WEEKLY
BLOG COMMENTS No. 66
DATES:
2013/05/26– 2013/06/02
ANALYST:
Domingo Trassens
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Dear Friends:
The last week of May began with
the celebration of Memory Day. President Obama led a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery in tribute for the troops who died in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Always, Memorial Day is a
special moment to remember the “profound human cost of war” and honor our
heroes dead in combat.
Meanwhile, Senator John McCain
traveled to Syria to learn on the ground about the civil war. He entered the country
crossing the Turkish border accompanied by a Free Syrian Army general.
In the domestic side, new
tornadoes in Oklahoma and Midwest and wildfires in California and New Mexico hit an extensive territory with more
destruction and deaths.
The international news continued
focusing the Syrian civil war, the rockets that struck Lebanon's targets, the Russian and Iranian
support to the President al-Assad, and new victories of regime troops against
the rebels.
Now I would like to share with
you a series of comments posted by myself in the WSJ Journal Community and PBS
through Twitter during the last seven days about the top news of the week.
The comments are organized in
the following sections: United States, Europe, The World (Asia, Africa, Middle East…), Latin America, Education and Economy, Business,
Technology.
DAT
June 2, 2013
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UNITED
STATES
Subject: In his first international defense conference as US
Defense Secretary, Chuck Hagel aimed against the cyber-spying activities of China.
My Comment: In a speech during a regional security
conference in Singapore
, US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel urged
Chinese to stop their cyber-spying activities.
Mr. Hagel said that if China doesn’t stop its activities, US will promote an international action to isolate the Chinese. The point is who will follow the United States to implement the isolation? Today everybody is looking to be a friend of China, no its enemy. 2013/06/01) 2 Recommendations
Mr. Hagel said that if China doesn’t stop its activities, US will promote an international action to isolate the Chinese. The point is who will follow the United States to implement the isolation? Today everybody is looking to be a friend of China, no its enemy. 2013/06/01) 2 Recommendations
Subject: After the tornado that destroyed Monroe in Oklahoma, new strong storms continued hitting the Midwest during the last days.
My Comment: We cannot stop the tornadoes, but
before the tornado season starts we can implement preventive and emergency
plans to minimize physical damages and avoid human casualties. (2013/06/01)
Opinion: An
Antidote to Cynicism Poisoning by By PEGGY NOONAN
Subject: In her weekly column at Wall Street Journal, the
journalist Peggy Noonan suggested a full investigation of the IRS’s
politicization to restoring the faith in the institutions of the democracy.
My Comment: You suggest a full investigation of the
IRS’s politicization to restoring the public faith. This investigation is not
enough if after that nobody makes a complete “purge”.
It is not only to find all the roots of the “cancer”. It is to eradicate all the roots of this “cancer”. But how many patriots are able to do this job? (2013/06/01) 2 Recommendations
It is not only to find all the roots of the “cancer”. It is to eradicate all the roots of this “cancer”. But how many patriots are able to do this job? (2013/06/01) 2 Recommendations
Subject: The former Republican candidate for the U.S.
President is returning to the scene with critical observations against
President Obama’s second term.
My Comment: Mitt Romney had the “weapon” to defeat
President Obama but he didn’t use it in the right way. The weapon was Benghazi. Now, his return will not change the
results. (2013/05/31) 1 Recommendation
Subject: An American woman who converted to the Islam went
to Syria to fight next extremist groups and she died
fighting against the government troops.
My Comment: If Nicole Mansfield converted to Islam
and went to Syria to fight for a rebel group, it is better that she died in combat and
didn’t return to US to lead a terrorism group in her country. (2013/05/31) 23
Recommendations
Subject: An American drone killed the second in command of
the Pakistani Taliban group. The news came some days after President Obama said
that U.S. will limit the use of drones from now on.
My Comment: Probably, the death of Wali Ur Rehman
was programmed before the last speech of President Obama about the war on
terror, or the White House is playing chess with special tactics to confuse the
enemy. (2013/05/29) 1 Recommendation
Subject: The acquisition of Smithfield Foods by the Chinese
meat producer generated a warning due to a big epidemic of bird fever that some
years ago killed people in China and the countries where the Chinese had sold the
chickens.
