In case you haven’t noticed, in the basement of the Vertical Campus (12 floors below our classroom!!!) we have a great performing arts center.
Here is the current season calendar https://baruch.cuny.edu/bpac/events/2019-20-season.html
A lot of money is spent on presidential elections around the world, and its either through public or private funding. However, the question is should elections be up for sale to the biggest donors? Do presidents serve the interests of the majority of the masses or interests of their campaign donors? Is it justifiable for poor developing countries to spend their limited resources on presidential elections which in most cases are not free nor fair? Unfortunately, the commercialization of politics has gotten bigger and bigger especially in the US and it has greatly undermined the equality and fairness of the electoral process.
Countries have adopted different laws when it comes to presidential campaign funding.In the US, the law limits partisan contributions but not spending by campaigns. Canada imposes limits on political contributions and spending. France forbids any form of financing from the corporate world and places ceilings on campaign expenditures. while in Uganda, the government provides funding to presidential candidates depending on their numerical strength in Parliament. In Mexico and Portugal, all financial contributions go through the political parties and not individual candidates.
In the US, big corporations and organizations spend millions of dollars in funding campaigns of presidential candidates who will protect their own interests. The biggest donors for the US presidential elections in 2016 include Las Vegas Sands, Fahr LLC, Bloomberg LP, Trust Asset Management, and Goldman Sachs
Aisa
Often, we wonder what makes a state prosper and grow at a rapid pace. Is it population, education or the time frame? I know countries that are newly born without any initial infrastructures, FDIs or technological advancement yet they are an epitome of growing economies.
Countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea but the one that never ceases to amaze and inspire me is Bangladesh, previously known as East Pakistan until it got independence in 1971. Bangladesh is now a hub for textile in the world and the credit goes to their policies, which brings them in news every once in a while. On the other hand, Pakistan is still struggling with issues of it own. According to the government’s own statistics, their economy is tanking, social development is at a standstill and unemployment, starvation and poverty are soaring.
Not to my surprise, the very reason why Pakistan is still falling behind to its neighboring countries is because of the military’s long involvement in politics, political instability, money laundering and gender gap. At the same time Bangladesh has mastered all of it’s issues which were hindering their economic growth previously. Although Bangladesh has a long way to go to champion every issue that comes in their way, one can see that they are very committed to its people unlike Pakistan.
Which countries do you know that has achieved so much in a short span of time?
Link: https://www.thedailystar.net/business/bangladesh-2nd-fastest-growing-economy-in-asia-1813156
Thank you.
I didn’t get to finish all my slides last night. Here is one I didn’t get to show. What does it represent? There is a prize for the first correct answer. (put answer in Comment below)
Who are these people? There is a prize for the first person with the correct answer! (put answer in Comment below)
UPDATE. Here is the caption to the photo.
Spanish Government. From left to right, the Minister for Employment, Yolanda Díaz; Juan Carlos Campo (Justice); Margarita Robles (Defense); Manuel Castells (Universities); Alberto Garzón (Consumer Affairs); Luis Planas (Agriculture); Irene Montero (Equality); José Luis Ábalos (Transport); Nadia Calviño (Vice-president for the Economy); Arancha González Laya (Foreign Affairs); Carmen Calvo (First Vice-president); Reyes Maroto (Industry); Pedro Sánchez (President – PM); half hidden behind Sánchez, José Luis Escrivá (Social Security); Pablo Iglesias (Second Vice-president); José Manuel Rodríguez Uribes (Culture); Teresa Ribera (Vice-president, Environment); Isabel Celáa (Education); Fernando Grande-Marlaska (Interior); María Jesús Montero (Treasury and Government Spokesperon); Salvador Illa (Health); Carolina Darias (Regional Issues) y Pedro Duque (Science). https://elpais.com/politica/2020/02/08/actualidad/1581176784_044461.html
There have been some great posts this week. Thanks. Not all posts need to be as well-argued and lengthy. Feel free to post shorter observations.
