Poverty in America is not poverty

The article of “ Poverty in America Isn’t Poverty” aims to claim that many Americans misunderstand the definition of poverty or even some of them may abuse using the word – poverty to gain others’ sympathesis. The speaker points out that those Americans living in “poverty” could have electrical appliances at home, for instance, computers, cell phones, TVs, dishwashers, air-condition and even the dryers. Having those abundant electrical appliances at home, should those people still be clarified as living in poverty? Should the US government still give the financial aid to those people, who claimed in “poverty”?

From the global poverty statistics, it shows that nearly three billion people in the world are defined as poor; most of them can be found in Africa. This group of people earn less than $1 usd per day. They suffer from chronically hungry, diseases with lack of health care, and poor living standard without rudimentary shelter.

Compared with the people mentioned above, the poverty in America is not real poverty as measured around the world. For me, I consider that it is essential for us to learn how to treasure all the things we had but not blaming or counting what we do not have. Living in the USA, such a modern and developed country, we can be defined as “rich” and “fortunate”.

Michelle Bachmann's comments on 9/11 and the Muslim Brotherhood

The article, originally published on September 11, 2013 by PolitiFact, addresses the ambiguous public address Michelle Bachmann gave while visiting Egypt that previous week. The televised press conference also included Representatives Louie Gohmert of Texas and Steve King of Iowa.

The researcher, as titled by the source, PolitFact, spends little time addressing the recent coup in Egypt that the Representatives addressed during the press conference, highlights one short statement made by Michelle Bachmann, and spends the majority of the article providing information, as well as some historical context, relevant to Bachmann's mentioned statement. The researcher uses the information and context she provides to hint that Bachmann once again performed poorly in the public arena.

The researcher's claim, that Bachmann comes off as an uneducated public speaker, is never explicitly stated, but hinted at when she questions Bachmann's speech:

 "Was Bachmann blaming the Muslim Brotherhood for the 9/11 attacks? Or, was she making a more general statement that both Egypt and the United States should fight extremists?"

This claim is also hinted at when she writes "Bachmann's comments struck us as open to interpretation." This comment made by the researcher also shows her to be a biased writer, offering her opinion on the matter. However, because PolitiFact does not call itself a news source, the writer's inclusion of her opinion is not unethical. The rest of the article is spent explaining the Muslim Brotherhood, Al-Qaida and 9/11, and offers a short commentary about the differences between them and why some might associate the two together.

Although the implicit claim I mentioned previously is present in the article, I think the researcher's main goal was to offer insight on the subject and used Bachmann's statement as a starting point. With this claim and then information or evidence offered, the researcher was successful in further educating me, the audience.




http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2013/sep/11/michele-bachmanns-comments-911-and-muslim-brotherh/ 

Michelle Carries Water for Big Soda -- Rush Limbaugh Transcript

http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2013/09/13/michelle_carries_water_for_big_soda?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+RushLimbaugh-Transcripts+%28The+Rush+Limbaugh+Show+-+Transcripts%29

I read a recent transcript The Rush Limbaugh show originally aired September 13, 2013.  The discussion centered round the First Lady, Michelle Obama, and her recent “Drink Up” campaign to have American’s drink more water as a means to improve overall health.  Mr. Limbaugh criticizes the First Lady’s initiative by questioning why as Americans we should be focused on this type of initiative with all the issues in the U.S. and throughout the world.  He compares a gallon of bottled water to a gallon of gasoline and states the bottled water is higher in price, however takes little work for the bottled water companies to acquire the water vs. those in the oil business obtaining gasoline. 

Limbaugh questions the argument on the benefits of drinking more water by citing Dr. Stanley Goldfarb, a kidney specialist from the University of Pennsylvania.  Goldfarb states, “There really isn’t data to support this…they’re not basing this on really hard science…to make it a major public health effort…it’s bizarre.”   Goldfarb was skeptical around this initiative pointing to the diet industry and the bottled water companies as the ultimate force behind it. 

 

"Colorado braces for more heavy rain, devastating floods"

http://www.foxnews.com/weather/2013/09/15/colorado-braces-for-more-heavy-rain-deadly-floods/

I read the article on FoxNews.com about the flooding in Colorado.  According to this article, there are four people who have found dead so far, and 500 more who have not been found.  The people of some towns in Colorado are being told that it would be in their best interest to evacuate their homes, but are not being forced.  The residents were informed that if they did not evacuate, they might not get a chance for awhile.

The article states that the rain stopped on Saturday, but was looking like there would be a half inch to two more inches on Sunday.  President Obama has declared the flooding as a disaster and is working on getting federal aid for Colorado.  Currently, the aid will be available to affected people in Boulder County, and that more counties could also get aid later.

The article states that the floods started on Wednesday, and according to National Guard Lt. James Goff, "by Saturday night, 1,750 people and 300 pets had been evacuated from Boulder and Larimer County".  The article also says that there are "helicopters and truck convoys of the National Guard" that are working on getting people rescued and evacuated from their homes.  Authorities are expecting for more reports of missing people and fatalities in the days to come.

Hopefully the people of Colorado will be able to get enough help and support to start rebuilding or fixing their homes and their lives as the flood dries out.