My Comment: To sell an American food company to
the Chinese it is very risky. During years we read news about the problems they
have with bird fever.
After that, we will eat all the poisoned chicken of the Chinese and the “scrap” the new rich people of that country put in the trash. (2013/05/29) 6 Recommendations
After that, we will eat all the poisoned chicken of the Chinese and the “scrap” the new rich people of that country put in the trash. (2013/05/29) 6 Recommendations
Subject: Senator John McCain visited Syria and met with rebel leaders.
My Comment: When you want to know the people, you
have to go where the people are. At least, Senator John McCain had the
initiative to go on the ground. This is better than learning about the Syrian
war through the TV news.
It is early to know if his trip
can help in something, but at least it is an attempt. (2013/05/27) 13
Recommendations
PBS
REPORT AIR DATE: May 22, 2013 - News Wrap: Four Americans Killed By
Drones Since 2009, Says Obama Administration
Subject:
The Obama Administration said
that four Americans were killed by drones since 2009, apparently, three of them
by mistake.
My
Comment: In wars the wrong people always
die. Nevertheless, for specific targets, the drones can make the job with less
human casualties than sending battalions of marines. (2013/05/27) (By
TWITTER)
PBS REPORT AIR DATE:
May 27, 2013:
News Wrap: A bridge collapsed in Washington State.
Subject: Reactions after the collapse of a bridge in Washington State
without casualties.
My Comment: The news comments that: “Federal
safety regulators now say they want to know if hundreds of similar bridges
might be at risk.”
Everybody remembers that our
bridges need maintenance when a bridge collapses. After that, the “folders”
with the work orders remains in a drawer till the next accident. (2013/05/27)
(By TWITTER)
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EUROPE
PBS News
Wrap: First same-sex wedding in France.
Subject:
The legalization of the same-sex
marriage in France generated controversial reactions.
My
Comment: The report about the first
same-sex wedding that was performed in France shows the division between two very
different societies.
The demonstrations and political
rows in the street in favor and against of new French law that legalizes the
same-sex marriage reflect a profound disagreement among people who live in the
same cities, in the same communities, in the same micro-world.
The French lost the capacity to
debate about their differences in a pacific way.
In the times that we are living,
it looks like the normal way is that each adult decides his/her intimate
relationships. (2013/05/30) (By TWITTER)
Subject: New attack of Islamic extremists in Europe against soldiers.
My Comment: The attacks of Islamic extremists
continue like an epidemic, but nobody finds the way to stop this disease.
The immigration offices of all
the western countries have to put more attention when they give visas,
residences and citizenship. (2013/05/29)
Subject: Switzerland is changing its norms related to secret banking
accounts. The banks of this country will give information to U.S. authorities.
My Comment: This news doesn’t surprise. The Swiss
banks are dealing with everybody. It is nothing special really that Switzerland will help the U.S. authorities to settle legal issues
suspected of tax evasion by Americans.
More than a year ago, Germany asked for information from the Swiss banks about German citizens who have accounts in Switzerland and the answer was positive. The banks send the German financial authority all the information requested. (2013/05/29)
More than a year ago, Germany asked for information from the Swiss banks about German citizens who have accounts in Switzerland and the answer was positive. The banks send the German financial authority all the information requested. (2013/05/29)
Subject: The European tabloid publishers are trying to
develop new online paid pages because the classic newspaper business is also
declining across the Old Continent.
My Comment: Till now in the European countries
there is generation of readers who enjoy the reading of the news in a tabloid
because they were reading daily the paper all their life in this way. A lot of
these people are not familiar with computers.
On the other hand, the young people are living 24 hours with their smart-phone activated and they are very familiar with the use of mobile computers. These people don’t have patience to seat in front a table where they can manipulate in a reasonable way all the pages of a tabloid. But the reading of the news in a digital format gives them the possibility to write comments, share articles with friends, reread the stories weeks and months later and more.
