Do We Need To Fix American Perception Worldwide?

It's no secret that many parts of the world disapprove of the United States. The question that remains is why. There's a large difference between having an accurate understanding of what the United States stands for and disliking its principles and being misinformed. A friend of mine has taken it upon himself recently to argue for reinstating a branch of the government found archaic after the Cold War ended whose sole purpose was to promote America's brand worldwide.

The United States Information Agency was established "to understand, inform and influence foreign publics in promotion of the national interest, and to broaden the dialogue between Americans and U.S. institutions, and their counterparts abroad.” Many argue that in the twenty first century, we fight less wars based on territory and more based on ideology. So what greater weapon do we have than an information agency that effectively portrays America in a favorable light?

Critics of the agency have other things to say. Many argue that such propaganda is inappropriate in such a day and age and that the United States should not have to resort to tactics often used by countries we view as "shady" or "illegitimate".

The question remains - what methods do you think the United States should use to promote its image worldwide?

The Science of Bagels

I thought it would be helpful to write about something a little more lighthearted than stress or current events - bagels.

I'd say about 9 out of 10 school days, I bring a bagel with cream cheese and sometimes lox to first period for breakfast. I am a bagel fanatic. Whenever we would visit my mother's family in NYC when I was younger, the only thing that would get me through the seemingly everlasting flight was the promise of East Coast bagels. So I was personally thrilled when I saw that NPR's Maria Godoy had reported a story on what makes New York bagels so good.

The secret? It's in the boiling. The American Chemical Society found that the idea that New York bagels are so delicious because of their water is actually largely untrue. What makes a NY bagel so good is first the refrigeration that slows the yeast in the dough, which allows for fermentation that results in more delicious bagels. The boiling process then contributes its own effects to the taste and texture of the bagels, must like freeze flashing a steak.

So, if you ever want to make your own bagels, be sure to stick them in the fridge and then boil them. It'll feel like you're in New York!

Ditching School?

With all the talks we've been having recently about the effects of stress and parenting styles on students, I thought I'd summarize a story recently covered by NPR titled "How Do You Motivate Kids To Stop Skipping School?

The article discusses how a recent study demonstrated that oftentimes, providing incentives to attend school is counterproductive. The study looked at 799 boys and girls in an impoverished part of India who were part of an altruistic program that, despite providing a significantly higher quality education than other programs, finds itself with the same attendance rate.

The program tried to provide an incentive - those who showed up 32 out of 38 days would receive two pencils and an eraser. Initially, attendance rates improved. However, as time went on and the reward period was concluded, attendance rates went back to normal. With kids who didn't qualify for the reward, the attendance level actually decreased to a point lower than where it was before incentives were introduced.

The summary NPR provided concluded that failing these types of challenges are disheartening. What do you think?

Iconic Photos in US History

Great Depression

World War II

 Flag Raising at Iwo Jima
This is probably the most iconic photo in American history to date. It captures the American spirit perfectly, with the American people working together to reach a common goal. The photograph is also very symbolic because it shows the prevalence of American ideals even amidst all the rubble and chaos.

 New York's Penn Station (1944)

 Women's Auxiliary Army Corps (June 1942)

 Members of the U.S. Army Air Corps's legendary 99th Pursuit Squadron, the Tuskegee Airmen (1942)

Selma (March 7, 1965)

Vietnam War (1964 - 1975)

 The Saigon Execution (Feb 1, 1968)

 Kent State Protest (May 4, 1970)

*Selma and the Kent State Protest reflect the violence of police brutality amidst the confusion of war.

9/11

Flag Raising at the World Trade Center

 The Falling Man 

*While the flag raising reflects hope, the falling man reflects hopelessness.  These two photographs capture the two prevailing moods during the aftermath of 9/11.

Sources: 
Wikimedia Foundation

Clinton Email Scandal

Hi everyone! If you've been following the news the past few months, you may have noticed that presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has been criticized recently for her use of a private email in her time in the State Department. The main issue was that, by using a private email,  she didn't need to release her emails to the public.

Today, the State Department released 296 emails sent by Secretary Clinton in her time in the State Department.

The department stated that the first set of emails released would be given to the House Select Committee on Benghazi, which talk mostly about the attack on the facility that has often been a focal point of the criticism surrounding Clinton. Many argue that this latest email scandal plays into Clinton's reputation as being seemingly above the rules. The Committee on Benghazi has stated, "The emails we release today do not change the essential facts or out understanding of the events before, during, or after the attacks, which have been known since the independent Accountability Review Board report on the Benghazi attacks was released almost two and a half years ago."

The question now remains - can Clinton shed her reputation as seeming high and mighty and above the rules by which al others abide, or are these emails only the most recent unfolding that uphold such a portrayal?

Dealing with Stress

Hey guys! I found this website to share with your parents to help with coping with school-related pressure and stress:

Click Me!

Elephant Mom

I found this article on elephant parents. Elephant parents are the complete opposite of tiger parents. Your parents do everything for you and instead of putting the pressure on you, they try to take away the pressure. It's more like being a mommy's boy. You can't survive in life without your parents. This can be bad because if you rely on your parents to much, you won't be prepared for life. Meaning when you go off to college or make your own independent choices, you can't always rely on your parents to make the choices for you. This article also talks about the comparisons between a tiger mom and elephant mom. Now going to my parents, my dad is a tiger dad and my mom is a elephant mom. It's funny because when I need something I always go to my mom. And this causes a lot of conflicts because my dad hates buying knick knacks, or anything fancy because he thinks it's completely useless. This link tells the difference between a tiger parents and elephant parents.

http://www.healthywomen.org/content/blog-entry/are-you-elephant-mom-or-tiger-mom