The Coffee Shop Society

[engl240blogproject]

Shot for Possible Shoplifting

By AH

Here is a picture (found on google images) of a very round cute dudo before we get into this bit of tragic news.

-Christobal Lopez, a homeless 50 y/o, was shot and killed on Oct 3rd of 2016 after allegedly trying to steal a hatchet from an Army Navy surplus store.

-The co-owner of the shop, Michael Dunn claims to have seen Lopez on security footage attempting to shoplift and confronted him about it. Allegedly, the hatchet fell from Lopez’s pants where it had been hidden and he continued to try to exit the store with it. Dunn caught Lopez by the arm and fired at Lopez twice, causing a quick death for the man.

-After a rejection of the “Stand Your Ground” defense, Dunn was arrested on charges of second-degree murder. 

-The security footage has been made available, but the events that Dunn claim to have happened are very difficult to see and thus cannot be verified.

-Dunn has been released from jail on a $150,000 bond and ordered under house arrest. The next hearing will be on Nov 13th and now Mark O’Mara will be on Dunn’s defense team.

Our lord and savior Dwight (found on google images) wishes to ask:

1. Please discuss the proper way to curb shoplifting.

2. Do you have any predictions on the outcome of Dunn’s case?

3. Talk about better ways for society to help the homeless.

Here is a cute kitten (found on google images) for all your hard work!

[engl240blogproject]

Political Regression in Brazil By: Jennifer Juptner

Thirty years ago, a New York Times article published this week describes, Brazil was ruled by a military regime. Presidents of Brazil were military generals who repressed citizens while pursuing capitalism in an attempt to modernize industry. According to the article, while the government ruthlessly pushed to modernize industry, the civil sector of Brazil pushed back to modernize the structure of the government.  

It paid off, according to Scholastic, and Brazil elected its first non-military president in 1985. Since 1988, Brazil has been a democratic country and ruled by a constitution.   

Today, a freshly elected president of Brazil hopes to bring back the idea of a military government. President Bolsonaro is quoted in the New York Times as saying, “We will never resolve serious national problems with this irresponsible democracy.” During his presidential campaign, Bolsonaro argued the people of Brazil want the military to come back into power and advocates the killing of criminals by law enforcement (New York Times). 

Many articles discussing the election in Brazil compare Bolsonaro to president Trump. Like Trump, Bolsonaro has been quoted as being sexist, racist, and homophobic. However, this has not hindered Bolsonaro’s political campaign. In fact, it seems Brazilians are as attracted to language that breaks the “status-quo” as Americans. Trump congratulated Bolsonaro on Twitter early Monday morning. 

After the election, Bolsonaro promised that the government would uphold the country’s constitution and democratic principles. In his home on Facebook Live this week, Bolsonaro discussed plans to respect the teachings of God alongside the Brazilian constitution. 

It is uncertain how the new president of Brazil will represent certain groups, like women and the LGBTQ community. One has to ask, should progression of economy and industry have to result in a regression of societal values? President Bolsonaro has promised to change the country and his democratic win proves Brazilians are looking change. Maybe president Bolsonaro will be the change they are looking for, or perhaps, he will not.

[engl240blogproject]

1-800-WYT-FEAR by Ben Oyler

Video courtesy of The New York Times - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UouJ9HT3WOs

Freddie Gray. Trayvon Martin. Philando Castile. Tamir Rice. Michael Brown. Eric Garner. Emmett Till. What do these names have in common? That question shouldn’t have an easy answer. In fact, there should be no visible correlation between these names. However, these names all have one major thing in common - they are the names of African-American men, killed unjustly by white men (usually by white cops). This is an ongoing problem, and there doesn’t seem to be any end in sight - especially not for Marc Peeples, a 32-year old, third-generation resident of Detroit, who also happens to be African-American.

According to the article, “How ‘Gardening While Black’ Almost Landed This Detroit Man in Jail”, written by Audra D.S. Burch for The New York Times, for the last two years, a small neighborhood park in Detroit has been worked on and transformed into a dependable and effective community garden. Largely, that work has been done by one man - Marc Peeples, an African-American man. Peeples took up the initiative after spending three years in jail and returning to find his neighborhood in disarray; he wanted to create the community garden so that it “could help feed residents, chip away at food deserts and teach children about urban horticulture”. While that sounds like a noble movement, it seems as though not everyone in the neighborhood thought so. Three (white) women - Deborah Nash, Martha Callahan, and Jennifer Morris (Callahan’s granddaughter) - repeatedly called the police on Peeples, eventually leading to Peeples’s arrest and subsequent trial.