On the other hand, the young people are living 24 hours with their smart-phone activated and they are very familiar with the use of mobile computers. These people don’t have patience to seat in front a table where they can manipulate in a reasonable way all the pages of a tabloid. But the reading of the news in a digital format gives them the possibility to write comments, share articles with friends, reread the stories weeks and months later and more.
Definitively, when the old generation of readers dies - in not more than 10 or 15 years - the tabloid will die. For this reason, it is necessary that the newspapers begin to reeducate their readers in the reading of “paywall” versions now. In the other case, the media industry will die too. (2013/05/28) 1 Recommendation
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THE
WORLD: Asia, Middle East, Africa…
Subject: The protests against the Turkish government are
spreading across the country.
My Comment: Turkey never was a country of peaceable
“lambs”. However, now it is a very bad moment for internal unrests when next
door, a bloody civil war is destroying its neighbor. (2013/06/02)
Subject: Demographic studies about the old generation of
Chinese show the drama of the elders who live in poverty and without medical
assistance.
My Comment: The story paints a dramatic picture of
the elder population in a country that today has resources to fix the mistakes
and problems of the past.
If the children don’t take care of their parents, the Chinese government has two options:
1) Force the children to help their parents, if they have enough resources.
2) Redefine the welfare system in the way that it includes the elders without resources. These elders that today live in poverty, helped to build the country that today is China.
Probably, for the planners of the Communist Party, the elder people are not considered in the demographic figures because they are not in condition to work or fight for the country. (2013/05/31)
If the children don’t take care of their parents, the Chinese government has two options:
1) Force the children to help their parents, if they have enough resources.
2) Redefine the welfare system in the way that it includes the elders without resources. These elders that today live in poverty, helped to build the country that today is China.
Probably, for the planners of the Communist Party, the elder people are not considered in the demographic figures because they are not in condition to work or fight for the country. (2013/05/31)
PBS
REPORT AIR DATE: May 30, 2013 - News Wrap: Baghdad Car Bombings Kill 33 as Sectarian
Violence Escalates in Iraq
Subject:
The bombing attacks continue
killing people in Iraq. During the last few days several
attacks in Baghdad were simultaneous.
My
Comment: The current situation in Iraq is terrible: nearly every day, one or
more bombs, more than 1200 people killed between May and April. They are going
through a civil war. (2013/05/31) (By TWITTER)
PBS CONVERSATION
AIR DATE: May 27, 2013 - Rocket Attacks in Lebanon Raise Concern of Expanding Regional
Conflict
Subject:
During the last days, Lebanon suffered a series of rocket attacks,
the first strikes since the Syrian civil war started two years ago.
My
Comment: Lebanon is embedded in the same territory of Syria, its political stability is very
fragile and its people directly or indirectly are linked with the same groups
that today are involved in the Syrian conflict. These factors make possible
that the country take part in the war. (By TWITTER)
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LATIN
AMERICA
Subject: Before a special meeting with President Obama in California, Chinese President Xi is visiting Costa Rica and Mexico with the goal to strengthen the relationships
between his country and Latin
America.
My Comment answering
to another member of the Journal who says that it is not moral that the Chinese
want to spread its relationships in Latin America: In the current business environment, the moral doesn’t count. Chinese
know what they want and they don’t lose time in blah, blah.
This is not the first Chinese “incursion” to Latin American lands. Probably, today there are more Chinese flags across Latin America than American flags. (2013/05/31)
This is not the first Chinese “incursion” to Latin American lands. Probably, today there are more Chinese flags across Latin America than American flags. (2013/05/31)
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EDUCATION
Subject: New teacher evaluation system is implementing in New York City after a long discussion between authorities and
the teachers union.
My Comment: The news says that New York City is implementing a new teacher
evaluation system that includes student’s test scores.
Till now the teacher evaluation was only based on the opinion of the administrators. Certainly the new component of the evaluation implies an important change.
The students as a new component of the evaluation of their teachers will force the teachers to be more accurate in the interaction with the students. In the other case, they will have serious problems.
