Allison Barker
Current Event Review
October 21, 2016
Obama, Barack. "Barack Obama: America Will Take the Giant Leap to Mars."CNN. Cable News
Network, 11 Oct. 2016. Web. 19 Oct. 2016. <http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/11/opinions/america-will-take-giant-leap-to-mars-barack-obama/index.html>.
The article that I read, “Barack Obama: America Will Take the Giant Leap to Mars,” was a statement by President Obama about new plans to send Americans to Mars in the coming years. In his writing, Obama first recounted his vast respect for the Space Program and reminded the American people about his first actions to aid the Space Program in his first years as president. Obama recounted to the public NASA’s discovery of flowing water on Mars and evidence of ice on one of Jupiter’s moons, further emphasizing the importance of the US Space Program. He also described the growth of US companies’ role in space development, with more than a third of the global commercial launch market owned by private businesses. Obama then announced a meeting of American scientists in Pittsburgh to figure out their goal of sending Americans to Mars by the 2030s and returning them to Earth, with the end goal being leaving the astronauts up there for a long time. Private businesses, he stressed, will play an important role in achieving this goal. Scientists are also working to build habitats that can sustain and transport astronauts on long-duration missions in deep space, which will aid in the journey to Mars.
This news has large implications for American society. One large impact is that we will be attempting to colonize Mars in the near future. That is a big step forward. This means that a lot of things can be done to improve life on Earth, and we will have more space to go to if Earth ever becomes uninhabitable. Further, privately owned companies are playing an increasingly large role in the space program as time passes. As Obama stated, in order for this plan to work, scientists will have to work in collaboration with private businesses instead of disregarding them, as they had in the past.
I enjoyed that the article covered a wide range of issues regarding the space program, and I liked that it was a statement by President Obama. However, I thought that the article would have benefited from an explanatory blurb by a journalist of what Obama was talking about and the significance of this news. I also did not like that the article did not talk that much about the plan to go to Mars, which was the title of the article. Overall, though, I thought the article was an informative and hopeful look at the possibilities that space discovery has to offer.
Obama, Barack. "Barack Obama: America Will Take the Giant Leap to
ReplyDeleteMars."CNN. Cable News Network, 11 Oct. 2016. Web. 20 Oct. 2016.
Ali did a great job on her review of “Barack Obama: America Will Take the Giant Leap to Mars” by Barack Obama. In particular I enjoyed her excellent and clear summary of the article. Without even reading the article, one could immediately understand its premise and importance. For example, she opened her review with some history of Obama that he, “first recounted his vast respect for the Space Program and reminded the American people about his first actions to aid the Space Program in his first years as president.” This important anecdote adds some information that gives context to the rest of the review and the article itself. Another item in which Ali prevailed was in her commentary of the article and the opinion portion of her review. For example, she stated how she “enjoyed that the article covered a wide range of issues regarding the space program.” A final element that Ali did proficiently was in her analysis of the implications of this issue for American Society. She stated, “One large impact is that we will be attempting to colonize Mars in the near future. That is a big step forward. This means that a lot of things can be done to improve life on Earth, and we will have more space to go to if Earth ever becomes uninhabitable.” This important analysis made this article hit closer to home and really intrigued the reader.
However, Ali did have two areas of her review in which she could improve. Primarily, I would recommend that Ali use more quotations from Obama in order to give the reader a more specific sense of his important opinion on this matter. Although she paraphrased his ideas, a direct quotation would provide for a stronger review. To improve her lack of quotes, the solution is simple: find more quotes from the article to analyze and include them in her review. Secondarily I would recommend Ali elaborate on why “Private businesses...will play an important role in achieving” the goal of putting Americans on Mars by the 2030s. Personally, I would love to know the economics behind such a statement. Although, perhaps it was not included in the article specifically, it would be a fascinating anecdote to include.
Overall, Ali did a brilliant job of discussing the future of our space program. After learning the space program had been defunded in 2012 by the Obama Administration I remember being quite upset. However, it was wonderful to hear, through Ali’s perspective, that Obama is now getting prepared to get NASA up and running again. Although many may not argue that NASA is one of the most pressing issues to the USA currently, especially in regards to all the foreign affair troubles, I truly believe it is a step in the right direction to continue our journey into the final frontier. Space, and its innumerable resources may not only be important for the world of science but may carry over to medicine and perhaps we may discover new ways of creating fresh water or generally being more eco-friendly.
