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  1.  By Sarah Liu, YAIC Weekly 
    February 11, 2013
    www.eslite.com
    www.pagesandpages.com.au

    "Can long distance romance work?" "I fell in love with my best friend. Should I tell her my feeling?" "Does my Mr. Right really exist?" "How could best collectively slack off, form a cartel and drag the examination marking standard down?" "How to crush the student cartel?" "Should I go to a university or get a real job?" "Which career should I choose?" "I don't have enough time!" "Should I study harder in order to get a better grade?" "Should I rely on the rankings?" "My socks don't match. What can I do?" "I use the same password on the Internet and I'm worrying that the hackers might find out!"



    www.positivemoney.org

    These questions were asked by the readers of the dear economist column and undercover economist column on Financial Times . The economist, Tim Harvord would answered the questions calmly without hesitating and frankly with his forthright language. He loves to employ economic models, quote statistical data and sometimes just reason them through logic. These all make his advice reliable and full of his personal charm. This book is consists of 150 problems, giving us the most realistic and entertaining economics that in the same time we can also learn so much from.

    timharvord.com


    "Can long distance romance work?" My friend asked me this question before. Unfortunately, at that time, I couldn't give her any useful advice. And now, before I can share Tim's advice with her, their relationship had already ended, proving that distance romance can't work. However, to those who hope to maintain a distance romance, they will like to know that the Alchain-Allen Theorem says that the Australians drink more high-level Californian wine than the Californians and it's because only expensive wine worth spending this transportation cost.

    johnwentparkland.blogspot.com


    "How could best collectively slack off, form a cartel(the behavior of collusion) and drag the examination marking standard down?" The question was asked by a student from "Cantorbridge College," who was learning economics and, like all of the students, wanted to study less but still get good grade. Tim, instead of rebuking him with moral standard like most of the teachers or elders, he gave him advice like these: give out cheap beers, take others' notes and bully the hard-working students. They might sound frightening, but viewing them as an utterly rational economist, these advice totally make sense.
    An economics professor saw the former article on the newspaper and thought that the letter must had come from his student. He then asked Tim if he had a plan to crush his students' cartel. Though Tim gave the professor some useful solutions, he ended this article with a really harsh comment: If you, an economics teacher can't use your intelligence to crush your students' cartel, then your students can't learn from you anyway. Wow, this economist is really out of the ordinary!
    The most fun part of reading this book is the various questions asked by all kinds of people. You can find yourselves having problems resembling to theirs and will learn the practical solutions. As for me, I'm going to get rid of all my single socks and buy dozens of identical pairs. Hope you'll get your answers here and make good choices in your lifetime.


    Reference:
    Dear Undercover Economist written by Tim Harford

    Posted by YAIC weekly at 7:17 PM | 0 comments | |


  2. By Amity Hsieh, YAIC Weekly
    March 11, 2013
                                    
                                                                                                 

    When we were little and about the age of 5, some of us might already get sick of the Disney movie “Pinocchio” - a movie once dramatically and drastically turned

     rapgenius.com
    a puppet into a real boy. 




















     cartoon-excellence.com 
    And, truth be told, we all seem to be familiar with the story line, realizing the blue fairy will eventually grant Pinocchio his request. 



    But the blue fairy is often busy nowadays.

    She forgets to listen to some of the children’s wishes…even when they sing,


    “When you wish upon a star           Makes no difference who you are
    Anything your heart desires      Will come to you”


    far away from the places we often see miracles. 

    Children in Meghalaya
    en.wikipedia.org
    Children in Meghalaya, India are little miners, digging coal in unbearable darkness where hope is not easily ignited. They managed to feed their family by laboring over $37 to $74 a week with tears and sweat. 

    www.thejakartaglobe.com
    The issue of child labor is heated and widely discussed. “It’s our implementation that’s the problem.” said Vandhana Kandhari, a child protection specialist at UNICEF. (Sources from the NY times)


    Corruption often involves in cases like this, and exploitation of labor along with trafficking is no longer rare among these children. Some of them are forced to work, while others choose to do so in order to save their family. 




