Tag: America

Germany, Brazil, and Mexico are just a few friends that America has been spying on. According to learning.blogs.nytimes.com, Germany is mad that America has been spying on their Chancellor, Angela Merkel. I don’t think that it’s appropriate for America to spy on their allies, because they are supposed to trust in each other. But when our country is betraying their friends’ trust, others may not stand for it much longer and might stop cooperating and might even take revenge. Honestly, America shouldn’t push for enemies, it’s already bad that President Obama has been trying to regain the trust of their allies. Even though Europe seems to think he’s already spying on them, like former president George W. Bush was.

One of the definitions of consumerism from Dictionary.com was, “The concept that an ever-expanding consumption of goods is advantageous to the economy.” This definitely describes a lot of America. Consumerism and materialism have grown in the country to the point that people are never satisfied. They always need more. Maybe consumerism is good for the economy. But it is not good for people.

In this episode, Jake drags along Phillip Reedy to co-host as they look over new Papyrus articles and Halloween events.

American media, especially television and movies, have come a long way since the black and white films that wouldn’t have thought of showing sexual scenes and using what most would call foul language on the air. Since the internet has been made available to individuals, even less of what is seen on screens around the world is censored. It is no secret that American entertainment is viewed outside of the United States. Around the world, people are watching American movies and listening to American music. For some people who do not have the chance to travel, the image of America received through watching and listening to American media is one of few images of this country they will ever get. In many cases, I don’t think that this is helping Americans out internationally. If we really think about what is portrayed in our movies, television, and music, can we say that they represent what real life is like for Americans? Are our values made clear and our lifestyle portrayed?

Technology is a wonderful thing for so many different reasons. I personally like it so much because it makes talking with my family and friends all the way back home in Massachusetts that much easier and faster. It helps when I’m feeling homesick, and I can just get on the phone or get on Skype and talk with my loved ones. Technology is great because it puts so many resources at our feet; so many ways to connect, to share, and to learn through technology.

Imagine everything you’ve ever sent to anyone: your phone calls, texts, emails. Think about the places that you have been with your cell phone. Those were meant to be personal and private. That’s how you probably want them to stay. But recent events have made Americans question how confidential this kind of communication really is. Much of this suspicion is due to the work of the National Security Agency (NSA). The NSA’s mission is, “Defending our nation. Securing the future.” But the NSA is beginning to see a lot of negative reactions to their continuing activities. Many people see these activities as offenses of the fourth amendment rather than ways to enhance security. But to others, it makes them feel a lot less secure.

It was interesting to hear all of the responses to this question, and I am inclined to agree with the answer of the majority. It seems that a lot of the time, whenever someone feels a headache coming on, they pop a pill. A great many of us like to start our day with a cup of coffee or some other caffeinated drink. We may not think about it like that, but drugs creep into our daily lives more often than it seems.

Much of the news coverage recently has centered on the attack in Damascus, Syria and the action that will be taken by other nations as a result of the violence. The spotlight has been on President Barack Obama as he has been traveling, making speeches, and trying to gain support to take action against Syria. He says the world needs to know that no one can simply get away with breaking “international norms.”

Written by Justin Mulholland. Abortion is a topic that is being debated intensely all over the United States right now. People are choosing sides and...