How the West Was Wired Summary

“How the West Was Wired” is about two young adulthood friends from Taiwan who decide to help the people of western China. The article describes how these college friends implement a program to help the people who live in western China. Although the big cities in China, like Beijing and Shanghi are inundated in wealth and technological advances while western China is stuck in the wild west/frontier era. These two men, Lin and Wen made their fortunes in the computer/science fields and then separately decided to give money and aid to China. Critics believed that it would take decades to bring western China up to speed with the rest of the world. But, Wen argued that western China could be transformed in 10 years. This transformation would include providing computers and education to the people and also giving food for during the droughts, this would make it easier for the parents to pay the fees to send their children to school. To help the school become more connected or “wired” into the rest of the world, Lin’s company could provide broadband connections to make the internet widespread. Although Wen died before seeing all the improvements in western China, his son carries on the legacy, knowing that it is important for all children to have a fair chance in getting an education.

Discussion Quesitions for "How the West Was Wired"

1. Do you think that developing the western areas of China is a good or bad idea? Why or why not? (Most people are going to write that it is a good idea but also consider the amount of resources required to do so)

2. What plans should be put in place to give children in poorer areas a fairer chance to get into good universities.

3. What are the negative and positive things about the resort in Yellow Sheep River?

Link to this weeks article (htwww)

here is the link leading to the ARTICLE, not the summary.
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200810/rural-china

Juvenile Junction Discussion Questions

1. What crimes do you think are worthy of being sent to a juvenile detention center for?

2. Do you think that juvenile detention centers help to prevent crime in society by taming offenders, or help to transform youth offenders into repeat criminals from abuse?

3. If you are opposed to juvenile detention centers, what type of plan do you suggest to replace it?

Juvenile Junction, from The Nation

The article for this thursday is "Juvenile Junction", from The Nation and the original may be found here

Here is the summary: This article is about juvenile crime and how the Senate is dealing with the problems. Girls at the Mississippi detention center were tied up for weeks at a time and where cuffed and chained while they ate or used the bathroom. The boy was beaten and restrained by guards on his first day at a juvenile boot camp, suspected of faking an illness to avoid exercise. He died from his injuries the next day at age 14. Nearly 80,000 people under the age of 18 are held in juvenile detention and residential facilities around the US each day. Zachary Norris thinks that no one sees the human rights violations that are occurring in our country. The Senate is in the process of reauthorizing the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974. This bill can also work towards reducing racial and ethnic inequalities. A new version of the JJDPA passed Senate on July 31 and they are trying to work with it.