The trial, which was presided over by State District Judge E. Lynise Bryant, revealed just how many complaints these white women had about Mr. Peeples, and how racist these women are towards people of color. Amongst the numerous complaints against Mr. Peeples, crimes such as sexual assault, possession of a firearm, and stalking highlight the list. The only problem? Peeples never did any of that. The sexual assault claim was bogus. The “firearm” Peeples had turned out to be a rake. The stalking that supposedly took place was a corroborative lie between all three women. The claims and case were all thrown out by Judge Bryant, who marked the case as racist and declared it “disgusting and a waste of the court’s time and resources”.

Sadly, cases and events like this aren’t happening in a small, airtight, bubble of racism - they’re happening all over the nation. White women like Permit Patty, who called the police on an African-American girl selling water, are running rampant throughout the nation, during a time when [the police are killing more African-Americans than any other race in America. Because of people like Permit Patty, or BBQ Becky, or Cornerstore Caroline, the lives of African-Americans are constantly threatened - all because of a phone call. So, in these turbulent times, maybe it might be a good idea to just hang up next time.

[engl240blogproject]

The Green Rush by Ben Oyler

Pictured: A marijuana leaf - Courtesy of: https://www.maxpixel.net/Marijuana-Hemp-Cannabis-1382955

What do Uruguay and Canada have in common? Here’s a hint: it’s something no other country in the world can lay claim to - not yet, at least. Give up? They’re the only two countries in the world where marijuana is legal on a federal level. On October 17, Canada’s newest law will go into effect, making recreational marijuana legal in Canada on the federal level (marijuana has been medically legal in Canada since 2001). That means that as long as you’re following the rules and regulations of the province you’re in, you’re allowed to possess, discuss, or imbibe marijuana wherever you see fit - with limits, of course.

In the article “Marijuana Legalization in Canada Has Companies Chasing a Green Rush”, written by Ian Austen for The New York Times, the topic of Canada’s new law - and its economic and world impact - is discussed at length. Although marijuana has been legal for almost two decades in Canada, the new law is set to bring in a massive surge of new customers and usher in a new economic wave for Canada, especially with the help of companies like Canopy Growth, which “was the first Canadian marijuana grower to debut on the New York Stock Exchange”.

Ultimately, there will be a massive and systemic overhaul of the country’s thoughts and feelings towards marijuana. Lawyers, marijuana activists, and dispensary owners can all rejoice; lawyers will be taking on a surge of marijuana-related cases as those jailed for possession now move to reduce or eradicate their sentences; activists will be able to champion their success and will no longer be considered societal outcasts; and dispensary owners will see a huge influx of cash as hundreds of new customers pour through the doors (both physical and metaphorical, as a large portion of Canada’s marijuana business will be online-only). However, property owners and provinces/cities within Canada now have big obstacles to face; property owners now have to deal with the possibility of smoking/growing marijuana by the tenants of their various properties, and will have to decide whether or not they’ll allow it (and the potential damage/attention it may bring to the property or properties). Meanwhile, cities and provinces now have to take the reins and set-up (and subsequently develop) a place for marijuana within the community. Should a city or province fail to do so or fails to meet a certain standard, the tourism and funding of the city/province may take a hit, as well as residential and commercial property within the city or province being vacated due to the overbearing marijuana standards.

As it stands right now, the nation of Canada has no idea where this new law will lead - marijuana stocks are still volatile, and Big Tobacco and Alcohol still aren’t sure where marijuana fits in the scheme of things; but the people like it, and some provinces are already handling the development well. Unfortunately, only time will tell whether or not Canada - as a leading economic power in the world - made the right choice in federally legalizing marijuana.

[engl240blogproject]

Harvard and Affirmative Action

·By AH     

    Harvard currently has a lawsuit brought up against them about discrimination against Asian American students. The argument is that affirmative action limits them in entry because there needs to be room for other minorities.

