Monday, December 9, 2013
TWIF Chapter 1 Reflection
After you have read and taken notes on Chapter 1, "While I Was Sleeping," use one of the current events sources linked at http://svhs-hwc-spring2014.blogspot.com/2013/12/approved-sources-for-twif-current.html to find a recent news article that relates to, supports, or refutes Friedman's assertions. 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 an issue addressed in chapter 1 of TWIF. Don't forget to check your rubric for evaluation criteria!
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ReplyDeleteHelicopter rescue planned for passengers on trapped Antarctic ship
ReplyDeletehttp://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2013/12/28/trapped-antarcticshipawaitssecondicebreakertohelpinrescue.html
This article clearly visualizes the first chapter of The World is Flat by showing off much of what the flattened world has allowed. To summarize the article, a Russian research ship is currently stuck in the Antarctic. Many icebreaker ships have been sent, but none have been able to reach the ship. Soon, a Chinese helicopter and crew will be sent to evacuate the Russians. The article displays the flattening of the world by showing two countries working together: China and Russia. They quickly discuss plans and the success or failure of those plans to save the crew using easy communication. The crew has even been able to contact people on the outside by using social media like Twitter and displaying their current situation with Vine. The flattened world is clearly shown by how the scientists, stuck in one of the most remote places on Earth, can contact the world using the internet while two countries that can communicate almost instantly help to save them.
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ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteGlobalization
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/18/magazine/globalization.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm
This article is all about whether or not globalization is actually good for the world. In the beginning the article says how globalization remade the economy and unified the world. However, later the author of the article says how globalization will being to sabotage and destroy itself in the end do to the inequalities in the system. The author says that it was used to benefit the powerful nations, but even in nations that have power, like ours, the gains of globalization are unevenly distributed between the rich and big businesses. The article also states that in order for globalization to work there need to be big changes. This relates to Thomas Friedman's idea because he says that globalization lead to flattening of the world by bringing everyone together and "leveling the playing field". He also stated that this concept was good since it was making and giving everyone an equal chance. On the other hand, Thomas Friedman expressed some apprehensions and doubts that he had about the world becoming flat and how everything would change. This article is directly related to how both authors think this change is good but also are unsure of the changes and consequences that will result from globalization in the long run.
So Many Advances in Medicine, So Many Yet to Come
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/26/health/26docs.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
This article relates to the entire book, but mostly the first chapter. In TWIF, Friedmen tells the reader about the advancement of technology and intelligence. This article tells about the advancement of medicine. Throughout the entire first chapter of TWIF, Friedmen emphasized the changes of technology through 3 periods of time. He divided the advancement into globalization 1.0, globalization 2.0 and globalization 3.0. Each section shows a time frame. During the times of 1492-1800, technology was at a basic point where it was starting to advance. During 1800-2000, the technology had a major turning point. From 2001-current, the technology became extremely important. The article explains that the technology in making medicines is advancing more and more every day. It tells the reader that it will keep advancing forever and ever like a chain reaction. The article and the first chapter of TWIF is very similar because it emphasizes the major advancement in technology and hints that it will keep advancing in times to come.
Will this be the 'Asian Century'?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.theguardian.com/global-development/poverty-matters/2012/apr/18/asia-century-globalisation-success-governance
This article explains how embracing globalization and cooperation led to more economic access, improved governance, and greater success for Asia. Asia wanted to make all of it's citizens equal so it created better conditions for the private sector to take the lead on economic expansion and spent money on social services, education, healthcare, regional road, sea, and air networks that would create more opportunities for people. Asia received help from western governments that regulated banking, promoted bonds, and strengthened regional links. Carefully calibrated government support would help steer Asia's economic potential. Globalization and cooperation could very well bring about the "Asian century". In the first chapter, Thomas Friedman explains that the world platform is becoming flat and that countries are becoming equal. Also, he explains that globalization connects the world and allows countries to cooperate, which is exactly what Asia did.
