April 2014
VOLUME 10 • ISSUE 2
The Future of
Currency?
Bitcoin Debate
8-9
AS WELL AS: Inequality in the Bay Area, 4-5 Online Education, 16
THE CHARIOT EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Drew Bent Eric Noh SENIOR EDITORS Charles Liu Cooper Aspegren COPY EDITORS Sidd Karamcheti Sabrina Lui FUNDRAISING Sidd Karamcheti CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Gabriel Alon Kathleen DeCoste Stephen Lee Joseph Nicolls David Patou David Schwartzman Ben Sorensen Maggie Wang Kathleen Xue Katina Yong Dave Zhu
DEAR READERS, In this issue, The Chariot explores topics of various scopes—including local, national, and international affairs. From inequality in the Bay Area to the resurgence of al Qaeda, it is the goal of our writers to inform you of these issues and to share their opinions regarding the topics covered. In particular, we are featuring a debate on a digital currency called Bitcoin. Known for its price volatility, Bitcoin has been a regular feature in the media recently. There has been much controversy over the use of Bitcoin as a legitimate form of currency and its acceptance by economists. The debate featured in this issue provides two contrasting views of Bitcoin as a form of currency. There is no right or wrong answer for this topic. As such, our writers reveal both sides of the argument to inform you of the opinions that exist regarding Bitcoin. Lastly, we encourage you to become a member of our staff if you are interested in pursuing journalism in high school or simply voicing your opinion on an issue that is important to you. The Chariot in recent years has expanded past politics to also cover topics such as books, movies, and other cultural subjects; we are constantly searching for new ideas, and we welcome any suggestions or comments. In addition, as The Chariot is transitioning into the next school year with a new leadership, we are especially looking for freshmen, sophomores, and juniors who are interested in leading the publication in future years. The Chariot still has much room to improve, and we hope that the staff in consequent years will continue to grow the publication.
Sincerely,
The Chariot would like to thank the following sponsors and patrons: FOUNDATION/GROUP SPONSORS Adobe Systems • Daughters of the American Revolution • Palo Alto Lions Club
Eric Noh & Drew Bent
Editors-In-Chief Front cover artwork is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution. ABOUT US
PATRONS ($100+) Lauren Michals and Vinod Bharadwaj • Patricia Bruegger • Steven Guggenheim • Yajun Liu and Shirley Zeng
The Chariot would also like to thank Advisor Marc Igler for his support.
The Chariot is intended to create and promote political and cultural discussion at Gunn and make people aware of issues that matter. We ask that you respect all opinions which are reflected in our publication, and write letters to the editors if you wish to voice your opinion. The views expressed do not reflect that of The Chariot, but rather those of the individual writers. The Chariot was originally founded in 2001 as The Partisan Review by Gunn alumni Ilan Wurman (‘06), Channing Hancock (‘06), and Sarah McDermott (‘05). Visit our website, www.gunnchariot.com if you wish to view any issues from previous years or for more information about us. Any questions, comments, suggestions, or requests to join can be sent to gunnchariot@gmail.com. If you’d like to make a donation or subscribe, please send checks to: Marc Igler Re: The Gunn Chariot 780 Arastradero Road Palo Alto, CA 94306 Checks can be made out to Gunn High School with “The Chariot” on the memo.
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APRIL 2014
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IN THE NEWS Supreme Court Widens Role of Money in Politics
On April 2, the Supreme Court ruled that decades-long restrictions on political donations were unconstitutional. The 5-4 ruling in the McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission case disallows any state from setting aggregate limits on contributions, although donations to an individual candidate are still capped at $5,200 (and $32,400 for a national party committee.) The eight states that had set limits on aggregate contributions in politics have quickly adjusted their rules to reflect the ruling. Although some restrictions still apply, the controversial ruling will likely encourage even more donations from wealthy donors. While the minority in the Supreme Court argued that this would create more political corruption, Chief John Roberts upheld the idea that the donations are protected by the First Amendment. In the majority opinion, Roberts wrote, “Money in politics may at times seem repugnant to some, but so too does much of what the First Amendment vigorously protects. If the First Amendment protects flag burning, funeral protests, and Nazi parades—despite the profound offense such spectacles cause—it surely protects political campaign speech despite popular opposition.” Following the ruling, lawmakers in Congress began pushing for more transparency in campaign finances.
Google’s Unorthodox Stock Split Google’s stock underwent a split on April 3, but not in your traditional two-for-one stock split. Although the effects will be near-
ly the same, the tech giant actually issued a new type of non-voting Class C stock. The engineered move will leave shareholders with twice the number of shares as before— split equally between the old Class A shares and the newer Class C ones—as well as leave cofounders Sergey Brin and Larry Page in tighter control of their company. The split comes after years in the making and prevents the founders from losing voting control as they issue new shares to employees and executives. While some have criticized the move for going against Google’s motto, “Don’t be evil,” and hurting shareholders, others accepted the stock split as inevitable for a growing company.
