• NEWS >> ATW November
16, 2006
Yearly
Script Program Index
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OPEN/WELCOME
Hi and welcome to Assignment: The World for the week of November 16th, I’m Teej Jenkins.
Our top story this week…American voters make an historic decision.
1—ELECTION AFTERMATH
UNITED STATES
38 DEGREES, 54 MINUTES NORTH
77 DEGREES, 02 MINUTES WEST
President George W. Bush is promising bi-partisan cooperation with the new leaders of the Senate and the House of Representatives. Voters gave control of both houses of Congress last Tuesday to Democrats. Late last week, President Bush met with Nancy Pelosi who will soon become the first woman to be Speaker of the House. While both acknowledged that they often disagree on key issues, they said their talk was constructive and friendly. The President also met with the incoming Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid. However, Mr. Bush also sent a list to the current Congress of items that he hopes the outgoing Republican majority will pass before giving up control. It includes confirmation of John Bolton as U-N ambassador and legalizing his warrantless eavesdropping program. While Democrats oppose both of those measures, the President is confident that he can work with the incoming Democratic leadership on other programs including a new policy on illegal immigration.
Acknowledge (v) confess, avow, admit the existence, reality of truth of
ATW Fact
Starting in 1789, the US had a Secretary of War and a Secretary of the Navy. That changed in 1947 when the two posts were combined to create a Secretary of Defense. That cabinet position is now 6th in line to succeed the President.
INTRO REST OF THE NEWS
In the rest of the news this week…
--The US draws anger with a U-N veto…
--help is on the way to Ethiopia…
--and a controversial cabinet secretary steps down.
#2—RUMSFELD STEPS DOWN
UNITED STATES
38 DEGREES, 54 MINUTES NORTH
77 DEGREES, 02 MINUTES WEST
Robert Gates is President Bush’s choice to head the Department of Defense. That post became vacant when current Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld announced his resignation. Rumsfeld is the only person to have served in that position twice and has served longer than anyone except Robert McNamara but he had become increasingly controversial. After their victory last Tuesday, Democrats once again called for his removal. So did all four armed forces newspapers. Rumsfeld’s successor was once head of the C-I-A under the first President Bush. Robert Gates has held other positions in both Republican and Democratic administrations. The President says Gates will bring a fresh perspective during a critical period in the Iraq war. His nomination must be confirmed by the Senate.
Removal (n) dismissal, as from office
#3—ISRAELRESOLUTION
ISRAEL
31 DEGREES, 46 MINUTES NORTH
35 DEGREES, 14 MINUTES EAST
U-N peacekeepers will not be going into the Gaza Strip. The United States was the lone but deciding vote against a Security Council resolution calling on Israel to cease all military operations in Gaza. The resolution was prompted in part by an Israeli air raid that killed 19 civilians including 8 children. Israel expressed regret for the loss of life but said it will continue to operate against those responsible for attacking Israeli citizens. Palestinian officials were reportedly furious with the U-S veto. They also say the Israeli attacks have caused an estimated 3-million dollars worth of damage. Money for that and other day to day necessities has been tied up by international sanctions brought on by the election victory of the group Hamas last January. Those sanctions could end if a moderate coalition government can be formed by the end of this month.
Furious (adj) extreme anger, ragingly violent
#4— —ETHIOPIA RELIEF
ETHIOPIA
09 DEGREES, 02 MINUTES NORHT
38 DEGREES, 42 MINUTES EAST
More than 200-thousand people have been forced from their homes by flooding in the Ogaden region of eastern Ethiopia. The U-S Air Force began delivering supplies to the region late last week. They dropped 48 tons of food, water containers, plastic sheeting, bedding and water purification materials on the first day alone. Seasonal rains have been exceptionally heavy this year, causing flooding in both Ethiopia and Somalia. Since August, more than 600-people have died. The rains have also taken a heavy toll on livestock and agriculture. The effort to help those affected is called Operation Unity Eclipse. It is a joint effort between the U-S and Ethiopia.