    A Research Study in 2004 Conducted by Impulse reveals several facts based on the issue of child labor in Shilong, Meghalaya. Major findings are collected as below. 





    www.thejakartaglobe.com

    The majority of child laborers are between 11 and 14 years of age. Seventy-one percent of the children self-reported as being literate. Only 24 percent of those interviewed reported coming from rural families. The majority (52.82 percent) of children earn between Rs. 10-50 per day. Half of the children were satisfied with their current position, but the other half were not.

    Health problems identified include cough, tuberculosis, skin diseases, anaemia, physical growth retardation, and other deficiencies. A large majority (89 percent) have an addictive habit such as chewing betel nuts, smoking, dendrite sniffing, and consuming alcohol.

    The large majority (94 percent) reported they had never been arrested.






    United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)

    www.ghananewsagency.org
    United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is guided under the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its’ mission is to advocate for the protection of children’s rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. 
    (UNICEF)
    Apparently, the child labor in Meghalaya violates the convention.Yet, the profit always keeps a business going. Laws can even find themselves lost in the intersection where money and human rights meet. 




    Children in Uganda

     A bit further down to Uganda, where children are suffering from a threat of a malicious rebel army, and the government soldiers. 


    en.wikipedia.org


    Children were forced to separate from their beloved ones and left places where their ancestors had settled and lived for generations when the rebel appeared. Many were killed and the rest was awaiting help as well as salvation from their government.


    When the government soldiers arrived, the sun seemed to be brighter again. However, the sun disappointed the Ugandan at last and burned them to death.

    It still puzzles the Ugandan that the government soldiers would harm, rape, and kill them for the sake of money, only because the soldier are not well-paid by the government. 


    Children in Meghalaya lose their right to protection from harmful influences, abuse and exploitation. And children in Uganda sacrifice their right to survival.



    Are we, or are we not, protecting these children?

    www.cbtrust.org.uk



    UNICEF now in 2013 supports the right of every child by registering their birth

    Registering a child’s birth is a focal step towards safeguarding a child’s protection by establishing an official identity, a recognized name and a nationality. 

    (IMDB)
    UNICEF is now working with governments and partners worldwide to register children’s birth, with the further aim of protecting children from child labor, forcible conscription, child marriage, trafficking and facing trial as an adult.

    Anthony Lake, the executive director of UNICEF put,
    “We must count every child because every child counts.”



    We are hoping the new policies and resolutions within a nation or globally may gradually bear fruit. 

    www.thejakartaglobe.com

    And let the darkest hour be just before the dawn


    May the children’s hands are in ours,

    “Little puppet made of pine, awake. The gift of life is thine.”



    To learn more about the issue, please visit

    http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/26/world/asia/in-india-missing-school-to-work-in-the-mine.html

    http://www.thejakartaglobe.com
    http://www.unicef.org/crc/index_30160.html
    http://www.unicef.org/protection/57929_58010.html
    http://www.impulseasia.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=54






    Posted by YAIC weekly at 5:16 PM | 0 comments | |

  3. Taiwan Lantern Festival

    Monday, March 04, 2013


    By Jim Liu, YAIC Weekly
    March 4, 2013

    During the Taiwan Lantern Festival, we can see many lanterns in the sky. As a Chinese people, we cannot miss this big event. Therefore, let me introduce Taiwan Lantern Festival for you.

    This year the Taiwan Lantern Festival is held by Hsinchu County Government.

    There are five zones in this area which show their features, including：

    1. Soaring Snake Zone
    2. Hsinchu Opto Technology Lantern Zone
    3. Animated Art Zone
    4. Local Culture Zone
    5. Charming Hsinchu Zone

    Soaring Snake

    The theme of this year's Taiwan Lantern Festival will emphasize on innovation and breakthrough based on strong winds, high speeds and the future, connecting images of high speed and future style for the connection of the Taiwan High Speed Rail Hsinchu Station to the Taiwna lantern Festival. The master lantern in the main lantern zone show will be showed in conncert with beautiful lighting effects and bamboo structures to incorporate concepts of sustainable environment protection.