Tensions Grow in Crimea On February 26, Russian forces began the annexation of the Crimea peninsula, an autonomous region of Ukraine with a strong Russian ethnic majority. Russia took this action as result of the Ukranian Revolution; the aftermath of the Ukranian Revolution had seen President Viktor Yanukovych impeached by the Ukrainian Parliament and the installment of a more pro-Western interim government in Ukraine. Russia quickly asserted its control over Crimea and on March 17, the Crimean parliament declared its independence and asked to join Russia. Currently, the peninsula is being administered by Russia as the Crimean Federal District. Russia’s actions have received overwhelming condemnation from much of the international community. On March 27, the United Nations General Assembly passed into effect non-binding Resolution 68/262, which deemed Crimea’s incorporation into Russia as illegal. Only six countries have explicitly accepted Crimea as part of Russia: Afghanistan, Nicaragua, Russia, Syria, Zimbabwe, and Venezuela. Despite being condemned by the majority of the world, it is clear that Russia intends to keep control of Crimea for the long-term. APRIL 2014
THROUGH TWEETS Happy #OpeningDay! Welcome to the best day of the year. -MLB @MLB March 31
Sevastopol, a city of Russian military glory. The Alley of Hero Cities -Dmitry Medvedev @MedvedevRussiaE March 31
By a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court has ruled that the superrich should have more speech than the rest of us. #SCOTUS -Sen. Barbara Boxer @SenatorBoxer April 2
“It’s time for ten-ten. It’s time to give America a raise.” —President Obama #RaiseTheWage to $10.10 -Barack Obama @BarackObama April 2 3
THE CHARIOT
A Bifurcated Valley Drew Bent Co-Editor-in-Chief
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he debate on economic inequality in the Bay Area has become all the rage—and for good reason. As Google employees herd into their opulent, Internet-equipped buses and newly minted tech millionaires roam the streets of San Francisco, the “other half ” can’t help but notice the growing disparity. Evictions are commonplace, and tent cities have even begun popping up in San Jose. Although people have varying opinions on the scope of the situation and how to deal with it, there is no denying the fact that an all-out class war is simmering. The Bay Area is undergoing a transformation, and it’s time we take notice. The underlying problem, however, is not specific to Silicon Valley. The 85 richest people in the world now have as much wealth as the 3.5 billion poorest, according to the recent World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. This stark contrast between the very wealthy and the other half of the world population is nothing short of mind-numbing, and it demonstrates a growing trend. As we pull away from the 2008 Great Recession, the fruits of our economic growth are increasingly trickling up to the hands of a select set of individuals. Tragically, the groups suffering from this inequity the most are minorities—Latino workers, for instance, are earning 70% less than their white counterparts. The Bay Area’s recovery from the recession has been incredibly strong, with an added 46,700 jobs this past year, but it’s also been a largely tech-led recovery, with serious ramifications. Although many people are indeed better off than they were in 2008, the relative wages of the wealthy and the poor are veering away from each other. In fact, despite the recovery, the median income dropped to $85,000, an 11-year low for the Bay Area. If we’re not careful, the bifurcated valley
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The 85 richest people in the world now have as much wealth as the 3.5 billion poorest. that we’re becoming will be here to stay. It’s tempting to point fingers and blame others for how we got here, but what’s the point? The more important issue for us to tackle is how we can stop our current momentum in the wrong direction towards extreme inequity. First, we need to tackle awareness. AWARENESS In a town that is ranked fifth in number of millionaires and one in number of residents with higher education, Palo Alto may appear to be above this problem. It is not. Averages only obscure the true issues surrounding Bay Area cities. 20% of Bay Area residents earn less than $35k and another 35% earn below $100k, which— for a place like Palo Alto—makes living close to impossible. Housing prices have shot through the roof, and even places like Town & Country have upscaled to the point of unaffordability. Fortunately, there are a host of smart people in the area with the capability of tackling the inequality problem. Since there is no simple answer, we need to work together and put aside any partisan issues. 90% of Democrats may support government intervention while only 45% of Republicans do, but we should all agree that something needs to be done. What follows are several ideas. INFRASTRUCTURE Housing and transportation categorize two of the biggest problems currently afflicting San Francisco. In order to increase opportunities for everyone, we may well need the government to impose infrastructural changes. In San Francisco, for example, the city’s abundance of regulaAPRIL 2014
tions has stunted the number of houses being built and caused prices to skyrocket. By allowing owners to build up and develop high-rises, the city could encourage new homes and drive prices down. Even outside local governments, though, the corporate world has an opportunity to spread equity, such as through expanding programs in job training and outreach. SHARING PROSPERITY It is in all of our best interests to split the economic prosperity of recent years more evenly. Henry Ford’s revolutionary idea to pay his employees three times the going rate was not only applicable to 1917. As President Barack Obama mentioned in his 2014 State of the Union Address, business leaders need to to “raise employees’ wages. It’s good for the economy; it’s good for America.” Ford’s genius came from his recognizing that his employees were also his customers. EDUCATION Although often looked down upon for its longer time frame, education is potentially the most important factor at play here. Jobs are becoming displaced every day, and it’s likely that technology will be entangled in every job of the future. Rather than avoiding this reality, we need to plan for it. The country needs more college-educated workers to enter the technology sector, which is very demandheavy for the foreseeable future (and beyond.) OTHER SOLUTIONS The issue of income inequity is multifaceted, which means there are numerous ways to mediate it. President Obama has recently been pushing for an increase in minimum wage, which has continuously dropped over the years (accounting for inflation.) At this point, living off minimum wage is close to impossible. At a broader level, we also need to continue with technology innovation. Al-
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though technology can widen the gap (see everything above,) it can also create thousands of new jobs through what is known as the multiplier effect. Tesla’s factory in Fremont, for instance, opened up hundreds of jobs to people in the area. ~~~ Although Silicon Valley’s future may appear dim amidst the recent controversies, this is an opportunity for us to come together to change the course of history. We first need to recognize that we are experiencing inequalities in unheardof proportions—globally, nationally, and locally—and that they truly are historic anomalies. After that, we can propose reforms in infrastructure, job creation, education, and a variety of other areas to narrow the gap. We don’t need to remain a bifurcated valley. We can restore the appropriate equity and spur economic growth for years to come.
