If George Mason can teach you anything, it will be how exhilarating life is in the capital of a world superpower. For those of us who have grown up in this area, you already know, and we can spot you Northern Virginians a mile away. If this is all new experience for you, be excited.
Proximity to power is an interesting thing, it will encourage you to excel and will open your eyes to a world you may never have discovered. This is what makes us special here at George Mason, and we all should yearn to know what is going on, if we don’t… Who will?
Summer 2011 is not over yet, but I dare say it feels like it. After the events this summer, and the concern that the world may be ending after earthquakes and hurricanes– we are ready for some Autumn. Here are a few things you should understand before bringing up your idea of current events around other humans.
The Launch of Google+
The new social network. Sorry Mark, Facebook just isn’t cool anymore. This beta product grew so rapidly in two months that it quickly became among one of the top apps to be downloaded this summer.
Steve Jobs is out of a Job
That was in bad taste, but this is an event that broke all of our hearts, not to mention Apple shares, too! The man who built Apple steps down, and makes room for new leadership. Jobs will become chairman of the board, making room for Tim Cook to be Apple’s new CEO.
Hacking Just Isn’t Very Nice
The end of an era came, as the News of the World was closed this July. British Prime Minister David Cameron called a public inquiry into the hacking allegations, which essentially could have destroyed his administration. Cameron’s links to Andy Coulsen, Rupert Murdoch and Chief executive of News International, Rebekah Brooks, put him in a compromising position, as Britain demanded answers for his colleague’s unethical behavior. High profile resignations occurred this summer following the scandal, including Rebekah Brooks, Les Hinton, (Dow Jones Chief Executive) and Sir Paul Stevenson, the Commissioner of the London Metropolitan Police Service. Pies were thrown in faces, and Wendi Murdoch is now training to appear on WWE Smackdown later this month. The threat that comes with the Hacking scandal, is the overarching issue of the freedom of the press. A free press is the definition of a free State, it challenges all positions of authority, and never allows any entity to become too powerful.
The Republic of South Sudan
When the Republic of South Sudan gained independence from Sudan on July 9th, it became Africa’s first new country since Eritrea split from Ethiopia in 1993. It’s primarily agricultural economy faces great challenges in the years to come.
Tragedy hits Norway
This summer brought many things, good and bad, but this is an event we would have all liked to have seen erased from the schedule. Anders Behring Breivik, a 32 year old right wing extremist murdered 77 people in Norway. His car bomb in Oslo took 8 lives, and his attack on the youth division of the Norweigan Labour party left 69 young people dead.
Fly me to the Moon
The United States Space Shuttle, Atlantis arrives at the Kennedy Space Center, concluding NASA’s space shuttle program.
United Nations Declares Famine
Southern Somalia is hit with a famine, the first in thirty years. Attempts to spread awareness for the famine are ongoing. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon explained that 3.7 million people are affected by this crisis. Somalis have fled the country, seeking refuge in neighboring countries Kenya and Ethiopia.
Arab Spring
What began as a combustible protest in December 2010 in Tunisia, when a man burned to death in protest against Tunisian law enforcement, became a pro-democratic uprising throughout the Middle East. Libya, Egypt, Yemen, Syria, Niger, Algeria and Tunisia have all been affected by these protests this summer. Finally, after a regime change in Egypt and a significant gain of rebel control in Libya, the protests have been essential in reshaping the Middle East and advancing our World.
Sources:
1.http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/country_profiles/820864.stm
2.http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-14259356
3.http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14211905
4.http://techcrunch.com/2011/08/24/steve-jobs-resigns-from-apple/
5.http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/interactive/2011/mar/22/middle-east-protest-interactive-timeline