·         Currently, the racial breakdown of Harvard students is 40% white, 24% Asian American, 14% African American, and 14% Hispanic and "other".

·         While the exact method of admission is not known to the public there are certain qualifications that have been reported on. Of course, the factor of race is one but another is a "personal rating" which is "an analysis of personality traits such as humor, courage and kindness."

·         Richard Kahlenberg suggests that the school remove its racially driven admission system, legacy advantages, faculty family advantages and other lists that could potentially keep the white population of Harvard high. Instead, Kahlenberg says they should opt to favor more lower income students to increase diversity. Harvard argued that, yes, this would decrease the number of white students, but it would also decrease the number of African American students from 14% to 10%.

·         Eliminating only affirmative action, Harvard argued would increase the white student population by 8% and the Asian American student population by 3%. The biggest problem would be that the African American student population would go down to 6% and Hispanic and other would also decrease to 9%. Those who have filed the lawsuit believe that if Harvard did not admit based on race, the Asian American student population would be 43% of the school.

1. Considering that universities in CA legally cannot use affirmative action in their admission processes and they have seen that their number of white and asian american students have increased while all other races present have declined in number, do you think it would be right for Harvard to stop using affirmative action?

[engl240blogproject]

The Wildfire State

(Photo Credit) By Jennifer Juptner

[Note: the link to the seed New York Times article is broken because the article has either been moved or deleted.]

Adverse weather rarely causes residents to slow down in California, however, an article published in October by the New York Times reveals a new trend that threatens to start making adverse weather a much bigger problem for Californians.  

According to the New York Times, the National Weather Service issues an ‘extreme fire risk’ alert in regions of California where high winds and dry vegetation mix with low humidity to create a fire risk. In regions where winds can reach over 50 mph, falling utility poles are a big fire concern because of their live wires. Utility companies will now consider turning off the power in weather that creates a fire risk to prevent fires caused by utility equipment. The article explains Pacific Gas & Electric, in northern California, and San Diego Gas and Electric, in southern California, began notifying customers a day or two before turning off power due to adverse weather. Southern California Edison announced they were considering shutting off power to their customers also, but the company was  “waiting for vegetation to pose a threat to power lines and safety.” California residents could now find themselves at the mercy of their utility compan without power for indeterminate lengths of time as companies focus on fire prevention.

A month earlier in July, an article published by CBS Sacramento called for a comprehensive solution to the “new normal” of California’s climate and the increase of wildfires in the state. According to the article, the California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection blamed utility poles for a dozen wildfires in California last year. The article claims these wildfires caused over $10 billion dollars in insurance claims. The government in California has acknowledged the issue of wildfire liability by announcing a special committee to discuss financial responsibility for damage due to wildfires, as well as to develop more expansive wildfire preparedness (CBS Sacramento). According to the article, the committee will review a bill that amends the current Inverse Condemnation doctrine in California. 

The Inverse Condemnation doctrine requires utilities to pay for property damage caused by their equipment, even if they are found not negligent in maintaining and operating it. The legislation being currently discussed by lawmakers allows courts to consider when utility companies “have acted reasonably and responsibly in installing, and operating their transmission systems” when determining liability. The bill will not affect current pending liability cases against utility companies, the article explains, and utility companies, like PG&E, are already seeking to raise current premiums for customers.

In September, an article published in the Wall Street Journal confirmed the legislation was indeed passed. However, this did not stop utility companies from turning off the power over the weekend due weather conditions and ‘extreme fire risk’. As a result of the shut offs over the weekend, over 87,000 Californians were left without power, some for almost three days. Schools and businesses were closed. The article explains power was also cut to hospitals and other medical customers; however, these customers are required to have generators. Generators are always an options for residents, however there are strict safety rules in force to protect utility worker which utility companies expect owners of generators to adhere to.

In the end, the New York Times article describes what life can be like for some who have to endure the possibility of going three days with no power. However, it describes only the experiences of people in the cities of Pine Grove and Calistoga, which is home to around 10,000 of the 87,000 California residents affected by the power outages. It is worth considering how long term power outages could affect other regions of California. With schools and businesses closed and no power for days, lower income communities in California, like Adelanto and LA, may find the loss of power and order much harder to cope with. 