Book Review: Mortal Coils Katina Yong Contributing Writer
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nyone who has ever tried reading Bulfinch’s Mythology will know of its less than readable nature and its propensity for being used as a paperweight. In general, modern interpretations of mythology range from archaic to the type popularized by the Percy Jackson series. I applaud the series for introducing mythology to the average reader, but the mythological learning ends there. This is where Eric Nylund’s Mortal Coils series fits in: as a more potent version of the Percy Jackson books that does not spiral into a “Tour of Mythology” travel documentary. In Mortal Coils, twins Eliot and Fiona Post are the children of Atropos, the eldest Fate, and Lucifer. As young heroes to be, they undergo the traditional trial of bravery and courage to prove their worthiness. The two current books in the series end on the exciting note of Armageddon and destruction as the gods and Hell attempt to demolish each other.
The plot and characters are complex, a metaphor for the intricacies of mythology. However, the premise itself should be enough to tempt any reader. The book is a smorgasbord of religions and acknowledges that many religions are fundamentally intertwined with each other. It features monotheistic religions along with polytheistic ones such as ancient Greek religion and Christianity. However, within the complex plot and side plots comes a problem: a market has not emerged for this kind of series. A reader who has read the book would shower it with praise, but the publisher and author disagree whether it belongs within the Young Adult section or the Adult section. The ages of the protagonists beg for teenage readers, but the book’s complex nature makes it an anom-
The plot and characters are complex, a metaphor for the intricacies of mythology. aly amongst the fluffy nature of its peers. The conflicting the nature of the book has hurt its success. The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon would be another of these anomalies; however it has done quite well in the market, drawing comparisons to Harry Potter. Instead of marketing to young adults, the publisher marketed it towards adults, although curious teenagers still read it. The Mortal Coils series needs the same thing to happen to it so people are to read it. Until then, the series remains incomplete: a critical masterpiece but not viable commercially. The second book has suffered because of this as well. From an emotional standpoint, it is painful to see such a great book not fulfill its potential. On the other hand, publishers have to post a profit every quarter. Creative interests are held secondary to business. Nevertheless, I recommend you read the Mortal Coils series for it is beautiful, complex, and all too human. Its characters breathe and feel. Realistic worldbuilding only contributes to its glory. For those that make the jump and read it, I hope that is a reprieve from all the other fluff. APRIL 2014
The Rise of TEDx Gabriel Alon Contributing Writer
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n January 17 of 2014, TEDxGunnHighSchool held its annual conference in Spangenberg Theatre. This allowed for an expansion in attendance by seven-fold. Teachers signed up their classes online, and students enrolled individually as well. To compliment registration efforts, the organizers created a TEDxGunnHighSchool iPhone app, wrote profiles of the speakers, and ran a media campaign over Facebook. The event was immediately covered in The Palo Alto Weekly, The Oracle, and the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Several Bay Area schools have contacted Gunn about starting their own organizations, and Palo Alto High School will host its first event next month. The event featured several well-known people, Gunn students, and Stanford University Graduate and Undergraduate students. In the first and most attended session, Boris Sofman from Anki described how his company philosophy is about bringing robotics into the world of physical gaming. This was paired with Gunn Senior, Moira Saxena, who gave a dance performance and a speech explaining what she was trying to express through it. In the growing TEDx movement, Gunn carries a special recognition as one of the first student-run conferences. TED has been around since 1984 and has continually brought leaders together to share important ideas. However, until recently, the conferences were limited to those who could afford it. Fortunately, TEDx brings the ideas from TED to the masses, and as of January, TED started permitting the formation of TED-ED clubs, in which students watch and discuss TED videos. These videos are then uploaded to ed.ted. com. The future of TED and education will be inextricably linked because of the advent of these two new TED subsets.
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THE CHARIOT
A caricature of Janet Yellen, Creative Commons Attribution.
