The Press Freedom Index

The tenth annual Press Freedom Index was released on January 26th by Reporters Without Borders. The list shows which country has the world’s freest media ranking from the freest (number 1) to the most censored (number 179). This year’s index shows a large change in the order of countries. In first place, is both Finland and Norway, making them the world’s freest media containing government.

On the opposite side of the spectrum North Korea is in 178^th place, Turkmenistan in 177^th place, Iran in 175^th place, and China in 174^th place. China earned this spot by carrying out extrajudicial arrests and by increasing their Internet censorship. It is said that China will continue to go down the list with its continuation of having the Communist Party “sticking to the main line” in relation to the media and increasing propaganda.

The United States shot down from last year’s 20^th rank to this years 47^th rank. The sudden drop was a result of the year’s Occupy Wall Street and the many arrests of journalists in the area or involved in the protest.

Bird Flu

            For those who don’t know bird flu is an avian influenza that is classified as an infectious diseased. This flu is caused by viruses that most commonly only affects birds but because of its different strains has branched father than that.

            When H5N1 first appeared in 2003 over 565 cases of human infection with this disease were documented. To note how severe this disease is 331 of these people were killed because of the flu, according to the UN World Health Organization. The H5N1 strain is an extremely deadly virus if a human is infected with the disease. Because the virus is not easily transmissible between humans it hasn’t instilled too much fear with people. But, it has been said that if the virus were to mutate then a pandemic would erupt.

            Recently two researchers have found a way to make the H5N1 avian flu easily transmissible among mammals. Now the controversy lies whether they should or shouldn’t be allowed to document their discoveries of this epic killer virus in journals so that they can be shared among other scientists, researchers, etc.

            One side of the argument states that by preventing the journals form being released it would be suppressing the freedom of scientific research and the Hippocratic stricture to do no harm. But, the other side of the argument holds the fact that if the journals were to be shared and there was an accidental or deliberate (bioterrorists) release of the virus, millions of people could be killed. This virus would be the perfect weapon to someone who wanted to create genocide. It would be as simple as infecting only one person and setting them in a largely populated area such as an airport or at the Olympics games, and then everyone would become infected.

            On Friday, bird flu researchers agreed  to pause their work for a duration of 60 days to let the international forum discuss both the benefits and risks of the continuation of the bird flu research. What do you think? Should they be allowed to publish their findings? Or is it too risky?

Mexico's Problem

In 2006, Mexican President Felipe Caldron declared a war on drug cartels. More than 25,000 troops in the Mexican army were stationed throughout Mexico, sent out into the country’s streets, highways, and towns.

But unfortunately, the cartels seemed to have increased their activities and firepower, rather than being reduced.  What has made the mitigation of these cartels so difficult is that they are more than powerful. They are well connected politically, well trained, well armed, and have mass numbers.

Since this war declaration, according to official figures, at least 40,000 people have been killed in drug related crimes.

President Barack Obama has recently deployed extra agents to the border in fear of the drug violence moving over the border. But, America already has a problem- that is, in providing about seventy-five percent of the guns used in Mexican drug crimes.

Gun smuggling and the economy in Mexico are the two main antagonists to the war. Something needs to be done to solve this problem but what can be? What would be an effective and protective solution that solves the problem but doesn’t trample over the rights of the people? Is it even possible to find a solution to a problem that has lasted so long?