    Hsinchu Opto Technology Lantern Zone

    What is most admired in Hsinch County is the intimacy of the land and the people, and the love and protection of the homeland. Thus the sporlight of the Lnatern Festival of Hsinchu County shows not just tech industries but also awareness of the importance of environmental protection. It tells that we have to try our best to protect our environment.


    Animated Art Zone

    During the Taiwan Lantern Festival, the animated art zone will be the place taht grabs both adults and attention. In fact, the Hsinchu County Government has adopted the concept of the Neiwan scenic area, and used a combination of cartoon and local features in a lively animation and cartoon zone.


    Local Culture Zone

    Hakka immigrant in the early days settled on the ridges and plains of Hsinchu County, making the county a major Hakka area for more than a hundred years. Today its residents are mostly Hakka, and they live in harmony with other races. There are also a large number of aboringinal tribes in the remote mountains of Hsinchu County. Therefore, during the 2013 Taiwan Lantern Festival Hsinchu County has constructed a unique zone to make us know more about local cultures in Hsinchu.


    Charming Hsinchu Zone

    Hsinchu County Government cling to a vision of marching to the world. Thus, it has made use of all the resources of Hsinchu County while the essence of the county is condensed so that you can know about the entire county at the lantern festival. As the case stands, the four respective areas, friendly city lantern area, natural exploration hall, street browsing and giant lantern area, and the 13 townships landscape boulevard are designed in order to make visitors fall in love with the charms of Hsinchu County.

    Want to know more about Taiwan Lantern Festival?

    You can surf this website：

    http://2013taiwanlantern.net/tw/index.php

    References:

    http://2013taiwanlantern.net/tw/index.php

    Posted by YAIC weekly at 1:53 PM | 0 comments | |

  4. 2013 World Economic Forum (the Davos)

    Saturday, February 16, 2013


    By Zale Chen, YAIC Weekly
    February 16, 2013


    Davos 2013─Welcoming Address by the Executive Chairman

     For over 40 years, the World Economic Forum (the WEF, or the Davos) has served as a global platform where selected politicians, representatives from academia, chief executives and leaders from all walks of life gather together to exchange ideas regarding global issues. The WEF is held in Davos, Switzerland in every January.

    the World Economic Forum

    the Davos, Switzerland

    Founded in 1971 by Klaus Schwab, a business professor at the University of Geneva, the WEF was originally named as the “European Management Forum”. Later in 1987, it changed its name into the “World Economic Forum” with the ambition to provide a platform for discussing global issues and trying to find resolutions. Moreover, it broadened its focus from management to economic, social and political issues.

    Professor Klaus Schwab

    The mission of the WEF is fully manifested in its motto: “committed to improving the state of the world.”

    “The World Economic Forum is not a decision-making body. It is a platform for initiatives, programs and taskforces. It gives each of our participants the possibility to shape their own opinion based on the latest strategic insights,” said Schwab.

    This year, the WEF lasted from Jan.23 to Jan.27 with the theme of “Resilient Dynamism”. Defined by Merriam-Webster Dictionary, “resilience” means the ability to become strong, healthy or successful after something bad happens and “dynamism” refers to the energy and strong desire to make something happen.

    Therefore, the purpose of the WEF 2013 annual meeting: “Resilience Dynamism” was to calling upon leaders and people to shove worries aside and root out outdated ideas in order to be brave to develop future plans for changes and to keep moving forward.

    In 2012 annual meeting, the WEF focused much on the issue of the European debt crisis. However, through the economic development last year, the European debt crisis has eased up. The 2013 annual meeting therefore concentrated more on the fiscal cliff in the United States, the possibility of war of exchange rate in Asia, the role Mainland China plays in global economy and the threats the emerging economics has brought to the environment.

    Also, according to Global Risk Report 2013 released by the WEF, the global society is now faced with three major risks which are: wealth gap (severe income disparity), unsustainable government debt (chronic fiscal imbalances) and rising greenhouse gas emissions.