Janet Yellen becomes Federal Reserve head Joe Nicholls Contributing Writer
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n February 1st, Janet Yellen assumed the leadership of the Federal Reserve, and was sworn in the next Monday. Following the last four years in which she was the Vice Chair under Ben Bernanke, her rise to power marks the first time that a woman has held the position of Federal Reserve Chair in the institution’s history. Although it would be a mistake to disregard this momentous step forward towards gender equality, it would also be a mistake to assume that this represents a radically new direction for the Federal Reserve. On the contrary, Janet Yellen, being Ben Bernanke’s “intellectual partner,” as noted by CBS Business analyst Jill Schlesinger, will most likely tackle the humbler agenda of carrying the Fed’s controversial actions during the 2008 recession to their logical conclusion. The great challenge ahead for Janet Yellen is slowly drawing back on trillions of dollars of support given during the
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2008 recession without provoking another financial panic. It’s a difficult task, one that requires much delicacy and transparency. Fortunately for the market, Yellen is an extremely experienced official that believes firmly in expanding transparency, as proven by her actions during the recent economic crisis. When Bernanke asked Yellen to head a communications committee, she took on the challenge with gusto, scheduling frequent press conferences and statements detailing the Fed’s long term goals. In an interview last June, Yellen said, “I hope and trust that the days of ‘never explain, never excuse’ are gone for good.” Transparency is not enough, however. Greater financial regulations are needed in order to the financial irresponsibility that led to the Great Recession. A Chair of the San Francisco Fed at the time, Janet Yellen reflected in 2010 that “this experience has strongly inclined me toward tougher standards and built-in rules that will kick into effect automatically when things like this happen that make tightening up a less discretionary matter.”. APRIL 2014
The passage of time, along with the economic strife still plaguing the rest of the world, has only solidified this impression. In addition to seeking greater transparency, Yellen is extremely wary about the dangers of inflation. She was a major player in making the Federal Reserve adopt its current 2% target for inflation, saying that it was critical that there be some inflation—but only very little. So far, it appears that this policy, in addition to many other economic forecasts she has made, was extremely prescient. According to recent Wall Street Journal analysis, she “has produced the most accurate forecasts of all the current Fed officials from 2009 through 2013.” We currently have the best person for the job at the head of the Fed. She has been praised by politicians, economists, and businessmen as one of the finest economic minds of her generation. However, whether or not the best of the best is up to the handling some of the worst of the worst is a question only time can answer.
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Judicial branch repeals gay marriage bans Cooper Aspegren Senior Editor
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avid Boies, one of the lawyers who represented the plaintiffs in the suit that brought an end to California’s same-sex marriage ban, stated that “our goal is to have marriage equality, that is guaranteed by the United States constitution, enforced in every single state in the Union.” For the first time in recorded United States history, such a goal appears to be realistic. A grand total of seven states approved legal measures that recognize same-sex marriage in just this past year. Utah and Oklahoma, two states not particularly known for accepting LGBT rights, could reverse both of their respective bans on same-sex marriage pending appellate court approval. At the time of this writing, seventeen states and the District of Columbia have laws sanctioning the right for same-sex couples to marry. The majority of those states and, in the case of D.C., districts enacted legal approval of same-sex marriage through legislation. This makes some sense considering a majority of American citizens surveyed as early as in a CNN
poll conducted in 2010 supported samesex marriage rights. It makes sense that if the public in large part supports samesex marriage, then most legislative bodies within said states will pass legislation that approves same-sex marriage. This process has begun to come to fruition in Virginia, where the state attorney general has publicly refused to defend the state same-sex marriage ban in court. Not all states have taken a legislative route, however. Six states have approved same-sex marriage through the judicial branch; five have stays pending approval that would repeal a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. This method has generated more controversy, because it comes without any form of sway from the people. However, the state supreme court has full legal power to cast a same-sex marriage as unconstitutional. One way to do this comes strictly from the language included in state constitutions. Many state constitutions include an equal protection clause, which would assert, as it does in Article II Section 18 of New Mexico’s constitution, that no “person [shall] be denied equal protection of the laws.” If a judge interprets a statement
like that as an implication a homosexual person should by law have the exact same marriage rights as a heterosexual person, then that judge would have grounds to hold a ban on same-sex marriage as unconstitutional. An even more interesting way that the number of states that allow same-sex marriage is by using legal precedent. Precedent is a legal term that applies when a the outcome of a court ruling can be dictated by a previous ruling. Lawsuits, in states like West Virginia and Florida, have been brought by same-sex couples who were refused a license to wed. Judges in those states can then refer to the final ruling in Perry v. Brown, which brought an end to the same-sex marriage in California put in place by Proposition 8, in order to come to a similar decision. Were a judge to strike down a ban on same-sex marriage based off a ruling in California, that would be perfectly acceptable legally speaking. In the end, nationwide same-sex marriage stands as inevitable constitutionally. As long as same-sex couples prove willing to commit to fighting same-sex marriage bans in their states, there stands a good chance the bans will be reversed.
A rainbow flag for the LGBT movement, Creative Commons Attribution. APRIL 2014
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THE CHARIOT
BITCOINS (
)
The digital currency
?
of the future
Creative Commons Attribution.