For example, see this article about teaching children to swim in Australia:
Drowning prevention: Every six-year-old should be able to swim five metres https://www.smh.com.au/national/drowning-prevention-every-six-year-old-should-be-able-to-swim-five-metres-20200130-p53w93.html
Knowing how to swim is a basic survival skill in Australia. The interior is desert or marginal land, so 90% of the population lives near the coast, within two hours of a beach. The weather is tropical / subtropical so in almost every part of Australia you can swim in the ocean at least 8 months of the year. And it is a relatively rich country with good municipal sports facilities, including pools and many middle-class and upper houses and apartments blocks have private swimming pools.
We were all taught to swim as a school activity (bused to the local municipal pool), and we were encouraged to train for a get the Bronze Medallion, the basic lifesaver (lifeguard) qualification https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronze_Medallion_(New_Zealand_and_Australia)
Money talks. But if it could – if it really, really could – what would it say?
Well, the U.S. dollar would probably say something like, “Associate with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation; for it is better to be alone than in bad company.” – George Washington, First President of the United States
A Colombian 2000 peso note might say, “There is so much to paint, but the tears come to my eyes and I cannot do it like I would. I was very bold, but you start to wear down with the years.”- Débora Arango, Revolutionary Painter and Feminist
In Japan, a 10,000-yen note would say, “In its broad sense, civilization means not only comfort in daily necessities but also the refining of knowledge and the cultivation of virtue so as to elevate human life to a higher plane.” – Fukuzawa Yukichi, Meiji Era Philosopher and Founder of Keio University
New Zealand’s 100-dollar note may add, “All of physics is either impossible or trivial. It is impossible until you understand it, and then it becomes trivial.” – Lord Ernest Rutherford, Physicist and The Father of Nuclear Physics
And a Danish kroner, of any denomination, might say something like, “I’m a bridge.” – A Danish Bridge
Now, while the great majority of nations choose to depict monarchs, political leaders, and founding fathers on their currency, there are many that use banknotes to, instead, celebrate their country’s greatest intellectual, cultural, and philosophical contributions.
The first time I came across a banknote celebrating a champion of the arts was in the Czech Republic. There, in addition to a 5000 Kč note depicting the founder of Czechoslovakia, there are bills depicting philosophers, poets, and historians. The 5000 Kč note pictures Emmy Destinn, a 19th century opera singer. This bill re-framed the way I viewed the Czech Republic. This, I thought, was a nation in love with its cultural heritage. By defining its national identity this way, I felt its soul.
And while many nations use currency to celebrate the arts (Armenia, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Nicaragua, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, and Uruguay), others sport (Barbados), and some science (Colombia, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkey), there do remain a great number of countries that depict a single person – usually the first president of the nation – on every denomination of currency (Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Oman, Pakistan, Thailand, Vietnam).
However, the question of who gets depicted on banknotes, in any instance, is an interesting one. After all, they do say you always put your money where your mouth is, right? Are the faces circulating between our hands every day those of great learners, teachers, philosophers, and thinkers? Are they brave warriors? Are nations celebrating unique contributions and people who helped construct national identities? Or do they shy away from this? Is placing champions of the liberal arts on currency controversial?
As a worker in the arts, I look at our annual budgets, and I form my own opinions on what my nation chooses to value and celebrate – and that which we don’t. But when I come across Andrew Jackson on a $20 bill, I can’t help but think, “How is that not controversial?” The U.S. was home to the likes of Thomas Edison, Clara Barton, Charles Lindbergh, and Edith Wharton – to name a few. We have so much to be proud of, and yet, we are defined by political dynamism and mass culture.
I am interested in exploring this a bit through Comparative Policy this semester – in various forms – so forgive me ahead of time. But it killed me to think, if we put an artist on a U.S. banknote, would it have to be Andy Warhol? And if so, what does that mean about America?
