First Post

If you have someone’s attention you better have something important to say. This was one of the first things I learned in journalism school, and words I now try to keep in mind as I start this blog. A couple of years ago I went back to school and earned a masters degree in International Affairs. While I became more engaged with the world beyond the United States, I realized our media was not. A lot of coverage was dedicated to Iraq, and a lesser amount to Afghanistan – naturally because of the war, but the rest of the world usually received only a passing mention in the nightly news.

If you have bought a tank of gasoline lately you realize how events on the other side of the world have a deep affect on our life here. Still, coverage of the larger world beyond our shores is lacking. Maybe it is because its assumed that as “the world’s only superpower” the rest of the world should pay attention to us, not the other way around; maybe the media outlets assume our lives are too busy to pay attention to a bunch of places with strange names; but whatever the reason, the result is a lack of knowledge about the world beyond our shores.

My goal with this blog is to talk about some of the places and events that should be making news, and to put them in a larger context than some 30-second mention you may hear before the sports and weather. It’s my intention to keep things light and (hopefully) enjoyable to read – unlike some of the international affairs texts I had to wade through.

Finally, the name of this blog is A World View, with emphasis on “A”. These are my views, my opinions - you may agree, you may not. It’s my hope though that in reading this blog you learn a few new things about the world and enjoy yourself while you do.