Seasonal (adj) of or dependent on a particular season
POP QUIZ #1
In our story about the U-S elections, what did we tell you Nancy Pelosi will become? Is it the first woman to be
And the answer is number 3. Nancy Pelosi will be the first woman in US history to be Speaker of the House of Representatives.
OLD CLUE # 1—NORTHERN IRELAND DEADLINE
Time now for answers to last week’s Clues in the News. Our first clue was the location of Belfast, Northern Ireland.
That’s where cautious progress continues toward restoring a coalition government. November 10th was the deadline for both the Catholic Sinn Fein party and the Protestant Democratic Unionist Party to respond to proposals. Both gave their qualified support. Northern Ireland’s assembly was disbanded 4 years ago. If all goes as planned, both it and a new Northern Irish executive will be in place by March 26th of 2007.
OLD CLUE # 2— FELIPE CALDERON
Our second clue was a newsmaker: Felipe Calderon. The president-elect of Mexico was scheduled to meet late last week with U-S President George Bush, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and Latino political leaders. Calderon ‘s meetings were to cover trade, border security and immigration, all of which will be key issues for the US and Mexico after Calderon takes office December 1st.
OLD CLUE # 3—JAMESTOWN ANNIVERSARY
And finally, fill in the blanks on our third clue and you got Jamestown Anniversary. A Native American festival in Jamestown, Virginia was the latest event in the celebrations surrounding the 400th anniversary of the oldest English settlement in the New World. English sailors and settlers arrived off of what is now Virginia in 1607 or about 13 years before the Pilgrims landed in New England. A wide variety of events has been planned, including cyber and satellite events for classrooms, through the end of next year.
THIS WEEK IN WORLD HISTORY
This week in world history… November 16th, 1532, Spanish explorer Francisco Pizzaro ambushes the entourage surrounding the Incan emperor, Atahualpa. Though he had fewer than 200 men against 6-thousand, Pizzaro’s surprise was complete and effectively ended the Incan empire.
ATW FEATURE
If you ever thought about learning to play an instrument or if you already play one, this band from North Carolina may just help you get a little more inspired. They learned that studying music isn’t always just about notes and scales, its about studying different cultures as well. Beki Gibney checks it out!
ATW FEATURE
(Luke)
We are Toubab Krewe and we play a fusion of rock and roll and West African music.
(Drew)
We’ve grown up playing a lot of traditional forms of American music, rock and roll, jazz, and kind of a hip hop realm and we were drawn to West African traditions as well, so we kind of threw over the course of time traveling back and fourth we’ve just kind of incorporated everything, all the traditions from here in the states and with a lot of the music and traditions from West Africa.
(Beki)
These guys didn’t just learn West African music casually, they immersed themselves in it, traveling over to West Africa along what is called the Ivory Coast where they lived, ate and learned with professional musicians.
(Justin)
What led me to go to Africa was just getting to a point that the only way to further yourself was to buy a plane ticket and go find the route of where it came from.
(Luke)
One of the most unique things about going to west Africa and studying with the artists and people we studied with, was that they are world renowned, artists who are well accomplished in their field and we were able to study with them in a very relaxed and informal setting.
(Teal)
The real learning comes from learning the music in it’s context, seeing the music performed in it’s context and that includes playing around at the house but also going to festivals, and celebrations, and weddings, and all sorts of rights of passage that music and dance is such an integral part to.
(David)
I mean it makes my body move a certain way and it makes me feel good and I’m really hungry to go there and see it first hand.
(Luke)
When we were there with our teachers, they were like “music is for everybody”.
(Teal)
We feel like music and dance is at the forefront of bringing cultures together. We are playing our music, but we are also playing what we’ve been taught in this new way, and incorporating really how we grew up with music and what we learned in West Africa.
(Beki)
For Assignment: the World, I’m Beki Gibney
ISN’T IT COOL
CONFUSED SWAN
This black swan is a little confused.
