Operation: Korean Freedom

North Korea has been making some pretty serious threats lately. Just recently they fired missiles into the sea of Japan, and threatened to attack if American B-52's flew over their country again. Despite all of these possible signs of war, The US has been adamant about reporting on the situation or even addressing it. Numerous sources claim that North Korea is one of the most oppressed nations in the world. Concentration camps are scattered throughout the land, and many citizens are starving to death or close to it.


Looks like it's time for America to rain freedom down once again! But alas, Obama and others have made no publicized effort to take down Kim Jong Un's dictatorship. It was only 10 years ago that Americans were overjoyed that Bush was invading Iraq with American troops. Why isn't this situation producing the same level of enthusiasm.

What does America have to win if North Korea falls? Other than a debate with China, probably nothing. What did we gain by invading Iraq? Countless military contracts, investments, and maybe the most important advantage: oil. Had it not been for these benefits, congress probably wouldn't have been almost-unanimous in their choice to occupy the Middle-East.

Should America fulfill its role as a guardian of freedom and invade North Korea, or take up a more conservative strategy?

Star Wars (TM) (c)

While researching my junior theme topic of copyright, I came across a particularly interesting video. Youtuber CGPGrey posted a video primarily focusing on the copyright issues surrounding Star Wars:

The video states that right now, if you make intellectual property, you have the right to it for the entirety of your life and 70 years after. This made me think: why do people care about their property after they die?

Once your dead, your dead. That book you wrote probably won't follow you to the afterlife of your choice. Is there a logical reason to extend the copyright so that nobody in your lifetime can make a story using your characters? 

For some people, the logical explanation is just one word: money. Extending the copyright length ensures that the author's family, or the company that owns the property, continues to see profits long past the initial burst of creation. Copyright is supposed to promote people to write their own stories, not discourage people. If you made a home video with Han Solo and posted it on Youtube, it could be taken down by Lucasfilms. 

Should the length of copyright be extended or truncated? What is the purpose of copyright?

Sympathy for the Devil

We often discuss in class how Americans like to construct a narrative for our country and people. When this ideal image is shattered, it can be difficult to pick up the pieces. About a week ago, two Ohio high school boys were found guilty for repeatedly raping a girl from their school. Clearly, this crime is completely unjustified, and the two boys deserve the punishment they got. However, these weren't just any high school boys... they were on the Football Team!

While less important to students at New Trier, being a star player at a rural school in Ohio means a lot to your family and the community. So much, in fact, that people can look over your horrible crimes against others and focus more on mourning the loss of two promising futures of the boys.


CNN made a report on the story, and outraged hundreds of thousands with its coverage. A TV report focused much less on the act the boys commited and instead sympathized with the boys. Here's one quote from the reporter.


“I’ve never experienced anything like it, Candy. It was incredibly emotional, incredibly difficult even for an outsider like me to watch what happened as these two young men that had such promising futures — star football players, very good students — we literally watched as, they believe, their life fell apart,


While the courtroom certainly could have been "emotional", I believe shedding it in this light makes the case look less like a rape and more like a case from a dramatic TV show. 
Telling us that their "life fell apart" seems to connote some sort of tragic situation. Shouldn't CNN be rejoicing that the justice system nabbed these criminals and made their secret crimes available to the public eye? Over 200,000 people have signed a petition demanding CNN to apologize for their cover. Do you believe the story was inappropriately conveyed?

SPQR

More and more people are seeing the resemblance between America and ancient Rome. Both were the most powerful nations of their time, being centers for economics, culture, and religion. How each rose to their place in the world isn't completely clear, but they certainly had help from slavery, military conquest, and skilled leaders.

For keeping their populace under control, Romans had one saying: "Panem et circem", meaning "bread and games". The connotation if this quote is if you gave the common people enough bread, and kept them entertained with games, there would never be an upset populace. America has similar stadium-like games to the Romans, such as football and boxing. We also spend huge amounts of money to make sure that every citizen has enough to eat. The Founding Fathers even used Roman government as a starting point for our own constitution. 

So can we use the history of Rome as a crystal ball for America's future? One reason that many historians can pin Rome's fall to was its size. The Roman empire was simply too big to sustain. Old buildings began crumbling, slaves outnumbered citizens, and the borders of the Empire were under constant attack by Barbarians. If we fast forward 1,500 years, America is facing similar challenges, along with some new ones. Our prison population is swelling, and the number in poverty keeps increasing. Towns that used to have booming infrastructure are beginning to crumble.

Is America on the same path that the Romans were on? Can we make changes to our culture and laws so we don't face a similar demise?

American Idol=American Dream?

The TV sensation American Idol is once again returning for another season this fall. It first aired in 2002, and while its popularity is currently waning, there's no doubt that millions upon millions of Americans rave over this show. The show highlights some of the most picturesque American stories: small town guys and gals that have been working hard their whole lives get a chance to take a national stage and represent their family and hometown. The winner receives a singing career and fame for the rest of their life.
One has to wonder, though, how much of the show is constructed to maximize emotion, and maximize profits?


On the surface, American Idol embodies ideal American values: hard work, social mobility, faith, and in the end, fame. Speaking of fame, what does "American Idol" even mean? The word "idol" means "an object or representation of a god used for warship". Perhaps the "representation" in the show is the winner, and the "god" is the American Dream. Perhaps each contestant isn't going up on the stage to represent themselves, but to fill the role that society wants them to fill. The producers realize this role appeals to our emotions, which is why Idol was one of the highest-earning shows on television. And what happens to the people that don't fit the part? "Weirdos" and "crazies" are always laughed at during auditions and are forgotten the moment they are off camera.

The short career that the winners do have is littered with contracts and ends up becoming more of a business than an art. Can you see the product placement in Idol winner Lee DeWyze's video "Sweet Serendipity"? It's pretty blatant.

Is American Idol truly looking for new talent, or is there a hidden agenda that favors profits?