This week I was struck by the article "Forget The Parades. Protest This Fourth of July." I was most intrigued by this article due to the fact that protests such as these occur today. Most of American citizens today spent their Independence day celebrating with family and friends with no consideration whatsoever to people who feel differently about this holiday. For example, a family could have celebrated with a dinner and a fireworks show, while another spent their day in protest of this dreaded day. I also found it interesting that the day slavery was overthrown (July fourth) is completely disregarded and is viewed by most of the population as simply America's Day of fireworks. In conclusion, this article presents points many people are not completely aware of, including myself, which I found completely fascinating and eye-opening.
https://www.nytimes.com/podcasts/the-daily
The rampant problem of pregnancy discrimination part 1
This week, this podcast interested me the most as it is about an issue that is not talked about widely even though it is such a big issue that is affecting so many women’s lives in America. There are so many women in the United States who do not get the maternity leave that they need in order to take care of their children. In the podcast, a woman who was pregnant was told by her doctor to not do any heavy lifting for risk of miscarriage. Her boss, rather than being understanding, told her that if she was not able to do the job, then she could leave. This woman was forced to make a decision, risk the life of her unborn baby, or lose her steady paycheck. This podcast was shocking. It opened my eyes to how maternity leave actually is. For so many women, this is the reality, Having to choose between keeping their job or taking care of their baby and themselves. This podcast really interested me and showed me the harsh reality for thousands of women in America. Maternity leave was never something that I thought about as a big issue but now that I am hearing other people’s stories, I am realizing how this needs to be talked about more publicly.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/04/world/asia/thailand-cave-rescue-updat...
It has a few days since the lost group of 12 young boys and their soccer coach have been found. They were missing for nine days, and were recently found alive and well. I chose this article because this is an event that I, along with the rest of my country, have followed very closely due to it occurring in our neighboring country and the victims being teenage students, just like me. I've seen the news of them on Facebook, television, the newspaper, and much more. I watched the live video on Facebook as they were found. They have yet to get out of the cave, but volunteers from around the world such as British divers and Navy SEAL members have come together in an effort to rescue them. Overall, this is an incredibly delicate situation and I wish for a speedy success.
Harvard Is Wrong That Asians Have Terrible Personalities
We all know that America has undoubtedly been pushing for diversity for a while, especially in their colleges. However, having this agenda take precedence over qualitative and academic traits for something as significant as college, is not very just. This is what Harvard is doing, and to make matters worse, they are disguising blatant discrimination as a necessary measure to satisfy diversity. As an Asian, “Harvard Is Wrong That Asians Have Terrible Personalities” evoked frustration and disappointment.
I was bewildered to learn that Asians perform the best academically but have the lowest Harvard acceptance rates. We’re the only racial group whose acceptance rate is lower than whites’, which was news to me, considering how I believed that this country was earnestly pushing for people of color to be better represented in various things, including college. This discrepancy kept me curious about what schools really care about; it turned out to be their reputation.
However, after recognizing the fact that Asians would have taken up almost half of Harvard’s student body, had the applicants been chosen through academic criteria alone, I actually understood why this school felt the need to discriminate. That is not to say that discrimination is acceptable, however. Characterizing Asians as people with bad personalities just to keep their numbers low? Trying to uphold your racial diversity with discrimination? How ironic.
People all around the world are using third-party genetic evaluation tests, such as 23andMe and Promethease. The article "The Online Gene Test Finds a Dangerous Mutation. It May Well Be Wrong" discusses issues with so many people trusting non-certified laboratories associated with these tests. I know many people who have used 23andMe, and I did not know that they search for genes associated with breast cancer. I found this interesting, since when people sign up for 23andMe, this is not something they are seeking. The downside to the "discovery" of these genes is that much of the time they are incorrect. One reason this margin of error may be allowed is that the companies "warn customers not to regard their results as medical diagnoses." Instead of coming up with better tests, these companies have so many consumers that they do not need to change their testing to ensure that these people are getting accurate results, which I do not think is fair for anyone. In a small study, a certified laboratory analyzed the results of patient gene testing and discovered that, of their participants, 40 percent of results were incorrect. This is a large margin of error. Due to these facts, I am somewhat persuaded to warn others around me of the false information provided by these third-party companies, for I know it is seen as a cheaper solution to certified genetic testing. This article could educate people in better understanding that their "genetic testing" may not be accurate after all.
"Coming Out to My Parents in China by Video" was a very interesting article, even though it was short and sweet, as the idea of "coming out" versus the actual doing so is complex by themselves, especially when you add the next variable, as from Cao's perspective, which is being from Asian decent.
As someone who is Asian and queer as well, this one spoke louder to me as the difficulty of coming out to those who you do not wish judgement from and do not want to separate from is so heavily risked when you tell someone a truth about yourself, queer truth or otherwise. Especially in Asian families, as most of the population tends to be traditional and entrenched in past principles. Although that is a hefty generalization, as one coming from an Asian household and having many friends and neighbors in similar situations, my own words do ring true in most circumstances. This dates back into history as well as the idea of "honor" and as Cao had said, "saving face" has always been a common theme in Asian societies.
Back to the article and the coming out itself, the pressure that this young woman went through is hefty and to turn it into something beautiful but ultimately daunting was eye catching in short. Again you have conflicts with your sexual orientation, your family and your roots, a mix of variables in which the change or sudden shift of one could lead to a devastating outcome. From one to the other, personally one as myself would commend her as she took the leap and succeeded.
Freedom, opportunity, and equality - these are the three ideals Americans have kept since the founding of the US. However, from Fortin’s article, “‘Access to Literacy’ is Not a Constitutional Right”, I realized that praise of these ideals may not be as genuine as I have anticipated.
The students attending the extremely underfunded Detroit schools lost the lawsuit that argued that literacy is a constitutional right and demanded for a sufficient education system. Judge Stephen J. Murphy III, although he acknowledged the disastrous state these schools are in, termed literacy as “minimally adequate education” and denied the case’s connection to race. It is nevertheless unbelievable that this case is separate from racism, given the fact that the underfunded districts consist of racial minorities.
I could especially sympathize with this article and the frustration students in Detroit experience because I moved to the US with my parents’ infinite trust in American education. Education was the only offer the society made to live a better life. It is devastating for me to discover that even in America, the land of equal opportunity, education is discriminating.
What provides freedom? Knowledge. What offers opportunity? Again, knowledge. How do we reach untainted equality? It is through education. We must remember that knowledge is impartial. We should neither overlook the power nor the gravity of this situation because everyone should have the same access to opportunities.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/25/us/video-diatribe-mexicans.html
“Hey, you! Mexico kid! When are you planning on stealing from us?” someone asked me once in sixth grade. I flipped around to face him.
“I’m not Mexican - I’m from India!” The other kid’s face switched gears instantly - I remember his hostile scowl flipping into an embarrassed smile.
“My bad.”
When I read this article, that encounter in middle school was the first thing I could think of. It had lasted for ten seconds, but that had been enough to frighten me. Somehow, where I came from determined whether or not I could be trusted - it made no sense. Yet for many, this is their reality. For ten seconds, I had gotten a taste of what it felt to be Mexican in America, and it was something I can never forget.
These days, I switch on the television and see hordes of anger marching the streets. I open my laptop and read passages of hate - I’ve almost been numbed. But every time I come even close to not caring, I remember that day in middle school - the fear and hate that I saw for a brief moment - and shudder. Esteban Guzman wrote on his Facebook, “You don’t know what it feels like to be hated so much,” and he’s right. I don’t.
Too many of us see racism as a way to become accepted, to feel powerful. In reality, it makes our nation rejected among others, too weak to stand for its own. If we truly want to make this country great, then it is time we attack our anger and prejudice - not innocent people.
“Game, set and match, Mrs. Williams.”
At this point in the tennis match, two vital pieces of information are conveyed to the audience: (1) Serena Williams has won the match and (2) she’s married.
I would never expect marital status and one’s ability to play tennis to be related to each other. That’s why, the article “At Wimbledon, Married Women Are Still ‘Mrs.’” caught my eye. At Wimbledon, marital status is quite important if you’re a tennis player - that is, if you’re a female tennis player. A woman is referred to as “Miss” if she’s unmarried and “Mrs” if she’s married. Men are simply referred to by their last names. To this day, Wimbledon holds extensive records on the marriage histories of women, but there are no records for the marriage histories of men. This distinction reveals a tradition of gender inequity at Wimbledon.
It’s a subtle difference in treatment that’s often overlooked. How we refer to women reflects our understanding of their identities. The fact that a woman’s marital status has to be noted and broadcasted around the world when she succeeds, while a man's marital status doesn't, mirrors the underlying belief that the marriage history of a woman is closely tied to her accomplishments. Wimbledon upholds this difference to keep with tradition. However, should a tradition be kept alive if it keeps discrimination alive too?
“At 9 He Lost His Mom to Gang Violence. At 12 He Lost His Dad to Trump’s Immigration Policies”
Children are the future leaders of the world. Adults must demonstrate the positive qualities and skills that they hope future leaders will also exhibit. According to the actions of the US government, this methodology only applies to children living legally in the US; especially not the children of those seeking refuge in the US via the Mexican border. Treated with respect and dignity, children will grow up to be successful and respectful leaders.
Brayan and his father, José, sought asylum in the US after receiving threats from his mother’s boyfriend who was arrested for her murder before being set free. Brayan and José came to the US in need of a place with opportunity where they could safely go. Now, to the US government, Brayan is a number: one of 2,000 children sundered from their families.
Since its inception, the US has been a place of opportunity and refuge for immigrants from all over the world. When my great grandparents immigrated to the US from Europe in the early 1900s, they faced discrimination and struggle. However, the government provided my grandparents with the opportunity to make a life for themselves in the US. The government provided Brayan and José with hardship, separating and detaining them without second thought.
How can we expect children to become great future leaders if we treat children as numbers without the respect and dignity all humans deserve?
Article (Opinion): “A Space Force? The Idea May Have Merit” by Helene Cooper
Space has always been man’s next frontier and as a result, there’s bound to be competition with other nations for its resources. Most notably, the Chinese and Russian militaries and space programs have been recently investing into weaponry that threaten U.S. military satellites and orbital spy equipment (such as satellites).
My opinion on this is a branch of the U.S. military should be created to handle affairs in space (such as the former United States Space Command who was merged with the United States Strategic Command in 2002) as the United States Air Force, I believe, should handle operations limited to within Earth’s atmosphere. I believe in this because space is an entirely new theatre, different from traditional aerial combat. Another reason I believe in the creation or reformation of a U.S. “Space Force” is because of recent militarization by both Russia and China. In recent years, China has aggressively encroached into the South China Sea, building artificial islands with airbases on top of them and increasing funding to their military. In Russia, they are also increasing military funding, modernizing their forces. In order to maintain the technological and military highground, I believe in the creation of a U.S. military space agency, separate from the United States Air Force.
"The White House Is Tearing Down the Wall Between Church and State"
This article by Susan Jacoby fascinated me. The idea of a separation of church and state has been debated on throughout history. Once questioned, it took centuries to put it into place. Now, however, all that work may be for nothing. Recent policies by President Trump such as separating children from parents crossing illegally and putting a ban targeting Muslim majority countries from entering the US, have been justified using specific Bible verses, leaving out others that contradict their actions. This is interesting considering our country prides itself in being the most diverse country, marked by religious pluralism. How is it that our own President seems to not understand this motto?
As this is an opinion article, I was curious to find out the author's personal view on this topic. Jacoby used majority facts instead of her own personal thoughts to "convince" us. I was intrigued to learn that she served on many boards supporting this separation.
By the end of the article, I came to agree with Jacoby. I myself am not a religious person so that may be part of the reason why I feel the way I feel however history has already proven that no religion should ever mix with the government, which is why our founding fathers wrote up a Constitution with no mention of "God". As Roger Williams says, "the wall of separation was to protect religion from government — not government from religion."
"It’s Time for a Chemistry Lesson. Put on Your Virtual Reality Goggles."
Visualising structures such as chemical compounds have always been a difficult task for people to do. From taking chemistry in the past years, I remember that there were many graphics and visuals to describe a specific chemical compound. Now with the VR goggles, it makes visualization easier for students. The VR goggle simulation will allow the student to tinker with the molecules and learn more about it. I am glad that I will be able to use this simulation to continue exploring the world of science throughout my career as a student.
A product like the simulation can very well advance the human race's medicine evolution or construct housing in the virtual world. The VR goggles are significant to the advancement of the human race and, it will continue to benefit humans throughout history.
https://nyti.ms/2NmoKAs
I first saw Danielle Bregoli in a video clip of her appearance on the Dr. Phil show last year saying, “Cash me outside, howbowdah?” For months, her catchphrase was everywhere. Then, as the popularity of the meme faded, so did my memory of the girl who first spoke it, especially since I hadn’t taken the time to learn her name in the first place.
When I’d heard that the Cash Me Outside Girl had scored a record deal as a rapper, I erupted into incredulous laughter. But there she was on YouTube, in a video that was just as professional as the song itself. I didn’t get it: her only notable achievement was to be globally mocked. Why would anyone sign her to a record deal? What qualities within her were worthy of such a privilege?
“The Big Business of Becoming Bhad Bhabie” showed me much about how the sausage of pop music is made: rather than artistic merit or perseverance, the key ingredient is often utter serendipity. Ms Bregoli’s manager had sought to turn someone notorious into someone famous. In her viral video performance, he saw the vessel into which he wanted to pour a provocative rapper persona, one celebrated despite (or maybe because of) a complete lack of authenticity.
This strikes me as a stunning turn of events for a musical genre that has made authenticity a core value. Yet... as a Greco-Roman wrestler, I can’t help but acknowledge the incredible global popularity of the W.W.E...
Reading Nicholas Kristof’s article, America Is Guilty of Neglecting Kids: Our Own, has made me realize how badly America’s kids are treated and how politicians ignore the problems in America to push their agenda.
The absurdity of things that our generation are blamed for is so ridiculous that people have made a meme about it (“blame the millennials”). We’re viewed as lazy, unwise, and impatient, and everyone says we have it easy, when they don’t realize how favorable their own conditions were. My point is, naturally, everyone has the impression that kids don’t know what they’re doing- an answer that is lazier than they make kids to be.
Kristof really nailed it on the head when he writes, “Why do we stiff kids?... The simple answer: Kids don’t vote. They depend on us, and we fail them.” Kids can’t vote, but instead, they’ve been protesting. A while back, kids across the nation protested gun laws by cutting class. Kids who had survived school shootings were dismissed by politicians who thought that, being kids, they couldn’t know better. And kids, to this day, still protest women’s rights. It’s saddening that even blatantly bipartisan issues are categorized into left or right and pushed aside.
It saddened me even more when I read how in spite of all this, Trump, either oblivious to or just ignoring the facts, is pushing agenda that would worsen the situation.
Kristof has reminded me that, even as kids, we need to act now and show them how wrong they are to end these issues.
I read the article "5 People Dead in Shooting at Maryland’s Capital Gazette Newsroom." It's actually crazy to hear about how many shooting there have been recently and sadly these shootings will continue until we take some major action. It seems that every time there is a mass shooting people mourn, media reports on it, then everyone moves on. We have to stop this cycle and actually do something about this. Now I know there are many gun control laws to prevent crazy people from getting a hold of guns but these laws clearly not enough. I was born in England and there has been a significantly greater amount of mass shootings in America than in England. That's probably because not many people in England owns guns but, I know that guns are a major part of America's culture yet, something has to be done about all these massacres. Now, I alone can't change this problem but hopefully someone in power finally wakes up and decides to do something about all these shootings.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/04/science/northern-white-rhino-embryo.html?
Ten years ago researchers were certain that the northern white rhinoceros species would become extinct. That concern no longer exists thanks to new research being done. As long as the female rhinoceroses were still alive the plan could proceed. The northern white female rhinoceroses all had reproductive issues that prevented them from reproducing naturally. Researchers had to make rhino embryos that could be implanted into the females in order to make them reproduce. These researchers have been credited with saving the northern white rhinoceroses species from extinction. This experiment is so groundbreaking that many animal researchers still do not know its full potential; some believe that similar reproductive efforts can be simulated with other species having difficulty reproducing at a pace that will ensure their continued existence. The problem with this type of research is the belief that researchers are interfering with nature and the natural selection of which species survive and which go extinct. People believe we should not meddle with the survival of animals.
The article that interested me the most in the Times this week was "Thailand Cave Updates: Rescue Diver Dies, and Oxygen Is a Concern." Throughout this week, officials have deemed it of utmost importance that these kids and their coach be rescued from the cave. However, the good news is that the rescue team of divers have found their way to the trapped people, but with the consequence of losing one of their own. Now that the divers have reached the victims, it is just a matter of time before the divers teach the children the proper methods in which to dive and swim out into safety. Although all necessary procedures are being taken, navy officials say that the confined people may have to wait in the cave for approximately two months, until the water level decreases. With that being said, there is still adequate food and water for the children, and in due time, due to the help of all the prayers of the people around the world.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/04/world/asia/thailand-cave-rescue-updat...
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/26/smarter-living/how-to-clean-your-filt...
What interested me most about the topics this week was the how to clean your laptop article. I chose the article because i frequently use my laptop and it can get pretty dirty from time to time. I wanted to learn how to properly clean my device. I learned all the steps i needed. I must gather up my materials to start. Next I should start from the inside of my computer and work my way out. I should use a soft cloth and make sure it is damp. These tips helped me out greatly as I was able to clean my laptop with ease and efficiency.
"Where a Taboo Is Leading to the Deaths of Young Girls."
By Jeffrey Gettleman
The article I picked this week is about the tradition of menstrual isolation in Nepal. The women in Nepal based on tradition are required to leave the family home for the amount of time where they are in their menstrual period. They themselves say it's for the best as they would not like to see the impurities of their menstrual period affect their family which to us may seem weird but not harmful right? That is until you see that the living conditions of the women traditionally obligated to leave are terrible; the hut is extremely small to the point where those inside have to compress themselves to about half their size, the cold is very harsh, and the small hut can lead to their death as they inhale a great deal of smoke while trying to cope with the cold. Now one would most likely think "Why not just accept the menstrual cycle as a basic human function so the women in your life do not have to suffer?" but it is not that easy. Sure there are those in Nepal that would like to change this tradition so more suffering cannot result from it but then again it is a tradition no matter how backward we see it there will be those who believe it as a necessity and to the women who go through this, the way their culture thinks is ingrained in the way they think as they themselves would feel embarrassed or shameful if they do not go through with the tradition. I sincerely hope they can change for the better.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/26/us/politics/supreme-court-trump-trave...
The Supreme Court just upheld Trump's travel ban in a 5 to 4 vote, making the banning of refugees constitutionally legal. Although it puts an end to the debate of whether what Trump was doing was legally right or wrong, it still doesn't make it morally or ethically justifiable. I believe that as a country that prides and governs itself on liberty and accepting those that are persecuted in their native lands, it is our duty to give these people a home. A home that they can safely sleep at night without the fear of being invaded and killed by terrorist groups. Instead we're sending the message that the rigorous journey they just made for freedom and prosperity was for nothing because we no longer accept the opressed. Right now there are millions of people seeking refuge and crying out for help. So what does Trump and the Supreme Court do? turn their backs on the most vulnerable. I believe that our country can do so much better to earn the right to call ourselves the melting pot. Excluding Muslims from entering this country is racist and just plain old wrong and sets the U.S ten steps back from improving. I chose this article because it shocked me to know that our respected Supreme Court is justifying president Trump's controversial and morally wrong ban on refugees coming from the Middle East.
The article that interested me this week was “A sombrero and a Dream” which talks about the Odyssey of a young mexican college student going to the world cup in Russia. His name is Jose Ramon Ramirez and he put everything on the line to make his dream come a realization. He was determined to save money to buy his ticket so he did. He had a job in a warehouse in San Diego and he got fired because he was told he couldn't leave for week but he didn't care. He moved to Los Angeles for some time and acquired two jobs that would help him earn $2,000 over the period of one month. He had such a passion for soccer and he knew nothing was going to stop him from traveling to Russia. When he bought his ticket and finally made it to Russia he caught a lot of attention with his sombrero and many people would ask to take pictures with him. He was so ready to go to the games but he never even bought the expensive tickets. I mean like what was he thinking? He managed to find somebody and he made it inside the stadium. How ingenious right? This article caught my eye this guy had a dream that he never gave up on. Jose sacrificed so much for something that some people might just consider “a soccer game.” But that’s not what it meant for him, it was more then that, it was a dream and although with many hardships he managed to make it possible. He was so persistent and that’s the attitude that I want to have to, I really admire that. Never give up on your dreams.
"BBC Apologizes to Carrie Gracie, Former China Editor, Over Unequal Pay"
And justice has been restored. Another happy ending for one of the many cases of unequal pay in the 21st century.
Resembling like water which can both kill or keep one alive, this article can be seen with two perspectives: dismay, because it shows that discriminatory part of our traditional culture which we haven’t left behind, still existing nowadays. News about exploring the space and advancing technology are constantly being published, yet how do we overcome those difficulties, if we can't even respect each other in the 21st century. Realizing that a highly known news agency, like BBC, still practices such separations between genders, frightens many high school students like myself, who are just learning what's out there.
Contemporary, it shows a world that’s moving forward for the better. The BBC showed bravery through acknowledging their mistakes without fear and immediately apologizing for their wrongdoings. It's when they listened to her, not to reply, but to understand where I believe communicates amelioration. Sometimes it takes a wake-up call to comprehend, but after all, we are humans, not meant to be perfect.
Carrie Gracie, certainly a role model, raised awareness and continues to do so. It intrigues me how after having received the wage she deserved, she donated all to more causes like hers. It portrays the unity in our world which is sometimes forgotten between the global confusions.
A Warming World Creates Desperate People
https://nyti.ms/2MHCSTH
Who does not want to live in his home country? Migrating to another country means to learn a second language, make new friends, and adopt a different culture. Learning a new language may be interesting. However, when you are coerced to use an unfamiliar language instead of your first language in order to survive, it becomes pressure. It is always been frustrated and challenging in the beginning. Migrating is an act of valor. Immigrants are admirable, they jeopardize their lives for a better future for their families.
Global warming causes higher sea level, unstable climate, and shrinking arable land. All those factors contribute to a country’s economic and political problems, which make its citizens suffer from privation and wars. Their poor living conditions precipitate them to emigrate. Thus they are not reprehensible because aspiring to survive and a better life is human nature.
Now, our government is sending immigrants back to their countries, separating children from their parents, and crushing their hopes. It is important to stand in their shoes; otherwise, the issue would never be truly solved and more problems are created. Moreover, the article suggests that the immigration issue is derived from global warming. We should participate in environmental protection activities instead of separate families. Maybe it would take a longer time, but I believe it will actually help the immigrants and us.
"Hard News. Angry Adminstration. Teenage Jounralists Know What It's Like."
When I first came across this piece by Jaclyn Peiser, I was troubled but not surpised to read of the challenges facing high school journalists. When school boards cut funding for high school extra-curriculars in recent years, journalism programs were impacted disproportionately. Not only have school newspapers been shelved, but the classes that supported them have been canceled. Yet, reading deeper in the article, I was even more alarmed by stories about censorship and the blatant disregard for student voice.
Journalism is most effective when it informs and challenges its readers and expresses divergent opinions. I would argue that it is even more important among teens, who are in the throes of exploring issues and devloping values. Today's student newspapers offer a much-needed alternative to the adult-centric media, giving teens the opportunity to cover topics relevant to them. in 2018, no issue has provoked more youth expression (and youth activsm) than the tragic shootings on school campuses. School papers have provided a needed outlet for the expression of angst about the shootings. Ms. Peiser describes zealous officials shutting down papers after articles criticizing school admistators were published. Instead of silencing students, schools should promote student voice and a robust exchange of ideas, just as our Founding Fathers intended.
“Hard News. Angry Administration. Teenage Journalists Know What It’s Like.”
When I first came across this piece by Jaclyn Peiser, I was troubled but not surprised to read of the challenges facing high school journalists. When school boards cut funding for high school extra-curriculars in recent years, journalism programs were impacted disproportionately. Not only have school newspapers been shelved, but the classes that supported them have been cancelled. Yet, reading deeper into the article, I was even more alarmed by stories about censorship and the blatant disregard for student voice.
Journalism is most effective when it informs and challenges its readers and expresses divergent opinions. I would argue that this is even more important among teens, who are in the throes of exploring issues and developing values. Today’s student newspapers offer a much-needed alternative to the adult-centric media, giving teens the opportunity to cover topics relevant to them. In 2018, no issue has provoked more youth expression (and youth activism) than the tragic shootings on school campuses. School papers have provided a needed outlet for the expression of student angst about shootings. Ms. Peiser describes zealous officials shutting down papers after articles criticizing school administrators were published. Instead of silencing students, schools should promote student voice and a robust exchange of ideas, just as our Founding Fathers intended.
Is a teen girl engaging in self-harming an unusually ill person? As a new survey reveals, that’s actually not the case. In fact, the article “How Many Teenage Girls Deliberately Harm Themselves? Nearly 1 in 4, Survey Finds.” shows it to us. The CDC conducted surveys at nearly 65,000 high schools, and in addition to the statistics about girls, researchers have found that boys are about half as likely—around 1 in 10— to harm themselves. Since research has only begun, why the numbers are so high and if they have been increasing over time has not yet been determined.
Personally, as a teen, I see that the numbers are so high, and perhaps are rising due to the increasing prevalence of media. Nowadays, practically every adolescent has access to social media, and there are so many messages out there that shape, and limit our views of what is the desired body image, and even life, that if we don’t fit in the ‘desired’ mold, we blame and hate ourselves for it, part of that reaction which includes self-harm. Stereotypically, girls care more about their image, which explains why they are twice as likely to engage in the practice.
I have to admit, I have harmed myself, which is part of the reason I read this article. So to me, it is a slight comfort to know that a quarter of the teenage girls out there have faced similar situations, but for society, as the researchers say, “addressing [self-harm] on a case-by-case basis — instead of as a public health problem — may be insufficient.”
One article " Americans are having fewer babies . They told us why" by Claire cain miller. About young people deciding not children at a young age or never. This interests me because I live in a community where most people have children at a very age which began to seem normal to me until I read this article .Young women they interview said they wanted to focus on themselves and follow their career. usually young women tend to go off and get married and start a family in my community . but to hear these women say that they want a career for themselves so they can provide for themselves and if the time is right a child is pretty amazing for me. While others say they wait the other half not so much. Now a days people who just finish college or just trying to pay off student debut which could sometime take years says from sources . By the time that is payed off is their really any time for children. Besides from that half who cant afford parent hood others are just not responsible enough. A source becky says she doesn't considered herself responsible enough to care for a child if she admits that isn't really even responsible for herself .Not only your responsible for this child but for actions that take on as adult base on values that were taught by you . and this is a very good example how parenthood is a serious job. And if your not willing to have this type of responsibility then maybe parenthood isn't for you. Having a child is a choice young women and couples make .
"Tariffs? Time for a Plan B: ‘Gobble Up Every Bit of Material That I Can’"
New tariffs are leaving Americans in the dark - both literally and figuratively. The tariffs seem to be counteractive to recent tax breaks by the Trump administration, and also seem to be doing more harm than good. With every media outlet and overtly opinionated politician more than willing to stir up fear over a brewing trade war, it's easy for anyone to get lost in the rhetoric, but the simple focus is on money. While any economy is dependent on money, the current administration has pinpointed their focus on making money, on running a business, rather than using money to make the necessary social changes. Overall, it means the economic policies are interesting, petty, yes, but for a student, it doesn't often feel like it matters.
Except, I am shut out from discussions about policies that are clearly defining my future. The obsession over the business portion of running the government blocks the majority of people from being an active participant in it.
So what drew me to this article was that it finally focused on the widely accepted and rarely addressed labor cuts that most companies are going to be making because of the new tariffs. For a government that spends so much time, money, and bandwidth complaining about jobs being stolen by foreign companies, jobs being stolen by immigrants, they seem to be doing a spectacular job of stealing jobs away from the American people all on their own.
Reading the article, “How to Survive When Money is Worthless” by Nicholas Casey and Brent McDonald was definitely depressing. Debt has never been a more scary word for me until I came across this article. It’s absurd knowing that a simple haircut costs five bananas and two eggs. And to think that one small meal a day, barely enough for a small child is a delight to the Venezuelans. From once being such a wealthful country to one of the poorest is almost inhumane as we see it slowly crumbling. Seeing Venezuelan currency being played with, burned, and treated like a normal piece of paper is now common to see children do in that country. People working the minimum wage are barely earning just enough to buy one cup of coffee a day. Malnutrition continues to rise causing many more ongoing deaths for the children. Even the highest valued bill, 100,000 is worth five cents. To think I complained about having nothing to eat in my own home when my whole pantry is filled is something I should never state again when Venezuelans legitimately have nothing.
[email protected]
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/06/27/world/americas/venezuela-...
“Hard News. Angry Administration. Teenage Journalists Know What It’s Like.”
When I first came across this piece by Jaclyn Peiser, I was troubled but not surprised to read of the challenges facing high school journalists. When school boards cut funding for high school extra-curriculars in recent years, journalism programs were impacted disproportionately. Not only have school newspapers been shelved, but the classes that supported them have been cancelled. Yet, reading deeper into the article, I was even more alarmed by stories about censorship and the blatant disregard for student voice.
Journalism is most effective when it informs and challenges its readers and expresses divergent opinions. I would argue that this is even more important among teens, who are in the throes of exploring issues and developing values. Today’s student newspapers offer a much-needed alternative to the adult-centric media, giving teens the opportunity to cover topics relevant to them. In 2018, no issue has provoked more youth expression (and youth activism) than the tragic shootings on school campuses. School papers have provided a needed outlet for the expression of student angst about shootings. Ms. Peiser describes zealous officials shutting down papers after articles criticizing school administrators were published. Instead of silencing students, schools should promote student voice and a robust exchange of ideas, just as our Founding Fathers intended.
5 People Dead in Shooting at Maryland’s Capital Gazette Newsroom
I chose an artical on a shooting. The sad thing is hearing about another shooting in America has just become normal like it has just happened so much that most of us are just used to it by now. The part that interested me was it wasn't a school shootig, it was a shooting at a news paper Gazzette. I thought that was strange, why would someone shoot up a news paper gazzette. Reading the article and reading what angered this man to do this is sickening. This article wasn't about a shooting in a school but this article did contain 5 innocent lives being taken. America needs to focus more on healing people rather than trying to shoo them away, so things like this don't happen to anyone.
“Europe Retaliates Against Trump Tariffs”
What interested me the most in The New York Times this week was an article written by Jack Ewing that discusses the retaliations from countries against tariffs being placed by the United States. The tariffs that were placed were on most imports of aluminum and steel from stable countries. Countries did not enjoy this so have decided to retaliate by adding their own tariffs onto American goods. These retaliations are from a plenty of countries including China and Mexico while other countries like Canada, Japan, and Turkey are preparing to do the same. They are retaliating against the United States by increasing their imports tariffs of most American goods.
Now what truly interested me to this article would be that a couple of months ago, I was reading The New York Times. The articles I read involved the decision of Mr. Trump imposing tariffs on aluminum and steel on to all imports. However, this decision has come to later articles concerning countries that were not content about this decision since this would affect them economically. Then I was shocked when this subject matter continued and involved the concern of a trade war that may happen due to no compromises meet yet. I am shocked that this matter has continued and has worsen with more countries retaliating.
"Lebron James joining Lakers on 4 year 154 million deal"
The 14 time all star and 3 time NBA champion has left the Cleveland Cavaliers to join the Los Angles Lakers. The impact of this move is greater than just basketball, its changes the whole economical state of a city. More people get jobs and businesses grow more. The impact Lebron James had on Cleveland is something that will never be done again. But still this man seems to get the most hate out of all the athletes in the world. This man has pledged 41 million dollars to charity, sent over 1,100 kids to college with fully paid tuition, and is making his own school in Akron Ohio to put kids in a better opportunities for the future. He has never sexually assaulted anyone or has ever committed a crime (like other athletes do), instead he's been a loving husband and father to his kids. Lebron has put belief in kids that they can make it anywhere in their life, even if they weren't raised in the best area. He is a role model to fathers and kids all over the world. So stop hating on this man and just appreciate greatness. Salute King James.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/05/business/media/tv-viewer-tracking.html...
"How Smart TVs in Millions of U.S. Homes Track More Than What's On Tonight"
Lately, consumer privacy has been in the news constantly. I never paid a lot of attention to it, but this article really got my attention. My peers and I are constantly on social media including snapchat and instagram. Since we are constantly chatting or posting our activities all day long, it would seem like we are not that worried about privacy. Our lives are already pretty transparent. In reading this article, I almost felt some fear. Maybe we shouldn't be so easily transparent about everything. While this article talked about tracking the shows you watch and targeted advertising, I think there should definitely be limits on how much we are tracked, whether it is on TV, social media, or our mobile devices. If the wrong individuals get hold of this information, safety can be a big concern. I think companies should be more open about tracking users and be very clear in what they are doing with the information they gather when giving you the option to opt in or out of using their services. I think teenagers tend not to worry about these things as much, but as I read this, it really opened my eyes to the importance of privacy. I guess I would choose to opt out in the future to services that want to track everything in our lives for profit.
Wives and Children of ISIS: Warehoused in Syria, Unwanted Back Home
This article interested me because Ive never real actually heard about this. I didnt know that women and children were being kept in Syria. This is relatable to the children that are undocumented being held in a facility. These women either have Isis Ideology or theyre husbands till have that ideology. These women mostly have nothing to do and just stay with their children who are mostly toddlers. Women of all different races from European women who came to Syria to Arab women already living there. Basically, a group went into interview these women but the western women werent allowed to be interviewed. Everyone there is kind of waiting a trial whether they are ready to go or not. If they still have jhadistism in them then no if not then yes. I kind of fell bd fo these women because they are basically being held captive. This article further helped me learn about this ongoing problem in Syria an actually know what it is.
Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf Scientist?
Politics are woven into every aspect of human life, and for better or worse, our politics are now affecting the world around us. We have been playing god with nature for longer than any living person can remember and it's time to ask ourselves, where do we draw the line? Wolves are one, if not the most, symbolic animals on the planet. Perfect predators, pack hunters, and intelligent creatures, wolves have symbolized the wild for a long time. Unfortunately, the largest species of wolf, the Grey Wolf, was declared endangered in 1973. A North American classic, this beast was hunted down to dwindling numbers by farmers, livestock owners, and game hunters before wildlife activists jumped in. Now, after being reintroduced to their native habitats in the 1990s we face this issue again, One side fights for the modern world, where humans and their food deserve to live in peace from the wild, while the other side is mainly arguing the obvious point that these creatures were here before us, and if we’re not careful, they’re not going to be here for much longer.
The article itself is about a revered zoologist who lost everything after deciding to study the North American Grey Wolf. Both sides have pretty extreme views on the issue, but in my mind it speaks to a broader audience about a bigger issue? In a constantly evolving world, how do we preserve the natural side of life while also not sacrificing our advancements as a species?
This week, Lebron James signed a 4-year contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, which excited me quite a bit due to the fact that I am a huge Lakers fan. This big commitment reminded me of when James had to make "The Decision" of either staying in Cleveland, his home town, or signing with the Miami Heat down in Southbeach. This time around James was choosing between Cleveland and the Los Angeles Lakers, in which he chose to start a new chapter in his life with the Lakers. Magic Johnson, who was a former Laker and now the president of basketball operations for the Lakers team, had somehow negotiated with James to get him to commit to the Lakers. This comes after the Cleveland Cavaliers, James's now former team, lost against the undefeated finals champs, the Golden State Warriors. After Cleveland's humiliating NBA Finals loss, most basketball fans knew that James would no longer stay in Cleveland.
With the Lakers, Lebron James will be playing with a team of rookies, being that the Lakers's best players include rookies Lonzo Ball and Kyle Kuzma. In all honesty, if another experienced player such as Kawhi Leonard, who recently re-signed with the San Antonio Spurs, does not sign a contract with the Lakers, Lebron will end up being a one man team in the upcoming season. Although I have hopes that Lebron James will bring the Lakers a long awaited title, I also fear that James will have to fight for a title alone. In other words, Lebron may not be working with the best team.
The link to the article:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/mobile.nytimes.com/2018/07/01/sports/lebron...
“South Korea’s Enduring Racism”
It’s true. South Koreans are racist. They wince if a foreigner sits down next to them. They stare if a woman wearing a hijab walks past. They edge away from dark-skinned people.
So where did this perverse hatred for foreigners originate? Let us look back upon the grim Korean history. Having constantly been occupied by other countries — China, Mongolia and Japan to name a few — Korea had been a “Hermit Kingdom” with no choice but to bow their heads low and indulge the intruders.
But now, the tables have turned. With the fourth largest economy in Asia and a literacy rate of 98%, South Koreans are free to indulge in themselves, instead of capitulating to a higher power. With their newfound authority to take control over their own nation, South Koreans are rejecting any potential intruders to the point where the country has become one of the most ethnically homogeneous in the world. In reality, the insecurity produced by their traumatic past has latched itself onto peoples’ hearts and continues to thrive to this day. It is only somewhat concealed by the mask of a developed nation. This desperation to unite leaves citizens frightened of diversity, fearing it will force the community to fall apart.
Yes, South Koreans are racist. But they are also scarred, cautious, and afraid. If the Korean public is not yet ready to endure another weight on their shoulders, we must respect that rather than criticize. After all, that is the key to acceptance.
Ever Felt Jealous of a Friend’s Achievement? Here’s How to Get Around It
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/25/smarter-living/ever-felt-jealous-of-a...
Jealousy is something that pretty much everyone feels on a regular basis. For me, I feel it most at school. From tests and quizzes to board positions and volunteer hours, high school seems to be filled with opportunities for students to outdo each other. It's hard to ignore the underlying feeling that someone else is doing so much better than I am- especially when that someone else is my best friend.
Reading this article taught me that I am, luckily, not alone in being jealous of my best friends' accomplishments. In fact, they probably feel the same way. From now on, however, I will try to follow the advice that the article gives, and celebrate my friends' successes so that they will do the same for me. Although it is a lot easier said than done, in the long run, I can already tell that it will dispel the negative feelings that build up due to the constant jealousy that we feel.
At the end of the day, I realize that someone else being successful or accomplished will not necessarily mean that I can't do the same, if not better. My mindset, my motivation, and my behavior will ultimately define my future, not what my best friend is doing. Therefore, I hope that I can become more mature and positive, and apply the information in this article to my daily life.
What makes basketball so unique is the ability for a single player to take over a game on a nightly basis. A single player in hockey, football, baseball, have a limit on how much they can affect the game. You can only bat a couple times, you can't throw the football to yourself, but in basketball, you are given the opportunity to dominate in all aspects of the game. This makes superstar players extremely important in basketball, and it is why the NBA is a star driven league. The Warriors, a team loaded with 4 all stars in 2018, dominated Lebron’s single all star team Cavaliers in the 2018 NBA finals, while in the NFL, Tom Brady and the heavily favored Patriots lost to backup quarterback Nick Foles in the Super Bowl.
This article interested me because it shows how much power the players have in the NBA. It is interesting to see players hold so much power in professional sports, where power is usually held in the owners, or teams hands. These players, as shown in the article, affect entire economies of cities, which puts unprecedented power into their hands. Meanwhile, NFL players who put their bodies on the line every single game, make much less than NBA players.
What this article is pointing out is one of the reasons why I believe the NBA will eventually overtake the NFL as the most popular sport in America. Most talented athletes will likely choose the Basketball route instead of the football just because of how the nature of the sport gives more power to the athletes.
“The Disney-Fox Deal Sails Through, a Bit Too Easily” - The Editorial Board
The article “The Disney-Fox Deals Sails Through, a Bit Too Easily” by the Editorial Board is an article which beholds Disney and 21st Century Fox. Despite how 21st Century Fox is one of Disney’s top rivals, the two made an arrangement where each will divest twenty-two regional sports networks upon acquisition. The commentary involves a passive-aggressive tone, as the headline of the article portrays. Also, the author(s) indicate a sense of distrustment in relations to politics and Donald Trump. This affects how the techniques are utilized to persuade the audience based upon the publisher(s) point of view; as the strategies of supporting statements, defense mechanisms illustrated by the President, and the odd approval only six months after an initial announcement all work together to support the article’s main argument.
The main argument that politics played a part in the deal between Disney and 21st Century Fox shouldn’t be surprising, as it is hinted throughout the text. The article demonstrates both sides of the argument, first analyzing how the author(s) created tension between themselves
and President Trump before proceeding to make the Disney corporation seem like hungry gold-diggers. Furthermore, the article reads, “The approval of the Disney-Fox transaction took about half the time that regulators usually need to evaluate deals of this size,” which creates speculation on Trump’s behalf.
"Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Emerges as a Political Star"
To commentators and columnists alike, politics is a game of money, popularity, saying the right thing at the right time. But to many others, politics has long been an arena defined largely by what candidates are—their race, their gender, their class. These unalterable qualifications have traditionally reserved seats of power disproportionately for the privileged; and to us minorities who have been watching from the outskirts, it is so refreshing to an electoral revolution with Ms. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York’s 14th district.
The Ocasio-Cortez campaign was groundbreaking in many ways—the candidate herself is female, young, and has Puerto Rican roots—qualities not found in a typical candidate that reflect the recent trend of voters embracing increasing numbers of female and minority representatives.
Ms. Ocasio-Cortez has all these qualities and more. Her youthful enthusiasm is infectious, but not inexperienced; as the authors write, she’s always had a deep interest in politics and has experience working as a campaign organizer for Bernie Sanders. She has fresh ideas that have injected new life into the stale reruns that characterize national politics. Perhaps most importantly, she has returned time and time again to a focus on “the grassroots work that would come to define her candidacy,” because a democracy, a government built by the people, only functions when run by those of the people, for the people.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/28/us/capital-gazette-annapolis-shooting...
What interested me the most this week was the article: 5 People Dead in Shooting at Maryland's Capital Gazette Newsrooms. This article informed us about a shooting that happened at a media place that has killed 5 people. This article also gave us background of the shooter and how the victims were reacting during the shooting. In the article it explained how the suspect had no prior criminal history which made the fact that he killed 5 people very shocking. This interests because shootings have become very recent but I have not heard of a shooting at a media place. Another thing I found interesting is the fact that the shooter had no prior criminal history. This statement shocked me because I thought the suspect would have a criminal history. Guns have cost many people their lives and we need to do something to stop them. We should create new laws that restrict the accessibility of guns. Currently in the United states it is very easy to obtain a gun. Guns are taking the lives of many innocent people and we need to put a stop to that.
Five People Dead in Shooting at Maryland’s Capital Gazette Newsroom
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/28/us/capital-gazette-annapolis-shooting...
I chose this article because it has been known in every setting that gun violence is at an all time high in our nation. Most of the gun violence we have heard about has been more frequently seen in our schools, but this article shows that it is in more than just schools that are being the sights of attacks it has spread to our newspaper companies, banks, and so many more places. As seen in the video, the staff had no time to mourn the deaths of their colleagues, because they published they wrote a column for the newspaper that went out the following day. The strength and courage these people had is greatly shown by this action. They, like the survivors of many other attacks, where trying to be heard and show light on this very serious and pressing issue. It seems as though the society has become so numb to these issues it has became almost expected and it is not surprising when mass shootings occur. This specific tragedy entails that the gunman already had a previous offense and vendetta against this particular newspaper. How people like him and so many other are getting these guns is a problem that the United States needs to solve very quickly. Overall, this video shows that shootings in the United States need problem resolving, there has been 154 shooting this year, this number could potentially multiply.
The article that interested me in the times today was the article titled "Coffee Drinkers May Live Longer". Many people around the world, myself included, cannot go a day without a cup of coffee and when I do, I find myself feeling extremely tired for the rest of the day. Ever since I was quite young, I have been drinking coffee. I still remember the day my mother gave me my first cup of it, and ever since then, drinking coffee has been a part of my daily routine and it will continue to be. Throughout my many years of school, I have learned that coffee is very important in order to wake up. Not only do i drink coffee to stay awake, but I also enjoy the taste of it and knowing that it has many health benefits makes the idea of drinking coffee even better. Although I am only 16 years old, knowing that my life span can increase by doing a such small thing such as drinking coffee, is pretty exciting. However, I do not necessarily want to live over the average life span. I want to be able to grow old and watch my children grow up as well, but I do not want to live to the point where I am a burden on anyone and am not able to take care of myself. Knowing that coffee is able to increase your life span and cause you to live longer, is not really surprising to me because I have learned that it has many other health benefits as well. Knowing that coffee is good for me just increases how much I love it and how much I enjoy drinking a good cup of coffee!
“Neymar and the Art of the Dive”
At this moment, the 2018 FIFA World Cup is in full throttle and catching the eye of everyone across the world. One particular moment of the World Cup so far has stood out from the rest. This moment can be traced to July 2, 2018 when a known phenom by name of Neymar committed one of the most outrageous acts ever in soccer.
Neymar has been known for his jaw dropping skills, but even more known for producing “Oscar Winning” acting performances. This occasion sparked much more drama than his past occurances because this game was on an international level compared to his club soccer games with FC Barcelona and PSG. When I saw this performance he put on, I along with everyone else watching were completely flabbergasted as he complained and wasted valuable game time . Then came the wave of people who took their opinions on the moment to social media, which drew even greater drama surrounding Neymar. These social media posts amused many but also angered die heart soccer fans for making soccer look foolish. I then read the article by Andrew Keh and it described Neymar’s foolish act perfectly. His combination of opinions from soccer analysts and actors made the article well informed with a sprinkle of humor in it. Ultimately, this article stood out from the rest for me because me being a sports fanatic, I was watching the event live as it occurred and I immediately knew I had to comment on this article.
Newly Discovered ‘Limb Pit’ Reveals Civil War Surgeons’ Bitter Choices
It is still effortless to remember the scorching, 3rd-grade day that I became captivated by bones. Come summer, it was easy to zone out, blissfully aware of the lack of repercussions. But the lesson drew me in immediately, igniting a new interest. It was amazing to think of complex elements inside our bodies, and the people who fixed them. Learning about orthopedic surgeries and their evolving technology was fascinating. And so while later studying the Civil War, the battlefield surgeries particularly stood out to me.
When we think about past wars, they are large-scale situations. Casualties and injuries are simply too high to regard people individually or to imagine their unique pains. Instead, they become numbers. But while reading this article, I saw deeper into the specific, split-second decisions that Civil War surgeons made through analyzation of bones. In a time of bloodshed & limited resources, surgeons performed life-changing operations on soldiers, an example being sawing off a leg.
These newly-discovered bones tell two stories, one of the surgeries and another of bones themselves. Perhaps the latter is summed up best by this quote: “Just like you can read a book, we can read a skeleton.” With examination of the remains, stories of Civil War surgeries are unraveled, and my fascination with the subject ensues as whole lives are spelled out by what may first seem like just a pile of bones.
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What interested me the most this week from the New York Times is a video article about a hispanic family who lives in Texas was separated for forty days. This video is by Sameen Amin, Bents McDonald, Nilo Tabrizy, and Ainara Tienfentheler. Two kids ages nine and seventeen were separated from there mother, Ludin. This video caught my attention because just like them, l am part of a hispanic family and to go through the thought of being even a week without my mom or any of my family members gives me a sick feeling. One of the worst feelings for a mother is to be told that she will have her children taken away. What goes through her mind is a bunch of bad thoughts, not being able to see her kids, what will happen to them, l’m never going to hear anything about them ever again, I’ll lose contact with my children. These are all thoughts that went through Ludin’s head and l bet she doesn’t want to have them again. Not only did the mother have bad thoughts but so did her kid. They went through the worst pain to have there mother be taken away to thinks that they might never see her again. To never have those warm mother hugs were you can not feel anything else than safety, love, and your caring mother. Now for that family that stays in the past and will hopefully not happen again but many other families are going through the same exact thing. Except its not 40 days its 6 monts even years that families can’t seen eachother. Be grateful for what you have and pray for those who don’t.
"Departure of Kennedy, ‘Firewall for Abortion Rights,’ Could End Roe v. Wade",
This article is astonishing to read because I had the privilege to read what is at risk with Mr. Kennedy leaving the court. Being a young religious conservative, I am very "pro-life" and the controversial topic in America right now has to do with abortion. Reading this article helped me see that not only the left side is for abortion but Republicans as well. There are many statements commenting on how women should still have the right to abortion and our president would be doing the wrong thing if he tried to make a law against abortion after he added a "right-winger" to the court. What people don't realize is how wrong abortion really is, how killing an innocent unborn child is murder and it shouldn't be allowed in America or anywhere for that matter. Reading this article made me do further research about the topic so I wouldn't be closed minded and helped me gain a stronger opinion on the matter and after reading and research made me truly sad that people think abortion is okay. What is even worse about it, is how divided our country is over something like this, how torn the US has become not only because of topics like this but even because of our President. People start violence and destruction over these debates and its an awful feeling to think our country is at the edge of failing. Everyone needs to grow up, as simple as that. We need to be a untied country, and not act like kids.
At some point, we are all taught that no two people are exactly the same. In that case, isn’t the world already a diverse one? How is it that all around us people continue to group, stereotype, and discriminate against others? Why are we so eager to find reasons to hate others, rather than accept difference? These were questions that went through my mind as I read “Harvard is Wrong That Asians Have Terrible Personalities”.
This particular article caught my attention because I was stunned to find Harvard, arguably the most acclaimed university in our nation, stereotyping an entire racial group in the name of “diversity”. A group of Asian students recently accused Harvard of being racist in their admissions process, causing them to reveal information on a personality score given to the students, many of whom they have never even met before. Somehow Asians were consistently ranked the lowest for this area, but how is that they can know an entire personality without ever seeing them in person? Clearly there is some vagueness to this all, but as of now Harvard is yet to acknowledge it. Seeing others stand up for their beliefs on this matter has motivated me to also impose my will on the status quo, rather than simply wait for someone else to take action.
Equality is a right, diversity is a luxury. In other words, we all deserve an equal chance at being considered for college admissions, no matter the circumstances or background. We cannot be sacrificing a right for a luxury.
"The Evolutionary Origin of Descending Testicles"
Who knew that a once simple question about elephant balls could uncover a complex genomic history of testicle descent genes spanning multiple species. Now, I'll admit, it was a little hard to write that previous sentence with a straight face. After all, gonad science is not exactly my cup of tea or topic I look forward to reading in the Times on the daily, but as much as we giggle about more "laughed-at" subjects in scientific research, we cannot discount the importance of such inquiry.
Investigating elephant balls reminds me of another story about "booger researchers" who would take (or "pick") snot samples for biochemical analysis. As you can imagine, the media (and especially TV news) ate it up (I hope not literally). Upon viewing, the general public may be lightheartedly entertained by the peculiar research of snot scientists and testicle testers, but often we forget what their end goals are. Those scientists studying mucus? They were trying to demystify the mechanisms of the common cold and pollen allergy. Likewise, elephant geneticists are on the hunt to piece together a jigsaw of genetic histories and discover unique relationships between species.
Having your research "laughed at" is certainly a unique stigma to have. It's okay to laugh, but after chuckles subside, we must fully recognize that their scientific research, regardless of topic, helps deepen our understanding of the world. And that's no laughing matter!
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https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/25/sports/world-cup/mexico-fans-sombrero...
It must cost an extravagant amount of money to go to this year's FIFA World Cup, held in Moscow, Russia. Many people across the globe dream to go to the World Cup such as, Jose Diaz, a "die-hard" Mexico Fan. However, Diaz does not have the extravagant amount of money to pay for all the necessities, such as airfare and hotel, needed to watch team Mexico play in Russia. That does not discourage Diaz. He begins to save money from the beginning of May by working two jobs, and living in a homeless shelter. Reading about Jose Diaz, who is twenty-six years old, accomplish one of his biggest dreams all by himself was such an inspiration. This article proves to show that goals can be obtained if you put your mind to it.
How Amazon Steers Shoppers to Its Own Products
It's summer time when an individual lay in his hammock at the beachside. For another it’s time for balancing chores, academia and internships. It's time to take a break for "retail therapy". The former doesn't want to live his hammock; the latter doesn't want to give time to shop at a "brick and mortar" store. The only option for both is "online shopping". As both type "online shopping" into their search engine, the website Amazon.com appears, and suddenly they find themselves drifting in the world of online shopping with a plethora of products available. They didn't realise that they had been lured into one of the greatest marketing schemes by the geniuses of Amazon. Basic products are sold at less than a fraction of the price sold by "big brands" making it enticing to shop at Amazon.
For me, shopping at Amazon is a pleasure. You can choose your favourite items with an array of options. You get attracted to it and find it difficult to get out. For Amazon, you are just part of their database that no other company has access to. They know which brands you've looked at and which you rejected. I find that startling. As Amazon grows and takes over the world market, is it a case of monopolisation? Will the "big brands" have control over what we buy? Right now, Amazon is benefitting the consumers, but these could be the questions arising soon or later.
Ever Felt Jealous of a Friend’s Achievement? Here’s How to Get Around It
My friends are my greatest success. They're the strongest relationships I have ever built myself, unlike my family relationships, since those were given to me the minute I was born. My three closest friends and I are inseparable; we are rarely seen without each other, and when I happen to be walking alone to class or hanging out with a different group of people, people comment on the lack of the "OG" group. We have built each other up and supported each other through two of the toughest years of my life, and I am forever grateful to them.
However, there are moments when the group doesn't mesh as well as we usually do. Most of the time, it's because of jealousy. We all have our strengths -- it's almost comical how easily we fit into labels. There's the pretty girl, the funny girl, the athletic girl, and finally, me, the smart girl. So when one of my friends gets a better grade than me on a test, I'm so proud, but a wave of jealousy always threatens to drown me. I know my friends feel it too, especially when their "characteristics" are threatened by the others.
This article is interesting to me because I never knew there was a scientific explanation behind this. We are possessive beings, we cling to the tiniest things that we believe are "ours." It feels like we are losing our uniqueness when someone else can do what we can do, so instead of celebrating, we turn to jealousy: a perfectly natural reaction.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/22/opinion/sunday/asian-american-tiger-p...
This week I decided to delve into some opinion articles to expand my thought process. The article "The Last of the Tiger Parents" caught my eye because I have often heard the phrase, "tiger parents" used jokingly among my asian peers. Although I knew what tiger parenting was, I was interested in hearing other peoples opinions on it and comparing them to my own.
Tiger parenting defines how many immigrant parents raise their kids: strict household rules, high expectations regarding academics, and the epitome of "tough love". I have grown up in a household where tiger parenting is prevalent very much so, and I was surprised to see it addressed publically because to me, it seemed like such an ordinary topic. I was intrigued in how others have perceived tiger parenting as, and after reading the article, I was pleasantly surprised that I was not the only one who saw faults in this method of parenting.
