Egyptian Court Sentences More Than 500 Morsi Supporters To Die (Week 4)

Egyptian supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood are seen during their trial in the killing of a police officer last year.

Neuman, Scott. "Egyptian Court Sentences More Than 500 Morsi Supporters To Die." The Two-Way : NPR. National Public Radio, 24 Mar 2014. Web. 28 Mar 2014. <http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/03/24/293753773/court-in-egypt-orders-death-for-hundreds-in-muslim-brotherhood>.



In this article, an interesting look at the latest happenings in Egypt is presented. The article indicates that an Egyptian court has sentenced to death several hundred supporters of President Mohammed Morsi after a group trial was conducted regarding the death of a policeman during an attack. Human rights activists are furious, particularly about the fact that only two court sessions were conducted before the verdict was announced, affecting a total of 529 people. Egypt's state-run newspaper reports that the group of people was responsible for killing a single police officer and attempting to murder two others. The group is among approximately 1,200 Muslim Brotherhood supporters who are currently on trial. Legal experts are calling the mass sentence the largest conviction in modern Egyptian history. It also represents an acceleration of a general crackdown against Morsi's Islamist supporters.

German Man To Return Paintings From Cache Of Nazi-Looted Art (Week 4)

An obituary card with a portrait of German art dealer Hildebrand Gurlitt (1895-1956), the father of Cornelius Gurlitt, in a folder at the municipal archive in Duesseldorf, Germany.

Neuman, Scott. "German Man To Return Paintings From Cache Of Nazi-Looted Art." The Two-Way : NPR. National Public Radio, 27 Mar 2014. Web. 28 Mar 2014. <http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/03/27/295255839/german-man-to-return-paintings-from-cache-of-stolen-nazi-art>.



This obscure article describes a little-known development in Germany regarding art taken during the Holocaust. Cornelius Gurlitt had, for years, been hiding art taken from Jews by the Nazis during World War II. Now, he is agreeing to return these pieces to their rightful owners -- or their family descendants. Gurlitt is a son of a Nazi-era art dealer, and he had been hiding approximately $1.35 billion worth of art in his Munich apartment. He stored nearly 1,400 pieces in total, including 1,285 that were simply stacked in a drawer, unframed. Gurlitt's change of heart happened after he had heart surgery (...sorry, I had to) and health problems developed. As a result, Gurlitt opted to give free rein to a legal guardian who will be facilitating the return process of the art.

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(I thought this was particularly interesting considering that we just did a project on artifacts from the Holocaust!)

Of Me I Sing: Americans Construct An Opt-Out Society (Week 4)

Parents are being encouraged to keep their children from taking standardized tests in school.

Greenblatt, Alan. "Of Me I Sing: Americans Construct An Opt-Out Society." NPR. National Public Radio, 28 Mar 2014. Web. 28 Mar 2014. <http://www.npr.org/2014/03/28/295270259/of-me-i-sing-americans-construct-an-opt-out-society>.



In this lengthy investigative article, the increasing concept of individualism in the United States is examined. The definition of individualism is expanded from the traditional American notion of simply viewing one's own country as above other countries to the idea that individual people have the right to rebel against everyday institutions. A good example of this newfound "individualism" is the idea of opting out of mandated testing. In fact, an organization named "United Opt Out National" is specifically aimed at encouraging parents to keep their children from taking state testing in school. Many parents see these tests as unnecessary and burdensome, and as the number of opt-outs increases, school administrators are getting nervous. As Greenblatt explains, this phenomenon is a perfect example of a growing American notion of rebelling against the established -- and the trends isn't slowing down.

After Blocking Twitter, Turkey Moves To Stop YouTube (Week 4)

A man tries to get connected to YouTube with his tablet at a cafe in Istanbul on Thursday.

Neuman, Scott. "After Blocking Twitter, Turkey Moves To Stop YouTube." The Two-Way : NPR. National Public Radio, 27 Mar 2014. Web. 28 Mar 2014. <http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/03/27/295262978/after-blocking-twitter-turkey-moves-to-stop-youtube>.