Yahoo CEO fears defying NSA could mean prison

As the article from Fox News has surfaced that starts out about Marissa Mayer being quoted about the feared winding up in prison for treason if she refused to comply with US spy demands for data. In an onstage interview her at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference in San Francisco about  Yahoo doing what they can to protect the privacy of their users and the validity of demands for data collecting. Marissa Mayer's fear about the arrest and detention is unfounded, maybe she is playing it safe, maybe she is not fully educated on violation of NSA directives. Intrusion of individual privacy is in itself an abhorrent practice, it has been rendered doubly potent by the collusion of these new-age Internet businesses. Instead of standing up for user rights, these companies have ratted on its user activities. Amazon, Apple, BlackBerry, Dell, eBay, Facebook, Google, HP, HTC, IBM, Lenovo, Microsoft, Samsung, Sony, Twitter and any other technology firm that you want to mention is equally at the whim of the NSA and other US government organizations.
And she certainly has enough access to skilled corporate lawyers to know that the mass collection of data is UnConstitutional and if she challenged it in court and took it to the SCOTUS she would almost certainly win and also deliver a big win from this government tyranny for the American people. But neither she nor any other of these execs wanted that- they just want to cry crocodile tears now that their complicity has been exposed.
Lastly, the only way we "Constitutionally Protected Rights" are going to be protected is if we who "Formerly Served In The Armed Forces", become this regime's worst nightmare. Which is exactly why they're coming after us. When this speech becomes illegal, I'll become a criminal: "I may become an enemy of the state, but never of the people". Remember this: "Always aim just below the blue helmet. No matter what color it is."

Yahoo CEO fears defying NSA could mean prison

Here we have an article from Fox News that starts out about Marissa Mayer being quoted about threats of treason. It goes on to interview her about Yahoo doing what they can to protect the privacy of its users and the validity of demands for data collecting. Although it seems to have gotten to the point where there isn't much more they can do and refusal to the demands results in being reprimanded in serious ways.  NSA demands and consequents are not allowed to be spoken of by Mayer. Yahoo, along with Facebook, Google, and Microsoft have been doing what they can to inform, warn and protect their users from the NSA tracking every little thing. Very quickly this article moves on the NSA its self and how over the past few years have broken their own rules about privacy laws.  They have gone through citizens phone and internet records that have no suspected links to terrorism.  Fox has a few arguments to make in this piece starting with it not being right for the NSA to come in and demand compliance or penalty without just cause. Second, it is not right for the NSA to peek into the privacy of everyday lives without court order and substation evidence of needing to do so. Lastly if the NSA is doing this and collecting all this data how long will it be before they can't contain information they are gathering and can no longer protect the average person or business. 

"Horror Flick Secretly Filmed at Disneyland. What Could Go Wrong?"

This article, written by Asawin Suebsaeng, details the controversy around the making of a “guerilla” style horror film, entitled, “Escape from Tomorrow”,  which premiered as one of the biggest hits at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. Randall Moore, the film’s creator, bravely decided to film his movie at the infamous Disneyland theme park without Disney Corporation’s consent. The film features disturbing content that is certainly not synonymous with the ideas of childish joy and innocence that are typically associated with the park. The film is said to feature bizarre and twisted plot elements and characters doing shocking things such as “vomiting and defecating simultaneously at the theme park.” The film is drawing a lot of attention, not only due to the interesting dichotomy of dark themes explored within the confines of what has been dubbed, “the happiest place on Earth”, but also because Moore may be facing some very serious legal charges for his choice to create the film without getting the go-ahead from Disney. Because the film depicts Disneyland in such a negative light, it is very probable that Moore will face legal consequences for his bold actions. Moore chose to handle the post-production editing for his film primarily in Korea so Disney would be less likely to uncover his plan of action. Suebsaeng argues that the controversy around the film only makes it even more attractive to broader audiences. “Escape from Tomorrow” can be found online and is most likely worth a look before the Big Bad Walt Disney Company cracks and makes it disappear forever. 

"A Horror Flick Secretly Filmed at Disneyland. What Could Go Wrong?"

This article, written by Asawin Suebsaeng, details the controversy around the making of a “guerilla” style horror film, entitled, “Escape from Tomorrow”,  which premiered as one of the biggest hits at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. Randall Moore, the film’s creator, bravely decided to film his movie at the infamous Disneyland theme park without Disney Corporation’s consent. The film features disturbing content that is certainly not synonymous with the ideas of childish joy and innocence that are typically associated with the park. The film is said to feature bizarre and twisted plot elements and characters doing shocking things such as “vomiting and defecating simultaneously at the theme park.” The film is drawing a lot of attention, not only due to the interesting dichotomy of dark themes explored within the confines of what has been dubbed, “the happiest place on Earth”, but also because Moore may be facing some very serious legal charges for his choice to create the film without getting the go-ahead from Disney. Because the film depicts Disneyland in such a negative light, it is very probable that Moore will face legal consequences for his bold actions. Moore chose to handle the post-production editing for his film primarily in Korea so Disney would be less likely to uncover his plan of action. Suebsaeng argues that the controversy around the film only makes it even more attractive to broader audiences. “Escape from Tomorrow” can be found online and is most likely worth a look before the Big Bad Walt Disney Company cracks and makes it disappear forever.