This article intrigued me the most this week because it gave me much more insight into my current household situation and how I can use my experiences to change how I raise my children. And although I agree with Mr. Park that we should raise the next generation of children to be "happy, confident, and kind", I think a part of me will still stick to my roots and raise my children the Tiger Parenting way.
The article "The Woman Whose Hair Frightens Iran" interested me for a number of reasons. The title of the article intrigued me, because of the personification it implies. Hair cannot frighten an entire country. As I read the title I assumed it was going to involve restrictions regarding hijabs in middle eastern countries. A delightful surprise was that it was about a woman fighting against hijab restrictions in Iran.
Masih Alinejad got arrested when she was 18. As she got out of prison she was pregnant and engaged to her father. She then had her press pass revoked because she has "two strands" of hair slipping out of her hijab. She found refuge in America and wrote a book about her struggle.
I found this article to be very interesting. I enjoyed how blunt it was about the hardship of Alinejad's life and struggles. Though it never directly explained the title, it subtly explains it in a pleasant way. The article was very well written, and impactful.
"Into the Wild with Kanye West"
I've only ever been to Wyoming briefly, and I did not personally have any life-changing experiences there. Kanye West, however, seems to been healed by the fresh air. In the article "Into the Wild with Kanye West", Jon Caramanica recounts his days in Wyoming interviewing the rap legend.
What really struck me in the article was how down-to-earth Kanye turns out to be. As a society, we paint celebrities as beautiful aliens who we could never aspire to be. Reading about Kanye has shifted this view for me. We see a "day in the life" for Kanye as he roams around town and walks to the movie theater, stopping to socialize with fans. Strikingly, as Caramanica writes, "he made sure to ask what every single kid’s favorite song was." Throughout the day, Kanye goes out of his way to be kind. I loved learning that someone with immense power over our culture is filled with such genuine compassion.
Kanye can be controversial, and sometimes he says foolish things. However, I realized I was quick to judge a guy I knew nothing about. He's a loving father and a thoughtful husband, but he's also a public figure who should serve as a role model to us all with his newfound generosity. This article shows that Kanye West is truly both considerate and friendly, not simply the sum of his rants on Twitter. The Wild West changed Kanye for the better, and I am starting to believe that what we all need is a stop in Wyoming to learn the importance of compassion.
“The Rise and Fall of China’s ‘Stout,’ ‘Dark’ and ‘Not Pretty’ Pop Star”
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/30/opinion/sunday/wang-ju-china-women-be...
As demonstrated in this article, it doesn’t hurt to be different. Wang Ju was considered an underdog in a Chinese online talent show, Produce 101. She got second place, which was a win for her and everyone else who considered themselves outcasts because they look a little different than China’s strict ideal image of being tall, pale, and thin. Because Wang won, China has a chance to rethink its ideas of femininity.
In Yuan Ren’s article, we learn that China has a longtime tradition of discrimination against women in the workplace. Job advertisements often state a preference for men over women. Women are hired based on image over skillset, meaning employers tend to prefer pretty over smart when it comes to women. The body image emphasis is so strong, that employment sometimes has explicit height and weight standards that must be met. The talent show, Produce 101, demonstrates how much significance the body image holds.
According to Ren, China is placing an increasing premium on women’s looks. Since the audience of Produce 101 is comprised of a lot of young people in China, hopefully they will be inspired by Wang Ju and initiate a movement towards decreasing China’s premium on body image. The next generation should know that it doesn’t hurt to be different.
What My 6-Year-Old Son and I Endured in Family Detention
I found this particular article interesting because rather than discussing the issue of immigration in a detached manner, this article provides a more personal outlook on the situation by sharing the story of an undocumented immigrant’s journey to America. In this article, the immigrant chose to move in order to protect her sister and child, which is something all parents, regardless of their stance on immigration, can sympathize with. The author exposes the near inhumane treatment in detention centers, and officers' unlawful behaviors are revealed by their tendency to force immigrants to sign deportation papers without seeing a judge, which brings up the following question: Do these officers care more about enforcing laws justly, or just getting rid of immigrants? Towards the end of the article, the author mentions her reason for seeking asylum again, but uses is to relate to the audience, explaining how it’s illogical to punish those who seek asylum to protect their children when American parents would most likely the same. Overall, the article does not only reveal the conditions immigrants face in detention through first hand experience, but also relates with the audience, successfully gains sympathy from many readers, and offers a rawer description of the journey immigrants face as opposed to the heavily opinionated media, which is why I found this article intriguing.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/02/us/affirmative-action-battle-has-a-ne...
The article titled "Affirmative Action Battle Has a New Focus: Asian-Americans," by Anemona Hartocollis and Stephanie Saul, delineates how the debate over affirmative action has morphed in recent years. Private enterprises and universities were tasked to create a culture of diversity to compensate for centuries of inequity in our society. However, current affirmative action policies employed by our top universities have proven to be discriminatory to Asian Americans, a racial minority, who have previously been subjected to significant racial oppression such as redlining policies and racist immigration laws. This discrimination presents an obvious moral dilemma as institutions of higher learning strive to promote inclusivity but achieve this goal at the expense of another racial minority. This quagmire demands an answer to a very profound but equally alarming question. In our society, what is the predominate contribution to group success: societal privilege or cultural norms of various groups? Without the answer to this question, race based admissions cannot be justified. As a nation, we continue to struggle with atoning for our past transgressions that have clearly disadvantaged racial minorities, but the abandonment of meritocracy for unproven solutions is ill-advised.
"We Have Reached Peak Screen. Now Revolution Is in the Air."
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/27/technology/peak-screen-revolution.html
This article discusses how smart phones and electronics in general have become so popular and widely used that companies are beginning to look for ways that will allow for less screen time. Applications to restrict phone use, smaller and more minimalist designs, and more of a focus on non-screen devices are some of the ideas that companies and experts have to make screens less immersive and distracting to users. This raises a couple of questions, like: is the issue is with the technology or with people, who just use it more than they should, or: will reducing emphasis on screens specifically, instead of intrusive technology in general, really help? The article suggests that if future technology itself is designed to prevent excessive use and not suck the user in as much people will be less attached and obsessed with technology, but I'm not sure that there's any way to prevent this besides being conscious and not allowing oneself to be too absorbed in all of the screens that take up so much of our lives today. In any event, it will be interesting to see what the future holds in terms of how technology changes in response to the changes that it itself has caused, and how we might use and perceive technology in a different way going forward.
I don't think I'll ever be able to fully comprehend all the evil things done to women and children in the Middle East. Right now in our world, there are over 2,000 people, mostly consisting of women and children, who are being detained in camps in Northern Syria, with mostly no crimes committed, and have no way to freedom. I am interested in the stories these people have for how they got from their home country to the camps in Syria and the possibility of them leaving those camps. I find it sad how many of the women, who brought their children with them, were taken into the camp while their husband was put in prison or because he was killed.
This is interesting to me because I don't know what is happening on the other side of the world in the Middle East and I want to learn more. I wish to see that people are making an effort to free these people and rid such unfairness. Maybe one day, the women and children detained in Syria will be set free and live their lives.
Polish Crisis Deepens as Judges Condemn Their Own Court.
Risen from the ruins of WWII, Poland’s democratization has been a marvelous one that many European countries look up to. For many, the 20th century was a time for liberal democratic ideas to spread around the globe.
But I think it is important to acknowledge that democracy is not yet an universally accepted ideas, and the fight for it would face inevitable obstacles. With the recent rise of conservative populism in Germany, Italy, and other major European nations, Poland in inevitably affected.
Being from China, I can’t help but compare Poland’s recent phenomena to another successful democratization process: Taiwan. For example, the fight against dictatorship of Chiang and corruption of Chen Shuibian were some of the best examples of the common people rising up, fighting for their own freedom.
But Taiwan was an isolated island under theoretical sovereignty of a communist government, still stubbornly experimenting with democracy; Poland is an European country within the EU with many democracies supporting her. The crisis against democracy is difficult to overcome, but it is not uniquely difficult. Europe as a whole will overcome, like Taiwan once did.
Therefore, although I was saddened to see Poland meeting obstacles on their road to democracy, it still puts a smile on my face when I saw the vehement reaction by the Polish people to any attempt to sabotage their democracy.
Elder Abuse: Sometimes It's Self-Inflicted by Paula Span
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/02/health/elderly-self-neglect-.html
Having experienced firsthand how untreated mental illness can affect elderly family members, this topic resonates with me deeply. It is devastating how underlying issues of mental incapacity, the difficulties of dealing with overwhelming grief and abundant loss, turbulent familial relations, and confusion brought on by a rapidly changing world and society are usually not treated in these cases. If people who seek to help out victims of elder abuse never achieve awareness or acceptance of the real reasons behind why senior citizens continue to perpetuate unsafe and unsanitary personal living conditions, the overall problem will never truly be solved. There is already a negative and inaccurate portrayal of seniors in media, especially in television; the common narrative that deems older people synonymous with crazy/unaware/boring people is highly disrespectful to those who have lived the longest. If we could find a way to aid victims of self-inflicted elder abuse without defeating their dignity and senses of pride, we would be so much closer to genuinely appreciating the wisest and most experienced population among us.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/25/us/video-diatribe-mexicans.html
Blatant racism, as shown in this incident from the article, completely boggles my mind. The existence of people in this day and age that have the same mindset of the woman shouting general stereotypes to the Latino male and his mother just make me shocked. The amount of hatred directed towards certain minorities simply for being different is absolutely insane. Just when I thought America is progressing towards a future (described by Martin Luther King Jr.) where people will be judged more by the content of their character than the color of their skin, ignorant people, like the woman in the article, often pop into the spotlight on the news or social media. I sincerely hope for people to understand that we are all human beings. We are all human beings that have different qualities and character traits from each other. Not every illegal immigrant is prone to crime against American citizens, and not every Latino in America is an illegal immigrant.
Article Title: Into the Wild With Kanye West
https://mobile.nytimes.com/2018/06/25/arts/music/kanye-west-ye-interview...
Kanye West is a well known musician who sometimes experiences public downfalls. He has gone through the pain of watching his wife robbed and many public outbursts. Kanye’s famous wife, Kim Kardashian called a motivational speaker. The motivational speakers name is Tony Robbins. He is known for his many seminars and interventions. As soon as Mr. Robbins saw Kanye he instantly knew he was at his lowest point. Kanye himself admits his confidence level was very low and he felt it should’ve been way higher. In the past month, he has released projects such as albums for Kid Cudi, Nas, Teyana Taylor, and a Lp named Ye. Most of this music was made when he finally became at peace with himself. This article has taught me to keep up with my mental health and physical health.
The article that caught my attention was "As Search for Thai Boys Lost in Cave Hits Day 5, a Nation Holds Its Breath". As I was reading this article, I was visually interpreting myself in that situation and thinking how everyone must be feeling there right now. This tragic event has impacted not only the soccer team and their families, but the whole nation as well. Many have the Moo Pa Academy and their coach under their prayers. Water levels seem to be rising and not stopping inside the cave. Rescue teams are doing the best they can to stop this flow of water and somehow get through parts of the cave where there is enough oxygen that will sustain the boys hoping they're going to be there. The boys' families are seeking shelter outside the cave waiting for the moment their boys walk out of the cave safely. They are praying that everyone makes it out alive and safe. The search for these boys are continuously going to expand to larger areas of the cave to cover more land and find them. Let's all hope they get out to their families safely and happily.
This week in the Times, I was interested most by the crazy reality that Americans are actually having fewer babies. And the reasons behind it were not even surprising to me. I know as I get older I will have to worry more about the cost of products, as well as paying for myself in terms of a place to live, or food. But to think that money problems could stop a couple from having children is so upsetting, but also such a reality check of just how expensive and how much commitment a child takes to raise properly. With all of this being said, after reading this article it seems that most reasons for not having children revolve around money problems, career problems, and the need for more leisure time. When I get older all I can think about is living in my own house, with my own family. To me it's amazing that we even have that opportunity to bring another human into this world, that not even money could stop me from that chance. And I think it is very important that people start to realize the reality of having children, in which it is the reason that God brings us to life, to find a significant other that we can become so committed to and create another human. This I have learned through going to private school. Therefore, when I hear that people do not want children for more leisure time, It is very upsetting and sounds almost selfish, because if it wasn't for their parents they wouldn't be here, which makes it the right choice to continue that cycle, enjoying all of it.
"A Space Force? The Idea May Have Merit, Some Say"
A Space Force is something I find exhilarating. The Air Force is doing a great job of managing space exploration but I think we could do so much more with a branch of the military that is devoted to space exploration. I aspire to be a(n) physicist/astrophysicist and space always has and always will interest me. Anything that would contribute to our growing knowledge of space I am 100% for. I do see the potential flaws such as finances and expertise, but I am very optimistic considering we have so many brilliant, intelligent people in the United States that would love to be involved with the Space Force. Many well-known scientists are in support of the idea while many others are neutral on the matter as they want to see what or how the current administration will handle the notion. If you look upon the idea in a military point-of-view, you will see that we (the U.S.) are the only superpower in the world as of now. The Space Force would only strengthen that power as we would have a complete presence in every environment. This could potentially cause another space race but no other country is capable of competing with the brilliant citizens that work in the astronomical field and our immense economy. I am very anxious to see as to where the government will take this force and how it will affect the future.
Cooper, Helene. "A Space Force? The Idea May Have Merit, Some Say." Nytimes.com. N. p., 2018. Web. 6 July 2018.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/24/us/politics/trump-immigration-judges-...
As the leader of any country one should always take into consideration of the rights of everyone, regardless of citizenship status. These immigrants are human beings. No person living should have their rights taken away especially in a country that was built upon the idea of fundamental equality. I understand that these immigrants each crossed over into America illegally, however it is these very immigrants that are building the country.By entering this country illegally, the perpetrators have voluntarily scrapped all their legal rights. This opposing point of view does take in account the fact that the so called "legal rights" apply to everyone in this equal country. By taking away Due Process Rights it is taking away safeguard from arbitrary denial of life, liberty, or property by the government outside the sanction of law which is just inhumane. This would not be the first inhumane act our current president has committed as just a few weeks ago he separated children from their parents. As a country that is based on equality for all, it is sure failing to live up to its name.
While searching around for the articles from The New York Time this week, I've stumbled upon an article named " Harvard is wrong that Asians have terrible Personalities” by Wesley Yang. Asian-Americans have been historically discriminated, but it is especially represented in college admission. To have Harvard’s own Office of Institutional Research to discover that if admission was only based on academics, the amount of Asians in Harvard would increase from 19 percent to 43 percent, is shocking. Furthermore, Asians outrank any other races in academics and extracurricular activities, yet they are still ranked as the worst group. On another note, Asian-American population has increased, yet the percentage of students in Harvard remains the same. This shows that Harvard has a fixed number of how many Asian-American applicants they can accept every year. I believe that many of these elite colleges use the term “diversity” as an excuse to accept more students who are wealthy, or who has “alumni preference.” Asian-American students works and studies hard for high academic scores, yet they don’t get the attention they deserve. A situation like this is important and needs to be addressed. Even though there has been some actions to address this inequality within college admission, more productive and demanding solutions are required in order to resolve this situation.
"When a Vegan Gets Gout"
This article caught my attention for multiple reasons, the main one being curious about what Gout was, and how being vegan could cause this disease. While I was reading I began to understand that Gout is an extremely painful buildup of Monosodium Urate Monohydrate crystals in an area of your body, but it wasn't actually caused by veganism. These crystals are formed due to consuming large quantities of red meats, organ meats, beer, or simply from being middle aged. This author is a vegan meaning he got the disease due to his age because as he mentioned, none of the other causes related to his lifestyle. The article went on after the author explained his experience to highlight the way he had found a light in the dark of his disease. He discussed how being forced to slow down due to his inability to walk quickly on his inflamed joints, showed him a whole new world. This world included people using crutches, in wheelchairs, or walking with canes; they were all moving slower than the "tsunami of 100-mile-per-hour humanity" walking around them. He ended the article telling readers that despite his disease receding and having been gone for about a year, he still hasn't speed all the way back up. He discussed how grateful he feels waking up pain-free, and mentioned that he still enjoys the change of pace his disease had required, which allows him to enjoy the little moments in life more thoroughly.
“North Korea says any US provocation will lead to America’s ‘final doom’” was a headline that caught my eye when I was glossing through the Independent. This headline instilled fear in my heart as I immediately consulted my elders about any similar instances. I heard that the U.S. and North Korea were on the brink of nuclear war before, but the words “America’s ‘final doom’” struck me.
My elders described the events of the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1963. I decided to further my limited knowledge. After researching, I learned about the diplomacy between the countries that caused and resolved this crisis. As a person who enjoys history this event grabbed me.
As we shift towards the present day, one can observe that both the Cuban Missile Crisis and the current Nuclear weapon crisis have a similar root cause. Both conflicts aroused due to the U.S. attempting to limit or threaten another country. Both Presidents responded to the threats with another threats directed at the opposing nations, but Trump might have learned from a fiasco President Kennedy had almost caused.
Around a month ago Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump met at a peace summit in Singapore. Since then tensions between the countries have seen a decline. This article fulfilled my desire on further educating me about the current diplomacy between the U.S. and North Korea. My increase in knowledge about this topic made me enjoy “How Trump Went From ‘Fire and Fury’ to Dismissing North Korean Nuclear Advances” even more.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/04/style/how-to-pamper-your-pet.html?rre...
The article "The Secret Price of Pets" can be relatable among all pet owners. Every pet owner wants to keep their pet happy, healthy, and living a great life. In doing so, it can cost owners a substantial amount of money to uphold this promise for their pets. As mentioned in the article, you can give your fixed pet neuticles, which are fake testes. They are help your pet keep its self esteem, and happiness after the neutering process is done. I found this so interesting because owning a pet myself, I see my dog as family, and will do anything at all costs to keep her happy. Therefore, seeing the price rise for pet owners, and the care of their animals, isn't shocking. These procedures and necessities for pets are not cheap, and many pet owners will pay the price for their animal.
https://nyti.ms/2lN0ESF
What It Costs to Be Smuggled Across the U.S. Border
During the last few weeks of seventh grade, out class read a book called La Linea, by Ann Jaramillo. It was about a boy, Miguel, and his sister, Elena, on their dangerous journey to the US. While reading, I thought the book was exaggerated for the sake of entertainment. Of course I knew that some parts were true, but I thought the drastic struggles only happened to a few unlucky people. After reading this article, my thoughts have changed. This wasn’t just fiction, it was a reality. Thousands of immigrants are risking their lives to cross the border, and at the same time, thousands of people are getting richer. No matter how much money the immigrants pay their coyotes, they still don’t have a 100% guarantee that they will arrive safely. Death is always with them every step of the way.
“Immigrants Take Oath at Monticello, Feeling the Weight of the Past”
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/04/us/politics/citizenship-ceremony-mont...
This article about the special setting of some naturalization ceremonies was interesting considering the current immigration issues and how it is being dealt with in the United States. People with similar ethnicities from the countries under the controversial “travel ban” became U.S. citizens on the 4th of July. People from countries that had their citizens split up at the U.S. border also became naturalized. The picture included in the article showed many faces of different complexions and races, while in a time where those minorities are hated against, now almost more than ever. Another interesting part about this article was how the now-citizens put the history of one of our Founding Fathers aside, and happily fulfilled their dream in what was for so long, a controversial place. Thomas Jefferson’s plantation, Monticello, was the site of where his slaves worked. He constructed the famous phrase, “All men are created equal,” but missed on the fact that his slaves were not up to that standard. These immigrants who became U.S. citizens may have been a part of a family like one trying to enter the country now, long before their accomplishment they reached this week. They barely spoke English, but terribly wanted to be a part of what was America.
Personally, I have experienced jealousy towards peers during high school because of their academic achievements. Thus, this article was the most intriguing to me this week. Herrera describes this conflict as a “confusing mix of pride and jealousy”, which I strongly agree to. As I have repeatedly received excellent scores on my exams, I have also built a reputation to be one of the top students of my class, which caused my pride. Hence, my pride gives me and my peers expectations of myself to be diligent so that I can exceed other students. But sadly, it also contributes to my jealousy when I am surpassed, which creates sadness, distaste, and envy upon myself. For instance, in high school chemistry, I usually always received one of the highest scores on the exam. Therefore, my peers started asking me what I had received on various exams, so that they could compare our scores. As a result, this increased my pride and faith in myself. However, when one of my peers, whom I have never expected to transcend me, had received a higher score than me, I immediately grew envious and dejected because I was disappointed in myself and jealous of a peer. Although, this envy existed in my mind for the next few days, I finally realized that this event was only a notice to not be complacent, but instead to learn from others and be even more industrious to fulfill the expectations I have. I hope that this anecdote will be able to help students not make the same mistakes that I did in the past.
what interested me the most in the times this week was a statue liberty protester was charged with trespassing. The statue liberty protester is Therese Patricia Okoumou, a United States citizen who emigrated from the Republic of the congo in nineteen ninety four. Therese was protesting the Trump administration's immigration policies. She scaled the base of the statue at 3 pm that day and was escorted down by security at 6:30 pm. She was then charged with trespassing, and when asked what she pleaded, she said she pleaded not guilty. During her trial she quoted michelle obama and told the court how she was not guilty. This interested me in the times this week because i find it fascinating on why people do the things they do to prove a point and or belief. There’s went above and beyond to prove how upsetting and wrong the Trump administration’s immigration policies were to her and she spoke her mind in a very big way that would grab attention from everyone from anywhere. Therese is a prime example of a new large movement going on. She is showing to the youth and others that going big to show what you believe in is not wrong. This is interesting to just see how many people are protesting.
"The Lost Dogs of the Americas"
Do you have a dog? What does your dog really mean to you? Most people probably feel that their dog is a loving, fun, and energetic companion that they unconditionally love. I felt this with my golden retriever, Casey, with whom I've had so many memorable and cheerful moments with. Now, imagine if someone were to take your dog away and you would've never had any of those joyful experiences. Well, that may have almost been the case, if there was a slight change in history. In fact, the dogs we have now are of European descent and they completely replaced American dogs. The fact that our dogs today may have been completely different, and I wouldn't have my beloved dog, Casey, is what intrigued me the most.
American dogs, also known as pre-contact dogs are found to have completely different DNA from current European dogs. No more than 4% of pre-contact dog DNA was found in any modern dog in a recent study conducted by an international team of researchers. Dr. Murchison, from the University of Cambridge, described the know physical attributes of a pre-contact dog as "a bit wolfy". Instead of a cute little pug or a black labrador running around your house, imagine a wolf instead. That would be crazy! I wouldn't trade the dogs we have today for anything, but it's interesting to think about how a slight change in history could change everything, especially as a result from the Europeans. Now excuse me, while I go play fetch with a labrador retriever.
Article: "5 People Dead in Shooting at Maryland's Capital Gazette Newsroom"
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/28/us/capital-gazette-annapolis-shooting...
Over the past six months, America has suffered from over 100 mass shootings. On June 28, 2018, our country suffered again. As a high school student, I have been thoroughly educated on what occurs in the world today. I have heard stories in the news about the latest shootings, and I am sick of it. I do not want to have to grow up in a world where children have to go out everyday, living in fear for their lives. Parents should not have to worry that their child might not come back home. It disgusts me to know that there are people out there who have the audacity to go out and kill people. My thoughts and prayers go out to the families who have lost loved ones in the shooting at Maryland's Gazette Newsroom, and for all those who lost their lives due to gun violence. I am aware that in some cases, people may have a mental illness that can cause them to behave violently, but that is no excuse for taking the lives of others. If you are having violent thoughts, reach out and get help! I myself have three younger brothers, and I always worry about them, but I do not want to grow up in a world where I would have to worry about them becoming victims of gun violence. It is my greatest dream, to one day live in a peaceful world, where we do not have to live in fear for the safety of our friends, family, and everyone on this earth.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/25/us/video-diatribe-mexicans.html
This week in the New York Times I read a particularly disturbing story about a white woman whose only reason for hating and yelling at a man doing yard work was that he was Mexican. It seems outrageous to me to hate someone merely because of their ethnicity, while grouping them in with an incredibly miniscule percentage of people from their country or race. The woman accused him of being a rapist, animal, and drug dealer. Similarly to the author of the article, I can only assume that the lady’s comments are related to president Trump’s similar accusations of Mexicans being rapists and drug dealers. Now, I don’t hate our president. I do, however, think that sometimes his good intentions are overshadowed by his outspoken, controversial comments on heavily debated topics. This was a completely false accusation of this man, a legal US citizen. It is because of not only a lack of respect for and knowledge about him, but also of a single minded view of immigration. This article got me thinking about political parties, religions, and races simply fighting over or standing by their views without taking a step back to understand the view of the other side. Even if no one changes their belief, as long as they try to see the other side, they become a lot less hateful and a lot more understanding, which does the world a whole lot of good.
“TVs that Find An Audience for Your Data” by Sapna Maheshwari
Putting something like a post it note or a sticker over the laptop camera. I’ve done it, you’ve probably done it, and so have most other people who own a laptop with a camera built into the screen. Putting the barrier between us and the camera gives us all a sense of security, to protect us from what we are scared of– our deepest, darkest secrets being recorded and revealed by anyone who could be out there, watching through the tiny circle at the top of our screens.
This fear, of more information being taken from us than we planned to share, is what really drew me to this piece. Maheshiwari writes about how Samba TV takes TV viewer information and indirectly sells it to major companies. The viewer information documented can include anything from what was watched recently, to what last searched for. The idea of this astonished me, just because I doubt most people who have these smart TVs in their possession are really aware of the specific information being recorded about them. And then my next thought was, if Samba TV is able to do this without many people knowing, what other programs on my phone or my computer are tracking my information without me being aware? Like everyone else, there are things I would like to keep private, and the idea of that personal data being harvested by unknown entities brings me a sense of unease.
The article "Is Ride Share the New LinkedIn?" interested me the most this week. Unlike taking taxi cabs to destinations that you need to go, there are new ways to take you around the city such as, Uber and Lyft. Although you might be riding with a stranger in the car going to the same destination, you might be able to build a relationship with those people. It is inportant to connect with people because you will never know who is there to help you. Business women and men have also found networking and pitching an advantage when traveling in ride-share companies. In 2015, Uber released a entrepreneur Uber to alert passengers know that their driver is a entrepreneur or a small business owner.
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"Harvard Is Wrong That Asians Have Terrible Personalities"
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/25/opinion/harvard-asian-american-racism...
As an Asian-American, Harvard is supposed to be the ultimate destination in one's journey through life. The pressure Asian-American parents put on kids to go to Harvard to achieve their dreams is more than many would think. What would they say now, in response to these disgusting allegations?
This article was interesting to me due to my own personal experiences. Many people have told me, "You're Asian. That means you're smart." But does it? Does being Asian mean that I don't have a life outside of school? Does being Asian mean that math skills come naturally to me? (They don't.) Because of stereotypes like these against Asians, at times I am ashamed of my own ethnicity. The fact that one of the top colleges in the nation supports these racist beliefs and says that Asians lack in personalities is shocking to say the least.
I've seen many people call racism against Asians "simple fun" and "no big deal". I believe that racism against Asians is taken too lightly. I am Asian-American, and I have a personality. I love my family, and I have friends that I love dearly. I have hobbies, and I make people laugh. Math isn't my favorite subject, but I truly enjoy writing and the humanities. I won't accept a school telling me that I don't have a personality just because of the color of my skin or the size of my eyes, and neither should anybody else.
‘Incredibles 2’ Moviegoers Warned About Possible Seizures
By Amanda Svachula
June 18, 2018
14 years — every wide eyed, superhero loving individual has waited 14 years for the release of Incredibles 2. It’s only fair that they get to watch it. I personally have viewed this new production 3 times now and I love it. However, it’d be even greater to see everyone else enjoy it as well. Why take the risk of limiting and harming viewers? Why hide warnings that were given and chance lawsuits brought on by those harmed? This whole controversy is baffling to me. It’s a no brainer. If a movie or film has the potential to trigger life threatening phenomenons, then why hide the disclaimers stating so? Perhaps the theatres hiding warnings such as these should be reprimanded. I’m sure they could help out with their effected viewers’ medical bills. It’s the least they can do considering their main focus was on ticket sales over the health of their innocent viewers.
5 People Dead in Shooting at Maryland's Capital Gazette Newsroom
Many mass shootings have took place recently in the past few months. From schools to public areas, shootings have occurred. Just recently, there was a shooting in Maryland at a very famous newsroom, the Capital Gazette. The Capital Gazette has been around since the 1700s making it one of the oldest news organizations in America. Five lives have passed away and two have been injured after this horrific tragedy. Jarred W. Ramos is the one who opened fire in the newsroom Thursday afternoon. After the police took him into custody, he was charged with five counts of first-degree murders.
In that situation, it is hard to think of what the people inside were experiencing. The thoughts that may have crossed through their mind, the prayers they whispered quietly hoping that they would make it out to see their families that day. To those who lost their lives, who knew it would be their last day they stepped out of their homes, their last time seeing their loved ones. It's ridiculous to think that anytime could be someone's last time. May those who lost their lives in any mass shooting over the course of a few months rest in peace. They didn't deserve to be victims of such horrendous events. In order to prevent further tragedies such as this one from occurring, I believe there should be stricter gun laws put in place or beforehand thoroughly check someones background before they are able to access/buy a gun.
The Creator of 'Bao' on That Twist:'Part of Me Wanted to Shock Audiences' By Kaly Soto
I first became interested in Bao when I went to the theater to see Incredibles 2. Before they played the movie, they played the animation. At first I didn't know what to think of it, but as I kept watching I realized that it was kind of a sad animation.
In the article I read, Domee Shi was the director of this short film and I learned the background of the short animation. She said that three places in her life inspired her for this animation. The first thing was her own experience growing up in a Chinese family that moved to Toronto. The second was dumplings because they are a very traditional food in Chinese culture. The third was that she wanted to put a twist on a fairy tale that deals with light and dark themes. I thought that it was interesting that this animation was based off of dumplings.
The article that I found most interesting was " Thailand Cave Rescue Updates: Good Weather, Tough Circumstances". It hurts to see poor children trapped in a cave with no easy escape. It frustrates me to see that some officials want to keep these children in the cave for up to four months.These children should be rescued as soon as possible. Anything could happen in a period of four months. Thankfully so many people are volunteering to help save the team. With so many people helping, the team will be safe in no time.
"Harvard Is Wrong That Asians Have Terrible Personalities"
With the knowledge that college admissions tends to become more selective year after year, I was shocked to learn that one of America's most prestigious universities, Harvard, was accused of discriminating against Asian Americans in the process. They consistently rated Asians lower than other races on one key aspect: personality. In fact, many other top schools do the same. In his op-ed, Wesley Yang explains why this is wrong and I completely agree.
Yang explains how a teacher at Stuyvesant perceives her Asian students as genuine human beings instead of mere numbers, who know they have to work just as hard, if not more, than everyone else to secure their admission. I do not find it justified that despite Asians having higher grades, SAT scores, better extracurricular involvement, and even interview scores, they still receive lower scores in their rating, clearly shown through the statistics Yang utilizes.
As the level of achievement in the Asian applicant pool rises, a higher percentage should be admitted in a fair system. As stated in the article, "The Asian American population has more than doubled over the last 20 years, yet the Asian-American share in student populations at Harvard remains frozen"(Yang). This is unjustified as admission should depend on ability and achievement, rather than race. As Yang so eloquently puts it, "The reality is that it is a carefully considered act of slander."
"Congratulations? Zsa Zsa, an English Bulldog, Wins the World's Ugliest Dog Contest"
The last thing you would want to be awarded for or known for is being ugly. Well, that is exactly what nine-year-old Zsa Zsa achieved. In the World’s Ugliest Dog Contest, this quirky bulldog walked away as the champion. I decided to read this article due to the complete irony of the situation. When a contest is held, the winner is usually determined by their talent or beauty. In Zsa Zsa’s case, she competed to look the worst. In my opinion, she actually appeared to be pretty adorable. As shown by the images provided, she does have several unusual features, but it is not the worst appearance. Mervosh explains that the competition promotes pet adoption since most of the dogs in the contest came from puppy mills or shelters. Overall I believe that this contest is a great way to show off “unique” canines and to support a good cause.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/06/28/arts/metoo-movement-stori...
The article that was interesting to me was about the #MeToo article. I think it's amazing that these women are standing up for themselves and others. This article is basically about sending awareness to sexual harassment. Sadly many women and men go through horrible and disgusting things like this. This goes to show people who go through this are not alone and this will hopefully only make you stronger than you already were.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/22/dining/popcorn-recipes.html
"The Secret to Perfect Popcorn Is Already in Your Cupboard"
By Melissa Clark
This article caught my eye because of my love for popcorn. It is a great after-school snack for me to munch on before I go to my after school sports and activities. Popcorn has so many health benefits. It is high in the amount of fiber that it contains. This article also caught my eye because of the simple topic. Articles these days are all about controversial topics that drive people apart. It divides people based on their ideas, views, and beliefs. This article was exciting for me because of its simple nature. It was like a breath of fresh air to see an article that did not have a depressing headline or a headline about the current political issues or every terrible thing that is happening around the world. It is very important to stay updated with these types or articles, but sometimes it is nice to have a simple read about a simple subject that one enjoys. I like this article because it brought people together through the common love of one simple food, popcorn. It's nice to read about a topic that is not controversial as most articles are. At points people need an escape from what is currently happening around the word and need to take a break and read something that is light and fulfilling. The writer did not have to put any political views or anything that would divide the readers in their opinions.
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https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/06/28/arts/metoo-movement-stori...
#MeToo still has work to do
Natalie Saibel wants sexual harrassment victims “to have a sense of resolution and relief from the trauma, the harassment, the fear and the blame, and the self-shaming.” But it seems that’s not what school systems want.
The number of times #MeToo has been discussed at my high school can be counted on one hand. Lunch table conversations do not address this difficult topic—not because students don’t experience sexual harassment but because they are silenced.
Victims have been locked into confidentiality agreements for far too long. Like the six women silenced by Bill O’Reilly, students are silenced by authority figures. I know the lonely pain of being told by school administrators and the police not to discuss my story with others. I am not the only one, #MeToo proves that there are others and has created comfort for me; I just wish that I wasn’t isolated from the start.
This article is critical for showing that the men and women who sparked #MeToo, have not been negatively affected for speaking out. For students though, there are still serious repercussions for telling the truth. In my opinion, it is time for schools to continue #MeToo's progress in empowering victims by encouraging conversation instead of silencing them into a lifetime of pain.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/01/sports/lebron-james-lakers.html
This week I found an article called "LeBron James Joining Lakers on 4-Year $154 Million Deal" by Marc Stein and Scott Cacciola. I found this article interesting because a lot of people expected him to go to the lakers but not at this time and one of the reason he came is because he wanted to go where his family lived, and that was Los Angeles. Another reason I chose this article is because he got a 154 million dollar deal, which is incredible.
“Harvard Rated Asian-American Applicants Lower on Personality Traits, Suit Says”
Sitting at an academy, solving endless math problems, hour after hour. Finishing a cup of ramen in a convenient store, hurrying to get to the next academy. This is the daily life of a high schooler in South Korea.
Most Asian countries like South Korea tend to value education over everything else. ‘A happy, successful life? Good grades will get you there someday.’ Getting into a prestigious college is, after all, their utmost goal.
As a high student and Asian-American myself, I started to contemplate about which opinion seemed more justifiable. Is this really unfair? Why are Asians so centered around college?
The “balance” among different ethnicities that is needed in colleges is an important factor in the admission process. A better understanding of other cultures and backgrounds, however could also be crucial to the top class admission processes. No one should simply judge anyone based on their own preconceptions. Though Asians may seem reserved and reluctant to speak up at times, it wouldn’t bother them to think that maybe this is because of their Confucianism origins that value patience and education.
A method should be set for keeping the racial balance, instead of simply claiming that it was based on “personality”. Instead, colleges can use evidence from research to show the public why they are trying to balance the races at their school and how it would be helpful.
https://www.nytimes.com/video/us/100000005973497/26vid-immigration.html [email protected]
What interested me most in the Times this week was “What Immigration Detention is Like At 14”. This interested me because Saul Martinez was only 14 when he and to America from El Salvador to escape gangs and to think that someone my age had to go through all that by himeself is scary. This video talked about what it was like in the detention center in Texas and what he had to go through to get to receive his Green Card and see his mother that lives in the U.S. Saul said the detention center had only a slim line of light and he couldn’t tell whether it was day or night. He had to stay there for six days. Then they called his name and he got to call his mom and talk to her. The they flew him to another facility in Miami where he waited to see his mom. He now is entering his senior year in high school, has a job, and received his Green Card. To think that people have to go through this and aren’t even sure that they will be even able to make it to the U.S. is terrible. This video made me appreciate everything that I have and how lucky I am. I feel that through this video immigration rules and what people have to go through should become more acknowledged and more known.
The article I chose was ‘Ever felt jealous of a friend’s academic performance?’
Link: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/25/smarter-living/ever-felt-jealous-of-a...
Psychology. It’s often viewed with suspicion, even derision by scientists, being an untrustworthy ‘social science’. But I couldn’t help but be moved by this article on it, which reaches out and hooks its readers via a familiar tendril of high-school angst, then provides scientific reasoning behind why we act and feel the way we do. The churning mix of pride and jealousy deep within us has a name! The much more legitimate-sounding ‘self-evaluation maintenance theory’ is actually borne from a natural fear of falling behind. We aren’t some evil selfish sadists feeding on superiority and schadenfreude, we’re just human. What a relief! Or, alternatively, a horror. Evidently we’re all suffering from the human condition.
Perhaps this article may be written in simple language, but for all its mine-like fads and pseudoscience facets, Tim Herrera reminds us why we find the field of psychology so fascinating- it’s a reflection of our common humanity. And we can’t help desiring that understanding of others, that comprehension of ourselves. Perhaps it may be selfish ambition that draws us initially, but it’s our ‘common humanity’ that will keep us together. Even amid internal undercurrents of strife and our appetites for individual glory, be it at the expense of others.
Harvard Rated Asian-American Applicants Lower on Personality Traits, Suit Says
I am a 13 year old Taiwanese born and raised in the United States. I assumed college had a meritocratic admissions system that evaluated everyone equally, but then I learned about affirmative action. Harvard’s 2013 Internal Review found that 8% less Asians were admitted due to affirmative action. This piqued my interest, as I was previously unaware of the actual effect of affirmative action on Asian admissions.
In the past, non-whites have been held back by favoritism and bias. To remedy this lack of opportunities, affirmative action merely replaces preference for whites with preference for minorities. This is discrimination directed at different demographics. Ironically, affirmative action perpetuates unfair treatment of Asians. Although we have progressed since the days of Yellow Peril xenophobia, Asians are still burdened by stereotypes. They are erroneously perceived as overly studious and void of personality.
The most damaging Asian misconception is the “model minority myth,” which is that Asians are all successful. The logic goes that Asians are already at an advantage, so colleges are justified in favoring other races. This is wrong. Successful Asians do exist, but so do struggling ones. This applies to every race. Affirmative action fails to recognize that it contributes to damaging stereotypes and cultivates unfair racial treatment.
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“Arrests at U.S.-Mexico Border Drop for First Time in Months”
This week what had interested me the most was the article about the reduction of immigrants being arrested at the borders. With the news being crazy about the policy and the new order that has been made by Mr. Trump it is good to see that the order is working a little bit over the policy. The order is saying that families will not be split up at the borders. This had seemed to help bringing the decline of arrests by 18 percent. “Following the implementation of the administration’s zero-tolerance policy, the June 2018 southwest border migration numbers declined by 18 percent when compared to the previous month,” But what had made me so interested in this so much was that this is an issue that we are having where too many immigrants are coming illegally, but we have the issue of also ruining lives by splitting them up. So what had me so intrigued was that this plan although isn’t working tremendously yet of getting rid of the arrests it is lowering them to get closer to the goal. This plan is showing promise in the sense that it is showing that we are letting it families, so the immigrants don’t have to sneak in, and lowers the amount of people that are able to be arrested.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/24/opinion/america-white-extinction.html
The "White Extinction Anxiety" story was the most interesting one to me this week. This topic has never come across my mind until now. It doesn't bother me but its kind of cool to see how much our country has grown culturally and become a more diverse unit, even though lately people haven't been getting along and disagreeing and most things, the biggest topic of conversation is immigrants coming in from the Mexican boarder and I can short of see how wen more people of different ethnicities come in and we have more of a mixing pot going on, there will be more kinds of races which is not necessarily a bad thing.
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"Owls See the World Much Like We Do" by JoAnna Klein
Owls are creatures of the night, their nocturnal habitation foreign to us who observe noon rather than twilight. They adorn a peculiar stare trained on objects concealed to the human eye and they inspire an unnerved sentiment with the stillness of their stature. Their frequent appearance in horror film, usually alluding to misfortune, does little to relieve them of their reputation. For these qualities, they are rendered creatures of mystery.
Immersed in the warmth of summer nights, I am accustomed to an encounter with an owl. On these occasions I never see an object of dismay, but rather a degree of familiarity in that peculiar stare. I feared I was unique in my regard until I acquainted this article.
It examines owls through the experimental lens of a scientist, but between the lines of data, it unearths an intriguing narrative. The exceptionality in the composition is its capacity to bridge the gap between the foreign nature of scientific research and human empathy.
Our perception of the world makes us distinctly human. My perception tends towards the layers of identity beheld by individuals dependent on their surroundings. An owl has the ability to see beyond camouflage and to comprehend the relationship of particular organisms with the environment. Aware of this similarity, I find the source of affinity I have with that peculiar stare and I realize the familiarity between humans and these creatures of the night.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/05/opinion/sunday/church-state-supreme-c...
With the Fourth of July taking place this week our flags flew high, families gathered to eat hot dogs and watch colorful explosions in the sky, and the "Star Spangled Banner" was blasted for all to hear. In the midst of all the madness, we remember that our country isn't as exemplary as it may seem to others. With great pride comes great flaw, which is why "The White House Is Tearing Down the Wall Between Church and State" captured my attention the most this week.
As many may already know, the United States is facing an intense border crisis on the southern border of the U.S. and Mexico, where migrant families are forced to separate, and their children are being placed in deficient detention centers. The Attorney General Jeff Sessions attempted to religiously justify the government's involvement in the separation of families by reading a scripture from the Bible. This immediately caught my attention because the separation of church and state has been an upheld American value dating back to the famous supreme court case: Lemon v. Kurtzman. Religious boundaries were set for the secular environment, now we are seeing religion creep back in to our political system, which is discussed in the article. Personally, it is ironic how the article is titled "The White House is Tearing Down the Wall Between Church and State", when in reality, they are using church and state to "build a wall".
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/25/opinion/harvard-asian-american-racism...
This week I read an article about Harvard’s biased admissions process. Even though Asian stereotypes are known for their top achievements in academics, the admissions rates of Asians are still the lowest among all races. The discrimination of Asians is caused by Harvard admissions’ belief that all Asians have a terrible personality. This shocked me, knowing that Harvard -an ivy league- would disturb its reputation by their discriminatory belif. As an Asian-American, I find this extremely unfair as many Asian students, as well as young intellectuals of other races, consume a tremendous amount of time to impress the college admissions board. Although many Asians may score outstandingly, Harvard admissions believe that these qualified Asians have a nasty personality connected to them. As a high ranking school, Harvard is expected to be a better college. I chose this article because I wanted to learn and change the way Harvard admissions think about Asians.
The article "Endless Gaming May Be a Bad Habit. That Doesn’t Make It a Mental Illness." has intrigued a lot thoughts about how mental illness is compared to video game addiction. This interests me because mental illness can be triggered by genetics, or past trauma and video game addiction is not caused by genetics or trauma. Video game addiction is very prominent in society today and so is mental illness as people are now being more open about it. This also interests me is because video games do not cause mental illness and there is no way that video games can cause mental illness. Video games can often lead to overuse of video games and people can become addicted like any other drug but can be simply be treated with easily ignoring video games and finding new hobbies, but with drug addiction, there are withdraws and is significantly harder.
The article "How Smart TVs in Millions of U.S. Homes Track More Than What’s On Tonight" by Sapna Maheshwari caught my attention. The topic of data-tracking apps has been quite controversial, especially over the last few years. Many people are concerned about their privacy and how much control they have over their own personal information. Now, the problem is beyond smart phones-- with Samba TV and other competitors, this issue has expanded to our TVs.
The question most people ask is: 'Am I truly safe? Is my personal data being leaked to other organizations?' Each time, consumers are reassured that their information is kept secret, and is not being sold to other companies. However, those statements are pure lies. It's a simple transaction-- companies like Netflix or eBay pay companies like Samba TV and Google to share citizens' information, whether it be what was last searched, or the series you've been binge watching for the last few days. In the grand scheme of things, it's just another way to make money.
While I feel companies should ensure their costumers' safeties and be honest with them, they aren't completely at fault. As stated in the article, many people don't want to read hundreds of lines of text just to watch their favorite TV shows. To me, the solution is simple; if you don't care enough about your privacy to read through the privacy policy, then do not agree to it. Act smart and prioritize what is most important to you.
link: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/28/world/asia/chinese-classrooms-educati...
I found an article interesting to me is "Inside a Chinese classroom. Training the communists of tomorrow." Mao Zedong, a controversial figure, he is loved by the Chinese people because of his ability to unite China, he is hated because he brought the cultural revolution which led to China's backwardness. In Mao's eyes, democracy would never work for China. Currently, China advocates people to learn more about the communism especially the college students over 18. For example at TsingHua University, the students are required to take all the courses about communism and study the traditional theoretical system of socialism. Overall, because China is still in a long procedure of development, Chinese people should definitely preserve their traditional thinking of western ideas, however, they would benefit from the western ideas if they accept a certain amount, that would probably help China to develop in a faster way.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/02/well/coffee-drinkers-may-live-longer....
Waking up in the morning. This everyday task is not so easy for most exhausted Americans. One thing that helps them get through? A nice cold or hot cup of coffee in the morning. Although it might not be the healthiest alternative, the article of "Coffee Drinkers May Live Longer", counter argues that opinion by stating that people indeed could have a longer life span by drinking the beverage of coffee. Who knew that the one thing that gets you through the day could actually be helping your life positively?
According to Nicholas Bakalar, "in the span of 10 years, the diseases of cancer and cardiovascular related issues declined as coffee consumption increased." This shows that the beverage coffee has a great pro of helping deadly diseases! Great, huh? The fact that a drink that helps you heavily also helps you in other different ways! What else can this drink do?
Although this news might seem great to most people, a researcher at the 'National Cancer Institute', Erikka Loftfield states "the results don't indicate that people should begin drinking coffee for its health benefits." Meaning allthough research shows the delicious beverage has health benefits, you should not rely on it. Now excuse me while I drink a cup of coffee!
The article I chose was, "As Search for Thai Boys Lost in Cave Hits Day 5, a Nation Holds Its Breath". This past week, the people of Thailand have united in hopes to find a young soccer team consisting of boys ages eleven to sixteen, along with their coach, whom have decided to discover Tham Luang Cave after practice on Saturday night. As of Wednesday, the team has not yet been found, giving much worry to parents, families, and all communities, along with the Thai government. This particular cave is known for majorly flooding when there is a heavy rainfall, which worries people even more. Yet, the controversially "split" nation is trying not to lose hope, and stick together as a country. Although this article made me very sad for the nation and the soccer team, it also makes me hopeful for the country, as all people are coming together, no matter their political beliefs, to save this young group of boys. This article appealed to me, as it showed me what people in other countries go through, in terms of natural disasters. Here in America, we are very fortunate to be able to recover quickly when nature misbehaves.
@[email protected]
Five People Dead in Shooting at Maryland’s Capital Gazette Newsroom
Another five lives lost; another mass shooting soon to be forgotten. Once again, authorities offered only the routine thoughts and prayers to those grieving in the aftermath of the Capital Gazette’s mass shooting. The staff didn’t have time to be traumatized. Journalists and photographers fervently worked to write an article about the tragedy for publication the following day. Running late into the night, employees worked to keep those lost alive and the shooting mainstream.
Sadly, I am witness to the normalization of gun violence. In a country where there have been 154 mass shootings in 186 days, it is easy to understand why society is growing numb. Recently, I was playing school with my young cousin when he suddenly declared that we had to take cover because we were on lockdown. Following his lead, I realized that he believed lockdowns were another integral part of the school day. This incident deeply surprised me. How prevalent have mass shootings become? My cousin already knows lockdown procedures; they have been ingrained in his mind alongside the alphabet and addition.
Joshua McKerrow, a newspaper photographer, stated “‘we will be here tomorrow. We are not going anywhere.’” As it stands, the same can unfortunately be said about mass shootings. Hopefully, reflections on gun violence will serve to remind society that the only horrors kids like my cousin should face in the classroom are pop quizzes.
“A Space Force? The Idea May Have Merit, Some Say,”
Outer space has provided humans a beautifully vast plane with an infinite amount of opportunities to explore; consequently, advancements in technology these past 100 years, has not only allowed us to explore space, but to use it to our advantage here on Earth. In the article, Cooper speaks of the talk surrounding Trump’s push for the militarization of space.
The desire to create a space force stemmed from the recent threat of China and Russia’s development of anti-satellite weapons. Representatives, like Jim Cooper, explain that “we could be deaf, dumb and blind within seconds” if we ever go to war with either country; with many aspects of life here in the US relying on satellites, it would be absolutely treacherous if we found ourselves in this situation. The Air Force and other services already have a slight obligation to keep an eye on space, but recently people in aerospace, like Todd Harrison, have come to believe that “the idea of putting those fragmented forces into one coherent organization, under one chain of command,” had merit.
Because of the possible peril the anti-satellite technologies could bring, I do agree with the idea to create a space force; it will better ensure our safety. Although, I can’t help but wonder how far we will go, literally, to get a leg up on one another. If only we could come together and admire the beauty of the cosmos, maybe we wouldn’t need to use them to go to war with one another.
What Is the Limit of Our Life Span?
If given the chance to live forever, would you take it? This is a question that presumably everyone has heard at least once in their lifetime. I've never given the answer to the inquiry much thought because of how unrealistic it is. But, according to this article written by Carl Zimmer, maybe it isn't as impossible as I considered.
Since a century ago, the life expectancy of human beings have been increasing and there is no definite answer to when it will come to a stop. No one is sure of the limit to a human's lifespan. And according to the statistics given by Zimmer, the records have not been reaches yet. For example, researchers have found that from extremely old Italians, "death rate stops rising." As the mortality rate becomes static, people are given the opportunity to live even the littlest bit longer if their bodies are taken care of immensely.
Evidently, these finding do not link itself with an eternal lifetime, but perhaps it can give us a chance to give us a taste. This article made me think hard about the answer to the frequent, cliche question. Do I really want to live until the universe ends? Maybe I do, but only until I get to see flying pigs.
This week I was interested in reading the article, “Meet the 11-Year-Old Girls Whose Music Wowed the Philharmonic” by Joshua Bowe. I have played the piano for the past six years and now enjoy reading about musicians in my spare time, so this article immediately drew my attention. The article was about two young girls named Jordan Millar and Camryn Cowan who were involved in a program for young composers. Their pieces ended up being played by the New York Philharmonic. The article talked a lot about the program the girls were involved in and had a few brief quotes from each girl about their experience. I wish the article investigated more about how the girls felt directing such a well-known orchestra and what went into composing the pieces. However the article lacked a description of the actual composing process, I did like how it eventually discussed the struggles the two girls faced in finding a career in classical music. By having this at the end of the article, it gave the lasting impression that people need to work harder to give equal opportunities to everyone despite the long-lasting biases set against some.
“A Space Force? The Idea May Have Merit, Some Say”
Outer space has provided humans a beautifully vast plane with an infinite amount of opportunities to explore; consequently, advancements in technology these past 100 years, has not only allowed us to explore space, but to use it to our advantage here on Earth. In the article, Cooper speaks of the talk surrounding Trump’s push for the militarization of space.
The desire to create a space force stemmed from the recent threat of China and Russia’s development of anti-satellite weapons. Representatives, like Jim Cooper, explain that “we could be deaf, dumb and blind within seconds” if we ever go to war with either country; with many aspects of life here in the US relying on satellites, it would be absolutely treacherous if we found ourselves in this situation. The Air Force and other services already have a slight obligation to keep an eye on space, but recently people in aerospace, like Todd Harrison, have come to believe that “the idea of putting those fragmented forces into one coherent organization, under one chain of command,” had merit.
Because of the possible peril the anti-satellite technologies could bring, I do agree with the idea to create a space force; it will better ensure our safety. Although, I can’t help but wonder how far we will go, literally, to get a leg up on one another. If only we could come together and admire the beauty of the cosmos, maybe we wouldn’t need to use them to go to war with one another.
Thailand Cave Rescue Updates: Good Weather, Tough Circumstances
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/04/world/asia/thailand-cave-rescue-updat...
This week I was interested in reading, "Thailand Cave Rescue Updates: Good Weather, Tough Circumstances." So in recent days a Thai soccer team got trapped in a flooded cave ranging in ages from 11 to 16 and their 25 year old coach. They have been given food and other supplies from trained divers. Now the only problem is how are they going to get out. None of the boys have ever used scuba gear and some don't know how to swim. The boys will need to get back into good shape since they have not ate for days. Mae Bua Chaicheun, a rice farmer who lives near the cave where they were trapped has been delivering water to the soldiers and help clean up. Her fields were ready to plant rice. But because of the flood she will have plant it again. But she says she is not worried because of that but because of the kids' lives which I believe to be such a non selfish act of kindness.
I found this interesting because I am surprised the kids were still alive. After those few days of not eating or not having drinking water the team is still alive.
The article that stood out to me this week was called, "Meet the 11-Year-Old Girls Whose Music Wowed the Philharmonic." Ever since I was a child, music has been a huge part of my life from taking piano lessons since I was 8 years old to performing in the marching band at my high school so when I saw this headline I was immediately hooked. As I read more in the article the more I was astounded by these young minds. Not only were they composing at such a young age but they had feeling in their pieces as well. While listening to the two pieces posted on the article, you could hear the contrast between each movement and each melody the different instruments played while they also compliment each other perfectly at the same time. But the most important thing that stood out to me were the lines, "People ask whether I’ve found the next little Mozart, and I say yes, I’ve found dozens of them," he said. "They’re all over the place. We just need to listen to them." This is very important for not only musicians but everyone in the world to hear because often times a child's creativity is trumped by what society thinks a child should do and not what the kid actually excels at. There are so many creative minds in the world that never get to be seen and the fact that these two 11-year-old girls get to show of theirs is a huge step towards the future of music and the arts.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/24/us/worlds-ugliest-dog-zsa-zsa.html
My favorite article of this week was "Congratulations? Zsa Zsa, an English Bulldog, Wins the World’s Ugliest Dog Contest." Initially, this article caught my eye because there was a dog in the picture and I love dogs. I read the title and laughed because I wondered why the New York Times would publish an article about an "ugly" dog. After reading the article, and squealing a bit over the cute puppies, I was awestruck by the reasoning behind the "ugly dog contest." The contest was not merely, as I had summed, a silly contest to judge the appearance of canines, but rather a compassionate project to promote pet adoption by celebrating dogs from shelters and puppy mills. Zsa Zsa is just one of many dogs who grew up in horrible conditions; the amount of animals abandoned in shelters or inbred out of the selfish desires of breeders to get money for pure-bred animals only to have the creatures riddled with health problems is insane. Raising awareness of dogs in need is extremely important and the "world's ugliest dog" contest is one very entertaining way to do it. The heartwarming story of Zsa Zsa finding her new home due to a "ugly dog" contest is one that I thoroughly enjoyed. Not to mention getting to see pictures of a dog that is, in the words of her new owner, Ms. Brainard, “just so ugly, she’s beautiful.”