Towards a Better Future Joseph Nicolls Contributing Writer
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itcoin has been scoffed at and often called nothing more than a Ponzi scheme wrapped up in a pipe dream. However, although it may not be an absolutely perfect system, it is certainly the right step forward in the field of cryptocurrencies, towards a more open and free market. The source of all debates surround Bitcoin lies at the root of the currency and the fact that there is no physical copy of a bitcoin. Consequently, it is only worth what people believe it to be worth. Although this may seem like a fatal weakness, this type of currency is known as a fiat currency, and two of the world’s most respected currencies, the U.S. dollar and the euro, both operate on the same principle. The main difference between Bitcoin and the U.S. dollar is that the dollar is backed by the U.S. government, while Bitcoin is not backed by any government or central
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bank. Even though this may seem like another fatal blow for the currency, it actually gives Bitcoin its greatest strength. As Bitcoin is not backed by any third party, it cannot be taxed or be subjected to processing fees. This makes it ideal for small businesses that operate in governments with intrusive taxes. Even Bitcoin’s greatest issue, the currency’s stability (or lack thereof), seems to be resolving itself. This January was the most stable month in the currency’s history, with bitcoins trading in the $900s for almost the entire month. Alex Wilhelm, of Techcrunch, provides an excellent summary of how this is fantastic news for Bitcoin. With more stable prices, Bitcoin’s value in transactions increases. Wilhelm writes that “the more real uses there are for Bitcoin, the smaller the percentage of speculative trades in the currency; and, the smaller the changes in its price, the more people may start to accept Bitcoin as a payment option. It’s a self-reinforcing cycle.” Bitcoin has its flaws—no question about it. The ease of speculation and the artificial maximum of Bitcoins that can be introduced into the market will most likely cause the currency’s downfall. But the important thing to note is the effect APRIL 2014
that this financial experiment has had, and will have, on other financial institutions. Already, several new electronic currencies have emerged on the market, such as Ripple, and governments are beginning to take notice. Canada, for example, backed the electronic currency MintChip. Bitcoin may be an unsteady step, but nevertheless it is a step in the right direction.
Advice: Be Wary Gabriel Alon Contributing Writer
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n 1637, Tulipomania took Amsterdam by storm and resulted in a financial crisis. The price of a tulip contract on the Amsterdam exchange rose exponentially for several months until a single tulip bulb was worth the price of a mansion in Amsterdam. Speculation was the cause of the bubble. Then, prices suddenly collapsed because the valuation of the good in question was unjustified, and
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for many this caused financial ruin. Over the course of several months the price of Bitcoin has increased exponentially and experienced several crashes. Last October, the head of the Silk Road marketplace was arrested, which caused Bitcoin to lose a quarter of its value. A frenzy of speculative buying later brought the price of Bitcoin up to $1,000, but the price suddenly collapsed because of a crackdown by the Chinese government on exchanges in the country. Supporters of bitcoins blatantly advocate their use to avoid imposed limits on transactions and retain privacy. But this has drawn ire from governments that wish to stop money laundering and criminal activity with the currency. More crashes in the price of bitcoin will come due to sudden measures taken by governments. Also, theft from bitcoin exchanges will help to embolden governments to scrutinize those who are running the exchanges. A million dollars worth of bitcoins was stolen from BIPS, a European exchange, and four million dollars worth was stolen from GBL, a Chinese exchange, in the past year. Adding to the bad image of Bitcoin is its nefarious use for criminal activity. The online marketplace Silk Road allowed users to buy and sell hard drugs with Bitcoins before the FBI shut it down. In January, Charlie Shrem, the vice-president of the Bitcoin Foundation, was arrested for propping up Silk Road. In February, the once largest bitcoin exchange Mt. Gox filed for bankruptcy and shut down.
What are bitcoins ? Bitcoins are the foundation of an online payment system that is open source and peer-to-peer. Built with cryptography, the digital currency is run by no central bank and offers lower transaction fees than credit cards. So far, Bitcoin’s legitimate uses are fairly limited to buying pizza, booking a flight on Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic spaceship and shopping on Overstock.com. Even if its usability increases, you will never be able to live your life entirely with bitcoins. My advice: stick to the world’s strongest currency, the United States Government backed dollar, and protect your money with a Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation insured bank account. If you want to invest in assets with intrinsic values, look to the New York Stock Exchange or real estate. Some have shrewdly been profiting off of quixotic libertarians, techies, drug dealers, and misled businesses by taking advantage of an alternative: mining bitcoins. In order for a bitcoin to be mined, or created, computer programs have to solve problems to authenticate bitcoin transactions. By letting your computer run the bitcoin
mining software for several weeks, you could make close to $100. Unfortunately for most, you need an upgraded computer to do this (shout out to my brother for pulling this off with his gaming computer.) But those who are operating large-scale setups of bitcoin mining computers, like the one in Iceland, are running a risky enterprise that is also an environmental travesty. The net energy usage in a single day by bitcoin miners, according to Bloomberg, could run half of the Large Hadron Collider. The net computing capacity is 4,500 times that of America’s most powerful supercomputer. At least when you invest in the US stock market and seek to profit, transparency and shareholder clamor forces public companies to stay on their toes and produce value. Bitcoin is a bet, and you better hope you were born lucky if you’re about to make an investment in it.
A chart of the bitcoin exchange rates (in USD) from March 2012 to February 2014, Public Domain. APRIL 2014
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Crisis in the Central African Republic David Patou Contributing Writer
Rebels in Central African Republic, Creative Commons Attribution.
