“Hope and Frustration in Australia as Gay Marriage Debate Nears,” by Tacey Rychter.
As an Australian, I was very interested by the aspect of this article, as I'd forgotten that Australia was one of the few developed English-speaking countries which had not yet legalised same-sex marriage. This article lead me to wonder why the Australian parliament hadn’t legalised same-sex marriage, even though the majority of men and women were in favour. One of the most interesting points in which Rychter covers in this article, is that the main conflict with passing the new law lies within the Australian Parliament and legislators, not with the population of Australia.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnball had proposed a change in the constitution, as a bill has been drafted to the Australian Parliament to legalised same-sex marriage. Australian politicians are now debating over the social and economical effects of this plebiscite. Although frustrating, it's important for people to understand that these measures are mandatory for any form of government to take.
Legalising same-sex marriage is an issue of equal rights and fundamental freedom. To deny any two individuals the right of fundamental freedom should be considered reprehensible. It’s time for the Australian parliament to follow in the footsteps of its fellow developed English-speaking countries (as well as the majority of its own citizens), and legalise same-sex marriage.
As an Australian, I was very interested by the aspect of this article, as I'd forgotten that Australia was one of the few developed English-speaking countries which had not yet legalised same-sex marriage. This article lead me to wonder why the Australian parliament hadn’t legalised same-sex marriage, even though the majority of men and women were in favour. One of the most interesting points in which Rychter covers in this article, is that the main conflict with passing the new law lies within the Australian Parliament and legislators, not with the population of Australia.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnball had proposed a change in the constitution, as a bill has been drafted to the Australian Parliament to legalised same-sex marriage. Australian politicians are now debating over the social and economical effects of this plebiscite. Although frustrating, it's important for people to understand that these measures are mandatory for any form of government to take.
Legalising same-sex marriage is an issue of equal rights and fundamental freedom. To deny any two individuals the right of fundamental freedom should be considered reprehensible. It’s time for the Australian parliament to follow in the footsteps of its fellow developed English-speaking countries (as well as the majority of its own citizens), and legalise same-sex marriage.
“In Pivotal Moment, Tesla Unveils Its First Mass-Market Sedan” by Bill Vlasic
Tesla, a car company, best known for its electric self driving cars has launched its newest electric car, dubbed the “Model 3.” This Model 3 is aimed at “I want a Tesla, but money is a problem” people. So, in short the Model 3 is an electric car made for the mass, coming in at a price of 35,000 dollars. Compared to other Tesla made cars like the “Model S” which comes in at over 70,000 dollars, this car can be called cheap (for a Tesla). I think that Tesla making affordable electric cars is really showing the world that electric cars aren’t expensive and that they’re available for the mass too. Additionally, it is important to notice that this isn’t just a big step for Tesla, it’s a big step for the entire electric car industry. It shows that electric self driving cars are not so far in the future, but in fact, it’s here.
Tesla, a car company, best known for its electric self driving cars has launched its newest electric car, dubbed the “Model 3.” This Model 3 is aimed at “I want a Tesla, but money is a problem” people. So, in short the Model 3 is an electric car made for the mass, coming in at a price of 35,000 dollars. Compared to other Tesla made cars like the “Model S” which comes in at over 70,000 dollars, this car can be called cheap (for a Tesla). I think that Tesla making affordable electric cars is really showing the world that electric cars aren’t expensive and that they’re available for the mass too. Additionally, it is important to notice that this isn’t just a big step for Tesla, it’s a big step for the entire electric car industry. It shows that electric self driving cars are not so far in the future, but in fact, it’s here.
"North Korea Tests a Ballistic Missile that Experts say Could hit California" by David E. Sanger, Choe Sang-Hun, and William J. Broad.
In this article, North Korea has launched a missile on Friday and it can post many American cities in risks. As everyone knows, North Korea is a pure communist country with absolute dictatorship. The leader, Kim Jong-un, is one of the most dangerous dictator. This event reminds me of the Cuban missile launch during the Cold War. Even though developing nuclear weapons can protect one nation, it will post huge pressure to citizens and threat to the globe if the holder is irrational. I am dubious if North Korean economy can support a large amount of expenditure on arm forces.
In this article, North Korea has launched a missile on Friday and it can post many American cities in risks. As everyone knows, North Korea is a pure communist country with absolute dictatorship. The leader, Kim Jong-un, is one of the most dangerous dictator. This event reminds me of the Cuban missile launch during the Cold War. Even though developing nuclear weapons can protect one nation, it will post huge pressure to citizens and threat to the globe if the holder is irrational. I am dubious if North Korean economy can support a large amount of expenditure on arm forces.
"What We Finally Got Around to Learning at the Procrastination Research Conference"
By Heather Murphy
I have the habit of procrastinating more often than I would like, and it is a habit I am trying to break. Yet, I still managed to procrastinate even in writing this response. I saw this article at the beginning of the week, and instantly clicked it hoping it would give me some insight on why procrastination is such a struggle to overcome, and did not write my response until right before the deadline.
Due to such tendencies as this, I have always identified as a procrastinator, but after reading this article, I found that there is a difference between being a chronic procrastinator and just someone who procrastinates. Everyone procrastinates, but only 20 percent of the population are chronic procrastinators, meaning they procrastinate to the point where it has detrimental effects on multiple aspects of their lives. In the latter case, procrastination can become a serious problem and may require professional help from a psychologist.
Most people are ignorant of this fact, the reason being that there is little research being done on procrastination and that what is being done is not widely publicized. As a problem that plagues virtually everyone, the research these scientists are doing should be made known, in addition to being supported. It is practical to study something so pervasive in society, yet conclusions cannot be reached if people do not have the means to do so.
By Heather Murphy
I have the habit of procrastinating more often than I would like, and it is a habit I am trying to break. Yet, I still managed to procrastinate even in writing this response. I saw this article at the beginning of the week, and instantly clicked it hoping it would give me some insight on why procrastination is such a struggle to overcome, and did not write my response until right before the deadline.
Due to such tendencies as this, I have always identified as a procrastinator, but after reading this article, I found that there is a difference between being a chronic procrastinator and just someone who procrastinates. Everyone procrastinates, but only 20 percent of the population are chronic procrastinators, meaning they procrastinate to the point where it has detrimental effects on multiple aspects of their lives. In the latter case, procrastination can become a serious problem and may require professional help from a psychologist.
Most people are ignorant of this fact, the reason being that there is little research being done on procrastination and that what is being done is not widely publicized. As a problem that plagues virtually everyone, the research these scientists are doing should be made known, in addition to being supported. It is practical to study something so pervasive in society, yet conclusions cannot be reached if people do not have the means to do so.
Young Digital Artists,Anxious About...Technology by Frank Rose
I clicked on this article because digital art of the two dimensional variety is a hobby of mine, but it appealed to me as a sentient being rather than as an artist.
The way I interpreted this article, it was about how technology might be leaving us in a false reality where we are guaranteed that we're experiencing what we want to be, but aren't in truth, and also about some other emotional matters. This article has deeply imbued me with a fascination for digital art. Since art is about interpretation, and technology can let you see the essence of something on many different levels, technology mixed with art can really mess with ideas in a very striking way. What I love most about this is that the tech used allows you to use the ingredients of the concept themselves as mediums, if I've put it into words correctly. What I mean is, when you paint a picture of the ocean, you're not slapping salt water onto the canvas, you're slapping the idea of salt water onto the canvas. But when you're using digital art to make a portrait of a human, and visibly embedding the numerical code for that human's DNA in the surface of the sculpture, you literally ARE using the human in your work (or at least, the digital equivalent that can be translated) instead of just a representation of them. This goes beyond pictures; we're creating visuals with ideas now, not creating ideas with visuals.
I clicked on this article because digital art of the two dimensional variety is a hobby of mine, but it appealed to me as a sentient being rather than as an artist.
The way I interpreted this article, it was about how technology might be leaving us in a false reality where we are guaranteed that we're experiencing what we want to be, but aren't in truth, and also about some other emotional matters. This article has deeply imbued me with a fascination for digital art. Since art is about interpretation, and technology can let you see the essence of something on many different levels, technology mixed with art can really mess with ideas in a very striking way. What I love most about this is that the tech used allows you to use the ingredients of the concept themselves as mediums, if I've put it into words correctly. What I mean is, when you paint a picture of the ocean, you're not slapping salt water onto the canvas, you're slapping the idea of salt water onto the canvas. But when you're using digital art to make a portrait of a human, and visibly embedding the numerical code for that human's DNA in the surface of the sculpture, you literally ARE using the human in your work (or at least, the digital equivalent that can be translated) instead of just a representation of them. This goes beyond pictures; we're creating visuals with ideas now, not creating ideas with visuals.
“How Tattoos Might Affect Your Workout”
Tattoos, permanent marks on your skin representing something important to you. With a needle penetrating into your skin and injecting dye upwards of three-thousand times per minute, or fifty times every second, tattoos are a form of expression through pain. The rapid succession of the needle damages the skin tissue for a short amount of time, but other than that tattoos were believed to be without repercussion, until now. There has been a recent study conducted with only young males that have an asymmetrical tattoo. The study has some fresh tattoos and some tattoos that have been there for years. The men are induced to sweat with a two chemical patches, one for the tattooed skin and one for the bare skin in the same spot yet opposite side. The test shows that the body sweats half as much through the inked skin as well as releasing more sodium. Even with this new study surfacing, not very many people will be deterred. Tattoos used to be seen as rebellious, but now are believed to be cool and acceptable to get without a second thought. Many children are going and getting tattoos all the time without knowing the risk. Tattoos may affect your job option in the future and permanently damage the tissue and now we know that it prevents your body from sweating, therefore hindering homeostasis. Tattoos require a lot of thought, because although it might seem like a harmless decision, it could be life altering.
Tattoos, permanent marks on your skin representing something important to you. With a needle penetrating into your skin and injecting dye upwards of three-thousand times per minute, or fifty times every second, tattoos are a form of expression through pain. The rapid succession of the needle damages the skin tissue for a short amount of time, but other than that tattoos were believed to be without repercussion, until now. There has been a recent study conducted with only young males that have an asymmetrical tattoo. The study has some fresh tattoos and some tattoos that have been there for years. The men are induced to sweat with a two chemical patches, one for the tattooed skin and one for the bare skin in the same spot yet opposite side. The test shows that the body sweats half as much through the inked skin as well as releasing more sodium. Even with this new study surfacing, not very many people will be deterred. Tattoos used to be seen as rebellious, but now are believed to be cool and acceptable to get without a second thought. Many children are going and getting tattoos all the time without knowing the risk. Tattoos may affect your job option in the future and permanently damage the tissue and now we know that it prevents your body from sweating, therefore hindering homeostasis. Tattoos require a lot of thought, because although it might seem like a harmless decision, it could be life altering.
After having to scroll through tons of disappointed Twitter users' tweets about the Micheal Phelps racing a shark dilemma, I had to click on "Michael Phelps ‘Raced’ a ‘Shark,’ Kind Of. Not Really. by Victor Mather ".
It seems to me the people of this world expect so much of modern times. They expect scientists to come up with some flash drive to teach our brains languages. They expect flying cars everywhere by 2030. And apparently, they now expect scientists to be able to get a great white shark to "race" in a straight line against one of the greatest swimmers of all time, while also somehow controlling the massive creature's appetite.
This being said, however, I most definitely agree to some extent with the angry tweeters about the deceptive false advertisement Discovery Channel did to mislead apprehensive and excited viewers of Shark Week. With the people of our time, when a channel labels something as swimmer vs shark race, they must remember that the people literally expect what they read in the headline in order to be pleased.
Discovery Channel has- year in and out -impressed it's viewers and outdone itself when it comes to Shark Week. I simply think they might have let their imagination wander a bit too far this year.
It seems to me the people of this world expect so much of modern times. They expect scientists to come up with some flash drive to teach our brains languages. They expect flying cars everywhere by 2030. And apparently, they now expect scientists to be able to get a great white shark to "race" in a straight line against one of the greatest swimmers of all time, while also somehow controlling the massive creature's appetite.
This being said, however, I most definitely agree to some extent with the angry tweeters about the deceptive false advertisement Discovery Channel did to mislead apprehensive and excited viewers of Shark Week. With the people of our time, when a channel labels something as swimmer vs shark race, they must remember that the people literally expect what they read in the headline in order to be pleased.
Discovery Channel has- year in and out -impressed it's viewers and outdone itself when it comes to Shark Week. I simply think they might have let their imagination wander a bit too far this year.
"Michael Phelps 'Raced' a 'Shark,' Kind Of. Not Really."
I was certainly excited to turn on my television and watch the greatest swimmer of all time race a great white shark. However, as I began watching the program, I realized that my expectations were not going to be met. The Discovery Channel's dramatic reveal on TV made it seem like Michael Phelps was actually going to race a shark side by side in the water. I knew that the race would not take place in open water because no one would let a national treasure like Phelps risk his life. On the other hand, I did think that Phelps and the shark would be racing side by side in some sense, as in with a barrier between them. Unfortunately, that did not happen either. The Discovery Channel simulated the race by having Phelps swim in the South African waters by himself. Scientists timed Phelps to see how long it would take him to swim 100 meters. Scientists also conducted an experiment to see how long it would take a great white shark to swim 100 meters. The shark beat Phelps in the simulation. Unfortunately even his world record times weren't on par with the speed of a great white.
Everyone watching the program was let down by the Discovery Channel. Many people were disappointed that the Discovery Channel promoted the race to be an actual race. I would love to see a real race between the greatest swimmer of all time, and a great white shark, but I don't believe that will happen any time soon
I was certainly excited to turn on my television and watch the greatest swimmer of all time race a great white shark. However, as I began watching the program, I realized that my expectations were not going to be met. The Discovery Channel's dramatic reveal on TV made it seem like Michael Phelps was actually going to race a shark side by side in the water. I knew that the race would not take place in open water because no one would let a national treasure like Phelps risk his life. On the other hand, I did think that Phelps and the shark would be racing side by side in some sense, as in with a barrier between them. Unfortunately, that did not happen either. The Discovery Channel simulated the race by having Phelps swim in the South African waters by himself. Scientists timed Phelps to see how long it would take him to swim 100 meters. Scientists also conducted an experiment to see how long it would take a great white shark to swim 100 meters. The shark beat Phelps in the simulation. Unfortunately even his world record times weren't on par with the speed of a great white.
Everyone watching the program was let down by the Discovery Channel. Many people were disappointed that the Discovery Channel promoted the race to be an actual race. I would love to see a real race between the greatest swimmer of all time, and a great white shark, but I don't believe that will happen any time soon
"Why Women Aren't C.E.O.s, According to Women Who Almost Were" by SUSAN CHIRA
Before I read this article I never notice that women have been underestimated and treated badly. When I first saw the article title I didn't quite understand the author. If I go out to the public there are more places that preferentially treat women better than the men, like parking lots, subways even buses. Because of those special treatments for women I always disagree with the people who made a party who supports women. I always thought those sexist problems are gone or gotten better, however, When I finished reading this article I realized that those problems still exist. Honestly, these day girls do better than guys. they are more positive and sincere. I think they do a better job than us. Well, of course, there are some exceptions but I believe that they are generally same as the men.
Before I read this article I never notice that women have been underestimated and treated badly. When I first saw the article title I didn't quite understand the author. If I go out to the public there are more places that preferentially treat women better than the men, like parking lots, subways even buses. Because of those special treatments for women I always disagree with the people who made a party who supports women. I always thought those sexist problems are gone or gotten better, however, When I finished reading this article I realized that those problems still exist. Honestly, these day girls do better than guys. they are more positive and sincere. I think they do a better job than us. Well, of course, there are some exceptions but I believe that they are generally same as the men.
"Michael Phelps 'Raced' a 'Shark,' Kind Of. Not Really."
I was certainly excited to turn on my television and watch the greatest swimmer of all time race a great white shark. However, as I began watching the program, I realized that my expectations were not going to be met. The Discovery Channel's advertisements on TV made it seem like Michael Phelps was actually going to race a shark side by side in the water. I knew that the race would not take place in open water because no one would let a man with 23 gold medals risk his life. On the other hand, I did think that Phelps and the shark would be racing side by side with a barrier in between them. Unfortunately, that did not happen either. The Discovery Channel simulated the race by having Phelps swim in the South African waters by himself. Scientists timed Phelps to see how long it would take him to swim 100 meters. Scientists also conducted an experiment to see how long it would take a great white shark to swim 100 meters. The shark beat Phelps in the simulation. Not even a superhuman like Phelps can compete with a great white shark in the water.
Everyone watching the program was let down by the Discovery Channel. Many people were disappointed that the Discovery Channel promoted the race to be an actual race. I would love to see a real race between the greatest swimmer of all time, and a great white shark, but I guess my wish will never be fulfilled.
I was certainly excited to turn on my television and watch the greatest swimmer of all time race a great white shark. However, as I began watching the program, I realized that my expectations were not going to be met. The Discovery Channel's advertisements on TV made it seem like Michael Phelps was actually going to race a shark side by side in the water. I knew that the race would not take place in open water because no one would let a man with 23 gold medals risk his life. On the other hand, I did think that Phelps and the shark would be racing side by side with a barrier in between them. Unfortunately, that did not happen either. The Discovery Channel simulated the race by having Phelps swim in the South African waters by himself. Scientists timed Phelps to see how long it would take him to swim 100 meters. Scientists also conducted an experiment to see how long it would take a great white shark to swim 100 meters. The shark beat Phelps in the simulation. Not even a superhuman like Phelps can compete with a great white shark in the water.
Everyone watching the program was let down by the Discovery Channel. Many people were disappointed that the Discovery Channel promoted the race to be an actual race. I would love to see a real race between the greatest swimmer of all time, and a great white shark, but I guess my wish will never be fulfilled.
"The Cult of the Line: It's Not About the Merch"
By RUTH LA FER LA AUG. 3, 2017
I could never imagine living in any other state but New York City, even if someone offered to paid me to leave, I would never accept. As I child, I grew up feeling like a misfit. I was always loud, mischievous, and adventurous, a wild child. Not that much has changed now, but everyone's constantly running wild in NY, so I fit right in. I am obsessed with the hustle, the crowd, the electrifying atmosphere, the culture of the people, the talent that pours on into the streets.
"The Cult of the Line: It's Not about the Merch" is about the idea of connecting to random people on the streets waiting in line to go inside a clothing store is something that only happens in New York. Jeff Caravalho says, "The line is the new community... its because they want to be part of something." When you can connect with someone completely different, but somehow similar in music, art, and fashion simply by what you wear is authentic. This new community and culture of streetwear has really started to change, so that your average population, wear fashionable clothing and feel immersed in the world that is clothings and identity. Im glad that a style now is something people spend big money on whereas back in the day the look would immediately be dismissed. " What’s more, they defy facile stereotyping." Street culture and wear has come such a long way and the connection it's now bring along is very diversifying.
By RUTH LA FER LA AUG. 3, 2017
I could never imagine living in any other state but New York City, even if someone offered to paid me to leave, I would never accept. As I child, I grew up feeling like a misfit. I was always loud, mischievous, and adventurous, a wild child. Not that much has changed now, but everyone's constantly running wild in NY, so I fit right in. I am obsessed with the hustle, the crowd, the electrifying atmosphere, the culture of the people, the talent that pours on into the streets.
"The Cult of the Line: It's Not about the Merch" is about the idea of connecting to random people on the streets waiting in line to go inside a clothing store is something that only happens in New York. Jeff Caravalho says, "The line is the new community... its because they want to be part of something." When you can connect with someone completely different, but somehow similar in music, art, and fashion simply by what you wear is authentic. This new community and culture of streetwear has really started to change, so that your average population, wear fashionable clothing and feel immersed in the world that is clothings and identity. Im glad that a style now is something people spend big money on whereas back in the day the look would immediately be dismissed. " What’s more, they defy facile stereotyping." Street culture and wear has come such a long way and the connection it's now bring along is very diversifying.
Are You a Carboholic? Why Cutting Carbs Is So Tough
By Gary Taubes
This is the article that really caught my attention this week. For the past six years, I have had problems with maintaining a healthy enough weight. Anything involving carbs, such as sugars or grains, are my weaknesses, but for the past few weeks I have been on a carb restrictive diet, which has been working for me; since, for once, I am actually trying to accommodate to a healthy lifestyle.
After reading this article, it has given me more information that will help me achieve my goals. For example, all the talk about insulin and how less carbs means a lower insulin level which equals to the burning of carbohydrates stored in my body. Plus, this article gave me more hope in achieving these goals.
By Gary Taubes
This is the article that really caught my attention this week. For the past six years, I have had problems with maintaining a healthy enough weight. Anything involving carbs, such as sugars or grains, are my weaknesses, but for the past few weeks I have been on a carb restrictive diet, which has been working for me; since, for once, I am actually trying to accommodate to a healthy lifestyle.
After reading this article, it has given me more information that will help me achieve my goals. For example, all the talk about insulin and how less carbs means a lower insulin level which equals to the burning of carbohydrates stored in my body. Plus, this article gave me more hope in achieving these goals.
Coast Guard Still Supports Transgender Troops, Commandant Says by Ron Nixon
The Trump administration has been imprudent to say the absolute least. One of the most shocking occurrences in its short history has been Donald Trump's recent tweet stating that transgender individuals will not be allowed to serve in the military. This even came as a shock to the lobbyists that had been vetting for changes in the military surrounding transgender individuals, since they only wanted to limit the amount of money spent on them, not completely ban them from the military as Trump had done. This article was able to give me a sense of hope in these dark times, where America seems to be taking steps backward in terms of progress in equality. The military is not known to be very progressive when it comes to allowing new groups serve, this can be seen through the struggle that woman had to go through in order to actually gain the privilege to serve in 1917. Having the Coast Guard back the transgender individuals seems like the first step to achieving a tolerant country, even under an intolerant Trump Administration.
The Trump administration has been imprudent to say the absolute least. One of the most shocking occurrences in its short history has been Donald Trump's recent tweet stating that transgender individuals will not be allowed to serve in the military. This even came as a shock to the lobbyists that had been vetting for changes in the military surrounding transgender individuals, since they only wanted to limit the amount of money spent on them, not completely ban them from the military as Trump had done. This article was able to give me a sense of hope in these dark times, where America seems to be taking steps backward in terms of progress in equality. The military is not known to be very progressive when it comes to allowing new groups serve, this can be seen through the struggle that woman had to go through in order to actually gain the privilege to serve in 1917. Having the Coast Guard back the transgender individuals seems like the first step to achieving a tolerant country, even under an intolerant Trump Administration.
"A Decades-Long Quest With a Chilling End: John Wayne Gacy's 24th Victim"
It leaves me bitter to learn from the story of John Wayne that the world, the society of today no longer harbors the kindness and trust as easily as back then. In the past, like how John Wayne was able to hitchhike all the way to Chicago, the world had the faith to believe that there would be no knife nor danger awaiting for them hiding behind the false generosity. However, today, the world is more about "me" rather than "us". The 9/11 terrorist attack left distrusts at the airport as well as of the other countries. The existence of serial killers on rampage left suspicion against strangers. The crimes against the innocents left fear among people. As a result, the hearts of men were fortified to guard their kindness they could possibly offer if the person manages to prove their innocent of any harm. The societal difference between decades past and today just leaves me bitter since the most men of today won' t probably risk their safety to offer their generosity to a stranger.
It leaves me bitter to learn from the story of John Wayne that the world, the society of today no longer harbors the kindness and trust as easily as back then. In the past, like how John Wayne was able to hitchhike all the way to Chicago, the world had the faith to believe that there would be no knife nor danger awaiting for them hiding behind the false generosity. However, today, the world is more about "me" rather than "us". The 9/11 terrorist attack left distrusts at the airport as well as of the other countries. The existence of serial killers on rampage left suspicion against strangers. The crimes against the innocents left fear among people. As a result, the hearts of men were fortified to guard their kindness they could possibly offer if the person manages to prove their innocent of any harm. The societal difference between decades past and today just leaves me bitter since the most men of today won' t probably risk their safety to offer their generosity to a stranger.
I hold a special love for carbs. For instance, at least once a week during the running season I take part in the tradtion of carboloading before a race. This is why I was interested in reading "Are You a Carboholic? Why Cutting Carbs Is So Tough". What I found fascinating is that it is not really fats that cause us to become fat but rather carbohydrates. In excess, carbs become deadly; however, that is how many of us eat carbs, in a binge like fashion. Because of how the media projects large size portions, as a nations we are slowly getting fatter. We binge on a bag of chips that is meant to serve 4 people in a matter of an hour. This causes our insulin levels to spike and drives our craving for carbs to a higher level. The food industry could take a step in the right diretions by starting to control the amount of serving sizes put into one container; therefore, it makes us harder to binge so easily in one sitting. There are many other steps that need to be taken but that is a start.
"The Public Theater Cancels Several Performance Of 'Hamlet'"
By Sopan DEB
As you read this title, some people might say that the title of this article is pretty much self explanatory so there is no need for reading the article.
However I choose to read this article because I wanted to know why it got canceled and simply, I am interested in theatre area.
Before I read this article and just look at the title, I thought there must be some major problem occurred such as terrorism happened in New York, Broadway or main actor or actress has passed away due to abrupt accident such as traffic because it is VERY rare for Broadway to cancel the shows.
As I read this article, I felt like there is another or totally different reason for show's cancellation. Because, I get that "Hamlet" is really long show and it requires actors a lot of physical work, but so does other shows. There aren't any show that are easy or would not require heavy physical work. And also, why they had to cancel ALL of Saturday shows? The actors who are in "Hamlet" has played many roles before and I am sure that they know how hard the theatre is. As they go through their theatre career, they probably have gained enough physical strength to run the shows till the very last day. In addition to that, many shows are run by 2 person for each characters so actors can alternate. Those reasons are why I felt like the reason that Broadway told to the media is not 100% true.
By Sopan DEB
As you read this title, some people might say that the title of this article is pretty much self explanatory so there is no need for reading the article.
However I choose to read this article because I wanted to know why it got canceled and simply, I am interested in theatre area.
Before I read this article and just look at the title, I thought there must be some major problem occurred such as terrorism happened in New York, Broadway or main actor or actress has passed away due to abrupt accident such as traffic because it is VERY rare for Broadway to cancel the shows.
As I read this article, I felt like there is another or totally different reason for show's cancellation. Because, I get that "Hamlet" is really long show and it requires actors a lot of physical work, but so does other shows. There aren't any show that are easy or would not require heavy physical work. And also, why they had to cancel ALL of Saturday shows? The actors who are in "Hamlet" has played many roles before and I am sure that they know how hard the theatre is. As they go through their theatre career, they probably have gained enough physical strength to run the shows till the very last day. In addition to that, many shows are run by 2 person for each characters so actors can alternate. Those reasons are why I felt like the reason that Broadway told to the media is not 100% true.
The article "In Breakthrough, Scientists Edit a Dangerous Mutation From Genes in Human Embryos" explains that scientists were recently able to identify and cure a mutation happening in a human embryo with the use of genetic engineering. This achievement brings up many questions though. As we have been able to make advances in medicine and become a more resilient species overall, I can't help but think that the population increase that a rebellion against every disease we face could be the downfall of our population as a whole. At some point we will have to ask ourselves if it is more ethical to use our advances in medicine to treat people or to let some of these people go for the sake of our planet.
"What To Do with Kids This Summer? Put 'Em to Work"
by Ben Sasse
In the age of technology, most kids are not doing the labor-intensive jobs that Senator Ben Sasse did as a child. Even elementary-aged children are stuck in their devices.
So Mr. Sasse offers modern-day solutions: "look around your neighborhood and see what ways your kids could serve their community" and "travel... to get our kids out of their comfort zones". Within a few years, lemonade stands grow old and most families can't afford to travel all the time.
Instead what we should focus on is internships. A lot of high school and college students take internships, which have the added benefit of advancing careers, already. By expanding a lot of internships to middle schoolers, who a majority of have access to devices, kids and employers will benefit. Kids' summers will become more enriched and employers will get the extra help.
Perhaps Sen. Sasse could encourage middle and high school students to get a summer job of helping him out?
by Ben Sasse
In the age of technology, most kids are not doing the labor-intensive jobs that Senator Ben Sasse did as a child. Even elementary-aged children are stuck in their devices.
So Mr. Sasse offers modern-day solutions: "look around your neighborhood and see what ways your kids could serve their community" and "travel... to get our kids out of their comfort zones". Within a few years, lemonade stands grow old and most families can't afford to travel all the time.
Instead what we should focus on is internships. A lot of high school and college students take internships, which have the added benefit of advancing careers, already. By expanding a lot of internships to middle schoolers, who a majority of have access to devices, kids and employers will benefit. Kids' summers will become more enriched and employers will get the extra help.
Perhaps Sen. Sasse could encourage middle and high school students to get a summer job of helping him out?
"China's Internet Censors Play a Tougher Game of Cat and Mouse"
China's government is well known for its strong grasp on the internet and the censorship of online media. Although certain mediums of media have been banned in China, there many infamous cases of people working around the barriers to access these types of media.
I was intrigued by this article because it talked about China looking into further increasing its media censorship through the incorporation of new online systems. I had always had mixed feelings toward the concept of media censorship. On one hand, I believe that a country should be able to decide their methods of restricting inappropriate media sources to its citizens. However, on the other hand, it is also rights of the citizens to be able to access social media without restriction of his/her government.
In this article, the author has pointed out an example of issues that have been occurring as the Chinese government tightens its grasp on online access. The article mentions the Chinese government regulating the hours adolescents could play a certain online game to under 2 hours per day. However, this caused heavy discontent from the adolescents. Ever since, there have been overwhelming online ads advertising cheap prices for fake IDs to allow adolescents to fake their age online. Evidently, China's efforts to assist its citizens has caused the opposite effects.
China's government is well known for its strong grasp on the internet and the censorship of online media. Although certain mediums of media have been banned in China, there many infamous cases of people working around the barriers to access these types of media.
I was intrigued by this article because it talked about China looking into further increasing its media censorship through the incorporation of new online systems. I had always had mixed feelings toward the concept of media censorship. On one hand, I believe that a country should be able to decide their methods of restricting inappropriate media sources to its citizens. However, on the other hand, it is also rights of the citizens to be able to access social media without restriction of his/her government.
In this article, the author has pointed out an example of issues that have been occurring as the Chinese government tightens its grasp on online access. The article mentions the Chinese government regulating the hours adolescents could play a certain online game to under 2 hours per day. However, this caused heavy discontent from the adolescents. Ever since, there have been overwhelming online ads advertising cheap prices for fake IDs to allow adolescents to fake their age online. Evidently, China's efforts to assist its citizens has caused the opposite effects.
What We Finally Got Around to Learning at a Procrastination Research Conference by Heather Murphy
Summer vacation is coming to an end and the first day of school is approaching. Along with the new school year, I’ve set quite an ambitious goal: no procrastinating. I’m pretty sure that a majority of students share the same goal as mine. In the midst bracing myself for a procrastination-free school year, I was instantly intrigued by this article.
I’ve always had trouble catching myself drifting away from my school work. In fact, living in such a technology-based era, we are pretty much one click away from the endless lures of social media. Despite the never-ending cycle of regret and stress from procrastinating, conversing with my friends only happening to find out that they share the same concern as me was all I really did. However, the expertise on procrastination research introduced in this article provided me with tremendous comfort. I feel like the level of comprehension we can gain from professional studies and conferences like such is incomparable. Trying to stop oneself from procrastinating is without a doubt entirely dependent on that individual's will and effort. However, I also think that such will and effort can only be established when a lot of attention and understanding is brought upon the issue.
Hopefully, with the growing concerns towards procrastination, more research is being established on bringing activity to our idle minds.
Summer vacation is coming to an end and the first day of school is approaching. Along with the new school year, I’ve set quite an ambitious goal: no procrastinating. I’m pretty sure that a majority of students share the same goal as mine. In the midst bracing myself for a procrastination-free school year, I was instantly intrigued by this article.
I’ve always had trouble catching myself drifting away from my school work. In fact, living in such a technology-based era, we are pretty much one click away from the endless lures of social media. Despite the never-ending cycle of regret and stress from procrastinating, conversing with my friends only happening to find out that they share the same concern as me was all I really did. However, the expertise on procrastination research introduced in this article provided me with tremendous comfort. I feel like the level of comprehension we can gain from professional studies and conferences like such is incomparable. Trying to stop oneself from procrastinating is without a doubt entirely dependent on that individual's will and effort. However, I also think that such will and effort can only be established when a lot of attention and understanding is brought upon the issue.
Hopefully, with the growing concerns towards procrastination, more research is being established on bringing activity to our idle minds.
"Trump Says Transgender People Will Not Be Allowed in the Military" by Julie Hirschfeld Davis and Helene Cooper
The topic of gender transition has been one of the intriguing subject for me personally because it involves biology, which I love. I think it's kind of cool to see how studying biology can create therapies and surgeries that offer the gender transition.
Trump announced through twitter that transgender people would not be able to serve in the military anymore. He says that the medical cost for the gender transition is "tremendous," but the analysis states that the cost is negligible to mere 0.09 percent increase. I understand Trump's concern of tax-paid money going to hormonal therapies when such thing could have been avoided if he barred transgender people from serving at all. However, I think Trump made an unwise decision by saying that he would ban ALL transgender people from serving in the military, which includes the one already serving in the military. Transgender people already serving in the military have finished the gender transition thus are capable physically and mentally. Thus, going far as to say that he would prohibit capable people in military could potentially risk the national security. His radicalism here alienated some Republicans like McCain and Mattis who were more careful about the issue. Moreover he made an abrupt call even without properly consulting his defense secretary. I don't know at this point...
The topic of gender transition has been one of the intriguing subject for me personally because it involves biology, which I love. I think it's kind of cool to see how studying biology can create therapies and surgeries that offer the gender transition.
Trump announced through twitter that transgender people would not be able to serve in the military anymore. He says that the medical cost for the gender transition is "tremendous," but the analysis states that the cost is negligible to mere 0.09 percent increase. I understand Trump's concern of tax-paid money going to hormonal therapies when such thing could have been avoided if he barred transgender people from serving at all. However, I think Trump made an unwise decision by saying that he would ban ALL transgender people from serving in the military, which includes the one already serving in the military. Transgender people already serving in the military have finished the gender transition thus are capable physically and mentally. Thus, going far as to say that he would prohibit capable people in military could potentially risk the national security. His radicalism here alienated some Republicans like McCain and Mattis who were more careful about the issue. Moreover he made an abrupt call even without properly consulting his defense secretary. I don't know at this point...
The Battle for Venezuela, Through a Lens, Helmet and Gas Mask
For more than the past three months’ anti government protesters have taken to the streets in Venezuela in an attempt to oppose their leader, President Nicolás Maduro, oppressive leadership. The photos depicted showed what looked to be a war zone, with flame shooters, barricades, and tear gas. However, what caught my eye the most was the a man pictured wearing a small peace sign painted onto his helmet. Whereas the violence has now escalated to the point where protesters and even bystanders are getting killed and seriously injured, the man wearing this helmet carries the whole meaning behind the fight. Whereas many can get lost in an argument or battle and often forget the cause that they are fighting for the helmet with the peace sign shown front and center in the photograph is a gentle reminder that the protester’s message is not violence, it is peace.
For more than the past three months’ anti government protesters have taken to the streets in Venezuela in an attempt to oppose their leader, President Nicolás Maduro, oppressive leadership. The photos depicted showed what looked to be a war zone, with flame shooters, barricades, and tear gas. However, what caught my eye the most was the a man pictured wearing a small peace sign painted onto his helmet. Whereas the violence has now escalated to the point where protesters and even bystanders are getting killed and seriously injured, the man wearing this helmet carries the whole meaning behind the fight. Whereas many can get lost in an argument or battle and often forget the cause that they are fighting for the helmet with the peace sign shown front and center in the photograph is a gentle reminder that the protester’s message is not violence, it is peace.
This week, the article interested me is “A Comic Strips Mirror the Ravages of Climate Change .” by George Gene Gustines. The article starts with comic strips called “ The cast of “Arctic Circle ” by the cartoonist Alex Hallatt, which includes three penguins, a polar bear, a lemming and a bunny. Physically, this shows that these animals stand together on a piece of a glacier, which may be melted with the other pieces of glacier surrounded them. Figuratively, the comic strips suggest that these innocent animals have to suffer from the climate change by having an inappropriate environment. In fact, we all know the bad influence of climate on the future humanity such as causing natural disasters and increasing the amount of CO2. However, besides showing that the issue of climate change is still not completely solved, the slogan from the comics“An Inconvenient Truth” convey the message that people should care about the other animals due to the climate change. Furthermore, the text also allows the audience to understand the impact of climate change, which is the controversial issue that has been intervened for several years. Consequently, the article obviously states that the climate change is not only a political issue, but it is also a science issue. This text is generally effective because it encourages both of the politician members and scientist to completely stop the climate change.
“First Encounters With Racism”
It is truly a shame that today’s teenagers still face racism. I myself am a 16-year-old Asian, and have experienced a few racial stereotypes. However, living in Asia where the majority of the population is Asian too, I have not yet personally experienced severe racism.
People like Riley, Marianne, Maya, and Jose encountered these unfortunate events only because they were categorized in a minority group, the not-white-race. They were the outsiders in a place where the white race was more popular. Essentially, they were discriminated solely for looking different, because if people had any rational thoughts at all, they would notice that a particular race is not more capable; whether it is the capability to rob a convenience store, the capability to plan a terrorist attack, or the capability to run for president.
For those who are still racist, let me simplify things. Racism is no different than a kindergartner teasing a fellow classmate for having a big nose, which everyone knows is mean and wrong. Then how is discrimination towards different races any different?
It is truly a shame that today’s teenagers still face racism. I myself am a 16-year-old Asian, and have experienced a few racial stereotypes. However, living in Asia where the majority of the population is Asian too, I have not yet personally experienced severe racism.
People like Riley, Marianne, Maya, and Jose encountered these unfortunate events only because they were categorized in a minority group, the not-white-race. They were the outsiders in a place where the white race was more popular. Essentially, they were discriminated solely for looking different, because if people had any rational thoughts at all, they would notice that a particular race is not more capable; whether it is the capability to rob a convenience store, the capability to plan a terrorist attack, or the capability to run for president.
For those who are still racist, let me simplify things. Racism is no different than a kindergartner teasing a fellow classmate for having a big nose, which everyone knows is mean and wrong. Then how is discrimination towards different races any different?
Article: “Trump Says Transgender People Will Not Be Allowed in the Military”
When you are a child the one thing you hear a lot, if you are lucky enough to be surrounded by supportive people is that you can do anything. Trump has began to change the rules a bit. By announcing very unprofessionally through twitter that he bans Transgender people from being in the military after saying in his campaign to always protect the rights of those in the LGBTQ community. First and foremost the manner in which Trump went about announcing this controversial information is over social media. Why is the President of the United States telling his American people horrid news that he thinks is correct over a site that posts can not be over 140 characters? Our president needs to pull it together and start acting like he is the ruler of the free nation by behaving like the President and not a teenage girl who is in a fight. But the most recent shocking news is the step back we have taken as a nation with this new motion. If someone wants to go fight and die for their country no one should stop them from serving. Trump’s excuse of money for his actions was quickly proven false. In the end causing all money to come to a halt while they sort out the mess that was created by this. Lastly, no one can know for sure if this clearly odd choice isn’t covering up something else that Trump has done and is hiding it behind this recent scandal.
When you are a child the one thing you hear a lot, if you are lucky enough to be surrounded by supportive people is that you can do anything. Trump has began to change the rules a bit. By announcing very unprofessionally through twitter that he bans Transgender people from being in the military after saying in his campaign to always protect the rights of those in the LGBTQ community. First and foremost the manner in which Trump went about announcing this controversial information is over social media. Why is the President of the United States telling his American people horrid news that he thinks is correct over a site that posts can not be over 140 characters? Our president needs to pull it together and start acting like he is the ruler of the free nation by behaving like the President and not a teenage girl who is in a fight. But the most recent shocking news is the step back we have taken as a nation with this new motion. If someone wants to go fight and die for their country no one should stop them from serving. Trump’s excuse of money for his actions was quickly proven false. In the end causing all money to come to a halt while they sort out the mess that was created by this. Lastly, no one can know for sure if this clearly odd choice isn’t covering up something else that Trump has done and is hiding it behind this recent scandal.
"110 N.F.L. Brains" By Joe Ward, Josh Williams and Sam Manchester
July 25, 2017
I still will never get over the fact that these athletes still get paid 10 times more than, say, doctors. I mean when you really think about it, it's bizarre. Doctors save people from dying every day. Prevent death from claiming more souls. Giving back loved one to families. And then you have athletes. People you get BUCKETS of money just to play a sport. And I mean a lot of money. For examples, LeBron James, a very famous basketball player currently makes 30.6 million dollars per year. While an average surgeon makes only half a million a year. I will never understand why. Maybe it's because of the publics ignorance to support these people, as in by jerseys and shoes of the player. In my opinion, I think people in the medical field should make the most money since they are helping society the most.
July 25, 2017
I still will never get over the fact that these athletes still get paid 10 times more than, say, doctors. I mean when you really think about it, it's bizarre. Doctors save people from dying every day. Prevent death from claiming more souls. Giving back loved one to families. And then you have athletes. People you get BUCKETS of money just to play a sport. And I mean a lot of money. For examples, LeBron James, a very famous basketball player currently makes 30.6 million dollars per year. While an average surgeon makes only half a million a year. I will never understand why. Maybe it's because of the publics ignorance to support these people, as in by jerseys and shoes of the player. In my opinion, I think people in the medical field should make the most money since they are helping society the most.
Let Black Kids Just Be Kids
Written by Robin Bernstein, 7/26/17
People of all races see black children as less innocent, more adult like and more responsible for their actions than their white peers. But what everybody must do is open their eyes and see reality, it isn’t necessarily their fault.
Trayvon Martin was only 17 when he was accused of being a criminal just because he was wearing a hoodie and being ‘suspicious’ and then shot by George Zimmerman, a ‘neighborhood watch volunteer’ (police).
That’s why we must create a future in which children of color are not disproportionately caught up in the criminal justice system, a world in which a black 17-year-old can wear a hoodie without being assumed to be a criminal.
Written by Robin Bernstein, 7/26/17
People of all races see black children as less innocent, more adult like and more responsible for their actions than their white peers. But what everybody must do is open their eyes and see reality, it isn’t necessarily their fault.
Trayvon Martin was only 17 when he was accused of being a criminal just because he was wearing a hoodie and being ‘suspicious’ and then shot by George Zimmerman, a ‘neighborhood watch volunteer’ (police).
That’s why we must create a future in which children of color are not disproportionately caught up in the criminal justice system, a world in which a black 17-year-old can wear a hoodie without being assumed to be a criminal.
110 N.F.L. Brains By Joe Ward, Josh Williams and Sam Manchester
I thought this article about C.T.E was very interesting. I have always wondered about the disease relating to football players. I think it is crazy how out of the 111 football players, 110 of them had C.T.E. I think that this disease is very interesting because of its link to football. I know that many football player shave this disease but it can't be diagnosed until death. It's so cool to see al of the pictures of all the peoples brains and seeing how different they all look. One thing I learned about was that something called tau is formed in these peoples brains when they are repeatedly hit. I feel that now medics and football players know about this disease the NFL should start enforcing rules and changing rules to help prevent C.T.E from happening. This disease id affecting so many football players and it is sad that it cant be detected till death. I also think that there should be more rules about football at a young age so players don;t start getting this disease at a young age. I hope that researchers and the NFL can find a way to help lessen the amount of players who get C.T.E.
I thought this article about C.T.E was very interesting. I have always wondered about the disease relating to football players. I think it is crazy how out of the 111 football players, 110 of them had C.T.E. I think that this disease is very interesting because of its link to football. I know that many football player shave this disease but it can't be diagnosed until death. It's so cool to see al of the pictures of all the peoples brains and seeing how different they all look. One thing I learned about was that something called tau is formed in these peoples brains when they are repeatedly hit. I feel that now medics and football players know about this disease the NFL should start enforcing rules and changing rules to help prevent C.T.E from happening. This disease id affecting so many football players and it is sad that it cant be detected till death. I also think that there should be more rules about football at a young age so players don;t start getting this disease at a young age. I hope that researchers and the NFL can find a way to help lessen the amount of players who get C.T.E.
"Trump Forbids Military Service by Transgender People"
This article caught my eye simply because of what an uproar it has caused. As a liberal woman, I do not think what Trump has done is okay, nor do I accept it. Unfortunately, there are some viable arguments as to why the policy Obama put into place is simply not realistic and not beneficial to the American taxpayers. The military has recently started not allowing overweight people into service simply because they did not have time to deal with all of the costs and time it would take to get them into proper shape. no one complained because it just makes sense. similarly, the military does not have the time and resources it takes to help someone transition while on active duty. If you cannot enter the military simply for needing a rescue inhaler, what makes you think that we should allow you to enter while you need massive doses of estrogen or testosterone?
That being said, if they have already transitioned and can afford the treatment by themselves, there seems to be no difference between them and any other patriotic American who wishes to serve their country. If people are so unwilling to join the force here in America that we need a draft during desperate times, who are we to be turning away millions of willing soldiers? In summation, yes the policy does need to be reviewed, but it does not need to be revoked.
This article caught my eye simply because of what an uproar it has caused. As a liberal woman, I do not think what Trump has done is okay, nor do I accept it. Unfortunately, there are some viable arguments as to why the policy Obama put into place is simply not realistic and not beneficial to the American taxpayers. The military has recently started not allowing overweight people into service simply because they did not have time to deal with all of the costs and time it would take to get them into proper shape. no one complained because it just makes sense. similarly, the military does not have the time and resources it takes to help someone transition while on active duty. If you cannot enter the military simply for needing a rescue inhaler, what makes you think that we should allow you to enter while you need massive doses of estrogen or testosterone?
That being said, if they have already transitioned and can afford the treatment by themselves, there seems to be no difference between them and any other patriotic American who wishes to serve their country. If people are so unwilling to join the force here in America that we need a draft during desperate times, who are we to be turning away millions of willing soldiers? In summation, yes the policy does need to be reviewed, but it does not need to be revoked.
"Events for Children in NYC ThisWeek"
by, Laurel Graeber
in New York they have plenty of activities for the kids. the first one is called, "Bat Walk: Creatures of the Night". this event will teach kids how creatures that can't see well at night use sound as navigation. but they wil show how bats are experts at it.
they have another event, "camp kids 'n comedy graduation shows". now this camp isn't actually campin giwth canoes and stuff, they study with mentors and all of that sort.
then there is a "family fun day boat tour" which is basically a maritime scavenger hunt .
they have a long list of other activities for kids or the whole family! i really love activities like this. it gives kids a chance to get out instead of being in their room on their phones all day ike this generation is known for. it also enforces family bonding which is really important, at least to me, building a strong relationship with your family is such a good thing for your kids mental health. you wont leave them feeling unloved and then them seeking for that love in all the wrong places.
i really applaud new york for having events like this for kids and family. its such a good thing and places that dont have stuff like this should really get on it.
by, Laurel Graeber
in New York they have plenty of activities for the kids. the first one is called, "Bat Walk: Creatures of the Night". this event will teach kids how creatures that can't see well at night use sound as navigation. but they wil show how bats are experts at it.
they have another event, "camp kids 'n comedy graduation shows". now this camp isn't actually campin giwth canoes and stuff, they study with mentors and all of that sort.
then there is a "family fun day boat tour" which is basically a maritime scavenger hunt .
they have a long list of other activities for kids or the whole family! i really love activities like this. it gives kids a chance to get out instead of being in their room on their phones all day ike this generation is known for. it also enforces family bonding which is really important, at least to me, building a strong relationship with your family is such a good thing for your kids mental health. you wont leave them feeling unloved and then them seeking for that love in all the wrong places.
i really applaud new york for having events like this for kids and family. its such a good thing and places that dont have stuff like this should really get on it.
In the article, Earth-Size Planets Among Final Tally of NASA’s Kepler Telescope, author, Denis Overbye asks the question: “Are we still alone?”(1). Overbye continues to state that the mission of Kepler and other space telescopes, documenting the existence, location, and activity of planets and other cosmic bodies is a step in humanity’s “quest to end cosmic loneliness”(2).
Having always been enthralled with space and the concept of an entirely new other-worldly frontier, I found the idea Overbye was presenting intriguing and altogether fascinating. For centuries, humans have been pouring countless resources into understanding and discovering everything we can about the world around us. This much I had already known; my misconception was in thinking that extraterrestrial exploration was the same. Through this article, Overbye proposes the idea, that while learning and discovery are driving factors in human cosmic conquest, they are not the main goal, but rather stepping stones leading towards the ultimate discovery, that we aren’t alone in the universe.
Having chosen this article simply to read the latest advancements in space exploration, I was utterly bewildered to have such a philosophical revelation mere sentences into the article. Reading Overbye’s article was a clear reminder that even as humanity stretches its reach further into the endless universe, there is still much that can still be learned simply through thought and without setting foot off of our home planet.
Having always been enthralled with space and the concept of an entirely new other-worldly frontier, I found the idea Overbye was presenting intriguing and altogether fascinating. For centuries, humans have been pouring countless resources into understanding and discovering everything we can about the world around us. This much I had already known; my misconception was in thinking that extraterrestrial exploration was the same. Through this article, Overbye proposes the idea, that while learning and discovery are driving factors in human cosmic conquest, they are not the main goal, but rather stepping stones leading towards the ultimate discovery, that we aren’t alone in the universe.
Having chosen this article simply to read the latest advancements in space exploration, I was utterly bewildered to have such a philosophical revelation mere sentences into the article. Reading Overbye’s article was a clear reminder that even as humanity stretches its reach further into the endless universe, there is still much that can still be learned simply through thought and without setting foot off of our home planet.
"‘Everyone Deserves an Equal Chance to Get Into College’: Readers React"
The history of affirmative action in America has always been a tumultuous topic, with opinions varying substantially. Recently, it seems, this topic of discussion has become quite relevant as a result of the ever decreasing admission rates and ever increasing standards of most colleges and universities (not to mention the ever increasing tuitions). Apparently the Trump administration is trying to prohibit the continuence of affirmative action in the process of college admissions, prompting many positive and negative reactions.
Affirmative action, when perceived as a way to increase the chances of minorities in the admissions process, can seem a little unfair to anyone. When looking at the broader picture it becomes clear that affirmative action is beneficial in many respects too. What many people do not understand is that affirmative action is really just an opening of a door, but hard work, and dedication is what really propels these applicants into a successful life, just like anyone else. Getting into college is only the tip of the iceberg, thriving there is what really locks in a person's path to success. It is terrible that so many people of minorities are questioned about every one of their accomplishments, when it is obvious they deserved it. In the end I think it is silly to try to bash a policy that is designed to improve the quality of life and educational opportunities of any group of people.
The history of affirmative action in America has always been a tumultuous topic, with opinions varying substantially. Recently, it seems, this topic of discussion has become quite relevant as a result of the ever decreasing admission rates and ever increasing standards of most colleges and universities (not to mention the ever increasing tuitions). Apparently the Trump administration is trying to prohibit the continuence of affirmative action in the process of college admissions, prompting many positive and negative reactions.
Affirmative action, when perceived as a way to increase the chances of minorities in the admissions process, can seem a little unfair to anyone. When looking at the broader picture it becomes clear that affirmative action is beneficial in many respects too. What many people do not understand is that affirmative action is really just an opening of a door, but hard work, and dedication is what really propels these applicants into a successful life, just like anyone else. Getting into college is only the tip of the iceberg, thriving there is what really locks in a person's path to success. It is terrible that so many people of minorities are questioned about every one of their accomplishments, when it is obvious they deserved it. In the end I think it is silly to try to bash a policy that is designed to improve the quality of life and educational opportunities of any group of people.
"Women Who Urged Friend's Suicide Gets 15-Month Sentence"
As someone who has had personal experiences with depression, reading the aforementioned article resurfaced unfortunate memories of my childhood.
Dealing with depression requires extraordinary courage and is already a daunting task on its own. Now, imagine mustering the strength to explain your situation with a friend only to have that individual encourage you to commit suicide. Truth be told, Conrad Roy wasn't the only victim of Michelle Carter's actions. By not communicating Conrad's intentions with loved ones who could've prevented his suicide, Michelle destroyed entire lives with that one decision. A mother who will never embrace her deceased son again. A father who will always question himself about his failures to recognize his son's state of mind. Sadly, Conrad's family is just one of the many millions of Americans impacted by suicide.
Currently, there seems to be a disconnect in the way people respond to mental health issues in comparison to other health conditions. For instance, when someone smokes a cigarette, the vast majority of the public understands the potential risk of Lung Cancer. On the other hand, teenagers and parents alike fail to see those afflicted with depression until tragedy strikes. Defeating this destructive cycle of sorrow will require tremendous efforts from all members of society. As Mahatma Gandhi once said, “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.”
As someone who has had personal experiences with depression, reading the aforementioned article resurfaced unfortunate memories of my childhood.
Dealing with depression requires extraordinary courage and is already a daunting task on its own. Now, imagine mustering the strength to explain your situation with a friend only to have that individual encourage you to commit suicide. Truth be told, Conrad Roy wasn't the only victim of Michelle Carter's actions. By not communicating Conrad's intentions with loved ones who could've prevented his suicide, Michelle destroyed entire lives with that one decision. A mother who will never embrace her deceased son again. A father who will always question himself about his failures to recognize his son's state of mind. Sadly, Conrad's family is just one of the many millions of Americans impacted by suicide.
Currently, there seems to be a disconnect in the way people respond to mental health issues in comparison to other health conditions. For instance, when someone smokes a cigarette, the vast majority of the public understands the potential risk of Lung Cancer. On the other hand, teenagers and parents alike fail to see those afflicted with depression until tragedy strikes. Defeating this destructive cycle of sorrow will require tremendous efforts from all members of society. As Mahatma Gandhi once said, “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.”
"Trump Says Transgender People Will Not Be Allowed in the Military"
This article caught my attention because the topic of civil rights and equality for transgender, bisexual, gay, and lesbian people is one of the most talked-about topic in today's generation and society, and U.S. President Donald Trump's declaration of the ban on transgender people serving in the military had drastic and negative outputs from local people who support the LGBT community. From my point of view, I support people of the LGBT community and I believe that everyone deserves equality and civil rights; further into the article Trump claims that he established the ban because "American forces could not afford the 'tremendous medical costs and disruption' of transgender service members." I completely disagree with his establishment and his reasoning as it displays discrimination of transgender people who want to serve or are already serving in the military, as well as showing how "cheap" Trump is by saving money to construct the "border wall" and claiming that these transgender service members are a waste of money. In addition, since finding out about this piece of news, transgender people already serving in the military have gotten a lot of support from their fellow commanders and people who are not serving. From this ban, we can only hope that it will be lifted and that transgender people can soon be able to join the military without any consequences from the government and protect this country.
This article caught my attention because the topic of civil rights and equality for transgender, bisexual, gay, and lesbian people is one of the most talked-about topic in today's generation and society, and U.S. President Donald Trump's declaration of the ban on transgender people serving in the military had drastic and negative outputs from local people who support the LGBT community. From my point of view, I support people of the LGBT community and I believe that everyone deserves equality and civil rights; further into the article Trump claims that he established the ban because "American forces could not afford the 'tremendous medical costs and disruption' of transgender service members." I completely disagree with his establishment and his reasoning as it displays discrimination of transgender people who want to serve or are already serving in the military, as well as showing how "cheap" Trump is by saving money to construct the "border wall" and claiming that these transgender service members are a waste of money. In addition, since finding out about this piece of news, transgender people already serving in the military have gotten a lot of support from their fellow commanders and people who are not serving. From this ban, we can only hope that it will be lifted and that transgender people can soon be able to join the military without any consequences from the government and protect this country.
"Inmates Who Used Peanut Butter, and Guile, to Escape an Alabama Jail Are Caught"
Okay, let me start by saying I know these are bad people. These prisoners are dangerous and have harmed other people. They should be locked up. However, one must give their tactic some credit. Keeping the peanut butter from their sandwiches and molding a cell number above a door that leads outside? Ingenious. How clever to use peanut butter as a kind of clay and make an exit look like a cell door!
On another note, this event really seems to speak to the prison's security. Was there only one guard in the area to look after both the prisoners and the exit? Why was a door leading outside right there for prisoners to access? Sure, it was locked, but who thought it would be a good idea to just put an exit right by the people that the building is supposed to be keeping in? And how did the those incarcerated manage to fix a peanut butter number above an exit? Are there no security cameras? Are prisoners allowed to wander about without supervision?
In cyber security, white hat hackers purposefully try to hack into a system in order to correct weaknesses and faults within the coding. This prison both figuratively and literally left a back door open for escape. I'm hoping that, like ethical hackers inform the original programmers, this whole fiasco will reveal the inherent weaknesses in the jail's system that will be corrected in the future.
Okay, let me start by saying I know these are bad people. These prisoners are dangerous and have harmed other people. They should be locked up. However, one must give their tactic some credit. Keeping the peanut butter from their sandwiches and molding a cell number above a door that leads outside? Ingenious. How clever to use peanut butter as a kind of clay and make an exit look like a cell door!
On another note, this event really seems to speak to the prison's security. Was there only one guard in the area to look after both the prisoners and the exit? Why was a door leading outside right there for prisoners to access? Sure, it was locked, but who thought it would be a good idea to just put an exit right by the people that the building is supposed to be keeping in? And how did the those incarcerated manage to fix a peanut butter number above an exit? Are there no security cameras? Are prisoners allowed to wander about without supervision?
In cyber security, white hat hackers purposefully try to hack into a system in order to correct weaknesses and faults within the coding. This prison both figuratively and literally left a back door open for escape. I'm hoping that, like ethical hackers inform the original programmers, this whole fiasco will reveal the inherent weaknesses in the jail's system that will be corrected in the future.
From high school to the pros, women and men teams are not treated the same. Men teams bring a bigger crowd to the stadium than women do. Being a girl who plays a sport, I definitely notice that boy’s games are more popular. The stereotype that boys are better than girls in sports, or that girls can’t play sports has been going on for years.
In the article “Who Gets to Call the Game?” Doug Glanville defends Jessica Mendoza as a men’s baseball analyst. According to the article, many people don’t think she should be a baseball analyst, some saying “She doesn’t belong in the booth with men discussing a game she knows nothing about. It’s like watching a game with a girlfriend.” However, people seem to neglect the fact that she is an Olympic gold and silver medalist in softball. This shows that she, as a matter of fact, knows what she is talking.
I find it interesting how this, a women commentating for a men’s team, is still an argument when other women, including Suzyn Waldman, have been doing this for years. Suzyn Waldman has been announcing for the Yankees for 31 years, and she has been very successful while doing so. I agree with Doug Glanville’s views toward Jessica Mendoza announcing for a men’s baseball team. I believe women are more than capable to announce for a men’s team. Just because someone is not the same gender does not mean they don’t know how the sport is played.
In the article “Who Gets to Call the Game?” Doug Glanville defends Jessica Mendoza as a men’s baseball analyst. According to the article, many people don’t think she should be a baseball analyst, some saying “She doesn’t belong in the booth with men discussing a game she knows nothing about. It’s like watching a game with a girlfriend.” However, people seem to neglect the fact that she is an Olympic gold and silver medalist in softball. This shows that she, as a matter of fact, knows what she is talking.
I find it interesting how this, a women commentating for a men’s team, is still an argument when other women, including Suzyn Waldman, have been doing this for years. Suzyn Waldman has been announcing for the Yankees for 31 years, and she has been very successful while doing so. I agree with Doug Glanville’s views toward Jessica Mendoza announcing for a men’s baseball team. I believe women are more than capable to announce for a men’s team. Just because someone is not the same gender does not mean they don’t know how the sport is played.
Technology today. It has a big effect on this generation's children. Since I am a child of this generation, I can see what modern technology can do to the kids. This week, I read, “Relax and Let Your Kids Indulge in TV” by Lisa Pryor.
In my opinion, the best choice is to let your children watch T.V. I hear from many people that too much T.V can affect a child in a negative way, but since many children that I know have their own smartphones and tablets, T.V may not be such a bad thing. In the article that I read, it says, “The researchers found that a third of preschoolers and two-thirds of primary-school-aged children have their own smartphones or tablets, and half of them are using them unsupervised.” As you can see, this has a big effect on the children today. They are more attracted to electronics than anything. Although, their are kids in the world that go outside. It’s not only kids, it’s the adults/parents too. In the same article, it says, “I am in no position to judge, however. When I carry baskets of clean laundry upstairs, my laptop is often open on the top of the pile, playing the worst thing of all, ‘Real Housewives.’ “ Even adults are attracted to smartphones, flat-screen TV's, laptops, and just any electronic in general.
I just wanted to say my opinion on electronics and how it has a big affect on children and adults today.
In my opinion, the best choice is to let your children watch T.V. I hear from many people that too much T.V can affect a child in a negative way, but since many children that I know have their own smartphones and tablets, T.V may not be such a bad thing. In the article that I read, it says, “The researchers found that a third of preschoolers and two-thirds of primary-school-aged children have their own smartphones or tablets, and half of them are using them unsupervised.” As you can see, this has a big effect on the children today. They are more attracted to electronics than anything. Although, their are kids in the world that go outside. It’s not only kids, it’s the adults/parents too. In the same article, it says, “I am in no position to judge, however. When I carry baskets of clean laundry upstairs, my laptop is often open on the top of the pile, playing the worst thing of all, ‘Real Housewives.’ “ Even adults are attracted to smartphones, flat-screen TV's, laptops, and just any electronic in general.
I just wanted to say my opinion on electronics and how it has a big affect on children and adults today.
Michelle Carter 15 Months in Jail Texting Suicide Case
Involuntary synonyms- unconscious or unintentional. Michelle "unintentionally" encourage an 18 year old boy to commit suicide. To urge her close friend that ending his own life, disappearing forever from his friends and family is the right choice. That the only choice was to end his life by inhaling carbon monoxide. This was his last memory he wanted to impact on all lives whom should remember him. And for Michelle, only serving 15 months in a county jail she will have to live with the fact someones life ended on support from her account. That Michelle Carter is responsible as well. Suicide rates among younger populations is sky rocketing since the 2015 results from new analysts. Imagine being in Michelle's shoes and deciding she was going to persuade Conrad Roy to commit suicide and it was the perfect time to do so. But an even bigger epidemic is that suicidal issues among the younger populations is growing and needs to be paid attention too. Stories like Conrad's and Michelle's should be used as teaching tools for millennials. Mental health awareness is a serious concern that must be addressed among teens and for that I found this article extremely intriguing. To see both sides of this tragic story. The parents reactions, Michelle's reactions, and the last words spoken to Conrad via texts and calls. This article proves that life is an everlasting roller coaster ride and seat harnesses are essential to survive the ride.
Involuntary synonyms- unconscious or unintentional. Michelle "unintentionally" encourage an 18 year old boy to commit suicide. To urge her close friend that ending his own life, disappearing forever from his friends and family is the right choice. That the only choice was to end his life by inhaling carbon monoxide. This was his last memory he wanted to impact on all lives whom should remember him. And for Michelle, only serving 15 months in a county jail she will have to live with the fact someones life ended on support from her account. That Michelle Carter is responsible as well. Suicide rates among younger populations is sky rocketing since the 2015 results from new analysts. Imagine being in Michelle's shoes and deciding she was going to persuade Conrad Roy to commit suicide and it was the perfect time to do so. But an even bigger epidemic is that suicidal issues among the younger populations is growing and needs to be paid attention too. Stories like Conrad's and Michelle's should be used as teaching tools for millennials. Mental health awareness is a serious concern that must be addressed among teens and for that I found this article extremely intriguing. To see both sides of this tragic story. The parents reactions, Michelle's reactions, and the last words spoken to Conrad via texts and calls. This article proves that life is an everlasting roller coaster ride and seat harnesses are essential to survive the ride.
“Binge Drinking Drops Among Teenagers” by Perri Klass, M.D. This article is interesting because it discusses how binge drinking among adolescents has dropped, but only in certain groups such as the economically stable and boys. Unfortunately it does not decrease in the lower economic groups, African Americans, and girls. After reading this, I thought of my reasons for why binge drinking may not have decreased in these groups. There are many people who are in poor economic conditions. They have to make sure they keep up with a lot of work and pay for many things with the low salary they earn. When stress takes over, they end up drinking in order to escape that harsh reality and they may continue to binge drink more. A similar idea also applies to girls. Society puts this pressure on girls to look, act, and even feel a certain way and that pressure has a negative emotional effect on girls that may cause them to binge drink their way out of that societal pressure and escape to a place where they may feel like alcohol is the only thing that can make them comfortable in their own skin. Its unfortunate how it has come to a point where adolescents have to binge drink in order to make life “easier.” Not only should we put in effort to educating the youth about alcohol consumption, we also have to make sure to emphasize the fact that alcohol is not an escape from reality, but rather an escape from being successful in it.
How the Modern World Made Cowards of Us All
Arthur C. Brooks
You may have heard the statistic that millennials (24-29 year-olds in this case,) are waiting longer to get married. They are just taking their time, right? Enjoying life before adulthood crushes every childlike aspect they still have. ‘Taking their time’ has some major repercussions. A recent study shows that fertility rates have plummeted to low we haven't seen since 1909. Why are they ‘taking their time’ and is it worth it?
Why are millennials scared to make this jump into adulthood? Well, it's not just adulthood. People are scared to make any type big leap in life. The reason for this is people being imprudent and hesitating. When people say ‘no’ to play it safe they are taking the risk of losing an opportunity. Playing it safe would be considering all of your options and pick the best one, not avoiding the situation altogether.
Prudent is a word that developed to have some negative connotations with it. Many people think of as being cautionary or avoiding risk. When you take a look at its origin it “is the willingness to do the right thing, even if that involves fear and risk,” as Mr. Pieper said himself. So be prudent. Make rash decisions. Don’t say no (within reason of course).
Arthur C. Brooks
You may have heard the statistic that millennials (24-29 year-olds in this case,) are waiting longer to get married. They are just taking their time, right? Enjoying life before adulthood crushes every childlike aspect they still have. ‘Taking their time’ has some major repercussions. A recent study shows that fertility rates have plummeted to low we haven't seen since 1909. Why are they ‘taking their time’ and is it worth it?
Why are millennials scared to make this jump into adulthood? Well, it's not just adulthood. People are scared to make any type big leap in life. The reason for this is people being imprudent and hesitating. When people say ‘no’ to play it safe they are taking the risk of losing an opportunity. Playing it safe would be considering all of your options and pick the best one, not avoiding the situation altogether.
Prudent is a word that developed to have some negative connotations with it. Many people think of as being cautionary or avoiding risk. When you take a look at its origin it “is the willingness to do the right thing, even if that involves fear and risk,” as Mr. Pieper said himself. So be prudent. Make rash decisions. Don’t say no (within reason of course).
"Let Black Kids Just Be Kids"
I have always considered myself to be a human rights activist for as long as I can remember. I have always known the fact that all human beings are created equally by God. I believe that God loves all of His children, so I find it strange when His children begin to hate one another. White supremacy has always been an issue, yet it seems that it is never discussed by leaders. Why? Well, most of the leaders in America are white, so of course whites are unbothered by this issue.
Growing up, I was always given white skin toned, blonde haired, blue eyed Barbie dolls. I hated those dolls. I looked nothing like those dolls. I have brown hair, brown eyes, and brown skin. The dolls looked nothing like me. Years have passed and I am glad that there are a little more dolls with darker shades of skin. Also, Disney Princesses are coming in new colors and even shapes. This is definitely a movement I am looking forward to watching and being apart of.
I hope that all the brown skinned boys and girls and black skinned boys and girls grow up to feel as loved as lighter skinned kids do and as confident in their own skin. We are only given one body, one life, and one mindset. It is up to us to live our lives as we please. If we choose kind words and respect others, the world will certainly become a better place for future generations to live in. Equality between all humans will be achieved. After all, God created all of his children equally and loves us equally.
I have always considered myself to be a human rights activist for as long as I can remember. I have always known the fact that all human beings are created equally by God. I believe that God loves all of His children, so I find it strange when His children begin to hate one another. White supremacy has always been an issue, yet it seems that it is never discussed by leaders. Why? Well, most of the leaders in America are white, so of course whites are unbothered by this issue.
Growing up, I was always given white skin toned, blonde haired, blue eyed Barbie dolls. I hated those dolls. I looked nothing like those dolls. I have brown hair, brown eyes, and brown skin. The dolls looked nothing like me. Years have passed and I am glad that there are a little more dolls with darker shades of skin. Also, Disney Princesses are coming in new colors and even shapes. This is definitely a movement I am looking forward to watching and being apart of.
I hope that all the brown skinned boys and girls and black skinned boys and girls grow up to feel as loved as lighter skinned kids do and as confident in their own skin. We are only given one body, one life, and one mindset. It is up to us to live our lives as we please. If we choose kind words and respect others, the world will certainly become a better place for future generations to live in. Equality between all humans will be achieved. After all, God created all of his children equally and loves us equally.
"Trump Forbids Military Service by Transgender People," by Julie Hirschfeld Davis and Helene Cooper
President Trump has tried numerous times to pass some pretty harsh and strict legislation. Many people, myself included, were blatantly shocked by the president's ban of transgender people serving in the military. Considering Trump had supported the LGBTQ+ movement during his campaign just amplified the surprise factor. What confuses me even more is that America, home of the brave, is restricting the ability of brave people that want to serve in the military. The fact that transgender people apparently, "erode military readiness and unit cohesion," completely baffles me. If someone is willing to fight for their country, they should be able to. The fact that they are transgender doesn't define a person and doesn't automatically make them unable to be efficient in the military. Furthermore, allowing transgender people to serve in the military would require extremely minimal health care costs. I believe that people should be able to serve their country no matter what race, gender, sexuality, etc. they are. It saddens me that the United States is becoming a more hostile environment to anyone different than the norm or majority, but I believe that over time this country will be able to heal and prosper as we all learn to accept one another.
President Trump has tried numerous times to pass some pretty harsh and strict legislation. Many people, myself included, were blatantly shocked by the president's ban of transgender people serving in the military. Considering Trump had supported the LGBTQ+ movement during his campaign just amplified the surprise factor. What confuses me even more is that America, home of the brave, is restricting the ability of brave people that want to serve in the military. The fact that transgender people apparently, "erode military readiness and unit cohesion," completely baffles me. If someone is willing to fight for their country, they should be able to. The fact that they are transgender doesn't define a person and doesn't automatically make them unable to be efficient in the military. Furthermore, allowing transgender people to serve in the military would require extremely minimal health care costs. I believe that people should be able to serve their country no matter what race, gender, sexuality, etc. they are. It saddens me that the United States is becoming a more hostile environment to anyone different than the norm or majority, but I believe that over time this country will be able to heal and prosper as we all learn to accept one another.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/03/us/texting-suicide-sentence.html?hp&a...®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news
Suicide and depression are major topics talked about within society today, and the article I read had to do with exactly this. The article I found to be most interesting this week was ‘Michelle Carter Gets 15-Month Jail Term in Texting Suicide Case’. It was a recent closing end to a long story about a young woman, Michelle Carter, who urged one of her close friends to commit suicide and gave them tips and advice on how to do so. There has been much controversy in the media about what the punishment should be, and what the crime truly is.
Something that I found to be the saddest part of all of this is the victim. A young man lost his life, and it seems to have turned into a battle of jail time. Two parents lost their son, classmates lost a friend, and many were affected. It made me think about our justice system, and what having justice served truly means. It is an idea that I continued to ponder about. The more I thought about it, the more I grew uncertain of the justice system. I was shocked to see that a woman could play a huge role in another person's suicide, and be able to be free of jail after only 15 months. Not only did Michelle Carter break the law, she broke a family. She should be punished for that, but sometimes things just work out in ways that we cannot understand.
Suicide and depression are major topics talked about within society today, and the article I read had to do with exactly this. The article I found to be most interesting this week was ‘Michelle Carter Gets 15-Month Jail Term in Texting Suicide Case’. It was a recent closing end to a long story about a young woman, Michelle Carter, who urged one of her close friends to commit suicide and gave them tips and advice on how to do so. There has been much controversy in the media about what the punishment should be, and what the crime truly is.
Something that I found to be the saddest part of all of this is the victim. A young man lost his life, and it seems to have turned into a battle of jail time. Two parents lost their son, classmates lost a friend, and many were affected. It made me think about our justice system, and what having justice served truly means. It is an idea that I continued to ponder about. The more I thought about it, the more I grew uncertain of the justice system. I was shocked to see that a woman could play a huge role in another person's suicide, and be able to be free of jail after only 15 months. Not only did Michelle Carter break the law, she broke a family. She should be punished for that, but sometimes things just work out in ways that we cannot understand.
"Parents of Charlie Gard, Ill British Infant, Abandon Effort to Prolong His Life" by DAN BILEFSKY
To a child, the most important thing in their life is the toy or food in front of them. To a teen, the most important aspect in life tends to be popularity or college. Likewise, to a parent, the most important thing, and often their sole purpose, becomes the welfare of their children. According to the article, two loving parents bore a child. Unfortunately, the child was born with mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome. One with this disease is unable to cry, hear, see, or even swallow. Even professional doctors claimed that the boy would have no real chance of surviving later on in life. As a result, the parents of this child ended the effort to prolong his life
While this decision in the courtroom was made, many wept for the child, saying that it was cruel. However, I stand on the other side of the equation. I believe that the parents were not only right in making this decision for the child, but also extremely brave. There was no real chance for the boy to live without suffering. Not only was this the right decision for the boy, but it may have also been what was better for the boy. I hope that others across the globe can come to this realization and praise and feel for the parents of this child as well.
To a child, the most important thing in their life is the toy or food in front of them. To a teen, the most important aspect in life tends to be popularity or college. Likewise, to a parent, the most important thing, and often their sole purpose, becomes the welfare of their children. According to the article, two loving parents bore a child. Unfortunately, the child was born with mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome. One with this disease is unable to cry, hear, see, or even swallow. Even professional doctors claimed that the boy would have no real chance of surviving later on in life. As a result, the parents of this child ended the effort to prolong his life
While this decision in the courtroom was made, many wept for the child, saying that it was cruel. However, I stand on the other side of the equation. I believe that the parents were not only right in making this decision for the child, but also extremely brave. There was no real chance for the boy to live without suffering. Not only was this the right decision for the boy, but it may have also been what was better for the boy. I hope that others across the globe can come to this realization and praise and feel for the parents of this child as well.
As Gary Marcus posits in “Artificial Intelligence Is Stuck. Here’s How to Move It Forward,” a true A.I. system that matches human intelligence is still far from reality. Whereas humans can learn without formal teaching, A.I. systems often need vast amounts of data to train, yet the machines have little comprehension of what they have learned. Pointing to embarrassing blunders in robots and image-recognition tools, Marcus claims that A.I. research would benefit from an international collaboration focused on unified goals that integrate “top down” cognitive models with “bottom up” sensate knowledge.
While I agree that existing A.I. methods have their limitations, Marcus’s description of the current direction of A.I. research creates a misleading picture. As an avid programmer and a research intern applying A.I. in the medical field, I have seen the rapid advances that are bringing A.I. closer to the way humans learn. Notably, developments in reinforcement learning—a paradigm that allows computers to independently explore new actions—have allowed Google to create an A.I. that taught itself to run and jump without prior training.
The issue with a large-scale collaboration is that A.I. research has no unified goal. Marcus’s proposal of a machine that can read merely scratches the surface of potential applications for A.I.—from medicine to agriculture. Rather than define a single goal, we should embrace the plethora of exciting solutions that A.I. can offer for a better tomorrow.
While I agree that existing A.I. methods have their limitations, Marcus’s description of the current direction of A.I. research creates a misleading picture. As an avid programmer and a research intern applying A.I. in the medical field, I have seen the rapid advances that are bringing A.I. closer to the way humans learn. Notably, developments in reinforcement learning—a paradigm that allows computers to independently explore new actions—have allowed Google to create an A.I. that taught itself to run and jump without prior training.
The issue with a large-scale collaboration is that A.I. research has no unified goal. Marcus’s proposal of a machine that can read merely scratches the surface of potential applications for A.I.—from medicine to agriculture. Rather than define a single goal, we should embrace the plethora of exciting solutions that A.I. can offer for a better tomorrow.
“Trump Says Transgender People Will Not be Allowed in the Military” by Julie Hirschfeld Davis and Helene Cooper
When I heard the news of Trump’s most recent policy, I was saddened. Transgender people being banned from serving in the military struck me as a huge step backwards for the United States. We are lucky to have people that want to protect our nation and we should make every person in the military not only feel welcomed but truly valued. To tell someone willing to risk their life for your own that you don’t want them to, merely because of their gender identity, is senseless and disgraceful. Trump’s reasoning behind the change is that “American forces could not afford the ‘tremendous medical costs and disruption’ of transgender service members.” The truth of the situation is that allowing transgender people to serve increases healthcare costs only slightly, an insignificant amount compared to what the government already spends on health care. This decision was not prompted by saving money but by President Trump’s own discriminatory views. Trump’s new ban stems from the same agenda of his travel ban and building the wall. Trump has a specific idea of the type of person he want in our country and is using his power to create legislation to further that. The bans that Trump has made thus far are reminiscent of the past, a past we do not repeat. The right to equality of the people of the United States was put in jeopardy the day that Mr.Trump was elected our president.
When I heard the news of Trump’s most recent policy, I was saddened. Transgender people being banned from serving in the military struck me as a huge step backwards for the United States. We are lucky to have people that want to protect our nation and we should make every person in the military not only feel welcomed but truly valued. To tell someone willing to risk their life for your own that you don’t want them to, merely because of their gender identity, is senseless and disgraceful. Trump’s reasoning behind the change is that “American forces could not afford the ‘tremendous medical costs and disruption’ of transgender service members.” The truth of the situation is that allowing transgender people to serve increases healthcare costs only slightly, an insignificant amount compared to what the government already spends on health care. This decision was not prompted by saving money but by President Trump’s own discriminatory views. Trump’s new ban stems from the same agenda of his travel ban and building the wall. Trump has a specific idea of the type of person he want in our country and is using his power to create legislation to further that. The bans that Trump has made thus far are reminiscent of the past, a past we do not repeat. The right to equality of the people of the United States was put in jeopardy the day that Mr.Trump was elected our president.
What We Finally Got Around to Learning at the Procrastination Research Conference
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/21/science/procrastination-research-conf...
By: Heather Murphy
From summer assignments to projects, most high school students have been victims of procrastination. I procrastinate without asking why I do so. Why did I put off a project when I knew the consequences of doing so? This is one of the many questions that researchers are trying to solve.
The psychology and research behind procrastination has interested me the most. Every other year, researchers gather to discuss procrastination. They have concluded that procrastination is a serious issue that is problematic for many people. According to the article, 20 percent of people in every country researched are consistent procrastinators. This fact caused me to realize that procrastination is more complex than what most believe. It is more than delaying something, it involves a psychological thought process.
Preventing procrastination is a battle for those who struggle with it. The attendees concluded that one must manage thoughts and emotions rather than time. I often believed creating a schedule was a counter to procrastination. With this new information, I realized that I procrastinate because I believe I have the ability to do better on a task if I am under pressure. Dr. Ferrari is one who believes this "ability" is false, but I believe not.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/21/science/procrastination-research-conf...
By: Heather Murphy
From summer assignments to projects, most high school students have been victims of procrastination. I procrastinate without asking why I do so. Why did I put off a project when I knew the consequences of doing so? This is one of the many questions that researchers are trying to solve.
The psychology and research behind procrastination has interested me the most. Every other year, researchers gather to discuss procrastination. They have concluded that procrastination is a serious issue that is problematic for many people. According to the article, 20 percent of people in every country researched are consistent procrastinators. This fact caused me to realize that procrastination is more complex than what most believe. It is more than delaying something, it involves a psychological thought process.
Preventing procrastination is a battle for those who struggle with it. The attendees concluded that one must manage thoughts and emotions rather than time. I often believed creating a schedule was a counter to procrastination. With this new information, I realized that I procrastinate because I believe I have the ability to do better on a task if I am under pressure. Dr. Ferrari is one who believes this "ability" is false, but I believe not.
The article "Trump Says Transgender People Will Not Be Allowed in the Military" discusses what Trump has decided to do with transgender people in the military and other opinions on this ban. The article states that the problem was "whether taxpayer money should pay for gender transition and hormone therapy for transgender service members." Which led to Trump tweeting out the ban on transgender people without consulting with the White House. Just so they don't have to spend more money. However according to a study done, having transgender people won't affect the costs. In my opinion, I think that it shouldn't matter what gender, religion, etc you are. You should be able to serve in the military to protect your country. But having that opportunity taken away from you just because something is "wrong" with you puts America as a country in a bad light and makes people wonder whether or not you actually have freedom.
Why Women Aren’t C.E.O.s,
According to Women Who Almost Were
As I read some of the stories of the women, one of them hit me the most. The story of how one senior executive wanted to become a chief executive. She said she chose not to go for it because she thought of all the oversea countries that would be against her solely because of her gender. Honestly, why does her gender matter if she is good at her job? Because her gender has nothing to do with how she works.
It's little things like this re-remind me about how simple minded the world has become.
According to Women Who Almost Were
As I read some of the stories of the women, one of them hit me the most. The story of how one senior executive wanted to become a chief executive. She said she chose not to go for it because she thought of all the oversea countries that would be against her solely because of her gender. Honestly, why does her gender matter if she is good at her job? Because her gender has nothing to do with how she works.
It's little things like this re-remind me about how simple minded the world has become.
"Why Women Aren’t C.E.O.s, According to Women Who Almost Were" -Susan Chira
Throughout history, gender inequality has been a prominent difficulty. Even today, women still face discrimination from men. Women are looked down upon, not given certain and well deserved rights, all because of convictions made in the past. 'Women weren't strong enough or smart enough' or 'Women weren't fit for a leader' was the thought back then. Over time, women have thankfully raised their status, been given more rights, and are seen more as more equal, however we are still not entirely equal to men.
But why are women still denied rightfully earned positions and/or rights? Women are just as qualified as men are for any job, some even better than men. Are men so threatened by the potential of women? All people deserve the same opportunities, regardless of their gender. Just because a certain position was traditionally "a man's job" doesn't necessarily mean a woman cannot uphold that position.
Throughout history, gender inequality has been a prominent difficulty. Even today, women still face discrimination from men. Women are looked down upon, not given certain and well deserved rights, all because of convictions made in the past. 'Women weren't strong enough or smart enough' or 'Women weren't fit for a leader' was the thought back then. Over time, women have thankfully raised their status, been given more rights, and are seen more as more equal, however we are still not entirely equal to men.
But why are women still denied rightfully earned positions and/or rights? Women are just as qualified as men are for any job, some even better than men. Are men so threatened by the potential of women? All people deserve the same opportunities, regardless of their gender. Just because a certain position was traditionally "a man's job" doesn't necessarily mean a woman cannot uphold that position.
"Why Apple Is Experiencing Another Growth Spurt"
Apple has been one of the fastest growing tech company and it keeps making their products more innovative. The article is interesting as it explains how the Apple company is keeping up with its growing sales. To avoid from collapsing sales, Apple added new features, redesigned iMacs and Macbook pros. Apple is also making its service grows with itunes and icloud. It's interesting to see what Apple's next great product might be.
Apple has been one of the fastest growing tech company and it keeps making their products more innovative. The article is interesting as it explains how the Apple company is keeping up with its growing sales. To avoid from collapsing sales, Apple added new features, redesigned iMacs and Macbook pros. Apple is also making its service grows with itunes and icloud. It's interesting to see what Apple's next great product might be.
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In the article “Economy Needs workers but drug tests take a toll” by Nelson D. Schwartz written July 24,2017 , they have stated that A forge welder at Columbiana boiler in columbiana , Ohio. A quarter of the company’s job applicants fail drug tests. In the article it has stated that “It’s not that local workers lack the skills for these positions, many of which do not even require a high school diploma but pay $15 to $25 an hour and offer full benefits” This has stated that our high school Diploma matters a lot, maybe a lot of teens would fall for the drugs and when they would want to find a job of any kind they would might 90% of the time have to take a drug test. The economic impact of drugs use on the work force is felt across the country, The effect is seen not just in the applicant's eliminated based on drug screening.
Even as many states decriminalize recreational marijuana use or allow access by Prescription for medical use. According to the article it has stated that “Nearly half in some cases-fail a drug test”, & it’s true now and days people don’t keep in mind the things they be doing because at the end of the day it would always come back to you at some point in your life , sooner or later but it would come back.
Even as many states decriminalize recreational marijuana use or allow access by Prescription for medical use. According to the article it has stated that “Nearly half in some cases-fail a drug test”, & it’s true now and days people don’t keep in mind the things they be doing because at the end of the day it would always come back to you at some point in your life , sooner or later but it would come back.
Uncle Sam No Longer Wants You
Last Wednesday, President Donald Trump announced the banishing of transgender individuals from serving in the military. The author of this editorial evidently opposes this new ban. They believe it is discriminatory and based off personal opinions. It has only been a year since transgenders have been viewed as equals while serving their country. In Trump’s tweet, he claims transgendered people are considered “burdens” to the U.S. Military, but it is noted that there are only 2,450 troops that identify as trans in the military. Compared to the 1.3 million troops that are active at the moment, that is a small fraction and could not possibly be as much of a burden they are made out to be. It is added that Trump stated that having transgender people fighting for our military will deter our troops from achieving a full victory. It is unclear how the presence of a person could impact the value of a triumph.
The authors use of quotes and statistics help the reader come to the conclusion that Trump’s transgender military ban is more of a intolerance for people that are different rather than a strategic move to aid the military. On top of other controversial events that have taken place during Trump’s presidency, hearing about this enraged the people who do not support him. This event will not easily be dismissed by the public; people with similar views to the author will continue to fight for their beliefs and speak out for what they think is right.
Last Wednesday, President Donald Trump announced the banishing of transgender individuals from serving in the military. The author of this editorial evidently opposes this new ban. They believe it is discriminatory and based off personal opinions. It has only been a year since transgenders have been viewed as equals while serving their country. In Trump’s tweet, he claims transgendered people are considered “burdens” to the U.S. Military, but it is noted that there are only 2,450 troops that identify as trans in the military. Compared to the 1.3 million troops that are active at the moment, that is a small fraction and could not possibly be as much of a burden they are made out to be. It is added that Trump stated that having transgender people fighting for our military will deter our troops from achieving a full victory. It is unclear how the presence of a person could impact the value of a triumph.
The authors use of quotes and statistics help the reader come to the conclusion that Trump’s transgender military ban is more of a intolerance for people that are different rather than a strategic move to aid the military. On top of other controversial events that have taken place during Trump’s presidency, hearing about this enraged the people who do not support him. This event will not easily be dismissed by the public; people with similar views to the author will continue to fight for their beliefs and speak out for what they think is right.
"Are You a Carboholic? Why Cutting Carbs Is So Tough" by Gary Taubes
I'm not afraid to admit it, I am a carboholic. I used to blame my desire for carbs on the fact that I would grow inches at a time, but now I say I'm a runner and my body needs to be replenished. It's so hard to resist my strongest cravings or mouth watering entrees, especially when I can get it so easily. The most interesting thing I read in this article was that obesity is actually a hormonal regulatory disorder. It's not completely dependent on a person's lack of exercise and abundance of junk food, though that is the main reason why people stay obese. Insulin is the main culprit. When you eat carbs, the body stops burning fat for fuel and burns carbohydrates since they are more fattening. When this happens, your insulin levels rise along with your desire for carbs. With just one small bite, you can become addicted since it stimulates the release of dopamine, which makes you feel happy. I find it funny that people try to be healthy and improve their bodies, yet it seems as if our bodies are rejecting the help. This article reminds people that there is so much more to dieting and living a healthy lifestyle than one day just deciding to do it. It takes self control, discipline, and patience, because you literally are working against yourself.
I'm not afraid to admit it, I am a carboholic. I used to blame my desire for carbs on the fact that I would grow inches at a time, but now I say I'm a runner and my body needs to be replenished. It's so hard to resist my strongest cravings or mouth watering entrees, especially when I can get it so easily. The most interesting thing I read in this article was that obesity is actually a hormonal regulatory disorder. It's not completely dependent on a person's lack of exercise and abundance of junk food, though that is the main reason why people stay obese. Insulin is the main culprit. When you eat carbs, the body stops burning fat for fuel and burns carbohydrates since they are more fattening. When this happens, your insulin levels rise along with your desire for carbs. With just one small bite, you can become addicted since it stimulates the release of dopamine, which makes you feel happy. I find it funny that people try to be healthy and improve their bodies, yet it seems as if our bodies are rejecting the help. This article reminds people that there is so much more to dieting and living a healthy lifestyle than one day just deciding to do it. It takes self control, discipline, and patience, because you literally are working against yourself.
“111 N.F.L. Brains. All But One Had C.T.E.”
The N.F.L widely viewed as the most popular sport in America, and one of the most popular worldwide. Perennially, this league creates revenues worth upwards of ten billion dollars. Every Sunday of the season, millions upon millions of families and communities across America, gather to watch their favorite teams game. With all of this support, it is interesting that the N.F.L. has not taken head injury prevention, and just injury prevention as a whole, more strictly. Obviously, in a game this popular, it would be nearly impossible to alter the rules of the game an adequately enough to seriously lessen head injuries without incredible fan kickback. But, stronger precautions to stop these brutal injuries should be taken, while still catering to the fans interests.
Ultimately, the N.F.L is entertainment, and I’m pretty confident in saying that fans do not want to watch flag football. By the N.F.L. increasing precaution, the lower levels of football, mainly college and high school, would most likely follow in the N.F.L.’s footsteps, creating a lesser chance of head injury for all the football players. The players need to be watched over more carefully in order to prevent serious head injuries, and more precaution needs to be taken for them, and this needs to happen immediately, because the players did so much for the league, so the league owes them a peaceful and long retirement, as apposed to a short, painful one.
The N.F.L widely viewed as the most popular sport in America, and one of the most popular worldwide. Perennially, this league creates revenues worth upwards of ten billion dollars. Every Sunday of the season, millions upon millions of families and communities across America, gather to watch their favorite teams game. With all of this support, it is interesting that the N.F.L. has not taken head injury prevention, and just injury prevention as a whole, more strictly. Obviously, in a game this popular, it would be nearly impossible to alter the rules of the game an adequately enough to seriously lessen head injuries without incredible fan kickback. But, stronger precautions to stop these brutal injuries should be taken, while still catering to the fans interests.
Ultimately, the N.F.L is entertainment, and I’m pretty confident in saying that fans do not want to watch flag football. By the N.F.L. increasing precaution, the lower levels of football, mainly college and high school, would most likely follow in the N.F.L.’s footsteps, creating a lesser chance of head injury for all the football players. The players need to be watched over more carefully in order to prevent serious head injuries, and more precaution needs to be taken for them, and this needs to happen immediately, because the players did so much for the league, so the league owes them a peaceful and long retirement, as apposed to a short, painful one.
This week I came upon the article " Michelle Carter Gets 15-Month Jail Term In Texting Suicide Case". Because she used words rather than a weapon, it proved to be a very controversial matter. Some people feel that her punishment should be very harsh since she encouraged him to take his own life, while others feel her relative youth and undeveloped brain deserves a shorter sentence. I found this article interesting because people who reviewed the same evidence drew different conclusions. This human characteristic not only applies to this case but many other situations. I often wonder what goes through the minds of individuals as they are making these life altering decisions. One would think that most people could tell the difference between right and wrong but stories like this prove otherwise. I personally feel that Michelle is responsible in large part for her boyfriend's death. She should have valued human life and taken steps to preserve it. For example, she could have very easily notified the police or contacted a friend or relative that could have saved his life. Since she didn't do any of these things, I believe she had terrible intentions and should be punished accordingly.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/03/world/australia/trump-immigration-mer...®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=5&pgtype=sectionfront
As I am personally from Australia, living there for 7 years, I can assure that Australia's immigration and border control is tight.In all my years, I have never once heard or seen an illegal immigrant roaming the streets of Australia, but here in America, there are entire neighborhoods dedicated to immigrants. don't get me wrong, I feel bad about immigrants but at the same time, it's unfair for them to be occupying spaces in which people who actually went through the process for years could get. But on the main point, Australia's immigration system works, look at the minimum wage and the life style and everything, Australia only takes in good people who would actually help the country, unlike America who just takes in anyone and then has millions of people relying on the government to feed them, that's why the minimum wage is so low,crime rates are high and in general, America isn't as beautiful and maintained as Australia is from the inside. America isn't the harmony place that it once was and America needs to take action in order for the betterment of the country and its citizens.
As I am personally from Australia, living there for 7 years, I can assure that Australia's immigration and border control is tight.In all my years, I have never once heard or seen an illegal immigrant roaming the streets of Australia, but here in America, there are entire neighborhoods dedicated to immigrants. don't get me wrong, I feel bad about immigrants but at the same time, it's unfair for them to be occupying spaces in which people who actually went through the process for years could get. But on the main point, Australia's immigration system works, look at the minimum wage and the life style and everything, Australia only takes in good people who would actually help the country, unlike America who just takes in anyone and then has millions of people relying on the government to feed them, that's why the minimum wage is so low,crime rates are high and in general, America isn't as beautiful and maintained as Australia is from the inside. America isn't the harmony place that it once was and America needs to take action in order for the betterment of the country and its citizens.
There are a lot of things the media hides from the public. Earthquakes, murders, and crimes brushed under the rug- things never to be remembered again. Writers and Journalist also show very one sided options, many of the points they make and based off incorrect data, used to draw the publics attention. News, shown to my generation, today is only about celebrity gossip and cute animals. They’re creating a generation of small minded people, blocking us from the truths of the world. This week the thing that interested me the most in the Times was the “world” page. I learned things about countries and peoples I have never heard of. I learned of Iran’s President and shoppers standing in line at malls in Tokyo. The articles were so diverse and allowed me to see life outside my own. I also get a glimpse of the rough conditions of the people in Indonesia and the disheartening things they have to do to make a living. There are 196 countries consisting of bout 7 billion people. Every life is different and each person has different customs. The Times this week showed me the varied lives of people around the world and showed me we are all connected, all similar, due to the very fact the we were all put on the same Earth.
"Are You A Carboholic?"
This article interested me because I am a MAJOR carboholic. I call myself the 'Carb Queen' around my family. Just, the title got me interested. So I read the article. It basically explained why the body craves carbs and how sugar and carbs at both addictive macronutrients. Carbs cause a raise in insulin levels which causes fat cells to get the energy instead of the other cells who would use them as energy basically starving them and causing you to crave more. I found this interesting, and trust me after reading this article I'm going carb and refined sugar free!!!
This article interested me because I am a MAJOR carboholic. I call myself the 'Carb Queen' around my family. Just, the title got me interested. So I read the article. It basically explained why the body craves carbs and how sugar and carbs at both addictive macronutrients. Carbs cause a raise in insulin levels which causes fat cells to get the energy instead of the other cells who would use them as energy basically starving them and causing you to crave more. I found this interesting, and trust me after reading this article I'm going carb and refined sugar free!!!
Why Women Aren’t C.E.O.s, According to Women Who Almost Were
By Susan Chira
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/21/sunday-review/women-ceos-glass-ceilin...
This article had interested me as the title had popped out at me. It is rather contradicting to several lessons we are taught as children. Lessons preaching that we should treat everyone equally and should treat others the way we want to be treated. So how is this right? How is this just? Gender inequality has come a long way, but it still isn’t where it should be. There is still unfair treatment for both parties. But this article is about how females are still prejudiced and the immorality of it all. We females grow up listening to praises and being told that we can do anything. But how true is that when we are still looked down upon by (some) men? How is it true when there are still stereotypes existing that mark boundaries for what we can and cannot do? When there are expectations of how we should or should not act? Yes, there are still those of the opposing gender that wish the best for women and wish for us to succeed, but there are still obvious divides. There are still those that believe us to be weak and emotionally unstable. But that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Women can do anything they set their minds to. I believe anyone can do anything they set their minds too. With enough determination and commitment, anything is possible. The only limit should be your own that you place, and not someone else's.
By Susan Chira
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/21/sunday-review/women-ceos-glass-ceilin...
This article had interested me as the title had popped out at me. It is rather contradicting to several lessons we are taught as children. Lessons preaching that we should treat everyone equally and should treat others the way we want to be treated. So how is this right? How is this just? Gender inequality has come a long way, but it still isn’t where it should be. There is still unfair treatment for both parties. But this article is about how females are still prejudiced and the immorality of it all. We females grow up listening to praises and being told that we can do anything. But how true is that when we are still looked down upon by (some) men? How is it true when there are still stereotypes existing that mark boundaries for what we can and cannot do? When there are expectations of how we should or should not act? Yes, there are still those of the opposing gender that wish the best for women and wish for us to succeed, but there are still obvious divides. There are still those that believe us to be weak and emotionally unstable. But that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Women can do anything they set their minds to. I believe anyone can do anything they set their minds too. With enough determination and commitment, anything is possible. The only limit should be your own that you place, and not someone else's.
Michael Phelps ‘Raced’ a ‘Shark,’ Kind Of. Not Really. by Victor Mather
Michael Phelps racing a shark is a really interesting concept. The network could have promoted this show in a more authentic way, and people would have nothing to complain about. The problem is, this was false advertising. The network was more interested in getting viewers than being honest. By describing this event vaguely the way they did, the network allowed viewers to believe all kinds of exciting thoughts and set them up with high expectations. This caused the actual event to be a big disappointment. Now, rather than watching the event next year, people will most likely tune out. They may have done well in the ratings this year, but have now lost both credibility and future viewers. The question is, "Big ratings, at what cost?"