Never Mind the Summer Heat: Earth Is at Its Greatest Distance From the Sun
This was interesting to me bacacuse in the article it says that we say it’s very hot so we have to be close to the sun but it’s actually the opposite. We are actually very far from the sun. It’s actually our seasons that determine the temperature because each season has different direct sun light.
The article that interested me the most this week was "I'm in My 40s, Child-Free and Happy. Why Won't Anyone Believe Me?" This article detailed the responses to this woman's decision to remain single and childless. Most of them thought she was sad, judging her without even knowing her. Many automatically believe that a single woman in her 40s is lonely. However, what society as a whole fails to recognize is that single does not necessarily equate to lonely. This woman clearly has several fulfilling platonic friendships, family ties, and meaningful relationships in her life. She defies everyone's ideal of a happy woman and makes herself happy as an individual by indulging in the things important to her, like traveling. That is precisely why this article was so fascinating to me, it shows that one can find happiness no matter the circumstances and that a more unique life path can be just as fulfilling.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/05/style/no-kids-happy.html?action=click...
The article that caught my attention this week was "Statue of Liberty Climber Upends Holiday for Thousands." I believe this woman was very brave, but a little idiotic. For one thing, this woman probably knew there would be consequences for climbing onto the Statue of Liberty, but she still did it. Also, she caused the closure of the monument of a national holiday! I assume and understand how many people would be angry. Even worse, she could have caused damage to the national monument! Then, she refused orders of descent from the police. All of these actions eventually lead to her inevitable end in federal custody. However, many people say they support certain immigration policies, but not many actually take a stand and act on their beliefs! This woman did something dangerous to prove how much she actually cared for her beliefs, she took a stand and for that, I applaud her!
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/04/health/nipah-virus-india-vaccine-epid...
This year represents the 100th anniversary of the last major pandemic as substantiated by a death toll of 50-100 million people. The illness spread rapidly causing 25 million deaths in 6 months. In spite of the remarkable devastation, the world remains amnesic about the 1918 pandemic. The import of this calamity stems from its ability to transform a nebulous, future threat to a comprehendible yet horrific visual image. Recognizing the 1918 pathogen as a virus prompts a stark admonition about how woefully inadequate viral therapies remain. Yearly news reports feature a startling story of an enigmatic illness erupting in some exotic location. Recent marquee headlines introduce an ever-increasing stable of doomsday viral aspirants. Each emergent villain requires its own terminology: Lassa fever, Nipah virus, Rift Valley fever, Chikungunya, and Zika. The recent article titled “Nipah Virus, Rare and Dangerous, Spreads in India” highlights one of the aspirants. The Nipah virus, in the state of Kerala, India has infected 18 people killing 17, an impressive mortality rate. The chance of any local outbreak shifting into the next pandemic is low but the total risk is accumulative virtually ensuring a future monstrous pandemic. Recounting the devastation of the 1918 pandemic crystalizes the immensity of the threat for readers who are constantly bombarded with warnings about less consequential threats.
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https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/28/us/capital-gazette-annapolis-shooting...
The article that interested me the most in this weeks New York Times was the shooting that took place at the Capital Gazette Newsroom in Maryland. It is so sad to hear of yet another public shooting. This past year alone there has been a number of mass shootings including schools, movie theaters, and even churches, but this attack was rare on a news organization. Although this shooting caused law enforcement officials to protect media organizations, our country is still in danger. I feel our President should arrange to assign law enforcement officers at schools and other public places in every state. Students going to school feeling unsafe and unaware of what could happen to them should never be an issue. We should feel safe and protected in our schools and all other public places. Hopefully this shooting will be yet another sign and hopefully the last for an end to public shootings.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/28/us/capital-gazette-annapolis-shooting...
The article in The Times that I was most interested in was called "5 People Dead at Maryland's Capital Gazette Newsroom" by Sabrina Tavernise, Amy Harmon, and Maya Salam. This article was really attention grabbing because guns have been a huge and controversial subject, especially in the past few years. There have been way too many innocent lives lost for absolutely no reason with the weapon used being a gun. I do not think that guns should be completely banned but I definitely do believe that there needs to be stricter gun laws. I think that no person in the world should have the power to take another innocent person's life. I still do not understand why we don't already have stricter gun laws. It is not okay that basically anyone in the United States can acquire a gun without much effort. The people that steal these guns or take them from their parents illegally and kill innocent people have really easy access to guns and this is a huge problem. To prevent the loss of more innocent lives, I think the Unites States definitely need to create stricter laws that make it really hard for people without licenses or background checks to buy guns.
This week, I chose "How to Avoid Burnout in Youth Sports" by Jane E. Brody. The article sparked my interest because I've seen many young children focusing on one sport. Ever since I was 8 years old, I've been playing softball; and each year, I see more and more of my friends/teammates quitting the sport for reasons such as, "I get hurt too much." or, "I just don't love the game anymore." All of which breaks my heart each time I hear them. After reading Brody's article, I was able to find out that most kids "burnout" after specializing in one particular sport. As stated in the article,"In a prospective study, Dr. Kocher and colleagues found that early specialization in baseball, cheerleading, and gymnastics increased the risk of injury among boys, and specialization in running, swimming, soccer and volleyball, as well as cheerleading and gymnastics, increased the injury risk among girls." Most kids who play competitive sports play and practice year-round with a team and often practice on their own afterward; which lead me to believe that those who practice/play all year are more likely to injure themselves and "burnout." Yet when kids "burnout," most of the time it's not their fault. Parents often pressure their children into practicing harder or more than they can handle. Therefore, it's important for families to realize what their children want and not pressure them into doing too much.
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I was hoping critic A.O. Scott's "Review: ‘Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom’ Brings the Gang Back. Sigh." was wrong. The sad truth is, it was spot on. That being said, a few important aspects were left out of his review. For instance, the cinematography isn’t given the credit it deserves. The shot of the Indoraptor's claw creeping over the young girl's bed displays the imposing and merciless nature of the monster, while keeping it simple. It applies the childhood fear of "there's a monster under my bed", which makes the image more effective in demonstrating the threat of the Indoraptor. Shots like these demonstrate the talent of the people who worked on the film. What boggles my mind is how underutilized the dinosaurs were! Fallen Kingdom has an impressive roster of dinosaurs, but very few of them further the story in any meaningful way and are only on screen for a few seconds. If the story and characters were stronger this would be more acceptable. The fact is the writing and screenplay cannot carry this movie alone. Talented effects people, actors, and directors can’t make up for a terrible script. Just watch the final trailer! It contains the best scenes and all you need to know about the bare-bones plot. It’s truly unfortunate that a trailer is better than the entirety of a Jurassic Park movie. Fallen Kingdom had the potential to be one of the best in the franchise, but it ended up being another dime-a-dozen cash grab sequel.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/24/us/politics/trump-immigration-judges-...
The article that caught my attention this week was "Trump Calls for Depriving Immigrants Who Illegally Cross Border of Due Process Rights" During such an aggressive time in politics due to the immigration crisis, Donald Trump seems to have found a solution amid confusion in the problem. Illegal citizens are coming in by the dozens because they are instantly protected by our constitution, and Donald Trumps policy to send them back together without trial right across would seem to prevent any f future separation which was already signed to stop by Trump, while speeding or ceasing the judicial process. The amount of judges and resources sent to house criminals (illegal aliens are criminals) could be spent on infrastructure or possibly even a wall. Overall this article seemed to highlights Trump idea in great detail and I support his idea even if the article did not.
Endless Gaming May Be a Bad Habit. That Doesn’t Make It a Mental Illness.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/02/health/internet-gaming-addiction.html
Although I admit that the sight of my brother constantly playing video games and my sister never taking off her headphones makes life in the house seem desolate, I would not say my siblings have a mental disorder. The World Health Organization announced “Internet Gaming Disorder” or IGD as an actual disease and made it official in the WHO psychiatric diagnostics guide. According to the informative article, “Endless Gaming May Be a Bad Habit. That Doesn’t Make It a Mental Illness”, experts are skeptical about labeling an unhealthy lifestyle as a disorder; saying there is not enough scientific evidence or clear way to diagnose a patient with IGD. With unbelievable stories like children needing rehab from Fortnite addictions taking the media by storm, specifically parents, I can see how gaming is a very popular concern. However, any hobby can become an addiction and gaming just so happens to be one of them. Calling a bad habit like gaming a disorder will not do anything significant towards stopping this epidemic, just fuel parents’ hysteria over the evil that is screen-time. In the interest of my siblings health and my own, I try to get them away from their phones or TV to spend time together; I don’t treat their habits as a disease, just a part of their life.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/05/us/migrant-children-chaos-family-sepa...
This article interested me this week because I think the situation with Trump on immigrants is absurd. The parents are trying to take care of their children not cause problems in the country they are trying to enter. Some children are so unaware of what is happening because they are so young, all they know is that people are taking them away from their parents and they are staying in cages. There wouldn't be an inconvenience to have children back to their parents or have a dead line for getting everyone reunited if no one was separated at the start. In my opinion, if Trump didn't think of immigrants as such terrible people there would be less problems for everyone. Immigrants aren't in our country to ruin everything they may just be getting away from their country for whatever reasons. Separating families is one of the most dumb things to do. How is that going to help with immigration? It won't, it just complicates everything and make things more difficult and people will be way less likely to cooperate with being moved. We are all people just living through life, why complicate it by separating families and not allowing people into the country? This shouldn't be occurring where children are being taken from their parents but it is, we need to stop and think.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/04/us/july-4th-fireworks-drones-nyt.html
The article that interested me the most was ' A July 4 Without Fireworks? Wildfire-Plagued Cities Turn to Drones.' The amount of wildfires that have been going on lately in the western side is crazy. In California, authorities have responded to over 2,350 wildfires in the first half of the year. There has also been other wildfires in Colorado, New Mexico, and other western states. So in many areas they turned and said that they will use drones with LED lights instead on fireworks, because they don't want to take a risk. Other cities want to delay 4th of July or just not celebrate it at all. I think that not celebrating it at all is disrespectful and saying that they don't care about our past. The drones on the other hand is a great idea, because the amount of fireworks being used each year all around the world is a lot, and it is killing our world with all that pollution, and it could easily start another fire. So if it decreases and gets replaced with drones i feel like that will be a better alternative. The president of the Aspen Chamber Resort Association, Ms. Braun said that the drones are a fabulous alternative and it could become the new normal. They designed the drones to have a patriotic theme to it, since of course it is 4th of July. People will enjoy them and be in awe because drones are a wow factor just like fireworks are and of course going to be the first time to be used as 'fireworks'.
The article that interested me the most this week was "I'm in My 40s, Child-Free and Happy. Why Won't Anyone Believe Me?" This article detailed the responses to this woman's decision to remain single and childless. Most of them thought she was sad, judging her without even knowing her. Many automatically believe that a single woman in her 40s is lonely. However, what society as a whole fails to recognize is that single does not necessarily equate to lonely. This woman clearly has several fulfilling platonic friendships, family ties, and meaningful relationships in her life. She defies everyone's ideal of a happy woman and makes herself happy as an individual by indulging in the things important to her, like traveling. That is precisely why this article was so fascinating to me, because it shows a more unique life path can be just as fulfilling.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/05/style/no-kids-happy.html?action=click...
The article that caught my eye was titled “Where a Taboo Is Leading to the Deaths of Young Girls” by Jeffrey Gettleman. It describes the superstitions that plague the women deep in the Himalayas. Women in this location are believed to be polluted each month when they get their period. Huts are built for them to sleep in during their menstrual cycle and this natural occurrence in their bodies are considered a taboo. The practice itself is called chhaupadi and has taken place for over hundreds of years. Never once would I have thought that a woman’s menstrual cycle would be considered a taboo. I understand that people believe in superstitions, but it does not make sense for one’s own parents to be willing to send their daughter out of the house for fear of facing far-fetched consequences. What shocks me is how most parents would rather their daughter die during the process than to risk facing an improbable consequence. If these women were devoted to continue the practice, they could, at the very least, allow them better living conditions rather than to place them in a cramped hut. A menstrual cycle is not something that can be controlled and women do not choose whether they would like to have one. It is just unfair to those women in Nepal to have to suffer for something they never asked for. Unfortunately, the pressure they experience only seems to make matters worse. They do not stand against the practice because they fear the effects of abstaining the custom.
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What interested me most in the Times this week was "Scarlett Johanson’s Casting as Transgender Man Draws a Backlash" by Sandra E. Garcia. I had heard this news prior, but had not fully looked in to the situation until reading this article. Simply put, I was disappointed and frustrated. This is yet another example of erasure and misrepresentation of LGBT folks in media, a trend that has become so common at this point that I wasn't even surprised to hear the news. Additionally, this wasn't even the first time that something like this happened with Ms. Johanson, considering her casting as the lead in a completely white-washed version of "Ghost in the Shell". This trend of altering and replacing the stories of minority groups and disenfranchised voices with whitewashed or heteronormative versions is appallingly ignorant. A true story of a person or group of people whose voice is not being heard can only truly be told by making them heard, not trying to tell it through your own means. These modified and popularized versions of real people's stories do nothing to advance the standing of minority groups in our society, and only further the imbalance of representation for them in the stories we view. This news, albeit unsurprising, is a disheartening example of why the system that chooses who's stories get told. and in what manner, needs to change.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/25/us/video-diatribe-mexicans.html
The article that interested me the most was “ ‘ why do you hate us? ‘ he asked.’ Because you’re Mexican.’ She said.” This article captivated my eye because my family is from Mexico and therefore we are Mexicans which made me wonder what kind of injustice did this man go through since it might be something that my family has or will in counter. The title itself really shocked me since he is being hated just for being a Mexican. As it is it is bad to hate even for a “good “ reason but being hated simply because you are Mexican seems more than just ridiculous. Within the article it is expressed that this random woman approached this man and his mother who were working to initiate in an offensive conversation. This is when the woman expresses that Mexicans are drug dealers, rapists and other things. Though in reality anyone can be a rapist and a drug dealer it doesn’t really have anything to do with your race or where u come from or what your culture is or anything like that which is why this was a really inappropriate thing to say since she doesn’t even know this person nor everyone who is Mexican. As the article goes on it seems as though she is using Donald trump to support her actions. Though if she had simply took the time to put herself in his shoes she would see that what she was doing is wrong . No one should be put down or hated simply because they originated in a particular place or anything like that.
"5 People Dead in Shooting at Maryland's Capital Gazette Newsroom"
By: Sabrina Tavernise, Amy Harmon, and Maya Salam
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/28/us/capital-gazette-annapolis-shooting...
Everyday the news is filled with a thousand different stories. The article that interested me most in the Times this week was that about a man named Jarrod Ramos who shot and killed five people at the Capital Gazette. The authors explain that this man has had a long and complicated history with the Capital Gazette. For many years he has argued and even sued the journalists for some of their writings. This man went into the building with the plain to ruin, to damage, and to end people's lives. I absolutely cannot wrap my mind around the fact that a person would be able to conceive the intentions to end another human beings life based off of a disagreement. My heart breaks for all of the people involved in this tragic Event. I feel nothing but sorrow for not only those who were killed and their families, but also for the survivors. Their lives will never be the same. This man has permanently scarred each and everyone one of them for the rest of their lives. This act in itself, the scarring of these poor people's lives, is one that no amount of time in a jail cell can ever make up for. Jarrod Ramos has forever altered so many people's lives, and he will never be able to repay them.
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Wrap Your Mind Around a Whale
This article caught my attention because it was something I never thought about. Animals are constantly evolving and it would be interesting if whales could get bigger. From the article I learned that whales used be the size of a large dog, so I thought in the years to come whales would be able to grow. From what has been predicted they cannot, the whales would not be able to stay full and the speed of a whale if it got any bigger would be incredibly slow. But being bigger would not just effect the speed but there is a change that the whales could over heat because of the thick blubber. Though it did take five hundred million years for whales to became the size they are today, so who knows how they can grow through evolution.
There is also another side to this and that is how humans effect the natural landscape. Nowadays if an animal is larger they face a higher extinction rate. The ocean water has become acidic.
It seemed interesting that whales could continue growing and when I found out it could not it was interesting to see why they couldn't. The largest recorded whale was measured at 109 feet nd that is the largest theoretical size it can be. The likely hood that a whale could be above 110 feet is so small, which is crazy because at 109 feet a whale is able to exists.
When taking in to account for the length of a whale there are factors to consider, such as how much food they can eat and what functions can a body hold considering the size.
The article that peaked my interest this week, was "How Saying #MeToo Changed Their lives"- by Melena Ryzik. I believe this was a very strong topic for our current-hold society, I chose to read this article since I have seen with my own eyes women being harassed in public before as well as heard of stories whereas they have been sexually assaulted/abused... Ashley Judd was the first actress to speak openly about sexual abuse towards not only just females but even males such as chris brown,Gwyneth Paltrow, Lindsey Myer, and much more. I believe and strongly am against the use of people exploiting others for their own selfish needs, especially when it comes to business. Clearly it is very unprofessional, not only does it cause emotional harm- but affects everyday life for the victim and the victim's family or whomever they are working for to earn paychecks.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/06/28/arts/metoo-movement-stori...
How Saying #Metoo Changed their lives
This article stood out to me because this topic can be very controversial and touchy. Speaking out about something so scary and hard to talk about. I have friends who have been sexually assaulted and watching them talk about it and work through it has shown me how hard it really is. This article is very influential because it brings light to the aftermath of speaking out. You never know how others are going to react when you speak out about something as difficult as rape or sexual assault. People aren't always supportive when you speak out and as I saw in the article, many people lost friends for speaking out. However, speaking out is so important. It brings light to the difficulties faced when speaking out, especially when it's something you've been hiding for years. Bringing light to the other side of speaking out gives a new meaning to speaking out and shows that there will always be repercussions for your actions, but with this it mostly ended up being beneficial.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/19/climate/koch-brothers-public-transit....
Why would Tennessee voters vote against a mass-transit proposal when in earlier polls it was projected to pass? The results of the election shocked many, but it was why the majority changed their minds that shocked me. The Koch Brothers are the notorious billionaire duo whose wealth is tied to oil and gas. They spent thousands of dollars on propaganda that targeted individual voters with surgeon-like precision, so it doesn’t come as a surprise that their investments support the car market.
Americans for Prosperity, the conservative political advocacy group funded by the brothers, claims that public transit is a thing of the past and wastes taxpayer money on outdated technology just as the world is moving towards autonomous vehicles.
I did some research and found that Maglev trains, like the one in Shanghai which can go 267 mph, are extremely environmentally friendly. And bullet-trains like the one planned for California use 30% less energy per passenger mile than cars. The director of Carnegie Mellon University’s Mobility21 research center explained in the long run, buses and trains are the most effective and cleanest way of moving large numbers of people long distances. So while Europeans and Asians can travel in futuristic high-speed luxury, the Koch brothers will be keeping Americans on clogged roads in their gas-guzzlers while conning them into thinking they are about prosperity for America.
"The Secret to Perfect Popcorn Is Already in Your Cupboard" by Melissa Clark caught my eye for two reasons. The first reason is because I was hungry at the time of reading the article and the second is because I enjoy popcorn. After clicking the titled link, I was warmly greeted by an appetizing image that paired beautifully with the title. It was at that point I knew I chose my free article wisely. Figuring the article would render a light read, I indulged myself in the interesting journey of finding the best tasting and textured popcorn. Although this article appears to be a mere distraction from devastating headlines of tragic events that seem to occur on an hourly basis, it was a breath of fresh air to read something so innocent. Articles that do not contain slanted political viewpoints on the Times (and other news outlets) is very hard to come by nowadays, so the content of this article made it all the more appealing to me. This reflection made me realize how dire our situation is regarding getting unbiased news reports to the public. Reporters and journalists always seem to find a way to slip in their personal agendas and opinions in their reports which I think is wrong and unprofessional. The public should be given unbiased facts and the liberty to create their own opinions off of the news, but instead this process happens backwards. So yes, this laughable, contentless, and seemingly irrelevant article is a jab at everything wrong with modern news and I am here for it.
Athens, Rising
Less than ten days ago I was flying home from my recent trip to Greece. My grandparents are from a very small island there called Hydra, just an hour ferry ride from Athens. In the process of reading Charly Wilder’s article about Athens I strongly related to her thoughts and experiences in Greece. In 2011 Greece fought the worst economic catastrophe in the history of the European Union! Wilder discussed her previous trips to Athens when the city was nothing more than run down and in debt. However, the tourist rates have skyrocketed since 2011 and 2012. Wilder stated in regard to this, “a city I’ve watched shift and evolve, endure crisis and chaos and economic collapse, and yet emerge from the wreckage as one of the continent’s most vibrant and significant cultural capitals, more popular than ever as a tourist destination.” I can not agree more with this statement. Athen’s has not turned into a rich thriving city of money. Wilder does an appreciable job at explaining how Athens has improved immensely as a city but not financially. Athens has used their resources in enhancing the significant culture, arts, history, landscape, and deep down beauty of the city. The amazing graffiti, thats art. The “torn down” acropolis, that’s history being reconstructed again. The lights, smells, people, crazy cafes, bars, etc. is a culture you can’t be apart of anywhere else. Wilder does an impeccable job of explaining what Athens really is, versus its stigma.
This year's FIFA World Cup has kept the world on the edges of their seats. Leaving the United States soccer team out of the game from the get-go, Americans are forced to choose another country as their victor. After reading the New York Times article, "Why England or Belgium Will Win the World Cup (and Why It Won't", I was able to answer my questions I had about the competing teams and make a well-formulated bracket. At first, I assumed, "Oh! South America is known for being good at soccer, they will definitely win!", but after witnessing the all-mighty Argentina lose, I threw my bracket straight into the trash. If South American teams aren't as good as the other teams, then why are they so hyped up? It became clear that Argentina felt like they weren't working hard, and they will have easy wins. Meanwhile, England is just a bunch of guys with a small chance who are trying their hardest to win, making them an obvious choice. This week in the New York Times, I learned that fame and popularity won't win World Cups, it's the people who tell themselves "I want to do this for my country, not just to sell jerseys."
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/28/sports/world-cup/england-belgium.html
Is Neymar Black? Brazil and the Painful Relativity of Race
In this article, Ms. de Oliveira addresses racism of Brazil through the comment of a popular soccer player, Neymar. This first sparked my interest because I, like most people right now, am following the World Cup and their soccer players, like Neymar. Little did I know, I was about to delve into a culture that I never thought about before.
As an African-American that lives in United States, I am made aware of and faced racism in my day-to-day life, but never did I stop to think about the discrimination in other countries, let alone Brazil. Through this article, I have learned about the complexities of race that I could never imagine while seeing the similarities of racism in the United States. For example, unlike Brazil, the US has taken steps to acknowledge the racism that has happened, but Brazil has turned the topic of racism into a taboo. Although we differentiate in how to deal with the problem, our economy is alike in that the richest are white.
This raises the question: if we each have taken different steps to diminish racism, why are we both at the same place?
The article this week that peaked my interest was titled, “Nearly 3,000 Migrant Children Remain Separated From Parents; 100 Are Under Age 5.” This topic has interested me since it first came out that migrant children were being separated from this family, and the idea still confuses me. I understand the concern coming from immigration as you never can truly know the motive for immigration, even though most immigrants come to do no harm, but after weeks, I can’t seem to wrap my head around the idea of separating young children from their parents. In short, the article discusses that children under 5 have to be reunited with their families very soon, but older children have to wait longer. The issue I have, is that children were separated in the first place with no valid reason. Additionally, the article explained that many children can’t be reunited for a while as the have to complete DNA test to confirm that these actually are the children of these parents. My issue with this is that children aren’t always biological, as they may be adopted, taken in from other family members or surrogate children. I’m sure they’re are special circumstances surrounding these scenarios, but the article fails to explain those. Overall, I found this article extremely helpful in further understanding the situation of children being separated from their families.
An unwavering sense of alienation and isolation rotting away one's core. Where a mother or father is supposed to be there to support them, they are belittled and made to feel as if they are nothing. The warm childhood experience of one's biggest worries being the bruises on knees from clumsy playground tumbles is turned into the bitter cold of one's worries being the next time they will be able to eat. This is the life of an unwanted child.
Justice Anthony M. Kennedy has made a decision to retire which has put the right to have an abortion in jeopardy. This will result in very disastrous situations. Article "Departure of Kennedy, ‘Firewall for Abortion Rights,’ Could End Roe v. Wade" has resonated with me in an excruciating way to imagine the lives children will have to endure at the cruel hands of unloving parents, foster homes, and streets if the decision is overturned.
It is important to critically think about the current circumstances of America and its society. Children could be unwanted because they are a product of incest, rape, accidental mishap, or they are simply a meal ticket. This should not subject them to a life of misery. It would be an absolute shame for the children living in neglectful homes to be multiplied.
Although we have foster homes in place for children whose biological parents are abusive, it is well known the court usually favors reuniting kids with their biological family. It is very sad but true, some people are not made to be parents.
Ever Felt Jealous of a Friend’s Achievement? Here’s How to Get Around It.
"What did you get on the last test?" A question that we students, expect from our peers after any minor to crucial grade is released. Our vast curiosity of the success of others is evident immediately once this simple question is brought to attention. As high school students, we are always confronted with the competitive nature of the daunting college admissions process. From a high GPA to winning a prestigious competition, we know too well, the feeling of envy when someone you know achieves a score or title that may outshine you.
Say you were proud to receive an A on your test, but soon learned that your best friend received an A+. Even with best intentions towards your friend's success, you would naturally feel envious of their score, regardless of your initial satisfaction. These feelings of resentment are often looked down upon by society. But maybe we, as people who are guilty of this accusation, are not as bad as we think? In this article, the author discussed how this jealousy may be "programmed" into us and how we can put ourselves into a different mindset to bypass it.
Now that we can say that jealousy is human nature, students should learn to use these techniques to overcome these natural habits and appreciate their peers' successes. If you truly think about it, their A+ does not undermine your A. I hope we will all strive to be proud of our own accomplishments along with our friends'.
link: https://mobile.nytimes.com/2018/04/12/us/holocaust-education.html
I was very surprised to read that many Americans, especially millennials, are uninformed or misinformed about the Holocaust. Throughout middle school, we learned about the Holocaust in depth every year. I can remember many facts and images from our projects and research. This made it even more surprising that around 30% of Americans thought that fewer than 2 million Jews were killed, 40% don’t know what Auschwitz was, and 50% think Hitler came to power through force. The Holocaust is a major and relatively recent historical event. If students are taught about it so thoroughly, why do are many Americans uninformed? As time goes on, there are fewer Holocaust survivors alive to tell their stories. Some museums and memorials are using videos and holograms of survivors. This could help educate people more effectively, even when there are no more Holocaust survivors remaining. Using this interesting combination of modern technology and history, Americans can be educated about the Holocaust. Thankfully, although many Americans are uninformed, they still think that the Holocaust is real and should be taught in schools.
https://www.nytimes.com/video/science/100000005948406/how-spiders-use-si...
The video that interested me the most in the NY Times was “How Spiders Use Silk to Fly”. When I saw this immediately clicked on it because I never knew spiders could fly. I guess you really do learn something new every day. The video talked about how spiders sample the air flow to know if it is a good time to fly. Then the spiders lift their abdomen and use their spinnerets to fly. This technique is called ballooning. This name actually makes sense when you see it. Spiders can fly across oceans and can get up to a mile high. They video also talked about how they sometimes fly in groups and you can see their silks all over the ground. I learned that the silk of a spider is a thousand times thinner than human hair. It does not really make sense how the silk could hold the spider, but it does. The air makes it easier for the silk to stick. If I ever saw a spider do this in person I would be very astonished and a little frightened. What if one flew into your face, I would totally freak out. The spiders cannot control where they are going, the air just takes them.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/04/world/middleeast/islamic-state-famili...
Imagine being in an unkempt camp where you’re prohibited from leaving. If you attempt to leave, you’d either be sent to prison or executed. All around you are women and children, many of which are foreigners. What do they all have in common? They’ve all assisted ISIS. The adults claim, “People make mistakes,” and they cry out, “We made a mistake, but everyone in the world makes mistakes. How long can we pay the price for a mistake? For our whole lives?”
The problem I have with this is that many of these people are adults who came to Syria looking to help ISIS. Yes, they made a mistake, but there are varying degrees of mistakes. The one that they made just so happened to be a grave one with profound ramifications. Almost every criminal acknowledges their faults, but that doesn’t make them innocent. Joining a terrorist group is not a light act. Committing a crime can indeed deserve the cost of your own life. And if your child is punished because of your poor decisions, then shame on the woman for being both a horrible person and an unacceptable mother.
The reporter had the goal of creating a sob story, which is what I found interesting. We always treat women gently; however, these women are not your classic soccer-moms. They are criminals who do not deserve redemption or sympathy.
"Harvard Is Wrong That Asians Have Terrible Personalities"
As an Asian-American, my parents have been preaching about college the moment I got letters as grades. As an Asian-American, my parents also told me, as Mr. Yang puts it, that my application will be “systemically denigrated” in the eyes of Ivy Leagues. I took this as an unfortunate fact of being born Asian-American. That despite what I do, I have a much bar much higher than my peers have to face. However, I simply took this, as Harvard would like us to think, simply the cost needed to maintain its diversity and exclusivity. But, this article did not intrigue me with a fact I knew and grew up with. No, it was rather the side I have not heard about this argument; how as minorities seemed to be harmed, old money of legacy students stayed safe in Harvard’s seemingly noble push for “diversity”. Mr. Yang points out how conveniently that affirmative action and Harvard’s “egalitarianism” still protect legacy students (who are mostly white) and help Harvard’s $37 billion endowment. As Mark Twain once said, “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes”. I find within this article the same story of privilege in America seen repeatedly, but time with a different veil. Alas, that despite decades of progress America claims to make the privileged protected over the expense of the minorities. But this time, I am not reading this story in a history book. This time, the cost of that privilege is me.
"Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy Will Retire"
The most striking news for me was the resignation of Supreme Court justice Anthony Kennedy. Being part of the landmark characteristic of checks and balances, the Supreme Court serves an important role in interpreting the constitutionality of American legislations. The threat to this vital process is why this news was so remarkably interesting to me. I have learned about some of the most controversial of Supreme Court decisions in history class, such as Roe vs. Wade. It is really exciting to not just visualize in my head anymore, but actually project the repercussions of a potential shift in the balance of power for the highest court of the land. America’s republican experiment has also intrigued me and this news struck me on a historical and social level as the country is very polarized on several significant subjects, which many times depend on a tie-breaking vote from a justice who follows the founding document rather than the entangling alliances that the Great Founding Father of America alluded to in a cautionary tone.
“Endless Gaming May Be a Bad Habit. That Doesn’t Make It a Mental Illness.”
The article that interested me the most this week was “Endless Gaming May Be a Bad Habit. That Doesn’t Make It a Mental Illness” by Benedict Carey. I was drawn into this article because I, myself, enjoy playing video games. While reading through this article, my personal opinion on how excessive gaming is not a mental illness became stronger.
A mental disorder is defined as a behavioral or mental pattern that causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning. Examples of mental illnesses include anxiety and depression. How does excessive gaming fit into this category? Carey states, “A bad habit may be bad. But at least fixing it doesn’t involve brain scans, antidepressant pills, or clinging for dear life…” Gaming cannot be classified with depression or anxiety, because it is a way to be competitive and have fun.
Finally, the definition of what classifies someone that has this gaming illness is vague. The definition overall says if someone's main priority is to play video games over other daily activities, you have the illness. So, what if someone enjoys gaming a lot on weekends but does not play during the week. Does the person have a gaming illness for 2 days and for the other 5 days they are fine? People that suffer from mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety don’t have it for certain days of the week, so why should excessive gaming be considered an illness?
The article that caught my attention this week was “Sweden Makes World Cup Quarterfinals for First Time Since 1994.” I enjoyed reading this acrticle so much because I have played soccer my whole life and have fell in love with the game. Since I was a little girl I would watch every game of the World Cup and always cheer for Sweden. The game this article was about, was one of the most exciting games of soccer I’ve watched. The game had me biting my nails the whole time! I liked how this article recapped the game minute by minute. The World Cup is my favorite thing to watch, espiecially when Sweden is playing and they end up winning!
Week 3 ~ 7/5/18
https://mobile.nytimes.com/2018/07/05/world/canada/canada-quebec-heat-wa...
What interested me in the times this week was an article titled, "Record-Smashing Heat Wave Kills 33 in Quebec." This article was interesting to me because this summer the weather has been significantly high and it is very dangerous. In fact, it was so hot in southern Quebec that twenty Home Depot customers were fighting over the last air-conditioner because not everyone has air-conditioning in their houses. To prevent health issues due to the heat, residents living in the areas impacted by the heat wave were instructed to spend at least two hours in air-conditioning or a cool space, avoid drinking alcohol, and drink six to eight glasses of water every day. They were also told to keep infants and children out of scorching hot cars. It is important to stay cool during a heat wave because if you spend all day outside, you can suffer from a heat stroke and become immediately ill very quickly.
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Rhino Embryos Made in Lab to Save Nearly Extinct Subspecies
This week I found the article “Rhino Embryos Made in Lab to Save Nearly Extinct Subspecies” to be very interesting because I like and can comprehension science very well and Rhinos was always an animal that amazed me. When I read this article I sew that such valiant efforts are being made to try and preserve this species not only is it fascinating but heartwarming as well. Most people I would believe are pretty unaware of the fact that there are many species that are in danger of going extinct or already have. Until reading this article I never knew Rhinos were one of those species and that there were other methods that could be taken to revive a species.
The work and dedication as well as the duration of the time it takes to have the slightest chance of revival was astounding. The article made me question if there was enough protection and conservation for animals in general. After reading the article it’s easier to understand that conserving a species is not the easiest of tasks but there are people who care about animals and put forth tremendous effort to maintain a species.
I was thrilled that I understood the science terms that were presented in this article. I understood that by taking the reproductive cells from a close releative you could create the desired embryo of a mixed species given the right conditions. Greater efforts to maintain/revive a species must be emplemented now more than ever.
"Americans Are Having Fewer Babies. They Told Us Why." by Claire Cain Miller
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/05/upshot/americans-are-having-fewer-bab...
This week I found an article, "Americans Are Having Fewer Babies", to be interesting because as of right now, our planet is overpopulated. So why go through all the trouble to figure out why the United States is not producing babies like before?
As a 16-year old, I have been told many times, "Don't have kids too early." "Buy a house and buy a car before having a family." and "Make sure you have a good paying job." It is very clear that every parent wants their child to have a better life than they did. So, parents may have a role in why Americans are having fewer babies.
Secondly, women obviously have more rights than 50 years ago. Women were stay at home wives and unemployed. Nowadays, women are working, making their own money with no man to rely on. Females are the ones to carry our future children, so if more women are not up to giving birth then, of course, it would explain why Americans are producing fewer babies than before.
“The Last of the Tiger Parents”
With my mom being a second generation Asian-American, this article definitely stood out to me. The stereotype of immigrant Asian parents being strict definitely rings true for writer Ryan Park, just as it did for my mom when she was growing up. However, both Park and my mom saw the error in their parents ways. Park explains that he is trying to abandon the “push for success and only success” parenting method, because it can severely damage the emotional health of a child. I can draw parallels to my own life, since my mom has always valued my happiness over any grade I’ve received. By doing so she has allowed me to create my own standards for myself, rather than fearing the punishment that would follow my failures.
Why Do Our Kids Go Hungry?
This week I found the article “Why Do Our Kids Go Hungry” to be particularly interesting because it opened my eyes to a reality that many Americans face. Food has been plentiful in my home, and although I have always understood that some people in our world struggle to make ends meet I never understood the full extent of the issue.
The statistics displayed throughout the article were staggering and made me question the current state of aid that families are receiving. At a time when so many families are struggling to feed their children the government is choosing to limit the number of people who are eligible for food stamps. This astounded me as food stamps are a necessity and decisions are being made that disregard how desperate these families are. By enforcing these laws they are taking the food out of children’s mouths.
I have a new understanding of the basic needs that are not being met for all Americans. Our government must reconsider the policies that have been put into place or lives will continue to be negatively impacted. Families should not and must not be permitted to go hungry.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/06/28/arts/metoo-movement-stori...
The article, "How Saying #MeToo Changed Their Lives", was the most interesting in The New York Times this week due to it being such a bold and controversial, yet important topic of discussion. Recently, there has been a drastic uprising of women and men opening up about their experience with sexual assault, specifically in the movie industry. Most often, people talk about the #MeToo movement in general terms, but this article shows a glimpse into the changed lives of the men and women who have bravely admitted they too have suffered from assault and abuse. In the article Gwyneth Paltrow admits, "it’s overwhelming to know we’re living in a culture where ramifications exist for this kind of thing" when speaking of Harvey Weinstein's arrest. Her story, and many others presented in this article, represent just how impactful the #MeToo movement truly is.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/27/world/asia/thailand-cave-soccer-searc...
The article I decided to read for this week was "As Search for Thai Boys Lost in Cave Hits Day 5, a Nation Holds Its Breath". The reason I became very engrossed with this article is how everyone in the community just united together. Even though the people within this city had some troubles and difficulties with one another they put that behind them. They used all of their efforts to help search for the missing boys. Everyone from park rangers to family members helped to chip in to try to find these boys. It is also amazing how even though other people have other stuff in their life they stopped everything to help look for some local soccer kids. Many people have prayed for the boys and their families. There has also been some very kind donations to help with the search. Local police officers and park rangers have been doing everything in their effort to find the kids. They also put food and water in certain caves just in case the group does come across it. "After a night of heavy rain, divers spent Wednesday trying to get through narrow, flooded passageways". “There are only two ways to rescue the boys,” the governor said. “Either get them out from above or drain the water out.” It is also wondering how the governor said,“ We won't abandon them. We are in this fully." Even though the governor has bigger things on his plate he is doing everything in his power to help out.
The article which caught my eye this week in the Times was 'Why Do You Hate Us?' He Asked. 'Because You're Mexicans,' She Replied. This article is in regards to a confrontation between Esteban Guzman and an unidentified woman in Guzman's front yard where he and his mother was working when the woman came up and started to throw racial slurs at the pair, even bringing up President Trumps name. The reason this was the article I responded to is because it shows how Trumps presidency has effected the American opinion. Even though this is not anything new or even much of a big surprise this is just such a prevalent example of how Trump's vicious racism has had drastic effects on the American public, it allows those who may have had a quiet hatred of Mexicans now be able to think it is now socially acceptable to shout that opinion from the rooftops. I have Mexican heritage, coming from Albuquerque, NM where the population is more than 50% hispanic and even though I have hispanic heritage, my skin so pale that you would never know unless I told you. I have talked to people that have told me to my face that they hate Mexicans, and when I asked them why they shrugged their shoulders. This article is just another example of reasonless racism, culminated from only the opinions of others and having nothing to do with your reasonable thought.
I was interested the most by "Statue of Liberty Climber Upends Holiday for Thousands" by Rick Rojas. The article talked about a protester climbing the Statue of Liberty, and how many reacted. It compelled me to read as she is sending such a strong message, not only from the protest being on Fourth of July, but the symbolism attached to the Statue of Liberty. I think without taking a second to consider it, some may overlook her message. Fourth of July is a insanely patriotic day, where people widely come together to spend time with friends and family. Personally, I remember important family moments happening while celebrating and watching fireworks on this day. However currently with the resurgence on the american status of immigration, her message is like a deep knife. I think although many may call it extreme and ridiculous, which it definitely looks to be. It does draw a good point. The Statue of Liberty is a huge symbol for our country. Although it has become more of a tourist trap for those visiting NYC, it still represents the passage of immigrants into our country, the new life and opportunities associated with America and the American Dream. As an individual, her protest makes me think further on how much the foundation of our country is based on immigration. With many Americans holding strong opinions on immigration and the laws surrounding it, this act reminds me of how immigration has been a key role continuously in the history of the United States.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/03/well/dog-afraid-of-fireworks-what-dog...
This week I was most interested in the article "Dog Afraid of Fireworks? What Dog Owners Say Works for Them" because it was recently the Fourth of July and I can relate to the dogs about being scared of fireworks. It's interesting to me that 50% of dogs suffer from fear of fireworks and 44% of dog owners reported that a product called the ThunderShirt helped calm their dogs during the fireworks. There are also other remedies for a scared pup including; essential oils, homeopathy, herbs, and pheromones, but they were reportedly not as effective as the ThunderShirt.
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The article that interested me the most was "5 People Dead in Shooting at Maryland’s Capital Gazette Newsroom" by By Sabrina Tavernise, Amy Harmon and Maya Salam.
This article interested me the most because its is crazy how many mass shootings there are in the United States. The lack of control on guns is starting to lead to more shootings around the country. Also, it is terrible that even after all the mass shootings there still is not any control on the guns. It is frightening thinking that the guns matter more than human's lives.
This shooting in Maryland was a tragedy and it sad how plenty were killed. It is sad how the U.S. is starting to become home to more mass shootings because of the lack of gun control.
I chose the article “Dealing With Imposter Syndrome When You’re Treated as an Imposter,” by Kristin Wong. In this modern age of social media, where people can present themselves however they choose, there are many cases of people feeling they’re “fake”. This feeling can be described as imposter syndrome, which is defined as an “internal experience of intellectual phoniness in people who believe they are not intelligent, capable or creative despite evidence of high achievement”. Almost every person goes through imposter syndrome at some point in their lives. When they do, it can have a detrimental affect on their self esteem. Low self esteem can cause depression, leading people to live lives filled with sadness and loneliness or to cut their lives short. While imposter syndrome isn’t as severe as depression, it still negatively affects people in that is causes people to believe that they don’t deserve whatever position they’re in, no matter what they’ve accomplished. However, the article contained several things people can do to alleviate imposter syndrome. These include documenting one’s achievements and joining an affinity group. Providing a solution for someone’s problems, even a small one in this day and age when people feel like they’re all alone, is a very important thing to do. Hopefully, with these solutions, people won’t have to suffer imposter syndrome as much, and this will lead to them feeling like they truly belong and deserve whatever life affords them.
"LeBron James Joining Lakers on 4-Year $154 Million Deal"
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/01/sports/lebron-james-lakers.html
I loved this article and the news about Lebron James coming to the Lakers was a surprise to me. I have been a fan of the Lakers for a long time and seeing the best player in the NBA coming to my favorite team was amazing. He signed a deal for 154 million dollars which is absolutely insane. He will be making 163 dollars for every second of the game. Magic Johnson, the president of basketball operations for the Lakers was very ambitious to get Lebron James to sign.
The most surprising thing was that the news came out very randomly. No one was expecting this news to come for a couple of days. The article said, "The Lakers, even with James, will not be considered a top contender at the Warriors’ level" (Marc Stein and Scott Cacciola). I agree with this statement because the team is very young and they need more stars to help Lebron James.
The Lakers were not all successful as they lost on All-Star Paul George who wanted to come to the Lakers last year. The Lakers who ever did not want to trade for him, so the Oklahoma City Thunder did. He decided to stay with the Oklahoma City Thunder which truly hurt the Lakers.
This articles talks about of the major things that are going on in the NBA. This may not look important to many, but this decision will pour millions of dollars in California's economy.
What caught my eye this week in the Times was As Search For Thai Boys Lost In Cave Hits Day 5, A Nation Holds Its Breath. This intrigued me because the way the Thai community came together. The way the solders and park rangers began to work together in an attempt to find the boys. The boys a soccer team made up of young kids between the ages of 11-16 went missing in the cave after practice, following their coach. The town built a shrine fro the team outside the cave with chairs and a covering for parents and anyone who wanted to stay near the cave in case the boys were found. The Thai royal family joined the cause as well. Seeing the royals help fund the search was heart warming because political figures in other parts of the world wouldn't even express a concern for the boys. The Times showed the community part of this story by highlighting how the people came together to help make the sure the boys are found instead of just focusing on what the rangers are doing to find them.
The Rise and Fall of China’s ‘Stout,’ ‘Dark’ and ‘Not Pretty’ Pop Star
By: Yuan Ren
Times are changing and the past beauty standards can no longer be used to describe the present.
The standards of an asian beauty has never described my looks. Never in my life have I heard the words of “pretty” or “beautiful” as a compliment. I have never been seen as light-skinned or skinny. In a world favorable toward beauties, people are more inclined to like a good-looking person than a bad one. Many people in the world complain about the beauty standards that have been set up by society, yet they continue to strive towards reaching those standards. Those people are also the ones that condemn or call out a person when they believe that a person does not meet a certain criteria of the beauty standard.
Through this article, I felt as though I’ve seen a hope of the change of Asia’s view on beauty to come and go. It feels as though the standard of which is considered pretty in East Asian countries have just started to take a change but halted due to the power and belief of mainstream East Asia. The power of the mainstream is currently too strong to win against and I understand that to change the outlook on beauty of society, we might have to wait a few more centuries. I may never be considered as a beauty according to society’s eyes during my time but I hope that one day the outlook on beauty will change and people can be happy with the looks they were born with.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/30/well/family/parenting-the-fortnite-ad...
Fortnite is not an addiction because it's a social platform for people to interact with one another. Some people may say that Fortnite will influence kids to use firearms but C. Shawn Green, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who researches video games, notes that, “there’s really no evidence that playing a violent video game would take someone who has absolutely no violent tendencies and suddenly make them violent.” Playing video games is more of a habit and lifestyle than an addiction. Some people play video games to get them out of bad times and some play because the're fun.
Fortnite has changed the world with stars like Drake, and Paul George playing the game. I can agree that winning or nearly wining the game can give you a rush and make an addiction but over time you will eventually get tired of the game. that is what happened to me, i wasn't addicted to the game and i only played about 2-3 hours on the weekends. After a while the game drags on ans its the same thing over and over again so it gets boring. I can agree that too much of a good thing is bad because you'll get addicted. Nut that is where parents come up and they'll set restrictions on how much their kids can play so they don't get addicted. Parents should talk to their kids and tell them to stop playing for a little while if the kids are addicted.
"An Underwater Photographer Documents a Meditative World"
Text by Ania Bartkowiak Photographs by Michaela Skovranova
What interested me the most this week was about a girl who took picture of marine life and the ocean in general as a way of meditation. She talks about how she got her scuba certification in 2009 to dive in depth waters of the ocean to do what she loves which is taking breathtaking photos underwater of marine life. She even happened to say that "Of all the photography I've ever tried, this produced so far the most authentic results for me." By the photos she takes you can tell she has a great passion for all the beautiful aspects of the sea.
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“Ever Felt Jealous of a Friend’s Achievement? Here’s How to Get Around It” by Tim Herrera
The typical high school setting is constantly riddled with stress and competition. With only limited amounts of spots open in top colleges, hundreds of young students strive to become the “best.” Not only are personal standards high, but tense rivalry is common among students. During the midst of all this work, I often find myself comparing myself with the people I call friends. Even though I love them to no end, why do I constantly want to do better?
In his article, Tim Herrera addresses this exact question. Originally, I was drawn to this article simply because of the strong commonality to my life. Whenever my friends would gain an achievement or maintain a higher score, I would despise their success unconsciously. Although I always attempted to force a smile on my face, I could never get rid of the sulking feeling inside. However, after reading Herrera’s article, I learned that it wasn’t just my competition being taken to far, but rather a factor in my brain. With the studies of Abraham Tesser, it has been discovered that fear of loved ones excelling us is quite prevalent in all of us. In this article, Herrera also discloses methods to help tame this jealousy. Personally, I intend to utilize his suggestions in 11th grade, as school will present me with even more challenges to overcome, giving me little time to envy others success when I still have my own goals to consider.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/05/education/learning/schools-civics-tru...
Today, our country is so divided because of our personal opinions. We can’t even talk in a friendly manner when talking about government or politics without starting an argument. The article “In the Age of Trump, Civics Courses Make a Comeback” highlights what our nation goes through and how civics courses makes us informed.
What interested me the most was that civics courses not only teach us about government, but it also teaches us how to be a good citizen and knowing how to exercise our rights. I also had a civics class where I learned a lot about my rights and how to live with the opinions of other people. Not only that, I was involved in some way with the community and local government to learn how things work. In this way, I feel like I connect with the article.
Like the article, I agree with the fact that by being a good citizen, you have to be informed and know how to exercise the right to vote to bring a positive change to the country. We may speak what we want as long as it is respectful, but I also believe that a good citizen must agree to disagree and see every perspective to bring change.
In the end, I believe we need to respect each other because we are all human no matter the race or gender with the same natural rights: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/28/us/capital-gazette-annapolis-shooting...
The article that interested me the most this week was the Shooting ay Marylands Capital Gazette Newsroom. This interests me because there needs to be more gun control enforcement in the United States. Violence is never the way to solve the problem. Families lost their loved ones in a un peaceful way . With more gun control there would not be this problem. The United States needs to enforce more gun control so no more shooting can occur.
“Ever Felt Jealous of a Friend’s Achievement? Here’s How to Get Around It” by Tim Herrera
The typical high school setting is constantly riddled with stress and competition. With only limited amounts of spots open in top colleges, hundreds of young students strive to become the “best.” Not only are personal standards high, but tense rivalry is common among students. During the midst of all this work, I often find myself comparing myself with the people I call friends. Even though I love them to no end, why do I constantly want to do better?
In his article, Tim Herrera addresses this exact question. Originally, I was drawn to this article simply because of the strong commonality to my life. Whenever my friends would gain an achievement or maintain a higher score, I would despise their success unconsciously. Although I always attempted to force a smile on my face, I could never get rid of the sulking feeling inside. However, after reading Herrera’s article, I learned that it wasn’t just my competition being taken to far, but rather a factor in my brain. With the studies of Abraham Tesser, it has been discovered that fear of loved ones excelling us is quite prevalent in all of us. In this article, Herrera also discloses methods to help tame this jealousy. Personally, I intend to utilize his suggestions in 11th grade, as school will present me with even more challenges to overcome, giving me little time to envy others success when I still have my own goals to consider.
The article I chose to discuss this week is "'Why Do You Hate Us?' He Asked. 'Because You're Mexicans,' She Replied." What had happened one day when Esteban Guzman was doing his job just as he would any other day changed his life. He was at work with his mom in a yard in Running Springs when a woman approached them and called them names such as, "animals", "rapists", and "drug dealers" solely based on their ethnicity and outer appearance. Esteban went on t defend himself by asking the woman questions like "How many people have I raped?" and "How many drugs have I dealt?" The woman implied that Esteban participated in these illegal activities because he was Mexican. Trump had made similar statements in his 2015 presidential election. He also called Mexicans these names, and he insisted that a wall be built to keep the Mexicans out of America. Esteban's mother was even told to "go back to Mexico" by the woman, and that is where Esteban drew the line. He knew it was one thing for a woman to act racist toward him, but when he saw his own mother a victim to it it made him become furious. All in all, he just wants racism altogether to come to an end, so he can stop seeing himself and people he loves being the victim in a situation such as this one.
“What Is ICE and Why Do Critics Want to Abolish It?”
The most intriguing article I’ve read this week was about the purpose of a very controversial federal agency under President Trump, known as ICE or Immigration and Customs Enforcement. I’ve never really understood how this agency was formed and what exactly it was meant to do. However, I learned through this article that the agency is split into three divisions, with one of them more well-known than the others. This is the Enforcement and Removal Operations, which is the most criticized division in ICE because of how they arrest and deport unauthorized immigrants in the country which as a result tears apart families. I’ve also been educated on why so many citizens and political figures are speaking out against ICE.
Many people, including Democratic senators and representatives believe that ICE should be reformed due to their aggressive enforcement of immigration policies. The authors Ron Nixon and Linda Qiu even brought up a problem ICE agents were having,“the agents said the perception of ICE’s focus on deportations has hurt their ability to conduct investigations.” This explains why many citizens, including some of the ICE agents, want to reform or even abolish the entire federal agency. Overall, the article was very useful towards understanding what ICE was made to do and why so much attention has been brought to it.
“Adam Levine’s Leather Jacket Was Stolen. Twice.”
The article in the New York Times that really interested me this week was called, “Adam Levine’s Leather Jacket Was Stolen. Twice”. Due to Adam Levine’s new song, “Girls Like You,” he has been receiving a lot of attention lately. Adam Levine and his band, Maroon 5, has been in my top favorites growing up. This article talks about Adam’s daily outfits when he isn’t behind the mic or in front of the cameras and how he always tries to be comfortable. He likes to lounge around in a comfortable sweatshirt and loose pants. He also talks about people have stolen his clothes before multiple times. This article makes us realize how even though people like Adam Levine may look glamorous in the photos and on stage, they all have a desire like us to be comfortable and just lounge around once in a while. It also helps people to realize that stars are normal people too and don’t want to live their lives just to impress everyone, but also want to just live their lives like normal people and be able to do normal, everyday things. Fans get so caught up in adoring the stars for the outfits they wear or the lives they live and often forget to look to the people for their personalities and desire to just be normal. It’s often shocking to realize how famous people, even though they have much more money than a normal person, desire to just live simply.
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This week on NYTimes, the article that interested me the most was "Ever Felt Jealous of a Friend’s Achievement? Here’s How to Get Around It". I find articles like these very interesting. These types of articles are almost like little tidbits of information that help one live a better life or be more knowledgeable in general. Although this time, I was able to relate to the article as I had experienced more than a few times I felt jealous of my friend this year. Whether he got to do something I wanted to do, got into things I wanted to get, or was just having a better time than me in general, I felt slightly jealous of him. I felt guilty about it and when I saw this article, I was intrigued. The article helped me understand why I felt like that and assured me it was normal. It also helped me take a different viewpoint on my successes of my friends. It was also fairly short so I didn't get sidetracked when reading it. I feel a lot better in general and feel like I have learned something important from Times this week.
This week I was interested in reading the article "'The New Normal': Wildfires Roar Across the West, Again." This article addresses problems regarding wildfires in western states, such as California, Colorado and New Mexico. Currently, there are 29 large, uncontained fires raging across the United States.Scientists have inferred that these disasters are initially caused by a decrease in rainfall, which dries out the grass, making it easier for fires to start and spread. The western states have grappled with devastation and disruption caused by the blazes.