    This generation is the most complicated and yet interconnected one in the human history in which we are faced with dreadful challenges as financial crisis and value conflicts. As Schwab said, leaders in 2013 should be both “resilient” and “dynamic” to face these challenges. Through the WEF, we could make more people be aware of these global issues and make changes to improve the state of the world in 2013.

    References:
    Executive Summary, World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2013.
    http://www3.weforum.org/docs/AM13/WEF_AM13_ExecutiveSummary.pdf
    http://www.weforum.org/events/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2013
    http://www.weforum.org/issues/global-risks
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

    Posted by YAIC weekly at 10:27 AM | 0 comments | |

  5. Tension in Northeast Asia rises

    Saturday, February 09, 2013

    By Cheryl Yu, YAIC Weekly 

     February 9, 2013
    According to Time Magazine, the status of Mainland China in both politics and economy enhanced through the past years; therefore, the tension between countries in Northeast Asia have escalated. The condition in Northeast Asia now resembles that of Europe in 1914: a powder keg.
    Former prime minister of Australia, Kevin Rudd
    Kevin Rudd, the Former Prime Minister of Australia, said “The region increasingly resembles a 21st-century maritime redux of the Balkans a century ago - a tinderbox on water. Nationalist sentiment is surging across the region, reducing the domestic political space for less confrontational approaches. Like the Balkans a century ago, riven by overlapping alliances, loyalties, and hatreds, the strategic environment in East Asia is complex.''

    The relationships between countries in East Asia are at stake.

    Japan and China: The conflict has continued since Japan's cabinet secretary announced the government had purchased Diaoyu islands from a Japanese citizen on September 11. The nationalism on both sides of the East China Sea has intensified over this dispute. The conflict between China and Japan has actually started hundreds of years ago. The history makes everything more complicated.

    Leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-un
    North Korea’s military exercise: Kim Jong-un, the leader of North Korea, has led the relation between itself and South Korea and Japan in to a tense situation. Missiles have been launched for five times ever since Kim Jong-un takes the position as the leader of North Korea. Besides the launch of missiles, the nuclear tests have brought Pacific region in to nerves. The US and South Korea warned North Korea recently of "further consequences" if it carried out a third nuclear test.

     World War I began because of a build-up of tension between Britain, Italy, France, Germany, the Austria-Hungarian Empire and Russia. Northeast Asia must cooperate and respect more instead of focusing on countries’ own interests to prevent another World War from happening.

    More Information:
    Japan, China, and the Tide of Nationalism
    Rudd tells of risks over Asia divisions
    North Korea
    US warns of N Korea nuclear test 'consequences'
    Photos taken in order:







    Posted by YAIC weekly at 12:43 AM | 0 comments | |

  6. Is world peace possible?

    Thursday, February 07, 2013

    By Jim Liu, YAIC Weekly
    February 7, 2013

    Psychologist and cognitive scientist Steven Pinker at Harvard University thinks it is completely predictable that wars between countries might go the way of slave auctions, debtors’ prisons and other barbaric customs.There are some parts to the brain that impel us to carry out violence, such as the thirst for revenge, feelings of tribalism, or the quest for dominance. 

    In Asia, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, abbreviated as DPRK, has recently done nuclear tests. The picture on the below is a nuclear test site and water cooling plant. It showed that DPRK started to warn countries not to interrupt them to start the war with South Korea. The enmity between DPRK and South Korea could trace back to the Korean War and therefore the revenge between DPRK and South Korea still have a long way to improve the situation.

    In the Middle East, there were many uprisings two years ago. People in the Middle East are eager to get the right of freedom and the most important problem is the poverty gap.

    The first uprising was in the Tunisia. A street vendor Mohamed Bouazzi committed the suicide because of the high unemployment rate of teenagers in Arab, rising food price and a lack of freedom which result in the series of uprisings. Most importantly, the country’s president, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, has governed the Tunisia for 23 years in power. However, the Tunisia government did not take care of the potential threat. As a result, country’s people topple the government. 

    Egypt, Bahrain, Libya, Syria and Yemen successively start the demonstrations because the long regime, poor economy and a lack of freedom. 

    When the street vendor Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire in Tunisia, this suicide ended up a series of events that would entirely change the Arab world forever and ever. 