Michael Phelps racing a shark is a really interesting concept. The network could have promoted this show in a more authentic way, and people would have nothing to complain about. The problem is, this was false advertising. The network was more interested in getting viewers than being honest. By describing this event vaguely the way they did, the network allowed viewers to believe all kinds of exciting thoughts and set them up with high expectations. This caused the actual event to be a big disappointment. Now, rather than watching the event next year, people will most likely tune out. They may have done well in the ratings this year, but have now lost both credibility and future viewers. The question is, "Big ratings, at what cost?"
"Coming Home, With Laundry And Opinions" by Dana Goldstein
I was drawn to this article, which is comprised of interviews with mothers and children who have conflicting political views, not because I have similar arguments with my parents, but because I have them with my friends.
I have found my stance on the recent election here in Britain as well as last year's Brexit vote differed hugely to those of my friends and seemingly everyone in my generation! However, unlike those in this article, I share these a similar political outlook to that of my parents.
It has always seemed to me that those who disagree with their family on these issues have the short straw, because while you can get away from your friends, it is a lot harder to get away from family, especially when you don't want them around! However, when reading this article I was struck by the contrast between the smiling family photos and the stories of tension that the interviews told. I was touched to see that most of the mothers respect the views of their children, and vice versa.
It would be great to see the same sort of tolerance practised in schools and colleges, where two people can disagree but still see each other the same. As Wei Xue, volunteer for the Trump campaign and mother of a liberal Black Lives Matter supporter put it 'Maybe we will have different political views or a different lifestyle in the future, but I do love her unconditionally.'
I was drawn to this article, which is comprised of interviews with mothers and children who have conflicting political views, not because I have similar arguments with my parents, but because I have them with my friends.
I have found my stance on the recent election here in Britain as well as last year's Brexit vote differed hugely to those of my friends and seemingly everyone in my generation! However, unlike those in this article, I share these a similar political outlook to that of my parents.
It has always seemed to me that those who disagree with their family on these issues have the short straw, because while you can get away from your friends, it is a lot harder to get away from family, especially when you don't want them around! However, when reading this article I was struck by the contrast between the smiling family photos and the stories of tension that the interviews told. I was touched to see that most of the mothers respect the views of their children, and vice versa.
It would be great to see the same sort of tolerance practised in schools and colleges, where two people can disagree but still see each other the same. As Wei Xue, volunteer for the Trump campaign and mother of a liberal Black Lives Matter supporter put it 'Maybe we will have different political views or a different lifestyle in the future, but I do love her unconditionally.'
“At the Dr. Seuss Museum: Oh, the Places They Don’t Go!”
One of the first books a child will read will probably be written by Theodor Seuss Geisel. His author name of Dr. Seuss is mentioned in every classroom and associated with clever rhymes, vivid pictures, and captivating stories. In the article “At the Dr. Seuss Museum: Oh, the Places They Don’t Go!”, Sopan Deb discusses the side of Mr. Geisel that is not usually mentioned. Dr. Seuss was one of my favorite authors when I was little and I was very curious to see why the famous “Do” suddenly became a “Don’t”.
The article focuses on a Dr. Seuss museum in Massachusetts that is geared to both children and their families by specifically showing off the playful side of Mr. Geisel. What the museum does not mention is the surprising side of Mr. Geisel’s political cartoons. When I began to read this article, I realized that I did not know as much as I thought about my childhood idol. Mr. Geisel contributed to many racial political views throughout the 1930s and 40s. I was surprised to read that my “royalty rhymer” had made cartoons of the Anti-Japanese American movement and other major political events at the time including Isolationism.
Although Dr. Seuss will always hold a place in my heart, I was shocked to know of the secret side of Mr. Geisel’s career. It is best that the museum only displays Geisel’s legendary children’s works, but I think it would be interesting to explain how Geisel changed throughout his career.
One of the first books a child will read will probably be written by Theodor Seuss Geisel. His author name of Dr. Seuss is mentioned in every classroom and associated with clever rhymes, vivid pictures, and captivating stories. In the article “At the Dr. Seuss Museum: Oh, the Places They Don’t Go!”, Sopan Deb discusses the side of Mr. Geisel that is not usually mentioned. Dr. Seuss was one of my favorite authors when I was little and I was very curious to see why the famous “Do” suddenly became a “Don’t”.
The article focuses on a Dr. Seuss museum in Massachusetts that is geared to both children and their families by specifically showing off the playful side of Mr. Geisel. What the museum does not mention is the surprising side of Mr. Geisel’s political cartoons. When I began to read this article, I realized that I did not know as much as I thought about my childhood idol. Mr. Geisel contributed to many racial political views throughout the 1930s and 40s. I was surprised to read that my “royalty rhymer” had made cartoons of the Anti-Japanese American movement and other major political events at the time including Isolationism.
Although Dr. Seuss will always hold a place in my heart, I was shocked to know of the secret side of Mr. Geisel’s career. It is best that the museum only displays Geisel’s legendary children’s works, but I think it would be interesting to explain how Geisel changed throughout his career.
The article "Should Superstar Athletes Make More Money and Run Their Leagues?" really caught my eye due to it being based around sports. What made the article even better is that it was about basketball which happens to be my favorite sport of all time. This article brought up some really good points revolving around how messed up the money and owning of teams the aspect of sports is today. In my opinion I think the article brings up some super incredible points. I feel like with the way professional sports games are played and broadcasted the actual athletes are tricked out of a lot of money. The fans at home pay to watch their favorite athletes play, they don't care about how the finances and owning of the teams goes down. So in that regard I do feel like the article is correct in saying that the best players should leave and start their own franchise and regulated games. Now the part that makes me skeptical is that I know no organization will do better then the big sports organizations we have today. an average fan will still end up choosing the NBA over some small regulated basketball game. So this argument can really go either way. Do the athletes care more about the money? Or do they care more about the exposure to fame and attention. This is why I liked this article so much. It really gets people talking about different points in an argument and what the right thing to do is. If you ask me, though, I say everything should stay normal, because it's perfect in my opinion
"Why Women Aren't C.E.O.s, According to Women Who Almost Were" by Susan Chira
As a student who has attended an all-girls school for four years, the above article immediately captured my attention. Each day at school I am taught that my gender is not a disadvantage. Most importantly, I am encouraged to work hard to achieve my goals and express my opinions with confidence. After being surrounded by women empowerment every day at school, I've always wondered if the encouraging environment I've been exposed to for the last four years could exist in the "real world". This article answered many of my questions, exposing the bias society still has towards working women today. I find it both saddening and frustrating that women are seen as "dependable" rather than "visionary" and are still denied top positions largely because of their gender. While I can't say I'm completely surprised, I am angered by the fact that women are targeted by their male competitors because they are expected to be timid and hold their tongues. Overall, I appreciate that this article works to raise more awareness about this issue and the challenges women shouldn't have to face in the 21st century.
As a student who has attended an all-girls school for four years, the above article immediately captured my attention. Each day at school I am taught that my gender is not a disadvantage. Most importantly, I am encouraged to work hard to achieve my goals and express my opinions with confidence. After being surrounded by women empowerment every day at school, I've always wondered if the encouraging environment I've been exposed to for the last four years could exist in the "real world". This article answered many of my questions, exposing the bias society still has towards working women today. I find it both saddening and frustrating that women are seen as "dependable" rather than "visionary" and are still denied top positions largely because of their gender. While I can't say I'm completely surprised, I am angered by the fact that women are targeted by their male competitors because they are expected to be timid and hold their tongues. Overall, I appreciate that this article works to raise more awareness about this issue and the challenges women shouldn't have to face in the 21st century.
Satan in a Sunday Hat
There is a time and a place for everything. Some authors fill their writing with rich descriptions that seek to immerse their reader. Others chose to vary and stylize their sentence structure. Often an interesting writing style is necessary to hold the reader's’ attention. The article Satan in a Sunday Hat by Charles M. Blow is saturated in all elements of creative writing. It’s an exemplar of ornate creative writing so potent that the reader becomes distracted.
In his flowery Op-ed Blow aims to recount how recent leaks from the Trump administration have served as a distraction to the President. He dazzles the reader with witty, if premeditated, insults of Trump and his administration, yet fails to nail home a single point. Blow’s issue is structure: his writing has none. Digression leads to tangent until finally the reader stumbles across the conclusion of the article. Clear organization would have helped Blow write a more coherent piece.
Too often in the media punchy language and phrasing is used to spice up a topic that is considered dull (think cable anchors segwaying into a new topic). The goal is not to trick your audience, but to make them understand. If a reader is attempting to decode the basic meaning of an article, story, etc., the author has done something wrong. Successful writing leaves the reader with some sort of lasting understanding.
There is a time and a place for everything. Some authors fill their writing with rich descriptions that seek to immerse their reader. Others chose to vary and stylize their sentence structure. Often an interesting writing style is necessary to hold the reader's’ attention. The article Satan in a Sunday Hat by Charles M. Blow is saturated in all elements of creative writing. It’s an exemplar of ornate creative writing so potent that the reader becomes distracted.
In his flowery Op-ed Blow aims to recount how recent leaks from the Trump administration have served as a distraction to the President. He dazzles the reader with witty, if premeditated, insults of Trump and his administration, yet fails to nail home a single point. Blow’s issue is structure: his writing has none. Digression leads to tangent until finally the reader stumbles across the conclusion of the article. Clear organization would have helped Blow write a more coherent piece.
Too often in the media punchy language and phrasing is used to spice up a topic that is considered dull (think cable anchors segwaying into a new topic). The goal is not to trick your audience, but to make them understand. If a reader is attempting to decode the basic meaning of an article, story, etc., the author has done something wrong. Successful writing leaves the reader with some sort of lasting understanding.
"Neymar Signs 5-Year Deal With PSG in World-Record Transfer"
This headline certainly caught my attention due to the fact that for two consecutive years the world football transfer record has been broken. Money is being tossed around the sport of football and it is taking the purity of the sport away. "...Since Qatar Sports Investments took over the club in June 2011, PSG has spent several hundred million dollars on top-class players..." Neymar betrayed his boyhood dream club and it's fans for money. World football isn't the only sport taking action in these wealthy deals. This summer the NBA has also been splashing cash. Many NBA players have signed max deals at their clubs. This article leaves me with a few questions. What is too much money? How do sports governing bodies determine the limit? Is it legal for leagues to prevent these deals? UEFA has financial fair play rules that Barcelona claim are violated in this transfer. But as of right now Neymar could be starting for his Parisian club by Saturday. Are we just a few years away from billion dollar transfers and $100 million annual salary for the best players? For me it is sad to see Neymar go. I personally would hate to see money destroy professional sports for everyone.
This headline certainly caught my attention due to the fact that for two consecutive years the world football transfer record has been broken. Money is being tossed around the sport of football and it is taking the purity of the sport away. "...Since Qatar Sports Investments took over the club in June 2011, PSG has spent several hundred million dollars on top-class players..." Neymar betrayed his boyhood dream club and it's fans for money. World football isn't the only sport taking action in these wealthy deals. This summer the NBA has also been splashing cash. Many NBA players have signed max deals at their clubs. This article leaves me with a few questions. What is too much money? How do sports governing bodies determine the limit? Is it legal for leagues to prevent these deals? UEFA has financial fair play rules that Barcelona claim are violated in this transfer. But as of right now Neymar could be starting for his Parisian club by Saturday. Are we just a few years away from billion dollar transfers and $100 million annual salary for the best players? For me it is sad to see Neymar go. I personally would hate to see money destroy professional sports for everyone.
“Michael Phelps ‘Raced’ a ‘Shark,’ Kind Of. Not Really.”
By: Victor Mather July 24, 2017
What interested me most in The NYTimes this week was an article explaining the big shark race scam. It was advertised that Michael Phelps, an Olympic champion swimmer, was to go head to head in a swimming race against a great white shark. The media was soon to be disappointed when the race finally came around. What really happened was that Phelps swam the race, but not next to the monstrous shark, he swam alone.
Phelps raced against a computer made shark which was supposed to compare the race time of Michael to that of a great white. When news finally came out that this was the way it was going to be done, many were angered and disappointed.
Some may argue that putting Michael Phelps up against a great white was way too dangerous, it won’t change the fact that many people’s hopes were let down that night. Although the race was made to gain awareness to the sharks and shark week, maybe a stunt that can be completed would be a better way to get the attention of viewers.
This intense race interested me because it ended up not being what it was made out to be. Although the race did what it was intended to do, the even didn’t seem like it was worth all the anticipation. It might have been a little unrealistic to put a swimmer up against an actual shark, but that just adds to the crazy appeal.
By: Victor Mather July 24, 2017
What interested me most in The NYTimes this week was an article explaining the big shark race scam. It was advertised that Michael Phelps, an Olympic champion swimmer, was to go head to head in a swimming race against a great white shark. The media was soon to be disappointed when the race finally came around. What really happened was that Phelps swam the race, but not next to the monstrous shark, he swam alone.
Phelps raced against a computer made shark which was supposed to compare the race time of Michael to that of a great white. When news finally came out that this was the way it was going to be done, many were angered and disappointed.
Some may argue that putting Michael Phelps up against a great white was way too dangerous, it won’t change the fact that many people’s hopes were let down that night. Although the race was made to gain awareness to the sharks and shark week, maybe a stunt that can be completed would be a better way to get the attention of viewers.
This intense race interested me because it ended up not being what it was made out to be. Although the race did what it was intended to do, the even didn’t seem like it was worth all the anticipation. It might have been a little unrealistic to put a swimmer up against an actual shark, but that just adds to the crazy appeal.
Summer NYTimes Article assignment
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/26/us/politics/trump-transgender-militar...
Trump Says Transgender People Will Not Be Allowed in the Military
Politics
By Julie Hirschfeld Davis and Helene Cooper July 26, 2017
What interested me in the Times this week was an article about transgender people not being allowed to join the military. In Trump’s initial campaign, he claimed to be a supporter of gay, lesbian, and transexual people. If he were a supporter, he would understand that any person should have a right to join the military like anyone else. Though It’s dangerous for them to join the military because of the torture they’d go through if captured, these people know the risk. Shouldn’t they be given a chance to show what they can give to the military?
Barack Obama made the announcement stating that transgender people could join the army about a year ago. This policy increased the amount of active-duty soldiers until it was abolished. In the issues with ISIS and other threats, we would need all the help we could get. Jim Mattis, Trump’s transgender secretary, was given a notice about this announcement. He was quiet on this announcement, however, though his close friends and family spoke out about it for him how he that the transgender people who were already overseas were in for a rude awakening and were no longer welcome. This decision made by Trump has changed the lives of many transgender and non-transgender people.
Christopher R. Otto
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/26/us/politics/trump-transgender-militar...
Trump Says Transgender People Will Not Be Allowed in the Military
Politics
By Julie Hirschfeld Davis and Helene Cooper July 26, 2017
What interested me in the Times this week was an article about transgender people not being allowed to join the military. In Trump’s initial campaign, he claimed to be a supporter of gay, lesbian, and transexual people. If he were a supporter, he would understand that any person should have a right to join the military like anyone else. Though It’s dangerous for them to join the military because of the torture they’d go through if captured, these people know the risk. Shouldn’t they be given a chance to show what they can give to the military?
Barack Obama made the announcement stating that transgender people could join the army about a year ago. This policy increased the amount of active-duty soldiers until it was abolished. In the issues with ISIS and other threats, we would need all the help we could get. Jim Mattis, Trump’s transgender secretary, was given a notice about this announcement. He was quiet on this announcement, however, though his close friends and family spoke out about it for him how he that the transgender people who were already overseas were in for a rude awakening and were no longer welcome. This decision made by Trump has changed the lives of many transgender and non-transgender people.
Christopher R. Otto
Affirmative action has a honorable goal. However, after reading “Affirmative Action Battle has a New Focus: Asian-Americans”, my own opinion on the matter has only been strengthened. Affirmative action is detrimental, and not just for Asian-Americans. As a Asian-American student with college dreams, bias seems inevitable. Yet at a time, I had even supported affirmative action.
Supporters argue minorities such as Hispanics and African-Americans have a ingrained disadvantage presented to them at birth. They do not have the resources to pursue a good SAT score, or stellar GPA. While the privileged kid studies, the underprivileged child must spend their time supporting their family. Many argue affirmative action would give kids who don't have the same privileges a opportunity to raise themselves out of poverty. The exact opposite is true. While sound in practice, affirmative action only unfairly benefits kids from other minorities who are already economically privileged. The result of affirmative action is not the kid who is slaving away as a dishwasher going off to Harvard, but the privileged kids within that same minority. Even if a underprivileged student is admitted into Harvard, there is one fundamental problem— the astronomical cost of attending. Underprivileged kids are put hundreds of thousands of dollars into debt, and I must pose this question. Who is affirmative action truly supporting?
While you ponder this question, I must get back to preparing for the SAT.
Supporters argue minorities such as Hispanics and African-Americans have a ingrained disadvantage presented to them at birth. They do not have the resources to pursue a good SAT score, or stellar GPA. While the privileged kid studies, the underprivileged child must spend their time supporting their family. Many argue affirmative action would give kids who don't have the same privileges a opportunity to raise themselves out of poverty. The exact opposite is true. While sound in practice, affirmative action only unfairly benefits kids from other minorities who are already economically privileged. The result of affirmative action is not the kid who is slaving away as a dishwasher going off to Harvard, but the privileged kids within that same minority. Even if a underprivileged student is admitted into Harvard, there is one fundamental problem— the astronomical cost of attending. Underprivileged kids are put hundreds of thousands of dollars into debt, and I must pose this question. Who is affirmative action truly supporting?
While you ponder this question, I must get back to preparing for the SAT.
“The Eclipse That Revealed the Universe” by Dennis Overbye
With the solar eclipse of August 21 only weeks away this article seems most appropriate to write on. Although this year’s eclipse promises a spectacular view Dennis Overbye’s article explains the far more spectacular results caused by a solar eclipse in 1919. Many would argue that natural phenomenons such as earthquakes or hurricanes have the most impact in human affairs, yet this phenomenon altered history many times over. Used to prove Einstein's theory of relativity through whether light would bend around the moon due to its gravity, an Englishman, Arthur Eddington led a team to Brazil in order to bridge the gap created by WW1 with Einstein, a German. Apart from forging bonds between world war enemies and propelling modern science onto a new level 1919’s solar eclipse has expanded our perception of the universe in whole and inspired a generation to proceed learning more about what lies in the great beyond.
With the solar eclipse of August 21 only weeks away this article seems most appropriate to write on. Although this year’s eclipse promises a spectacular view Dennis Overbye’s article explains the far more spectacular results caused by a solar eclipse in 1919. Many would argue that natural phenomenons such as earthquakes or hurricanes have the most impact in human affairs, yet this phenomenon altered history many times over. Used to prove Einstein's theory of relativity through whether light would bend around the moon due to its gravity, an Englishman, Arthur Eddington led a team to Brazil in order to bridge the gap created by WW1 with Einstein, a German. Apart from forging bonds between world war enemies and propelling modern science onto a new level 1919’s solar eclipse has expanded our perception of the universe in whole and inspired a generation to proceed learning more about what lies in the great beyond.
"Are You a Carboholic? Why Cutting Carbs Is So Tough" by Gary Taubes
When I first saw the headline of this article my eyes dilated as I saw one word that meant the world to me: carbs. Growing up this treat was not just any food that would boost my insulin level, it was a sacred food, a blessing, and the love of my life. It wasn't until high school when I hit puberty and my high metabolism sunk to where I could not enjoy my heartthrob anymore for I was actually afraid of it becoming a "heartthrob". With this discomfort in mind, I wanted to unravel the mysteries behind why I was so captivated by carbs, and Mr. Taubes, Dr. Ludwig, and Dr. Lustig have answered this for me. When Dr. Ludwig talked about sugar intake as being a signaling trigger for insulin a light bulb lit up in the back of my 2015 sophomore brain that knew about positive feedback loops. I realized that a single dose of sugar is just enough to keep an interminable loop of accumulation going on in our bodies which is exactly why carbs can be so addicting. Since this small salient can trigger such a big feedback loop, it is no wonder that binge eating is a big problem today. With this information in mind, cutting down on carbs seems like an impossible task, but like any addiction, with the right psychological behavior, the honorable path to end this dependence should be achievable. It all just boils down to our mind-set, diet-consistency, and lifestyle even if we have to dump our old "sweet"heart from before.
When I first saw the headline of this article my eyes dilated as I saw one word that meant the world to me: carbs. Growing up this treat was not just any food that would boost my insulin level, it was a sacred food, a blessing, and the love of my life. It wasn't until high school when I hit puberty and my high metabolism sunk to where I could not enjoy my heartthrob anymore for I was actually afraid of it becoming a "heartthrob". With this discomfort in mind, I wanted to unravel the mysteries behind why I was so captivated by carbs, and Mr. Taubes, Dr. Ludwig, and Dr. Lustig have answered this for me. When Dr. Ludwig talked about sugar intake as being a signaling trigger for insulin a light bulb lit up in the back of my 2015 sophomore brain that knew about positive feedback loops. I realized that a single dose of sugar is just enough to keep an interminable loop of accumulation going on in our bodies which is exactly why carbs can be so addicting. Since this small salient can trigger such a big feedback loop, it is no wonder that binge eating is a big problem today. With this information in mind, cutting down on carbs seems like an impossible task, but like any addiction, with the right psychological behavior, the honorable path to end this dependence should be achievable. It all just boils down to our mind-set, diet-consistency, and lifestyle even if we have to dump our old "sweet"heart from before.
Title: 'Chris Cornell, Soundgarden and Audioslave Frontman, Dies at 52'
Published: May 18, 2017
In choosing a topic for this entry, I had to ask myself a certain question; what particular event that has occurred this year so far has affected me most, both personally and emotionally? That answer for most would probably be the travel ban, or the looming threat of North Korea, or the recent ruling regarding the military, or the current administration in general. Not me. My answer is simply the death of one man, and that is why I chose this article. Reading through it really placed me back during that time when this tragedy was still fresh in my mind. I remember waking up that morning in a surprisingly great mood. I remember going to school, sitting down in my first class of the day, and scrolling down my notifications to see a headline very similar to this one. I have been a fan of Soundgarden for a while, so this hit me hard. For the rest of the day, I couldn’t focus on anything, whether it was during class, or around friends. I just can’t express how upset I was. Then the cause of death was released, which only resulted in further distress. Suicide? How? Chris Cornell is yet another life lost to depression. And while I’ve never dealt with it myself, tragedies like this, both around me and in the news, has opened my eyes as to how much of a problem it is.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/18/arts/music/chris-cornell-dead-soundga...
Published: May 18, 2017
In choosing a topic for this entry, I had to ask myself a certain question; what particular event that has occurred this year so far has affected me most, both personally and emotionally? That answer for most would probably be the travel ban, or the looming threat of North Korea, or the recent ruling regarding the military, or the current administration in general. Not me. My answer is simply the death of one man, and that is why I chose this article. Reading through it really placed me back during that time when this tragedy was still fresh in my mind. I remember waking up that morning in a surprisingly great mood. I remember going to school, sitting down in my first class of the day, and scrolling down my notifications to see a headline very similar to this one. I have been a fan of Soundgarden for a while, so this hit me hard. For the rest of the day, I couldn’t focus on anything, whether it was during class, or around friends. I just can’t express how upset I was. Then the cause of death was released, which only resulted in further distress. Suicide? How? Chris Cornell is yet another life lost to depression. And while I’ve never dealt with it myself, tragedies like this, both around me and in the news, has opened my eyes as to how much of a problem it is.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/18/arts/music/chris-cornell-dead-soundga...
"In Sweltering South, Climate Change is Now a Workplace Hazard"
Climate change in it's entirety is a gigantic problem not only for the United States, but the world. This article gives an example of the effects climate change has had on work in the southern states. Hard sun and hard labor are not an equation with a good outcome. Adding these two together can result in serious medical issues for employees. Not only is this a personal risk, but one for the business itself. This article speaks of the pollution that is a result of factories. This pollution is also a health risk for employees as well as residents surrounded the premises of these areas. Often times, the working class cannot afford the medical care needed to help with the costly medical bills. More often than not, little remorse is shown for these people who seek medical care due to climate change. It is crucial that the government understands the change in climate and provides efforts to fix the crisis of climate change.
Climate change in it's entirety is a gigantic problem not only for the United States, but the world. This article gives an example of the effects climate change has had on work in the southern states. Hard sun and hard labor are not an equation with a good outcome. Adding these two together can result in serious medical issues for employees. Not only is this a personal risk, but one for the business itself. This article speaks of the pollution that is a result of factories. This pollution is also a health risk for employees as well as residents surrounded the premises of these areas. Often times, the working class cannot afford the medical care needed to help with the costly medical bills. More often than not, little remorse is shown for these people who seek medical care due to climate change. It is crucial that the government understands the change in climate and provides efforts to fix the crisis of climate change.
What We Finally Got Around to Learning at the Procrastination Research Conference
The second I saw this article I was excited to read it, because it looked as though it could help me on my search for the non-existent cure to procrastination. My efforts so far have been fruitless, but reading the article made it clear why.
The study of procrastination apparently only started picking up ten years ago, when the first convention was held, which revealed how few people seem to view procrastination seriously. It's semi-understandable, as many "procrastinators" are really just lazy high school students, but those who really fit the name are a bit different. It's almost scary how people can continually do damage to their life when the solution is so simple. For example, there was a 'Ted Talk' that featured a man who, in college, didn't start his 90 page thesis paper until the day before. While he did get it in on time, and got an interesting story, the time, money and effort put into his class were wasted due to the result of procrastination.
If this behavior can be so detrimental, why are more people not looking for the root of the problem? Perhaps there just aren't enough procrastinators successful enough to do so.
The second I saw this article I was excited to read it, because it looked as though it could help me on my search for the non-existent cure to procrastination. My efforts so far have been fruitless, but reading the article made it clear why.
The study of procrastination apparently only started picking up ten years ago, when the first convention was held, which revealed how few people seem to view procrastination seriously. It's semi-understandable, as many "procrastinators" are really just lazy high school students, but those who really fit the name are a bit different. It's almost scary how people can continually do damage to their life when the solution is so simple. For example, there was a 'Ted Talk' that featured a man who, in college, didn't start his 90 page thesis paper until the day before. While he did get it in on time, and got an interesting story, the time, money and effort put into his class were wasted due to the result of procrastination.
If this behavior can be so detrimental, why are more people not looking for the root of the problem? Perhaps there just aren't enough procrastinators successful enough to do so.
When I first saw the article, “She Was Named World’s Ugliest Dog, but ‘She’s Just Darling’” by Hannah Alani, I clicked on it immediately only because I too have an “ugly” dog, somewhat like Martha. Although Ellie, the beagle-mix I own, does not stand on the same level of unattractiveness as Martha, she predominantly displays an under bite peaking through her black lips, two obsidian colored bug-eyes, and has more of a swaying waddle than a walk. Ellie, however, is one of the sweetest canines you’ll ever meet, just like Martha is a “gentle giant” according to Shirley Zindler. Ellie will shower you with kisses no matter the occasion.
My personal connection to the article is not the only reason why I found the article interesting. The article attracted me because it indicates that what’s on the inside, is what counts. For example, you might own a perfect, fluffy poodle that may be striking, but could be unsociable and unkind. While on the other hand, Martha may have droopy red eyes, baggy skin, and may drool nonstop, but she is very loving and playful towards other dogs.
Our society should look past the imperfections in our canine friends and focus on uniqueness that each dog carries. So maybe instead of looking at “Best in Show” we should look for “Best in Heart.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/24/us/ugliest-dog-contest-california.html
My personal connection to the article is not the only reason why I found the article interesting. The article attracted me because it indicates that what’s on the inside, is what counts. For example, you might own a perfect, fluffy poodle that may be striking, but could be unsociable and unkind. While on the other hand, Martha may have droopy red eyes, baggy skin, and may drool nonstop, but she is very loving and playful towards other dogs.
Our society should look past the imperfections in our canine friends and focus on uniqueness that each dog carries. So maybe instead of looking at “Best in Show” we should look for “Best in Heart.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/24/us/ugliest-dog-contest-california.html
"Woman Who Urged Friend's Suicide Gets 15-Month Sentence"
The case regarding the women who urged friend's suicide can be seen from many perspective. Although tragic, it was interesting to see the difference points the opposing lawyers brought up. Additionally, when the article stated: "The outcome of the trial stunned legal experts, who said it broke ground by suggesting that words alone could be found to cause a suicide." I was utterly shocked. Despite the fact that words can't physically harm people, words are still really powerful tools that should not be abused. All in all, the lawyers of both sides brought up really good points about Michelle and I think it was somewhat fair for the judge to give her a short sentence.
The case regarding the women who urged friend's suicide can be seen from many perspective. Although tragic, it was interesting to see the difference points the opposing lawyers brought up. Additionally, when the article stated: "The outcome of the trial stunned legal experts, who said it broke ground by suggesting that words alone could be found to cause a suicide." I was utterly shocked. Despite the fact that words can't physically harm people, words are still really powerful tools that should not be abused. All in all, the lawyers of both sides brought up really good points about Michelle and I think it was somewhat fair for the judge to give her a short sentence.
"A Rest Stop for Half a Billion Birds"
This video interested me because I love birds and I've always been curious about migration. The flight from one place to another may be long, and there probably aren't many places like the nature reserve in the video for birds to stop at. The video is so incredible and it must feel so surreal to be amidst all of the cranes. Five hundred million birds in one place is unimaginable to me. I think it's great though that they have the nature reserve to rest at during their flight between Europe to Africa. It's safe and they have food, provided to them rather than taken from farmers.
The video mentioned hunters in the Mediterranean being a threat to the birds. It's horrible to think that anyone would kill a majestic creature such as a crane, or any other bird or animal for that matter. More nature reserves would mean protection against hunters, which would be nice.
The video itself of the birds is amazing, and it boggles my mind that there are so many cranes there. It makes me wonder how long the reserve has been active and the origins of it.
This video interested me because I love birds and I've always been curious about migration. The flight from one place to another may be long, and there probably aren't many places like the nature reserve in the video for birds to stop at. The video is so incredible and it must feel so surreal to be amidst all of the cranes. Five hundred million birds in one place is unimaginable to me. I think it's great though that they have the nature reserve to rest at during their flight between Europe to Africa. It's safe and they have food, provided to them rather than taken from farmers.
The video mentioned hunters in the Mediterranean being a threat to the birds. It's horrible to think that anyone would kill a majestic creature such as a crane, or any other bird or animal for that matter. More nature reserves would mean protection against hunters, which would be nice.
The video itself of the birds is amazing, and it boggles my mind that there are so many cranes there. It makes me wonder how long the reserve has been active and the origins of it.
"Trump Says Transgender People Will Not Be Allowed in the Military"
After hearing people around me talk, with several differing opinions, about the policy that President Trump implemented on transgenders not being accepted into the military, I decided to take a look at this article myself and come up with my own opinion. With this highly controversial topic there is reasoning for both their rejection and position in the military. In the article, President Trump supports his disputed policy with the fact that taxpayer's money should not be spent on transitional medical treatment when it can be used elsewhere for other priorities. Serious accommodations would have to be made in order to legally house transgender people and have them go in gender neutral bathrooms, a strict and expected part of the military, costing more time and money. On the other hand however, rejecting those that are physically and mentally capable of being in the military simply because they changed their gender is immoral. People who are capable and willing to fight for our freedom should not be pushed away just because our President and society has not accepted these changing phenomenons in the world. Transgender people have been serving in the military prior to the enforcement of the new policy and there have been no posing issues as well. In the future, I hope that transgenders can be accommodated for while serving in the military and protecting our country.
After hearing people around me talk, with several differing opinions, about the policy that President Trump implemented on transgenders not being accepted into the military, I decided to take a look at this article myself and come up with my own opinion. With this highly controversial topic there is reasoning for both their rejection and position in the military. In the article, President Trump supports his disputed policy with the fact that taxpayer's money should not be spent on transitional medical treatment when it can be used elsewhere for other priorities. Serious accommodations would have to be made in order to legally house transgender people and have them go in gender neutral bathrooms, a strict and expected part of the military, costing more time and money. On the other hand however, rejecting those that are physically and mentally capable of being in the military simply because they changed their gender is immoral. People who are capable and willing to fight for our freedom should not be pushed away just because our President and society has not accepted these changing phenomenons in the world. Transgender people have been serving in the military prior to the enforcement of the new policy and there have been no posing issues as well. In the future, I hope that transgenders can be accommodated for while serving in the military and protecting our country.
"The Best Running Stride? The One That Comes Naturally"
by, Gretchen Reynolds
Whether it was running the mile in sixth grade or running the track with my high school volleyball team, i always thought to myself, "is there a way i can make my pace faster? or make my breathing feel better while i ran?" Don't get me wrong, i consider myself to be a very good runner but im sure everyone has been curious as on how to improve it.
In the article it stated that scientist from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah were examing the strides of both experienced and inexperienced runners. they began all sorts of testing on the treadmill with runners running at their normal pace and then having them run at a modified pace. studies showed that runners who run at their own normal pace are better at breathing as oppose to runners who run at a modified pace. the article goes onto say that we have been running since toddlers, we humans run everywhere whether its to catch a bus, or when your rushing out of your house, and every time we run our body finds a way to improve our running.
so i guess that answers my question, there really isnt anything i cam make myself do, my body will simply just do it on its own. so now everytime i run i know that i am running the best i can and the more running i do, the better my body will improve it.
i think its interesting how our bodies just do so much without us even realizing it.
by, Gretchen Reynolds
Whether it was running the mile in sixth grade or running the track with my high school volleyball team, i always thought to myself, "is there a way i can make my pace faster? or make my breathing feel better while i ran?" Don't get me wrong, i consider myself to be a very good runner but im sure everyone has been curious as on how to improve it.
In the article it stated that scientist from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah were examing the strides of both experienced and inexperienced runners. they began all sorts of testing on the treadmill with runners running at their normal pace and then having them run at a modified pace. studies showed that runners who run at their own normal pace are better at breathing as oppose to runners who run at a modified pace. the article goes onto say that we have been running since toddlers, we humans run everywhere whether its to catch a bus, or when your rushing out of your house, and every time we run our body finds a way to improve our running.
so i guess that answers my question, there really isnt anything i cam make myself do, my body will simply just do it on its own. so now everytime i run i know that i am running the best i can and the more running i do, the better my body will improve it.
i think its interesting how our bodies just do so much without us even realizing it.
I read the article about the 110 NFL brains that were severely damaged by their consistent head trauma, which they acquired from playing football. Unsurprisingly, the most common effects occurred in linemen, which take on most of the blunt force in the sport. The fact that numerous studies have shown the correlation between football and brain disorders, and no one has done a thing, completely baffles me. I was actually reading through the comments on the article and one man said "we don't pay them $5 million a year for nothing." Correct sir. You are paying all of those men millions of dollars to participate in a televised, glorified gladiator match in which they can receive multiple life threatening injuries. See here, I am an athlete, I have been one for upmost of 15 years and I completely understand the "love of the sport", "no 'I' in team", and "go hard or go home" above everything else. However, knowingly increasing your probability of dying for a game?? Sometimes I just don't understand, these men are human, they have limits, and no amount of weight training can prevent a man from having a concussion or getting his neck broken. Reading this article and learning the undeniable facts of the very real danger and very real deaths that are occurring every single football season is truly freighting but the corporations invested in the NFL industries would never acknowledge it or do anything to stop it because that would cost money and threaten the very basis of their equity.
"Diversity Concerns Prompt ‘Great Comet’ Casting Shakeup" interested me the most because of the recent backlash in the theatre community due to the recent recasting of the role of Pierre in the Broadway musical Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812, which is a 70 page excerpt from Tolstoy's War and Peace. Okieriete "Oak" Onaodowan replaced Josh Groban after Groban's run ended in early July. Ticket sales were tanking, and dramatic legend Mandy Patinkin was called upon to take Oak's place, unknowing that this would end Oak's run by almost 3 weeks. The fanbase of both Hamilton, where Oak gained traction as Hercules Mulligan, and The Great Comet completely blew up, calling upon the producers of The Great Comet to acknowledge their actions, as well as Patinkin's acceptance of the role as racist. As a fan of both shows, I found myself in the midst of the drama, which led me to side with The Great Comet's producers, rather than the fanbases I am a part of. The producers released a statement telling the fans that Mandy's Broadway resurgence was the only way ticket sales cold rise, as the show is at risk of closing. Patinkin had no idea that accepting the role would cut Oak's run, and he decided to back out of the show. Oak also announced he will not be returning to the show after August 13th, after being invited to finish his run in the fall or winter. Do I believe this is racism on Broadway? No, this is merely a case of doing what is best in order to save an amazing show.
"Flying Is Bad for the Planet. You Can Help Make It Better."
When I saw this article, I was intrigued because I want to help the planet, but sometimes you just need to get places. I realized that flying less wasn't the only way to reduce my carbon footprints. I have no doubt that most people will listening to flight attendance, know the fuel that your airline they use, but I am not sure that most people will try other ways to help the environment. Would you sacrifice your own comfort of flying business class or first class so you can help trees grow? I am not sure that I would if I were on a long flight. Or, would you shorten your vacation time so you can fly direct? It would greatly depend on how convenient it would be for me.
In my opinion, all planes should be organized and run to be environmentally friendly. Also, I believe airline companies should let their customers know how the airlines are saving the planet. I think that many people will travel in an environmentally friendly way if it was easy for them to book a flight, plan the trip and see how they are helping the planet.
When I saw this article, I was intrigued because I want to help the planet, but sometimes you just need to get places. I realized that flying less wasn't the only way to reduce my carbon footprints. I have no doubt that most people will listening to flight attendance, know the fuel that your airline they use, but I am not sure that most people will try other ways to help the environment. Would you sacrifice your own comfort of flying business class or first class so you can help trees grow? I am not sure that I would if I were on a long flight. Or, would you shorten your vacation time so you can fly direct? It would greatly depend on how convenient it would be for me.
In my opinion, all planes should be organized and run to be environmentally friendly. Also, I believe airline companies should let their customers know how the airlines are saving the planet. I think that many people will travel in an environmentally friendly way if it was easy for them to book a flight, plan the trip and see how they are helping the planet.
Michelle Carter Is Sentenced to 15 Months in Jail in Texting Suicide Case
3 years ago, July 2014, an 18-year-old boy, Conrad Roy III committed suicide by inhaling carbon monoxide in his pickup truck. In June 2017, Michelle Carter was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter after urging her close friend through phone calls and text messages to kill himself, thus being responsible for his death.
What most interested me in this article was the court case in which Ms. Carter was sentenced 15 Months in jail after the texting suicide case. Originally, prosecutors asked for a sentence from seven to 12 years but Carter's lawyer, asked the court case for leniency and five years of supervised probation. The lawyer also mentioned that Ms.Carter regretted what had happened and was struggling with her own mental illness at the time.
The article states that Ms. Carter had tried to dissuade Mr. Roy from killing himself, but since he was determined to take his life away, she gave up and talked him into killing himself. In my opinion, if Ms. Carter was not going through her own mental illness, things may have been different in which she most likely would have tried to stop Mr. Roy from comitting suicide. However, Ms. Carter blamed herself for his death evident in texts between her friend, this means Ms. Carter still felt guilty after to which Ms. Carter still had a sense of her mind to where she may have prevented his death.
3 years ago, July 2014, an 18-year-old boy, Conrad Roy III committed suicide by inhaling carbon monoxide in his pickup truck. In June 2017, Michelle Carter was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter after urging her close friend through phone calls and text messages to kill himself, thus being responsible for his death.
What most interested me in this article was the court case in which Ms. Carter was sentenced 15 Months in jail after the texting suicide case. Originally, prosecutors asked for a sentence from seven to 12 years but Carter's lawyer, asked the court case for leniency and five years of supervised probation. The lawyer also mentioned that Ms.Carter regretted what had happened and was struggling with her own mental illness at the time.
The article states that Ms. Carter had tried to dissuade Mr. Roy from killing himself, but since he was determined to take his life away, she gave up and talked him into killing himself. In my opinion, if Ms. Carter was not going through her own mental illness, things may have been different in which she most likely would have tried to stop Mr. Roy from comitting suicide. However, Ms. Carter blamed herself for his death evident in texts between her friend, this means Ms. Carter still felt guilty after to which Ms. Carter still had a sense of her mind to where she may have prevented his death.
In Breakthrough, Scientists Edit a Dangerous Mutation From Genes in Human Embryos
I found this article quite intriguing because bioethics is a very serious issue in our advanced world today. As the article states, scientists have found a way to take out mutant genes and make them free of disease. Although this could lead to an amazing medical breakthrough it can lead to some problems as well. The first thing that popped to mind was the fact that our population is growing rapidly already and is on a course to major overpopulation and we will use up the earth's resources. By eliminating disease the population will grow immensely making our space pretty much gone. Also we are messing with genetics, something that nature designed a certain way for a reason. It is not supposed to be changed and could lead to some bad side effects. This is a major topic that our generation will have to face in the future and we need to decide soon what is right and wrong in the science world.
I found this article quite intriguing because bioethics is a very serious issue in our advanced world today. As the article states, scientists have found a way to take out mutant genes and make them free of disease. Although this could lead to an amazing medical breakthrough it can lead to some problems as well. The first thing that popped to mind was the fact that our population is growing rapidly already and is on a course to major overpopulation and we will use up the earth's resources. By eliminating disease the population will grow immensely making our space pretty much gone. Also we are messing with genetics, something that nature designed a certain way for a reason. It is not supposed to be changed and could lead to some bad side effects. This is a major topic that our generation will have to face in the future and we need to decide soon what is right and wrong in the science world.
"Is 40-Year-Old Tom Brady as Good as 30-Year-Old Tom Brady?"
This article fascinated me the most because I am an avid fan of the New England Patriots and their quarterback, Tom Brady. I was also intrigued at the argument over whether or not Tom Brady could defy Father Time and become better as he grew in age, doing what no QB before him has done. Tom Brady turns 40 on today's date, August 3rd, and only 3 quarterbacks older then 40 have thrown for over 2,800 yards. However, Brady has thrown for over 2,800 yards in all of his 15 full seasons in the NFL. Brady has constantly stated when asked that he intends to play into his mid-40s, defying conventional football wisdom that says a quarterback's career is over when he turns 40. Despite the overwhelming evidence that Brady could hit a wall in a year or two, he has been infamous for doing the impossible. He has won 5 Super Bowl championships, gone 16-0 for a perfect regular season in 2007 and dug himself and the Patriots out of the 28-3 hole in Super Bowl 51, all the while doing so after being drafted with the 199th selection in his draft. Additionally, Brady's last game concluded with him setting a Super Bowl record for passing yards (466), demonstrating how he has no signs of slowing down. In my own unbiased opinion (putting aside my football allegiances for the discussion), I truly believe Brady has at least 3 top tier years left in him.
This article fascinated me the most because I am an avid fan of the New England Patriots and their quarterback, Tom Brady. I was also intrigued at the argument over whether or not Tom Brady could defy Father Time and become better as he grew in age, doing what no QB before him has done. Tom Brady turns 40 on today's date, August 3rd, and only 3 quarterbacks older then 40 have thrown for over 2,800 yards. However, Brady has thrown for over 2,800 yards in all of his 15 full seasons in the NFL. Brady has constantly stated when asked that he intends to play into his mid-40s, defying conventional football wisdom that says a quarterback's career is over when he turns 40. Despite the overwhelming evidence that Brady could hit a wall in a year or two, he has been infamous for doing the impossible. He has won 5 Super Bowl championships, gone 16-0 for a perfect regular season in 2007 and dug himself and the Patriots out of the 28-3 hole in Super Bowl 51, all the while doing so after being drafted with the 199th selection in his draft. Additionally, Brady's last game concluded with him setting a Super Bowl record for passing yards (466), demonstrating how he has no signs of slowing down. In my own unbiased opinion (putting aside my football allegiances for the discussion), I truly believe Brady has at least 3 top tier years left in him.
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What We Finally Got Around to Learning at the Procrastination Research Conference
Procrastination. Something that happens to everyone no matter the age. It mainly starts due to the feeling of laziness and being sluggish. I am for one a big procrastinator. However after reading this article, It changed what I intially thought about procrastination. In the article it stated that we can learn from procrastinators. This took me by suprise. It futher stated, " Maybe cultures need to learn how to do time differently..." The statement changed my way of thinking. Growing up, I always disliked procrastination, always thinking that it was something I should not do in the future. Now I look at it in a different way, telling myself its not a bad thing.
Procrastination. Something that happens to everyone no matter the age. It mainly starts due to the feeling of laziness and being sluggish. I am for one a big procrastinator. However after reading this article, It changed what I intially thought about procrastination. In the article it stated that we can learn from procrastinators. This took me by suprise. It futher stated, " Maybe cultures need to learn how to do time differently..." The statement changed my way of thinking. Growing up, I always disliked procrastination, always thinking that it was something I should not do in the future. Now I look at it in a different way, telling myself its not a bad thing.
" Michael Phelps 'Raced' a Shark,Kind of. Not Really" by Victor Mather
As an avid swimmer and gigantic fan of Michael Phelps, this article really peaked my interest. To be quite frank, I always wanted to see the fastest (Human) swimmer go against one of the fastest (animal) swimmers . I tuned in to watch the new special like majority of the country. I was very disappointed when I did not see what I expected to see. Phelps just swam by himself and compared his results with a shark. This article basically explains and goes into the depth about the TV special. It was still very intriguing and my eyes were of course glued to the TV, but what I expected to see was just not realistic.
As an avid swimmer and gigantic fan of Michael Phelps, this article really peaked my interest. To be quite frank, I always wanted to see the fastest (Human) swimmer go against one of the fastest (animal) swimmers . I tuned in to watch the new special like majority of the country. I was very disappointed when I did not see what I expected to see. Phelps just swam by himself and compared his results with a shark. This article basically explains and goes into the depth about the TV special. It was still very intriguing and my eyes were of course glued to the TV, but what I expected to see was just not realistic.
111 N.F.L. Brains. All But One Had C.T.E.
This is an issue that has not been receiving the amount of attention that it requires. With a profession that constantly presents a danger to the players, action should be taken that could proactively take better care of the athletes. Although it may not have immediate effects, but in the long run, being tackled and having your head slammed on the ground multiple times can prove to be destructive to oneself.
Over one hundred football players have succumb to the degenerative disease, chronic traumatic encephalopathy (C.T.E). Most of whom probably don't ring a bell. Which is upsetting people multiple people have had causes of death linked to C.T.E, but isn't as prominent of an issue as it should be. This reminds me of the movie, Concussion, featuring Will Smith who plays Dr. Bennet Omalu. The movie describes how Dr. Omalu performs an autopsy on a deceased Mike Webster and finds a neurological disorder which he then names Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. It's nice to know that in recent years it has been attaining more mainstream attention so that more research can go towards this.
Certain efforts have simply just not been enough, such as adding more protection to quarterbacks' equipment. The cases have shown them to be still "moderately severe". More still needs to be done.
This is an issue that has not been receiving the amount of attention that it requires. With a profession that constantly presents a danger to the players, action should be taken that could proactively take better care of the athletes. Although it may not have immediate effects, but in the long run, being tackled and having your head slammed on the ground multiple times can prove to be destructive to oneself.
Over one hundred football players have succumb to the degenerative disease, chronic traumatic encephalopathy (C.T.E). Most of whom probably don't ring a bell. Which is upsetting people multiple people have had causes of death linked to C.T.E, but isn't as prominent of an issue as it should be. This reminds me of the movie, Concussion, featuring Will Smith who plays Dr. Bennet Omalu. The movie describes how Dr. Omalu performs an autopsy on a deceased Mike Webster and finds a neurological disorder which he then names Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. It's nice to know that in recent years it has been attaining more mainstream attention so that more research can go towards this.
Certain efforts have simply just not been enough, such as adding more protection to quarterbacks' equipment. The cases have shown them to be still "moderately severe". More still needs to be done.
Women in the workplace are usually not the CEO of a company. The article that I read showed me that most men don't want or support a female boss. They would take a women's sterness and confidence as a threat and react negitively. Manny women say they work just as hard, if not harder, than there male co-workers but never make it to the top. Some women also say they worked their way to the top but where blocked from making it all the way. I don't understand why men, and women, can't think of females as equal to males. Hopefully someday that will change and every one can be thought of by their work not by their gender.
Senate Rejects Slimmed-Down Obamacare Repeal as McCain Votes No
Since the beginning of this year the nation’s people have been undergoing an adjustment. This adjustment revolves around the the government's stance on political issues and how our new president will go about changing policies that contradict his beliefs. An issue he has been passionate about, since the beginning of his campaign in 2015, is repealing the Affordable Healthcare Act. With this task he had the upper hand, in which his party had majority in the House.
It has been demonstrated that after many attempts and revisions to the new plan proposed by President Trump, a successful plan has been hard to devise. This article interested me because the numerous attempts and failures with them has proven our President's claims to be false. He claimed that this task would be easy but it has only shown to challenge him and his administration. The citizen of the US still patiently await a final decision to be made on an act that ultimately affects them and their livelihoods. I believe this article demonstrates the current turmoil within our government and instability in Trump’s decisions, which is a pressing issue so far into his administration.
Since the beginning of this year the nation’s people have been undergoing an adjustment. This adjustment revolves around the the government's stance on political issues and how our new president will go about changing policies that contradict his beliefs. An issue he has been passionate about, since the beginning of his campaign in 2015, is repealing the Affordable Healthcare Act. With this task he had the upper hand, in which his party had majority in the House.
It has been demonstrated that after many attempts and revisions to the new plan proposed by President Trump, a successful plan has been hard to devise. This article interested me because the numerous attempts and failures with them has proven our President's claims to be false. He claimed that this task would be easy but it has only shown to challenge him and his administration. The citizen of the US still patiently await a final decision to be made on an act that ultimately affects them and their livelihoods. I believe this article demonstrates the current turmoil within our government and instability in Trump’s decisions, which is a pressing issue so far into his administration.
"If Soundcloud Disappears, Whar Happens To Its Music Culture?"
by, Jenna Wortham
When i first saw on twitter that there wasn't going to be anymore soundcloud i was honestly so mad. I feel like it is a place for people to try and get their music out to the world. It's a place for artists to express themselves and try to make a name for themsleves. Obviously they all share the same dream, they want to make it to the big time and make records and all that good stuff.
Not only that but people who go on soundcloud to listen to music are usually people who are tired of listening to, "mainstream music" and want to hear a different sound. Soundcloud if free so not only is it convientient for users but you get to listen to good music that you don't hear everyday on the radio. Plus since you don't hear it everyday on the radio, you wont get sick and tired of the songs so fast. Most of the songs on there feel real, the lyrics talk about real things. not like some mainstream artsits who only talk about girls, sex, drugs and so forth.
some artists were acyually having some sucess on here, i always see the really good songs going viral on twitter. But what happens after soundcloud is over? where do they put their music now? yeah there is youtube but it's not the same. now not only that but what happens to the users? What if their favorite artists were on there and now where are they suppose to listen to them?
by, Jenna Wortham
When i first saw on twitter that there wasn't going to be anymore soundcloud i was honestly so mad. I feel like it is a place for people to try and get their music out to the world. It's a place for artists to express themselves and try to make a name for themsleves. Obviously they all share the same dream, they want to make it to the big time and make records and all that good stuff.
Not only that but people who go on soundcloud to listen to music are usually people who are tired of listening to, "mainstream music" and want to hear a different sound. Soundcloud if free so not only is it convientient for users but you get to listen to good music that you don't hear everyday on the radio. Plus since you don't hear it everyday on the radio, you wont get sick and tired of the songs so fast. Most of the songs on there feel real, the lyrics talk about real things. not like some mainstream artsits who only talk about girls, sex, drugs and so forth.
some artists were acyually having some sucess on here, i always see the really good songs going viral on twitter. But what happens after soundcloud is over? where do they put their music now? yeah there is youtube but it's not the same. now not only that but what happens to the users? What if their favorite artists were on there and now where are they suppose to listen to them?
"The Glory of a Summer Sleep"
Sleep: a word cherished by teens, despised by children, and maybe unheard of to some adults. Whatever your view on this topic may be, lets get one thing straight: sleep is necessary and important, and has been for countless numbers of centuries.
Numerous legends use sleep to commence a common end to a story, moving into silence and rest, while many others, opposingly, add scenes of sleep to symbolize a common beginning: an arrival of opportunities fueled by newfound rest.
Monks, to this day, continue to practice their religion in silence and observation. While these men and women seldom speak, some have said that the deep listening achieved from the abstinence of noise pushes them closer to God, as they believe that God, too, is a presence of few words.
This creative silence that Monks observe is not uncommon, and can be seen in works of many religious idols, often coinciding with the decimation of these people's egos and the increasingness of an open mind.
Today, letting go of egotistical thinking is still a problem. McGirr believes that this can be subsided with the use of sleep, entering yourself into an intense state of relaxation for a prolonged period of time.
Many struggle with this, though, and cannot access to sleep. McGirr, instead, argues that observing a disciplined silence can aid as an alternative to sleep, and allows many to let go of worries, and to live in the present, ultimately letting many surrender control and listen.
Sleep: a word cherished by teens, despised by children, and maybe unheard of to some adults. Whatever your view on this topic may be, lets get one thing straight: sleep is necessary and important, and has been for countless numbers of centuries.
Numerous legends use sleep to commence a common end to a story, moving into silence and rest, while many others, opposingly, add scenes of sleep to symbolize a common beginning: an arrival of opportunities fueled by newfound rest.
Monks, to this day, continue to practice their religion in silence and observation. While these men and women seldom speak, some have said that the deep listening achieved from the abstinence of noise pushes them closer to God, as they believe that God, too, is a presence of few words.
This creative silence that Monks observe is not uncommon, and can be seen in works of many religious idols, often coinciding with the decimation of these people's egos and the increasingness of an open mind.
Today, letting go of egotistical thinking is still a problem. McGirr believes that this can be subsided with the use of sleep, entering yourself into an intense state of relaxation for a prolonged period of time.
Many struggle with this, though, and cannot access to sleep. McGirr, instead, argues that observing a disciplined silence can aid as an alternative to sleep, and allows many to let go of worries, and to live in the present, ultimately letting many surrender control and listen.
"Venezuela’s Opposition, Battling Nicolás Maduro, Suffers a Crippling Blow" by Nicholas Casey
This article interested me the most because I have been following the issue in Venezuela for a few months now. I had a lot of hope for this election as I had faith that the voting would be just and fair. But as reports came out how rigged it was, I knew it was going to be a lost cause. Now Maduro's party has complete control and can alter the Constitution. Many Venezuelans have been protesting for months now and it has reached a boiling point. 10 people were killed on election day, including 2 teenagers. It was then announced that two opposition leaders were taken from their homes to unknown locations. I am happy though that the international community is condemning and not recognizing this election. Venezuela's neighbors, Canada, and Spain have spoken out against this election. The United States has done one of the best things against this regime: they announced sanctions against Venezuela. Venezuela's faltering economy relies on oil and exports a lot of it to the United States. Hopefully this will spur some change in the Venezuelan government and give their inhabitants some justice after so much violence.
This article interested me the most because I have been following the issue in Venezuela for a few months now. I had a lot of hope for this election as I had faith that the voting would be just and fair. But as reports came out how rigged it was, I knew it was going to be a lost cause. Now Maduro's party has complete control and can alter the Constitution. Many Venezuelans have been protesting for months now and it has reached a boiling point. 10 people were killed on election day, including 2 teenagers. It was then announced that two opposition leaders were taken from their homes to unknown locations. I am happy though that the international community is condemning and not recognizing this election. Venezuela's neighbors, Canada, and Spain have spoken out against this election. The United States has done one of the best things against this regime: they announced sanctions against Venezuela. Venezuela's faltering economy relies on oil and exports a lot of it to the United States. Hopefully this will spur some change in the Venezuelan government and give their inhabitants some justice after so much violence.
“Are You a Carboholic? Why Cutting Carbs Is So Tough” By Gary Taubes
In current day society, food plays a prominent role in several people’s lives. There are food networks and jobs that revolve only around food and people that are literally addicted. On top of that, many companies make their money solely off of dieting routines. The people that get so wrapped up in food don’t like what it is doing to their body and turn to these big companies that claim to erase all the effects of eating. I liked this article because instead of advertising a way to become skinny after eating regretful foods, it states how to avoid it, and reasoning behind it. Before reading the article, I never knew that eating was actually scientifically addicting. I thought that was just something people said. Apparently, sugar releases dopamine, which is also released when using drugs. The dopamine is what makes the sugar and drugs addicting. That’s why I liked the point of the article which was to just stay away from the problem completely, because why eat something that you know is just going to make you want more?
In current day society, food plays a prominent role in several people’s lives. There are food networks and jobs that revolve only around food and people that are literally addicted. On top of that, many companies make their money solely off of dieting routines. The people that get so wrapped up in food don’t like what it is doing to their body and turn to these big companies that claim to erase all the effects of eating. I liked this article because instead of advertising a way to become skinny after eating regretful foods, it states how to avoid it, and reasoning behind it. Before reading the article, I never knew that eating was actually scientifically addicting. I thought that was just something people said. Apparently, sugar releases dopamine, which is also released when using drugs. The dopamine is what makes the sugar and drugs addicting. That’s why I liked the point of the article which was to just stay away from the problem completely, because why eat something that you know is just going to make you want more?
“Where Sand Dunes and Camels in Japan Evoke the Sahara” by Mokoto Rich
Japan.
Just the word evokes images of bustling cities and fast-paced lives. People rush through the crowded streets of Tokyo, Kyoto or any other major city, bent on getting to their destination. In reality, that could be an image from any country or even an individual’s life. We speed through our day to crash at night, only to repeat it the next day. We daydream about peace and quiet, but many times, finding that takes too much time or effort.
In Tottori, Japan, large sand dunes and golden camels make on reminisce about the Sahara. It’s not a really crowded tourist attraction despite its fame, mainly due to its isolated location. Since it is more difficult to reach, it is rather quiet and relaxing. That in of itself is worth a visit. Even if some effort must be put forth in order to enjoy yourself, sometimes you need to take a break from the busyness of life. By walking the extra 25 minutes or waiting the extra five is all we need to make our daydream of peace and quiet a reality.
Japan.
Just the word evokes images of bustling cities and fast-paced lives. People rush through the crowded streets of Tokyo, Kyoto or any other major city, bent on getting to their destination. In reality, that could be an image from any country or even an individual’s life. We speed through our day to crash at night, only to repeat it the next day. We daydream about peace and quiet, but many times, finding that takes too much time or effort.
In Tottori, Japan, large sand dunes and golden camels make on reminisce about the Sahara. It’s not a really crowded tourist attraction despite its fame, mainly due to its isolated location. Since it is more difficult to reach, it is rather quiet and relaxing. That in of itself is worth a visit. Even if some effort must be put forth in order to enjoy yourself, sometimes you need to take a break from the busyness of life. By walking the extra 25 minutes or waiting the extra five is all we need to make our daydream of peace and quiet a reality.
"Lyme Disease's Worst Enemy? It Might Be Foxes"
I was lured to this article because it has to do with ticks and Lyme disease, which I know some about, as my mother has Lyme Disease and I frequently visit areas where ticks can be found. In fact, as I am writing this comment, I am in rural Virginia, where ticks are literally everywhere. The article suggests that areas with high fox populations have less ticks that are infected with Lyme and other tick-borne diseases. This is because foxes hunt animals that ticks feed from and contract diseases from, such as mice. I had never really thought of tick borne diseases in that way, but now that I know, it makes total sense, and I feel kind of dumb not knowing that before.
I was lured to this article because it has to do with ticks and Lyme disease, which I know some about, as my mother has Lyme Disease and I frequently visit areas where ticks can be found. In fact, as I am writing this comment, I am in rural Virginia, where ticks are literally everywhere. The article suggests that areas with high fox populations have less ticks that are infected with Lyme and other tick-borne diseases. This is because foxes hunt animals that ticks feed from and contract diseases from, such as mice. I had never really thought of tick borne diseases in that way, but now that I know, it makes total sense, and I feel kind of dumb not knowing that before.
I have seen such instances of these negative effects of climate change in the past, but this article really shines a light on the topic that I have not seen before. The extent that that this problem has gone to is really mind boggling lengths, and it needs to be stopped. Glaciers are in danger of collapsing at any moment, and the effects of this could be destructive and deadly. Hopefully, if people can band together to combat this, the effects of climate change can be slowed down, or maybe even reversed.
On “Why Women Aren’t C.E.O.s, According to Women Who Almost Were”
I expected to leave this article questioning the deeply rooted gender biases in society, but instead I found myself toying with the question, “are women less confident than men, and is that really what prevents them from obtaining the top spot?” At times, the article seems to suggest so, but I cannot bring myself to agree with that conclusion. I draw the line for gender differences in the realm of physical attributes. Mentally, we are all humans, equal in capacity. Every person is capable of building confidence. Women do not inherently build less. In fact, millions of women across the country fearlessly marched for their rights just last year. Women of all ages, race, and status speak against the injustices they face daily. Women’s voices are only growing louder.
Women grew from a long line of oppression, fighting for the ability to vote and even have an entry-level job. Women then had the confidence to push through the ranks, and so do women now. Women have evolved since the times of fighting for suffrage, but only into more confident, independent people. The only thing standing in the way of the top position for women is a twisted game of politics which revolves around the people who have been at the top, men. Business has never been about pure skill, only money, and where the money goes, so does politics, a place where women never really were welcomed anyway.
I expected to leave this article questioning the deeply rooted gender biases in society, but instead I found myself toying with the question, “are women less confident than men, and is that really what prevents them from obtaining the top spot?” At times, the article seems to suggest so, but I cannot bring myself to agree with that conclusion. I draw the line for gender differences in the realm of physical attributes. Mentally, we are all humans, equal in capacity. Every person is capable of building confidence. Women do not inherently build less. In fact, millions of women across the country fearlessly marched for their rights just last year. Women of all ages, race, and status speak against the injustices they face daily. Women’s voices are only growing louder.
Women grew from a long line of oppression, fighting for the ability to vote and even have an entry-level job. Women then had the confidence to push through the ranks, and so do women now. Women have evolved since the times of fighting for suffrage, but only into more confident, independent people. The only thing standing in the way of the top position for women is a twisted game of politics which revolves around the people who have been at the top, men. Business has never been about pure skill, only money, and where the money goes, so does politics, a place where women never really were welcomed anyway.
"Grilled Cheese Sandwich"
by, Julia Moskin
Okay i don't know if some people think it's weird, but this is literally my favorite dish. i used to love coming home afterschool eating this ! But the article is right, achieving the golden, crusty outside and oozy inside isn't easy. it takes some paitence. i know some people who burn the crust too much or some people who don't bake the crust enough. its really rare to find the perfect grilled cheese. when making grilled cheese any cheese is fine. most cheeses like American, Muenster, or Swiss are easy to melt. but the cheese is not the hard part, it is the bread. cooking the slices seperatley at first gives the cheese a good head start.
making a grilled cheese honestly does not take that long to make which is why its a perfect afternoon snack or better yet, midnight snack!
by, Julia Moskin
Okay i don't know if some people think it's weird, but this is literally my favorite dish. i used to love coming home afterschool eating this ! But the article is right, achieving the golden, crusty outside and oozy inside isn't easy. it takes some paitence. i know some people who burn the crust too much or some people who don't bake the crust enough. its really rare to find the perfect grilled cheese. when making grilled cheese any cheese is fine. most cheeses like American, Muenster, or Swiss are easy to melt. but the cheese is not the hard part, it is the bread. cooking the slices seperatley at first gives the cheese a good head start.
making a grilled cheese honestly does not take that long to make which is why its a perfect afternoon snack or better yet, midnight snack!
"How to Conquer the Admissions Essay" by Rachel Toor
The most daunting thing I can think of as a senior are college applications. These days, high school is a competition against our peers and that is why sometimes kids don't care about learning they only care about beating the rest. It is so much pressure to try to get into college that we forget to take about what we love, we only care about making things like the professor wants them to be so they give out an A. This article made my college apps seem a bit less scary. I am ready to talk about something that I am passionate about after 4 years of being limited on what I can use my voice for, I am ready to go past the topics of of "Why Chewing Gum is Bad for You" and I want to talk about why women should get the same pay as men. This essay made me dread my applications less because now I am excited for a college to be interested in me by something that shows who I am as a person, not numbers which don't define me at all. This article was also my favorite article this weeks because it gives students advice on how to improve our essays. I believe that this can help a lot of students and it has definitely given me some things to considered. It has shown me the point of view of the people reading it and it made me realize that sometimes they dread reading papers so I should do my best to show my true personality through my writing.
The most daunting thing I can think of as a senior are college applications. These days, high school is a competition against our peers and that is why sometimes kids don't care about learning they only care about beating the rest. It is so much pressure to try to get into college that we forget to take about what we love, we only care about making things like the professor wants them to be so they give out an A. This article made my college apps seem a bit less scary. I am ready to talk about something that I am passionate about after 4 years of being limited on what I can use my voice for, I am ready to go past the topics of of "Why Chewing Gum is Bad for You" and I want to talk about why women should get the same pay as men. This essay made me dread my applications less because now I am excited for a college to be interested in me by something that shows who I am as a person, not numbers which don't define me at all. This article was also my favorite article this weeks because it gives students advice on how to improve our essays. I believe that this can help a lot of students and it has definitely given me some things to considered. It has shown me the point of view of the people reading it and it made me realize that sometimes they dread reading papers so I should do my best to show my true personality through my writing.
"Michael Phelps 'Raced' a 'Shark,' Kind Of. Not Really"
I was interested by this article because I love sharks, swimming, and I happen to be a Michael Phelps fan. I had also heard of the program it was referring to. Although well written, I was disappointed when reading the article because it explained how the show didn't even use a real shark. I loved the article just not the topic.
I was interested by this article because I love sharks, swimming, and I happen to be a Michael Phelps fan. I had also heard of the program it was referring to. Although well written, I was disappointed when reading the article because it explained how the show didn't even use a real shark. I loved the article just not the topic.
"Trump Forbids Military Service by Transgender People"
*Sarcasm Enabled*
Boy o boy, am I glad to be an american today! President Trump truly is great!
*Sarcasm Disabled*
In reality I've defended Trump before but I'm not today or probably now on. The irony in this is that Trump loves the military and would like to expand it, and here he goes banning people from ever joining it. Why does it matter if they are transgender, when both men and women are allowed in the military. Any person who can assure the safety of my friends and family should be allowed in the military. I understand that some transgender people have mental disabilities and those perhaps should not be allowed in the military but anyone else is fine with me. Why would he make this decisions on his own, it should be voted on by the military itself.
*Sarcasm Enabled*
Boy o boy, am I glad to be an american today! President Trump truly is great!
*Sarcasm Disabled*
In reality I've defended Trump before but I'm not today or probably now on. The irony in this is that Trump loves the military and would like to expand it, and here he goes banning people from ever joining it. Why does it matter if they are transgender, when both men and women are allowed in the military. Any person who can assure the safety of my friends and family should be allowed in the military. I understand that some transgender people have mental disabilities and those perhaps should not be allowed in the military but anyone else is fine with me. Why would he make this decisions on his own, it should be voted on by the military itself.
" Trump says Transgender People Will Not Be Allowed in the Military", by Julie Hirschfeld Davis and Helene cooper
I always have this idea in my mind whilst I was reading the article: "I am not a Transgender person, and yet I still support those who are". But, why couldn't the leader of the states agree to this idea as well?
This article interests me the most because I never knew that Transgender would be an issue in the States. I think, the fact that Transgender people aren't allowed to serve in the military is unjust. Those who serve in the military are those who are willing to sacrifice their souls for the goods of the country, and instead should be rewarded in return. Their identity shouldn't be questioned.
In the past, black men aren't allowed to work with white men. Women aren't allowed to have the same rights as men do. Is history going to be repeated in the states?
I do wish that Mr Trump's decision on forbidding military service by transgender people isn't finalized yet. This prejudice is disruptive.
I came across the article, "Where the Living Play Dead for a Day to Laugh in the Face of Death" and was instantly intrigued by the title. Upon further reading, the article describes a religious ritual performed annually in a quaint town in Spain called Santa Marta De Ribarteme. During this ritual, they celebrate "for those who in the previous year snatched life back from the jaws of death". During the celebration, people willing lay in coffins and are paraded around the town in a procession. They believe the Saint Martha is the spirit at work behind all these near death cases. What amazes me the most is not the abnormality of parading in coffins, but rather that this tradition and belief has continued since medieval times. In today's society where modern medicine is the savior of so many, it seems unlikely that a whole community would take part in this belief and ritual. However, there is something extraordinary about preserving the past and continuing historic traditions. It is in these practices where human culture reveals its diversity and beauty. Diversity amongst humans becomes a source of inquiry but only becomes beauty when it is fully understood and embraced. In American society, this practice would seem inappropriate, odd, terrifying, and pointless. Yet to these people who have a family member or they themselves were in a near death situation and survived, it means celebrating and continuing to put their faith in Martha, who will help them elude the grip of death.
The video I watched this week was A Rest Stop for Half a Billion Birds. I chose this because I love animals and I wanted to know why so many birds stopped in one spot at the same time. Their migrations are long and I'm glad the the government has chosen to make a preserve for them. The Govornments time could be used for so many thing it makes me happy that they stop to help these birds suvive. When I grow up I may want to be an animal photographer and if I do I'll be sure to stop and gi to Israel to watch and take photos.
"The Battle for Venezuela..."
I believe it's almost impossible for me as a young man living here in the US to truly realize how it must be for all the young men and women, and people of all ages living and Venezuela and all the nations of the world suffering from corruption.
Looking at these photos, I see a lot of things. Young men engaging in their resistance to the military. Doctors joining together as they peacefully march on. Mothers, children, and elderly trying to make their point clear.
And in each photograph, I observe their faces.
In the midst of putting their lives completely on the line as these Venezuelans are dodging rubber bullets and masking themselves from the tear gas as aggressive military forces look to shut their stand down, they continue on. Their faces demonstrate the pledge, the will within to sacrifice themselves as they fight not only for themselves but for each other. Kids, just like me, fight because they have no choice but to. They’re fighting for their grandparents who couldn't receive the medication to keep them alive, and for food for their starving younger siblings, and in purpose of making a stand to the government limiting their freedom, and to themselves to keep their hope ignited. I pray for the country of Venezuela. I pray that the government and people, the military officials and resistance fighters, and the people who hate and have cheated, will all come together to realize that we’re all on the same side in our pursuit of peace.
I believe it's almost impossible for me as a young man living here in the US to truly realize how it must be for all the young men and women, and people of all ages living and Venezuela and all the nations of the world suffering from corruption.
Looking at these photos, I see a lot of things. Young men engaging in their resistance to the military. Doctors joining together as they peacefully march on. Mothers, children, and elderly trying to make their point clear.
And in each photograph, I observe their faces.
In the midst of putting their lives completely on the line as these Venezuelans are dodging rubber bullets and masking themselves from the tear gas as aggressive military forces look to shut their stand down, they continue on. Their faces demonstrate the pledge, the will within to sacrifice themselves as they fight not only for themselves but for each other. Kids, just like me, fight because they have no choice but to. They’re fighting for their grandparents who couldn't receive the medication to keep them alive, and for food for their starving younger siblings, and in purpose of making a stand to the government limiting their freedom, and to themselves to keep their hope ignited. I pray for the country of Venezuela. I pray that the government and people, the military officials and resistance fighters, and the people who hate and have cheated, will all come together to realize that we’re all on the same side in our pursuit of peace.
Scarred Dog Sentenced to Death. Reporter Haunted.
Euthanasia has been heavily debated throughout the years We fight over it, picking the concept apart to discern the ethicality of “assisted suicide.” We all have our own opinions on the matter, and over time, we’ve settled down to a degree
But what about other animals?
Elsey was a “sweetheart of dog” who was sentenced to death for aggression towards other canines. It's nothing new. We all are familiar with dog shelter’s struggle with the “live-or-die” test that ends the lives of countless animals. The practice is performed because everyone still believes that some dogs are just behaviorally mean, and there's nothing that can be done about it. But Jan Hoffman brings up an interesting point: Elsey wasn’t entirely aggressive. Elsey was said to love human attention, acing her “human interaction test.”
But what does this mean? Well, for one, it shows that Elsey had a complex personality. There was a real hope that she would beat her struggle, which makes us wonder: can we determine the fates of these animals so carelessly? It was at this point where I remembered John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, where a kind but socially disabled man, Lennie, is shot by his best friend to prevent his suffering at the hands of angry townsfolk. Steinbeck says that a world where killing can be mercy is a wrong one. He and Hoffman want change in our society, and their right in doing so. We shouldn’t be killing these dogs; we should be changing ourselves.
Euthanasia has been heavily debated throughout the years We fight over it, picking the concept apart to discern the ethicality of “assisted suicide.” We all have our own opinions on the matter, and over time, we’ve settled down to a degree
But what about other animals?
Elsey was a “sweetheart of dog” who was sentenced to death for aggression towards other canines. It's nothing new. We all are familiar with dog shelter’s struggle with the “live-or-die” test that ends the lives of countless animals. The practice is performed because everyone still believes that some dogs are just behaviorally mean, and there's nothing that can be done about it. But Jan Hoffman brings up an interesting point: Elsey wasn’t entirely aggressive. Elsey was said to love human attention, acing her “human interaction test.”
But what does this mean? Well, for one, it shows that Elsey had a complex personality. There was a real hope that she would beat her struggle, which makes us wonder: can we determine the fates of these animals so carelessly? It was at this point where I remembered John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, where a kind but socially disabled man, Lennie, is shot by his best friend to prevent his suffering at the hands of angry townsfolk. Steinbeck says that a world where killing can be mercy is a wrong one. He and Hoffman want change in our society, and their right in doing so. We shouldn’t be killing these dogs; we should be changing ourselves.
“What We Finally Got Around to Learning at the Procrastination Research Conference” - Heather Murphy
Everyone procrastinates. We all have things we’d rather not do, so we put it off till the last minute where it becomes much more difficult. For example, I had plenty of time this week to finish this entry yet I decided to wait until 10:30 pm Thursday night to actually write it. A normally very easy assignment with exhaustion and anxiety suddenly morphs into a much more daunting task. The Procrastination Research Conference was formed to address this issue as it is a real problem that affects millions of people. Dr. Jean O’Callaghan, a former chairwoman of this conference, brought up an interesting point about the deeper significance of this procrastination. She challenges that procrastination is,“To think out of the box about time and what it means to have a meaningful life? To have satisfaction? To have a sense of well-being?”. Upon thinking further, this is an interesting perspective because it brings up the core of why we do this to ourselves. We procrastinate in an attempt to spend our lives doing things that make us fulfilled and require minimal thought and effort. Yet we are forced to the conclusion that this is an illogical way of doing things as it promotes shame, regret, and subjective discomfort. So next time you procrastinate your summer homework till late at night, remember you may have short term gain but for the long run: just get it done.
Everyone procrastinates. We all have things we’d rather not do, so we put it off till the last minute where it becomes much more difficult. For example, I had plenty of time this week to finish this entry yet I decided to wait until 10:30 pm Thursday night to actually write it. A normally very easy assignment with exhaustion and anxiety suddenly morphs into a much more daunting task. The Procrastination Research Conference was formed to address this issue as it is a real problem that affects millions of people. Dr. Jean O’Callaghan, a former chairwoman of this conference, brought up an interesting point about the deeper significance of this procrastination. She challenges that procrastination is,“To think out of the box about time and what it means to have a meaningful life? To have satisfaction? To have a sense of well-being?”. Upon thinking further, this is an interesting perspective because it brings up the core of why we do this to ourselves. We procrastinate in an attempt to spend our lives doing things that make us fulfilled and require minimal thought and effort. Yet we are forced to the conclusion that this is an illogical way of doing things as it promotes shame, regret, and subjective discomfort. So next time you procrastinate your summer homework till late at night, remember you may have short term gain but for the long run: just get it done.
Why Kids Can’t Write - Dana Goldstein
As a senior, the past twelve years of my life have been filled with lessons drilling the importance of good grammar and punctuation. We students have been led to believe that to be a good writer, you must first learn the mechanics of writing by heart. And while writing mechanics is a great concept to understand, that doesn’t mean it is the most important aspect of writing itself.
When it comes to one’s personal voice in writing, the strict rules taught to students may definitely put a damper in their work. What had really struck with me from this article was the quote from senior’s Lyse Armand’s response to an essay. “What voice in my head? I don’t have one.” We are taught to follow the rules, not our own voice, and because of that, many kids have grown to despise writing.
I believe that teachers need to push more for students to take liberties with their writing. And while proper grammar and punctuation may be important, it should not be the end of the world if a student writes something that strays from the usual grammatically correct format. If there is passion and work behind the content, then that deserves an A in my book.
As a senior, the past twelve years of my life have been filled with lessons drilling the importance of good grammar and punctuation. We students have been led to believe that to be a good writer, you must first learn the mechanics of writing by heart. And while writing mechanics is a great concept to understand, that doesn’t mean it is the most important aspect of writing itself.
When it comes to one’s personal voice in writing, the strict rules taught to students may definitely put a damper in their work. What had really struck with me from this article was the quote from senior’s Lyse Armand’s response to an essay. “What voice in my head? I don’t have one.” We are taught to follow the rules, not our own voice, and because of that, many kids have grown to despise writing.
I believe that teachers need to push more for students to take liberties with their writing. And while proper grammar and punctuation may be important, it should not be the end of the world if a student writes something that strays from the usual grammatically correct format. If there is passion and work behind the content, then that deserves an A in my book.
"Michelle Carter Gets 15-Month Jail Term in Texting Suicide Case"
In this day and age, society has drawn an increased amount of attention to the topic of suicide. The media has made this sensitive topic more relevant, so when I saw an article about suicide, I wasn't surprised. But what caught my eye was that a woman was sentenced to 15 months in jail in a "texting suicide case." As is read this title, I wondered to myself about what could've possibly happened. What shocked me while reading the article was that this woman, Michelle Carter, convinced a close friend to end his own life. It was proven that Carter sent text messages telling Conrad Roy III to kill himself, and when Carter had to opportunity to save Conrad's life, she didn't. She persuaded him to get back into a car filled with carbon monoxide, even when he wanted to get out. The court wasn't sure whether to say that Carter was responsible for the death, due to the fact that she wasn't present at the scene or provide a weapon. Although the courts were unsure, I believe that Carter should be the one responsible for ending Conrad's life, even if she wasn't the one to physically do it. This counts as an form of cyberbullying, and she manipulated him into doing something he originally didn't want to do. I think that giving a severe sentence will show the seriousness of cyberbullying and will help send a message that actions have consequences, even if it's behind a screen.
In this day and age, society has drawn an increased amount of attention to the topic of suicide. The media has made this sensitive topic more relevant, so when I saw an article about suicide, I wasn't surprised. But what caught my eye was that a woman was sentenced to 15 months in jail in a "texting suicide case." As is read this title, I wondered to myself about what could've possibly happened. What shocked me while reading the article was that this woman, Michelle Carter, convinced a close friend to end his own life. It was proven that Carter sent text messages telling Conrad Roy III to kill himself, and when Carter had to opportunity to save Conrad's life, she didn't. She persuaded him to get back into a car filled with carbon monoxide, even when he wanted to get out. The court wasn't sure whether to say that Carter was responsible for the death, due to the fact that she wasn't present at the scene or provide a weapon. Although the courts were unsure, I believe that Carter should be the one responsible for ending Conrad's life, even if she wasn't the one to physically do it. This counts as an form of cyberbullying, and she manipulated him into doing something he originally didn't want to do. I think that giving a severe sentence will show the seriousness of cyberbullying and will help send a message that actions have consequences, even if it's behind a screen.
The New York Times article, A Whaling Way of Life Under Threat, by Jon Emont, provides the reader with information regarding the whale hunting situation in a small village located in eastern Indonesia. The article describes how important whale hunting is to these uneducated villagers who are unable to grow effective crops do to their nutrient poor soils. Since whale hunting is an illegal act in the United States this is a very controversial topic, however after learning more about the life of these Indonesian villagers you will begin to realize that fishing is their only way of survival, and that human life is more important than that of an animal. Personally, I don't see a huge problem with the way the villagers are fishing. However in attempt to protect the whales and other sea life that the villagers are hunting as a way to provide for their family and live off of, there should be more rules in place aside from the few that they already have. The village is not very large so amount of sea creatures being killed is far less than the amount that would be killed if it were legal in North America The Indonesian village permits its people from selling their killings for commercial sale which would cause the whales to go extinct at a faster pace, instead the whales and other sea creatures killed must be used for their own family’s use. In addition to this law, I believe that there should be a rule which restricts the amount of animals the villagers are allowed to kill per year
"Developmentally Disabled, and Going to College" by Kyle Spencer
There are many things in life that we take for granted. Some of these include a home, family, clean water, and even food. However, this article talks mainly on the idea that even those with intellectual disabilities have the chance to not only go to college, but learn life skills and job skills to prepare them for employment. What interested me in this article was the idea that even those with disabilities have the ability to get an education and even prepare themselves to living in the real world with all of its challenges and obstacles. This program called InclusiveU in Syracuse allows those with developmental disabilities set challenging, yet realistic goals for themselves, mainly for employment. For those with disabilities, the program hopes to provide "an environment where not everybody catered to their every whim, where they were allowed to stumble a bit and take some risks, which they hoped would allow them to build the kind of resilience necessary for independent lives and fulfilling jobs." This was eye-opening for me to read because I never realized how much a little bit of failure is needed for people to soar and succeed, whether it be with a career, or success in life in general. I think what most people can take from the article is just how many opportunities are open to us. All we have to do is find a way to grab those opportunities and succeed in our own way.
There are many things in life that we take for granted. Some of these include a home, family, clean water, and even food. However, this article talks mainly on the idea that even those with intellectual disabilities have the chance to not only go to college, but learn life skills and job skills to prepare them for employment. What interested me in this article was the idea that even those with disabilities have the ability to get an education and even prepare themselves to living in the real world with all of its challenges and obstacles. This program called InclusiveU in Syracuse allows those with developmental disabilities set challenging, yet realistic goals for themselves, mainly for employment. For those with disabilities, the program hopes to provide "an environment where not everybody catered to their every whim, where they were allowed to stumble a bit and take some risks, which they hoped would allow them to build the kind of resilience necessary for independent lives and fulfilling jobs." This was eye-opening for me to read because I never realized how much a little bit of failure is needed for people to soar and succeed, whether it be with a career, or success in life in general. I think what most people can take from the article is just how many opportunities are open to us. All we have to do is find a way to grab those opportunities and succeed in our own way.
“Affirmative Action Battle Has a New Focus: Asian-Americans”
Harvard has been accused of unfair admissions practices that favor racial minorities while hurting Asian-Americans. I was drawn to the article because I am Asian-American myself. There is a higher percentage of Asian-Americans in Harvard than in the U.S., so they are well represented in the school, but the question is if more qualified Asian-Americans have been rejected just because of their race. Harvard claims that though they do not have racial quotas, they are aware of numbers to support diversity.
I do not think that the determining factor for a diverse student body should be so focused on race. It is important to address the topic because people do face issues specifically due to race, but it does not determine overall privilege or experience. A racially diverse group could include only affluent people, and a less racially diverse group could include people from varying socioeconomic levels. Both groups would have broadened horizons in one area, while remaining unchanged in the other.
Discrimination in admissions could be a source of resentment to minorities that receive preference, cause Asian-American students to resent their own identities, and unduly increase competition among Asian-Americans. Education’s value is not competition, but the preparation for youth to succeed and hopefully to improve society. Selflessness is not humans’ default, but focusing on the greater good might solve some problems.
Harvard has been accused of unfair admissions practices that favor racial minorities while hurting Asian-Americans. I was drawn to the article because I am Asian-American myself. There is a higher percentage of Asian-Americans in Harvard than in the U.S., so they are well represented in the school, but the question is if more qualified Asian-Americans have been rejected just because of their race. Harvard claims that though they do not have racial quotas, they are aware of numbers to support diversity.
I do not think that the determining factor for a diverse student body should be so focused on race. It is important to address the topic because people do face issues specifically due to race, but it does not determine overall privilege or experience. A racially diverse group could include only affluent people, and a less racially diverse group could include people from varying socioeconomic levels. Both groups would have broadened horizons in one area, while remaining unchanged in the other.
Discrimination in admissions could be a source of resentment to minorities that receive preference, cause Asian-American students to resent their own identities, and unduly increase competition among Asian-Americans. Education’s value is not competition, but the preparation for youth to succeed and hopefully to improve society. Selflessness is not humans’ default, but focusing on the greater good might solve some problems.
https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/08/03/us/texting-suicide-sentence.html
What interested me was the fact that this young woman did not get a longer sentence for the crime that she committed. Yes I understand that she did not necessarily "give him a weapon" and that the case did not have sufficient evidence in order to convict her for the crime, but she did still make that phone call to him knowing that he was doing it and did not stop him. But at the same time I get that young adults in their teens are still developing mentally and that if she was sentenced to jail time for that long of a period, at that age then she could have been in worse condition when she was released.
What interested me was the fact that this young woman did not get a longer sentence for the crime that she committed. Yes I understand that she did not necessarily "give him a weapon" and that the case did not have sufficient evidence in order to convict her for the crime, but she did still make that phone call to him knowing that he was doing it and did not stop him. But at the same time I get that young adults in their teens are still developing mentally and that if she was sentenced to jail time for that long of a period, at that age then she could have been in worse condition when she was released.
"Yankees Wait a Long Time to Start, and Finish Off, a Shutout Loss"
by, Wallace Matthews
It took the yankees nearly eight hours to complete a two hour and fifty-two minute game on Wednesday due to the violent rainstorm that soaked the stadium after the seventh inning. The game was suppose to start at 1:05pm but it was delayed by Major League Baseball officials, who cited, "impending weather." they were expecting to play around 2:30pm. honestly all this waiting could've affected the way their preformace was. i know this because when i played softball we had to stop in the middle of the game for the rain to finish and it affected us a bit, we still won but the rain did mess us up. and especially waiting as long as they did they were probably tired and dragging themselves. and then with the pressure of all those people there. they were probably annoyed with everything. and to top it off, they lost.
by, Wallace Matthews
It took the yankees nearly eight hours to complete a two hour and fifty-two minute game on Wednesday due to the violent rainstorm that soaked the stadium after the seventh inning. The game was suppose to start at 1:05pm but it was delayed by Major League Baseball officials, who cited, "impending weather." they were expecting to play around 2:30pm. honestly all this waiting could've affected the way their preformace was. i know this because when i played softball we had to stop in the middle of the game for the rain to finish and it affected us a bit, we still won but the rain did mess us up. and especially waiting as long as they did they were probably tired and dragging themselves. and then with the pressure of all those people there. they were probably annoyed with everything. and to top it off, they lost.
The article "The Best Running Stride? The One That Comes Naturally" interested me the most this week because as a cross country and track runner, I have heard a lot of advice on how to improve my running form and what the "ideal" form seems to be. In the article, it says that despite what many people think, that a short stride seems to be best or maybe even a longer one, the way that you run naturally is the best for you. This came as a shock to me because as a runner I am always interested in hearing of any improvements I could make to be the best I can be at my sport and now experts are saying that the way you run naturally is the best for you. This also makes me think of the many runners throughout the world and whether they have took great effort in changing their natural way of running, when really their first instinct is their best. This article piqued my interest especially because it helps explain why I love this sport so much. No one is taught how to run; it is an inherent human ability that everyone is born with, meaning that everyone is able to do this sport, regardless of skill. Running can't be taught by coaches and I hope that this article is encouraging towards others to get out and run, no matter how fast or slow you go because it is a skill that we all already have within us.
Michael Phelps 'Raced' a 'Shark,' Kind Of. Not really.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/24/sports/shark-week-michael-phelps.html...
This article caught my attention because I'm a swimmer and I swam for my school and while I swam, I've heard a lot about Michael Phelps being a great swimmer who has won many olympic gold madels. To see Human race a shark is mind blowing and intense. I was highly interest with this article and so I went to search up the video and to my astonishment, I was really disappointed because the shark was a was computer generated image with the speed of a real shark. Micheal Phelps on the other hand was swimming alone and comparing his speed to a Computer generated images shark. This really disappointing me because first of all the shark was not real and the idea of a human racing a shark is interesting because you would think the shark would eat the human and I wanted to see who was faster Micheal Phelps or a shark. I wasn't the only one disappointed lots of other people on social media were also disappointed due to how unrealistic the race was to what people expeacted of it and the hype that it created. I feel this was a click bait because it was meant to catch your attention but it actually doesn't turned out to what it says it was. I guess click bait is part of internet because that's what gets views. It's part of business to get your attention so they can get revenue.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/24/sports/shark-week-michael-phelps.html...
This article caught my attention because I'm a swimmer and I swam for my school and while I swam, I've heard a lot about Michael Phelps being a great swimmer who has won many olympic gold madels. To see Human race a shark is mind blowing and intense. I was highly interest with this article and so I went to search up the video and to my astonishment, I was really disappointed because the shark was a was computer generated image with the speed of a real shark. Micheal Phelps on the other hand was swimming alone and comparing his speed to a Computer generated images shark. This really disappointing me because first of all the shark was not real and the idea of a human racing a shark is interesting because you would think the shark would eat the human and I wanted to see who was faster Micheal Phelps or a shark. I wasn't the only one disappointed lots of other people on social media were also disappointed due to how unrealistic the race was to what people expeacted of it and the hype that it created. I feel this was a click bait because it was meant to catch your attention but it actually doesn't turned out to what it says it was. I guess click bait is part of internet because that's what gets views. It's part of business to get your attention so they can get revenue.
"What Happens When Reality Enters the ‘Reality’ of ‘The Bachelorette’?"
This article caught my eye because, I admit, I watch a lot of reality television and it was interesting to me to see the question of actual "reality" in these shows. "The Bachelor/Bachelorette" has been on for a long time because it is very entertaining. Also, there are people that go there for "the right reasons", as the article and show says, or for their fifteen minutes of fame, which calls into question the reality of the "reality show". As the article states, there was questioning from Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay's family on her suitors' plans/intentions for the future, which were pretty fair. The family was puzzled by the couple's set plans to become engaged at the end of the show after only knowing each other for eight weeks. Could this be true love or the pressure from a television show to have a satisfied audience? One may never know until they are in the couple's shoes. At the end of the day, everyone wants to be happy. I feel that is also one of the major reasons that people watch this show is because humans gravitate towards those who look happy and seem to be enjoying their life. They also gravitate towards people who have had their heart broken or have been rejected because they themselves have endured this pain. Whether or not shows like this are 100% real, some people still can't stray away from the emotions that are being projected on screen because they have felt them before.
This article caught my eye because, I admit, I watch a lot of reality television and it was interesting to me to see the question of actual "reality" in these shows. "The Bachelor/Bachelorette" has been on for a long time because it is very entertaining. Also, there are people that go there for "the right reasons", as the article and show says, or for their fifteen minutes of fame, which calls into question the reality of the "reality show". As the article states, there was questioning from Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay's family on her suitors' plans/intentions for the future, which were pretty fair. The family was puzzled by the couple's set plans to become engaged at the end of the show after only knowing each other for eight weeks. Could this be true love or the pressure from a television show to have a satisfied audience? One may never know until they are in the couple's shoes. At the end of the day, everyone wants to be happy. I feel that is also one of the major reasons that people watch this show is because humans gravitate towards those who look happy and seem to be enjoying their life. They also gravitate towards people who have had their heart broken or have been rejected because they themselves have endured this pain. Whether or not shows like this are 100% real, some people still can't stray away from the emotions that are being projected on screen because they have felt them before.
"Mr. Trump, the Climate Change Loner"
In this editorial, the author expresses disdain towards President Trump’s decision to take America out of the global agreement on climate change, which was made in December of 2015. The writer proceeds to make their argument by citing recent instances involving climate change and stating how they feel this decision will negatively affect our environment. For instance, the author stated the benefits that would have been reaped by this previous agreement, such as limiting the rise in atmospheric temperatures and reducing America’s greenhouse gasses.
In addition to using facts to portray their argument, one of the most noticeable devices used in this writing is word choice, which has been carefully used to select words with certain connotations. This decision is how the author decided to further persuade readers. The words “futile” and “meaningless” are used to describe Trump’s choices, for example, making the reader automatically perceive what is being spoken about negatively. Additionally, the argument uses a cynical and sarcastic tone to portray frustration and further convince its audience. As stated in the editorial, “the gap between Mr. Trump and the rest of the world on climate remains as wide and unbridgeable.. Mr. Trump had apparently hoped for some support... It makes one wonder what could conceivably change Mr. Trump’s mind.”
In this editorial, the author expresses disdain towards President Trump’s decision to take America out of the global agreement on climate change, which was made in December of 2015. The writer proceeds to make their argument by citing recent instances involving climate change and stating how they feel this decision will negatively affect our environment. For instance, the author stated the benefits that would have been reaped by this previous agreement, such as limiting the rise in atmospheric temperatures and reducing America’s greenhouse gasses.
In addition to using facts to portray their argument, one of the most noticeable devices used in this writing is word choice, which has been carefully used to select words with certain connotations. This decision is how the author decided to further persuade readers. The words “futile” and “meaningless” are used to describe Trump’s choices, for example, making the reader automatically perceive what is being spoken about negatively. Additionally, the argument uses a cynical and sarcastic tone to portray frustration and further convince its audience. As stated in the editorial, “the gap between Mr. Trump and the rest of the world on climate remains as wide and unbridgeable.. Mr. Trump had apparently hoped for some support... It makes one wonder what could conceivably change Mr. Trump’s mind.”
“Amazon’s ‘Black America’ Imagines a New Nation in the South” by Daniel Victor. The premise for the new show, “Black America,” seems very compelling and considering the racial tension that’s been happening in our country, I think it could get a lot of views and even more feedback, positive and negative alike. It would be interesting to see what America might’ve looked like if former slaves had received reparations after the Civil War, and how the country would unite and/or divide itself in the face of a new, mainly African-American nation. I can’t help but wonder how all Americans will react to this show as well, especially those who might’ve been inclined to watch the other new series arriving to Amazon, “Confederate.” While producer of “Black America,” Will Packer, stated that his new project was not a response to the creation of “Confederate”, it will be intriguing to witness how both shows almost oppositely portray an alternative life in America and life for African-Americans after the Civil War.
“What We Finally Got Around to Learning at the Procrastination Research Conference” By: Heather Murphy
I am unfortunately one of the 20% of true procrastinators. In my life I have slowly come to the point where I simply do not get high quality work done without some kind of pressing deadline or time pressure. People have told me that it’s just how my brain works and that in the end I am still getting excellent results. Sure. Procrastination “works” for me. However, it is still an agonizing process that leaves me overflowing with regret. Especially when it starts affecting my relationship with family and friends. And THIS is what makes a true procrastinator. If you complete a project, an essay, fill out an application, the night before a deadline, Dr. Ferrari says, it’s not procrastination. Instead, he only counts it as a “delay.” Procrastination is a real problem when your life is disrupted due to your time mismanagement. The issue is, we all think we need to fix our time management skills, when the solution is actually to “accept that changing will require learning to manage your thoughts and emotions”. We need to focus on building mental strength to battle this plague because there is no medicine, no pep talk or article that will solve procrastination. These are only temporary fixes. The everlasting solution all comes down to you.
I am unfortunately one of the 20% of true procrastinators. In my life I have slowly come to the point where I simply do not get high quality work done without some kind of pressing deadline or time pressure. People have told me that it’s just how my brain works and that in the end I am still getting excellent results. Sure. Procrastination “works” for me. However, it is still an agonizing process that leaves me overflowing with regret. Especially when it starts affecting my relationship with family and friends. And THIS is what makes a true procrastinator. If you complete a project, an essay, fill out an application, the night before a deadline, Dr. Ferrari says, it’s not procrastination. Instead, he only counts it as a “delay.” Procrastination is a real problem when your life is disrupted due to your time mismanagement. The issue is, we all think we need to fix our time management skills, when the solution is actually to “accept that changing will require learning to manage your thoughts and emotions”. We need to focus on building mental strength to battle this plague because there is no medicine, no pep talk or article that will solve procrastination. These are only temporary fixes. The everlasting solution all comes down to you.
"Flash Dance: Adventures in Lightning Photography"
I like photography, and I would like to say that I’m a decent, albeit inexperienced photographer. McIntyre’s article looked interesting to me because I thought I could see some cool photography as well as its story and process. I was right. The article displays a stunning photograph of a sky illuminated by a storm. It is not the traditional lightning photo; the lightning is hidden within the clouds, making them glow a beautiful blue. It is an amazing photo, but it is only a part of the story. McIntyre also met James Church, someone who has been struck by lightning. Despite the damage he had received, Church was still living his life to the fullest. McIntyre commented that Church could have taken it easy, but decided to continue his hobbies: surfing and fishing. To me, the passion that these two people have for their interests is inspiring. I find that it connects them to each other. McIntyre puts patience into his photographs just as Church puts dedication into his hobbies. McIntyre would rather endure an entire storm for a photo opportunity than go inside and miss his chance. Church would rather pursue his interests than take the easy way out. The human spirit can go far when fueled by a passion or a dream, which brings me back to that photograph. A photo of a lightning bolt might represent something intense yet instant. However, I believe the scene that McIntyre captured represents something that lasts a lot longer.
I like photography, and I would like to say that I’m a decent, albeit inexperienced photographer. McIntyre’s article looked interesting to me because I thought I could see some cool photography as well as its story and process. I was right. The article displays a stunning photograph of a sky illuminated by a storm. It is not the traditional lightning photo; the lightning is hidden within the clouds, making them glow a beautiful blue. It is an amazing photo, but it is only a part of the story. McIntyre also met James Church, someone who has been struck by lightning. Despite the damage he had received, Church was still living his life to the fullest. McIntyre commented that Church could have taken it easy, but decided to continue his hobbies: surfing and fishing. To me, the passion that these two people have for their interests is inspiring. I find that it connects them to each other. McIntyre puts patience into his photographs just as Church puts dedication into his hobbies. McIntyre would rather endure an entire storm for a photo opportunity than go inside and miss his chance. Church would rather pursue his interests than take the easy way out. The human spirit can go far when fueled by a passion or a dream, which brings me back to that photograph. A photo of a lightning bolt might represent something intense yet instant. However, I believe the scene that McIntyre captured represents something that lasts a lot longer.