The article that interested me most this week was "An Underwater Photographer Documents a Meditative World". The pictures of the ocean taken by Michaela Skovranova almost look like the sky filled with stars. The photographs are very dark and eery, but they are also very calming and beautiful. They show the vastness of the ocean and the wonderful creations that we live among. The ocean is so large that although it seems we have seen a great amount of it, we have actually seen very little. This shows how much beauty there is in the world that is both unseen and unknown. However, although the ocean is beautiful in these pictures, that is not always what it looks like. Humans have polluted the oceans with tons of trash. This garbage not only takes away from the natural beauty of the ocean and our world, but it also harms and kills the creatures that call the ocean their home. In some of the photos, you can see the whales and seals who look very peaceful in their home, but that isn't a reality for some of the other species of the ocean. There are many stories of these animals getting caught in plastic and suffocating to death or losing a body part. Many people see these images and feel terrible, yet they do nothing to help or prevent the issue. As a community, we need to come together to help keep our oceans clean and the different species safe. Keeping our earth clean is necessary, and it is as simple as using metal straws instead of plastic ones to reduce the harm to our home.
https://mobile.nytimes.com/2018/06/24/us/politics/trump-immigration-judg...
I’m concerned, like many other Americans for our border safety and immigration policy issues. What peaked my interest was the new policy of President Trump is his swift action and ability to make the hard decision of immediately sending away illegal immigrants. President Trump’s speedy response and no tolerance policy sets a precident to other potential illegal aliens that seek to invade the United States. This is unlike Obama era policies with their sloth-like nature which is a breath of fresh air to slow to act american politics. The speed of the deportation of illegal immigrants without court intervention shows the ability for president Trump to make a difficult decision. Despite the risk of backlash he is capable of acting on what he knows is right which separates him from other politicians who are dead set on maintaining a broad following instead of trying to improve our great nation. My interest in his actions is constantly expanding while he continues to make both good and bad decisions and what legacy president Trump may leave America with.
-Jake_GHS_2018
The Kick That Sealed Brazil’s Place in the Last 16
This article was really interesting because the background was like a slow motion video as you kept scrolling down to read the article. I really liked the way they made this article, they made it for the reader will want to read about Brazil’s amazing goal but also see the goal and how it all happened. This style was really helpful to read in my opinion.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/06/27/sports/world-cup/brazil-s...
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/25/opinion/harvard-asian-american-racism...
The article that interested me this week was "Harvard Is Wrong That Asians Have Terrible Personalities" by Wesley Yang. While reading this article about how Harvard rejects Asian students due to low personality scores, I found myself growing extremely concerned. This issue is personal to me, an Asian whose goal is to apply to Harvard.
Harvard is saying that Asians are not likeable, helpful, or courageous, but they have never met the students in question. They see a Korean boy who went to summer camp, but I see someone whose quirky jokes always make me laugh. How can they calculate the personality of my Chinese friend who was ridiculed for his beliefs, yet stood up for himself? A Chinese girl lives down the street, who takes three AP classes but still helps out in her family’s restaurant. A person cannot be judged by their ethnicity, because they are so much more than that.
But Harvard is doing more than just being unfair. As an Asian myself, I don’t want anything to do with my culture; I don’t want to continue family traditions, or keep explaining why I want McDonalds instead of Chinese takeout. I want to embrace American culture, to blend into the world around me. But by discriminating against Asians, Harvard is sending a message that as much as I want this country, this country doesn’t want me.
I read the article "Soccer Team Is Found Alive in Thailand Cave Rescue" this week and I found it very heart touching. This story shows how wonderful the world really is, and I find it amazing how everyone can come together and work as one to help save these boys. This soccer team was very lucky to be found alive in pretty good conditions. This article was so interesting to me I did more research on the topic.
The media is drawing out this tragic story because the rescuers still don't have a solid plan to bring them to safety. The team of rescuers is trying to come up with the fastest and safest way to get these boys out, but with monsoon season upon them, they are running out of safe options.
Since this is a popular cave to visit, there could have been people in the same cave the day before. This tragic incident could have happened to anyone, and that is why it is so important to keep this situation in mind. Things like this can happen anywhere, at any time, and to anyone. This article was very interesting to me because I had only heard rumors about this story, so when I read this article, I was given the true facts and felt like I could give insight to others.
This ongoing tragedy shows how beautiful humanity is. Even though this sounds terrible, occasionally something like this has to happen to show that everyone will all work together to save lives.
Taylor Swift Begins Her ‘Reputation’ Tour, Taking on Foes and Her Old Self
Taylor Swift is clearly one of the most influential people of our time. One thing that verifies this for me is that I have never met someone who is indifferent about her; one either likes her or dislikes her. So, this week, I was most interested in Jon Caramanica's article on the Reputation Stadium Tour. The most intriguing thing I find that Caramanica stated is that this concert is "a tug of war between new Taylor and old." I agree with him, in a way. Although Swift does switch up her appearance with each album she releases, the change that came with Reputation is drastically different than what she has done in the past (her social media blackout, for example, left everyone flabbergasted). However, she remains to be *Taylor Swift*, the girl who likes sparkles and baking and writes songs about love. Furthermore, when life gives her lemons, she makes lemonade. This was clearly seen with "Blank Space," when she took the narrative people had assigned to her love life and made a parody of it, and now, it is seen with her claim of the snake, another thing Caramanica pointed out. So, maybe to someone looking at her from the outside, this is a "new" Taylor. But, to her fans, she is just Taylor, and this is just a part of the journey she and her fans have been on for years.
“Scorned and Trapped: Wives and Children of ISIS”
Most of us have the comfort of knowing that when we go out into the world, there will always be one place that we can return to freely… that place being home. But what if one day you were to leave your home, and suddenly… you are not welcome back? This is the issue women and children of ISIS are being faced with today. What life has to hold for these women and children is so uncertain, that they find themselves asking, “So who is responsible for us? Who will determine our fate?” Picturing myself being in one of these womens positions is what interested me most about this article. Imagining the immense amount of uncertainty and fear these people are faced with everyday, immediately made me realize how lucky we are to live in a country like the United States-- where most of us have pretty secure and stable lives. It also made me realize, that we need to find a way to help these women and children find certainty in their lives as well, because ultimately, safety and security are two of the most essential aspects of life.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/02/us/fires-california-colorado.html?
The article that I found the most interesting this week was, “‘The New Normal’: Wildfires Roar Across the West, Again”. This article discusses the many wildfires that are currently raging across the western United States and the conditions that are leading to the increase of wildfire activity. This article caught my attention because living in New Mexico, I have had my share of experiences with wildfires, and felt I could relate. In the article, The National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, credited the below-average snowpack, dry weather and increased possibility for lightning strikes for the surge of fires. I have felt these conditions at home and as a result, most of the forests have been closed, which is also something the article touched on. It was also stated that due to the 29 wildfires that are currently burning, many people have been evacuated from their homes and communities. When I started to read about this is when the article really caught my attention. Jessica Gardetto, a spokeswoman for the fire center, explained that for people who live in isolated areas that are likely to burn, “it’s not a matter of if a wildfire is going to come to your home — it’s a matter of when.”(Fuller and Turkewitz). Living in a small tucked away community, and having been evacuated due to a wildfire in the past, I was really touched by their stories.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/05/us/migrant-children-chaos-family-sepa...
I was really interested in the article called "3,000 Migrant Children Remain Separated From Parents; 100 Are Under Age 5." This article caught my attention out of the other articles because from this article I learned that children were separated from their immigrant parent, not only by the agents, but some through the journey itself. Some of the children are so young that a DNA has to take place in order to find the parents and the article called it "genuine." Who knows if every child will meet their parent before the deadline. Furthermore, it is really hard for a parent to stay away from their child. They need to work as fast as they can to help the child meet with their parent without any complications. If we put ourselves in this position we will be very heartbroken so just picturing others going through it is very difficult. A major step needs to be taken to help the migrant children. I was not aware of this, but only knew that new laws were being made to help the migrants in some way.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/22/arts/music/new-york-philharmonic-very...
Meet the 11-Year-Old Girls Whose Music Wowed the Philharmonic
A New York Times article about two eleven year old girls interested me this week. Camryn Cowan and Jordan Millar received standing ovations for their compositions at the Philharmonic. They were part of a program called Very Young Composers. They children start the program from scratch and continue until they are writing complex scores. In the program, they also learn to be leaders and speak with command. At the Philharmonic, ‘Boogie Down Uptown’ was by Jordan Millar, and ‘Harlem Shake’ was by Camryn Cowan. These two songs were very impressive and wowed everyone there. Not only are the two composers, they are both musicians as well. Ms. Cowan is a violinist and pianist, while Ms. Millar plays the piano and clarinet. It is so amazing what these two girls have done in their lifetime. They are so talented and sophisticated for their age. Camryn and Jordan and very inspiring to me, especially since I am not much older than them. Their successes as eleven year olds tell me that I can do anything I set my mind to. The two have a great future ahead of them and have already accomplished amazing things.
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Article: “Untrodden Broadway: The Hidden Gems of a World-Famous Street”
Broadway: Where many people put their dreams, and even more their passion. The street extends 13 miles through Manhattan, the sites along the way constantly changing. A few of the most common tourist sites include the Battery and Trinity Church. But there are some mostly unknown buildings and architecture that are original, built in the 1700s. Fran Leadon took the author of the article on an exclusive tour of the lesser-known sites along Broadway.
The first is a farmhouse from 1783, still standing and the oldest farmhouse in Manhattan. Another fascinating bit of architecture is embedded in the wall of a repair shop: it’s a replica of the Arc de Triomphe in France.
All of the sites mentioned in the article have a historical meaning, whether it be the home of a president, or simply a bit of the past. And while it’s important to be able to move on from the past, it is also important to be able to reflect on and relish the history of our country. Many people in the world today are very focused on the present, and the immediate future. It’s all about instant gratification. And while that’s not always a bad thing, everyone should take some time to simply relax and think about something important to them. And for a lot of people, that important thing is history; the history of their country, of their city, or of one single street. And Broadway is full of history, whether it be seen or unseen.
I read "Migration to Europe Is Down Sharply. So Is It Still a ‘Crisis’?" by Patrick Kingsley.
The article explains that immigration into the European Union has reduced to pre- 2015 levels; however, many politicians across the globe have taken to exaggerating the problem and exploiting people's fear of immigrants. This has created two separate groups in Europe: those who seek to give the immigrants asylum and integrate them into their economies, and those who want to stop the influx of immigrants even though the problem has already greatly lessened in severity. I agree with the author that we should be helping instead of hurting the immigrants in Europe. They are fleeing war and conflicts or seeking opportunities, and that is what we should encourage, not dissuade.
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“11 Ways to Save Money When Booking Travel“
For this week, I was interested in the article “11 Ways to Save Money When Booking Travel”. As a person who’s a cautious spender and a bit of an adventurous spirit, this article had advised me from choosing the best time to travel on a day with less demand, to negotiating about car rental upgrades with a car that has the cheapest or most affordable price. With these tips, anyone can learn how to save and spend their money wisely, while also having fun away from home.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/05/us/migrant-children-chaos-family-...
With tears filling their eyes, countless migrant children were forced to trudge along away from their parents to an unknown destination to all of them. Many people are relating President Trump's "zero-tolerance" separation policy to how Adolf Hitler separated families to go to concentration camps during the bloodshed years of the Holocaust. No matter the age of any child crossing the border illegally, no child is safe.
As of now, over 100 children under the age of 5 are still separated from their parents, wondering if and when they are going to see their parents again. Washington has given the border until July 26 to make sure every child is reunited with their parent. Authorities at the border claim that it is taking so long to execute this because they are trying to make sure the child-parent relationship is genuine, by taking DNA samples and testing them in Labs.
While America sits at home watching this all unfold on the news, very few activists are going down to the border to protest. If we want to make a change, we are all going to have to do it together.
Caitlin Dickerson enthralled me with her article "3,000 Migrant Children Remain Separated From Parents; 100 Are Under Age 5". I had heard of this topic vaguely on the news, but I never read or heard about the details of this act of treason. This article gave me a good understanding of the subject, and this needs to be changed ASAP.
Article: “At Wimbledon, Married Women Are still ‘Mrs’”
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/04/sportswimbledon-serena-williams.html?...
What interested me the most this week was this tennis article. Tennis is an interesting sport where many people think all it is, is just hitting a ball and standing then running for a bit. But tennis is so much more difficult than that.
This article was interesting to me because the title just drew me in. There is an issue with what tennis players are being called when they are being announced;it’s either ‘Miss’ or ‘Mrs’. Sometimes even after they are married their title does not change. If the woman is married, then the best thing to do is change their title. If the woman does not know what to call herself yet, then it is okay to keep calling them ‘Miss’ and not ‘Mrs’.
Olivia DiSanto
https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2018/07/03/world/asia/ap-as-thailand-ca...
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The Latest: Trapped Thai Team Practices With Diving Masks
The article that mostly interested me this week was “ The Latest: Trapped Thai Team Practices With Diving Masks”. The reason I picked this article is because I thought it was very interesting and I have seen it on social media multiple times. What I learned from this article is that there is a search for 12 boys and their coach, all in a cave in northern Thailand. The team has been found, and communicating to a navy seal through camera, but they do not know how to get out. They have been in the cave for a week and the cave is starting to flood, the bad thing is the team does not know how to swim. Thankfully they are all trying to practice so that they can get out safely. Officials are now saying to get out they must dive. In the end I hope they are safe and healthy.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/04/us/politics/trump-north-korea-nuclear...
I found this article interesting because it is captivating to see how different figures in the United States view President Trump's attempts to make peace with North Korea. Obviously, North Korea's leader, Kim Jong-un, has given word to begin denuclearizing his country and to stop potential threats to the US and other nations. The question many critics and politicians still pose, however, is if Mr. Kim's intentions are true and if he will actually follow through with them. They question this while considering the heated conversations that previously occurred between Kim Jong-un and President Trump over Twitter and other sources. The concern that North Korea may not fully engage in this denuclearization has affected many critics, but President Trump remains hopeful and optimistic that North Korea will pull through with its promises. Personally, this was interesting to me because I had the chance to see other people's views on the President's attempts to fix tensions with North Korea.
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"We Have Reached Peak Screen. Now Revolution Is in the Air."
The author states that smartphones are vampires of the 21st century. While it is true that some people are addicted to their screens and need to be weaned off, doing away with smartphones altogether is neither desirable nor feasible. Non-screen devices are perhaps the way of the future, but the needs of the developing world, those of higher education, and those of specialized professions are still best met by smartphones and iPads.
First, the developing world still needs smartphones. Farmers can use them to find out about weather, plant nutrition, and pest control. Small businesses can use them to reach both customers and vendors. E-payments obviate the need for widespread banking infrastructure.
Next, high school and college students need screen-based devices. Ebooks can replace printed texts, saving students from having to lug large weights around. Students can access content from anywhere, giving them the opportunity to be more productive. It opens up the new medium of hybrid learning, which shows signs of being more effective than classroom-only instruction.
Finally, visual communication cannot be completely replaced with verbal and tactile methods. Many professionals, including radiologists, artists and entertainers, cannot do without images. Line of sight communication does not disturb neighbors as auditory communication does. Further, small screens preserve privacy unlike other modes of communication.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/24/us/politics/trump-immigration-judges-...
The article from The Times that interested me the most this week is "Trump Calls for Depriving Immigrants Who Illegally Cross Border of Due Process Rights" by Katie Rogers and Sheryl Gay Stolberg. This article interested me because it brings into question whether America can be considered a land of opportunity for everyone. One of the main drives for people to come to the United States is the promise of a better life. This ambition is slowed down, however, by the ridiculously long wait that must be endured to come into the country legally. President Trump states this is done to make immigration into the country based on merit. In order to get around this, many Hispanic immigrants come to America unlawfully through the border. Despite this illegal entrance, most immigrants are simply trying to make an honest living. In fact, there are about 8 million illegal immigrants in the workforce today. Furthermore, many of these working immigrants have been in the United States for more than a decade, clearly showing that they have enough "merit" to remain in the country. Would the many issues within the United States be solved by the banishment of harmless immigrants without a fair trial? The most rational answer is "no".
https://www.nytimes.com/video/us/100000005986734/fires-ravage-western-us...
This week I found an interesting piece in The New York Times called "Fire Ravage Western U.S.." This video talked about how bad the wild fires getting. The video told the viewers that it was getting so far out of hand that there was an air quality advisory had been issued to San Francisco. This video interested me because I have some family members that happen to live in San Francisco right around where the air quality advisory had been issued. So when I saw this video I definitely wanted to know more about this issue. The video also interested me because people are dying at this issue, so it needs my attention and other peoples attention as well. Also this video interested me because I love hearing about news that happens in the country that I live in. I found that the most interesting video in The Times this week is "Fires Ravage Western U.S."
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Migration to Europe is Down Sharply. So is it still a 'Crisis'?
It is genuinely interesting to see a stark contrast between the magnitude of the migration crisis in Europe three years ago with that of today. Even to this day, I can still remember reading various news articles regarding the gravity the migration crisis posed on the incoming migrants as well as the European nations. Hundreds of thousands of migrants fled their homes with nothing but the clothes on their backs and risked their lives covering vast, unforgiving terrains with durations lasting several weeks to months. The deaths of innocent children and parents continue to resonate deep within my mind as they constantly remind me that these beautiful souls did nothing wrong to deserve the conditions and circumstances put against them. Although the worst of the storm has come to pass, the complex task of processing incoming migrants remains to be a key challenge and the consequent damage continues to leave a tremendous scar not only on those who have migrated but the European governments as well. With migration as one of the most significant and consequential topics in global politics, it is imperative that we, as a society, do whatever it takes to find a solution to end this persistent suffering. It is critical that people all over the world come together and take action with their governments to come to a lasting coherent compromise that promises to govern both efficiently and morally within these nations.
“11 Ways to Save Money When Booking Travel“
For this week, this article has brought my attention to learn the variety
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/25/smarter-living/ever-felt-jealous-of-a...
This week in the New York Times, I was interested by this article discussing being jealous of a friend and their accomplishments. Being jealous of a friend is something that almost all people can feel, and it is reliving to know that it does not make you a bad person and it its completely normal. Personally, I can relate to this because I am a very competitive person and feel this jealousy when a friend gets a higher score on a test or receives an award that I had wanted. A study from 1988 states that our self-evaluation is intimidated more by those that we know rather than strangers who excel in the same way. To combat this jealousy that we may feel towards our friends, we have to find complemntary aspects of their successes to divert any jealousy. It is important to remember that your friend's way of accomplishing goals and set of goals is different from yours. Also, it is important to not let the achievements of others determine your own success, even if others achieve what you were working for. Personally, I can use this jealousy and turn it into a positive by becoming motivated to work harder to receive a better score on a test or get an award that I was working for. In the final analysis, it is completely normal to be jealous of a friend's achievements, however it is easy to avoid this jealousy and turn it into a positive.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/24/us/worlds-ugliest-dog-zsa-zsa.html
Congratulations? Zsa Zsa, an English Bulldog, Wins the World’s Ugliest Dog Contest
This article interested me because I own a dog who is not the most beautiful dog. I was scrolling through the headlines and I noticed the words "world's ugliest dog" and it interested me because I was curios how ugly this dog actually was. In my opinion all dogs are cute in their own way, and Zsa Zsa was a pretty ugly dog, but she probably has a great personality.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/06/28/arts/metoo-movement-stori...
An article in the New York Times this week that came to my attention was "How Saying #MeToo Changed Their Lives." This article stuck out to me more than others because this is a very sensitive subject that many women are either forced not to talk about or just choose not to talk about it because of the emotionally draining memories it brings back to them. Wendy Walsh said that six women were put into agreements to not speak about their horrific experiences for a total of 45 million dollars. Men are silencing womens voices with threats and money. The women who are listed in this article are empowering other women to say #MeToo and to come together to become more confident and speak up despite the words said by the men who harassed them. Not only does sexual harassment happen to women, but it also happens to men as shared in the article. Since they are men, they are expected to not share their feelings with others, according to some members of society. However, nobody should be silenced in this subject. Opening up to people close to you or those on the internet brings a sense of relief to some of the victims. We need to push to stop sexual harassment around the world to create a more comfortable environment for our people and to create a sense of emotional stability for some members of society.
This week I was most interested in the articles on the 12 Thai boys who were found trapped deep in a cave, specifically "Found Alive on 10th day, Thai Boys Wait to be Brought Safely out of Flooded Cave" and "Rescued Chilean Miner Sends Message of Hope to Trapped Thai Boys". On Monday, 12 Thai boys and their soccer coach were found alive 2.5 miles into a flooded cave complex. It was thought that as the rain started to flood the caves, the boys had to trek deeper into the complex to seek dry land. This story is so heartbreaking to me. I cannot imagine what it would be like to be those boys- scared and just praying someone will find them, and hope in the meantime the water levels won't rise even more. This situation would be terrifying for anyone but especially for children; the boys are aged 12 to 16. As a teenager myself, I admire them for being able to stay calm and positive.
Another reason these articles interested me was because they got me thinking about life. It is so unpredictable and unfortunate events are unequally divided among people. One minute these boys are having fun with their soccer team and the next they are stuck deep in a cave without food, water or light. While reading these articles all I was thinking was how grateful I am to have the life I do. I believe that the only way to live life to its fullest with knowing life's unpredictability is by being grateful for what we do have. I just hope these boys can get out and be able to be grateful for that.
I chose the “How to clean you filthy, disgusting laptop” because everyone in my generation now has a laptop. All laptops are bound to get dirty and some people may not know how exactly to clean it properly. This article gives you a good idea on way to clean your laptop with out damiging it whatsoever. Most people don’t bother cleaning their laptop, but this article shows u very simple ways to do so. It is as simple as blowing air on the keyboards and wiping it down afterwards. I liked this article because I never wanted to take the time to clean my laptop, but now that I know how simple and quick it is, I will clean my laptop more often.
[email protected]
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/05/education/learning/colleges-fraternit...
In May, a new law was signed making it that anyone involved with dangerous hazing will be charged with felony and maybe even 5 years in jail. There has been at least one incident related to school hazing since 1961. These tragedies have sparked new interest and have lead to more reforms around the campus that help prevent these things form happening again. With all these new improvements to the system I truly hope that this reckless form of initiation will stop causing so much pain and grief in someone's life. I hope that young adult boys will act more mature and really understand the seriousness of this situation. I am happy to know that more states are taking this situation more serious and are finally making new rules that will help the Greek life experience grow and flourish in a productive and optimistic light.
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I found that the most interesting article in The New York Times was "We have Reached Peak Screen. Now Revolution Is in the Air." This article talks about how people are overly reliant on screens, especially their phones. However, tech companies have started to try to change that. With devices that aren't as large and distracting as a phone, people can do things that would normally be done on a phone, but without getting sucked into it. This is important for everyone. I think that this article is helping to tell people about the problems of being on your phone constantly and also the solutions to that problem.
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“Najib Razak, Malaysia’s Ex-Prime Minister, Is Arrested Amid Corruption Inquiry”
As a child shamefully ignorant of global issues and raised by a politically reserved Malaysian father, the little I know about Malaysia’s political problems is laughable. One thing I know for certain is that “corruption” has described it in a single word for decades with the recent election bringing my relatives overseas new hope for reform. However, this article brought to my attention just how morally depraved the nation’s previous leader was. I mean, all the times my cousins poked fun at our misogynistic orange of a president accompanied by GIFs of him riding a Slavic bear with shirtless Putin I could have replied “Well at least his marital fidelity isn’t so screwed up he’d let his wife siphon $273 million from the state investment fund to deck out all 10 fingers with different rings every day for the next SEVEN months”. But jokes aside, the ability to flaunt one new handbag every day for the next year and a half or cycle new tiaras daily every two weeks is simply outlandish, even in a fictional world. While I can now use Mr. Najib and his wife’s unwarranted and nonsensical crimes to prompt group chat “lol”s, there’s something else I’ve left this story having learned, a positive lesson demonstrated by Malaysia’s voters to execute an opposition movement and put their country on a better path for the future of my nieces and nephews: the inspiring power of unity. Fellow Americans, take note.
After #MeToo, the Ripple Effect
Sexual violence and harassment are not the easiest subjects to discuss. However, after the viral #MeToo hashtag, that changed. What interested me most in this article was the newfound confidence and unity that was seen in women around the world. This can only contribute to the positive effects or, "ripple effects" the #MeToo hashtag has on world we know today, and how more educated and knowledgeable we are on the former so called, "touchy" subject. So, what's next? The fact that such a powerful movement has opened up so many opportunities for change in the professions often criticized for their extensive harassment, is not only surprising, but necessary. There have been so many women that have spoken out against their perpetrators, but what matters is what we do with those accusations and how we respond to them. As said in the article, consequences are not prevention. Also, it has been difficult on how to approach preventing sexual harassment, and you cannot change an entire industry in one day. However, recently changes have been made in certain states and companies that do not silence victims. I know it pains me to hear about women in the music, television and movie industries who could have been my age, that were brutally treated by men. While reading this article, I felt proud to be a young woman in 2018 and see change for the better in the world and society I live in today. I learned that silence is not the answer and you are not alone.
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The article that interested me the most was “When Sports Betting Is Legal, the Value of Game Data Soars”. Betting can be a great experience, when you are on a roll. Or, it could be one of the worst, if you keep losing your money. Betting on sports is simple, you can bet on who wins the game, the final score, how many points, goals, runs, touchdowns, etc. a player has made, the list could go on. Since New Jersey recently legalized sports betting, there has been concerns about the “game data”. The game data could be recorded officially or unofficially, but the need for it is soon going to rise. The reason for this is due to people gambling his/her own money to get more. I say this because whenever I got money, I would make bets with my uncles on who would win the game (I mostly loss). Anyway, since you can bet on anything within that game, you will need accurate data of the game. The reliable the data of sport game could be what gets you bank. There is also the possibility of betting on a certain play to happen during a game. An example could be Neymar scoring a 30 yard free kick, netting it in the top left corner of the goal. The odds on that happening are slim (especially in the World Cup) but it could pay off. In conclusion, you can now, basically, bet on anything that could happen (depending on the state that you live in).
http://nytimesnie.newspaperdirect.com/epaper/viewer.aspx
Every day in the news, you hear reporters from all news stations discussing terrorism and how to fight it. This article is about the women and children of accused terrorists that are being held in a detention camp in Syria. These women come over 40 different countries and have not been charged with any crimes, yet they are stuck in legal limbo. While it may be impossible to distinguish what women were forced across country by their husband to live under the Islamic State in Syria, and which ones voluntarily went,they all have something in common; and that is that none of their home countries want them back. Since there is no way to tell the women's involvement with the Islamic State, their home countries see it as a risk to take them back.
Although the women are stuck in the detention centers, a story maybe even more tragic is the over 900 children stuck there with them. Even though these kids had no choice but to uproot their lives and go with their parents to Syria, they are being punished for a choice that was made for them. If these kids were ever to get out of the detention center, they lack any type of formal citizenship and have had no access to education. How does this seem fair that kids ranging from toddlers to teens are being held like they are prisoners for a crime they didn't commit.
When I first saw the news article, titled "The Secret to Perfect Popcorn Is Already in Your Cupboard", on the New York Times, I was pleasantly surprised to find something so lighthearted in a time when news tends to focus on the acts of political leaders. I agree with this article and it has a lot of personal connection to me. This is because when I was just a middle schooler, I would often disregard the news as a source of knowledge that was nothing but doom and gloom and it will just make you angry at society for no reason. But in this article, it takes a different look at the world. It disregards news stereotypes and instead focuses on a trivial thing in the big wide world today. This kind of anti-culture is very rarely seen in massive news companies such as the New York Times. It also shows that sometimes the most important things to focus on aren't the wars happening around the world, or the new world issues focusing on immigration. But instead, an article that focuses on the best way to make delicious popcorn. Because sometimes, you need a lighthearted article to help put things you hear about in the other great articles in the New York Times into perspective.
A Warming World Creates Desperate Lives
https://is.gd/yvuhzw
The rising of temperature and drought in Guatemala are making life harder for people that live there. Coffee crops are responsible for the majority of the community's income, but the crops are destroyed by a plague called coffee rust, and now, the plague is spreading at an even faster rate, thanks to climate change. Since it is impossible to live purely out of growing destroyed crops, farmers have two options: Go to the city and try to make a living, or leave for the United States. Guatemala is the source of one of the largest migration of unauthorized immigrants to the United States. I personally find it terrible to be forced to leave your home.
President Trump wants illegal immigrants to stay out, and believes all unauthorized immigrants are criminals. Doesn't he understand that these people were forced to leave because their lives were in danger?
Apparently, most immigrants have fled their homes due to anything related to climate change. As the world heats up, it gets harder to live in certain areas of the world, thus forcing people to leave. Trump does not believe in climate change, and refuses to take responsibility in trying to prevent it, which causes more immigrants to find their way to the U.S.
I send my hopes to these innocent people. This stereotypical abuse needs to stop, and the government needs to do something about the heating world, instead of keeping quiet like nothing is happening.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/05/opinion/immigration-family-separation...
Almost a century ago, America was an opportunity, it was a promise. Today, it is becoming a country that tears apart families. Many compare the tragedy happening on the border of the United States to slavery, or even the Nazi treatment of the Jews during World War 2. Children are ripped away from their parents arms not knowing whether or not they will ever see each other again. The parents are charged of a misdemeanor, and the children sent to camps more like a prison than a housing establishment. When President Donald Trump’s Zero Tolerance Immigration policy came forward, the media was flooded with pictures of crying families being ripped away from each other, along with horror stories sharing parents last moments before their children were taken away. Many people have spoken out against this tragedy. How can the government treat living people, just like it’s own citizens, so poorly? Our national anthem, in the third verse reads: “Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just…” . This cause is not just. The United States is compromising its founding values. If we discontinue this monstrosity, one day this country may again be “the land of the free and the home of the brave.”
Germany Crashes Out of World Cup with Loss to South Korea
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/27/sports/world-cup/germany-vs-south-kor...
Its that time again. Time for the annual World Cup Tournament which takes place every four years. IN 2014, when the last World Cup took place, Germany came out victorious and won the entire tournament. Unfortunately, Germany crashed out of the tournament with a loss of 2-0 against South Korea. Meaning they didn’t even make it to the knockout round, which is not good. This is very sad and interesting to many people because Germany went from being the champions of the entire tournament to losing against a team who really no one was rooting for and who isn’t very good. It was an upset when the German goalkeeper came out of the net to try to stop the ball and with no defenders behind him, South Korea got it past the goalkeeper and shot and made it into the wide open net. This is a devastating loss for the fans of Germany because they went from champs to losing to a not very good team.
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https://nyti.ms/2KyT2C5
We live in a world that depends on the network. We shop online, we connect online, we manage our money online. Most of our lives are spent on our screen, yet we are extremely vulnerable. We were easily swayed by information put into our heads by Russian hackers, and though we knew what was going on we had no way to reverse the attack. The Russian cyber-attack of the Ukrainian electrical grid in 2015, cut the operators use of the computers, hack the cursors, deleted backup systems, and disconnected circuits. Lastly, they took over the electrical system and shut off the backup electrical system. This shows that not only can they disrupt our screens but also mess with our lives. We rely on so much technology now, door locks, thermostats, audio systems, TV, water, even our fridge can all be controlled by our phone. In the article Kristof depicted a scene where the world goes into a apocalypse. The water, electricity power, all gets shut off which sends us into a frenzy of pillaging, looting, and distruction. I agree with Kristof, we live in a unprotected world. We have a so may issues such as war, terrorism, overdose, but we overlook the problems that occur in our everyday life. Being hacked is different than a mass attack, it comes slowly and we don’t always know it’s happening. I see our future becoming more and more about the internet, we aren’t paying enough attention to the problem that could very well become our future.
Educators Turn to Programs for Top Student to Narrow the 'Excellence Gap'
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/25/us/schools-excellence-gap.html
The United States has found itself falling behind in education juxtaposed to other countries. I find this appalling due to the endless focus on standardized tests throughout the first 18 years of one’s life. This article truly dives deep into this issue presenting the common factors of low-income families and different races. The reporter, Dana Goldstein, made a clear point to mention the changing educational system and how it has become harder for such families to keep up with accelerated programs designed to advance their child. Hispanic and black families along with low-income families are inevitably losing opportunities to improve their future.
The issue of low-income hits close to home, therefore the article was interesting for me to interpret. I like to think of myself as an accelerated learner, but when I was in second grade money became an issue and my advancements in education became less of a concern. This happens to be a common problem among low-income families, although this should not be an excuse for education being put on the backburner. I was proud to find that laws are being put in place in order to adjust these situations. The United State must focus on fixing the educational system; it is the only way for our country to no longer fall behind others.
What causes so many college students to be depressed and suicidal and why are their families unaware of what they are going through? The answer is a law all colleges must follow: FERPA. Due to this act many parents are not informed of their child’s academic struggles, and in many cases falling grades and skipping class are symptoms of emotional distress. The topic of suicide is very complex to understand, and I am interested in knowing why someone would take their own life and what factors lead them to this decision. As a high school student that does not struggle with depression I found this article insightful. By reading the article "Preventing Suicide Among College Students" I began to understand how depression can really affect someone’s life, and that 1 out of 12 students have a suicide plan. This article states that FERPA is a main factor on why students are committing suicide, because this law prevents their parents from knowing if they are in crisis. While I don’t believe that FERPA causes suicide, I do see how the lack of parental awareness can impact the way the student handles crisis, without needed supports. Although FERPA restricts parents from knowing when their children are struggling, it also protects the 11 out of 12 students not suffering with suicidal thoughts rights. I believe that FERPA is needed to protect the privacy rights of students and that colleges should take suicide prevention into their purview by increasing overall mental health programs.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/23/science/chambered-nautilus-jet-propul...
Most people look in the wrong direction when looking for aliens. Despite the fact that we sit right on top of a cosmic body of water concealing a plethora otherworldly creatures in its depths. Reading this article about the chambered nautilus took me back to the moment when I was snorkeling in the tropical islands of Thailand, looking down at the bottomless ocean floor. The thought that there was an undiscovered world teeming with life right beneath me was quite daunting yet fascinating.
A study by Graham Askew, biomechanics professor at the University of Leeds, and graduate student, Thomas Neil, showed that the chambered nautilus used less energy propelling itself as compared to other sea creatures that moved similarly. It made me wonder if more undiscovered creatures like the nautilus lurked in the ocean’s depths. It also made me ponder the technological applications the chambered nautilus’ “propulsion system” could have on submarine mechanics.
Notwithstanding my thalassophobia, I find this topic very captivating and fascinating. However since the ocean is still widely undiscovered, we do not know for sure if the chambered nautilus is the ocean’s most efficient jet engine. Therefore, this article’s title should be replaced by the seemingly-rhetorical question: "is the chambered nautilus the ocean’s most efficient jet engine?" But maybe this question is not rhetorical after all.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/23/science/chambered-nautilus-jet-propul...
Most people look in the wrong direction when looking for aliens. Despite the fact that we sit right on top of a cosmic body of water concealing a plethora otherworldly creatures in its depths Reading this article about the chambered nautilus took me back to the moment when I was snorkeling in the tropical islands of Thailand, looking down at the bottomless ocean floor. The thought that there was an undiscovered world teeming with life right beneath me was quite daunting yet fascinating.
A study by biomechanics professor at the University of Leeds, Graham Askew, and graduate student, Thomas Neil, showed that the chambered nautilus used less energy propelling itself as compared to other sea creatures that moved similarly. It made me wonder if more undiscovered creatures like the nautilus lurked in the ocean’s depths. It also made me ponder the technological applications the chambered nautilus’ “propulsion system” could have on the submarine mechanics.
Notwithstanding my thalassophobia, I find this topic very captivating and fascinating. However since the ocean is still widely undiscovered, we do not know for sure if the chambered nautilus is the ocean’s most efficient jet engine. Therefore, this article’s title should be replaced by the seemingly-rhetorical question: is the chambered nautilus the ocean’s most efficient jet engine? But maybe this question is not rhetorical after all.
This week I read the article "High-Resolution Snapshot of Zika Virus Reveals Clues to Fighting It." This interested me the most because Zika was a virus that had a huge global commotion in 2015 and 2016 but has sort of died down these past two years. Zika causes birth defects in babies that were just born and even affect the mother to the child. The mother can experience fevers and mild pain. I believe that this disease is serious and that we should try to find cure. You can’t even control if you get this disease or not because mosquitoes transmit the disease and mosquitoes are very common. People haven't really been talking about Zika or freaking out about it, even though this disease still exists and is a big problem. Although, scientists have been in the lab trying to find a vaccine for Zika since 2016 and have been improving on finding more information. The scientists have their clearest picture yet and are using this to create the best possible vaccine. The picture is helping scientists and researchers of finding little pockets were the vaccine can attach to and help fight this virus. Technology is still advancing, and scientists will soon find cure for this virus.
This week I read the article "High-Resolution Snapshot of Zika Virus Reveals Clues to Fighting It." This interested me the most because Zika was a virus that had a huge global commotion in 2015 and 2016 but has sort of died down these past two years. Zika causes birth defects in babies that were just born and even affect the mother to the child. The mother can experience fevers and mild pain. I believe that this disease is serious and that we should try to find cure. You can’t even control if you get this disease or not because mosquitoes transmit the disease and mosquitoes are very common. People haven't really been talking about Zika or freaking out about it, even though this disease still exists and is a big problem. Although, scientists have been in the lab trying to find a vaccine for Zika since 2016 and have been improving on finding more information. The scientists have their clearest picture yet and are using this to create the best possible vaccine. The picture is helping scientists and researchers of finding little pockets were the vaccine can attach to and help fight this virus. Technology is still advancing, and scientists will soon find cure for this virus.
‘We Are Putting Out a Damn Paper’: Capital Gazette Journalists Kept Working After Fatal Shooting
Over the week I along with many others experienced the tragedy that occurred in Annapolis. As a gunman walked into the newsroom of Maryland's Capital Gazette and opened fired on the individuals in the area. This blatant attempt and censorship of the press is horrifying, as the details continued to clarify the motive led to a man who used bullets to silence the press, the Capital Gazette, who had previously shown the public the truth about a harassment case involving the gunman.
It is so disheartening to see shootings such as these as almost common, the fear that nearly anyone with a grudge could have access to a weapon and cause such terror is something that we all experience. My generation especially have almost become numb to these acts of violence, we were in elementary during Sandy Hook and grew up to see the Vegas shootings, Stoneman Douglas, and countless others.
But this story is about the human condition shown within the reporters in Annapolis. Chase Cook a reporter at the Gazette on twitter embodies this ordeal "I can tell you this: We are putting out a damn paper tomorrow.". The gunman's purpose was to silence the press, but reporters like Chase Cook and every single individual at the Gazette will not bow down to those who use fear to achieve their goals. And against all obstacles in their path, the reporters will do their job and continue informing the masses.
“Rhino Embryos Made in Lab to Save Nearly Extinct Subspecies”
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/04/science/northern-white-rhino-embryo.html
What interested me the most in The Times this week is how scientists are trying to save the Rhino species by creating embryos. By doing this, we are getting closer to saving this almost extinct species. I think this is a great idea! They are trying to save the northern white rhinos. The only rhinos left of te species are two mothers tthat are kept in Kenya for safety. There are some flaws in creating hybrid embryos though. One thing that could happen is inbreeding and the rhino mothers could become very sick. If the creatio of the hybrid embryos does not work, they could use iPS cells. This is the backup to the embryos being created. In all, the creation of hybrid embryos could possibly save the northern white rhino subspecies.
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As I was searching through this week's articles from the New York Times, I found one article that really caught my eye. The article, "Harvard Is Wrong That Asians Have Terrible Personalities" intrigued me. I find it incredibly interesting that prestigious schools, like Harvard, not only discriminate applicants by race, but also by personality and sometimes even religion. As someone who is often enraged at the thought of racial bias, I wonder why a school, like Harvard, which prides itself on its image, would discriminate against Asian-Americans based on what they think their students personalities are like. I understand that a balance in the school is preferable. However, I disagree with the lack of respect that Asian-American students receive because Harvard believes they don't have good personalities. I feel that the position Harvard is taking on this controversial issue is a way to hide the fact that Harvard is looking to admit more legacy students and athletes to boost its image and income.
The article that I have been interested in for this week is “How to Clean Your Filthy, Disgusting Laptop.” I chose this article because ever since I was about ten I grew fond of how computers were able to function. Even though I use my laptop every day, I haven’t really figured out how many things work inside of a laptop. I always assumed that a laptop wouldn’t accumulate dust on the interior, and that grime and prints were natural wear and tear of a laptop externally. This article has completely changed my mind, and has given me the information that I need to be able to clean my laptop both internally and externally efficiently. I learned from this article that a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser could function as a last resort for cleaning fingerprint smudges off of the trackpad and for getting the grime off of the screen. I also learned that compressed air can actually damage the fans of the laptop if misused. Lastly, I learned that household cleaners like Windex shouldn’t be used on a laptop screen because it has strong chemicals, such as ammonia and alkaline, and could do more damage to the screen than allowing the grime to accumulate.
This week, something caught my eye in the Space and Cosmos section of the paper. Putting the cost estimate in the title definitely helped catch my attention, so "NASA again delays launch of troubled Webb telescope; cost estimate rises to $9.7 billion" seems like a good title to draw attention. I enjoyed the article, and it inspired me to research more into what happened and what exactly the Webb telescope is. It's certainly disappointing that something so important has been delayed for so much longer, but I believe NASA when they say that it will be worth the unfortunately long wait.
The article " As Search for Thai Boys Lost in Cave Hits Day 5, a Nation Holds Its Breath" interested me the most. It's a tragic story that I've read this week so far. As I am a citizen of Myanmar, a neighboring country of Thailand, I felt worried about the fact that touched the 12 boys and their coach are lost in the cave. I have heard news that the cave spirit will eat 3 of the boys, or it's a rainy season so it would be difficult to find due to the water hindering and so I prayed that they would be safe and found by the hardworking rescue team.
In addition, as a person who's at the same age as the boys I felt like life wouldn't be fair for them if they died in the cave without any success. One day, they could become a successful Thai soccer player. The future is bright for the kids. Then, I heard the news on 6 July that the boys were rescued and relieve flood into me. However, the sad news was that if they couldn't dive it would be hard. I hope they will get to see the blue sky after all these tragic ends and their future be successful.
This week in New York Times, the article “Man Arrested in Cleveland Terror Plot After F.B.I sting” interested me the most. When I read that article I was thinking why would someone want to do something like that and hurt people. This man wanted to set off bombs on Fourth of July in Cleveland. Some people in this world just don’t like the world and i’ve never understood just because you don’t like the world you don’t have to make everybody else feel like there in danger because of the actions taking place. The man goes by the name of Demetrius Pitts he was arrested Sunday morning and could serve up to 20 years for doing that.
The thing that really gets me is that this isn’t the first time this has happened or something has been said by him. The first time he got caught on facebook saying Muslims should always be prepared to fight. He also made a fake facebook page’s and named them Abdur Raheem Rahfeeq and Salahadeen Osama Waleed. He obscure California talk show saying “ the USA will be destroyed on his Abdur page. I wonder what happened in his life to make him so mad at the world and make him want to do these things to people.
"Protester Climbs Base of Statue of Liberty, Forcing Shutdown of Landmark"
This headline caught my attention in the blink of an eye. My initial thought was why anyone would do that? Once I figured out why the protester had done that, I felt upset. America should be a place where people can go to have a better life, but now instead they face harsh customs and border control along with the seperation of families. I do agree that we need stricter border control, but not to the point where citizens have to feel that the country lacks a sense of liberty. It's symbolic that the woman chose to protest on the 4th of July, America's Independence Day.
This week in the times, the article "As Search for Thai Boys Lost in Cave Hits Day 5, a Nation Holds Its Breath" interested me most. This article caught my attention because of how long the boys have been trapped in the cave. This situation is very unsafe for the boys and the coach because of the high increase of rain during the past few weeks in Thailand, but it also makes me very happy that the community has come together to do everything they can to get these boys back to safety. @[email protected]
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/28/us/capital-gazette-annapolis-shooting...
The article that has interested me the most this week was, "5 People Dead in Shooting at Maryland’s Capital Gazette Newsroom, by Sabrina Tavernise, Amy Harmon and Maya Salam because in today's age, these kinds of massacres are occurring everywhere. This is not making the world a safe place to thrive and prosper. If people are worried about going to places and getting attacked, traveling and other activities will soon come to a halt.
A man waltzed into Maryland's Capital Gazette Newsroom and brutally murdered five people. The criminal, Jarrod W. Ramos, had planned the attack because he had issues with the gazette. The thought of this occurring just because a man had a conflict with a company, is horrendous. He murdered five innocent people and injured others just so he could get back and the Capital Gazette. That is outrageous; you can't just go around killing people just because you have issues with them. These mass murders have started to become more and more frequent that people don't jump out of their seats anymore when something like this occurs. Ramos shot at a place that delivers news because he wanted vengeance for an article written about him. Shootings in schools and public places have become quite a frequent occurrence, and that is not right. When these kinds of vicious crimes can occur in our society, then something needs to be done.
Would you ever want to get to a hospital after you have injured yourself and have them tell you that they don’t have the right medicines to help you feel better? In the article, “Emergency Rooms Run Out of Vital Drugs, and Patients Are Feeling It”, explains how at Norwegian American Hospital and other emergency departments around the country, doctors and nurses have been struggling to find crucial drugs, like morphine.
The article states, “One man, Edwin Alsina, 72, had arrived the night before complaining of a racing heart.” The drug that they wanted to give him was out of stock, so they tried 2 other drugs that didn’t work, and he had to stay overnight. Imagine if you got to the hospital and they didn’t have the right medicines, and no others worked so you would have to spend more time there then you should’ve spent there.
“Today is one drug, tomorrow is going to be another drug.” That means that hospitals are running out of drugs daily. If they run out of too many drugs they will have to shut down and that is one less place for people to go when they need a doctor. I know that if I ever got to the hospital and this happened I wouldn’t be happy. According to the text, drug shortages are unpredictable, but there should be a way to stop drug shortages, not just in our country, but around the world. Everyone should be able to get the treatments that they need, and it is the hospital’s job to have the right drugs.
Trump Warns NATO Allies to Spend More on Defense, or Else
This article is about how recently President Trump has threatened NATO Allies. He threatened them to either spend more money on their own defenses, or else he will adjust the American military presence around the world. This means he plans to stop helping allies like Germany, Canada, Belgium, France, and Britain. This is also bad for NATO because Trump is having a meeting soon with Vladimir Putin of Russia, which isn’t a good thing for the NATO organization.I feel as this isn’t good for anyone in the long run. If the NATO organization responds harshly, or in a disrespectful way, President Trump may incite a start of another war possibility. Also, this may backfire intensely because of this new meeting that’s going to occur between Trump and Putin. Trump could spill information about certain NATO countries, which could cause Russia an opportunity to attack. This also could divide up the world again. Other organizations in the world could be heavily affected by this warning attempt. I am just amazed, but I’m also upset at the way President Trump can handle things. I’m amazed because he is a very bold person. To threaten someone is a very confident thing to do, let alone a group of countries. I’m upset though because this could end very badly. This will most likely not work like how it did with North Korea. I feel as he is a little bit too cocky and is overconfident when it comes to other countries compared to the U.S.
https://www.nytimes.com/video/us/politics/100000005982051/migrant-family...
This week I was interested in a video about a mother who was separated from her family and reunited with them after 40 days. I was interested in this because immigration has become more controlled since Trump's presidency. I personally have mixed feelings about immigrants being forced away from their families and homes. My grandparents came to the U.S. from Italy and are here legally and have citizenship. I feel that immigrants nowadays should do the same, that way they will not be in a situation like this woman was. She may not have had time to go through the process of receiving citizenship since her son was receiving death threats. She had to flee her hometown, Guatemala, because it was becoming too much for her. Her young daughter and teenage son were forced away from her and sent to a shelter in Michigan. The son explains the sight of his mother and sister crying while hugging and saying goodbye, being separated by officers. Their mother was put on immigration detention and had to go to Texas to fill out documents with the help of an immigration rights worker. I feel sorry for this family and I am glad that she is finally reunited with them. I couldn't help but smile as I watched them join together as one at last. No family should ever have to go through the traumatic experience of being separated and feeling unsure of when you will be reunited again.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/01/sports/lebron-james-lakers.html#comme...
Lebron James has officially signed to the Los Angles Lakers. Lebron already had some idea of what he was going to do. At 8:05 p.m. Lebron signed over to the Lakers. He had flown all the way from Cleveland and had made it final. I love to play basketball and I love the sport in general. So to see a huge player like Lebron go to a complete opposite team is surprising. Especially that he was a free agent, which means being able to go to any team that ask’s you to join. Lebron’s not my personal favorite, but he is a great player and has done a lot. When Lebron was on the Cavaliers they recently made i to playoffs and then the finals. The finals were Cavaliers and Warriors. The Warriors won and Lebron was done at that point. He was just carrying the team. So now that he is on the Lakers, he has a new chapter to begin. He has teammates like Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma, and Brandon Ingram. Lebron is now hoping to take this team, who is in a bad period with playing and win and go far.
Teacher: @[email protected]
The article that interested me most this week was “The Big Business of Being Bhad Bhabie.” Bhad Bhabie definitely wasn't my first choice to listen to while in the car. As time went by, and her music started getting better I started to grow fonder of her. Her lyrics are incredibly good and surprisingly catchy. For a girl my age (15) she is good at what she does.
I found this article when I first opened the site. It was the one that stuck out to me out of the rest. The picture of her was pretty and that intrigued me more to click on it. Once you opened the article the title was up against a neon yellow in black letters. It popped out a lot and caught my eye in that way too. I'm a more visual person so I lean for things that catch my eye. Even though its funny that it was on Bhad Bhabie.
Even though she can be arrogant at times she is still a good person at heart. So I clicked on it for that reason to I wanted to see what got her started as a rapper. This article definitely provided all the information I needed.
One part I recall about the article that I liked the most was when it talked about how she first got started in the music industry. Her manger was trying to find a way to keep her followers interested in her. When she was in the car she would rap to her favorite rappers as her friend would record her. Her manger saw how good she was at rapping he decided to get her into the industry. If her friend did not record her she probably wouldn't be in the spot she's in now.
The article “Hey Boss, You Don’t Want Your Employees to Meditate” (https://nyti.ms/2zb8UFN) describes how meditation can affect the productivity of a company’s employees. I found this article interesting because it contradicts something that many people believe to be true. Meditation is commonly thought to help people relax and improve their state of mind so that they perform better in their work. In the article, Dr. Vohs and Dr. Hafenbrack, behavioral scientists, show that meditation reduces workers’ motivation to work, because “a central technique of mindfulness meditation, after all, is to accept things as they are.” In studies, researchers found that meditation does in fact reduce people’s motivation to work to the best of their ability.
Before I read this article, I had thought that meditation was a definite way to get more work done, perform daily tasks more efficiently, and relax your mind or calm down. I was surprised to find that in the article, the author mentions a study where researchers “...studied whether offering a financial bonus for outstanding performance would overcome the demotivating effect of mindfulness: It did not.” This result from the study conveyed that mindfulness meditation was so demotivating that not even money could help the employees get motivated again. If neither meditation nor money can provide motivation, then what can?
https://www.nytimes.com/video/movies/100000005967143/jurassic-world-fall...
The video I picked was Anatomy of a Scene: Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. I picked this video because I just watched Fallen Kingdom yesterday for the first time. This video stood out to me because this was a very intense scene and I wanted to know what went into filming this particular scene.
This week in NYT, the article "A Greener Red, White and Blue?" interested me the most. I've never really thought about the fact that fireworks are damaging to the environment, they were just a thing that happened every July 4th. Of course, I noticed the smoke they created, appearing in the sky like shadows of the burst that had just happened, but I'd never really thought of their impact. In the article I learned that fireworks are made using various metal compounds to create certain colors. Copper is used as a part of blue fireworks, barium is used for green fireworks, and strontium has a part in red fireworks. Along with these metal compounds ,of which are not generally found in the atmosphere, there is often a charcoalbased fuel. Professor Prather, a researcher for this cause, found that at some point lead was also used in fireworks, and we all know how terrible lead is for our body and the air. I was also interested at the fact that there might be a way to create these fireworks without using these atmosphere damaging compounds. Prof. Thomas M. Klapötke has been studying this idea, and with the use of a 'chlorine-free coloring agent' that could revolutionize modern day fireworks, and make them safer for our environment and our health.
“You Can’t Hurt Lindsay Lohan Now”
Rewind back to the year 2012. You’re sitting in your room painting your nails a shade of hot pink, your best friends are spending the night, and a rerun of Mean Girls has been playing on TV. Lindsay Lohan has just kissed Johnathan Bennet and the ending credits begin to roll. Life is good...
Stumbling across this article, I didn’t know very much about Lohan, besides the iconic roles she played in films and from what I read in tabloids about the alleged “partygoer”. After doing more research on the actress, I learned that she went through many struggles involving the media and Hollywood itself. Lohan eventually packed up her belongings and moved to Dubai, hopeful for change. From the article's description, it seems like Lindsay has successfully settled down and is very content with her current position in life. She finally has found a sense of protection and stability, telling The New York times that she feels comfortable enough leaving her own penthouse apartment unlocked. She has also opened multiple beach clubs in the area, with near future plans to design her own island. Lindsay Lohan removed herself from a situation she was unhappy with, which made it possible for her to find her happiness and peace. Witnessing Lohan's transformation has been inspiring and should be a message to other humans who are not satisfied with their own lives. You must be willing to make a change, in order for a change to occur.
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This week’s news has an article that stood out to me in particular, which was Rhino embryos that were made in a lab that could save the species. Dr. Hildebrandt, a wildlife reproductive biologist at the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research and the Free University of Berlin, has been researching how to save the Northern White Rhinos. On Wednesday, Dr. Hildebrandt and his team found a way to keep this species from going extinct. He explained that they could use the frozen sperm from the northern white rhinos and use the eggs from southern white rhinos, so the southern white rhin would act as a surrogate mother to the northern white rhinos. When I read this I thought about how crazy the idea was, but it could be possible. I would be amazed if his idea worked because we could try the same experiment on other endangered species. I think there is great opportunity with this idea and if it is successful we should expand on it with the right precautions.
https://mobile.nytimes.com/2018/07/04/science/northern-white-rhino-embry...
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/26/sports/world-cup/argentina-vs-nigeria... What interested me most was an article about the match between Argentina and Nigeria in the 2018 World Cup. Argentina won with a score of 2-1 which was a very exciting moment for all the Argentina fans but sad for Nigeria's fans and players as they stood there in shock. I found this very interesting because I learned how it boosted Argentina's points and they were able to move on to the round of 16, coming in second place in their group. I also take this article in a personal view in a small way because Messi, who is my favorite player, plays on that team and people have been losing a lot of interest in him thinking that he's not playing his best. But I still believed that him and his team can make it and they came out with a win! It really was an exciting match
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/06/27/world/americas/venezuela-...
After watching Casey and McDonald’s video on inflation affecting Venezuela's economics, I realized that another part of the world is going through a crisis. The nation is on a downfall without any form of aid.