Business Technology; Advances In Supermarket Technology: Intriguing and Pampering Customers
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nytimes.com/1987/06/10/business/business-technology-advances-supermarket-technology-intriguing-pampering.html
The article is about how technology has changed the atmosphere in something as simple as a grocery store. To summarize the article, supermarkets are using technology to make the shopping experience for their customer more convenient and useful. Some of these conveniences include a purchases history for an individual customer to give them coupons, recipe suggestions, and computerized check-out lines that are not run by humans, but machines. This article relates to the first chapter of The World is Flat because the chapter is about how technology has made connection between countries easier and more convenient. The chapter conveys how technology has changed in eras that make the world more connected. These eras start with basic connections between countries in the 1492-1800 era, then how technology begins 1800-2000 and even more countries are becoming diverse, lastly from 2000 on, technology has become very important for people and countries to connect and compete with one another. The article states by saying that the supermarkets not only compete on location and product selection, but the shopping experience and technology to lure customers. Therefore, the technology is changing the way customers view grocery stores, just like in TWIF, technology changed how globalization has been viewed. This article also foreshadows that technology will continue to change grocery stores. This also relates to TWIF because Friedman states that globalization will continue to change as technology does. The article relates to the first chapter of TWIF because the book explains that technology is making connecting countries easy as well as competing with each other and the article shows how similar things are going on in supermarkets.
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ReplyDeleteConnected TVs, fridge help launch global cyberattackhttp://www.cnn.com/2014/01/17/tech/gaming-gadgets/attack-appliances-fridge/index.html?hpt=hp_bn5
ReplyDeleteThis article explains about how daily household items that are connected to the internet are being used to send malicious emails to businesses and emails to try and scam them. It is said that many of these devices are poorly protected, and more than 750,000 emails had been sent from more than 100,000 devices. It was not clear whether the scammers were able to collect the information they wanted. This is an example of how technology is being used as a flattener, although in a negative way. In the first chapter of TWIF Friedman talks about the advancement of technology, and how it caused globalization 1.0, 2.0, and the current 3.0. This article shows a clear advancement in technology if you are able to send emails to hack someone from a refrigerator. As technology progresses the world is getting smaller.
Outsourcing Is Not (Always) Evil, http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/08/outsourcing-is-not-always-evil/
ReplyDeleteThis article discusses the idea of how helpful to developing countries outsourcing from the US and other more developed can be. It also talks about the reasons some people are against outsourcing, such as the thoughts that it takes away jobs and money from US workers. Though in some cases outsourcing can be viewed as being bad, it tends to help more people in more ways then it hurts people. Specifically Samasource, an organization that channels microwork, which are small tasks like; entering, cleaning, or verifying data to 1,600 people in places where work would otherwise be very difficult to come bye. In accordance to TWF this article speaks of outsourcing in the ways that it is helpful, in the same way that Friedman talks about, not just in the section on outsourcing, but in the first chapter when he is talking about how he came to realize that the world is being flattened.
Globalization Has Changed Europe
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2013/12/01/europes-identity-crisis/globalization-has-changed-europe
To summarize the above article from the New York Times, it is about the difficulties that Europe and Denmark face dealing with globalization. Globalization is defined as the change of relationships between government and big businesses. The right wing populist party has split the socialist democratic votes making it difficult to reach an ultimate decision, which effects the government. There has been an increase in low pay jobs which is ultimately lowering the economy and effects big businesses. This relates to Thomas Friedman's first chapter of The World is Flat because he talks about globalization frequently.
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ReplyDeleteCES 2014: LG Shows Off First Smart TVs Running WebOS
ReplyDeletehttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-25630542
This article describes a new television that is to be released by LG. It will have webOS, which basically allows the TV to connect to the internet. Ordinary televisions do not have such a valuable feature. It will be equipped with applications such as Skype and Twitter. This would allow people to communicate from their living rooms just by turning on a television. This ease of communication allows the world to collaborate more easily and conveniently. As Friedman mentions in the first chapter, Globalization 3.0 is when individuals have the power to collaborate globally. A television like such would allow people to communicate to anyone in the world without the need of a computer. Additionally, Friedman mentions about how some students could be tutored online through video conferences. Skype, one of the applications that will come with LG's TV, allows this to happen in the comfort of one's living room. Because this invention is a TV, the globalization of the world can be introduced to a wider variety of people.