"What’s So Hard About Casting Indian Actors in Indian Roles?" - By KEVIN NOBLE MAILLARDAUG
Alfred Hitchcock once said, "Always make the audience suffer as much as possible." Establishing a connection and allowing the audience to get emotionally involved in movies will help them understand the unfortunate coure of events a certain group of people undergo. How do we accomplish this? This article by Kevin Noble Maillardaug hits the nail on the head.
Keeping aside all the political, cultural, and racial qualms that might arise by avoiding casting a Native American for Native American roles, the article provides a new and intriguing arguement. We have reached a time where we are more open to listenig to the inequalities our society has imposed on itself. To potray these inequalities in their realest forms we require characters and actors with cultural connections to the role. An Indian character or actor will be better equiped to potray the hardships a Indians faced. Indian actors can grab the audience's attention with the raw emotion and passion thereby allowing the audience to develop emotional connections to the characters and the community. Going back to the quote, the audience can virtually experience the hardships that Native Americans have faced, which will leave them suffering.
All in all, there are several reasons to cast Native American actors for Native American roles. Movies will have a greater impact on the audience and will help them understand hardships faced.
Alfred Hitchcock once said, "Always make the audience suffer as much as possible." Establishing a connection and allowing the audience to get emotionally involved in movies will help them understand the unfortunate coure of events a certain group of people undergo. How do we accomplish this? This article by Kevin Noble Maillardaug hits the nail on the head.
Keeping aside all the political, cultural, and racial qualms that might arise by avoiding casting a Native American for Native American roles, the article provides a new and intriguing arguement. We have reached a time where we are more open to listenig to the inequalities our society has imposed on itself. To potray these inequalities in their realest forms we require characters and actors with cultural connections to the role. An Indian character or actor will be better equiped to potray the hardships a Indians faced. Indian actors can grab the audience's attention with the raw emotion and passion thereby allowing the audience to develop emotional connections to the characters and the community. Going back to the quote, the audience can virtually experience the hardships that Native Americans have faced, which will leave them suffering.
All in all, there are several reasons to cast Native American actors for Native American roles. Movies will have a greater impact on the audience and will help them understand hardships faced.
Homeland Security to Bypass Environmental Laws in Border Wall Work by Ron Nixon
This week, while reading the New York Times, I was interested by this article on the environmental effects, and the construction of the border wall between the United States and Mexico. The article first describes various waivers, used both now and in previous years, which allow construction companies to ignore certain regulations while building on the border. I had never heard of these exemptions before, despite them apparently being quite controversial. In April the Center for Biological Diversity sued the Trump Administration, claiming that the waiver is unconstitutional.
Next, the issue of the budget, and funding the construction is presented in the article. The $3.6 billion President Trump has planned to use for the construction of new border wall has been battled over in Congress, and has yet to receive approval. While no large funding has been approved, the Department of Homeland Security has allocated $20 million to fund the construction of eight prototype walls this summer, and more in the future. No company has been selected to construct the wall, and the process could be delayed by several months.
President Trump’s border wall is a very divisive issue, but it seems nobody often talks about what is actually being done now on the project. This article gave an overview of the current progress and issues surrounding it. So far it does not look like we will be seeing a border wall soon.
This week, while reading the New York Times, I was interested by this article on the environmental effects, and the construction of the border wall between the United States and Mexico. The article first describes various waivers, used both now and in previous years, which allow construction companies to ignore certain regulations while building on the border. I had never heard of these exemptions before, despite them apparently being quite controversial. In April the Center for Biological Diversity sued the Trump Administration, claiming that the waiver is unconstitutional.
Next, the issue of the budget, and funding the construction is presented in the article. The $3.6 billion President Trump has planned to use for the construction of new border wall has been battled over in Congress, and has yet to receive approval. While no large funding has been approved, the Department of Homeland Security has allocated $20 million to fund the construction of eight prototype walls this summer, and more in the future. No company has been selected to construct the wall, and the process could be delayed by several months.
President Trump’s border wall is a very divisive issue, but it seems nobody often talks about what is actually being done now on the project. This article gave an overview of the current progress and issues surrounding it. So far it does not look like we will be seeing a border wall soon.
“A Brighter Future for Electric Cars and the Planet”
The argument made in the NY Times editorial “A Brighter Future for Electric Cars and the Planet,” centers around the idea that one of the most effective ways to help the world-wide issue of climate change is by supporting electric transportation, particularly electric cars. It is important to note that the article itself does not talk about how bad climate change is or how it is ruining our society; but instead, it gets right into describing how the solution to part of the problem (involving the release of fossil fuels into the atmosphere) is already underway. By including many credible and interesting facts about electric cars and how their influence is already affecting the fossil fuel issue today, the article can appeal to even those who are skeptics to the climate change movement, which I think is a very clever tactic. Another intriguing way the argument is supported is through its flaws. As mentioned in the article: only 1.1 percent of all cars sold in 2016 were either electric cars or plug in hybrids. With presenting this information, along with describing other issues the movement is facing, the authors not only go onto describe how these problems can and will be resolved, but they also provide insight on the future and how with multiple nations already working together in supporting electric cars and renewable energy sources, part of the climate change issue may not be an impossible case to crack after all.
The argument made in the NY Times editorial “A Brighter Future for Electric Cars and the Planet,” centers around the idea that one of the most effective ways to help the world-wide issue of climate change is by supporting electric transportation, particularly electric cars. It is important to note that the article itself does not talk about how bad climate change is or how it is ruining our society; but instead, it gets right into describing how the solution to part of the problem (involving the release of fossil fuels into the atmosphere) is already underway. By including many credible and interesting facts about electric cars and how their influence is already affecting the fossil fuel issue today, the article can appeal to even those who are skeptics to the climate change movement, which I think is a very clever tactic. Another intriguing way the argument is supported is through its flaws. As mentioned in the article: only 1.1 percent of all cars sold in 2016 were either electric cars or plug in hybrids. With presenting this information, along with describing other issues the movement is facing, the authors not only go onto describe how these problems can and will be resolved, but they also provide insight on the future and how with multiple nations already working together in supporting electric cars and renewable energy sources, part of the climate change issue may not be an impossible case to crack after all.
"Michael Phelps 'Raced' a 'Shark,' Kind Of. Not Really."
Every year I look forward to watching shark week on the Discovery channel, but this year I was more excited then ever. When I heard that Michael Phelps was going to be racing a shark I was extremely intrigued to say the least. I love watching Michael compete in the olympics and I love watching shark week, so what better way to spend my night then watching Michael Phelps race a shark. I was alittle disappointed, along with many other viewers, when I saw him swimming alone and swimming against a fake shark. I had very different expectations then what actually took place. I should have realized that Michael, the greatest olympian, would not be swimming against a real shark. I think that the Discovery channel displayed this race in the best possible way. Although Michael did not race a real shark it was still very exciting to watch.
Every year I look forward to watching shark week on the Discovery channel, but this year I was more excited then ever. When I heard that Michael Phelps was going to be racing a shark I was extremely intrigued to say the least. I love watching Michael compete in the olympics and I love watching shark week, so what better way to spend my night then watching Michael Phelps race a shark. I was alittle disappointed, along with many other viewers, when I saw him swimming alone and swimming against a fake shark. I had very different expectations then what actually took place. I should have realized that Michael, the greatest olympian, would not be swimming against a real shark. I think that the Discovery channel displayed this race in the best possible way. Although Michael did not race a real shark it was still very exciting to watch.
Out of High School, Into Real Life - Jack Healy
I enjoyed reading this article because it opened up my eyes to what other high schoolers in the country think about college, a topic that takes up a large portion of my mind. I attend a private school and for me it feels like as soon as we enter the building on the first day of school, they are preparing you for college and the rest of your life. This article talked about students that have different thoughts about the idea of college and most of them are worried that they will lose more money going to college, then they will make later in life. I also have that fear because I know many people that are well into their late twenties and thirties and still paying back loans. According to this article, college is basically an investment that one has to decide if its worth for themselves, and in some ways I agree with that. Many of these students don’t have the money and would rather help expand their family’s business or start working directly out of high school. I know many people in my private school who are obsessed with going to a top tier university or an ivy league institution yet one can be just as successful with a basic college education, because not everyone has the opportunities to go to expensive colleges. I agree with these seniors, that attending is a choice you have to make for yourself and whatever makes you happy.
I enjoyed reading this article because it opened up my eyes to what other high schoolers in the country think about college, a topic that takes up a large portion of my mind. I attend a private school and for me it feels like as soon as we enter the building on the first day of school, they are preparing you for college and the rest of your life. This article talked about students that have different thoughts about the idea of college and most of them are worried that they will lose more money going to college, then they will make later in life. I also have that fear because I know many people that are well into their late twenties and thirties and still paying back loans. According to this article, college is basically an investment that one has to decide if its worth for themselves, and in some ways I agree with that. Many of these students don’t have the money and would rather help expand their family’s business or start working directly out of high school. I know many people in my private school who are obsessed with going to a top tier university or an ivy league institution yet one can be just as successful with a basic college education, because not everyone has the opportunities to go to expensive colleges. I agree with these seniors, that attending is a choice you have to make for yourself and whatever makes you happy.
"Trump Says Transgender People Will Not Be Allowed in the Military"
In this day and age, it's become normal to hear of President Trump posting the most arbitrary things on Twitter. Most of the time, the internet is able to point out the flaws in his tweets, all the while laughing at how ridiculous and nonsensical they are. His latest tweets, however, are nothing to laugh at. Through a series of tweets, President Trump announced that transgender people are banned from military service.
This ban is upsetting and absurd for a number of reasons. First and foremost, he said that transgender people would cost the government a larger amount of money due to their costly medical bills. This is false, as military spending would only increase by less than one percent to cover their medical bills. Since this is the President's primary reason for banning the military service of transgender people, his ban is based mainly on his own prejudices rather than on facts. This, in part with the President just making this decision through a few tweets, shows how little regard and respect the President has for transgender people. These people are willing to put their lives on the line to protect our country, and the President refuses them the ability to do so based on one aspect of who they are. Everyone should have the ability to serve our country, and receive the respect and admiration they deserve, no matter who they are.
In this day and age, it's become normal to hear of President Trump posting the most arbitrary things on Twitter. Most of the time, the internet is able to point out the flaws in his tweets, all the while laughing at how ridiculous and nonsensical they are. His latest tweets, however, are nothing to laugh at. Through a series of tweets, President Trump announced that transgender people are banned from military service.
This ban is upsetting and absurd for a number of reasons. First and foremost, he said that transgender people would cost the government a larger amount of money due to their costly medical bills. This is false, as military spending would only increase by less than one percent to cover their medical bills. Since this is the President's primary reason for banning the military service of transgender people, his ban is based mainly on his own prejudices rather than on facts. This, in part with the President just making this decision through a few tweets, shows how little regard and respect the President has for transgender people. These people are willing to put their lives on the line to protect our country, and the President refuses them the ability to do so based on one aspect of who they are. Everyone should have the ability to serve our country, and receive the respect and admiration they deserve, no matter who they are.
"Trump Says Transgender People Will Not Be Allowed in the Military" by Julie Hirschfeld Davis and Helene Cooper
As far as many Americans know, going into the military and fighting for your country is a right that all people receive. For years, people have had to fight for that right that other people have easily earned. However, one surprising action by the government has stripped a large group of people of this right. President Trump has said that his reasoning for his actions is that the medication that transgender people need is too costly and disrupts service members. Although his side of the argument makes sense due to the fact that the military is paying for this medication when they could use it on protecting the country, not allowing someone to fight for their country is senseless. Also, President Trump has been known to communicate and inform Americans through twitter, a great platform to connect with people around the world. However, he had decided that he should take to twitter to inform people that he would be stripping transgender people their right of defending one’s country. One simple tweet that took no longer than mere seconds to compose ended the battle of transgenders in the military and what they have been fighting for, for years.
As far as many Americans know, going into the military and fighting for your country is a right that all people receive. For years, people have had to fight for that right that other people have easily earned. However, one surprising action by the government has stripped a large group of people of this right. President Trump has said that his reasoning for his actions is that the medication that transgender people need is too costly and disrupts service members. Although his side of the argument makes sense due to the fact that the military is paying for this medication when they could use it on protecting the country, not allowing someone to fight for their country is senseless. Also, President Trump has been known to communicate and inform Americans through twitter, a great platform to connect with people around the world. However, he had decided that he should take to twitter to inform people that he would be stripping transgender people their right of defending one’s country. One simple tweet that took no longer than mere seconds to compose ended the battle of transgenders in the military and what they have been fighting for, for years.
"Trump Forbids Military Service by Transgender People"
By default, the majority of headlines that involve President Trump have a certain amount of undeniable appeal. However, this article in particular intrigued me due to the overall serious tone of the piece. The legitimacy of the issues surrounding transgender rights is no ground for debate. Instead, the legitimacy of Trump's already communicated intentions is. Although Trump's perspective and agenda are ludicrous, it should be noted that they were communicated via Twitter, a social media platform. Official legislation has neither been discussed, drafted, or even attempted to be implemented. Using Twitter as a foundation for conversing critical topics simply does not indicate a concrete motivation to instigate change in the army. However, Regardless of the depth of Trump's claims, it doesn't distract from media outlets' still having the habit of treating his words seriously.
By default, the majority of headlines that involve President Trump have a certain amount of undeniable appeal. However, this article in particular intrigued me due to the overall serious tone of the piece. The legitimacy of the issues surrounding transgender rights is no ground for debate. Instead, the legitimacy of Trump's already communicated intentions is. Although Trump's perspective and agenda are ludicrous, it should be noted that they were communicated via Twitter, a social media platform. Official legislation has neither been discussed, drafted, or even attempted to be implemented. Using Twitter as a foundation for conversing critical topics simply does not indicate a concrete motivation to instigate change in the army. However, Regardless of the depth of Trump's claims, it doesn't distract from media outlets' still having the habit of treating his words seriously.
"The Empathetic Dog"
Dogs care. I’ve always known that, but perhaps I didn’t realize just how much. In “The Empathetic Dog,” Emily Le Beau Lucchesi tells the story of a dog named Arleigh who senses and helps her owner, Benjamin Stepp, reduce his high levels of anger and anxiety. The retriever mix service dog puts her paw on Stepp’s foot or her head in his lap to signal him to calm down. Although I wasn’t surprised—I’ve heard many similar stories—, I was moved by the level of care she had for Stepp and the strength of their emotional bond.
Since this occurrence is not a rare one for me to hear of, it was very insightful to see how studies backed up this viewpoint; dogs are empathetic creatures by nature. Evidence such as signs of stress and high levels of cortisol in dogs when they heard crying or whining, really proved dogs’ ability to sense and respond to emotions to me.
However, this article also raised many questions. Can this ability be developed and furthered through training? Do different breeds inherently have different levels of empathy? I have a dog of my own, a small yorkshire terrier, and from my observations, she doesn’t explicitly show any signs of that ability when I feel high levels of negative emotions. Only after reading this article did I take notice of that and now I wonder, is it because of her size, breed, or previous training? Or is it simply because, like humans, some dogs have empathetic personalities, making them more able to sense emotions.
Dogs care. I’ve always known that, but perhaps I didn’t realize just how much. In “The Empathetic Dog,” Emily Le Beau Lucchesi tells the story of a dog named Arleigh who senses and helps her owner, Benjamin Stepp, reduce his high levels of anger and anxiety. The retriever mix service dog puts her paw on Stepp’s foot or her head in his lap to signal him to calm down. Although I wasn’t surprised—I’ve heard many similar stories—, I was moved by the level of care she had for Stepp and the strength of their emotional bond.
Since this occurrence is not a rare one for me to hear of, it was very insightful to see how studies backed up this viewpoint; dogs are empathetic creatures by nature. Evidence such as signs of stress and high levels of cortisol in dogs when they heard crying or whining, really proved dogs’ ability to sense and respond to emotions to me.
However, this article also raised many questions. Can this ability be developed and furthered through training? Do different breeds inherently have different levels of empathy? I have a dog of my own, a small yorkshire terrier, and from my observations, she doesn’t explicitly show any signs of that ability when I feel high levels of negative emotions. Only after reading this article did I take notice of that and now I wonder, is it because of her size, breed, or previous training? Or is it simply because, like humans, some dogs have empathetic personalities, making them more able to sense emotions.
"The Battle for Venezuela, Through a Lens, Helmet and Gas Mask". Seeing this article in one of the main pages of the New York Times really caught my attention. Being Venezuelan, having spent half my childhood there and then having to leave family behind due to the situation, seeing these articles posted on cover pages always catches my attention. We have spent years fighting for our freedom and fighting for help, and finally the world is catching on to our situation. Currently, President Maduro rewrote the constitution, declaring the new government (El Constituyente) which is a communist government. The people, my home, and my friends and family that I had to leave behind are fighting for freedom. Freedom from almost 20 year of oppression. The pictures in this article really impacted me. It deeply saddens me to see what my home has turned into, and it saddens me even more than I can't be there to help. I want more people around to world to realize what is going on in this country, and hopefully get some help. More articles like this should be published and more pictures should be taken and sent out. A picture really is worth a thousand words.
The Glory of a Summer Sleep
By MICHAEL McGIRR JULY 22, 2017
Sleep is a very important aspect in everyone’s life because it helps us to get through each day. This article title “The Glory of a Summer Sleep” caught my attention quickly since I am one of many who are involved in vigorous activities every day and sleep helps to give me energy. The summer serves as a way for everyone, especially students, to catch up on the sleep they may have not had in the other months of the year.
School is difficult for many students and most stay up all night either doing homework or studying for a huge upcoming test the next day. The author of this article, McGirr, states that his teenage students suffer from anxiety and exhaustion, proving sleep deprivation is a factor causing these disorders. The school counselor states that poor mental health is most caused by poor sleep. Most students should be getting 8 to 10 hours of sleep on a daily basis, but this is affected by school, sports, homework, and tests.
Because most people are not meeting the requirements of how much sleep they should be getting, the summer is a way to catch up on sleep and to be ready for the rough upcoming school year. Sleep assists in making the brain function properly, and everyone, especially students, should become aware of how much sleep they are and should be getting.
By MICHAEL McGIRR JULY 22, 2017
Sleep is a very important aspect in everyone’s life because it helps us to get through each day. This article title “The Glory of a Summer Sleep” caught my attention quickly since I am one of many who are involved in vigorous activities every day and sleep helps to give me energy. The summer serves as a way for everyone, especially students, to catch up on the sleep they may have not had in the other months of the year.
School is difficult for many students and most stay up all night either doing homework or studying for a huge upcoming test the next day. The author of this article, McGirr, states that his teenage students suffer from anxiety and exhaustion, proving sleep deprivation is a factor causing these disorders. The school counselor states that poor mental health is most caused by poor sleep. Most students should be getting 8 to 10 hours of sleep on a daily basis, but this is affected by school, sports, homework, and tests.
Because most people are not meeting the requirements of how much sleep they should be getting, the summer is a way to catch up on sleep and to be ready for the rough upcoming school year. Sleep assists in making the brain function properly, and everyone, especially students, should become aware of how much sleep they are and should be getting.
"Let Black Kids Just Be Kids"
History has made the color of the skin of a person matter so much that it can define how someone will be treated even before they become something in life. This starting at such a small age people, it's as if they could predict what a kid could become just off, the color of skin. Not giving each kid an equal start, making each kid start from a different place just because of the color of their skin.
Knowing that hate of color does extinct in the society that we live in because I see it day to day the pure injustice of people being of color but the what blows my mind would be that there is no age for it to happen. Who ever imagined that a kid someone that needs supervision to be cared to live the day to day life, would be discriminated because the skin color they are. The most outrageous part of all it would those obstacles that are put in place just because their color but they are expected to rise above them. If they don't later on, they are blamed for the life they forced to live pointing the finger to the color of the person but those pointing the finger never had any obstacles to face because no one has ever put any obstacles because the color they are.
To fix this we need to stop viewing what color someone is but more on what obstacles they have to face and once we identify this we address it. Making the "playing field" fairer than what it is now.
History has made the color of the skin of a person matter so much that it can define how someone will be treated even before they become something in life. This starting at such a small age people, it's as if they could predict what a kid could become just off, the color of skin. Not giving each kid an equal start, making each kid start from a different place just because of the color of their skin.
Knowing that hate of color does extinct in the society that we live in because I see it day to day the pure injustice of people being of color but the what blows my mind would be that there is no age for it to happen. Who ever imagined that a kid someone that needs supervision to be cared to live the day to day life, would be discriminated because the skin color they are. The most outrageous part of all it would those obstacles that are put in place just because their color but they are expected to rise above them. If they don't later on, they are blamed for the life they forced to live pointing the finger to the color of the person but those pointing the finger never had any obstacles to face because no one has ever put any obstacles because the color they are.
To fix this we need to stop viewing what color someone is but more on what obstacles they have to face and once we identify this we address it. Making the "playing field" fairer than what it is now.
"The Secret Life of Pain" by David C. Roberts
I found this article about a thirty-five year old man who suffers from chronic pain very interesting. To most sixteen year olds, pain is not a feeling they experience unless they have an injury, but I am different. I suffer from lower back pain just like the author. For a few years, pain has affected me during school and sports, prohibiting me sitting in the same spot for a long period of time and forcing me to take ibuprofen before and after a softball game. I constantly find myself switching seating positions, something that seems especially annoying during long tests. I try not to let my pain stop me from doing the things I love or from going to school, but it would be better without pain at all. Like David, doctors do not know exactly what my issue is. Since I was little, my mom has said that I carry my stress in my neck. Now, it seems as though that stress has overtaken my whole body. With hips that are always out of place and one higher than the other, a slight curve in my spine, and constant knots in my muscles, pain is inevitable to me. A few years ago I was diagnosed with scoliosis, but there was really nothing I could do to help it. A few months back, I went to a spine specialist who said I didn't have scoliosis at all, but simply fibromyalgia. Once again I was stuck without anyway to help or fix my pain. I try not to focus on my pain and enjoy life like David, and hopefully one day we can both enjoy life pain free.
I found this article about a thirty-five year old man who suffers from chronic pain very interesting. To most sixteen year olds, pain is not a feeling they experience unless they have an injury, but I am different. I suffer from lower back pain just like the author. For a few years, pain has affected me during school and sports, prohibiting me sitting in the same spot for a long period of time and forcing me to take ibuprofen before and after a softball game. I constantly find myself switching seating positions, something that seems especially annoying during long tests. I try not to let my pain stop me from doing the things I love or from going to school, but it would be better without pain at all. Like David, doctors do not know exactly what my issue is. Since I was little, my mom has said that I carry my stress in my neck. Now, it seems as though that stress has overtaken my whole body. With hips that are always out of place and one higher than the other, a slight curve in my spine, and constant knots in my muscles, pain is inevitable to me. A few years ago I was diagnosed with scoliosis, but there was really nothing I could do to help it. A few months back, I went to a spine specialist who said I didn't have scoliosis at all, but simply fibromyalgia. Once again I was stuck without anyway to help or fix my pain. I try not to focus on my pain and enjoy life like David, and hopefully one day we can both enjoy life pain free.
Why Kids Can't Write
By Dana Goldstein
Personally, I am not a good writer and don't like writing. Writing essays or short stories is the one thing I dread the most in any class. Dr. Hochman says that students should be learning to write with different types of standardized worksheets. While I do believe there should be worksheets involved, it shouldn't be the only thing. Students should be allowed to write freely from their own imagination and express themselves. From experience, I know if a student is given worksheets and told to underline this and fill in that they will find the work dull and hate it even more. I think that if they are given a lesson with a couple worksheets then told to write using the techniques they just learned the students will benefit much more. Writing is a big part of life and used on the daily. It's used for important events such as SATs/ACTs, college essays, and generally a way to express your opinion. With texting and other social media, writing is being shortened and simplified. Students should learn how to write properly, but I don't believe constant worksheets are the way to do it.
By Dana Goldstein
Personally, I am not a good writer and don't like writing. Writing essays or short stories is the one thing I dread the most in any class. Dr. Hochman says that students should be learning to write with different types of standardized worksheets. While I do believe there should be worksheets involved, it shouldn't be the only thing. Students should be allowed to write freely from their own imagination and express themselves. From experience, I know if a student is given worksheets and told to underline this and fill in that they will find the work dull and hate it even more. I think that if they are given a lesson with a couple worksheets then told to write using the techniques they just learned the students will benefit much more. Writing is a big part of life and used on the daily. It's used for important events such as SATs/ACTs, college essays, and generally a way to express your opinion. With texting and other social media, writing is being shortened and simplified. Students should learn how to write properly, but I don't believe constant worksheets are the way to do it.
The article I found most interesting this week is “ What We Finally Got Around Learning At The Procrastination Research Conference” by Heather Murphy on July 21, 2017.
I find myself to be a procrastinator in my social and work life. I tend to leave my house at the last second and do my work when I come to the point that I have to do it. What amazes me the most is that 20% of the population procrastinates according to studies done by Dr. Ferrari and Dr. Anderson. People who make up that 20% are deemed chronic procrastinators which is considered to be a disease of the brain. I never considered procrastination to be psychological condition, but a common tendency. The teachers warnings about procrastination never seems to be effective and student never seem to never learn their lessons when they procrastinate. They just say I won't procrastinate the next time and then they do. After reading the article I don’t label myself as a procrastinator since I don't fit into the 3 categories of what makes a procrastinator but I do have my moments.To me, procrastination is only a part of being human and I'm glad to hear there is a diagnosis for sever procrastination habits.
I find myself to be a procrastinator in my social and work life. I tend to leave my house at the last second and do my work when I come to the point that I have to do it. What amazes me the most is that 20% of the population procrastinates according to studies done by Dr. Ferrari and Dr. Anderson. People who make up that 20% are deemed chronic procrastinators which is considered to be a disease of the brain. I never considered procrastination to be psychological condition, but a common tendency. The teachers warnings about procrastination never seems to be effective and student never seem to never learn their lessons when they procrastinate. They just say I won't procrastinate the next time and then they do. After reading the article I don’t label myself as a procrastinator since I don't fit into the 3 categories of what makes a procrastinator but I do have my moments.To me, procrastination is only a part of being human and I'm glad to hear there is a diagnosis for sever procrastination habits.
In Dennis Overbye’s article “The Eclipse That Revealed the Universe,” we are reminded of both how recent scientific discovery has impacted our lives and of how we can still learn new things from the vast universe around us today.
In Overbye’s article, he creates a timeline to showcase the span of years it took to supply evidence for Einstein's Theory of Relativity. In doing this he paints the picture of scientists one hundred years ago viewing the same phenomenon that we are about to view in a matter of weeks; the eclipse. It was because of the discoveries made by these scientists that Einstein’s theory was solidified, proving that some of the greatest feats in science were just a century ago.
Not only does Overbye remind us of the timeline of scientific discovery, but he also cements the curiosity that the scientists had. Sure, we don’t have a groundbreaking theory to prove, but as we look at the eclipse this year we will not only be seeing this evidence ourselves, but challenging our thinking to prove new theories about the universe.
In Overbye’s article, he creates a timeline to showcase the span of years it took to supply evidence for Einstein's Theory of Relativity. In doing this he paints the picture of scientists one hundred years ago viewing the same phenomenon that we are about to view in a matter of weeks; the eclipse. It was because of the discoveries made by these scientists that Einstein’s theory was solidified, proving that some of the greatest feats in science were just a century ago.
Not only does Overbye remind us of the timeline of scientific discovery, but he also cements the curiosity that the scientists had. Sure, we don’t have a groundbreaking theory to prove, but as we look at the eclipse this year we will not only be seeing this evidence ourselves, but challenging our thinking to prove new theories about the universe.
"Denmark’s Prince Henrik Wanted to Be King. So He’ll Protest for Eternity."
The way most royal families work, the title of King/Queen is passed down by blood. If your father was the King and you're the oldest child, the oldest boy, the only boy, or the only child you are next in line to the throne depending on the rules of succession. Denmark's current queen, Margrethe II, holds that title, whereas her husband, Henrik, holds the title of Prince Consort.
The issue here, is the difference in treatment of the two. In the case of the Danish royals, it had previously been that Henrik had no salary, while his wife did. In time, he did gain a salary and staff, but not the title of King, which he wanted.
Now, in protest of not receiving the title, Henrik say he will not be buried next to his wife once the time comes. In all honesty and to be frank, this is extremely petty. The monarch's spouse is usually given a title; examples include Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Queen Mathilde of Belgium, Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, and Queen Sonja of Norway.
In my opinion, this is not an issue of gender at all. The queen is the queen by blood, meaning she is more likely to receive benefits more than her husband, who entered the royal family by marriage. The same thing would be said about a king and wife. This is an issue of title, status, and bloodline rather than gender. It would more likely be an issue of gender if the Queen, the "main" royal, were treated worse than her consort.
The way most royal families work, the title of King/Queen is passed down by blood. If your father was the King and you're the oldest child, the oldest boy, the only boy, or the only child you are next in line to the throne depending on the rules of succession. Denmark's current queen, Margrethe II, holds that title, whereas her husband, Henrik, holds the title of Prince Consort.
The issue here, is the difference in treatment of the two. In the case of the Danish royals, it had previously been that Henrik had no salary, while his wife did. In time, he did gain a salary and staff, but not the title of King, which he wanted.
Now, in protest of not receiving the title, Henrik say he will not be buried next to his wife once the time comes. In all honesty and to be frank, this is extremely petty. The monarch's spouse is usually given a title; examples include Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Queen Mathilde of Belgium, Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, and Queen Sonja of Norway.
In my opinion, this is not an issue of gender at all. The queen is the queen by blood, meaning she is more likely to receive benefits more than her husband, who entered the royal family by marriage. The same thing would be said about a king and wife. This is an issue of title, status, and bloodline rather than gender. It would more likely be an issue of gender if the Queen, the "main" royal, were treated worse than her consort.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/21/science/procrastination-research-conf...
Procrastination is one of the struggles that students like me have to go through pretty consistently. We're young, we're growing, and we don't want to take ahold of the responsibilities that await us. For me, it's one of those on/off things that creeps its ugly head at the worst times possible. A quick one-page response to a single chapter in a book? "Eh, just give me a few hours", and the next thing you know, it's midnight and I'm trying my hardest not to fall asleep and get an A at the same time.
Sometimes, however, procrastination does fuel my brain, but only after starting on something and then going away from it for a bit. I don't really call that 'procrastination', though. I think that's just a weird factor in how our brains work. Some days, you'll remember the name of a show you watched in 2002, and other days, you won't remember what you texted your friend a day ago. To me, procrastination isn't a skill you learn or forget. It's a weird part of our lifestyle that can either benefit or hinder us.
I'm writing this just nine hours before submissions for this week's Summer Reading Contest close, but I read this article three days ago, just to see what procrastination would do for me. And you know what? It really did help.
Procrastination is one of the struggles that students like me have to go through pretty consistently. We're young, we're growing, and we don't want to take ahold of the responsibilities that await us. For me, it's one of those on/off things that creeps its ugly head at the worst times possible. A quick one-page response to a single chapter in a book? "Eh, just give me a few hours", and the next thing you know, it's midnight and I'm trying my hardest not to fall asleep and get an A at the same time.
Sometimes, however, procrastination does fuel my brain, but only after starting on something and then going away from it for a bit. I don't really call that 'procrastination', though. I think that's just a weird factor in how our brains work. Some days, you'll remember the name of a show you watched in 2002, and other days, you won't remember what you texted your friend a day ago. To me, procrastination isn't a skill you learn or forget. It's a weird part of our lifestyle that can either benefit or hinder us.
I'm writing this just nine hours before submissions for this week's Summer Reading Contest close, but I read this article three days ago, just to see what procrastination would do for me. And you know what? It really did help.
"Michael Phelps 'Raced' a 'Shark,' Kind Of. Not Really."
By: VICTOR MATHER
Shark week is big in my house and every one of my family members watches it... but me. But the discussion of the Michael Phelps Vs. A Shark I was a part of. I agree with most of the people who tuned into watch it, I believed he would be racing a real shark. In the article it talked about the whole discussion around this topic, that was what made me want to read this article in the first place. As I was reading the article, what interested me the most was how Phelps was close to actually beating the shark. This made me think of if he was to race a real shark next to him what the outcome would really be. Although I was fooled to thinking Phelps would be racing a real shark, I'm glad to find out, through this article, that I wasn't the only one.
By: VICTOR MATHER
Shark week is big in my house and every one of my family members watches it... but me. But the discussion of the Michael Phelps Vs. A Shark I was a part of. I agree with most of the people who tuned into watch it, I believed he would be racing a real shark. In the article it talked about the whole discussion around this topic, that was what made me want to read this article in the first place. As I was reading the article, what interested me the most was how Phelps was close to actually beating the shark. This made me think of if he was to race a real shark next to him what the outcome would really be. Although I was fooled to thinking Phelps would be racing a real shark, I'm glad to find out, through this article, that I wasn't the only one.
"After a Frank Ocean Set, a Week of Big Sales and Copyright Questions"
by, Valeriya Safronova
frank ocean wore a shirt while preforming one of his sets saying, "why be racist, sexist, homophobic, or transphobic when you could just be quiet?" then some guy tweeted, wow i love my dad, implying that his father made that shirt. after that blew up, frank ocean got so many copyright questions. and honestly i dont really understand why? it's not like he was saying he made that shirt or taking credit for it he was just wearing it during one of his preformances. people do it all the time. celeberties always wear brand stuff and never get questioned for it so i dont see the problem here. if anything, the man who made the shirt should be happy that he is basically giving the shirt free publicity and since he is wearing it then maybe more people would want to wear it. i mean that's how i would see it.
by, Valeriya Safronova
frank ocean wore a shirt while preforming one of his sets saying, "why be racist, sexist, homophobic, or transphobic when you could just be quiet?" then some guy tweeted, wow i love my dad, implying that his father made that shirt. after that blew up, frank ocean got so many copyright questions. and honestly i dont really understand why? it's not like he was saying he made that shirt or taking credit for it he was just wearing it during one of his preformances. people do it all the time. celeberties always wear brand stuff and never get questioned for it so i dont see the problem here. if anything, the man who made the shirt should be happy that he is basically giving the shirt free publicity and since he is wearing it then maybe more people would want to wear it. i mean that's how i would see it.
Michael Phelps ‘Raced’ a ‘Shark,’ Kind Of. Not Really.
The highly anticipated Discovery channel “Shark Week” brought something new to the table this year, the Phelps vs. Shark showdown to see if the greatest swimmer of all time could actually compete with a shark. However, there was a little twist that disappointed many people. Phelps and the shark weren’t actually side by side. It was a time race with a virtual shark and where it was simulated. People were so drawn and so hyped for this event, they were wanting to see a race and were willing to risk Phelp’s life to see a race. That’s sounds a little ludicrous. This once interesting topic turned into a total badmouthing on social media. It is true I was also kinda expecting something different however, it was still a pretty neat deal. You have to realize the beauty in things even if they do seem different. People need to see past the surface and enjoy the things we have. The week itself is beauty. It is the only time we get to see ocean life and the mighty predatory sharks. It itself is beauty.
The highly anticipated Discovery channel “Shark Week” brought something new to the table this year, the Phelps vs. Shark showdown to see if the greatest swimmer of all time could actually compete with a shark. However, there was a little twist that disappointed many people. Phelps and the shark weren’t actually side by side. It was a time race with a virtual shark and where it was simulated. People were so drawn and so hyped for this event, they were wanting to see a race and were willing to risk Phelp’s life to see a race. That’s sounds a little ludicrous. This once interesting topic turned into a total badmouthing on social media. It is true I was also kinda expecting something different however, it was still a pretty neat deal. You have to realize the beauty in things even if they do seem different. People need to see past the surface and enjoy the things we have. The week itself is beauty. It is the only time we get to see ocean life and the mighty predatory sharks. It itself is beauty.
This week I read a captivating article by Pam Belluck about genetic mutation. Researchers are in the early stages of modifying genes to be free of certain diseases. It is not ready to be used clinically yet, but they have just completed the first successfully safe “batch”. I believe this rises the important ethical question: if this breakthrough can rid embryos of diseases, it will undoubtedly reach the point where it can be rid of other things as well, and what will that mean for the future generations? Will people with the means to pay do so to have smarter, taller, more aesthetically pleasing, more athletic? Then it must be considered if that’s even safe, much less ethical. Where would our morals be if we started “building perfect children” as opposed for accepting them how they are and teaching and encouraging them to embrace themselves fully how they were born to be? It is truly a very eye-opening discussion that I hope to see more people talking about in the near future.
“Mr. Maduro’s Drive to Dictatorship”
History never fails to repeat itself. The ongoing feud between the people of Venezuela and their dreadful leader, President Maduro, is a prime example of history repeating itself. A leader mistreating their people by spending money, putting the country in debt and poverty and in dispute is a seemingly common case of our world. President Maduro is spending his nations money lavishly and carelessly. The nation’s current inflation rate is 720%. Almost the whole country is living in poverty and suffering from so many different kinds of hardships. This is all happening to the nation’s people while fraudulent politicians and military personnel live wasteful and selfish lives in riches. An article I wrote about in the past was trying to stop this totalitarianism in Venezuela. Now, after recent events, it has become a dictatorship. Maduro is dismissing anyone he deems disloyal to his movement; government officials recently seized two opposition leaders. Sound like another past event? Venezuela is one of the world’s largest oil reserves; they could be a thriving and strong country if it weren’t for their immeasurably corrupt government.People of Venezuela are working effortlessly to get some type of independence but nothing is going their way. The crisis in Venezuela is only getting worse.
History never fails to repeat itself. The ongoing feud between the people of Venezuela and their dreadful leader, President Maduro, is a prime example of history repeating itself. A leader mistreating their people by spending money, putting the country in debt and poverty and in dispute is a seemingly common case of our world. President Maduro is spending his nations money lavishly and carelessly. The nation’s current inflation rate is 720%. Almost the whole country is living in poverty and suffering from so many different kinds of hardships. This is all happening to the nation’s people while fraudulent politicians and military personnel live wasteful and selfish lives in riches. An article I wrote about in the past was trying to stop this totalitarianism in Venezuela. Now, after recent events, it has become a dictatorship. Maduro is dismissing anyone he deems disloyal to his movement; government officials recently seized two opposition leaders. Sound like another past event? Venezuela is one of the world’s largest oil reserves; they could be a thriving and strong country if it weren’t for their immeasurably corrupt government.People of Venezuela are working effortlessly to get some type of independence but nothing is going their way. The crisis in Venezuela is only getting worse.
The idea of color and design has always interested me. From watching shows growing up to finding people's identity in their fashion has inspired me to learn more. In “Fashion’s Ultimate Fantasist Makes a Comeback” Yamamoto brings his senses of color to bring together his designs. Louis Vuitton is collaborating with Yamamoto which brings two cultures and ideas together.
The process of starting a fashion business and making it successful is very rare. With so many people in the department you must really pop out. Yamamoto brought booming colors and unique designs that caught people's attention. His art has Japanese history behind it making it special to him and his culture.
My grandma has a passion for sewing and creating clothing which got me thinking about that young. When I got my first sewing machine I was on it hours a day just trying stuff out. Now that I am in high school I love to look into design and preference. Learning about Yamamoto and how pictures of design and colors lure in people is so interesting. Art, fashion, and design all have to do with large creativity. The best way to stand out is to be different and have your colors stand out like Yamamoto.
The process of starting a fashion business and making it successful is very rare. With so many people in the department you must really pop out. Yamamoto brought booming colors and unique designs that caught people's attention. His art has Japanese history behind it making it special to him and his culture.
My grandma has a passion for sewing and creating clothing which got me thinking about that young. When I got my first sewing machine I was on it hours a day just trying stuff out. Now that I am in high school I love to look into design and preference. Learning about Yamamoto and how pictures of design and colors lure in people is so interesting. Art, fashion, and design all have to do with large creativity. The best way to stand out is to be different and have your colors stand out like Yamamoto.
Comment on “Michael Phelps ‘Raced’ a ‘Shark’, Kind of. Not Really” by Victor Mather
From hearing the words “Michael Phelps swims against a great white”, the first thing that would come to your mind or others minds is “WHAT that's going to be so awesome” or “That’s crazy!!” But for others they would think that’s impossible. I for one was one of those people. I knew that for one, even a superhuman like Michael Phelps won’t win against a shark.
On the topic of the great white “shark” going to be “used” in the episode, people were very very hyped up to see the episode. The episode didn’t even show a REAL SHARK! What the Discovery Channel did was put in a computer-programmed shark on one side and Michael Phelps just swimming “against” it. Even though it’s impossible to win against a shark in swimming, at least make what you see be true. Once people heard the word “shark”, they thought of a real shark. So Discovery Channel, keep your word.
I didn’t watch the episode but from what I know it was a pretty long episode. I saw a video of a guy I guess ranting about and he said that most of the episode was just getting everything set up for the big “race”. To me it seemed like the people in the episode were stalling. This reminded me of those Youtubers who make clickbait videos that are 10 minutes long and don’t even make it to the more interesting part of the video until it’s almost over.
From hearing the words “Michael Phelps swims against a great white”, the first thing that would come to your mind or others minds is “WHAT that's going to be so awesome” or “That’s crazy!!” But for others they would think that’s impossible. I for one was one of those people. I knew that for one, even a superhuman like Michael Phelps won’t win against a shark.
On the topic of the great white “shark” going to be “used” in the episode, people were very very hyped up to see the episode. The episode didn’t even show a REAL SHARK! What the Discovery Channel did was put in a computer-programmed shark on one side and Michael Phelps just swimming “against” it. Even though it’s impossible to win against a shark in swimming, at least make what you see be true. Once people heard the word “shark”, they thought of a real shark. So Discovery Channel, keep your word.
I didn’t watch the episode but from what I know it was a pretty long episode. I saw a video of a guy I guess ranting about and he said that most of the episode was just getting everything set up for the big “race”. To me it seemed like the people in the episode were stalling. This reminded me of those Youtubers who make clickbait videos that are 10 minutes long and don’t even make it to the more interesting part of the video until it’s almost over.
"111 N.F.L. Brains. All But One Had C.T.E."
Due to the aggressive nature of the sport, football constantly lends itself to large amounts of injuries in all parts of the body. What is especially frightening is that injuries sustained in football can cause athletes physical and mental problems for the rest of their lives. Naturally, it would make sense for the N.F.L and other football organizations to change the rules of the game in a way that would limit the likelihood of medical issues such as C.T.E. However, I believe that injury problems in the NFL cannot simply be fixed by the actions of football organizations.
In recent years, the N.F.L has changed its concussion protocol in order to limit the amount of players that play through games with concussions. When players appear to suffer concussions during games, teams are expected to immediately take those players out of the game. However, changing the protocol on concussions and injuries in general, ultimately fails to change the immense physical toll that players take during a game. Inevitably, the sport still remains an aggressive game where the primary way of ending a play is tackling.
Unfortunately, it feels as though the only way to decrease the likelihood of medical issues such as C.T.E is to change the game itself. Nevertheless, changing a sport as loved and well-known as football is an extremely difficult task. It feels impossible to defeat injury without tarnishing a beloved American pastime.
Due to the aggressive nature of the sport, football constantly lends itself to large amounts of injuries in all parts of the body. What is especially frightening is that injuries sustained in football can cause athletes physical and mental problems for the rest of their lives. Naturally, it would make sense for the N.F.L and other football organizations to change the rules of the game in a way that would limit the likelihood of medical issues such as C.T.E. However, I believe that injury problems in the NFL cannot simply be fixed by the actions of football organizations.
In recent years, the N.F.L has changed its concussion protocol in order to limit the amount of players that play through games with concussions. When players appear to suffer concussions during games, teams are expected to immediately take those players out of the game. However, changing the protocol on concussions and injuries in general, ultimately fails to change the immense physical toll that players take during a game. Inevitably, the sport still remains an aggressive game where the primary way of ending a play is tackling.
Unfortunately, it feels as though the only way to decrease the likelihood of medical issues such as C.T.E is to change the game itself. Nevertheless, changing a sport as loved and well-known as football is an extremely difficult task. It feels impossible to defeat injury without tarnishing a beloved American pastime.
Since Sean Spicer threw in the proverbial towel following his prematurely ended term as President Trump’s press secretary, more chaos has ensued in this ever-changing administration. In the past week alone, a new chief of staff has been introduced, the position of press secretary has been divided into two, re-assigned to two new individuals, and one of those individuals has already been fired. The pure hectic nature of the current administration was put on display this week in a whirlwind series of events.
As an American Citizen, the happenings in the government are disturbing, to say the least.
The slew of headlines lighting up my phone, raiding my family’s TV, and plaguing nearly every radio station is becoming sickening. Across the Pacific Ocean, North Korea is slowly growing closer and closer to the prospect of nuclear warfare with the United States. Meanwhile my country’s government is barely able to maintain a comprehensible administration, let alone produce efficient plans to defend against a nuclear strike.
A President, in my opinion, is a figure who is supposed to unite their nation under a common goal, and lead it into times of certainty and comfort. However, President Trump has done more to divide the nation into the two respective parties than he has to unite it, commonly making radical comments on controversial topics. President Trump is consuming precious time fiddling with the structure of his cabinet instead of providing security for his people.
As an American Citizen, the happenings in the government are disturbing, to say the least.
The slew of headlines lighting up my phone, raiding my family’s TV, and plaguing nearly every radio station is becoming sickening. Across the Pacific Ocean, North Korea is slowly growing closer and closer to the prospect of nuclear warfare with the United States. Meanwhile my country’s government is barely able to maintain a comprehensible administration, let alone produce efficient plans to defend against a nuclear strike.
A President, in my opinion, is a figure who is supposed to unite their nation under a common goal, and lead it into times of certainty and comfort. However, President Trump has done more to divide the nation into the two respective parties than he has to unite it, commonly making radical comments on controversial topics. President Trump is consuming precious time fiddling with the structure of his cabinet instead of providing security for his people.
"In Breakthrough, Scientists Edit a Dangerous Mutation From Genes in Human Embryos"
My favorite subject has always been science. I love it top to bottom and, one day, I hope to forge a career in some field of science. That being the case, this article definitely caught my attention. New developments in the scientific world never cease to amaze me, and this is no exception. Scientists have figured out a way to alter a human embryo's genes, correcting potentially dangerous mutations. Once these mutations are fixed, the babies will not contract the disease or pass it on to their children. It is completely wiped out. This is amazing. We are heading down a path to a time where we might be able to eliminate hereditary conditions in families. These scientists have opened an almost mythical door that leads to infinite possibilities and opportunities. However, where we go from here is dark and dim in some places. It is scary to think that, in the future, it may be possible to "design" people with certain traits. If this is the case, several societal and ethical arguments will surely arise. We can not let this power overwhelm us. Surely the thought of creating "more perfect" children has already come into consideration. However, in my eyes, this thought is completely immoral. This practice of gene manipulation should be strictly limited to fighting genetic disease.
My favorite subject has always been science. I love it top to bottom and, one day, I hope to forge a career in some field of science. That being the case, this article definitely caught my attention. New developments in the scientific world never cease to amaze me, and this is no exception. Scientists have figured out a way to alter a human embryo's genes, correcting potentially dangerous mutations. Once these mutations are fixed, the babies will not contract the disease or pass it on to their children. It is completely wiped out. This is amazing. We are heading down a path to a time where we might be able to eliminate hereditary conditions in families. These scientists have opened an almost mythical door that leads to infinite possibilities and opportunities. However, where we go from here is dark and dim in some places. It is scary to think that, in the future, it may be possible to "design" people with certain traits. If this is the case, several societal and ethical arguments will surely arise. We can not let this power overwhelm us. Surely the thought of creating "more perfect" children has already come into consideration. However, in my eyes, this thought is completely immoral. This practice of gene manipulation should be strictly limited to fighting genetic disease.
"Trump Says Transgender People Will Not Be Allowed in the Military"
After hearing people with differing opinions talk about President Trump's new policy regarding the ban of transgender people's service in the military, I decided to look at this article myself and come up with my own opinion. With this highly controversial topic, there is reasoning for their rejection and positioning in the military. In the article, President Trump supports his disputed policy with the fact that taxpayer's money should not be spent on transitional medical treatment when it can be more efficiently used on improving and maintaining other priorities instead of threatening them. Accommodations such as where to sleep and use the restroom also arise and must be addressed with the presence of transgenders in the military, costing time and money. However, physically and mentally capable people should not be forced away just because they don't believe they fit into their skin. All people have insecurities they want to change, so when it comes to people wanting to change their gender, why do people think twice about their physical and mental capacity? Transgender people have been serving in the military for years now and there have been no posing issues. I think this topic should have been more thought out because accommodations can be made instead of rejecting transgenders altogether. In my opinion, with our constantly changing world, society must adhere and accommodate to these changes.
After hearing people with differing opinions talk about President Trump's new policy regarding the ban of transgender people's service in the military, I decided to look at this article myself and come up with my own opinion. With this highly controversial topic, there is reasoning for their rejection and positioning in the military. In the article, President Trump supports his disputed policy with the fact that taxpayer's money should not be spent on transitional medical treatment when it can be more efficiently used on improving and maintaining other priorities instead of threatening them. Accommodations such as where to sleep and use the restroom also arise and must be addressed with the presence of transgenders in the military, costing time and money. However, physically and mentally capable people should not be forced away just because they don't believe they fit into their skin. All people have insecurities they want to change, so when it comes to people wanting to change their gender, why do people think twice about their physical and mental capacity? Transgender people have been serving in the military for years now and there have been no posing issues. I think this topic should have been more thought out because accommodations can be made instead of rejecting transgenders altogether. In my opinion, with our constantly changing world, society must adhere and accommodate to these changes.
After reading “Driving While Undocumented, and Facing the Risks” by Liz Robbins, I am not in the right attitude to pleasantly serve ice cream to customers. Blown away by the oblivious hatred people spew towards immigrants, undocumented or not, I feel trapped in this ice cream shop, wanting desperately to march out and stand up for those who are forced to hide under all of our noses. Undocumented immigrants drive alongside us without any sort of license everyday, yet rarely does the thought cross our minds that the car next to us may be part of the statistic that immigrants are so often reduced to.
I question the reasoning behind those who argue against permitting undocumented immigrants a noncitizen license because they worry it would suggest that entering the country illegally is allowable and not a punishable crime. I'm afraid people who share this opinion have missed the point, that making noncitizen licenses attainable is about ensuring the roads are safer for everyone and giving basic rights to hard workers so they don't have to worry about being separated from their families every time they need to go someplace.
Borders are just invisible lines that men have drawn. People shouldn't have different rights depending on where they were born, an uncontrollable fact that doesn't change the truth that we are all human beings. Only when Martians from Mars land on this planet will that argument ever be invalid.
I question the reasoning behind those who argue against permitting undocumented immigrants a noncitizen license because they worry it would suggest that entering the country illegally is allowable and not a punishable crime. I'm afraid people who share this opinion have missed the point, that making noncitizen licenses attainable is about ensuring the roads are safer for everyone and giving basic rights to hard workers so they don't have to worry about being separated from their families every time they need to go someplace.
Borders are just invisible lines that men have drawn. People shouldn't have different rights depending on where they were born, an uncontrollable fact that doesn't change the truth that we are all human beings. Only when Martians from Mars land on this planet will that argument ever be invalid.
"Parents of Charlie Gard, Ill British Infant, Abandon Effort to prolong His Life." - Dan Bilefsky
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/24/world/europe/uk-charlie-gard-parents....
After reading this article, I can't help but feel like crying. It's utterly heartbreaking. I can't imagine going through what the Gard family has gone through and I feel for them with all my heart. Life isn't fair, really. It's not fair how Charlie never got to experience living life. It's not fair that parents who love their child so much had to lose him so early. It's actually quite scary. Of course knowing that they might have been able to extend his life (if granted the permission) will always haunt them. Their efforts were amazing. They did;t give up until the very end and kept fighting even when everything else was against them. However, there are two sides to the story, and I don;t think people should blame the hospital either. Given that Charlie's condition is very rare and the chances of the treatment actually working was very slim, the hospital wasn't completely in the wrong. We also do not know if the UK failed to respond quickly enough. Nonetheless, the parents should not have to go through this much. I respect the entire family so much and my prayers go out to Charlie and all those who loved him.
“Mummy and Daddy love you so much, Charlie. We’re sorry we couldn’t save you. Sweet dreams, little boy.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/24/world/europe/uk-charlie-gard-parents....
After reading this article, I can't help but feel like crying. It's utterly heartbreaking. I can't imagine going through what the Gard family has gone through and I feel for them with all my heart. Life isn't fair, really. It's not fair how Charlie never got to experience living life. It's not fair that parents who love their child so much had to lose him so early. It's actually quite scary. Of course knowing that they might have been able to extend his life (if granted the permission) will always haunt them. Their efforts were amazing. They did;t give up until the very end and kept fighting even when everything else was against them. However, there are two sides to the story, and I don;t think people should blame the hospital either. Given that Charlie's condition is very rare and the chances of the treatment actually working was very slim, the hospital wasn't completely in the wrong. We also do not know if the UK failed to respond quickly enough. Nonetheless, the parents should not have to go through this much. I respect the entire family so much and my prayers go out to Charlie and all those who loved him.
“Mummy and Daddy love you so much, Charlie. We’re sorry we couldn’t save you. Sweet dreams, little boy.”
Michelle Carter Gets 15-Month Jail Term in Texting Suicide Case
By KATHARINE Q. SEELYE
When seeing the horrible consequences of modern-day communication, it is no surprise to me that an incident like this occurred. A teenager was pushed to the brink of suicide by Michelle Carter, a Massachusetts woman. According to the article,"But Ms. Carter had sent Mr. Roy scores of texts encouraging him to kill himself. And on the night in question, after he climbed out of his truck as it filled with fumes, she talked to him by phone and, according to prosecutors and the judge, told him to get back in," this clearly shows how guilty Ms. Carter truly is. She convinced Mr.Roy to get back into the car in order for him to commit suicide. If she was in the right frame of mind, she would have instantly called 911, or even tried to persuade Mr. Roy not to kill himself. It's horrifying how effective text messages are to persuade an individual to do a terrible thing. It is good that Ms. Carter has been punished with a 15-year sentence, and she will learn what she did incorrectly.
By KATHARINE Q. SEELYE
When seeing the horrible consequences of modern-day communication, it is no surprise to me that an incident like this occurred. A teenager was pushed to the brink of suicide by Michelle Carter, a Massachusetts woman. According to the article,"But Ms. Carter had sent Mr. Roy scores of texts encouraging him to kill himself. And on the night in question, after he climbed out of his truck as it filled with fumes, she talked to him by phone and, according to prosecutors and the judge, told him to get back in," this clearly shows how guilty Ms. Carter truly is. She convinced Mr.Roy to get back into the car in order for him to commit suicide. If she was in the right frame of mind, she would have instantly called 911, or even tried to persuade Mr. Roy not to kill himself. It's horrifying how effective text messages are to persuade an individual to do a terrible thing. It is good that Ms. Carter has been punished with a 15-year sentence, and she will learn what she did incorrectly.
The Subtle Signs of a Thyroid Disorder
Cancer. Heart disease. Liver failure. AIDs. We hear these words almost everyday, from various different sources. Yet, thyroid disorders fail to enter conversations in most households. On the other hand, I hear the word “thyroid” multiple times a day. My mother and her two siblings are hypothyroidism patients. This disorder has made my mom very cautious about the food that enters her stomach. Broccoli, cauliflower, and kale, among others, are strictly kept aside at meal times. As a person with a family history of the disorder and a person that fits the criteria for the statistics of this disorder, I have become highly aware of my chances of becoming a part of the 200 million people who suffer from a form of thyroid disorder. What makes these disorders so hard to deal with is, as seen from the title of the article, the inability to detect their presence. Even worse, the impact that a small deviation in hormone levels from the normal amount has is monumental. The solution? As of now, there is no concrete solution. However, doctors suggest that a mandatory screening for all women at age 35 may help reduce the severity of the situation. As a hypothyroidism patient's child, I believe that those with a family history should seek testings well before the age of 35. If feasible, have tests done every five years to ensure no change has occurred. By making more people aware, who knows? We may even see a drastic change in statistics.
Cancer. Heart disease. Liver failure. AIDs. We hear these words almost everyday, from various different sources. Yet, thyroid disorders fail to enter conversations in most households. On the other hand, I hear the word “thyroid” multiple times a day. My mother and her two siblings are hypothyroidism patients. This disorder has made my mom very cautious about the food that enters her stomach. Broccoli, cauliflower, and kale, among others, are strictly kept aside at meal times. As a person with a family history of the disorder and a person that fits the criteria for the statistics of this disorder, I have become highly aware of my chances of becoming a part of the 200 million people who suffer from a form of thyroid disorder. What makes these disorders so hard to deal with is, as seen from the title of the article, the inability to detect their presence. Even worse, the impact that a small deviation in hormone levels from the normal amount has is monumental. The solution? As of now, there is no concrete solution. However, doctors suggest that a mandatory screening for all women at age 35 may help reduce the severity of the situation. As a hypothyroidism patient's child, I believe that those with a family history should seek testings well before the age of 35. If feasible, have tests done every five years to ensure no change has occurred. By making more people aware, who knows? We may even see a drastic change in statistics.
Kyrie Wants to Play for the Knicks. That's Good and Bad News. by Harvey Araton
Apparently the Cavaliers are not interested in the offer for Kyrie Irving which is bad news for the Knicks. Carmelo Anthony is now focused on going to the Houston Rockets. Which makes sense because with Irving wanting to be traded, I'm pretty sure he didn't want to go to the Cavaliers without Kyrie there. My assumption is that he wanted it to be Kyrie, LeBron and himself. Also the Cavaliers are not interested in trading Kyrie for Carmelo anyway that's not what they want. They may be more interested in trading Kevin Love for Carmelo but no one seems to want Love. This is a big problem for both team and also Kyrie because that is a team he preferred to play for. Therefore the drama of this free agency continues.
bengal11Ky-Mani042201
Apparently the Cavaliers are not interested in the offer for Kyrie Irving which is bad news for the Knicks. Carmelo Anthony is now focused on going to the Houston Rockets. Which makes sense because with Irving wanting to be traded, I'm pretty sure he didn't want to go to the Cavaliers without Kyrie there. My assumption is that he wanted it to be Kyrie, LeBron and himself. Also the Cavaliers are not interested in trading Kyrie for Carmelo anyway that's not what they want. They may be more interested in trading Kevin Love for Carmelo but no one seems to want Love. This is a big problem for both team and also Kyrie because that is a team he preferred to play for. Therefore the drama of this free agency continues.
bengal11Ky-Mani042201
"U.S. Opens Door to Talks With North Korea, While Flexing Military Muscle"
I have always been interested in North Korea since it seems to be the most mysterious, and unique country on earth. I am intrigued by how economically backwards North Korea is, it's strange set of laws, and their leader Kim Jong-Un who is worshiped as a god by his people. I have always wanted to travel to North Korea to see it for myself, but do to recent events, the chances of that happening are getting slim. According to the article North Korea has a nuclear missile that has the capability to reach the United States, and can hit major cities such as Los Angeles. This has me especially worried, because I live in Los Angeles. The United States had test launched its own missile, to demonstrate the nuclear capabilities of the United States, but wasn't intended to be a response to North Korea's Friday missile test. The USA is currently trying to denuclearize North Korea diplomatically, but the North Korean government has not yet responded to the proposed “freeze-for-freeze” deal. If a diplomatic agreement is not made, and North Korea continues developing nuclear missiles, the consequences would be disastrous. We humans have the capability to destroy the world with our vast nuclear arsenal, and that technology being in the wrong hands is terrifying in every way. Hopefully a nuclear conflict can be avoided. North Korea is still a rather strange country, but can pose a real threat to the United States.
I have always been interested in North Korea since it seems to be the most mysterious, and unique country on earth. I am intrigued by how economically backwards North Korea is, it's strange set of laws, and their leader Kim Jong-Un who is worshiped as a god by his people. I have always wanted to travel to North Korea to see it for myself, but do to recent events, the chances of that happening are getting slim. According to the article North Korea has a nuclear missile that has the capability to reach the United States, and can hit major cities such as Los Angeles. This has me especially worried, because I live in Los Angeles. The United States had test launched its own missile, to demonstrate the nuclear capabilities of the United States, but wasn't intended to be a response to North Korea's Friday missile test. The USA is currently trying to denuclearize North Korea diplomatically, but the North Korean government has not yet responded to the proposed “freeze-for-freeze” deal. If a diplomatic agreement is not made, and North Korea continues developing nuclear missiles, the consequences would be disastrous. We humans have the capability to destroy the world with our vast nuclear arsenal, and that technology being in the wrong hands is terrifying in every way. Hopefully a nuclear conflict can be avoided. North Korea is still a rather strange country, but can pose a real threat to the United States.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/03/us/politics/transgender-military-trum...®ion=FixedCenter&action=click&src=recg&pgtype=article
First of all i want to be clear on why I disagree with this decision by the president Donald Trump, and how the prohibition of transgender troops in U.S. army is unfair.
As supposedly we will return to be a good society if our president denies the permission to transgender people, practicing inequality and discrimination through this decision?. He is only using excuses, to influence people and that they give up their sexual preference. ''A study estimated that 2,450 active-duty members were transgender''. I believe that as a member of the troops,they are risking their lives, and therefore they shouldn't be judged by their religion, sex or race. “is singling out a specific population in the military, who had been assured we were doing everything appropriate to continue our honorable service.”(Lt. Commander Blake Dremann, a Navy supply corps officer who is transgender).In this quote, it shows how these people want to get the pride of their country and themselves, but they are not allowed.To conclude, i would like the President to reconsider his decision, since we can see that there would be no a problem or conflict, our armies work and fight as one, it would be correct that anyone could have the same opportunities, since at the end, it is to defend our nation.
First of all i want to be clear on why I disagree with this decision by the president Donald Trump, and how the prohibition of transgender troops in U.S. army is unfair.
As supposedly we will return to be a good society if our president denies the permission to transgender people, practicing inequality and discrimination through this decision?. He is only using excuses, to influence people and that they give up their sexual preference. ''A study estimated that 2,450 active-duty members were transgender''. I believe that as a member of the troops,they are risking their lives, and therefore they shouldn't be judged by their religion, sex or race. “is singling out a specific population in the military, who had been assured we were doing everything appropriate to continue our honorable service.”(Lt. Commander Blake Dremann, a Navy supply corps officer who is transgender).In this quote, it shows how these people want to get the pride of their country and themselves, but they are not allowed.To conclude, i would like the President to reconsider his decision, since we can see that there would be no a problem or conflict, our armies work and fight as one, it would be correct that anyone could have the same opportunities, since at the end, it is to defend our nation.
In today's world corruption is everywhere. It is in every country. It is in politics; corruption problems are being mostly solved though, and an example of that is shown in the article, "Nawaz Sharif Pakistan's Prime Minister is Toppled By Corruption Case". This articles states how the prime minister of Pakistan was removed due to corruption cases against him. The article states that Nawaz Sharif and his two children were given charges of corruption based on documents "that revealed that the children owned expensive residential property in London through offshore companies." The Sharif family could not provide any evidence of where they got the money either. Mr. Sharif was also Prime Minister three times before and his terms were cut short each time. The second time he was found guilty of hijacking. This allowed Nawaz Sharif to be disqualified from the post of PM because he was dishonest. He has also not met the promises he made.That is why Mr. Sharif was removed from his post of prime minister, and how the corruption problem was mostly solved. It was still left impartially solved because Nawaz Sharif was trying to fix some foreign relations, but now that he is not prime minister Pakistan's relations with its border countries may worsen. So the problem of corruption was mostly solved in the case of Nawaz Sharif, but corruption is still a problem in the world, and attempts should be made to tackle corruption.
"Trump Says Transgender People Will Not Be Allowed in the Military"
Ever since Mr. Trump was voted into presidency by the people of the United States, it has not been uncommon to see tweets that start controversies and turmoil among this very countries citizens. The President uses this app as a form of modern day "fireside chats" that many consider unprofessional. A recent tweet that abruptly let the US know that the progress made over the past 8 years by Barack Obama would be negated. A milestone towards equality would be trampled upon and deserted due to a resent decision made by Trump; Transgender citizens would no longer be able to serve our nation in the military.
The true controversy can be seen when considering the responses to the decision made by Trump. Conservatives see this decision as a wonderful blessing while civil rights and transgender advocates were willing to go so far as to challenge this new policy in court.
Should such a hasty decision be made if it leads to such a clear division in this countries citizens? Instead of taking time to handle this budget situation in a diplomatic way, our President decided to take things into his own hand and cause a divide. By solving one issue, many more will arise through this heated decision.
Ever since Mr. Trump was voted into presidency by the people of the United States, it has not been uncommon to see tweets that start controversies and turmoil among this very countries citizens. The President uses this app as a form of modern day "fireside chats" that many consider unprofessional. A recent tweet that abruptly let the US know that the progress made over the past 8 years by Barack Obama would be negated. A milestone towards equality would be trampled upon and deserted due to a resent decision made by Trump; Transgender citizens would no longer be able to serve our nation in the military.
The true controversy can be seen when considering the responses to the decision made by Trump. Conservatives see this decision as a wonderful blessing while civil rights and transgender advocates were willing to go so far as to challenge this new policy in court.
Should such a hasty decision be made if it leads to such a clear division in this countries citizens? Instead of taking time to handle this budget situation in a diplomatic way, our President decided to take things into his own hand and cause a divide. By solving one issue, many more will arise through this heated decision.
In "When Education Is Hijacked by War," Andrew Boryga's reflection on Diego Ibarra Sanchez's life as a photographer captures what it means when they say a picture can be worth a thousand words. After reading the article, I saw rather than heard the saying come to life.
The empty yet crowded desks, the scattered school supplies, and the torn down walls--perhaps it is this, what Sanchez's images do not show, that makes them even more compelling. This lack of order and organization, life and vibrancy is what truly shows his masterful portrayal of human life amidst an unending cycle of violence.
His photographs make us feel something, and it is because he chose to "go deeper" that his work has such an effect. Rather than "[chasing] the story" he let his photos lead him to the real story; the story of children tirelessly fighting to get an education, and teachers fighting to inspire the war-torn nation. Such photos show a different side to the Middle East, one that makes us rethink what war truly is. Instead of a conflict between two nations, war is shown as an attack against the lives of innocent people caught in the crossfire.
To those who can see these images, hear these stories, and choose to forget them must relearn compassion. In this regard, Sanchez's pictures are worth more than a thousand words; they are worth our empathy.
The empty yet crowded desks, the scattered school supplies, and the torn down walls--perhaps it is this, what Sanchez's images do not show, that makes them even more compelling. This lack of order and organization, life and vibrancy is what truly shows his masterful portrayal of human life amidst an unending cycle of violence.
His photographs make us feel something, and it is because he chose to "go deeper" that his work has such an effect. Rather than "[chasing] the story" he let his photos lead him to the real story; the story of children tirelessly fighting to get an education, and teachers fighting to inspire the war-torn nation. Such photos show a different side to the Middle East, one that makes us rethink what war truly is. Instead of a conflict between two nations, war is shown as an attack against the lives of innocent people caught in the crossfire.
To those who can see these images, hear these stories, and choose to forget them must relearn compassion. In this regard, Sanchez's pictures are worth more than a thousand words; they are worth our empathy.
"The Best Running Stride? The One That Comes Naturally" by Gretchen Reynolds
I was very interested and would like to read more in depth about how shortening strides can increase a runner's pace. I found it interesting how the researchers altered the runner's (subject's) initial pace by having them match their footsteps to the metronome. It was fascinating to find out that in essence, runners who tried to modify their strides ended up with a slower running pace.
I was very interested and would like to read more in depth about how shortening strides can increase a runner's pace. I found it interesting how the researchers altered the runner's (subject's) initial pace by having them match their footsteps to the metronome. It was fascinating to find out that in essence, runners who tried to modify their strides ended up with a slower running pace.
"Parents of Charlie Gard, III British Infant , Abandon Effort to Prolong His Life" by Dan Bilefsky
This article's title caught my eye and I was very curious on what it was about . I'm glad and a tad bit saddened that I stayed to read it all. I bet nothing is as heartbreaking than a parent losing a child. Charlie Gard lived such a short life , All my condolences are to his family . May he rest in peace . I hope his parents aren't still beating themselves up for not trying the procedure earlier. It is not their fault. It was never proven that it would of even helped him. This story is indeed sad and complicated. I hope the parents find peace . Charlie was blessed to have such loving and dedicated parents to speak on his behalf.
This article's title caught my eye and I was very curious on what it was about . I'm glad and a tad bit saddened that I stayed to read it all. I bet nothing is as heartbreaking than a parent losing a child. Charlie Gard lived such a short life , All my condolences are to his family . May he rest in peace . I hope his parents aren't still beating themselves up for not trying the procedure earlier. It is not their fault. It was never proven that it would of even helped him. This story is indeed sad and complicated. I hope the parents find peace . Charlie was blessed to have such loving and dedicated parents to speak on his behalf.
This week I chose “Has Sexism Become Worse After the Election?” Well, has it? This article recaps on Trump’s exposed “Accessed Hollywood” comments that blew up the media a number of months ago. It also states that some americans feel as if sexist comments fly easier now ever since our most recent election, and the author asks citizens to reach out and share stories. I chose this article because this topic causes much controversy, and I am interested in hearing submitted stories. In my eyes, I don’t see a huge change since Trump took office. Growing up, I have always been faced with sexist comments which doesn’t seem to be changing anytime soon. His sexist, recorded comments are dropped by many people on a daily basis, which must be why his supporters stand by him, because they may be some of the ones making these horrible comments as well.
"Why Women Aren't C.E.O.s, According to Women Who Almost Were"
Male dominance in business is no secret. What may be, however, is the reason women are failing to obtain that No. 1 position.
Considering the stories of women from this article, all of which include major struggles in their rise to the top, the author seems to be pointing to a bias in the workplace. And while I do agree, I also feel this issue is more difficult to classify. We're not talking about an obvious display of gender discrimination on a daily basis, but rather discrete attempts to prevent women from reaching the highest position.
I think even more importantly, though, is that this issue goes far deeper than any so called "bias", this is a cultural problem. We don't teach girls to be aggressive and competitive. Many women who aspire for power are met with resistance and often viewed as bossy or overly aggressive. The fact that women are continuously criticized for taking the spotlight makes them less comfortable with promotion. The truth is men continue to be threatened by women in power, and many women continue to allow this to discourage them.
I'm not saying this is a problem that can go away overnight. I just think we can all do our part to be aware of this issue and to make an effort to solving it. The percentage of women who are executives of Fortune 500 companies just past 6 percent. I for one think it's time for that percentage to change.
Male dominance in business is no secret. What may be, however, is the reason women are failing to obtain that No. 1 position.
Considering the stories of women from this article, all of which include major struggles in their rise to the top, the author seems to be pointing to a bias in the workplace. And while I do agree, I also feel this issue is more difficult to classify. We're not talking about an obvious display of gender discrimination on a daily basis, but rather discrete attempts to prevent women from reaching the highest position.
I think even more importantly, though, is that this issue goes far deeper than any so called "bias", this is a cultural problem. We don't teach girls to be aggressive and competitive. Many women who aspire for power are met with resistance and often viewed as bossy or overly aggressive. The fact that women are continuously criticized for taking the spotlight makes them less comfortable with promotion. The truth is men continue to be threatened by women in power, and many women continue to allow this to discourage them.
I'm not saying this is a problem that can go away overnight. I just think we can all do our part to be aware of this issue and to make an effort to solving it. The percentage of women who are executives of Fortune 500 companies just past 6 percent. I for one think it's time for that percentage to change.
"The Benefits of Talking to Yourself" By Kristin Wong
"You can do it, you got this!" These are the words I usually find rolling off my tongue while doing a task that passes the border to the outside of my comfort zone. Wong's article, "The Benefits of Talking to Yourself," describes how talking to yourself helps motivate and improve the way people complete different tasks. Wong includes information about a study that mentioned how people who talk to themselves and talk themselves through tasks perform better than those who do not. I could not agree with that more. No matter what the situation is, if I feel nervous and uncomfortable doing it, I will find me talking to myself. Words of encouragement that cheer myself on in the second person suddenly fill my thoughts and ears. It is what helps me accomplish whatever I need to get done no matter how much I am scared to do it. Self-talk, in my opinion, is a boost of motivation and confidence. I believe self-talk can be helpful to many people who do not fully feel confident with whatever life throws at them.
"You can do it, you got this!" These are the words I usually find rolling off my tongue while doing a task that passes the border to the outside of my comfort zone. Wong's article, "The Benefits of Talking to Yourself," describes how talking to yourself helps motivate and improve the way people complete different tasks. Wong includes information about a study that mentioned how people who talk to themselves and talk themselves through tasks perform better than those who do not. I could not agree with that more. No matter what the situation is, if I feel nervous and uncomfortable doing it, I will find me talking to myself. Words of encouragement that cheer myself on in the second person suddenly fill my thoughts and ears. It is what helps me accomplish whatever I need to get done no matter how much I am scared to do it. Self-talk, in my opinion, is a boost of motivation and confidence. I believe self-talk can be helpful to many people who do not fully feel confident with whatever life throws at them.
"In Sweltering South, Climate Change Is Now a Workplace Hazard"
This article explains the effect that climate change has on the everyday citizen in America and the real dangers that global warming presents. The rising heat has affected working class citizens who cannot afford air conditioning and has compromised their health as a result. Also working class citizens hope that President Trump will construct new policies that will help slow the process of climate change. This article really interested me because i was not aware that global warming was effecting America. I was aware that the ice caps were melting and the polar bears were suffering due to their diminishing habitat. Although i had no idea of the everyday impact that global warming has on American society. Due to rising heat many outside laborers are in more danger of heat strokes and heat exhaustion than ever before. In the last century the seasonal temperature has risen 1.5 to 2 degrees which does not seem as a dangerous leap but the consequences are prominent. Hurricanes can become more prevalent and more powerful in alliance with higher temperatures in turn this can affect many southern states quite harshly. Seeing as President Trump as not reconsidered his policies America could be headed into real danger. If there is not a law set in motion then there is nothing stopping the furthering of climate change meaning that the nation may suffer the extreme consequences of global warming.
This article explains the effect that climate change has on the everyday citizen in America and the real dangers that global warming presents. The rising heat has affected working class citizens who cannot afford air conditioning and has compromised their health as a result. Also working class citizens hope that President Trump will construct new policies that will help slow the process of climate change. This article really interested me because i was not aware that global warming was effecting America. I was aware that the ice caps were melting and the polar bears were suffering due to their diminishing habitat. Although i had no idea of the everyday impact that global warming has on American society. Due to rising heat many outside laborers are in more danger of heat strokes and heat exhaustion than ever before. In the last century the seasonal temperature has risen 1.5 to 2 degrees which does not seem as a dangerous leap but the consequences are prominent. Hurricanes can become more prevalent and more powerful in alliance with higher temperatures in turn this can affect many southern states quite harshly. Seeing as President Trump as not reconsidered his policies America could be headed into real danger. If there is not a law set in motion then there is nothing stopping the furthering of climate change meaning that the nation may suffer the extreme consequences of global warming.
It was with something between curiosity and dread that I first opened an article about HBO’s “Confederate”. I wasn’t soothed by what I read. That’s why Roxanne Gay’s editorial, “I don’t want to watch slavery fan fiction” resonated with me; she was able to capture all of the misgivings I had in one, elegant article.
It often seems as if America fantasizes about a war that ended over a century ago. At this point, I’ve encountered at least a hundred confederate flags on cars, houses, or flag poles. Every time I see a rebel flag, it cuts. It reminds me not just of the pain of my ancestors, but also that there are those who deem that pain as irrelevant, or revel in it.
Gay perfectly summed up my own thoughts; why revive images of slavery, when the legacy of slavery exists? Why is there such a fascination with black pain, when it’s more productive to focus on our humanity? Is it a good idea to have this show created by two white men who have already proven to be insensitive to violence inflicted on others?
Gay’s rumination on her feelings versus her values struck me most; “As a writer, I never wish to put constraints upon creativity... That’s what I’m supposed to say, but it is not at all how I feel.” It’s not how I feel, either. I want to be able to observe this show dispassionately. But as Gay points out, longing for the Confederacy is still alive. In such a climate, it’s irresponsible to produce this show. Some are blind to this side of America, but we were never allowed to be.
It often seems as if America fantasizes about a war that ended over a century ago. At this point, I’ve encountered at least a hundred confederate flags on cars, houses, or flag poles. Every time I see a rebel flag, it cuts. It reminds me not just of the pain of my ancestors, but also that there are those who deem that pain as irrelevant, or revel in it.
Gay perfectly summed up my own thoughts; why revive images of slavery, when the legacy of slavery exists? Why is there such a fascination with black pain, when it’s more productive to focus on our humanity? Is it a good idea to have this show created by two white men who have already proven to be insensitive to violence inflicted on others?
Gay’s rumination on her feelings versus her values struck me most; “As a writer, I never wish to put constraints upon creativity... That’s what I’m supposed to say, but it is not at all how I feel.” It’s not how I feel, either. I want to be able to observe this show dispassionately. But as Gay points out, longing for the Confederacy is still alive. In such a climate, it’s irresponsible to produce this show. Some are blind to this side of America, but we were never allowed to be.
"Trump Says Transgender People Will Not Be Allowed in the Military"
This situation truly displays what is wrong with our government: the president of a powerful nation publicly declaring a plan to discriminate against a group of people by posting on a social media app. I mean, how ridiculous is that? According to the article, Trump hadn't even thoroughly discussed this decision with other officials, who, when asked about how this would affect current transgender people in the military, could not give an answer. Though not much is expected from the Trump administration lately, the total lack or communication makes the government look weak and disjointed. Now, the actual issue itself disgusts me. Since when does being transgender mean that one loses the ability to serve in the military? If anyone is willing to risk their life for our country, why stop them? It is not as if trans people haven't served yet, there are thousands of trans people currently in the military. So, why ban them now if there has never been an issue before this administration?
This situation truly displays what is wrong with our government: the president of a powerful nation publicly declaring a plan to discriminate against a group of people by posting on a social media app. I mean, how ridiculous is that? According to the article, Trump hadn't even thoroughly discussed this decision with other officials, who, when asked about how this would affect current transgender people in the military, could not give an answer. Though not much is expected from the Trump administration lately, the total lack or communication makes the government look weak and disjointed. Now, the actual issue itself disgusts me. Since when does being transgender mean that one loses the ability to serve in the military? If anyone is willing to risk their life for our country, why stop them? It is not as if trans people haven't served yet, there are thousands of trans people currently in the military. So, why ban them now if there has never been an issue before this administration?
"What We Finally Got Around to Learning at the Procrastination Research Conference"
Procrastinating is a second nature for not only myself, but for many others around me. Before reading this article I always thought procrastinating was just "putting something off to the last minute." When Dr. Ferrari defined procrastination as, "the purposive and frequent delay in beginning or completing a task to the point of experiencing subjective discomfort, such as anxiety or regret" I realized that I do get anxiety while procrastinating my work, but I never really focused on that feeling. And the next day I always have a sense of regret, of course, but I just let that feeling go and I repeat putting off my work. It's truly a bad habit that has stuck with me for awhile. According to the article I'm considered a "proc" because I procrastinate multiple times a week, when many others I know procrastinate a few times, but eventually finish their work. For me I get my work done quicker when I put it off to the last minute, but the quality could be much better, and that is when the regret kicks in. This article was intriguing for me because I've always wondered why I always procrastinate, but still there isn't a definite answer to that question. I think it's because it's all psychological, so it's my responsibility to stop procrastinating.
Procrastinating is a second nature for not only myself, but for many others around me. Before reading this article I always thought procrastinating was just "putting something off to the last minute." When Dr. Ferrari defined procrastination as, "the purposive and frequent delay in beginning or completing a task to the point of experiencing subjective discomfort, such as anxiety or regret" I realized that I do get anxiety while procrastinating my work, but I never really focused on that feeling. And the next day I always have a sense of regret, of course, but I just let that feeling go and I repeat putting off my work. It's truly a bad habit that has stuck with me for awhile. According to the article I'm considered a "proc" because I procrastinate multiple times a week, when many others I know procrastinate a few times, but eventually finish their work. For me I get my work done quicker when I put it off to the last minute, but the quality could be much better, and that is when the regret kicks in. This article was intriguing for me because I've always wondered why I always procrastinate, but still there isn't a definite answer to that question. I think it's because it's all psychological, so it's my responsibility to stop procrastinating.
“Trump Says Transgender People Will Not Be Allowed in the Military”
By JULIE HIRSCHFELD DAVIS and HELENE COOPER 7/26/17
This article intrigued me from its name alone. President Trump wants to regress the state of the military by preventing Transgender men and women from entering the military. I find this appalling in not only what it is doing but how it is done. No defense official knows exactly what is to be done to completely put this into effect or what will happen to active Transgender members of the military. President Trump’s claim of how “American forces could not afford the tremendous medical costs and disruption of transgender service members,” is absurd. Not only is the U.S. defense budget the largest in the world but it is also over 600 billion dollars. This takes up mosts of the annual budget for the U.S. so there should be more than enough money for the medical costs of Transgenders servicemen. This is clearly an excuse to execute a goal of the Republican party.
By JULIE HIRSCHFELD DAVIS and HELENE COOPER 7/26/17
This article intrigued me from its name alone. President Trump wants to regress the state of the military by preventing Transgender men and women from entering the military. I find this appalling in not only what it is doing but how it is done. No defense official knows exactly what is to be done to completely put this into effect or what will happen to active Transgender members of the military. President Trump’s claim of how “American forces could not afford the tremendous medical costs and disruption of transgender service members,” is absurd. Not only is the U.S. defense budget the largest in the world but it is also over 600 billion dollars. This takes up mosts of the annual budget for the U.S. so there should be more than enough money for the medical costs of Transgenders servicemen. This is clearly an excuse to execute a goal of the Republican party.
"It's High Time for Ticks, Which Are Spreading Diseases Farther"
The article that really interested me this week in the news was about ticks and the diseases they spread. I'm sure most people know basics about ticks, like the fact that they're bad if attached to you and that deer ticks can carry lyme disease, yet most don't know much more than that. According to the CDC, ticks are covering more areas, and many are left with symptoms being ignored or unrecognized due to the lack of awareness of certain ticks. Reading this was an eye opener. Before reading this, I thought I had a decent knowledge of ticks; I thought knowing the difference between a lone star, deer, and dog tick and knowing what each of them can cause was good. I found there were names of diseases I could barely pronounce and never heard of. The severity of the symptoms that is due to the diseases the ticks carry is frightening. Ticks are moving to greater regions in higher numbers yet I didn't know a tick could spread a disease to its host in only 15 minutes. Seeing the facts and statistics showed me that myself, and I'm sure many others, need to update ourselves on the knowledge of ticks in our areas and make sure the symptoms are known and that nobody dies a preventable death. To die by the blood of a tick is sad, and I know now to keep a closer eye for the lilliputian killers.
The article that really interested me this week in the news was about ticks and the diseases they spread. I'm sure most people know basics about ticks, like the fact that they're bad if attached to you and that deer ticks can carry lyme disease, yet most don't know much more than that. According to the CDC, ticks are covering more areas, and many are left with symptoms being ignored or unrecognized due to the lack of awareness of certain ticks. Reading this was an eye opener. Before reading this, I thought I had a decent knowledge of ticks; I thought knowing the difference between a lone star, deer, and dog tick and knowing what each of them can cause was good. I found there were names of diseases I could barely pronounce and never heard of. The severity of the symptoms that is due to the diseases the ticks carry is frightening. Ticks are moving to greater regions in higher numbers yet I didn't know a tick could spread a disease to its host in only 15 minutes. Seeing the facts and statistics showed me that myself, and I'm sure many others, need to update ourselves on the knowledge of ticks in our areas and make sure the symptoms are known and that nobody dies a preventable death. To die by the blood of a tick is sad, and I know now to keep a closer eye for the lilliputian killers.
We Need a Radical New Approach on North Korea
This editorial, by Jay P. Lefkowitz, is written to inform readers of reasons why the United States should develop a new plan regarding North Korea. The author makes many good points, which mostly include failed plans in the past. Furthermore, the author includes North Korea’s threats and actions that can be viewed as dangerous, leading some to believe a new approach is needed quickly. The author is very good at providing and dissecting examples of failed or outdated plans; this is very useful as it proves the need for a new approach. The author’s main strategy is just this: prove to readers why and how other plans have failed, as undoubtedly, if previous plans have failed, the only other option would be to institute a new one. He also proves the need for a new approach for even other countries, including China, who has economic connections to North Korea. The author does a good job at proving that a new approach regarding North Korea would be beneficial for everyone, regardless of where they live. Finally, the occasion and audience factor in largely regarding the framing of the argument. The article is published in New York, which like the rest of the U.S., faces a large threat from North Korea. Furthermore, the audience is mainly American, and Americans face the threat of nuclear weapons from North Korea; so, it makes sense that the author would provide examples of failed plans to convince the public that a new plan is needed.
This editorial, by Jay P. Lefkowitz, is written to inform readers of reasons why the United States should develop a new plan regarding North Korea. The author makes many good points, which mostly include failed plans in the past. Furthermore, the author includes North Korea’s threats and actions that can be viewed as dangerous, leading some to believe a new approach is needed quickly. The author is very good at providing and dissecting examples of failed or outdated plans; this is very useful as it proves the need for a new approach. The author’s main strategy is just this: prove to readers why and how other plans have failed, as undoubtedly, if previous plans have failed, the only other option would be to institute a new one. He also proves the need for a new approach for even other countries, including China, who has economic connections to North Korea. The author does a good job at proving that a new approach regarding North Korea would be beneficial for everyone, regardless of where they live. Finally, the occasion and audience factor in largely regarding the framing of the argument. The article is published in New York, which like the rest of the U.S., faces a large threat from North Korea. Furthermore, the audience is mainly American, and Americans face the threat of nuclear weapons from North Korea; so, it makes sense that the author would provide examples of failed plans to convince the public that a new plan is needed.
Why Women Aren’t CEOs, According to Women Who Almost Were
It’s true that women in the modern workplace, and in other aspects of their lives, face double standards when compared to men. A man’s ambition may be admired but a woman’s is what causes her to be labelled as ruthless. A man’s determination earns him respect, but a woman’s makes her ‘difficult to work with.’ Anyone looking to be a CEO needs qualities like these to succeed. Since men who display them are looked at in a more positive light than women, are they more likely to achieve a high-ranking position?
Susan Chira says yes. Chira analyzes a variety of reasons as to why women struggle with getting the top job in their companies, and why those who do don’t last long. The path to the top is hard for women, many of whom are socialized into valuing money and power less than men are. Women get discouraged and lose confidence when they are branded unlikeable and hard to work with for being strong-minded and opinionated. They work twice as hard as men to achieve the same level of respect from their male peers. Frustratingly, women who do become CEOs do not last very long. They find it lonely being the only woman in a male dominated area and also face tougher scrutiny by the public or their colleagues than men do. For women, being on the top may be more pain than what it’s worth.
It’s true that women in the modern workplace, and in other aspects of their lives, face double standards when compared to men. A man’s ambition may be admired but a woman’s is what causes her to be labelled as ruthless. A man’s determination earns him respect, but a woman’s makes her ‘difficult to work with.’ Anyone looking to be a CEO needs qualities like these to succeed. Since men who display them are looked at in a more positive light than women, are they more likely to achieve a high-ranking position?
Susan Chira says yes. Chira analyzes a variety of reasons as to why women struggle with getting the top job in their companies, and why those who do don’t last long. The path to the top is hard for women, many of whom are socialized into valuing money and power less than men are. Women get discouraged and lose confidence when they are branded unlikeable and hard to work with for being strong-minded and opinionated. They work twice as hard as men to achieve the same level of respect from their male peers. Frustratingly, women who do become CEOs do not last very long. They find it lonely being the only woman in a male dominated area and also face tougher scrutiny by the public or their colleagues than men do. For women, being on the top may be more pain than what it’s worth.
"In Breakthrough, Scientists Edit a Dangerous Mutation From Genes in Human Embryos"
Even as just a high schooler, one can see the incredible impact that embryonic gene editing will have on our society. In the study described here, scientists have altered genes so that what would normally be an embryo with a disease-causing mutation is instead healthy. These results will have a resounding impact in the world. As the article states, in the future, it’s possible that children will be born without harmful genes inherited from their parents and will not pass them to their own offspring. For people and families with diseases such as Huntington’s, as well as so many others, this potential is revolutionary.
However, although this research brings about the potential for so much positive difference, there is always a downfall. Like with many scientific advances, new questions of morals and ethics are brought forth. For example, while some conditions are inarguably “bad” and should be edited out, like the fatal Tay-Sachs disease, some genetic conditions are “bad,” but not necessarily essential for removal. For example, should a genetic influencer for obesity be edited out of the embryonic genome even though it's not completely debilitating or fatal? What about for headaches? Or depression? For poor vision? Sub-par metabolism? So many questions arise from this study, which makes it very important and interesting to follow. There will surely be a lot more to follow in the coming years.
Even as just a high schooler, one can see the incredible impact that embryonic gene editing will have on our society. In the study described here, scientists have altered genes so that what would normally be an embryo with a disease-causing mutation is instead healthy. These results will have a resounding impact in the world. As the article states, in the future, it’s possible that children will be born without harmful genes inherited from their parents and will not pass them to their own offspring. For people and families with diseases such as Huntington’s, as well as so many others, this potential is revolutionary.
However, although this research brings about the potential for so much positive difference, there is always a downfall. Like with many scientific advances, new questions of morals and ethics are brought forth. For example, while some conditions are inarguably “bad” and should be edited out, like the fatal Tay-Sachs disease, some genetic conditions are “bad,” but not necessarily essential for removal. For example, should a genetic influencer for obesity be edited out of the embryonic genome even though it's not completely debilitating or fatal? What about for headaches? Or depression? For poor vision? Sub-par metabolism? So many questions arise from this study, which makes it very important and interesting to follow. There will surely be a lot more to follow in the coming years.
Michelle Carter Is Sentenced to 15 Months in Jail in Texting Suicide Case
3 years ago, July 2014, an 18-year-old boy, Conrad Roy III committed suicide by inhaling carbon monoxide in his pickup truck. In June 2017, Michelle Carter was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter after urging her close friend through phone calls and text messages to kill himself, thus being responsible for his death.
What most interested me in this article was the court case in which Ms. Carter was sentenced 15 Months in jail after the texting suicide case. Originally, prosecutors asked for a sentence from seven to 12 years but Carter's lawyer, asked the court case for leniency and five years of supervised probation. The lawyer also mentioned that Ms.Carter regretted what had happened and was struggling with her own mental illness at the time.
The article states that Ms. Carter had tried to dissuade Mr. Roy from killing himself, but since he was determined to take his life away, she gave up and talked him into killing himself. In my opinion, if Ms. Carter was not going through her own mental illness, things may have been different in which she most likely would have tried to stop Mr. Roy from comitting suicide. However, Ms. Carter blamed herself for his death evident in texts between her friend, this means Ms. Carter still felt guilty after to which Ms. Carter still had a sense of her mind to where she may have prevented his death.
3 years ago, July 2014, an 18-year-old boy, Conrad Roy III committed suicide by inhaling carbon monoxide in his pickup truck. In June 2017, Michelle Carter was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter after urging her close friend through phone calls and text messages to kill himself, thus being responsible for his death.
What most interested me in this article was the court case in which Ms. Carter was sentenced 15 Months in jail after the texting suicide case. Originally, prosecutors asked for a sentence from seven to 12 years but Carter's lawyer, asked the court case for leniency and five years of supervised probation. The lawyer also mentioned that Ms.Carter regretted what had happened and was struggling with her own mental illness at the time.
The article states that Ms. Carter had tried to dissuade Mr. Roy from killing himself, but since he was determined to take his life away, she gave up and talked him into killing himself. In my opinion, if Ms. Carter was not going through her own mental illness, things may have been different in which she most likely would have tried to stop Mr. Roy from comitting suicide. However, Ms. Carter blamed herself for his death evident in texts between her friend, this means Ms. Carter still felt guilty after to which Ms. Carter still had a sense of her mind to where she may have prevented his death.
"Trump Says Transgender People Will Not Be Allowed in the Military"
I was always told throughout preschool and most of my childhood that exclusion of someone who wasn't the same as me was wrong and worthy of a timeout. My favorite book as a child was Dr. Seuss's "The Sneetches". Although this book is meant from young children it holds a strong message of unity. The novel intended for youth contains an idea that President Trump is somehow unable to obtain: we all work better together no matter how different we are. It's a simple message that most young children are able to grasp relatively easily yet from a political view it has become obscured. Transgender people are people. President Trump promised, as president of the free world, to protect their basic human rights as citizens of the United States of America. He has now labeled them a burden and further, to me, proven his incompetence. This article has furthered my opinion on his lack of capability to be a reliable president who is there for the people and the state.
I was always told throughout preschool and most of my childhood that exclusion of someone who wasn't the same as me was wrong and worthy of a timeout. My favorite book as a child was Dr. Seuss's "The Sneetches". Although this book is meant from young children it holds a strong message of unity. The novel intended for youth contains an idea that President Trump is somehow unable to obtain: we all work better together no matter how different we are. It's a simple message that most young children are able to grasp relatively easily yet from a political view it has become obscured. Transgender people are people. President Trump promised, as president of the free world, to protect their basic human rights as citizens of the United States of America. He has now labeled them a burden and further, to me, proven his incompetence. This article has furthered my opinion on his lack of capability to be a reliable president who is there for the people and the state.
“Why Women Aren’t C.E.O.s, According to Women Who Almost Were” by Susan Chira
I had always dreamt about leading a company. However, over time, my ambitious vision blurred. Through subtle but affecting instances, such as hearing the remark “You run like a girl!” used as an insult, I gradually realized that to be female is to be regarded as inferior. I still wanted to be a CEO in the future, but a clearer perception of reality showed me that it would be much harder than I thought, especially because I’m a woman.
When I came across Chira’s article, I found what I had always been looking for: something that would explain why I had subconsciously begun to feel shaky about pursuing not just the No. 1 job, but the No. 1 anything.
Women are seen as “dependable,” not as “visionary” as men, and more emotionally insecure. They are typically uncomfortable with the spotlight, and when they do attempt self-promotion, they are often criticized. So the prejudice that surrounded me, as well as other women, came from prevalent notions that happened to exist despite the lack of justifiable evidence.
During a discussion with my mother, I explained that it's difficult for a woman to battle an irrational but deep-seated ideology. In response, she introduced me to Indra Nooyi, a female immigrant who has been the CEO of PepsiCo for 22 years. Nooyi is the embodiment of resilience in the face of overwhelming social inequity. Chira may have given me the reasons, but Nooyi showed me how to tackle them.
I had always dreamt about leading a company. However, over time, my ambitious vision blurred. Through subtle but affecting instances, such as hearing the remark “You run like a girl!” used as an insult, I gradually realized that to be female is to be regarded as inferior. I still wanted to be a CEO in the future, but a clearer perception of reality showed me that it would be much harder than I thought, especially because I’m a woman.
When I came across Chira’s article, I found what I had always been looking for: something that would explain why I had subconsciously begun to feel shaky about pursuing not just the No. 1 job, but the No. 1 anything.
Women are seen as “dependable,” not as “visionary” as men, and more emotionally insecure. They are typically uncomfortable with the spotlight, and when they do attempt self-promotion, they are often criticized. So the prejudice that surrounded me, as well as other women, came from prevalent notions that happened to exist despite the lack of justifiable evidence.
During a discussion with my mother, I explained that it's difficult for a woman to battle an irrational but deep-seated ideology. In response, she introduced me to Indra Nooyi, a female immigrant who has been the CEO of PepsiCo for 22 years. Nooyi is the embodiment of resilience in the face of overwhelming social inequity. Chira may have given me the reasons, but Nooyi showed me how to tackle them.
"The Republican Women Behind the Vote"
This video reminded me that their were a lot of decisions and inside effort put into this, men and women. But sometimes this last person gets the most recognition. In this case, Senator John McCain was blowing up twitter by his 180 vote. Even though there were other senators that put a lot of effort to make it able to be in that position in the first place John McCain caught everyone's by his vote there are other people who helped. Yes, John MCcain did make a decision to save millions of lives, but it couldn't have been done it without the two senators other Republicans who helped made that successful vote happen. But in this case and many other cases there are women in the shadows working twice as hard for often less the pay. And in this case it was Senators Lisa M. and Susan C. And I think that was cool for these two Republican women to go on the opposing side and not budge even with being put on the spot by the President. The last reason of why I picked this is because I now have a better understanding of our system. It is not a job just for Republicans nor for Democrats. In the end they both need each other. In conclusion, this video interested me because it reminded me it not a job for one person, two women standing strong in their opinion and it is not a job for one party because they all need each other's help.
This video reminded me that their were a lot of decisions and inside effort put into this, men and women. But sometimes this last person gets the most recognition. In this case, Senator John McCain was blowing up twitter by his 180 vote. Even though there were other senators that put a lot of effort to make it able to be in that position in the first place John McCain caught everyone's by his vote there are other people who helped. Yes, John MCcain did make a decision to save millions of lives, but it couldn't have been done it without the two senators other Republicans who helped made that successful vote happen. But in this case and many other cases there are women in the shadows working twice as hard for often less the pay. And in this case it was Senators Lisa M. and Susan C. And I think that was cool for these two Republican women to go on the opposing side and not budge even with being put on the spot by the President. The last reason of why I picked this is because I now have a better understanding of our system. It is not a job just for Republicans nor for Democrats. In the end they both need each other. In conclusion, this video interested me because it reminded me it not a job for one person, two women standing strong in their opinion and it is not a job for one party because they all need each other's help.