Named “Black Peter,” the swan has been following a boat…a boat shaped like a swan!
The owner of the boat recently agreed to move to a nearby zoo for the winters because the swan has refused to fly south.
Zoo officials were not surprised by the attraction. They say it happens from time to time in the animal world. “Let’s just see if it will last.”
ISSUE
Just hours after last week’s elections, Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack formally announced his intention to run for President of the United States. Vilsack says he will need the next two years to organize, raise money and get name recognition in the midst of better known potential candidates. It’s a strategy that worked well for Jimmy Carter, who was once a little known former governor of Georgia. But even more high profile candidates are starting their campaigns earlier and earlier to begin raising the tens of millions of dollars it takes to run for the nation’s highest office.
But there are many critics who feel that campaigning for President has gone beyond any reasonable bounds. Many political experts say the only real result of two or more years of campaigning is voter apathy or voters who, by election day, no longer care who wins. Some feel the major political parties should take steps to push back the process and encourage far shorter campaigns that peak in a political convention that means something. If nothing else, such a move would cut the costs of running for President.
So, what do you think?
Is the Presidential campaign season too long?
Discuss this issue with your classmates after the show and then write to us with your opinions.
MAILBAG
We received over three hundred responses to our issue question, Should terrorism suspects be treated by different rules?”
The majority of you, fifty one percent think terrorists should be treated by different rules. Thirty eight percent say no, they should not be treated differently. Eleven percent are undecided.
Many of you feel it doesn’t matter if they are terrorists or not. They deserve to have the same rights as anyone else.
Taylor W. of Wittenberg, Wisconsin writes, “They should be treated like any other person who does a crime.”
Nick F. of Orchard Park, New York doesn’t think using different rules would be fair. Nick writes, “You deserve to be treated (by) the same rules… if you’re not guilty, (people) might not know you didn’t do it.”
Emily S. of Green Bay, Wisconsin adds, “I think they should have the (same) rights as people in prison. Torture should not be used.”
The majority of you, however, think terrorists should be treated by a different set of rules.
Brexton T. of Woodbury, Minnesota writes, “They are bad people who try to harm us. They don’t deserve the same rights as Americans.”
Luke L. of Leicester (Lester), New York agrees and writes, “If we treat them (the same) they will continue to be terrorists and Americans will die.”
Nick H. of Lake Mills, Wisconsin adds, “They are more dangerous than a normal soldier. They probably know more about when/where attacks will happen.”
And finally, Taylor C. of Palmyra, New York writes, “Terrorists don’t believe in our American way of life. So why should they be protected by our laws.”
We look forward to your responses to our two latest questions: “Is the Presidential campaign season too long?” and “Should schools ban chase games?”
We’ll put some of the more thought provoking letters and e-mails on the air.
If you would like to receive an Assignment: The World Press card, please enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope. You may write to us here at Assignment: The World, Post Office Box three-zero-zero-twenty-one, Rochester, New York… one-4-6-zero-3… or you may contact us at the A-T-W website at http://atwonline.org.
We also read e-mail at atw@wxxi.org
POP QUIZ #2
In our story about Ethiopia, what other country did we tell you has been suffering from excessive rainfall? Is it
And the correct answer is number 2. Flooding has affected both Ethiopia and Somalia.
NEW CLUES
And now it’s time for next week’s clues in the news…
Our first clue a location…
21 Degrees, 2 minutes north latitude
105 Degrees, 51 minutes east longitude
Our second clue is a scrambled letter, two words:
First word
R O A D C U E
Second word
C L O N E T I E
And finally, our third clue is a fill in the blanks, one word:
T blank A N blank S blank I V blank N blank
These are clues to stories we think will happen in the coming week. You can find the answers on radio and television newscasts and in newspapers and newsmagazines. We’ll reveal the answers on next week’s show. Good luck!
GOOD-BYE
And that’s it for this week’s show. We hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving holiday. For of us here at Assignment: The World, I’m Teej Jenkins. We’ll see you in two weeks.
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