This article concerns the current happenings in Turkey regarding governmental restriction of various websites. Authorities are reportedly going ahead with a blockage of YouTube, just days after the controversial governmental ban on Twitter. The blockage stems from a video on YouTube of a meeting among top Turkish officials discussing military measures in Syria. Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan connected this activity with a judging YouTube as "villainous" and "dishonest." The YouTube blockage came to attention after Google Inc., YouTube's parent company, began investigating new reports that Turkish users were unable to access YouTube. Similar to the #twitterblockedinturkey phenomenon, a new "hashtag campaign," #youtubeblockedinturkey, has been initiated and is quickly gaining speed.

The Affordable Care Act Is Working Despite Misinformation (Week 3)

The Affordable Care Act is one of the most controversial pieces of legislation in the history of the United States.

Reich, Robert. "It’s Working Despite Misinformation." The New York Times: Room for Debate. The New York Times, 20 Mar 2014. Web. 22 Mar 2014. <http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2014/03/20/obamacares-four-year-checkup/the-affordable-care-act-is-working-despite-misinformation>.



In this opinion piece, Robert Reich, a professor of public policy at the University of California - Berkeley, provides his input regarding the success thus far of the Affordable Care Act. Reich starts by citing several statistics, including the fact that five million people have already signed up for health care and the fact that the uninsured rate has dropped to its lowest level since 2008. He also notes that health insurance costs have steadily dropped. However, Reich counters this by explaining how misinformation is still plaguing the roll-out. For example, a majority of business owners with under 50 employees still incorrectly believe that they're required to offer insurance. In addition, in some groups, particularly the Hispanic community, signups have been disappointing and far below projections, likely due to continued fear of the program. Reich ends his brief piece on a positive note, claiming that this misinformation can easily be solved. He argues that in order to continue the success of the Affordable Care Act, the administration should now direct their efforts towards widespread education of Americans in order to allow them to get the most out of the new program.

Why Are We Hauling Pennsylvania Coal All The Way To Germany? (Week 3)

Several tons of anthracite coal fill a basement space in Pottsville, Pa.

Date, S.V.. "Why Are We Hauling Pennsylvania Coal All The Way To Germany?." It's All Politics : NPR. National Public Radio, 22 Mar 2014. Web. 22 Mar 2014. <http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2014/03/14/290238727/long-dead-congressmans-earmark-lives-on-in-europe>.


In this article, the peculiar issue regarding Pennsylvanian coal being sent to Germany is explored. It all started in the 1960s and 1970s, when Democrat Daniel Flood worked to find a federal government buyer for the coal mined in his district. He was successful, and found a customer in Germany, which happened to be the United States military. As a result, every year, coal is transported by rail to a port in Baltimore, and then shipped across the Atlantic Ocean to Germany. So, considering the fact that Germany is moving away from coal and towards more environmentally friendly options, why is the coal still being shipped? The contract with the United States military location in Germany is still valid, and is a $20 million deal. Plus, the United States military budget factors in only "United States coal" for the location in Germany -- so in other words, nothing is being done to stop the ridiculousness.

Thai Court Throws Out Election, Thrusting Country Back Into Limbo (Week 3)

Crowds of people railed against the Thai Constitutional Court's ruling during a rally Friday in central Bangkok.

Neuman, Scott. "Thai Court Throws Out Election, Thrusting Country Back Into Limbo." The Two-Way : NPR. National Public Radio, 21 Mar 2014. Web. 22 Mar 2014. <http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/03/21/292403151/thai-court-throws-out-election-thrusting-country-back-into-limbo>.


This article discusses Thailand's Constitutional Court's recent decision to void void results from last month's national election. This results in Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra being returned to power, despite the fact that she is largely opposed by the population. This decision represents a step back in Thailand's democratic status, because it invokes new fears of political fears and uncertainty. The court claimed that some corruption during voting had occurred, and that early voting, which is illegal in Thailand, had happened. This decision comes after months of protesting by "yellow shirt" government opposition, and furthers the current trend in Thailand of a suffering economy slowed tourist business. Finally, the decision reduced consumer confidence so much that the central bank reduced its growth projection from 3% to 2.7%.