"111 N.F.L. Brains. All But One Had C.T.E." First of all, I must admit before reading this article I had to look up what C.T.E. is so I had a general idea of what I was about to read. Now, I am in no way, shape, or form any kind of medical expert so I was a bit worried the details of this article would be beyond my possible level of comprehension. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how easily the details could be understood and by the presence of pictures which are always useful in making understanding easier. My opinion of the article became so much more positive when... wait for it... the pictures on the sides changed and lit up as I scrolled down! Not only were the pictures on the side amazing due to the amount of information provided, when reading about a specific position for the players looked at, those players' brains would be highlighted which made it more interactive and entertaining. Now down to the actual information. It's crazy to think people are able to look at statistics that clearly show a largely increased risk for football players to develop C.T.E. even if every single player not tested did not show signs. Clearly there is at least a small correlation and it was stunning to see how some football players' brains had deteriorated so much they became nothing more than an outline of what once was there. It is obvious there are health concerns with the the sport of football but even with the precautions, there is still a huge risk for those participating.
‘You Create That Chemistry’: How Actors Fall in Instant Love
by Alexis Soloski
I remember as if it were yesterday (in reality is was about a month and a half ago) working on falling in love. I, too, played Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, so this article felt like a page out of my diary. Of course, my production was comprised of high school students. While this may sound like an obstacle in the way of making the show believable, on the contrary, it is more true to the text than having the four lovers played by adults. The range of emotions the characters display: betrayal to adoration, lust to fury; are simply more kin to what teenagers go through on a particularly turbulent day.
I’ll admit that in the end we never kissed each other, but we grew to show our love in different ways. Our director had activities set up where we would sit facing our partner, knees touching, eyes meeting, for uncomfortable amounts of time. While this felt ridiculous at times, in the end it added to our performance in a way that memorized poetry can’t. Not to downplay the help from the text, because it is immense, but having an intimate connection with your fellow actors can save a show.
by Alexis Soloski
I remember as if it were yesterday (in reality is was about a month and a half ago) working on falling in love. I, too, played Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, so this article felt like a page out of my diary. Of course, my production was comprised of high school students. While this may sound like an obstacle in the way of making the show believable, on the contrary, it is more true to the text than having the four lovers played by adults. The range of emotions the characters display: betrayal to adoration, lust to fury; are simply more kin to what teenagers go through on a particularly turbulent day.
I’ll admit that in the end we never kissed each other, but we grew to show our love in different ways. Our director had activities set up where we would sit facing our partner, knees touching, eyes meeting, for uncomfortable amounts of time. While this felt ridiculous at times, in the end it added to our performance in a way that memorized poetry can’t. Not to downplay the help from the text, because it is immense, but having an intimate connection with your fellow actors can save a show.
She was convicted of killing her mother. Prosecutors withheld the evidence that would have freed her. By Emily Bazelon
On Sunday, June 5, 2005 Noura Jackson called 911 desperately asking for an ambulance. When police arrived, her mother, Jennifer Jackson, lay dead on her bedroom floor. During the Semptember of that same year, Noura was arrested and put in jail for three and a half years while awaiting trial. After the DNA test results came back from the blood samples taken near the body of Jennifer Jackson, Noura's blood was not identified in the three samples. Because of a note her friend had given the police that was not given to Noiras's defense team, Noura spent many years in prison after being declared "guilty of second-degree murder". There are many cases where prosecutors leave out or refuse to give important information. A person is very rarely charged because they withheld evidence in court, but it can be very crucial sometimes such as in this particular case. The outcomes of withholding evidence are very tragic and unfortunate. Yes, we have to think of our own needs, but it doesn't mean someone else has to suffer in order to get what you want. It is an unjust act to the people going on trial, but that is sadly what some minds think is the right thing to do.
On Sunday, June 5, 2005 Noura Jackson called 911 desperately asking for an ambulance. When police arrived, her mother, Jennifer Jackson, lay dead on her bedroom floor. During the Semptember of that same year, Noura was arrested and put in jail for three and a half years while awaiting trial. After the DNA test results came back from the blood samples taken near the body of Jennifer Jackson, Noura's blood was not identified in the three samples. Because of a note her friend had given the police that was not given to Noiras's defense team, Noura spent many years in prison after being declared "guilty of second-degree murder". There are many cases where prosecutors leave out or refuse to give important information. A person is very rarely charged because they withheld evidence in court, but it can be very crucial sometimes such as in this particular case. The outcomes of withholding evidence are very tragic and unfortunate. Yes, we have to think of our own needs, but it doesn't mean someone else has to suffer in order to get what you want. It is an unjust act to the people going on trial, but that is sadly what some minds think is the right thing to do.
Of the articles I read this week, I found "In Breakthrough, Scientists Edit a Dangerous Mutation From Genes in Human Embryos" most interesting. The article shares the results of experiments with editing the DNA of embryos. The goal of the experiments was to successfully edit dangerous diseases out of the DNA of embryos in order to work towards putting processes of editing DNA through clinical trials so that children can be healthy and live free of dangerous diseases caused by mutations or that they inherited. Two processes for editing were tested in the recent experiments, one with better results. Pam Belluk, the author of the article, shared quotes from scientists involved in the experiments, one of whom being Shoukhrat Mitalipov, who works at OHSU. I think that it's wonderful that scientists are learning about editing DNA in embryos because that knowledge can be applied to improve the lives of people. The process could not only free that individual of the genetic disease, but that person's offspring wouldn't inherit the disease. Science is amazing, and humans are learning so much right now. One thing that I thought a bit about when I read this article was that maybe someday humans will ponder manipulating the intelligence of new lives. Intelligence isn't something to be handled and changed at will, and there's a dystopian feel almost to the idea. We know what is good though, and discoveries are being made that I hope will better the lives of people. Science out.
"The History of Affirmative Action"
Discrimination. I have always known it existed, how it has shaped the history of our nation, and how it is still a major problem today; however, I never realized the impact it had on my life and the thousands of other Asian-Americans out there. The primary race associated with discrimination is black Americans or Middle Eastern, but discrimination expands to all other races that don't share a common complexion of a white American.
Discrimination is a difficult problem to address. We can create laws and force people to do things, but we cannot force someone to not think a certain way or not to judge. Despite our way of living today, we originated from ancestors who fought and hunted for survival. It's in our nature to be defensive to the things and people we're not familiar with. Just as if someone hands you a foreign fruit, you would speculate if it is safe to eat; we do the same thing with people.
I believe the best, peaceful way to increase the acceptance of differences between people is to gradually let people open up to it with a little encouragement and guidance. The process may take a lengthy period of time, but the younger generations today have already grown more accepting towards things like homosexuality and racial difference. These generations show that with time, we will make progress in ending discrimination for EVERYONE because it's not only a problem in college acceptance, it's a national problem.
Discrimination. I have always known it existed, how it has shaped the history of our nation, and how it is still a major problem today; however, I never realized the impact it had on my life and the thousands of other Asian-Americans out there. The primary race associated with discrimination is black Americans or Middle Eastern, but discrimination expands to all other races that don't share a common complexion of a white American.
Discrimination is a difficult problem to address. We can create laws and force people to do things, but we cannot force someone to not think a certain way or not to judge. Despite our way of living today, we originated from ancestors who fought and hunted for survival. It's in our nature to be defensive to the things and people we're not familiar with. Just as if someone hands you a foreign fruit, you would speculate if it is safe to eat; we do the same thing with people.
I believe the best, peaceful way to increase the acceptance of differences between people is to gradually let people open up to it with a little encouragement and guidance. The process may take a lengthy period of time, but the younger generations today have already grown more accepting towards things like homosexuality and racial difference. These generations show that with time, we will make progress in ending discrimination for EVERYONE because it's not only a problem in college acceptance, it's a national problem.
This week I read an article about the annual, famous shark week on discovery channel. This year the main event featured olympian swimmer Michael Phelps racing a great white shark, or so some thought. Many viewers were expecting Michael and the shark to be racing side by side and we disappointed when they saw that the shark was a simulation. A team of shark researchers measured the speeds of a great white shark and put it against the speed of the world's fastest swimmer. Michael swam separately, in a time trial style. He used a monofin and a special wetsuit to imitate the way a shark swims. He also swam in the cold, murky waters of South Africa, a great white hotspot. I was interested in this article because I love sharks and shark week. My sister and I watch it every year and love to learn more about these magnificent creatures. I watched this program on shark week and although Michael was not actually "racing" a shark, I thought that it was very educational and entertaining.
"In West Virginia, Trump Hails Conservatism and a New G.O.P. Governor"
I find it interesting that the West Virginian governor changes his political stance as often as Governor Justice. I believe it is misleading to campaign under one political party and then after being elected, to switch parties. The whole purpose of campaigning in alignment with a political party is to give voters and citizens something to expect if elected. Governor Justice "variously register[ed] as a Republican, a Democrat and an independent," according to the article. This makes me wonder whether the governor has switched parties for reasons other than political. Although possible, I find it suspicious that someone goes back and forth and back and forth on their beliefs, especially someone immersed in politics.
URL: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/03/us/politics/west-virginia-governor-to...®ion=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront
I find it interesting that the West Virginian governor changes his political stance as often as Governor Justice. I believe it is misleading to campaign under one political party and then after being elected, to switch parties. The whole purpose of campaigning in alignment with a political party is to give voters and citizens something to expect if elected. Governor Justice "variously register[ed] as a Republican, a Democrat and an independent," according to the article. This makes me wonder whether the governor has switched parties for reasons other than political. Although possible, I find it suspicious that someone goes back and forth and back and forth on their beliefs, especially someone immersed in politics.
URL: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/03/us/politics/west-virginia-governor-to...®ion=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront
"111 N.F.L. Brains. All But One Had C.T.E."
I have grown up in a household in which 4 hours of every Sunday, September through February, are devoted to football. Despite being an avid fan of the sport, there is no denying that those whose lives are devoted to the game could likely face serious health issues. One thing in this article that really stuck out to me was the fact that Jerry Jones, one of the league’s most successful and famous owners, denies that there is any relationship between playing football, and getting CTE. CTE is a neurological disease, and football is a sport filled with neurological injuries. It isn’t strange to see a player taken off the field with a concussion, in fact the injury is expected to take at least one player out in the course of most 60 minute games. The NFL is a business, and those making money off of it obviously don’t want to see it tank. The sport is exhilarating, fast paced, and very engaging; I would not want to see the NFL fold, however I believe that the deaths related to football will stack up, and as time goes on fewer and fewer kids will play the sport because of the major health concerns that must be taken into consideration, and the sacrifices one must make when suiting up every weekend. Football will lose popularity eventually because of this.
I have grown up in a household in which 4 hours of every Sunday, September through February, are devoted to football. Despite being an avid fan of the sport, there is no denying that those whose lives are devoted to the game could likely face serious health issues. One thing in this article that really stuck out to me was the fact that Jerry Jones, one of the league’s most successful and famous owners, denies that there is any relationship between playing football, and getting CTE. CTE is a neurological disease, and football is a sport filled with neurological injuries. It isn’t strange to see a player taken off the field with a concussion, in fact the injury is expected to take at least one player out in the course of most 60 minute games. The NFL is a business, and those making money off of it obviously don’t want to see it tank. The sport is exhilarating, fast paced, and very engaging; I would not want to see the NFL fold, however I believe that the deaths related to football will stack up, and as time goes on fewer and fewer kids will play the sport because of the major health concerns that must be taken into consideration, and the sacrifices one must make when suiting up every weekend. Football will lose popularity eventually because of this.
"Why Women Aren't C.E.O.'s, According to Women Who Almost Were"
One of the biggest controversies over the years is feminism and the problems with sexism. One can trace the role of women back to ancient times and can see how their importance has evolved. Women used to have little rights and were responsible for raising children and taking care of the home. Now, women are capable of doing whatever they want, especially succeeding at the highest level in the work place.
Now, this article talks about how women face problems when it comes to rising to the top. They can struggle with building important working relationships and may be treated differently. However, I believe that women are not blocked out of the highest jobs. Women are extremely capable of overcoming whatever obstacles they may face. The article said that some men find women to be more aggressive and view them as competition. This statement is not just for women, when it comes to rising in a company everyone is competition.
I do not believe that women are at a disadvantage in finding higher level jobs in the work place. My mom works for an engineering firm and is a head project manager. She has climbed up the ranks over the years through her work. She is a hard worker who is determined to please the client, a quality she must of learned on the farm. She is able to bond and build professional relationships with male clients and coworkers, along with females. Women are capable of taking the highest level jobs.
One of the biggest controversies over the years is feminism and the problems with sexism. One can trace the role of women back to ancient times and can see how their importance has evolved. Women used to have little rights and were responsible for raising children and taking care of the home. Now, women are capable of doing whatever they want, especially succeeding at the highest level in the work place.
Now, this article talks about how women face problems when it comes to rising to the top. They can struggle with building important working relationships and may be treated differently. However, I believe that women are not blocked out of the highest jobs. Women are extremely capable of overcoming whatever obstacles they may face. The article said that some men find women to be more aggressive and view them as competition. This statement is not just for women, when it comes to rising in a company everyone is competition.
I do not believe that women are at a disadvantage in finding higher level jobs in the work place. My mom works for an engineering firm and is a head project manager. She has climbed up the ranks over the years through her work. She is a hard worker who is determined to please the client, a quality she must of learned on the farm. She is able to bond and build professional relationships with male clients and coworkers, along with females. Women are capable of taking the highest level jobs.
Kimko de Freytas - Tamura's "For Ethiopia’s Underemployed Youth, Life Can Center on a Leaf" caught my eye this week because it deals with youth and drugs. In my opinion, that is a terrible combination because young people should be focusing on the bright future ahead of them and not about getting high. Ethiopia has had an increase in the production of khat which is a chewable leaf that gives you a high. This leaf can also cause delusions, violence, depression, or even suicidal depression. Over half of Ethiopia's youth population is believed to chew khat.
“That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.”
With these poetic words, Neil Armstrong galvanized the 600 million people worldwide who were huddled in front of their TV’s, watching the eloquent astronaut bound cautiously on an alien surface.
Nearly fifty years later, the article “The Loyal Engineers Steering NASA’s Voyager Probes Across the Universe” strives to shine light on an entirely different species: the ever-present engineers who propelled people like Armstrong, literally and figuratively, to glory.
Despite the lack of human cargo for these specific engineers, they made the Voyagers their babies, so to speak, and kept the needy probes humming and happy. The machines threw tantrums; as the article says, “In 1998, Voyager 2 reacted to a command by going silent.” Engineers threw everything they could at the vehicle for “64 hours straight” until it finally responded, to much-needed sighs of relief.
What struck me most in the article was the impact that the projects had on the engineers' personal lives. The article notes, “At the mission’s outset, the flight-team members were mischievous kids,” but “by 1990, they were older…had experienced the deaths of colleagues and watched others’ marriages falter as a result of long hours at the lab.” While it was a relatively minor detail, I realized that the faceless, nameless geniuses who we expect to churn out rockets have their personal struggles, those that will never be plastered on a NASA poster.
With these poetic words, Neil Armstrong galvanized the 600 million people worldwide who were huddled in front of their TV’s, watching the eloquent astronaut bound cautiously on an alien surface.
Nearly fifty years later, the article “The Loyal Engineers Steering NASA’s Voyager Probes Across the Universe” strives to shine light on an entirely different species: the ever-present engineers who propelled people like Armstrong, literally and figuratively, to glory.
Despite the lack of human cargo for these specific engineers, they made the Voyagers their babies, so to speak, and kept the needy probes humming and happy. The machines threw tantrums; as the article says, “In 1998, Voyager 2 reacted to a command by going silent.” Engineers threw everything they could at the vehicle for “64 hours straight” until it finally responded, to much-needed sighs of relief.
What struck me most in the article was the impact that the projects had on the engineers' personal lives. The article notes, “At the mission’s outset, the flight-team members were mischievous kids,” but “by 1990, they were older…had experienced the deaths of colleagues and watched others’ marriages falter as a result of long hours at the lab.” While it was a relatively minor detail, I realized that the faceless, nameless geniuses who we expect to churn out rockets have their personal struggles, those that will never be plastered on a NASA poster.
"Are You a Carboholic? Why Cutting Carbs Is So Tough"
By Gary Taubes
Have you ever had the urge to consume a package of cookies? Perhaps an entire box of Cheeze-Its? In his article, Taubes writes on his minority position about the controversial topic: how certain types of food influence obesity. Taubes quotes a few specialists about this topic. They state that eating carbohydrates produces insulin, which causes the body to switch over to use carbohydrates instead of fat for energy. The body then becomes hungry for more carbohydrates. Thus, eating a bit of food containing carbohydrates will lead you into the cycle of, "I'll just have one more chip." Taubes compares craving carbohydrates to an addiction. Distancing yourself from carb-containing foods will decrease the chance of you eating them. This is why he has chosen to partake in a carb-restricted diet. I found this interesting, for I have never believed obesity to be a question of someone's character. We all get those carb-cravings. Instead, I view obesity as a part of a person's lifestyle: the habits the partake in and the environment they live in.
By Gary Taubes
Have you ever had the urge to consume a package of cookies? Perhaps an entire box of Cheeze-Its? In his article, Taubes writes on his minority position about the controversial topic: how certain types of food influence obesity. Taubes quotes a few specialists about this topic. They state that eating carbohydrates produces insulin, which causes the body to switch over to use carbohydrates instead of fat for energy. The body then becomes hungry for more carbohydrates. Thus, eating a bit of food containing carbohydrates will lead you into the cycle of, "I'll just have one more chip." Taubes compares craving carbohydrates to an addiction. Distancing yourself from carb-containing foods will decrease the chance of you eating them. This is why he has chosen to partake in a carb-restricted diet. I found this interesting, for I have never believed obesity to be a question of someone's character. We all get those carb-cravings. Instead, I view obesity as a part of a person's lifestyle: the habits the partake in and the environment they live in.
What We Finally Got Around to Learning at the Procrastination Research Conference
When I saw the title of this article, I just about started laughing. I have heard of conferences and conventions for all sorts of things ranging from beauty to different types of food, but I never thought that there would be a convention for studying procrastination. I didn't even know that psychologists around the world studying procrastinators quite seriously. At this convention, tons of people who study procrastination come together to share their findings. I was curious to read about some of their findings, as I once in a while procrastinate on various things, whether it is schoolwork or chores. One thing that I learned is that 20% of the population are true procrastinators and these people struggle with what is called "chronic procrastination". I had no clue that procrastination is considered to be a physiological disease. Another thing that I learned is that procrastinator populations are quite widespread, most countries across the world have the same percentage chronic procrastinators: 20%. Finally, I learned that the best way for a chronic procrastinator to try and fix their bad habits is to work with a professional and that procrastination can be solved by learning to manage emotions and thoughts.
When I saw the title of this article, I just about started laughing. I have heard of conferences and conventions for all sorts of things ranging from beauty to different types of food, but I never thought that there would be a convention for studying procrastination. I didn't even know that psychologists around the world studying procrastinators quite seriously. At this convention, tons of people who study procrastination come together to share their findings. I was curious to read about some of their findings, as I once in a while procrastinate on various things, whether it is schoolwork or chores. One thing that I learned is that 20% of the population are true procrastinators and these people struggle with what is called "chronic procrastination". I had no clue that procrastination is considered to be a physiological disease. Another thing that I learned is that procrastinator populations are quite widespread, most countries across the world have the same percentage chronic procrastinators: 20%. Finally, I learned that the best way for a chronic procrastinator to try and fix their bad habits is to work with a professional and that procrastination can be solved by learning to manage emotions and thoughts.
https://nyti.ms/2hrcJxH
The most interesting thing that I read on the New York Times this week was an article titled, "China's Internet Censors Play a Tougher Game of Cat and Mouse". For me, this article seemed to contain a little paradox, because the very tool that I'm using to publish this response, is one of the biggest focuses of the Chinese governments. This article captured the patterns of how Internet censorship has been dealt previously, and how citizens have been trying to get around it. Personally, this article made me think about how sometimes, our greatest blessings can be our greatest struggle. While the Internet does provide instant access to information (true AND false), grocery shopping, and ease-of-access to many of life's necessities, it also aids in the worst of the worst - child pornography, terrorist communication, you get the idea. From my perspective, the Chinese government has fair reason to desire to censor the Internet from their citizens. It can be overwhelmingly hard to discern fact from fiction on the Internet, and can distract, confuse, and persuade people. However, I believe that simple because of the way that technology is progressing, the government has to leave it up to the people to decide what to do with the great burden of the Internet. Whether or not that will happen, let us see.
The most interesting thing that I read on the New York Times this week was an article titled, "China's Internet Censors Play a Tougher Game of Cat and Mouse". For me, this article seemed to contain a little paradox, because the very tool that I'm using to publish this response, is one of the biggest focuses of the Chinese governments. This article captured the patterns of how Internet censorship has been dealt previously, and how citizens have been trying to get around it. Personally, this article made me think about how sometimes, our greatest blessings can be our greatest struggle. While the Internet does provide instant access to information (true AND false), grocery shopping, and ease-of-access to many of life's necessities, it also aids in the worst of the worst - child pornography, terrorist communication, you get the idea. From my perspective, the Chinese government has fair reason to desire to censor the Internet from their citizens. It can be overwhelmingly hard to discern fact from fiction on the Internet, and can distract, confuse, and persuade people. However, I believe that simple because of the way that technology is progressing, the government has to leave it up to the people to decide what to do with the great burden of the Internet. Whether or not that will happen, let us see.
What Happens When Reality Enters the ‘Reality’ of ‘The Bachelorette’?
By Amanda Hess
Every time I sit down with my boyfriend and turn on “Keeping Up With the Kardashians,” he never fails to remind me that what I see on screen is not “real” and the motive behind the show is to get ratings. Although I know this to be in some ways true, I still continue to be up for the new episode that comes out every Sunday.
Whether I’m watching “KUWTK” or “The Bachelorette,” I never fail to realize that even though a lot of what happens on screen is because the guy paying for everything told the “reality” stars what to do, under all of the lip kits and roses I am able to see how much pressure these people are under to be someone they're not.
I think it is so sad to see what could be a really great relationship, possibly going downhill for the worst all because the whole point of the show is for someone to pop the question to Rachel just eight weeks after knowing her. What about a spin off of this show to allow their relationship to grow more while the next season of “The Bachelor” begins? Even followers of Kylie Jenner were told that she did not attend her high school prom with her friends because she was “home-schooled” even though her short, emotion-filled answers would tell us otherwise.
Although some may say it is easy to know Kylie crashed her $320,000 Ferrari from Tyga for her 18th birthday was all for ratings, the reality is always there, you may just have to overlook the ‘I do.’
By Amanda Hess
Every time I sit down with my boyfriend and turn on “Keeping Up With the Kardashians,” he never fails to remind me that what I see on screen is not “real” and the motive behind the show is to get ratings. Although I know this to be in some ways true, I still continue to be up for the new episode that comes out every Sunday.
Whether I’m watching “KUWTK” or “The Bachelorette,” I never fail to realize that even though a lot of what happens on screen is because the guy paying for everything told the “reality” stars what to do, under all of the lip kits and roses I am able to see how much pressure these people are under to be someone they're not.
I think it is so sad to see what could be a really great relationship, possibly going downhill for the worst all because the whole point of the show is for someone to pop the question to Rachel just eight weeks after knowing her. What about a spin off of this show to allow their relationship to grow more while the next season of “The Bachelor” begins? Even followers of Kylie Jenner were told that she did not attend her high school prom with her friends because she was “home-schooled” even though her short, emotion-filled answers would tell us otherwise.
Although some may say it is easy to know Kylie crashed her $320,000 Ferrari from Tyga for her 18th birthday was all for ratings, the reality is always there, you may just have to overlook the ‘I do.’
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/03/education/edlife/students-development...
As someone who has experiences with special needs children, I often hear stories about parents' worries for their children future. Unlike normal children, special need children will need to depend on someone even when they become adult. Most of the parents expect that their siblings will take care of them; however, for some parents they only have one child. For those parents, they are worried about how their kids will survive on their own. In our country, there are very few vocational training schools and organizations for the special needs. Therefore, for some parents with financial issues, they lost hope for their kids future. Most parents in our country hope that there will be vocational programs so that their kids can become excellent in their own interest field. Just like the articles mentioned, training programs are more effective then sending the children to college. In those programs, the children should be train for daily life activities so that they can depend on their own. Some examples would be : brushing teeth, eating alone, changing own clothes and more on. Parents also hope that governments can give some special benefits to special needs.
As someone who has experiences with special needs children, I often hear stories about parents' worries for their children future. Unlike normal children, special need children will need to depend on someone even when they become adult. Most of the parents expect that their siblings will take care of them; however, for some parents they only have one child. For those parents, they are worried about how their kids will survive on their own. In our country, there are very few vocational training schools and organizations for the special needs. Therefore, for some parents with financial issues, they lost hope for their kids future. Most parents in our country hope that there will be vocational programs so that their kids can become excellent in their own interest field. Just like the articles mentioned, training programs are more effective then sending the children to college. In those programs, the children should be train for daily life activities so that they can depend on their own. Some examples would be : brushing teeth, eating alone, changing own clothes and more on. Parents also hope that governments can give some special benefits to special needs.
"Michel Phelps 'Raced' a Shark. Kind Of. Not Rally"
Seeing this half-hearted attempt at a click-bait title immediately intrigued me. How did Michael Phelps not race a shark? Was it a virtual shark? Did he and the shark both agree to the race, but the shark decided to it would rather eat Mr. Phelps instead? Fortunately, this article answered this question for me, and the answer was as underwhelming as the actual race. It turns out that Phelps actually did race a digital shark, and the times were compared. The rational part of my mind knew that Michael Phelps wasn't actually going to race a shark, but I was disappointed nonetheless. The point of this whole race was apparently to "get people excited about sharks," as a spokesperson from the Discovery Channel so eloquently put it, but in my opinion, there are better ways to get people excited about sharks rather than hyping up an Olympic swimmer racing a CGI-shark on Discovery channel. People were definitely more interested in Michael Phelps over the virtual shark. Perhaps it would have been better to promote programs that have to with real sharks rather than fake ones.
Seeing this half-hearted attempt at a click-bait title immediately intrigued me. How did Michael Phelps not race a shark? Was it a virtual shark? Did he and the shark both agree to the race, but the shark decided to it would rather eat Mr. Phelps instead? Fortunately, this article answered this question for me, and the answer was as underwhelming as the actual race. It turns out that Phelps actually did race a digital shark, and the times were compared. The rational part of my mind knew that Michael Phelps wasn't actually going to race a shark, but I was disappointed nonetheless. The point of this whole race was apparently to "get people excited about sharks," as a spokesperson from the Discovery Channel so eloquently put it, but in my opinion, there are better ways to get people excited about sharks rather than hyping up an Olympic swimmer racing a CGI-shark on Discovery channel. People were definitely more interested in Michael Phelps over the virtual shark. Perhaps it would have been better to promote programs that have to with real sharks rather than fake ones.
"Michelle Carter Gets 15-Month Jail Term in Texting Suicide Case" Katharine Q. Seelye
Suicide. We all think about it at least once in our lifetimes, some more than others. But the fact of of the matter is that when planned out and done, it will affect the people around that person’s life. An unsaid obligation, USUALLY, is that if you know someone contemplating suicide, you would stop them. However, there are cases like these that make me question my moral compass, and as should you. There is one thing to not do anything when someone wants to take their life, but there is another to persuade them to do so. There is no good intention in this Michelle Carter’s case, as the evidence points to selfish reasoning. However, in the court of law, I find it justifiable for the sentence she is given since what she did was not illegal. It’s like a child telling you that they stole your money because their friend told them to. Obviously, there is a wrongdoing coming from both assailants, but the friend did not force the child to steal, simply persuading. Overall the suicide of Conrad Roy is tragic, as with any suicide, but in the court of law Carter should not be found guilty.
Suicide. We all think about it at least once in our lifetimes, some more than others. But the fact of of the matter is that when planned out and done, it will affect the people around that person’s life. An unsaid obligation, USUALLY, is that if you know someone contemplating suicide, you would stop them. However, there are cases like these that make me question my moral compass, and as should you. There is one thing to not do anything when someone wants to take their life, but there is another to persuade them to do so. There is no good intention in this Michelle Carter’s case, as the evidence points to selfish reasoning. However, in the court of law, I find it justifiable for the sentence she is given since what she did was not illegal. It’s like a child telling you that they stole your money because their friend told them to. Obviously, there is a wrongdoing coming from both assailants, but the friend did not force the child to steal, simply persuading. Overall the suicide of Conrad Roy is tragic, as with any suicide, but in the court of law Carter should not be found guilty.
"We're sorry, young, zealous applicant, but we have to turn you down. There is no room for you here. A 67 year old man refuses to retire because he likes the job too much."
In a letter to the editor titled "Why Would I Retire?", James Chan argues that he finds absolutely no reason to give up working as an export marketing consultant, saying that he enjoys his job and believes he is still able to continue.
This logic wouldn't work in an amusement park, let alone an actual position of employment. Just imagine me refusing to get off the rollercoaster when my turn is over, yelling that I enjoyed the ride and completely disregarding the 3-hour long line of people waiting for their own turn, because who cares about them?
That's the crux of the issue.
With all due respect, I find Mr. Chan's argument ignorant and unilateral. It only takes himself into account. HE enjoys his job. HE finds himself able. But HE has been occupying the seat for years.
Retiring is not about YOU, it's about making room for others.
In our overpopulated world, millennials are already in the vanguard of unemployment jokes and lucrative condemnation. Encumbered by the refusal to make space for them in the job market, they're put at a deadlock.
Success is contingent upon opportunity, and I hope Mr. Chan is aware that his contribution was appreciated, but it had come to an end. It's the succession of life, and we should let the rightful riders lead the auspicious futures.
In a letter to the editor titled "Why Would I Retire?", James Chan argues that he finds absolutely no reason to give up working as an export marketing consultant, saying that he enjoys his job and believes he is still able to continue.
This logic wouldn't work in an amusement park, let alone an actual position of employment. Just imagine me refusing to get off the rollercoaster when my turn is over, yelling that I enjoyed the ride and completely disregarding the 3-hour long line of people waiting for their own turn, because who cares about them?
That's the crux of the issue.
With all due respect, I find Mr. Chan's argument ignorant and unilateral. It only takes himself into account. HE enjoys his job. HE finds himself able. But HE has been occupying the seat for years.
Retiring is not about YOU, it's about making room for others.
In our overpopulated world, millennials are already in the vanguard of unemployment jokes and lucrative condemnation. Encumbered by the refusal to make space for them in the job market, they're put at a deadlock.
Success is contingent upon opportunity, and I hope Mr. Chan is aware that his contribution was appreciated, but it had come to an end. It's the succession of life, and we should let the rightful riders lead the auspicious futures.
"What We Finally Got Around to Learning at the Procrastination Research Conference" by Heather Murphy
This article really grabbed my attention because I know that I have the terrible habit of procrastinating on school assignments. I do it thinking I have all the time in the world to waste but when it comes down to the last few moments before the due date I pressure myself to get it done. I'm sure many others my age can relate to this as well. But besides my issue, I found it interesting that there is such a thing as a Procrastination Research Conference and that researchers within this group come from all over the world. The information the researchers have established is also quite fascinating. They say 20 percent of the population are true procrastinators. However, they also consider factors like severity of the responsibility and consequences of the outcome. The group also has prompts to address these factors, which I personally found useful to give me a new perspective on my procrastination. Additionally, I really liked the quote featured as the caption for the first photo of the article. This quote is “In the end time is going to kill us. The only thing that limits us is time. You can get another job or lover. But you can’t get more time,” which comes from procrastination researcher, Jean O’Callaghan from the University of Roehampton. These researchers also continue to study how procrastination affects people all over the world with still plenty to study in this field.
This article really grabbed my attention because I know that I have the terrible habit of procrastinating on school assignments. I do it thinking I have all the time in the world to waste but when it comes down to the last few moments before the due date I pressure myself to get it done. I'm sure many others my age can relate to this as well. But besides my issue, I found it interesting that there is such a thing as a Procrastination Research Conference and that researchers within this group come from all over the world. The information the researchers have established is also quite fascinating. They say 20 percent of the population are true procrastinators. However, they also consider factors like severity of the responsibility and consequences of the outcome. The group also has prompts to address these factors, which I personally found useful to give me a new perspective on my procrastination. Additionally, I really liked the quote featured as the caption for the first photo of the article. This quote is “In the end time is going to kill us. The only thing that limits us is time. You can get another job or lover. But you can’t get more time,” which comes from procrastination researcher, Jean O’Callaghan from the University of Roehampton. These researchers also continue to study how procrastination affects people all over the world with still plenty to study in this field.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/31/well/family/binge-drinking-drops-amon...®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=10&pgtype=sectionfront
It is a sad reality that substance abuse is something that every teenage with struggle with throughout high school. Not every individual directly, but every individual will have a friend, parent, or someone in their life that abuses alcohol or knows someone that does. It affects each and every one of us, and most of the time it is over looked. Parents see it but they don't want to know or have to acknowledge that it is there. Throughout this summer I have worked as a reading specialist with K-2 at risk students and countless times my students have come to summer school telling me stories about their mom stumbling in at 2 am with alcohol on her breath, or an older brother or sister having friends over to drink until ungodly hours. These children are 6 and 7 years old, some even younger, and they are already dealing with alcohol. 6 and 7 years old. Most students their age are singing their ABC's and learning what sounds which animals make at a barnyard, while the kids I work with are waiting up for their parents to come home from the bar. It is a sad reality that has plagued our society, but it is one that we need to come to terms with, and conquer.
It is a sad reality that substance abuse is something that every teenage with struggle with throughout high school. Not every individual directly, but every individual will have a friend, parent, or someone in their life that abuses alcohol or knows someone that does. It affects each and every one of us, and most of the time it is over looked. Parents see it but they don't want to know or have to acknowledge that it is there. Throughout this summer I have worked as a reading specialist with K-2 at risk students and countless times my students have come to summer school telling me stories about their mom stumbling in at 2 am with alcohol on her breath, or an older brother or sister having friends over to drink until ungodly hours. These children are 6 and 7 years old, some even younger, and they are already dealing with alcohol. 6 and 7 years old. Most students their age are singing their ABC's and learning what sounds which animals make at a barnyard, while the kids I work with are waiting up for their parents to come home from the bar. It is a sad reality that has plagued our society, but it is one that we need to come to terms with, and conquer.
"How Tech Can Ease Your Summer Travel" by Brian X. Chen
This article gives very helpful tips to use when traveling which is just what I needed to see because I am always on the go traveling for baseball. Out of all the tips that this article provided me with the one that interested me the most was the Anker PowerCore 20100 which is a portable external battery pack that can charge your smartphone a day for a week. This was the most useful tip to me because my phone is constantly on low battery from me using it all day. This was just one of many neat tricks and tips that this article provided me with.
This article gives very helpful tips to use when traveling which is just what I needed to see because I am always on the go traveling for baseball. Out of all the tips that this article provided me with the one that interested me the most was the Anker PowerCore 20100 which is a portable external battery pack that can charge your smartphone a day for a week. This was the most useful tip to me because my phone is constantly on low battery from me using it all day. This was just one of many neat tricks and tips that this article provided me with.
“What to Do With the Kids This Summer? Put `Em to Work” by Ben Sasse
For many, working in high school is an option, I do not have this privilege. After my family’s economic situation drastically changed, I needed a job to start saving for college tuition. While many parents protect their children from the harsher aspects of working, my mom encouraged me to get a job to understand the value of a dollar. As a result, this summer I work in New York City at a part time internship and a part time job in a local restaurant. The internship provides insight into what I want for the future: a calm workplace that combines individual work with collaboration. However, the restaurant job provides flexible hours and skills applicable to future jobs.
As competition among teenagers exponentially grows, parents provide assistance with everything from extracurricular activities to college decision support. Once in college, however, parents are no longer accessible for perpetual guidance. A potential solution to the overparenting issue is for teens to work jobs, such as in a local restaurant or office. High school jobs are vital opportunities for students to grow as individuals and learn crucial skills for the future. While removing the tassels from corn stalks or checking if a cow is pregnant, as discussed in the article, may seem to be the opposite of working in a restaurant or office, they are similar in their opportunities to take responsibility and recognize the value of hard work.
For many, working in high school is an option, I do not have this privilege. After my family’s economic situation drastically changed, I needed a job to start saving for college tuition. While many parents protect their children from the harsher aspects of working, my mom encouraged me to get a job to understand the value of a dollar. As a result, this summer I work in New York City at a part time internship and a part time job in a local restaurant. The internship provides insight into what I want for the future: a calm workplace that combines individual work with collaboration. However, the restaurant job provides flexible hours and skills applicable to future jobs.
As competition among teenagers exponentially grows, parents provide assistance with everything from extracurricular activities to college decision support. Once in college, however, parents are no longer accessible for perpetual guidance. A potential solution to the overparenting issue is for teens to work jobs, such as in a local restaurant or office. High school jobs are vital opportunities for students to grow as individuals and learn crucial skills for the future. While removing the tassels from corn stalks or checking if a cow is pregnant, as discussed in the article, may seem to be the opposite of working in a restaurant or office, they are similar in their opportunities to take responsibility and recognize the value of hard work.
The article that caught my attention this week was "Trump Says Transgender People Will Not Be Allowed in the Military" written by JULIE HIRSCHFELD DAVIS and HELENE COOPER. The article is about Trump announcing a ban on transgender people serving in the military which even took his people by surprise. The ban followed as an answer to the question of whether taxpayer money should pay for gender transition and hormone therapy for transgender service members. Instead of addressing the problem, he got rid of the "problem" altogether saying that American forces could not afford the “tremendous medical costs and disruption” of transgender service members. Trump says that he's an ally of the LGBTQA+ community, but based off his recent ban, can we really believe him? I think the ban is completely wrong as transgender or not, our soldiers die for our country, and we should love and support them. Trans soldiers are no different in their dedication and loyalty to their job and to America. We need to thank them, not tell them to stop protecting us. This is also a major blow to the LGBTQA+ community and this ban just makes me more skeptical that he cares for the community.
"Are You a Carboholic? Why Cutting Carbs Is So Tough"
America is currently one of major countries in the world that has sky high obesity rates. With many people eating incorrectly and exercising improperly, weight gain occurs. Weight gain is simply taking in more calories that one can use. If there is an excess of calories, insulin is released and the fat on bodies is not used. Instead, carbohydrates are used as an immediate source of energy rather than fats. If there is a deficit of calories, glucagon is released and draws out fat to burn. Being a "carboholic" is very similar to being an alcoholic. Both carboholics and alcoholics can occur due to lack of self discipline. By having the slightest intake of carbohydrates, the body releases insulin which causes an even stronger craving than before for carbs. This is why a little "slip" for someone on a low carb diet, could be disastrous. As insulin levels fall, so does the carving for carbs. By not ingesting more carbs, the body will burn fat which will cause the person to lose weight. I think that more people should be educated about the cause of weight gain and what exactly is obesity. In the long run, weight loss is all about understanding biology.
America is currently one of major countries in the world that has sky high obesity rates. With many people eating incorrectly and exercising improperly, weight gain occurs. Weight gain is simply taking in more calories that one can use. If there is an excess of calories, insulin is released and the fat on bodies is not used. Instead, carbohydrates are used as an immediate source of energy rather than fats. If there is a deficit of calories, glucagon is released and draws out fat to burn. Being a "carboholic" is very similar to being an alcoholic. Both carboholics and alcoholics can occur due to lack of self discipline. By having the slightest intake of carbohydrates, the body releases insulin which causes an even stronger craving than before for carbs. This is why a little "slip" for someone on a low carb diet, could be disastrous. As insulin levels fall, so does the carving for carbs. By not ingesting more carbs, the body will burn fat which will cause the person to lose weight. I think that more people should be educated about the cause of weight gain and what exactly is obesity. In the long run, weight loss is all about understanding biology.
HelloCS
"Michael Phelps ‘Raced’ a ‘Shark,’ Kind Of. Not Really."
Although the actual event became a huge let down, I think the Discovery Channel did the right thing and not let Phelps swim next to an actual shark. Being a person who was excited for the race, I felt kind of cheated in a way because the channel didn't deliver what was promised. Additionally, the results of the race was quite shocking in the sense that Phelps wasn't too far off from the fake shark. Lastly, I don't think the race was accurate because a shark can go up to "25 m.p.h".
Although the actual event became a huge let down, I think the Discovery Channel did the right thing and not let Phelps swim next to an actual shark. Being a person who was excited for the race, I felt kind of cheated in a way because the channel didn't deliver what was promised. Additionally, the results of the race was quite shocking in the sense that Phelps wasn't too far off from the fake shark. Lastly, I don't think the race was accurate because a shark can go up to "25 m.p.h".
Can K-pop Conquer America? - By Popcast & the New York Times
The article interested me in particular because it talks about one of my favorite boy groups, BTS (Beyond The Scene) in one of my favorite genres of music, KPop. The article continues to reference major accomplishments like BTS being the first KPop group to appear at the Billboard Music Awards. Also KCON, which is a major K-Pop convention that is held every year where Kpop groups like BTS and Monsta X interact with their American fans. This article about a foreign genre of music also reminded me of the “British Invasion” in the 1960s where the Beatles and their music from another country slowly began to gain popularity in the U.S influencing American history. Like the Beatles’ rock music and them being one of the first to use music videos are similar to how Kpop groups use their own style of music and music videos that can't be found anywhere else. At the time, the Beatles started fashion trends like the “Beatle cut” similar to the unique style of kpop idols dyeing their hair to bright and vibrant colors, igniting that fashion trend in many cultures. As a Person of Asian descent I feel that Kpop not represented enough in American history, but the rise of Kpop in order allows a great opportunity to break that trend because I think the accomplishments of Asians deserve to be recognized by future generations of Asian Americans so they can look back and be proud of the Influence of kpop in America like the Beatles.
The article interested me in particular because it talks about one of my favorite boy groups, BTS (Beyond The Scene) in one of my favorite genres of music, KPop. The article continues to reference major accomplishments like BTS being the first KPop group to appear at the Billboard Music Awards. Also KCON, which is a major K-Pop convention that is held every year where Kpop groups like BTS and Monsta X interact with their American fans. This article about a foreign genre of music also reminded me of the “British Invasion” in the 1960s where the Beatles and their music from another country slowly began to gain popularity in the U.S influencing American history. Like the Beatles’ rock music and them being one of the first to use music videos are similar to how Kpop groups use their own style of music and music videos that can't be found anywhere else. At the time, the Beatles started fashion trends like the “Beatle cut” similar to the unique style of kpop idols dyeing their hair to bright and vibrant colors, igniting that fashion trend in many cultures. As a Person of Asian descent I feel that Kpop not represented enough in American history, but the rise of Kpop in order allows a great opportunity to break that trend because I think the accomplishments of Asians deserve to be recognized by future generations of Asian Americans so they can look back and be proud of the Influence of kpop in America like the Beatles.
"What We Finally Got Around to Learning at the Procrastination Research Conference" By Heather Murphy
I found this article particularly interesting this week because as a student with loads of homework, procrastination is an issue that I experience every day. Even outside of school procrastination is present everywhere. It's hard to get motivated to do things you don't want to. Procrastination is a serious issue and should not be taken as a joke. I'm glad to know there are people researching it and making advancements with procrastination. It's good that this conference has defined procrastination and has established that there are different types of procrastination. It was interesting to see which category I fell into. Hopefully as the school year comes around I can not procrastinate as much.
I found this article particularly interesting this week because as a student with loads of homework, procrastination is an issue that I experience every day. Even outside of school procrastination is present everywhere. It's hard to get motivated to do things you don't want to. Procrastination is a serious issue and should not be taken as a joke. I'm glad to know there are people researching it and making advancements with procrastination. It's good that this conference has defined procrastination and has established that there are different types of procrastination. It was interesting to see which category I fell into. Hopefully as the school year comes around I can not procrastinate as much.
"Trump Punishes Transgeneder Patriots"
When I first saw what Trump had tweeted I wasn't really shocked. That's something I would expect him to do. We've known what Trump is capable of, how inconsiderate he can be and how sometimes when he tweets he doesn't really think about it. By banning transgender people to not be able to join the U.S Military he's disregarding one simple thing. How much we actually need people to join the military, from their own free will. Millennials aren't as eager to join the military compared to other years, and sadly I can see why. America isn't holding up to "The land of the free home of the brave". We elected a man like Trump into office expecting him to unite us dispite all the controversy that was involved during election? News flash, but you get what you paid for, and sadly transgender people along with immigrants, veterans and many more are suffering from those who voted for him. He's created and ignited hatred and racism throughout. Seperating our country instead of uniting. Causing transgender people to be seperated and not allowing some their dream to become a patriot for this country. This article experessed my opinion exactly on this topic, thats why I was very intrigued by it. To read and see my opinion is shared, having faith for this countries future.
When I first saw what Trump had tweeted I wasn't really shocked. That's something I would expect him to do. We've known what Trump is capable of, how inconsiderate he can be and how sometimes when he tweets he doesn't really think about it. By banning transgender people to not be able to join the U.S Military he's disregarding one simple thing. How much we actually need people to join the military, from their own free will. Millennials aren't as eager to join the military compared to other years, and sadly I can see why. America isn't holding up to "The land of the free home of the brave". We elected a man like Trump into office expecting him to unite us dispite all the controversy that was involved during election? News flash, but you get what you paid for, and sadly transgender people along with immigrants, veterans and many more are suffering from those who voted for him. He's created and ignited hatred and racism throughout. Seperating our country instead of uniting. Causing transgender people to be seperated and not allowing some their dream to become a patriot for this country. This article experessed my opinion exactly on this topic, thats why I was very intrigued by it. To read and see my opinion is shared, having faith for this countries future.
"Considering the Side Effects of Drugmakers’ Money-Back Guarantees"
Earlier this year, pharmaceutical executives reported to the President's administration on a new model to reduce the increasing drug prices. The goal, according to a number of drug companies, is to allow a policy in which refunds are available when a drug fails. However, as stated in the article, there are many flaws to this proposal. One concerning feature that appalled me was the history of Italy's similar drug project. Started in 2006, Italy's National Health System launched a deal with drug companies. By 2015, researchers recorded that Italy's fault concerning drug refunds was devastating. Even with this data, how will American companies manage to initiate such proposition?
First of all, drug companies aim for reducing overall health price, in turn, saving insurance corporations from spending more money. Yes, the overall premise is good, so long as refunds are kept and drug prices are stable for working products. Yet the concept is difficult to track. Hospitals complain that the cost to track the results is high, especially after purchase. In the end, there is no real benefit in terms of cost savings.
Additionally, it is a possibility that insurance companies are driving up health care costs. A way pharmaceutical companies to help make drugs cheaper is by deflating the price of products, allowing insurance companies to negotiate a lower price-- saving American health care budget for many years to come.
Earlier this year, pharmaceutical executives reported to the President's administration on a new model to reduce the increasing drug prices. The goal, according to a number of drug companies, is to allow a policy in which refunds are available when a drug fails. However, as stated in the article, there are many flaws to this proposal. One concerning feature that appalled me was the history of Italy's similar drug project. Started in 2006, Italy's National Health System launched a deal with drug companies. By 2015, researchers recorded that Italy's fault concerning drug refunds was devastating. Even with this data, how will American companies manage to initiate such proposition?
First of all, drug companies aim for reducing overall health price, in turn, saving insurance corporations from spending more money. Yes, the overall premise is good, so long as refunds are kept and drug prices are stable for working products. Yet the concept is difficult to track. Hospitals complain that the cost to track the results is high, especially after purchase. In the end, there is no real benefit in terms of cost savings.
Additionally, it is a possibility that insurance companies are driving up health care costs. A way pharmaceutical companies to help make drugs cheaper is by deflating the price of products, allowing insurance companies to negotiate a lower price-- saving American health care budget for many years to come.
"Let's Face It: North Korean Nuclear Weapons Can Hit the U.S."
As the title says... "Let's face it". There is no avoiding the threat N. Korea now poses. Whether through negotiations, force, or some other tactic, the US and other countries need to take action to relieve the threat of N. Korea. Somebody will eventually take action and we need to at least accept this mentally. I'm not suggesting you'll wake up in the morning to a mushroom cloud of a nuclear explosion. I do suggest and agree with this article that this can't be a joke anymore. This is a real issue and a real threat that could severely impact anyone. Don't live your life in fear or with anxiety because of this threat, but you are crazy if you can find the humor in it.
As the title says... "Let's face it". There is no avoiding the threat N. Korea now poses. Whether through negotiations, force, or some other tactic, the US and other countries need to take action to relieve the threat of N. Korea. Somebody will eventually take action and we need to at least accept this mentally. I'm not suggesting you'll wake up in the morning to a mushroom cloud of a nuclear explosion. I do suggest and agree with this article that this can't be a joke anymore. This is a real issue and a real threat that could severely impact anyone. Don't live your life in fear or with anxiety because of this threat, but you are crazy if you can find the humor in it.
"In an Unused Harlem Church, a Towering Work of a 'Genius'"
I found this article very interesting because it talks of the beautiful way that art manages to showcase human emotion and ideals, and to inspire viewers to work towards change within an increasingly chaotic world. The artist Julie Mehretu is currently working on a commission from the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, two colossal paintings that will hang in the atrium of the museum. Each canvas stands at 27 by 32 feet, and therefore a gigantic task for the artist. She is able to fit this project into an unoccupied neo-Gothic church, a stark contrast to her sweeping contemporary designs. Mehretu was initially nervous about her large task, which is interesting to me as we do not typically realize that even the most successful artists are sometimes not as confident of their work as we expect them to be. Mehretu uses her huge canvases to display abstracted forms to represent the social and political unrest that many are experiencing in America today. She uses loose strokes of her brush to showcase the messages she is trying to covey to the public, and takes on a new sense of freedom within her studio. This really speaks to me, because I have always loved the way that art manages to speak to people from all cultures and walks of life and to unite them through images and designs. The way that many things are moving backwards today, I think it is incredibly important for us to find a common ground, and art provides this.
I found this article very interesting because it talks of the beautiful way that art manages to showcase human emotion and ideals, and to inspire viewers to work towards change within an increasingly chaotic world. The artist Julie Mehretu is currently working on a commission from the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, two colossal paintings that will hang in the atrium of the museum. Each canvas stands at 27 by 32 feet, and therefore a gigantic task for the artist. She is able to fit this project into an unoccupied neo-Gothic church, a stark contrast to her sweeping contemporary designs. Mehretu was initially nervous about her large task, which is interesting to me as we do not typically realize that even the most successful artists are sometimes not as confident of their work as we expect them to be. Mehretu uses her huge canvases to display abstracted forms to represent the social and political unrest that many are experiencing in America today. She uses loose strokes of her brush to showcase the messages she is trying to covey to the public, and takes on a new sense of freedom within her studio. This really speaks to me, because I have always loved the way that art manages to speak to people from all cultures and walks of life and to unite them through images and designs. The way that many things are moving backwards today, I think it is incredibly important for us to find a common ground, and art provides this.
“Good News, Despite What You’ve Heard”
These days, there’s no better way to ruin a sunny and carefree Saturday morning than skimming the news headlines. Turmoil in the White House, rapes and suicides, and the constant threats of robots and terrorists litter the front covers of any newspaper.
I was slowly falling into this spiral of depression until this beautifully written article by Nicholas Kristof popped up, ironically juxtaposed next to articles stating the downfall of healthcare and the rise of maternal mortality. The first line especially caught my eye: “Cheer up: Despite the gloom, the world truly is becoming a better place.”
This article enlightened me that we need to look at the big picture. The seemingly urgent issues we grapple with are only possible because we have such a high standard of living. There are people who don’t deal with cyberattacks because they have never seen a computer; there are those that don’t have to worry about adult responsibilities because they might not even reach their eighteenth birthday. What keeps them awake at night is this question: “Will my child survive?” And the good news is that the problems that really matter are vanishing, though it might not be as publicized.
This article was a huge breath of fresh air from the exaggerated depression stories aimed to stir fear and horror into readers. Before we let ourselves get sucked into the negativity cloud looming over us, we should remember all the good news that never got reported.
These days, there’s no better way to ruin a sunny and carefree Saturday morning than skimming the news headlines. Turmoil in the White House, rapes and suicides, and the constant threats of robots and terrorists litter the front covers of any newspaper.
I was slowly falling into this spiral of depression until this beautifully written article by Nicholas Kristof popped up, ironically juxtaposed next to articles stating the downfall of healthcare and the rise of maternal mortality. The first line especially caught my eye: “Cheer up: Despite the gloom, the world truly is becoming a better place.”
This article enlightened me that we need to look at the big picture. The seemingly urgent issues we grapple with are only possible because we have such a high standard of living. There are people who don’t deal with cyberattacks because they have never seen a computer; there are those that don’t have to worry about adult responsibilities because they might not even reach their eighteenth birthday. What keeps them awake at night is this question: “Will my child survive?” And the good news is that the problems that really matter are vanishing, though it might not be as publicized.
This article was a huge breath of fresh air from the exaggerated depression stories aimed to stir fear and horror into readers. Before we let ourselves get sucked into the negativity cloud looming over us, we should remember all the good news that never got reported.
“A First Step, Finally, to Fix Subways”
By The Editorial Board
This article reminds me of my freshman year in highschool. More importantly it informs me about the situation of an issue that had always upset me, the conditions of the subway. Only about a year ago I attended high school in the city. Although it was just for 9th grade, I clearly remember my travel experiences by subway; they weren’t so pleasant. At the time I lived in Queens and it took me over an hour to get to my school in upper Manhattan. Since there’s no direct train connecting these two, I took two trains, and being a student who never rode a train alone before, the conditions of the subway didn’t make life any better. Eventually I got used to problems like delays, breakdowns, and how dirty everything was down there. My biggest problem with the subway has always been delays, causing me to get to school late over 25 times in 9th grade. This large number of latenesses is one of the reasons why I moved after that year. To make the subway more punctual, we can make it run like the LIRR. Currently the trains come at whatever time they want. Along with delays, the subway has many other issues. For example, cleanliness and security, which Mr. Lhota thankfully does address. Also we could use methods like the London Tube, in which the fare corresponds to the distance travelled, increasing revenue. It makes me very happy and excited to see that now people, like Mr. Lhota, are actually trying to fix subway problems.
By The Editorial Board
This article reminds me of my freshman year in highschool. More importantly it informs me about the situation of an issue that had always upset me, the conditions of the subway. Only about a year ago I attended high school in the city. Although it was just for 9th grade, I clearly remember my travel experiences by subway; they weren’t so pleasant. At the time I lived in Queens and it took me over an hour to get to my school in upper Manhattan. Since there’s no direct train connecting these two, I took two trains, and being a student who never rode a train alone before, the conditions of the subway didn’t make life any better. Eventually I got used to problems like delays, breakdowns, and how dirty everything was down there. My biggest problem with the subway has always been delays, causing me to get to school late over 25 times in 9th grade. This large number of latenesses is one of the reasons why I moved after that year. To make the subway more punctual, we can make it run like the LIRR. Currently the trains come at whatever time they want. Along with delays, the subway has many other issues. For example, cleanliness and security, which Mr. Lhota thankfully does address. Also we could use methods like the London Tube, in which the fare corresponds to the distance travelled, increasing revenue. It makes me very happy and excited to see that now people, like Mr. Lhota, are actually trying to fix subway problems.
11 NFL Brains. All but One Had CTE
By Joe Ward, Josh Williams, and Sam Manchester
I found this article about chronic traumatic encephalopathy, also known simply as C.T.E, to be the most interesting article I read in the times this week. I found this article interesting because of how blatantly the evidence appears to show a link between C.T.E and football. Although there are variables that inevitably affect the data, it is still clear that there is a higher rate of C.T.E in football players as opposed to members of the general, non-football playing public. I found this interesting because of how widely debated safety regulations and modifications to football are. Many disagree about the danger of the sport. However, there appears to be evidence that so clearly states the fact that it can be harmful.
By Joe Ward, Josh Williams, and Sam Manchester
I found this article about chronic traumatic encephalopathy, also known simply as C.T.E, to be the most interesting article I read in the times this week. I found this article interesting because of how blatantly the evidence appears to show a link between C.T.E and football. Although there are variables that inevitably affect the data, it is still clear that there is a higher rate of C.T.E in football players as opposed to members of the general, non-football playing public. I found this interesting because of how widely debated safety regulations and modifications to football are. Many disagree about the danger of the sport. However, there appears to be evidence that so clearly states the fact that it can be harmful.
Under Trump's reign, it seems as if every problem plaguing the nation except the most dire and longstanding of them are now being reviewed. As discussed in the article "A Microscope on Harvard, but a Shrug at Injustice on the Street", the supposed discriminatory nature of Affirmative action is one that Trump and his cabinet are determined to investigate. But what I fail to understand is why such a system, one of a complex ethical and societal background, is coming to light in spite of the many overarching problems facing our nation currently. Affirmative action was created to benefit the underrepresented, not as a tool to give unfair advantages, and is working positively to create diverse environments and open doors to many. While yes, it may be taken advantage of somewhere, overall, that is not and cannot be the case in a country still affected by centuries old systematic disadvantages to minorities. So the question is posed, why are our nation's leaders choosing to nitpick at a relatively moderate system for equality rather than focus on the stark and tangible injustices facing many in the US today? To list a few, thousands of people are affected by obesity and malnutrition in "food deserts", there is a stark lack of quality education for inner-city children, and black people are still being stopped at a rate disproportionate to whites. So until we can address even just these few harmful American plights, we should leave the debate on Affirmative Action for the future.
Public transit is often a nightmare for everyone involved, from the ever-rising transit fees to constant maintenance. In the editorial “Helping the Poor Get Through the Turnstiles,” the Editorial Board attempts to persuade their audience that in order to reduce the cases of fare-beating, New York City and New York together need to subsidize—or partially pay for—transit fees of the poor and relax current, overbearing penalties, instead of dragging the offenders through court for a rather trivial offense which often results in a criminal record. Through the clever use of undeniable statistics, studies, reports, and comparison of similar approaches in other jurisdictions, the Editorial Board supports their claim and draws in their audience with the main, sensible arguments that low-income families fare-beat because they have to unfairly choose between necessities or transportation and current punishments for fare-beating unfairly punish the poor and minorities. Additionally,the Editorial Board also uses the strategy of providing the benefits of this change, such as taking pressure off of the overburdened court system and preventing otherwise law-abiding citizens from receiving a criminal record, in order to further convince their audience. The Editorial Board, which writes for an audience that includes New Yorkers and includes commuters, effectively pitch to their audience through reality and benefits. Clearly, an effective argument is produced by the author within this article.
"Neymar Move to P.S.G. From Barcelona Could Be Complete This Week"
This article was about one of the biggest transfer moves in sports history. This article interested me because I am a fan of the player and the sport in general. In the article they talk about how for PSG to acquire Neymar the transfer it will cost them 263 million dollars. Neymar is set to make about 30 million euros a year. Neymar then told his club FC Barcelona on Tuesday that he will be leaving.
Neymar's teammate Messi posted a heart filled message on Instagram telling Neymar good luck on the next stage of his life. Neymar comments thank you and that he will miss him. This shows that their is no hard feelings between the two. Messi, Neymar, and Suarez also known as MSN will go down as one of the best trios in the history of soccer. These three have won multiple trophies together and scored many goals and it's sad to see them separate. Neymar felt that he was in the shadow of Messi and that he can accomplish more without him. It's sad to see him leave but now we can see what Neymar will do with him being the star.
This article was about one of the biggest transfer moves in sports history. This article interested me because I am a fan of the player and the sport in general. In the article they talk about how for PSG to acquire Neymar the transfer it will cost them 263 million dollars. Neymar is set to make about 30 million euros a year. Neymar then told his club FC Barcelona on Tuesday that he will be leaving.
Neymar's teammate Messi posted a heart filled message on Instagram telling Neymar good luck on the next stage of his life. Neymar comments thank you and that he will miss him. This shows that their is no hard feelings between the two. Messi, Neymar, and Suarez also known as MSN will go down as one of the best trios in the history of soccer. These three have won multiple trophies together and scored many goals and it's sad to see them separate. Neymar felt that he was in the shadow of Messi and that he can accomplish more without him. It's sad to see him leave but now we can see what Neymar will do with him being the star.
"Michael Phelps ‘Raced’ a ‘Shark,’ Kind Of. Not Really."
by Victor Mather
If you have any kind of social media account or even just watch TV then you'd know of the famous shark race with the worlds greatest swimmer. Discovery Channel yearly hosts Shark Week, a week in which shark related specials are shown, but no one expected the highlight for this year. Michael Phelps was allegedly supposed to race a great white shark and like anyone hearing this you'd think he'd be racing an actual shark, but alas our excitement misguided us.
When those who tuned in with anticipation as they were about to watch something never done before, they were sadly disappointed as there was no real shark, just a simulation of one. The fake shark was programmed to be going at an actual sharks speed, scientist recorded a sharks speed with a seal. Humans are a lot slower in the water, especially compared to a shark. The whole point of the show was to excite people about sharks and that no danger was to come to Michael, who lost by two seconds.
by Victor Mather
If you have any kind of social media account or even just watch TV then you'd know of the famous shark race with the worlds greatest swimmer. Discovery Channel yearly hosts Shark Week, a week in which shark related specials are shown, but no one expected the highlight for this year. Michael Phelps was allegedly supposed to race a great white shark and like anyone hearing this you'd think he'd be racing an actual shark, but alas our excitement misguided us.
When those who tuned in with anticipation as they were about to watch something never done before, they were sadly disappointed as there was no real shark, just a simulation of one. The fake shark was programmed to be going at an actual sharks speed, scientist recorded a sharks speed with a seal. Humans are a lot slower in the water, especially compared to a shark. The whole point of the show was to excite people about sharks and that no danger was to come to Michael, who lost by two seconds.
111 N.F.L. Brains. All But One Had C.T.E.
Broken limbs, concussions, skull fractures, anything can happen on that field with 20 plus men ramming into each other constantly. One thing I had never heard was the affects on players where they are hurt, but are not "injured." Seeing this article fascinated me from both the angle of an athlete and of a student. What specifically drew my attention to commenting on such an article was Dr. McKee's findings on the death rates of players. One example was Tyler Sash who was unfortunately found dead of an accidental overdose of pain medications on Sept. 8, 2015. He was 27. Sash had played safety for the Giants on their 2011 Super Bowl team after playing the position in college at Iowa. The Giants released him in 2013 after he sustained what was believed to be his fifth concussion. His CT was requested by family as he had been showing signs of confusion, memory loss and fits of anger. Dr. McKee says “Even though he was only 27, he played 16 years of football, and we’re finding over and over that it’s the duration of exposure to football that gives you a high risk for C.T.E..” It was amazing to me how although such injury's had occurred years before, symptoms of suck problems show much later in a players life. It makes an athlete wonder just how many injury's I could sustain until later down the road, I start to see all of the damage I have done to my body and mind because of sports.
Broken limbs, concussions, skull fractures, anything can happen on that field with 20 plus men ramming into each other constantly. One thing I had never heard was the affects on players where they are hurt, but are not "injured." Seeing this article fascinated me from both the angle of an athlete and of a student. What specifically drew my attention to commenting on such an article was Dr. McKee's findings on the death rates of players. One example was Tyler Sash who was unfortunately found dead of an accidental overdose of pain medications on Sept. 8, 2015. He was 27. Sash had played safety for the Giants on their 2011 Super Bowl team after playing the position in college at Iowa. The Giants released him in 2013 after he sustained what was believed to be his fifth concussion. His CT was requested by family as he had been showing signs of confusion, memory loss and fits of anger. Dr. McKee says “Even though he was only 27, he played 16 years of football, and we’re finding over and over that it’s the duration of exposure to football that gives you a high risk for C.T.E..” It was amazing to me how although such injury's had occurred years before, symptoms of suck problems show much later in a players life. It makes an athlete wonder just how many injury's I could sustain until later down the road, I start to see all of the damage I have done to my body and mind because of sports.
"Why Women Aren't C.E.O.s, According to Women Who Almost Were" by Susan Chira.
Like many Americans, I was stunned and, honestly, angered by the outcome of our most recent election. Hillary Clinton, to me, became emblematic of the struggle women face when climbing the ladder of success: although they may be qualified, dignified, and intelligent, the job often goes to a man who lacks some or all of these qualities. Seeing this play out in November confused and disheartened me, and I found myself seeking answers to questions that could not be reasonably explained. The sad truth is that sexism pervades our society, from the political sphere to the corporate one.
Some brave women shared their own stories of this sexism in their workplaces. The most heartbreaking aspect of these women’s stories is that they are not unfamiliar. Being raised in a culture where women are consistently passed over for positions of power solely because of their gender, while simultaneously being told that feminism is unnecessary, is incredibly frustrating. However, while these stories were undoubtedly extremely sad, they were also surprisingly inspirational. Although these women were unable to shatter that infamous glass ceiling, the idea that other women will someday is empowering. If the young women of today continue to fight misogyny in the workplace, one day that glass ceiling might just shatter.
Like many Americans, I was stunned and, honestly, angered by the outcome of our most recent election. Hillary Clinton, to me, became emblematic of the struggle women face when climbing the ladder of success: although they may be qualified, dignified, and intelligent, the job often goes to a man who lacks some or all of these qualities. Seeing this play out in November confused and disheartened me, and I found myself seeking answers to questions that could not be reasonably explained. The sad truth is that sexism pervades our society, from the political sphere to the corporate one.
Some brave women shared their own stories of this sexism in their workplaces. The most heartbreaking aspect of these women’s stories is that they are not unfamiliar. Being raised in a culture where women are consistently passed over for positions of power solely because of their gender, while simultaneously being told that feminism is unnecessary, is incredibly frustrating. However, while these stories were undoubtedly extremely sad, they were also surprisingly inspirational. Although these women were unable to shatter that infamous glass ceiling, the idea that other women will someday is empowering. If the young women of today continue to fight misogyny in the workplace, one day that glass ceiling might just shatter.
“Michelle Carter Gets 15-Month Jail Term in Texting Suicide Case; by Katharine Q Seelye” Michelle Carter who was 17 the time was found guilty for involuntary manslaughter for encouraging her boyfriend to commit suicide over calls and texts. Now, at the age of 20 she is facing up to 2 ½ years in prison along with probation. Conrad Roy was just 18 years old when he committed suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning. He was very depressed, and in his most vulnerable state Michelle encouraged suicide. Over tex,t she constantly told him that suicide was the only option. The reason I chose this article is because this generation needs to see the extent of social media and the seriousness of suicide. This generation is all about social media and this horrific story shows how social media and the things that are said can literally affect somebody’s life and the choice between life and death. Suicide is an extremely important topic because sadly it happens way too often and you may not know it but the things you say on social media could affect somebody way worse than you anticipated. Words can literally and figuratively kill someone, the one major lesson the audience should take away is what you put/say on social media. Think about how it is going to affect somebody because even though you don’t necessarily mean it, you could end up in Michelle Carter’s position. If somebody you know is suicidal or depressed find help right away because you could save a life.
Women are always seen as passive aggressive human beings in everyone's eyes, even them. They can't even get one job done without complaining or getting emotional. Well it's true, sort of. Women can be emotional, passive aggressive, but they can be very assertive and demanding, sometimes more than men. That is why men can't let women in this world be CEOs of companies or leaders. The article, ‘Why Women Aren't C.E.Os, According to Women Who Almost Were’ by Susan Chira explains how females are viewed in the top work field.
After the election and the loss of Hillary Clinton for president, females are tough to go against a top spot for a job. They've shown their confidence, assertiveness and ambition to become a leader. In the article, it is mentioned that Jan Fields, a female that have worked her way up to be president of McDonald’s company, the number 2 position. She tried to make bold changes in her point of view but in the men’s it was different. They probably thought she was competition and got scared. The profits dropped and Fields was fired in 2012.
This whole topic leads back to stereotypes that are untrue or incomplete. Men should be the top whiles women should be the bottom because of their “emotional ways and weakness”. Not all women can be like that and not all men are top alpha. It's really based on the person themselves. “The men along the way, they were extremely jealous and competitive.” - Jan Fields
After the election and the loss of Hillary Clinton for president, females are tough to go against a top spot for a job. They've shown their confidence, assertiveness and ambition to become a leader. In the article, it is mentioned that Jan Fields, a female that have worked her way up to be president of McDonald’s company, the number 2 position. She tried to make bold changes in her point of view but in the men’s it was different. They probably thought she was competition and got scared. The profits dropped and Fields was fired in 2012.
This whole topic leads back to stereotypes that are untrue or incomplete. Men should be the top whiles women should be the bottom because of their “emotional ways and weakness”. Not all women can be like that and not all men are top alpha. It's really based on the person themselves. “The men along the way, they were extremely jealous and competitive.” - Jan Fields
"Is This Dog Dangerous? Shelters Struggle With Live-or-Die Tests"
With over thousands of dogs entering shelters annually, the space for them can become limited rather quickly. Shelter workers have debated for years on the best way to evaluate the animals, as overcrowding is a serious problem with euthanasia the grim solution. For some 20 years, shelters have performed an exercise known as the "food test," that supposedly tests a dog's aggression. Here's how it works: The dog is given a bowl of food to eat, as it does, a plastic hand attached to a pole is put into the bowl. The fake hand tugs away the food, and if the dog reacts aggressively biting, or guarding the bowl, the result could be deathly. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 670,000 dogs are put to death each year, mostly based upon behavior evaluations. But is a test really valid enough to decide if a dog gets to live or die? Researchers today are straying away from exercises like the food test, concluding "they are unreliable predictors of whether a dog will be aggressive in a home." I may not be a researcher, but I agree.
Considering I am a dog lover, it was easy for me to be interested in this article; but, there was no cute photograph of a puppy that drew me in. "Live-or-Die Tests": Those are the words repeating in my head. After all the stress these innocent creatures have endured, then giving them an invalid test that determines their life? Are you asking for failure?
With over thousands of dogs entering shelters annually, the space for them can become limited rather quickly. Shelter workers have debated for years on the best way to evaluate the animals, as overcrowding is a serious problem with euthanasia the grim solution. For some 20 years, shelters have performed an exercise known as the "food test," that supposedly tests a dog's aggression. Here's how it works: The dog is given a bowl of food to eat, as it does, a plastic hand attached to a pole is put into the bowl. The fake hand tugs away the food, and if the dog reacts aggressively biting, or guarding the bowl, the result could be deathly. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 670,000 dogs are put to death each year, mostly based upon behavior evaluations. But is a test really valid enough to decide if a dog gets to live or die? Researchers today are straying away from exercises like the food test, concluding "they are unreliable predictors of whether a dog will be aggressive in a home." I may not be a researcher, but I agree.
Considering I am a dog lover, it was easy for me to be interested in this article; but, there was no cute photograph of a puppy that drew me in. "Live-or-Die Tests": Those are the words repeating in my head. After all the stress these innocent creatures have endured, then giving them an invalid test that determines their life? Are you asking for failure?
"When Education is Hijacked by War"
This article makes me feel a large amount of sympathy for the people in the schools of Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Pakistan. Their children are only attempting to get educations and they get dragged into the middle of wars and get killed. This is unfair to them and their countries, as the children are only attempting to get their education. Soldiers coming in and killing children during their school day is a horrendous thought. They don’t deserve this. And this man raising awareness about all of this is great because problems like these need to be known. I love that he’s raising awareness about this, maybe now there will be something done about it.
This article makes me feel a large amount of sympathy for the people in the schools of Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Pakistan. Their children are only attempting to get educations and they get dragged into the middle of wars and get killed. This is unfair to them and their countries, as the children are only attempting to get their education. Soldiers coming in and killing children during their school day is a horrendous thought. They don’t deserve this. And this man raising awareness about all of this is great because problems like these need to be known. I love that he’s raising awareness about this, maybe now there will be something done about it.
"The Battle for Venezuela, Through a Lens, Helmet and Gas Mask"
Ripped t-shirts, carpet vest, skateboard helmets, and magazine shin guards are the only protection standing between man and the Venezuelan government. People of all ages, professions, and backgrounds have fearlessly taken to the streets to justify the lives taken by hunger and illness. Protestors are beaten and mauled, while soldiers are being ripped from their bikes and burned alive. These pictures showed real people, with real hardships and real passions. Of all the documents, I became very interested in the video of the protestor playing violin. In the midst of all the chaos, the man continued to play the melody while other protestors protected him with their home made shields. I became uneasy as I scrolled through the pictures of the foggy, damaged streets of Venezuela, but I found peace with the man and his violin.
Ripped t-shirts, carpet vest, skateboard helmets, and magazine shin guards are the only protection standing between man and the Venezuelan government. People of all ages, professions, and backgrounds have fearlessly taken to the streets to justify the lives taken by hunger and illness. Protestors are beaten and mauled, while soldiers are being ripped from their bikes and burned alive. These pictures showed real people, with real hardships and real passions. Of all the documents, I became very interested in the video of the protestor playing violin. In the midst of all the chaos, the man continued to play the melody while other protestors protected him with their home made shields. I became uneasy as I scrolled through the pictures of the foggy, damaged streets of Venezuela, but I found peace with the man and his violin.
"Parents of Ill British Infant End Effort to Prolong His Life"
Seeing this story instantly caught my attention and interest because I've been following it in the news. Although I hardly had to read the details, I followed along for the sake of the story, and am once again as enraged as when I first heard it on the news. It is despicable that judges and scientists got to decide the value of a little boy's life. They may have been the appointed professionals, but they wont have to go back home and grieve for the rest of their lives. Just so, they were at most convinced to let a doctor come to England to examine Charlie Gard, but had they not been there in the first place, the treatment suggested may just have saved Charlie. What makes me so mad is that this panel wasn't even basing their decision on the usage of available funds, because Charlie's parents were capable of making payments for treatment on their own. Instead they refused to let the parents attempt to save their own beloved child, all in the name of Bureaucracy. Then just to top it off, the government wouldn't even let the poor boy go home to die in peace, instead he died in a cold hospital bed, when he could have passed in his parents arms. I try to be open minded about most things, but not a soul on earth would be able to change my mind on the case, or temper my rage at all those responsible for the murder of Charlie Gard.
Seeing this story instantly caught my attention and interest because I've been following it in the news. Although I hardly had to read the details, I followed along for the sake of the story, and am once again as enraged as when I first heard it on the news. It is despicable that judges and scientists got to decide the value of a little boy's life. They may have been the appointed professionals, but they wont have to go back home and grieve for the rest of their lives. Just so, they were at most convinced to let a doctor come to England to examine Charlie Gard, but had they not been there in the first place, the treatment suggested may just have saved Charlie. What makes me so mad is that this panel wasn't even basing their decision on the usage of available funds, because Charlie's parents were capable of making payments for treatment on their own. Instead they refused to let the parents attempt to save their own beloved child, all in the name of Bureaucracy. Then just to top it off, the government wouldn't even let the poor boy go home to die in peace, instead he died in a cold hospital bed, when he could have passed in his parents arms. I try to be open minded about most things, but not a soul on earth would be able to change my mind on the case, or temper my rage at all those responsible for the murder of Charlie Gard.
"In a Rohingya Refugee Camp, Soccer Is a Joyful Escape"
When I thought of refugee camps, I could only imagine people living in poor conditions and struggling to live through another day. However, this article seemed to show a different aspect of a refugee camp. I was surprised and intrigued that these people were still able to enjoy sports in such a condition. This refugee camp has an organised system of a soccer competition with several different refugee teams, which come from several different refugee camps in the area. Furthermore, some refugees are even equipped with soccer gear. Even though they were living in harsh conditions and were facing hardships, the refugees were able to leave their troubles aside while playing soccer. Some refugees also dream of playing in professional leagues just like their favorite soccer players. This article has shown me that refugee camps are not only a place full of trouble and pain, but also a place where refugees can often enjoy their hobbies.
When I thought of refugee camps, I could only imagine people living in poor conditions and struggling to live through another day. However, this article seemed to show a different aspect of a refugee camp. I was surprised and intrigued that these people were still able to enjoy sports in such a condition. This refugee camp has an organised system of a soccer competition with several different refugee teams, which come from several different refugee camps in the area. Furthermore, some refugees are even equipped with soccer gear. Even though they were living in harsh conditions and were facing hardships, the refugees were able to leave their troubles aside while playing soccer. Some refugees also dream of playing in professional leagues just like their favorite soccer players. This article has shown me that refugee camps are not only a place full of trouble and pain, but also a place where refugees can often enjoy their hobbies.
"What Is ‘Appropriate’ Work Dress? Readers Respond" by Vanessa Friedman
This article really captured my attention because of the topic it was addressing, as well as the fact that other people's opinions and responses were a part of it.
To me, dress codes really depend on the situation. For example, you probably shouldn't show up to a major meeting in casual attire such as shorts and flip flops. Sarah Jevo's comment was included in the article and I agree with what she opined - "Appropriate’ = put together."
Dress codes are implemented on both men and women, but in some cases, such as school dress codes, they're harsher on girls. Most schools in the USA, as well as my school in the Middle East, ban girls from wearing shorts and sleeveless shirts. This is ridiculous to me, as it gets up to 50 degrees celsius here in Kuwait during the beginning and end of the year. Not to mention, I strongly doubt that an inch of my knee or shoulder showing could possibly distract boys in any way.
It's quite entertaining to see students trying to dismantle these rules. I remember reading an article about a group of British school boys who dressed up in skirts and protested at their school because they were banned from wearing shorts during the summer.
In general, I think dress codes are taken way too seriously. So what a man didn't wear a suit to work today? If we're going to work efficiently, we should be comfortable in doing so.
This article really captured my attention because of the topic it was addressing, as well as the fact that other people's opinions and responses were a part of it.
To me, dress codes really depend on the situation. For example, you probably shouldn't show up to a major meeting in casual attire such as shorts and flip flops. Sarah Jevo's comment was included in the article and I agree with what she opined - "Appropriate’ = put together."
Dress codes are implemented on both men and women, but in some cases, such as school dress codes, they're harsher on girls. Most schools in the USA, as well as my school in the Middle East, ban girls from wearing shorts and sleeveless shirts. This is ridiculous to me, as it gets up to 50 degrees celsius here in Kuwait during the beginning and end of the year. Not to mention, I strongly doubt that an inch of my knee or shoulder showing could possibly distract boys in any way.
It's quite entertaining to see students trying to dismantle these rules. I remember reading an article about a group of British school boys who dressed up in skirts and protested at their school because they were banned from wearing shorts during the summer.
In general, I think dress codes are taken way too seriously. So what a man didn't wear a suit to work today? If we're going to work efficiently, we should be comfortable in doing so.
"What We Finally Got Around to Learning at the Procrastination Research Conference"
This article really caught my eye because I have always wondered what causes people to procrastinate. I believe everyone somehow has procrastinated in their lives and I agree with the statement that "Everyone should be informed about procrastination and we should be researching more about it" because it is very common especially in this day in age when we have more distractions. I am one of the many teenagers how have procrastinated in their school work and did almost everything at the last minute. I am not proud of this habit because it has lead to bad consequences and a lot of regret. I am very curious to know what triggers me and a lot of people to say "I'll do it tomorrow" to many things in our lives. I have learned from the article that psychologists consider procrastination a mental disease and that statistics say that only twenty percent of people are true procrastinators when they have chronic procrastination. The percentage makes a lot of sense because many people who procrastinate do not do it reoccurring they may do it every once in a while but not as often as a chronic procrastinator which is almost everyday. Now that I have learned a lot from this article I hope that in this following school year I don't procrastinate as much as I once did because it had lead to regret instantly and has held me back from goals I wanted to achieve.
This article really caught my eye because I have always wondered what causes people to procrastinate. I believe everyone somehow has procrastinated in their lives and I agree with the statement that "Everyone should be informed about procrastination and we should be researching more about it" because it is very common especially in this day in age when we have more distractions. I am one of the many teenagers how have procrastinated in their school work and did almost everything at the last minute. I am not proud of this habit because it has lead to bad consequences and a lot of regret. I am very curious to know what triggers me and a lot of people to say "I'll do it tomorrow" to many things in our lives. I have learned from the article that psychologists consider procrastination a mental disease and that statistics say that only twenty percent of people are true procrastinators when they have chronic procrastination. The percentage makes a lot of sense because many people who procrastinate do not do it reoccurring they may do it every once in a while but not as often as a chronic procrastinator which is almost everyday. Now that I have learned a lot from this article I hope that in this following school year I don't procrastinate as much as I once did because it had lead to regret instantly and has held me back from goals I wanted to achieve.
This week in the New York Times the article “On a Remote Greek Island, Learning to Take a ‘Real’ Vacation” caught my eye because of the luxurious sound of relaxing on a remote island. This article made me realize how rare a real vacation is to me ever. All of my vacations and school breaks usually involve work, essays and assigned reading. Many of my short trips this summer revolve around college tours, with only three or four hours to explore the area surrounding the campus. I don’t mean to sound ungrateful, and I am truly happy to have the chance to help myself in the future. But as school nears once again I often realize that I am not any more relaxed than how I began my break. This article made me realize that, even if I don’t go to a remote island, I should use my vacations to unwind sometimes, to pick up new hobbies, and let myself be more creative. I should use my vacations to do things that wouldn’t be labeled as ’productive’, such as photography, drawing, or hiking, things that I push to the side during school. Of course, I need to make time for productive things. However, I should make time for the things that make me happy, just like drawing made the author feel, regardless if they will help me in my future career or life, because sometimes it’s necessary to sit back, relax, and just be happy.
"Still Processing: ‘Confederate,’ ‘Detroit’ and Who Owns Stories About Blackness"
When European-Americans depict or comment on African-Americans in any form of art or media, there is a very thin line between honoring African-American history and the culture, and disrespecting the African-American community. This is because it is hard, and nearly impossible for a person outside of the African-American community to identify with, and properly portray the issue/culture without have experiencing the struggle that African-Americans face everyday. Therefore, the end product that they produce ends up being a racist, stereotypical, white-washed version of the black experience. This ends up spawning the debate on whether or not European-Americans can speak on black struggles, which Wesley Morris and Jenna Wortham talked about on their podcast, Still Processing, this week. This ended up being my favorite article in the New York times this week because it opened up an important discussion and it made me think about an issue that was not at the for front of my mind.
When European-Americans depict or comment on African-Americans in any form of art or media, there is a very thin line between honoring African-American history and the culture, and disrespecting the African-American community. This is because it is hard, and nearly impossible for a person outside of the African-American community to identify with, and properly portray the issue/culture without have experiencing the struggle that African-Americans face everyday. Therefore, the end product that they produce ends up being a racist, stereotypical, white-washed version of the black experience. This ends up spawning the debate on whether or not European-Americans can speak on black struggles, which Wesley Morris and Jenna Wortham talked about on their podcast, Still Processing, this week. This ended up being my favorite article in the New York times this week because it opened up an important discussion and it made me think about an issue that was not at the for front of my mind.
Want Teenage Boys to Read? Easy. Give Them Books About Sex.
Daniel Handler's article brings up a very good point. Teenage boys don't read as much as their female counterparts. In fact, few male teens I know read at all. I have a personal stake in this issue – until recently, I was part of the target demographic for young adult novels. However, unlike many teens, I did read. I read voraciously. But my reason wasn't the same as Handler's. It wasn't because all the books I read were about sex. In fact, almost none of them were. Like PG Wodehouse (no sex, and rarely romance) and some of the other authors Handler read as a teen, I read books because of their themes, subject matters, genres and even writing styles. Although I was, and still am, a big fan of science-fiction, I didn't feel constrained to the one genre. If the library didn't have sci-fi books that interested me, I'd find another. In short, I wasn't convinced to read by the insertion of some gimmick in every book to make me like them. And I'm not abnormal. Teenage boys like lots of things, in addition to sex. When you look at series of books that have sold well among teen boys -- Harry Potter is a great example -- they also sold well among other demographics. To attract more male teen readers, authors don't need to resort to writing just about sex. They need to write compelling works that focus on major themes such as good and evil, or acceptance. Or that are just plain funny.
Daniel Handler's article brings up a very good point. Teenage boys don't read as much as their female counterparts. In fact, few male teens I know read at all. I have a personal stake in this issue – until recently, I was part of the target demographic for young adult novels. However, unlike many teens, I did read. I read voraciously. But my reason wasn't the same as Handler's. It wasn't because all the books I read were about sex. In fact, almost none of them were. Like PG Wodehouse (no sex, and rarely romance) and some of the other authors Handler read as a teen, I read books because of their themes, subject matters, genres and even writing styles. Although I was, and still am, a big fan of science-fiction, I didn't feel constrained to the one genre. If the library didn't have sci-fi books that interested me, I'd find another. In short, I wasn't convinced to read by the insertion of some gimmick in every book to make me like them. And I'm not abnormal. Teenage boys like lots of things, in addition to sex. When you look at series of books that have sold well among teen boys -- Harry Potter is a great example -- they also sold well among other demographics. To attract more male teen readers, authors don't need to resort to writing just about sex. They need to write compelling works that focus on major themes such as good and evil, or acceptance. Or that are just plain funny.
Inmates Who Used Peanut Butter, and Guile, to Escape an Alabama Jail Are Caught.
Peanut butter. Immediately, you think of an integral part of the American family sandwich and the childhood obesity it leads to. You think of sweeping it on a toast with an absurd amount of jelly. But the slick Alabamian prison escape might have introduced a new avenue for the use of peanut butter: conning your way out of a prison.
This Sunday, some inmates in Walker County Jail in Jasper used the peanut butter from their sandwich to distort the number atop of a prison door. The change made the number resemble the ones above cell doors. When a rookie guard thought he was letting them into their cells, a dozen inmates swaggered right through the security.
Their "peanut-buttery" escape, however, didn't last very long, and all the escaped convicts were back behind the bars within 48 hours. This awe-inspiring take-down of those outlaws is quiet assuring for people like me that--despite few setbacks--our officers are truly committed to safeguarding us against these felons with unpronounceable felonies.
The story is yet another proof that people will always get more creative in deceiving others. But the equally shrewd and tireless attitude of our policemen is what we can count on to counter, most of the times.
Side note: I, for one, think that peanut butter--though appetizing--should be banned from prisons across the planet.
Peanut butter. Immediately, you think of an integral part of the American family sandwich and the childhood obesity it leads to. You think of sweeping it on a toast with an absurd amount of jelly. But the slick Alabamian prison escape might have introduced a new avenue for the use of peanut butter: conning your way out of a prison.
This Sunday, some inmates in Walker County Jail in Jasper used the peanut butter from their sandwich to distort the number atop of a prison door. The change made the number resemble the ones above cell doors. When a rookie guard thought he was letting them into their cells, a dozen inmates swaggered right through the security.
Their "peanut-buttery" escape, however, didn't last very long, and all the escaped convicts were back behind the bars within 48 hours. This awe-inspiring take-down of those outlaws is quiet assuring for people like me that--despite few setbacks--our officers are truly committed to safeguarding us against these felons with unpronounceable felonies.
The story is yet another proof that people will always get more creative in deceiving others. But the equally shrewd and tireless attitude of our policemen is what we can count on to counter, most of the times.
Side note: I, for one, think that peanut butter--though appetizing--should be banned from prisons across the planet.
The article "A New Way For Therapists To Get Inside Your Head: Virtual Reality" peaked my interest because it was centered around the theme of phycology and physiology. The article mainly goes over the newly funded experimental therapy that is used to help patients overcome they're fears and anxiety. The phycologists use virtual reality to do this to make sure the patient knows that in reality, they are in a safe environment. In one instance, a man had a traumatic experience involving a car crash so every time he revisited that site, he had an anxiety attack. The virtual reality allowed him to revisit that site from the comfort of his therapists office using assistance from google maps. In conclusion, this article really entertained me and interested me because I'm always down to learn more about new ways that technology is being used to help and evolve people.
“How the Modern World Made Cowards of Us All” by Arthur C. Brooks
When I saw the title, I defiantly clicked on the article, feeling my naiveté course through my veins. I can’t be a coward, or am I? The article defines “prudence” as originally being decisions stemming from wisdom and acuity; we can’t make brash decisions, but we also can’t be timid with choices. After reading this, I can’t believe that I’m more afraid of choices than I thought.
I admit that I’ve been in situations described in the article where I feared all the outcomes. Who hasn’t been intimidated by a crush, going for a dream job, or simply trying new food? Do I go for it or not? A study described by the article found that several thousand people were willing to allow a coin flip decide the fate of vital decisions. It shows the shared problem of fear and settling for less in our lives. For God’s sake, even I've used a coin to help me with an important decision! So how can we take back control over our choices?
Amazingly, people felt happier with heads, the affirmative decision, suggesting trepidation is the greater sin when it comes to prudence. Maybe I might answer that question in class or start my club; I might fail more than I'd like. But during a time when risks and choices seem repulsive, we can’t deprive ourselves from the full value of our lives and society by settling for less. The modern world doesn't have to make us cowards. It’s time we stop backing out and revive the true meaning of prudence.
When I saw the title, I defiantly clicked on the article, feeling my naiveté course through my veins. I can’t be a coward, or am I? The article defines “prudence” as originally being decisions stemming from wisdom and acuity; we can’t make brash decisions, but we also can’t be timid with choices. After reading this, I can’t believe that I’m more afraid of choices than I thought.
I admit that I’ve been in situations described in the article where I feared all the outcomes. Who hasn’t been intimidated by a crush, going for a dream job, or simply trying new food? Do I go for it or not? A study described by the article found that several thousand people were willing to allow a coin flip decide the fate of vital decisions. It shows the shared problem of fear and settling for less in our lives. For God’s sake, even I've used a coin to help me with an important decision! So how can we take back control over our choices?
Amazingly, people felt happier with heads, the affirmative decision, suggesting trepidation is the greater sin when it comes to prudence. Maybe I might answer that question in class or start my club; I might fail more than I'd like. But during a time when risks and choices seem repulsive, we can’t deprive ourselves from the full value of our lives and society by settling for less. The modern world doesn't have to make us cowards. It’s time we stop backing out and revive the true meaning of prudence.
"Maternal Instinct, or O.C.D.?" by Kelly Kautz
I found this article interesting because I have struggled with similar issues and often wondered if I would ever grow out my my obsessive need to stay away from germs and whether it would affect me in my adult life or as a parent. I don't often come across pieces of media that deal with this that I can relate to but I'm glad I found this. I've never seen a psychiatrist but I know that by easily spending an hour hyperventilating, locked in my room when a family member gets sick, that I could benefit from it. I've wondered if I would be able to care for my child when they become sick or if I would have a panic attack like I do now. Lately, however, I have not been as extreme in my behaviors and I find myself spending less time practicing my various compulsions. In this article, Kautz mentions that her anxiety had been quiet for fifteen years before she had children, which makes me wonder if things seeming better now could change. I worry that big changes in my life could make my anxiety worse and bring back old habits.
I found this article interesting because I have struggled with similar issues and often wondered if I would ever grow out my my obsessive need to stay away from germs and whether it would affect me in my adult life or as a parent. I don't often come across pieces of media that deal with this that I can relate to but I'm glad I found this. I've never seen a psychiatrist but I know that by easily spending an hour hyperventilating, locked in my room when a family member gets sick, that I could benefit from it. I've wondered if I would be able to care for my child when they become sick or if I would have a panic attack like I do now. Lately, however, I have not been as extreme in my behaviors and I find myself spending less time practicing my various compulsions. In this article, Kautz mentions that her anxiety had been quiet for fifteen years before she had children, which makes me wonder if things seeming better now could change. I worry that big changes in my life could make my anxiety worse and bring back old habits.
110 NFL Brains
I think this article really shines light on the true danger of contact sports. From playing a contact personally and having family that plays football, I can attest to the amount of times an athlete gets hit most of the time the athlete continues without any concern of the injury. Although this can be concerning for spectators, coaches and the athlete it usually goes unnoticed as it is apart of the sport. I think that it is important to have research on head protection and injury prevention to be given more funding. This research should also focus on finding ways to try and diagnose the signs and symptoms of CTE. It's hard not only for the athletes to live with these side effects but for those who love and support them to watch them go through this. This study really proved how many people this affects no matter your position or age. It's important that people don't just ignore whats right in front of them while watching sports. Ignoring the facts will only increase the problem and put us farther from being able to help the athletes and families.
I think this article really shines light on the true danger of contact sports. From playing a contact personally and having family that plays football, I can attest to the amount of times an athlete gets hit most of the time the athlete continues without any concern of the injury. Although this can be concerning for spectators, coaches and the athlete it usually goes unnoticed as it is apart of the sport. I think that it is important to have research on head protection and injury prevention to be given more funding. This research should also focus on finding ways to try and diagnose the signs and symptoms of CTE. It's hard not only for the athletes to live with these side effects but for those who love and support them to watch them go through this. This study really proved how many people this affects no matter your position or age. It's important that people don't just ignore whats right in front of them while watching sports. Ignoring the facts will only increase the problem and put us farther from being able to help the athletes and families.
"How the Modern World Made Cowards of Us All"
I chose this article because as a teenager in this generation I often question whether I should take more risks or if I should just worry about my future. I constantly ponder about which is more important and this topic in general. I'm sure even adults think about what risks they should have taken in the past. However, how do you balance prudence and risk taking in the modern world? In this generation, children are pressured to get a good education, get good grades and get a good job later in life. Adults need to constantly worry about maintaining a steady paying job, taxes, bills, family, etc. Where can we fit in risk taking without being imprudent? I feel like taking risks plays a pivotal role of growing up and becoming who we are. Without taking risks how are we suppose to fully understand ourselves? Especially in a generation where sexual orientation and gender identity is such a big topic. In my opinion life is supposed to be full of adventures and what comes with an adventure is taking risks. Although I agree with stepping out of your comfort zone, I disagree with taking prudence as "cowardly". Not all risks taken are for the good and some people might have to be cautious because they have no room for risks, for instance some people might have families to attend to or they are on the brink of poverty. The debate between risk taking and prudence has me stumped once again, which is why this article fascinated me so much.
I chose this article because as a teenager in this generation I often question whether I should take more risks or if I should just worry about my future. I constantly ponder about which is more important and this topic in general. I'm sure even adults think about what risks they should have taken in the past. However, how do you balance prudence and risk taking in the modern world? In this generation, children are pressured to get a good education, get good grades and get a good job later in life. Adults need to constantly worry about maintaining a steady paying job, taxes, bills, family, etc. Where can we fit in risk taking without being imprudent? I feel like taking risks plays a pivotal role of growing up and becoming who we are. Without taking risks how are we suppose to fully understand ourselves? Especially in a generation where sexual orientation and gender identity is such a big topic. In my opinion life is supposed to be full of adventures and what comes with an adventure is taking risks. Although I agree with stepping out of your comfort zone, I disagree with taking prudence as "cowardly". Not all risks taken are for the good and some people might have to be cautious because they have no room for risks, for instance some people might have families to attend to or they are on the brink of poverty. The debate between risk taking and prudence has me stumped once again, which is why this article fascinated me so much.
In his article, "Fewer Immigrants mean more jobs? Not so, economists say," Binyamin Appelbaum claims that the notion that immigrant workers are taking away jobs from Americans is grounded in falsehood. To add credibility to his article, Binyamin references multiple economists and includes a 2016 study from the National Academy of Sciences. These sources all agree that immigrants are beneficial to the American economy. The author links these facts to important events and political statements, such as Trump's push to reduce the number of immigrants that are able to come to the United States. This push is said to be motivated by a desire to put the needs of struggling Americans first. However, it is shown by the article that this is just a "political myth". The difference between political statements and facts is an important distinction which more Americans should be made aware of. Trump's campaign was centered on creating more jobs for Americans, and his hard stance on immigration was directly related to this. Even though his administration's only source was an economist that didn't agree with them entirely, the evidence that Trump's statements on immigration were not completely truthful was not made clear to the public. Indeed, a vast majority were convinced that immigrants were causing harm to America and its economy. In his article, Appelbaum shows the reader the importance of political awareness and the gathering of information from credible sources.
“Are You a Carboholic? Why Cutting Carbs Is So Tough” by Gary Taubes
I am a huge lover of pizza, pasta, and pastries. Most of the time, I enjoy eating food containing carbs, sometimes for the taste, but primarily out of necessity. However, as I grow older, I find it increasingly difficult to limit my intake of starch. Growing up, I have always eaten carbs for dinner because it has been a part of my diet for as long as I can remember. Even when I’m out having lunch with friends, they know that I have to consume carbs or else I’ll start feeling unwell. As a teen, I have tried to replace rice or noodles with protein and vegetables, but I have always felt sick after doing so. When I don’t eat carbs for a whole day, my stomach will start to churn, and I’ll start feeling nauseous. As I grow older, I find that although many people are able to consume fewer carbs, I am not one of them. Even after reading the article, one just can’t assume that the given information applies to everyone. Sometimes, a person’s desire to eat a piece of pie is not merely a craving, but a necessity. I think it is all right as long as things are eaten in moderate portions. Like many other people, I will always love to eat carbs. As a matter of fact, I have once labeled myself as a carboholic since I consider carbs and sugar to be a necessity in my life.
I am a huge lover of pizza, pasta, and pastries. Most of the time, I enjoy eating food containing carbs, sometimes for the taste, but primarily out of necessity. However, as I grow older, I find it increasingly difficult to limit my intake of starch. Growing up, I have always eaten carbs for dinner because it has been a part of my diet for as long as I can remember. Even when I’m out having lunch with friends, they know that I have to consume carbs or else I’ll start feeling unwell. As a teen, I have tried to replace rice or noodles with protein and vegetables, but I have always felt sick after doing so. When I don’t eat carbs for a whole day, my stomach will start to churn, and I’ll start feeling nauseous. As I grow older, I find that although many people are able to consume fewer carbs, I am not one of them. Even after reading the article, one just can’t assume that the given information applies to everyone. Sometimes, a person’s desire to eat a piece of pie is not merely a craving, but a necessity. I think it is all right as long as things are eaten in moderate portions. Like many other people, I will always love to eat carbs. As a matter of fact, I have once labeled myself as a carboholic since I consider carbs and sugar to be a necessity in my life.
