Monday, June 4, 2012
TWIF Flattener 1- 11/9/89
Use one of the current events sources linked at http://mrsfridaysclass.wikispaces.com/Current+Events to find a recent news article that relates to, supports, or refutes Friedman's assertion that 11/9/89 was a "flattener." Your comment should include the title of the news article, a link to the article, and a summary of the article including an explanation of how the article relates to this point. Don't forget to check your rubric for evaluation criteria!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
In the article, Before Greek Coalition Forms, Questions About Its Resolve, it speaks of the new democracy that is being put in Greece. It speaks of the bailout negotiations, and how the new democracy or Pasok party will not have a large lead in the parliament. The negotiations are still occurring, and people hope that they finish soon.
ReplyDeleteThis relates to the first flattener, because they both speak of new governments forming. In the book, Friedman was talking about the new democratic governments that began to form after the berlin wall was taken down. The article talks of a democratic government forming after a very large recession.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/20/world/europe/talks-resume-to-form-coalition-government-in-greece.html?_r=1
The article, “Samsung Galaxy Note tablet launched mid-patent trial”, discusses how the South Korean firm, Samsung, and the company Apple, have accused each other of stealing technology ideas. Apple claims that Samsung has copied the design of the Apples IOS system application icons, along with the company violating six other patent breaches, and other violations involving trademarks. Whereas Samsung claims that Apple has violated copyrights that allow the use of sending emails as well as playing music in the background. Each are both in a large dispute over who legally owns the rights to the technology.
ReplyDeleteThis article relates to the first flattener of “The World is Flat” because it is similar to the competition of developing technology. Friedman discusses that one possible idea for the fall of the Berlin wall was due to Steve Jobs and Bill Gates “empowering individuals to download the future”. With the accessibility of the Windows PC by Jobs and Gates, people used the information they could obtain with their PC’s and competed with each other to erect new products. The people did this to advance technology even further, just like Apple and Samsung.
http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-19272893
The article, "Can Greece's New Government Regain Public Trust?", talks about how the country of Greece was forced to switch to a new Democracy. Greece is in a very rough financial situation and is virtually bankrupt. This new switch is supposed to allow the flow of more money in Greece and cut the spending Greece does by a substantial amount.
ReplyDeleteThis article corresponds to the first flattener in "The World is Flat". It is related because the author, Friedman, talks about how the loss of communism and the gain of democracy paved the road for a very uncertain future. The article and the book both are saying that with democracy in place there is a large risk for people, but there can also be a large gain in it as well.
Article:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-18529134
The article, "Collapse of New Bridge Underscores China's Infrastructure Concerns" explains that a bridge in Harbin fell 100 feet. The people of China went straight to their computers to comment on this issue. They questioned the construction of this bridge. Many people criticized the builders as well "corrupt officials."
ReplyDeleteThis article relates to the first flattener in Friedman's, "The World is Flat." This is so because in this chapter of the book the author explains how people went to the internet when the Berlin Wall fell. They gained personal empowerment as did the people of China. In both situations people wanted to have a say in what was happening, and they expressed their opinions.
Article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/25/world/asia/collapse-of-new-bridge-underscores-chinas-infrastructure-concerns.html?_r=1&ref=world
In the article "Taxes and the Rich: Paying for it" Has President Obama stating that the rich should pay more on taxes and in a sense give more money than anyother people who live in the United States.
ReplyDeleteNow because we live in a capolist society (people can be at different degrees of income and money worth) this is saying that more people want to bring the rich people down from their high horse and be at the same level as everyone else. This is not the capotilst view but that of communism which the events from the Berlin Wall have shown that poeople would be free with capolist society. Many people do not like this because you see every day that people want to be equal in everything that they do this will include how much money a person earns and if they don't fit in the standard then they are in the wrong. This refutes the argument made in "The World is Flat" by Thomas L. Friedman, because of the way people are thinking it is making the world closed off and round again, even if just a little.
Article:
http://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2012/07/taxes-and-rich
In the article "Do Arabs need a new awakening to win true democracy?" the author describes the yearning for a democracy that is apparent with Arabs in many Middle Eastern countries. Many of the inhabitants of these countries are sick of the division and segregations between the many Middle Eastern races. They thrive for a democracy and for the countries to come together as one. This idea was shown when The Prime Minister said, "[It is time] to stop asking who is a Copt, a Muslim or a Salafi. I don't see that. All I see is that we are all Egyptians and this should be the main principle (Qandil)."
ReplyDeleteThis article relates back to Friedman's first flattener because in this section, he discusses Berlin's new democracy after the wall came crumbling down. Like Berlin, the Arabs in the Middle Eastern countries of this article are attempting to take the next step toward a democracy. Not only are they searching for equality, but they are looking to acquire a more fair and progressive government. But, it appears to still be a long journey to success.
Article:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-19272199