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s its name suggests, the Central African Republic (CAR) is positioned on the border of Northern and Southern Africa, a region known as a hotspot for ethnic and religious strife. Since the spread of Islam from the Middle East to Northern Africa, migrating Muslim populations have come into contact and conflict with the predominantly Christian and tribal-African populations of the Sub-Sahara. Countries in the central African region—CAR, North and South Sudan, and Chad are perhaps the most notorious for bloody Muslim-Christian relationships. Unfortunately these countries are also recovering from some of the worst experiences with European imperialism in the world. The lack of infrastructure, education and natural resources, has left these poor countries ridden with unstable governments and frequent violent uprisings. In March of 2013, a Muslim rebel group known as Seleka overthrew the government in the Central African Republic, which subsequently set of a stream of kill-
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ings in the streets of the capital, Bangui. Seleka’s leader, Michel Djotodia, who became president of the country after ousting the prior government, stepped down as CAR’s first Muslim ruler mid January. Since the removal of rebel forces from the capital, the Muslim minority has been the primary target of much of the violence. The Christian militias organized into a movement known as the anti-Balaka movement. Gangs of machete and AK-47 wielding men terrorize Muslim sections of the city and villages in the countryside. Since the coup in March of 2013, 4,400 African Union troops have been struggling to control the violence. According to the BBC, as of February, 2014, 20% of the country’s population is displaced. Late in 2013, the United Nations Security Council approved a force of 1,600 French troops to be deployed to the country as peacekeepers. On January 16th, 2014 a senior United Nations official warned of the increased likelihood of genocidal activities in the country. European foreign ministers have been discussing plans to send an adAPRIL 2014
ditional 600 peacekeeping forces to the nation. The primary objective of the troops is to maintain stability in the country and help prepare for upcoming elections. While the death toll continues to increase, the international response to this crisis is to be applauded. As stated by the UN, the Central African Republic could likely be the setting for genocide. Unlike with Rwanda and Darfur, the African Union, European Union, and France (independently, with Security Council approval), have acted in CAR to secure the capital city, where over 100,000 refugees have gathered. In the more rural areas in the North of the country, cracking down on small militias is infeasible given the resources available. Upcoming elections may solve the problem of ethnic representation in the country, but they likely will not heal the sectarian divides that have torn the country apart. A long path of rebuilding awaits the Central African Republic—a path that will take cooperation, understanding, and peace.
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Instability in South Sudan Kathleen Xue Contributing Wrtier
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n December 14, 2013, Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA), South Sudan’s rebel army, attempted a coup d’état on South Sudan’s government. Fighting, led by rebel leader Riek Machar to replace current president Salva Kiir, lasted through December 16, 2013. However, after heated discussion, Kiir and Machar came to the conclusion that peace settlements within the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement party (SPLM) will be handled diplomatically through political standards and will not be interfered with by the military. Since its independence from the Republic of Sudan in 2011, South Sudan has faced an underdeveloped economy, oil
conflicts, and multiple rebel groups within the state. As of 2011, the SPLA was in conflict with at least seven armed groups. Continued fighting could result in a civil war. Meanwhile, the strife has interfered with South Sudan’s only export, oil, which is only further damaging its current state of insecurity. Little improvement has been seen since South Sudan became its own country. The SPLM, the party that led the revolution, grew increasingly more corrupt with the new power as central government. Although Salva Kiir was elected president and Riek Machar vice president, Kiir dismissed Machar as well as the entire cabinet from office on July 2013. Since then,
several party members have accused Kiir of “dictatorial tendencies” and using his power to secure his position from risk of replacement. Kiir, in return, imprisoned eleven SPLM party members, making peace talks virtually impossible. Countries such as the U.S. as well as South Sudan’s people themselves have urged Kiir to release the detainees in order to move forward. Currently South Sudan has not seen much improvement in societal aspects such as education, infrastructure, healthcare and economy despite promises by the SPLM. With humanitarian issues now at a crisis level, civilians want to see the peace talks include not only governmental rebuilding, but national rebuilding as well.
Soldiers from Sudan People’s Liberation Army. Stein Ove Korneliussen, via Creative Commons. APRIL 2014
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THE CHARIOT
Has al-Qaeda returned?
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A photo of al-Qaeda’s Ayman al-Zawahiri, Creative Commons.
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Cooper Aspegren Senior Editor
he U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv, Israel was potentially saved from annihilation this January as Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security service, foiled an attack planned by alQaeda operative and brought suspects into custody. While it is unclear how much danger the embassy actually faced, the incident still serves as a reminder that al-Qaeda is beginning to rise from the dead. Now three years after the death of its founder Osama Bin Laden, the militant organization has resurfaced as a result of the upheaval brought upon by the Syrian Civil War and the general instability of an Iraq with a reduced U.S. military presence. The reemergence of al-Qaeda puts Israel at risk; the organization’s base in neighboring Lebanon is growing at a troubling rate. Reports have also indicated that factions of alQaeda within Syria hold even greater ambitions, which include directly attacking the United States on its own soil. While the prospect that al-Qaeda could launch a full scale attack against the U.S. stands as dubious to many intelligence officials at this moment in time, the possibility that al-Qaeda could try or plan such an attempt stands as deeply concerning. Intervening in Syria has been introduced as a potential option toward stymieing the threat al-Qaeda could pose to European, Middle Eastern and even North American targets. But President Obama favors a foreign policy that points less to nation building and full on war as a solution and more to drone strikes and civil diplomacy. This thought process cannot really be called unreasonable or unsound. President Obama has much to lose if he—and, as a result, America—resorts to Bush’s strategy that resulted in two wars that left thousands of Americans dead and contributed to the financial crisis. In dealing with the renewed threat al-Qaeda poses as a result of the Syrian conflict, President Obama surely does not want to take the same route that his predecessor took with Afghanistan and Iraq. President Obama has a potential solution from an unlikely source of relief: Iran. The president’s phone call to Hassan Rouhani, Iran’s newly elected seventh president, stands as the most extensive direct diplomatic communication between the two nations since the 1970’s. There still remains a lot of ground to cover in reducing the tensions between the United States and Iran—Iranian citizens continue to chant “death to America,” even in Rouhani’s presence. However, U.S.-Iranian communication could serve as a potential harbinger for cooperation in dealing with al-Qaeda, especially as Iran houses certain factions of al-Qaeda. It will be interesting to see whether any progress on a U.S.-Iran renewed relationship of sorts could continue.