Barack Obama 'to end hoarding of NSA phone data'
ReplyDeletehttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-25770317
Friedman’s assertions are that globalization connected many of the continents from all around the world through the internet and technology. This connection has provided a lot more power for government officials, companies, and regular people all over the world. This article is about the surveillance of phone data, such as calls and text messages, from all over the world that the NSA has been collecting. It also discusses how people found out about the surveillance and how the surveillance will be handled in the future. This relates to Friedman’s assertion because the government is using the amount of technology that is available to them and looking into the conversations of people all around the world to find spies. The government is getting use out of its power, but they are also invading some people’s privacy that does not need to be invaded. Therefore, globalization has given them the connection to get this information from all over the world, but they did not need to investigate everyone’s lives as deeply as they did.
First Tweet From Space
ReplyDeletehttp://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/22/first-tweet-from-space/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0
According to an article from the New York Times, astronauts aboard the International Space Station received the newfound ability to connect and utilize social media. Twitter, an online social media website launched in 2006, allows people to "tweet" their thoughts, feelings, and actions. Twitter exemplifies a distinctive, virtual social media website that allows people to share their everyday lives. Thus forth, Twitter has flattened the world by giving people the power to communicate with others with minimal action. People of all nationalities and countries possess a twitter account, which allows them to effortlessly connect with family, friends, colleagues, etc. People of every age use Twitter daily; in fact, Twitter is not only globally but also universally recognized. In 2010, an astronaut by the name of TJ Creamer tweeted, "Hello Twitterverse! We r now LIVE tweeting from the International Space Station -- the 1st live tweet from Space..." According to Nick Bilton, a journalist of the New York Times, "[this tweet] was one small tweet for man, one giant tweet for mankind. This groundbreaking achievement literally introduces a new dimension of globalization. People can now connect at any time and place. TJ Creamer's tweet was retweeted 100+ times in the first nine hours of its original post. Due to the rampant increase in technology over the last ten years, the international space station, 250 feet above the Earth while traveling at a blistering speed of 17,300 miles per hour, "connected via Wi-Fi access points." Additionally, the International Space Station allows astronauts to make phone calls and at certain points in time video conference with their families. Tj Creamer's tweet supports Friedman's claim that people can discuss matters with another person without being in the same room, in this case the same planet. It allows people to ascertain information through a click of the mouse. In addition, the international space station epitomizes Friedman's claim that "the playing field is being leveled." People in a stark wasteland can simply have the same ability as a people living in a technologically advanced society. Although this type of Globalization does not take place on Earth, this breakthrough in social media can correlate with countries like China and India and other countries included in Globalization 3.0. Ten years ago China and India did not have the financial capacity and infrastructure to be an advanced country around the world. Today, China and India can compete with Europe and the United States, two areas of that have been advanced societies for decades, and they established an economic and technologic identity among other countries around the world. In comparison to Twitter, China and India did not have the ability to compete with other affluent countries ten years ago just like social media did not effectively connect the world as it does in today’s society. Likewise, people in China and India are not completely taking jobs outsourced from America and Europe, but individuals from these countries are innovating the country through the acquired experience of outsourced jobs juxtaposed to Twitter, which is efficiently connecting the whole world. To sum up, this article shows how the flat world has overcome the round world. People located in and above this world can virtually connect almost instantaneously through one click of a button. Moreover, the technologically and financially disadvantaged countries are "leveling the playing field" through their innovative thinking. The world is in the process in becoming an interconnected, equal society. In essence, this article only accounts for one of the myriad of examples as to why Globalization 3.0 is flattening the world and areas beyond.
http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/Robert-Reich/2014/0106/The-Great-Redistribution-how-the-inequality-gap-widened-in-2013
ReplyDeleteThis article truly relates to the first chapter of the book. The article states that the wealthy became wealthier in 2013 with American companies making money by cutting their costs mainly by reducing the wages of their employees. Companies can pay lower wages since their workers are unable to bargain for higher wages due to a high unemployment rate and the work can be done by workers in other countries. Friedman states that American employers are able to hire more foreign employees because their wages are very low which coincides with the article. The article states that the bargaining power of the Americans is eroding due to outsourcing abroad and computer software that replaces jobs. Friedman agrees with this because he states that with all of the Globalizations, everyone is empowered; everyone is now connected.