Professional Athletes in the Olympics?

On Tuesday we discussed the difference between professional and amateur athletes, and how "being paid for participating in the sport" is often the distinction between the two.  We also talked about whether or not "professional" paid athletes were allowed in the Olympics.  The answer is:  prior to the 1980's, they were not allowed.  This has changed since then.  Read more about it here:  http://www.pbs.org/newshour/forum/july96/olympics_7-23.html

What do you think?  Should the Olympics be limited to amateurs like it used to be?  Or is it better now that we allow professional paid and sponsored athletes to participate?

Paow's News Post

Name: Ms. Soulivanh Rattanavong (PAOW)

Link to article:

http://in.reuters.com/article/2010/12/07/idINIndia-53396820101207

Laos says railway to China finished by 2014

BEIJING | Tue Dec 7, 2010 12:21pm IST

(Reuters) - The poor and landlocked Southeast Asian nation of Laos expects its rail link with China to be finished by 2014, boosting trade links with its giant neighbour and the rest of Asia, its deputy prime minister said on Tuesday.
The railway is part of a broader plan to connect Kunming city in southwestern China with Singapore, including Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam and Malaysia.
The country's Deputy Prime Minister, Somsavat Lengsavad, told a conference in Beijing that the Laos-to-China part of the railway should start construction early in 2011 and take four years to complete, after the two sides signed an agreement in April.
"To free our country from the least developed status ... our government has invested much in communication infrastructure development in order to complement both intra-ASEAN and ASEAN-China integration," he said.
"We believe that this project will contribute significantly to the socio-economic development of Laos, as well as to the promotion of economic cooperation between ASEAN and China," Lengsavad added.
The railway will also help with "the masterplan for ASEAN connectivity and the implementation of the ASEAN-China free trade area", he said. It would be a "high speed" line, Lengsavad added, without elaborating.
Laos is already connected to Thailand by rail, though only up to just outside its capital Vientiane.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
A China-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement came into effect in January, forming an economic bloc of 1.9 billion people.
Chinese companies are increasingly involved in logging and hydropower projects in Laos, and Chinese aid has helped build roads, markets and other infrastructure in the country, challenging Laos' traditional close ties with Vietnam.
Bilateral trade between China and Laos grew by more than half in 2009 to $751.8 million.

Opinions:

Ten years ago, life around Vientiane seemed less dynamic than it is today. There are more opportunities for businesses and more diversity throughout the country. According to this news article, it states that there will be a high speed railway ranging from the south to the north of Laos. Due to the fact that Laos is geographically the best shortcut for transportation, the neigboring countries particularly China is willing to increase the trade and market its goods to elsewhere. This project is a join-ventured between China and Laos and it takes approximately four years to finish the first high speed railway of Laos. The Deputy Prime minister, Somsavat Lengsavad, stated that this high speed railway project will benefit to the country’s development as well as the strong tights between China and Laos. Personally, I think this is good for Laos to utilize the this figure to develop the country and for all Aseans countries to usebecome more tighten in the world of business.

Question for discussion:

1.      What do you think about this high speed railway project? Will there be any advantage or disadvantage? Which one is outweight one another?

Aung Myo's News Reflection

Aung Myo’s Reading Reflection:

I read an article or a news about political situation in a country, the Republic of Sudan, North Africa.I think It is interesting for all of us because the newest nation was born last Saturday and the map of the world has to be redrawn.

The article I read is about the South Sudan which became the world's newest nation just last Saturday and leaders across the world also send their warmest congratulations to South Sudan on the day it became the world's newest nation. For over the years, there had been civil wars in the country followed by the ethnic, religious and economic conflicts and the civil war pitted a government dominated by Arab Muslims in the North against black Christians and Animists in the South and about 2 millions people died in the fighting. But now the Republic of South Sudan is officially recognized as a sovereign and independent state upon the day of July 9,2011. The Independence ceremony was held in the capital city of South Sudan, Cuba, on Saturday.

But there will be challenging between North and South Sudan for many conflicts and problem still to solve. The two sides must decide on issues such as drawing up the new border and how to divide Sudan's debts and oil wealth as South Sudan is rich in Oil resource more than North's and the status of  citizenship is also a key point to be considered. Although there become peace and freedom for South, on the other hand, there are still conflicts between South and North. South Sudan will be develop by using Oil resource but the North may be remain underdeveloped as it has not much any resources.

So question for my classmates is ," How do you think of the future of North and South Sudan?"

Here is also my link to read the article,    http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/07/09/sudan.new.nation/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

May God Bless you all!

Your sincerely,

Mr.Aung Myo Htut (Myanmar)

Current News: Reflection by Teresa

After years of struggle, South Sudan becomes a New Nation

Link to article: 
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/10/world/africa/10sudan.html?_r=1&scp=3&sq=south%20sudan&st=cse

Teresa’s Reflection:

This article published on July 9, 2011 by Jeffrey Gettleman on the New York Times, talks about the South Sudan celebrates its first day of Independence from its northern neighbor in the new South Sudan’s capital, Juba, where there were thousands of people to manifest their happiness including an array of visiting foreign dignitaries and the presence of the Sudan President Mr. Bashir on which hangs warrant indictment for genocide in Darfur.

In my opinion this was a special day for the people of south, but I don’t agree with Mr. Kiir’s words, because it’s very difficult to forgive the crimes committed during all these years of “captivity” (in particular it is impossible to forgive the Bor massacre in 1991).

I don’t agree with Bashir’s presence in this moment of happiness, too, because when he said “Sudan’s unity would have been better, but I convinced myself that unity shouldn’t be through war”, I believe that he has not really thought about it but it was his tactic to win over his people.

And now I want to ask you what do you think about this “Independence Day”?

Posted by Teresa

Welcome new members of our class!

We have recently welcomed four new students to our class:
Teresa Di Lucchio from Italy, Aung Myo Htut from Myanmar, Xigna Ye from China and Soulivanh Rattanavong from Laos. 

Xigna has already set up her blog, which can be accessed at    http://xingna-ye.blogspot.com/ .  As the rest of our new class members set up their blogs, they will all be added to the resource section of the blog.

I hope everyone enjoyed the beautiful summer weather this weekend!

News From Home

A new page has been added to the blog with the dates of your "News from Home" presentation to the class.  Instructions are included on that page, but please ask or email me if you would like clarification about anything.  Remember that your article and discussion question should be emailed to me on the Tuesday prior to your Thursday presentation.

Thank you!

Independence Day Celebrations!

Nazareth College Center for International Education (CIE)  invites you to attend the following Independence Day Celebrations:

Saturday, July 2nd 
Picnic & Fireworks for International Students
Join with international students from around the world at this traditional celebration of summer and Independence Day.  Transportation will be provided by the CIE - meet in front of Golisano Academic Center (GAC) at 2:30 p.m.  The day's  activities will run from 3:00-9:00 p.m., concluding with a fireworks display!  Cost is $15.00 per person.


Monday, July 4th
A "hometown" July 4th Celebration
The CIE invites you to celebrate Independence Day with all of the international students at Nazareth College.  The day will include a picnic, a parade, a performance by the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and more fireworks!  Transportation will be provided by the CIE -- meet in front of GAC at 9:00 a.m..  This is an authentic day of American culture that you won't want to miss!  All expenses will be covered by the CIE.