Possibly, the piece stuck with me because after hearing that people in Venezuela had succumbed to their lifestyles with little means of survival was disturbing. Casey and McDonald mention, “Each day is a desperate attempt to meet your basic needs.” Moreover, it could have been the fact that, I’ve heard similar situations talked about in the news and articles. However, there has not been a definite solution.
At the start, I couldn’t see eye to eye with Casey and McDonald views because they did not focus on any solution to fix the countless problems going on in Venezuela. But after finishing the video, I realized that it was not designed to propose ideas to fix the problems; instead, it was to inform us about how the Venezuela citizens were tackling an ongoing problem in their country. It is vital to their words as objectively addressing a terrible situation with factual information. Details metioned such as the step taken in producing the first box of corn flakes show Venezuela's progression in the right direction. Although the nation is still in a downturn, their video emphasizes how the citizens have not lost all hope and are still thriving.
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"Trump Administration Reverses Obama on Affirmative Action"
Is it just me or does anybody else have a difficult time keeping up with all the groundbreaking news from the White House? The latest one was the administration’s call to end Obama era policies that considered race to diversify colleges. While my initial reaction was that affirmative action policies have done immeasurable good, my secondary reaction surprised myself. Let me explain. My sister recently graduated high school with the requisite high GPA, SAT scores, extracurricular activities, awards, etc. She is Korean American and her best friend is of a minority background that benefits from affirmative action. They had dreamed of going to the same university but their academic achievements were not equal. The surprising outcome was that her friend was accepted into their dream school (Ivy League) but my sister was not. Now I know that there are many factors that play into the admission process, but the academic difference was considerable. This left my sister perplexed and I could sense some resentment in her. Now, what does all this mean? Is it fair for a more qualified student to be rejected based upon his or her race? Or is racial diversity more important? As I am now considering my own prospects of going to college, the idea of affirmative action impairing my chances is starting to scare me. I hope this doesn’t make me a bad person, but I sincerely wish that my racial background doesn’t hinder my opportunities.
Rhino Embryos Made in Lab to Save Nearly Extinct Subspecies
https://www.nytimes.com/section/science?action=click&pgtype=Homepage...
The article that particularly interested me this week was about how Rhino embryos had been made in a lab to save the nearly extinct species of northern white rhinos. This technology is one step towards completely restoring the population of these incredible animals. Currently, there are only two rhinos are left, a mother-daughter pair in Kenya. Although this plan may help to restore the status of the rhinos, there are a few setbacks people must be aware of. For example, Dr. Hildebrandt describes how "One major drawback to this tactic is that the genetic pool from just two northern white cows and four bulls is extremely limited, and would likely lead to severe inbreeding." Even though there are setbacks to this solution, the pros and cons should be compared to discover if this solution is a good idea.
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The article “England Shakes Its Shootout Curse and Saves Its World Cup” interested me the most this week. I am typically not a soccer fan, however everyone else in the entire world seems to a World Cup fan. I wanted to be able to be a part of this worldwide excitement. I think it’s really cool that people all across the globe can come together to enjoy a sport and it really interest me to become apart of that specialness. This article informed me of the supposed ‘curse’ that the England team faced, they lost six major tournaments in the past 22 years if the game resulted in penalty kicks. Although the tables turned this time, and England won in penalty kicks advancing in the series and making an entire country, plus their many other supports, happy. The article also informed me that England typically isn’t one of the best teams and surprised everyone to have made it this far. Overall this article was very interesting to me because I was able to learn about one of the biggest things in the world right now, that everyone in the world seems to connect over. Now I can connect over the World Cup too!
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/06/24/opinion/editorials/new-yo...
What makes specialized schools biased against Hispanic and African American kids? The answer is: they are not.
As 16 year old, as someone who works very hard in school, I believe everyone should have an equal chance of education. Don't get me wrong I think the integration of schools is great and the racial gap in education should be closed in NYC, but these specialized high schools are determined by a test. This test is not biased for or against Hispanic and African American Minority Students.
On the other hand, Mayor Bill De Blasio says that the specialized high schools should be integrated, because one test should not determine which school you are accepted into. I would argue that I will soon have to take the SAT which will determine what college I go to and may even determine the amount of money I make later in life. The article also mentions that White and Asian students spend thousands of dollars apiece to prepare for the exam, while minorities are left behind. It can be argued that with the availability of information on the internet, you can learn the same things that tutors are teaching; online for free. Instead of simply relying on one test, the Mayor put forth a plan to base acceptance into the high schools based on a combination of grades and performance on state exams.
All of these factors is why this article spoke to me.
This week on the Times, the article, “Owls See the World Much Like We Do” interested me the most. I think it is so interesting how owls can spot moving things in their environment just like us, considering they are a completely different species. One thing that struck out to me were the camera videos on the article. There was the frontal-cam feature and the owl-cam feature. The owl had the camera located on its head. The owl-cam feature was what the owl was seeing in our eyes. The brain interests me and in this article we learned several facts about the brain. Another thing that struck my attention was, “The researchers also recorded activity from the ocular tectum, a brain area involved in basic visual processing.” Humans do not tell their brain to process information. It is just an automatic process. It is so interesting how owls are similar in that way. What is more captivating is how researches actually studied and researched human perception. A last thing that is so absorbing is the quote, “A critical part of perception is being able to distinguish an object from its background. One way humans do this is by grouping elements of a scene together to perceive each part as a whole. In some cases, that means combining objects that move similarly, like birds flying in a flock, or the single bird that breaks away from it.” One day I would like to possibly study the brain and psychology.
"Ever Felt Jealous of a Friend's Achievement? Here's How to Get Around it"
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The article that interested me the most in The New York Times this week was an article that talks about friend success and the jealously that is felt by an individual because of their friends achievement. In our world today, we tend to be jealous of others accomplishments even though that they may be a very close friend or family member. Throughout our life, we will have achievements and successes that will fulfill your plan of what you would like to accomplish. When you achieve something extraordinary, you want to tell everyone about your success. When your friend is more successful than you, you are happy for them. At the same time, you wish that you would have had that great achievement of success also. It is normal to be jealous of others successes, but at the same time you should be happy for that individual who had a great achievement. This article discusses how you can get around being jealous because of other peoples achievements. In our society, we often have the tenacity to compare ourselves to other people. The article states that you should ask yourself "Why didn't I win that award?". Asking yourself this question will allow you to focus on improving yourself so that you can achieve better things in the future or on your next task. This question is important when evaluating yourself because your friend could've done some practice that gave them a fair advantage.
The Big Business Of Becoming Bhad Bhabie.
i learned that she is coming out to make a new song and she said she wants to rap in the next song that she wants to do. Danielle got famous for "Cash me outside how bout dah".
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/14/opinion/kim-jong-un-trump-north-korea...
Mr. Trump called Kim Jong-un “a tough guy.” Being the son of a dictator, Kim is “The-chosen-one” from birth. Taking over the throne from one’s father is not tough. Having running bodyguards around one’s car is not tough. Banning internet from the outside world is not tough.
Being deceived by Kim’s smile, I almost forgot how North Korea is like under his dictatorship. Ms. Weiss’s article is a wake-up call. It makes use of novel sentence structures that leave a deep impression on readers. The article presents readers the real North Korea and features 7 North Korean defectors. I learned from defector Ms. Yeonmi Park that the cost of watching a Hollywood movie is death; I learned from defector Mr. Joseph Kim that due to famine, eating insects is the norm. Above all, the article taught me what it means to be tough.
Mr. Trump was right about North Koreans when he described them as “tough people.” Tough are the people of North Korea who live in a country which Yeomin Park called “a living hell.” Tough are North Koreans who fled for freedom even though prison awaits them if they were caught.
As a resident of Singapore, I witnessed the Trump-Kim summit taking the headlines of nearly every newspaper. After the summit, Kim still has no schedule for denuclearization, and the torment of North Koreans continued. In my opinion, only when Kim collapses will nuclear weapons be destroyed, and people be freed.
The Rise and Fall of China’s ‘Stout,’ ‘Dark’ and ‘Not Pretty’ Pop Star
By: Yuan Ren
Times are changing and the past beauty standards can no longer be used to describe the present.
The standards of an asian beauty has never described my looks. Never in my life have I heard the words of “pretty” or “beautiful” as a compliment. I have never been seen as light-skinned or skinny. In a world favorable toward beauties, people are more inclined to like a good-looking person than a bad one. Many people in the world complain about the beauty standards that have been set up by society, yet they continue to strive towards reaching those standards. Those people are also the ones that condemn or call out a person when they believe that a person does not meet a certain criteria of the beauty standard.
Through this article, I felt as though I’ve seen a hope of the change of Asia’s view on beauty to come and go. It feels as though the standard of which is considered pretty in East Asian countries have just started to take a change but halted due to the power and belief of mainstream East Asia. The power of the mainstream is currently too strong to win against and I understand that to change the outlook on beauty of society, we might have to wait a few more centuries. I may never be considered as a beauty according to society’s eyes during my time but I hope that one day the outlook on beauty will change and people can be happy with the looks they were born with.
https://www.nytimes.com/video/opinion/100000005940613/i-escaped-north-ko...
When I see a Times headline about North Korea, I expect to read of yet another bombastic threat from Pyongyang causing inevitably hysterical reactions. Yet this video stood out as something fundamentally different.
I was captivated by the language used by Yeonmi Park, the young defector featured in the video. She did not mince words, comparing Kim Jong Un to Hitler–unfavorably–within the first few seconds. This struck me as a brilliant framing for Western audiences, who have a visceral reaction to Nazi Germany yet seem more familiar with Kim’s haircut than his family’s legacy of effective genocide.
Further, I was quite taken by how Ms. Park shifted the spotlight away from Kim Jong Un toward the millions who eke out their lives under his regime. As a South Korean, I wish Presidents Trump and Moon the best in their ongoing attempts at diplomacy and denuclearization. It seems many consider North Korea from a standpoint of the potential future threat it poses to us individually: the possibility of a nuclear attack. Meanwhile, twenty-five million humans wake up each morning as subjects in Kim’s brutal, ineffective regime. It is they who deserve our focus, empathy, and attention. As Ms. Park asks: “What can be more important than human life?”
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/04/nyregion/asians-overlooked-specialize...
A Huge Blind Spot: Why New York Asians Feel Overlooked
New York, New York. The city that never sleeps, filled with excitement and diversity. I had the chance to visit New York last summer and I immediately fell in love with its many charms. From the bustling scene of Times Square to the towering Empire State Building. There was something about New York that left me breatheless. Being Asian and living in a third world country, I had never really experienced what it was like to be a part of such a sprawling metropolis as New York. Back then, I had dreams of making it big in the Big Apple. As such, this article appealed to me on a personal level. Also being part of the majority group in my country, I've never really experienced any racial discrimination. reading the article, what I learned was that discrimination is everywhere even in the magical city of New York.
"Happy Compliment Your Mirror Day! How Weird Holidays Come to Be"
When I think of holidays, I think of Halloween and Thanksgiving, mainstream holidays. Little did I know that there are over 12,500 months or days to celebrate causes. Some holidays are month long, such as National Ice Cream Month in July. Other holidays are only one day long, like National Camera Day or Raisin Day. The most surprising fact about these holidays, is that most of them are legitimate holidays!
I think that is amazing. I love that every day there is a holiday for something. I think that the holidays are exciting and lively. It is a perfect way to express creativity and individuality. That is such an incredible concept and I hope all these holidays get recognized and celebrated! Happy National Ice Cream Month!
The article that I found most interesting this week in the times was The Perfect Way to Explore Modern Kansas City? A Streetcar, Believe It or Not. This article speaks on how just a few years ago Kansas City was a ghost town. So much at law office owner Sylvester James joked around by saying “I could run down the street naked at 6 p.m. and nobody would notice.” I found this article intriguing because I live in a suburb near Detroit, Michigan. Even though Detroit is not a ghost town, and is very heavily populated to this day. It is a struggling city and maybe a streetcar or something similar could also bring Detroit back. Although Detroit seems to be on the uprise again, I still feel something more could be done to help aid the city in a stronger comeback. This article also explains how the streetcar helped bring business to many of the local businesses and I feel that business is something many locally owned companies need here in Michigan.
‘Why do you hate us?’ He asked. ‘Because you’re Mexicans.’ She replied.
In our current society, one of the most serious discrimination is racism. Just one phrase a person said has influenced many to have a wrong idea of a race. After a generalization statement, this made many people have a biased idea towards Mexicans about how they do drugs and rape people. In the perspective of Mexicans, this situation is unfair because not everyone is like that
I chose to read the article "How to Clean Your Filthy, Disgusting Laptop" by Whitson Gordon. I like this article because it seemed interesting to learn how to clean your laptop totally. We use our computers almost every day and sometimes we clean them. But I never did a specific cleaning for my computer I used to get a napkin and just wipe. But now with this article, I learn how to clean my computer totally and I also learned what supplies I need for cleaning the computer.
"The Secret Price of Pets"
Cannabis biscuits, Xanax prescriptions, and haute couture… for dogs?! Even for a loving pet owner such as myself, this all seems a bit much. Such indulgences, revealed in Peter Haldeman’s “The Secret Price of Pets,” are equal parts shocking and captivating.
Yet what ultimately drew me to this article was the light it shone onto the extreme economic disparity that is so prevalent in modern society. With wealthy pet-owners spending thousands on stylists and gourmet cuisine for their pets, I came to realize the true implications behind such spending. I do not deny that those with money can and should choose how to invest it. But I can’t help but juxtapose such images of pampered pets with the the millions in America unable to afford healthcare, healthy food and other basic necessities.
Everyone has the right to let their own dogs experience the world of “hemp biscuits and life coaching.” However, at the end of the day, every purchase decision implies an underlying set of priorities. If those able to book a Tui-Na massage for their dogs would consider pairing it with a small donation to the soup kitchen, it would be a giant pawstep forward for both species.
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"Delivering Amazon Packages to the Top of the World"
Amazon’s diabolical strategy to take over the world has reached the highest peaks as its army of couriers, who follow the exact standards of “closed-toe shoes and being neatly groomed,” have descended upon the Himalayas. In the country where Facebook failed spectacularly in 2016 to offer free internet service, India and its remote locations have become an imperative battleground in the race to conquer the global e-commerce market. Shotty internet service? No problem. Omnipresent cows blocking roads? Just another typical day. Those are mere trivial obstacles for Amazon to penetrate markets that will fuel its' insatiable appetite for sales.
While it warms my heart that a pregnant women can order baby clothes without the hardship of trudging into the town store, local businesses have taken a hit as Amazon’s diverse products have truncated sales. I guess it doesn’t matter whether you live in New York or the tiny town of Leh, India; neighborhood stores are doomed in this day and age.
As I log into my Amazon account and curse Amazon Prime's $20 increase in membership dues, I can’t help but ponder what new markets Amazon will dominate next. As far as I can tell, lucrative markets such as real estate, pets and cars cannot be purchased on the site. Don’t fret though, I‘m sure it won’t be too long before a soon to be 16 year old will undertake the age old tradition of clicking on free 2-day shipping for that first dream car.
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How to Clean Your Filthy, Disgusting Laptops
This article writes straight into my heart because my laptop is filthy (I will not admit that it is disgusting). Although New York Times contributor Jolie Kerr described rubbing alcohol, microfiber cloths, cotton swabs, and canned air as "'You don't need much to clean a computer,'" it is indeed a lot for me. My friends and I usually just use a wet tissue to wipe our laptops. Luckily though, our laptops are not in as bad conditions as the article has described. Nevertheless, from this article, I did learn new and more tips on how to clean my laptop.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/26/smarter-living/how-to-clean-your-filt...
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/24/us/worlds-ugliest-dog-zsa-zsa.html
This week in the Times, I decided to read an article about a dog named Zsa Zsa who entered the worlds Ugliest Dog Contest. This may not be a beauty pageant, but this contest does show sides to dogs that are never shown before. The contest shows off a deeper meaning to these dogs because most of them were put in shelters or puppy mills. Like Zsa Zsa, she was in a puppy mill for five years until she was bought by a rescue group. Later, Zsa Zsa was adopted by Megan Brainard. Even though Zsa Zsa isn't the best looking of dogs, she strutted her stuff at the contest. Pink manicure and all, she won the contest. She beat 13 other dogs. Her personality really gave the judges a hint she wanted to win. Zsa Zsa actually was eating a part of a Slim Jim on the table and just sneezed all over the judges and drooling on them. This contest may not focus on the outer beauty of the dogs, but it does show how much strength a dog has. This dog went through thick and thin. That's why everyone should appreciate their pets. This contest has given these dogs a chance to show a different side of themselves. This article interested me this week because it made me think of my dog. She may not be number one in the Ugliest Dog Contest, but she's number one in my heart.
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This week, an article by Rukimini Callimachi titled "Al Qaeda-Backed Terrorist Group has a New Target: Plastic Bags". This is truly such an amazing article because it is showing us that despite our differences, we need to learn to come over them and face all of our obstacles as one. If we do this we could ensure more progress to our world as a whole such as improving and restoring the environment and helping the locals. Yes they are still a terrorist group who terrorize the area, but they still do care about the environment. Hopefully, this change can help lead to beneficial outcomes for the residents of that area. This could help the locals by giving them a more sanitary community which could decrease chances of them catching any illnesses that may roam the area. This means that not only could this affect the communities in Somalia but also each and every single resident of the country. This story should be an example not only for countries inhabited with terrorist but countries everywhere. This gives us a valuable lessons that whether your political or social group may have different views that may oppose another group's, you should look into their desires to see if you have any in common, such as improving the environment, you should work together, which may drastically increase the chances of that desire or dream to become a reality. So a quick lesson we could take from this article is that we should at least try to put our differences aside to achieve a common goal.
This week I found the article,"Harvard is Wrong that Asians have Terrible Personalities," to be the most interesting. Being a high school Asian American student with high hopes of ending up at a top university, such as Harvard, I was intrigued by the article and the information it included. I think that ideas pertaining to affirmative action and college acceptance being related to race is an important issue that is so often overlooked. In the article it addresses the fact that many Asian Americans with high test scores and stellar grades will rank highly on Harvard's academic scale but significantly low on their "personality scale." In addition, the scale is often decided without ever meeting the student that they decide to rank so poorly. The author states that Harvard needs to own up to the fact that their lower acceptance of Asians is attributed to their hope of bringing ethnic balance to their university, rather than play a charade of why they aren't accepting those students. The article was so fascinating because it is addressing a topic that is overlooked and neglected due to Asian Americans being "politically quiescent and largely deferential to a status quo that works against them." Thus I was excited to read about an article that I understand and in some ways, can relate to.
This week I read about a soccer team in Thailand stuck in a cave. When a soccer team and their coach went down into a cave earlier this week, it began to pour rain. Because of this heavy rain, it caused the cave to fill up with water, making the boys and their coach stuck below. A team of two British divers, by the names of Richard Stanton and John Volanthen, went down and rescued the boys. The boys wrapped themselves in aluminum foil in an effort to stay warm. All boys made it out safely, with the exception of a few scratches and cuts.
This week on The Times, the article “Peak Screen Revolution” by Farhad Manjoo struck interest to me. One thing in particular that really caught my attention more so than some other key points that Manjoo made was a remark made by Carolina Milanesi, “What you get sucked into is not the one thing that caught your attention — your text message or tweet or whatever.” At times, I’ll hear the alarming tweet of my phone go off that signals a text message from my friend asking for help with a homework assignment. I then become inclined to go on my phone- but not to answer that text message. Instead, I scroll through social media. The more frightening fact is that sometimes I’ll scroll through social media even though I get messages that I am up to date on everything on the app. Yet I continue to scroll. Each second I spend scrolling, my poor friend is left helpless and I am left procrastinating instead of using my time in a more efficient manner. Overall, my phone doesn’t only take away from me, but it takes away from others too. In brief, this big screen revolution impacts everything.
"Why Made In China 2025 Will Succeed, Despite Trump"
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/04/technology/made-in-china-2025-donggua...
Yet another article that shows how China's policies and improvements will outcompete the United States' brilliance. It is truly fascinating for me to witness the rising of a new golden age of China. China, historically proven, had always been a country that was able to rise up again and again from their demise. To see China's redemption as a world superpower is very interesting to me. Why? I live in a country that had just came out of its dark age of harsh dictatorship and a corrupted central government. I believe that my country has many things to learn from China as a developing country: how China dealt with its poverty problem, how China eliminated corruption from its government and how China is moving towards being one of the most powerful developed country.
For this week, the particular article that caught my attention was "How Many Teenage Girls Deliberately Harm Themselves? Nearly 1 in 4, Survey Finds.". The article tells us about how females that have gone through sexual assault and being bullied cause them to hurt themselves without the intention of killing themselves. This was unexpected to hear because throughout my life I've only heard people who attempted but did not succeed or people who have succeeded in attempting to kill themselves. This article led me to open my eyes to new possibilities on our human behavior. The article also compared the ratio between male and females, with 1 in every 10 males and 1 in every 4 females committing the same act. According to this report. I suppose both men and women were/are taught differently on how to act starting from their childhood. According to a research provided in the article, it seems races vary in this case as well. About more than 20 percent of Native American, Hispanics, Whites and Asians have reported self-harm while only 12 percent of African American students reported. From what I see, I suppose the social standing and status is what led these students with different races to have such difference in ratios between them. In the end, the article itself did not explain why these people commit the action of hurting rather than killing themselves. I think it is a very important thing to find out about this particular behavior in order to solve this problem.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/04/world/australia/great-barrier-reef.ht...
"Great Barrier Reef Imperiled as Heat Worsens Die-Offs, Experts Say"
The article that interested me the most this week was the “Great Barrier Reef Imperiled as Heat Worsens Die-Offs, Experts Say.” The Great Barrier Reef is one of the world’s largest living marine structures. In 2016 and 2017, this largest coral reef system on earth was face with massive die-offs of coral caused by extreme ocean temperatures. Scientists said that nearly one third of the reef’s coral were killed. It is said that the coral bleaching could continue every two years by 2034 if the trends continue. There has also been a large drop in the amount of marine life since last year. This article was really interesting because it’s in a way alarming people around the world to help prevent the increase in temperature. It’s for everyone to participate in doing actions that is environmental friendly.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/27/magazine/secret-flavor-fruit-jam-apri...
I was entranced by The New York Times Magazine article “How to Unlock the Secret Flavor Hidden at the Apricot’s Core.” An example of food writing at its most impressive, it is richly evocative and full of sensory description, and did an amazing job describing the taste and smell of Blenheim apricots, as well as its kernel, called a noyaux, which releases a complex, beautiful scent when opened.
The journalist, Samin Nosrat, expounded at length on the fragrance of noyaux and how our noses are more sensitive than our mouths—able to detect aromas that add dimension to the eating experience. Although it may be true that our sense of smell might be stronger than our taste buds, reading her article affected me because it made be realized that language is even more powerful than that.
I am familiar with what apricots looks and taste like, since my grandparents grow apricots in their backyard in South Korea and collect the seeds for medicinal purposes and use the fruit in their cooking. However, I was nowhere near an apricot when I read this article and yet, I could taste the ghost of apricot preserves in my mouth and breathe in the light almond fragrance from the noyaux. The power of Samin’s writing brought apricots to me in a way that was more tantalizing than just popping a piece of the fruit in my mouth, and gave me a moment of pause as I truly appreciated the magic of the written word.
"Killing of African Giraffe Sets Off Anger at 'White American Savage' Who Shot It"
I was never a student who excelled in history class, but I always understood the importance of learning history. I was told that we needed to learn history, so that we do not repeat it. The more I read current events, the more I see people repeating harmful mistakes. In history, society picked on the minorities, the weak, and the helpless. It was seen through the Civil Rights Movement, through Women's Suffrage, and through bullying. While most of us believe that this discrimination has diminished, it is still prevalent in today's society.
In "Killing of African Giraffe Sets Off Anger at 'White American Savage' Who Shot It", Tess Thompson Talley shot and killed a rare black giraffe during a hunt. Animals are helpless and are at the whim of people. Ms. Talley took advantage of the vulnerable giraffe similar to the way men took advantage of women and the way African Americans were dominated by white males. Even though we are taught to not repeat history, we continuously overpower the weak and the helpless.
In the past, people cowered at the thought of standing up for what is right, but now people have changed. The New York Times showed me that due to Ms. Talley's actions, people are advocating and fighting against hunting and animal cruelty. We have to continue to stand against the people who dominate over the weak, we have to learn from our mistakes, and we have to stop repeating history.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/15/us/harvard-asian-enrollment-applicant...
Studying day and night, many hardworking students wish to enter a top university such as Harvard University one day. They are taught from a young age that in order to get a quality job and earn money, they have to go to study hard. This wrong mindset, however, only creates unattractive prospective students.
Even I, a 14-year-old, have to participate in several extracurricular activities and invest my whole day in studying. Ironically, frequent studying only decreases my personality traits that schools take into account. When excessive studying becomes a daily routine, you start to become a “nerd”. All the other categories such as “extracurricular”, “athletic”, and “personal” are covered with a dark blanket full of “academics.” Blinded by “academics,” Asian-Americans will ignorantly complain to the schools and try doing whatever they can to get in. Even as a Korean student, I think what the renowned colleges are doing is the understandable, since studying is only one element of life and expecting colleges to accept students based only numbers does not reflect the real world-- the real world is not just dominated by book-smart people. It is also dominated by street-smart people with amiable personality.
Personally, I think that Asian-Americans should fix their attitudes first and meet the categories of the prestige colleges want. It’s never one-way. It always has to be reciprocated.
I picked the video, "How Spiders Use Silk To Fly", by James Gorman and Christopher Whitworth, for my interesting article this week. It talks about possible reasons for a spider's "ballooning", as it is called. The video also explains how the feat may even be possible, considering that the spider only extrudes a stream of silk instead of an actual balloon. The spider can travel long distances with the help of a mild breeze and can even fly about a mile high! The reason that this article is interesting is because this ability of spiders seems to defy physics since not many people would have thought that a spider could fly.
Smuggled Across U.S Border
https://is.gd/7zJ0vt
Reading this article made me feel both lucky, and happy, but at the same time, it made me feel very infuriated. I feel lucky and happy because I am not a full U.S citizen and yet I am here with my whole family, in the United States where many try multiple attempts and spend money just to set foot here. America is called the land of the free, but really, it sounds like a hopeless lie. People are so desperate to the point that they are willing to pay thousand of dollars and even then still have a chance of failing. This article sounds exactly like how the north and south fought over the issue of slavery. There are guides to illegally help people cross over to the U.S. (the north.) The guides are like Harriet Tubman, the brave woman who helped free slaves to the north. There is a saying that history repeats itself, and it really is. Yet no one glances at this saying twice. I hope that people will take notice of this, that there are people who are suffering through a journey just to get here. I think that for the people who are naturally born here or is currently living here, I think that we are very lucky, and shouldn't take this for granted.
What interested me the most was the 14 year old immigration detention. What is happening is really bad and it shouldn't be happening. It is only because of trump I take it. This will not just ruin the relations of Mexico and US but also other countries also. Now this kid that is in this detention fled somehow and it is such a shame that we as Americans are dong these to just little kids.
https://nyti.ms/2IQjYHL
For many decades, women have been told constantly to place having a child over all else, including having successful careers. Because of this praxis, many men today think that a woman who freezes her eggs is only doing it to advance in her career. As a woman, and a firm believer in feminism, I always wondered if this was the case.
It turns out that no, this is not the main reason that women freeze their eggs. A study coming from seven different fertility clinics asked women in their 30s who had frozen their eggs why they did so. At the top of the list of reasons was not being with the man they wanted to build a family with. Next, came being driven there by a breakup, being deployed overseas, and wanting to have a baby on their own.
I was surprised to see that career planning was the least common reason. However, the rest of the article helped to provide insight as to why this may be the case. Women in developed countries are now more educated than men. This means those educated women with careers would rather look for a man who's as educated as them; even though many men are not looking for real relationships. It makes me feel sympathy for the women who want children, but feel that they are not able to find the right man for it.
I believe that the most we can do right now is to try to disprove the idea that career-driven women do not care about having kids. Otherwise, it will only remain another obstacle on the path to full gender equality.
“Applying to Harvard as an Asian-American”
https://nyti.ms/2lR2Poz
“I think I can speak for all college admissions consultants when I say that none of us were shocked by the recently released Harvard investigation...” one of the writers say. I’m pretty sure all Asian-Americans would agree with that statement. All my life, I’ve been told by my parents, “You’re going to have to work harder to get into Harvard.” “Why?” “Because you’re Asian.” When I first heard this, I scoffed, but I can now clearly see some of the racial biases in the world, one of them, being college admissions. In this world, education is everything. Being selected and graduating from an educational institute literally changes your life path. Though this is so important to most people, the admissions are biased. I already know about this type of discrimination, but seeing it on an official report made me angry. It’s not like Asians did or will do anything. The world, believe it or not, won’t end if there are more Asians in our colleges. But I guess that doesn’t change the fact that people are still being racist. A lot of people want these acts of discrimination to stop, but for now, I guess we Asian-Americans will have to suffer.
The most interesting of the many New York Times articles of this week is “Poland’s Supreme Court in Disarray After Judges Defy Purge” by Marc Santora. Poland’s legislation has been altered to purge, or get rid of, many judges in the Supreme Court. “The new rules lower the mandatory retirement age for judges to 65 from 70, which could force out up to 27 of the 72 Supreme Court justices…” Every judge should have the right to serve a full 6 year term. Changing the age restriction for being an active member of the Supreme Court strips away this right, so I find this decision unfair. Judges who are not allowed to participate in the Supreme Court are still allowed to enter the court, but cannot rule on cases. This law seems bizarre to me. Poland is trying to advance to embrace Western values and capitalism, but taking the right to serve full terms away from deserving and qualified judges is unjust. Anti-government protesters rallied in front of Poland's Supreme Court in order to show support for the court's president, who is being forced to retire under this new judicial overhaul. Many Polish citizens feel strongly about this topic and believe that judges are not removable. Poland’s justice system gives the ruling party new power over the courts. I am interested in human rights and how ethics and laws should work together; this unfortunate situation Poland is in is unethical in my eyes.
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The story that interested me the most was, "What Immigration Detention is Like at Age 14," by Erica Berenstein. This video filmed a young boy speaking about his time in the facility. Saul Martinez spoke about his treatment. He said the facilities were cold and imhumane. He was only fed twice a day, the lights were on twenty four seven, and workers woke them up every two hours for attendance. This story interested me mostly because the treatment of young children in these facilities. I hope to see positive change on the treatment and environment that children have to be put in while immigrating.
[email protected]
"Two Judges Exemplify the Choice Trump Faces in a Supreme Court Pick"
A fascinating topic this week is that of the retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy and the candidates to take after him. It is interesting to see Justice Kennedy retire at this time and in this administration to give room to a younger conservative who is going to serve the rest of their life in the Supreme Court. Anthony Kennedy's retirement is going to be a big absence due to the sheer amount of legislation he was able to help pass. Kennedy, known as the "swing" vote, brought balance to the Supreme Court and he had an innate ability to set aside his political background to really make decisions benefiting a utilitarian calculus. He also sided with conservatives on topics such as gun control but also sided with liberals on issues such as abortion and the legalization of same-sex marriage. It will be really interesting to see the polarity shifts when Kennedy is gone. The battle is between a social conservative and another who is part of the conservative legal establishment, both of which have differing opinions on the matters that Justice Kennedy worked to pass legislation for.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/26/sports/world-cup/argentina-vs-nigeria...
What interested me most was an article about the match between Argentina and Nigeria in the 2018 World Cup. Argentina won with a score of 2-1 which was a very exciting moment for all the Argentina fans but sad for Nigeria's fans and players as they stood there in shock. I found this very interesting because I learned how it boosted Argentina's points and they were able to move on to the round of 16, coming in second place in their group. It also seemed to be a very exciting match as well
5 People Dead in Shooting at Maryland's Capital Gazette Newsroom
The article that interested me the most was about the shooting at Maryland’s Capital Gazette Newsroom because the amount of gun violence in America this year has been very high. It makes me sad to find out that another five people died because of gun violence. School shootings have happened so many times this year. The government needs to do something about this as soon as possible to prevent this before more people lose a loved one because of gun violence.
America Started Over Once. Can We Do It Again?
The 14th Amendment of the United States clearly says that all natural-born or naturalized American citizens shall be treated justly, maintaining their rights to life, liberty and property. Originally, this Amendment was to revoke legislative discrimination against African Americans. But in the changing 21st century, is this truly enough to protect all Americans?
No.
With Trump’s rise to power, his Conservative following is dramatically increasing, as with the prejudice and racism against specifically Hispanic and Latino immigrants.
Take the case of Esteban Guzman and his aging mother, part-time landscapers in California. A middle-aged, white woman approached his mother and matter-of-factly demanded she to go back to Mexico.
Guzman was born and raised in California, and his mother is a US citizen.
Guzman approached the woman and questioned her, only to be told that because they were Mexicans, they were rapists. She backed up this claim by saying that even Trump stated that Mexican immigrants were rapists…
…which Trump did say during a speech he gave in June of 2015.
As a Latino-American myself, I constantly feel the looming threat of my family being targeted as illegal aliens. No one should ever be made to feel inferior to another just because of race. If the POTUS can get away with discriminatory statements that empower some Americans to act on this prejudice, then the 14th Amendment should certainly be re-examined.
“As Search for Thai Boys Lost in Cave Hits Day 5, a Nation Holds It’s Breath”
This article really captivated me this week because I had heard earlier about this group that got lost on the first or second day. Now, the article continues the search for the Thai soccer players and their coach that went missing. It is really amazing how people can get together to do such an act of heroism. People have contributed their time and thousands of dollars and hours of prayer in search of the boys. I think the World Cup played a part in the fact that this expedition gained so much participation and support. If the people got lost, say next year, I do not think the media would have covered it as much. The boys were found a couple days later thankfully. This truly goes to show that people can unite under the spirit of the World Cup and set aside their differences to do one selfless act.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/29/health/medical-training-zoos.html
This week I choose the article "Doctor, Your Patient Is Waiting. It’s a Red Panda" by Karen Weintraub. This article is about the medical students from Harvard who went to Franklin Park Zoo in Bostin for their last month of training only to fing out the unexpected. Humans and animals are connected in more ways than they had expected. Geese, lemurs, red pandas, etc., the animal kingdom can have diseases that humans do.
This article interest me because I am an animal lover so this article caught my attention. I learned that humans and animals are not that different, we have multiple things in common that even extends to the diseases we get. I had thought that animals of different species and people get different diseases for each species.
This week’s New York Times article, “Great Barrier Reef Imperiled as Heat Worsens Die-Offs, Experts Say” by Jacqueline Williams, caught my eye. Climate change has been a large issue for a long time, and is destroying many lifeforms. Burning of fossil fuels causes the greenhouse effect, which makes global temperatures warmer. Extreme ocean temperatures cause coral bleaching, which can cause the death and extinction of coral reef and other organisms such as fish. Not only would this wipe-out be detrimental to the environment, but it would negatively impact business. In the past, “...large-scale coral bleaching events around the world occurred about every 27 years… now… the rate is once every six years.” I have the inherent desire to want to discover more about science, and I am very intrigued by evolution and survival of the fittest. I find it unfortunate and sad that human choices are causing deaths as we speak. We are not only setting ourselves up for a poor future, but we are also destroying organisms and habitats through causing climate change. What will people do to combat global warming? The article states that many environmentalists think that the only sufficient plan would be to take action as a world community, rather than individual areas contributing separately; however, I believe any progress is good progress. A pebble can create a wave, just like a small step toward a better environment can create an entire movement.
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“Harvard Rated Asian-American Applicants Lower on Personality Traits, Suit Says”
Around the whole world, the dream university for many students is Harvard. Around the whole world, but only few can enter it. Then what should be the standard of selecting its students?
Rather than balancing the races into a certain proportion, universities should select the students who can thoroughly adapt to school and develop both themselves and the university during their four-year stay. I think universities have to provide a higher chance to the student who suits well to the school even if the student’s standardized scores are not high. Even if the grades are not supreme, if the student is able to show a unique color, it should bring up the chance of joining the university.
However, without a fair reason, setting a certain percentage for each race is racism. For example, without meeting the applicants and giving a lower score compared to other racial groups is racism. Even if the personal qualities are shown in their essays and the recommendation, I think it is essential to interview each student and derive to a final decision after having actual conversations.
Harvard and other elite schools should keep their focus on selecting students and give them an equal chance to show the admissions who they are.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/26/sports/world-cup/argentina-vs-nigeria...
What interested me most was an article about the match between Argentina and Nigeria in the 2018 World Cup. Argentina won with a score of 2-1 which was a very exciting moment for all the Argentina fans but sad for Nigeria's fans and players as they stood there in shock. I found this very interesting because I learned how it boosted Argentina's points and they were able to move on to the round of 16, coming in second place in their group. I also take this article in a personal view in a small way because Messi, who is my favorite player, plays on that team and people have been losing a lot of interest in him thinking that he's not playing his best. But I still believed that him and his team can make it and they came out with a win! It really was an exciting match
I find the transfer of the Supreme Court Justice, Anthony Kennedy extremely fascinating this week due to the timing of the situation. It is interesting to see how Justice Kennedy retired during the Trump administration which opens the possibility of a younger conservative justice spending the rest of his or her years in service. The major effect that the transfer of Justices in the Supreme Court can be described as astronomical. When reading the article, "Two Judges Exemplify the Choice Trump Faces in a Supreme Court Pick", I realized the drastic change in polarity that might ensue during this shift. Justice Kennedy was known for being the "swing" vote. It shocked me how selfless his motifs were. First, his political background basically had no say in his choices and beleifs. He sided with conservatives on gun laws and he sided with liberals when it came to abortion and same sex marriage. It is fascinating to see how to these topics might play out in the decision making of the new justice. As displayed in the article, there is a divide between the social conservative and the conservative legal establishment, both with different takes on these topics. This decision will play a huge role in the amount and quality of legislation in years to come.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/23/us/politics/trump-space-force-militar...
What interested me the most on NYT this week was the article about the possibility of needing a Space Force by Helene Cooper. It was interesting because it showed how space is starting to become more and more important to our lives and how we might need a Space Force like that in the future. I chose it because space is one of my favorite things to learn about in science. I learned in the article that the United States relies heavily on space satellites for things like communication, and navigation. I think that a space force is not necessary at this point in time but it may be in the future.
"Meet the 11-Year-Old Girls Whose Music Wowed the Philharmonic"
This article caught my eye once it mentioned the New York Philharmonic. As a musician myself, an orchestra of that prestige is very interesting to me. The young composers Jordan Milla and Camryn Cowan are extremely impressive talents in composing world, and I am very happy and excited for them to have their music played so well. The girls got the opportunity to have their music played by the Philharmonic through their afterschool program "Very Young Composers". They each composed an entire score and got to have their product played by the Philharmonic in Central Park, and listened to by tens of thousands of people.
The girls are both very aware of their place in the composing world, and are proud that they have the opportunity to produce classical music as African American women in an activity that is dominated by other groups. They are surely an inspiration for other girls who wish to become composers or musicians themselves. They have both gone through writers block, they can both play a few instruments, and have enormous talent and drive. It is very inspiring and impressive that they have found their outlet of creativity and that they can use their talent to bring joy to other people that listen to their music.
This week’s New York Times article that intrigues me is “‘Access to Literacy’ Is Not a Constitutional Right, Judge in Detroit Rules” by Jacey Fortin. Troubled schools in Detroit, Michigan do not have equal opportunity as affluent schools do in education. Michigan’s government claims that access to literacy is not a fundamental right. In my opinion, all students, no matter what race, background, etc., should be treated equally. Having unhygienic distractions in school creates a poor learning experience. Judge Stephen J. Murphy III stated, “historically, access to literacy has been a tool to subordinate certain groups and certain communities and to keep those communities down.” Although the right to education was not equally distributed in the past, we live in a progressive and tolerating nation now. Discrimination and poor conditions should be a major concern in any state, especially when these preventable factors are affecting students’ test scores. I disagree with Michigan’s viewpoint about access to literacy because reading and writing are basic necessities to survive in our ever-changing and technology-driven world. Allowing some students to benefit while others get a disadvantage is not the way to run a school system. All children, without regard to how wealthy or poor they are, deserve to be treated with respect and deserve a fair chance at life. The future of our nation is in the hands of our children, but our children are in the hands of ignorant decisions.
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https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/25/smarter-living/ever-felt-jealous-of-a...
From little on, I’ve been extremely competitive. Not only did this competitiveness play a role in my sports, but also in my daily life. Oddly, it seemed as though I was most competitive when I was in some sort of competition against my close friends. This article explains why we seem to care more if a friend beats us, compared to when a random person beats us. As stated by the article, “our self-evaluation is threatened far more by loved ones who excel in areas we define ourselves by — like our work or a particular skill — than by strangers who excel in the exact same way.” You’d think that seeing your friend achieve something would make you happy for them, but Tim Herrera (author of the article) tells how it’s perfectly normal to feel the complete opposite: bitter jealousy. He then went on to explain how to cure this jealousy. Although it feels wrong, I think that there is no need to try and stop this type of envy because it can actually help you. My friends have always been smarter than me, and the jealousy I’ve felt from seeing them get higher test scores has driven me to push harder than I originally would have.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/28/arts/design/childrens-museum-of-manha...
This week i looked in the Art and Design category and discovered this article. It's about a museum that opened up an experience for any child willing to see and make art.
I think this really amazing because it gives the kids a chance to experience hands on art activities and helps them to understand how to make pieces of their own. I'm an artist and i'm self-taught i learnt a lot of my techniques from youtube videos, common sense, and a few art classes at my school. If i had the chance to go to a museum like this and get to experience the chance to work with talented artists i sure would. I think it offers an amazing learning experience for the children and may even help bring out the inner artist inside of them.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/07/03/arts/fireworks.html
With my anticipation to the see fireworks for the fourth growing, it was a no brainer when selecting my article this week. I chose to read A Watcher's Guide to the New York City Fireworks.
Fireworks have always been my favorite part of the season from the large explosives to the smaller backyard smoke bombs and sparkles. I've always been intrigued by the colors, shapes, and sounds that make fireworks so spectacular.
Gary souza’s company is supplying to pyrotechnics for the macy's fourth of july show. Gary tells the New York Times all about how He uses fireworks from all around the world to paint the sky with carefully selected colors and shapes to couple with the music.
I chose this article to learn more about the dazzling display that is presented in New York This year I while watching the Macy's firework presentation I will have a new appreciation of all of the hard work and planning that goes into the show.
"Coming Out to My Parents in China by Video"
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/22/lens/coming-out-video-china.html
This week I choose to read this article and watch the video because of the title. Coming out to the world or even to your love ones is hard for people in the LGBTQ community. I have seen similar videos about the same topic but all of them are western people. This article let me know that even though a developed country like China still have issues with LGPTQ rights. Usually, I feel weird about girls liking girls or boys liking boys because I have never seen one in real life. Just like China, there is a very low chance of seeing LGBTQ people doing out door activities in Myanmar. There were also many protest going on about this problem and it seems like they don't get much respect from others. It make me feel sad for them but the only thing I could do was try to understand them. They might have different taste on who they like, but that should not be something we could laugh about.
This week on NYTimes.com, I was interested in and appalled by the article "'Access to Literacy' Is Not a Constitutional Right, Judge in Detroit Rules" by Jacey Fortin. I was amazed to see the conditions the plaintiffs were coming from. I couldn't believe how destroyed the school itself was, nevermind the dilapidated books, low number of teachers, and lack of pencils. Even though I don't really enjoy school, I'm a firm believer in the importance of literacy and education. I found it unbelievable that a judge would deny children the right to a proper education, one not marred by issues that, as the article mentioned, would never have been an issue in areas with mostly white students from wealthier families. I also found the racially-biased undertones of the case fascinating, if unpleasant. The historical context that denying education and access to literacy has been used to reduce groups gave me a new perspective on the case. I'm wondering about why Judge Murphy would rule that literacy is not a fundamental right. Even if it is not explicitly stated in the Constitution, literacy is nearly impossible to succeed without in America today.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/22/lens/coming-out-video-china.html
The article/video that I chose this week was “Coming Out to My Parents in China by Video” with the introduction by Ania Bartkowiak and the video by Mengwen Cao. Mengwen Cao wanted to tell her parents that she like girls. She knew this was a very difficult thing to tell her parents, but she knew they would understand and be accepting. In the video, Mengwen says that “it is like an invisible wall, stopping us [her parents] from moving closer.” Clearly this subject was hard for her to talk about but she wanted them to know. Another thing she said was “Men, women, or transgender, it doesn’t matter.” Mengwen did not like this girl because of her gender, but because of her personality and who she is as a person. I am straight, but I have a lot of bisexual and homosexual friends, but I don’t judge them, that is their life choice and all that I can do is be their and help them when they struggle or need a friend. I know that it would be very difficult to come out to close friends or family because they may or may not be accepting of it. It can be scary, like the whole world is judging, but if u believe that u will be happy with that person, then who cares what others think? This is your life, live it how you want.
[email protected]
Review for: "BTS Becomes the First K-Pop Act to Top Billboard Album Chart" Growing up, it was a rare occasion that you would hear a non-English song unless you switched the radio channel. When "We No Speak Americano" came out in 2012, that was the first time I heard a song that was different from the rest. In that same year, when PSY's top hit, "Gangnam Style" had arrived to the states, it was played everywhere. TV, movies, radio stations and written in magazines everywhere. Hearing this song for the first time allowed me to dive right into the world of K-Pop. Groups like BIGBANG or Girls Generation were popular and already had names for themselves in South Korea, like PSY, but had never made radio waves in America. It wasn't until 2015 when I had discovered BTS through Youtube. I have been a fan for three years now and seeing the success and support they get is truly deserved. "Love Yourself: Tear" was the first non-English album to become No. 1 on the Billboard Charts, a dream that they have worked so hard for. My younger self would have never expected to see a group, from across the globe, make it this big in America. It still shocks me to see and hear BTS make it big, and the popularity will continue to grow.
“‘Incredibles 2’ Moviegoers Warned About Possible Seizures”
The long-anticipated Incredibles 2 was released on June 15th. The Parr family returned to fight crime after thirteen years since the release of The Incredibles. In this “incredible” movie, Jack-Jack discovers his powers, Violet’s love life continues, and the Parr family saves the day once again. Incredibles fans from all over were thrilled to hear of the release of a second movie. The movie surpassed ticket sale expectations and even broke the record for sales for an animated movie. But many were surprised to hear of seizure warnings from this movie.
When I excitedly went to the movie theaters to purchase my ticket and see this fantastic movie, this scene caught me by surprise. I was not personally affected but knew immediately how easily someone around me could be affected by this. I believe that someone who even had motion sickness could have also been affected by this.
My theater, along with Mr. Gardiana’s and many others, did not have a warning for those with photosensitive epilepsy or other photosensitives. This matter definitely is not being taken as seriously as it should be. Moviegoers with these photosensitives have the right to know of this possible danger before they are sitting there watching the scene. I believe that this warning should be displayed in some way before you even purchase a ticket. Despite this, Incredibles 2 was an amazing movie and everyone should have the chance to see it.
My favorite article for the week was the article about the mother that had lost her children at the border because of the U.S. Border Police. This article was by Annie Correal, “My Whole Heart Is There.”
This was my favorite article because it displays a mother’s love for her children. Ms. González wanted to give her children a better life and family is very important to me. This was interesting because it also showed how illegal people coming into the United States are treated. Ms. González has made a huge change on immigration because she was able to speak her experience and expose the horrible treatments of illegal immigrants. Illegal immigration is a sensitive topic between republicans and democrats. I do not think that illegal immigrants should be allowed to stay in the United States, or their children but no person should be treated poorly. People at the border should just turn down the illegal immigrants at the border. Families should not be split up.
[email protected]
This article puts a liberal-American perspective on a foreign issue highlights some of the flaws in American journalism in relation to foreign policy. I just returned from an exchange year in Germany and even in the tiny village where I was placed, immigration had and continues to have an extensive effect. The article articulates well that migration to Europe has again stabilized itself to pre-crisis numbers, but the crisis itself is far from over. The extent of the crisis cannot be shown through pure numbers, but rather by the challenges that Europe is now facing as a direct result of the drastic influx of migrants a few years ago. Integrating the hundreds of thousands of immigrants, many of which are poorly-educated and unable to speak the language of their new country, is not something that will be solved on a short-term basis. Providing language classes, housing, and other basic necessities for these migrants has cost many of the wealthier European countries millions of dollars and continues to be a challenge for these countries. Highlighting and explaining some of these issues would better illustrate the crisis. While it is still important to show the statistics, the pure numbers of migration to Europe should not be the focus of an article about the current migrant crisis in Europe.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/14/movies/tag-review-jon-hamm-hannibal-b...
The article “Review: ‘Tag,’ You’re It. Playing the Long Game Into Middle Age” interested me most in the Times this week. I recently saw this movie with some of my friends and I really enjoyed it. The fast action of their game kept me on my toes, while the characters’ banter kept me laughing throughout the entire film. The movie Tag is based on a true story about five grown men that have been playing the game of tag for over 30 years. Every year in the month of May these men drop what they’re doing to tag each other. Although they have moved away and grown apart over the years, during the month of May this competitive game of tag kept their friendship intact. My favorite part of this movie was that the characters stayed true to their motto of “You don’t stop playing because you grow old, you grow old because you stop playing.” This comedy also touched on the relevant issues of romantic disappointment, the inevitability of death, and addiction and recovery. I think this article interested me the most this week because it serves as a reminder that just because you grow up doesn’t mean you have to stop having fun. I really liked how this simple childhood game was able to keep that group of men close to each other as they grew up and matured. This article interested me the most this week because it showed that the little things in life and the friendships you build are incredibly valuable.
What interested me this week was a video of, "How Spiders Use Silk to Fly", the narrator states that the crab spider, "raises a leg to sample the air flow. Once it's satisfied it raises it's abdomen, turns on it's spinneret, the silk making organs, and shoots thread skyward until it launches." The action of the spider doing this is called ballooning, instead of having wings to fly they depend of the air or the wind to help them 'fly' as if on a balloon. With only their silk threads to help them, which can measure up to six feet long, they can soar for thousands of miles such as across oceans with flying high as a mile or two. As James Gorman states that spiders mostly use ballooning to, "seek food, avoid danger, find a mate. But much is still unknown about the physics of spider flight." To think that it might had been the wind that helps them fly, it's actually the stickiness of the air that holds them aloft. James Gormans gives us an example of, "imagine a thread suspended in a thick fluid, like a syrup. It won't sink. And if the fluid is moving along, the thread moves with it." Even though a spider's silk is a thousand times thinner than our own hair, it's amazing that the spiders don't need wings or an actual balloon to fly but just their own silk. And with just the silk they are allowed to move pretty distant places from one area to another.
https://www.nytimes.com/video/science/100000005948406/how-spiders-use-si...
This week I chose to read the article "Trump's Travel ban Is Upheld by Supreme Court" by Adam Liptak and Micheal D. Shear. My decision to pick this article was due to the fact that this travel ban and Trump have both split the nation. The court's ruling is a tremendous feat for Trump's administration. The Supreme Court voted 5-4 on the matter, with Cheif Justice John G. Roberts Jr. for it and Justice Sonya Sotomayor against it. Although Mr. Trump won this battle the war isn't over as a federal judge in California ordered a cease to the separation of families at the border and to reunite families that were separated. However California isn't the only state protesting as seventeen states and the district of Columbia have filed a lawsuit in federal court seeking a termination to the practice of separating families. Donald Trump has also vowed to continue fighting for the wall across the southern border in contact with Mexico, which is seemingly his physical manifestation of the legal powers that the court claims he rightly wields.
Those opposing the Supreme Court's decision have decided to exercise their freedom of speech by publicly speaking out, some of which include Senator Robert Menedez and Bitta Mostofi, the commissioner of immigrant affairs for the New York mayor's office. Chief Justice Roberts acknowledges Trump's statements pertaining to his desire to impose a "Muslim ban", yet he states the president should have the authority to conduct nation security affairs.
The article that caught my attention is titled "China Warns its Tourists: Beware Gun Violence in America." This article jumped out at me because I think it is interesting to see how other countries perceive America. I travel a lot and the first time I went to Europe, there had been several terrorist treats to the locations I was visiting. My family was nervous and contemplated cancelling our trip. However, we still went and everyone we met was kind. Once I got there I was no longer worried or scared because the security in certain tourist spots was prevalent and I felt safe. It is interesting to see how tourists in other countries are scared to travel to America because of the gun violence here. I have traveled to many of the major cities in America such as New York, Los Angeles, Miami, and Washington DC, and I have always felt safe in these places as a tourist. I think what is happening to Chinese tourists is similar to what happened to my family. People hear about one possible threat and they become scared to travel. I think if the tourists from China actually visited America they would realize that the country had more to offer than the stories of gun violence. One thing that I have learned is that you cannot shield yourself from experiences due to your fears.
Throughout my life, my mind is filled with memories of going to different banquets, fundraising events, and mission trips in order to help children in poverty. Since my mom is a social worker, I always heard stories of children that were not as lucky as me although I never quite had a grip of how many there were. As I was scrolling through the articles, one headline caught my eye; America is Guilty of Neglecting Kids: Our Own by Nicholas Kristof. Throughout this article, Nicholas Kristof went into detail about many living situations many adolescents in AMerica are living in such as little health care or not having enough food in their homes. Although I have only witnessed this type of poverty once, while I was on a mission trip in Puerto Rico, I was still shocked to read how bad many children have it in the mainland. America is supposed to be amazing and perfect but we have one of the highest adolescent death rates out of many other highly developed countries. Overall, what interested me the most in The Times this week was learning that it is not only the children at the border who are suffering, but also many children and teens living throughout America.
Article: ‘Access to Literacy’ Is Not a Constitutional Right, Judge in Detroit Rules:
Education is a gateway to long term success in the world. In modern society, degrees and academic record are the currency to get into high level jobs. Because of this cold hard reality, should quality education be made into the 28th amendment so we can insure future generations success?
All the disenfranchised students in Detroit are not given a fair and equal opportunity at success, because they do not have access to education. This issue causes a cycle where people are unable to get out of poverty due to their education. As a rising senior, it seems a change to education is in order.
However, is declaring literacy a human right in America necessary? Rights are supposed to belong justifiably to every person, and not be awarded for any grievance one might feel. Due to the overwhelming importance of literacy, America should vastly rework its education system, so every student has an equal opportunity to both fail and succeed. I believe the right to education is a right worth having, because America is falling behind in the world. Our population is not as successful as it could be, and the primary root is the education we all receive. People are unable to think and act for themselves, because they are not given the knowledge to learn.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/03/style/weird-holidays-nyt.html
"It’s National Ice Cream Month! How Weird Holidays Come to Be"
Fun fact: Fourth of July is also National Barbecued Spareribs Day and National Caesar Salad Day.