Obama, Barack. "Barack Obama: America Will Take the Giant Leap to
ReplyDeleteMars."CNN. Cable News Network, 11 Oct. 2016. Web. 20 Oct. 2016.
Ali did a great job on her review of “Barack Obama: America Will Take the Giant Leap to Mars” by Barack Obama. In particular I enjoyed her excellent and clear summary of the article. Without even reading the article, one could immediately understand its premise and importance. For example, she opened her review with some history of Obama that he, “first recounted his vast respect for the Space Program and reminded the American people about his first actions to aid the Space Program in his first years as president.” This important anecdote adds some information that gives context to the rest of the review and the article itself. Another item in which Ali prevailed was in her commentary of the article and the opinion portion of her review. For example, she stated how she “enjoyed that the article covered a wide range of issues regarding the space program.” A final element that Ali did proficiently was in her analysis of the implications of this issue for American Society. She stated, “One large impact is that we will be attempting to colonize Mars in the near future. That is a big step forward. This means that a lot of things can be done to improve life on Earth, and we will have more space to go to if Earth ever becomes uninhabitable.” This important analysis made this article hit closer to home and really intrigued the reader.
However, Ali did have two areas of her review in which she could improve. Primarily, I would recommend that Ali use more quotations from Obama in order to give the reader a more specific sense of his important opinion on this matter. Although she paraphrased his ideas, a direct quotation would provide for a stronger review. To improve her lack of quotes, the solution is simple: find more quotes from the article to analyze and include them in her review. Secondarily I would recommend Ali elaborate on why “Private businesses...will play an important role in achieving” the goal of putting Americans on Mars by the 2030s. Personally, I would love to know the economics behind such a statement. Although, perhaps it was not included in the article specifically, it would be a fascinating anecdote to include.
Overall, Ali did a brilliant job of discussing the future of our space program. After learning the space program had been defunded in 2012 by the Obama Administration I remember being quite upset. However, it was wonderful to hear, through Ali’s perspective, that Obama is now getting prepared to get NASA up and running again. Although many may not argue that NASA is one of the most pressing issues to the USA currently, especially in regards to all the foreign affair troubles, I truly believe it is a step in the right direction to continue our journey into the final frontier. Space, and its innumerable resources may not only be important for the world of science but may carry over to medicine and perhaps we may discover new ways of creating fresh water or generally being more eco-friendly.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteConnor Barrett
ReplyDelete10/29/16
Current Event Comment
Obama, Barack. "Barack Obama: America Will Take the Giant Leap to Mars."CNN. Cable News
Network, 11 Oct. 2016. Web. 19 Oct. 2016. .
I found Allison’s review of President Obama’s statement regarding the space program, titled "Barack Obama: America Will Take the Giant Leap to Mars." to be very interesting. I liked how Allison gave a clear description of several things that Obama discussed. I also found the length of the review to be long enough to cover the important parts but not extensively long. Allison discussed things that Obama had done and then focused in on what he said he was planning to do and that was an effective way of setting up her response. Something she could have done is counter Obama’s statement of what he says he has done for the space program with what he has actually done - canceling funding for many programs. While Allison’s review of the article was the proper length her reflection on the importance of the article was a little short and I would have liked to hear more from her about the topic. I think the topic is extremely important, reaching the moon is one of the most important and historic things the U.S. has done and it is interesting to hear the President’s hopes and dreams for the program as his term comes to an end.
Evelyn Kluemper
ReplyDelete10/31/16
AP Biology
Obama, Barack. "Barack Obama: America Will Take the Giant Leap to Mars."CNN. Cable News
Network, 11 Oct. 2016. Web. 19 Oct. 2016. .
Ali’s review of the statement given by Barack Obama titled “America Will Take the Giant Leap to Mars” was interesting. Ali discussed actions that President Obama had taken and what his plan for the future was. Her critique of the article was honest and I agreed with it. I liked how she made a connection to our lives, and how colonizing on Mars will directly impact life on Earth. Her review was well-written and easy to understand for someone who may know little about the topic.
The review may have been more engaging if Ali included quotes from the statement by President Obama. It would also be interesting to include a summation of what has been done by scientists in the past to try to reach Mars.
It was interesting to read what Obama says after he defunded the space program several years ago. This statement given was interesting to read and reflect on as President Obama’s term comes to an end.