Are We Losing Our Edge? by Michael D. Lemonick

The writer is specialized in science and medical journalism, and with his template essay, “Are We Losing Our Edge?,” he wants Americans to be aware that they about in edge of losing the superior place in world for modern technology and science.
For many years, Lemonick said, America was the magnet for sciences all over the world because American government gave them time and money for their researches. He awarded them with the highest salary in the world that they ever imagined. But, in contrast, nowadays America is losing scientists who graduated in the U.S. Even American citizens went out of the country and started researching for other countries. On the other hand, Lemonick reports that 41 percent of the world Ph.D.s still in the country.
After the media published material in newspapers some people tried to blame George W. Bush after 9/11his political reaction for cutting research products. Yet, the author delivered the truth about the shrinking technology budget in three main points: Federal Governments cut, Corporations increasing pressure in market, and quality of education. Nevertheless, the author of “Are We Losing Our Edge” is seeing the bright future for the Unite States after the 9/11 storm time. He advised political bipartisan government society to take action for spending money on scientific research, because U.S. competitors are not sleeping. The previous third world countries like China and India are chasing the U.S. in technology. If we look back in history, Lemonick suggested, we can find why the United States is the greatest nation today. The factors are: Hitler drove scientists out of Europe and Soviet Union threat after WWII. Most importantly wrote Lemonick, that American have to focus on new day economic war. In fact, Robert Brigeneau, a physicist and chancellor of the University in California said about this war, which it hasn’t been understood (p473). In this competition for developing technology, the author wrote, even the slow growing economic past of communist China has learned from U.S. experience in luring scientists by giving money for researching a new technology, and prospective, famous, and rich life for them. The author’s reason for writing this essay, in my opinion, is to wake up public attention on government neglecting education system, spending more money for research labs and scientist salary, and government restriction for short term investment. It is not too late, but losing technology competition is more like to have a new born Edison in China.

Kidnapped in Pakistan: The End of American Ideals? by Hady Amr

Hady Amr, the author of Kidnapped in Pakistan: The End of American Ideals? works for the World Bank, UNICEF, and the United States. Department of Defense. He was co-worker with a woman named Ayesha on a project for the International Development in Washington D.C. Ayesha’s brother was killed by abductors in Pakistan. At the time Ayesha’s brother was kidnapped, she was working to improve the educational system in Pakistan as an American assistant in developing a U.S. and Pakistan relationship. Hady Amr offered help through high level diplomacy in the U.S. because he had made friends through his work in Washington’s officialdom. Ayesha refused his help because she and her family thought that the Pakistan government might handle the negotiation with terrorists better than American officials. Ayesha and her family believed in Pakistani officials because the U.S. government had lost reputation throughout the Iraq war. For this reason, Amr blamed himself and the nation for voting for the Iraq war declaration based on dubious evidence. The most important issue is the abusing of detainees and torture. These actions are shame to the American reputation in the world and cannot be defensible or justified by any law. America, according to Amr, must stand by its ideals like previously did when America was admired all over the world as a shining light.

A Fire in the Basement by Bob Herbert

Herbert starts, A Fire in the Basement with the story about the girl who was charged with murder. That girl does not even know what the word homicide means, but she become the youngest person charged with capital murder in the United States. This example and many other occasions where the people are victims of other people’s bad behavior or government behavior are the main material in Bob Herbert’s essays as a columnist for the New York Times.
Herbert was graduated from Columbia University as a journalist. As a reporter, he spent his time in places with double- dealing, hatred and murder, or those ravaged by hypocrisy. In these places, the war and terror never end. The author is concerned about war in Iraq where many young people have died or been wounded. Some of them have returned in wheelchairs like the army sergeant from Virginia. Herbert is troubled like never before about what is happening in the U.S. today. The past great promise of the beautiful future of America is not applying today. Even in the 50s and 60s, after World War II, great optimism was observed all over the United States, even through out the Vietnam war. Previously, Americans built a plentiful and high standard of living even the life though life was not as good as today. Today, young people can not find jobs. Middle-class families are drowning in debt, public schools are running out of supplies and closing. Innocents are sent to prison while men and women are killed in Iraq, and hunger and homelessness has spread all over the U.S. Schools in the U.S. were never closed even during the Great Depression or WWII. Young people are now often engaged in drug gangs, and most importantly is the criminal justice system is not fair. The author gave examples of too long period prison terms and innocent people sent to prisons. Herbert gave another example about Guantanamo Bay detainees who were arrested and sorted out later. The author pointed out that the nation is going down because of the unequal distribution of nation product. Just one percent of the very rich people were in the top of social pyramid with bottom combined 90 percent of Americans. To explain more vividly, Herbert drew a visual picture with homeless people walking through fancy jewelry shops and then back to their shelters in the church. Over 5.5 million youngsters did not have jobs in America, and their opportunity in the future includes drifting into drug selling, gang membership, prostitution, or being a target of snipers and bombers in Iraq after join the military. A solution to the problem according to the author is to create a leader who will lead the masses and take control of the American national Treasury. Leaders of this type are overmatched by the “fat cats” and the ideologues whose have a stranglehold on the nation’s financial resources and political power. Hebert finished with an appeal to the America nation. Since the time is running out and we have fire in the basement, the most protected place in house.