When reading the article “It’s National Ice Cream Month! How Weird Holidays Come to Be,” it amazed me that this year Chase’s Calendar of Events has more than 12,500 special events, holidays, historic anniversaries and federal and state observances—12500!!, compared to 365 days of the year, or the mere 10 US federal holidays.
Among millions of teenage Snapchatters, I am no stranger to some of these quirky national holidays. I scroll through Snapchat filters regularly to see special filters that feature today’s holiday—National Burger Day, National Ice Cream Day, and not to mention National Sibling Day and our favorite, National Pet Day.
Now that I think about it, I’ve never questioned, or as a matter of fact, cared, the legitimacy of these holidays. Holidays exist because people celebrate them, and when everybody is celebrating, even a normal day becomes a holiday. It’s good that people are documenting and verifying how each holiday comes about, but as a regular girl, I just like to try on different Snapchat filters and have a laugh. It’s fun to always have something to celebrate.
By reading the article, "Where a Taboo is Leading to the Deaths of Young Girls", I was reminded of the fact that while many societies are making great leaps socially and technologically, others are stuck in the past when it comes to the treatment of women, governed by superstition and tradition. This article emphasized that the issues faced by women internationally do not stem solely from a continual oppressiveness of men, but rather from a cultural expectation for women to conform to certain unchallenged traditions.
A common theme in terms of this issue in Nepal specifically, seems to be the embarrassment women claim they would feel if they did not follow this tradition. The fact that these superstitions in Nepal are still widely believed, points out further education and social problems that have led to the continued following of such damaging rituals. This article has reminded me of my own privilege in terms of my own opportunities as a young woman, and the sometimes fatal consequences of some of the old-fashioned and outdated rituals that permeate societies internationally.
As a rising junior in high school, the search for college will essentially take control of my life. Finding the “right” college in regards to academics, social life and financial ability can be quite the task. Reading about schools is very interesting to me so I chose the opinion article “Harvard Is Wrong That Asians Have Terrible Personalities” by Wesley Yang. Being Asian myself, it was intriguing how one of the top Ivy League university perceives us in a negative way. Hearing all the buzz about the lawsuit due to unfairness towards Asian-Americans in the admissions process, increased my interest since it will directly pertain to me in a few years.
I was extremely surprised to read that despite Asians’ highest academic performance in comparison to any other racial group, they are the least likely group to actually be admitted. The direct account from the assistant principal of Stuyvesant made me realize how prevalent this issue is and how it will soon impact me. The article was very informational, specifically in saying that with an identical application Asians have only a 25% chance of admission while blacks have a 95% chance. This article helped me develop my own feelings and perspective on this issue as well as become aware of the concrete statistics that I soon will be a part of.
https://nyti.ms/2IQjYHL
For many decades, women have been told constantly to place having a child over all else, including having successful careers. Because of this praxis, many men today think that a woman who freezes her eggs is only doing it to advance in her career. As a woman, and a firm believer in feminism, I always wondered if this was the case.
It turns out that no, this is not the main reason that women freeze their eggs. A study coming from seven different fertility clinics asked women in their 30s who had frozen their eggs why they did so. At the top of the list of reasons was not being with the man they wanted to build a family with. Next, came being driven there by a breakup, being deployed overseas, and wanting to have a baby on their own.
I was surprised to see that career planning was the least common reason. However, the rest of the article helped to provide insight as to why this may be the case. Women in developed countries are now more educated than men. This means those educated women with careers would rather look for a man who's as educated as them; even though many men are not looking for real relationships. It makes me feel sympathy for the women who want children, but feel that they are not able to find the right man for it.
I believe that the most we can do right now is to try to disprove the idea that career-driven women do not care about having kids. Otherwise, it will only remain another obstacle on the path to full gender equality.
https://nyti.ms/2lXy9Cd
The article that interested me this week is titled "Getting Student Power Into The Voting Booth" by David Bornstein. This opinion piece is constructed on the fact that young people, particularly those in college, have appallingly low voting rates, and how colleges are trying to fix this through creating enviornments that promote voting. Although I myself am still a year away from the voting age, I am often around young people who are of age. This gives me firsthand insight into the reasons why these voting rates are so low: many young people find fatal flaws in the voting system and find it pointless to contribute to. We find a problem with the duoply, as many young people do not want to support neither the Democratic nor the Republican party, yet we know voting third party has very little real impact. On top of this, many young people I know express distrust in the Electoral College and feel as though their vote does not matter if a small group of people ultimately make the final decision. Many people see the ability to choose the president as somewhat of a facade due to the restricting method in which the American voting process works. Many young people support the transition to rank choice voting at the lelvel of local elections, and I feel as though this gives us more power of choice.
Make T Something/Laila Gohar by United Labor (video). This video interested me to finish my homework, but not the most, because usually, I don't get interested until I watch it (I like to not assume anything). The video got me more interested when I kept watching her make the poopy silverware from a couple materials, because I kept relating it in my mind that the human creativity is broad but limited to creating something useful (such as the "A-ha moment" or a lot of research), but I'm not saying the silverware could not be useful. For example, there are a few scientific geniuses (this is my bias), like Einstein, and if many they mostly work hard to educate themselves. Also, my personal comment, I liked how she was proud of her creation and had fun making it despite the video calling them poopy.
Rescue Ship Docks in Malta as 8 Nations Agree to Take Its Migrants
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/27/world/europe/migrants-ship-malta.html
7/6/18
This article interested me because it is great to see other countries coming together to try to rescue the migrants. It was sad to see that the ship got stranded in the Mediterranean for a week. Seven countries came together to take share of the migrants. We all can come together to stop migration from happening so no one has to suffer. It is very sad to see kids locked up, on a ship, etc. with it not even being their fault. We all need to come together as a nation to stop this from happening. I enjoyed this article because it showed seven countries coming together to save migrants. I love seeing other countries working together for one common good.
While browsing articles from the New York Times , one article caught my attention. The article, "Why Amazon's Push Into Prescription Drugs Isn't a Guaranteed Success,” by Katie Thomas and Claire Ballentine, left me rather confused as I didn’t quite understand how mass shipment of prescription drugs would be regulated. I was concerned with the idea of a large company like Amazon having access to personal medical information. Medical information is typically kept very private, and I wondered how it could be shared safely. The article explained that Amazon was working with a seemingly legitimate pharmaceutical company called PillPack. Reading the article, I couldn’t help but see what could go wrong with this idea, and the legal repercussions that could come with it. I believe it would be extremely difficult to create a process that effectively and efficiently distributes the correct prescription to each customer, all while keeping their information locked and protected. As well as the dangers that come with relinquishing information to an outside source, this new system will have detrimental effect on the rest of the pharmaceutical industry. Companies like Walgreens will most definitely be hit with an economic blow. For me personally, I think this may be going too far into what technology is capable of, and the dangers that come along with sharing private information as well as the likelihood of economic consequences outweigh the positive aspects of the idea.
In the instructions to this Summer Reading Contest, it is clearly stated that, “anything published on NYTimes.com in 2018 is fair game.” So I picked an older article on something that I love: sports. “Reducing Injury Risk in Youth Sports” by Jane E. Brody is about an issue that has affected both me and my friends. I have had various bone fractures and sprains, and have seen my teammates suffer various other, more serious injuries such as concussions and broken bones. This article discusses the reasons as to why children seem to be injured frequently in sports, and ways to prevent these injuries. According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, “‘children’s bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments are still growing,’ which makes them more susceptible to injury.” Ways to prevent injury include wearing proper gear, warming-up before the game, eating nutritious foods, and playing various sports to avoid overuse of the same muscles.
This article interested me because it is very relevant in my life. Being a lacrosse and basketball player, two very physical sports, I have to be extremely careful and mindful of my actions in order to keep my body healthy. And there are many other children in the world that play sports, so it is important that this information is spread as much as possible so everyone, both children and their parents, can work to keep the kids healthy.
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Everyone did a good job below and above this article, because I'm not going to write a good job for each comment.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/27/us/politics/anthony-kennedy-retire-su...
I chose the article "Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy Will Retire." I chose this article because Anthony Kennedy was a very great justice who did a lot of great things for the people of the United States. He was the one who made homosexual marriages legal. Now since he is retiring this could be at risk and the next person who comes in to fill in his place can make homosexual marriages illegal all over again. President Trump has been waiting for this day and had vowed to his supporters that he would replace him with a conservative justice. With Kennedy leaving, it gives President Trump and the Republican Party the opportunity to undermine the permanence of the liberal cases that he shaped, as it is states in this article. Kennedy embraced liberal views on gay rights, abortion, and the death penalty. He helped conservatives trim voting right and much more. He has done a lot for many people around the world. He has had many great impacts on the United States and him retiring will effect a lot of people and things.
I wanted to step in real quick to provide you with some context on this issue: you were writing as if Kennedy was not a conservative. He was. He was appointed by a moderate conservative to be a moderate conservative. The supreme court is currently 5-4 leaning on the conservative side. After Kennedy retires, it will go 4-4.
We can bet that the President will appoint another conservative, perhaps more hardcore, and that under the next president (who I'd bet you will be the far-left version of Trump,) will appoint a couple of progressive justices after the old ones die off. Our country is really good at being stable, and the retirement of one old judge really won't change much.
You also let on that justice Kennedy legalized gay marriage. He did not. He cannot. The Supreme Court of the United States *cannot* pass laws at all. All the Supreme Court does is interpret laws - the congress and senate are *supposed* to pass laws. Justice Kennedy, as a matter of fact, voted in favor of a christian man who refused to sell a wedding cake to a gay couple (a case which passed in favor of the christian man 7-2). Do with that information as you will.
I promise you, the world will not change because of Kennedy's retirement. Your life will not change at all, mine won't either, and neither of us will notice any difference in our nation after the retirement of Justice Kennedy.
Happy Independence Day,
-Emperor Norton
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What interested me the most in the New York Times was the video"After 40 Days Apart,Family Reunites". I had mixed feelings about the video. At first it was really depressing. I felt this way because 2 kids were separated from their mom and they never thought they would see her again. This made me feel so bad for their family. I could never think of being separated from my mom and dad and having to live without them. This situation sickens me because it did not just happen to this family it's happening to a lot of family's that happen to come here illegally. These people shouldn't be labelled like this and treated so poorly. They are still human beings just like us, that wanted a change in their life to make it better, so they moved to America. In the end of the video was so moving I was so happy to see that family reunite with each other. I hope one day every family that got separated with each other will be reunited.
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I chose the article "Sweden Makes World Cup Quarterfinals for First Time Since 1994". The reason why I chose this article was due to that the game between these two teams was great to watch. During this game, Switzerland was playing more of an attacking game, but that was no problem for Sweden's amazing defense. They had the ability to block any incoming shots and was great at clearing the ball. The game was pretty close for most of the time until in the 66th minute when Forsberg cranked an amazing shot which took a deflection off of the defender Manuel Akanji. As a result it made it almost impossible for the keeper Yann Sommer to save. For the rest of the game Switzerland tried their hardest to get a shot in the net, but all failed. All of a sudden, in the 94th minute of the game Switzerland was awarded a penalty that was overturned by the refs. Michael Lang still got a red card for the shove , but it didn't even matter because the time already ran out. I chose this article because it shows that one little mistake can result in a lose for your team.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/03/sports/world-cup/sweden-vs-switzerlan...
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This week I chose to read the article "As Search for Thai Boys Lost in Cave Hits Day 5, a Nation Holds Its Breath". I picked this article because it seemed interesting to learn how hundreds of people volunteered to help search for the soccer team lost in a cave in Thailand. People are helping with the search from the Navy Seal teams, elite British divers, and many other volunteers. Its amazing how people from all around the world are helping with this rescue.
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This week I chose to read "DeMarcus Cousins Gives the Warriors a Fifth All-Star" By Marc Stein. DeMarcus Cousins has made some interesting career choices in the past week, on the rebound from an injury with the Pelicans, he signed a 1-year $5.3 million dollar contract with the Golden State Warriors. While this article is unbiased, it does show that this could be bad for the NBA, a source from Basketball-Refrence.com shows how the Warriors now have 5 returning all-stars, while every other team has 2 or less. I chose this article because I do like the NBA, and I'm saddened to know that they will easily dominate the league next year.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/28/technology/california-online-privacy-...
We are living in the "information age" where data is one of the most, if not the most important resource. In fact, data is very important that some companies accept it as a payment for a service that is otherwise free. Companies ranging in size and scope treat as if data was a form of currency, charging it for services and sometimes even material goods. Many internet users have reached the stage at which they give out personal information such as their names, email addresses, and even their current location for these services, without giving a second thought about how their data is going to be used. While some companies use this data to improve their services other use it for personal gains. They sell the information to syndicates that attempt malicious acts or commit these acts themselves. While the EULA and TOS can provide users protection from these malicious companies, it can be misleading at times, not that many read it anyways. However, with California passing new laws to protect the user's personal data, I believe that there is hope for a future where users do not have to worry about misuse of their personal information. The new law gives users right to know how their data is used and enables them to actively delete the data they shared. As the "first step forward" in a while, I think that this will lead to a chain of states then nations actively protecting an individual's personal data.
She Was Declared Dead and Moved To The Morgue. Then She Was Heard Breathing.
In South Africa a terrible car accident happened on one of the worst roads. A young women was found and was said to have no pulse and was not breathing. The ambulance workers were caught in traffic and had to wait for another ambulance causing the patients to be outside longer. Finally once the ambulance arrived at the hospital the health care workers put her body in the morgue into a refrigerator. It wasn’t until a few hours later someone seen her breathing. The article states these mistakes seen made quite often even in the US. This article was really interesting to read because I never thought people made mistakes like that. I also never knew that someone could be pronounced dead and hours later they come back to life with no help. This article also made me realize that you always need to double check your work because that women could have had an extremely faint pulse or could have barely been breathing and they where in a rush so they thought she was dead. This article was very interesting and mind blowing.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/22/arts/music/new-york-philharmonic-very...
This week in the New York Times the article that interested me the most was 'Meet the 11-Year-Old Girls Whose Music Wowed the Philharmonic.' This article was very inspiring because it shows girls, younger than me, composing music that is being recognized by the Philharmonic. They are only eleven years old, but have accomplished a great deal. It is great to see that young girls are starting to make a difference, especially in the music industry. This article shows that age does not have to be a blockade when trying to become successful. Kids that are not even in high school yet are making a huge difference in the world. This article inspired me and showed me that even at such a young age, you can make a difference. Throughout the world we see young kids making a difference whether it be in music, or another topic that may seem too 'mature' for the kids to be involved in. These girls didn't let their age or gender get in the way of accomplishing what they put their mind to. They inspired me, and hopefully many others, and showed that if you really want to succeed in something, it could happen.
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What peaked my interest this week was the article, "What Men Say About #MeToo in Therapy" by Avi Klein. I picked this topic because its something that's always been on the back of my mind. Seeing women talk about their experiences with sexual assault is empowering to me. Sadly there are still plenty of women who deter from going public with their issues because of fear. It's disheartening to see that anyone is cruel enough to sexually, verbally, or physically abuse someone. I didn't understand the psychology behind the actions. It wasn't until I read Klein's work, where he found that these assault cases are traced back to the perpetrator's childhood. How they are raised in a home with "toxic masculinity". This means that men are taught to hide their emotions to remain dominant to their peers. As a consequence, boys grow up having nowhere to manifest their emotions. This causes them to act out by doing things they think will impress others, such as hitting on women. Expressing emotions is in our nature, and to have it stripped away from people is a huge problem. Not only is it morally wrong and an outdated tradition, but it becomes an actual danger to women who get mistreated by poorly raised boys. I think that the problem with assault starts with the parents, for them not taking time to teach their child to not purposely make people feel discomfort. If every kid was taught this, there'd be no need for the #MeToo movement, something that's both empowering and preventable.
''Trump Administration Reverses Obama on Affirmative Action''https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/03/us/politics/trump-affirmative-action-...
This article interested me the most this week because it refers to race problems and it has to do with education. The Trump administration wants to change the ideal Obama-era action where schools had to take race into consideration when admitting students. I agree with the foundation of this change because it seems unimportant to me, I think that our capabilities and education have nothing to do with our race. Of course, I understand the motive of having diversity among students on campus, but I disagree with the fact that people are being declined at schools just because of there are too many people of the same race. I wonder if we will get to a place where race comes to be less irrelevant in everything we do. I really wish that this action takes place because there are brilliant, hard-working students who are willing and really aspire to have an education. The problem here is our attention to race and how we revolve our whole life around it. The most important thing in education is and needs to be the students and their capability to learn, their responsibility, and how they see their future. At this moment, I am in high school and I really hope that when I get to college, I am not discriminated because of my race, and most importantly, be a student who is not able to get the education because my race is not the minority.
After experiencing a great pride moth, reading the article "Why the Supreme Court Opening May Affect Gay Marriage and Abortion" was honestly a bit rough. While I have been monitoring the prosses of the evolutions of L.B.G.T. rights, I was not aware that the majority of the advances for the group were led by Justice Anthony M. Kennedy. After reading what Stack and Dias wrote about all the progress Kennedy has made for the L.G.B.T. community, I wish to profusely thank him for all that he has accomplished and am sorrowful to watch him retire. Kennedy's retirement seems more impactful after regarding the list of people to possible acquire his position. Whilst I was apprehensive of President Donald Trumps affect on the group, I did not consider the possibility of him being able to seize all the progress that has so far been made. This idea scares me, but I hope for a solution for the L.G.B.T. community that will help their rights grow even larger.
“Exercise vs. Standing? You Probably Need to do Both”
Standing is something that most people do every day, but a lot of people also sit during their daily activities. Sitting has become apart of many people’s lives, and they fail to recognize the effects it has on their health. Many also know that exercise is very important. I am interested in this topic because I love to exercise and be active, but I didn’t know standing also helped. Professionals say that the average person needs to get 30 to 60 minutes of exercise per day. Exercise by itself is not all a person needs to be in good health. Standing also helps a person maintain a healthy life with even a longer lifespan. Many office workers can sit for around 10 to 11 hours. This is unhealthy and has led to many health problems, such as diabetes and obesity. I am still a student in school, but even at school, I sit a lot. I feel that by standing more when I get home, like while doing my homework, I can help my overall health. This study could also help people who feel they don’t have enough time to exercise. If they stand, they will help themselves to maintain better health. Some people may think that sitting is good for people because it helps them to be relaxed and feel more energized, which could be true. The problem with this thought, which the scientists have proven in their study, is you won’t have a weight to help elongate your life with good health. Sitting is the enemy in our lives, so we need to reduce it.
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The article I enjoyed this week was the "England Shakes Its Penalties Curse and Saves Its World Cup". I liked this article because it explains how England was most likely to lose the game once it went to penalty kicks, but remained in the game and a chance at the World Cup. The new England team they have put together this year is a team of young players that will be exciting to watch as the World Cup continues on this week. This team won on penalties which is unlike England to have this strength. They await to play Sweden on Saturday in the quarterfinals, which most believe will again go to penalty kicks. If England again continues to have a great success in the winning of another shootout, they will move on to the finals. They will have to continue to keep up their success in the next coming games because it will only get more competitive. England has really changed the game in turning around this year and shaping themselves into a team that is moving on into the finals which has not been done in the last few years for them. Gareth Southgate (the coach of the England team) believes that his team has been playing with freedom and confidence that will help the team win. He believes these things will help the team in the knockout stages of the game.
"Meet the 11-Year-Old Girls Whose Music Wowed the Philharmonic"
While analyzing many diverse articles presented in the news this week, I was captivated by an article focusing on two young composers. Jordan Millar and Camryn Cowan, both eleven years of age, were offered the opportunity to listen to their pieces be preformed by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. Their music left the audience in awe and generated a standing ovation. Both girls have been faced with circumstances involving gender equality and racial barriers; as a result, Millar and Cowan continue to be an inspiration to people of all ages. Millar composed a piece called "Boogie Down Uptown" inspired by a painting by Aaron Douglas, and a story about an individual stepping out onto the streets of Harlem for the very first time. However, Cowan's music embodies the Harlem-Renaissance era. As these young women continue to grow, they will encounter strenuous battles as female composers and women of color; most importantly, Millar and Cowan will continue to inspire and touch whoever listens to their unique and influential style of music.
https://mobile.nytimes.com/2018/06/28/science/human-age-limit.html?actio...
The article “How Long Can We Live? The Limit Hasn’t Been Reached, Study Finds” had interested me. The article explores a study conducted by Elisabetta Barbi and other demographers at the University of Rome that showed that after the age of 105, death in participants raised tremendously. Because of this, the researchers concluded we are far from the limit of human lifespan. This article also intrigued me because as medical technology continues to improve and average lifespan increases, we will continue to stretch the human life to its outermost time limitations. Originally it had seemed to other researchers that we were close to a maximum age limit, however this study and outliers such as Jeanne Calment show that it is entirely possible that the cells in the body are not unavoidably damaged at an irreparable rate at a certain age. While others pointed out possible errors in the methodology through which the study was conducted, its an interesting thought to consider how far we could possibly go in lengthening human lifespan.
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"Video Game Addiction Tries to Move From Basement to Doctor’s Office"
Being someone who loves video games and wishes to work in the industry in the future, this article stood out to me. Video games seem to constantly be the victim of a moral outrage, whether it be that they are the scapegoat after a mass shooting or now that gaming too much is classified as a disorder. While I do genuinely believe that games with addictive mechanics such as thinly veiled gambling or gameplay loops that are designed to hook players in are harmful and potentially a serious issue, the fear-mongering seems unnecessary. The positive effects of video games are rarely discussed, such as their value as an artistic medium or how they help some players come to terms with their identities. This is, of course, anecdotal evidence, but video games have helped me come to terms with myself, get closer with my family and have intellectual discussions with them, make friends and spend time with existing friends, and inspired me and brought me joy. These kinds of articles remind me of the uninformed fear-mongering in the times where "Dungeons and Dragons" or "Harry Potter" were said to teach children witchcraft or that rock music made teens worship the devil. But like those old outrages, hopefully the outrage and panic will pass and a legitimate, constructive discussion will be had. The issue of game addiction should be investigated and researched, but another moral panic about video games is not necessary.
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HOW SAYING #METOO CHANGED THEIR LIVES
LINK:https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/06/28/arts/metoo-movement-stori...
This article interested me most this week because although rape has been frowned upon for many years, it was not taken to seriously until recently. Women have been afraid to speak out for years, and they are finally feeling more confident about it. So many people male and female go through these type of situations but never speak out because of fear. Writing articles and talking about rape in public will allow people to become more comfortable with coming out and speaking about there own experiences. With time and with more articles and more public covering on things like this, one day hopefully in the near future these criminals will not only be publicly shamed and get a slap on the wrist but will truly get the punishments they deserve. This article caught my attention right off the bat because as a child, as a teenager, I already know way to many people who were able to participate in the #metoo. As I get older, I can only assume this number will grow. The worst part about the people who have had to go through those difficult things, is that many of the victims do not get to see the criminals who hurt them be punished. This article is so important because it shows many people who do not understand why support of victims is so very important.
"She Wanted Lavish, He Was Fine With City Hall," written by Tammy La Gorce, is the story of Chanet Tisdel's and Chauncey Kearney's elegant wedding on a budget. The title of the article caught my eye because it made me imagine a Carrie Bradshaw and Mr. Big kind of story. So, you could imagine my surprise when I realized the article was really about a bride getting to have it all while her and her husband didn't have to break a sweat money-wise. Their story was interesting to me because you always hear about the couple that spent thousands on real flowers and thousands on wedding decor, etc. And Chanet wanted all of that for herself too, but the difference is that she didn't have to spend a fortune to do it. She explored her options and she spent her money so wisely that her husband and herself weren't stressed about paying bills after the wedding like most newlyweds are. Though my wedding is not even close to being in the near future, I hope to remember Chanet's and Chauncey's story so that I can follow their example and make my wedding dreams come true in the smartest ways possible.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/26/smarter-living/how-to-clean-your-filt...
What interested me most in the Times was the article about how to thoroughly clean your computer. Being a germaphobe I have found using my computer when its been used and abused is hard. A while back I started cleaning the main surfaces of my computer. Now I know how to properly clean it without any damage. All of the supplies listed I have or have some form of them. Getting those tricky dog hairs out of the keyboard is solved now by just using canned air, as recommend by the article. Another reason this article interested me was the acknowledgement of how valued possessions should be cared for and kept clean. I have satisfaction that there is a way for me to do so and other people understand the importance. My computer has everything on it and I love it so much that keeping it tidy is not just a clean freak obsession, it's a way of paying back. This article really helped me the it comes to cleanliness. If I kept cleaning it with Windex, like the article did not suggest, I would of ruined the shine completely.
"They Started School Afraid of the Water. Now They Are Saving Lives."
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/18/nyregion/student-lifeguards-grover-cl...
I chose this article this week simply because it caught my eye when I read the title and I thought it would be interesting to read, and it definitely was. A man named Chris Sullivan was able to produce over 300 teenage lifeguards in the past ten years. All of those lifeguards are or were students at Grover Cleveland High School in New York City. I found it fascinating to read that most of these students did not know how to swim and were even afraid of the water before becoming a lifeguard. I think the work Chris Sullivan puts in teaching these students to swim benefits them in very many ways. The teenagers gain the skill of being able to swim and be comfortable in the water, they are able to find a job as a lifeguard in order to make money, and they are also able to help support their families with the money they make while working as a lifeguard. The article states that lifeguards make a minimum of $15 an hour while working and some of the teenagers say they have made more money than their parents during the summer. I enjoy reading about people doing good things for others to help them succeed in things they thought they never would.
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The article "Departure of Kennedy, ‘Firewall for Abortion Rights,’ Could End Roe v. Wade" symbolizes another tipping of the scale between those who believe in the right of abortion and those who don't. With the retire of Justice Anthony M. Kennedy from the Supreme Court comes the crumbling of one defense of women's rights. Unfortunately, Trump's upcoming selection of the new justice will most likely result in one which does not support abortion rights. Throughout history, abortion rights have been highly controversial and still are today. Many men do not support abortion rights, which is frustrating because why would humans without the ability to reproduce have such a strong influence in the female sex debate? Some women don't support abortion rights, too, due to similar personal beliefs as men. These people call themselves "pro-life", but when a female is forced to raise a child she did not want, often times without her male partner due to his refusal in being a participating parent, the child suffers much more when he/she grows up unwanted and unloved. If the female does not want the infant, then he/she is put up for adoption and struggles within the foster care system. What kind of life is that? In other instances, with pregnancy caused by rape and coercion, a female should have access to a legal, safe abortion. All in all, abortion should be accessible to females and should remain constitutional in the US.
"LeBron James Joining Lakers on 4- Year $154 Million Deal" by Marc Stein and Scott Cacciola
The four-time NBA MVP announced Sunday night that he has agreed to a four- year, $154 million contract with the Lakers. For the second time in his career, James is saying goodbye to Cleveland Cavaliers, who drafted the teenage sensation from Akron in 2003 and have to be satisfied with winning just one title in the 11 years they had him. Unlike his two previous forays in free agency, James did not drag out his decision and made the announcement less than 24 hours after NBA free agency opened. This summer of LeBron was barely a fling. His management agency, Klutch Sports Group, announced his agreement with the Lakers with a simple, short release. It was a stark contrast from eight years ago, when a poorly conceived TV special to announce his departure from Cleveland backfired and damaged his image. The game's biggest star will now lead a young Lakers team- run by Johnson, a Hall of Famer and Lakers legend- that has been overmatched in recent years while rebuilding. But the Lakers will instantly rise with James, a three-championship who after being swept by the Warriors in this year's NBA Finals said he is still driven and very much in "championship mode". In reaching this deal to leave the Cavs, James becomes the first player in the NBA history to lead a playoffs in scoring and switch teams the following offseason.
Emergency rooms run out of vital drugs, and patients are feeling it. [https://goo.gl/R1389D]
I think that that the fact that emergency rooms are running out of drugs is very interesting because that I think this could be a very dangerous situation. I think this because that imagine that you just broke your arm and you go to the hospital, but the doctors have to fix it without using pain killers, and let me tell you that that would probably hurt, a lot. So yeah that would be terrible and you probably wouldn’t want that happening, right? This probably isn’t the manufacturer’s faults because that last fall Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, which is according to the article a major center of pharmaceutical manufacturing. So I think that probably not many people would want to not have painkillers when they get hurt.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/03/world/asia/cave-rescues-history.html?...
I chose this article, "5 Cave Rescues That Worked: Thailand Can Find Hope in Past Success" because it is the first article that attracts my attention and most recent one. Yes indeed, this article has been spreading like wildfire, and a lot of cave-rescue councils have been giving a helping hand to those people. The article provides several successes for cave rescuing from the history. In this case of Thailand, I see how the world connects into one and help each other out for the better. I like this article as it shows the example of people coming together to become one.
This week’s New York Times article, “Trump and Mexico’s New Leader, Both Headstrong, Begin With a ‘Good Conversation’” by Michael D. Shear and Ana Swanson, grabbed my attention because Mexico and the United States are butting heads about trade and immigration. Mexico and the U.S. have been working together for a long time. The incoming Mexican president, Mr. López Obrador, and Mr. Trump of the U.S. are unfortunately playing a blame game. Mr. Trump is pointing blame to Mexico for crime, rape, and illegal drugs. As a sort of punishment, Mr. Trump wants to make Mexico pay for a wall to keep immigrants out of the U.S. This decision intrigues me because Mexico and the U.S. have always had a close relationship. Mr. López Obrador is willing to negotiate with Mr. Trump rather than fight about issues, which I find admirable; however, I dislike Mr. Trump’s decision because I believe immigration is what makes the U.S. diverse and progressive. Mr. Trump should not use segregation to solve issues and put himself on a pedestal. I agree with the message Mr. López Obrador is conveying: Tolerance is necessary for success. America should resolve issues while still being accepting of people who want to start a new life. All in all, I find America’s discrimination against Mexico quite disappointing, but it is interesting to hear from both sides of the story.
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I choose the article, "Departure of Kennedy, ‘Firewall for Abortion Rights,’ Could End Roe v. Wade." I picked this article because I just finished being a Senate Page and this issue was commonly discussed on the floor. Justice Kennedy was a very important figure in women's right to choose. Despite being a Republican he voted for abortion rights, and was largely the deciding vote in these cases. Now that he has left, American women are forced to wonder if or when their right to choose will be taken away. President Trump has previously stated that he wants another pro-life justice, which if appointed could overturn Roe because there would be a pro-choice majority. I think not just women should be worried, but all Americans. If Roe is overturned fifty percent of Americans will not have full control over their body. If the Supreme Court does overturn Roe, it will be another example of how our government is still not representative of the American people. By outlawing abortion the government would not be ending abortions, but instead causing more dangerous abortions that would put the mother in risk of death. I believe that overturning Roe would violate the rights of women and would also encourage more discrimination towards already marginalized groups.
Out of curiosity, how does one become a Page?
This week I choose the article about Supreme Court Justice Anthony William retiring. He made a lot of changes throughout the many years he severed in the Supreme Court. One of those changes were with gay rights and helping them have peace through picking who they get to marry. He also was pro life and didn't want abortion and the death penalty especially for kids under eighteen and people committing crimes that weren't murder. Many of democrats are worried that President Donald Trump will take this opportunity and put in a Republican in the Supreme Court. Then the court will officially have more Republicans than democrats, which will help President Trump, knowing that they all have similar views. Many Republicans were hoping that Anthony William would retire to have more seats to the Republicans rather than the Democrats.
While exploring the various articles from the New York Times this week, one specific topic caught my eye. The article, titled "Why Amazon's Push Into Prescription Drugs Isn't a Guaranteed Success," initially confused me and prompted many questions. The notion that an online company is distributing prescription medication truly surprised me for I was not sure how this could even be possible. One's medical information is a private affair shared between a doctor and patient, so how could this online company safely, accurately and legally distribute prescription medication to consumers. The article explained that Amazon was working with a pharmaceutical company called PillPack, one similar to pharmacies such as RiteAid or CVS. PillPack is a trusted business with licenses in every state. However, the idea that one's personal medical history is being distributed to a monopolizing online business is very concerning to me personally. The revolution of technology allows for very little privacy in the modern world. The legality of the situation and the notion that one's medical information can be shared with this company is incredibly concerning. Additionally, the article explains that this has become a burden for various home pharmacies such as RiteAid and Walgreens, tearing stocks and greatly decreasing business. While many people have become obsessed with the technology revolution, I believe that limits must be present in order to keep one's privacy secure.
“What It Means to Be Loved by a Dog“
https://mobile.nytimes.com/2018/06/18/opinion/a-dogs-love.html
What interested me most in The Times this week was an opinion-based article that spoke about the idea of experiencing the love that a dog can offer. What I like about the article is that it speaks about a topic that I can relate to because I grew up around two dogs. What I love the most about dogs is that they do not discriminate, but rather accept you for the person that you are. There’s no coincidence that dogs are called a “man’s best friend” because they truly are. Dogs actually care about you, have feelings, and offer comfort.
When I was younger, my grandmother had two pugs and I thought of them as my best friends. I would play with them for as long as I can and then we’d all crash from a lack of energy at the end of the day. Although they did have some complications during their lives, they lived to be pretty old. One became nearly blind in both eyes toward the end of her life and the other developed a cancerous tumor that ultimately killed her in the end. My favorite part was taking them baths because we would have to chase after them to get them in the tub and look for them all around the house, not to mention that one of them hid under the bed and we had a tough time getting her out. After the bath, we would blow dry them and then we were off to play some more. The dogs treated me kindly and I knew that they loved me as much as I loved them.
“How to Clean Your Filthy, Disgusting Laptop”
With my freshman year, and first full school year with a Chromebook now completed, I am now left with the visibly dirty device. Throughout the year, it endured much use but little to no cleaning. The article “How to Clean Your Filthy, Disgusting Laptop” seemed very fitting, as I read the article on my pencil-marked screen. Like many people I gave up on the task, assuming I would need to purchase overpriced cleaning products in order to efficiently clean the device. However, having now read this article I now know that the job can easily be completed with a few household items. Now knowing this, I plan on finally cleaning my Chromebook and restoring it to the “brand-new” state it was once in.
Video: https://www.nytimes.com/video/movies/100000005967143/jurassic-world-fall...
In the scene shown in the video, Owen, played as Chris Pratt, and Claire, played by Bryce Dallas Howard, and stuck in a cargo truck with the T – Rex on a boat after surviving a huge volcanic eruption. They need to take the blood from the dinosaur for a surgery they must perform on Blu. J. A. Bayona, the director of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, states, “The idea we needed a thrilling moment into this long section of the movie that felt a little static.” They wanted to add a moment of thrill and comedy to make the movie more exciting. Bayona also decided to give the actors some “freedom” since he wanted the scene to have an organic feeling. Once the T – Rex wakes up, Chris wanted to come up with a an idea to finish off the scene. He decided it would be best for his character to jump through the mouth of the dinosaur to make it more dramatic and exciting. The last line in the scene ties up the whole purpose of the scene. Owen states while panting, “Did you see that?”
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Article: https://mobile.nytimes.com/2018/06/28/science/human-age-limit.html?actio...
This week, the article “How Long Can We Live? The Limit Hasn’t Been Reached, Study Finds” greatly interested me. The article explores a study conducted by Elisabetta Barbi and other demographers at the University of Rome that showed that after the age of 105, the likelihood of death in participants abruptly plateaued. Because of this, the researchers concluded we are far from the limit of human lifespan. This prospect is fascinating because as medical technology continues to improve and average lifespan increases, we will continue to stretch the human life to its outermost time limitations. Originally it had seemed to other researchers that we were close to a maximum age limit (one cited it to be 115), however this study and outliers such as Jeanne Calment (who passed at age 122) show that it is entirely possible that the cells in the body are not unavoidably damaged at an irreparable rate at a certain age. While others pointed out possible errors in the methodology through which the study was conducted, its an interesting thought to consider how far we could possibly go in lengthening human lifespan.
https://mobile.nytimes.com/2018/06/29/health/medical-training-zoos.
The article “Doctor, Your Patient Is Waiting. It’s a Red Panda” shows how Harvard medical students are learning in a new way that both emphasizes the concepts they have been taught and helps them appreciate the beauty of life in different animal species.
Medical students at Harvard have teamed up with veterinarians at the Franklin Park Zoo through a new elective program. They help the veterinarians by performing different procedures, such as ultrasounds, analyzing different medical scans, and thinking of innovative ways to solve problems. The students found the program to be helpful to their education. One student, Dr. Ebina, commented, “Seeing an animal that looks completely different but is actually similar reinforces the anatomical concepts that we learn, which is very helpful for my education going forward.” Her positive experience treating animals will help her through her medical career.
I think that the program is a brilliant idea. Not only does it give students more experience practicing medicine, it also gives them a better moral understanding of animals. Giving animals the treatment they need should have taught them that animals and humans are equal, and they deserve the care they need as much as humans do.
As someone who wants to go into the medical field, I was glad to see doctors get out of their comfort zones and care for animals. Doctors need to care for all living beings.
How Amazon Steers Shoppers to Its Own Products
It’s crazy to think about the role of Amazon in the economy this past decade. I firmly believe that more and more people will start to use Amazon for their everyday needs, which is a little bit scary to think about because lots of companies will go out of business, as seen recently with Toys “R” Us. As an Amazon Prime member myself, I can’t imagine my life without it anymore; it has made my life so much more convenient when I don’t have time to stop at Target and can wait two days. However, when I’m shopping on Amazon, I still buy name brands, instead of Amazon’s brands, so I was surprised to read that Amazon has established over 100 private brands. I’ve also noticed that Amazon has added a myriad of new services that can also attract more customers. For instance, I saw Prime Wardrobe, which allows Amazon Prime customers to order clothes, try them on at home, and only pay for the ones they decide to keep. I also thought it was clever for Amazon to only offer their own option when customers use Amazon’s Alexa to purchase something. In this article, another thing I was fascinated by was how much data Amazon collects and how they use it to their advantage. They’re able to look at their competitor’s reviews and see why some customers aren’t satisfied with specific items. With all the private brands, helpful services, and useful data that Amazon has, they are sure to become incredibly dominant in everyone’s lives soon.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/01/sports/lebron-james-lakers.html
This is a stunning revelation as LeBron James has decided to jump ship and join the Los Angeles Lakers. This interested me because I am a basketball fan, and this affects the way the league will be played next season. LeBron James will now be in the western conference for the first time in his career where he will have to face the Warriors more often, and the cannot meet in the finals. LeBron James has made these decisions before back in 2010 he left Cleveland again to join the Miami Heat and form a super team. LeBron James has set the trend for future players joining super teams. This is a plague and needs to be stopped. Players have no loyalty towards their franchise anymore, as they rather win a championship the easy way, and join a super team. They have no competitive drive, compared to players of the earlier ages. Players like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant stuck it out in their franchises for years, and didn't jump ship when they didn't win. That is why they were able to succeed so much, adversity motivated them. Kevin Durant will never be considered one of the greats in my mind, not because of his skill level but because of his lack of leadership and courage. He pulled one of the weakest moves by joining a franchise that just beat him in the playoffs. And joining and already stacked roster with three all stars. Now DeMarcus Cousins has joined the Warriors. The NBA needs to be competitive again.
"Trump Administration Reverses Obama on Affirmative Action
Image"
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/03/us/politics/trump-affirmative-action-...
I think that this article was interesting because it really forced me to think about both sides of the argument over affirmative action. Before reading this article I didn't think much about affirmative action. This may be due to the fact that I have only attended public schools. On One hand, I think that affirmative action is a good idea. With the country in a continuous struggle for equality amongst races affirmative action is very helpful. It diversify's schools and forces people of all races to collaborate in some way. However, after reading this article may opinion seemed to go against affirmative action. I think that schools should not have to look at race as a deciding factor of acceptance. In America we preach equality but affirmative action may separate us more than we think. Equality would be colleges admitting students based on merit. This would ensure that every student has a fair shot at getting into a college. Affirmative action is supposed to bring races together but instead I only see the opposite coming from it. It causes more tension and competition between races. It causes students to question wether a classmate deserves to be there or if they are only there because of their race.
The most interesting article to me during this week would be "For The First Time, Drake Runs From His Feelings" by Jon Caramanica. This article lured me in just with the title feeling shocked that Drake has for the first time ran from his feelings in his new album "Scorpion". With the fact that he is a 31 year old and now a father, it was unlike Drake to not delve into his emotions through his rap and new album because you would assume that he would talk about being a father and the responsibilities he now has as not only a parent, but as a celebrity,too. He could be dealing with a lot of hate for all we know, but here he is with the new album " Scorpion" retracking back to his past as a reminder and seeming more cautious and in his comfort zone. Also, it was a really different side of Drake that not many fans or people would know, but this is just a reminder for him as he journeys off into a brighter future with his son and girlfriend. Drake is one of the most inspirational rappers and one of the best to me, so I'm glad that his new album gave us a new and different insight on him; may he have a happy life with his new son.
Thai Cave Search Turns to How to Rescue Trapped Team
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/03/world/asia/thai-cave-rescue-soccer-te...
This article is the most compelling and trending during this week. I have seen and heard about this news almost every single day for the past week, even now and I cannot simply choose to click away from this article. The situation of this current state started off with a soccer boy group, 12 student and a teacher, went on a field trip to visit the Tham Luang Cave in Thailand. Apparently they did not come back out and went missing for the past weeks. Everyone was worried and they began to search for the missing boys and their coach. Due to the rain, the cave and the nearby farms was entirely flooded creating a very difficult circumstance for the searchers. The search teams had to suck all the water out of the cave and and at the same time the searchers had to swim inside. Fortunately just yesterday on 10 pm (Thai time), the searchers apparently found the boys and the coach and now are trying to rescue them. This news is something that I cannot ignore. My family has been discussing about this since the disappearance and even till now. Plus this is happening very close to the country I live. In my point of view, the moral of this situation is that I always need to be careful and aware to where I travel. I really wish that they will be rescued and escorted out of the cave very soon.
"Migrant Parents Wait and Hope for Their Children: ‘I Feel Like I’m Going to Die’"
The American Dream was the ideal that every US citizen should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative. America, also known as the land of opportunities or where dreams come true, was founded on the basis of freedom and hopes, built from immigrants who worked together to make the country successful. These immigrants faced harsh conditions to rise above nativist ideals and receive their rights, but now these rights are being compromised as anti immigration laws are bombarding the news.
Children saw their parents get handcuffed, torn away from them, unsure of when or even if they will ever see them again. These little kids now have to live alone in shelters in a new country scared of not only their future, but their family's as well. It’s heartbreaking, as they do not yet understand why their parents missed their birthday or why they are being treated differently.
Helplessness is one of the worst feelings for a parent who is just trying to set the best life for their children. One parent reported, “I feel like I’m going to die. I feel powerless.” Families are being destroyed. People who came to America for a chance at another life are being mercilessly turned away, not only losing their opportunity, but their children too. Is this going to be another event we will look back on in history class a hundred years later and regret?
The article I found most interesting is 'Why do you hate us?' He Asked. 'Because your Mexicans,' She Replied. I found this article interesing because it shows how people really act and how the can they can take people words. It also show how Donald Trump can have such and effect on how people think, and how he can make people act. has such a effect
The most interesting article is "What Is Your Relationship With Your Siblings Like?" The article describes the importance of developing strong relationships with your siblings and how these relationships are essential to our mental health long term. I am an only child and lacking in the sibling expertise field you may say. In reality, though, I would say I have quite a bit of knowledge t offer about building relationships with siblings. Over the past four years, I have hosted four exchange students each for one year and an additional two for one month. These students were like siblings to me: sharing chores and differences alike. My siblings were not born in the same country as me, and the differences between us were apparent. They came from backgrounds of prosperity in Europe, poverty in Africa, brokenness in Bethlehem, and family separation in the Republic of Georgia. Sometimes communication can be difficult when neither of you understands each other caused by the barrier of language and words. I learned that even more than sharing chores and differences, you share similarities. Every person desires to be loved and cared for. When you and your siblings' differences and understandings seem to be building walls too high to be broken... use the language everybody speaks- love. For a relationship with a sibling to be strong, you do not have to say the right words or d the right things. It is simple all you need is a heart greater than your pride and differences.
Passion, Paint, and Pride are all familiar words to dedicated fans of any sport. In the World Cup, these supporters take things to a whole new level. Whether it's traveling across the world to Russia to encourage their team to win or it's gathering in the city square with friends and family to support their team as a community, faithful followers with do whatever it takes to get their country the victory.
But who is someone like me, or anyone else from a country that didn't qualify for the World Cup supposed to cheer for? Well, for me and thousands of other Americans, it was our neighbor, Mexico. This is why I chose the article "Viva Mexico, America's Team".
Usually, Mexico and the US are rivals, not only in soccer but in every other sport or conflict too. You would think that these tensions would get even tighter due to recent political conflicts, but yet here we are cheering for them anyways.
Why?
When I was watching the most recent game between Mexico and Brazil, I just couldn't get myself to cheer for Brazil. I was devastated when Mexico lost, and I finally realized why I wanted them to win so much. Even though I have no heritage from Mexico, many of friends are from there and has naturally become intertwined with my life so much that I root for them subconsciously. As Bill Saporito, the author of the editorial put it, "But it also demonstrates how Mexico...are deeply entertwined in the fabric that is America," and I couldn't agree more.
The most interesting article in this week’s New York Times is “Supreme Court Labor Decision Wasn’t Just a Loss for Unions” by Noam Scheiber. The Supreme Court’s decision to diminish the labor union’s ability to spend money on progressive causes is intriguing. It is interesting that the majority of the Court chose to cut out some of the union’s spending because unions have had to divert more and more of their budgets to defensive battles, leaving less to spend elsewhere. Many public unions were forced to fundamentally rethink their spending. A group called Mi Familia Vota had to scale back some of their programs and actions, such as those involving education, health care, and voting and worker rights. Mi Familia Vota are now more focused on elections by helping people becoming citizens and registering to vote. It is interesting to me that one decision made by Supreme Court can affect so many people and ways liberal groups and organizations spend money. It is fascinating that focus of spending can shift instantaneously. Some unions were not willing to be persuaded; for example, the American Federation of Teachers promised to continue funding certain groups such as America Votes. All in all, the loss of union money may be less detrimental to Democrats and progressive causes than the loss of union members, and Supreme Court should not intervene so heavily into how unions choose to focus their spending (as unions should behave independently).
‘Why Do You Hate Us?’ He Asked. ‘Because You’re Mexicans,’ She Replied.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/25/us/video-diatribe-mexicans.html
This article interested me because it shows and proves that there are still racial problems in our country that many people chose to ignore or say have been fixed due to their ignorance. The video posted along with the article was truly breathtaking, as you watch a man who was just trying to do his job get yelled at for nothing besides his race. Although Mr. Guzman attributes the problems with the racist comments to our president, we can not solely blame our leader. Racism has been an issue for centuries, providing us with the knowledge that it is not the sole fault of Trump but actually our values that people are treated in these horrible ways. This matter should not be a talk about politics though. This is a societal issue that has been implanted into us from birth. It is not a problem that the president can fix with a new legislation, but rather what society has to change with a change to its mindset. The Declaration of Independence already says that "All men are created equal." We like to think that we have allowed this phrase to prosper and have followed its lead like soldiers in line, but this article proved to me that we are still far from this reality.
The most interesting article in this week’s New York Times is “Emergency Rooms Run Out of Vital Drugs, and Patients are Feeling It” by Katie Thomas. Pfizer, a medication manufacturing company, had plant problems that caused shortages in drugs that patients needed, such as morphine and diltiazem. I find it intriguing that Pfizer had shortages all at once; they even had to provide cracked syringes to hospitals. It makes us realize that we are vulnerable. If the facility that is responsible for allowing hospitals to help patients has big problems, then the patients are negatively affected. It is unfortunate that drug shortages are unpredictable because patients must take alternative, less effective drugs. Health care should be about saving lives, not risking them. It is both intriguing and frustrating that the market is at fault; companies are obtaining low profit from cheap prices for parts that are difficult to make. Usually as supply decreases, demand and price increase; however, in this case, as supply decreases, demand increases and price is still low. Do only health professionals and manufacturers find this interesting? No! Every person should be aware and engaged in this subject matter because anyone can be affected by drug shortages. Pfizer is taking steps to correct all the wrongs by investing a lot of money. Although manufacturers like Pfizer have to struggle with shortages and lack of profit, it is evident that their company revolves around the patient’s wellbeing.
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https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/01/sports/lebron-james-lakers.html?rref=...
The most interesting article in this week’s New York Times is “LeBron James Joining Lakers on 4-Year $154 Million Deal” by Marc Stein and Scott Cacciola. I think it is interesting that James decided to switch teams for the third time in his career since most professional basketball players (or athletes in general) would stay committed to one team. James left “...his home-state Cleveland Cavaliers for a second time and join one of the league’s glamour franchises,” the Lakers. The Lakers did not win a championship for 52 years. With James as their new addition and asset, they hope he will lead them to victory and success. It will be fascinating to see what is to come of the Lakers, as well as the Cavaliers. It is also interesting that James's deal with the Lakers involves free agency, meaning after his third season, he can take up offers from other teams even if he has a contract. This fact intrigues me because so many teams see James as an amazing asset and hero for their teams, and James tries to take advantage of his opportunities. All in all, James is eager to join the Lakers and made a deal that kept his options open and gave him freedom to do what he pleases.
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"As Search for Thai Boys Lost in Cave hits day 5, a Nation Holds Its Breath"
The hunt for a soccer team and their coach who have gone missing while exploring the Tham Luang Cave in Thailand has reached five days. It is said that the boys and their coach biked to the cave after practice, and after heavy rainfall, were trapped inside due to flooding. A search team has been sent in and out of the cave to try and find a way to drain it, and see where the people could've taken shelter. I find this situation heartbreaking, because there are so many young lives at risk. It is a shame how these kinds of terrifying things happen to people like this. The whole community has been involved in this hunt, and no one will stop until they are found. Many prayers have been said for the lost boys and their coach, and dozens of people have been sent into the caves day in and day out to find any trace of them. I pray that the cave divers find the soccer team safe and return them home to their loving families.
“Einstein the Anti-Racist? Not in His Travel Diaries”
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/14/world/einstein-travel-diaries.html
Albert Einstein. It is not an exaggeration to acknowledge him as the most ideal scientist in the time period, being a role model to future scientists. However, was he a mentor as a moral human being? I reconsidered this after reading the article.
This article attracted me because it taught me that humans cannot be saints after all. Einstein not only was a genius in physics, he also had a humane public image, advocating for human rights, giving speeches of empathy to the crowd, for he was also persecuted by Nazis. However, even he could not avoid the prejudices he had against other countries mostly in Asia because he was just another human being. In mainland China, he had describe Chinese people as, “industrious, filthy, obtuse people.”
The opinions he wrote in his travel diaries were probably Einstein's genuine character because diaries are usually kept personal. I'm not blaming Einstein for his biased opinions because others point out that Asia could’ve given these negative images during the mid-1900s. However, according to the article, views accepting these difference also existed in the same generation.
All in all, Albert Einstein still remains a hero to different people in the world, for he had campaigned for the American Civil Rights Movement and was the most prosperous scientist throughout the time humans lived on Earth.
Here's Some Cryptocurrency. Now Please Use It.
I found this article to be interesting as a new form of digital coin called XRP floods the market with millions of dollars worth of investments. Crypotocurrency fascinates me as it's something that hasn't been fully put to use in its wildest variety. However, convincing people to use this new international tech-currency is quite challenging as the concept of online money is scary to users. Imagine converting all your possessions into this online currency, leaving it vulnerable to hackers and potentially losing it. The idea is quite haunting but there are already a handful of people who made their first billion dollar utilizing the stock market by buying such currencies at the right time. A wave of technology like this is quite enticing to me as well as to many people for I see a possibility that in the future, the world will unite all monetary values into one single type of currency; there will be no dollars, no bakhs, no kyats, but just this.
“Meet the 11-Year-Old Girls Whose Music Wowed the Philharmonic”
Whenever I hear a story about children who have apparently written amazing, life changing music, I can not help but feel a bit skeptical towards those claims. In a world that is heavily based around so many genres and eras of music, most of it coming from successful adults, it makes sense that one might not believe that a child could have the mental capacity to create something to that degree, but after getting to listen to Camryn’s and Jordan’s music, I could not have been more wrong. Sure, their work is definitely not in the style of most of today’s popular music, but that certainly does not mean it is bad. How is one to judge music anyway? To me, it was the complexity and the two girl’s use of artistry and meaning behind the music that made it such a standout. I, and probably many others, would have expected a simple tune at most, not a fully orchestrated melody that even impressed the Philharmonic. Jordan Millar even discusses how works of art influenced the style and composer of her piece, showing just how advanced these two young minds seemed to be. One thing I will be sure to learn from this article is to take a second look at the works of the younger demographic because even that can be exciting.
J.J. Watt Offers to Pay for Funerals of Santa Fe School Shooting Victims:
Justin James Watt is an American football defensive end for the Houston Texans of the National Football League. He also played college football at Wisconsin. On May 18, 2018 a devastating school shooting occurred in Santa Fe, Texas, killing 10 and leaving more injured. J.J Watt did a very kind thing the next day. He offered to pay for all the funerals for the victims of the school shooting. I think what J.J Watt did for all of the victims, and the victims families was very life changing. This proves that there are still good people in this world, and that people are not selfish with their money. People who have a lot of money should help others who don’t have money. These people should put their money to something good like charities. The reason this article is interesting to me is because first, J.J Watt is one of my favorite players in the NFL. Second, I love football, football is a big part of my life. When I was in eighth grade, I played on a football team here in Los Alamos with my brother. That was a great experience in my life and helped me to be a better athlete in many ways. Lastly, my grandmothers sisters father played with the Jets back in the day in the 1950’s. This is why I find this article interesting.
The article that interested me most in the Times this week is the article "Meet The 11-Year-Old Girls Whose Music Wowed the Philharmonic", because it is about two 11-year-old composers Camryn Cowan and Jordan Millar, whose work was preformed by none other than the New York Philharmonic orchestra which the crowd loved. Everyone was shocked, but delighted to know that two little talented girls composed the two pieces. The girls obtained their composing skills from "Philharmonic's Very Young Composers initiative" which is a program that works with public school children to teach them how to compose their very own music, which Philharmonic musicians then perform. They created different music pieces relating to their unique selves and their neighborhood of Harlem, Camryn Cowan wrote "Harlem Shake" and Jordan Millar wrote "Boogie Down Uptown", both beautiful pieces. I clicked on this link because the title was interesting and the title had the word "philharmonic" which I did not know what it meant so I clicked on the link to find out its meaning. It is amazing how talented these girls are, I mean they were able to create music from just musical notes on a paper to a orchestra preforming their music aloud to a crowd, it really shows you how smart and excelled they are in music. It is inspiring for these girls to create such great sounding music, just goes to show you kids can do anything. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/22/arts/music/new-york-philharmonic-very...