California’s heavy winds ensure utility poles as they currently exist present a wildfire hazard in extreme weather. While utility companies, insurance companies, and the government work to find a solution, many California residents are being left in the dark.

[engl240blogproject]

The Rice Crisis in the Philippines

(Photo Credit) By Jennifer Juptner 

Rice in California is typically paired with sushi, teriyaki bowels, and Mexican food. To many, rice is a cultural staple in their diet that exists beside a main dish. To urban poor in the Philippines, rice is the main course of daily meals, and it’s counted upon for survival.  

According to an October article in the New York Times by Aurora Almendral, the price of food in the Philippines has skyrocketed since President Rodrigo Duterte has taken office. Typically, rice is cheap and therefore a staple for many in the Philippines. However, today the price of rice in community markets has gone up double the import price (Almendral). The New York Times article works to offer possible reasons for the inflation of rice prices, claiming President Duterte blames rice dealers, hoarders, and Trump. The article itself offers that typhoon season may also be to blame for wiping out the country’s rice supply. 

Professor Clarete, a professor of economics at the University of the Philippines Diliman, says of the National Food Authority in the article, “It could be they are not appreciative enough of how the market works. Or cruel.” While the article does credit President Duterte with removing restrictions on rice imports, and offers scarcity as another contributing factor to the rice crisis, the article is seeded with bias against President Duterte that potentially blames him for the shortage of rice in the Philippines.

Is the president to blame for the price and shortage of rice? 

An article published a month earlier on Forbes explains more of the economic context of the rice crisis. It does not spotlight a shortage of rice like the New York Times article, but rather reveals the current economic context of the country and the rapid inflation affecting the price of food in general in the Philippines. 

The Forbes article reveals inflation in the Philippines had already accelerated to 64% by September and the country's growth was beginning to suffer as a result. The article explains President Duterte is seeking advice from former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and avoids placing blame directly on President Duterte, in contrast to the New York Times article. In fact, the Forbes article says President Duterte plans to liberalize rice imports, which the New York Times article confirms that he does by October. 

The article describes the economic situation in the Philippines as bleak: “An overheating economy hits productivity (by raising operating costs), savings (by decreasing real interest rates), and, eventually, consumption. Crucially, it asymmetrically affects the most vulnerable sectors in the society, who spend a disproportionate share of their income on basic necessities.” The article claims tax reforms, raising oil prices, and falling currency are to blame. 

While the Forbes and the New York Times articles offer different variables as being responsible for the crisis in the Philippines, neither offers a concise explanation of or solution to the problem. The Forbes article attempts to offer former president Macapagal-Arroyo as a solution, commending her previous economic reforms as the acting president of the Philippines, yet diminishes her reliability by simultaneously referring to her past label as “the most corrupt president.”

In an article published in September on Rappler, before the New York Times and Forbs articles, JC Punongbayan argues the government in the Philippines should prepare for rice shortages and explains the slumping value of the country’s currency is making imports costlier. The article further explains one of the biggest factors behind inflation in countries is people (Punongbayan). Falling currency values make people waver in their faith in the government and effects how people behave, which can cause currency value to fall and prices to rise even more. 

According to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, rice hoarding is in fact occurring in parts of the Philippines. Hoarding rice causes its prices to go up due to scarcity, which makes it more valuable. President Duterte was not off the mark when he stated rice hoarders could be partly to blame for the rice crisis, however they are not the sole contributing factor. Arguably, they play a very small role in this crisis. As the cost of importing rice rises, it can be surmised that President Durate’s action of removing restrictions on rice imports was a small plug in a really big financial hole and it was added a little too late.

The weakening currency, scarcity, and hoarding behaviors in the Philippines will continue to rise the price of rice to astronomical levels, unless the president and his team can come up with more ways to productively combat this crisis and feed its people. If they don’t, they are ensuring that the urban poor in the Philippines will stay hungry.

[engl240blogproject]

Chicago Officer Convicted of Second-Degree Murder. Will this Spark something new?