“The Glory of Summer Sleep”
This article offers insight on the power of sleep in terms of exercising a considerable amount of control upon one’s sleeping and waking life. As a student, of course, I have often longed for the ability to thrive on caffeine and a hefty workload, with no need or regard for sleep. To me, it meant frittering away the hours, watching time dissipate as my unconscious self found respite. Once, I confronted sleep with a kind of sullen resentment, viewing it as an obstacle or a means to an end, for the idea of merely existing gave me ulcers. But, as the author of the article says, “There are worse things to do than nothing.” Mere existence by way of lying still, prone, doing absolutely nothing, once did not appeal to me, but perhaps it was just an attitude problem. The article delves into the nature of the Cistercian philosophy, as it advocates introspection and meditation. At the most basic level, sleep sustains the body, supplying you with the energy to live to fight another day. On a more complex plane, sleep also nurtures the human psyche, yielding the fruit of the mind in its most abstract cogitations. It is a kind of “creative silence,” which, as an introvert, I am ashamed to say I did not recognize the value in. Sleep in itself is a lone undertaking, a solitary task that can, for some, be a chore, but the discipline forged in this sort of silence offers a payoff that is well worth the effort of succumbing to a good night’s sleep.
This article offers insight on the power of sleep in terms of exercising a considerable amount of control upon one’s sleeping and waking life. As a student, of course, I have often longed for the ability to thrive on caffeine and a hefty workload, with no need or regard for sleep. To me, it meant frittering away the hours, watching time dissipate as my unconscious self found respite. Once, I confronted sleep with a kind of sullen resentment, viewing it as an obstacle or a means to an end, for the idea of merely existing gave me ulcers. But, as the author of the article says, “There are worse things to do than nothing.” Mere existence by way of lying still, prone, doing absolutely nothing, once did not appeal to me, but perhaps it was just an attitude problem. The article delves into the nature of the Cistercian philosophy, as it advocates introspection and meditation. At the most basic level, sleep sustains the body, supplying you with the energy to live to fight another day. On a more complex plane, sleep also nurtures the human psyche, yielding the fruit of the mind in its most abstract cogitations. It is a kind of “creative silence,” which, as an introvert, I am ashamed to say I did not recognize the value in. Sleep in itself is a lone undertaking, a solitary task that can, for some, be a chore, but the discipline forged in this sort of silence offers a payoff that is well worth the effort of succumbing to a good night’s sleep.
Music. It affects everyone one way or another. It can be an outlet for depression or help you go to sleep at night. Through different languages and various backgrounds, music is a way to communicate our emotions and feelings through the beats and tones throughout a piece of music. After discovering Soundcloud a couple years ago from stumbling over a Youtube video of a couple college students making their own original music, I discovered a whole new world of artists.
I clicked on the article “If SoundCloud Disappears, What Happens to Its Music Culture?” after pausing to think about the various artists that I’ve seen grow throughout the years from independent creators to on the radio, billboards, and tours.
Soundcloud in my eyes is a “digital space for diverse music cultures to flourish, far beyond the influence of mainstream label trends.” (Jenna Wortham) Soundcloud is a place where you can discover types of music from all around the globe that you may not have found when playing your regular Spotify playlist. It’s a home for people who have just started music all the way to advanced creators looking to be discovered.
The platform has grown from the love of music. The artists on SoundCloud don’t necessarily seek to conform to the trends on the radio but are inspired to bring something new to the table, set their own trends rather than follow others. Without it, a whole group of upcoming artists will never be heard and receive the attention that some truly deserve.
I clicked on the article “If SoundCloud Disappears, What Happens to Its Music Culture?” after pausing to think about the various artists that I’ve seen grow throughout the years from independent creators to on the radio, billboards, and tours.
Soundcloud in my eyes is a “digital space for diverse music cultures to flourish, far beyond the influence of mainstream label trends.” (Jenna Wortham) Soundcloud is a place where you can discover types of music from all around the globe that you may not have found when playing your regular Spotify playlist. It’s a home for people who have just started music all the way to advanced creators looking to be discovered.
The platform has grown from the love of music. The artists on SoundCloud don’t necessarily seek to conform to the trends on the radio but are inspired to bring something new to the table, set their own trends rather than follow others. Without it, a whole group of upcoming artists will never be heard and receive the attention that some truly deserve.
https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/07/21/science/procrastination-research-c...
The article that I decided to write about this week is about procrastination. This article really puts your mind to think about how most people who believe they are procrastinators might not actually be. The word procrastination is defined and with that meaning the statistics given about the percentage of people who are actual procrastinators is still quite low. Before knowing the percentage I thought it would have been more. I consider myself a procrastinator in some situations, I use excuses like "I can do it tomorrow" or "I still have time." When in reality I tend to just remember things at last minute and then I have to rush in finishing them. Even after reading this article my other belief is that procrastinators might leave things last minute because we know that either way we can finish tasks. After reading this article, it gives the reader a different point of view, like how sometimes people don't actually have the disease but may have similar behavior aspects. It gives the reader an understanding that there's still stuff to learn from a procrastinator even if they leave things till last minute. Such as how they do everything that's important or that will benefit themselves before doing anything for others. Most importantly, the idea that, even if procrastination seems like something bad and negative it can also have its pros, it's good things to learn from.
The article that I decided to write about this week is about procrastination. This article really puts your mind to think about how most people who believe they are procrastinators might not actually be. The word procrastination is defined and with that meaning the statistics given about the percentage of people who are actual procrastinators is still quite low. Before knowing the percentage I thought it would have been more. I consider myself a procrastinator in some situations, I use excuses like "I can do it tomorrow" or "I still have time." When in reality I tend to just remember things at last minute and then I have to rush in finishing them. Even after reading this article my other belief is that procrastinators might leave things last minute because we know that either way we can finish tasks. After reading this article, it gives the reader a different point of view, like how sometimes people don't actually have the disease but may have similar behavior aspects. It gives the reader an understanding that there's still stuff to learn from a procrastinator even if they leave things till last minute. Such as how they do everything that's important or that will benefit themselves before doing anything for others. Most importantly, the idea that, even if procrastination seems like something bad and negative it can also have its pros, it's good things to learn from.
“Video Shows Airport Attendant Punching Passenger Holding a Child”
Sometimes, there is a limit on how long you can test one’s patience. In this article, an Easyjet employee punched a passenger who complained after waiting for twelve hours due to a delay. However, the passenger was also holding an infant, leading to gasps from the crowd of onlookers. Situations like these have been common lately, as we see more and more incidents of violence against passengers, such as the incident involving United Airlines a few months ago. Airports can be very frustrating, as one mishap can lead to hours of delay and discomfort. I myself have gone through a situation like such before. At LAX, our family brought a close friend with us on a trip to the U.S. and Homeland Security accused us of kidnapping my friend from Korea and bringing him into a foreign country. Homeland Security kept us in a confined room for hours and since I was the only one in our party who could speak English, they grilled me with questions (I was in 6th grade). We eventually made it out of the airport after confirming my friend’s identity. The problem was that the process took five hours and this simple issue that could have been solved with a single call, took took such a protracted amount of time and seriously discomforted my family. Similar events that involve passenger discomfort have been prevalent across many airports, and I believe airport employees should deal with passengers a lot more cooperatively.
Sometimes, there is a limit on how long you can test one’s patience. In this article, an Easyjet employee punched a passenger who complained after waiting for twelve hours due to a delay. However, the passenger was also holding an infant, leading to gasps from the crowd of onlookers. Situations like these have been common lately, as we see more and more incidents of violence against passengers, such as the incident involving United Airlines a few months ago. Airports can be very frustrating, as one mishap can lead to hours of delay and discomfort. I myself have gone through a situation like such before. At LAX, our family brought a close friend with us on a trip to the U.S. and Homeland Security accused us of kidnapping my friend from Korea and bringing him into a foreign country. Homeland Security kept us in a confined room for hours and since I was the only one in our party who could speak English, they grilled me with questions (I was in 6th grade). We eventually made it out of the airport after confirming my friend’s identity. The problem was that the process took five hours and this simple issue that could have been solved with a single call, took took such a protracted amount of time and seriously discomforted my family. Similar events that involve passenger discomfort have been prevalent across many airports, and I believe airport employees should deal with passengers a lot more cooperatively.
Trump Forbids Military Service by Transgender People
As we all know Mr.Trump is well known for his Derogatory remarks but i think by far this one of the craziest things he could've said. Donald Trump is banning transgenders from joining the military, he says "american forces cannot afford the tremendous medical cost and disruption" which i think is just an excuse to hide his real feelings toward everyday people. Reading this article made me upset because as our president you would've thought that trump would care about the people who his suppose to take care of, transgender or not we need people to fight for us in this crazy world and they shouldn't be judged for not feeling comfortable in their own skin.
As we all know Mr.Trump is well known for his Derogatory remarks but i think by far this one of the craziest things he could've said. Donald Trump is banning transgenders from joining the military, he says "american forces cannot afford the tremendous medical cost and disruption" which i think is just an excuse to hide his real feelings toward everyday people. Reading this article made me upset because as our president you would've thought that trump would care about the people who his suppose to take care of, transgender or not we need people to fight for us in this crazy world and they shouldn't be judged for not feeling comfortable in their own skin.
"Trump Says Transgender People Will Not Be Allowed in the Military"
President Trump has released news that transgender men and women will no longer be allowed to serve in the military. Note, that this important announcement has not been announced officially at a press briefing, but rather through President Trump's twitter account, which currently has 19.7 million followers. This change, which counteracts the bill instated by former President Obama, is arising due to to finances. Trump argues that the government would not have the finances to support the needs of many transgender people, such as growth hormones. It is for this reason that other people, such as Type 1 Diabetics, have been excluded from serving. Despite the financial concern, I find this decision impulsive and unofficial, as Trump did not even update his advisors on this decision. Indeed, this idea may not have the intention of offending others, yet when healthy, capable, intelligent men and women are being excluded from defending our country, it is simply un-American. The United States was founded on the principles of freedom and respect, yet people who are willing to risk their lives for the benefit of others are not being allowed to serve due to their gender identification. Being transgender is not a handicap and it does not limit one's ability. Furthermore, as this is the 21st century, transgender military service men and women should not simply be disregarded, but instead properly addressed and respected.
President Trump has released news that transgender men and women will no longer be allowed to serve in the military. Note, that this important announcement has not been announced officially at a press briefing, but rather through President Trump's twitter account, which currently has 19.7 million followers. This change, which counteracts the bill instated by former President Obama, is arising due to to finances. Trump argues that the government would not have the finances to support the needs of many transgender people, such as growth hormones. It is for this reason that other people, such as Type 1 Diabetics, have been excluded from serving. Despite the financial concern, I find this decision impulsive and unofficial, as Trump did not even update his advisors on this decision. Indeed, this idea may not have the intention of offending others, yet when healthy, capable, intelligent men and women are being excluded from defending our country, it is simply un-American. The United States was founded on the principles of freedom and respect, yet people who are willing to risk their lives for the benefit of others are not being allowed to serve due to their gender identification. Being transgender is not a handicap and it does not limit one's ability. Furthermore, as this is the 21st century, transgender military service men and women should not simply be disregarded, but instead properly addressed and respected.
“How the Modern World Made Cowards of Us All” by Arthur C. Brooks
In this article, the author Arthur C. Brooks points out how the word “prudent” is misinterpreted. People view prudence negatively as being a coward and cautious, but the author explains that it means having great knowledge and showing great judgment. Brooks also suggests young people to be more prudent, as they are less willing to take risks. He also points out the many benefits of being prudent.
As a young person in this generation, I think our generation take fewer risks than the older generations, while there are many of us who take risky actions without thinking about the consequences. I believe our actions need to be well-thought and young people should get out of their comfort zone more often. I’m a very shy individual, and this article made me realized that I need to take risks more often because there are many opportunities that I’m missing. Prudence is a very important quality that everyone should be aware of.
In this article, the author Arthur C. Brooks points out how the word “prudent” is misinterpreted. People view prudence negatively as being a coward and cautious, but the author explains that it means having great knowledge and showing great judgment. Brooks also suggests young people to be more prudent, as they are less willing to take risks. He also points out the many benefits of being prudent.
As a young person in this generation, I think our generation take fewer risks than the older generations, while there are many of us who take risky actions without thinking about the consequences. I believe our actions need to be well-thought and young people should get out of their comfort zone more often. I’m a very shy individual, and this article made me realized that I need to take risks more often because there are many opportunities that I’m missing. Prudence is a very important quality that everyone should be aware of.
"Let Black Kids Just Be Kids"
"Black." "White." "Asian." "Mexican." In a negative connotation, also known as racism. Dating back since the formation of Human beings up to present day racism still is between us. Contrary to extinction, racism became more aware in our surroundings; however, it grew with the awareness as it continues to grow today. "...black boys seem older than they are... people overestimated their ages by 4.5 years... Black girls are subject to similar beliefs...A group of 325 adults viewed black girls as needing less nurturing, support and protection than white girls..." I believe that each and every individual must be judged based on their character and values, not based on their appearances. Unfortunately, its easy to be said than done. If we all close our eyes and take a moment to reflect upon our society, the odds of a positive outcome is no where found. Racism and misperception is one factor leading to crime, clearly evident in the article. I found this article interesting because I believe we all, everyone around our world has input to give in. However, I believe instead of input we need ideas and solutions. Solutions not only presented through advertisement and icons; nonetheless, solutions that can be incorporated in everyone's lives to change lives around us because its not only black kids that want to just be kids, but also Indians, Mexicans, asians, whites in different countries and different parts of our world. What could be the solution?
"Black." "White." "Asian." "Mexican." In a negative connotation, also known as racism. Dating back since the formation of Human beings up to present day racism still is between us. Contrary to extinction, racism became more aware in our surroundings; however, it grew with the awareness as it continues to grow today. "...black boys seem older than they are... people overestimated their ages by 4.5 years... Black girls are subject to similar beliefs...A group of 325 adults viewed black girls as needing less nurturing, support and protection than white girls..." I believe that each and every individual must be judged based on their character and values, not based on their appearances. Unfortunately, its easy to be said than done. If we all close our eyes and take a moment to reflect upon our society, the odds of a positive outcome is no where found. Racism and misperception is one factor leading to crime, clearly evident in the article. I found this article interesting because I believe we all, everyone around our world has input to give in. However, I believe instead of input we need ideas and solutions. Solutions not only presented through advertisement and icons; nonetheless, solutions that can be incorporated in everyone's lives to change lives around us because its not only black kids that want to just be kids, but also Indians, Mexicans, asians, whites in different countries and different parts of our world. What could be the solution?
"why women aren't CEOs, according to women who almost were" by Susan Chira
The sad reality is that we live in a world filled with sexism and misogny, and there is no place that is filled with it more than the business room. Even though many man refuse to admit it, there have been many woman who stood up and told their stories, for the hope that maybe one day, other women won't have to go through everything that they went through.
There was one point in the article that really interested me, and that was when one of the men said that it wasn't fair that women were taking all the seats, and that he now doesn't have a chance, when in reality 70% of the seats go to white men. It reminded of a study that was once conducted about how often men and women speak up in classrooms. According to this study, when women spoke for roughly a quarter of the time, men thought that they spoke for half, and when women spoke for half the time,euqal with the men, the men were convinced that the women were dominating the conversation and not letting men speak. Meanwhile, the women knew that while the men thought they were dominating, they were equal, and that when the men thought they were equal, the men were dominating the conversation. They knew this because they were used to it, because they see it happening everywhere all the time and have learned to live with it. The fact that many women simply accept this fact should tell you how screwed up this is and how desperately we need to change.
The sad reality is that we live in a world filled with sexism and misogny, and there is no place that is filled with it more than the business room. Even though many man refuse to admit it, there have been many woman who stood up and told their stories, for the hope that maybe one day, other women won't have to go through everything that they went through.
There was one point in the article that really interested me, and that was when one of the men said that it wasn't fair that women were taking all the seats, and that he now doesn't have a chance, when in reality 70% of the seats go to white men. It reminded of a study that was once conducted about how often men and women speak up in classrooms. According to this study, when women spoke for roughly a quarter of the time, men thought that they spoke for half, and when women spoke for half the time,euqal with the men, the men were convinced that the women were dominating the conversation and not letting men speak. Meanwhile, the women knew that while the men thought they were dominating, they were equal, and that when the men thought they were equal, the men were dominating the conversation. They knew this because they were used to it, because they see it happening everywhere all the time and have learned to live with it. The fact that many women simply accept this fact should tell you how screwed up this is and how desperately we need to change.
“To Beyoncé or Not to Beyoncé: The Challenges of Confirming the Birth of Her Twins”
by MAYA SALAM
The article “To Beyoncé or Not to Beyoncé: The Challenges of Confirming the Birth of Her Twins” brought up an important topic in the journalism industry. And although it is about a celebrity and her pregnancy, it tells a different story. It highlights the importance of fact checking and always reporting the truth. This may seem easier than it really is, but there is a challenge when it comes to making sure you have reliable sources. Most published articles about Beyoncé’s pregnancy have been published using anonymous sources. In contrast, this article was published as soon as the birth of her twins was confirmed. The article shows how some articles can remain unpublished for weeks to verify the authenticity and truth behind an article. There is a real importance of journalistic integrity in the time of fake news.
by MAYA SALAM
The article “To Beyoncé or Not to Beyoncé: The Challenges of Confirming the Birth of Her Twins” brought up an important topic in the journalism industry. And although it is about a celebrity and her pregnancy, it tells a different story. It highlights the importance of fact checking and always reporting the truth. This may seem easier than it really is, but there is a challenge when it comes to making sure you have reliable sources. Most published articles about Beyoncé’s pregnancy have been published using anonymous sources. In contrast, this article was published as soon as the birth of her twins was confirmed. The article shows how some articles can remain unpublished for weeks to verify the authenticity and truth behind an article. There is a real importance of journalistic integrity in the time of fake news.
What interested me was an article about the war in iraq where they had sent their forces to retake Mosul in attempts to take down Isis. News of this had been known prior to the article already but with this article, I was able to get a deeper insight on what had happened during the span of the 1 year when the war had just started. Due to this war, there are now many refugees struggling with children suffering from trauma and many loosing almost everything. As such this seems like a matter that we must heavily involve ourselves in by providing aid to these suffering victims of war such as food, shelter, healthcare and education. I believe that these people did not deserve this and therefor should have the chance to start fresh. Also not only will being involved in this matter help them but due to ISIS also having numeral attacks across the world, this would also benefit us; the readers.
"Parents of Charlie Gard, Ill British Infant, Abandon Effort to Prolong His Life"
Dan Bilefsky
Upon coming across the title of his article, I did not pay much attention to it. I had heard stories of ill children being put to rest after discovering they could no longer be treated. However, the article perked my interest when I discovered the abnormality Charlie, the infant, was facing. Making it impossible for the child to see, hear, swallow, or cry, I acknowledge the parent's decision in abandoning efforts for prolonged life. Even though therapy could have potentially been possible, the child would have tremendously suffered when growing up. Despite this, I can only imagine the pain a parent must go through when deciding to abandon efforts for prolonging life.
It was heartwarming to know Charlie had supporters; however, I believe they must realize it is evidently not their decision and the parents had to suffer tremendously to come to this conclusion. Although the conclusion was harsh, I agree and support the parents actions.
Dan Bilefsky
Upon coming across the title of his article, I did not pay much attention to it. I had heard stories of ill children being put to rest after discovering they could no longer be treated. However, the article perked my interest when I discovered the abnormality Charlie, the infant, was facing. Making it impossible for the child to see, hear, swallow, or cry, I acknowledge the parent's decision in abandoning efforts for prolonged life. Even though therapy could have potentially been possible, the child would have tremendously suffered when growing up. Despite this, I can only imagine the pain a parent must go through when deciding to abandon efforts for prolonging life.
It was heartwarming to know Charlie had supporters; however, I believe they must realize it is evidently not their decision and the parents had to suffer tremendously to come to this conclusion. Although the conclusion was harsh, I agree and support the parents actions.
"Parody Video Mocks Turkmenistan's Leader as an Action Hero"
I love a good action movie. The stunts, the quip-filled dialogue, the amusingly overblown bravado -- all these elements can combine to make these films great. But no single feature is more integral to a movie's success than comedy: humor can turn a bad movie bearable and a quality movie great.
Though notably shorter than typical Hollywood fare, the Chronicle of Turkmenistan's parody video still retained that crucial feature: humor. And although Schwarzenegger's cameo deserves some credit for the latter effect, there remains something intrinsically comedic in the trivialization of the puff-chested exploits of an autocrat. I found myself chuckling at the images of the camo-clad Berdymukhammedov and his stern, serious expression that was entirely oblivious to the amusement of the ordeal. However, the video and Mr. Chokshi's subsequent analysis struck me for another reason: the striking sense of fear inherent in a story like this. Though Americans, far from Turkmenistan, can laugh at this video freely, Turkmen are strictly barred from this privilege and any other kind of general mockery of their president. In a country dogged by heavy censorship and various other human rights violations, these people are prevented from seeing the flaws and faults of their leader and are robbed of their free speech. I can only imagine what that life must be like, and that thought makes me value even more deeply our own democracy.
I love a good action movie. The stunts, the quip-filled dialogue, the amusingly overblown bravado -- all these elements can combine to make these films great. But no single feature is more integral to a movie's success than comedy: humor can turn a bad movie bearable and a quality movie great.
Though notably shorter than typical Hollywood fare, the Chronicle of Turkmenistan's parody video still retained that crucial feature: humor. And although Schwarzenegger's cameo deserves some credit for the latter effect, there remains something intrinsically comedic in the trivialization of the puff-chested exploits of an autocrat. I found myself chuckling at the images of the camo-clad Berdymukhammedov and his stern, serious expression that was entirely oblivious to the amusement of the ordeal. However, the video and Mr. Chokshi's subsequent analysis struck me for another reason: the striking sense of fear inherent in a story like this. Though Americans, far from Turkmenistan, can laugh at this video freely, Turkmen are strictly barred from this privilege and any other kind of general mockery of their president. In a country dogged by heavy censorship and various other human rights violations, these people are prevented from seeing the flaws and faults of their leader and are robbed of their free speech. I can only imagine what that life must be like, and that thought makes me value even more deeply our own democracy.
"How Actors Fall in Instant Love" by Alexis Soloski
Drama class is my favorite class in school and I have participated in many drama productions. I am not good at acting but I have always enjoyed in doing one. Building character, engaging with others and creating an act were very interesting and fun. Thus, I was curious about the article, "How actors fall in instant love."
The article talks about specific actors who played in "A midsummer night's dream" These professional actors shared their story about how they act a character who is madly in love with one another. I have also played a part in a romance scene but I never thought about really getting into the character and fall in love with the partner. The actors commented that they prepare themselves to fall into instant love with each others character.
My favorite part of the interview was when Ms. Ashford said that "Chemistry isn't always automatic...You use your tools as an actor, You create that chemistry. If its not given from the gods, then you make it." I think it is very professional and respectable to have this belief as an actor.
Then, there is, of course, a moment when actors might get a real emotions while they are acting. Mr. Hernandez said, “Playing pretend, you get a second of the real emotion.” However, I believe that this too is a valuable outcome one would get when they are so into the play.
Drama class is my favorite class in school and I have participated in many drama productions. I am not good at acting but I have always enjoyed in doing one. Building character, engaging with others and creating an act were very interesting and fun. Thus, I was curious about the article, "How actors fall in instant love."
The article talks about specific actors who played in "A midsummer night's dream" These professional actors shared their story about how they act a character who is madly in love with one another. I have also played a part in a romance scene but I never thought about really getting into the character and fall in love with the partner. The actors commented that they prepare themselves to fall into instant love with each others character.
My favorite part of the interview was when Ms. Ashford said that "Chemistry isn't always automatic...You use your tools as an actor, You create that chemistry. If its not given from the gods, then you make it." I think it is very professional and respectable to have this belief as an actor.
Then, there is, of course, a moment when actors might get a real emotions while they are acting. Mr. Hernandez said, “Playing pretend, you get a second of the real emotion.” However, I believe that this too is a valuable outcome one would get when they are so into the play.
More relevant than ever, the issues surrounding the disturbing inequities of segregation among students have stigmatized social justices and the education of the youth. The culture of the American “melting pot” has brought upon bemusing thoughts regarding such issues, especially for a Native Californian like me, having lived in the most racially-diverse state.
Showcasing the many apparent racial disparities among society, Dominique Morisseau’s play, “Pipeline,” follows the story of a mother suffering strenuous efforts to protect her son, Omari, from the penal walls of his school. His constant violent eruptions cost him unwanted punishments, only to add onto the ache from the effects of his father’s incarceration. For Omari, “it would [also] seem, there’s no escaping stereotyping, strangling perceptions”.
I can’t help but wonder why the school-to-prison pipeline has garnered little recognition for the mistreatment of colored people, especially within classroom settings. It's these discriminatory reasons that cause precedented issues of violence, oppression, and brutality. However, I believe everyone owns the power to share such significance of injustices, especially through uses of media or art, as done beautifully by Morisseau.
As society continues to grow, the remaining hope is that the criminalization of students of color will fade into one of progressive equality, and that history will not repeat itself.
It’s about time that the education system gets schooled.
Showcasing the many apparent racial disparities among society, Dominique Morisseau’s play, “Pipeline,” follows the story of a mother suffering strenuous efforts to protect her son, Omari, from the penal walls of his school. His constant violent eruptions cost him unwanted punishments, only to add onto the ache from the effects of his father’s incarceration. For Omari, “it would [also] seem, there’s no escaping stereotyping, strangling perceptions”.
I can’t help but wonder why the school-to-prison pipeline has garnered little recognition for the mistreatment of colored people, especially within classroom settings. It's these discriminatory reasons that cause precedented issues of violence, oppression, and brutality. However, I believe everyone owns the power to share such significance of injustices, especially through uses of media or art, as done beautifully by Morisseau.
As society continues to grow, the remaining hope is that the criminalization of students of color will fade into one of progressive equality, and that history will not repeat itself.
It’s about time that the education system gets schooled.
Lily Hagerup
8/2/17
"Why Kids Can't Write"
As I began to search for an article in the paper to write about that interested me, I was immediately drawn to a title that threw me off; "Why Kids Can't Write," by Dana Goldstien. Considering myself a kid, I decided it would be worth a read to try and decipher what I agreed with in the article and what I did not. Early on in the article, the author begins talking about the probable root of the issue; how kids are being taught. She says, "Focusing on the fundamentals of grammar is one approach to teaching writing. But it's by no means the dominant one." As early as second grade, I remember learning grammar, spelling, and punctuation. When deciding what to write about, the topic of discussion was what one did over the weekend, or had for dinner the previous night. Although often in school there were times to free write and be creative, the majority of the time the writing we do is argumentative and orderly. However, "adherents worry that focusing too much on grammar or citing sources will stifle the writerly voice and prevent children from falling in love with writing as an activity." While I agree with this hypothesis, I do understand the necessity to learn those sometimes very boring things early on as a foundation for more complex and creative writing.
8/2/17
"Why Kids Can't Write"
As I began to search for an article in the paper to write about that interested me, I was immediately drawn to a title that threw me off; "Why Kids Can't Write," by Dana Goldstien. Considering myself a kid, I decided it would be worth a read to try and decipher what I agreed with in the article and what I did not. Early on in the article, the author begins talking about the probable root of the issue; how kids are being taught. She says, "Focusing on the fundamentals of grammar is one approach to teaching writing. But it's by no means the dominant one." As early as second grade, I remember learning grammar, spelling, and punctuation. When deciding what to write about, the topic of discussion was what one did over the weekend, or had for dinner the previous night. Although often in school there were times to free write and be creative, the majority of the time the writing we do is argumentative and orderly. However, "adherents worry that focusing too much on grammar or citing sources will stifle the writerly voice and prevent children from falling in love with writing as an activity." While I agree with this hypothesis, I do understand the necessity to learn those sometimes very boring things early on as a foundation for more complex and creative writing.
Developmentally Disabled, and Going to College
By Kyle Spencer
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/03/education/edlife/students-development...
As a student going to college next year, this article greatly intrigued me. College is not easy even for young adults without disabilities, imagine how hard it would be for disabled students. How would they get jobs without receiving higher education?
It would be hard for disabled young people to go to college physically decades ago - most were kept out of public. Fortunately, the 1975 Individuals With Disabilities Act enabled them to go to colleges nationwide. Despite efforts of colleges making it easier for disabled young adults to learn by doings things such as offering programs for students with disabilities, some research numbers regarding the employment of disabled people are dispiriting.
However, there is still hope as shown in the story of Ms. Muscatello, a person with development disability, which is written in this article. Despite her shortcomings, she managed to get a degree and her dream job. I personally think that this article is an inspiration not only for disabled young adults, but also for all young adults seeking for a college degree and employment and I hope it inspired others as much as I got inspired by it.
By Kyle Spencer
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/03/education/edlife/students-development...
As a student going to college next year, this article greatly intrigued me. College is not easy even for young adults without disabilities, imagine how hard it would be for disabled students. How would they get jobs without receiving higher education?
It would be hard for disabled young people to go to college physically decades ago - most were kept out of public. Fortunately, the 1975 Individuals With Disabilities Act enabled them to go to colleges nationwide. Despite efforts of colleges making it easier for disabled young adults to learn by doings things such as offering programs for students with disabilities, some research numbers regarding the employment of disabled people are dispiriting.
However, there is still hope as shown in the story of Ms. Muscatello, a person with development disability, which is written in this article. Despite her shortcomings, she managed to get a degree and her dream job. I personally think that this article is an inspiration not only for disabled young adults, but also for all young adults seeking for a college degree and employment and I hope it inspired others as much as I got inspired by it.
"Trump Forbids Military Service by Transgender People"
When President Trump began stapling his name across America, people were instantly taking into account his usage of the popular social media app Twitter. Every time a user of the app would get a notification from President Trump, it seemed normal. However, what our President recently tweeted was entirely unexpected.
"...the United States Government will not accept or allow transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military...." This brief part of the shocking set of tweets revealed by the President fills my heart with ache and my brain with confusion. Why is it that America, "the land of the free and the home of the brave", is quickly straying from this valued idea and is starting to care more about its money than its people? Considering that this decision had presented itself on Twitter, it was clear that there was very little discussion in regards to the life-altering ban; which the article confirmed. This mirrored Trump’s lack of respect to those who risk their lives and serve our country everyday.
I believe that every person is equal to the next despite their race, gender, etc. Seeing our President display this notion that transgender people aren't equivalent to the rest of society is not only a reflection of himself, but of America. With more and more people with platforms in our world acting in ways that dehumanize others is causing people to think this growing hatred is acceptable when it's not.
When President Trump began stapling his name across America, people were instantly taking into account his usage of the popular social media app Twitter. Every time a user of the app would get a notification from President Trump, it seemed normal. However, what our President recently tweeted was entirely unexpected.
"...the United States Government will not accept or allow transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military...." This brief part of the shocking set of tweets revealed by the President fills my heart with ache and my brain with confusion. Why is it that America, "the land of the free and the home of the brave", is quickly straying from this valued idea and is starting to care more about its money than its people? Considering that this decision had presented itself on Twitter, it was clear that there was very little discussion in regards to the life-altering ban; which the article confirmed. This mirrored Trump’s lack of respect to those who risk their lives and serve our country everyday.
I believe that every person is equal to the next despite their race, gender, etc. Seeing our President display this notion that transgender people aren't equivalent to the rest of society is not only a reflection of himself, but of America. With more and more people with platforms in our world acting in ways that dehumanize others is causing people to think this growing hatred is acceptable when it's not.
Music has a power over people like no other form of media. It has power over the listener’s emotions, perspective, and even thoughts. A prime example of music’s power is in the modern underground rap scene, known as “Soundcloud Rap”. In Jon Caramanica’s article, “The Rowdy World of Rap’s New Underground”, he details the rise and sound of XXXTentacion, Lil Peep, Lil Pump and other pioneers in the scene. He frequently compares the scene and its iconically rough, distorted and bass boosted sound to that of Punk. The mosh pits, the rage-influenced lyrics, the screaming melodies, and the outcast image that all these artists project, do parallel the rock scene in the early 1980s. However, it is unfair to call the genre that still does not have a proper name, Punk. SoundCloud Rap, is very much still Hip-Hop, however it's not the one we are used to. Rather, it parallels the Hip-Hop of the late 1970s. XXXTentacion’s decision to add rock guitar riffs to the pulsating hi hats of "traditional rap”, is the modern equivalent of how Dj Kool Herc and Gil Scott Heron took elements from the West African Oral tradition, and laid it all over distorted disco and Jazz. Lil Pump and GM Flash, are both rebels changing what's around them. As SoundCloud Rap goes mainstream, it’s ideology will too, enlightening many listeners about the issues that they speak about, drugs, depression, and poverty. SoundCloud Rap will "change the game", but soon enough the next generation will just change it again
I was interested in the article "How Americans Think About Climate Change, in Six Maps" because climate change is a topic of a lot of debate, and Florida is one of the states most at risk of global warming. There is increasing concern over climate change, as there should be, but some of the areas of the U.S. that will be most affected by it are not as concerned as they should be. As shown by the maps, only 57% of adults in Florida are at least somewhat worried about global warming. This number, which is the same for Texas, is alarmingly low considering that they are the two states most prone to the repercussions of global warming. The western and New England states have shown an increase in the percentage of adults who are discussing climate change, but the states of the Atlantic coast have fallen below the national average for talk about climate change. This makes the issue of finding ways to lessen climate change even more difficult. Even with the increase in tidal flooding on the Atlantic coast, the majority of its inhabitants aren't concerned with the issue of climate change. Usually with these sort of issues, the answer lies in education and spreading awareness, but with global warming, even these have proven ineffective. Although some parts of the nation are attempting to induce change, we are lacking enthusiasm in the places that need it the most.
“John McCain Casts Decisive Health Care Vote”
This article really got a hook on me, since its been all over the news recently. This decision really surprised me since it took awhile for this subject to settle down. By reading this article I became aware on how the Democrats won and how his vote was crucial. Not only was he recently on cancer and stuff, but he made a big decision that day he made the vote. I believe that he is not biased since he is a Republican and actually supported the Democrats. It takes much bravery to go against your party's point of view and do what he feels is right. The U.S. president was right on by stating he is a hero, for he truly is. If both parties are able to settle down and understand their point of views, America will move forward with no problems. For now, not only has the Democratic party won, but many Americans did as well. This vote helped many Americans to not be left without a health plan. Hopefully all matters will be dealed with teamwork like this case, and make everyone's life better. This made me reflect on how such a man whose been through a lot, can really make a great impact. I remember when many where afraid to loose their health plan if Obamacare was repealed. Not only are pre-existing sicknesses are being treated, but many people can now be at peace knowing that they will be covered still. Now that this is settled I'm sure the Republican party are really upset, since they weren't able to win.
This article really got a hook on me, since its been all over the news recently. This decision really surprised me since it took awhile for this subject to settle down. By reading this article I became aware on how the Democrats won and how his vote was crucial. Not only was he recently on cancer and stuff, but he made a big decision that day he made the vote. I believe that he is not biased since he is a Republican and actually supported the Democrats. It takes much bravery to go against your party's point of view and do what he feels is right. The U.S. president was right on by stating he is a hero, for he truly is. If both parties are able to settle down and understand their point of views, America will move forward with no problems. For now, not only has the Democratic party won, but many Americans did as well. This vote helped many Americans to not be left without a health plan. Hopefully all matters will be dealed with teamwork like this case, and make everyone's life better. This made me reflect on how such a man whose been through a lot, can really make a great impact. I remember when many where afraid to loose their health plan if Obamacare was repealed. Not only are pre-existing sicknesses are being treated, but many people can now be at peace knowing that they will be covered still. Now that this is settled I'm sure the Republican party are really upset, since they weren't able to win.
"In San Antonio Smuggling Case, a Fatal Journey in Packed and Sweltering Truck" by Manny Fernandez, Richard Perez-Pena and David Montgomery.
This article describes the horrid journey of approximately 200 people smuggling across the border. The article explains that all these people were thought to be going in an air conditioned vehicle, but then realized that the vents were blocked. All they had was a small vent they discovered which they took turns breathing through.
To me, this shows the determination from the desperate humans trying to get into this country. I don't believe we should blame them or prosecute them, I believe we should take this to heart and find a way to help them. As they mention in this article, "it is an occasion deserving of solemnity and respect, not self-indulgent cheerleading." The article also mentioned sanctuary cities which I do not believe in at all. I don't believe people should be taken advantage of and told lies to. I honestly hope we don't have to go through one of these horrible events again.
This article describes the horrid journey of approximately 200 people smuggling across the border. The article explains that all these people were thought to be going in an air conditioned vehicle, but then realized that the vents were blocked. All they had was a small vent they discovered which they took turns breathing through.
To me, this shows the determination from the desperate humans trying to get into this country. I don't believe we should blame them or prosecute them, I believe we should take this to heart and find a way to help them. As they mention in this article, "it is an occasion deserving of solemnity and respect, not self-indulgent cheerleading." The article also mentioned sanctuary cities which I do not believe in at all. I don't believe people should be taken advantage of and told lies to. I honestly hope we don't have to go through one of these horrible events again.
"Women Who Urged Friend's Suicide Gets 15-Month Sentence"
Suicide is a big topic and has had more awareness and attention brought to it in the past few years. Coming from someone who has struggled with those thoughts and been depressed, I would never ever even think of convincing even my worst enemy to kill themselves. I agree with the charge for manslaughter because I can never see a law abiding human being to take that action. Especially with someone you claim to be your friend. Being under the influence of anything is no excuse. When a person thinks about committing suicide and they have someone encouraging them, there are more likely to do it. Many thoughts that detour someone thinking of suicide would be along the lines of "My friends will be upset" or "Think of how my family and friends will feel". When you have a person encouraging you, these thoughts will mostly likely be erase, especially a friend. I know I'd be thinking "Well if my own friend thinks I should do it I probably should". You're suppose to bring out the good in someone when you are their friend, give them a hand. Not tear them down. Conrad Roy needs justice for what happened. Michelle Carter could of took many actions to alert family, authorities, anyone of his thoughts and soon to be actions and instead encouraged him. She broke the law and a family.
Suicide is a big topic and has had more awareness and attention brought to it in the past few years. Coming from someone who has struggled with those thoughts and been depressed, I would never ever even think of convincing even my worst enemy to kill themselves. I agree with the charge for manslaughter because I can never see a law abiding human being to take that action. Especially with someone you claim to be your friend. Being under the influence of anything is no excuse. When a person thinks about committing suicide and they have someone encouraging them, there are more likely to do it. Many thoughts that detour someone thinking of suicide would be along the lines of "My friends will be upset" or "Think of how my family and friends will feel". When you have a person encouraging you, these thoughts will mostly likely be erase, especially a friend. I know I'd be thinking "Well if my own friend thinks I should do it I probably should". You're suppose to bring out the good in someone when you are their friend, give them a hand. Not tear them down. Conrad Roy needs justice for what happened. Michelle Carter could of took many actions to alert family, authorities, anyone of his thoughts and soon to be actions and instead encouraged him. She broke the law and a family.
Music has a power over people like no other form of media. It has power over the listener’s emotions, perspective, and even thoughts. A prime example of music’s power is in the modern underground rap scene, known as “Soundcloud Rap”. In Jon Caramanica’s article, “The Rowdy World of Rap’s New Underground”, he details the rise and sound of XXXTentacion, Lil Peep, Lil Pump and other pioneers in the scene. He frequently compares the scene and its iconically rough, distorted and bass boosted sound to that of Punk. The mosh pits, the rage-influenced lyrics, the screaming melodies, and the outcast image that all these artists project, do parallel the rock scene in the early 1980s. However, it is unfair to call the genre that still does not have a proper name, Punk. SoundCloud Rap, is very much still Hip-Hop, however it's not the one we are used to. Rather, it parallels the Hip-Hop of the late 1970s. XXXTentacion’s decision to add rock guitar riffs to the pulsating hi hats of "traditional rap”, is the modern equivalent of how Dj Kool Herc and Gil Scott Heron took elements from the West African Oral tradition, and laid it all over distorted disco and Jazz. Lil Pump and GM Flash, are both rebels changing what's around them. As SoundCloud Rap goes mainstream, it’s ideology will too, enlightening many listeners about the issues that they speak about, drugs, depression, and poverty. SoundCloud Rap will "change the game", but soon enough the next generation will just change it again.
“Trump Says Transgender People Will Not Be Allowed in the Military”
This article really caught my attention just by the name of it. The first thing that came to my mind was if this was really true. I was really amazed to find out that many of the active people on duty will get kicked out just for this decision. These people are making a great sacrifice for the country, for our freedom. These people placed their nation as their priority and all they get is a simple response that the president doesn’t want them on the military. I truly disagree with this idea since its truly wrong to kick people out who are fighting for our freedom. The U.S. president says they can't afford to pay for their expenses, but yet he manages to cut money from schools and invest in the military. It sounds very ridiculous when they say they can't afford their “medical costs and disruption”, when America invests billions of dollars on its military. It shows how much the president really feels about helping out its veterans by simply stating this idea. The LGBT community must of felt very disappointed when the president stated this, for they gave it all for their country. In the article it was said that a recent study showed that transgender had little cost impact on the pentagon. Maybe Mr. Trump might have a plan for why he is doing this, but cost shouldn’t be one. Hopefully it will turn out well and the military is able to arrange something with the president.
This article really caught my attention just by the name of it. The first thing that came to my mind was if this was really true. I was really amazed to find out that many of the active people on duty will get kicked out just for this decision. These people are making a great sacrifice for the country, for our freedom. These people placed their nation as their priority and all they get is a simple response that the president doesn’t want them on the military. I truly disagree with this idea since its truly wrong to kick people out who are fighting for our freedom. The U.S. president says they can't afford to pay for their expenses, but yet he manages to cut money from schools and invest in the military. It sounds very ridiculous when they say they can't afford their “medical costs and disruption”, when America invests billions of dollars on its military. It shows how much the president really feels about helping out its veterans by simply stating this idea. The LGBT community must of felt very disappointed when the president stated this, for they gave it all for their country. In the article it was said that a recent study showed that transgender had little cost impact on the pentagon. Maybe Mr. Trump might have a plan for why he is doing this, but cost shouldn’t be one. Hopefully it will turn out well and the military is able to arrange something with the president.
When looking through the articles posted this week I found what felt a diamond in the ruff, the article "In Breakthrough, Scientists Edit a Dangerous From Genes In Human Embryos" by Pam Belluck. Just reading the title I instantly clicked it and read through the whole thing eagerly to understand what amazing breakthrough they had in field of disease and genes. The article talks about how on Wednesday, August 2nd, scientists finally found out how to modify human embryo genes to counter disease. This means that potentially the recipient wouldn't be able to receive disease and if they did somehow they can't spread it to others. This also opened a door that seems very futuristic and quite controversial, being able to design your child using genetic engineering which would enable people to have their child be more intelligent or even more athletic. Just like the beginning scene in of the "Man Of Steel" film. However this may lead to ethical clashes and make disabled people or people of some disability be valued way less than the then "average" human being. All in all, I think this is an amazing discovery but I don't think it should be used to make a person's "dream child". Instead I think they should focus this on the path of disease prevention and elimination.
"Freed From ISIS, Yazidi Women Return in ‘Severe Shock’"
It is beyond horrifying and saddening that young girls could be held captive, raped multiple times, and have their rapists' babies in today's world. One out of the hundreds of these women thankfully was returned home but in poor physical and mental health. Souhayla's uncle is doing a great job of taking care of her and making her story as visible as possible for the world to see and other women in her position to get help. These women return home with infections, broken bones, bad mental health, unconscious and shocked. One of the main reasons ISIS capture Yazidi people is because they follow different religions, which is sickening. Two sisters returned home covered from head to toe despite the fact that Yazidi religion does not require women to cover up. The two sisters were severely unconscious and described their ISIS fighters as their husbands. They came home with three kids, the children of their rapists.
As a woman who lives in the middle east, I truly appreciate this article being written. The New York Times is a well-known newspaper world wide with a huge platform, and shining light on stories like this is important. Newspapers worldwide talk about ISIS and the terrorism they do, usually to western countries. Yet the issues ISIS create in the Middle East is rarely spoken about, from rape to bombing and murdering. I hope this article raises awareness of Souhayla and other girls in her position.
It is beyond horrifying and saddening that young girls could be held captive, raped multiple times, and have their rapists' babies in today's world. One out of the hundreds of these women thankfully was returned home but in poor physical and mental health. Souhayla's uncle is doing a great job of taking care of her and making her story as visible as possible for the world to see and other women in her position to get help. These women return home with infections, broken bones, bad mental health, unconscious and shocked. One of the main reasons ISIS capture Yazidi people is because they follow different religions, which is sickening. Two sisters returned home covered from head to toe despite the fact that Yazidi religion does not require women to cover up. The two sisters were severely unconscious and described their ISIS fighters as their husbands. They came home with three kids, the children of their rapists.
As a woman who lives in the middle east, I truly appreciate this article being written. The New York Times is a well-known newspaper world wide with a huge platform, and shining light on stories like this is important. Newspapers worldwide talk about ISIS and the terrorism they do, usually to western countries. Yet the issues ISIS create in the Middle East is rarely spoken about, from rape to bombing and murdering. I hope this article raises awareness of Souhayla and other girls in her position.
"1967's Other Summer of Love"
The slideshow I just viewed gave me a bit of an understatement of 1967. The 60's was a bit of a lost era in the United states. Everything had to have an argument and everyone wanted to be the rebels. It was a time of music, drugs, and fighting. Fighting was not just on the battlefield like it should have been, it was in our own country. If you remember at that time the USA was at war in Vietnam, it was one of the first wars that was able to be seen by viewers at home because of this many people at home were appalled and wanted this violence to end. There was much controversy to the war in this slideshow, slide 15 you see men in support of the war. These were troubling time in more ways than one, almost everyone decided that decade would be the time to explore themselves. Many did drugs and explored sexually. Sound familiar? To me it sounds more and more like time today we are very much exploring at this time too. People seem to say and agree with the statement “History repeats” and what these pictures show is almost perfect evidence of that. The one picture that does bother me and seems to stick with me is the picture of the boys that are harassing the girl on the street. It bothers me because harassment of women has always been a problem but it recently has become an issue at the top of many agenda and has gone down significantly. But harassment is still an issue and it should not be, before you know it the harassment becomes violence.
The slideshow I just viewed gave me a bit of an understatement of 1967. The 60's was a bit of a lost era in the United states. Everything had to have an argument and everyone wanted to be the rebels. It was a time of music, drugs, and fighting. Fighting was not just on the battlefield like it should have been, it was in our own country. If you remember at that time the USA was at war in Vietnam, it was one of the first wars that was able to be seen by viewers at home because of this many people at home were appalled and wanted this violence to end. There was much controversy to the war in this slideshow, slide 15 you see men in support of the war. These were troubling time in more ways than one, almost everyone decided that decade would be the time to explore themselves. Many did drugs and explored sexually. Sound familiar? To me it sounds more and more like time today we are very much exploring at this time too. People seem to say and agree with the statement “History repeats” and what these pictures show is almost perfect evidence of that. The one picture that does bother me and seems to stick with me is the picture of the boys that are harassing the girl on the street. It bothers me because harassment of women has always been a problem but it recently has become an issue at the top of many agenda and has gone down significantly. But harassment is still an issue and it should not be, before you know it the harassment becomes violence.
"Michael Phelps 'Raced' a 'Shark,' Kind Of. Not Really."
When I heard that Discovery was going to have Michael Phelps race a shark, my mind was transfixed on the different ways that they could pull this off. I imagined every scenario that could happen, and it thoroughly intrigued me. I turned on Shark Week, ready to watch the Olympian race a Great White, but to my dismay it was all just CGI and math. The graphics were amazing and the different ways that they showed the sharks swimming and jumping out of the water kept me tuned in to the show, but it just wasn't the same as my imagination. Phelps said, “I think we did our best to try to make it as close as we could,” and honestly I believe this is very true. The directors and the animators kept the viewers watching with different special effects and made it as close to the real thing as possible. It was definitely a good way to spend the night.
When I heard that Discovery was going to have Michael Phelps race a shark, my mind was transfixed on the different ways that they could pull this off. I imagined every scenario that could happen, and it thoroughly intrigued me. I turned on Shark Week, ready to watch the Olympian race a Great White, but to my dismay it was all just CGI and math. The graphics were amazing and the different ways that they showed the sharks swimming and jumping out of the water kept me tuned in to the show, but it just wasn't the same as my imagination. Phelps said, “I think we did our best to try to make it as close as we could,” and honestly I believe this is very true. The directors and the animators kept the viewers watching with different special effects and made it as close to the real thing as possible. It was definitely a good way to spend the night.
"Trump Says Transgender People Will Not be Allowed in the Military", by Julie Hirschfeld Davis and Helene Cooper was the most interesting article in the New York Times this week. This article was interesting, because it shows one of the many political and social weaknesses of our government and our military. President Trump announced on Twitter that he will ban all transgender people from serving in the military. This ban is completely inappropriate and not just because it was announced on Twitter of all things. Doing this would take 2,000 to 15,000 soldiers out of active duty. This makes even less sense, because keeping transgender soldiers in the military was part of Trumps campaign during the 2016 US presidential election. He appears to have changed his mind, because he thinks that having transgender people in the military "erodes military readiness and unit cohesion". This is most likely inaccurate, because research into other countries shows that transgender people will have little to no effect on military readiness and unit cohesion. Trump also argues that it will be too expensive to have transgender people in the military, but it would only make the pentagon spend .13 percent of its money on the military instead of 0.04 percent. I honestly believe that this is just another rash and unjustifiable decision made by the current president of the united states. People who are capable of serving and are willing to serve in the military should be allowed to.
“Thanks to Venmo, We Now All Know How Cheap Our Friends Are”
Money can be a touchy subject for some people. Many people do not like to discuss their salaries with anyone even their close friends.While I understand the logic in this, apps like Venmo are defeating money being a private subject. Over 25 million people are making about 3 transactions on Venmo each week. I found this article interesting because of the opinions included in the article. One person said they felt as if the app was making people less generous. I agree with this because it used to be that friends could go out to eat and they could split the check 50/50 or they could buy each other a drink. Apps like Venmo seem to make people obsess over paying every nickel and dime but only for the item they bought. Another opinion in the article mentioned that Venmo avoids the awkwardness of asking the other person for cash on the spot. It is nonchalant. It doesn’t seem like a big deal to send them the bill over an app. As technology advances, things such as digital wallets become convenient as they are just another way to cater to our daily needs. However, digital wallets among other media platforms take away from social skills because conversations are not necessary. It has been proven that you are less likely to spend money with a cash than a credit card because you have to hand over a physical item. I can’t image to bills piling up as spending money is becoming one swipe away.
Money can be a touchy subject for some people. Many people do not like to discuss their salaries with anyone even their close friends.While I understand the logic in this, apps like Venmo are defeating money being a private subject. Over 25 million people are making about 3 transactions on Venmo each week. I found this article interesting because of the opinions included in the article. One person said they felt as if the app was making people less generous. I agree with this because it used to be that friends could go out to eat and they could split the check 50/50 or they could buy each other a drink. Apps like Venmo seem to make people obsess over paying every nickel and dime but only for the item they bought. Another opinion in the article mentioned that Venmo avoids the awkwardness of asking the other person for cash on the spot. It is nonchalant. It doesn’t seem like a big deal to send them the bill over an app. As technology advances, things such as digital wallets become convenient as they are just another way to cater to our daily needs. However, digital wallets among other media platforms take away from social skills because conversations are not necessary. It has been proven that you are less likely to spend money with a cash than a credit card because you have to hand over a physical item. I can’t image to bills piling up as spending money is becoming one swipe away.
Kimko de Freytas - Tamura's "For Ethiopia’s Underemployed Youth, Life Can Center on a Leaf" caught my eye this week because it deals with youth and drugs. In my opinion, that is a terrible combination because young people should be focusing on the bright future ahead of them and not about getting high. Ethiopia has had an increase in the production of khat which is a chewable leaf that gives you a high. This leaf can also cause delusions, violence, depression, or even suicidal depression. Over half of Ethiopia's youth population is believed to chew khat. This is due to unemployment and is used as a way to pass time and forget about your worries. The only reason khat is not banned is because is it a huge source of revenue for the government. Khat generates more money that Ethiopia's biggest export, coffee. Therefore, the government is of course going to choose money over it's peoples health. I would feel hopeless to be in Ethiopia's current khat epidemic. Sitting on the streets chewing khat as entertainment waiting for someone to offer me work is not the way anyone can achieve a bright future.
“Trump Forbids Military Service by Transgender People” by Julie Hirschfeld Davis and Helene Cooper. This article first caught my attention because well, with all of the controversy surrounding Mr. Trump, how couldn’t his name send shivers down my spine when reading it across my computer screen. And i’m not into politics, trust me, but when it comes to fighting for something I believe in, i’m all for it. When I first read the headline, I assumed it was just another not well thought through action by President Trump and I thought about all of the men and women now unable to join the Military simply for being who they are. However, after reading the article, my perspective changed. It made me realize that the list goes on and on when it comes to the disqualifications already set in place for those looking to join the Military. From flat feet to asthma to food allergies to mental illness, there are definitely more disqualifications than qualifications. Also, the hormone treatments that men and women would be going through cause changes in mood along with the physical changes that each individual would be adjusting to. For these reasons, I agree with the Military leaders referred to in this article and think that transgender individuals should focus on loving their new bodies so that they can be healthy and happy to live in a country as great as America.
‘You Create That Chemistry’: How Actors Fall in Instant Love By ALEXIS SOLOSKI
This article really caught my eye because I am an actor in local theater and hope to pursue it as a profession in one way or another. The actors from the cast of “A Midsummer’s Night Dream” that were interviewed all gave great advice on a specific time in acting and I hope to implement it someday, they spoke on how they faked falling in love. To me, being up on stage is exhilarating and having someone else up there with you can make it even more of a rush. The skill it takes to become another person is powerful and to produce reproduce emotions is even more so. Love is probably something you’ve never had to fake, unless it was for a sweater that your grandmother made you for Christmas, so this advice was very significant. The actors and actresses explained how they drew off the emotions of the text or even thought of the rehearsal process as a first date. I found the idea of thinking about it as a first date interesting because it is so relatable and it has less to do with acting method but more gut reaction in everyday life. On the topic of everyday life, the actors and actresses are clear about “drawing distinctions between performance and life.” It’s all acting, “This is literally my job...I’m not skeezing on anybody. It is in the text.” If I am ever in an acting role that calls for falling in love I may remember this article and hopefully by then can use its advice to a greater extent.
This article really caught my eye because I am an actor in local theater and hope to pursue it as a profession in one way or another. The actors from the cast of “A Midsummer’s Night Dream” that were interviewed all gave great advice on a specific time in acting and I hope to implement it someday, they spoke on how they faked falling in love. To me, being up on stage is exhilarating and having someone else up there with you can make it even more of a rush. The skill it takes to become another person is powerful and to produce reproduce emotions is even more so. Love is probably something you’ve never had to fake, unless it was for a sweater that your grandmother made you for Christmas, so this advice was very significant. The actors and actresses explained how they drew off the emotions of the text or even thought of the rehearsal process as a first date. I found the idea of thinking about it as a first date interesting because it is so relatable and it has less to do with acting method but more gut reaction in everyday life. On the topic of everyday life, the actors and actresses are clear about “drawing distinctions between performance and life.” It’s all acting, “This is literally my job...I’m not skeezing on anybody. It is in the text.” If I am ever in an acting role that calls for falling in love I may remember this article and hopefully by then can use its advice to a greater extent.
When I hear “summer vacation,” I think of sleeping in, reading lots of books, and just lounging in a comfy chair listening to my favorite tunes. But the reality of my summer doesn’t match the fantasy. My schedule is hectic-- filled to the brim with camps meant to better my future and attempts to have a social life (which can be hard during the school year) --and there’s hardly any downtime for me to be, well, me.
Alexander Chee’s “On a Remote Greek Island, Learning to Take a ‘Real’ Vacation” made me realize that I need to change my approach to summer. The article features Sifnos, “famous for being unfamous.” Chee chose to stay at Sifnos because he was determined to have a “real” vacation. As a writer, he used to squeeze in writing while on vacation, but he was determined to truly let go of work, get back into one of his old pastimes--drawing--and just enjoy life. When he got on the ferry back to the mainland, he could feel that, deep down, he was finally relaxed.
The way I see it now, my summers have been breaks, not actual vacations. But you don’t have to go somewhere exotic like Greece to loosen up and reflect. So maybe, if I truly want to have a relaxing summer vacation, I should find the time to sit back and unwind, because being able to slow down from a busy schedule- to find myself in the midst of all the craziness- is just as important as running around and doing things I think will make my life better.
Alexander Chee’s “On a Remote Greek Island, Learning to Take a ‘Real’ Vacation” made me realize that I need to change my approach to summer. The article features Sifnos, “famous for being unfamous.” Chee chose to stay at Sifnos because he was determined to have a “real” vacation. As a writer, he used to squeeze in writing while on vacation, but he was determined to truly let go of work, get back into one of his old pastimes--drawing--and just enjoy life. When he got on the ferry back to the mainland, he could feel that, deep down, he was finally relaxed.
The way I see it now, my summers have been breaks, not actual vacations. But you don’t have to go somewhere exotic like Greece to loosen up and reflect. So maybe, if I truly want to have a relaxing summer vacation, I should find the time to sit back and unwind, because being able to slow down from a busy schedule- to find myself in the midst of all the craziness- is just as important as running around and doing things I think will make my life better.
“Parents of Charlie Gard, Ill British Infant, Abandon Effort to Prolong His Life” by Dan Bilefsky
In London a Family had a very ill infant named Charlie Gard, Would you ever give up on your infant after fighting so long to keep them alive and can’t take it anymore ? The family gave up because doctors had said There was nothing they could do to prolong the infant's life. The mom, Connie Yates Broke down in court and said they just wanted to Have him a chance at life She also stated “ ‘ we have decided to let our son go’ “ As a family you can imagine how hard this can be for them .
Some people would never wish this on any family ! Charlie has a form called mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome which is caused by a different mutation in the gene called RRM2B. Charlie should be able to live life and receive the help he needs same as any other child or infant . Many people had supported and been there throughout charlie's journey, Some even devastated by the court news when they said they couldn't do anything for Charlie
As stated in the article it says that Mr.Armstrong the parents lawyer said and I quote “having made this most painful of decisions,” now wished “to spend as much time as possible with Charlie” A personal thought I have is that it must hurt for the family to go through this, No one should go through this even an infant that has barely experienced life yet .
In London a Family had a very ill infant named Charlie Gard, Would you ever give up on your infant after fighting so long to keep them alive and can’t take it anymore ? The family gave up because doctors had said There was nothing they could do to prolong the infant's life. The mom, Connie Yates Broke down in court and said they just wanted to Have him a chance at life She also stated “ ‘ we have decided to let our son go’ “ As a family you can imagine how hard this can be for them .
Some people would never wish this on any family ! Charlie has a form called mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome which is caused by a different mutation in the gene called RRM2B. Charlie should be able to live life and receive the help he needs same as any other child or infant . Many people had supported and been there throughout charlie's journey, Some even devastated by the court news when they said they couldn't do anything for Charlie
As stated in the article it says that Mr.Armstrong the parents lawyer said and I quote “having made this most painful of decisions,” now wished “to spend as much time as possible with Charlie” A personal thought I have is that it must hurt for the family to go through this, No one should go through this even an infant that has barely experienced life yet .
"It’s High Time for Ticks, Which Are Spreading Diseases Farther"
This article caught my attention because when I went on a trip at a camp early this summer, and I remember our camp guides telling us to be really careful and check for ticks before we went to sleep. This was because the population had increased from the previous year. This article definitely proved what he said to us. The article said that even in places where you don't think there would be a risk you should still be careful and that the distribution of ticks is changing putting more people at risk no matter where you live.
The mice and deer population is increasing which means the ticks have more meals and are reproducing at a higher rate than they used to. Even in some cases people are dying from rare viruses from the ticks. Such as, the heartland virus, bourbon virus, and the powassan virus. Now that the ticks are spreading to new places they are picking up even more pathogens and diseases creating an even bigger risk for people everywhere. Hopefully within the next couple years the number of people being affected by ticks decreases as well as the number of ticks in general.
This article caught my attention because when I went on a trip at a camp early this summer, and I remember our camp guides telling us to be really careful and check for ticks before we went to sleep. This was because the population had increased from the previous year. This article definitely proved what he said to us. The article said that even in places where you don't think there would be a risk you should still be careful and that the distribution of ticks is changing putting more people at risk no matter where you live.
The mice and deer population is increasing which means the ticks have more meals and are reproducing at a higher rate than they used to. Even in some cases people are dying from rare viruses from the ticks. Such as, the heartland virus, bourbon virus, and the powassan virus. Now that the ticks are spreading to new places they are picking up even more pathogens and diseases creating an even bigger risk for people everywhere. Hopefully within the next couple years the number of people being affected by ticks decreases as well as the number of ticks in general.
"Michael Phelps ‘Raced’ a ‘Shark,’ Kind Of. Not Really." by Victor Mather
I heard about the upcoming event involving 23-time Olympic gold medalist, Micheal Phelps, attempt to beat a great white shark in a race, and wasn't sure what was in store for the two competitors. Personally, I didn't watch the race, but I was aware many people were waiting with anticipation to see who would win. I, among multiple others, didn't really know what to expect with this race, but luckily this article explained it all. The shark was not real, it was actually a computer-animated shark, which did not sit well with many viewers. Although I didn't know how exactly Discovery Channel would preform this race, I can see why people would feel "cheated" about them including a fake shark instead of the real deal. This information should've been noted when this race was being promoted constantly on television about a man racing a "great white shark." Thankfully, Victor Mather was able to share this information for me to see that the results were just like I predicted, the shark won. Since humans swim only 6 mph compared to shark that can swim 25 mph, these results should've been expected. This just seemed like another excessive way to get people to focus on this television channel.
I heard about the upcoming event involving 23-time Olympic gold medalist, Micheal Phelps, attempt to beat a great white shark in a race, and wasn't sure what was in store for the two competitors. Personally, I didn't watch the race, but I was aware many people were waiting with anticipation to see who would win. I, among multiple others, didn't really know what to expect with this race, but luckily this article explained it all. The shark was not real, it was actually a computer-animated shark, which did not sit well with many viewers. Although I didn't know how exactly Discovery Channel would preform this race, I can see why people would feel "cheated" about them including a fake shark instead of the real deal. This information should've been noted when this race was being promoted constantly on television about a man racing a "great white shark." Thankfully, Victor Mather was able to share this information for me to see that the results were just like I predicted, the shark won. Since humans swim only 6 mph compared to shark that can swim 25 mph, these results should've been expected. This just seemed like another excessive way to get people to focus on this television channel.
“Maternal Instinct, or O.C.D.?”
This week in the New York Times, I was very interested in the article “Maternal Instinct, or O.C.D.?” One generally wouldn’t associate a new mother’s paranoia with O.C.D, after all every new mother is worried and cautious with their child. This article gave me a new perspective on the situation. Mothers are swamped with the responsibility of taking care of a child that is completely helpless, and this responsibility can be nerve wracking. Many of the traits of a new mother really do resemble characteristics of O.C.D. Before reading this article, I was unaware that childbirth could trigger cases of O.C.D in women. The speaker in the article speaks in a relatable way about her disorder, one that could potentially impact all child bearing women.
I can relate to the woman in the article. Even as a teenager, I constantly question things such as whether or not I locked the door when I leave my house, even if I’ve checked it multiple times before leaving. If I have a hairdryer or iron plugged into an outlet I might second guess having unplugged it. These compulsive traits, although not harmful, can be annoying at times. “What if the iron is still plugged in?” “What if the door isn’t actually locked?” These questions weigh on me even after I leave my house. It was interesting to read about this woman’s story and how she learned to deal with O.C.D. earlier in her life, and postpartum O.C.D. later in her life.
This week in the New York Times, I was very interested in the article “Maternal Instinct, or O.C.D.?” One generally wouldn’t associate a new mother’s paranoia with O.C.D, after all every new mother is worried and cautious with their child. This article gave me a new perspective on the situation. Mothers are swamped with the responsibility of taking care of a child that is completely helpless, and this responsibility can be nerve wracking. Many of the traits of a new mother really do resemble characteristics of O.C.D. Before reading this article, I was unaware that childbirth could trigger cases of O.C.D in women. The speaker in the article speaks in a relatable way about her disorder, one that could potentially impact all child bearing women.
I can relate to the woman in the article. Even as a teenager, I constantly question things such as whether or not I locked the door when I leave my house, even if I’ve checked it multiple times before leaving. If I have a hairdryer or iron plugged into an outlet I might second guess having unplugged it. These compulsive traits, although not harmful, can be annoying at times. “What if the iron is still plugged in?” “What if the door isn’t actually locked?” These questions weigh on me even after I leave my house. It was interesting to read about this woman’s story and how she learned to deal with O.C.D. earlier in her life, and postpartum O.C.D. later in her life.
While reading The Other Wounded Warriors I have found out that many different circumstances can all be linked together in one horrific way. Abuse is something that i have never had to deal with thankfully. I never knew that many times soldiers would come back from the military abusive to their families. I do not see how or why. I also think that the military should be concerned with the fact that their soldiers are becoming abusive to women and children. Also that they should help the women that are abused by their husbands. Not just completely cut their military support. I think that the spouses should get support only if there was a traumatic reasoning behind the divorce. Not if they just got a divorce because they weren't right for each other. This article has taught me that the military is hard to deal with and that many people do not come back the same people as they left.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/22/world/americas/venezuela-protests-mad...
"The Battle for Venezuela, Through a Lens, Helmet, and Gas Maks." Photographs and Text by Meridith Kohut (July 22nd, 2017)
The uprising in Venezuela grabbed my attention. Every day for three months, there is a violent protest which leads to more imprisonments and crimes being committed. The protesting is mostly due to President Maduro making shortages to the healthcare and food. Numerous families can barely afford one meal, so why dig a deeper hole and cut resources off? Millions of people receive medicine to help relieve pain and mental road blocks. Cutting back on medicines will put all those people in danger. Whether it's a disorder or health condition, they are all going to be effected to a great extent. The standing rate of poverty in Venezuela is 82% and the numbers are still racking up due to the economic downfall. Other countries are trying to aid Venezuela, but Maduro is refusing while trying to convince the community that "there is no crisis." If that was the case there would be no riots, violent protests, or the imprisonment of 3,000 people fighting for their freedom. These powerful pictures have showed me the protesters' point of view and the effect of being stripped of your basic human rights.
"The Battle for Venezuela, Through a Lens, Helmet, and Gas Maks." Photographs and Text by Meridith Kohut (July 22nd, 2017)
The uprising in Venezuela grabbed my attention. Every day for three months, there is a violent protest which leads to more imprisonments and crimes being committed. The protesting is mostly due to President Maduro making shortages to the healthcare and food. Numerous families can barely afford one meal, so why dig a deeper hole and cut resources off? Millions of people receive medicine to help relieve pain and mental road blocks. Cutting back on medicines will put all those people in danger. Whether it's a disorder or health condition, they are all going to be effected to a great extent. The standing rate of poverty in Venezuela is 82% and the numbers are still racking up due to the economic downfall. Other countries are trying to aid Venezuela, but Maduro is refusing while trying to convince the community that "there is no crisis." If that was the case there would be no riots, violent protests, or the imprisonment of 3,000 people fighting for their freedom. These powerful pictures have showed me the protesters' point of view and the effect of being stripped of your basic human rights.
"Michael Phelps ‘Raced’ a ‘Shark,’ Kind Of Not Really." by Victor Mather
When seeing the title of this article it reminded me back to a time in 2012 when I religiously watched the Summer Olympics. That year, in London, Michael Phelps (as he usually does) put on a show and dominated. When I saw he was going to be "racing" a shark I was immediately intrigued, but not especially excited because I was certain, as legendary as Phelps may be, there is no possible way he would be made to race a shark side by side. After reading through the article my suspicions were confirmed. Phelps would be basically racing against a clock alone and then comparing it with a shark's time. The shark was computer generated and this experiment was executed with the utmost safety in mind. As good as Phelps is, he is no shark, and he lost. Humans cannot swim faster than 6 miles an hour while a great white shark can reach speeds up to 25 miles an hour. Many people were generally displeased with this as some may have expected Phelps to venture out into the ocean and race a great white in it's territory or maybe even bring the shark into an olympic pool and have Phelps race it in his home court. The Discovery Channel also explicitly stated in the first two minutes of the show that Phelps would not actually be racing a shark side by side. Regardless of all the controversy surrounding this, I believe if human beings as a species needed to pick one of us to race a shark, we would go with Phelps, confidently.
When seeing the title of this article it reminded me back to a time in 2012 when I religiously watched the Summer Olympics. That year, in London, Michael Phelps (as he usually does) put on a show and dominated. When I saw he was going to be "racing" a shark I was immediately intrigued, but not especially excited because I was certain, as legendary as Phelps may be, there is no possible way he would be made to race a shark side by side. After reading through the article my suspicions were confirmed. Phelps would be basically racing against a clock alone and then comparing it with a shark's time. The shark was computer generated and this experiment was executed with the utmost safety in mind. As good as Phelps is, he is no shark, and he lost. Humans cannot swim faster than 6 miles an hour while a great white shark can reach speeds up to 25 miles an hour. Many people were generally displeased with this as some may have expected Phelps to venture out into the ocean and race a great white in it's territory or maybe even bring the shark into an olympic pool and have Phelps race it in his home court. The Discovery Channel also explicitly stated in the first two minutes of the show that Phelps would not actually be racing a shark side by side. Regardless of all the controversy surrounding this, I believe if human beings as a species needed to pick one of us to race a shark, we would go with Phelps, confidently.
The article that interested me most this week was “What We Finally Got Around to Learning at the Procrastination Research Center”. I believe that it opened up an entirely new view to procrastination, a subject that I’m sure my classmates and I are fully aware of.
I already knew that procrastination was sweeping the nation, but I was never aware of the exact statistic. As it turns out, only 20% of the people in America actually are procrastinators. This low statistic startled me, as I expected it to be much higher. One researcher clariefied by saying that everybody procrastinates, but not everybody is a procrastinator. This made a lot of sense to me, and I’m sure I am not alone. A few instances is not enough to classify for someone having the disease.
The most interesting thing I found about this article was the opinion it gave regarding procrastination.While it called it a disease, it also mentioned that we may have a thing or two to learn from procrastinators. They seem to be able to prioritize things, and while that may be a weakness at times, it can also be a very strong advantage. They’re able to put their own personal priorities ahead of other peoples’ priorities. By putting the things that they want to do above the things that they have to do, research suggests they may be able to have a more meaningful and satisfying life. I had never thought of the possible pros of procrastinating, and maybe now I’ll be more aware of all aspects of it, not just the negatives.
I already knew that procrastination was sweeping the nation, but I was never aware of the exact statistic. As it turns out, only 20% of the people in America actually are procrastinators. This low statistic startled me, as I expected it to be much higher. One researcher clariefied by saying that everybody procrastinates, but not everybody is a procrastinator. This made a lot of sense to me, and I’m sure I am not alone. A few instances is not enough to classify for someone having the disease.
The most interesting thing I found about this article was the opinion it gave regarding procrastination.While it called it a disease, it also mentioned that we may have a thing or two to learn from procrastinators. They seem to be able to prioritize things, and while that may be a weakness at times, it can also be a very strong advantage. They’re able to put their own personal priorities ahead of other peoples’ priorities. By putting the things that they want to do above the things that they have to do, research suggests they may be able to have a more meaningful and satisfying life. I had never thought of the possible pros of procrastinating, and maybe now I’ll be more aware of all aspects of it, not just the negatives.
"How the Modern World Made Cowards of Us All" By: Arthur C. Brooks
Today, our culture has conditioned us to stay within our comfort zones. Modern education has taught us that planning out our future step by step leads to the prosperity we hope to have. Unfortunately, adhering to this path means saying no quite a bit and passing by opportunities that may interfere with our goals. The research behind Steven Levitt's study is awfully coherent with the movie "Yes Man", in which an unhappy, yet "comfortable", loan officer takes on the challenge to say yes to everything after listening to a motivational speaker. The outcome of this experiment is genuine happiness, despite the minor inconveniences here and there. Limiting ourselves to yes and no decisions can result in self-imposed misery and a repetitive reflection on what we did and did not do. However, this should not mean that being prepared for the future is a bad thing. Practicality mixed with occasional risk-taking is ideal, and a lifestyle I hope to someday master. Instead, I stick to a strict schedule as I have been taught to do. Schools should begin teaching students to confidently take chances more often rather than enforcing a dull schedule and defining for students what success truly is.
Today, our culture has conditioned us to stay within our comfort zones. Modern education has taught us that planning out our future step by step leads to the prosperity we hope to have. Unfortunately, adhering to this path means saying no quite a bit and passing by opportunities that may interfere with our goals. The research behind Steven Levitt's study is awfully coherent with the movie "Yes Man", in which an unhappy, yet "comfortable", loan officer takes on the challenge to say yes to everything after listening to a motivational speaker. The outcome of this experiment is genuine happiness, despite the minor inconveniences here and there. Limiting ourselves to yes and no decisions can result in self-imposed misery and a repetitive reflection on what we did and did not do. However, this should not mean that being prepared for the future is a bad thing. Practicality mixed with occasional risk-taking is ideal, and a lifestyle I hope to someday master. Instead, I stick to a strict schedule as I have been taught to do. Schools should begin teaching students to confidently take chances more often rather than enforcing a dull schedule and defining for students what success truly is.
The topic of death is a very sensitive topic, especially when it relates to someone very close to you. For me as a person this topic has always been hard to talk about. Over the years i've taught myself that death is something that everyone will eventually experience, but what scares me the most is not knowing when or where you will take your last breath. The article that caught my attention this week was the article titled " Parents of Charlie Gard, Ill British Infant, Abandon Effort to Prolong His Life" written by Dan Bilefsky. This article explains how Charlie's parents made the decision to stop fighting to try and keep Charlie alive. Charlie suffers from a disease called Mitchondrial DNA depletion syndrome, his parents have found out that there isnt much more the doctors could do for him and decided it was time to stop Charlie's treatment. This article stood out to me because the decision that his parents made was and will probably be the toughest decision they ever had to make in their life. To me what makes it worse is knowing sometime soon but not knowing the exactly when that their child will have to leave this earth. I applaud Charlie's parents because they were strong enough to do something like what they did, but what stands out to me more is that they were thinking of Charlie and not themselves. To do something like this they had to take out their selfish ways realize that they didnt want Charlie to suffer any longer.
What We Finally Got Around to Learning at the Procrastination Research Conference
With summer vacation currently upon us and the beginning of a new school year slowly approaching, the pressure to complete summer homework slowly begins to build. With the only deadline being that all assignments be completed by September, you basically have two choices. There is the obvious first option, which is to keep time management in mind and spread out your work between days. However, there are many who chose to go the alternate route, which is to leave work to the last minute. With these options in mind, I was most intrigued by this article regarding procrastination.
As someone in all honors classes, the workload is much more stressful than that of your average classes. Though I would not label myself as a “procrastinator”, I have definitely been one to procrastinate with my assignments in the past. I found myself making excuses listed in the article such as, “I’ll do it tomorrow.” Making these excuses has always led to me cramming work the night before a deadline. Thus, I was most interested by this article as I hoped to find useful tips that could aid me in stopping my procrastination habits.
Having now read the article, I have learned that in order to prevent procrastination I should learn to better, “manage...thoughts and emotions…”. With this in mind, I will enter the school year with a new mindset. One that will hopefully put an end to my procrastination.
With summer vacation currently upon us and the beginning of a new school year slowly approaching, the pressure to complete summer homework slowly begins to build. With the only deadline being that all assignments be completed by September, you basically have two choices. There is the obvious first option, which is to keep time management in mind and spread out your work between days. However, there are many who chose to go the alternate route, which is to leave work to the last minute. With these options in mind, I was most intrigued by this article regarding procrastination.
As someone in all honors classes, the workload is much more stressful than that of your average classes. Though I would not label myself as a “procrastinator”, I have definitely been one to procrastinate with my assignments in the past. I found myself making excuses listed in the article such as, “I’ll do it tomorrow.” Making these excuses has always led to me cramming work the night before a deadline. Thus, I was most interested by this article as I hoped to find useful tips that could aid me in stopping my procrastination habits.
Having now read the article, I have learned that in order to prevent procrastination I should learn to better, “manage...thoughts and emotions…”. With this in mind, I will enter the school year with a new mindset. One that will hopefully put an end to my procrastination.
The article on which McCain vote no, really caught my attention. It caught my attention by the tittle since this subject has been on the news quite a lot. This will affect many people in many ways. I feel that McCain did a big step, since many Americans on the Obamacare really depend on this health plan. I truly agree that McCain is a jero, by voting no he saved many Americans from being left without a health plan. A man who just been through cancer and being able to make big choices, is a man of great respect. Despite being a Republican, we can see he is not biased in making decisions to help its fellow Americans. We can see that he doesn't allow to be manipulated by the Republican party, but he has a vision of his own. Hopefully the Republican and Democratic party will eventually agree more on topics that will affect America greatly. By the time, the Democrats won, but also many Americans did. I really do believe many great things will become accomplished once the both parties get to agree with their point of views. The U.S. president was right on saying that McCain is a hero, for he has been through a lot. I admire what McCain is doing and I am sure most will agree on this man's actions. This is the type of collaboration America needs to settle down problems and to better improve the whole country. Once again, this article really caught my attention and really impressed me on how democrats won this debate.
If SoundCloud Disappears, What Happens to Its Music Culture?
As an avid user and lover of SoundCloud, the thought that the site might be shut down is pretty scary. Since I discovered the app earlier in the year, finding new music and revisiting my favorite songs entirely for free has become a routine part of my day. I personally know musicians who choose to share their talents online via SoundCloud, plus there are thousands of others who do the same. If this site were to disappear, the hard work and efforts of all those people would be gone in an instant. This article caught my attention purely because of its title. I didn’t even know until now that there was a possibility of SoundCloud being shut down. Without the site, I have no way of supporting my friends, discovering new creators, and enjoying music in the same way. SoundCloud is a great way for aspiring musicians to get their names out there and for listeners such as myself to support them on their journey. Personally, I hope that SoundCloud does not get shut down as it offers unique opportunities to creators and fans alike that no other site services.
As an avid user and lover of SoundCloud, the thought that the site might be shut down is pretty scary. Since I discovered the app earlier in the year, finding new music and revisiting my favorite songs entirely for free has become a routine part of my day. I personally know musicians who choose to share their talents online via SoundCloud, plus there are thousands of others who do the same. If this site were to disappear, the hard work and efforts of all those people would be gone in an instant. This article caught my attention purely because of its title. I didn’t even know until now that there was a possibility of SoundCloud being shut down. Without the site, I have no way of supporting my friends, discovering new creators, and enjoying music in the same way. SoundCloud is a great way for aspiring musicians to get their names out there and for listeners such as myself to support them on their journey. Personally, I hope that SoundCloud does not get shut down as it offers unique opportunities to creators and fans alike that no other site services.
Terminal illnesses are extremely devastating to all those affects either directly or indirectly, but I strongly believe the best decision is to give the patient the most likely chance of survival. This particularly interests me because my goal is become a pediatric nurse and I desire to help children and families that are experiencing medically similar situations as Charlie and his family. The London High Court should allow Charlie Gard and his family to receive medical care in the United States because it would give Charlie a substantial chance at survival in addition to receiving financial aid for medical costs. The article, “Lawmakers Push to Give Terminally Ill British Baby U.S. Residency”, describes the hospital’s decision to reconsider allowing the family to come to the U.S. for treatment. The U.S. hospitals are well-equipped with advanced medicine and treatment plans. Specifically, Strong Memorial Hospital has a very well-known pediatric hospital which would be beneficial in the Gard family’s situation. Hospitals like this also offer other ways to support the family with anything from full explanations from doctors, a place to stay such as the Ronald McDonald House, to upkeep of mental health. Parents want to always protect their children and do what is best for their health therefore it would be in the family’s best interest for the London High Court to allow Charlie access to treatment in the U.S.
"110 N.F.L. Brains" by Joe Ward, Josh Williams and Sam Manchester
As someone who plays many sports, I know how violent and injured they can be to the body, but sore muscles, twisted ankles, and pounding knees are just a small price to pay for playing a sport that you love. However, new information shows that football, an American sport that almost every person grows up either watching or playing could be deadly. 111 brains of people in the NFL were studied, and it was found that 110 of those brains contained CTE, a disease that causes myriad symptoms, including memory loss, confusion, depression, and dementia, leading to death. It was very interesting to see that 87% of people that play football get CTE. This caught my attention because football may change drastically in the US. Equipment may change, parents might not allow their children to play anymore and the NCAA and NFL could create new rules to prevent athletes from getting injured. These new discoveries will change the culture of American football, our coveted game, and the national pastime.
As someone who plays many sports, I know how violent and injured they can be to the body, but sore muscles, twisted ankles, and pounding knees are just a small price to pay for playing a sport that you love. However, new information shows that football, an American sport that almost every person grows up either watching or playing could be deadly. 111 brains of people in the NFL were studied, and it was found that 110 of those brains contained CTE, a disease that causes myriad symptoms, including memory loss, confusion, depression, and dementia, leading to death. It was very interesting to see that 87% of people that play football get CTE. This caught my attention because football may change drastically in the US. Equipment may change, parents might not allow their children to play anymore and the NCAA and NFL could create new rules to prevent athletes from getting injured. These new discoveries will change the culture of American football, our coveted game, and the national pastime.
“Saudi Arabia to Offer Physical Education Classes for Girls”
Starting from Scratch
Physical Education for girls is something we often completely take for granted. For boys and girls in the U.S., it’s part of our lives. It’s nothing we fight for or fear people will protest. In Saudi Arabia, however, circumstances are quite different.
Saudi Arabia recently announced a groundbreaking decision to start offering physical education for girls. When reading this article I learned that Saudi women must cover their bodies and hair, are not allowed to drive, and need male consent (even from a son) to seek medical treatment. A Saudi expert on women's history notes that they will face many challenges along the way “because you are starting something from scratch.” She remarks that it’ll take a lot of time to train gym teachers and add athletic facilities to girl’s schools. In addition, they will be facing a significant amount of opposition. Some oppose women’s sportswear, fearing it will cause them to lose their modesty. This recent change is Saudi Arabia has created many protests.
This article opened my eyes to how many things I take for granted about exercise and it’s importance. Physical education for these young girls can help their development and make them more confident while giving them a fair chance to showcase their athletic abilities. I’m very optimistic to see how girls lives is Saudi Arabia will be affected by this seemingly simple but very important new decision.
Starting from Scratch
Physical Education for girls is something we often completely take for granted. For boys and girls in the U.S., it’s part of our lives. It’s nothing we fight for or fear people will protest. In Saudi Arabia, however, circumstances are quite different.
Saudi Arabia recently announced a groundbreaking decision to start offering physical education for girls. When reading this article I learned that Saudi women must cover their bodies and hair, are not allowed to drive, and need male consent (even from a son) to seek medical treatment. A Saudi expert on women's history notes that they will face many challenges along the way “because you are starting something from scratch.” She remarks that it’ll take a lot of time to train gym teachers and add athletic facilities to girl’s schools. In addition, they will be facing a significant amount of opposition. Some oppose women’s sportswear, fearing it will cause them to lose their modesty. This recent change is Saudi Arabia has created many protests.
This article opened my eyes to how many things I take for granted about exercise and it’s importance. Physical education for these young girls can help their development and make them more confident while giving them a fair chance to showcase their athletic abilities. I’m very optimistic to see how girls lives is Saudi Arabia will be affected by this seemingly simple but very important new decision.
“Michael Phelps ‘Raced’ a ‘Shark,’ Kind Of. Not Really.” by Victor Mather
Despite not being the biggest fan of shark week, I could not wait for the race between Phelps and the shark. My family and I talked all week leading up to it about who would win and how it would be done (all thinking the shark but hoping for Phelps as we are big fans of him and the Olympics). I had a set image in my mind of the race: 100 meters marked off in a 200 meter saltwater pool, separated into four lanes with a tall, glass wall between the middle two, with Phelps and the shark in the outer lanes. To me, this could work as it would be impossible for the shark to jump the wall and the race would be even and fair, but I still knew it would be hard and far-fetched (but so is having Michael Phelps race a shark!). Watching the show and seeing that they were racing at different times was a bit of a letdown. While Laurie Goldberg said, “The whole point is to get people excited about sharks,” I think this race had an opposite effect. With such a build up, it was anticlimactic and made me even less interested in watching other shark week shows, and others probably felt the same way. I think in anything, if you build up the kickoff and it ends up being a letdown, people worry the rest will be the same and are discouraged to watch it. The start of something needs to grab people’s attention, or many will not continue, and I think this year’s shark week may have suffered from this anticlimactic start.
Despite not being the biggest fan of shark week, I could not wait for the race between Phelps and the shark. My family and I talked all week leading up to it about who would win and how it would be done (all thinking the shark but hoping for Phelps as we are big fans of him and the Olympics). I had a set image in my mind of the race: 100 meters marked off in a 200 meter saltwater pool, separated into four lanes with a tall, glass wall between the middle two, with Phelps and the shark in the outer lanes. To me, this could work as it would be impossible for the shark to jump the wall and the race would be even and fair, but I still knew it would be hard and far-fetched (but so is having Michael Phelps race a shark!). Watching the show and seeing that they were racing at different times was a bit of a letdown. While Laurie Goldberg said, “The whole point is to get people excited about sharks,” I think this race had an opposite effect. With such a build up, it was anticlimactic and made me even less interested in watching other shark week shows, and others probably felt the same way. I think in anything, if you build up the kickoff and it ends up being a letdown, people worry the rest will be the same and are discouraged to watch it. The start of something needs to grab people’s attention, or many will not continue, and I think this year’s shark week may have suffered from this anticlimactic start.
This week in the NY Times, I read about how, to the surprise of many people, The Emoji Movie turned out to be a huge box office success. Critics hated it (according to the article, it has an 8% rating on Rotten Tomatoes), yet it still grossed around $27.5 million, second only to Dunkirk.
I honestly don’t think many people went to see The Emoji Movie because they expected it to be good, or because they expected something new and original. We’ve all seen The Emoji Movie before. We saw it before it even came out. We saw traces of it in almost every animated film (and even some live action movies) that have come out in the past few decades. With some exceptions, animated movies are falling into a predictable formula.
While The Emoji Movie is no different, but it’s gotten stale. The premise is so stupid that instead of being repulsed, people are drawn to it, in the same way onlookers are drawn to the scene of a car crash. They want to see the wreckage of the movie, with the same kind of fascination that makes them want to see the crash.
Another factor is online hype. The movie is a meme, with people loudly proclaiming their desire to see it, probably ironically. YouTubers like Jacksfilms have created an ironic kind of hype over the movie, counting down the days, and even creating merch based around it. Because of this, I think a lot more people want to be in on the meme and see the movie. Unfortunately, any viewing still makes money for the movie.
I honestly don’t think many people went to see The Emoji Movie because they expected it to be good, or because they expected something new and original. We’ve all seen The Emoji Movie before. We saw it before it even came out. We saw traces of it in almost every animated film (and even some live action movies) that have come out in the past few decades. With some exceptions, animated movies are falling into a predictable formula.
While The Emoji Movie is no different, but it’s gotten stale. The premise is so stupid that instead of being repulsed, people are drawn to it, in the same way onlookers are drawn to the scene of a car crash. They want to see the wreckage of the movie, with the same kind of fascination that makes them want to see the crash.
Another factor is online hype. The movie is a meme, with people loudly proclaiming their desire to see it, probably ironically. YouTubers like Jacksfilms have created an ironic kind of hype over the movie, counting down the days, and even creating merch based around it. Because of this, I think a lot more people want to be in on the meme and see the movie. Unfortunately, any viewing still makes money for the movie.
“Trump Says Transgender People Will Not Be Allowed in the Military”-What I found interesting this week was President Trump’s argument for why transgendered individuals are not allowed in the military. President Trump cites that health care costs for transgendered individuals would rise and that there would be tremendous costs and disruption. In direct opposition to this is the RAND Corporation indicating costs would rise to $2.4M to $8.4M, a marginal 0.04-0.13% increase in overall spending. That same study also noted that fewer than 0.1% of transgendered military members would seek treatment that would actively delay deployment.
President Trump’s argument is faulty in that he believes that transgendered individuals would take up too many resources from the military health care budget, yet there are also other additions to the military health care budget, and even the military budget at large, that can be deemed just as ‘wasteful’ as this.
If there were a genuine reason for why transgendered individuals could not serve that is specifically related to their wish to become the opposite gender, such as a health or mental illness that could prevent them from successfully completing military service, then I could understand this ban. However, currently there seems to be no such problem identified, and instead I find this to be blatantly discriminatory towards transgendered individuals.
President Trump’s argument is faulty in that he believes that transgendered individuals would take up too many resources from the military health care budget, yet there are also other additions to the military health care budget, and even the military budget at large, that can be deemed just as ‘wasteful’ as this.
If there were a genuine reason for why transgendered individuals could not serve that is specifically related to their wish to become the opposite gender, such as a health or mental illness that could prevent them from successfully completing military service, then I could understand this ban. However, currently there seems to be no such problem identified, and instead I find this to be blatantly discriminatory towards transgendered individuals.
Week 7 Response by Avery Adams 08/03/2017
https://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/08/health/from-a-pile-of-dirt-hope-for-a...
"New Antibiotic Stirs Hope Against Resistant Bacteria"
by Denise Grady January 7, 2015
In the past several years, the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has increased at an alarming rate and continues to do so. I believe that this topic, while relatively well-known, is not cared about as much as it should be. A couple of years ago, I found that I am very interested in microbiology, and more specifically, the spread of disease. I also discovered that I was a contributor to a worldwide epidemic-that of drug-resistant pathogens, which is why this article piqued my interest. For example, I used to get sick quite often and would be put on antibiotics, unaware that whether or not I felt better before I finished the antibiotics, I had to finish them or else the strongest bacteria would survive and would then reproduce into a stronger strain than before.
Thankfully, scientists discovered a new antibiotic back in 2015 to combat this problem called Teixobactin-the first antibiotic to be discovered in thirty years. It is created through culturing bacteria that live in dirt. Hopefully, this is just the beginning of a series of world-changing medical discoveries, and hopefully, I can become a part of that when I graduate from college. But right now at least, I need to finish my antibiotics like my doctor told me.
https://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/08/health/from-a-pile-of-dirt-hope-for-a...
"New Antibiotic Stirs Hope Against Resistant Bacteria"
by Denise Grady January 7, 2015
In the past several years, the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has increased at an alarming rate and continues to do so. I believe that this topic, while relatively well-known, is not cared about as much as it should be. A couple of years ago, I found that I am very interested in microbiology, and more specifically, the spread of disease. I also discovered that I was a contributor to a worldwide epidemic-that of drug-resistant pathogens, which is why this article piqued my interest. For example, I used to get sick quite often and would be put on antibiotics, unaware that whether or not I felt better before I finished the antibiotics, I had to finish them or else the strongest bacteria would survive and would then reproduce into a stronger strain than before.
Thankfully, scientists discovered a new antibiotic back in 2015 to combat this problem called Teixobactin-the first antibiotic to be discovered in thirty years. It is created through culturing bacteria that live in dirt. Hopefully, this is just the beginning of a series of world-changing medical discoveries, and hopefully, I can become a part of that when I graduate from college. But right now at least, I need to finish my antibiotics like my doctor told me.
Are You a Carboholic? Why Cutting Carbs Is So Tough
Immediately, this title drew my attention as it tries to give an answer to the never ending struggle that us Americans face today. Why are we addicted to carbs? This article explains the imbalances and problems that carbs cause when more insulin is produced which causes fat cells to to crave more. Although these connections may seem like minor imbalances, one Doctor compared being a carboholic to being an alcoholic. As a result, when someone goes on a diet, it is hard for them to stay on track after a cheat day or meal. I found this article to be extremely informative and helpful in understanding how our bodies handle different types of addiction.
Immediately, this title drew my attention as it tries to give an answer to the never ending struggle that us Americans face today. Why are we addicted to carbs? This article explains the imbalances and problems that carbs cause when more insulin is produced which causes fat cells to to crave more. Although these connections may seem like minor imbalances, one Doctor compared being a carboholic to being an alcoholic. As a result, when someone goes on a diet, it is hard for them to stay on track after a cheat day or meal. I found this article to be extremely informative and helpful in understanding how our bodies handle different types of addiction.
“Why Apple Is Experiencing Another Growth Spurt” by Vindu Goel
Technology is beginning a new era. Apple, one of the biggest tech companies in the world, is once again experiencing a major growth in its economy. This article interested me because the technology that Apple and many others are producing is not only changing the basic ideas of machinery, but also proving there’s so much more that technology can offer.
People thought the tiny little music device called the iPod was the future, but if only they knew that was just the beginning. I remember when the first iPod Touch came out. Holding it in my hands I thought there’s no way technology can grow from such an amazing computerized machine, but like many others I was wrong.
I’m one of the millions of customers of Apple products. I live and breathe through my iPhone, iPad, and Mac computer. So it doesn’t come as a shock to me when I read that Apple is worth $822 billion. Apple products are the ‘It’ products of today. Though as expressed in the article, once Apple hits its peak many people think their profits would eventually plummet.
There is a great chance of that happening, but speaking as a loyal customer I can honestly say Apple products never disappoints and continues to surprise me. I’m not only looking forward to the new iPhone coming out, but many other new products Apple has to offer in the future.
Technology is beginning a new era. Apple, one of the biggest tech companies in the world, is once again experiencing a major growth in its economy. This article interested me because the technology that Apple and many others are producing is not only changing the basic ideas of machinery, but also proving there’s so much more that technology can offer.
People thought the tiny little music device called the iPod was the future, but if only they knew that was just the beginning. I remember when the first iPod Touch came out. Holding it in my hands I thought there’s no way technology can grow from such an amazing computerized machine, but like many others I was wrong.
I’m one of the millions of customers of Apple products. I live and breathe through my iPhone, iPad, and Mac computer. So it doesn’t come as a shock to me when I read that Apple is worth $822 billion. Apple products are the ‘It’ products of today. Though as expressed in the article, once Apple hits its peak many people think their profits would eventually plummet.
There is a great chance of that happening, but speaking as a loyal customer I can honestly say Apple products never disappoints and continues to surprise me. I’m not only looking forward to the new iPhone coming out, but many other new products Apple has to offer in the future.
'Where the Living Play Dead for a Day to Laugh in the Face of Death'
by Raphael Minder
Faith has and always will be a powerful source that people can draw strength from. I myself am not religious and do not believe in any specific god or gods. Despite this, I find myself intrigued by other people's faith(s) and the traditions that come with them. In Santa Marta de Ribarteme Spain, people who have come out of life threatening situations place themselves in coffins and parade around town in a pilgrimage celebrating life under previous difficult circumstances as to say laugh in the face of death as stated in the article's title. What I found interesting was the actual fusion of pagan and christian origins that made this tradition possible. It shows that despite all of mankind's differences, at our source, we come from the same place. One culture's beliefs get passed to another who modifies or changes things; readapting the stories in new ways. Despite everyone's divided way of thinking, if you truly trace history back, one can find the wisdom that we all one and the same.
by Raphael Minder
Faith has and always will be a powerful source that people can draw strength from. I myself am not religious and do not believe in any specific god or gods. Despite this, I find myself intrigued by other people's faith(s) and the traditions that come with them. In Santa Marta de Ribarteme Spain, people who have come out of life threatening situations place themselves in coffins and parade around town in a pilgrimage celebrating life under previous difficult circumstances as to say laugh in the face of death as stated in the article's title. What I found interesting was the actual fusion of pagan and christian origins that made this tradition possible. It shows that despite all of mankind's differences, at our source, we come from the same place. One culture's beliefs get passed to another who modifies or changes things; readapting the stories in new ways. Despite everyone's divided way of thinking, if you truly trace history back, one can find the wisdom that we all one and the same.
“Trump Says Transgender People Will Not Be Allowed in the Military”
As a member of the Catholic Church, I can see why some people may have a hard time adjusting to the newer ways of life that other people choose to transition to. Yet, there is no excuse to treat others as less simply because they do not follow ones ideas or religion. As a religious person, I know that what is written in the old books differs from the new movements of now, but that is not a concern that one should take upon themselves. All humans are created equal, no matter the race, sexuality, gender, or whatever the case is. All people in this world should learn to understand one another and love each other.
There is a new generation coming, my generation, and though we may not seem like much, we are very capable. We are capable of compassion, kindness, and patience. We are capable of changing the ways of the nation, and the world. Most importantly, we are capable of achieving equality for all humans. Donald Trump may have been voted president, spoken horribly upon minorities, and given rise to white supremacy, but that only brought people closer together. The LGBTQ+ community, the minorities, the differences people have are the reason people are brought closer together. America is the land of the free, so limiting the rights of individuals just because they do not meet one's standards is ridiculous. I am frustrated over the fact that I cannot do very much since I am a minority and am sixteen years old.
