Blog Project 2 : North America

1. Google executives promote Internet freedoms on Cuba visit

Summary:

The article says that a team of Google visited Cuba, Cuba has poor atmosphere to access the Internet and Cuban government has restricted Web usage tightly. Google’s chairman and other executives went to Cuba to encourage greater atmosphere to access the Internet. Though there are some centers which newly are opened, Cuba is the country that has the lowest level of Internet access. There is strong restriction about it by Cuban government,which results in slow speed and high costs that makes hard to surf the Internet.

Persuasive:

While reading this article about atmosphere of using the Internet, I can have time to compare it with situation of Korea; speed of it, accessibility of it and regulation about it. Korea’s speed of data transfer is almost top around the world, which could enable developments connected with the Internet. Accessibility of Internet in Korea is also very high level that you can see many PC room along the street and the fee is also quite cheap, compared to the Cuba’s lowest level of Internet access. In the matter of regulation about Internet by government, it also exists in Korea, making restriction about it concerning about addiction to it, but it anyway differs from the purpose of Cuba’s. Korea is widely recognized as powerful nation when it comes to the Internet and comparing it with other nation’s situation helps me to see my country from other point of view. 


Source: 

Oppmann, Patrick. " Google executives promote Internet freedoms on Cuba visit."  cnn N.p., 30.06.2014. Web. 01.07.2014

<URL> http://edition.cnn.com/2014/06/30/world/americas/cuba-google-visit/

2. Cuba sold just 50 cars in six months

Summary: 

The article talks about new law about car purchase, high price of vehicles despite of it and the situation of car usage in Cuba. There were originally laws that limit vehicle purchases, but government removed it in the first six months of the year. In spite of that removing, the price of vehicles is too expensive because of huge premium to afford to normal people. Because of this high costs, people in Cuba just use pre-1959 cars which are easy to get, which makes street looks like a virtual time warp.

Persuasive:

The content of article that domestic price of vehicle is too expensive compared to foreign price reminds me of Korea’s reverse situation on the price of product in some industries; snacks, vehicle, electric device. Most snacks in Korea from domestic brands have lower quantity with lots of nitrogen compared to same kind of product for export, which occur new phenomenon that imported snacks become more widely famous. When it comes to vehicle industries, it becomes worse because they include fewer safety equipment or other options with higher price in domestic version of their product. For the electric device like cell phone, the price is much high that makes people sign for illogical contract even with worse after service system. Though the article says negative impact of huge premium to imported product, I focused on the opposite situation in Korea which gives worse quality, quantity and price to nations and thanks to this article I can have chance to think about bad treatment to nations from their country.


Source:

Trotta, Daniel. "Cuba sold just 50 cars in six months” iol N.p., 01.07.2014. Web. 01.07.2014
<URL> http://www.iol.co.za/motoring/industry-news/cuba-sold-just-50-cars-in-six-months-1.1712414#.U7KYveN_sQg

3. How Cuba’s Gay Rights Activists Are Starting a Revolution With Kissing

Summary: 

The article shows a history of homophobia, kissing performance which held in Cuba’s capital and signs of change because of these efforts. In the past, a word ‘homophobia’ is used politically to give negative image and still repression takes place in Cuba. The group called ‘Project Rainbow’ organized the kiss-in, fighting for equality without space for dissent. Although their works become just superficially more visible, the online world keeps helping them.

Persuasive:

I totally agree on gay rights which appear in this article since they do not harm other people, they perform obligation and intentional restriction of freedom cannot be justifiable. Since gay couples are exactly same except their sex, there is no evidence that they are harmful to normal people, which means they are not supposed to be in the position of being discriminated. Furthermore, they obey laws, pay taxes and perform obligation that had to do, which means they have same right as other people. Therefore, restricting freedom of people who have only difference of gay is unreasonable discrimination like other discrimination which we abolished through the history. This article was useful to me that I can think of rights and discrimination of people in modern society.



Source:

Drake, Carolina. "How Cuba’s Gay Rights Activists Are Starting a Revolution With Kissing” mic.com N.p., 30.06.2014. Web. 01.07.2014
<URL> http://mic.com/articles/92495/how-cuba-s-gay-rights-activists-are-starting-a-revolution-with-kissing