Current Event 2

Bloody Algeria hostage crisis ends after 'final' assault, officials say

On Saturday, Algerian troops ended a hostage crisis at a remote gas facility with "one last, bloody assault". At least 23 hostages and 32 "terrorists" were killed, but some 685 Algerian workers and 107 foreigners have been freed, reports say. There is no clear number of how many people are still unaccounted for after this final assault. Though the incident is over, the site is still dangerous. This event caught the world's attention because it affected citizens from many nations and went on for days. Many countries, including the U.S., are working with Algeria to prevent future such incidents.

This event took place in Algeria, Africa.

This article relates to the political and social PIES because it shows how revenge is used on large scale and real life and how much events such as taking hostages can have a huge impact on every nation.

This article really sheds light on how real and dangerous situations like this are. It also makes me all the more grateful for the safety this country provides for all the people living here. I think the government is already majorly involved because without government involvement, this situation would still be present today.

Visual 1

 

This is a picture of the Kumbh Mela festival in Allahhabad, India. This year, it is expected that over 100 million Hindu devotees will gather to pray and bathe in the Sangam of the Yamuna and Ganges rivers. This event relates to the intellectual and social PIES because it is a religious festival and it is a place for worshipers from all over the world to congregate and pray for their religion. This relates to class because it shows how the weather and climate in biomes across the globe are different at the same time in the year.


'Biggest Gathering On Earth' Begins On India; Kumbh Mela May Draw 100 Million

Current Event 1

Air Conditioning: No Sweat

Summer humidity in the Gulf can reach 90%, and the temperature is far above the norm. The population in this "southern littoral" has more than tripled in the last 60 years. The only way these people's lives are made possible is through artificially cooled air. This might seem like the solution to the heat, but some see it as more of a curse than a miracle. These critics are trying to remind people that air conditioning was meant for making machines safer and more efficient, not for the comfort of people.  Studies showing productivity disagree. From surveys taken in the 1950's, air conditioning raised productivity and lowered stoppages in factories. With cool air indoors, businesses boomed and the economy grew, unlike in hotter climes. Cooling also lowers mortality and sickness.

These studies were taken in places near the equator, which is the warmest point on Earth.

This article relates to the social and economic PIES because it shows how cooler air increases good, productive, and focused behavior.

This article makes me think how fortunate we are to have cooled air circulation and makes me wonder what it would be like if there was no air conditioning. I think the government is already involved because the government and the economy are intertwined, and they can also help regulate use and production.