As a member of the Catholic Church, I can see why some people may have a hard time adjusting to the newer ways of life that other people choose to transition to. Yet, there is no excuse to treat others as less simply because they do not follow ones ideas or religion. As a religious person, I know that what is written in the old books differs from the new movements of now, but that is not a concern that one should take upon themselves. All humans are created equal, no matter the race, sexuality, gender, or whatever the case is. All people in this world should learn to understand one another and love each other.
There is a new generation coming, my generation, and though we may not seem like much, we are very capable. We are capable of compassion, kindness, and patience. We are capable of changing the ways of the nation, and the world. Most importantly, we are capable of achieving equality for all humans. Donald Trump may have been voted president, spoken horribly upon minorities, and given rise to white supremacy, but that only brought people closer together. The LGBTQ+ community, the minorities, the differences people have are the reason people are brought closer together. America is the land of the free, so limiting the rights of individuals just because they do not meet one's standards is ridiculous. I am frustrated over the fact that I cannot do very much since I am a minority and am sixteen years old.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/27/climate/airplane-pollution-global-war...
rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fclimate&action=click&contentCollection=climate®ion=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=sectionfront
"Flying Is Bad For The Planet"
As a student who finds a genuine interest in their environment, this week's article that interested me the most was one called 'Flying Is Bad for the Planet. You Can Help Make It Better.' It interested me not only for the fact that it persuaded the reader to take into consideration how flying on airplanes to reach our desired destination harms our environment, but it also laid upon some effective ways to conserve our environment. The author justified their opinion in many valid ways that captivated my attention. They not only did that, but they also allowed me to realize that there are other options and alternatives than flying on an airplane. We could conserve our environment if we each took action, even if it's a small movement according to this article.
rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fclimate&action=click&contentCollection=climate®ion=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=sectionfront
"Flying Is Bad For The Planet"
As a student who finds a genuine interest in their environment, this week's article that interested me the most was one called 'Flying Is Bad for the Planet. You Can Help Make It Better.' It interested me not only for the fact that it persuaded the reader to take into consideration how flying on airplanes to reach our desired destination harms our environment, but it also laid upon some effective ways to conserve our environment. The author justified their opinion in many valid ways that captivated my attention. They not only did that, but they also allowed me to realize that there are other options and alternatives than flying on an airplane. We could conserve our environment if we each took action, even if it's a small movement according to this article.
“For Ethiopia’s Unemployed Youth, Life Can Center on a Leaf”, by KIMIKO de FREYTAS-TAMURA
Ethiopia currently is in a state where they do not have enough jobs for their population. However, some Ethiopians have said that “Khat”, an edible Ethiopian plant, keeps them alive and serves as a plant that they can sell and make money out of it. However, some Ethiopian officials have said that their people should stop selling Khat so the country can start to industrialize. This article caught my interest the most because of how the government is trying to make their people stop selling Khat when there are no jobs for them,but the only way they can continue with their life is by consuming and selling Khat. Many youths who are unemployed have said that they eat and sell Khat when they do not have a job, and I believe that is the best thing to do when there are no jobs available for them. The main objective for the Ethiopian government at the moment is to establish more jobs and start using Khat as a plant to start industrializing. The Ethiopian government should industrialize as soon as possible with Khat so then people do not get used to living with Khat and then get lazy and do not work because of their main income with Khat plantations. However, the government should understand that their people cannot survive without any money so the government should continue letting people sell Khat until they industrialize and have more jobs available.
Ethiopia currently is in a state where they do not have enough jobs for their population. However, some Ethiopians have said that “Khat”, an edible Ethiopian plant, keeps them alive and serves as a plant that they can sell and make money out of it. However, some Ethiopian officials have said that their people should stop selling Khat so the country can start to industrialize. This article caught my interest the most because of how the government is trying to make their people stop selling Khat when there are no jobs for them,but the only way they can continue with their life is by consuming and selling Khat. Many youths who are unemployed have said that they eat and sell Khat when they do not have a job, and I believe that is the best thing to do when there are no jobs available for them. The main objective for the Ethiopian government at the moment is to establish more jobs and start using Khat as a plant to start industrializing. The Ethiopian government should industrialize as soon as possible with Khat so then people do not get used to living with Khat and then get lazy and do not work because of their main income with Khat plantations. However, the government should understand that their people cannot survive without any money so the government should continue letting people sell Khat until they industrialize and have more jobs available.
“In Breakthrough, Scientists Edit a Dangerous Mutation From Genes in Human Embryos” by Pam Belluck
There are a lot of things I wish I could change about myself. I have a big nose, and feet that point outward. There is a history of mental illness in my family, which results in some interesting characters, but pain and hardship, too. I wish I was smarter and stronger. I wish I was just a better person.
The fact that this breakthrough seems to open doors beyond my own comprehension scares me. At the moment, gene-editing seems limited to replacing mutations that cause physical malformations, however this innovation will continue to develop into something bigger. As gene-editing becomes more advanced, “designer babies” may be in our future. When a parent feels blessed that their child is smart, or handsome, or athletic, they thank the stars for their luck. It is not unethical to want to have a child with (seemingly) superior traits. It is not unethical to try to raise your child to be smarter, or more fit. If we were able to click a button and choose what traits we wanted our children to have, those with undesirable traits may be seen as lost causes. This may seem like science-fiction, but soon it may just be science. I may not be perfect, but i’m unique in my flaws. The success of this gene editing opens society’s eyes to endless possibilities, yet I’m just afraid of getting left behind.
There are a lot of things I wish I could change about myself. I have a big nose, and feet that point outward. There is a history of mental illness in my family, which results in some interesting characters, but pain and hardship, too. I wish I was smarter and stronger. I wish I was just a better person.
The fact that this breakthrough seems to open doors beyond my own comprehension scares me. At the moment, gene-editing seems limited to replacing mutations that cause physical malformations, however this innovation will continue to develop into something bigger. As gene-editing becomes more advanced, “designer babies” may be in our future. When a parent feels blessed that their child is smart, or handsome, or athletic, they thank the stars for their luck. It is not unethical to want to have a child with (seemingly) superior traits. It is not unethical to try to raise your child to be smarter, or more fit. If we were able to click a button and choose what traits we wanted our children to have, those with undesirable traits may be seen as lost causes. This may seem like science-fiction, but soon it may just be science. I may not be perfect, but i’m unique in my flaws. The success of this gene editing opens society’s eyes to endless possibilities, yet I’m just afraid of getting left behind.
https://nyti.ms/2hoCAq0
Scientists have discovered a way to successfully edit human genes to help mutation in human embryos. They produced embryos where all cells were mutation free, and avoided creating new mutations. This is a huge accomplishment for scientists, and this new procedure is extremely beneficial. A family who has a reoccurring gene disorder can use this new practice to help eliminate the disease entirely. A few diseases this could cure might be breast cancer, sickle cell anemia, cystic fibrosis, ovarian cancer, and many more. This would save the lives of numerous people. I believe that if this new procedure is proven to be 100% safe, it could be revolutionary. Editing human genes sounds slightly immoral, but all the scientists are doing is removing the threat of possible sickness to a person’s life. It could be the first step in finding a true cure for cancer. There is a possibility that people will take it for granted, and use it to create a child with superb intelligence and remarkable genes; however, with every new discovery there is that small chance that someone will abuse it. If we put in effort to not let people exploit this significant gift, this might be revolutionary in the medical field.
Scientists have discovered a way to successfully edit human genes to help mutation in human embryos. They produced embryos where all cells were mutation free, and avoided creating new mutations. This is a huge accomplishment for scientists, and this new procedure is extremely beneficial. A family who has a reoccurring gene disorder can use this new practice to help eliminate the disease entirely. A few diseases this could cure might be breast cancer, sickle cell anemia, cystic fibrosis, ovarian cancer, and many more. This would save the lives of numerous people. I believe that if this new procedure is proven to be 100% safe, it could be revolutionary. Editing human genes sounds slightly immoral, but all the scientists are doing is removing the threat of possible sickness to a person’s life. It could be the first step in finding a true cure for cancer. There is a possibility that people will take it for granted, and use it to create a child with superb intelligence and remarkable genes; however, with every new discovery there is that small chance that someone will abuse it. If we put in effort to not let people exploit this significant gift, this might be revolutionary in the medical field.
"Affirmative Action Battle Has a New Focus: Asian-Americans"
People take the college admissions process very seriously because they are making not only a decision that will affect the next four years of their life, but a choice that will shape their entire future. In order to ensure an auspicious future, they spend their entire high school careers loading their schedules with AP classes, filling their resumes with extracurricular activities, and making sure their perfect 4.0 remains intact. However, new studies show that that is not always enough, and the only obstacle standing in the way of people gaining admittance to the school of their dreams could be nothing more than the race they classify with.
This article captured my interest because not only is it relevant today, but it also concerns me personally. I became cognizant of the discrimination Asian-Americans face when applying to colleges after reading about Students for Fair Admissions' lawsuit against Harvard. Admittedly, I find it both distressing and discouraging that, according to a Princeton study, Asian students need to score 140 points higher than their white counterparts on the SATs just to be considered equal in the eyes of college admissions offices. It makes me lose hope and become disillusioned in the meritocracy that America so prides itself in, and I can only hope that this lawsuit can effectively bring about change, making it so individual talents not race is the deciding factor for college admittance.
People take the college admissions process very seriously because they are making not only a decision that will affect the next four years of their life, but a choice that will shape their entire future. In order to ensure an auspicious future, they spend their entire high school careers loading their schedules with AP classes, filling their resumes with extracurricular activities, and making sure their perfect 4.0 remains intact. However, new studies show that that is not always enough, and the only obstacle standing in the way of people gaining admittance to the school of their dreams could be nothing more than the race they classify with.
This article captured my interest because not only is it relevant today, but it also concerns me personally. I became cognizant of the discrimination Asian-Americans face when applying to colleges after reading about Students for Fair Admissions' lawsuit against Harvard. Admittedly, I find it both distressing and discouraging that, according to a Princeton study, Asian students need to score 140 points higher than their white counterparts on the SATs just to be considered equal in the eyes of college admissions offices. It makes me lose hope and become disillusioned in the meritocracy that America so prides itself in, and I can only hope that this lawsuit can effectively bring about change, making it so individual talents not race is the deciding factor for college admittance.
"Affirmative Action Battle Has a New Focus: Asian-Americans"
This article caught my attention because it was interesting to read how stereotypes are often used during the college acceptance process. It was upsetting to learn that the qualified young man who had a great chance of getting accepted to an Ivy League school was rejected by them instead. After reading the facts given in the article, I think it was a good idea to bring about a lawsuit. Colleges like Harvard shouldn't base their acceptances on ethnicity, but rather solely on grades and qualifications. I am also surprised that even the top schools in the country had stooped so low as to give into stereotypes. Of course a pattern has been seen that people of one ethnicity may be smarter than those of another, but, again, that is just a stereotype. I think that, while going through the acceptance process, colleges and universities should look past the ethnical background of the person, and focus more on what type of student they are. This would also make the process a lot more fair.
This article caught my attention because it was interesting to read how stereotypes are often used during the college acceptance process. It was upsetting to learn that the qualified young man who had a great chance of getting accepted to an Ivy League school was rejected by them instead. After reading the facts given in the article, I think it was a good idea to bring about a lawsuit. Colleges like Harvard shouldn't base their acceptances on ethnicity, but rather solely on grades and qualifications. I am also surprised that even the top schools in the country had stooped so low as to give into stereotypes. Of course a pattern has been seen that people of one ethnicity may be smarter than those of another, but, again, that is just a stereotype. I think that, while going through the acceptance process, colleges and universities should look past the ethnical background of the person, and focus more on what type of student they are. This would also make the process a lot more fair.
Every piece of article i read on NYTimes is very informative and i want to thank the whole team for the great work.
As a girl that has played sports since third grade, I am able to notice a difference between men and women when it comes to game time. From youth to the pros there is an ongoing stereotype of girls/women being limited due to their gender.
In the article “Who Gets to Call the Game?” Doug Glanville discusses the journey of baseball analyst, Jessica Mendoza. She was seen as a girl who played a different sport, therefore she was considered uneducated for a baseball analyst. “So glad we have Jessica Mendoza to commentate. Her years of playing a completely different totally makes her qualified.” Many people commented about her gender and her not being qualified for the sport. However, according to Glanville “she is an Olympic gold and silver medalist in softball; a trusted insider, according to colleagues, M.I.B. players and staff; and a diligent inquisitive and passionate commentator.”
I support Doug Glanville and his views on Jessica Mendoza and other women commentating on men’s sports. Men tend to have the stereotype that they are in power in this world. Glanville said at the very least we owe Mendoza respect, she has many degrees, brought home two metals, broke records, and gave birth to two babies. Gender has nothing to do with knowledge people have on any sport.
In the article “Who Gets to Call the Game?” Doug Glanville discusses the journey of baseball analyst, Jessica Mendoza. She was seen as a girl who played a different sport, therefore she was considered uneducated for a baseball analyst. “So glad we have Jessica Mendoza to commentate. Her years of playing a completely different totally makes her qualified.” Many people commented about her gender and her not being qualified for the sport. However, according to Glanville “she is an Olympic gold and silver medalist in softball; a trusted insider, according to colleagues, M.I.B. players and staff; and a diligent inquisitive and passionate commentator.”
I support Doug Glanville and his views on Jessica Mendoza and other women commentating on men’s sports. Men tend to have the stereotype that they are in power in this world. Glanville said at the very least we owe Mendoza respect, she has many degrees, brought home two metals, broke records, and gave birth to two babies. Gender has nothing to do with knowledge people have on any sport.
The article I read was “U.S. Nuclear Comeback Stalls as Two Reactors Are Abandoned”
I thought this article was interesting because due to everything that is going on with Russia and North Korea, they must have good reasons why they are shutting down this project. They say that the halt on the project was taken place because the project had many delays and cost overruns. The project has cost around nine billion dollars and the reactors are still less than 40 percent built. The reasons why the U.S. are building these nuclear plants because other old plants in the country are being retired because of low natural gas prices. Other reason the U.S. stopped building these two plants is because the two plants estimated to be $11.5 billion dollars in total, but now it is being estimated at about $25 billion dollars over twice the amount they expected. Because these two plants construction is being canceled there are going to be two plants built in Georgia.
I thought this article was interesting because due to everything that is going on with Russia and North Korea, they must have good reasons why they are shutting down this project. They say that the halt on the project was taken place because the project had many delays and cost overruns. The project has cost around nine billion dollars and the reactors are still less than 40 percent built. The reasons why the U.S. are building these nuclear plants because other old plants in the country are being retired because of low natural gas prices. Other reason the U.S. stopped building these two plants is because the two plants estimated to be $11.5 billion dollars in total, but now it is being estimated at about $25 billion dollars over twice the amount they expected. Because these two plants construction is being canceled there are going to be two plants built in Georgia.
Why Kids Can't Write
by Dana Goldstein
In response to Dr. Hochman's standardized suggestions of teaching writing to students, I believe that to help students truly appreciate writing and writing properly, teachers must first help students to connect themselves to their writing. Without connection, writing becomes dull and unenjoyable. I've seen my peers struggle to churn out a personal, well-written English paper simply because they don't know how to write with passion and personality. I don't believe that circling subjects and underlining their verbs helps students appreciate English- but rather makes them detest it more. I think that we can make writing more interesting by allowing students to connect themselves to their writing, to personalize the voice they project.
Students, especially those in middle and high school, are in the midst of discovering themselves. They are learning to understand who they are, their schools of thought, and how to the interact with the world around them. Writing helps them reflect upon their opinions of certain topics and allows them to dig deeper within themselves, giving an opportunity discover new facets of their identities. This discipline is not necessarily achieved through structured lessons and planning, but is rather a freeform process. It's risky and it's unpredictable, but it guarantees to ignite a spark of interest in writing in students.
by Dana Goldstein
In response to Dr. Hochman's standardized suggestions of teaching writing to students, I believe that to help students truly appreciate writing and writing properly, teachers must first help students to connect themselves to their writing. Without connection, writing becomes dull and unenjoyable. I've seen my peers struggle to churn out a personal, well-written English paper simply because they don't know how to write with passion and personality. I don't believe that circling subjects and underlining their verbs helps students appreciate English- but rather makes them detest it more. I think that we can make writing more interesting by allowing students to connect themselves to their writing, to personalize the voice they project.
Students, especially those in middle and high school, are in the midst of discovering themselves. They are learning to understand who they are, their schools of thought, and how to the interact with the world around them. Writing helps them reflect upon their opinions of certain topics and allows them to dig deeper within themselves, giving an opportunity discover new facets of their identities. This discipline is not necessarily achieved through structured lessons and planning, but is rather a freeform process. It's risky and it's unpredictable, but it guarantees to ignite a spark of interest in writing in students.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/29/nyregion/trump-police-too-nice.html
"Police Criticize Trump for Urging Officers Not to Be ‘Too Nice’ With Suspects"
At an event aimed to support the fight against La Mara Salvatrucha, a New York gang, Trump told the audience of police officers to not be "too nice" to the suspects when arrested. This remark sparked a lot of controversy over the mistreatment and incarceration of prisoners, especially ones of color. Many have stated that they do not agree with Trump's comment, as it violates their strict policies against inappropriate treatment of suspects, while others, such as members of the Blue Lives Matter movement, have stated that it was a joke. Joke or not, I believe that his comment was inappropriate and shouldn't have been said. I think it's little comments like that that lead to police brutality against suspects, usually among people of color. The gang has been accused of several murders along Long Island, and in my opinion, whether they're murderers or not, they should still be subject to fair treatment by the officers arresting them. This raises more questions (to an already large pile) of if Donald Trump is fit to lead our country when he takes the fair treatment of immigrants as a joke.
"Police Criticize Trump for Urging Officers Not to Be ‘Too Nice’ With Suspects"
At an event aimed to support the fight against La Mara Salvatrucha, a New York gang, Trump told the audience of police officers to not be "too nice" to the suspects when arrested. This remark sparked a lot of controversy over the mistreatment and incarceration of prisoners, especially ones of color. Many have stated that they do not agree with Trump's comment, as it violates their strict policies against inappropriate treatment of suspects, while others, such as members of the Blue Lives Matter movement, have stated that it was a joke. Joke or not, I believe that his comment was inappropriate and shouldn't have been said. I think it's little comments like that that lead to police brutality against suspects, usually among people of color. The gang has been accused of several murders along Long Island, and in my opinion, whether they're murderers or not, they should still be subject to fair treatment by the officers arresting them. This raises more questions (to an already large pile) of if Donald Trump is fit to lead our country when he takes the fair treatment of immigrants as a joke.
Growing up, I practically lived in the ocean. From swimming at Silvershell to the beaches of Nantucket, I was always in the ocean. I vividly remember going to beaches down the cape, only to be turned away from swimming due to strong rip currents. The article How to Survive a Rip Current: First, Don’t Fight It really caught my attention. Rip currents were always this ominous thing that my mom would warn me about when we went swimming in the ocean, but I never have experienced it and I never made the connection that people die from it. Learning that an average of 100 people die from these rip currents every year in America startled me. I thought for a moment and then realized that I was not exactly sure what to do if I was ever caught in a rip current, despite all of the time I spend in the ocean. If you are ever caught in a rip current, you are supposed to swim parallel to the shore until you are out of it, then you can swim in safely. This article interested me the most this week because of its connection to my everyday life and my lack of knowledge on a deadly subject.
The article that really stuck out to me this week was "Why Women Aren't C.E.O.'s, According to Women Who Almost Were." Women have always been underestimated, and even though it has gotten better over the years, this problem still exists today. In the past, men were always known as being the "heroes". Some men have gotten over that and learned that women should be accepted just like men. Other men, however, still believe that they have more power than women. Being a female myself, I see this problem every day. Men do not think women can do the same things they can. Us women in the world need to stand up and prove to men that we are capable of doing the same things they are.
"Deadly, Drug-Resistant 'Superbugs' Pose Huge Threat, W.H.O. says"
One of the major dilemmas in the medical world is ironically our progressions in creating drugs. Antibiotics are a tool for fighting infectious diseases and have rendered previously fatal illnesses trivial.
However, they are also prescribed for minor colds even when they aren’t necessary and the bacteria become resistant to the drugs that used to harm it.
The solution would seem to be to continue research and find new antibiotics to use. However, discovering new antibiotics has become harder after years of similar research. Additionally, motivation for pharmaceutical companies is dwindling because the potential for profit is not great. It usually only takes a few inexpensive pills for antibiotics to work, so a single patient offers very little profit. However, some governments have addressed this by beginning to offer incentives and prizes as well as funding research. This issue highlights one of the major issues with capitalism; what’s in the best interest of private companies is not always consistent with the best interest of the state. Frequently competition is able to even the playing field between companies and consumers. In this situation, though, it simply isn’t worth it for companies to research new antibiotics, so even though it’s important to the health of the world it is not important to companies. This also relates to questions about whether public health is a government concern or not.
One of the major dilemmas in the medical world is ironically our progressions in creating drugs. Antibiotics are a tool for fighting infectious diseases and have rendered previously fatal illnesses trivial.
However, they are also prescribed for minor colds even when they aren’t necessary and the bacteria become resistant to the drugs that used to harm it.
The solution would seem to be to continue research and find new antibiotics to use. However, discovering new antibiotics has become harder after years of similar research. Additionally, motivation for pharmaceutical companies is dwindling because the potential for profit is not great. It usually only takes a few inexpensive pills for antibiotics to work, so a single patient offers very little profit. However, some governments have addressed this by beginning to offer incentives and prizes as well as funding research. This issue highlights one of the major issues with capitalism; what’s in the best interest of private companies is not always consistent with the best interest of the state. Frequently competition is able to even the playing field between companies and consumers. In this situation, though, it simply isn’t worth it for companies to research new antibiotics, so even though it’s important to the health of the world it is not important to companies. This also relates to questions about whether public health is a government concern or not.
"In Breakthrough, Scientists Edit a Dangerous Mutation From Genes in Human Embryos" By PAM BELLUCK
The article that I found interesting this week was about scientist discovering that they can repair a disease-causing mutation, and do so successfully. Though this process still has a long way to go, I found it amazing that in the future this can protect babies from dangerous and common mutations. The article talked about how this was a huge step in human genetic engineering as well. In biology this past year we learned a lot about gene mutation and and even discussed genetic engineering. I thought about how crazy and almost impossible the thought of genetic engineering was. But now it seems to be on its way. It is crazy to think about how many humans this will help in the future among the lines of repairing gene mutations.
The article that I found interesting this week was about scientist discovering that they can repair a disease-causing mutation, and do so successfully. Though this process still has a long way to go, I found it amazing that in the future this can protect babies from dangerous and common mutations. The article talked about how this was a huge step in human genetic engineering as well. In biology this past year we learned a lot about gene mutation and and even discussed genetic engineering. I thought about how crazy and almost impossible the thought of genetic engineering was. But now it seems to be on its way. It is crazy to think about how many humans this will help in the future among the lines of repairing gene mutations.
As a fan of both J.K. Rowling and her books, I would like to say I agree with her actions in the article “J.K Rowling Apologizes for Anti-Trump Tweets (but Not to Trump)”. However, I believe she was in the wrong in this situation. Rowling should not have commented on the issue without getting all of the facts, and while I admire that she apologized, she didn’t apologize to the party that was insulted. The boy’s family received an apology, but the insult was directed to President Trump, to whom no apology was or will be issued. J.K Rowling is clearly no fan of Mr. Trump, but her position as a popular author makes her an example for many young and impressionable readers. Setting a good example and admitting to mistakes is a valuable lesson that turned into a missed opportunity when Rowling said she would no longer comment on the topic. The tweets insulting Mr. Trump earned the author criticism, but the entire situation only highlights the importance of not jumping to conclusions. While Rowling is free to her opinions, using anything but facts to back them up has blown the issue out of proportion. Already, many things in the media have been exaggerated lately, creating unnecessary drama when there are bigger issues at hand. I don’t agree with all of Mr. Trump’s decisions, but focusing on every real or imagined mistake he makes is not the way to act. We, as a whole, must concentrate on the important things and ignore petty arguments, a tactic I hope will be used in the future.
As a member of the LGBT community, I have seen this nation take great steps towards becoming an open-minded, welcoming place of hope and warmth. Most notably in recent history lies the Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, where gay marriage was legalized. To see an article titled “Trump Says Transgender People Will Not Be Allowed in the Military” was shocking, especially when I’d believed that this nation was becoming friendlier towards the LGBT community. Instead, all the steps forward that the United States has taken seem to be countered by a roll back down the hill.
In his tweet, Trump singled out the transgender soldiers in the military. This action is absolutely disrespectful. Anyone willing to serve in the military, regardless of gender identity, should be respected for their service and sacrifice. These brave individuals are the types of people that have protected our nation in the past and will protect our nation in the future. They adore this nation above their own lives, an attitude that shouldn’t be ignored. For Trump to ban these patriots from protecting what they love essentially takes away their right to fight for what they believe in. America is supposed to be a symbol of freedom and of chance, and without either, what does this nation become? These transgender soldiers have protected us, and it is about time that we, as civilians, speak up and protect them.
In his tweet, Trump singled out the transgender soldiers in the military. This action is absolutely disrespectful. Anyone willing to serve in the military, regardless of gender identity, should be respected for their service and sacrifice. These brave individuals are the types of people that have protected our nation in the past and will protect our nation in the future. They adore this nation above their own lives, an attitude that shouldn’t be ignored. For Trump to ban these patriots from protecting what they love essentially takes away their right to fight for what they believe in. America is supposed to be a symbol of freedom and of chance, and without either, what does this nation become? These transgender soldiers have protected us, and it is about time that we, as civilians, speak up and protect them.
“Poland’s Court Crisis Cools Off, but It’s Far From Over”
Of the three branches, the judiciary is the least democratic. Its members are unelected, and enjoy life tenure — thus, they are not accountable to the people. Yet, they are empowered to “say what the law is,” according to John Marshall's opinion in the 1803 case of Marbury v. Madison. It is worthy of note that monarchism is, by definition, the dictation of the law by unelected, unaccountable, and life-tenured officials.
Even Abraham Lincoln said that, if government policy “is to be irrevocably fixed by decisions of the Supreme Court, … the people will have ceased to be their own rulers.” But despite the judiciary's non-democratic nature, it is, paradoxically, purported to be the ultimate protector of democracy.
However, there is middle ground. For example, Britain's Supreme Court may invalidate executive actions, but not Acts of Parliament. It may only interpret the latter. This would be a sensible reform; the legislative branch is democratic and comprises several hundred members, while the executive branch is under the unilateral authority of one person. But in any case, the Constitution already allows Congress to make "exceptions" to the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court, and, a fortiori, of the lower courts as well.
In Poland's case, the ruling party did go too far — it attempted to entirely subjugate and politicize the courts. This must not, however, blind us to the very real need for judicial improvements.
Of the three branches, the judiciary is the least democratic. Its members are unelected, and enjoy life tenure — thus, they are not accountable to the people. Yet, they are empowered to “say what the law is,” according to John Marshall's opinion in the 1803 case of Marbury v. Madison. It is worthy of note that monarchism is, by definition, the dictation of the law by unelected, unaccountable, and life-tenured officials.
Even Abraham Lincoln said that, if government policy “is to be irrevocably fixed by decisions of the Supreme Court, … the people will have ceased to be their own rulers.” But despite the judiciary's non-democratic nature, it is, paradoxically, purported to be the ultimate protector of democracy.
However, there is middle ground. For example, Britain's Supreme Court may invalidate executive actions, but not Acts of Parliament. It may only interpret the latter. This would be a sensible reform; the legislative branch is democratic and comprises several hundred members, while the executive branch is under the unilateral authority of one person. But in any case, the Constitution already allows Congress to make "exceptions" to the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court, and, a fortiori, of the lower courts as well.
In Poland's case, the ruling party did go too far — it attempted to entirely subjugate and politicize the courts. This must not, however, blind us to the very real need for judicial improvements.
"Trump Says Transgender People Will Not Be Allowed in the Military"
Two words describe how I felt when I heard of this news: absolutely disgusted. I do not agree with banning transgender people from the military at all. If someone, no matter what gender, race, ethnicity, etc. they are, is physically and mentally stable enough to want to put their life in harm's way to protect our country from danger, they should be allowed to serve in the military. Transgender people, in my opinion, are some of the bravest and most courageous people in the world today because they are constantly dealing with transphobia and harassment and they are resilient through it all. Transgender people are just like us. They are people. They put on their pants one leg at a time. They watch shows on Netflix. They have social media accounts. They go to work. Most importantly, they are human beings just like everyone else in the entire world. The only thing that is different about transgender people from everyone else is that they were born a different gender and transitioned to a new one because they felt they were born in the wrong body. They are still men and women willing to protect our country. I believe that everyone, no matter what gender, race, ethnicity, sexuality etc. they are should be allowed not only to serve in the military, but they should not be looked down upon by society.
Two words describe how I felt when I heard of this news: absolutely disgusted. I do not agree with banning transgender people from the military at all. If someone, no matter what gender, race, ethnicity, etc. they are, is physically and mentally stable enough to want to put their life in harm's way to protect our country from danger, they should be allowed to serve in the military. Transgender people, in my opinion, are some of the bravest and most courageous people in the world today because they are constantly dealing with transphobia and harassment and they are resilient through it all. Transgender people are just like us. They are people. They put on their pants one leg at a time. They watch shows on Netflix. They have social media accounts. They go to work. Most importantly, they are human beings just like everyone else in the entire world. The only thing that is different about transgender people from everyone else is that they were born a different gender and transitioned to a new one because they felt they were born in the wrong body. They are still men and women willing to protect our country. I believe that everyone, no matter what gender, race, ethnicity, sexuality etc. they are should be allowed not only to serve in the military, but they should not be looked down upon by society.
This week what interested me in the times was "Michael Phelps 'Raced' a 'Shark,' Kind of. Not Really." This interested me because I had heard a lot of gossip about this race and thought it was impossible that Phelps could even come close to beating a shark. Therefore of course I had to watch it. My mom had also heard all about the upcoming race for shark week and had agreed to watch it with me that night. We sat down, eager to see how they were going to pull this off, until we saw it.
Once it came on, we were very disappointed to see that there was no real shark there. This article was all about this and how many others were also disappointed with the race. This to m proved how crazy the media really is. To race a shark could be potentially dangerous yet we all expected it because it wasn't us doing it. I enjoyed reading this article and thinking about this.
Once it came on, we were very disappointed to see that there was no real shark there. This article was all about this and how many others were also disappointed with the race. This to m proved how crazy the media really is. To race a shark could be potentially dangerous yet we all expected it because it wasn't us doing it. I enjoyed reading this article and thinking about this.
The article that I found most interesting was "In Sweltering South, Climate Change Is Now a Workplace Hazard" By Yamiche Alcindor. What interested me most about this article was how much the environment is hurting people, and nobody is doing anything about it. I think it is odd that employers are making their employees go to work since the conditions that they work in are unbearable and inhumane. Its not only the people that are working are suffering from the global warming are the homeowners. I think that since everyone that is in the south and other places around the globe are struggling with the heat and nothing has changed it actually has worsened.
Grant T. APE199
While I was reading this article about Steve Bartman, a long time Chicago Cubs fan, there was one main thing that I thought made this article interesting. The fact that this author was a Cubs fan himself made this article much more appealing to me. This is because I'm not a fan of the Chicago Cubs so I've never truly understood how they felt and what their perspective was on this whole situation. Although I saw a bit of a different perspective on how some people might feel about this situation, I still disagree with his opinion. If I was Steve Bartman I would think that the 2016 World Series ring from my favorite team would be a very kind gesture and I would be thankful for it, but this is still the team whose fan base hates you for doing nothing wrong at all. With that being said I don't know if there will ever be anything that makes Bartman forgive the Cubs and their fan base and I definitely can't blame him for that.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/01/sports/baseball/steve-bhttps://www.ny...®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=5&pgtype=sectionfrontartman-chicago-cubs-fan.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fsports&action=click&contentCollection=sports®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=5&pgtype=sectionfront
While I was reading this article about Steve Bartman, a long time Chicago Cubs fan, there was one main thing that I thought made this article interesting. The fact that this author was a Cubs fan himself made this article much more appealing to me. This is because I'm not a fan of the Chicago Cubs so I've never truly understood how they felt and what their perspective was on this whole situation. Although I saw a bit of a different perspective on how some people might feel about this situation, I still disagree with his opinion. If I was Steve Bartman I would think that the 2016 World Series ring from my favorite team would be a very kind gesture and I would be thankful for it, but this is still the team whose fan base hates you for doing nothing wrong at all. With that being said I don't know if there will ever be anything that makes Bartman forgive the Cubs and their fan base and I definitely can't blame him for that.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/01/sports/baseball/steve-bhttps://www.ny...®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=5&pgtype=sectionfrontartman-chicago-cubs-fan.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fsports&action=click&contentCollection=sports®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=5&pgtype=sectionfront
111 brains. All but one had cte
This article was very interesting to me because I am a huge fan of football and used to play it too. I started playing in when I was 4 and played it for over 10 years. The scary part about this article is that it shows how many former and present football players today have the life threatening CTE. CTE is a condition in the brain that occurs from too many blows to the head. I believe that this is a very important topic to research in because we need to be able to take care of our bodies and also inform the rest of the country or even world about this unfortunate disease.
This article was very interesting to me because I am a huge fan of football and used to play it too. I started playing in when I was 4 and played it for over 10 years. The scary part about this article is that it shows how many former and present football players today have the life threatening CTE. CTE is a condition in the brain that occurs from too many blows to the head. I believe that this is a very important topic to research in because we need to be able to take care of our bodies and also inform the rest of the country or even world about this unfortunate disease.
“We Asked People to Say Something Nice About Trump. Here’s What We Heard” by Michael Kinsley.
This article interested me because it isn’t often you hear something genuinely nice about our current president. I think that having conversations like this, in which we acknowledge one’s abilities and perhaps even positive traits, are essential to our society. Too often we can get caught up in disliking someone and disregard the actualities of our circumstances. Yes, many people in America dislike Mr. Trump, but he is our president. That can’t be denied after around six months.
I take pride in taking part in Model Congresses and Model U.N.s. Hopefully one day, I will be able to use the skills I learn there to make our world a better place. One thing I’ve noticed in my experiences is that it is important to listen to one another. When the crowd starts agreeing on something, such as a strong dislike of Mr. Trump, nothing else can be heard. There will always be differing opinions. That is what makes democracy work.
This article opened my eyes to the fact that in some situations, people are able to share their ideas despite straying from the mainstream. As Kinsley writes, the rage weakens as time goes on. People start hearing each other. I can’t wait for that time. The interest in politics fueled by Mr. Trump’s presidency will create a generation of enthusiastic democrats and republicans. I am looking forward to a future in which we learn from our past, and even our present.
This article interested me because it isn’t often you hear something genuinely nice about our current president. I think that having conversations like this, in which we acknowledge one’s abilities and perhaps even positive traits, are essential to our society. Too often we can get caught up in disliking someone and disregard the actualities of our circumstances. Yes, many people in America dislike Mr. Trump, but he is our president. That can’t be denied after around six months.
I take pride in taking part in Model Congresses and Model U.N.s. Hopefully one day, I will be able to use the skills I learn there to make our world a better place. One thing I’ve noticed in my experiences is that it is important to listen to one another. When the crowd starts agreeing on something, such as a strong dislike of Mr. Trump, nothing else can be heard. There will always be differing opinions. That is what makes democracy work.
This article opened my eyes to the fact that in some situations, people are able to share their ideas despite straying from the mainstream. As Kinsley writes, the rage weakens as time goes on. People start hearing each other. I can’t wait for that time. The interest in politics fueled by Mr. Trump’s presidency will create a generation of enthusiastic democrats and republicans. I am looking forward to a future in which we learn from our past, and even our present.
Everyone in our military is either man or woman. Transgender people are also a man or woman; they just changed the gender they were born as. So how can President Trump ban transgenders from being in the military when they are still either male or female? Transgenders are the same as everyone else; they are just a different gender than what they were born as.
The article with the title, “Trump Says Transgender People Will Not Be Allowed in the Military” caught my eye immediately for two reasons. One reason is because it is about our president who makes choices that affect all of us, and second because the title didn’t seem fair to me. I disagree with this article and the ban against transgender people being allowed to join the military. Transgender people are men and women just like the rest of the members of the military. In this article, Trump states that having transgenders in the military will make their costs increase because of their medical needs. Contradicting Trump’s concerns, a study occurred in 2016 that showed transgenders in the military will have little to no impact on costs. I also disagree with the way Trump proposed the ban. Trump sent out a tweet notifying us all about transgender being banned from the military. Twitter is a very unprofessional way to notify the world about a change, especially a change as large as this. I strongly disagree with this article and believe that transgender people should have the same opportunities/rights as everyone in society.
The article with the title, “Trump Says Transgender People Will Not Be Allowed in the Military” caught my eye immediately for two reasons. One reason is because it is about our president who makes choices that affect all of us, and second because the title didn’t seem fair to me. I disagree with this article and the ban against transgender people being allowed to join the military. Transgender people are men and women just like the rest of the members of the military. In this article, Trump states that having transgenders in the military will make their costs increase because of their medical needs. Contradicting Trump’s concerns, a study occurred in 2016 that showed transgenders in the military will have little to no impact on costs. I also disagree with the way Trump proposed the ban. Trump sent out a tweet notifying us all about transgender being banned from the military. Twitter is a very unprofessional way to notify the world about a change, especially a change as large as this. I strongly disagree with this article and believe that transgender people should have the same opportunities/rights as everyone in society.
The article this week that had caught my attention was the article "Senate Democrats Seek to Outdo Trump on Trade" by Binyamen Applebaum. What interested me was the sense of strength the Democrats emitted when talking about buying and selling American, which is a big plank of Trump's platform. Now the reason I say strength is because they know other countries such as China are not going to trade fairly, so it is their plan to improve the American economy independent of foreign factors and solely on American goods. Moreover, in the article it said the Democrats were willing to cooperate with President Trump, which once again caught my attention because I see this as an issue that the new president could learn to get along with others in D.C. as his presidency thus far has been shaky.
"Michael Phelps ‘Raced’ a ‘Shark,’ Kind Of. Not Really."
I remember watching the 2010 London Olympics and being transfixed. I especially loved watching the swimming events and I really looked up to Micheal Phelps, so this article automatically interested me. And the thought of Micheal Phelps racing a shark? Exciting. However, the article was mostly talking about how people were very disappointed that Micheal Phelps did not in fact race an actual shark.
I don't exactly watch The Discovery Channel so I didn't know that this was going on at the time but I had high hopes when I saw this article. Like many people on Twitter, I was disappointed to see that he didn't really race a shark. I suppose that it would be unrealistic for The Discovery Channel to race an Olympic gold medalist against a shark but it was still a little sad (especially so for the people who watched this in anticipation, I'm sure).
I remember watching the 2010 London Olympics and being transfixed. I especially loved watching the swimming events and I really looked up to Micheal Phelps, so this article automatically interested me. And the thought of Micheal Phelps racing a shark? Exciting. However, the article was mostly talking about how people were very disappointed that Micheal Phelps did not in fact race an actual shark.
I don't exactly watch The Discovery Channel so I didn't know that this was going on at the time but I had high hopes when I saw this article. Like many people on Twitter, I was disappointed to see that he didn't really race a shark. I suppose that it would be unrealistic for The Discovery Channel to race an Olympic gold medalist against a shark but it was still a little sad (especially so for the people who watched this in anticipation, I'm sure).
"The Bionic Man"
This video caught my eye quickly, reminding me of my recent research into the Biomedical engineering major. As a Seniors getting ready for the upcoming year, I am frantically scoping out colleges and learning more about majors I might want to pursue for my undergraduate studies. Personally, I'm drawn to the medical field, so my search has been focused specifically on majors and colleges suitable for my aspirations. Both my parents are nuclear engineers and have influenced my academic technique and guided me to think in a logical and systematic way- the engineer side of them coming out! I feel as though I am balanced; part of me is creative and innovative, while the other is logical and organized. I always wondered if there was a major to combine both my analytical and structural thoughts with my passion for the medical field and passion for creating. I happened upon Biomedical engineering and a sense of hope and excitement grew within me. This video uses principles of Biomedical engineering- building a robot to function for a patient with a medical and physical problem. I love the idea of encountering a problem and using technology and creative thinking to solve it. Not to mention the bionic arms in the video were designed by students at Johns Hopkins, my dream school. I visited campus last week and fell in love. This man's story is a culmination of my recent interests and I hope to be in a video like this someday, showing off a new technological solution.
This video caught my eye quickly, reminding me of my recent research into the Biomedical engineering major. As a Seniors getting ready for the upcoming year, I am frantically scoping out colleges and learning more about majors I might want to pursue for my undergraduate studies. Personally, I'm drawn to the medical field, so my search has been focused specifically on majors and colleges suitable for my aspirations. Both my parents are nuclear engineers and have influenced my academic technique and guided me to think in a logical and systematic way- the engineer side of them coming out! I feel as though I am balanced; part of me is creative and innovative, while the other is logical and organized. I always wondered if there was a major to combine both my analytical and structural thoughts with my passion for the medical field and passion for creating. I happened upon Biomedical engineering and a sense of hope and excitement grew within me. This video uses principles of Biomedical engineering- building a robot to function for a patient with a medical and physical problem. I love the idea of encountering a problem and using technology and creative thinking to solve it. Not to mention the bionic arms in the video were designed by students at Johns Hopkins, my dream school. I visited campus last week and fell in love. This man's story is a culmination of my recent interests and I hope to be in a video like this someday, showing off a new technological solution.
“They saw the worst, but new dangers lurk for Syrian Children”
The thing that is worse than war is the scar it leaves behind. Most of us have seen the pictures of Syrians that are migrating but most of us have not seen them in real life. But back when I used to live in Turkey, seeing homeless migrants begging or earning meager amounts of money by washing car windows was a common sight. I had the opportunity to truly grasp the tragedy they were going through.
When I read this article I truly had a chance to understand the real impact of war. These kids have lost their childhood. But what is truly concerning is that one day these kids might become terrorists. These terrorist factions use miserable lives as a recruiting method. They promise miserable souls that once they sacrifice themselves for Jihad, they will be granted access to heaven and all its treasures.
Think about it. You are a 15 year old who has seen nothing but conflict, death, famine, disease and then some people offer you a way out of your misery. Once you look at it that way it makes sense why they join.
However drone strikes and military strikes are not going to save those kids.
What we need to do is initiate a second Marshall Plan. Create a stable Syria with a booming economy. A place where human rights violations don’t happen by the second. A place where kids can be kids again. A place where kids don’t use guns to learn how to count.
The thing that is worse than war is the scar it leaves behind. Most of us have seen the pictures of Syrians that are migrating but most of us have not seen them in real life. But back when I used to live in Turkey, seeing homeless migrants begging or earning meager amounts of money by washing car windows was a common sight. I had the opportunity to truly grasp the tragedy they were going through.
When I read this article I truly had a chance to understand the real impact of war. These kids have lost their childhood. But what is truly concerning is that one day these kids might become terrorists. These terrorist factions use miserable lives as a recruiting method. They promise miserable souls that once they sacrifice themselves for Jihad, they will be granted access to heaven and all its treasures.
Think about it. You are a 15 year old who has seen nothing but conflict, death, famine, disease and then some people offer you a way out of your misery. Once you look at it that way it makes sense why they join.
However drone strikes and military strikes are not going to save those kids.
What we need to do is initiate a second Marshall Plan. Create a stable Syria with a booming economy. A place where human rights violations don’t happen by the second. A place where kids can be kids again. A place where kids don’t use guns to learn how to count.
"In Breakthrough, Scientists Edit a Dangerous Mutation From Genes in Human Embryos"
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/02/science/gene-editing-human-embryos.html
Scientists have found a way to get rid of mutations in an unborn babies genes. This new breakthrough could save babies lives before they were born by getting rid of life-threatening diseases that would have been passed down from their parents. This article interested me because of the how far science has gotten to be able to change genes around to get rid of hereditary mutations.
It was mentioned in the article that this new technology could be taken advantage of and used to improve other traits like intelligence or a certain talent. I agree with the scientists, like Dr. Doudna, who say that this technology should only be used for research and clinical purposes. Scientists should not let this new breakthrough out of control and do more harm than good. Even though not all embryos tested were mutant-free, this is a good start into the future of medicine and science.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/02/science/gene-editing-human-embryos.html
Scientists have found a way to get rid of mutations in an unborn babies genes. This new breakthrough could save babies lives before they were born by getting rid of life-threatening diseases that would have been passed down from their parents. This article interested me because of the how far science has gotten to be able to change genes around to get rid of hereditary mutations.
It was mentioned in the article that this new technology could be taken advantage of and used to improve other traits like intelligence or a certain talent. I agree with the scientists, like Dr. Doudna, who say that this technology should only be used for research and clinical purposes. Scientists should not let this new breakthrough out of control and do more harm than good. Even though not all embryos tested were mutant-free, this is a good start into the future of medicine and science.
1
Watermelon Grows Up
By David Tanis
Once I saw this article, it immediately piqued my interest. Not because of the title, but because of the picture that went alongside it. When I first saw the thumbnail for this piece, I thought I was looking at some sort of bleeding salad. However, once I learned that it was a "gazpacho-like cold soup" made with watermelons, I was still equally as confused. I had no idea what "watermelon soup" was or how it could be made, so I turned my attention to the article to find the answers. As I traversed deeper down this gazpacho-like, chilled rabbit hole, I started to understand more about where this author was coming from. Apparently (I've never tried or heard of it), watermelons are best when they are combined with a somewhat salty component. This encourages people to experiment with their watermelons, and push the limits no matter how socially unacceptable it may seem (such as the watermelon soup made complete with lime, olive oil, pepper, and much more). This article taught me that everyone has different tastes, and even if I do not agree with them, other people may.
By David Tanis
Once I saw this article, it immediately piqued my interest. Not because of the title, but because of the picture that went alongside it. When I first saw the thumbnail for this piece, I thought I was looking at some sort of bleeding salad. However, once I learned that it was a "gazpacho-like cold soup" made with watermelons, I was still equally as confused. I had no idea what "watermelon soup" was or how it could be made, so I turned my attention to the article to find the answers. As I traversed deeper down this gazpacho-like, chilled rabbit hole, I started to understand more about where this author was coming from. Apparently (I've never tried or heard of it), watermelons are best when they are combined with a somewhat salty component. This encourages people to experiment with their watermelons, and push the limits no matter how socially unacceptable it may seem (such as the watermelon soup made complete with lime, olive oil, pepper, and much more). This article taught me that everyone has different tastes, and even if I do not agree with them, other people may.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/07/25/sports/football/nfl-cte.h...
As a person who is not a fan of football, this article doesn't really come as a shock to me. It seems obvious that people who are paid to engage in head on collisions consistently for decades would develop some sort of brain disease or sustain some sort of brain damage. However, I do understand the significance of finally finding a solid correlation between playing in the NFL and having brain damage, as there has been a recent movement against the NFL and even kids playing football because of this. It will be interesting to see the outcome of the waves this article has created.
As a person who is not a fan of football, this article doesn't really come as a shock to me. It seems obvious that people who are paid to engage in head on collisions consistently for decades would develop some sort of brain disease or sustain some sort of brain damage. However, I do understand the significance of finally finding a solid correlation between playing in the NFL and having brain damage, as there has been a recent movement against the NFL and even kids playing football because of this. It will be interesting to see the outcome of the waves this article has created.
"Uneasy Welcome as Ultra-Orthodox Jews Extend Beyond New York
By Joseph Berger
In my opinion, the mixing of ethnic groups is good for society. Although as people start to branch out of where they feel most comfortable and where they feel they belong, problems are bound to arise. Since Brooklyn, the location of many Hasidic communities, is extremely expensive to live, many Hasidic families are moving to more reasonably prices areas such as Jersey City which has caused tension between the residents in Jersey City and the incoming residents. According to the people living in Jersey City, real estate agents representing these Hasidic families are soliciting in the neighborhood and are becoming quite aggressive. This has become a problem because the Hasidic families are claiming that they are following the no-knock laws and the residents are claiming otherwise. All in all, everyone deserves to feel save and comfortable in their own home and should not have to worry about solicitors invading their privacy and being disrespectful.
By Joseph Berger
In my opinion, the mixing of ethnic groups is good for society. Although as people start to branch out of where they feel most comfortable and where they feel they belong, problems are bound to arise. Since Brooklyn, the location of many Hasidic communities, is extremely expensive to live, many Hasidic families are moving to more reasonably prices areas such as Jersey City which has caused tension between the residents in Jersey City and the incoming residents. According to the people living in Jersey City, real estate agents representing these Hasidic families are soliciting in the neighborhood and are becoming quite aggressive. This has become a problem because the Hasidic families are claiming that they are following the no-knock laws and the residents are claiming otherwise. All in all, everyone deserves to feel save and comfortable in their own home and should not have to worry about solicitors invading their privacy and being disrespectful.
“What We Finally Got Around to Learning at the Procrastination Research Conference” By Heather Murphy. I found this article compelling because I feel that I often find myself procrastinating, for example, with my summer homework. I like how the author of this article gets straight to the point with the fact that will interest most people while they skim through the article: that 20% of people are true procrastinators. This number actually surprised me, because I thought that it would be higher. As you read on it begins to make more sense, because it explains that people who procrastinate frequently and in multiple areas of their lives are true “procs,” while people who do it on occasion are categorized on a different part of the scale. The psychologists that spoke at the meeting all talk about it being extremely serious, and one even says that it’s, “more like a psychological disease.” The author then gives extreme examples to what procrastination could lead to: failed marriages, financial problems, lost jobs, etc. I lastly appreciate the bit of humor that the article ends on. It says that the conference schedules the next location that it will be held at the next time, and then says that they had to delay scheduling it due to a few people who were not present at the conference. I overall enjoyed this article and the style of writing the author used, and hope that I will be inspired enough to not delay my homework as much this upcoming year.
“What Would It Take for Trump to Get His Corporate Tax Wish?”
Being that I'm a political nerd, this article on the GOP's efforts to enact “Tax Reform” caught my eye. In the article, the author states that America has the highest corporate taxes in the developed world. Nominally, he is correct, the rate is 35%. There are, however, a large amount of loopholes and subsidies in the tax code. This makes the argument that Stewart claims is the primary motive for enacting tax cuts, being the windfall of new investment in jobs, intellectually dishonest. From 2008-2012, Verizon, G.E., and Boeing posted combined profits of $78.194 billion. Over that same period, however, they received a combined tax rebate of $3.791 billion. The GAO estimates that between those years, large profitable corporations paid an effective rate of 22%. Bringing it down to 15% would ensure many more large profitable corporations won't pay taxes. Businesses are also hiding $2.6 trillion overseas. The current GOP Congress is considering a “tax holiday”, which would let companies repatriate their money at a low rate. The last time this was done, the Bush administration made companies pay a 5.25%, and assumed it would spur economic growth. This didn't occur, and many companies simply did a stock buyback program. Instead of doing “reform”, Congress should repatriate the $2.6 trillion at 35%, make companies pay their fair share, and spend it on infrastructure programs that would spur job growth at home.
Being that I'm a political nerd, this article on the GOP's efforts to enact “Tax Reform” caught my eye. In the article, the author states that America has the highest corporate taxes in the developed world. Nominally, he is correct, the rate is 35%. There are, however, a large amount of loopholes and subsidies in the tax code. This makes the argument that Stewart claims is the primary motive for enacting tax cuts, being the windfall of new investment in jobs, intellectually dishonest. From 2008-2012, Verizon, G.E., and Boeing posted combined profits of $78.194 billion. Over that same period, however, they received a combined tax rebate of $3.791 billion. The GAO estimates that between those years, large profitable corporations paid an effective rate of 22%. Bringing it down to 15% would ensure many more large profitable corporations won't pay taxes. Businesses are also hiding $2.6 trillion overseas. The current GOP Congress is considering a “tax holiday”, which would let companies repatriate their money at a low rate. The last time this was done, the Bush administration made companies pay a 5.25%, and assumed it would spur economic growth. This didn't occur, and many companies simply did a stock buyback program. Instead of doing “reform”, Congress should repatriate the $2.6 trillion at 35%, make companies pay their fair share, and spend it on infrastructure programs that would spur job growth at home.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/21/sunday-review/women-ceos-glass-ceilin...
In a year where many Americans, especially women, were hopeful that the glass ceiling will crack, and America will finally get its first female president, women are faced with the grim reality that less women are able to reach the No. 1 spot in corporate America. This article aims to discuss the reasons why working women in the US rarely reach the No. 1 position in the companies they work at, when they dedicate as much time and effort as their male colleagues. The author examines the gender gap and the biases women face in the workforce. To do that, she examines the experiences of women who almost made it to that No. 1 spot, but had to stop at No. 2. Some believe that the reason for this is the way men react badly to strong and forceful women; others conclude that men look at women as preys who will not fight back; still others attribute this to family obligations, gender biases and lack of opportunities to become leaders. The author draws a parallel between this and Mrs. Clinton’s loss, and argues that it is quite challenging for strong and assertive women to be seen as likable and deserving leaders. These perceptions are even more pronounced among minority women. Overall, this article is very prevalent to the society we live in today. Moreover, I believe that we need to address this issue, because opportunities are being lost for many women around America.
In a year where many Americans, especially women, were hopeful that the glass ceiling will crack, and America will finally get its first female president, women are faced with the grim reality that less women are able to reach the No. 1 spot in corporate America. This article aims to discuss the reasons why working women in the US rarely reach the No. 1 position in the companies they work at, when they dedicate as much time and effort as their male colleagues. The author examines the gender gap and the biases women face in the workforce. To do that, she examines the experiences of women who almost made it to that No. 1 spot, but had to stop at No. 2. Some believe that the reason for this is the way men react badly to strong and forceful women; others conclude that men look at women as preys who will not fight back; still others attribute this to family obligations, gender biases and lack of opportunities to become leaders. The author draws a parallel between this and Mrs. Clinton’s loss, and argues that it is quite challenging for strong and assertive women to be seen as likable and deserving leaders. These perceptions are even more pronounced among minority women. Overall, this article is very prevalent to the society we live in today. Moreover, I believe that we need to address this issue, because opportunities are being lost for many women around America.
For this week I was interested in the article "You Create That Chemistry: How Actors Fall in Instant Love" by Alexis Soloski. It showed and explained the methods used by fellow actors and actresses and how they all individually perceive their ability to imitate being in love. All actors and actresses have one thing in common and that is the skill to use their bodies as a vessel and shape their minds to be in whatever character they are to play. Some actors base their romance off of a stimulated real relationship, while others use memories of others or think about who it is they love in real life. I think acting is a skill that is truly amazing and not many people think about what it really takes to act.
The article that interested me most this week was” A New Way for Therapists to Get Inside Heads: Virtual Reality” by Cade Metz. The title really caught my eye because I had never heard of virtual reality used in therapy before, and I was intrigued. Metz explains that therapists can use Virtual Reality to treat PTSD, anxiety, and certain fears. Using this technology is a step forward from simply imagining a situation, time, or place, and ultimately has a stronger effect. Patients can visit the location of a car crash or the top of a tall building in order to face their fear. This method of treatment is also safer because it can be stopped at any time and can be conducted in an office or any safe area. While reading this article, I felt a sense of hope for the people struggling with anxiety and other mental disorders. Most think of virtual reality as a fun game, but now it is used as a healing device for many struggling people.
The article “Charlie Gard Dies, Leaving a Legacy of Thorny Ethics Questions”, by Dan Bilefsky, is fascinating not because of the apparent ethical dilemma brought forth by Charlie's disconnection from life support against his parent’s will, but rather its interest comes from the gallery of other events and questions which stem off from the ethical predicament, like a drop of blood in crystal clear water.
The article’s coverage of the 11 month old boy’s death reached a far distance in Britain’s judicial system. The British High Court was the political body which decided that the hospital’s decision to take the child off life support could lawfully be fulfilled. The British High Court is no small operation and does not spend its resources on anything but the most important of cases. Furthermore, the disputes between the hospital and the Charlie’s parents also reached people worldwide; protesters gathered outside of Charlie’s hospital and anti-abortion groups clinged to Charlie. Also, many news agencies shared the case. Most importantly, it is interwoven with the and widely disputed practice of experimental testing. For Charlie’s parents were given hope from the suggestion of an experimental treatment, which the hospital did not see as appropriate. this means that Charlie becomes a staple in history because of how he was able to connect a wide range of people, protesters, doctors, and people simply reading the news, to the growing dispute of of experimental treatment.
The article’s coverage of the 11 month old boy’s death reached a far distance in Britain’s judicial system. The British High Court was the political body which decided that the hospital’s decision to take the child off life support could lawfully be fulfilled. The British High Court is no small operation and does not spend its resources on anything but the most important of cases. Furthermore, the disputes between the hospital and the Charlie’s parents also reached people worldwide; protesters gathered outside of Charlie’s hospital and anti-abortion groups clinged to Charlie. Also, many news agencies shared the case. Most importantly, it is interwoven with the and widely disputed practice of experimental testing. For Charlie’s parents were given hope from the suggestion of an experimental treatment, which the hospital did not see as appropriate. this means that Charlie becomes a staple in history because of how he was able to connect a wide range of people, protesters, doctors, and people simply reading the news, to the growing dispute of of experimental treatment.
Reading the New York Times this week, I found myself most interested in the article “Justice Dept. to Take On Affirmative Action in College Admissions”, by Charlie Savage. This article looked at the different sides of the debate on affirmative action and institutionalized racism in America. The document discussed in the article, an internal announcement to the civil rights division, states that the Department of Justice will work on “investigations and possible litigation related to intentional race-based discrimination in college and university admissions.” While this seems notable, it does not address the reasons affirmative action exists in the first place: to take into account the effects of poverty and other disadvantages in minority communities. If the Trump administration wants to eliminate this institution, it must first provide a viable solution to the root problem. In only addressing affirmative action, the Department of Justice also ignores the more substantial issue of quotas limiting the number of Asian students accepted to many colleges and universities. As Asian minorities do not have the historical advantage of white people, this is an expressly racist policy. The Trump Administration must work toward what is best for all the people, protecting every citizen, regardless of race.
An article this week that really caught my eye was the article titled "Michael Phelps Raced a Shark, kind of. Not Really". The reason it caught my attention was because the Michael Phelps versus shark race had a lot of hype around it. I, myself, was extremely excited about the race, and just like everyone else I ended up being extremely disappointed with the end result. It ended up just being Michael Phelps swimming alone against a CGI shark. While it was kind of false advertised, I do believe the race is getting a ton of unnecessary hate towards it. I believe this because people should really understand that the television company would never risk the life of possibly the biggest athlete in the world. The article even shows the contrast between the two different sides arguing over this race through the app twitter. The sides showed the hate and the logical thinking between the two arguing sides. I think it was very wise of the author of the article to put these pieces in because it really lets the reader choose which side of the argument they are on. Most people do need to look into the dangers that would be involved before they choose a side though. Say a shark did race side by side next to Michael Phelps, there is no doubt in my mind that the shark would jump over and seriously injure the world class athlete. This is why I feel like people need to lay off the television company and stop hating on it so much. That is why I found this article to be so interesting and useful.
This article is about Charlie Gard, a British infant who suffered from a rare genetic disorder called mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome. He could not see, hear, swallow, or cry. Doctors have been treating him since October. Dr. Michio Hirano, a neurologist, suggested an experimental therapy called nucleoside bypass therapy. This could give Charlie a small chance of improving his breathing. Dr. Hirano traveled to London to treat him and the doctors conducted a test called an electroencephalogram to detect electrical activity in the brain. They found that he had muscular atrophy and brain damage that could not be reversed and that is was too late. Charlie's mother, Connie Yates, said that they should have tried therapy sooner. President Donald Trump and Pope Francis have both spoke out about the issue. Pope Francis said he was praying for Charlie and his family during this time. Protesters have gathered outside the hospital and threatened the doctors. Charlie's parents' lawyer said that the experiment could have been more successful if it was tried earlier. However, the hospital's lawyer said that they had looked into it earlier but Charlie already had irreversible brain damage. They came to the decision to end Charlie's life and take him off life support. Ms. Yates thanked all of the doctors and those who protested for her son. When I saw this article I immediately felt bad for those parents. I also feel bad for Charlie that his short life had to end so soon.
How to Survive a Rip Current: First, Don’t Fight It
This article caught my attention right away because of my recent trip to the beach. Towards the afternoon, my family and I as well as other guests on the beach began to hear yelling in the water for help. Instantly, people rushed to the shoreline to see where the people were in the water. They were pretty far back and we all could tell the two men were struggling. They were stuck in a rip current. It was scary to watch, and even scarier knowing that there was barely anything we could’ve done but call 911 to help. Although some people rushed into the water to help, it’s a risk for them to be caught in it as well. This article was intriguing to read because the first thing to do, as said in the title, is to not fight it all. Long Island has a whole south shore with tons of beaches and thousands of visitors. Many people believe that it wont happen to them and they won’t get caught, even though rip currents are responsible for more than 80 percent of lifeguard rescues. The two men finally make it out of the water and to shore when seconds later police cars and an ambulance arrive. The man was as pale as a ghost after getting out of the current and it was insane how much worse this could've turned out. This story and the article both remind me how to always be safe before going to the beach by checking weather and surf forecasts and for a lifeguard to be on duty while in the water.
This article caught my attention right away because of my recent trip to the beach. Towards the afternoon, my family and I as well as other guests on the beach began to hear yelling in the water for help. Instantly, people rushed to the shoreline to see where the people were in the water. They were pretty far back and we all could tell the two men were struggling. They were stuck in a rip current. It was scary to watch, and even scarier knowing that there was barely anything we could’ve done but call 911 to help. Although some people rushed into the water to help, it’s a risk for them to be caught in it as well. This article was intriguing to read because the first thing to do, as said in the title, is to not fight it all. Long Island has a whole south shore with tons of beaches and thousands of visitors. Many people believe that it wont happen to them and they won’t get caught, even though rip currents are responsible for more than 80 percent of lifeguard rescues. The two men finally make it out of the water and to shore when seconds later police cars and an ambulance arrive. The man was as pale as a ghost after getting out of the current and it was insane how much worse this could've turned out. This story and the article both remind me how to always be safe before going to the beach by checking weather and surf forecasts and for a lifeguard to be on duty while in the water.
"Colin Kaepernick and Concussions Continue to Pose Problems for N.F.L."
The article "Colin Kaepernick and Concussions Continue to Pose Problem for N.F.L" caught my eye because I personally enjoy watching football and because of the controversy over concussions in the N.F.L. It is no new report that Colin Kaepernick is looking at every team but no team will commit to Kaepernick. I do not understand why a quarterback that used to be "good" has diverted so much of the league's attention. I can understand teams are hesitant to sign Kaepernick. First of all, Kaepernick insulted a large majority of America by not standing for the National Anthem. Secondly, teams do not want the controversy that comes with a player like Kaepernick. I do not blame the Ravens one bit for looking into Kaepernick to really see if he is enough of what the Ravens want to have all the hate and controversy connected to the franchise with the signing of Kaepernick. As far as C.T.E goes, I think that it is absurd that the league won't acknowledge the affect it has on it's players. Obviously C.T.E is a problem in the N.F.L. that has to be dealt with. I believe that it is reckless for Roger Goodell, N.F.L Commissioner, and many other to ignore the fact that changes have to be made to the sport. Whether the change is as small as adding more to the helmets or changing some rules, something has to change preferably sooner than later to protect these athletes who just want to play football.
The article "Colin Kaepernick and Concussions Continue to Pose Problem for N.F.L" caught my eye because I personally enjoy watching football and because of the controversy over concussions in the N.F.L. It is no new report that Colin Kaepernick is looking at every team but no team will commit to Kaepernick. I do not understand why a quarterback that used to be "good" has diverted so much of the league's attention. I can understand teams are hesitant to sign Kaepernick. First of all, Kaepernick insulted a large majority of America by not standing for the National Anthem. Secondly, teams do not want the controversy that comes with a player like Kaepernick. I do not blame the Ravens one bit for looking into Kaepernick to really see if he is enough of what the Ravens want to have all the hate and controversy connected to the franchise with the signing of Kaepernick. As far as C.T.E goes, I think that it is absurd that the league won't acknowledge the affect it has on it's players. Obviously C.T.E is a problem in the N.F.L. that has to be dealt with. I believe that it is reckless for Roger Goodell, N.F.L Commissioner, and many other to ignore the fact that changes have to be made to the sport. Whether the change is as small as adding more to the helmets or changing some rules, something has to change preferably sooner than later to protect these athletes who just want to play football.
"Nations Will Start Talks to Protect Fish of the High Seas"
This article stood out to me, because I am an animal lover. I am definitely for protecting high seas. I think protecting high seas would be beneficial for the world. I am glad there are discussions of helping out fish. "The discussions around marine protected areas on the high seas may also offer the planet a way to guard against some of the effects of global warming.”Moreover, I love that this can help with global warming. Furthermore, I am for this idea, because “There is growing scientific evidence that creating large, undisturbed sanctuaries can help marine ecosystems and coastal populations cope with climate change effects, like sea-level rise, more intense storms, shifts in the distribution of species and ocean acidification.” High seas will continue to get overused, so protecting them now is better than nothing! There will be numerous significant outcomes of this.
This article stood out to me, because I am an animal lover. I am definitely for protecting high seas. I think protecting high seas would be beneficial for the world. I am glad there are discussions of helping out fish. "The discussions around marine protected areas on the high seas may also offer the planet a way to guard against some of the effects of global warming.”Moreover, I love that this can help with global warming. Furthermore, I am for this idea, because “There is growing scientific evidence that creating large, undisturbed sanctuaries can help marine ecosystems and coastal populations cope with climate change effects, like sea-level rise, more intense storms, shifts in the distribution of species and ocean acidification.” High seas will continue to get overused, so protecting them now is better than nothing! There will be numerous significant outcomes of this.
"The Back-to-School Tech You Need (And Don't Need)"
This article interested me because I've recently been on the search for a new laptop. I think we all know that high quality laptops these days can be very expensive, especially Apple products which are preferable for matching up to my iPhone. I'm going to be a senior this year and then go to college the following year. My lowly Chromebook works fine, but is slowly degrading in both hardware and software aspects. I've been wondering whether I should get a new laptop now, or wait until next year and maybe try a tablet. I want to know the perfect device for taking notes and writing essays for school, while still being able to watch Netflix and YouTube for those days off. I plan on going to medical school as well, which I will definitely want a high performance device for studying and assignments. This article helped me realize that the perfect device doesn't exist, but there are many options designed for specific needs. If my major is Biomedical engineering, I might want to invest in both a laptop for notes, and a tablet for reading. With textbook costs so high these days, renting them online is cheaper, more efficient, and environmentally friendly. This article was helpful and piqued my interest because of its directive and selective audience- the student. With a little more focused research, I'll be ready to choose my next technological device, hopefully able to serve me well for the next few years of my academic endeavors.
This article interested me because I've recently been on the search for a new laptop. I think we all know that high quality laptops these days can be very expensive, especially Apple products which are preferable for matching up to my iPhone. I'm going to be a senior this year and then go to college the following year. My lowly Chromebook works fine, but is slowly degrading in both hardware and software aspects. I've been wondering whether I should get a new laptop now, or wait until next year and maybe try a tablet. I want to know the perfect device for taking notes and writing essays for school, while still being able to watch Netflix and YouTube for those days off. I plan on going to medical school as well, which I will definitely want a high performance device for studying and assignments. This article helped me realize that the perfect device doesn't exist, but there are many options designed for specific needs. If my major is Biomedical engineering, I might want to invest in both a laptop for notes, and a tablet for reading. With textbook costs so high these days, renting them online is cheaper, more efficient, and environmentally friendly. This article was helpful and piqued my interest because of its directive and selective audience- the student. With a little more focused research, I'll be ready to choose my next technological device, hopefully able to serve me well for the next few years of my academic endeavors.
7 New Planets That Could Host Alien Life
By: Neeti Upadhye
Feb. 22, 2017
As NASA newly discovered 7 earth sized planets that orbit a dwarf star, there are new grounds that may contain the homes of extraterrestrials. While the video I watched was mainly focused on the extraterrestrials and existence of aliens, it also showed interest in the future of the human race. As there are theories that water is most likely on the surface of these planets the video became very important to our futures altogether. I chose this article because I, like many others, enjoy outer space more so seeing NASA in the title caught my eye and made me ponder about what I might want to pursue in my future. I was greatly interested in how NASA is looking so far into the future, while still confronting theories from the past (aliens/extraterrestrials). Finally, I chose this article because I don't know a lot about space, and learned that there is so much more to pursue than we think there is, also that this article broadened my interest in the whole concept of outer space.
By: Neeti Upadhye
Feb. 22, 2017
As NASA newly discovered 7 earth sized planets that orbit a dwarf star, there are new grounds that may contain the homes of extraterrestrials. While the video I watched was mainly focused on the extraterrestrials and existence of aliens, it also showed interest in the future of the human race. As there are theories that water is most likely on the surface of these planets the video became very important to our futures altogether. I chose this article because I, like many others, enjoy outer space more so seeing NASA in the title caught my eye and made me ponder about what I might want to pursue in my future. I was greatly interested in how NASA is looking so far into the future, while still confronting theories from the past (aliens/extraterrestrials). Finally, I chose this article because I don't know a lot about space, and learned that there is so much more to pursue than we think there is, also that this article broadened my interest in the whole concept of outer space.
August 3, 2017
The article "Trump Forbids Military Service by Transgender People" stood out to me, because it is a very sensitive topic. On July 26th, 2017 President trump tweeted saying "American forces could not afford the tremendous medical costs and disruption.” The president basically views transgender people as a "cost" in the military. Continuously brought up, is the topic of how much health care is for transgender people in the military. Trump says that it will cost too much and the military would be better off with them gone. But he doesn't see what's behind all the money. This certain group of people want to serve our country, to protect it and President Trump can only think about costs. This topic should become a bigger issue, to draw awareness. Hopefully The President will change his decision.
The article "Trump Forbids Military Service by Transgender People" stood out to me, because it is a very sensitive topic. On July 26th, 2017 President trump tweeted saying "American forces could not afford the tremendous medical costs and disruption.” The president basically views transgender people as a "cost" in the military. Continuously brought up, is the topic of how much health care is for transgender people in the military. Trump says that it will cost too much and the military would be better off with them gone. But he doesn't see what's behind all the money. This certain group of people want to serve our country, to protect it and President Trump can only think about costs. This topic should become a bigger issue, to draw awareness. Hopefully The President will change his decision.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/12/well/eat/the-chemicals-in-your-mac-an...
The Chemicals in Your Mac and Cheese
By Roni Caryn Rabin July 12, 2017
What really brought out my interest in the article is how potentially harmful chemicals may still be present in high concentrations in mac and cheese. Reading the article I learned that these chemicals, called phthalates, can disrupt male hormones like testosterone and have been linked to genital birth defects and learning and behavior problems. The article says that the chemicals migrate into food from packaging and equipment used in manufacturing and may pose special risks to pregnant women and young children.
A new study on 30 cheese products has detected phthalates in all but one of the samples tested, with the highest concentrations found in the highly processed cheese powder in boxed mac and cheese. After analyzing the data a group decided to dig further. The group tested 10 different types of mac and cheese, including some labeled organic, and found high levels of phthalates in all of them.
When I started reading this article I thought that the article wasn’t true because I had mac and cheese plenty of times, and I don’t think I show any signs of learning or behavior problems. As I read deeper into the article I started questioning everything about mac and cheese. Finding out about these chemicals in the food I eat is definitely a game changer. I know that I will try to stay away from products like this.
The Chemicals in Your Mac and Cheese
By Roni Caryn Rabin July 12, 2017
What really brought out my interest in the article is how potentially harmful chemicals may still be present in high concentrations in mac and cheese. Reading the article I learned that these chemicals, called phthalates, can disrupt male hormones like testosterone and have been linked to genital birth defects and learning and behavior problems. The article says that the chemicals migrate into food from packaging and equipment used in manufacturing and may pose special risks to pregnant women and young children.
A new study on 30 cheese products has detected phthalates in all but one of the samples tested, with the highest concentrations found in the highly processed cheese powder in boxed mac and cheese. After analyzing the data a group decided to dig further. The group tested 10 different types of mac and cheese, including some labeled organic, and found high levels of phthalates in all of them.
When I started reading this article I thought that the article wasn’t true because I had mac and cheese plenty of times, and I don’t think I show any signs of learning or behavior problems. As I read deeper into the article I started questioning everything about mac and cheese. Finding out about these chemicals in the food I eat is definitely a game changer. I know that I will try to stay away from products like this.
“Parents of Charlie Gard, Ill British Infant, Abandon Effort to Prolong His Life”
Although this was almost certainly the most difficult decision either one of them will have to make in their entire lives, the parents of Charlie Gard undoubtedly made the right choice in deciding to end their son’s life support and allowing him to peacefully pass away. As a result a problem with his DNA, Charlie was blind and deaf, could not swallow or cry, had trouble breathing, and had irreversible brain damage. With a quality of life that poor, keeping Charlie alive would only prolong his suffering, so the removal of life support was the only truly humane course of action. However, I wholeheartedly stand by the parents with their fight with the hospital to pursue all other possible options before making that tragic decision.
Furthermore, the parent’s fight brings up the question of how much power a hospital should have over its patients. Personally, I think that the decision for treatment on a child belongs to the parents and only the parents, and the hospital, no matter what they think is in the best interests of the child, should not be able to forcibly remove any child’s life support without parental consent. Nevertheless, the parents and hospital are now in agreement, so hopefully they can have a few last moments with their son to obtain some closure before he is removed from life support and his soul drifts up to Heaven.
Although this was almost certainly the most difficult decision either one of them will have to make in their entire lives, the parents of Charlie Gard undoubtedly made the right choice in deciding to end their son’s life support and allowing him to peacefully pass away. As a result a problem with his DNA, Charlie was blind and deaf, could not swallow or cry, had trouble breathing, and had irreversible brain damage. With a quality of life that poor, keeping Charlie alive would only prolong his suffering, so the removal of life support was the only truly humane course of action. However, I wholeheartedly stand by the parents with their fight with the hospital to pursue all other possible options before making that tragic decision.
Furthermore, the parent’s fight brings up the question of how much power a hospital should have over its patients. Personally, I think that the decision for treatment on a child belongs to the parents and only the parents, and the hospital, no matter what they think is in the best interests of the child, should not be able to forcibly remove any child’s life support without parental consent. Nevertheless, the parents and hospital are now in agreement, so hopefully they can have a few last moments with their son to obtain some closure before he is removed from life support and his soul drifts up to Heaven.
Finland Has a Sports Screw Loose by Andrew Keh
When I saw the title of this article, my mind was instantly brought to how our sports in the United States are, and the amount of competition there is when we are playing them. People gathered around their television sets with an abundance of snacks for the big game. The athletes about to play have been training non-stop for their game, with a hate for the other team and a mindset to win. However, this is not what the sports in Finland are like, in Finland they just come to have a good time. As the article says the Finnish people use to be as competitive as any other country in the early 1900’s as a way to help declare their independence and build an identity apart from Russia. Over time they began to decrease in their sports seriousness and began coming up with bizarre competitions that only they play, such as swamp soccer, and wife carrying races. All of these games however are just for fun to pass the time away, and spend time outside and together with friends. This article showed that sports don’t always have to be full of stress, and sometimes I wish that they were more like this, just something to do to pass the time. Today in the U.S everything is so stressful and if we took a small amount of that stress away we could be so much happier, and maybe even be friends with more people.
When I saw the title of this article, my mind was instantly brought to how our sports in the United States are, and the amount of competition there is when we are playing them. People gathered around their television sets with an abundance of snacks for the big game. The athletes about to play have been training non-stop for their game, with a hate for the other team and a mindset to win. However, this is not what the sports in Finland are like, in Finland they just come to have a good time. As the article says the Finnish people use to be as competitive as any other country in the early 1900’s as a way to help declare their independence and build an identity apart from Russia. Over time they began to decrease in their sports seriousness and began coming up with bizarre competitions that only they play, such as swamp soccer, and wife carrying races. All of these games however are just for fun to pass the time away, and spend time outside and together with friends. This article showed that sports don’t always have to be full of stress, and sometimes I wish that they were more like this, just something to do to pass the time. Today in the U.S everything is so stressful and if we took a small amount of that stress away we could be so much happier, and maybe even be friends with more people.
“Michael Phelps ‘Raced’ a ‘Shark,’ Kind Of. Not Really.”
I really don't know much about Shark Week, other than it involves a week of shark content on the Discovery channel. However, when I saw this article title, I knew I had to read it because this year's shark week had a particularly interesting approach to getting people excited for the shark program.
This year, I found that shark week was particularly gossiped about, and made people very excited. This year, shark week was opening up with Michael Phelps, the famous swimmer Olympian, racing a great white shark! When I first heard the news, I was actually concerned, “how could they possibly get a great white shark to race under any circumstances, without some kind of animal cruelty?” But as it turned out, he raced a computer generated shark. Now, this detail made a lot of people upset and kind of put a damper on the excitement of shark week. Personally, when I heard the news, I was actually wholeheartedly relieved, because it meant that no shark was being tortured to race Michael Phelps. And honestly, I didn't understand the point in the first place, because as this article points out, sharks can swim at 25 mph, while Michael Phelps can only swim “no faster than 6 miles per hour.” But nevertheless many people were very excited about the race, and when it turned out Discovery stretched the truth a bit with their claims at an actual race of legend, it really let many people down.
I really don't know much about Shark Week, other than it involves a week of shark content on the Discovery channel. However, when I saw this article title, I knew I had to read it because this year's shark week had a particularly interesting approach to getting people excited for the shark program.
This year, I found that shark week was particularly gossiped about, and made people very excited. This year, shark week was opening up with Michael Phelps, the famous swimmer Olympian, racing a great white shark! When I first heard the news, I was actually concerned, “how could they possibly get a great white shark to race under any circumstances, without some kind of animal cruelty?” But as it turned out, he raced a computer generated shark. Now, this detail made a lot of people upset and kind of put a damper on the excitement of shark week. Personally, when I heard the news, I was actually wholeheartedly relieved, because it meant that no shark was being tortured to race Michael Phelps. And honestly, I didn't understand the point in the first place, because as this article points out, sharks can swim at 25 mph, while Michael Phelps can only swim “no faster than 6 miles per hour.” But nevertheless many people were very excited about the race, and when it turned out Discovery stretched the truth a bit with their claims at an actual race of legend, it really let many people down.
“111 N.F.L. Brains. All But One Had C.T.E.” I would never let my child play football. At least, not until serious changes are made in order to protect players from repeated damage to the head that leads to brain diseases such as C.T.E. I know that is a controversial claim in a world where millions tune in to watch the Super Bowl every year and shows such as “Friday Night Tykes” glorify young children playing a sport that, if played for long enough, could kill them. As Dr. McKee states, “It is no longer a debate whether or not there is a problem in football—there is a problem.” Football coaches, players, parents, and fans will disagree with me, saying that football teaches children valuable life lessons about discipline, team building, and hard work, and gives them fond memories such as playing on under the lights on Friday night and bonding with their teammates. What is the point of these lessons and memories if one day the player will develop C.T.E. and with it, dementia? What is the point of using football to teach children discipline and teamwork if, due to C.T.E., they could have problems later in life with emotional control, aggression, and anxiety? These are urgent questions that must be addressed and solutions are required in order to ensure the health and safety and players around the country and the world.
“Affirmative Action Battle Has a New Focus: Asian-Americans” by Anemona Hartocollis and Stephanie Saul
In a country where the promotion of diversity is extremely prominent, colleges and universities in the US advocate diversity through their enrollment process, but this article further exemplifies the ongoing discrimination against certain races and the disavowal of meritocracy embedded in the admissions process.
As the youngest child of four and an Asian-American myself, I am fearful of my imminent college application process particularly because I have witnessed the persistent Asian discrimination ingrained in college acceptances amongst my older siblings. I am personally exhausted by the predominant stereotype that Asians naturally are a high-achieving race because it ensues in the issue that superior achievements are requisite to fulfill this Asian expectation. Additionally, it is beyond unfair that statistically, Asian students must score 140 points more on the SAT than whites to be equally competent to be admitted into private colleges. The discrimination against Asians to provide space for other minorities is entirely unethical and violates basic civil rights principles that one’s race and ethnicity should not be disadvantageous nor advantageous to one’s life.
I hope that this lawsuit will contribute to the eradication of racial discrimination because I remain optimistic that one day, colleges and universities will assess individuals exclusively based on merit.
In a country where the promotion of diversity is extremely prominent, colleges and universities in the US advocate diversity through their enrollment process, but this article further exemplifies the ongoing discrimination against certain races and the disavowal of meritocracy embedded in the admissions process.
As the youngest child of four and an Asian-American myself, I am fearful of my imminent college application process particularly because I have witnessed the persistent Asian discrimination ingrained in college acceptances amongst my older siblings. I am personally exhausted by the predominant stereotype that Asians naturally are a high-achieving race because it ensues in the issue that superior achievements are requisite to fulfill this Asian expectation. Additionally, it is beyond unfair that statistically, Asian students must score 140 points more on the SAT than whites to be equally competent to be admitted into private colleges. The discrimination against Asians to provide space for other minorities is entirely unethical and violates basic civil rights principles that one’s race and ethnicity should not be disadvantageous nor advantageous to one’s life.
I hope that this lawsuit will contribute to the eradication of racial discrimination because I remain optimistic that one day, colleges and universities will assess individuals exclusively based on merit.
"It's a high time for Ticks, Which are Spreading Diseases Farther"
This article caught my attention because of its topic on ticks. Personally, ticks are something i see on my dogs from time to time and they are something I am misinformed about. This article started off strong by presenting the reader a bizarre case of a tick that latched on a woman's eyeball and this caught my interest. Two kinds of ticks, the lone star tick and the black-legged tick's populations have been growing in the Southampton due to the deers and mice thriving, which provides them with a more reliable food source of blood. According to the article, a recent study states that from 1998 to 2017 the number of ticks has grown by forty-five percent. Moreover, because of this growth ticks are migrating towards human populated areas and this is causing a threat to people. The article states that tick bites on a human being can pose a threat, this is because ticks can carry diseases which they can transfer to the human being through a bite. Ticks carry diseases like Lyme disease, Powassan virus and Alpha-Gal which are harmful to human bodies. With the population of ticks increasing, according to the article Brian Kelly, the owner of 'East end Tick and Mosquito Control', states that "People can walk across the lawn to get the newspaper and get a tick".
After reading this article, i became more informed about ticks and how dangerous exposure to them can be.
This article caught my attention because of its topic on ticks. Personally, ticks are something i see on my dogs from time to time and they are something I am misinformed about. This article started off strong by presenting the reader a bizarre case of a tick that latched on a woman's eyeball and this caught my interest. Two kinds of ticks, the lone star tick and the black-legged tick's populations have been growing in the Southampton due to the deers and mice thriving, which provides them with a more reliable food source of blood. According to the article, a recent study states that from 1998 to 2017 the number of ticks has grown by forty-five percent. Moreover, because of this growth ticks are migrating towards human populated areas and this is causing a threat to people. The article states that tick bites on a human being can pose a threat, this is because ticks can carry diseases which they can transfer to the human being through a bite. Ticks carry diseases like Lyme disease, Powassan virus and Alpha-Gal which are harmful to human bodies. With the population of ticks increasing, according to the article Brian Kelly, the owner of 'East end Tick and Mosquito Control', states that "People can walk across the lawn to get the newspaper and get a tick".
After reading this article, i became more informed about ticks and how dangerous exposure to them can be.
This article really jumped out at me because it was written from the marine corps perspective. It was a lot different from the other articles because he wrote it himself and it was based off his personal opinions and his decisions. Calum Ramm decided to run 7 marathons in 7 days in all of the 7 continents. Some of the places he ran were not easy he had to run in the snow, heat and bare ground. It was one of the hardest things he had ever had to do he said, his body was running low on energy on the seventh day because he had never done anything like it before but he knew that he had to keep pushing on for those in needs. He ran all these of marathons to help the troops and vets in need. Calum ran to raise money for his charity The Semper Fi Fund and he was a member of the marine running team. I chose this article because it really stood out to me it seemed impossible what he had and running over 183 miles is something very hard to do. I wanted to read this article to find out more of what he had to do and his journey alongside it. Reading this article really inspired me to try and become more active to get out there and try to do the unthinkable. That us as humans can do we more than we think and that doing some big things like running a big marathon can help others in need and so that we can start a chain reaction.
CTe study 110/111
Football is one of America's favorite sports. Our country lives for Sunday football while grilling and socializing with close friends and family. It has become regular to us that 200lb grown men are running at each other with full speed and hitting each other with all the force possible. Since the beginning, we have ignored the possible side effects that happen with every single hit. In recent years, Concussions have been more noticed and people are starting to take action. Concussion forms are starting to be required, and athletes are sometimes required to take concussion tests. This is a result of studies like this coming out on the horrible side effects of concussions. Many icons in the football community have disagreed with the horrible side effects of concussions. This study changes the game completely. This study proves everyone who disagreed wrong. There are links from football to brain related death. These men are getting payed millions of dollars to destroy their brains from taking hits. Is it even worth it? I think that life is very important and that no amount of money is worth ending it early. This study could cause many parents to pull their kids out of the game. The popularity could decline as less and less parents will let their kids play. There are multiple ways to partially solve this, such as creating more advanced helmets, or changing the tackling rules. One thing is for sure, and that is football will never be the same.
Football is one of America's favorite sports. Our country lives for Sunday football while grilling and socializing with close friends and family. It has become regular to us that 200lb grown men are running at each other with full speed and hitting each other with all the force possible. Since the beginning, we have ignored the possible side effects that happen with every single hit. In recent years, Concussions have been more noticed and people are starting to take action. Concussion forms are starting to be required, and athletes are sometimes required to take concussion tests. This is a result of studies like this coming out on the horrible side effects of concussions. Many icons in the football community have disagreed with the horrible side effects of concussions. This study changes the game completely. This study proves everyone who disagreed wrong. There are links from football to brain related death. These men are getting payed millions of dollars to destroy their brains from taking hits. Is it even worth it? I think that life is very important and that no amount of money is worth ending it early. This study could cause many parents to pull their kids out of the game. The popularity could decline as less and less parents will let their kids play. There are multiple ways to partially solve this, such as creating more advanced helmets, or changing the tackling rules. One thing is for sure, and that is football will never be the same.
This week I watched a video Drugs vs. Border: How Smugglers Get Creative. This video caught my eye because last week I watched 20 20 and they covered how border patrol officers to a teenager to drink two bottles of “Green Tea” and a “Sports Drink” when it was actually drugs. Then I was wondering how others smugglers try to get drugs across the border.
In the video, it tells you “About two million pounds of illegal narcotics were seized by U.S. officials in 2016.” As well it shows the most common ways are hidden in a vehicle, fruit, and shoes (wedge heels). Some more uncommon way are tunnels, T-Shirt cannon, catapult and even a ultralight aircraft.
In the video, it tells you “About two million pounds of illegal narcotics were seized by U.S. officials in 2016.” As well it shows the most common ways are hidden in a vehicle, fruit, and shoes (wedge heels). Some more uncommon way are tunnels, T-Shirt cannon, catapult and even a ultralight aircraft.
Response to “Hope and Frustration in Australia as Gay Marriage Debate Nears”
Equality rights have come along way in the last fifty years, but not far enough. Gay marriage is still illegal and discriminated against in many places around the world. There are many pride parades and equality celebrations around the world. Australia is known to being one of the gay capitals of the world. So It’s weird to think that same-sex marriage hasn’t been legalized there yet. The parliament in Australia is embarrassingly behind on passing the law. It is only surprising because the lgbtq community is so strong and supportive in Australia.
It’s so great to hear about peoples perspective on same-sex marriage change in a positive way when they were least expecting it. Kids should be taught about the lgbtq community so they are educated and don’t just learn about the degrading stereotypes. They need to be taught that it’s okay to be different and that they can be whoever they feel comfortable being. Most importantly we need to teach that love is between two people and it has no gender.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/02/world/australia/australia-gay-marriag...
Equality rights have come along way in the last fifty years, but not far enough. Gay marriage is still illegal and discriminated against in many places around the world. There are many pride parades and equality celebrations around the world. Australia is known to being one of the gay capitals of the world. So It’s weird to think that same-sex marriage hasn’t been legalized there yet. The parliament in Australia is embarrassingly behind on passing the law. It is only surprising because the lgbtq community is so strong and supportive in Australia.
It’s so great to hear about peoples perspective on same-sex marriage change in a positive way when they were least expecting it. Kids should be taught about the lgbtq community so they are educated and don’t just learn about the degrading stereotypes. They need to be taught that it’s okay to be different and that they can be whoever they feel comfortable being. Most importantly we need to teach that love is between two people and it has no gender.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/02/world/australia/australia-gay-marriag...
Murphy Poxson
8-3-17
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/02/science/gene-editing-human-embryos
What I found interesting in the New York Times this week was the article “In Breakthrough, Scientists Edit a Dangerous Mutation from Genes in Human Embryos” by Pam Belluck. I found this article interesting mainly because of my natural curiosity towards science and its limits. This article shows how scientist have pushed the limits and expanded the domain of science. However, it presents a moral dilemma, whether scientists should continue to push the limits until humans can create children with whatever qualities the parents want them to have (while also getting rid of genetic diseases) or let evolution take its natural and slow yet persistent course. Personally, I prefer the latter because humans can correct themselves without the need of large sums of money that a poorer family wouldn’t be able to pay for and would therefore have a genetic disease anyway. Plus, if all genes looked the same and/or have the same synthetic gene make up, how do the scientists know whether or not the new genetically edited gene doesn’t carry a new disease, won’t mutate, or isn’t susceptible to a brand new disease later in life? For now, it looks like we’ll have to wait for the science an politics to play out until we will know our fate.
8-3-17
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/02/science/gene-editing-human-embryos
What I found interesting in the New York Times this week was the article “In Breakthrough, Scientists Edit a Dangerous Mutation from Genes in Human Embryos” by Pam Belluck. I found this article interesting mainly because of my natural curiosity towards science and its limits. This article shows how scientist have pushed the limits and expanded the domain of science. However, it presents a moral dilemma, whether scientists should continue to push the limits until humans can create children with whatever qualities the parents want them to have (while also getting rid of genetic diseases) or let evolution take its natural and slow yet persistent course. Personally, I prefer the latter because humans can correct themselves without the need of large sums of money that a poorer family wouldn’t be able to pay for and would therefore have a genetic disease anyway. Plus, if all genes looked the same and/or have the same synthetic gene make up, how do the scientists know whether or not the new genetically edited gene doesn’t carry a new disease, won’t mutate, or isn’t susceptible to a brand new disease later in life? For now, it looks like we’ll have to wait for the science an politics to play out until we will know our fate.
Response for “New York Today: Washing Windows, 900 Feet Up”
I found this article interesting because I like being outside. When I graduate high school I plan to go to college for construction management. So right now I can relate the scaffolding, ladders, and the harnesses to construction. My question is how many people go to school for training to wash windows? For somebody going to school for window washing how do they achieve two hundred sixteen class hours and three thousand hours hands on? I also wonder how much they get paid? I think if I had to do that job wind would be my worst enemy.
Connor Schneider
[email protected]
New York Today: Washing Windows, 900 Feet Up
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/22/nyregion/new-york-today-washing-windo...
I found this article interesting because I like being outside. When I graduate high school I plan to go to college for construction management. So right now I can relate the scaffolding, ladders, and the harnesses to construction. My question is how many people go to school for training to wash windows? For somebody going to school for window washing how do they achieve two hundred sixteen class hours and three thousand hours hands on? I also wonder how much they get paid? I think if I had to do that job wind would be my worst enemy.
Connor Schneider
[email protected]
New York Today: Washing Windows, 900 Feet Up
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/22/nyregion/new-york-today-washing-windo...
“The Back-to-School Tech You Need (and Don’t Need)”
Since it is back-to-school season, I decided to read an article about it. Going back to school isn’t to most exciting thing ever. Just thinking about being drowned by a massive amount of schoolwork and staying up late to finish homework makes me stressed. However, back-to-school shopping alleviates my stress. At least I can buy decent materials to start off a good year. In the beginning of the article, the author explains how his colleague carries a 30-pound backpack, which is filled with a laptop, notebooks, textbooks, clothes, and more. Although I’m not in college yet, many of my classmates also carry bags that are twice their size, so they don’t have to go to their locker. I do this too, but try to avoid carrying extra weight by taking out any unnecessary notes after a semester. Later, the author talks about how every college student should buy a tablet to save money on textbooks and back pain. He continues to list other school supplies that isn’t your typical pencil and notebook. I imagine that this article can help college students, but as a highschool student I’m not sure if I could take notes on a tablet.
Since it is back-to-school season, I decided to read an article about it. Going back to school isn’t to most exciting thing ever. Just thinking about being drowned by a massive amount of schoolwork and staying up late to finish homework makes me stressed. However, back-to-school shopping alleviates my stress. At least I can buy decent materials to start off a good year. In the beginning of the article, the author explains how his colleague carries a 30-pound backpack, which is filled with a laptop, notebooks, textbooks, clothes, and more. Although I’m not in college yet, many of my classmates also carry bags that are twice their size, so they don’t have to go to their locker. I do this too, but try to avoid carrying extra weight by taking out any unnecessary notes after a semester. Later, the author talks about how every college student should buy a tablet to save money on textbooks and back pain. He continues to list other school supplies that isn’t your typical pencil and notebook. I imagine that this article can help college students, but as a highschool student I’m not sure if I could take notes on a tablet.
Airbnb Sued by Guest Who Says a Host Sexually Assaulted Her
By: Shivani Vora
The world is increasingly becoming more connected to the point where we now live in a world where people can travel across the globe to live in a stranger's home for a couple of days or weeks. Even just a hundred years ago, an idea like this would be unfathomable, yet sites like Airbnb attempt to streamline this process as smoothly as possible. However, in this era of increased online activity, sites such as Airbnb also allow more opportunities of malicious attacks by people who only seek to hurt others in pursuit of fulfilling their own desires. For example, as published in this article, even criminals can bypass the screening system and become hosts which puts people under their care in danger if the host was a criminal. In other cases, scammers run wild amid the honest hosts in Airbnb. Unfortunately, my family was a victim of one of these hosts who seek to steal the money of unwary buyers who just want to relax on vacation with their hard-earned money. This article highlights the flaws of the online world perfectly because even though it may seem like the world is ready for people to trust others the way they do when they entrust their money into being housed for a couple of days, there are still people out there who seek to harm others. Therefore, I chose this article because it accurately portrays the dangers there are to entrusting one's self to a stranger even if they are deemed as "trusted."
By: Shivani Vora
The world is increasingly becoming more connected to the point where we now live in a world where people can travel across the globe to live in a stranger's home for a couple of days or weeks. Even just a hundred years ago, an idea like this would be unfathomable, yet sites like Airbnb attempt to streamline this process as smoothly as possible. However, in this era of increased online activity, sites such as Airbnb also allow more opportunities of malicious attacks by people who only seek to hurt others in pursuit of fulfilling their own desires. For example, as published in this article, even criminals can bypass the screening system and become hosts which puts people under their care in danger if the host was a criminal. In other cases, scammers run wild amid the honest hosts in Airbnb. Unfortunately, my family was a victim of one of these hosts who seek to steal the money of unwary buyers who just want to relax on vacation with their hard-earned money. This article highlights the flaws of the online world perfectly because even though it may seem like the world is ready for people to trust others the way they do when they entrust their money into being housed for a couple of days, there are still people out there who seek to harm others. Therefore, I chose this article because it accurately portrays the dangers there are to entrusting one's self to a stranger even if they are deemed as "trusted."
In the article "At Comic-Con, Ben Affleck Says He Will Continue to Play Batman" by Brooks Barns. It say or pretty much explains how the actor Ben Affleck will continue to play the role of Batman. He states that the actor was told by several of the senor Warner Bros that they still want him to continue with that role. And the actor said how thrilled he was to still play as the Batman in the next's movies like “Justice League" and "The batman". Even though the Warner Bros announced that he will no longer be the director of the movie. Instead the director Matthew Reeves will direct the movie. Hes also the director of the movie “War for the Planet of the Apes". But affleck was still very exited as he was promoting the movie “Justice League" where he will be join by other superheroes like wonder Woman, Flash, Aquaman, and cyborg. Now that the rumor of affleck not going to be Batman anymore closed people and fans are starting to turn their attention to the movie “Wonder Woman 2” and the question that is coming with it. Who will direct the new movie? And will be as good as the first one. "Wonder Woman" witch was released in june has reeled more that $770 million worldwide. The movie "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" also made an outstanding amount of money of its Box office witch came out to be of 872.7 million world wide.
“Quadruplets Offer Colleges Package Deal. Harvard and Yale Buy It."
As a Senior, this article was relatable. The never ceasing question: “What are you going to do after you graduate?” I reply: “I’m going to K-State.” I’m excited to further my education, but I've no idea what I’m going to do and the pressure is intense. The pressure doesn’t become easier when you compare to others and that’s what happens when you are one of two. I have a twin sister and during high school we've helped each other with homework. Whether it’s to keep each other on task or finish each other’s assignments. There are downsides to having someone so close intelligently. Every test we compete for highest score; every assignment we race on speed and efficiency; every project we try to be more creative. It’s great to have someone who pushes you and it would be better if we could make a deal with colleges. Two for the price of one! My Sister and I cut Quadruplets, like in this article, in half by numbers and also by intelligence. The Wade brothers’ averaged ACT test scores are in the nineties and they’ve been accepted to Ivy League schools. They also spent most of their lives trying to become their own person, until they found that they could use each other to their advantage. My sister and I have very different personalities and interests, but it’s inevitable that we will stay together. We’ve accepted that we’ll be with one another no matter where we go, but must we accept the price for going together?