By AH

Back in Oct of 2014, police responded to a 911 call about someone attempting to break into vehicles in a truck yard. The offender was Laquan McDonald who on that night would be fired upon and killed by Jason Van Dyke, one of the officers that would arrive after a call for backup requesting for officers that specifically possessed tasers (Van Dyke of course using a 9mm pistol). After the "incident" the officer was placed on desk duty for 13 months until a judge ordered that dashcam footage revealing the real occurrences of October 20th 2014 be released. Van Dyke was charged with first degree murder, released on bail, and was suspended from police work without pay.

Nearly 4 years later, Van Dyke has been found guilty of second-degree murder and 16 counts of aggravated battery with a firearm. The sentencing (if each count of battery is considered individually) could be a maximum of 500 years in prison.

3 others involved with falsifying reports on the case to assist Van Dyke will be up for their own trials in Nov 2018.

As expected, Van Dyke's attorney will attempt to make an appeal after the sentencing on Oct 31st.

A GoFundMe has been started for the daughters of Van Dyke and as of Oct 15th has raised $47,000.

Questions!

1. Do you think this former officer found guilty will be a turning point in police violence?

2. What do you predict will be the sentencing for Van Dyke of the 31st of Oct?

3. What are your thoughts on the GoFundMe for the daughters?

[engl240blogproject]

“The Threat of Gentrification in Germany” by Ben Oyler

Pictured: A German beer hall interior (photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

Picture this: a Starbucks on every street corner. The latest franchised fast food restaurant perched next to it. Where small mom and pop shops once sat, now only corporate America roosts. Sounds like a threat for small towns, a nightmare for closely-knit communities. This, dear reader, is gentrification - driving out the local owners and raze their shops to the ground, then develop bigger (and more expensive) buildings on top of it. For small communities in Germany, the ever-looming threat of gentrification is threatening not only the safety and connectedness of towns in Germany, but their very way of life.

In the New York Times article “The Endangered Beer Hall Adds to Germany’s Cultural Debate” by Melissa Eddy, the discussion turns to the loss of Germany’s beer halls. Historically, beer halls have represented a place of safety and comfort for the German people - a place where minds could meet on equal footing for a drink and a conversation. Essentially, German beer halls were the equivalent of Parisian salons and London coffeehouses - an entry into the public sphere, where all ideas were welcome. As gentrification continued its occupation of/advancement through Germany, these beer halls became new and improved safe houses for the German spirit.

Many Germans blame their loss of their ways of life on multiple factors - gentrification, taxes, social media, etc. - but for many Germans, the problem lies in the country’s immigrants. Starting 2015, millions of Middle Eastern and African refugees - fleeing war and famine - sought asylum in Germany, increasing the immigrant count in Germany to a whopping 18.6 million immigrants. However, citing increased immigration as a source for the German decline is like focusing on a single grain of sand on the beach - it’s a microscopic look on the macroscopic scale of world economics.

According to the article “German Gentrification”, published in February 2011, the development of Germany to better fit the bourgeois demands of the middle class has been going on for quite a while - well before the massive influx of immigrants (for the record: Middle Eastern/African refugees only make up about 16.1 percent of the German immigrant population; the other 83.9 percent come mostly from Europe). However, gentrification didn't become a serious threat until the beloved beer halls came under threat - but knowing the threat now doesn't help anyone, as the blame is still being cast on the innocent.

The threat to German beer halls - and by extension, the German way of life - is all too real. The destruction of these public sphere meeting houses is just one more inevitable step in the path of gentrification. While it is possible to stop the threat of gentrification, it’s not possible without a lot of hard work and good timing. As it is now, there’s nothing to do but sit back and wait - but don’t blame the nail for getting in the hammer’s path, blame the carpenter swinging the hammer - essentially, don’t blame refugees for ruining your country when it was already being destroyed (and rebuilt in a capitalist image) long before them.

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SOURCES:

“German beer hall interior” for Wikimedia Commons - https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e3/Beer-hall.JPG

“The Endangered Beer Hall Adds to Germany’s Cultural Debate” by Melissa Eddy for The New York Times - https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/06/world/europe/germany-beer-halls.html

“Immigrant population hits new high in Germany“ by Emma Thomasson for Reuters - https://www.reuters.com/article/us-germany-immigration/immigrant-population-hits-new-high-in-germany-idUSKBN1AH3EP

“German gentrification - Communes in Berlin” for The Economist - https://www.economist.com/europe/2011/02/10/german-gentrification