    Although the world seems that it was not peaceful at all, many countries’ people have empathy and reason that allow us to see violence as a problem to be solved. For this reason, we still try hard to reach the world peace.



    Despite the fact that now the goal of the world peace is not carried out, we now are on the way to peaceful world.


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Posted by YAIC weekly at 7:42 PM | 0 comments | |

  7. Daily Shower Can Be a Killer

    Friday, February 01, 2013


    By Yusra Cheng, YAIC Weekly

    February 1, 2013



    In a morning, an old man, Jared, escaped from a dangerous situation. Neither a armed robber broke into his house nor did he find himself face to face with a ferocious dog during this bird walk. What he survived was his daily shower.

    Falls are a common cause of older people. Among his wife's and his circle of close friends over the age of 70 ( he is 75 now ), one became crippled for life, one broke the shoulder and one broke a leg in falls on the sidewalk. One fell down the stairs, and another may not survive a recent fall.

    Life expectancy for a healthy American man of Jared's age is about 90. If he's to achieve his statistical quota of 15 more years of life, that means about 15 times 365, or 5475, more showers. But if Jared were so careless that his risk of slipping in the shower each time were as high as 1 in 1000, he'd die or become crippled about five times before reaching his life expectancy. He has to reduce the risk of shower accidents.


    This calculation illustrates the biggest single lesson : the importance of being attentive to hazards that carry a low risk each time but are encountered frequently.

    Studies have compared Americans' perceived ranking of danger with the rankings of real danger, measured either by actual accident figures or by estimated number of averted accidents. It turns out that we exaggerate the risks of events that are beyond our control, that cause many deaths at once or that kill in spectacular way -- crazy gunman, terrorists, plane crashes, nuclear radiation, genetically modified crops. At the same time, we underestimate the risk of events that we can control and of events that kill just one person in a mundane way.

    However, Jared has become constructively paranoid about showers, stepladders, staircases and wet or uneven sidewalks. As he drives, he remain alert to his own possible mistakes ( especially at night ), and to what carelessness other drivers might do.

    Jared's hyper-vigilance doesn't paralyze him or limit his life : he doesn't skip his daily shower and he keeps driving. He enjoys all those dangerous things, but he keeps the risks of accidents far below 1 in 1000 each time.

    Actually, this is not only just for the elders but also those people like you and me. Several weeks ago, I was fainted in the bathroom. Thanks God there were other people found me and sent me to the hospital. After this horrible experience, I become more careful about whether my health is in good condition. Above all, just be aware of any tiny danger around you because it may be a lethal.


    News adopted from Jared Diamond
    Published in The New York Times on January 29
    Pictures by Alex Nabaum







    Posted by YAIC weekly at 11:52 PM | 0 comments | |

  8. By Marco Teng, YAIC Weekly

    February 1, 2013

          UN came out a resolution about last month unauthorized DPRK (hereafter Democratic People's Republic of Korea) long-ranged missile launch test. The Security Council unanimously passed the resolution, which also expands the existing sanctions. North Korea implied their feeling of unfairness and anger through the passage: - the three-stage rocket put a communications satellite into space. But later, its neighbors and the US turned down DPRK's  delcaration: the move constituted a test of long-range missile technology banned under UN resolutions passes after Pyongyang's nuclear test in 2006 and 2009. These words apparently showed the positions of DPRK's neighbors and US. They thought the object launched was a long-ranged missile.

          Nuclear Weapons are extremely dangerous. In the past, DPRK has conducted two nuclear tests. Therefore, I strongly believe that there is something behind the launch. Inside the Security Council, DPRK supposed to demonstrate the object launched was a satellite, not a missile and try to convince or negotiate with other member states. However the government of DPRK hasn't proposed any official announcement to prove it was not a missile today. 

    North Korea's rocket lifts off on 12 December 2012      There are three primary neighboring countries of DPRK , South Korea, China and Russia. China and Russia are DPRK's allies while South Korea is inclined to stand with the US. However China and Russia don't want to offend other member states of the UN, thus they don't fully countenance DPRK's speaking. Honestly, letting North Korea to hold nuclear weapon will not threaten China and Russia, but South Korea. This is because that will make the military proportion within the Korean Peninsula into a state of unbalance and maybe will cause the war between within the peninsula later on. that was the reason why South Korea and US welcome the resolution.