Australia says debris may be from missing Malaysia Airlines jet (Week 3)

There is still no concrete answer to the Malaysia Airlines question.

Demick, Barbara. "Australia says debris may be from missing Malaysia Airlines jet." Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar 2014. Web. 20 Mar 2014. <http://www.latimes.com/world/asia/la-fg-malaysia-plane-australia-20140320,0,1403942.story>.




This article continues the news coverage of the missing Malaysia Airlines aircraft by describing a new revelation concerning the possible location of the plane. Australia has reported two possible satellite sightings of large chunks of debris off the Western coast of Australia. As of now, a Royal Australian Air Force Orion aircraft has been deployed to investigate the situation further. Three more aircraft are on their way as well. John Young, general manager of the maritime authority, described the largest of the objects as about 78 feet long and located about 1,500 miles off the coast of Perth. The article continued to say that approximately 25 nations are part of the search effort in total now. The article was careful to shy away from making any kinds of irresponsible, gross conclusions, which is a method that certain other news agencies have tended to forget. The article essentially concludes on a "back to work" note by noting the efforts that the United States and China are contributing to the search.

Radar data suggests missing Malaysia plane deliberately flown way off course (Week 2)

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Kidd and USS Pinckney are seen en transit in the Pacific Ocean in this U.S. Navy picture taken May 18, 2011. Kidd and Pinkney have been searching for the missing Malaysian airliner and are being re-deployed to the Strait of Malacca of Malaysia's west coast as new search areas are opened in the Indian Ocean, according to officials on March 13, 2014. 

Koswanage , Niluksi , and Siva Govindasamy. "Exclusive: Radar data suggests missing Malaysia plane deliberately flown way off course - sources." Reuters. Reuters, 14 Mar 2014. Web. 14 Mar 2014. <http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/14/us-malaysia-airlines-radar-exclusive-idUSBREA2D0DG20140314>.




In this lengthy article, which marks yet another analysis of the striking situation concerning Malaysia's flight 340, the cause of the disappearance of the aircraft is being refined and becoming more concrete. Flight data shows that the aircraft was deliberately flown hundreds of miles off-course. For investigators, this dramatically raises the chance of "foul play" (read: terrorism), and decreases the chance of a simple mechanical or structural failure. A closer look at the flight path suggests that the person who was flying the plane had a clear understanding of the flight patterns in the area, including specific waypoints along the way. In other words, the theory that the aircraft was deliberately diverted is now being backed by convincing evidence. The article concludes by stating that Malaysia is requesting raw radar data from neighbors Thailand, Indonesia and India, which has a naval base in the Andaman Islands, which means that additional evidence is still being collected at this time.

Parents outraged over slavery essay question at Novi Middle School (Week 2)

Edwards, Tara. "Parents outraged over slavery essay question at Novi Middle School." WXYZ Detroit. WXYT Detroit, 13 Mar 2014. Web. 14 Mar 2014. <http://www.wxyz.com/news/parents-outraged-over-middle-school-essay-question>.


This article discusses a controversy that was recently brought up by 13-year-old Kaya James, who attends Novi Middle School. She claims that during a lesson about the Civil War and the Industrial Revolution in her social studies class, her teacher asked the students whether they would rather be a slave or a factory worker. Kaya reports that - shockingly - a majority of her class chose to be a slave, because "they would get free food and board." The class was then instructed to write an essay in order to justify their choice. Kaya feels that her classmates did not fully comprehend the physical and emotional toll that being a slave has on a person in comparison to a position like a factory worker. Steve Matthews, the school district superintendent, is responding to the issue by meeting with school teachers to discuss how the lesson could be restructured.


