Golden Arches Theory

 

The Golden Arches Theory comes from a 1995 book by New York Times foreign affairs columnist Thomas Friedman. It posits that nations whose economies can support fast-food chains tend to have a middle class that cares more about maintaining calm and commerce with its neighbors than starting conflict.

That belief actually fell apart in 1988, when civil war broke out in the former Yugoslavia. Over the years, the armies of India and Pakistan, and Israel and Lebanon, have respectively faced off, despite the presence of McDonald’s within their borders.

The calls for a brand boycott are premised on taking aim at the comfort of Russian oligarchs and the country’s middle class. Doing so, the thinking goes, will create enough economic and cultural isolation to put the screws to the Russian regime to retreat as Ukrainians continue to resist the incursion.

1) What is the Golden Arches Theory?

2) Do you think it will prevent us from war with Russia? Why/ Not? What has history taught us?

3) What other companies have joined McDonalds in sanctions against Putin's Russia?

4) Will you support these companies by giving them more business? Will you give less business to the companies who have not supported sanctions? Why/ not?

5) Is the dollar more powerful than the sword? Explain.

News vs. Media: What's the Difference?

You might see the terms “news” and “media” seemingly used interchangeably. While it might seem that they’re one in the same, it’s important to understand that there’s a strong distinction between the two. Media refers to the tools used to store and deliver information, whereas news (or, news media) refers strictly to the sharing of recent events.

News is all around us. From what we hear on the radio to what we see on television, come across on the Internet, see in an advertisement, or even hear from a colleague or friend, the news and peoples’ opinions on it are an ever-present part of everyday life. This information forms our opinions, shapes of conversations with others, and even affects how we view the world around us. With the wealth of information now available at most individuals’ fingertips, it’s important to take time to evaluate just where we find news. For many individuals, it’s some (if not all) of the following: television, laptop or computer, radio, newspaper or magazine, cell phone. tablet, smart tv, e-reader.

1) From whom do you hear most news events?

2) What role does social media play in how you access news?

3) What devices do you use to access news?

4) Why do you prefer these?

5) What is the difference between 'news' and 'media?'

Appeasement

 

After assuming power in 1933, Hitler threatened to spark a new war in Europe by demanding that the Sudetenland be ceded to Germany — largely on the basis of the fact it was populated by ethnic Germans. European powers eventually gave in to Hitler's demands via the Munich Agreement in 1938, in what would ultimately be a failed bid to prevent another conflict from consuming the continent. The European leaders involved in the Munich discussions — particularly British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain — were accused of appeasement, and of being fooled by Hitler.

Nazi Germany would go on to invade the rest of Czechoslovakia in March 1939, just months before the onset of World War II.

As he moved to recognize two separatist territories in eastern Ukraine as independent on Monday, Putin made references to the historical and ethnic connections between Ukraine and Russia. He rewrote history in the process, and effectively suggested that Ukraine is not a country. "Modern Ukraine was entirely created by Russia," Putin said.

In remarks at the Munich Security Conference over the weekend, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky alluded to the 1938 Munich crisis and the Sudetenland.

Zelensky suggested that Western leaders had engaged in "appeasement" in the face of Russian aggression toward Ukraine. "Has the world forgotten its mistakes of the 20th century?" Zelensky asked. "Where does appeasement policy usually lead to?"

As President Biden vows more sanctions on Russia to deter its attacks on Ukraine, there are lessons to be learned from the past. Edward Fishman, a former State Department staff member and adjunct fellow at The Center for a New American Security, joined CBS News' Tanya Rivero and Omar VIllafranca to discuss.

1) Do you think sanctions against Putin will work?

2) What are the dangers of 'appeasing' Putin? What do the lessons from the past teach us?

3) Why doesn't the United States and our allies respond with equal force?

Great Power; Great Responsibility

 

On August 9, 2014, Michael Brown Jr., an 18-year-old black man, was fatally shot by 28-year-old white Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson in the city of Ferguson, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis.

The events in Ferguson drew significant attention to the role of a free press in a democracy. In the days after the shooting of Michael Brown, a number of journalists were detained, searched, and arrested as they attempted to cover the story, while many others reported being harassed, questioned, and threatened by police as well as by protestors and community members. Many journalists and civil-liberties advocates highlighted these occurrences to make the point that preventing members of the press from doing their job puts democracy at risk.

Using the Iceberg Diagram teaching strategy. What is at stake when a reporter is treated as he was? Why do you think the police acted the way they did? Were they justified? What information don’t we have, with only Lowery’s version of the story? Is there any context in which his treatment would be justified? How does this treatment threaten his First Amendment rights?

No Way To Prevent This...

 ,,,. says the only nation where this regularly happens.

A football player, a volleyball striker, a captain of the bowling team and an aspiring artist.

Those were the four students tragically killed in Tuesday afternoon's mass shooting at Oxford High School and who were identified by the Oakland County Sheriff's Office.

Late Tuesday, authorities said Hana St. Juliana, 14, Madisyn Baldwin, 17, and Tate Myre, 16, were the three students who initially lost their lives following a five-minute rampage at the Oakland County high school. A fourth student died Wednesday morning: Justin Shilling was 17, authorities said.

On Tuesday morning, the parents of a 15-year-old sophomore walked into Oxford High School to meet face to face with school officials who had grown concerned about their son’s classroom behavior.

Just about three hours after that meeting started, according to law enforcement authorities, the same student, walked into a school bathroom carrying a backpack and emerged with a handgun. He began firing, killing four students and wounding seven people in the deadliest school shooting this year.

Guns have historically been a distinct feature of American life, but school shootings that have become more frequent recently have raised the question of whether the US government should ban people from keeping guns at home.

Some argue that it is far too easy for young people to get their hands on guns to carry out crimes like we saw in Oxford, Michigan earlier this week.

Others argue the importance of keeping guns in preserving our freedom.

What do you think? Why?

Planet of the Humans

No amount of batteries are going to save us, warns director Jeff Gibbs (lifelong environmentalist and co-producer of “Fahrenheit 9/11” and “Bowling for Columbine"). This urgent, must-see movie, a full-frontal assault on our sacred cows, is guaranteed to generate anger, debate, and, hopefully, a willingness to see our survival in a new way—before it’s too late.

Use these questions to join the debate.

Why is the movie called 'Planet of the Humans?'

What is a 'Catch-22?'

The Fiscal Ship

PLAY THE GAME

The Fiscal Ship challenges you to put the federal budget on a sustainable course. Measured as a share of gross domestic product, the federal debt is higher than at any time since the end of World War II and projected to climb to unprecedented levels. America is looking at a permanent, growing mismatch between revenues and spending, and policymakers are faced with difficult decisions about how to reconcile important government priorities—including retirement and health benefits promised to the growing number of old folks—with the tax revenues that the current tax code will yield. Today’s tax code won’t yield enough revenue to pay for basic services of government plus the retirement and health benefits promised to the growing number of old folks. So your mission is to pick from a menu of tax and spending options to reduce the debt from projected levels over the next 25 years. Small changes to spending and taxes won’t suffice. The choices are difficult, but the goal is achievable.

Were you able to keep your 'Fiscal Ship' afloat? What were your goals? What was the key to your success?  What difficult decisions did you have to make?  Why is balancing the budget so complicated? 

What were President Trump's goals?  What did he cut?

Compare his plan to President Biden's.  How were their goals different?

Should we continue spending money we don't have? Why/ not?

*Songs of the Sea.