"Meet the Personalities Behind These German Office Plants"
While scrolling through the NYTimes, this was a headline that certainly caught my eye. It is most definitely not something that I personally can connect with, as the subject is about Frederik Busch, a German photographer who gives names and personalities to all of his plants. However, I think the seemingly trivial nature of this article is something that can be learned from. In the news now a days the majority of the headlines are of tragedies or other dismal current events. In a way, I found it refreshing to learn about how "Anna, a heartleaf philodendron" "can already read" and how she deals with her own slowly evolving life. For Busch, these plants are a way for him to care for living beings, and appreciate them in all of their beauty. His methods of photographing and caring for his numerous plants may not be conventional or, to the general public even "matter" but I believe it is about the personal value of his own journey, not what the rest of the world views it as. Not only did I appreciate Busch's obvious skill in the art of photography, but also his dedication to something he truly loves and is passionate about. His obvious devotion and pure enjoyment is why this matters.
I never really cared for the debate of decriminalizing marijuana. Before I ever investigated the arguments, my only knowledge of the subject was that marijuana should be avoided always, but I hardly knew anything to respond. When people would ask me of my opinion, I would always say, “it should be banned because it’s bad”. I repeated this statement so much it became habit and would ignite heated arguments which I had no intention of participating in.
On June 20, of 2018, I stumbled upon an article by Editorial Board discussing the inefficiency of New York’s method of decriminalization. This article caught my attention simply because my knowledge of the controversy was still primitive, and I still thought that “it should be banned because it’s bad”. I felt curious as to what arguments the opinion presented, for I could see no benefits of decriminalizing a bad substance. This lead to my research of the topic just to see what all the fuss is about. I watched videos of opinions from different sides and read articles regarding a variety of opinions.
In the two days I used to research about marijuana, one thing became incredibly clear: I wasn’t the only one who used primitive knowledge to answer the marijuana question.
There were so many people who believed that they owned established opinions on the topic of marijuana that the suggestion of open-mindedness was alien. Buy NYT understands the importance of supported arguments in their article, and caused me to rethink my ideology.
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I’ll admit it: I’m not as knowledgeable as I should be on world politics, especially with so much going on in the US. That’s why, when I clicked on “López Obrador, an Atypical Leftist, Wins Mexico Presidency in Landslide” by Azam Ahmed and Paulina Villegas, I had no idea who he was or the significance of this vote .
I find it interesting how Obrador is simultaneously similar to leftist reformists who have risen in reaction to Trump and to the US president himself. For example, the centrist PRI hasn't done much to eliminate the poverty facing Mexico. Thus, the Mexican people are turning to new leadership. Similarly, the continued panic caused by President Trump has led many Americans to elect socialist leaders such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who hope to help the poor in the US. However, Obrador and Trump are both unpredictable, suspicious of the press, dismissive of critics, and were vague on their policies during their campaigns.
I’m not sure what to expect from the president elect. On one hand, I agree with increasing pensions for the elderly, educational grants for youth and additional support for farmers. It's also heartwarming that he promised to reduce his own salary while raising those of the lowest paid government workers. On the other hand, rapid changes could scare away foreign investors or raise the national debt, which would cause more harm than good, and he isn't the most democratic choice. Nevertheless, I hope Obrador will be the change Mexico needs
"5 People Dead in Shooting at Maryland’s Capital Gazette Newsroom" By Sabrina Tavernise, Amy Harmon and Maya Salam
Another shooting? I wasn't exactly surprised when I first saw this article that was written by Sabrina Tavernise, Amy Harmon, and Maya Salam. I am so disgusted to see these types of articles so frequently. Almost weekly, there is always something so brutal and lethal that occurs in the U.S. The suspect of a newsroom shooting, Jarrod W. Ramos, had "conflicts" with the Capital Gazette, which I find extremely ridiculous. There is no excuse to be murdering five of your coworkers, due to the fact that there were some issues or arguing. In today's society, there are so many people who can be so sensitive and ignorant towards other people. There is no reason for Ramos' coworkers to be afraid and send the message saying, "please help us". It is so unfair for these people to be so terrified and scared for when they go to work. This article was also quite a shock to see the shooting did not occur at a school but a newsroom, someone's workplace. The last shooting that occurred in a newsroom occurred way back in the 1700s. Not only did he kill five of Ramos' coworkers, but he also disrespected the authorities that were working on his case and asking him questions. Fortunately, Ramos did not have enough bullets to hurt the police that were coming to find him. In today's day and age, people are so scared to even walk outside of their house, and it should not be this way.
The article that interested me most this week was "Global Warming in South Asia: 800 Million at Risk."
The issue of global warming is something I'm very concerned about. I don't know much about it, but what I do know about its dangers make me worried for the future of the earth. Recently, I've been thinking about whether at some point we'll reach a tipping point and the course of climate change will become irreversible. And it bothers me because I feel like there's no way I can help. I've also heard that the excessive amounts of pollution contributing to global warming can be largely blamed on corporations that seek to maximize profit rather than the wellbeing of the planet. Therefore, along with the contents of this article detailing the estimated decrease in living conditions (such as in productivity and public health) in countries already considered third world countries, it makes me frustrated, and again, feeling helpless.
This week, the article "NASA Again Delays Launch of Troubled Webb Telescope; Cost Estimate Rises to $9.7 Billion" caught my eye. As an aspiring aerospace engineer, reading about this huge loss to NASA shows the seriousness of the industry. As the article mentions, when it comes to space, no mistakes can be made. But a three year loss of time and $1 billion still needed for the project are both big numbers. All companies have losses, but when all eyes are on you to get this telescope into the air, and you have to tell everyone that it's going to take 3 more years, who do you blame? The CEO? The engineers who designed the telescope? Or the ones who built it? Quality control? Or all of the above. Not to mention, this is the follow up to the Hubble, so the Webb had some big shoes to fill, and it's already off to a rocky start. The things that this new telescope is capable of (or should be in 3 years) will be amazing, like capturing infrared colors in pictures that will be sent back to the space station. When the day comes that the Webb makes it to space, it will be a big day in the world of space exploration.
This week I wanted to write about the article about the Belgium- Japan soccer game.It was a great world cup game between Belgium and Japan with goals at both ends and the biggest comeback so far in this world cup.I found it a heartbreaking loss for Japan becuase of their good start to the world cup.This is a great time for Belgium but also a questionng one. If they struggled so much to be an easy team as japan how does this affect their chances of beating Brazil?
When I was scrolling through articles trying to find one that would interest me I found "The Ruligans' in Russia Courtesy of Iceland". This article talks about the unique way that the Iceland soccer team came about from having little interested fans to a fan base that can cheer as loud as any other major soccer team. The reason this caught my interest was because of the World Cup being played now and I was wondering how such a small nation such as Iceland can even make the World Cup. I was also want to read an find out more about a country I knew little about.
https://www.nytimes.com/video/movies/100000005967143/jurassic-world-fall...
This week I found this article (video) to be interesting. I had recently watched 'Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom' and the title caught my eye. The director narrates through the scene shown in the video, explaining what is going on and how the scene was put together. I got to learn on how a brilliant movie was put together and made. The director even gave some fun facts about the scene and that is wasn't originally in the script.Most of what was going on in the scene was improvisation, which really amazes me. Overall, I learned a lot about "movie magic".
When astronomers found dark energy that could possibly help us understand the world better, as it is the foundation of theories in physics and astronomy, they decided to create the Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST). For years, NASA worked to develop and build this telescope which would allow scientists to look beyond other planets and stars to investigate supernovae and dark matter. Not only will researching dark energy help with theories that scientists have created in the past and present, but it could also help science in the future as we explore what dark energy could possibly do to further benefit us. The article Astronomers’ Dark Energy Hopes Fade to Gray brings to light the possible exploration of dark energy in our solar system, and many others, through the creation of the WFIRST. I had never really learned about dark energy before, but after reading this article, I have learned so much, specifically about how powerful dark energy is. I feel that the President should fund the project because it could help us learn many more things about our universe, and it could possibly even help us in the future.
"Are G.M.O. Foods Safe?"
Good question. As far as scientists know, the answer is yes. People have been protesting the use of genetic modification in food since scientists found out how to do it right. For some reason, the idea of taking specialized genes from animals or other plants to make crops more resilient is scarier than using radiation to randomly mutate genes or using selective breeding to pass on desirable traits. Now, that's not to say that there should be no accountability in genetic modification. The 2016 law that made it necessary for products with GMOs to say, "produced with genetic engineering," is, in my opinion, a good one. Like the article said, people should know what they're buying. However, people should also be educated on what that means, because so far, there have been no health issues that have risen from people eating genetically modified foods. I can't blame people for their hostility towards GMOs when there hasn't been much conversation on their health effects. However, that conversation is one that should be started, because GMOs have the potential to help us in the future, as they have done for much of our past.
This week I wanted to write something about technology. Amazon Continues Its Quest for World Domination caught my eye. I found it interesting how much influence and involvement Amazon has in our lives. The crazy part I just learned was they are trying to get even more involved in people lives. Offering deals in supermarkets like Whole Foods. Whole Foods will offer 10% on certain ideas, the catch is that you have to have Amazon prime. Amazon is trying to increase their members in amazon prime, and they are very smart in doing so. Amazon is "riding on the success of Amazon Prime", and having this in Whole Foods helps even more. It's just fascinating how smart their strategy is, giving what the people need and being good at it. Now Amazon only problem is expanding there delivery services. They started Amazon Flex to help the situation. Paying $18 to $25 an hour, to people who are willing to deliver packages from their own cars. Amazon goal with this is to "do a better job at delivering packages than services like FedEx, United parcel Services or the United States Postal Service". If they complete this goal, Amazon will definitely be more in our lives on a daily bases. Amazon is a very smart company getting ahead in the competition, solving their own problems, and becoming more of a common use. It's very intriguing reading stuff like this, and seeing how business succeed. That’s why I find this article very interesting.
"When Neither Male Nor Female Seems To Fit"
With a title like that, how could I resist reading this article? I'm non binary, and it can be very hard to find accurate and meaningful stories about what that really means, but I have to say, this article got it spot on. I've been out for two years, since I was in 8th grade, so obviously my experience has been different than that of the author. If you adjust for age, though, and the fact that I don't have a partner, the emotions are the same. I know what it's like to buy my first binder, I know what it's like to go to the barber and walk away with a man's haircut, and I know what it's like to come out to the people I love. I know that it's hard, and I know that it's rewarding. See, most people take it for granted that the world will know who they are. When a cis man is buying groceries, there is almost no chance that the cashier will have an argument with him about his right to be called a man. Trans people, and especially non binary people, don't have that privilege. I have gotten into countless arguments over whether or not my pronouns even EXIST, which not an easy thing to deal with. But every time I come out to a friend who accepts me, it makes things a little easier. When I change my body so it fits my gender a little better, that helps too. It's not a perfect solution, the same way a chest binder is not the same as top surgery. But eventually, it will be enough.
Article or Video on What immigration is like at Age 14
I found this article to be interesting because the way he described the place to me stood out. The young man did nothing wrong but want a better life and for that he was thrown into a detention center when he was 14 years of age. The fact that you couldn't tell if it was day or night means something needs to change. The united states should be better we should stand for something better than what we been doing.
"9 Wounded as Man Stabbed Children at a 3-Year-Old’s Birthday Party, Police Say."
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/01/us/mass-stabbing-boise-idaho.html
When I first saw the title of the article, I was in shock. It was about how a man named Timmy Earl Kimmy stabbed 6 children and 3 adults in an act of a hate crime. Personally, this disgusts me. How much hate does a human being have to attack people, let alone children? It's attrocious that people don't respect each other for their culture or any differences. People nowadays are either overly sensitive, or insensitive. They get frustrated over things they don't agree with. Instead of just accepting that you can't force change onto random people, this man decided that violence was the only answer. I get that "actions speak louder than words," but if what people believe in or what they're doing isn't bothering anyone, then leave them alone! This article reminds me of what's wrong with the world. People are trying to live in peace, but there is going to be people who are self-righteous to the point where they would want to justify murder. I'm not sure whether the victims are dead or alive, but I hope they managed to live through something no moral human being should suffer through.
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"How Many Teenage Girls Deliberately Harm Themselves? "
Almost 1 in every 4 girls deliberately harm themselves. Most of the girls who self-harm come from places that are more developed. Girls are self-harming twice as much as boys and were more likely part of the L.G.B.T. community. Delaware reported the lowest rates of self-harming while the highest rates for boys were found in Nevada (14.8 percent) and girls in Idaho (30.8 percent). This article really caught my attention because I used to self-harm. Reading this article made me glad that I wasn't alone, but it also made me sad because so many others self-harm. This article showed me that our society is terrible, there shouldn't so many teenagers self-harming. I think that as part of the next generation, we could all work together and make society a better place where you don't feel judged.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/22/dining/popcorn-recipes.html
"The Secret to Perfect Popcorn Is Already in Your Cupboard"
As I was scrolling through my options of articles to read, this one about "perfect popcorn" caught my eye. The author, Melissa Clark, wrote about how she thought her own popcorn was amazing until she found someone else's recipe. The "secret" is an abundance of oil. Clark claims that apparently using too much oil is a good thing- the more oil the better. Oil makes the kernels crispy but not soggy. Although the type of oil doesn't matter, the amount does.
Personally, I love popcorn. The snack can be healthy while satisfying cravings at the same time. Even though I should, I never make popcorn from scratch at home. I always use the bag since it's more convenient and takes less time. Whenever I try to make it from scratch, it always turns out tasting stale. Thankfully, I stumbled upon this article so maybe after reading this, I will be a better popcorn chef.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/01/world/americas/mexico-election-andres...
"López Obrador, an Atypical Leftist, Wins Mexico Presidency in Landslide"
I found the article about the recently elected president of Mexico, Mr. Obrador, the most interesting. Having an election without any suspected foul play for a politician that the people wanted in office is a huge step in becoming a large nation with global influence. Not that Mexico isn't that already but with the Cartels' influence and power, and the corruption in the government, the people didn't have much of a say in anything in the past. Hopefully with a new President, the Cartels will become a thing of the past. However a lot of politicians love to say that they are going to clean out all the corruption in their government. Even Vladimir Putin loves to express his negative feelings towards the corrupt people in his government. Trump used it as one of his early promises to clear out the swamp of Washington and such. Plenty of people think that that is still happening but I have only heard foreign politics when discussing or reporting on Trump.
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I agree fully with what you say. I feel we can expect President Obrador either to come under the influence of the Cartels, or just wind up dead in an alley somewhere. Though I really hope he can do something about the corruption, I honestly doubt it. It could be even worse if he of all people fell under the influence of the Cartels though, with him being on the left and a proponent for larger, more sweeping government reforms and agencies, it could get really bad if the government gets "big" and corrupt.
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"Spain's Migrant Wave Grows, Even as Europe's Subsides"
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/30/world/europe/spain-migrants-morocco.h...
How well is Europe confronting the growing migration crisis? According to the article, Spain is in the spotlight of accepting many unauthorized migrants apart from many other European countries. These migrants are mostly from Morocco, Spain's close neighboring country, who are risking their lives to cross the water in hopes of seeking for better lives. As an assumption by the Spanish government, Morocco "sees migration as an ingredient in its negotiations with Europe." As a matter of fact, does Spain really know what they are doing? In my opinions, this expanding issue on migration crisis seems to be based on morality. In other words, is it acceptable to reject those who are seeking for a chance to have a better life? In fact, most of these migrants are seeking the opportunity, in places like many European nations, where they are able to accomplish their wishes far easier than their origins. For this reason, I believe that the Spanish government is doing a great job accepting those migrants and with increasing number of refugees, it is necessary that the Spanish government take stronger actions, ultimately being the model for the rest of the world.
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"Proposal to Limit High-Tech Swimsuits Moves Forward Without a Vote"
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/13/sports/swimming-tech-suits-ban-.html
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As hard as I try to look away from them, swimming articles always catch my eye. This one resonated with me in particular because I myself used to wear high-tech swimsuits at that age.
Before I hurt my shoulder and became what I am today, I used to be decently fast- rising to top 20 in the country for breaststroke. Did tech suits contribute to that? The rational side of me says no, it was mostly the effort I poured into the sport, but my heart and emotions tell me yes. I remember it just feeling good when I walked onto the deck wearing a suit that squeezed me to death. I saw Olympians break records in suits, so they HAD to work. Despite the claims the articles make about new studies proving otherwise, I felt the suit working in the water. I felt faster- although that may have been my mind playing tricks on me.
The decision to ban tech-suits will be a very controversial one, as many kids have grown accustomed to wearing kneeskins at meets. I've grown used to seeing small little kids walk around with tiny kneeskins on, junior-sized top-of the line goggles hung under their suit straps.
However, the ban will be a relief to parents economically, as they won't have to listen to the whining of a child who wants a new suit. But... slower tech suits like fast-skins are a staple of 10&under competition. What will happen to them?
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/22/arts/music/new-york-philharmonic-very...
This week in the Times the article that caught my eye was one about two young composers both just eleven years old. After listening to the musical works that these two young African American women composed I was in shock that two kids not even in middle school yet had such a broad understanding of music and not just of how to play music but how to write it and transpose it and write it into different keys. The two pieces both show a wide variety of musical knowledge that many musicians even after years and years of playing can’t even understand and master. Most high schoolers in my band don’t even know where to begin in composing and even then, students taking music theory as Juniors and Seniors in high school only have a simple concept of composing. The understanding these girls have of music at such an early age amazes me, their pieces being deemed worthy enough for the philharmonic to perform is a huge honor and shows their talent. Additionally, being women in a male dominated field so early is so powerful that even at just eleven years old they can hold their own and speak their mind to an orchestra full of adults. As society we don’t just need more female leaders like these two young girls in the music industry, but we need them to be leaders in their community.
"As Search for Thai Boys Lost in Cave Hits Day 5, a Nation Holds Its Breath"
In a time when the nation is extremely divided, it was uplifting to read the article "As Search for Thai Boys Lost in Cave Hits Day 5, a Nation Holds Its Breath" that showed a country coming together to help local boys who had gotten stuck in a cave. The article displayed the goodness in human kind that in hard times individuals are able to come together to fight for the lives of these young boys. Individuals were able to put aside their different beliefs and unite to look for and discover where these boys could be. Citizens from all over Thailand traveled to this sight to do whatever they could to supply a chance of survival to these lost boys. Individuals were sacrificing a chicken in hopes of an exchange for the boys. Also agricultural workers have attempted to drain the water for the cave in hopes of discovering were the boys are. "As Search for Thai Boys Lost in Cave Hits Day 5, a Nation Holds Its Breath" displays that even though our world might be constantly fighting and struggling with our differences, when tragic events occur the kindness of human kind is illuminated through the actions of many individuals. People are able to put aside their differences to help a group in need. Individuals are able to exchange their anger for hope. People are able to hope for the solving of an issue and hope for the safe return of the soccer team.
"The Secret to Perfect Popcorn Is Already in Your Cupboard"
When we look at the world we live in today, it can be hard to believe that there is anything to read in the paper that doesn't consist of terrorists, the president, or just annoying politics for that matter. When all of the headlines have to do with these topics, it can make reading the newspaper discouraging for teens because what teen wants to read all about depressing stuff? (I know I don't!) But when I see fun articles like this one it makes me want to come back for more. Jessica Koslow's recipe for popcorn uses an unusually large amount of oil in order to give the popcorn an extra-crunchy exterior which she calls a “potato chip sturdiness.” Koslow also recommends using dry seasonings so that the delicious popcorn you have just made doesn't become wilted. I love this article, and food articles in general because a good meal, snack, or dessert is one thing that can always cheer someone up and this unusual take on popcorn is sure to do the trick!
Article
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/15/science/yanny-laurel.html
I think it's really cool how some people hear yanny and how some people hear laurel. It is really crazy how people are making this a big deal. I personally hear yanny because I don't hear the people say laurel at all. I remember when this audio clip came out everyone went crazy. There was lots of arguments and videos about it too. Yanny and Laurel was the top trendy thing on Instagram.
This week i read about one of the topics that has caught the attention of many concerned citizens, "Trump Calls for Depriving Immigrants who Illegally Cross Border of Due Process Rights," by Katie Rogers and Sheryl Gay Stolberg. This topic has been going on since Trump was running for President, he assured the viewers that there will be no more immigrants, and now that he is President he has complied with what he stated. But now he's separating children from their family, these children are innocent and don't know whats happening , its not their fault and can't prevent it, their parents just wanted a better life for them. There have been more than 2,300 children who have been separated from their families, stated Katie and Sheryl. This is making america look bad and our president, even though president Trump signed an order which will prevent from families being separated he stated that he regrets it. Children shouldn't be going through this pain and Trump shouldn't be sending back families.
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"How Saying #MeToo Changed Their Lives"
This article is something I have been interested in for a while. Ever since the allegations were first announced, I've been following the stories. To see so many women standing strong for their justice is empowering and inspiring. Reading the words of these women is, I think, extremely beneficial to those of all backgrounds, especially adolescents. I find this true because many out there don't know full stories or are unaware of the emotional repercussions that come with sexual assault. Being a teenager in todays' day and age, people spread rumors and are always sharing their point of view. People around my school make jokes about sexual assault and rape. I find this disturbing, appalling, and basically inhuman. But before blaming these individuals, I think to myself that they need to be made aware. This is something I think schools and media struggle with: finding ways to inform kids about the importance and magnitude of this issue in a way that is not only impactful, but engaging. That is why I appreciated this article so greatly, because I want stories like this to not only be heard, but also discussed thoughtfully.
The article titled "Meet the 11 Year Old Girls Whose Music Wowed the Phillarmonic" caught my eye this week. I have had a personal connection to music from a young age and it was something I always learned quickly and was skilled at. I think it's really something extradorinary for such young girls to have such a large and phenominal talent. '“People ask whether I’ve found the next little Mozart, and I say yes, I’ve found dozens of them,” he said. “They’re all over the place. We just need to listen to them.”' (par. 7) Says Jon Deak. I believe that is such an interesting but truthful view on the next generation. There's so many little Mozarts, Picassos, Bourdains, Einsteins, Jobs, Obamas, Currys, etc. all over the place. We just need to be patient and listen, taste, watch , try, or whatever we need to do, and we might discover something extradorinary. I mean how amazing would it be to raise the child that discovers the cure for altzimer's or paints a masterpiece that's indescirable. This article really represents what children are capable of and why we should just stop and listen.
"Meet the 11-Year-Old Girls Whose Music Wowed the Philharmonic"
Many kids throughout today's society never get enough recognition for what amazing talents they possess. Adults often look at kid's dreams and label them as being 'impossible' or 'unrealistic.' As a result, kids are learning more about how easy it is to give up on their dreams, rather than learning how to become persistent when it comes to something that he or she deeply wants. The article, "Meet the 11-Year-Old Girls Whose Music Wowed the Philharmonic," by Joshua Barone, had interested me this week, as it helped prove that success has no age limit. Jordan and Camryn helped to prove that even as a kid, you can accomplish great things as long as you put in the work and effort. These two girls had persistently worked on composing their very own pieces of music, leading to the amazing opportunity of having their pieces being played at the Philharmonic Orchestra in New York City--a dream that many adult composers wish to accomplish. As cheesy as it sounds, their story can not only inspire individuals with similar interests, but it can inspire all people across the country to never give up on their dreams. If someone really wants to accomplish something great in their lifetime, they must work up enough courage to go out into the world and do so. Working to accomplish a dream is definitely not an easy task, however, as shown by Jordan and Camryn, with some perseverance, any dream is capable of being achieved.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/01/world/americas/mexico-election-andres...
This Article, "Leftist Firebrand Is Elected to Lead Mexico,
in a Landslide" grabbed my attention due to the connection it has to me. With my parents growing up in India and me, myself visiting India 2 months annually, corruption has been a forefront on my mind. Once I read the article I realize the way he decides to address the issue is with the society themselves thinking about each other. With this in mind, I realized the truth of the words he expressed, while systemically corruption can we smoked out, it's up to the society itself to find an issue. Though the biggest take away is the effect it can have in everyday life, we ourselves have the power to fix the corruption, in our lives and in the government, and this is something that is commonly forgotten. We wait for the government to make a change, though the only way for the change in the government is to be the person to make the change, much like Manuel Lopez did.
The article “Istanbul LGBT Pride March Will Go Ahead Despite Ban: Organizers” by Reuters was the article that interested me most in the New York Times this week. Being homosexual is not considered a crime in Turkey; however, there is still widespread hatred towards the LGBT population. Due to this hatred, pride marches have been banned in Istanbul for the past three years and last Thursday, the screening of the LGBT comedy-drama “Pride” was banned for public safety reasons. Despite the ban on the march, organizers have decided to continue to hold their “‘prideful march with the same ambitions as before’” (par. 4). They have organized their march to combat against the discrimination they face from the government, and that the ban was “discriminatory and illegitimate” (par. 2). This interested me because in many cities across the United States, pride celebrations have been happening over the past month, and all have occurred without the government interfering, but in Istanbul and many other countries, being a part of the LGBT community is a crime and pride celebrations are an act against the government. Personally, I find it strange that something as simple as who you love can cause harassment from the rest of the world, and even your own people.
https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2018/06/29/world/europe/29reuters-turkey...
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The article that interested me most in the New York Times this week is titled “Anatomy of a Scene | ‘Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom”. It is interesting how writers can add in scenes to movies to had comic relief or a new tone to the plot. For this specific scene, it allowed for a thrilling break during a longer section of the movie. It also added in mystery because the reason for the dinosaurs being the cargo boxes was still unknown. By adding this, it could allow for the watcher's attention to be grabbed again if they are losing focus of the movie. It is interesting to learn how different portions of movies were designed for different purposes. I like learning what different parts of the movie was designed to mean because different people might interpret it differently. I like when writers add in pieces in movies that are unexpected. This always catches my attention and really makes me think about what I am watching. Being able to identity different themes, symbols, and metaphors can help with understanding the purpose the writer had. It is fascinating how there is almost an equation for writing, you have to add in different pieces to make the entire storyline. [email protected]
The article that interested me most in the New York Times this week is titled “How Spiders Use Silk to Fly”. The crab spider uses its own silk to fly. The spider must sample the airflow before it spins the silk. to make sure the conditions are right. The rights conditions are mild air flow. The crab spider uses spinnerets to spin its silk. To fly, the spider has to launch the silk skyward to catch the air. The silk that they spin can be up to six feet long, but it is thousands of times thinner than a hair. It is incredibly fascinating how the crab spider can fly miles with the help of its own body. These spiders can even use this spinning technique to fly over miles of ocean. However, it isn't just the breeze that holds these spiders in flight, but it is the stickiness of the air. It is mind boggling how these tiny creatures can use their own bodies to get off the ground, but we, as humans, must use thousands of pounds of metal to achieve the same effect these spiders feel in seconds. This makes me wonder what other kinds of secrets are hidden in the world. [email protected]
Taking control of your narrative is empowering. Hearing someone speak on my behalf in regard to being a female, my mental health, or even being a teenager can be irritating. Despite these frustrations, I have to completely own and recognize the privileges that I have. I’m white, stereo-typically “look straight”, and live in a wealthy area. These aspects of my life don’t invalidate my struggles, but call me to recognize the opportunities that I’m granted with that others may not be.
Upon reading the title “How to Be a Hoejabi”, I smiled. Representation. Romaissaa Benzizoune boldly acknowledges the unwanted typecasts placed on Muslim women and the impact it has, while shining light on how many Muslim women are reclaiming the narrative. An article about being “quick to judge [Muslim women’s] lives and [trying] to control them” (Benzizoune) was unsurprisingly met with many negative comments based on readers’ own perceptions of the hijab, which interfered with any willingness to understand another side.
It is scenarios like this that I encourage people to challenge their inner biases, allow themselves to practice empathy and recognize the privileges they may have. I applaud Ms. Benzizoune’s willingness to share her experience while actively knowing the criticism that would come from doing so. I look forward to a time in which we more frequently embrace vulnerability, choose love and strive for understanding.
“How to Be a Hoejabi” by Romaissaa Benzizoune
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After reading the article "How Saying #MeToo Changed Their Lives" I found myself feeling strongly empowered by such strong women. It was amazing to read story after story of all these women who were mistreated. It was interesting to me to see how many of them felt alone and were terrified of the outcome, but stuck with what they knew was right to speak out against these predators. Because of their bravery many of them had similar descriptions of how uplifting and relieving it was to see someone in so much power be taken down. For me the most fascinating story was told by Drew Dixon a 47 year old with a damaged music career. For her the challenge to stand up came from her worry of hurting black men, who still struggle to reach full equality within our country. Because of this, she debated for 22 years whether to speak out or not. This woman's self respect and outright morals inspire me. I hope that her story and others like it found in the article touch upon the lives of women everywhere in the same way it did mine. I think it is important for women of any age to see how important it is to be confident and brave, which is why this article should be read by as many as possible.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/05/theater/the-first-time-andrew-rannell...
The article “The First Time Andrew Rannells: The First Time I Watched the Tony Awards interested me because this year was the first year I was going to watch the Tony Awards. Also, I admire Andrew as an actor and learning more about his personal experience of watching and attending the Tony Awards gave me hope that I can possibly be at his place in the future.
This week I read the article, "At Toys ‘R’ Us, ‘There Is Nothing Left’: The Day It Closed for Good" by Michael Corkery. It centered in on the life of 52-year old Cheryl Claude and her time at Toys "R" Us. She had been working there for 33 years in New Jersey. She even met her husband there! Corkery expressed the grief Claude and all the workers felt at as they packed up for their last days being Toys "R" Us employees. This article especially stood out to me because I could really connect with Claude. I was heartbroken when I found out this news. Toys "R" Us has been around for many years. Before the age of technology, My dad would use to go to Toys"R" Us and get all the toys on my list for Christmas. Over the years, parents have forgotten about Toys "R" Us and now shop online. We only remembered Toys "R" Us when it is closing. Toys "R" Us' closing showed me that technology has taken over the childhood's of today's kids.
In todays New York Times I read an article called "Tesla Achieves a Key Weekly Goal for Producing Its Model 3". This article informed me that Tesla is finally mass producing a car called the Model 3 because of the fact that they need more money because of the battery plant they created in Nevada. This leads me to believe that Tesla may be spending more than they actually have. Also Tesla is one of the only cars to fully support a battery powered car cause of how hard it is to engineer one. The reason Tesla was able to do so was they created a car where the battery is under the car and the engine is not all that large. All of this is causing me to believe that Tesla is a good company, but they seem to spending more money than they actually have.
The article "9 Wounded as Man Stabbed Children at a 3-Year-Old’s Birthday Party, Police Say" by Melissa Gomez and Sarah Mervosh was interesting to me for a few reasons. The article truly explained how society is deeply flawed. The article states how a man was being removed from his apartment building due to some renting issue. He then took out his anger and other emotions on a children's birthday party, killing five children and wounding nine. The attack was believed to be an act of aggression and not a hate crime. The killer, according to Chief Bones, is "purely evil". Timmy Kinner, the convicted killer, intentionally targeted the children at the birthday party due to the accessibility of the children and the fact that the children were young and would not put up a fight. The witnesses express with great sorrow in their hearts that Timmy Kinner was brutally killing the children with out a sign of remorse or sorrow. The community and apartment complex is being offed counseling to deal with the crime that so horribly unfolded that day. This situation is no longer a personal injustice, but has indeed morphed into a social problem. The families involved and the community members that witnessed the murders have to learn how to cope and feel safe in their homes again.
One article that caught my eye as I was clicking my way through the New York Times was "How to Clean Your Filthy, Disgusting Laptop". Now being a person who absolutely loves cleanliness and utterly despises those nasty oil stains on keyboards, I found this article very helpful. It showed me how to strategically wage a cleaning war on my beloved laptop so I could cleanse it from that unbecoming dust and grease. Little did I know that dust could actually accumulate inside a computer and cause it to overheat, which is a problem I'm having with my laptop. Thanks to this article, I now have a probable cause as to why my laptop overheats. Another thing which this article really helped me with is how to clean the screen. I've wondered if it was safe to use water in small quantity, and this article affirmed that you can use water and even isopropyl alcohol to clean my laptop screen. Thank you, article!
With the World Cup craze having arrived to nearly every corner of the world, many of the players have been scrutinized so as to provide viewers and fanatics with information on some of their favorite players. Recently, an old interview with soccer star, Neymar, has resurfaced. In this interview, Neymar was asked the question if he had ever faced racism throughout his career and he basically responded saying no because he is not black.This response caused many to wonder what exactly the Brazilians identify themselves as. As a country that has such a rich racial and cultural diversity, it is easy to see why so many people struggle to identify as either just black or Latino. I found this discussion very interesting because I asked myself the same question after watching Brazil play Mexico in the World Cup. Although Brazil is located in South America, I had no idea if I should be calling them Latino because they don't speak Spanish, and many of them are of Portuguese decent. I think that after reading this article and hearing that a survey showed that 47% of the Brazilian population identified as mixed race, I believe the best answer to the question of what race Brazilians are is that they are a mixed race and can be identified as Latino and Black at the same time.
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https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/17/business/video-game-addiction.html
In today’s advanced technological society, video games are increasingly popular. Just about anyone you talk to would know what Fortnite is and probably plays, too. Video game addictions are becoming more and more prevalent. Players’ mental health is suffering, personal relationships are strained, and their quality of life is decreased overall. Parents of children with gaming addiction have become stressed out and disappointed, looking for treatment for their children who can rarely disconnect from their headsets and devices. As a result, mental health professionals have heard parents’ calls. “Gaming disorder” is becoming an official disease for the World Health Organization. While many are opposed to this change, specifically video game companies, it may be a necessary step to help those who are constantly gaming.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/25/smarter-living/ever-felt-jealous-of-a...
This article, "Ever Felt Jealous of a Friend’s Achievement? Here’s How to Get Around It" by Tim Herrera grabbed my attention because I was able to relate to the title, and I really wanted to know how to not be jealous. In addition, I was curious to know more about why I have felt jealous of my friends and people close to me. I believe that jealousy is an important emotion because everyone has felt it, and it has many positive and negative effects that come with it. Jealousy can sometimes be beneficial because it can motivate people to strive to be better, but it can also ruin relationships. It turns out that the reason for our jealousy is because our brains are set up to be that way. Although our brains might be designed to be jealous in certain situations, like in the case of a friend's accomplishments, I was relieved to know there are ways to avoid it. I learned that the best way to not be jealous is to stop comparing myself to others especially to my friends.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/22/arts/music/new-york-philharmonic-very... "Meet the 11-Year-Old Girls Whose Music Wowed the Philharmonic"
Last week, the New York Philharmonic performed musical works by two 11-year-old girls, Camryn Cowan and Jordan Millar. Camryn and Jordan recently joined their school orchestra, and just after a short time practicing, tens of thousands of people have heard their sensational music. These girls have grown through their music, such as when they maturely and confidently gave their opinions on serious topics to the press, such as writer's block and gender disparity in the field of classical music.
This uplifting article interested me most in the New York Times this week because it showed me that young children have the potential to be amazing at something if they are dedicated, work hard, and put their mind to it. Camryn and Jordan have become leaders who have gained the strength from their journey to confidently defend and have pride in their work. They have also used their leadership skills to inspire change. They showed that despite the struggles and prejudice in this country, female people of color could make a place for themselves in a challenging field. They proved to everyone that persistence, integrity, optimism, and passion will lead you down the path to success, no matter your age, race, or gender. I hope to continue to spread this inspiration for change and encourage others to pursue their dreams.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/22/arts/music/new-york-philharmonic-very...
"Meet the 11-Year-Old Girls Whose Music Wowed the Philharmonic"
Last week, the New York Philharmonic performed musical works by two 11-year-old girls, Camryn Cowan and Jordan Millar. Camryn and Jordan recently joined their school orchestra, and just after a short time practicing, tens of thousands of people have heard their sensational music. These girls have grown through their music, such as when they maturely and confidently gave their opinions on serious topics to the press, such as writer's block and gender disparity in the field of classical music.
This uplifting article interested me most in the New York Times this week because it showed me that young children have the potential to be amazing at something if they are dedicated, work hard, and put their mind to it. Camryn and Jordan have become leaders who have gained the strength from their journey to confidently defend and have pride in their work. They have also used their leadership skills to inspire change. They showed that despite the struggles and prejudice in this country, female people of color could make a place for themselves in a challenging field. They proved to everyone that persistence, integrity, optimism, and passion will lead you down the path to success, no matter your age, race, or gender. I hope to continue to spread this inspiration for change and encourage others to pursue their dreams.
Review: Emergency Rooms Run Out of Vital Drugs, and Patients are Feeling it
The article illustrates an important problem that is not receiving its deserved amount of press. When someone walks into the hospital as they are suffering from any number of illnesses or injuries, they expect that the hospitals can help them. Unfortunately, the shortage of painkillers, like morphine, and cardiac medications like diltiazem, mean that these patients may not be able to be helped efficiently or effectively. Pfizer, one of the leading drug manufacturers in the US, is not projected to reach their prior drug quotas until 2019, meaning that more patients will continue to suffer. While the article states that the numbers "do not look so bad", the reality that someone who needs a painkiller or a medication to slow a dangerously fast heartbeat may not have access is critical and a testament to the changes that need to be made in the drug manufacturing industry. This article spoke to me especially because as an EMT, I see patients in need of morphine or fentanyl after serious injuries all the time. In these circumstances we prioritize getting patients quickly to hospitals, where they have more resources and more drugs to lessen or relieve their pain. However, this reality may be changing as the drug shortages continue in the rest of 2018.
I watched the video of the shooting of the 5 people being shot dead. Of all shootings happening throughout time. It is absurd that shootings still are being led. Another shooting in Maryland in a newspaper office had accord. There has been many shootings recent around. It is crazy because no one ever knows what will happen. Families that are destroyed by their family members being gone never knowing that it was the last day they see their family. I chose to watch this video because it got to my attention. Another 5 innocent people dead.
5 People Dead in Shooting at Maryland’s Capital Gazette Newsroom by Sabrina Tavernise, Amy Harmon and Maya Salam is a sad story highlighting a frequent problem in America, mass shootings. According to the Gun Violence Archive there has been 157 mass shootings in America from Jan 1, 2018 to Jul 2, 2018. To put in perspective 182 days have passed and in those 182 days there has been 157 shootings. Although this case was special, a case directed right at the media because this particular man didn’t agree with what he heard. The article may shed light on just how tragic each of these shootings are for the one effected, but it also shows just how strong newspapers and media companies are. When asked if the newspaper was going to publish a paper the next day, the reporter in question answered with a “Hell yes,” showing that newspapers like these are not easily phased by things like this. I think we, as a nation, should take this as an opportunity for change and show strength in hard times like these.
While scrolling through many of the New York Times incredible and jaw-dropping stories, one definitely caught my eye. I thought that, while very interesting to me, the article titled "9 Wounded as Man Stabbed Children at a 3-Year-Old’s Birthday Party, Police Say" would most certainly catch most of the attention on the site, or on the paper. Undoubtedly, our country is going through some rough times, and it doesn't appear to want stop in the near future. As I read about how the 30-year-old man, identified later as Timmy Earl Kinner walked into what was his previous abode, an apartment complex in Boise, Idaho and, at around 8:45 p.m on June 30th, walked back into the complex from which he was previously removed from and began to stab children, ranging from the ages of 3 to 12, including three adults, who were stabbed in the process of intervening, I couldn't help but slowly continue to read the engrossing article. As our country seems to continue to suffer from the actions of others, from police brutality to racial violence to school shootings, it almost feels like our country isn't trying to be made great again. Once again, the reason this article interested me so much, both emotionally and mentally, was how people could be so cruel, so violent, so uncompassionate to each other and to those around them that they would stab defenseless children at a birthday party to quench their thirst for vengeance against those who took away their home. Such actions are unbelievable.
"What Kept Me From Killing Myself" Depression sucks. A lot of people especially teens deal with this problem. As a student I know how students deal with depression. Some kids use drugs just so that they can "escape their problems." Honestly, I've tried to do this to myself when my grandmother died and everything started to fall apart. I was mad at the world and I was just mad at everything. It came to a point where I was very depressed because everything seemed so unfair. This article made me realize that something can save you from being depressed. Just like how books saved the author, me focusing on my goals in life and what I wanted to do for my grandmother saved me. Everything that I did and everything that I do is for her. Being depressed doesn't mean that it's the end of the world. Yes, it's a hard phase in life. Bu you can escape from it. It takes a long time especially to heal. I believe that time can also heal. It's okay if it takes a while to heal but in the end it's all worth it. I honestly think that I wouldn't be the same as Kevin. Just like how books saved him, I don't think I can do that. It's hard to focus if you're going through something. Just like at school, sometimes it's hard to focus if you're thinking about a lot of things. To this day I still get depressed from time to time, sometimes I just cry it out and after that I take walks and I start to think that everything happens for a reason and God doesn't give you anything you can't handle.
https://mobile.nytimes.com/2018/06/28/us/capital-gazette-annapolis-shoot...
The article on the shooting at the capital of Maryland interested me the most because I was looking for answers to my numerous questions. When I graduate I want to go to college and then go to a police academy so news headlines like this one, greatly interest me. I decided to read this article because I wanted my questions answered like “was this a targeted attack?, “ who did this and what was their possible motive?” , and “why?” but I also wanted to know more information. The questions I listed above were the questions I was looking for answers for. I believe that this was a very well written article because it answered my questions and gave me more insight on this topic. I enjoyed reading this article because it was informative and kept me hooked the whole time- there was not one time in the article that I said “is it almost done?” I do believe as if this topic also leads to the very controversial topic of gun violence. If there were stricter gun rules, would this have happened? The article was eye-opening to topics not only on the topic of the article itself but controversial topics like gun violence and the many questions that follow.
The article that interested me the most was "You Can't Hurt Lindsay Lohan Now". It's definitely a unique article that details the life that Lohan is living and how she's evolved from the person she was in the last decade. I had my first exposure to Lohan in "The Parent Trap" and later "Freaky Friday" and I never would have guessed that she followed the path that she did. Tabloids were all about her, detailing one incident after another. I think it's great that she overcame all her problems and left the past in the past to pursue an unexpected venture. She seems to be grounded and successful at running her business deals and I find that admirable. It really shows how people can evolve and change and that should inspire people.
How would you feel if your friends parents told them, before they left to go hangout with you, that they should be careful around you because you’re violent and could get hurt? This is essentially what’s happening between China’s tourists and America. Hong Kong warns its citizens about America’s frequent gun violence accounts. This puts such a bad rep on America, not saying that we don’t have a high rate of gun violence/crimes, but they fact that it has become such a problem that other countries are warning their citizens before they visit the states. Car accidents and gun violence are neck and neck on how many people die annually in the U.S. They tell their people to “avoid going out at night”, although, this is a common truth. On a “Twitter-esc” microblogging service called Sina Weibo one user wrote, “Just a gentle reminder to everyone: the U.S. is not safe.” Put that into perspective of everyday life, you want to hangout with your friend(s) but their parents are skeptical about letting them hangout with you because of your violent ways. No one would like that, but the only way for it to change is if you do.
“ideas pull the trigger, instincts load the gun” another armed gunman arrested. Gun violence needs to stop, the man behind this shooting, killed five innocent people. A news company in Maryland was the latest target in a deadly shooting. The gunman Mr.Ramos age 38 was arrested at the scene, with a background of angry issues towards the news company. i believe that stricter gun laws are needed in this country because as a sixteen yearmold girl, it sukc having to walk the streets in fear, go to the movies in fear, and even having to go to school in fear of being killed at a sanctuary built for learning. It is terrifying because my school had a gun threat during my second semester sophomore year, my mom wouldn't send me to school that day and same with half my school, i believe it is unfair what our world has become in the most recent decade. Most people living in fear, parents worrying if their children will make it home.
The number of times I’ve been told, “You’re not Asian. You’re Indian,” is ridiculous. Apparently I’m not Asian by people’s standards, although India is indeed a country in Asia. The recurrence of this remark in my life suggests that our perception of race is much too exclusive.
In “Is Neymar Black? Brazil and the Painful Relativity of Race” (The New York Times, 6/30/2018) Cleuci de Oliveira argues that Brazil still struggles to accept and combat the racism that instilled its pigmentocracy. The nation’s difficult past of attempting to bleach the black population contradicts the notion of “racial harmony” today. Yet, the top 1% is still overwhelmingly white. The dilemma mixed-race Brazilians find themselves in now is how to identify themselves racially when black and white don’t fit.
I relate to this article because I’ve sat for standardized tests wondering if I should check “Asian” or “Other.” At times, the you’re-not-Asian exchanges made me doubt who I am. I can only imagine how mixed-race kids felt before multiple answers were allowed. As interracial marriages grow in the US, the biracial population is bound to expand. Millions of people will fail to be boxed into a single category or reduced to a single word. We call the US a melting pot, but we have yet to begin truly melting cultures together. And when we do, it will mean thinking about ourselves in new, uncomfortable ways.
So yes, you’re right. I’m Indian. And Asian. And American.
I have no problem with that. Do you?
What interested me this week, or rather, what shocked me this week was the article '5 People Dead in Shooting at Maryland’s Capital Gazette Newsroom' by Sabrina Tavernise, Amy Harmon, and Maya Salam. The authors of this article write that America has become a country numb to mass shootings, and as much as I hate to admit it, this is true. It seems that almost every other week I see news of some shooting on TV or online followed by endless thoughts and prayers, but when will people realize that thoughts and prayers just aren't enough? Jarrod W. Ramos, the man who killed five staff members at the Capital Gazzete had no prior crimes, although he did make his disdain for the Capital Gazzete well known after they wrote a less than flattering article about him. Staff members even went on to say that they were worried that he would go beyond just suing the news organization and eventually resort to violence. Reading this article and learning about the perpetrator made me wonder if Mr. Ramos hadn't lived in a country so abundant of shootings, would he have taken such drastic actions? The part about the article that makes me worry the most is that I know that after a few weeks this travesty will be swept under the rug until another troubled student or disgruntled worker decides to take action into their own hands just like so many others. I truly hope that as a country we can learn to grow past these events and help those who are in need of it.
"The secret to perfect popcorn is already in your cupboard"
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/22/dining/popcorn-recipes.html
The article that caught my attention was "The secret to perfect popcorn is already in your cupboard" by Melissa Clark. This article narrates on the tastiest method of making popcorn. Before reading this article, I thought oil had no role in making popcorn but to my surprise, the way to getting the perfect popcorn is using a whole lot of oil(according to Jessica Koslow). By using more oil, the popcorn's exterior gets a lot crunchier than it usually would and plus the saltiness coats the popcorn. The saltiness and the richness explodes in your mouth and you know for sure that the next time you make popcorn, you're definitely using this recipe again!
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/02/technology/delivering-amazon-india.html
An article that was the most interesting to me this week was "Delivering Amazon Packages to the Top of the World" by Vindu Goel. This article talked about a town, Leh, that's located at an elevation of 11,562 feet, high in the Himalayas. Leh is the highest spot in the world where Amazon does fast deliveries. I find this article interesting, because if amazon does speed delivery to a town that's very high up in the mountains, then the countries that amazon still haven't deliver to yet, might change in the future. The town Leh isn't that noticed now but I believe that it will have more opportunities to grow in the future.
Apple and Samsung End Smartphone Patent Wars
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/27/technology/apple-samsung-smartphone-p...
The article i found interesting in the New York Times this week was about the feud over smartphone patents finally coming to an end. This legal fight has been ongoing for seven years. It started when Apple first sued Samsung in 2011 for copying IPhone designs. What followed was a series of lawsuits and countersuits. Apple first sought to block Samsung smartphones from the market, but it eventually turned into a fight for money. The feud finally ended on Wednesday, with Samsung finally paying off the settlement amount. The amount, however, has not been disclosed by either of the companies.
"The Secret to Perfect Popped Popcorn Is Already in Your Cupboard" is the article that interested me the most this week. Popcorn is such an easy thing to make, so I was curious to find out how it could get better. The article suggests that you add 1/2 cup of oil to 1/3 cup of kernels. It sounds like a lot but afterward, you do not need to add butter to it because whatever you put on it sticks. It also creates a crisper popcorn.
What also made me click on the article is that I was curious if the "perfect popcorn" would just be another family recipe or if it was from a chef that specialized in popcorn. The perfect popcorn is all up to personal preference and opinion, so someone on their blog could post their favorite popcorn recipe, but it is to their taste. Whereas someone who has studied the science of how popcorn pops could explain how to cook it to different tastes.
In other words, add more oil to your popcorn if you like it crispy.
-Emily_GHS
Article: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/28/us/capital-gazette-annapolis-shooting...
The number of mass shooting in the U.S. has been greater and more fatal than ever. In fact, there has been a total of 154 mass shootings in the U.S. in just 2018. From the mass school shooting in Parkland, Florida to the shooting at Maryland’s Capital Gazette Newsroom, yet there is still no change. Five people were killed in the Capital Gazette Newsroom by Jarrod Warren Ramos, who had a long established dispute with and had used a shotgun to carry out the attack. Although, there has been further protection given to the headquarters of the Capital Gazette and other media organization, but will this prevent further mass shootings in the future? When will we be able to see the end to mass shootings and a stronger gun control system? It is very disappointing that people are not able to be at ease when doing what they adore. I send my condolence to the victims.
With an ever higher demand for political correctness in America, the question of what qualifies as protected free speech on college campuses has become even harder to answer. Alina Tugend discusses both sides of this issue in her article, "Colleges Grapple With Where -- or Whether -- to Draw the Line of Free Speech." Her article made me realize that the reason why this question has been so difficult to answer for so long is in part because of the students. Public colleges and universities have an obligation to allow students to express themselves constitutionally to provide quality learning environments for them. However, the students themselves also have an obligation to understand their First Amendment rights. Students must realize that while they do have the right to express themselves, they cannot prevent a speaker from speaking because they disagree with his/her beliefs, especially not with violence. While of course there are certain speakers that may ignite fear in some students, violence, which is a hate crime and therefore not protected by the First Amendment, is still not a method that should be used to remove speakers. The reality is that there are people who believe things contrary to popular belief. However, such people are still entitled to their beliefs as long as they are not hurting anyone. Hopefully, colleges will be able to resolve this issue in a way that will not only uphold the Constitution but will also prepare students for the real world.
This week in The Times, i read an article named "‘Why Do You Hate Us?’ He Asked. ‘Because You’re Mexicans,’ She Replied." The article is about a man and his mother who were doing yard work when a woman had a diatribe against Mexicans and called them rapists, animals, and drug dealers along with invoking President Trump. The name is what originally drew me in to the article, but after I read it, my focus was more on why and how this happened. Why and how is because of racism. I have known for a while that there is still racism everywhere, whether from people who don't want to change their ways or from people who have changed their ways. This article show how much racism can affect people.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/25/us/video-diatribe-mexicans.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/30/business/toys-r-us-closing.html?rref=...
At Toys ‘R’ Us, ‘There Is Nothing Left’: The Day It Closed for Good
The article that I read was “At Toys ‘R’ Us, ‘There Is Nothing Left’: The Day It Closed for Good” about the toy store branch Toys R Us closing. I had no clue that Toys R Us would be closing until I was headed there to pick a toy up for my cousin’s birthday. As soon as I approached the building I saw the signs saying, “Store Closing Soon” and “Up to 70% off”. When I saw the signs I was in shock since I had been coming to Toys R Us since I was a child. I remember Toys R Us always had the best toys and was my go-to store when I got Christmas money. However, I am in loss to say that slowly most stores that specialize in toys will go out of business soon. Due to the fact that online retailers like Amazon, Target, or even through the manufacture themself offer the option to have the toy you want delivered right to your doorstep within a couple days at most a week. In addition, the new generation will not have the option to physically go into a store and play with it before buying it. All in all, it is a big loss that Toys R Us has gone out of business.
The Secret to Perfect Popcorn Is Already in Your Cupboard -https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/22/dining/popcorn-recipes.html
This article caught my eye as I was just getting ready for a cozy movie night, yesterday, and I thought this article would be certainly be perfect for the occasion. Aside from making popcorn for the movie night, I've always loved to experiment with cooking. So, after I tried out the recipe by using ghee and more oil that I've ever used, all the kernels popped and the popcorn is way crunchier. After I added the topping using "dried rosemary, black pepper and nutritional yeast", my movie night couldn't have gone better.
Article:
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/29/arts/dance/ashley-bouder-the-feminist...
This article is about a ballerina, Ashley Bouder, who hopes to make a change in the world of ballet. She hopes that women can be better represented, not only as dancers, but as choreographers, music composers and more. She also hopes for the world of ballet to be more diverse. I find her spirit truly amazing as much courage is needed for someone to voice her opinions in public and work towards it, especially when many individuals refuse to do so for fear of retaliation from others. In my opinion, diversity in the world of ballet, or perhaps dance or even the arts in general, is very important. Diversity helps to promote new ideas, new stories and new experiences. Personally, I love meeting new people and listening to the unique stories they can bring as well. I thus hope that diversity can be promoted and maintained in various fields so everyone can share their amazing ideas with one another while learning and growing as a community.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/01/sports/lebron-james-lakers.html
"LeBron James Heading West in Deal With Lakers"
As a basketball player and a former Cavaliers fan specifically because of LeBron James I was not only stunned by reading this article, I was heartbroken. I have spent my entire life playing basketball and looking up to famous players like LeBron himself. It is no secret that LeBron, and his entire Cavaliers team is a power house in the NBA. They won the championships in 2016 and have been to the championship every year since then. This interested me because LeBron had a good team, and after Kobe Bryant retired he joins the Lakers. This is going to be an extreme shift for the NBA. The Lakers have gained many rookies over the past few years, it is going to be a very interesting experience with the edition of LeBron. This article was so interesting to me because of the fact that I myself am a basketball player and have been my whole life, and I have been a LeBron fan for some time now. When I heard the news I knew this was going to be what interested me the most. My only thought is this; is he still going to be number 23?
https://www.nytimes.com/video/us/100000005973497/26vid-immigration.html
"What Immigration Detention is Like at Age 14". These headlines have become the new norm. America has struggled with immigration laws in the past and has not made improvements. It's ironic to think that a country originally built upon immigrants who persecuted the natives is now separating families who are just striving for the American Dream as well. Instead of deporting families, there should be a way for them to build themselves a better life.
"A Sombrero and a Dream: One Desperate Fan’s World Cup Odyssey"
Whenever I call my grandparents in China, soccer—from UEFA to the World Cup—soon becomes our topic. Currently, we’re focused on the World Cup. As countries challenge each other to be best in the world, teams bond, overcoming club differences and infusing fans with nationality. In his article, Andrew Keh tells about Jose Ramon Diaz, a Mexican college student who worked twelve-hour shifts and lived in a Los Angeles homeless shelter while attempting to amass enough money to travel to the World Cup to watch Mexico play. Earning only enough money for plane fare, Diaz left for Russia not knowing how he’d get a ticket to the games. In Russia, Diaz met passionate fans from all over the world, forging friendships with fans who provided him with housing and affordable tickets. Reading about Diaz reminds me how soccer has enhanced my life by effecting unbreakable bonds with my grandpa and dad. Growing up in communist China when food was limited and scholars persecuted, my grandpa and dad watched and played soccer to escape their adversity. Despite our cultural and generational differences, I share their love for soccer: for me, as for them, soccer is a frustration and stress reliever. Although we support different teams, my grandpa, dad, and I talked often during the World Cup, praising great goals, criticizing bad plays, and advising me how to improve my game. If only my family and I could’ve joined Diaz at the World Cup!