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I just have to say something about this whole issue. There is a problem in this country, and the problem is that slavery in the United States is being downplayed and turned into something that people can laugh about. Even movies like "12 Years A Slave" serve to "Hollywood-ify" an issue that is completely above some movie screen. The fact that most of Kaya's class actually said that they'd want to be a slave over a factory worker speaks to how poor a job we are doing in educating students about slavery. In addition, this speaks to the United States' tendency to ignore or brush aside the flaws in our history. Patriot or not, it's time to face this scar in our history.

Jim Brown Says Slavery Wasn’t So Bad. And That’s Bad News for the GOP (Week 2)

Goff, Keli. "Jim Brown Says Slavery Wasn’t So Bad. And That’s Bad News for the GOP." The Root. The Root, 13 Mar 2014. Web. 14 Mar 2014. <http://www.theroot.com/articles/politics/2014/03/arizona_republican_compares_government_spending_to_slavery.html>.




In this article, a relatively liberal viewpoint is taken against Jim Brown (a Congressional candidate), who recently made a politically incorrect comparison on Facebook. In Brown's post, the comparison was made between slavery and modern day entitlement packages. This comes at a difficult time in terms of slavery; powerful films like "12 Years A Slave" have brought a new light on one of American history's greatest scars. In addition, a comment like this only fuels the fire of racism that Republicans have faithfully maintained. The brief article ends with the rhetorical question, "Can the Republican Party actually attract black and brown voters?" And the true answer? No.

Why Malaysia Will Say Almost Nothing About the Missing Plane (Week 2)

The mystery of Malaysia Airlines 370 has left everyone confused and disturbed.

Kurlantzick, Joshua. "Why Malaysia Will Say Almost Nothing About the Missing Plane." BloombergBusinessweek. Bloomberg, 12 Mar 2014. Web. 12 Mar 2014. <http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-03-12/why-malaysia-will-say-almost-nothing-about-the-missing-flight>.



In this frustration-fueled article, criticisms towards Malaysia and its flag carrier are expressed and explained. The article harshly acknowledges that while families of those affected are rightfully desperate for answers, nothing better should realistically be expected from Malaysia. While Malaysia Airlines' safety record has been historically very good, Malaysia's government continues to be riddled in corruption, squabbles, and inefficiency. The article validly claims that Malaysia's disappointing political climate falls to its worst in cases like this, and uses this reason to justify the fact that the United States is now playing a major role in the investigation. Further, the author indicates that, given Malaysia's fraught relationship with most Muslim countries, the government will likely be opaque as ever in terms of investigating any kind of terrorism possibilities and sharing this information with the public. The article utilizes prior cases and examples, such as situations in which Malaysia Airlines was very clearly mismanaged, to support the author's viewpoint and drive the argument home.

Scouting’s Incomplete Evolution (Week 1)

The Editorial Board, . "Scouting’s Incomplete Evolution." NYTimes.com. The New York Times, 2 Jan 2014. Web. 7 Mar 2014. <http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/03/opinion/scoutings-incomplete-evolution.html?_r=0>.




In this editorial, written by the New York Times Editorial Board at large, the recent changes for the positive within the Boy Scouts of America are tempered with the negative realities. While the article acknowledges that the Boy Scouts of America made the decision to allow gay members to join, it reminds readers that the association continues to discriminate against gay leaders. The article continues on to make the parallel between reforms that are necessary within the Boy Scouts of America and reforms that have happened regarding "don't ask, don't tell" in the United States military. Further, the editors claim that the Boy Scouts of America's continued discrimination against gay leaders is inconsistent with the strong moral values that the organization tries to instill in its members. The article claims that the idea that homosexuals are inferior is naturally being transferred to members who have to watch this entire ordeal. This editorial is decidedly opinion-fueled, and tends to portray the Boy Scouts of America pessimistically. 

LETTERS: Readers sound off about gay rights, Boy Scouts and the lack of global leadership (Week 1)

"LETTERS: Readers sound off about gay rights, Boy Scouts and the lack of global leadership."WacoTrib.com. The Waco Tribune, 6 Mar 2014. Web. 6 Mar 2014. <http://www.wacotrib.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/letters-readers-sound-off-about-gay-rights-boy-scouts-and/article_fc02efd4-8b30-514e-9416-5e6277dd4d8f.html>.