    References:
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21137136
    http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/285240-3

    Posted by YAIC weekly at 12:18 PM | 0 comments | |

  9. TMUN Junior

    Thursday, January 31, 2013

    By Jerry Cheng, YAIC Weekly

    January 31, 2013


    “Motion! Motion for cheering for the great finale of 2013 TMUN Junior!”


    The 2013 TMUN Junior ended up with a tremendous success. The staff members tried really hard to pull this off and every distinguished delegate from around Taiwan gave their biggest round of applause to this event. However, what is TMUN Junior exactly?

    Taipei Model United Nations Special Conference, also known as TMUN Junior, is a yearly MUN specially designed for senior high students. And it has been held and coordinated by YAIC(hereafter Youth Association of International Conferences) of National ChengChi University for three straight years(Since G20 Summit in 2011).

    This simulated conference provides participants insights into internationally popular and heatedly debated issues ranging from global security to human rights.



    The main body of TMUN Junior consists of three committees, all are affiliated to General Assembly in United Nations: Disarmament an International Security Committee(DISEC) deals with disarmament, global challenges and threat to peace and seeks out solutions to challenges in the international security regime; Economic and Financial Committee(ECOFIN) deals with global economic growth and development; Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Affairs Committee(SOCHUM) deals with social, humanitarian and human rights issues that affect people all over the globe.

    Through constant caucusing and debating, delegates can learn how to negotiate with others in a diplomatic manner, maximize their own interests with less compromises, develop greater inter-personal skills to meet other elites in social events and, most important of all, leave the conference room with a whole new vision toward the globe.

    Caucusing
    We live in this world, as the global citizens, we are all obligated to understand the pulse on this planet, that's why the Model United Nations are here for. Those changes come from within you, in the words of Mahatma Ghandi: “We must be the change we wish to see in this world” Be brave to speak up for your own country and let the voice be heard! 
    UN Headquarter, NYC

    TMUN Junior, we'll see you in 2014 and wish you a happy new year.

    Breaking news!!!
    The best delegates of this year's TMUN Junior are qualified to participate in TMUN on 4/26~28 at National ChenChi University. Wanna get a taste of college-style MUN? Join us!



    Photos taken in order

    https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=366188846811721&set=a.366179350146004.78950.363886490375290&type=3&src=https%3A%2F%2Ffbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net%2Fhphotos-ak-ash3%2F537238_366188846811721_782933707_n.jpg&size=960%2C638

    http://tmunj.weebly.com/uploads/1/4/5/7/14577086/1915491_orig.jpg?246

    https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=366179780145961&set=a.366179350146004.78950.363886490375290&type=3&src=https%3A%2F%2Ffbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net%2Fhphotos-ak-ash4%2F391225_366179780145961_2108492530_n.jpg&size=960%2C643

    http://www.braco.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/un-building1.jpg

    https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=317569711674000&set=a.317569705007334.67961.317569625007342&type=3&src=https%3A%2F%2Ffbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net%2Fhphotos-ak-ash4%2F285552_317569711674000_961921825_n.jpg&size=323%2C324


    Posted by Unknown at 3:37 PM | 0 comments | |

  10. More Gun Laws = ?

    Sunday, January 27, 2013




    By Amity Hsieh, YAIC Weekly
    January 27, 2013


     “Don’t Shoot!”

    He walked down the hall ;face twisted with anger. 
    The black ghost came out  from nowhere. 
    He was panting, as if spellbound upon hearing others yelling, 
    “Don’t shoot!”


