Blog 6:With Cuts, Free Education Is No Longer a Cuban Birthright

A person named Reuters writes this article. Basically what this article is about is that Cuba is cutting back its free education system and moving students into more useful careers to reduce costs and fill needs in the workplace. According to government statistics, “Enrollment in the communist-run country’s many types of schools fell to 2.2 million students last year from 3 million in 2008, a drop of 27 percent, according to the National Statistics Office.” (Reuters, “Cuts”). It has been going on since the Cuban revolution in 1959, which stressed the importance of education. “Among the hardest hits were universities, where the number of students dropped almost 50 percent to 156,000 in 2011, from 300,000 in 2008, as admission standards were raised and liberal arts careers slashed. Adult education also fell drastically. Only 145,000 students were enrolled last year in university extension classes, a fraction of the 578,000 who signed up in 2008. Enrollment in adult education courses, designed to improve work skills, dropped to 129,000 from 373,000 in 2008 as the longstanding practice of paying state workers and farmers their full salaries to study during the day came to an end.” (Reuters, “Cuts”). These days in Cuba means that more skilled workers and farmers boost Cuba’s food production, but means fewer professionals jobs. “At the high school level, emphasis is being put on sciences, pedagogy, agriculture and skilled trades. The number of places for students in pre-university schools declined by some 50,000, or more than 20 percent since 2008, the report stated. More students were channeled into the skilled trades, where slots jumped to 74,000 from 26,000 in 2008.” (Reuters, “Cuts”).

            This article made me realize that maybe the United States should have a education system like this because it would create jobs that our economy needs. For example, if we needed more bankers, but had way too many nurses, they could place those students in banking jobs. This is also a good idea because then jobs wouldn’t be so competitive to get. If you knew where you where you were going to get placed, then you would be guaranteed a job. 

 http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/04/world/americas/with-cuts-free-education-is-no-longer-a-cuban-birthright.html

Facebook Reaches One Million Users!

     Reports, this week, show that Facebook has reached its goal of attaining one billion, participating users.  This is quite surprising to many, as it took McDonald's 40 years to attract one billion customers. Considering Facebook was created only seven years ago, and it doubled its amount of users in the past two years alone, this proves that social media is taking over.  However, Facebook does not make its revenue from its customers, but from the advertisements shown on the website that may appeal to the user based on data they have entered on their profile, people they have befriended, and by things they “like.”  The company is under intense pressure today to make more money off them, more quickly.

            How does the involvement of one billion people interacting over a social network affect the way the world is communicating?  Instead of writing letters, making phone calls, or, god forbid, people talk face to face, you can just write on a friend’s wall.  These days, there is no reason to go to the store to pick up a birthday card, when Facebook reminds you whose birthday it is and persuades you to send them your birthday wishes.  I wonder, if in the future, people will actually ever be in the same vicinity together?  Or if we will all be connected electronically?  Only time will tell.  However, the effects of the sudden popularity of social networking could lead to destruction of our human nature.  As humans, we feel the need to be embraced in hug rather than shown that we have five new notifications.

                                         

 http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/04/facebook-passes-1-billion-active-users/?ref=technology                                                                         

Ousted From Party in China, Bo Xilai Faces Prosecution

Bo Xilai has been expelled from the communist party for multiple criminal charges. He is suspected to be involved in the killing of a British businessman Neil Haywood, where he had his wife poison him. Bo was the son of a beloved Chinese revolutionary leader and was the party chief of Chongqing, a large Chinese metropolitan. It was also reported that Bo was taking various bribes that were about several millions of dollars, along with his wife. His wife however is in jail now and currently waiting for a verdict for the death penalty, or life.  As well as the murder and bribes he has been in sexual activities with countless different women. Though not a crime it was brought up in the courtroom to lower Mr. Xilai reputation. It was also reported that Bo has been apart of other criminal activity but chose to keep silent. Mr. Xilai was a very charismatic leader and adored by many. He would use his platform to espouse populist movements.

I think Mr. Bo Xilai is a despicable human being, even though I’m making a judgment from a very biased article. He was adored by so many, but things he did were wrong and for the wrong reason. I took notice when I read about his charisma and how many people supported him. I made a direct correlation to Hitler who was also very charismatic and had a huge fan base. I know not as extreme, he still did things that would affect other people in a negative way. He has made a very bad family name especially for being in the same family as an important Chinese leader. Not only did m he only think of himself before anyone else he also took the life of a business man, and completely ruined his wife’s. The Chinese did well in expelling him from any form of politics, and the party.  Men like this do not deserve to have this much power.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/29/world/asia/bo-xilai-expelled-from-chinas-communist-party.html?pagewanted=2&_r=5