(No specific article author, since this is a collection of letters to the editor.)


In this collection of letters to the editor of The Waco Tribune, direct reader response to the current controversy regarding the Boy Scouts of America's anti-gay-leader policy is provided. The letter that speaks directly to the current happenings regarding the issue is written by Jon Cockrum. Starkly contrasting with the status quo in current journalism regarding the issue, which tends towards antagonizing the Boy Scouts of America for being discriminating, Cockrum takes a different approach with the topic. While he very clearly indicates that he is not overly pro-gay-rights, he suggests that religion, specifically Christianity, be pulled out of the equation. Cockrum argues that using religion as a justification for policy - either in favor of or opposed to gay rights - is a mistake. He provides an example using race: a black person could never "pray his way" to becoming white. Similarly, using prayer with regards to a person being gay is simply ridiculous, and, according to Cockrum, sends the wrong message to children in terms of religion.

Boy Scouts' Ban On Gay Leaders Leads Disney To End Grants (Week 1)

In accordance with its "pro-gay" policies, Disney recently cut off funding for the Boy Scouts of America.

Memmott, Mark. "Boy Scouts' Ban On Gay Leaders Leads Disney To End Grants." The Two-Way : NPR. National Public Radio, 3 Mar 2014. Web. 4 Mar 2014. <http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/03/03/285255126/boy-scouts-ban-on-gay-leaders-leads-disney-to-end-grants>.


This article describes the latest revelation in an ongoing debate about the controversial Boy Scouts of America ban on gay troop leaders. Disney, which provides funding to worthy organizations through a program titled "Ears to You," has made the decision to cut off funding for the Boy Scouts of America. Although Disney has remained relatively quiet about the decision, they do cite a corporate policy requiring that Disney refrain from donating to any organizations that 'operate or support activities that are counter to the policies of The Walt Disney Company,' with the given that Disney is, in fact, a gay-friendly corporation. Boy Scouts of America spokesperson Deron Smith responded to the news with a generic statement of disappointment, indicating that the loss of funding will negatively impact children, although the response made no mention of the relationship between the Boy Scouts of America's policies regarding homosexuality and Disney. Memmott takes a decidedly non-opinionated approach to the article by relying on large quotes from other publications that have reported on the issue, including The Orlando Sentinel and The Washington Post. He concludes the article by referring online readers to another article about the Boy Scouts of America's controversial policies, inviting the audience to do additional research about the topic.

Hispanics Struggle To Graduate: An Issue of School Choice? (Week 1)

Hispanics are facing the difficult dilemma between working within financial constraints and going for education that may help in the long term.

Ramos, Jairo. "Hispanics Struggle To Graduate: An Issue of School Choice?." Code Switch : NPR. National Public Radio, 3 Mar 2014. Web. 4 Mar 2014. <http://www.npr.org/blogs/codeswitch/2014/03/03/283089708/hispanics-struggle-to-graduate-an-issue-of-school-choice>.


This article describes the ongoing struggle for Hispanics with respect to higher education. While community college has developed into a viable option for even underprivileged students, Ramos indicates the trend of students throughout America's broad socioeconomic spectrum increasingly wishing to attend four-year colleges rather than two-year schools. In order to thoughtfully examine this concern, Ramos makes use of solid data from a variety of reputable sources, including the Pew Research Center and the U.S. Department of Education. While the data supports the idea that students who work towards Bachelor's degrees rather than Associate's degrees are more likely to graduate and find long-term careers, trends also indicate that Latinos are more likely to build up debt, and typically receive less financial aid than other comparable students. Ramos logically connects this with the typical Latino drive to work early instead of focusing on higher education. While Ramos touches upon a variety of standpoints with regards to 21st century higher education for Hispanics, the article primarily serves to introduce a topic to a reader base instead of comprehensively analyzing the issue.