    BOOM BOOM BOOM…The rifle seemed to be out of control. Numerous
    bullets took 26 lives away within a couple of minutes, but left more to suffer, to mourn, and to doubt the security system after the mass shooting took place in Sandy Hook Elementary School.
    www.olivecocomag.com




    On December 14, 2012, aside the lush meadow and giggles from the
    classrooms, Adam Lanza massacred 20 innocent angels in their first grade and 6 members of the staff who attempted to protect kids but to no avail. People could not help thinking,
    news.nationalpost.com
    “Who is Adam Lanza?”,
    “Is he really rotten to the core?” or
    “How am I supposed to do when dropping my kid off at the school every
    morning just to picture a guy with 23-caliber Bushmaster XM15-E2S rifle
    harming my baby in any possible minute?”



    In fact, the President of the United States of America called for a change and
    immediate actions taken by Congress on January 16, 2013. He laid three
    claims to Congress, referring them to common sense measures.

    news.nationalpost.com
    First, Congress should demand a general background check for anyone who tries to buy a weapon. To prevent wrong people from getting hands on their guns, the check is fairly compulsory for protecting all the citizens and the rights of responsible buyers and sellers.

    Second, Congress should reinstate a ban on weapons mainly used in military style, and a 10-round limit for magazines with the aim of preventing the perpetrator from wreaking such great damage.                                      
                                                                                  
                                                                                                        
    In the final, President Obama appealed to Congress for help, rather than
    hindrance for the sake of its job. The speech was moderately persuasive and
    moving when President Obama revealed his sorrow and tribute to the
    victims.



    Here I would like to expand a little more on Rep. Steve Stockman’s view toward President Obama’s statement on the 16th last week as well as my own perspective.

    Republican Steve Stockman claimed, following the president’s press
    conference that “Gun bands and anti-gun laws have always led to one thing – more gun violence.”

    He stated that banning allows more people to increase
    their intent to purchase weapons. Unfortunately, no evidence or research can
    justify the causation yet.
    My opinion is rather simple –

    More gun laws are not equivalent to more gun violence.

    Here are my reasons.

    “Guess a rifle suits me better.”www.thetruthaboutguns.com




    First, based on a criminological theory“The Broken Windows Theory” which illustrates crime and anti-social behavior are affected by the environment, I believe widespread guns give rise to possibility of gun violence. The theory took from an example as follow.

    flickr.com/photos/nandanj

     Consider a building with a few broken windows. If the windows are not repaired, the tendency is for vandals to break a few more windows.

    Derived the concept from the theory, to keep the environment in a well-established condition may diminish serious crime.With fewer guns in the market and more gun laws prohibiting wrong people from owning weapons, I believe a safer environment can be constructed.

    mashable.com
    If one walks into Wall Mart in the United States, one would likely to see gun placed on the shelves along with other products. For most of the Americans, they are certainly used to this scene; however, some Asians like me, still kept my mouth open upon seeing it. Of course the cultural difference matters. But what matters the most is the gun law in Taiwan makes me more aware of the existence of guns.If guns are easily bought by anyone, anywhere without any stricter check, the violence might just be inevitable since the alarming environment already brims with a variety of weapons.



    Second, in International Relations, the security dilemma happens when one
    and its neighbor or other countries arm themselves one by one for the sake of self-protection.

    The same dilemma is faced in the United States. The gun flood occurs when one tries to buy the weapon to safeguard oneself while the
    www.washingtonpost.com
    others buy too upon seeing one purchase. Therefore, the society packed with guns where people live in might as well begin to lose trust, and become more unstable and unsafe; same as the reason shown above.
    The dilemma is the fear seen as a whole.







    Last but not least, let us talk about what have gone wrong with our society
    when shootings take place commonly. Below is the history of deadly US mass shootings (BBC, 2012) in the last 30 years.

    1984: James Oliver Huberty shoots dead 21 people at a McDonald's in California
            1986: Postal worker Pat Sherrill kills 14 people at post office in Oklahoma
            1991: George Hennard kills 23 people at a cafeteria in Texas
    1999: Two students at Columbine high school kill 13 and injure 20, before
    killing themselves
            2007: A student kills 32 and injures dozens more at Virginia Tech university
            2009: 13 people are killed in a mass shooting at Fort Hood military base in
    Texas
            2012: James Holmes kills 12 people and injures 58 at a cinema in Aurora,
    Colorado

    And you bet, 2012: Adam Lenza kills 28 people (himself included) and injures 2 in Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.

    www.firstpost.com




    What is wrong with the education that we keep teaching that harm is
    forbidden, that killing is irreversible and unforgivable? What is the problem
    with the law……?