Probably, after an observation period, the authorities will have to adjust the system and improve the training and updating of the teachers. (2013/06/02)
Till now the teacher evaluation was only based on the opinion of the administrators. Certainly the new component of the evaluation implies an important change.
The students as a new component of the evaluation of their teachers will force the teachers to be more accurate in the interaction with the students. In the other case, they will have serious problems.
Probably, after an observation period, the authorities will have to adjust the system and improve the training and updating of the teachers. (2013/06/02)
Story: Web Courses
Woo Professors
Subject: Universities and technology companies are
developing Web courses with the intention to replace conventional courses in
the academic environment.
My Comment: The current multimedia resources and
the technology available give the possibility to develop excellent web courses.
However, when a college or university student studies a discipline, he/she needs the direct human interaction of a professor or instructor in some stages of his/her career.
The best is the creation of educational programs that include a mix of web courses and conventional courses. (2013/05/30) 3 Recommendations
However, when a college or university student studies a discipline, he/she needs the direct human interaction of a professor or instructor in some stages of his/her career.
The best is the creation of educational programs that include a mix of web courses and conventional courses. (2013/05/30) 3 Recommendations
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ECONOMY,
BUSINESS, TECHNOLOGY
Subject: This year, the D11 Conference organized by Wall
Street Journal and others was focused in the analysis of the future of the
wearable computers.
My Comment: Now due to the Google Glass, everybody
is talking about wearable computers, but nobody has in mind what are the
benefits this new kind of device offers to a massive public.
The wearable computers can find room in determined niches of applications, but before they come to the center of the scene, it will pass a time.
Meanwhile, we will see a period of strong growth of the smart-phones
because these devices have a lot potential and don’t require technical
training. Everyone can be a smart-phone user. (2013/05/31)
Subject: The acquisition of Smithfield by a Chinese meat manufacturer generated worries
about the implications of the entrance of China into the world food industry.
My Comment: The food industry is linked directly
with the health of the people. And in particular, the meat processing requires
very serious sanitary procedures and controls.
Now that a Chinese company is buying Smithfield Foods, it is important to remember that in recent years we read a series of bad news about the way the Chinese manage the activities related to the breeding of birds and the sicknesses originated in these animals.
Now that a Chinese company is buying Smithfield Foods, it is important to remember that in recent years we read a series of bad news about the way the Chinese manage the activities related to the breeding of birds and the sicknesses originated in these animals.
Today, the control of the food industry is strategic and nobody can take risks in this direction because it will play with the health of the population. (2013/05/30) 1 Recommendation
PBS –
REPORT AIR DATE: May 29, 2013 - Are Faces the New Fingerprints?
Subject: The New York Police Department's
facial identification unit might not quite measure up to Hollywood standards, but they are on the cusp of
a big change in the way police do their job.
My
Comment: Today the state of art of
technology gives multiple alternatives to answer question marks about the crime
scene, and also to prevent different illegal acts with methodologies that don’t
interfere with the normal life of the people.
The security forces and
intelligence services have to update constantly their knowledge and experience
about new tools that technology offers. (2013/05/30) (By TWITTER)
Story: U.S. Oil
Boom Divides OPEC
Subject: The boom of the United States in the oil exploitation divides the members of
OPEC.
My Comment: The American energy boom is good news
for the country. During decades, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting
Countries played with the oil price to catch more dollars from US. Also they
used the American dependence from the imported oil for different political
pressures.
Now, the members of OPEC have to find new customers or change their business. A lot of these countries never developed their economy because they were living on the "cash cow". (2013/05/28) 4 Recommendations
Now, the members of OPEC have to find new customers or change their business. A lot of these countries never developed their economy because they were living on the "cash cow". (2013/05/28) 4 Recommendations
Subject: After China, United States and some American companies, the Japanese are
going to Myanmar with the intention to open businesses.
My Comment: Some years ago, Myanmar was total isolated. Now everybody
wants to help to this Southeast Asian nation in its development: China, U.S., Japan and companies like Google.
A report posted the previous
week said that Google is interested to develop wireless networks in the Southeast Asia. (2013/05/27)
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