may experience some loss of business, but I doubt it will be anything significant because Netflix has already become so widely popular as of late, and I doubt this move will affect Netflix much overall.

Mental Health Break

MVP!

The Road to Negotiation: 2011 Budget Crisis

In this battle between the republicans and the democrats, it looks like some of the republicans are reaching a point where they would like to solve current issues facing the United States instead of sticking with the republican way 'till the end. Among these republicans willing to negotiate is Eric Cantor, the Virginia republican and majority leader, who was quoted saying:

We are not interested in giving any speeches but really want to see what the impediments are here, what we can do. We are not interested in beating our chests. We are trying to get results.

Carl Hulse's article in the New York Times on March 9, 2011 entitled "Amid Battle to Cut Spending, Republicans Turn Spotlight to Jobs" explains Cantor's view on the 2011 budget issue and the issue of jobs, one of the main problems between democrats and republicans. Hopefully the republicans and the democrats will be able to resolve this budget crisis prior to the deadline and following government shutdown, and it looks like the republicans have are beginning to come to the table ready to negotiate. The republicans know that they are in hot water because they are consistently demanding cuts anywhere and everywhere, yet these cuts can, will and have been proven dangerous to our economy, which is most likely, as Hulse explains, the reason why they are now willing to slightly alter their ways and negotiate to solve this issue.

Don't Touch the Education Budget!

Recently, a debate has broken out between President Obama and his democrats, and the republicans of the House and the Senate about the 2011 budget. Obama proposed a budget with very few cuts, as expected, and the republicans, vehemently opposed it, again, as expected. A debate has broken out between the two parties because the democrats want to keep spending high to stimulate the economy, while the republicans want to cut spending universally in order to stimulate the economy. This debate has raged and America and government employees are in jeopardy because a government shut down is possible if the two parties do not come to an agreement by March 18. In the midst of the debate, Obama has declared education as one of the things that he refuses to subject to budget cuts. The article titled "Obama Says U.S. Can't Sacrifice Education in Cutting Deficit" in the San Francisco Chronicle details the president's viewpoint regarding education with respect to the 2011 budget:

Obama has made education a centerpiece of his agenda to bolster U.S. economic competitiveness. Amid a debate with Republican lawmakers over how to trim the $3.7 trillion budget, the president is proposing to shift money from other departments and programs in order to provide more money to fund his education priorities. Among these are increasing the number of science, technology and mathematics teachers and producing an additional 8 million college graduates by 2020.

Rather than looking for a quick-fix to boost the economy, the president is looking towards the future, looking to build the start of a generation of American schoolchildren who are smarter, more efficient and more proficient than the generation before them. He is unwilling to cut spending because he sees that education truly should be the centerpiece of any presidential agenda because it is one of the centerpieces of a strong nation.

No Child Left Behind?

Former president George W. Bush set up the No Child Left Behind policy which is now either making the students of America look completely incompetent, or making the policy look ridiculous, or a little of both. Even though President Obama will not have a chance to reform education within the span of the rest of his current term, America's education policy does need reform in the near future if we, as a country are to maintain our status as a superior nation. Christine Armario, in her article on March 9, 2011 entitled "82 percent of US schools may be labeled 'failing'" in the San Francisco Chronicle, explains that:

The Department of Education estimates the percentage of schools not meeting yearly targets for their students' proficiency in in math and reading could jump from 37 to 82 percent as states raise standards in attempts to satisfy the law's mandates.

Simply raising the standards for U.S. children is not going to make the children work harder, or be smarter, or test better. Education Secretary Arne Duncan believes that the No Child Left Behind policy is sorely undeveloped in its current state, and if nationwide education is to be improved, a few more, possibly significant changes will be required as a whole and in Bush's policy. The education system, the way teachers teach, the credentials teachers must have, and things of that nature must be modified, rather than taking the easy route of improving education by raising standards. Raising the standards might give some children less incentive to work harder because they know that they're already below standards, so it can't be the only method of attempting to raise test scores. This policy must be combined with another significant change in education in order for American schoolchildren to actually start to get smarter.

Recent Community Work

On Saturday, March 5, 2011, I attended the BuildOn Regional Service Project. For this project, BuildOn members from the East Bay all came and set up and worked at an event for kids in Richmond at the Richmond Public Library. I was in Richmond from 11 am to 4 pm for this project but we didn't begin the work until after we did a few icebreaker activities to get to know and talk to some of our fellow BuildOn members from different schools of the East Bay. After the icebreaker activities we got free lunch which was burritos with chips and salsa and it was delicious. After lunch, we got to work setting up the small fair in the courtyard of the Richmond Public Library. The job of my group was to set up a booth to give passports to kids for the fair so that they could get stamps after each activity they completed on the passport. With four stamps for four completed activities, the kids would get a raffle ticket. With the raffle ticket they would get a chance to win a copy of the book Richmond Tales by author Summer Brenner, who was also a guest at the event, reading her book. If they got more than four stamps then they would get another raffle ticket and they would receive a free used book that was provided by BuildOn and people from the community who donated their used books. The fair was very popular among the kids and I had a lot of fun myself just welcoming the kids to the fair. I did this same project last year and it was very fun last year too. My favorite part of this community service project was being able to have fun and play with the kids who constantly flowed in. I joined in a few games of musical chairs and other activities that other BuildOn members had set up and I enjoyed the community service project greatly as a whole.

Mental Health Break

So Long to Ya 2010!