As a Senior, this article was relatable. The never ceasing question: “What are you going to do after you graduate?” I reply: “I’m going to K-State.” I’m excited to further my education, but I've no idea what I’m going to do and the pressure is intense. The pressure doesn’t become easier when you compare to others and that’s what happens when you are one of two. I have a twin sister and during high school we've helped each other with homework. Whether it’s to keep each other on task or finish each other’s assignments. There are downsides to having someone so close intelligently. Every test we compete for highest score; every assignment we race on speed and efficiency; every project we try to be more creative. It’s great to have someone who pushes you and it would be better if we could make a deal with colleges. Two for the price of one! My Sister and I cut Quadruplets, like in this article, in half by numbers and also by intelligence. The Wade brothers’ averaged ACT test scores are in the nineties and they’ve been accepted to Ivy League schools. They also spent most of their lives trying to become their own person, until they found that they could use each other to their advantage. My sister and I have very different personalities and interests, but it’s inevitable that we will stay together. We’ve accepted that we’ll be with one another no matter where we go, but must we accept the price for going together?
Title: "In Breakthrough, Scientists Edit a Dangerous Mutation From Genes in Human Embryos"
By: Pam Belluck
Scientists have recently made the re-engineering of human embryos a more efficient process by eliminating dangerous mutations. The fact that we may soon be able to rid not only our children, but all future generations of a longstanding familial disease is incredibly intriguing. Some might think that this use of science is simply an extension of modern medicine, and should be utilized to save children from a life of potential pain and suffering. Others may be skeptical of the ethicality of this process.
If we embark on a path that allows for altering human embryos to avoid diseases like Tay-Sachs and Cystic Fibrosis, what will stop the emergence of altering cells for specific, desired traits? We may be surging forward into a time where the wealthy can pay for perfected children while the poor must live on with the infirmities they can't pay to keep from their own.
Personally, I believe that whenever man plays God, no matter how noble the intentions are, there are deeper issues at hand. We've worked for years to be able to live in harmony with the inevitable and rampant imperfections of humanity. But if we gain the ability to pick and choose those traits, we've begun playing an incredibly vain and selfish game.
By: Pam Belluck
Scientists have recently made the re-engineering of human embryos a more efficient process by eliminating dangerous mutations. The fact that we may soon be able to rid not only our children, but all future generations of a longstanding familial disease is incredibly intriguing. Some might think that this use of science is simply an extension of modern medicine, and should be utilized to save children from a life of potential pain and suffering. Others may be skeptical of the ethicality of this process.
If we embark on a path that allows for altering human embryos to avoid diseases like Tay-Sachs and Cystic Fibrosis, what will stop the emergence of altering cells for specific, desired traits? We may be surging forward into a time where the wealthy can pay for perfected children while the poor must live on with the infirmities they can't pay to keep from their own.
Personally, I believe that whenever man plays God, no matter how noble the intentions are, there are deeper issues at hand. We've worked for years to be able to live in harmony with the inevitable and rampant imperfections of humanity. But if we gain the ability to pick and choose those traits, we've begun playing an incredibly vain and selfish game.
The article “What We Finally Got Around to Learning at the Procrastination Research Conference” caught my attention because I myself am a huge procrastinator. The article defined procrastination as “the frequent delay in beginning or completing a task to the point of experiencing subjective discomfort, such as anxiety or regret.” This interested me because I thought about how the feeling of stress and anxiety often makes it more difficult than it would have been in the first place. Procrastination makes us create problems that weren’t originally there. In my experiences, it derives from two things: laziness and fear. Procrastinators tend to state prompts to themselves for reassurance such as “I’ll do it tomorrow.” It’s that concept of the future that misleads us. Whenever we don’t have the energy or are not in the mood to work, we look at the calendar and say “Oh I still have time.” But time goes by fast and everyday you say that is one less day you have to do it. Fear is a slightly less common cause of procrastination but is still relevant. We delay things from fear because we are scared to encounter it. We don't know what to do or if we will do it right. As a society we are told to always try our best but in a world of 7 billion people it’s easy to sometimes fear if our best will be good enough. Our brains push the tasks we are scared of doing to the back of our minds in the hopes that they will disappear.
“The Glory of a Summer Sleep”
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/22/opinion/sunday/the-glory-of-a-summer-...
This article caught my attention because of the topic of sleep. Sleep is ranked fairly high on my list of priorities, though the same cannot be said for many of my friends and family members. Many people view sleep as a waste of time, and I understand where they are coming from. But to me, sleep is so important, because it gives your mind and your body a chance to rest and recharge. There have been times when I have gotten little to no sleep, and each time I have regretted it more than words can express. Throughout those days, I could not concentrate on anything, because I was spending all of my energy on focusing on staying awake. I was like the walking dead. I kept staring at nothing, and longing for my bed. I did not get anything done on those days. I could not pay attention in school, and I was slow in everything that I did. There are people who are able to function on little to no sleep. Even so, I think people should not do this for long periods of time. Your body needs to rest, and sleeping is the perfect way to take a break from everything. The author of the article, Michael McGirr, states that silence is a great alternative to sleep. If I am in a situation in which I cannot sleep, silence works great for me. I simply close my eyes, lie down, and take it easy.
Sleeping keeps us healthy and alert, and we can all benefit from a good, long sleep.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/22/opinion/sunday/the-glory-of-a-summer-...
This article caught my attention because of the topic of sleep. Sleep is ranked fairly high on my list of priorities, though the same cannot be said for many of my friends and family members. Many people view sleep as a waste of time, and I understand where they are coming from. But to me, sleep is so important, because it gives your mind and your body a chance to rest and recharge. There have been times when I have gotten little to no sleep, and each time I have regretted it more than words can express. Throughout those days, I could not concentrate on anything, because I was spending all of my energy on focusing on staying awake. I was like the walking dead. I kept staring at nothing, and longing for my bed. I did not get anything done on those days. I could not pay attention in school, and I was slow in everything that I did. There are people who are able to function on little to no sleep. Even so, I think people should not do this for long periods of time. Your body needs to rest, and sleeping is the perfect way to take a break from everything. The author of the article, Michael McGirr, states that silence is a great alternative to sleep. If I am in a situation in which I cannot sleep, silence works great for me. I simply close my eyes, lie down, and take it easy.
Sleeping keeps us healthy and alert, and we can all benefit from a good, long sleep.
Most women in the world have the “ugh my period started” or the “it’s painful to walk” days. I know I have, they’re awful. And if my day is super stressful, it only makes it worse. It’s a concept that about half the population experiences. Many women and girls take a day or two off from work or school, and in some countries, there are companies and laws that allow it.
In the article “In Some Countries, Women Get Days off for their Periods,” Aneri Pattani discusses the stances on giving menstrual days off. Countries in the other half of the world give their women days off. I see the reasons in the hallways at school, some girls carry their stomachs, others hunch over and walk. It seems many would benefit from this.
Although, it seems women would be grateful for days off, that may not be the case. Gender equality has been a long-lasting struggle. Women wouldn’t want to be seen below men because they get extra days off. Would women still be equally considered for a new job or promotion? Critics of menstrual days off worry they wouldn’t. Women also don’t want to be seen as disabled or less fit because they have their period. Feminists don’t want to take a step back from gender equality. I think menstrual days off is a good idea, but not with the negative repercussions.
In the article “In Some Countries, Women Get Days off for their Periods,” Aneri Pattani discusses the stances on giving menstrual days off. Countries in the other half of the world give their women days off. I see the reasons in the hallways at school, some girls carry their stomachs, others hunch over and walk. It seems many would benefit from this.
Although, it seems women would be grateful for days off, that may not be the case. Gender equality has been a long-lasting struggle. Women wouldn’t want to be seen below men because they get extra days off. Would women still be equally considered for a new job or promotion? Critics of menstrual days off worry they wouldn’t. Women also don’t want to be seen as disabled or less fit because they have their period. Feminists don’t want to take a step back from gender equality. I think menstrual days off is a good idea, but not with the negative repercussions.
“My $1,000 Anxiety Attack” https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/08/02/opinion/anxiety-eating-disorders-t....
This editorial published in The Times this week interested me most because I too suffer from anxiety. It was refreshing to me that it is now being discussed in the media. Less often than in the past, mental illnesses of all kinds have been shamed since they do not fit into the “Christian family friendly” category of the media. While anxiety may not fall into that diplomatically safe folder, it is still extremely common, especially amongst teens. This essay also spoke to me because I am on a committee that is involved in helping high schoolers at my school not feel the way the author described in this essay. The ‘Wellness Committee’ is new this year and is hopefully going to help the students in my primarily academic based private school feel less pressure from their teachers, their parents, and even themselves. Another goal of my committee is to make my school feel more like home and not just a work place. Since teen anxiety and depression is such an important concept that should by no means be overlooked I hope that more essays like this get debuted in a commonly public setting to raise awareness. I wish for more awareness for people who have anxiety attacks or depressive episodes because like the author said most of the time, even with reassurance, people who suffer from mental illnesses feel alone and are in need of support.
This editorial published in The Times this week interested me most because I too suffer from anxiety. It was refreshing to me that it is now being discussed in the media. Less often than in the past, mental illnesses of all kinds have been shamed since they do not fit into the “Christian family friendly” category of the media. While anxiety may not fall into that diplomatically safe folder, it is still extremely common, especially amongst teens. This essay also spoke to me because I am on a committee that is involved in helping high schoolers at my school not feel the way the author described in this essay. The ‘Wellness Committee’ is new this year and is hopefully going to help the students in my primarily academic based private school feel less pressure from their teachers, their parents, and even themselves. Another goal of my committee is to make my school feel more like home and not just a work place. Since teen anxiety and depression is such an important concept that should by no means be overlooked I hope that more essays like this get debuted in a commonly public setting to raise awareness. I wish for more awareness for people who have anxiety attacks or depressive episodes because like the author said most of the time, even with reassurance, people who suffer from mental illnesses feel alone and are in need of support.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/26/us/politics/trump-transgender-militar...
Title: Trump Says Transgender People Will Not Be Allowed in the Military
By: JULIE HIRSCHFELD DAVIS and HELENE COOPER
On the morning of July 26th, 2017 the president of the United States, Donald Trump announced a major change in military regime on the very informal social media platform Twitter. Millions of Americans awoke to scroll through their feeds and amid humorous anecdotes and tweets, they would discover a shameful civil rights set back: Trump had tweeted that transgender people would be barred from serving in the military in any capacity.
Needless to say, this blatant display of discrimination caused an uproar in the LGBTQIA+ community. Trump used tactless diction, referring to transgender medical bills as a "burden" on the military, and treat the matter with no sensitivity. I feel that the gravity of the situation is not accurately portrayed in this article as this was a clear act of injustice.
Title: Trump Says Transgender People Will Not Be Allowed in the Military
By: JULIE HIRSCHFELD DAVIS and HELENE COOPER
On the morning of July 26th, 2017 the president of the United States, Donald Trump announced a major change in military regime on the very informal social media platform Twitter. Millions of Americans awoke to scroll through their feeds and amid humorous anecdotes and tweets, they would discover a shameful civil rights set back: Trump had tweeted that transgender people would be barred from serving in the military in any capacity.
Needless to say, this blatant display of discrimination caused an uproar in the LGBTQIA+ community. Trump used tactless diction, referring to transgender medical bills as a "burden" on the military, and treat the matter with no sensitivity. I feel that the gravity of the situation is not accurately portrayed in this article as this was a clear act of injustice.
In this article "FEMINISM; What Am I, a Zoo?" by ROSEANNE BARR she states that she started off as a regular housewife and, before she knew it she stood for something. At first, she though she stood for all the latent energy and talent that resides in ordinary folks living ordinary lives, after that, she was standing for mother, giving a sort of postfeminist to the Super Mom Syndrome.
Right after that she was standing for the little guy who had stood up against the corporate greed ogres and wrestled back some fair share, piece of apple pie from the American collective media.
She was also standing for fat people the forgotten minority, for social folks remedies, anti-intellectualism, anti-Freudianism, anti-feminism, ex-mental hospital inmates, people who've cried on Barbara Walters, women's taking over prime time in front of and behind the camera, right-to-lifers and pro-choicers, anti-manners, representing the many women who have become meglomaniacal dictators.
Around the fall, she stood for Queen of Tabloid America, which was not that important for people. Somewhere she stood for all the anger at Mother everywhere, she also stood for the traditional American family. She stood for all kind of sex too, she was standing for angry womankind, and finally, she was standing for the notorious and sensationalistic La Luna madness of an ovulating Abzug-ienne woman run wild.
She had stoop for so many things that year and she need to sit down and catch her breath.
Right after that she was standing for the little guy who had stood up against the corporate greed ogres and wrestled back some fair share, piece of apple pie from the American collective media.
She was also standing for fat people the forgotten minority, for social folks remedies, anti-intellectualism, anti-Freudianism, anti-feminism, ex-mental hospital inmates, people who've cried on Barbara Walters, women's taking over prime time in front of and behind the camera, right-to-lifers and pro-choicers, anti-manners, representing the many women who have become meglomaniacal dictators.
Around the fall, she stood for Queen of Tabloid America, which was not that important for people. Somewhere she stood for all the anger at Mother everywhere, she also stood for the traditional American family. She stood for all kind of sex too, she was standing for angry womankind, and finally, she was standing for the notorious and sensationalistic La Luna madness of an ovulating Abzug-ienne woman run wild.
She had stoop for so many things that year and she need to sit down and catch her breath.
In the article "Let's Face It: North Korean Nuclear weapons Can Hit the U.S." by Jeffrey Lewis, the progress that both China, and North Korea has made with nuclear weapons was discussed. The author's purpose in this article is to open up America's eyes about how serious these missile threats from North Korea are, and that they can hit the U.S. The authors best argument is how he explains that the U.S did the same thing as what is being done with North Korea now, years ago when China was testing nuclear devices. .Who says North Korea can't create nuclear devices as powerful as China's were? This is a good argument because it shows that the U.S is just not agreeing to face the fact that we could be in danger, just like we are/ were with China. An argument that the author made that doesn't make sense to me is when he explains that the U.S "didn't see it coming." This didn't make sense because it's not that they didn't see it, but more that they were too scared/vulnerable to do something. The author used the strategy of supporting many of his arguments with strong and important examples to prove what he was saying. He also quoted what the world leaders involved were doing and saying about the situation.Something that did not pique my interest is how the author constantly brought up every little threat KIm Jong Un was saying. The audience definitely factored into the author's article because this article was made to open up the reader's eyes about the subject.
"111 NFL Brains. All But One Had C.T.E."
I think it's quite obvious that there is a serious link between football and C.T.E. Anyone that says there isn't is either a super-fan of football, a football player in denial, or someone who makes money off football. Honestly, I don't know that much about C.T.E., but something about 300+ pound men smashing their heads together over 50 times a game, probably more than 100 at practices, doesn't sound like it can be good for your long term health.
In terms of whether I think this should mean the end of the NFL, I still think its a personal choice. I think I will let my kids play flag football, and if they want to go on to regular football, I would let them. I would make sure they know the dangers of football and that there is other sports that are still fun and aren't as dangerous. I don't think it's worth trying to make the game safe with techniques like tackling low, because people watch it because they love watching men ram into each other as hard as they can. I think that as bad as this disorder sounds, many young men from poor neighborhoods would take the millions of dollars they could make in the NFL and worry about C.T.E. later.
In the end, football is not going away for a while. It's part of America and a mysterious disorder that takes a microscope to see isn't going to scare men away from making millions of dollars.
I think it's quite obvious that there is a serious link between football and C.T.E. Anyone that says there isn't is either a super-fan of football, a football player in denial, or someone who makes money off football. Honestly, I don't know that much about C.T.E., but something about 300+ pound men smashing their heads together over 50 times a game, probably more than 100 at practices, doesn't sound like it can be good for your long term health.
In terms of whether I think this should mean the end of the NFL, I still think its a personal choice. I think I will let my kids play flag football, and if they want to go on to regular football, I would let them. I would make sure they know the dangers of football and that there is other sports that are still fun and aren't as dangerous. I don't think it's worth trying to make the game safe with techniques like tackling low, because people watch it because they love watching men ram into each other as hard as they can. I think that as bad as this disorder sounds, many young men from poor neighborhoods would take the millions of dollars they could make in the NFL and worry about C.T.E. later.
In the end, football is not going away for a while. It's part of America and a mysterious disorder that takes a microscope to see isn't going to scare men away from making millions of dollars.
This week I have picked a video "A rest stop of half a billion Birds". The title had me thinking about rest stops along highways and usually, when there are rest stops on the road it provides a place for drivers to take a break for to refuel themselves with food and their cars with fuel. Comparing this to the bird's rest stop in Isreal, there has to be a reason why that place attracts so many Cranes and the another half a billion birds. When I listened to the video I found the answer to my question. It turns out the Cranes do go there for a reason, food. Nearby farmers do not want these birds to eat their crops so the Government made this "Rest area" for birds by spreading out corn and bird seed with tractors. Also, I picked this video because who wouldn't want to have the chance to see half a billion birds on video?
I love sport and all the thing that make people to move or think. I seaport Finland activity, the Swamp Soccer, Wife Carrying, The Mobile Phone Throwing, Berry Picking, and Air Guitar (even tho that it is not sport it is really cool and funny to watch.) no matter how much that it is vary strange. And if to be onset, I don't think that any country will do it. Who wants to throw his Mobil phone and destroy it? I won't throw my phone no matter what, or run into swamp just to kick the ball? Actually that will be interesting; I'm curies to try it.
I think that the main idea that hiding behind the throwing phone is to educate the people not to be addicted as much as other countries (Israel).
When I was reading the article I was so happy and so empress from the sport categories that I never thought someone would play.
I think that the main idea that hiding behind the throwing phone is to educate the people not to be addicted as much as other countries (Israel).
When I was reading the article I was so happy and so empress from the sport categories that I never thought someone would play.
Economy Needs Workers, but Drug Tests Take a Toll
By NELSON D. SCHWARTZJULY 24, 2017
i chose this topic because i need a job. I dont do drugs or Marijuana. But i agree with this author. Its not a wise idea to hire a drug addict.Then drinking on the job will be the same thing like doing drugs,right? 20% percent of people fail to past a drug test but imagined if there was a alcohol test the economy will go down...er. People need these jobs but fail miserably to meet the standards. I like how they said once their clean they can come and drugs test again to get a chance of maybe getting a job but not so many come back and past the drug test. People with no high school diploma take their jobs. And if you have one you have a advantage but you loose it when doing drugs or drinking. Another thing that caught my eye was that their hireling people that can barely read. Their hireling people who can barely right.Then thats because the jobs are hard labor. Working on the roof on a hot day taking out the black top.Then the wood.Then adding the stuff that people ordere., Takes hours and days to do so. And you have to be very careful where you step at times because you can fall and break something yours and breaking something of the owners then getting sued. Thats a bad day at work.
By NELSON D. SCHWARTZJULY 24, 2017
i chose this topic because i need a job. I dont do drugs or Marijuana. But i agree with this author. Its not a wise idea to hire a drug addict.Then drinking on the job will be the same thing like doing drugs,right? 20% percent of people fail to past a drug test but imagined if there was a alcohol test the economy will go down...er. People need these jobs but fail miserably to meet the standards. I like how they said once their clean they can come and drugs test again to get a chance of maybe getting a job but not so many come back and past the drug test. People with no high school diploma take their jobs. And if you have one you have a advantage but you loose it when doing drugs or drinking. Another thing that caught my eye was that their hireling people that can barely read. Their hireling people who can barely right.Then thats because the jobs are hard labor. Working on the roof on a hot day taking out the black top.Then the wood.Then adding the stuff that people ordere., Takes hours and days to do so. And you have to be very careful where you step at times because you can fall and break something yours and breaking something of the owners then getting sued. Thats a bad day at work.
When looking at the front page of The New York Times, an article about Trump's immigration policies and immigration reduction interested me the most. The article, titled "Trump Supports Plan to Cut Legal Immigration by Half", by Peter Baker, explains that Trump wants to build an immigration system based on merit. The new system would be "favoring applicants based on skills, education and language ability rather than relations with people already here." The United States is a country founded on immigration, and is known as one of the most diverse countries in the world. I understand that the de facto language of the United States is English, and that immigrants knowing the language would have an easier time finding a job. However, the government has no right placing laws into effect that hinder a potential immigrant's acceptance into the country based on their comprehension of a language that isn't the official language. It is upsetting that the Trump Administration is attempting to create so many policies that are not supported by a majority of Americans. Our president is not keeping campaign promises that got him into the White House in the first place, and it shows through his recent acceptance rates: 33 percent. Immigrant workers, especially Legal ones, help this economy grow and flourish. By reducing the number of Legal Immigrants into the United States, not only has Trump destroyed many families, he has also lost the trust of the the public who once supported him.
"111 N.F.L. Brains. All But One Had C.T.E."
I was intrigued by this article because of its controversial topic about football players' mental health. The science and statistics behind this topic interested me the most. Most people know the risk of possible concussions, but some people do not fully understand the long lasting impact playing football may have. As a football fan, I encourage the research to ensure further safety to players. I am relieved there is more publicity about this mental health crisis for the public to notice.
I was intrigued by this article because of its controversial topic about football players' mental health. The science and statistics behind this topic interested me the most. Most people know the risk of possible concussions, but some people do not fully understand the long lasting impact playing football may have. As a football fan, I encourage the research to ensure further safety to players. I am relieved there is more publicity about this mental health crisis for the public to notice.
"Ticks' Numbers Are Growing, and So Is Their Territory "
This week i thought i would read something about a problem that could be deadly if not treated or treated fast enough. Ticks are really dangerous when it comes down to it. They carry a disease most of the time called Lyme Disease. They can also carry other harmful things by transferring from one thing to another, like from an animal to a human, or from a human with a disease to a human without disease.
The ticks' territory is also expanding. People say that when they were younger there wasn't many ticks around where they live but now there are many found in that area. Ticks can be found in some trees or on the ground. If you have a tick, make sure and take it off before things get to serious.
This week i thought i would read something about a problem that could be deadly if not treated or treated fast enough. Ticks are really dangerous when it comes down to it. They carry a disease most of the time called Lyme Disease. They can also carry other harmful things by transferring from one thing to another, like from an animal to a human, or from a human with a disease to a human without disease.
The ticks' territory is also expanding. People say that when they were younger there wasn't many ticks around where they live but now there are many found in that area. Ticks can be found in some trees or on the ground. If you have a tick, make sure and take it off before things get to serious.
Why Apple Is Experiencing Another Growth Spurt
By VINDU GOELAUG. 2, 2017
This article is a typical analysis, which normally boring in people’s common sense. But Why Apple Is Experiencing Another Growth Spurt chose a really good theme so that could possibly attract more people to read. Apple as one of the most famous company in the world has been known by everybody, so many people using Apple’s production, it should have a big fact about what element makes its success. Throughout the passage, article cited many data number to help explain. Furthermore, in the third and eleventh paragraph, the author compared Apple to some other Companies those also have a lot success, such as facebook, Microsoft, Amazon, and Alphabet. In the fourth and ninth paragraph, Vindu use some quotations from Brad Slingerlend and Trip Miller to prove his idea. This strongly help his opinion become specific and accurate. Also, through the sixth to eighth paragraph, the author use another example with several data, successfully achieve the order to show us how did Apple succeed defying its problems and provide more directions business development. Detailed example, lots of data and number, and novelty topics, those are the major reasons of my favor.
By VINDU GOELAUG. 2, 2017
This article is a typical analysis, which normally boring in people’s common sense. But Why Apple Is Experiencing Another Growth Spurt chose a really good theme so that could possibly attract more people to read. Apple as one of the most famous company in the world has been known by everybody, so many people using Apple’s production, it should have a big fact about what element makes its success. Throughout the passage, article cited many data number to help explain. Furthermore, in the third and eleventh paragraph, the author compared Apple to some other Companies those also have a lot success, such as facebook, Microsoft, Amazon, and Alphabet. In the fourth and ninth paragraph, Vindu use some quotations from Brad Slingerlend and Trip Miller to prove his idea. This strongly help his opinion become specific and accurate. Also, through the sixth to eighth paragraph, the author use another example with several data, successfully achieve the order to show us how did Apple succeed defying its problems and provide more directions business development. Detailed example, lots of data and number, and novelty topics, those are the major reasons of my favor.
"Trump says Transgender People will not be allowed in the military"
By: Julie Hirschfeld Davis and Helene Cooper
This week the article "Trump says transgender people will not be allowed in the military" really caught my attention because this topic has been lingering throughout social media these past few days. Within the months of serving as president, Mr. Trump has made many changes in our country. This recent change that he has made of banning transgender Americans from joining the military has impacted a negative effect in our community. Why should someone's gender matter when it comes to them serving and protecting our country? Also like Matthew F. Thorn, executive director of the OutServe mentioned in this article, there are many transgender Americans who are currently serving in the military and now were kicking them out. This is not how the LGBTQ community should be treated. For many years we as a nation fought for equal rights and now it's like President Trump is stealing the privilege of serving in the military from these transgender Americans.
By: Julie Hirschfeld Davis and Helene Cooper
This week the article "Trump says transgender people will not be allowed in the military" really caught my attention because this topic has been lingering throughout social media these past few days. Within the months of serving as president, Mr. Trump has made many changes in our country. This recent change that he has made of banning transgender Americans from joining the military has impacted a negative effect in our community. Why should someone's gender matter when it comes to them serving and protecting our country? Also like Matthew F. Thorn, executive director of the OutServe mentioned in this article, there are many transgender Americans who are currently serving in the military and now were kicking them out. This is not how the LGBTQ community should be treated. For many years we as a nation fought for equal rights and now it's like President Trump is stealing the privilege of serving in the military from these transgender Americans.
The First ‘Star Wars’ Through the Times
Ten. That is the number of times that my father saw Star Wars in the summer of 1977. He even stayed and watched it twice in a row one afternoon. I had heard the stories for years about how amazing and life changing the movie was for his childhood and generation. Asking how many times you saw the original film became a type of secret password proudly proving your fan status. I finally watched it one day. I secretly doubted it could be that good. I was so wrong. Now, watching the movie has become a tradition in my family. With the release of the additional films in the series, Star Wars has become a passion shared across generational lines. Parents and children unite in their timeless enjoyment of the saga.
I was fascinated to read the compilation of original movie debut reviews by Justin Bank and Sean Alfano. Critics were conflicted about what type of genre George Lucas used and the quality of the film, but the fans weren’t. They were absolutely certain that they loved it and its success is the stuff of movie legend. Star Wars gave fans the gift of action, the timeless battle of good v. evil, and characters you wanted to be. It made science fiction cool and was proof to kids with dreams and grand imaginations that anything was possible. Recently, my young cousin saw the movie for the first time and became obsessed with it. As we played and fought with his light sabers, it was clear that Star Wars had acquired another padawan.
Ten. That is the number of times that my father saw Star Wars in the summer of 1977. He even stayed and watched it twice in a row one afternoon. I had heard the stories for years about how amazing and life changing the movie was for his childhood and generation. Asking how many times you saw the original film became a type of secret password proudly proving your fan status. I finally watched it one day. I secretly doubted it could be that good. I was so wrong. Now, watching the movie has become a tradition in my family. With the release of the additional films in the series, Star Wars has become a passion shared across generational lines. Parents and children unite in their timeless enjoyment of the saga.
I was fascinated to read the compilation of original movie debut reviews by Justin Bank and Sean Alfano. Critics were conflicted about what type of genre George Lucas used and the quality of the film, but the fans weren’t. They were absolutely certain that they loved it and its success is the stuff of movie legend. Star Wars gave fans the gift of action, the timeless battle of good v. evil, and characters you wanted to be. It made science fiction cool and was proof to kids with dreams and grand imaginations that anything was possible. Recently, my young cousin saw the movie for the first time and became obsessed with it. As we played and fought with his light sabers, it was clear that Star Wars had acquired another padawan.
An article that interested me this week was "Why Women Aren’t C.E.O.s, According to Women Who Almost Were". Recently, my sisters and I got into a small argument with one of our older relatives about feminism. One of the things that was brought up in our argument was the low number of women who hold high ranking positions in companies. We pointed out that there are very few politicians, CEO's, and other highly ranked people that are women and, as young girls, this upsets us. One of the counter arguments was that "they don't want to be CEO's" so there's no problem with the low numbers. This article shows that that just isn't true, and the opportunity is just never given to women. Despite the achievements that women have made over time, there are still many biases against us. There has still not been a woman president after hundreds of years and there are so few high ranking women.
“Why Women Aren’t C.E.O.s, According to Women Who Almost Were” was interesting to read about women holding top corporate positions. Society had fostered, since the beginning of time, that men are more powerful, they are the breadwinners of the family, and women are supposed to work in the home. That belief still somewhat lingers today because most CEO”s are men. When women are high achieving and assertive, they are seen as unfriendly and less likely to be promoted. Yet, when men are strong and assertive they are seen as leaders and one who can be in charge of a company. But what’s the difference here? It's the way women are viewed differently than men are viewed. This expectation for a woman to act a certain way is ridiculous. Even when they both have the same prerequisites, the man is more likely to get the position. A woman might be lucky to enter the 6% of top corporate jobs, but once she's there it’s a fight to keep it. With every decision she makes, she expects to be judged. This can hinder her self confidence and as a result whether or not to go through with her decision. Also, most of her colleagues are men and don't always have the same perspective. On top of many challenges she faces, there is always the chance she will be replaced by another man because she did not meet the expectation in one area, but accelerated in others. If more women enter in these top positions, companies can become more successful and take an even bigger step for equality in the workforce.
“You Create That Chemistry: How Actors Fall in Instant Love”
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/24/theater/you-create-that-chemistry-how...
I found this article interesting because it describes the hardship and the reality of the actors’ work behind the screen. Actors have to pretend and play the roles of the characters they are assigned to without any personal feelings or desires. It is important for an actor to draw a concrete line between acting and their real life. Actors have to create the chemistry as it is not always automatic, constructing their relationship on trust, openness and care. One of Ms. Grant’s tactics in trying to fake true love on-screen is by questioning herself what she likes about this person. Mr. Hernandez’s strategies include getting absorbed into the beauty of speech in the script. As long as the speech is beautiful, he believes that he could almost fake true love with a rock.
At the end of the day, the actors return to their homes to their real-life partners. The next day, they all return to the production crew to fall in love again.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/24/theater/you-create-that-chemistry-how...
I found this article interesting because it describes the hardship and the reality of the actors’ work behind the screen. Actors have to pretend and play the roles of the characters they are assigned to without any personal feelings or desires. It is important for an actor to draw a concrete line between acting and their real life. Actors have to create the chemistry as it is not always automatic, constructing their relationship on trust, openness and care. One of Ms. Grant’s tactics in trying to fake true love on-screen is by questioning herself what she likes about this person. Mr. Hernandez’s strategies include getting absorbed into the beauty of speech in the script. As long as the speech is beautiful, he believes that he could almost fake true love with a rock.
At the end of the day, the actors return to their homes to their real-life partners. The next day, they all return to the production crew to fall in love again.
"Trump Says Transgender People Will Not Be Allowed in the Military"
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/26/us/politics/trump-transgender-militar...
The article I chose to read for this week's entry was titled "Trump Says Transgender People Will Not Be Allowed in the Military." This article caught my eye because I had seen many posts on twitter about this policy, but I didn't quite understand it, and I almost didn't believe it. After reading the article, my disbelief was proven true. Donald Trump genuinely issued a ban on transgender soldiers in the military. This policy confirms all of my thoughts on Donald Trump: he makes rash decisions, he doesn't have a tolerance for all different types of people, and he doesn't support our country's message. America is supposed to be the land of the free and the home of the brave. In my opinion, not allowing people to serve because of their gender identity is completely illogical. Protecting the United States as a member of the military is such an honorable task to sign up to do. President Trump denying people to serve just makes no sense. As this article shows, Trump's decision was shocking to people even high up in the government. This shows that the appropriate amount of thought and consultation was not put in to the making of this policy. Whether a soldier is straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender, they should never be denied their right to bravely serve our country.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/26/us/politics/trump-transgender-militar...
The article I chose to read for this week's entry was titled "Trump Says Transgender People Will Not Be Allowed in the Military." This article caught my eye because I had seen many posts on twitter about this policy, but I didn't quite understand it, and I almost didn't believe it. After reading the article, my disbelief was proven true. Donald Trump genuinely issued a ban on transgender soldiers in the military. This policy confirms all of my thoughts on Donald Trump: he makes rash decisions, he doesn't have a tolerance for all different types of people, and he doesn't support our country's message. America is supposed to be the land of the free and the home of the brave. In my opinion, not allowing people to serve because of their gender identity is completely illogical. Protecting the United States as a member of the military is such an honorable task to sign up to do. President Trump denying people to serve just makes no sense. As this article shows, Trump's decision was shocking to people even high up in the government. This shows that the appropriate amount of thought and consultation was not put in to the making of this policy. Whether a soldier is straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender, they should never be denied their right to bravely serve our country.
In the article, "Flying Is Bad for the Planet. You Can Help Make It Better.", Tatiana Sclossberg warns passengers how much damage flying is doing to our planet. In the article, it says how one round trip flight from New York to California emits 20% of the amount of greenhouse gas driving your car for a year does. And it's only growing with the quickly increasing amount of planes in service. This is taking a large toll on our planet, without anyone realizing. Sclossberg explains some ways to make your flights greener, such as flying less, flying coach, and listening closely to your flight attendants.
I chose this article because I am very invested into climate change, and how to prevent it from getting worse. Just reading the title made me click on the article immediately, so I could figure out yet another way that humans are adding to climate change, and how I can help out. I honestly never thought of planes as a big factor, but after reading about it, I want to take precautions. Another reason why I clicked on this article was because of my recent trip this summer to Italy. It took about 11 hours to get there, and with 2 planes. With this and the returning flight, it didn't even cross my mind how flying is taking a toll on the planet. As a student who travels quite a bit with their family, I think its very helpful to know the ways that my traveling is impacting the planet. Now, having read this article, I can share with my family ways to make flying better for the Earth.
I chose this article because I am very invested into climate change, and how to prevent it from getting worse. Just reading the title made me click on the article immediately, so I could figure out yet another way that humans are adding to climate change, and how I can help out. I honestly never thought of planes as a big factor, but after reading about it, I want to take precautions. Another reason why I clicked on this article was because of my recent trip this summer to Italy. It took about 11 hours to get there, and with 2 planes. With this and the returning flight, it didn't even cross my mind how flying is taking a toll on the planet. As a student who travels quite a bit with their family, I think its very helpful to know the ways that my traveling is impacting the planet. Now, having read this article, I can share with my family ways to make flying better for the Earth.
"Trump Forbids Military Service by Transgender People" By: Julie Hirschfeld Davis and Helen Cooper
This week I was enjoying my vacation when I read a tweet from Donald Trump that startled and sickened me. His tweet read that the military would no longer allow transgender people to serve in the U.S. military. His reasoning; it would be too expensive to accommodate for their medical needs. The man who vowed to protect the rights of the LGBT community at the start of his presidency, has broken his promises many times throughout his first few months. This new bill just adds to his mountain of broken promises, a mountain that I'm sure will continue to grow in the months to come. This article really intrigued me this week because of how backwards his decisions are. When Obama was president he made steps to spread equality for everyone in the LGBT community in the workforce, in schools, and around their communities. With the new military ruling made by Trump, steps have been taken backwards from the goals of our former president. The medical costs of the transgender service men and women are only a very small fraction of other medical resources needed by the military. It's only a fifth of what the military spends on Viagra. Trump needs to realize that the men and women who fight in the military risk their personal safety and their lives for their country. If they don't have the support of their own country to help them through the trials of war, what does that say about our country?
This week I was enjoying my vacation when I read a tweet from Donald Trump that startled and sickened me. His tweet read that the military would no longer allow transgender people to serve in the U.S. military. His reasoning; it would be too expensive to accommodate for their medical needs. The man who vowed to protect the rights of the LGBT community at the start of his presidency, has broken his promises many times throughout his first few months. This new bill just adds to his mountain of broken promises, a mountain that I'm sure will continue to grow in the months to come. This article really intrigued me this week because of how backwards his decisions are. When Obama was president he made steps to spread equality for everyone in the LGBT community in the workforce, in schools, and around their communities. With the new military ruling made by Trump, steps have been taken backwards from the goals of our former president. The medical costs of the transgender service men and women are only a very small fraction of other medical resources needed by the military. It's only a fifth of what the military spends on Viagra. Trump needs to realize that the men and women who fight in the military risk their personal safety and their lives for their country. If they don't have the support of their own country to help them through the trials of war, what does that say about our country?
"Trump Supports Plan to Cut Legal Immigration by Half," by Peter Baker.
On Wednesday, President Trump announced a plan to reduce legal immigration by 50 percent, citing support for the American worker as the main motivation. However, studies and surveys show that by 2020 the United States will encounter a 7.5 million job workforce gap. Recently, my aunt was denied a renewed Green Card without much explanation, despite the fact that she has held one since the 1980s. She studied in the United States for years, earning her PhD in Human Geography, specializing in Sustainable Development. If this proposal becomes law, there will be countless other situations like my aunt's. The United States was founded on the hard labor of low-skill immigrant workers. If America had an abundance of workers, and if studies showed that the unemployment rate for American citizens would rise exponentially in the coming years, I could understand why Trump would want to enact these types of laws. However, the exact opposite is true. There are not enough workers to fill current need, and it is expected to worsen in the next three years. Hence, instead of protecting the American economy and average worker, Trump may be restricting the potential of our economy.
On Wednesday, President Trump announced a plan to reduce legal immigration by 50 percent, citing support for the American worker as the main motivation. However, studies and surveys show that by 2020 the United States will encounter a 7.5 million job workforce gap. Recently, my aunt was denied a renewed Green Card without much explanation, despite the fact that she has held one since the 1980s. She studied in the United States for years, earning her PhD in Human Geography, specializing in Sustainable Development. If this proposal becomes law, there will be countless other situations like my aunt's. The United States was founded on the hard labor of low-skill immigrant workers. If America had an abundance of workers, and if studies showed that the unemployment rate for American citizens would rise exponentially in the coming years, I could understand why Trump would want to enact these types of laws. However, the exact opposite is true. There are not enough workers to fill current need, and it is expected to worsen in the next three years. Hence, instead of protecting the American economy and average worker, Trump may be restricting the potential of our economy.
" Are You a Carboholic? WhyCutting Carbs Is So Tough" by Gary
Taubeshttps://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/19/well/eat/are-you-a-carboholic-why-cut...
I choose this article because the topic caught my attention. I am not exactly sure why but the word "Carboholice" got me. I found it silly for some reason. So i clicked to read and i started to get into it. This article makes me think of the daily food that i eat and most importantly, encourages me to eat healthier at a younger age. For better health and to be able to grow as much as possible i should have a plan on the food i eat everyday. I am thankful for this article!
Taubeshttps://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/19/well/eat/are-you-a-carboholic-why-cut...
I choose this article because the topic caught my attention. I am not exactly sure why but the word "Carboholice" got me. I found it silly for some reason. So i clicked to read and i started to get into it. This article makes me think of the daily food that i eat and most importantly, encourages me to eat healthier at a younger age. For better health and to be able to grow as much as possible i should have a plan on the food i eat everyday. I am thankful for this article!
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/28/learning/summer-reading-contest-week-...
I first heard about concussions and other collision-related ailments when I was still playing youth rocket football. I didn’t think much of it. Neither did I go to see the Will Smith movie Concussion. Nor did I finish reading the Time Magazine article about a high schooler who died playing football. Even a few days ago, when I scrolled through recovery updates on a Southern Georgia wide receiver who is paralyzed from a collision, the risks of playing my fall sport did not seem to phase me. But this adds a whole new level to the list of liabilities caused by playing football.
As a football player myself, I’ve seen people carried off the field by paramedics for immediate physical injuries. Personally, I’ve been carried off the practice field on a stretcher, but never did I feel these injuries were going to affect me later in life. CTE symptoms often don’t appear until well after a person’s football career has ended. To think the seemingly benign hits players suffer can cause a life-changing/ending disease forty years after my last game is a player is horrifying.
To know an essential and inevitable part of the game can lead to a brain disease has started to make me curious into the true risks of the greatest team sport on the planet. While the study was biased, we need to find out how to prevent CTE and find out what percent of players are affected.
I first heard about concussions and other collision-related ailments when I was still playing youth rocket football. I didn’t think much of it. Neither did I go to see the Will Smith movie Concussion. Nor did I finish reading the Time Magazine article about a high schooler who died playing football. Even a few days ago, when I scrolled through recovery updates on a Southern Georgia wide receiver who is paralyzed from a collision, the risks of playing my fall sport did not seem to phase me. But this adds a whole new level to the list of liabilities caused by playing football.
As a football player myself, I’ve seen people carried off the field by paramedics for immediate physical injuries. Personally, I’ve been carried off the practice field on a stretcher, but never did I feel these injuries were going to affect me later in life. CTE symptoms often don’t appear until well after a person’s football career has ended. To think the seemingly benign hits players suffer can cause a life-changing/ending disease forty years after my last game is a player is horrifying.
To know an essential and inevitable part of the game can lead to a brain disease has started to make me curious into the true risks of the greatest team sport on the planet. While the study was biased, we need to find out how to prevent CTE and find out what percent of players are affected.
Ticks. Just the name of those pesky little bugs makes my skin crawl and itch. Apparently, I’m not alone, and these creatures are spreading like wildfire. According to Dr. Eisen there had been a, “reported a nearly 45 percent increase since 1998 in the number of counties with blacklegged ticks.” Not only is this extremely concerning, but the diseases they carry are even more deadly. This includes Lyme disease, Heartland virus and Bourbon virus. This article interested me because I’ve had my fair share of run-ins with ticks, being from a rural town. When I was younger, my dog had once contracted Lyme disease from a tick, which is why this article caught my interest. I was hoping for a decline in the population and unfortunately it’s just the opposite. The uncertainty of the diseases one may carrying is very scary, and is a good reminder to always check for the small, seemingly unthreatening bugs.
“SpaceX Is Now One of the World’s Most Valuable Privately Held Companies” By Katie Benner and Kenneth Chang
In the article “SpaceX Is Now One of the World’s Most Valuable Privately Held Companies” is very interesting because at first in the very beginning I thought that this company was going to be big from the start its privately owned, private investors. Its more down to earth then NASA because NASAs check comes from the government when we spend most of our money on guns and planes and bombs. “SpaceX’s latest funding nearly doubles the valuation of the company, which was pegged at around $11 billion when it raised 1 billion dollars from Fidelity and Google in 2015.” This company is shown to have a lot of potential to make this technological age further progress at a faster rate than just one that is just a small side project for the government. While at the same time being “not a big concern” it’s better to invest privately it took SpaceX less time to build a rocket that can fly up into space drop off a satellite then return then NASA to build a satellite to fly into space so I say invest privately in private companies for faster results.
NASA is a good place to invest but since they most likely don’t make as much as SpaceX now there’s no point even if they did make massive changes in technology that benefits all. There will always be changes in the world of science and technology and the top dogs will always change with time so in my opinion make the best of your money
In the article “SpaceX Is Now One of the World’s Most Valuable Privately Held Companies” is very interesting because at first in the very beginning I thought that this company was going to be big from the start its privately owned, private investors. Its more down to earth then NASA because NASAs check comes from the government when we spend most of our money on guns and planes and bombs. “SpaceX’s latest funding nearly doubles the valuation of the company, which was pegged at around $11 billion when it raised 1 billion dollars from Fidelity and Google in 2015.” This company is shown to have a lot of potential to make this technological age further progress at a faster rate than just one that is just a small side project for the government. While at the same time being “not a big concern” it’s better to invest privately it took SpaceX less time to build a rocket that can fly up into space drop off a satellite then return then NASA to build a satellite to fly into space so I say invest privately in private companies for faster results.
NASA is a good place to invest but since they most likely don’t make as much as SpaceX now there’s no point even if they did make massive changes in technology that benefits all. There will always be changes in the world of science and technology and the top dogs will always change with time so in my opinion make the best of your money
Coast Guard Still Supports Transgender Troops, Commandant Says
By RON NIXONAUG. 1, 2017
In this article i totally agree with Adm. Paul F. Zukunft, center, commandant of the Coast Guard because transgender people deserve more rights in freedom. if they are equally in the passionate of the costal service they should have equally as responsive and equally rights as other people serving in the same class. just because there are transgender they could actually be smarter than normal straight human beings. they could be more passionate about there job, and more physical fit. in many ways people are trying to ban transgenders because they could feel uncomfortable around them or just truly belief of only two genders in the world. in the picture you can see the president of the cost guards saluting other high ranking officers at Mr. Trumps inauguration in January.In three tweets last week, Mr. Trump expressed his desire to restrict transgender troops from serving in the military. i truly disagree with trumps opinion because its his own and not others he as the president should have a legal vote on transgender rights on keeping there own job that they choose too.
By RON NIXONAUG. 1, 2017
In this article i totally agree with Adm. Paul F. Zukunft, center, commandant of the Coast Guard because transgender people deserve more rights in freedom. if they are equally in the passionate of the costal service they should have equally as responsive and equally rights as other people serving in the same class. just because there are transgender they could actually be smarter than normal straight human beings. they could be more passionate about there job, and more physical fit. in many ways people are trying to ban transgenders because they could feel uncomfortable around them or just truly belief of only two genders in the world. in the picture you can see the president of the cost guards saluting other high ranking officers at Mr. Trumps inauguration in January.In three tweets last week, Mr. Trump expressed his desire to restrict transgender troops from serving in the military. i truly disagree with trumps opinion because its his own and not others he as the president should have a legal vote on transgender rights on keeping there own job that they choose too.
https://nyti.ms/2holGYM
Trump Supports Plan to cut Legal Immigration by Half
Any article that has to do with the government and whatever is happening seems to catch my eye. Trump said that America has been accepting too many "low-skilled immigrants" into the country for too long to the detriment of American workers. He also says quote, "This legislation will not only restore our competitive edge in the 21 century, but it will restore the sacred bonds between America and its citizens." He also says that this legislation will help struggling American families that need an immigration system that puts the country and our selves first. But many Democrats and Republicans alike say that they disagree, saying "That's not what America stands for." These politicians say that "Instead of catching criminals, Trump wants to tear apart communities and punish immigration families that are making valuable contributions to our economy." So to put it simple, I think that Trump supported this legislation because of 1) The immigrants ruining our economy and 2) the safety of this country. And the politicians against it are saying that 1) he isn't solving any problems and should be catching criminals, and 2) that its not what America stands for. I think these politicians are basically saying that America is made up of immigrants, and this legislation doesn't really support that.
Trump Supports Plan to cut Legal Immigration by Half
Any article that has to do with the government and whatever is happening seems to catch my eye. Trump said that America has been accepting too many "low-skilled immigrants" into the country for too long to the detriment of American workers. He also says quote, "This legislation will not only restore our competitive edge in the 21 century, but it will restore the sacred bonds between America and its citizens." He also says that this legislation will help struggling American families that need an immigration system that puts the country and our selves first. But many Democrats and Republicans alike say that they disagree, saying "That's not what America stands for." These politicians say that "Instead of catching criminals, Trump wants to tear apart communities and punish immigration families that are making valuable contributions to our economy." So to put it simple, I think that Trump supported this legislation because of 1) The immigrants ruining our economy and 2) the safety of this country. And the politicians against it are saying that 1) he isn't solving any problems and should be catching criminals, and 2) that its not what America stands for. I think these politicians are basically saying that America is made up of immigrants, and this legislation doesn't really support that.
Taking the Pulse of the 'Near Threatened' Platypus Is a Tricky Task
This article detailed how difficult it is for conservationists to get an estimate of the number of platypuses that live in the wild. Not long ago there were some signs of the population declining, so the status of the platypus was changed to “near threatened.” Because of this, scientists in Australia are trying to find out just how many exist. This is difficult because the platypus is nocturnal, and when it does come on land it spends around half of its time below ground in burrows. Platypuses also don’t live in large groups, so there is no guarantee that if you find one, you will find others.
Most people have heard of the platypus, and can picture a beaver-like animal with a bill like a duck. They might know that it lays eggs or that it lives in Australia. Because of this, I found it hard to believe that an animal that so many people know about might be quite difficult to find, which is why I chose to write about this article. I assumed that because we know so much about the animal, scientists shouldn’t have much difficulty tracking it down. This article also made me think about how hard it must be to get a sense for the population of animals that live in places that are much more difficult to navigate, such as deserts, mountains, and the ocean.
The platypus has assisted us in creating new medicines, and is the top predator in its environment, so it is essential that we protect these animals.
This article detailed how difficult it is for conservationists to get an estimate of the number of platypuses that live in the wild. Not long ago there were some signs of the population declining, so the status of the platypus was changed to “near threatened.” Because of this, scientists in Australia are trying to find out just how many exist. This is difficult because the platypus is nocturnal, and when it does come on land it spends around half of its time below ground in burrows. Platypuses also don’t live in large groups, so there is no guarantee that if you find one, you will find others.
Most people have heard of the platypus, and can picture a beaver-like animal with a bill like a duck. They might know that it lays eggs or that it lives in Australia. Because of this, I found it hard to believe that an animal that so many people know about might be quite difficult to find, which is why I chose to write about this article. I assumed that because we know so much about the animal, scientists shouldn’t have much difficulty tracking it down. This article also made me think about how hard it must be to get a sense for the population of animals that live in places that are much more difficult to navigate, such as deserts, mountains, and the ocean.
The platypus has assisted us in creating new medicines, and is the top predator in its environment, so it is essential that we protect these animals.
“The Latest: Foxconn May Consider Additional Wisconsin Sites” by The Associated Press
The sudden controversy sprung up by the discussions of the electronic manufacturer Foxconn building manufacturing centers within Wisconsin has made me realize how we are dependent we are on the electronic industry. Foxconn is most well known for their development of LCD screens, batteries, and other cellphone components, and the popularity of the products that use these components has made Foxconn the world’s largest contract electronics manufacturer. However, even with the almost seemingly monopolistic grip Foxconn has the electronics industry, they still do not seem to meet the demand of modern day consumers. As of right now, there is a mad dash between Apple, Samsung, and Nintendo for NAND flash memory to use for the iPhone 7, Galaxy S8, and Nintendo Switch. Within the first half of 2017, each product respectively has sold/shipped 21.5 million (iPhone 7), 5 million (S8), and 4.7 million (Switch), yet each product is still in high demand. Foxconn is unable to keep up with the production of these components, which explains why they are setting their eyes on other areas to build more plants. For those who don’t support the idea of Foxconn entering the Wisconsin area for fear of the company lying about really employing 13,000 people by 2020, the terrible working conditions of these factories, or the impact it will have on the wetlands, we only have our exuberant consumer society to blame.
The sudden controversy sprung up by the discussions of the electronic manufacturer Foxconn building manufacturing centers within Wisconsin has made me realize how we are dependent we are on the electronic industry. Foxconn is most well known for their development of LCD screens, batteries, and other cellphone components, and the popularity of the products that use these components has made Foxconn the world’s largest contract electronics manufacturer. However, even with the almost seemingly monopolistic grip Foxconn has the electronics industry, they still do not seem to meet the demand of modern day consumers. As of right now, there is a mad dash between Apple, Samsung, and Nintendo for NAND flash memory to use for the iPhone 7, Galaxy S8, and Nintendo Switch. Within the first half of 2017, each product respectively has sold/shipped 21.5 million (iPhone 7), 5 million (S8), and 4.7 million (Switch), yet each product is still in high demand. Foxconn is unable to keep up with the production of these components, which explains why they are setting their eyes on other areas to build more plants. For those who don’t support the idea of Foxconn entering the Wisconsin area for fear of the company lying about really employing 13,000 people by 2020, the terrible working conditions of these factories, or the impact it will have on the wetlands, we only have our exuberant consumer society to blame.
111 N.F.L. Brains. All But One Had C.T.E.- By: Joe Ward, Josh Williams and Sam Manchester
There is nothing better than watching a N.F.L. game with your family and friends. However, we aren't fully aware of long term injuries that these players are exposed to. This article attracted me because I enjoy watching football games and routing for my favorite team. I was astonished to see that only 1 brain out of 111 did not have C.T.E. Football players are at a high risk of developing this tragic disease because it is linked to repeated hits to one's brain. The symptoms of C.T.E. are forgetfulness and confusion. It is disappointing to see a sport, that millions of people appreciate, negatively affect and damage players. I hope the N.F.L. continues to protect their athletes by continuing to update their rules and develop safer equipment.
There is nothing better than watching a N.F.L. game with your family and friends. However, we aren't fully aware of long term injuries that these players are exposed to. This article attracted me because I enjoy watching football games and routing for my favorite team. I was astonished to see that only 1 brain out of 111 did not have C.T.E. Football players are at a high risk of developing this tragic disease because it is linked to repeated hits to one's brain. The symptoms of C.T.E. are forgetfulness and confusion. It is disappointing to see a sport, that millions of people appreciate, negatively affect and damage players. I hope the N.F.L. continues to protect their athletes by continuing to update their rules and develop safer equipment.
in the editorial "Trump Knows How To Push Our Buttons" by Thomas B. Edsall the author claims that Trump has been a pain for the american people with all the changes that he has done to the government and the Latino people. Some of the effects that Trump has done to Latino people is making them life difficult with police targeting them and also Americans treating latinos like less people although he also says he does like them but he doesn't like the ones who really work. The goverment of the US has choosen bad decisions or choices for the americans like congress not supporting people on what their asking for what they really want. In my opinion i think that Trump is a good president for america but many people dont share my opinion because they think too much on his personality. Another thing that has been really recent these days is that trump said that many people who are transgender and Mexicans who don't speak Spanish should not be able to join the military service because the people in service doesn't agree with the people outside of service. Furthermore Trump has people with health care worried because they are trying to get ride of a type of health care and the people don't agree with most of the Republicans. In conclusion most of the american people doesn't share the some opinion as Trump because they think hes the worst but the only thing that is left is to see where America is gonna end and how the children of the future will react of the past president.
"PUBLIC & PRIVATE; Kids In Cars"
BY Anna Quindlen
Published: January 6, 1991
People do not often think about the tragic deaths that happen when you defy the law, and not use a seat belt . Kids everyday refuse to use their seat belt, and some parents do not check to make sure their kids have it on. In this article Anna states a death of a young little girl who was on her mothers lap without a seat belt explaining that it was just to be a short ride, however they got in a car accident and sadly the young girl passed away. It is true that we have laws for a reason, and it is just for our safety, but the law does not make this issue as big as they should. I believe that this should change and they should handle the situations better maybe with more car systems to alarm and make sure everyone in the car wears their seat belt.
BY Anna Quindlen
Published: January 6, 1991
People do not often think about the tragic deaths that happen when you defy the law, and not use a seat belt . Kids everyday refuse to use their seat belt, and some parents do not check to make sure their kids have it on. In this article Anna states a death of a young little girl who was on her mothers lap without a seat belt explaining that it was just to be a short ride, however they got in a car accident and sadly the young girl passed away. It is true that we have laws for a reason, and it is just for our safety, but the law does not make this issue as big as they should. I believe that this should change and they should handle the situations better maybe with more car systems to alarm and make sure everyone in the car wears their seat belt.
"Michael Phelps 'Raced' a 'Shark,' Kind Of. Not Really."
I was certainly excited to turn on my television and watch the greatest swimmer of all time race a great white shark. However, as I began watching the program, I realized that my expectations were not going to be met. The Discovery Channel's advertisements on TV made it seem like Michael Phelps was actually going to race a shark side by side in the water. I knew that the race would not take place in open water because no one would let a man with 23 gold medals risk his life. On the other hand, I did think that Phelps and the shark would be racing side by side with a barrier in between them. Unfortunately, that did not happen either. The Discovery Channel simulated the race by having Phelps swim in the South African waters by himself. Scientists timed Phelps to see how long it would take him to swim 100 meters. Scientists also conducted an experiment to see how long it would take a great white shark to swim 100 meters. The shark beat Phelps in the simulation. Not even a superhuman like Phelps can compete with a great white shark in the water.
Everyone watching the program was let down by the Discovery Channel. Many people were disappointed that the Discovery Channel promoted the race to be an actual race. I would love to see a real race between the greatest swimmer of all time, and a great white shark, but I guess my wish will never be fulfilled.
I was certainly excited to turn on my television and watch the greatest swimmer of all time race a great white shark. However, as I began watching the program, I realized that my expectations were not going to be met. The Discovery Channel's advertisements on TV made it seem like Michael Phelps was actually going to race a shark side by side in the water. I knew that the race would not take place in open water because no one would let a man with 23 gold medals risk his life. On the other hand, I did think that Phelps and the shark would be racing side by side with a barrier in between them. Unfortunately, that did not happen either. The Discovery Channel simulated the race by having Phelps swim in the South African waters by himself. Scientists timed Phelps to see how long it would take him to swim 100 meters. Scientists also conducted an experiment to see how long it would take a great white shark to swim 100 meters. The shark beat Phelps in the simulation. Not even a superhuman like Phelps can compete with a great white shark in the water.
Everyone watching the program was let down by the Discovery Channel. Many people were disappointed that the Discovery Channel promoted the race to be an actual race. I would love to see a real race between the greatest swimmer of all time, and a great white shark, but I guess my wish will never be fulfilled.
"111 N.F.L. Brains All But One Had C.T.E."
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/07/25/sports/football/nfl-cte.h...
Even though this will be my first year playing high school football and knowing that I might not be fully committed to playing for the season, I still read the article knowing that it might change my thoughts on playing. I read the article because I still wanted to read up on the potential effects and dangers of football on my life and body. Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy is a degenerative disease found in people who have suffered repeated blows to the head. It's seen that deceased NFL players have been diagnosed with C.T.E. and before they died they showed symptoms of having the disease so Dr. Ann Mckee decided to run tests on 202 brains in total that played football but only 111 of them played in the NFL and 110 of the brains had C.T.E. but 1 brain didn't have the disease. At first the most shocking thing in this article was that 44 lineman had C.T.E. but the more I thought about it the more it made sense because the line man have to run over the player across from them so they can go tackle the quarter back before he throws the ball or block the person who they are standing across from them so that player doesn't get a chance to tackle the quarter back and the quarter back has enough time to throw the ball to a wide receiver.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/07/25/sports/football/nfl-cte.h...
Even though this will be my first year playing high school football and knowing that I might not be fully committed to playing for the season, I still read the article knowing that it might change my thoughts on playing. I read the article because I still wanted to read up on the potential effects and dangers of football on my life and body. Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy is a degenerative disease found in people who have suffered repeated blows to the head. It's seen that deceased NFL players have been diagnosed with C.T.E. and before they died they showed symptoms of having the disease so Dr. Ann Mckee decided to run tests on 202 brains in total that played football but only 111 of them played in the NFL and 110 of the brains had C.T.E. but 1 brain didn't have the disease. At first the most shocking thing in this article was that 44 lineman had C.T.E. but the more I thought about it the more it made sense because the line man have to run over the player across from them so they can go tackle the quarter back before he throws the ball or block the person who they are standing across from them so that player doesn't get a chance to tackle the quarter back and the quarter back has enough time to throw the ball to a wide receiver.
Day 1 of my vacation in California: Wake up at 8 am to get a quick workout in, then take a swim in the pool to cool down, leave to go biking along the beach, and then go on a nature hike. Finally, stay up late sitting around the fire. How is it I’m even more active on vacation? I thought that after a year filled with sports, work outs, tedious schoolwork, and sleep deprivation I would just relax and sleep in on vacation.
My nonstop behavior shows why I am interested in this article and agree with the author Michael McGirr of “The Glory of a Summer Sleep” that people fear being inactive. In “The Odyssey,” after the hero returns home he says he must get a good night of sleep. This story seems like a myth because in reality, the hero would be spreading the word of what had happened and avoiding sleep to get more done. Everyone fears a state of resting and silence, and they let their thoughts be consumed by what they should be doing and what other people are doing. Sleep is extremely valuable and helps with mental and physical health along with increasing productivity. Getting a night’s sleep of nine hours or more feels like a blessing and people do not appreciate that enough. Being able to start the day full of energy with a good attitude and not being exhausted by 1 pm is a rare thing. In order to live a happy and healthy life, you must accept that getting enough hours of sleep and silence are okay, as the author says, “there are worse things to do than nothing.”
My nonstop behavior shows why I am interested in this article and agree with the author Michael McGirr of “The Glory of a Summer Sleep” that people fear being inactive. In “The Odyssey,” after the hero returns home he says he must get a good night of sleep. This story seems like a myth because in reality, the hero would be spreading the word of what had happened and avoiding sleep to get more done. Everyone fears a state of resting and silence, and they let their thoughts be consumed by what they should be doing and what other people are doing. Sleep is extremely valuable and helps with mental and physical health along with increasing productivity. Getting a night’s sleep of nine hours or more feels like a blessing and people do not appreciate that enough. Being able to start the day full of energy with a good attitude and not being exhausted by 1 pm is a rare thing. In order to live a happy and healthy life, you must accept that getting enough hours of sleep and silence are okay, as the author says, “there are worse things to do than nothing.”
In the article, “In some countries,Women get day off for period pain” written by Aneri Pattani shown that women in some place in the world are living in paradise and hell at the same time . Some government does this for great reason .Like who doesn’t want two-three days off and get paid because their cramps due to having period. Nothing is not free because the price is our image and the future of us is depended on the policy. They take our image by contributed to the stereotypes. Not allowing the society to stop pushing us to do certain things.
I agree with critics “The additional days off could be used to justify lower pay or increase hiring bias against women, critics say” because it could been for good attention but the results say something else. Also, we fought too hard to have respect we have and having this could destroy . Our opportunities can be in danger .
I think that this is a start to the different treatment for others. I like that we have a opportunities that we can leave work and still get paid. However, I think it needs some work to the idea. Maybe get a limited days stay home and how much should they get paid during the leave. Also, When I read the title I was shook. A Lot of us can related to this. I hope this olicy is spread gobal.So, women can stress less but balance this.WE STILL FIGHTING FOR RESPECT.
I agree with critics “The additional days off could be used to justify lower pay or increase hiring bias against women, critics say” because it could been for good attention but the results say something else. Also, we fought too hard to have respect we have and having this could destroy . Our opportunities can be in danger .
I think that this is a start to the different treatment for others. I like that we have a opportunities that we can leave work and still get paid. However, I think it needs some work to the idea. Maybe get a limited days stay home and how much should they get paid during the leave. Also, When I read the title I was shook. A Lot of us can related to this. I hope this olicy is spread gobal.So, women can stress less but balance this.WE STILL FIGHTING FOR RESPECT.
Soundcloud has introduced me to so many new artist and has helped them grow as well. Such as, Chance The Rapper or Wolftyla. It has helped the music culture in various of ways. It helped many grow and actually believe they have a passion in something. The thought of it disappearing is actually heartbreaking to me.
In the article “If SoundCloud Disappears, What Happens to Its Music Culture?” by Jenna Wortham, it stated a lot about how people it helped others. For instance, “For lesser-known artists, it has been a place where you can attract the attention of fans and the record industry without having to work the usual channels.” This shows how it helped many in some ways. Some even successfully grew from soundcloud. Kehlani and rapper Lil Yachty started from SoundCloud.
Others may not give any thought about the disappearance on SoundCloud, however it would be a drastic change for everyone. Many may not listen to music anywhere else for free, many music artist and songs will then be gone because of the disappearance.
However, the thought of the music culture of soundcloud disappearing, is awful. SoundCloud introduced me to my culture. Unknown Hip-Hop and R&B singers, black excellence, black love, New York sounds, etc. After hearing the news, it left me and many others in shock. I’m glad it was here, and I know many will remember it. Even if nothing new comes along, SoundCloud will be known for something powerful.
In the article “If SoundCloud Disappears, What Happens to Its Music Culture?” by Jenna Wortham, it stated a lot about how people it helped others. For instance, “For lesser-known artists, it has been a place where you can attract the attention of fans and the record industry without having to work the usual channels.” This shows how it helped many in some ways. Some even successfully grew from soundcloud. Kehlani and rapper Lil Yachty started from SoundCloud.
Others may not give any thought about the disappearance on SoundCloud, however it would be a drastic change for everyone. Many may not listen to music anywhere else for free, many music artist and songs will then be gone because of the disappearance.
However, the thought of the music culture of soundcloud disappearing, is awful. SoundCloud introduced me to my culture. Unknown Hip-Hop and R&B singers, black excellence, black love, New York sounds, etc. After hearing the news, it left me and many others in shock. I’m glad it was here, and I know many will remember it. Even if nothing new comes along, SoundCloud will be known for something powerful.
"Trump Supports Plan to Cut Legal Immigration by Half" by Peter Baker
Trump attempting to restrict immigration into the United States is like playing a professional basketball game with a soccer ball. You just don't do that. America has been a symbol of immigration and allowing people from all across the world to come in for a long time. Now all of a sudden, Trump wants to slowly do away with it. He says it will only be some immigrants, such as siblings and adult children, but what's to stop him from banning any form of immigration into the country? This man claims he is trying to put, " [the American people's] needs first," when in reality he is just alienating people who come from another country. Trump's hate for foreigners can be seen in his support for this bill. What caught my attention the most was how he states that he is trying to help America when in reality he is just using this bill as a way to carry out his personal detestation of foreigners. Ever since Trump was elected, I intensely despised him because of the way he carried himself out and his intentions. This article just gives me another reason to dislike him even more. Trump is a businessman, not a politician. In other words, he is not a man who is fit to take the title of President of the United States. The way he acts and talks to others shows he is not mature enough to even be considered for president, yet he was still elected. I hope in the future, America chooses a much more capable president.
Trump attempting to restrict immigration into the United States is like playing a professional basketball game with a soccer ball. You just don't do that. America has been a symbol of immigration and allowing people from all across the world to come in for a long time. Now all of a sudden, Trump wants to slowly do away with it. He says it will only be some immigrants, such as siblings and adult children, but what's to stop him from banning any form of immigration into the country? This man claims he is trying to put, " [the American people's] needs first," when in reality he is just alienating people who come from another country. Trump's hate for foreigners can be seen in his support for this bill. What caught my attention the most was how he states that he is trying to help America when in reality he is just using this bill as a way to carry out his personal detestation of foreigners. Ever since Trump was elected, I intensely despised him because of the way he carried himself out and his intentions. This article just gives me another reason to dislike him even more. Trump is a businessman, not a politician. In other words, he is not a man who is fit to take the title of President of the United States. The way he acts and talks to others shows he is not mature enough to even be considered for president, yet he was still elected. I hope in the future, America chooses a much more capable president.
“The Battle for Venezuela, Through a Lens, Helmet and Gas Mask” by Meridith Kohut
Currently, in Caracas, the capital city of Venezuela, the confronting between motley throngs of masked anti-government protester hurl rocks, fireworks, and Molotov cocktails; and the police and soldiers with tear gas, water cannon blasts, rubber bullets and buckshot are becoming vehement. I chose this picture because the Republic of Korea has experienced similar thing in 1980. Many college students went out to the streets to protest against a dictator who practiced tyranny and sacrificed their lives for the better future with a healthy democracy. I think Venezuela is undergoing an indispensable process to reach a goal of becoming an ideal democratic country. It is hard to achieve the precious goal right now, but if the citizens of Venezuela continue the strife with tenacity, there will be a bright consequence. There is a famous saying in Korea that reads “A pleasure comes after suffering.” I would like to think that the phrase may fit the situation in Venezuela.
Currently, in Caracas, the capital city of Venezuela, the confronting between motley throngs of masked anti-government protester hurl rocks, fireworks, and Molotov cocktails; and the police and soldiers with tear gas, water cannon blasts, rubber bullets and buckshot are becoming vehement. I chose this picture because the Republic of Korea has experienced similar thing in 1980. Many college students went out to the streets to protest against a dictator who practiced tyranny and sacrificed their lives for the better future with a healthy democracy. I think Venezuela is undergoing an indispensable process to reach a goal of becoming an ideal democratic country. It is hard to achieve the precious goal right now, but if the citizens of Venezuela continue the strife with tenacity, there will be a bright consequence. There is a famous saying in Korea that reads “A pleasure comes after suffering.” I would like to think that the phrase may fit the situation in Venezuela.
"In Breakthrough, Scientists Edit a Dangerous Mutation From Genes in Human Embryos" By Pam Belluck
In 9th grade, I remember my science teacher explaining a new method of genetic manipulation using a system called CRISPR Cas9. I continued to do my own research and became an avid supporter of the new technology. When I saws this article, I became very excited. CRISPR Cas9 acts as an immune system for bacteria, cutting out viral DNA from the bacteria's DNA with extreme accuracy. Researchers at UC Berkeley were able to modify this system to cut any gene a researcher desires. With this tool, scientists can, as seen in this article, cut out genes that have been mutated and can cause disease. The possibilities don't stop there. Genes that are tied with cancer, heart disease, or obesity can also be cut out and replaced. Although there is still work to be done to increase the accuracy, CRISPR promises to save many lives and help people prevent genetic disease. I hope that this research is continued and that CRISPR continues to be refined and improved to make our society a healthier and happier one.
Link: https://nyti.ms/2hoCAq0
In 9th grade, I remember my science teacher explaining a new method of genetic manipulation using a system called CRISPR Cas9. I continued to do my own research and became an avid supporter of the new technology. When I saws this article, I became very excited. CRISPR Cas9 acts as an immune system for bacteria, cutting out viral DNA from the bacteria's DNA with extreme accuracy. Researchers at UC Berkeley were able to modify this system to cut any gene a researcher desires. With this tool, scientists can, as seen in this article, cut out genes that have been mutated and can cause disease. The possibilities don't stop there. Genes that are tied with cancer, heart disease, or obesity can also be cut out and replaced. Although there is still work to be done to increase the accuracy, CRISPR promises to save many lives and help people prevent genetic disease. I hope that this research is continued and that CRISPR continues to be refined and improved to make our society a healthier and happier one.
Link: https://nyti.ms/2hoCAq0
"Finland Has a Sports Screw Loose"
By Andrew Keh
The image alone of the men standing amidst a swamp with soccer cleats enticed me from the get-go. Was it my love of soccer that obligated me to read the article? Partially. Furthermore, my curiosity was piqued as I had heard vaguely of Finland's wacky ways. After reading through the article, my head was swirling with dreams of partaking in these festive competitions. Their ideology behind the competitions appealed to me. It was all about fun and cultural enjoyment rather than winning. Sami Korhonen, a 9th year player, embodies the idea, saying, "You play, you lose, you win - no one cares." Though a healthy dose of competition can improve a sport, I agree that swamp soccer should be wholeheartedly enjoyed for the sheer fun of the activity. The article was fun to read and painted a picture of a friendly environment with those involved participating in random hobbies, all the while being able to laugh at their-selves.
By Andrew Keh
The image alone of the men standing amidst a swamp with soccer cleats enticed me from the get-go. Was it my love of soccer that obligated me to read the article? Partially. Furthermore, my curiosity was piqued as I had heard vaguely of Finland's wacky ways. After reading through the article, my head was swirling with dreams of partaking in these festive competitions. Their ideology behind the competitions appealed to me. It was all about fun and cultural enjoyment rather than winning. Sami Korhonen, a 9th year player, embodies the idea, saying, "You play, you lose, you win - no one cares." Though a healthy dose of competition can improve a sport, I agree that swamp soccer should be wholeheartedly enjoyed for the sheer fun of the activity. The article was fun to read and painted a picture of a friendly environment with those involved participating in random hobbies, all the while being able to laugh at their-selves.
In an Unused Harlem Church, a Towering Work of "Genius"
By: Hilarie M. Sheets
Link: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/03/arts/design/julie-mehretu-san-francis...®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0
Artist Julie Mehretu has been working large scale on two canvases stretching from a whopping 27 feet by 32 feet. She began working on them soon after the November election, expressing her political opinions and confusion through "gestural abstraction."
Gestural abstraction is a very loose and movement based art style, expressing quick lines and, most of the time, little to no detail. But, Julie Mehretu has taken this art form to a whole new level. With the aid of computer graphics she has transformed what would be simple gestural lines into full scale abstract paintings with detail throughout the canvases.
Another wonderful thing about this artist is that she takes history and incorporates it into her works. Underneath her paint is history itself printed and painted into the canvases, adding detail and meaning behind every stroke of her brush. Her paintings leave an abundance of interpretation to the viewer as well, allowing people to not only see what she sees, but to conjure their own images too.
By: Hilarie M. Sheets
Link: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/03/arts/design/julie-mehretu-san-francis...®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0
Artist Julie Mehretu has been working large scale on two canvases stretching from a whopping 27 feet by 32 feet. She began working on them soon after the November election, expressing her political opinions and confusion through "gestural abstraction."
Gestural abstraction is a very loose and movement based art style, expressing quick lines and, most of the time, little to no detail. But, Julie Mehretu has taken this art form to a whole new level. With the aid of computer graphics she has transformed what would be simple gestural lines into full scale abstract paintings with detail throughout the canvases.
Another wonderful thing about this artist is that she takes history and incorporates it into her works. Underneath her paint is history itself printed and painted into the canvases, adding detail and meaning behind every stroke of her brush. Her paintings leave an abundance of interpretation to the viewer as well, allowing people to not only see what she sees, but to conjure their own images too.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/02/us/affirmative-action-battle-has-a-ne...
Maintaining the Status Quo:
People once believed that the streets of America were paved with gold, and the United States has earned its epithet of being the land of opportunity. That opportunity, however, comes with certain caveats, and those caveats constitute the status quo.
The notion that renowned colleges like Harvard establish racial quotas to diversify the student body is neither surprising, nor is it new; in fact, it’s something that’s always been treated as an immutable facet of higher education, a fixture in our society. For Asian-Americans like me, that’s an aspect of the status quo – we’ll have to work twice as hard against other minority applicants to distinguish ourselves amongst a veritable sea of brilliant students. Whenever I face the columns of white boxes denoting racial categories, I’m quick to select “Asian-American”. Hesitating to disclose my race, simply because it might diminish my chances of making a college, is deplorable and demeaning. I believe in Affirmative Action, because of two reasons: the first is that the disenfranchised should have as good a shot at success as anyone else, and the second is that I simply can’t do anything about it. Complaining about the fundamental inequity built into the system won’t help me. I’ve chosen to play the game and apply to the nation’s top colleges; in doing so, I’ve implicitly agreed to play by their rules.
Maintaining the Status Quo:
People once believed that the streets of America were paved with gold, and the United States has earned its epithet of being the land of opportunity. That opportunity, however, comes with certain caveats, and those caveats constitute the status quo.
The notion that renowned colleges like Harvard establish racial quotas to diversify the student body is neither surprising, nor is it new; in fact, it’s something that’s always been treated as an immutable facet of higher education, a fixture in our society. For Asian-Americans like me, that’s an aspect of the status quo – we’ll have to work twice as hard against other minority applicants to distinguish ourselves amongst a veritable sea of brilliant students. Whenever I face the columns of white boxes denoting racial categories, I’m quick to select “Asian-American”. Hesitating to disclose my race, simply because it might diminish my chances of making a college, is deplorable and demeaning. I believe in Affirmative Action, because of two reasons: the first is that the disenfranchised should have as good a shot at success as anyone else, and the second is that I simply can’t do anything about it. Complaining about the fundamental inequity built into the system won’t help me. I’ve chosen to play the game and apply to the nation’s top colleges; in doing so, I’ve implicitly agreed to play by their rules.
Era of ‘Biological Annihilation’ Is Underway, Scientists Warn
In the article at first it spoke about some animals and the numbers of how many are left on earth. In the article it says how cheetahs have been sited for around 7,000 members, Borneo and Sumatran orangutans have been sited fewer than 5,000 remain, populations of African lions, which have declined by 43 percent since 1993 and giraffes now number under 100,000 members. There has been 200 different species that have gone extinct during the past 100 years, that means that 2 species die every year. Some say that it is normal that extinction rate is supposedly the past two million years has been that two species go extinct every 100 years. The fact that they are extinct is what I don't like about the way we live and how we’ve been just writing about all the animals in a book so it is noted down for years and years to come.
In the article at first it spoke about some animals and the numbers of how many are left on earth. In the article it says how cheetahs have been sited for around 7,000 members, Borneo and Sumatran orangutans have been sited fewer than 5,000 remain, populations of African lions, which have declined by 43 percent since 1993 and giraffes now number under 100,000 members. There has been 200 different species that have gone extinct during the past 100 years, that means that 2 species die every year. Some say that it is normal that extinction rate is supposedly the past two million years has been that two species go extinct every 100 years. The fact that they are extinct is what I don't like about the way we live and how we’ve been just writing about all the animals in a book so it is noted down for years and years to come.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/22/opinion/sunday/the-glory-of-a-summer-...
Title: The Glory of a Summer Sleep
By: MICHAEL McGIRR
Summer, being a "silent season" is obviously a time for teachers, students, and other persons with a big break to enjoy luxuries that jobs and responsibilities have denied endlessly. Summer vacation seems like a time of regeneration, renewed lives, and even just fun- but with human needs these things don't get accomplished for we as human beings don't acknowledge the things we need most like, as mentioned in the article, sleep.
Sleep has always been a very pondered thought, especially with religions and science with endless different theories of why, how, what. etc. But today with some religions falling and some religions rising- denied and accepted thoughts become more relevant. What we know is that sleep rejuvenates and revives the body of it's day work, but with summer pools and night parties eating away at our minds, our good summer sleep becomes less of what it was in the fall, winter, and spring.
Summer should be a time of relief and childhood energy coming to life, but with sleep being destroyed by endless nights and early mornings, our bodies are being unwillingly destroyed.
"Do you take sleep, or do you let sleep take you?".
Title: The Glory of a Summer Sleep
By: MICHAEL McGIRR
Summer, being a "silent season" is obviously a time for teachers, students, and other persons with a big break to enjoy luxuries that jobs and responsibilities have denied endlessly. Summer vacation seems like a time of regeneration, renewed lives, and even just fun- but with human needs these things don't get accomplished for we as human beings don't acknowledge the things we need most like, as mentioned in the article, sleep.
Sleep has always been a very pondered thought, especially with religions and science with endless different theories of why, how, what. etc. But today with some religions falling and some religions rising- denied and accepted thoughts become more relevant. What we know is that sleep rejuvenates and revives the body of it's day work, but with summer pools and night parties eating away at our minds, our good summer sleep becomes less of what it was in the fall, winter, and spring.
Summer should be a time of relief and childhood energy coming to life, but with sleep being destroyed by endless nights and early mornings, our bodies are being unwillingly destroyed.
"Do you take sleep, or do you let sleep take you?".
"What Would It Take for Trump to Get His Corporate Tax Wish?", by James B. Stewart.
This article discusses President Trump's request to lower the corporate tax rate from the current top rate, 35%, to just 15%. This potentially historic tax cut would drop the U.S. from being among top industrialized nations, to being on the lower end of that spectrum. That being said, a corporate tax rate of a mere 15% would place the United States in the likes of countries such as Canada (current 15% corporate tax rate) and Ireland (current 12.5% corporate tax rate). However, with significantly large tax cuts come large outcomes. Given the possible results and given the fact that Republicans simply cannot fail after this past week's health care legislation collapse, I would elect to not immediately decrease the corporate tax rate to 15%. Since this situation is high risk-high reward, I would opt to decrease the corporate tax rate, but not by 20% at once. Anyways, as mentioned in the article, House Republicans only managed to decrease the corporate tax rate to 20% in their tax blueprint. With everyone speculating, the outstanding question still remains, how will this tax reform be payed for. Stewart voices the question as the "major stumbling block". That is an understatement. I would not move forward until a valid plan of action for paying off the tax reform is provided. President Trump is adamant on lowering the tax rate to 15%, yet there is no proper solution on how it will be payed for.
This article discusses President Trump's request to lower the corporate tax rate from the current top rate, 35%, to just 15%. This potentially historic tax cut would drop the U.S. from being among top industrialized nations, to being on the lower end of that spectrum. That being said, a corporate tax rate of a mere 15% would place the United States in the likes of countries such as Canada (current 15% corporate tax rate) and Ireland (current 12.5% corporate tax rate). However, with significantly large tax cuts come large outcomes. Given the possible results and given the fact that Republicans simply cannot fail after this past week's health care legislation collapse, I would elect to not immediately decrease the corporate tax rate to 15%. Since this situation is high risk-high reward, I would opt to decrease the corporate tax rate, but not by 20% at once. Anyways, as mentioned in the article, House Republicans only managed to decrease the corporate tax rate to 20% in their tax blueprint. With everyone speculating, the outstanding question still remains, how will this tax reform be payed for. Stewart voices the question as the "major stumbling block". That is an understatement. I would not move forward until a valid plan of action for paying off the tax reform is provided. President Trump is adamant on lowering the tax rate to 15%, yet there is no proper solution on how it will be payed for.
In the opinion article, “Trump Can’t Save American Christianity”, the intriguing title is quickly lost to sporadic, ethical opinions. As someone who often stays away from opinion articles, this particular one was so relevant I knew I would have to read it. The main article photo was eye catching and powerful, which built up great expectations.
The journey of reading this article was all over the place, to say the least. Lacking a sense of direction, the end of the text seemed like a whole different subject, than the beginning. Not that is was poorly written, but this opinion text seemed to lack cohesiveness throughout the pages. The title claimed to be talking about Trump, but Mr. Trump was hardly mentioned at all, leading the reader to feel like they were clickbaited. Using very powerful words such as ‘evangelical’, ‘slavishly’, ‘filthy’, and calamity’, the author seemed very emotional and passionate about this subject. Opinions normally should be backed up by structured facts, but when it comes to an ethical opinions, lines can get blurred quickly, and this article is no exception. Although there were several religious sources/interviews used, the article never seemed to go anywhere, leading the reader to feel empty and neglected by the end.
The journey of reading this article was all over the place, to say the least. Lacking a sense of direction, the end of the text seemed like a whole different subject, than the beginning. Not that is was poorly written, but this opinion text seemed to lack cohesiveness throughout the pages. The title claimed to be talking about Trump, but Mr. Trump was hardly mentioned at all, leading the reader to feel like they were clickbaited. Using very powerful words such as ‘evangelical’, ‘slavishly’, ‘filthy’, and calamity’, the author seemed very emotional and passionate about this subject. Opinions normally should be backed up by structured facts, but when it comes to an ethical opinions, lines can get blurred quickly, and this article is no exception. Although there were several religious sources/interviews used, the article never seemed to go anywhere, leading the reader to feel empty and neglected by the end.
111 Brains. All but one had cte.
This article stuck out to me because I love to watch football. It is one of my favorite things to do during the weekend. This article showed me how dangerous that is and that NFL players risk their lives every day just to put on a show for the fans and make money for the owners. What kind of people are we if we just sit back and let this continue. The NFL does not do enough to protect its players and until they do they will continue to suffer insurmountable damage to their brains! I love to watch football but if this is the result then it might be time for it to end. The NFL is a multi billion dollar industry and that money either needs to go into finding a way to stop this monstrosity or it needs to be disbanded. We have let this go for far too long. These people are not actors who use stunt doubles for the dangerous parts. These are real people that risk their lives every day just to entertain us. I say no more! It's not worth people loosing their lives over.
Godblue18corey
This article stuck out to me because I love to watch football. It is one of my favorite things to do during the weekend. This article showed me how dangerous that is and that NFL players risk their lives every day just to put on a show for the fans and make money for the owners. What kind of people are we if we just sit back and let this continue. The NFL does not do enough to protect its players and until they do they will continue to suffer insurmountable damage to their brains! I love to watch football but if this is the result then it might be time for it to end. The NFL is a multi billion dollar industry and that money either needs to go into finding a way to stop this monstrosity or it needs to be disbanded. We have let this go for far too long. These people are not actors who use stunt doubles for the dangerous parts. These are real people that risk their lives every day just to entertain us. I say no more! It's not worth people loosing their lives over.
Godblue18corey
“Time to move on”: Senate G.O.P Flouts Trump After Health Care Defeat
By: Matt Flegenheimer and Thomas Kaplan
Donald Trump, a popular president in normal life and in social media, has been known for his preposterous tweets on twitter and weird remarks. Recently, Trump has failed his health care defeat and don’t really care what happened to the health care system. Therefore, the senate G.O.P flouts trump for this failure. As a president of a major country, in my opinion, Trump should at least acknowledge one of the major problems in the world, which is health care. This particular article grabs the attention of me this week because as a student who is going to United States for further study, such as college, I should be aware of the country’s politics. If the president doesn’t really care about health care in its country, I should really reconsider to go to their country, which is the United States, for further study.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/01/us/politics/senate-gop-flouts-trump-a...
By: Matt Flegenheimer and Thomas Kaplan
Donald Trump, a popular president in normal life and in social media, has been known for his preposterous tweets on twitter and weird remarks. Recently, Trump has failed his health care defeat and don’t really care what happened to the health care system. Therefore, the senate G.O.P flouts trump for this failure. As a president of a major country, in my opinion, Trump should at least acknowledge one of the major problems in the world, which is health care. This particular article grabs the attention of me this week because as a student who is going to United States for further study, such as college, I should be aware of the country’s politics. If the president doesn’t really care about health care in its country, I should really reconsider to go to their country, which is the United States, for further study.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/01/us/politics/senate-gop-flouts-trump-a...
"If I Sleep for an Hour, 30 People Will Die"
by Pamela Druckerman
World War 2 - a devastated event happened over 70 years ago and yet still remained with us today. We are constantly reminded about the fight wherever we go: at school, on newspaper, at any historical sites, and of course on the New York Times. When I clicked into this article, I had no idea it would be about World War 2. The title is very puzzling and what I had in mind was simply a heroic story in the present. Little did I know I was going to read a story about a hero who saved our present.
Talking about my experience with WW2, I was asked to pick a topic related to WW2 for my final World Studies summative project. Amusingly, I chose the same topic to this article, people who assisted the Jews. I guess this must be the reason why I am so interested in this article, because I have learned and been able to obtain a certain understanding of the knowledge behind people who tried to save Jews from Nazi’s extermination camps. And certainly, this topic must have fascinated me enough to make me pursue a two months project about it.
Not only was I sympathized with the topic; I was captivated by the story of Adolfo Kaminsky. He managed to narrowly escape death, having been chased and hidden for years; yet he risked his life again to save more lives. It is always interesting to learn about a person’s life, especially when he was a war hero.
by Pamela Druckerman
World War 2 - a devastated event happened over 70 years ago and yet still remained with us today. We are constantly reminded about the fight wherever we go: at school, on newspaper, at any historical sites, and of course on the New York Times. When I clicked into this article, I had no idea it would be about World War 2. The title is very puzzling and what I had in mind was simply a heroic story in the present. Little did I know I was going to read a story about a hero who saved our present.
Talking about my experience with WW2, I was asked to pick a topic related to WW2 for my final World Studies summative project. Amusingly, I chose the same topic to this article, people who assisted the Jews. I guess this must be the reason why I am so interested in this article, because I have learned and been able to obtain a certain understanding of the knowledge behind people who tried to save Jews from Nazi’s extermination camps. And certainly, this topic must have fascinated me enough to make me pursue a two months project about it.
Not only was I sympathized with the topic; I was captivated by the story of Adolfo Kaminsky. He managed to narrowly escape death, having been chased and hidden for years; yet he risked his life again to save more lives. It is always interesting to learn about a person’s life, especially when he was a war hero.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/24/sports/shark-week-michael-phelps.html...
Michael phelps is known as the best olympian of all time because of his 28 gold medals. 28 gold metal alone isn't a limit for him so he decided to race with a great white shark. This article interests me because it shows how much dedication and how unlimited Michael Phelps is. He is one of the best swimmers in the world or the "best" and he decides to race a great white shark. The catch on him racing a great white shark is. The shark is a digital shark racing beside him. The water that Michael Phelps swam in was extremely cold but Michael Phelps still managed to lose to the shark's speed by just 2 seconds. In a recent tweet people complained about how it wasn't a real shark that was racing beside him. It makes me think how people would believe that the officials would put the greatest olympian of all time beside a great white shark. Michael Phelps is still not satisfied with the 2 second loss. To me its amazing how much perseverance this guy has. No wonder he is the best olympian in the world. Its interesting and amazing to have read about this guy racing a shark's speed.
Michael phelps is known as the best olympian of all time because of his 28 gold medals. 28 gold metal alone isn't a limit for him so he decided to race with a great white shark. This article interests me because it shows how much dedication and how unlimited Michael Phelps is. He is one of the best swimmers in the world or the "best" and he decides to race a great white shark. The catch on him racing a great white shark is. The shark is a digital shark racing beside him. The water that Michael Phelps swam in was extremely cold but Michael Phelps still managed to lose to the shark's speed by just 2 seconds. In a recent tweet people complained about how it wasn't a real shark that was racing beside him. It makes me think how people would believe that the officials would put the greatest olympian of all time beside a great white shark. Michael Phelps is still not satisfied with the 2 second loss. To me its amazing how much perseverance this guy has. No wonder he is the best olympian in the world. Its interesting and amazing to have read about this guy racing a shark's speed.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/02/world/europe/france-roman-neighborhoo...
Yesterday, August 2nd, was the first time reporters were allowed to visit an excavation site near Sainte-Colombe in France. In April archeologists discovered the remains of a Roman neighborhood that was destroyed in the first millennium in preparation for the building of a housing complex. A team of 5 interns and 15 archeologists have been working on the site since April 3rd and will be working on it until the end of the year. The French Culture Ministry is calling it an "exceptional discovery." The neighborhood includes a metalwork shop, food stores, 2 houses, a school of philosophy, a temple, and a warehouse filled with wine. The neighborhood was ravaged by fire 2 times, once at the start of the 2nd century and once in the middle of the 3rd century. Ironically, the fire is what preserved the neighborhood and gave the archeologists the information they have today. Sainte-Colombe is a suburb across the Rhône River from the city of Vienne. The city of Vienne is well known for its remains of several parts of early Roman civilization, including a theatre, walls, and roads. Benjamin Clément, an archeologist that works in Switzerland and France, called the discovery "probably the most exceptional find from the Roman era in years." I chose this article because I am interested in history and the more we discover the more we know about the people and cultures of the past.
Yesterday, August 2nd, was the first time reporters were allowed to visit an excavation site near Sainte-Colombe in France. In April archeologists discovered the remains of a Roman neighborhood that was destroyed in the first millennium in preparation for the building of a housing complex. A team of 5 interns and 15 archeologists have been working on the site since April 3rd and will be working on it until the end of the year. The French Culture Ministry is calling it an "exceptional discovery." The neighborhood includes a metalwork shop, food stores, 2 houses, a school of philosophy, a temple, and a warehouse filled with wine. The neighborhood was ravaged by fire 2 times, once at the start of the 2nd century and once in the middle of the 3rd century. Ironically, the fire is what preserved the neighborhood and gave the archeologists the information they have today. Sainte-Colombe is a suburb across the Rhône River from the city of Vienne. The city of Vienne is well known for its remains of several parts of early Roman civilization, including a theatre, walls, and roads. Benjamin Clément, an archeologist that works in Switzerland and France, called the discovery "probably the most exceptional find from the Roman era in years." I chose this article because I am interested in history and the more we discover the more we know about the people and cultures of the past.
"What Happens When Reality Enters the ‘Reality’ of ‘The Bachelorette’?"
I am a loyal follower of ‘The Bachelorette,’ but I agree there is nothing real about the show. It would be easy for anyone to “fall in love” with a beautiful person while dating on helicopters or in Spain. What actually happens when the cameras are turned off? What did the producers cut from the show to make a story seem like a bigger deal? What is actually real other than the blood that shows up on guy’s eyelids? Besides, every “Next week on the Bachelorette” features two men that don’t actually fight but look like they did since blood is “everywhere.” Reality check, they were on a group date and got hurt.
The producers of ‘The Bachelorette’ show America a dramatic story. They don’t show their fans the love story actually pending behind the scenes. Single females dreaming of love and romance don’t see the love letters passed between the Bachelorette and a contestant. We don’t witness the real conversations between two potential partners. The point of reality shows, if anyone claims ‘The Bachelorette’ is still just that, is to entertain its viewers with scenes of real life, real love, and real emotion. ‘The Bachelorette’ is no longer a reality show. It’s now a show produced purely for money.
I am a loyal follower of ‘The Bachelorette,’ but I agree there is nothing real about the show. It would be easy for anyone to “fall in love” with a beautiful person while dating on helicopters or in Spain. What actually happens when the cameras are turned off? What did the producers cut from the show to make a story seem like a bigger deal? What is actually real other than the blood that shows up on guy’s eyelids? Besides, every “Next week on the Bachelorette” features two men that don’t actually fight but look like they did since blood is “everywhere.” Reality check, they were on a group date and got hurt.
The producers of ‘The Bachelorette’ show America a dramatic story. They don’t show their fans the love story actually pending behind the scenes. Single females dreaming of love and romance don’t see the love letters passed between the Bachelorette and a contestant. We don’t witness the real conversations between two potential partners. The point of reality shows, if anyone claims ‘The Bachelorette’ is still just that, is to entertain its viewers with scenes of real life, real love, and real emotion. ‘The Bachelorette’ is no longer a reality show. It’s now a show produced purely for money.
"Let’s Face It: North Korea’s Nukes Can Reach the U.S."
By Jeffrey Lewis
The threat of North Korea attacking the U.S. is becoming more and more realistic every year, and the question how the United Stated should deal with that situation is more relevant than ever.
As an Israeli, I know this scenario pretty well. In 1981, Israel bombed an Iraqi nuclear site after Iraq finished building their nuclear weapon. Now we are dealing with Iran who wants to build a nuclear missile to destroy us.
I think that the situation between the U.S. and North Korea is different. Iraq and Iran are not like North Korea. Iran and Iraq aren't closed countries, Iran is democratic, and North Korea has a leader that the citizens are brainwashed to warship like a god.
These changes between the countries are what can potentially lead to the solution. Because the North Koreans citizens might not like their country's laws, but they also can't publicly say that. If the U.S. would stimulate a revolt initiated by the citizens then we could completely change North Korea into a modern country. I read an article about the U.S. secretly giving North Koreans disk on keys with western culture's content on them like TV series, books, etc.
I think that by showing North Koreans how the outside world looks like we could make oppose and change their country's principles. That way we could save the U.S. from an unnecessary war and also give the North Koreans freedom and stop the dictatorship that they suffer from.
By Jeffrey Lewis
The threat of North Korea attacking the U.S. is becoming more and more realistic every year, and the question how the United Stated should deal with that situation is more relevant than ever.
As an Israeli, I know this scenario pretty well. In 1981, Israel bombed an Iraqi nuclear site after Iraq finished building their nuclear weapon. Now we are dealing with Iran who wants to build a nuclear missile to destroy us.
I think that the situation between the U.S. and North Korea is different. Iraq and Iran are not like North Korea. Iran and Iraq aren't closed countries, Iran is democratic, and North Korea has a leader that the citizens are brainwashed to warship like a god.
These changes between the countries are what can potentially lead to the solution. Because the North Koreans citizens might not like their country's laws, but they also can't publicly say that. If the U.S. would stimulate a revolt initiated by the citizens then we could completely change North Korea into a modern country. I read an article about the U.S. secretly giving North Koreans disk on keys with western culture's content on them like TV series, books, etc.
I think that by showing North Koreans how the outside world looks like we could make oppose and change their country's principles. That way we could save the U.S. from an unnecessary war and also give the North Koreans freedom and stop the dictatorship that they suffer from.
"Where Sand Dunes and Camels in Japan Evoke the Sahara"
This article interested me because I didn't even realize that there were sand dunes in Japan! On the coast of Japan is a sandy beach called Tottori. To me, it seems like a great place for vacation to get out of cramped Tokyo. The sand boarding must be great with 165 foot tall dunes. Just imagine playing king of the hill. But it does make you wonder how big the dunes are that the
public isn’t allowed into.
The downside is that the wind must get pretty intense due to the open
Landscape. If you look at the picture, all that sand could really sting. But on windless days it must be great place to visit.
It actually looks to me like Lake Michigan shores because of the way the dark green thick vegetation melds into the sandy landscape.
This article interested me because I didn't even realize that there were sand dunes in Japan! On the coast of Japan is a sandy beach called Tottori. To me, it seems like a great place for vacation to get out of cramped Tokyo. The sand boarding must be great with 165 foot tall dunes. Just imagine playing king of the hill. But it does make you wonder how big the dunes are that the
public isn’t allowed into.
The downside is that the wind must get pretty intense due to the open
Landscape. If you look at the picture, all that sand could really sting. But on windless days it must be great place to visit.
It actually looks to me like Lake Michigan shores because of the way the dark green thick vegetation melds into the sandy landscape.
The Glory of a Summer Sleep Response
Being a teenager, doctors, teachers, and my parents are always advising me to sleep, or at least rest, more often. The author, Michael McGirr, discusses the overlap of the importance of sleep in different cultures. Some cultures view sleep as the rest after hard-work while other cultures view sleep and the rest to get you ready for more work. The difference is subtle but still intriguing. While arguing the importance of sleep, the author claims that silence can be a substitute, and I disagree.
Monks live in quiet world, since many take the vow of silence. The author explains how when students try to live like monks for a couple of weeks, they are always surprised and cannot complete it. It must be very difficult to live in silence because I know that I would rather listen to music than sit in silence. McGirr argues, based on intel from a friend who was a prior monk and by looking into religious scriptures, that when you sit in silence you lose your ego and therefore can rest, without sleeping. Silence, supposedly, can replace sleep for those who have trouble sleeping. I have tried to sit in silence before and I find that instead of peace I only find a racing mind that will not let me rest. So, I may just need more practice and I certainly should try to spend more time relaxing. I picked this article because of the topic of sleep and although I learned from it, I still believe there can be no substitute for sleep.