A Fire in the bathrooms

bichon frise

Homework

My Future Personal Contribution To the History of
The United States

From my historical knowledge I know, we are a way different from others species in the world. People are homo sapiens-sapiens, which is they are rapidly creative, highly knowledgeable, with self-critically abilities. These are characteristics that make us dissimilar from the animals in our planet. Nevertheless, even monkeys cannot get closer to our abilities, but our laziness and less motivation in some occasions make several scientists to believe in our descended from monkeys. People are different from monkeys because they have a brain develop capacity. In the same way, President Barack Obama faced to encourage American students for being motivate and creative because economical situation is not stabilized in nowadays and approaching a next great depression might be posible. But, he believes in Americans that they can get over from this situation by using a new technology, new resources, and the new way of thinking (think out of box). All these things demand knowledge and higher education level that Americans can gain through out the schools. Also, from my knowledge I believe, that people can and should choose and create their own destinies because self motivation is base on own target destination we choose in our lives.
As an emigrant like many others before I believe, that United States is the only one where someone can fully fulfill his or her dreams because the resources and the opportunities are unlimited that in any other country in the world. My dream is to be a rich man by serving others as helper, adviser, and guider. My goal is to become a financial adviser or a vice president in a big company.
I believe in my success because I am a highly motivated person, have knowledge, and experience as owner in a small company in Bulgaria. For example, during my ESL classes, I met a teacher who told me that I will never learn how to write in English because I am a slow learning person. That thing motivated me. I dropped this class, and the next semester pass the same class with an A grade. Also, I always try to do my best and never quit or give up. For instance, I am a member of Phi Theta Kappa in which the members have excellent score grades. Nevertheless, I graduated from a technical engineering college in Bulgaria. In Michigan I work for an international pipe truck company as a set up mechanic operator. When the time goes by I realized, that I got this job not because of my education level, but because of my ability to operate and maintain these machines. My salary is lower than a coworker salary in the same position. These abilities I gained from my school graduated in Bulgaria. From my own experience as worker, I have seen many guys come and go due to their lack of knowledge operating these machines. From that point, I started realizing that ability gain by education is a main engine in our lives today. As well, I have experience as an employer in Bulgarian market economy. By thinking of skills I got, boost my confidence about graduation. For example, my business survived through huge inflation in Bulgaria, through1995. At the some time I had a loan to a Bulgarian bank. By this time, bank APR was 375%. In other words, this means paying back three times the loan for a short period of time.
Accomplishing this goal is important to me because I would like to build my life in the United States because of unlimited resources and opportunities, and also for low level of corruption and well manage government property protection laws. For example, back in my country some of resources are governed by government relatives. In my opinion, these people do not know how to manage those businesses. Also, due to high level of corruption, the property protection law is not useable in many causes in Bulgaria court system. For instance, during the robbery, people personal security is not fully guaranteed by the government. Such as, the owners can use a gun against burglars, only if they attack him or her. Moreover, education in Bulgaria is not evaluated properly and equally, because of government relative invasion in many businesses. In some companies for example, an uneducated people occupied important positions which makes impossible dealing or making any businesses with them.
I plan to accomplish my goal step by step, from college to university. I never plan ahead. As, little by little, I move the level as a high jumper does before he or she jumps. When I accomplished something, I needed some time to appreciate it. Follow this orders, I am getting more courage in the future. In addition, obviously when I become a financial adviser or a vice president in a big company, my salary will be hopefully higher that my salary today. The rich people almost always benefit the country where they lives with the money spend for reaching the highest standard of living.