While overshadowed by the Senate hearing here in the United States, the United Kingdom formally left the European Union at 11:00PM GMT on January 31st. This formally begins an 11 month transition period during which the UK will continue to follow EU rules and remain within the customs union but will also be free to negotiate free trade agreements with the EU and other countries. This will be a tall order for the UK, considering FTA negotiations had been managed by the EU since the UK formally joined the bloc 47 years ago, however, the country has taken steps to prepare for this colossal task. For one, the British Government created the Department for International Trade in 2016 and hired hundreds of new members of staff to build skills within the department of trade negotiations. They have also pulled top talent from countries such as New Zealand, Australia, and Canada to further support this department.
Outside of an FTA with the EU, the second most significant FTA for the UK Government will be with the United States. Both countries constitute the largest origins of foreign direct investment and both countries constitute significant export markets for the other nation. For these reasons, it should be easy for both sides to see the significant benefits of a closer trading relationship between our countries. However, with just an 11 month transition period with which to negotiate this agreement before the UK is forced to trade on WTO terms and US elections set to take place in November both sides will face significant pressure to secure quick wins for their side. With all of this in mind, it will be incredibly interesting to see how these negotiations develop over the coming months.
To give a big of a broader background on Brexit please take a look at this article from the BBC.
I think this kind of narrative speaks of misogynist society and struggles towards ending gender-based violence and promote gender equality. This kind of rhetoric and attack against women are quite similar to what we often hear in the United States. Such An argument is destructive and seeks to create a platform for the public to discredit victims of sexual harassment, sexual abuse, rape, and further perpetuate violence against women. It is repugnant to think that women only report violence against men who they deem ugly. Non-consented sexual assault is a non-consented assault regardless of how you look. There is no justification for these kinds of behaviors.
This kind of misogynist rhetoric and attack against women is not unique to Ecuador. I have heard similar narratives in the leaders United States and other parts of the world with similar attempts at discrediting victims of sexual assault and rape etc. What I do not understand is how leaders with such global influence can make such a statement with no evidence, none whatsoever. In fact, I don’t even think that anyone should even joke about sexual harassment, sexual exploitation, rape, or any form of non-consented sexual behavior that puts victims at greater risk. We should always remember that sexual assault and harassment are real, and so are these experiences of victims. I do not believe that creating ways to silence victims is the right way for any progressive society. Instead, we must focus on supporting victims of sexual harassment and holding perpetrators accountable.
As the world becomes more globalized and people have access to a variety of products. We see the rise in smartphone usage around the world. People are purchasing smartphones that are more accessible to them meaning they can afford such purchases. We can look at different places around the world to see the type of smartphone brands that are mainly used or quite popular in those places. In the United States, the number one smartphone brand is Apple. Consumers are buying Iphones because of its popularity in the United States even though, it is an expensive brand. In this article https://www.gadgetsnow.com/slideshows/these-are-the-no-1-smartphone-brands-in-pakistan-china-us-and-other-top-countries/photolist/71468917.cms people all over the world use similar or different smartphone brands. We know Apple is the number one smartphone brand in the United States but in other countries it is not.
For example, the number one smartphone brand in India is Xiaomi- a Chinese mobile brand. Samsung is the one number purchased brand in Pakistan followed by Australia, United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, Brazil, Germany and France.
Besides the United States, Apple is the number one smartphone brand in Canada, United Kingdom, Japan and Singapore. Then in China and Russia, Huawei is the most popular brand. In Thailand, we have Oppo as the number one smartphone brand. Oppo and Huawei are also manufactured in China. While Iphones are produced in the United States and Samsung phones are manufactured in South Korea.
However, Samsung and Apple smartphones are still purchased and used in all these countries but people are buying phones they can easy afford. I think this is why some Chinese mobile brands have gained traction in India, Russia, Thailand, Malaysia and elsewhere. These comparisons of smartphone brands is relevant to our course because the sixteen countries mentioned shows how globalization has affected parts of the world in which people are exposed to different products and purchase such products. It gives an insight in what people around the world can afford. We research these sixteen countries to see why Oppo is popular in Thailand and Huawei is popular in China and Russia. Then see why people in Japan are using Apple smartphones. It could be income levels, accessibility and popularity of such products meaning are people buying certain smartphones because of the brand name.
Blessing.