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https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/12/magazine/the-strange-case-of-the-miss...
After reading only the headline of this article, I felt compelled to embark on an hours-long campaign to research a book I have never heard of before. I take joy in reading the synopses of cinematographic and literature-related pieces, whether enigmatic, challenging, disturbing, historically significant or widely acclaimed, and pleasantly surprised to find a book that matched all my points of interest. When I finally returned to the article, armed with the appropriate background knowledge to fully enjoy it, I found that the incredible story of "Ulysses" by James Joyce was rivaled by that of it's fans, the Joyce Scholars.
The story of John Kidd, as told by Jack Hitt, runs as if it came from the famous professor's own mouth. In its entirety the article sounded less than objective, especially in glorifying Kidd and discrediting his rival Joyce Scholar Hans Walter Gabler. However, I felt it did well to redeem John Kidd's image from 'mad eccentric' to ‘passionate genius’. It was important that people knew that the missing Joyce Scholar was not only physically hidden from the public eye, but also from society's understanding. By presenting Kidd as 'found', Jack Hitt finally explains a tale as puzzling as the book that caused it all.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/30/opinion/sunday/apologizing-apologies....
The article, “I Did a Terrible Thing. How Can I Apologize?” by Cris Beam, really got my attention. Of course us as human beings make mistakes all the time but not everyone is strong enough to face it and be able to apologize. In Beam’s article he explains what was the “terrible thing” he did, he ran because he was scared, his wife became very ill, she had breast cancer and was going through surgery and chemo appointments. I can only imagine the great sadness she felt once he had left her side. This isn’t the part that shocked me, what really stood out to me was that the man had the guts to sit down with her to talk and apologize for what he had done in the past. Why did it shock me? Many people find it easier to keep running from their problems than facing them, especially in a situation like this. It could be because people feel like they won’t be forgiven so they don’t take the time to say, you know what? I made a huge mistake and the person did not deserve this. Cris Beam had the courage to step up and book a flight to Wisconsin to talk to her. He gave an example of how conflicts could be better solved. A simple sorry and waiting for forgiveness isn’t going to solve any problem. As the saying goes, actions speak louder than words.
The article, "Man on Stabbing Spree Targeted Children at a 3-Year Old's Birthday Party, Police Say", written by Melissa Gomez, caught my attention while scrolling through the U.S. news. At this point in time, I am truly not surprised anymore by the fact that adults would target children, whether it is during school or even at a birthday party, which is truly disheartening. The police report that "the man identified as Timmy Kinner, 30, had returned to the complex...after he was asked to leave the property because of his behavior... Mr. Kinner began attacking the children with a knife..., who was visibly emotional..." I keep asking myself: "Is this what America has turned into? Do people think it is truly acceptable to injure and possibly kill other human beings because they wronged you?" It was reported that Mr. Kinner injured 9 people, 6 of whom where children under 12 years old. In my opinion I think this is insane behavior to have. The mind set to hurt innocent children that did nothing but have fun at a birthday party is absolutely disgusting. I picked this article to write about because I wish to alert and to bring attention to other readers of what is going on in local neighborhoods and to address the fact that these types of actions and behaviors needs to change.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/01/us/mass-stabbing-boise-idaho.html?
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/22/arts/music/new-york-philharmonic-very...
In the Times this week I read about the 11-Year-Old Girls Whose Music Wowed the Philharmonic. It interested me because two girls that are new to music and wrote their own songs. It amazes me because you never really see people at that age that are determined to become something great and want to be known in the world. It also interested me because no matter how old or young you are if you have a goal you can still achieve it and those two girls definitely did that.
@[email protected]
The Creator of ‘Bao’ on That Twist: ‘Part of Me Wanted to Shock Audiences’
This article caught my attention after having viewed the Incredibles 2 movie. Every once in a while before movies start, there is a short film before the main feature begins. This particular short fim, Bao, was interesting because it was unlike any others I had seen before. It starts off with a wife cooking dumplings when suddenly a dumping comes alive. The wife instantly cradles the dumpling with love and affection taking it on as her own child. As the dumpling ages, he marries a girl and plans on moving out with her. In a state of confusion and anger, the mom eats the dumpling so it is unable to leave. That part shocked me the most because it was an extreme action and left the viewer unsure of what would happen next. Afterwards the dumpling (years older) comes back and they rekindle the relationship. At first, I was confused because I thought the dumpling had died having been eaten, but later I understand it was a metaphor. It also symbolizes mother and child relationships. This is applicable to many situations such as a son or daughter going to college or moving out of the house. The mother is scared to lose her child in fear that he/she may not return. The short story film had a deep meaning and may help connect one another in understanding what could happen in the future. Short story films can help remind parents that their child will come back to them and remind them of the good in life.
"A Space Force? The Idea May Have Merit, Some Say" The article that I found most interesting this week was about President Trump's plan to add a sixth branch of the military that would be tasked with space security. This article caught my attention because it sounds like an idea that was taken from a movie, and now it is starting to make waves in Washington. It is exciting to think that there is still change occurring in the United States, however, the idea of a Space Force seems a little extreme. There still is not enough of a threat in Space for the need of a special Space Force. Igor Ashurbeyli is mentioned at the end of the article for a comment he made about how space should remain peaceful and free of interference from conflicts of Earth. Ashurbeyli has a point, no part of space belongs to any one person or country there is also so much of Space that is yet to be explored there is no point in fighting over it. Even on Earth, there is still so much to be understood and learned. Here on Earth, there are so many problems and conflicts that still need to be solved before people start to turn and focus their attention on Space. There is also the financial aspect to all of this. It is going to cost lots of money and take time which could have been used to solve other conflicts and problems here on earth. Overall President Trump's Space Force plan should be held off.
WE ARE UNDER ATTACK BY ALIENS! Now that I have your attention, I read an article in The Times this week called “Life on Mars? Rover’s Latest Discovery Puts It ‘On the Table’” by Kenneth Chang. I was drawn to this topic because it poses an important question: what does this mean for the human race? I initially thought that the goal of this research was to find out if Mars can be inhabited by humans in the near future. After reading, I acquired a new perspective on the subject. To summarize the article, organic molecules were found on Mars, but they may or may not have come about from biological processes. Scientists theorized possible origins of these compounds, like combustion while heating the sample or contamination from Earth. However, what I found most fascinating were the observations of fluctuating, and recently higher, levels of methane in Mars’ atmosphere because the presence of microbes could be responsible. It reminded me of Titan (Saturn’s largest moon) where an atmospheric haze of methane surrounds it. I talked to my grandpa, a retired aerospace engineer, about the recent discoveries. He told me that colonizing Mars would act as a stepping stone into outer space. I couldn’t agree more. Inhabiting Mars isn’t our conclusion, it’s the beginning of a new era: The Age of Exploration Gone Cosmic. Maybe it’s not exactly like that, but if we can successfully travel and adapt to another planet’s conditions, then that’s one step closer to expanding beyond our solar system.
It doesn't seem fair to me that you should have to go through all that to get a child back that shouldn't have even been taken away. Recently the United States has made a new 'zero-tolerance' rule where if you try to cross the border from Mexico to the U.S. and you have a child, that child is taken from you and put into not the greatest shelters. To add to this, the article I read talked about that if the family of that child wanted to get them out, they have to go through so much paperwork and give a lot of money they don't really have. Having to pay thousands of dollars to get a family member out of detainment when they were unfairly put in there just seems so morally wrong to me. It also doesn't make sense to me that the government would even take children away from their families. I understand that it's so fewer people try to cross the border, but in the article, they said that it costs upwards of $600 a day for the government to shelter these children so do the positives outweigh the negatives; no. The government needs to step up, stop listening to Trump, and find a solution that doesn't just temporarily 'fix' the immigration problem.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/01/us/migrant-children-families.html?hp&...
Opinion: What Does the United States Stand For?
By: Cathleen O'Brien
This article "What Does the United States Stand For?" interested me because I never thought the question through. I just simple thought that that the United States stood for the right to freedom. This article has shown me that, there is a lot more to the Untied Stated then just freedom. Our military systems fight for our human rights, like the article stated. Over a period of time, we have lost sight of values. Which we need to get back reclaim. The article, “’What Does the United States Stand For?” states that, “Reclaiming our values starts with standing up for them at home inclusivity, tolerance, diversity, respect for the rule of law, freedom of speech, freedom of the press,’ the former vice president writes.” United States in my opinion, needs to concentrate on rebuilding the economy, needs to be focusing less on money and guns and more on getting along with other governments instead of constantly fighting with each other.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/05/business/miss-america-swimsuit.html
When Gretchen Carlson announced the end of the swimsuit phase of competition in the Miss America program, she proclaimed, “We are not going to judge you on your outward appearance.” Although this seems to have appeased some critics, this statement crushed everything for which the Miss America Organization has advocated for decades. Other phases of competition that many critics commonly overlook are interview, onstage question, talent, and evening wear. Interview and onstage question emphasize the importance of public speaking skills and focus on current events. In order to succeed in these, the contestant must be extremely knowledgeable and quick-thinking, while emphasizing elegance. But the most important factor in judging is self-confidence. Walking on stage in a swimsuit is no easy task, but it shows a certain level of poise to be able to quite literally walk in front of an audience in one’s underwear. This displays that the woman can be comfortable in almost any situation. In reality, the Miss America Organization has always looked for intelligent, confident, and graceful women to serve as role models.
I am not arguing Carlson’s decision to eliminate the swimsuit competition, but do her words to “stop judging on appearances” really emphasize her rationale? With this statement, Gretchen Carlson untruthfully confirmed the thoughts of detractors, betraying the values of the Miss America organization.
This week I read the editorial “Viva Mexico, America’s Team” by Bill Saporito which covers the topic of the National Mexican Soccer team’s popularity in the United States. I found it the themes of the article to be interesting and inspiring, particularly the descriptions of nationalism and multiculturalism. Saporito explains how most Mexican-American communities are extremely loyal to El Tri, though he does not explain why this happens. I would guess that this is because there are so many first or second generation Mexican immigrants in the United States, and many of them are not yet fully assimilated into American culture. In addition, the political stances of certain public officials might lead Mexican-Americans to feel unappreciated or unwanted in the United States, and accordingly support the national team of their ancestors. Saporito says that “Mexico, and Mexican-Americans, are deeply entwined in the fabric that is America,” and this rung true to me because of how much Mexican-Americans define American culture and the American Dream. I found it interesting how Saporito described a war of cultures through the lens of a sport, and how important it was for a team to win a game because they are representing their country.
“Bringing Farming Back to Nature”
This week in the Times I was intrigued by something very familiar to rural America, farming. Farming is an integral part of the place where I call home. Fields upon fields of corn, wheat, beans and many other crops covers more than 50% of the landscape. However, some of the farming practices utilized by farmers here include: chemicals, herbicides, pesticides etc which are all used to enhance production and kill weeds and other pests. If the agroecological ways were adopted in the Midwest, it would spread like wild fire and would save a lot of not only money but lives. The chemicals used in today’s farming practices have. Even linked to health issues. Monetarily this could be an enormous break through- why not put natural fertilizer (produced by animals on the farm) back into the ground? We must take care of this ground that has been provided to us, so why not start today?!
Article: "Stacey Abrams Wins Georgia Democratic Primary for Governor, Making History"
It was a relatively older article, but I knew it could give me a sense of what Georgia's voters will be facing in the polls later this year. As an eligible and registered voter by the midterm elections, I want to be informed not just about candidates' platforms, but also their backgrounds. Many states are shifting in color, and my state is one of them. I was particularly interested when I read a quote in the article: “It’s still a red state, even though it’s getting more purple every year." I wondered if this was the kind of statement that would make voters feel hopeless in changing the politics that dominate Georgia. After all, young and nonwhite Georgians tend to turn out in lower numbers than the non-Hispanic white electorate. Some feel that their voices are not being heard, or that it won't make a difference. The quote seems to reflect that state of mind.
It makes me wonder when or if there will be a blue Georgia. No matter the political party, I just hope that the leaders we elect make the right choices and support what benefits the most people, not only the select few.
Criminal Groups Seek to Decide Outcome in Many Mexican Races https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/01/world/americas/mexico-election-assass...
For someone who hasn't been the most caught up with news, this article caught me by surprise. I am not nieve enough to think that everything in the world is okay, but some events stop me dead in my tracts, like this one.
Politics is an important aspect of everyday life. Democracy has always seemed like the first pick for how to run a country because of its basic idea of the people dictating how their lives are run. There are two sides to this coin. If the population is mostly made up of people trying to do the right thing then everything runs smoothly. When a portion of the known population is divided into gangs and illegal drug trafficking the politics tend to be very different. Politicians try to please the public by appealing to their needs. This ensures the votes from the population. Some have been killed, but besides that I wouldn't look at politics as a dangerous job. When open threats are sent to politicians that is one thing, but when these threats are followed through that is an entirely different story. "You have to be a little crazy to run for office here,” Mr. Martínez said. If politicians are conflicted between doing whats right and living then we have bigger issues than I realized.
What interested me most in The Times this week was a cartoon by Jeremy Nguyen depicting Cookie Monster sitting on the set of a television show, asking the frustrated producer, “Yes, but WHY do me want cookie?” As silly as this cartoon seems, it struck me as somewhat profound, considering the fact that Cookie Monster, a typically mindless character, is questioning the essence of his existence. Although this idea seems far-fetched coming from such a nonsensical cartoon, I believe that the artist tried to convey the sense that while the producer constantly fed the idea that Cookie Monster "want cookie," Cookie Monster is now questioning everything he had always known.
The artist may have created the producer to embody the oppression of society, and Cookie Monster is the idea that societal norms are being overthrown by the youth, who are expected to be compliant and are expected to go along with what is being told to them. Even the fact that the two characters are on a television set could signify that Cookie Monster has been confined to this one world his whole life, and is now seeking something greater than the life he had always known. In the cartoon, the producer seems very frustrated, just as society is at the new generation throwing away the rulebook and making their own rules. As the world changes, and more people begin to question societal norms, the rules will become different and horizons will be expanded, as is demonstrated in this cartoon.
The TimesVideo, "After 40 Days Apart, A Migrant Family Reunites," made me recognize that America is repeating its past. Let's not forget the Trail of Tears, tearing African children from their families, selling them into slavery, and much more.
Even if people are illegally entering this country, that doesn't take away their humanity. I'm not saying this country shouldn't have a problem with people entering illegally, but it takes years to get a visa or green card. Coming from an immigrant family, I would know. Moreover, most of these people are trying to escape the harsh living conditions of their country or actual war. In the TimesVideo, the family left Guatemala to avoid the threat of a criminal group threatening to kill their son. They don't have years to wait. Their lives are on the line. How about we aid these countries and people and give them what they need to live comfortably? What's happening to these families and children is disgusting.
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https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/18/arts/music/xxxtentacion-dead.html
The death of Florida rapper XXXTentacion came as a surprise on June 18th, 2018. Jahseh Onfroy was shot and killed in Deerfield Beach, Florida outside of a motor sports store. Bystanders rushed to the wounded rapper and he was brought to the hospital. That Monday afternoon, the rapper was pronounced dead at only 20 years old.
Quickly after the shooting, videos surfaced the internet showing his body slumped inside of his sports car with bystanders surrounding the vehicle. When I came across the news, I was stunned that everything escalated so quickly. I was casually scrolling through Instagram when posts about the shooting flooded my feed. After viewing TMZ's report, I realized how serious the situation was. It was surreal that a popular influence was killed in a public environment.
The days following the shooting brought even more attention to the subject. His music reached the top of Spotify and Apple Music charts and people spoke out about the shooting online. The rap community shared their opinions on his death and people including Kanye West and J.Cole posted their thoughts and prayers on social media. After opening Apple Music on my phone, I checked the top charts list and XXXTentacion’s songs and albums peaked at the top spots. My enjoyment of rap and X’s music interested me to read this article and it provided me with more details on the crime.
Jurassic Park, one of the most iconic dinosaur movie series, has recently produced another box office hit. This week, I chose to learn about what really happens behind the scenes. The informational work, "Anatomy of a Scene | ‘Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom,’" showcases how a specific scene was constructed. When the characters were trapped in a truck with a T-Rex, or after watching the video is actually an animatronic, the director breaks down how each piece functioned. For example, when Chris Pratt jumped through the mouth of the T-Rex, the director reveals that it was never actually planned. Pratt had thought of the idea on the spot and the editors decided to put it into the final cut. This piece was extremely interesting to me because some of my hobbies include filmmaking and photography. I feel that this was helpful and the techniques and strategies mentioned could be applied to my filmmaking. I am glad that I wrote about this piece because not only did I learn something new, but it was also beneficial to my life as well.
Girlhood Across America, Captured by One Photographer by Jamie Sims
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/21/t-magazine/justine-kurland-girl-pictu...
As young women around the United States, there are many aspects of womanhood as well as what a female portrayed through images and literary works; however, many are created by men who do not know what it is like to be a female. Jamie Sims depicts young women and girls through her photos. Not only does she gather the innocence of young girls everyone knows about but also the hidden side. Her models compose of those who are not necessarily the "female image". They contain those who are runaways, have ticks and disorders, and want to get away. Not only does Sims show the stereotypical female but also the sides that are not shown through the books, magazines, movies, and novels. With Sims' article and photography, we are able to see what being a woman is all about. Through her work, young women are empowered as they see that there is no specific mold that they should fit into as all of the social standards portray.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/19/movies/i-feel-pretty-review-amy-schum...
About a week before "I Feel Pretty" came out, a group of my friends and I sat in a circle and talked about it. We were all people who were dealing with body image issues of our own, and we had a lot to say. Eventually, though, we came to the conclusion that Amy Schumer, and the writers and directors of the movie, could do much better. We live in a world where we always hear, "thinner is better", and though this movie features a woman who isn't thin, her constant effort to do "better" just repeats the message. This article reminded me of that conversation, because even though it has been a while since we talked about it, I know that I still hear "thinner is better" on a daily basis. And this movie, no matter how much it tries, doesn't challenge much of anything.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/28/us/capital-gazette-annapolis-shooting...
In this New York Times week, I was interested in this sad and horrific article called 5 People Dead in Shooting at Maryland's Capital Gazette Newsroom. The reason I was interested in this story is not because I like it, I don't. I don't like gun shootings. Even the school shooting in Florida, it's a very horrifying thing to do when there are kids that go there to study. I am sorry for the victims and the children's parents. In this article, a man named Jarrod W. Ramos who was 38, came into the newsroom of a community newspaper chain in Maryland's capital and killed 5 staff members with a shotgun. This event happened on Thursday afternoon. Rest in Peace to all the victims and I'm sorry to their friends and family.
"Mexican Soccer Fans’ New Champions: The South Korean Squad"
An interesting article I found this week was about South Korea's upset victory over Germany. As an avid soccer fan and player, I found this article to be very appealing. The context and effects of this game have made this one of the most fun and entertaining games of the World Cup. Group F of the World Cup hosted Mexico, Germany, South Korea, and Sweden. The last game of the group was between Germany and South Korea. If Germany won this game they would advance to the knockout stage, leaving Mexico behind.
South Korea was the underdog coming into this match, and there was no way for them to advance to the knockout stage. However, if South Korea won, Mexico would move on to the knockout round. The game ended with South Korea the victor. The uniting nature of this match was incredible.
Throughout Mexico, South Koreans were paraded through towns and heavily praised by Mexican soccer fans and supporters. The South Korean embassy in Mexico was stormed and Mexican soccer fans chanted "Coreano, hermano, ya eres Mexicano" ("Korean, brother, you are Mexican now"). This is a perfect example of how sports can unite people. Random people from South Korea were embraced just because they were the same nationality of a team that gave Mexico another chance at possibly winning the World Cup. At a time when it seems that the world is completely divided it is nice to see that a simple game of soccer can unite so many people.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/30/sports/nba-free-agency-lebron-james-u...
The article that caught my attention this week is “2018 N.B.A. Free Agency: Kevin Durant, Paul George Make Waves While the World Waits for LeBron” written by Marc Stein and Benjamin Hoffman.This caught my attention because I am into Basketball and have been watching NBA since when i was young.This summer free agency,Lebron James and Kawhi Leonard have been the two main guys that have been eyed on.But Paul George have signed again with the Oklahoma City Thunders.Rumors have shown that Lebron might join the Los Angeles Lakers.Lebron is often compared to Michael Jordan and in some opinions the best Basketball player.He is also referred as the King.He is a huge influencer.I can't wait for the day to know his next team.
Review for: “52 Places to Go in 2018”
Traveling around the world is one of the greatest accomplishments that anybody can ever achieve. The scenery, architecture, land, people, culture, food, and history of places are truly breathtaking, especially seeing how different they are from where I live. It has always been the biggest dream of mine to travel around the entire world to as many places as possible. If the offer comes around for a chance to go anywhere in the world, even if it is just a few hours away from me, I will take that chance.
Now, when I say that I would travel anywhere in the entire world, I really do not mean “anywhere.” Before reading this article, my mind only consisted of about six places across the world that I would be absolutely delighted to travel to. Gansu, China was never close to the top of my “Places to Travel To” list, but after seeing that picture of the Ancient Silk Road, that is definitely high up on my list. Continuing to read the list, after I saw a simple picture of Oslo, Norway with buildings next to a bridge, I am in love! I absolutely love when buildings have that design style to them, so Oslo is now on my list as well. Besides these places, I cannot pick my favorite destination because everything looks so beautiful! This list of places to travel to in 2018 has really given me the inspiration to save my money and travel to many places on this list, while still including some places that I would love to go to that were not mentioned here.
Girlhood Across America, Captured by One Photographer by Jamie Sims
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/21/t-magazine/justine-kurland-girl-pictu...
As young women around the United States, there are many aspects of womanhood as well as what a female portrayed through images and literary works; however, many are created by men who do not know what it is like to be a female. Jamie Sims depicts young women and girls through her photos. Not only does she gather the innocence of young girls everyone knows about but also the hidden side. Her models compose of those who are not necessarily the "female image". They contain those who are runaways, have ticks and disorders, and want to get away. Not only does Sims show the stereotypical female but also the sides that are not shown through the books, magazines, movies, and novels. With Sims' article and photography, we are able to see what being a woman is all about. Through her work, young women are empowered as they see that there is no specific mold that they should fit into as all of the social standards portray.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/18/travel/athens-after-the-economic-cris...
When one might think of Greece, they might imagine the old architecture, towering statues, the illustrious sea surrounding the islands dotted with little white homes, etc. I would never think of Athens, such a historic city, to have modern restaurants, hotels, and even shopping. The article Athens, Rising paints a new picture of the modern city. In 9th grade I wrote a paper about Greece's financial crisis. I am surprised that just three years later Greece would become one of (if not) the most desired tourist destination. As more people travel to the island, more money is spent, more jobs are needed and unemployment has dropped. Wilder's article combines personal stories with the reality of Athens to express that tourism has not only improved the financial standing of the country but also brought people together to express their creativity. Today, Athens seems like a thriving city open to all visitors and residents.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/24/insider/positive-death-movement-funer...
The article that caught my attention this week is “Putting the Fun in Funeral” written by John Leland. This article caught my attention because of the contrasting words in the title. The first question that came to my mind is “How can funerals be fun?” since I’ve only seen funerals filled with people mourning the dead person. However, this article describes the funeral of Shatzi Weisberger, or what she calls “FUN-eral.” Ms. Weisberger held her FUN-eral two weeks before she died. In her FUN-eral, guests decorated a cardboard coffin with drawings and wrote messages with colored markers. By reading this, I came to see people’s different opinions of death. Some see it as a despairing moment since it is the very last time to see the dead person. Others understand the cycle of life and accepts the fact that everyone is going to die. As a Buddhist myself, I am exposed to the nature of all humans which is to go through the cycle of birth, old-age, and death. However, some believe that life doesn’t end there. They believe that even though everyone’s body dies one day, his or her spirit will continue in a new body and a new life. Those who wish to reach enlightenment conduct their lives righteously and are not distress about dying since they know that they’re going towards a better place.
The article I found most interesting this week was “Ever Felt Jealous of a Friend’s Acheivement? Here’s how to Get Around It.” I found this interesting because especially in this day and age kids tend to get very competitive and jealous of each other. This steams not only from school but from out of school activities as well. This article was interesting because it gave useful use tips on how to push those feelings aside, and not let them get to the person. It explained that embracing the pride, and looking for the good things in that person’s achievement is a better way to view the situation than asking why didn’t I win. Overall, jealousy has become a big problem and it is important to try to combat it to be happy in your own life.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/28/world/asia/chinese-classrooms-educati...
While reading the article "Mao 101: Inside a Chinese Classroom Teaching the Communists of Tomorrow," I wondered why, the target audience for the Chinese government's propaganda was university students. Normally, brainwashing of any kind is done during times of high stress or when the mind is most mold-able. The students attending these classes are clearly not under high stress as they were "watching historical dramas" or "scanning social media," during said classes. The students are also young adults, so they can think for themselves. If your subjects can think for themselves and are in their right sense of mind, how would it be possible to instill radical ideas onto them? Because the government is allowing its citizens to become exposed to Western ideas and culture, discussions about alternative systems to Communism have started to spring up. As seen in countries such as North Korea, brainwashing is most effective when it is done on children. Indoctrination in North Korea starts as early as age six, and never ceases. Children are told that their supreme leader is "hardworking", "glorious", and, "strategic." Regardless of how the world views the situation in North Korea, the children of the country believe what is told to them, because it is all they can perceive. If China truly wanted to make Communism indisputable, they should target a younger audience.
"At Toys 'R' Us, 'There Is Nothing Left': The Day It Closed for Good"
At first glance, the closure of Toys 'R' Us stores is sad for the children who grew up shopping there. However, the crisis also illustrates a failed system that is now suffocating the rights of employees. The article by Michael Corkery explains the circumstances and feelings of the workers at the Woodbridge, New Jersey store. The article echoes that employees were not informed of the companies dire financial status, and were assured "everything is fine," when the bank account spoke otherwise. Since few even knew the store was in trouble, many were very surprised and betrayed by the announcement that the popular toy store would close it's doors. Most employees will now have a tough time even making ends meet as they were informed there is not enough money left to grant them severance pay- pay from an employer that is typically given when employment is terminated. Workers felt betrayed and disrespected, as the estimated cost of severance is seventy-five million, but the fees for the bankruptcy lawyers and advisers are at least three hundred forty-eight million.
The Toy 'R' Us crisis brings forward the issue of employee rights and benefits. Not only were the employees not informed of issues that greatly impacted them, but they are also now without jobs and without money to hold them over. A company should reward their dedicated employees, and Toys 'R' Us is an embarrassment to capitalist societies.
The video that I watched this week was about the resignation of Justice Kennedy from the Supreme Court. I watched this video because I am interested in the future of our country. For example, with this resignation, President Trump will most likely select a conservative judge. This will affect a lot of future Supreme Court decisions to come. In addition to this, some judges may be front runners in this race, and maybe some that were in the race during the past decision, where Justice Neil Gorsuch got the position. Finally, this decision affect all of our nation's future decisions.
With the World Cup going on, the major superstars; Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar Jr, and Pogba are all being watched. Already in the World Cup two stars have already exited, Messi and Ronaldo. Controversially both of these stars were the only reason these teams would succeed at all. The stars however, failed, both Argentina (Lionel Messi’s nationality) and Portugal (Cristiano Ronaldo’s nationality) both exited the World Cup. France taking out Argentina and Uruguay taking out Portugal everyone was stunned because Portugal and Argentina are probably the most favored teams around here. This article interested me most due to the fact that so many pulled for these two teams and ended up exiting very quickly. Soccer is beginning to come around more and has gained more popularity and this article shows that even the two “favorites” sometimes lose under pressure.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/29/us/victims-capital-gazette-shooting.html
The article I found most interesting this week was "The 5 Victims of the Capital Gazette Newsroom Shooting in Annapolis". One reason I found this article interesting was because yet another shooting has been added to our long list of shootings that have happened this year alone. All of the victims in this shooting played key roles at their work and the community. It's sad to see that these incredible writers had lost their lives to a gunman. The article states "That's what makes the tragedy all that much worse," he said. "These are people who just stayed there and never expected that something like this would happen." The article also states "Their decision to remain there despite the adversity it faced, he said, "says something about their love of journalism.". These victims were innocent people who were just devoted to their jobs, and it's sad that the community has lost such great people.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/25/smarter-living/ever-felt-jealous-of-a...
In various situations I find myself feeling slightly bitter that my close friends had scored a higher grade than I had or won an award for something both of us participated in. In the article "Ever Felt Jealous of a Friend's Achievement? Here's How to Get Around It", the author explains how it's natural to have feelings of resentment when someone close to you accomplishes more. Apparently there's a part of our brain that is programmed to feel a mix of pride and jealousy in order to self-evaluate ourselves and have us strive to be better people. I find the fact that there's a scientific explanation for envying someone else when there is also pride in their achievement very interesting because the article also mentions how to restrain from feeling in that way. The author explains that we should embrace the prideful side of the scenario and celebrate their accomplishment rather than looking at the situation negatively.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/12/climate/kenya-drought.html
With new heights of Global Warming coming in the near future, the article “Hotter, Drier, Hungrier: How Global Warming Punishes the World’s Poorest” by Somini Sengupta pulled my attention as I was quite interested to know about how climate change affects daily lives of the people in the outskirts of Kenya. Climate change, also referred as global warming, is a quality of an observation scale, which calculates the average temperature of the climate system on Earth and its enumerated sequels. With additional greenhouse gases produced by human activities, scientists are quite confident that the global temperatures will endeavor for new heights in the decades to come. With Kenya, Somalia, and Ethiopia relying on the food aid, More than 650,000 children under the age 5 across vast stretches of Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia are severely suffering from malnutrition. With more than three-fourths of the land being dark or light orange, this means that the water is being stressed during droughts. “The bigger part of country is affected by climate change and drought. Although I had some awareness about how the poorest countries in the world have to go through both economical and ecological crisis. The article taught me that the African dried up faster in the 20th century than the past 2000 years. This article interested me the most for this week as it had specific details upon climate change in certain countries.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/11/technology/net-neutrality-repeal.html...
I found the article "Net Neutrality Has Officially Been Repealed. Here's How That Could Affect You" the most interesting. The internet has become an increasingly essential part of the world, as more and more companies exist entirely online and people spend an increasing amount of time using it, the internet has no longer become a choice. Unfortunately, the repeal of Net Neutrality is catastrophic to the idea of a fair market, which F.C.C. chairman Ajit Pai claims is the goal. The ability to block certain sites, throttle speeds, and prioritize certain clients could only serve to stifle innovation as the giants have no need for innovation after they destroy any competition. For example, It would be illogical for the company to invest in research and development if there is no risk of having a company give a better service. Since there is no legal boundary, the company could also triple the cost for the same service as before, block sites that went against their agenda, or give other companies better internet speeds for more money. In essence, the repeal of Net Neutrality gave internet service providers control over how people use the internet what they can see. This is incredibly worrisome in a world where the internet increases in importance in people's lives every day.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/28/world/asia/chinese-classrooms-educati...
While reading the article "Mao 101: Inside a Chinese Classroom Teaching the Communists of Tomorrow," I wondered why, the target audience for the Chinese government's propaganda was university students. Normally, brainwashing of any kind is done during times of high stress or when the mind is most mold-able. The students attending these classes are clearly not under high stress as they were "watching historical dramas" or "scanning social media," during said classes. The students are also young adults, so they can think for themselves. If your subjects are able to think for themselves and are in their right sense of mind, how would it be possible to instill radical ideas onto them? Because the government is allowing its citizens to become exposed to Western ideas and culture, discussions about alternative systems to Communism have started to spring up. As seen in countries such as North Korea, brainwashing is most effective when it is done on children. Indoctrination in North Korea starts as early as age six, and never ceases. Children are told that their supreme leader is "hardworking", "glorious", and, "strategic." Regardless of how the world views the situation in North Korea, the children of the country believe what is told to them, because it is all they can perceive. If China truly wanted to make Communism indisputable, they should target a younger audience.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/30/nyregion/immigrants-separated-no-prog...
In recent years, countless headlines regarding immigration policies have flooded the front pages of newspapers. As I read Annie Correal's article, I don't just see another immigration horror story. Rather, I am constantly reminded of the question "has our government sided with politics over the well-beings of the nations own people"?
Her article not only left me with a question, but also reminded me of my own immigration story. When I was 4, my parents left their homeland to come to America in search of a new beginning for our family in a diverse nation, dubbed the "Land of Opportunity". Growing up, they have been my guide, teaching me the importance of self-love and advocacy.
Correal's article has opened up a new perspective for the world, showing the importance of unity. The unity that is missing from the lives of 2,000 children left separated from their parents by the wall of blatant racism. The children who are forced to be independent in times when support is desired the most. The children who will one day grow up ashamed of their background in a culture where diversity is the target of violence. Through Correal's story, she shows the influence of politically charged immigration regulations on the lives of Mexican parents and children, who should be sitting in the dining room talking over food, but are rather split by jail cells and foster homes.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/30/nyregion/immigrants-separated-no-prog...
In recent years, countless headlines regarding immigration policies have flooded the front pages of newspapers. As I read Annie Correal's article, I don't just see another immigration horror story. Rather, I am constantly reminded of the question "has our government sided with politics over the well-beings of the nations own people"?
Her article not only left me with a question, but also reminded me of my own immigration story. When I was 4, my parents left their homeland to come to America in search of a new beginning for our family in a diverse nation, dubbed the "Land of Opportunity". Growing up, they have been my guide, teaching me the importance of self-love and advocacy.
Correal's article has opened up a new perspective for the world, showing the importance of unity. The unity that is missing from the lives of 2,000 children left separated from their parents by the wall of blatant racism. The children who are forced to be independent in times when support is desired the most. The children who will one day grow up ashamed of their background in a culture where diversity is the target of violence. Through Correal's story, she shows the influence of politically charged immigration regulations on the lives of Mexican parents and children, who should be sitting in the dining room talking over food, but are rather split by jail cells and foster homes.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/30/business/toys-r-us-closing.html?actio...
Looking at the times this week, I found the story of the Toys ‘R’ Us employee, Cheryl Claude, very interesting. Working at the store for more than 30 years, Cheryl and a few other employees didn't give up on the store and stayed during its final hours of operation. They worked until the last toy left the building. Although they were fully devoted to Toys ‘R’ Us and its mission, the store claims it could not pay them severance after they left, which saddened them because they didn't even know about the bankruptcy until it was publicly announced. Many employees have spent their whole life working there and will now be forced to find a new job. It is devastating that a Toy store that we have all grown up with and little kids come to from all over has to close because of the increasing popularity of online shopping. We will never get the joy of sharing this magical place with the future generations. Who knows if they will ever get to experience shopping in person or if everything will be online, but there if nothing better than walking into a building filled with toys. This notion to shut down the Toys ‘R’ Us chain has shocked and saddened many people throughout the country, but the Toys from Toys ‘R’ Us will always have a place in the hearts of all Americans.
https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2018/06/26/sports/soccer/ap-soc-wcup-al...
Switzerland played Serbia in the group stage of the world cup. What comes to mind when Switzerland is mentioned, is the country's neutral stance on politics. Two players on the Swiss national team, Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri, who play for Arsenal and Stoke City in the English Premier League, caused serious controversy, by using Switzerland as their platform. It is widely known that the subject of Kosovo is sensitive to the Balkan community, especially for Serbia and Albania. This is because the region of Kosovo has a majority of ethnic Albanians, who are Muslim. Serbia is dominated by the Christianity with Serbian Orthodox Church. This religious conflict has been around since the pre-16th century when the entire region was controlled by the Ottoman Empire. The Albanians converted to Islam to please the Ottomans, and the rest of the Balkans took offense to this action. Shaqiri was born in Kosovo and wants the region to become independent of Serbia, but Serbia does not want to relinquish the territory for political purposes. Xhaka, Swiss by birth but with Albanian heritage, joined Shaqiri, and celebrated with the hand gesture of the two eagles, which are portrayed on Albania's flag. FIFA has taken action and fined both players $10,100. The Albanian government has offered to pay this sum, which is further inciting this long, bitter conflict between the two countries.
Weaponizing the First Amendment: How Free Speech Became a Conservative Cudgel
The irony of a newspaper article calling into question the legitimacy of the First Amendment is astounding. The Amendment which guarantees freedom of press is now being attacked in the form of a newspaper article. I would laugh if it were not true that the author really thought that the basis for our democracy is illegitimate and should be hindered and repressed.
Any Democracy in the world is totally dysfunctional should the ideas of its people be remain unheard. Nations without an equivalent of the First Amendment end up like the modern Russian Federation, where only one side of the story, Putin’s side, is heard, and all else is considered evil. The expression of democratic ideas in Russia is, in the eyes of the government, the equivalent of discussing facism here. The point is, with no First Amendment, or without the equivalent of one, the people do not decide what is good and what is bad: the government does. Ask any German and they’ll tell you how that ends up.
So in the end we must realize: should we not let the totalitarians march, then we ourselves are totalitarian. Should we not anyone, no matter how despicable or evil, voice their opinion, then we are ourselves never winning, we are instead shutting up the enemy, and taking one step closer to totalitarianism. If we want to fight fascists and communists, we expose their weaknesses in civilized debate, not through barbaric violence.
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Article: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/27/us/politics/kennedy-abortion-roe-v-wa...
This article reflects widely on an issue that could surface as a result from the departure of a widely valued and respected court figure, who held a wide support for abortion rights. This event possibly gives way for the overall views seen in the Supreme Court to change, given the opinions and goals of President Trump. As a result, many supporters of women's rights are anxiously anticipating what changes are to come from this event. I found this article very interesting as it shines light on the fact that women's rights still have a long journey ahead in the process of being widely respected and followed by society. Women are now at risk of having their voice taken away and this will surely affect the next generation and their opinions on women's rights, as many are still against these movements.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/06/28/arts/metoo-movement-stori...
This article was very intriguing to me because I found it interesting how powerful women and men shared their stories in their own words about what happened to them even though they had a chance of ruining their careers. They shared their stories to help raise awareness about sexual abuse and harassment because there voices mattered. Suzette Wright said, "it has been an emotional roller coaster". She sued a company for sexual harassment and it was hard for her to balance her own emotions with everyone else reaching out for help from her too. I found her story very interesting because she had made a big impact for companies that had reached out to her and told her they wanted to make some changes. This article tells us how saying #MeToo made these people encourage other people to share their stories and feel more confident and brave.
Article: “Trump Calls for Depriving Immigrants Who Illegally Cross Border of Due Process Rights”
As the child of an immigrant, headlines in the past few weeks have felt personally relevant to my life, and I have paid extra close attention to the ongoing reports of children being separated from their parents at the border. Awareness for this situation has been spread through a few powerful pictures depicting what is going on and the impactfulness of the pictures circulating on social media have really helped in spreading awareness of the situation that these families are put in. My mother was only 14 years old when she immigrated to the United States of America, so the stories of these children getting separated from their parents and all of the struggles that these people are going through because they simply want a new life in a new country that offers opportunities is horrifying to me. My mother came to the United States as a refugee and if she wasn’t able to, I wouldn’t even be here because she met my dad in San Diego, California. Therefore, all of the articles about immigration and deportation have especially interested me in the past week.
I read the article “ How to Clean Your Filthy, Disgusting Laptop.” I was interested in this because this seems like something many people from this generation would deal with. This article tells you how nasty a dirty laptop can be, and explains the products to clean it. It gives you helpful steps to clean it and how. I found this helpful and easy. This article gave detailed descriptions of what it would be like before and after the cleaning. After that it informs you how to get rid of foul smells such as as cigarette smoke. It then gives you the directions to get rid of it. It give a small description of what to do if your comfortable with taking apart your computer, and simple instructions of what to do. This was a short article that gave me useful information, and very detailed.
In Volgograd, It’s Stalin who Lurks on the Sideline
With the final group-stage matches of the World Cup coming to an end, fans will not only be leaving one of the sites for the World Cup, but also the legacy of one of the world’s most controversial leaders: Stalin. Formerly known as Stalingrad, Volgograd was the site of the momentous Battle of Stalingrad that shifted WWII in favor of the Allied forces but changed its name in wake of the controversial legacy of its namesake. Nonetheless, his portrait and memorabilia remain abundant throughout the city and a select minority even feel the name of the city should be changed back to Stalingrad to commemorate the great leader and his political and economic achievements.
This article interested me due to the hidden legacy of Stalin embedded in the city and the festivities of the World Cup. With the world currently captivated by the matches in Russia, it’s truly amazing that one of the sites for the Cup happens to be right where an event 75 years ago captivated the world just the same. Recently studying WWII and the significance and legacy of Stalingrad, this article just continued to interest me. Personally, I feel the name should be reverted to Stalingrad. Stalin’s reputation aside, a city of such historical significance should be preserved to its greatest extent, thus preserving its name. Otherwise, the legacy of the battle and all those who lost their lives fighting may be lost with the name of the city.
President Donald Trump has remade America's view on politics. He has made people who "hate politics" vote and people who "love politics" restrain from voting. Trump's running of the country has shaken things up and set off alarms. In the article "Trump Remakes America," it was said how the lasting impact of the Supreme Court vote will affect generations to come. It stated that people who have not voted in this election have changed the way the vote works because we have lost a great amount of people who have use their voices. The loss in voters caused this election to have this outcome. The fact that president Donald Trump will have the say in who is elected to the supreme court is what will have his administration leaving an impact on the US. The supreme court has more impact than any president ever could. The fact that president Trump can impact that supreme court is what will make this presidency one for the books. He went out for the people and is doing exactly as a businessman could be expected-Trump is representing the republican party as the best as you could expect. The fact that he can have such an impact on the nation goes to show what power is still held in the Executive office. This article really hit home for me because I believe the supreme court holds too much power in the long years they are able to hold their careers. This is why presidents who affect the country years after their presidency are still relevant. Thus, Trump's impact has forever changed the US.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/15/us/harvard-asian-enrollment-applicant...
After scrolling through the New York Times website, I came across this article on how colleges, such as Havard University, are biased against Asians. As an Asian and about to go to college in a few years myself, I am honestly slightly worried about this bias. In this age of people trying to gain equality for all sorts of basic rights, it is only fair that racial bias should not be part of what keeps a qualified student from getting into a college. How can a top-college, like Harvard, drag qualified, prospective Asian students down on their personality traits, which I think people cannot measure just through an application?
However, I am not surprised by this article. America's college system has been biased since the first American college, self-titled by Harvard University, was created in 1636.
Hopefully, this bias would be corrected soon in the future. Although bias would still be inevitable, maybe one day the college admission system would be as unbiased as it can be to allow students of all genders, races, etc. to have a fair chance into getting accepted into a college of their choice.
Article: “Goodbye, Swimsuit Competition. Hello, ‘Miss America 2.0.’”
In an article regarding the Miss America swimsuit competition, I not only read about a leap towards feminism, but a battle that women have been struggling to win for decades.
Women have been tirelessly fighting for equal treatment and it seems that the battle will never end. An overwhelming amount of men in this country objectify women unknowingly because it has become a cultural norm for years. However, it seems as our country progresses and matures sexist barriers are being broken down everyday. Take the Miss America competition for example, the pageant started in 1921, and for years women have complained about the subjective role men have forced then to portray. Not until 2018, 97 years later, that the swimsuit portion of the competition was eliminated for a interview with the judges. After years of protests, women have finally made another leap towards gender equality.
Perhaps this article caught my eye because as a young woman striving for limitless possibilities, gender equality will be a never ending struggle. After learning about the challenges women have dealt with for decades, I can honestly say I am proud and grateful for their sacrifices. Without their protests and determination, these small steps like eliminating a swimsuit competition, might have never happened. Women will never stop protesting until future women can live in society where gender doesn’t define them.
Article: “Goodbye, Swimsuit Competition. Hello, ‘Miss America 2.0.’ ”
In an article regarding the Miss America swimsuit competition, I not only read about a leap towards feminism, but a battle that women have been struggling to win for decades.
Women have been tirelessly fighting for equal treatment and it seems that the battle will never end. An overwhelming amount of men in this country objectify women unknowingly because it has become a cultural norm for years. However, it seems as our country progresses and matures sexist barriers are being broken down everyday. Take the Miss America competition for example, the pageant started in 1921, and for years women have complained about the subjective role men have forced then to portray. Not until 2018, 97 years later, that the swimsuit portion of the competition was eliminated for an interview with the judges. After years of protests, women have finally made another leap towards gender equality.
Perhaps this article caught my eye because as a young woman striving for limitless possibilities, gender equality will be a never ending struggle. After learning about the challenges women have dealt with for decades, I can honestly say I am proud and grateful for their sacrifices. Without their protests and determination, these small steps like eliminating a swimsuit competition, might have never happened. Women will never stop protesting until future women can live in society where gender doesn’t define them.
This week I was interested in an article called ¨A Challenge Race Shakes Up the Running Routine.” This article interested me because I run almost every day and I love to race, yet I have never been a part of a ¨fun run¨ where the goal is not to beat your personal record, but to simply have fun. This article talks about why everyone should do a fun run whether you are an active runner or not as well as how it is a good way to change up a workout routine and add something new to the mix. I think it was interesting and I definitely am considering asking around to see if people will join me in a fun run.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/27/climate/belize-reef-unesco.html?rref=...
An article I found interesting this week was “A Victory for Coral” because this article is about how UNESCO removed Belize Reef from the endangered list which is a pretty big deal. The Belize Reef is actually the largest reef system in the northern hemisphere and to be removed from the UN’s endangered list is a pretty major development in and of itself. The UN initially specified that the main concern for The Belize Reef was mangrove cutting and excessive development and was added to the World Heritage in Danger list in 2009. The UN also worried about the oil explorations that happened around the reef and what I find really satisfying is that the Belize Government took all those problems into account and set a temporary ban for oil explorations and implemented protections for coastal mangrove forests. Since then the Belize government has been taking care of the reef and eventually lead it to the point where it was removed from the endangered list. However even though the man-made problems have been solved the natural issue of ocean warming is still a big threat to all reefs in the ocean.
Interesting me this week was the article, "Video Shows Police Officer Firing Stun Gun at Unarmed Man Sitting on Curb." In this article, there is a video as well as written description describing the event of a Lancaster, Pennsylvania citizen, Sean D. Williams, getting tased by a cop for what seems to be one of the most unworthy reasons. Williams, who was sitting along the curb of a road, was told by a patrolling officer to uncross his legs, or get tased. Williams, trying not to start anything that could possibly get bad, started uncrossing his legs, but then realized how uncomfortable it was and again crossed them. The officer, with no reason, fired the taser the unarmed, law-abiding citizen for what was not even a crime. This article was found particularly interesting to me because I was not aware that sitting along the road with your legs crossed was anything that could be considered unlawful, and was baffled to see that one Police Officer believed it to be. I also was interested by this because of the officers seemingly disgusting attitude in which he showed little human regard.
The pattern of overcoming a challenge is present throughout the timeline of American history: the Civil War produced the end of slavery, the Great Depression led to various programs being implemented to help impoverished citizens, and segregation led to the civil rights movement that achieved legal equality for all Americans. However, there is a significant blunder that has been present in American culture since the founding of this nation and is more of an issue than ever. While reading the article, “The Red Hen and the Resistance”, I realized that the issue of political incivility has continually reemerged and proved to be a matter that no one individual has successfully limited. When the news of Sarah Huckabee Sanders being refused service at the Red Hen restaurant on June 26th reached the public, various political figures, along with average citizens, took the event as a way to fuel the fire of their respective political group. On one side, some liberals did not condone these actions whatsoever. However, some, like Maxine Waters, have taken positions to encourage these acts of incivility. On the flipside, conservatives took an approach to respond with their form of incivility by harassing the owners of The Red Hen. Conclusively, this article intrigued me significantly because incivility has been an issue that every part of the political spectrum seems to want to be addressed and fixed, but we have, as a nation, continued to put aside the severity of the problem.
The article I chose this week was "The Secret to Perfect Popcorn Is Already in Your Cupboard." Although this may seem like a rather strange or random article to chose out of the other several enticing titles, this title had a somewhat personal connection to my inner snacking habits. Considering that popcorn is my go-to movie snack, bored snack, and comfort snack, I felt the urge to read the article that could change my snacking habits for eternity. I was beyond curious to gain the knowledge held behind the simplicity of the title, and as I began to read I had come to the realization that this popcorn hack was so minor yet so effective. Of course, I was eager to give this new popcorn trick a try, and with simply a few more cups of oil added to the ingredient list, a popcorn miracle had the opportunity of occurring. Besides the fact that I enjoyed reading the article, I also admired the similes and adjectives used to describe the popcorn in its newer, crunchier form. It was a pleasure to read such clear imagery and be able to experience it for myself moments later.
How to Survive When Money Is Worthless” or Rather, The Impossibility of Survival When Money Is Worthless
I clicked on the article “How to Survive When Money is Worthless” expecting an educational experience on cultivation and living off the land, but what I found was far from it. Instead, the article consisted of a series slides depicting the distress and suffering in Venezuela. What I saw and read left me chilled to bone.
In all honestly, I never knew of the immense poverty in Venezuela. Learning that economic inflation is so high that a cup of coffee costs thousands of dollars was especially jaw dropping. It made me think of how much I take for granted. I also discovered that a bill of $100,000 in Venezuela is equivalent to the value of less than 5¢ in America. It is heartbreaking to think of this deep poverty, which is causing widespread death and malnutrition of children.
To me, this article was a wake-up-call of the dangers of losing political freedom. It is a possible outcome of government corruption and mismanagement when people are unable to voice their opinion. Learning about this oppression has made me especially thankful for the freedom that I am privileged to have.
Unexpectedly, this article has made me realize the importance of seizing our own political freedom in order to prevent corruption.
https://nyti.ms/2lGWYlB Printed on posters in classrooms, used to get voters to polls, the words “one person can change the world” have likely appeared in your life at some point. And if you are anything like me, they were immediately disregarded. I think of myself as a pragmatic person. It was hard for me to entertain the possibility that my actions could be felt by somebody beyond those around me; however, reading about Dr. Gatsala and her work with opioid addiction treatment has convinced me that small efforts can go a long way. I am not saying that Dr. Gatsala and her nurses are single-handedly going to end the opioid epidemic and change the world forever, but they are certainly making significant steps in that direction. The strength and perseverance it must take to treat these tough cases day after day is admirable. Her treatment-therapy and buprenorphine-may have only touched the lives of a small fraction of the millions suffering with untreated addiction, but her courage to take on the uncomfortable has had more of an impact than she can ever know. Although not necessarily the intended takeaway from this article, I felt it necessary to recognize Dr. Gatsala for her efforts, not only for the medical strides, but also for the inspiration it provides non idealistic people like myself to take steps towards a change. Who knows, one day I could be in an article just like this one, motivating someone else, and then maybe I, too, will have made the world a better place.
Review: Norman Rockwell’s Vision of F.D.R.’s Four Freedoms
This week I visited Norman Rockwell’s vision of FDR’s Four Freedoms described in March 8th and June 28th articles. These articles encouraged me to visit this exhibit, embrace history and be reminded of our rights, freedoms, and fears as citizens of the world, especially in this turbulent political climate.
My first impression of this vibrant and historic building was that of our strong and controversial history as a city and country. The grandeur of the structure represented our solidarity in creating this nation nearly 400 years ago, but the exhibits demonstrated the ever-changing landscape in the United States. In this exhibit, Rockwell had the ability to evoke such senses from his work, like a flashback in one’s mind to this painful time period. In Rockwell’s “Freedom from Want,” for example, I can feel the thankfulness of the holiday and the simple comforts of a family.
These paintings were visionary in speaking to our democratic ideals — and confronting the rise of authoritarianism. These Four Freedoms are ever so important amid the ascent of fascism. There are families in our country that shared these same fears. FDR’s speech, which coined the Four Freedoms phrase, should be revered throughout history as a preservation of our liberties and blessings as Americans. This experience was truly something to cherish. I will hope to teach the lessons of Rockwell and Roosevelt to my children and grandchildren.
After planning to see the "Incredibles 2" new movie this weekend, the article "'Incredibles 2' Moviegoers Warned About Possible Seizures" really caught my eye. Immediately I was curious and apprehensive about seeing this new movie. Once I read the article, I then realized that the flashing lights in some scenes could cause seizures in some people that are epileptic. Marcos Gardiana, a Disney fanatic who suffers from epilepsy, went to see the movie and endured a seizure triggered by the bright flashing lights about an hour into the movie. Signs in some theaters warning that the movie contained "a sequence of flashing lights may affect some people that are susceptible to photosensitive epilepsy or other photosensitivities" began later appearing in some theaters. However, some epileptic viewers did not receive this message. Marcos Gardiana said that he saw no warning signs in the theater he attended in Las Vegas. The Epilepsy Foundation posted a memo on their social media accounts suggesting that Disney Pixar post a warning online after hearing about the triggering images in the new movie, but as of Monday evening, no warning had been posted. The foundation then posted its own warning to raise awareness to epileptic viewers about the risks associated with the "Incredibles 2." It is important that all movie theaters, Disney Pixar, and the public share this information about the risks of seizures in epileptics associated with the "Incredibles 2" movie.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/06/29/opinion/editorials/famili...?
The article that interested me this week was about how their are marches occurring all over the country protesting how immigrant kids need to reunite with their families. I believe that it is unfair that the children have to go through this alone. In the article it explains how this act is not just about legal laws or illegal immigration, it's about cruelty to families and kids that are suffering with this event. Hopefully with all of the marches around the United States, it raises awareness that it is our duty to stop separating kids from their families.
To Counter Loneliness, Find Ways to Connect. The whole time reading this article I was honestly shocked for the most part. I never really thought that adults went through loneliness phases since they seem to always be busy and already have friends that they had for many years. It never crossed my mind to think that adults between the age of 18-24 experience this that they end up taking their own life. Now that part shocked me the most. I tend to feel lonely at times but never to the point that I would take my own life, it truly does hurt me to think that this happens. I do agree with the article saying that adults and even young adults should join any type of extracurricular activities no matter if they personally think that they don’t have enough time because they could always squeeze in something to do with someone, even if it means going out for a small walk with a friend. Personally I think it is very important to keep a social life no matter what because I mean after reading this no one deserves to end their life due to loneliness. Coming from a young scholar who is constantly busy with school and outside of school activities being lonely is no fun! I was raised to be busy and working on something new all the time, I know that in my future this is going to continue but I don’t want anyone feeling left out so I am going to try my best to make time for those who don’t go out as much.