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WWW.GUNNCHARIOT.COM
The “Red Shirts” in Thailand, Creative Commons Attribution.
Thailand protests: Threats or innocuous? David Patou Contributing Writer
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aving recently become infamous for dramatic political divisions, Thailand and the protests that have occurred within it this year are probably nothing to get too excited about. Historically, Thailand hasn’t experienced the same level of turmoil that several of its neighbors have—Vietnam and Laos’s Communist movements, Myanmar’s long-time military dictatorship, and genocide under Pol Pot’s Cambodia come to mind. Thailand’s governmental changes have tended to be largely nonviolent and quick. Bangkok’s current constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy kept Thailand stable from the late 20th Century until 2006, when Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was accused of corruption and overthrown by a military junta in a notoriously anti-democratic coup d’état. The provisional military government suspended the consti-
tution and appointed a prime minister who could be dismissed at any time by the junta. In 2007, following the disbandment of Thaksin’s Thai Rak Thai party, the ban on political activities was lifted. Thailand’s protests stand out from those in other parts of the globe because of the political apparel. The United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (otherwise known as the “Red Shirts”) draws its support mostly from rural areas in Northeastern Thailand and lower classes in Bangkok. The movement opposed the 2006 coup and many members support Thaksin. In opposition to the Red Shirts are the Yellow Shirts— The People’s Alliance for Democracy. Yellow Shirts are antiThaksin and supporters consist of pro-Royal upper and middle class Thai as well as Southerners. Members of the movement in the army and Democrat Party played key roles in the 2006 political crisis. Perhaps what is most hilarious is the contradictory nature of the names and goals of these opposing alliances.
Kawin Wilairat wrote in the January 17th edition of The Washington Post that “neither side in the conflict comes close to representing democracy.” And he’s quite right—while the current Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra (and yes, sister of exiled former Prime Minister Thaksin) struggles to hold power of a government many accuse her of taking through corrupt strategies, opposition leader Suthep Thaugsuban suggests a group of non-elected “good people” to rule the country through a transition period. For what it’s worth, Prime Minister Yingluck has done a good job dealing with the protests. When on 19th of January dozens were injured when a grenade was tossed into a crowd of anti-government protestors, Yingluck called upon police to investigate. And while protestors have set up sandbag barriers in parts of Thailand’s capital city, Yingluck has continued to denounce the use of any violence by either side. The prime minister is in a difficult position as sending police to crack down on unruly
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protestors could accidentally trigger the very coup she’s so desperately trying to avoid. The opposition’s rejection of the prime minister’s offer of a referendum regarding her position makes one thing clear—both sides know where the majority favor lies. It seems that for the United States, corruption has to be taken as given and comes with either side. In the interest of true democracy, however, it would seem as though the Prime Minister holds the upper hand. The opposition’s suggestions of anti-democratic alternatives seem ridiculous and unfeasible. Regardless, Thailand and America’s relationship has traversed the tenures of a myriad of leaders. Obama should be (and has been) careful to endorse either side because the situation has the potential to change rapidly. For the US, a military and economic relationship with Thailand doesn’t depend on the color of the government’s shirt, but rather upon the favor of the Thai people and continued American neutrality.
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Britain Dropping out of the European Union? Kathleen Xue Contributing Writer
European Parliament (Brussels.) Xaf, via Creative Commons.