    There are so many whys and whats going on and on every single time after
    such tragedy occurs. The problem is that the new pain arrives often earlier
    when we are still struggling with our former pain. The new does
    not necessarily clear away the old. And the same stories hurt as many hearts
    as always. Perhaps as we seek for the external needs and promises, we need
    to reflect back on ourselves internally at the same time –
    “What can we do besides the law enforcement, the regulations, and all the
    external resolutions?”
    www.nydailynews.com


    We need to raise our moral standard by teaching and promoting.
    We need to care more about the society, and let the anguish vanish with compassion and more understandings. And finally, we need to cherish. As Robert Brault put, “Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you'll look back and realize they were big things.”


    I shall also quote from him,
    “Let us cherish, for one day as we look back, we would realize
    they were somehow big.”



    Do not lose before you start to cherish.




    This article is dedicated to the kids, members of the staff and the rest of the broken hearts.



    I am Amity Hsieh. This is YAIC Weekly.

    For more information


    Broken windows theory (2013, January last modified). WIKIPEDIA. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broken_windows_theory

    Farley, R., &Kiely, E. (2013, January 24). Fact check: GOP response to Obama gun plan. USA TODAY.Retrieved from http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/01/24/fact-check-republicans-obama-gun-plan/1862183/

    Remarks by the President and the Vice President on Gun Violence.(2013, January).The White House.Retrieved from http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/01/16/remarks-president-and-vice-president-gun-violence

    Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting (2013, January last modified).WIKIPEDIA.Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandy_Hook_Elementary_School_shooting

    Unknown author. (2012, December 15). Connecticut school shooting: Children among 27 killed. BBC NEWS US&CANADA. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-20730717



    Photos taken in order.

    Unknown author ( 2012, December 14) OC Headlines/Breaking News: Mass shooting at Newton, CT Elemnetary School, 27 dead. Retrieved from http://www.olivecocomag.com/oc-headlines-breaking-news-prayers-go-out-to-newton-ct-where-gunman-has-killed-18-children/

    Unknown author (2012, December 15) Heroes of Newtown: Sandy Hook principal died lunging at gunman, others shielded students with their bodies. Retrieved from http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/12/15/the-heroes-of-newtown-sandy-hook-elementary-staff-died-protecting-students/

    Kozak, B. (2011, September 8) Gun Training and the Story of Monkey No.3. Retrieved from http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2011/09/brad-kozak/gun-training-and-the-story-of-monkey-no-3/

    Unknown author (2011, October 3) Broken Windows/ Swift and Certain. Retrieved from http://laguardianangels.org/broken-windows-swift-and-certain/

    Larson, E. (2012, December 20) 'Demand a Plan' Campaign Calls for Gun Reform in Wake of Newtown.
    Retrieved from http://mashable.com/2012/12/19/demand-a-plan/

    Dixon, V. E. (2012, December 21) The idolatry of the gun. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/guest-voices/post/the-idolatry-of-the-gun/2012/12/21/c9a3a340-4bc5-11e2-a6a6-aabac85e8036_blog.html

    Malone, S. & Cooney, P. (2012, December 15) Quiet Connecticut town rocked by mass school shooting. Retrieved from http://www.firstpost.com/world/quiet-connecticut-town-rocked-by-mass-school-shooting-558253.html

    Lvsiak, M., Morales, M., Thompson, T., Chapman, B., Parascandola, R., Straw, J., Cavaliere, V. & Mcshane, L. (2012, December 14/15) Updated: 26 dead, including 20 kids. in Newtown. Conn., elementary school shooting: Gunman Adam Lanza, 20, kills teacher mom in her Newtown home, drives her car to her school and opened fire before killing self. Retrieved from http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/deadly-shooting-reported-conn-elementary-school-article-1.1220164


    Posted by YAIC weekly at 11:51 PM | 1 comments | |