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ince early 2010, Britain has threatened to leave the European Union (EU.) However, from 2013, this has become a more prominent issue as the other member states have become increasingly dependent on Britain’s fiscal support due to reform failure. Right-wing parties such as the UK Independence Party (UKIP) have spearheaded Britain’s exit (Brexit) since its foundation in 1993, as it has felt that the EU’s cumbersome trade agreements have hindered the potential of Britain. One prominent reason that Brexit is a viable consideration is that as the EU is currently extremely weak in economic terms; especially vulnerable countries such as Spain and Greece have been unable to pay the full annual membership fee and need to depend on the increasingly tight budget of Britain to sustain the strength of the European Union. Currently, Britain contributes a total of £65.7 billion annually to membership taxes. If Britain were to drop out of the EU, these billions of dollars could be spent elsewhere, which
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could potentially benefit the declining British economy. On the other hand, being a critical EU trading partner and member has multiple benefits, as the EU as a whole is still seen as a larger country composed of sovereign states. As a member of the EU, Britain retains the right to hold major companies within other countries while not experiencing too many trade regulations due to the unified currency of the euro. If Brexit were in place, Britain would experience many trade regulations that would not have been there otherwise; this would take a sizeable toll on Britain’s economy as the EU is still considered to be Britain’s largest trading partner, worth more than £400 billion per year. In addition, Britain’s auto industry, which is one of its major exports, would dwindle due to its current role within the EU. Although the EU is currently in a questionable state regarding its stability, Britain’s sustained participation could yield a stronger and more successful union in the future. The EU, created in 1993, was APRIL 2014
founded on the values to create a larger, more stable economy with a unified currency and to increase shared resources to strengthen the European countries. If Britain decides to formally drop out due to economic failures, this action could result in a major loss in the long run. Although it is costly for Britain to stay in the EU, the membership is largely used to aid other member states, which would ultimately feed back to the enhancement of Britain itself due to the unification of the euro. Brexit currently seems tenable as Britain feels that the EU benefits do not outweigh the losses too significantly at this point in time. However, it is in Britain’s best interest to stay in the EU for major political and economic reasons. Politically, Britain would be able to obtain more support from other member states. Economically, Britain’s trade would be secured and would not experience regulation setbacks. Although it is negotiable to reform trade agreements, Britain would ultimately profit more from supporting the European Union.
WWW.GUNNCHARIOT.COM
American Broadcasting Companies vs Aereo Gabriel Alon Contributing Wrtier
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he National Football League, Major League Baseball, Univision, Walt Disney, 21st Century Fox, CBS and Comcast are all threatening to convert to offering only cable subscriptions if an upcoming Supreme Court case, American Broadcasting Companies vs Aereo, does not result in their favor. At stake for these companies is a loss in revenue due to not receiving retransmission fees. Most people have not heard of the startup Aereo. However, they have entered the national spotlight after utilizing a loophole in copyright law that currently allows entities to pull off any TV show that is streamed over the airwaves. Aereo Corporation has enraged broadcasters by allowing subscribers to rent one of its DVR’s
to capture any show, and stream it to any device. Aereo pays no retransmission fees. A competing service was ruled illegal in the 9th Circuit Court, or virtually all of the West Coast, since all of its DVRs were networked together. However, Federal judges from several US District Courts and an Appeals Court have thus far condoned Aereo. Since each subscriber is assigned just one DVR, the transmission cannot be defined as public. Anything less clever would be problematic because the networks have the exclusive right to transmit their copyrighted works to the public. Aereo does exactly what the individual can do legally on its own, which is take advantage of the content in the airwaves. Just before the Superbowl, Aereo Cor-
poration sold out all available subscriptions in the State of New York. Reviews have been positive, and have confirmed both the HD quality and the ability to view your shows on your computer, tablet, phone, or television. Although Aereo lets one view their shows over more devices and with more flexibility, the broadcasters could undercut Aereo by simply offering this on their own. This would be a victory for the consumer. A more unlikely outcome would be for the broadcasters to secede from satellite television or heavily lobby Congress for a new law to amend the loophole, which could cause public fury. Aereo is a disruptor in the television business, whether or not it wins in the Supreme Court.
ZDNet.com Attribution. APRIL 2014
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Online Education How far will we take it? Maggie Wang Contributing Writer
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performed modestly better, on average, than those learning the same material through traditional face-to-face instruction. These online courses also have the advantages of being convenient, flexible, less expensive, and non-discriminating. The biggest downside to online education is the lack of social interaction,
s online education becomes more prevalent, students These online courses also have the choice to utilize have the advantages of online learning sites such as Coursera, being convenient, flexKhan Academy, Udacity, and Club Acaible, less expensive, and demia. These courses allow students to non-discriminating. read texts, watch video tutorials, take interactive assessments, ask and answer questions on forums, and cater to their as it becomes redefined as face-to-face own unique learning styles and capabili- contact becomes minimal. Even in hyties. Courses like cryptography, mobile brid classes that meet occasionally, relaapplication development, anthropology, tionships with classmates and teachers and even robotics that are not offered in are harder to foster. In today’s corporate traditional classroom settings or in local world, social aptitude is a key component communities in reaching succan be taken cess. School has from prestialways been and gious univerwill continue to be sities such as instrumental for Stanford and learning not only MIT. Stutraditional topics, dents have but also lifelong the option skills from interto take eduacting with peers cation into and teachers. If their own education shifts hands as they to a purely online Creative Commons Attribution. challenge platform, students themselves to may become dego more in-depth on topics they learned funct at communicating with the world in school. around them. A plethora of studies claim that onOnline education will continue to inline learning may even be more effec- crease in users and in scope. The defintive than traditional learning. In a 2010 ing question now is, How far will we take study made by the U.S. Department of it? Education, students in online conditions
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RESOURCES Khan Academy www.khanacademy.org
Thousands of free videos and practice problems, on everything from calculus to art history to SAT prep.
Udacity
www.udacity.com
Online courses offered throughout the year, ranging from subjects like statistics to cryptography.
Club Academia www.clubacademia.org
Short video tutorials by fellow students on math, French, music theory, robotics, and other topics.
Coursera
www.coursera.org
Hundreds of online courses from universities like Stanford and Yale, in subjects spanning across law, medicine, science, and business.