Being a teenager, doctors, teachers, and my parents are always advising me to sleep, or at least rest, more often. The author, Michael McGirr, discusses the overlap of the importance of sleep in different cultures. Some cultures view sleep as the rest after hard-work while other cultures view sleep and the rest to get you ready for more work. The difference is subtle but still intriguing. While arguing the importance of sleep, the author claims that silence can be a substitute, and I disagree.
Monks live in quiet world, since many take the vow of silence. The author explains how when students try to live like monks for a couple of weeks, they are always surprised and cannot complete it. It must be very difficult to live in silence because I know that I would rather listen to music than sit in silence. McGirr argues, based on intel from a friend who was a prior monk and by looking into religious scriptures, that when you sit in silence you lose your ego and therefore can rest, without sleeping. Silence, supposedly, can replace sleep for those who have trouble sleeping. I have tried to sit in silence before and I find that instead of peace I only find a racing mind that will not let me rest. So, I may just need more practice and I certainly should try to spend more time relaxing. I picked this article because of the topic of sleep and although I learned from it, I still believe there can be no substitute for sleep.
"A White Director, the Police and Race in ‘Detroit’"
Imagining men in military grade uniforms marching down the streets of an American city is enough to send chills throughout by entire body. The events that took place in Detroit, Michigan in 1967 sparked an outrage that has lasted to this day. One of the most prevalent conflicts of our time is the struggle between African Americans and police officers. Despite it being the job of the justice system to protect people's rights, they have come short of doing just that all too often. Kathryn Bigelow’s new film, "Detroit," is reigniting the flame that had burned so bright and vigorously in 1967. The film examines police brutality against black Americans in a raw, graphic fashion. However, Bigelow, as a white woman from California, has been the center of one question since announcing the film: Is she really the right person for the job? I admire Bigelow's strength to fight for the equality of black Americans. It is the job of everyone to promote the safety of all Americans, not just the ones in the minority. The author of the article, John Eligon, has hand-on experience in this issue, and he did a fantastic job of recognizing the importance of "Detroit." This movie is more than just a recollection of the travesty that took place 50 years ago; it's a call for justice. My heart breaks for every soul lost on American soil: young or old, boy or girl, black or white. The moment to bring an end to police brutality in America is now.
Imagining men in military grade uniforms marching down the streets of an American city is enough to send chills throughout by entire body. The events that took place in Detroit, Michigan in 1967 sparked an outrage that has lasted to this day. One of the most prevalent conflicts of our time is the struggle between African Americans and police officers. Despite it being the job of the justice system to protect people's rights, they have come short of doing just that all too often. Kathryn Bigelow’s new film, "Detroit," is reigniting the flame that had burned so bright and vigorously in 1967. The film examines police brutality against black Americans in a raw, graphic fashion. However, Bigelow, as a white woman from California, has been the center of one question since announcing the film: Is she really the right person for the job? I admire Bigelow's strength to fight for the equality of black Americans. It is the job of everyone to promote the safety of all Americans, not just the ones in the minority. The author of the article, John Eligon, has hand-on experience in this issue, and he did a fantastic job of recognizing the importance of "Detroit." This movie is more than just a recollection of the travesty that took place 50 years ago; it's a call for justice. My heart breaks for every soul lost on American soil: young or old, boy or girl, black or white. The moment to bring an end to police brutality in America is now.
"Police Criticize Trump for Urging Officers Not to Be ‘Too Nice’ With Suspects"
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/29/nyregion/trump-police-too-nice.html
By Brian M. Rosenthal
Tensions are running high across the U.S. in many matters. One of the most touchy subjects is police brutality. Many think (some of) the police are racist and are out to get them. With tensions high between law enforcement and civilians it is crucial that we don't backtrack. On July 28, President Trump made a speech suggesting that police do not have to be "too nice" when dealing with criminals (mainly a gang in Long Island). Of course this caused major controversy which is understandable. The president should have been more careful. Optimists think he meant it as a joke, but with times like these, one cannot joke about such a serious matter. Now people worry that the police will be more brutal than they already are. After all, the president gave them the OK to be.
I find it interseting how people can have such different views. I try to think of the police as good people doing a tough job for the ungrateful. However, my coworker isn't that optimistic. He says that they are out to get him and hate him because he's black. In times like these, it is crucial that we keep an open mind and try to see things from differnt views, even the police's.
This article really interested me because I believe the president should try to help bridge the gap between police and civilians but he isn't doing it which. Sad.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/29/nyregion/trump-police-too-nice.html
By Brian M. Rosenthal
Tensions are running high across the U.S. in many matters. One of the most touchy subjects is police brutality. Many think (some of) the police are racist and are out to get them. With tensions high between law enforcement and civilians it is crucial that we don't backtrack. On July 28, President Trump made a speech suggesting that police do not have to be "too nice" when dealing with criminals (mainly a gang in Long Island). Of course this caused major controversy which is understandable. The president should have been more careful. Optimists think he meant it as a joke, but with times like these, one cannot joke about such a serious matter. Now people worry that the police will be more brutal than they already are. After all, the president gave them the OK to be.
I find it interseting how people can have such different views. I try to think of the police as good people doing a tough job for the ungrateful. However, my coworker isn't that optimistic. He says that they are out to get him and hate him because he's black. In times like these, it is crucial that we keep an open mind and try to see things from differnt views, even the police's.
This article really interested me because I believe the president should try to help bridge the gap between police and civilians but he isn't doing it which. Sad.
"Scientists Give a Chrysanthemum the Blues" by Joanna Klein
Recently, botanists have artificially created the first blue chrysanthemum. Previously, blue chrysanthemums did not exist in nature. However, due to the work of Japanese scientists, red chrysanthemums have been altered to become blue through unusual methods. Whereas past attempts to create blue flowers have mostly dealt with genetic engineering, these Japanese scientists have discovered a way to hangs the pH of the pigment within the flower itself, directly causing the pigments to become blue.
While this groundbreaking discovery marks an amazing achievement in the world of science, I believe that this process should not be carried out on a large scale basis. Introducing a completely different color flower into our ecosystems can potentially have dire effects for the fauna living there. This process should only be used as a novelty. For the well being of our ecosystems, this new color-changing method should remain within laboratories.
Recently, botanists have artificially created the first blue chrysanthemum. Previously, blue chrysanthemums did not exist in nature. However, due to the work of Japanese scientists, red chrysanthemums have been altered to become blue through unusual methods. Whereas past attempts to create blue flowers have mostly dealt with genetic engineering, these Japanese scientists have discovered a way to hangs the pH of the pigment within the flower itself, directly causing the pigments to become blue.
While this groundbreaking discovery marks an amazing achievement in the world of science, I believe that this process should not be carried out on a large scale basis. Introducing a completely different color flower into our ecosystems can potentially have dire effects for the fauna living there. This process should only be used as a novelty. For the well being of our ecosystems, this new color-changing method should remain within laboratories.
As a teenager, I can definitely see the effects caused by the love of cell phones. Everywhere I go, kids, teens, and even adults can be seen with their noses towards the screens. In The NY Times this week I read the article, “The Phones We Love Too Much”, which gave me an insight into the effects that being addicted to your cell phone has on your human relationships. It talked about the intimate relationship the world seems to have nowadays with cell phones, which includes sleeping with them, eating with them, and carrying them everywhere we go. Personally, I think it's becoming a big problem, especially with the teens these days. Phones take away the special communication among human beings, and turn it into an non-meaningful exchange of online conversation. I wish the times were different sometimes, where people are not constantly on their phones and we can actually uphold face-to-face conversations. However, in the article it says that people are actually starting to realize, including me, that cell phones are actually a burden to them. It entertains, but also distracts us from what is really important in life: human connection. In the article, it says a poll was conducted and 70% of women felt cell phone use dampened their relationships and they were ready to make a change. So I think in order to become more personable people, we need to put away the phone and focus on the meaningful interactions.
I chose this article because it interested me the most. I am an avid football fan and love to watch my Eagles play every Sunday, but this article brought to light a much bigger issue. Football is one of the most popular sports in the entertainment industry but every day the players are risking their lives and sanity to put on a show for the fans and the backlash is clearly evident. The NFL is not doing enough to help protect the players of the game we all love. Football is a great game but unless big changes are made, it might be time to consider stopping it. The lives of these people, not actors, real people are too important to throw away for money and entertainment. I love football as much as the next person but unless some serious changes are made I don't know how we as humans can continue to let this monstrosity continue any longer. NFL players are people too, and nobody deserves to have their life ruined over a game.
What is the price of sport? In most cases it might be time and effort, maybe a little bit of soreness. But once I began playing football 4 years ago, the price may have gone up. The results of Dr. Ann McKee’s research, detailed in 111 NFL Brains. All but One had CTE, concerns me, not for the health of others and those already affected, but for my health and how it will affect me. Already having played five seasons of football, and facing three more in high school it makes me wonder, is this worth it? Will the glory and attention the sport gets me in high school make up for the possibility of dementia and memory loss at an early age? Does the slim chance that I get a college scholarship outweigh the risks I am taking by playing the sport? Can I put a price on the value of my brain to me? Is my brain’s health worth the prospective $200k of student loan debt I might face in 7 years? I honestly don’t want to make this decision; I love the sport too much, the data is too incomplete, and I, like all people, have this feeling that something bad won’t happen to me. These are the decisions that are almost never made by the individual, and I can see it affecting people around me. I live in a classically football centric town, and as of late, the youth football program has been struggling to find prospective players.They say a bird in hand is better than two in the bush, but what if I have the game I love in my hand and the rest of my life is waiting in the bush for me to reach it?
"A College Admits a Big Mistake. Imagine That"
No one is perfect; even the most proclaimed perfect individual has to make a mistake every now and then. Those mistakes can range from tiny forgettable mistakes to life-changing major mistakes. A lot can be told about a person based on how they deal with their mistakes, however. Such is the case with University of California, Irvine.
The average percentage of accepted people choosing said college fluctuates every year, but in this year the percentage of those who opted to go to Irvine skyrocketed. What occurred was that it had to cut ~500 people in order to provide for the rest. That’s 500 lives scarred permanently, and potentially more (their families, friends, .etc). Their excuse was that the transcripts were sent in late or incomplete, which should have caused a ‘not admitted’ sign in the first place if such were to be invoked. But they pulled it out when they needed to. Basically, they invoked a clause to say they were not admitted - after telling they were admitted months ago!
That is, if Irvine decided to double down. In this case scenario, Irvine has shown their capabilities by readmitting 300 and potentially the remaining 200, and saying their apologies. Saying apologies in the grown world is a surprisingly rare aspect as people tend to presume or are deluded into thinking they’re correct. Hopefully such screw-ups of this scale don’t occur in the future, and if they do, at least hopefully some compensation is given.
No one is perfect; even the most proclaimed perfect individual has to make a mistake every now and then. Those mistakes can range from tiny forgettable mistakes to life-changing major mistakes. A lot can be told about a person based on how they deal with their mistakes, however. Such is the case with University of California, Irvine.
The average percentage of accepted people choosing said college fluctuates every year, but in this year the percentage of those who opted to go to Irvine skyrocketed. What occurred was that it had to cut ~500 people in order to provide for the rest. That’s 500 lives scarred permanently, and potentially more (their families, friends, .etc). Their excuse was that the transcripts were sent in late or incomplete, which should have caused a ‘not admitted’ sign in the first place if such were to be invoked. But they pulled it out when they needed to. Basically, they invoked a clause to say they were not admitted - after telling they were admitted months ago!
That is, if Irvine decided to double down. In this case scenario, Irvine has shown their capabilities by readmitting 300 and potentially the remaining 200, and saying their apologies. Saying apologies in the grown world is a surprisingly rare aspect as people tend to presume or are deluded into thinking they’re correct. Hopefully such screw-ups of this scale don’t occur in the future, and if they do, at least hopefully some compensation is given.
https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2017/07/23/sports/soccer/23reuters-socce...
I was really shocked when looking at the heading. I am a Manchester United fan, and United fans are supposed to be happy about this victory. However, I am not so really excited about this. I became a fan of Manchester United about ten years ago when Sir Alex Ferguson was still in charge. No big transfer, no big star, just young players (Ronaldo was still young then) and Sir Alex was still able to dominate other teams, and won many trophies. A few years ago, Van Gaal became the head coach, MU had won a few friendly matches and even had a small cup during summer break. However, during the whole season after the break, MU showed a poor performance and I remember they only got the 6th place that season. That is already when Van Gaal had such Mata, Martial, and Angel Di Maria. Everything is likely the same this summer when Man United defeats Real Madrid in International Champions Cup, and I hope that this is not a bad sign about the 2017-2018 season ahead, especially when UEFA Super Cup is near.
I was really shocked when looking at the heading. I am a Manchester United fan, and United fans are supposed to be happy about this victory. However, I am not so really excited about this. I became a fan of Manchester United about ten years ago when Sir Alex Ferguson was still in charge. No big transfer, no big star, just young players (Ronaldo was still young then) and Sir Alex was still able to dominate other teams, and won many trophies. A few years ago, Van Gaal became the head coach, MU had won a few friendly matches and even had a small cup during summer break. However, during the whole season after the break, MU showed a poor performance and I remember they only got the 6th place that season. That is already when Van Gaal had such Mata, Martial, and Angel Di Maria. Everything is likely the same this summer when Man United defeats Real Madrid in International Champions Cup, and I hope that this is not a bad sign about the 2017-2018 season ahead, especially when UEFA Super Cup is near.
Schools often charge things before looking at how students are doing financially .Not all students have the money for all these school things.programs,trip,supplies,uniform,tutors,and etc may come in when involving school and some students just don't have the money for that.School reforms would be the best thing to do which should be get donations for charity,programs,fundraisers,and etc so that students don’t have to worry about the cost.
In reference to “Poor Schools Need To Encompassing More Than Instruction To Succeed” by Prudence L.Carter, the author states “These struggling with property and family instability cannot be expected to succeed at the same rate,and average,as these who will never know hunger and have little to expose to unemployment ”. This implies that families with a lower income should be able to have more opportunities to succeed because they have less money.success does not come cheaply so having these school reforms can make a difference for the people that need it. Students should not be worried about getting something paid the only thing they should be worried about is getting their work done and being successful with it. The school work is what you make out of it, if trying as hard as you can is what you need to do,do it.
In reference to “Poor Schools Need To Encompassing More Than Instruction To Succeed” by Prudence L.Carter, the author states “These struggling with property and family instability cannot be expected to succeed at the same rate,and average,as these who will never know hunger and have little to expose to unemployment ”. This implies that families with a lower income should be able to have more opportunities to succeed because they have less money.success does not come cheaply so having these school reforms can make a difference for the people that need it. Students should not be worried about getting something paid the only thing they should be worried about is getting their work done and being successful with it. The school work is what you make out of it, if trying as hard as you can is what you need to do,do it.
“The Dutch Have Solutions to Rising Seas. The World Is Watching.” by Michael Kimmelman
Not only are the Dutch trying to avoid any disasters caused by rising seas and global warming, but they are trying to use it to their advantage. A great portion of the Netherlands is under sea level, putting them at great risk when sea levels rise so finding a way to avoid that is essential. In this fascinating article, Michael Kimmelman explains how ahead of the curve the Dutch are in attempting to save themselves from flooding. While other nations are trying to build up barriers and stop the water from coming in, the Dutch are using it to their advantage. They suggest that large empty spaces such as parks and reclaimed fields can double as emergency reservoirs in times of flooding. An example of one of these reservoirs is one of their rowing courses that held the World Rowing Championships just last year, this rowing course was not manmade in fact it was only an emergency floodwater reservoir. Kimmelman makes it clear in his article that the world is not hopeless when it coming to global warming; there are ways for us to avoid catastrophe, we all just need to look to the Netherlands. From parks that double as emergency reservoirs to floodgates and more, the Dutch are prepared to get through rising sea levels without losing any lives.
Not only are the Dutch trying to avoid any disasters caused by rising seas and global warming, but they are trying to use it to their advantage. A great portion of the Netherlands is under sea level, putting them at great risk when sea levels rise so finding a way to avoid that is essential. In this fascinating article, Michael Kimmelman explains how ahead of the curve the Dutch are in attempting to save themselves from flooding. While other nations are trying to build up barriers and stop the water from coming in, the Dutch are using it to their advantage. They suggest that large empty spaces such as parks and reclaimed fields can double as emergency reservoirs in times of flooding. An example of one of these reservoirs is one of their rowing courses that held the World Rowing Championships just last year, this rowing course was not manmade in fact it was only an emergency floodwater reservoir. Kimmelman makes it clear in his article that the world is not hopeless when it coming to global warming; there are ways for us to avoid catastrophe, we all just need to look to the Netherlands. From parks that double as emergency reservoirs to floodgates and more, the Dutch are prepared to get through rising sea levels without losing any lives.
"Why Women Aren't CEOs, According to Women Who Almost Were" by Susan Chira
Two aunts. Both powerful. One the CIO of NYU. The other the CEO of Cambridge-Lee. What have they taught me? Never give up, stay determined, and ALWAYS work hard. When working in the business world, I must always be the best me I can; and then some.
Struggling to work their way up the corporate ladder is the norm for my aunts. The same goes for most women in any field. The article “Why Women Aren’t CEOs According To Women Who Almost Were” speaks the blunt truth that hides inside the brains of men. Each woman tells about the competition they face with men. It’s a long and brutal fight for the top. The normal turnout ends with one of the numerous men winning the number one position.
Women struggling for top positions are often seen as being aggressive. On the contrary, men who shove their way to the top receive praise for being strong and worthy. The article shows countless senior executives think women aren’t given the chance to make it to the top because of the bias against women. Furthermore, one woman discussed how she doubled company’s share price. However, the men who were setting themselves up as successor had missed their numbers multiple times. The article perfectly illustrates the importance of giving women top jobs because they have the same, if not more, success than men.
Two aunts. Both powerful. One the CIO of NYU. The other the CEO of Cambridge-Lee. What have they taught me? Never give up, stay determined, and ALWAYS work hard. When working in the business world, I must always be the best me I can; and then some.
Struggling to work their way up the corporate ladder is the norm for my aunts. The same goes for most women in any field. The article “Why Women Aren’t CEOs According To Women Who Almost Were” speaks the blunt truth that hides inside the brains of men. Each woman tells about the competition they face with men. It’s a long and brutal fight for the top. The normal turnout ends with one of the numerous men winning the number one position.
Women struggling for top positions are often seen as being aggressive. On the contrary, men who shove their way to the top receive praise for being strong and worthy. The article shows countless senior executives think women aren’t given the chance to make it to the top because of the bias against women. Furthermore, one woman discussed how she doubled company’s share price. However, the men who were setting themselves up as successor had missed their numbers multiple times. The article perfectly illustrates the importance of giving women top jobs because they have the same, if not more, success than men.
A Bilingual Cameroon Teeters After English Speakers Protest Treatment
Author:Francois Essomba and Dionne Searcey
Lawyers have long put up with laws that aren’t translated into their native English. They have endured French-speaking judges whose English is barely passable and who aren’t familiar with their judicial system. In my opinion,this is outrageous because if laws aren’t translated to english how can people fight for the freedom of their client if they can’t even understand what is being told to them. For Instance, the article states “Last fall, after another new law, regarding business transactions, was not translated, the lawyers here in Bamenda, a bustling city in Cameroon’s northwest, decided they’d had enough”. I agree with how the lawyers reacted to this because they can’t do their job because the laws and other things aren’t translated to english.
Also, the article explains that “The demonstrations grew, as teachers vented their frustration that the government in Yaoundé, dominated by the French-speaking majority sent teachers with shoddy english skills to schools in their area. Hundreds of citizens joined in, carrying banners and chanting against what they said were longtime injustices against their region. I believe that countries should do something about this issue before it gets worse and something bad ends up happening. This problem can end in something bad if they don’t do something about this fast because it’s true this can lead to a bilingual problem.
Author:Francois Essomba and Dionne Searcey
Lawyers have long put up with laws that aren’t translated into their native English. They have endured French-speaking judges whose English is barely passable and who aren’t familiar with their judicial system. In my opinion,this is outrageous because if laws aren’t translated to english how can people fight for the freedom of their client if they can’t even understand what is being told to them. For Instance, the article states “Last fall, after another new law, regarding business transactions, was not translated, the lawyers here in Bamenda, a bustling city in Cameroon’s northwest, decided they’d had enough”. I agree with how the lawyers reacted to this because they can’t do their job because the laws and other things aren’t translated to english.
Also, the article explains that “The demonstrations grew, as teachers vented their frustration that the government in Yaoundé, dominated by the French-speaking majority sent teachers with shoddy english skills to schools in their area. Hundreds of citizens joined in, carrying banners and chanting against what they said were longtime injustices against their region. I believe that countries should do something about this issue before it gets worse and something bad ends up happening. This problem can end in something bad if they don’t do something about this fast because it’s true this can lead to a bilingual problem.
Out of all the all the articles I read this week, I found an article called "Let’s Face It: North Korea’s Nukes Can Reach the U.S." by Jeffrey Lewis most interesting.
What really interested me about this article is about how there is such a parallel between the USA's reaction with China building nuclear warheads in the past and the USA's same reaction with North Korea building warheads now. The reaction despite years apart is still the same; They can't do anything. But they did these countries eventually succeeded in creating nuclear weapons. It's at times of such uncertainty for the future that makes me scared if things will end out positively or negatively. I feel like we are so connected in the modern world yet there is still so much difference between all of us. The article also mentioned the wishful thinking of Americans by telling themselves stories about how North Korea could be stopped yet no action was taken. What if we had the power to truly change the world for the better yet no one took action? What if the end of the human race isn't because of an all out war or disease or famine but instead inaction of people?
What really interested me about this article is about how there is such a parallel between the USA's reaction with China building nuclear warheads in the past and the USA's same reaction with North Korea building warheads now. The reaction despite years apart is still the same; They can't do anything. But they did these countries eventually succeeded in creating nuclear weapons. It's at times of such uncertainty for the future that makes me scared if things will end out positively or negatively. I feel like we are so connected in the modern world yet there is still so much difference between all of us. The article also mentioned the wishful thinking of Americans by telling themselves stories about how North Korea could be stopped yet no action was taken. What if we had the power to truly change the world for the better yet no one took action? What if the end of the human race isn't because of an all out war or disease or famine but instead inaction of people?
I Don’t Want to Watch Slavery Fan Fiction
By Roxane Gay
I was interested in this article because slavery fan fiction is a growing “trend” that is sweeping the nation. Many people enjoy the thrill that watching slavery fan fiction brings without having to directly defile anyone, but what many don’t see is that it can reopen wounds and push us away from being a more progressive society. I can connect with Ms. Gay in the wariness I have of giving free creative reign over the concept of slavery. Slavery is a serious topic that can not be taken lightly in the media. Yes it is a part of American history but what can be seen as creative genius can also be seen as offensive. In reading this article I contemplated how shows such as Confederate may undermine the effects of slavery. I can’t lie and say these kinds of shows do not intrigue me when browsing T.V. channels but I am now realizing that they can cause people to dwell in a time that many of us wish to move from. When I talk about slavery I don’t want people to immediately relate it to a show, I feel that we are numbing the hearts of the American people, allowing them to become insensitive to the topic by letting it be continuously recreated and poorly represented in the media. These slavery fan fictions do not serve primarily to educate people on the horrible institution that was slavery but to entertain. My history should not be seen as entertainment, especially not by people who barely recognize slavery for what it was.
By Roxane Gay
I was interested in this article because slavery fan fiction is a growing “trend” that is sweeping the nation. Many people enjoy the thrill that watching slavery fan fiction brings without having to directly defile anyone, but what many don’t see is that it can reopen wounds and push us away from being a more progressive society. I can connect with Ms. Gay in the wariness I have of giving free creative reign over the concept of slavery. Slavery is a serious topic that can not be taken lightly in the media. Yes it is a part of American history but what can be seen as creative genius can also be seen as offensive. In reading this article I contemplated how shows such as Confederate may undermine the effects of slavery. I can’t lie and say these kinds of shows do not intrigue me when browsing T.V. channels but I am now realizing that they can cause people to dwell in a time that many of us wish to move from. When I talk about slavery I don’t want people to immediately relate it to a show, I feel that we are numbing the hearts of the American people, allowing them to become insensitive to the topic by letting it be continuously recreated and poorly represented in the media. These slavery fan fictions do not serve primarily to educate people on the horrible institution that was slavery but to entertain. My history should not be seen as entertainment, especially not by people who barely recognize slavery for what it was.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/02/us/first-encounters-with-racism.html?...®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=4&pgtype=sectionfront
I’m glad I could read these stories from people who have dealt with racism first hand. These stories changed my perspective on what it's like to be an immigrant or a person who deals with racism. I am grateful for the life that I have where I don’t have to deal with racism towards myself, but I would like to change the fact that people do have to deal with racism. I think it’s easy to just blame the people who make the derogatory comments and slurs towards others but there are other factors that I think create a racist America. For example the media doesn't display enough diversity which I think can cause people to not understand that it isn't okay that not everyone is represented and has a chance to look up to someone. There is definitely a racial divide between races in america and I want to change that. I think going to MVCDS is a great start to understanding everyone from different religions and races.
I’m glad I could read these stories from people who have dealt with racism first hand. These stories changed my perspective on what it's like to be an immigrant or a person who deals with racism. I am grateful for the life that I have where I don’t have to deal with racism towards myself, but I would like to change the fact that people do have to deal with racism. I think it’s easy to just blame the people who make the derogatory comments and slurs towards others but there are other factors that I think create a racist America. For example the media doesn't display enough diversity which I think can cause people to not understand that it isn't okay that not everyone is represented and has a chance to look up to someone. There is definitely a racial divide between races in america and I want to change that. I think going to MVCDS is a great start to understanding everyone from different religions and races.
"A Whaling Way of Life Under Threat" by Jon Emont
This article interested me the most in the times this week for a few reasons. People don't understand the rules but pretend like they do, which can be quite frustrating for the government. The villagers are told that they can catch fish like whales and dolphins for their own convenience, not for commercial uses. Actually, they should ban them from catching these kind of species because there aren't many left in the world. Instead, I like the idea that was stated in the article. They could help preserve them and soon it could be a tourist spot. That's another way of earning money without harming these precious species. There are plenty of other smaller fish that can be eaten since there are many of those kind but I don't think its right to harm whales, dolphins and species similar to those.
Aloisius Gnneser Tapoona,who has been hunting for four decades, said that the sea is their mother and restricting them from the access to the sea is like killing their mother. Mr. Tapoona also states how parts of their bodies are from a whale. I hope they soon realise that despite the fact that humans and whales share common ancestry, it makes no sense that they have to kill whales and dolphins all the time.I hope that the government will take some kind of action and help preserve the marine life that could soon be in danger if these kinds of activities continue to take place on the island. Marine life is precious, it should be preserved.
This article interested me the most in the times this week for a few reasons. People don't understand the rules but pretend like they do, which can be quite frustrating for the government. The villagers are told that they can catch fish like whales and dolphins for their own convenience, not for commercial uses. Actually, they should ban them from catching these kind of species because there aren't many left in the world. Instead, I like the idea that was stated in the article. They could help preserve them and soon it could be a tourist spot. That's another way of earning money without harming these precious species. There are plenty of other smaller fish that can be eaten since there are many of those kind but I don't think its right to harm whales, dolphins and species similar to those.
Aloisius Gnneser Tapoona,who has been hunting for four decades, said that the sea is their mother and restricting them from the access to the sea is like killing their mother. Mr. Tapoona also states how parts of their bodies are from a whale. I hope they soon realise that despite the fact that humans and whales share common ancestry, it makes no sense that they have to kill whales and dolphins all the time.I hope that the government will take some kind of action and help preserve the marine life that could soon be in danger if these kinds of activities continue to take place on the island. Marine life is precious, it should be preserved.
Why You Should Burn Your Vegetables
I wish to go into the culinary business and I think that if it makes food taste good, you should go the extra step; However vegetables are a tricky thing because they are packed with essential nutrients that are destroyed during the cooking process, especially when burned. Because of this, when cooking vegetables you need to decide what is more important, nutrients or taste. When cooking in a restaurant I can see how this would be a very important skill because you go to a restaurant for taste. But home cooking requires a different set of skills to keep yourself and your family healthy. Burning vegetables would be a double edged sword and it would be up to the situation as to wther you burn them or not.
I wish to go into the culinary business and I think that if it makes food taste good, you should go the extra step; However vegetables are a tricky thing because they are packed with essential nutrients that are destroyed during the cooking process, especially when burned. Because of this, when cooking vegetables you need to decide what is more important, nutrients or taste. When cooking in a restaurant I can see how this would be a very important skill because you go to a restaurant for taste. But home cooking requires a different set of skills to keep yourself and your family healthy. Burning vegetables would be a double edged sword and it would be up to the situation as to wther you burn them or not.
“Let Black Kids Just Be Kids” by Robin Bernstein
People are always emphasizing how we are going to get rid of racism existing in the world. However, there’s no huge changes and as the Robin Bernstein mentioned in his opinion piece, some people are treating black and white people, who are same age, differently. They are saying black people look older than their real age and they are less innocent than white people. I believe that is not true. That’s the wrong idea that they have about black people. People are threatening black people more than anyone else just because of their skin color. They are same as other people that it’s not right to treat young black people harsher than white people. Maybe other’s treatment toward them made them to become less innocent and to act more mature than their real age.
To me, I don’t see any actions people are taking to lessen the racism or people’s wrong ideas about black people. Before they say they are trying, I think people should at least show what they are doing and get rid off the wrong information around them so less people can get access to those information. Personally, I hope more people to recognize the misbehaviors that people are taking and to stop people from using their race as advantage to look under black people.
People are always emphasizing how we are going to get rid of racism existing in the world. However, there’s no huge changes and as the Robin Bernstein mentioned in his opinion piece, some people are treating black and white people, who are same age, differently. They are saying black people look older than their real age and they are less innocent than white people. I believe that is not true. That’s the wrong idea that they have about black people. People are threatening black people more than anyone else just because of their skin color. They are same as other people that it’s not right to treat young black people harsher than white people. Maybe other’s treatment toward them made them to become less innocent and to act more mature than their real age.
To me, I don’t see any actions people are taking to lessen the racism or people’s wrong ideas about black people. Before they say they are trying, I think people should at least show what they are doing and get rid off the wrong information around them so less people can get access to those information. Personally, I hope more people to recognize the misbehaviors that people are taking and to stop people from using their race as advantage to look under black people.
Many of us can’t seem to find enough time to do the things we want. Carl Richards explores a way to solve this problem in his article, “Where Does the Time Go? You Can Find Out, if You Dare.”
Richards undertook an experiment to find out just how much time he spent being productive each day, and was surprised by the results. He was then able to find better ways to make use of the time he hadn’t realized he was wasting. In the article, he encourages others to do the same. After all, the problem of finding time is very relevant to many people these days.
A big part of losing precious time is using social media much more often than we should. Smartphones are relatively new and phone addiction is common these days. A lot of time is lost on applications such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, etc. Reading this article has made me aware of the time that I don’t need to spend playing games or checking social media.
Think of how much more we can get done when we really become aware of the time. I think a lot of people need to read this article and find out for themselves just how much of their time could be spent on better things. The digital age is upon us, and we need to know to make sure it doesn’t control of aspect of our lives.
Richards undertook an experiment to find out just how much time he spent being productive each day, and was surprised by the results. He was then able to find better ways to make use of the time he hadn’t realized he was wasting. In the article, he encourages others to do the same. After all, the problem of finding time is very relevant to many people these days.
A big part of losing precious time is using social media much more often than we should. Smartphones are relatively new and phone addiction is common these days. A lot of time is lost on applications such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, etc. Reading this article has made me aware of the time that I don’t need to spend playing games or checking social media.
Think of how much more we can get done when we really become aware of the time. I think a lot of people need to read this article and find out for themselves just how much of their time could be spent on better things. The digital age is upon us, and we need to know to make sure it doesn’t control of aspect of our lives.
In the article entitled, “Free Lunch at the Library”, by Catherine Saint Louis, the depicted idea is that during the summertime children have lost the advantage of food regularly. In many different school districts, hot meals are provided for children whose family do not have enough money to provide fulfilling and nutritious meals. Mrs. Elswick said. “No one asks questions and our kids are fed.” The idea of a food bank is very stigmatized, and can almost be embarrassing for the people attending on a daily basis. The stigmatized idea of people who can not support themselves is that they do not live up to the expectations that society demands. This library that provides food during the summer deeply intrigued me due to the fact that they allowed for children to join ,and it lowered the grief and embarrassment of parents who could not support their children. This library was a great way to keep children fed in the summer, and also allowed for a great education during this time. The children got to read and or borrow books while they're eating their healthy meals. This also goes to show that people truly do care about the wellbeing of others, and are concerned for their mental and physical health.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/30/well/family/free-lunch-at-the-library...
Article: "Free Lunch at the Library"
Author: Catherine Saint Louis
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/30/well/family/free-lunch-at-the-library...
Article: "Free Lunch at the Library"
Author: Catherine Saint Louis
"In Breakthrough, Scientists Edit a Dangerous Mutation From Genes in Human Embryos"
By Pam Belluck
A recent study tested various gene-editing methods on the embryos of children who carried a harmful mutation, and completely eradicated the mutation in almost 70% of the embryos. The scientists conducting the study used two methods to edit out a harmful mutation that causes hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a disease that can cause heart failure, especially in young athletes. The disease is caused by a mutation in a gene known as MYBPC3, and an affected parent has a 50% chance of passing it on to their child. The first method involved injecting an embryo in which the sperm had the harmful mutation with CRISPR, a "genetic scissors". CRISPR cut the harmful mutation out, but instead of the sperm copying a template DNA sequence introduced by the scientists, it copied the healthy DNA of the egg cell, which was a new phenomenon. This method saw 2/3 of embryos be completely mutation free, and others with the mutation in only some cells. The second method saw the cell be injected with CRISPR and the sperm at the same time. This method resulted in 72% of all embryos being disease free, however, the remaining embryos had unwanted DNA additions or deletions. These gene-editing methods are still under development and they allow us to speculate whether babies will not be affected by genetic disorders anymore due to gene-editing techniques.
By Pam Belluck
A recent study tested various gene-editing methods on the embryos of children who carried a harmful mutation, and completely eradicated the mutation in almost 70% of the embryos. The scientists conducting the study used two methods to edit out a harmful mutation that causes hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a disease that can cause heart failure, especially in young athletes. The disease is caused by a mutation in a gene known as MYBPC3, and an affected parent has a 50% chance of passing it on to their child. The first method involved injecting an embryo in which the sperm had the harmful mutation with CRISPR, a "genetic scissors". CRISPR cut the harmful mutation out, but instead of the sperm copying a template DNA sequence introduced by the scientists, it copied the healthy DNA of the egg cell, which was a new phenomenon. This method saw 2/3 of embryos be completely mutation free, and others with the mutation in only some cells. The second method saw the cell be injected with CRISPR and the sperm at the same time. This method resulted in 72% of all embryos being disease free, however, the remaining embryos had unwanted DNA additions or deletions. These gene-editing methods are still under development and they allow us to speculate whether babies will not be affected by genetic disorders anymore due to gene-editing techniques.
“The Best Running Stride? The One That Comes Naturally”
By Gretchen Reynolds
Due to the upcoming soccer season, during the summer I have been running several times during the week. Running is obviously a crucial factor involved in my favorite sport and I need to practice it regularly so I can run with ease in a game. Multiple times while running during practice with my teammates, I have realized that the way I run is different than theirs and some teammates have even pointed out that I run weird or that I take really small strides as I run. So, does my form and running stride need to be changed? As I questioned myself this, I realized that I am a pretty good runner, so is there any point in changing the way I run, and if I do, will it strengthen my running abilities?
While looking around the New York Times website for an article to read this week, I discovered the article, “The Best Running Stride? The One That Comes Naturally” by Gretchen Reynolds. Out of all of the articles I have seen this week, this one interested me the most because it could help answer my questions. This article informed me of a study done on runners that proved that the way of running that comes naturally to you is the best to stick with. This helpful piece helped me understand that attempting to alter the way I run could make my experience more difficult and slow me down. With these facts in mind, I will now be able to run how I have been without having to wonder if I should change how I do so.
By Gretchen Reynolds
Due to the upcoming soccer season, during the summer I have been running several times during the week. Running is obviously a crucial factor involved in my favorite sport and I need to practice it regularly so I can run with ease in a game. Multiple times while running during practice with my teammates, I have realized that the way I run is different than theirs and some teammates have even pointed out that I run weird or that I take really small strides as I run. So, does my form and running stride need to be changed? As I questioned myself this, I realized that I am a pretty good runner, so is there any point in changing the way I run, and if I do, will it strengthen my running abilities?
While looking around the New York Times website for an article to read this week, I discovered the article, “The Best Running Stride? The One That Comes Naturally” by Gretchen Reynolds. Out of all of the articles I have seen this week, this one interested me the most because it could help answer my questions. This article informed me of a study done on runners that proved that the way of running that comes naturally to you is the best to stick with. This helpful piece helped me understand that attempting to alter the way I run could make my experience more difficult and slow me down. With these facts in mind, I will now be able to run how I have been without having to wonder if I should change how I do so.
"Hope and Frustration in Australia as Gay Marriage Debate Nears", by Tacey Rychter.
The fight for equal marriage rights for non-heterosexual couples is truly important, and with many countries legalizing or even just starting to consider legalizing gay marriage, many people are beginning to fill with hope. The feeling that our world is changing to suit the modern way of thinking puts people's minds at ease. But is it really?
Being part of the LGBTPQA+ community, I cannot help but have a problem with the way this fight is labeled "the Fight for Gay Marriage". Making this a fight for "gay marriage" – meaning a couple that insists of two woman or two men – is problematic since it is ignoring other groups of people who need the term "One Man, One Woman" gone from the definition of marriage.
Saying that only these two genders have the right to marry hurts the Trans and Genderqueer community (who do not identify as men nor woman) as well. They are forced to choose between not getting married and being defined at their wedding by the gender they were assigned at birth instead of the one they truly are – which, to many people who spent their lives proving themselves to society, would be like admitting defeat.
Growing up in our modern society I was raised to believe anyone can do anything regardless of gender. Therefore, I ask of our society not to just expand the group of people allowed to marry but to make marriage for everyone, regardless of gender and sexuality.
The fight for equal marriage rights for non-heterosexual couples is truly important, and with many countries legalizing or even just starting to consider legalizing gay marriage, many people are beginning to fill with hope. The feeling that our world is changing to suit the modern way of thinking puts people's minds at ease. But is it really?
Being part of the LGBTPQA+ community, I cannot help but have a problem with the way this fight is labeled "the Fight for Gay Marriage". Making this a fight for "gay marriage" – meaning a couple that insists of two woman or two men – is problematic since it is ignoring other groups of people who need the term "One Man, One Woman" gone from the definition of marriage.
Saying that only these two genders have the right to marry hurts the Trans and Genderqueer community (who do not identify as men nor woman) as well. They are forced to choose between not getting married and being defined at their wedding by the gender they were assigned at birth instead of the one they truly are – which, to many people who spent their lives proving themselves to society, would be like admitting defeat.
Growing up in our modern society I was raised to believe anyone can do anything regardless of gender. Therefore, I ask of our society not to just expand the group of people allowed to marry but to make marriage for everyone, regardless of gender and sexuality.
"The Pilot in the Cockpit? In Japan, He Might Be a Retiree"
Retirement is exhilarating to most Americans. People work their entire lives prioritizing the provisions of others, all the while evaluating and planning their golden years. It is the premise of the American dream, despite gradually becoming less of a reality. Regardless of its necessity, working past retirement has wrongfully become trendy, not just in America, but in Japan as well.
Numerous dispositions toward the elderly exist across the globe. Aging is not inevitably accompanied by senility, disabilities, and dependence. Every wrinkle tells a story of a different enjoyable, yet sometimes strenuous, journey. It would be erroneous to assume that all older people live pitiless lives, especially after briefly working at a nursing home. In any case, older people deserve respect, undeterred by health or age, followed by a responsibility to protect.
The elderly believe that they are invincible, possessing a mind too young for their aging bodies, burdening themselves with work cut out for younger people. Sometimes older people fail to understand that, figuratively speaking, a relay cannot be won without passing the baton.
Shigekazu Miyazaki, still flying at the age of 65, is one of many older people that, still functioning, enjoy work. While retiring is a private matter, younger people should consider the meaning of their occupational future. A job is not the most fulfilling component of one’s life.
Retirement is exhilarating to most Americans. People work their entire lives prioritizing the provisions of others, all the while evaluating and planning their golden years. It is the premise of the American dream, despite gradually becoming less of a reality. Regardless of its necessity, working past retirement has wrongfully become trendy, not just in America, but in Japan as well.
Numerous dispositions toward the elderly exist across the globe. Aging is not inevitably accompanied by senility, disabilities, and dependence. Every wrinkle tells a story of a different enjoyable, yet sometimes strenuous, journey. It would be erroneous to assume that all older people live pitiless lives, especially after briefly working at a nursing home. In any case, older people deserve respect, undeterred by health or age, followed by a responsibility to protect.
The elderly believe that they are invincible, possessing a mind too young for their aging bodies, burdening themselves with work cut out for younger people. Sometimes older people fail to understand that, figuratively speaking, a relay cannot be won without passing the baton.
Shigekazu Miyazaki, still flying at the age of 65, is one of many older people that, still functioning, enjoy work. While retiring is a private matter, younger people should consider the meaning of their occupational future. A job is not the most fulfilling component of one’s life.
Thanks to paychecks, scales and report cards, we enter a number-seeking society knowing that our numbers, like our salary, weight or grades, are sacred territory that go undisclosed from the public. Thus, it is no wonder why social media, a tool used to share information, and numbers, a secretive component of our identity, make for a rather unsightly marriage.
In the article “Thanks to Venmo, We Now All Know How Cheap Our Friends Are”, Teddy Wayne discusses how Venmo, a mobile payment app, doubles as a social media platform that publicizes users' outings via their reimbursements. Besides promoting the youth’s social lives, Venmo also favors pedantism by specifying payments down to the penny. Unfortunately, the awkwardness of asking a friend to pay you back is not enough to stop this highly calculated payback system, as “please pay me back” has been euphemized to “Venmo me”.
As a student who frowns upon chemistry’s glorified significant figures and who refuses to even touch decimals in math class, my less than meticulous behavior shies from a fussy transactional system. While many mistake this for ignorance, I take pride in cutting corners and believe it preserves a humane society as opposed to a programmed one. Venmo, thank you for crossing our t’s and dotting our i’s, but our “money” can function without.
In the article “Thanks to Venmo, We Now All Know How Cheap Our Friends Are”, Teddy Wayne discusses how Venmo, a mobile payment app, doubles as a social media platform that publicizes users' outings via their reimbursements. Besides promoting the youth’s social lives, Venmo also favors pedantism by specifying payments down to the penny. Unfortunately, the awkwardness of asking a friend to pay you back is not enough to stop this highly calculated payback system, as “please pay me back” has been euphemized to “Venmo me”.
As a student who frowns upon chemistry’s glorified significant figures and who refuses to even touch decimals in math class, my less than meticulous behavior shies from a fussy transactional system. While many mistake this for ignorance, I take pride in cutting corners and believe it preserves a humane society as opposed to a programmed one. Venmo, thank you for crossing our t’s and dotting our i’s, but our “money” can function without.
"111 N.F.L. Brains. All But One Had C.T.E."
As a child I was very active and tried nearly every sport except football. All my life I've been told that football is too dangerous and there has been many studies done on it but when I saw this article I was Intrigued.
This study done on football players brains found over half of them have C.T.E., a degenerative disease that is caused with repeated hits to the head. The players with more physical positions such as a linebacker tends to have a greater chance of getting the disease than someone like a punter or quarterback. Football is an extremely popular American sport so these statistics are often covered up and hidden from the public. With all of these reports coming out exposing the true affects of football, people are talking about changing the game and attempting to make it safer but at then end of the day the players know what there getting themselves into and it should be there decision. NFL players make an extremely high salary and they are willing to take the risk. This disease could help to explain why so many players have emotional and domestic violence issues . The team owners and TV networks make so much money off of the games they don't care about the well being of the players. For these football players football is there job and if we took that away from them it would be a tragedy. Though this is devastating news and changes should be made, people are still willing to play the game.
As a child I was very active and tried nearly every sport except football. All my life I've been told that football is too dangerous and there has been many studies done on it but when I saw this article I was Intrigued.
This study done on football players brains found over half of them have C.T.E., a degenerative disease that is caused with repeated hits to the head. The players with more physical positions such as a linebacker tends to have a greater chance of getting the disease than someone like a punter or quarterback. Football is an extremely popular American sport so these statistics are often covered up and hidden from the public. With all of these reports coming out exposing the true affects of football, people are talking about changing the game and attempting to make it safer but at then end of the day the players know what there getting themselves into and it should be there decision. NFL players make an extremely high salary and they are willing to take the risk. This disease could help to explain why so many players have emotional and domestic violence issues . The team owners and TV networks make so much money off of the games they don't care about the well being of the players. For these football players football is there job and if we took that away from them it would be a tragedy. Though this is devastating news and changes should be made, people are still willing to play the game.
The platypus is an incredibly intriguing animal that looks like a fusion of several different animals. For this reason (and the fact that it has a fun name), the platypus has been one of my favorite animals since elementary school. In reading the article “Taking the Pulse of the ‘Near Threatened’ Platypus Is a Tricky Task” by Joanna Klein, I learned a few new things about the platypus. For example, I had no idea that they were so hard to catch due to the fact that it is mainly nocturnal and they hide in the water below the surface, or on land in burrows.
However, the main issue of the article was more concerning. Due to a decade-long drought, the platypus population has been on the decline, but is currently beginning to recover since the drought has ended. Even though the drought has ended, other factors have still been affecting the number of platypuses. Illegal nets designed to catch big crayfish have been the biggest issue according to the article and have wiped out half of the vulnerable population.
For reasons aside from my personal affinity with the platypus, this concerns me because they help to keep the water ecosystems healthy, which is no small task, so I hope that the platypuses can be protected and their numbers can be brought back to a normal level.
However, the main issue of the article was more concerning. Due to a decade-long drought, the platypus population has been on the decline, but is currently beginning to recover since the drought has ended. Even though the drought has ended, other factors have still been affecting the number of platypuses. Illegal nets designed to catch big crayfish have been the biggest issue according to the article and have wiped out half of the vulnerable population.
For reasons aside from my personal affinity with the platypus, this concerns me because they help to keep the water ecosystems healthy, which is no small task, so I hope that the platypuses can be protected and their numbers can be brought back to a normal level.
"Why Women Aren't C.E.O.s, According to Women Who Almost Were"
We've all seen the statistics of how a white man's dollar compares to women and women of color. That’s what brought me to read this article, I wanted to know what’s going on beyond the stats. Bringing in the perspectives of female chief executives and C.E.O.s, Susan Chira gracefully explained how the barriers for women in business careers are more than just statistics and how these specific women have dealt with the challenges of advancing in their careers as women. What really caught my attention with this article is the incorporation of Hillary Clinton and how misogyny was a factor in the election. She faced so much backlash for being a woman during the election and her abilities were often questioned. It is interesting to me how we can find ourselves to be in a bubble with people who are likeminded with us and it can make us feel like we’ve come farther with equality in the workforce, but we are reminded of how much work needs to be done to get there.
We've all seen the statistics of how a white man's dollar compares to women and women of color. That’s what brought me to read this article, I wanted to know what’s going on beyond the stats. Bringing in the perspectives of female chief executives and C.E.O.s, Susan Chira gracefully explained how the barriers for women in business careers are more than just statistics and how these specific women have dealt with the challenges of advancing in their careers as women. What really caught my attention with this article is the incorporation of Hillary Clinton and how misogyny was a factor in the election. She faced so much backlash for being a woman during the election and her abilities were often questioned. It is interesting to me how we can find ourselves to be in a bubble with people who are likeminded with us and it can make us feel like we’ve come farther with equality in the workforce, but we are reminded of how much work needs to be done to get there.
"Trump Says Transgender People Will Not Be Allowed in the Military"
Our Constitution provides us with certain unalienable rights, such as Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. Although these rights are guaranteed to us, many people, such as the LGBT community, find themselves unable to live their lives or pursue their ambitions as our founding fathers intended. Our president, Donald Trump, recently disclosed that transgender individuals are no longer permitted to serve in the military over Twitter. He claimed that transgender people cause “tremendous medical costs and disruption”, however, the medical costs would be minimal and only produce about a .04 to .13 percent increase in the military’s budget. Congress was disputing whether taxpayer money should be allotted for the gender transition and hormone therapy of transgender people in the military, which prompted Trump to ban transgender people from the military altogether. I chose this article because I was flabbergasted by this blatant restriction of rights for transgender people. They should not have to choose between being who they truly are and achieving their goals. Anyone who has the courage to fight for our country should be embraced and celebrated, not cast away. This announcement is another result of the deep disunity and intolerance in our country. People should be able to live their lives without being clouded or held back by the blind hatred and provincial mindset of others.
Our Constitution provides us with certain unalienable rights, such as Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. Although these rights are guaranteed to us, many people, such as the LGBT community, find themselves unable to live their lives or pursue their ambitions as our founding fathers intended. Our president, Donald Trump, recently disclosed that transgender individuals are no longer permitted to serve in the military over Twitter. He claimed that transgender people cause “tremendous medical costs and disruption”, however, the medical costs would be minimal and only produce about a .04 to .13 percent increase in the military’s budget. Congress was disputing whether taxpayer money should be allotted for the gender transition and hormone therapy of transgender people in the military, which prompted Trump to ban transgender people from the military altogether. I chose this article because I was flabbergasted by this blatant restriction of rights for transgender people. They should not have to choose between being who they truly are and achieving their goals. Anyone who has the courage to fight for our country should be embraced and celebrated, not cast away. This announcement is another result of the deep disunity and intolerance in our country. People should be able to live their lives without being clouded or held back by the blind hatred and provincial mindset of others.
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"Trump Says Transgender People Will Not Be Allowed in the Military"
This week's article regarding trump and his transgender ban caught my eye the most. This ban that president trump passed seems like it would upset the LGBT community the most. Some people would think that this ban is transphobic or hateful ,but I see the practical reasons for this ban. One of those reasons is that trans people are physically weaker because they're body is fighting the hormones used in "transition". This ban does not specifically target transgender people because they're transphobic it's because the military won't always be able to get them they're medication; they don't allow diabetics in the army for the same reason.
This week's article regarding trump and his transgender ban caught my eye the most. This ban that president trump passed seems like it would upset the LGBT community the most. Some people would think that this ban is transphobic or hateful ,but I see the practical reasons for this ban. One of those reasons is that trans people are physically weaker because they're body is fighting the hormones used in "transition". This ban does not specifically target transgender people because they're transphobic it's because the military won't always be able to get them they're medication; they don't allow diabetics in the army for the same reason.
In South Korea, an Unsung Hero of History Gets His Due By CHOE SANG-HUN
This week, I truly read an article that peaked my interest. I am a Korean-American who has as much knowledge in Korea's history as little red riding hood unable to recognize that her grandmother is not, in fact, her grandmother. The article "In South Korea, an Unsung Hero of History Gets His Due" By CHOE SANG-HUN talks about the Gwangju massacres. In the 1980's, Korea had an evidently unfair and evil leader who was the cause of many killings. After reading this article, I had to immediately research on what happened during the Gwangju massacres. A lot has happened and the article talks about the making of a movie that shows the "hero" of the time. Reading about the documentation of the killings done in secret by Jürgen Hinzpeter made me want to watch the movie for myself and to learn of his adventures. Alongside Hinzpeter was a brave taxi driver that the movie focuses on. These two people created history among the people of Korea, and has made me now more conscious of the history of my culture.
This week, I truly read an article that peaked my interest. I am a Korean-American who has as much knowledge in Korea's history as little red riding hood unable to recognize that her grandmother is not, in fact, her grandmother. The article "In South Korea, an Unsung Hero of History Gets His Due" By CHOE SANG-HUN talks about the Gwangju massacres. In the 1980's, Korea had an evidently unfair and evil leader who was the cause of many killings. After reading this article, I had to immediately research on what happened during the Gwangju massacres. A lot has happened and the article talks about the making of a movie that shows the "hero" of the time. Reading about the documentation of the killings done in secret by Jürgen Hinzpeter made me want to watch the movie for myself and to learn of his adventures. Alongside Hinzpeter was a brave taxi driver that the movie focuses on. These two people created history among the people of Korea, and has made me now more conscious of the history of my culture.
"The Battle of Venezuela, Through a Lens, Helmet and Gas Mask"
This article interested me because I thought it was going to be about photography. It was not at all about Venezuelan photography.
This article was about unrest in Caracas, Venezuela. The government is being hostile against their citizens. Venezuela leader Nicolas Maduro, is making police ect. violently harm citizens, and non-citizens, who protest against the government.
In the article, Tyler a 22 year old protester, talks about how the gov. isn't giving them basic needs like medicine. He also says that because of the government everyone must wear helmets, because of the rubber bullets and buck shots they fire, a gas mask, because they also release tear gas, and goggles ect.
This article interested me because I thought it was going to be about photography. It was not at all about Venezuelan photography.
This article was about unrest in Caracas, Venezuela. The government is being hostile against their citizens. Venezuela leader Nicolas Maduro, is making police ect. violently harm citizens, and non-citizens, who protest against the government.
In the article, Tyler a 22 year old protester, talks about how the gov. isn't giving them basic needs like medicine. He also says that because of the government everyone must wear helmets, because of the rubber bullets and buck shots they fire, a gas mask, because they also release tear gas, and goggles ect.
"How to Conquer the Admissions Essay"
I have sat at my desk many times, determined to write my essay for the Common App. Most recently, I spent an hour and a half writing three sentences, only to read them back and decide I hated them. I felt defeated. I have tried on topic after topic, but I felt nothing would set me apart from the thousands of other students applying for the same colleges I am. Thanks to this article, I now realize that I have been approaching my topic choices all wrong. I had been looking to write about an academic awakening/event, or maybe an activity I participate in at school. Now I understand that I can write about anything I choose: an idea, a thought, an obsession. I can write about my undying love of radishes or the time my cousin and I "accidentally" vandalized our grandmother's bathroom (who knew wet balls of toilet paper could stick to the ceiling?!).
Before reading this article, I was starting to worry that there was nothing I could write about in my college essays that would help my chances of admission. Much of my life, like everyone else's, is fairly ordinary. Now, I understand that these essays do not have to be a glorious account of a volunteer trip to a foreign country; I can simply choose an idea or story that allows admission officers know who I am outside my GPA, SAT scores, and list of extracurricular activities. This article helped me realize that my life is full of meaningful experiences I can write about. Now, I am off to write.
I have sat at my desk many times, determined to write my essay for the Common App. Most recently, I spent an hour and a half writing three sentences, only to read them back and decide I hated them. I felt defeated. I have tried on topic after topic, but I felt nothing would set me apart from the thousands of other students applying for the same colleges I am. Thanks to this article, I now realize that I have been approaching my topic choices all wrong. I had been looking to write about an academic awakening/event, or maybe an activity I participate in at school. Now I understand that I can write about anything I choose: an idea, a thought, an obsession. I can write about my undying love of radishes or the time my cousin and I "accidentally" vandalized our grandmother's bathroom (who knew wet balls of toilet paper could stick to the ceiling?!).
Before reading this article, I was starting to worry that there was nothing I could write about in my college essays that would help my chances of admission. Much of my life, like everyone else's, is fairly ordinary. Now, I understand that these essays do not have to be a glorious account of a volunteer trip to a foreign country; I can simply choose an idea or story that allows admission officers know who I am outside my GPA, SAT scores, and list of extracurricular activities. This article helped me realize that my life is full of meaningful experiences I can write about. Now, I am off to write.
During this week, I read a 3-part article titled “Antarctic Dispatches.” It explains the worrying loss of ice in Antarctica.
The article contains many GIFS and photos to go along with the explanation and the concern for the loss of ice. Apparently, an abundance of the ice is running into the surrounding seas, therefore causing the sea levels to rise dramatically. It is not quite known of how concerning this problem is, but if it continues at this pace, it could be damaging.
Also, the ice is melting at an alarming pace, which is one of the main reasons so much of it is ending up in the ocean. Scientists aren't sure how hot is “too hot,” but they made it clear it's not a trivial concern.
Overall, I think that there must be a solution for this somewhere, and we are just going to have to keep digging to find it.
The article contains many GIFS and photos to go along with the explanation and the concern for the loss of ice. Apparently, an abundance of the ice is running into the surrounding seas, therefore causing the sea levels to rise dramatically. It is not quite known of how concerning this problem is, but if it continues at this pace, it could be damaging.
Also, the ice is melting at an alarming pace, which is one of the main reasons so much of it is ending up in the ocean. Scientists aren't sure how hot is “too hot,” but they made it clear it's not a trivial concern.
Overall, I think that there must be a solution for this somewhere, and we are just going to have to keep digging to find it.
"111 NFL Brains, All But One had CTE"
Football is one of the cornerstones that holds this divided country together. Among all of the chaos, sports provide an outlet to let go of all the hate, and it really brings people together. But like everything else, sports have their own risks. CTE and other forms of traumatic brain injury have hurt the the NFL for quite sometime now. The contact that NFL players have to deal with on a weekly basis really does damage to their overall sense of cognition and interaction with the world outside of football. While the brass of the NFL is trying to promote a safer playing environment, no one really knows what it's like better than the players. When you look at the stats, the evidence is quite overwhelming. The fact that only 1 brain showed no signs of CTE very clearly states that there has to be a correlation. However, I do not think that it is in the NFL's best interests to start banning certain practices now. What needs to be done is more research on how the overall equipment can be better suited to protect players. Football, like any other sport, has the power to bring people closer together, but that shouldn't be at the expense of those who go out there every week and put on such a wonderful display of athleticism and sportsminship
Football is one of the cornerstones that holds this divided country together. Among all of the chaos, sports provide an outlet to let go of all the hate, and it really brings people together. But like everything else, sports have their own risks. CTE and other forms of traumatic brain injury have hurt the the NFL for quite sometime now. The contact that NFL players have to deal with on a weekly basis really does damage to their overall sense of cognition and interaction with the world outside of football. While the brass of the NFL is trying to promote a safer playing environment, no one really knows what it's like better than the players. When you look at the stats, the evidence is quite overwhelming. The fact that only 1 brain showed no signs of CTE very clearly states that there has to be a correlation. However, I do not think that it is in the NFL's best interests to start banning certain practices now. What needs to be done is more research on how the overall equipment can be better suited to protect players. Football, like any other sport, has the power to bring people closer together, but that shouldn't be at the expense of those who go out there every week and put on such a wonderful display of athleticism and sportsminship
"Why Women Aren’t C.E.O.s, According to Women Who Almost Were" by Susan Chira
No matter what advances we make as a nation, I think one way or another we'll always be taking two steps forward and one step back. In the same context, we could be taking no steps. Women suffer discrimination on a daily basis, a huge reason being that our courage intimidates certain people, most being men. With this being the case, another reason why women aren't popularly seen getting into the 'number one' spot is because they back out before they can get any closer to it. Take Jan Fields for example; fired from her number two position in 2012 given that she beat many men along the way and because of the intimidation those men felt, she could not quite reach her full potential. Women, a lot of the time, are not given the opportunity to show what they are capable of. This is either because men are so unwilling to give the opportunity, or women settle for less due to the fear of rejection once they get to a point where they show a glimpse of their capabilities. At one corporate conpany, it was brought to light that men typically gain promotions within two years while it takes women three. Mrs. Hilary Clinton has come forward in sharing her belief that misogyny played a big part in her loss of the number one spot. In doing so, more women are now questioning if they have underestimated the recoil in women taking the leadership role. Women do have the power and courage to step up and make a difference.
No matter what advances we make as a nation, I think one way or another we'll always be taking two steps forward and one step back. In the same context, we could be taking no steps. Women suffer discrimination on a daily basis, a huge reason being that our courage intimidates certain people, most being men. With this being the case, another reason why women aren't popularly seen getting into the 'number one' spot is because they back out before they can get any closer to it. Take Jan Fields for example; fired from her number two position in 2012 given that she beat many men along the way and because of the intimidation those men felt, she could not quite reach her full potential. Women, a lot of the time, are not given the opportunity to show what they are capable of. This is either because men are so unwilling to give the opportunity, or women settle for less due to the fear of rejection once they get to a point where they show a glimpse of their capabilities. At one corporate conpany, it was brought to light that men typically gain promotions within two years while it takes women three. Mrs. Hilary Clinton has come forward in sharing her belief that misogyny played a big part in her loss of the number one spot. In doing so, more women are now questioning if they have underestimated the recoil in women taking the leadership role. Women do have the power and courage to step up and make a difference.
"Why Women Aren’t C.E.O.s, According to Women Who Almost Were" by Susan Chira
Even though lately there seems to be an influx of gender equality advocates and increasing awareness for this trending topic, there remains the unspoken reality. When Hillary Clinton was in the presidential race last year, there seemed to be a strong possibility towards the long-awaited change in society's beliefs. The concept of a female leader of a nation was simply revolutionary and hopeful for many of her supporters. However, we realized the grand change may take longer than anticipated.
It is difficult for women to maneuver their way to the top of the work force. According to Ellen Kullman, former chief executive of DuPont, the commonplace phrase for impeding on women rising into the executive board was "we're not sure she's ready for that job." On the other hand, when men get promoted, it takes less time and hesitation. Kullman did indeed reach a high position, but decided to resign after six years. She felt she was targeted by other companies, most likely because she was a female with a lot of power. Surrounded by men in a male-dominated work area, women can start to feel alone and frustrated with themselves. The way women are treated rely heavily on the set perceptions of gender roles that we were all grown up with, and changing these views are not easy. However, as ideas challenging conventional standards continue to enter our generation, we slowly advance towards change.
Even though lately there seems to be an influx of gender equality advocates and increasing awareness for this trending topic, there remains the unspoken reality. When Hillary Clinton was in the presidential race last year, there seemed to be a strong possibility towards the long-awaited change in society's beliefs. The concept of a female leader of a nation was simply revolutionary and hopeful for many of her supporters. However, we realized the grand change may take longer than anticipated.
It is difficult for women to maneuver their way to the top of the work force. According to Ellen Kullman, former chief executive of DuPont, the commonplace phrase for impeding on women rising into the executive board was "we're not sure she's ready for that job." On the other hand, when men get promoted, it takes less time and hesitation. Kullman did indeed reach a high position, but decided to resign after six years. She felt she was targeted by other companies, most likely because she was a female with a lot of power. Surrounded by men in a male-dominated work area, women can start to feel alone and frustrated with themselves. The way women are treated rely heavily on the set perceptions of gender roles that we were all grown up with, and changing these views are not easy. However, as ideas challenging conventional standards continue to enter our generation, we slowly advance towards change.
This week, the article, "Trump Says Transgender People Will Not Be Allowed in the Military" has interested me the most. I have heard a lot of the reactions towards the president's ban of transgenders not being able to serve in the military and to me it is quite upsetting and ridiculous to pass this law. I think it was a hasty decision because not only was this announced on twitter, but the secretary got this shocking news days before this was announced. It makes me think, why did he not come out to personally speak about it and have someone else announce it. Just because the military forces are unable to provide medications for the transgender service and that health care is going to increase by 0.04%, doesn't mean he has to declare this bill. It just shows how unreasonable and how he does not support the transgender community and that he does not care for everyone in the United States as a whole country. There are thousands of transgender working in the military serving to protect our people and now many will think what will happen to them. President Trump is being inconsiderate and it bothers me because i want to know if he thought about this carefully or did he just make a rash decision and not thinking what will happen to thousands to people. Everything has consequences and for sure, there will be consequences for this law. Many people are against it because not only did they serve our country, but they are also the citizens of the United States.
"A Rest Stop for Half a Billion Birds'
By Uriel Sinai, Kaitlyn Mullin, and Joanna Klein
The head line of this article caught my attention because half a million birds is an impressive number of birds to find in one location. For now is seems that it is a win-win project; the birds are able to rest and refuel and the farmers do not have to worry about their crops being damaged. After viewing this article, I have some questions: How sustainable is this project? For how much longer will the government be interested in the project?
By Uriel Sinai, Kaitlyn Mullin, and Joanna Klein
The head line of this article caught my attention because half a million birds is an impressive number of birds to find in one location. For now is seems that it is a win-win project; the birds are able to rest and refuel and the farmers do not have to worry about their crops being damaged. After viewing this article, I have some questions: How sustainable is this project? For how much longer will the government be interested in the project?
Amazon’s Jobs Fair Sends Clear Message: Now Hiring Thousands
In just two decades, Amazon has created an empire that is expanding at an exponential rate. This creates a demand to fill over 50,000 positions, including jobs requiring little skill. Although it is unclear what will happen when Amazon finds machines with enough dexterity to replace humans, this can lower unemployment rates for the time being. However, the long term effects (when Amazon replaces human labor), may be detrimental. In addition, people are convinced Amazon represents an untapped opportunity and are willing to do anything for the company because they believe they can work their way up. The reality is, Amazon has more than 382,000 employees globally, making it virtually impossible to "work up" if one's starting job is moving boxes. Amazon may have created thousands of jobs but the long term effects are higher unemployment rates as well as people working dead end jobs with false incentives.
In just two decades, Amazon has created an empire that is expanding at an exponential rate. This creates a demand to fill over 50,000 positions, including jobs requiring little skill. Although it is unclear what will happen when Amazon finds machines with enough dexterity to replace humans, this can lower unemployment rates for the time being. However, the long term effects (when Amazon replaces human labor), may be detrimental. In addition, people are convinced Amazon represents an untapped opportunity and are willing to do anything for the company because they believe they can work their way up. The reality is, Amazon has more than 382,000 employees globally, making it virtually impossible to "work up" if one's starting job is moving boxes. Amazon may have created thousands of jobs but the long term effects are higher unemployment rates as well as people working dead end jobs with false incentives.
"Los Angeles Makes Deal to Host 2028 Summer Olympics"
This article caught my eye because the bid for the 2024 Summer Olympics, which had been in the news for months, has finally come to an end. It was announced that Paris will host the 2024 Games and Los Angeles will host the 2028 Games. This decision has left Americans split on whether or not staging the event in the United States is beneficial for the nation. Some have argued that hosting the Olympics will promote nationalism and reassert the US as the global superpower that it is. Furthermore, the Olympics can inspire more American children to participate in sports and other physical activities, which is important because childhood obesity rates are increasing across the country. On the other hand, some have argued that hosting the Olympics will be too expensive; the estimated cost is $5.3 billion. This can potentially take a toll on taxpayers. Nonetheless, bringing the Olympic Games back to the United States for the first time since 2002 will boost public morale and give Americans something to look forward to.
This article caught my eye because the bid for the 2024 Summer Olympics, which had been in the news for months, has finally come to an end. It was announced that Paris will host the 2024 Games and Los Angeles will host the 2028 Games. This decision has left Americans split on whether or not staging the event in the United States is beneficial for the nation. Some have argued that hosting the Olympics will promote nationalism and reassert the US as the global superpower that it is. Furthermore, the Olympics can inspire more American children to participate in sports and other physical activities, which is important because childhood obesity rates are increasing across the country. On the other hand, some have argued that hosting the Olympics will be too expensive; the estimated cost is $5.3 billion. This can potentially take a toll on taxpayers. Nonetheless, bringing the Olympic Games back to the United States for the first time since 2002 will boost public morale and give Americans something to look forward to.
"Trump Says Transgender People Will Ot Be Allowed in the Military"
By: Julie Hirschfeld & Helene Cooper
Donald Trump's decision of pushing transgender soldiers out of the armed forces is just frankly a bad one. These people are putting their lives at stake for our country, like many others, hence showing that being transgender doesn't affect their will to fight and keep the people back home safe. By Trump enacting this ban and preventing people from joining the armed forces, he also breaks his previous promise. That promise being to help better the lives of those within the LGBT community. This ban seemed to come out of the blue, proof of this follows. President Trump didn't seem to talk this decision over with "his generals" either seeing as the Pentagon had no idea that this ban was going to come about. His decision was impulsive and is hurting our country more than helping it. He is lessening the strength of America's armed forces with his ban, showing how grave his decision is going to be in the long run, by affecting the lives of transgender citizens and soldiers in the process.
By: Julie Hirschfeld & Helene Cooper
Donald Trump's decision of pushing transgender soldiers out of the armed forces is just frankly a bad one. These people are putting their lives at stake for our country, like many others, hence showing that being transgender doesn't affect their will to fight and keep the people back home safe. By Trump enacting this ban and preventing people from joining the armed forces, he also breaks his previous promise. That promise being to help better the lives of those within the LGBT community. This ban seemed to come out of the blue, proof of this follows. President Trump didn't seem to talk this decision over with "his generals" either seeing as the Pentagon had no idea that this ban was going to come about. His decision was impulsive and is hurting our country more than helping it. He is lessening the strength of America's armed forces with his ban, showing how grave his decision is going to be in the long run, by affecting the lives of transgender citizens and soldiers in the process.
The article “A Freezing Swim to Call Attention to Warming Waters” caught my eye because I did not understand why someone would swim in one of the coldest places on earth. The article starts off talking about Lewis Pugh, a British endurance swimmer, who swam in many places that most people would have never thought about. He swam in a glacial lake in Mt. Everest and in the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa. He planned next to swim in Arctic water north of the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen that measured to be about 31 degrees Fahrenheit or -0.5 degrees Celsius. When I first started reading the article, I thought “why would anyone swim in that kind of condition?” What could possibly be the reason? As the article went on, it also said that soon he will also swim in Lancaster Sound, a body in the Canadian arctic, and off Franz Josef Land. His reasoning for doing all of these swims is apparently to “promote awareness of the threats climate change poses to oceans.” This is the part of the article that really hooked me. This guy is risking his life and making himself go through hell just to prove a point, and I feel that because he says the water was so cold, he is is kind of contradicting himself because people claim that climate change is making the water warm. I thought this was ironic. Putting everything you have into something you believe in is an amazing idea and it it is my reasoning for picking this article.
The Battle for Venezuela, Through a Lens, Helmet, and Gas Mask
What has always intrigued and repelled me the most about pictures from places full of chaos is thinking about what the leader must think when he sees images like these. I always wonder how the person behind all of this conflict, strife, and misery could look at these pictures and still think that they are making the right decisions. Whenever I see pictures like these, I can almost hear the Molotov cocktails exploding, can almost feel the heat and anger in the air, and can almost smell the smoke. It seems obvious when looking at these pictures that something should be done. How could Nicolás Maduro know that this is occurring in his country, know that he has the power to stop it, and yet still continue oppressing his people? The simple fact that conflicts like these occur shows just how different people can think. People can convince themselves of nearly anything, as long as it is in their interests. Even when it is directly in front of them, people still are somehow able to tell themselves that they are justified in their actions and mindset. This mind boggling ability of humans to have such different ways of thinking is the reason behind many sources of conflict, and not just violent ones. Political divides occur because of these differing views as well. In a country as divided as ours is today, one can only hope that people find a way to understand one another’s views more, in order to end conflict.
What has always intrigued and repelled me the most about pictures from places full of chaos is thinking about what the leader must think when he sees images like these. I always wonder how the person behind all of this conflict, strife, and misery could look at these pictures and still think that they are making the right decisions. Whenever I see pictures like these, I can almost hear the Molotov cocktails exploding, can almost feel the heat and anger in the air, and can almost smell the smoke. It seems obvious when looking at these pictures that something should be done. How could Nicolás Maduro know that this is occurring in his country, know that he has the power to stop it, and yet still continue oppressing his people? The simple fact that conflicts like these occur shows just how different people can think. People can convince themselves of nearly anything, as long as it is in their interests. Even when it is directly in front of them, people still are somehow able to tell themselves that they are justified in their actions and mindset. This mind boggling ability of humans to have such different ways of thinking is the reason behind many sources of conflict, and not just violent ones. Political divides occur because of these differing views as well. In a country as divided as ours is today, one can only hope that people find a way to understand one another’s views more, in order to end conflict.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/02/climate/nations-will-start-talks-to-p...
I am amazed after reading the article, “Nations Will Start Talks to Protect Fish of the High Seas” by Somini Sengupta. On land, there are many places where animals are kept on reservations so that their species are protected. I find it incredible that this concept is being pushed into the oceans.
Earth is a marvelous planet with an astounding diversity of animals that are accustomed to living in a biome. These biomes include forests, oceans, deserts, and savannas. Compared to all other biomes, 50% of animals live in marine life. In the article, Peter Thomson states, “The high seas are the biggest reserve of biodiversity on the planet.” Over the last hundred years, the diversity in oceans has been decreasing, numerous species added to the endangered species list, and many species indicated as extinct. With the protection of marine life, the diversity of animals can improve as well as increase, and it is highly possible that many species can have the title “Endangered” removed.
With the protection comes one major question. How will countries that depend on commercial fishing be able to live off an area marked as “Marine Protected” around them?
The world is significantly dependent on commercial fishing. The problem with decreasing marine life was brought up by humans hunting, and now, it is our responsibility that we protect our marine life for future generations.
I am amazed after reading the article, “Nations Will Start Talks to Protect Fish of the High Seas” by Somini Sengupta. On land, there are many places where animals are kept on reservations so that their species are protected. I find it incredible that this concept is being pushed into the oceans.
Earth is a marvelous planet with an astounding diversity of animals that are accustomed to living in a biome. These biomes include forests, oceans, deserts, and savannas. Compared to all other biomes, 50% of animals live in marine life. In the article, Peter Thomson states, “The high seas are the biggest reserve of biodiversity on the planet.” Over the last hundred years, the diversity in oceans has been decreasing, numerous species added to the endangered species list, and many species indicated as extinct. With the protection of marine life, the diversity of animals can improve as well as increase, and it is highly possible that many species can have the title “Endangered” removed.
With the protection comes one major question. How will countries that depend on commercial fishing be able to live off an area marked as “Marine Protected” around them?
The world is significantly dependent on commercial fishing. The problem with decreasing marine life was brought up by humans hunting, and now, it is our responsibility that we protect our marine life for future generations.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/29/world/asia/us-south-korea-north-korea...
North Korea’s recent missile launching outlines the feelings of danger, tension, and politic struggle surrounding this important issue, but the message that comes across most clearly is that while everyone else is all talk and no action, North Korea is acting, with potential deadly consequences. The US, China, and Russia are going nowhere with what seems like endless talks, threats, and government statements. China is loath to stand in the way of a fellow Communist country that is seen as a buffer between them and an American army; Russia supplies oil without restraint; and the US accuses China of not doing its part and “intervenes” with South Korea’s secret attempt to build warheads.
As a South Korean, I am, interested in my nation’s security and family’s wellbeing, but I do not believe starting a nuclear arm’s race is the best way to achieve that. I understand why South Korea is anxious to have more defenses, but the most powerful course of action seems to be talking to a purpose rather than just meaningless platitudes. I was impressed with Kissinger’s suggestion of reaching agreement with China over what would happen after North Korea’s fall, and that Washington has urged China and Russia to implement new economic sanctions at the UN Security Council. The worst thing we could possibly to do simply “learn to live” with a nuclear North Korea.
North Korea’s recent missile launching outlines the feelings of danger, tension, and politic struggle surrounding this important issue, but the message that comes across most clearly is that while everyone else is all talk and no action, North Korea is acting, with potential deadly consequences. The US, China, and Russia are going nowhere with what seems like endless talks, threats, and government statements. China is loath to stand in the way of a fellow Communist country that is seen as a buffer between them and an American army; Russia supplies oil without restraint; and the US accuses China of not doing its part and “intervenes” with South Korea’s secret attempt to build warheads.
As a South Korean, I am, interested in my nation’s security and family’s wellbeing, but I do not believe starting a nuclear arm’s race is the best way to achieve that. I understand why South Korea is anxious to have more defenses, but the most powerful course of action seems to be talking to a purpose rather than just meaningless platitudes. I was impressed with Kissinger’s suggestion of reaching agreement with China over what would happen after North Korea’s fall, and that Washington has urged China and Russia to implement new economic sanctions at the UN Security Council. The worst thing we could possibly to do simply “learn to live” with a nuclear North Korea.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/27/climate/airplane-pollution-global-war...®ion=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=sectionfront
As a student whom finds a genuine interest in their environment, this week's article that interested me the most was one called 'Flying Is Bad for the Planet. You Can Help Make It Better.' It interested me not only for the fact that it persuaded the reader to take into consideration how flying on airplanes to reach our desired destination harms our environment, but it also laid upon some effective ways to conserve our environment. The author justified their opinion in many valid ways that captivated my attention. They not only did that, but they also allowed me to realize that there are other options and alternatives than flying on an airplane. We could conserve our environment if we each took action, even if it's a small movement according to this article.
As a student whom finds a genuine interest in their environment, this week's article that interested me the most was one called 'Flying Is Bad for the Planet. You Can Help Make It Better.' It interested me not only for the fact that it persuaded the reader to take into consideration how flying on airplanes to reach our desired destination harms our environment, but it also laid upon some effective ways to conserve our environment. The author justified their opinion in many valid ways that captivated my attention. They not only did that, but they also allowed me to realize that there are other options and alternatives than flying on an airplane. We could conserve our environment if we each took action, even if it's a small movement according to this article.
I clicked on the article "In Breakthrough, Scientists Edit a Dangerous Mutation From Genes in Human Embryos” because as today's science continues to grow and become more detail and complex, more, and more mutations are opened up for trial, which I find interesting, and is a serious topic. In the article, scientists have successfully been able to genetically modify DNA of a human. What this means is that if DNA is modified based on how the scientists wants it, the scientists can make it immune to diseases and be healthy, but this would mean that the DNA would not be natural. If the DNA were to grow into a living child, or if a mother birthed the genetically modified DNA, then the child would be immune to diseases, and could not be able to give off diseases. Scientists held off from doing DNA mutations because it is a "technical hurdle" and unsafe, but once scientists figure out cheaper, and safer ways, they will then have to tackle the societal issues, meaning having to convince the public to allow modified births rather than natural. Not only are there societal issues and dangerous aspects to mutations, but, if the power to mutate becomes a monopoly/business of some sort, then parents will pay a lot of money to have their child(or children) to be genetically modified and superior than in comparison to the natural born children. I believe DNA mutation should be used, but only in rare, rare cases, whether it is helping a child survive, or helping fight of diseases.
This week's article "Trump Forbids Military Service by Transgender People" caught my attention and elicited feelings of anger towards our President's decisions, as well as empathy for the families and service members affected. Based on the current president's following, as well as the unsuccessful agenda he has had for the past few months, a change such as this seems to simply be a distraction from previous failures. President Trump, has used minorities as a scapegoat many times, and for myself reading this article furthered my opinion on the unprofessional nature of our current Commander in Chief. However, actions like this bring to light the necessity of all minority groups to stand together in the midst of oppression of any kind, which provides me with at least some relief despite the events of this week
“111 N.F.L. Brains. All but one had C.T.E.”
By: Joe Ward, Josh Williams, and Sam Manchester
When I came across this article I just had to read it. Not because I am a football fanatic, but because it relates to a something I have spent many nights investing my time; The OJ Simpson Trial. Although the article itself did not have anything to do with OJ Simpson, I was still enticed to read it in hopes of his name popping up. C.T.E. may lead people to do harmful things to others such as abuse or even murder, two thing OJ has been accused of. In my opinion, OJ is suffering from C.T.E. and is unaware much like many other football players. If only 1 out of the 111 tested in this study had not suffered from C.T.E., it is easy to believe that the majority of N.F.L. players do, or will, suffer from this in their lifetime. Being someone who enjoys football myself, and a huge Patriots fan, I do not think that this finding should lead football to become a less “violent” sport but, this article clearly shows there needs to be a change.
By: Joe Ward, Josh Williams, and Sam Manchester
When I came across this article I just had to read it. Not because I am a football fanatic, but because it relates to a something I have spent many nights investing my time; The OJ Simpson Trial. Although the article itself did not have anything to do with OJ Simpson, I was still enticed to read it in hopes of his name popping up. C.T.E. may lead people to do harmful things to others such as abuse or even murder, two thing OJ has been accused of. In my opinion, OJ is suffering from C.T.E. and is unaware much like many other football players. If only 1 out of the 111 tested in this study had not suffered from C.T.E., it is easy to believe that the majority of N.F.L. players do, or will, suffer from this in their lifetime. Being someone who enjoys football myself, and a huge Patriots fan, I do not think that this finding should lead football to become a less “violent” sport but, this article clearly shows there needs to be a change.
“Cubs Fan Gets a Ring, and Forgiveness”
Before 2016 the Chicago Cubs were known in the sports world as “The Lovable Loser” since they hadn't won a world series since 1908, the longest championship drought for any team in the 4 major American sports. In 2003 the Cubs were playing in the NLCS vs the Florida Marlins up 3 games to 2 in the best of 7 series. In the 8th inning of that game the Cubs were up 3-0 which should have been enough to finish the game. But with already 1 out the ball was hit towards the stands where Bartman was sitting, and not thinking that Cubs outfielder Moisés Alou had a play on the ball he reached up and tried to get it, which resulted in him interfering with Alou. The Marlins would go on and score 8 runs in that inning to win the game 8-3. The Cubs would also go on to lose the next game throwing away their hope of reaching the World Series. The fans of the Chicago Cubs wrongly scapegoated Bartman as the reason for the series lose. But what Cubs fans seem to forget is that they had a another game to play after the Bartman incident which they lost without any “incidents”. So, after the Cubs won the 2016 World Series they announced that they would be giving a World Series ring to Bartman, which I think is necessary after how he was treated by the Cubs fans after the incident. Giving Bartman a World Series ring can't help him get back those humiliating 14 years of public shame by Cubs fans; it’s a gesture to help alleviate the guilt felt by Cubs fans.
Before 2016 the Chicago Cubs were known in the sports world as “The Lovable Loser” since they hadn't won a world series since 1908, the longest championship drought for any team in the 4 major American sports. In 2003 the Cubs were playing in the NLCS vs the Florida Marlins up 3 games to 2 in the best of 7 series. In the 8th inning of that game the Cubs were up 3-0 which should have been enough to finish the game. But with already 1 out the ball was hit towards the stands where Bartman was sitting, and not thinking that Cubs outfielder Moisés Alou had a play on the ball he reached up and tried to get it, which resulted in him interfering with Alou. The Marlins would go on and score 8 runs in that inning to win the game 8-3. The Cubs would also go on to lose the next game throwing away their hope of reaching the World Series. The fans of the Chicago Cubs wrongly scapegoated Bartman as the reason for the series lose. But what Cubs fans seem to forget is that they had a another game to play after the Bartman incident which they lost without any “incidents”. So, after the Cubs won the 2016 World Series they announced that they would be giving a World Series ring to Bartman, which I think is necessary after how he was treated by the Cubs fans after the incident. Giving Bartman a World Series ring can't help him get back those humiliating 14 years of public shame by Cubs fans; it’s a gesture to help alleviate the guilt felt by Cubs fans.
In Breakthrough, Scientists Edit a Dangerous Mutation From Genes in Human Embryos
With a new gene editing method using CRISPR technology, humans are extremely close to having the ability to edit out hereditary and mutantagous disorders that develop soon after fertilization. Though this process is rigorous right now, it could become a routine procedure and result in the editing of favorable genes rather than dangerous ones.
Previously, scientists could not edit and cut particular genes without damaging surrounding genes as well, but this medical breakthrough allows the professional in enter the cell and remove or repair a singular problematic gene or gene sequence. With any breakthrough comes a brief stage of panic, but for some individuals the panic surrounding CRISPR technology is not seeming to fade. This is because of the vast variation of ways to use this new technology. As stated in the article, CRISPR CAS9 would be used to prematurely stop and recover the development of mutated genes that would lead to life threatening or degrading disorders.
I support CRISPR’s step towards making humanities quality of life increase, but where does one draw the line? When will scientists and medical professionals stop using the advanced technology? Now that it is known what CRISPR CAS9 can do, many decisions regarding ethics will have to be discussed. The more control we have over the future, the less we need faith and I believe it is extremely important to have faith.
With a new gene editing method using CRISPR technology, humans are extremely close to having the ability to edit out hereditary and mutantagous disorders that develop soon after fertilization. Though this process is rigorous right now, it could become a routine procedure and result in the editing of favorable genes rather than dangerous ones.
Previously, scientists could not edit and cut particular genes without damaging surrounding genes as well, but this medical breakthrough allows the professional in enter the cell and remove or repair a singular problematic gene or gene sequence. With any breakthrough comes a brief stage of panic, but for some individuals the panic surrounding CRISPR technology is not seeming to fade. This is because of the vast variation of ways to use this new technology. As stated in the article, CRISPR CAS9 would be used to prematurely stop and recover the development of mutated genes that would lead to life threatening or degrading disorders.
I support CRISPR’s step towards making humanities quality of life increase, but where does one draw the line? When will scientists and medical professionals stop using the advanced technology? Now that it is known what CRISPR CAS9 can do, many decisions regarding ethics will have to be discussed. The more control we have over the future, the less we need faith and I believe it is extremely important to have faith.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/02/us/affirmative-action-battle-has-a-ne...®ion=Header&action=click&contentCollection=Trending&pgtype=article
While Affirmative Action was once viewed by many as a viable method for ensuring diversity among university students, it may be discriminating against certain races and aiding other races too much. While racial diversity may improve the "education experience" at a school, attention can be brought to other types of diversity which exist as well. Instead of forcing a racially diverse school, perhaps a school should judge everyone equally, leading to a strong group of students who will undoubtedly have differing interests, hobbies, religions, personalities, and achievements.
While Affirmative Action was once viewed by many as a viable method for ensuring diversity among university students, it may be discriminating against certain races and aiding other races too much. While racial diversity may improve the "education experience" at a school, attention can be brought to other types of diversity which exist as well. Instead of forcing a racially diverse school, perhaps a school should judge everyone equally, leading to a strong group of students who will undoubtedly have differing interests, hobbies, religions, personalities, and achievements.
"The Glory of a Summer Sleep"
As a fellow coach potato, I adore sleep. Sleep is my only escape from my stressful, interminable world. In the days that seem to repeat over and over with the same drudgery, sleep is my way into a world of imagination and sanctuary. My definition of sleep is utter rest and a silence completely void of mundane problems. To be able to relax in a safe haven that comes along with the dark.
To sleep is to prepare yourself to a fresh beginning. In some stories and some books, the ending is always the same. After a fight that saves the world, the hero goes back home for a sleep deserved. The final ending after a big finale, the stopping of a tiresome day, sleep is a comfort zone to the land of the unknown. Also, after a long night of sleep, I get the confidence and energy to start another day. I sleep to recharge my batteries for the next day to begin anew. Sleep is for the unknown, untold future ahead of me and a way for me to prepare for it.
Sleep is an important existence to me. I love to sleep, taking afternoon naps and nightly rests. Sleep is my sanctuary and my charging station to lead a better tomorrow.
As a fellow coach potato, I adore sleep. Sleep is my only escape from my stressful, interminable world. In the days that seem to repeat over and over with the same drudgery, sleep is my way into a world of imagination and sanctuary. My definition of sleep is utter rest and a silence completely void of mundane problems. To be able to relax in a safe haven that comes along with the dark.
To sleep is to prepare yourself to a fresh beginning. In some stories and some books, the ending is always the same. After a fight that saves the world, the hero goes back home for a sleep deserved. The final ending after a big finale, the stopping of a tiresome day, sleep is a comfort zone to the land of the unknown. Also, after a long night of sleep, I get the confidence and energy to start another day. I sleep to recharge my batteries for the next day to begin anew. Sleep is for the unknown, untold future ahead of me and a way for me to prepare for it.
Sleep is an important existence to me. I love to sleep, taking afternoon naps and nightly rests. Sleep is my sanctuary and my charging station to lead a better tomorrow.
An article that I found interesting was “Trump to Ban Transgender U.S. Military Personnel, Reversing Obama” by REUTERS. The article interested me because I personally have a different perception on people’s rights; people no matter what they identify; anyone should be able to join the U.S. Armed forces as they feel compelled to. The ability to join the armed forces should be based on skill and overall qualifications not in gender or identity. Therefore when President Trump implied that trans people are burdens, I highly disagreed with the prejudice comment. I am interested in civil rights of all kinds, therefore when individuals are being banned to join the military due to their gender it is upsetting. Aside from the fact that this ban affects the rights of many Americans, it also shows how Trump is once again changing or undoing what Obama has done Obama had done when he was still in office. Bans like this contradict the rights of all Americans ,no matter who they may be. I wonder what liberty our dear president may like to strip Americans from next.
"Parents of Ill British Infant End Effort to Prolong His Life"
This article definitely caught my eye. Once I read it, I had a rush of emotions. I felt an immense sadness for what the parents are going through right now. This would be incredibly hard to do without all of the news coverage they have gotten, but it must be even harder with it. Whatever decision they would have chosen, they would and, will continue, to get backlash. On one hand, many believed that they should have kept faith and tried an experimental therapy. On the other hand, many others believed that they should have let their child go sooner and that he was suffering. It is hard for one to even imagine how difficult that decision must have been. I do not even know what I would do in that situation, and I hope I never do. I could never wish this upon anyone, and I sincerely hope that the parents were not judged for what they ended up deciding after tremendous thought.
This article definitely caught my eye. Once I read it, I had a rush of emotions. I felt an immense sadness for what the parents are going through right now. This would be incredibly hard to do without all of the news coverage they have gotten, but it must be even harder with it. Whatever decision they would have chosen, they would and, will continue, to get backlash. On one hand, many believed that they should have kept faith and tried an experimental therapy. On the other hand, many others believed that they should have let their child go sooner and that he was suffering. It is hard for one to even imagine how difficult that decision must have been. I do not even know what I would do in that situation, and I hope I never do. I could never wish this upon anyone, and I sincerely hope that the parents were not judged for what they ended up deciding after tremendous thought.
"I Don't Want to Watch Slavery Fan Fiction"
The Civil War began due to the argument surrounding slavery and the outcome of this was the abolition of slavery. A novel entitled “Underground Airlines” and a television program called “Confederate” depicts the world where slavery is present. Although this may seem like a harmless idea, there has been controversy regarding this alternate history.
There are many remnants of slavery that are still seen today. Roxane Gay mentions the “quiet, insidious acts of violence” against African Americans. Creating an alternate reality without slavery is posing a “what if” question when in reality slavery is still happening.
The United States prison system is legalized slavery, where an unsettling amount of innocent black people are wrongfully convicted of a crime and forced to do (essentially) unpaid labor; this is slavery. Not only is it seen in prisons, but in the justice system as well. With the hundreds of innocent black people shot by police, very few of these officers got a prison sentence. These officers have the same mindset that slave owners had: the black man is notoriously dangerous.
I think that creating an alternate reality regarding slavery is irrational and unnecessary. Supporters of "Confederate" who want to see slavery in the United States just need to open their eyes and recognize that slavery has virtually morphed into the United States justice system.
The Civil War began due to the argument surrounding slavery and the outcome of this was the abolition of slavery. A novel entitled “Underground Airlines” and a television program called “Confederate” depicts the world where slavery is present. Although this may seem like a harmless idea, there has been controversy regarding this alternate history.
There are many remnants of slavery that are still seen today. Roxane Gay mentions the “quiet, insidious acts of violence” against African Americans. Creating an alternate reality without slavery is posing a “what if” question when in reality slavery is still happening.
The United States prison system is legalized slavery, where an unsettling amount of innocent black people are wrongfully convicted of a crime and forced to do (essentially) unpaid labor; this is slavery. Not only is it seen in prisons, but in the justice system as well. With the hundreds of innocent black people shot by police, very few of these officers got a prison sentence. These officers have the same mindset that slave owners had: the black man is notoriously dangerous.
I think that creating an alternate reality regarding slavery is irrational and unnecessary. Supporters of "Confederate" who want to see slavery in the United States just need to open their eyes and recognize that slavery has virtually morphed into the United States justice system.
"Trump Says Transgender People Will Not Be Allowed in the Military"
This article interested me the most because it shows two opposing sides of a commonly contested issue. The article explains how, earlier this week, President Trump announced, through Twitter, that transgender people would be banned from any type of service in the military. This reverses President Obama's changes to the military in which he gradually made the military more open. The article states that President Trump's reasoning behind this ban is that healthcare costs for these transgender people should be cut in order to save more money and that unit cohesion may be threatened by their presence. However, the article also mentions that a study led by the Pentagon showed that allowing transgender people to serve only raises spending by roughly 0.04 to 0.13 percent. In any case, I found this article interesting because it is a highly argued about issue and this move by the President serves to show where he stands with regards to transgender people.
This article interested me the most because it shows two opposing sides of a commonly contested issue. The article explains how, earlier this week, President Trump announced, through Twitter, that transgender people would be banned from any type of service in the military. This reverses President Obama's changes to the military in which he gradually made the military more open. The article states that President Trump's reasoning behind this ban is that healthcare costs for these transgender people should be cut in order to save more money and that unit cohesion may be threatened by their presence. However, the article also mentions that a study led by the Pentagon showed that allowing transgender people to serve only raises spending by roughly 0.04 to 0.13 percent. In any case, I found this article interesting because it is a highly argued about issue and this move by the President serves to show where he stands with regards to transgender people.
"For Ethiopia's Underemployment Youth, Life Can Be Centered on a Leaf" by Kimiko de Freytas-Tamur
For this week, I found this international piece most interesting because this is the same situation in our country. To be completely honest, I didn't find this at all surprising due to the everyday life in America. For this country, the new addicting drug to slowly take over their youth is khat leaf. And in America, the drug we mainly knew to do this is tobacco, cigarettes. And as time goes on we continuously find the new "trending" drug. Which as well usually takes a hit at our current youth during whatever time period. And the reason why this is is that us teenagers are way too curious about things in this nature. Not only this but also due to classic peer pressure. The "old as time" move where you're not cool unless you do this or that. Did you know that 90% of adults who began to smoke tobacco before they were 18 years old reported that they still do smoke. Although I can't exactly say these were all from peer pressure, a majority were most likely due to that and as well as reasons like curiosity or for what they considered "just for fun". Although I'm sure that killing your lungs and other things within your body, isn't fun in the long run. All in all, whether it's cigarettes, chewing tobacco, marijuana, or in this situation khat leaves, whether in America or in other countries there's always a new or reoccurring drug taking over our youth. Which is why I was intrigued.
For this week, I found this international piece most interesting because this is the same situation in our country. To be completely honest, I didn't find this at all surprising due to the everyday life in America. For this country, the new addicting drug to slowly take over their youth is khat leaf. And in America, the drug we mainly knew to do this is tobacco, cigarettes. And as time goes on we continuously find the new "trending" drug. Which as well usually takes a hit at our current youth during whatever time period. And the reason why this is is that us teenagers are way too curious about things in this nature. Not only this but also due to classic peer pressure. The "old as time" move where you're not cool unless you do this or that. Did you know that 90% of adults who began to smoke tobacco before they were 18 years old reported that they still do smoke. Although I can't exactly say these were all from peer pressure, a majority were most likely due to that and as well as reasons like curiosity or for what they considered "just for fun". Although I'm sure that killing your lungs and other things within your body, isn't fun in the long run. All in all, whether it's cigarettes, chewing tobacco, marijuana, or in this situation khat leaves, whether in America or in other countries there's always a new or reoccurring drug taking over our youth. Which is why I was intrigued.
"Islamic State and Climate change Seen as World’s Greatest Threats, Poll Says"
Many of the countries in this survey cited climate change as the biggest threat to national security, while the United States ranked climate change third. This statistic shows how conservative the US is becoming and how liberal many other countries are becoming. Conservatives tend not to believe that climate change is a pressing issue, while liberals are often the opposite. This spotlights the growing disparity between the political views of the the US and of other world powers that are more concerned about climate change.
One statistic in this article that shocked me was how South Korea voted. 79 percent of South Koreans surveyed cited climate change as the most pressing issue. This surprised me because I thought South Korea’s close location to North Korea, which is in the process of developing nuclear weapons, would inspire many South Koreans to cite the north as the most pressing issue.
This article also supports the assertion that many people are more likely to cite dramatic issues as the most pressing, rather than issues that produce less dramatic news stories. For instance, Americans have been hearing about major cyberattacks for the past year, such as a suspected Russian attack on the 2016 presidential election. This most likely caused the citizens surveyed to worry about dramatic cyberattacks that received tons of news coverage instead of climate change, which is not as dramatic.
Many of the countries in this survey cited climate change as the biggest threat to national security, while the United States ranked climate change third. This statistic shows how conservative the US is becoming and how liberal many other countries are becoming. Conservatives tend not to believe that climate change is a pressing issue, while liberals are often the opposite. This spotlights the growing disparity between the political views of the the US and of other world powers that are more concerned about climate change.
One statistic in this article that shocked me was how South Korea voted. 79 percent of South Koreans surveyed cited climate change as the most pressing issue. This surprised me because I thought South Korea’s close location to North Korea, which is in the process of developing nuclear weapons, would inspire many South Koreans to cite the north as the most pressing issue.
This article also supports the assertion that many people are more likely to cite dramatic issues as the most pressing, rather than issues that produce less dramatic news stories. For instance, Americans have been hearing about major cyberattacks for the past year, such as a suspected Russian attack on the 2016 presidential election. This most likely caused the citizens surveyed to worry about dramatic cyberattacks that received tons of news coverage instead of climate change, which is not as dramatic.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/26/us/politics/trump-transgender-militar...
Reading this article was important to me because I am a member of the LGBTQ+ community in multiple ways, one of which is being agender. On the Wednesday Trump passed the legislation, I was on my church youth group’s summer trip. My church is open and affirming and one of the places we visited in our trip was The Center in New York; a public space for youth of the LGBT community to spend time and to feel safe. We visited The Center the day of Trump’s decision and that is where I first learned about the new bill. It made me mad to read this article, not only because of the ignorance expressed by the new president, but because of how he (Trump) dismissed the over 1.3 million transgender military members who are bravely fighting for our country. There were two quotes in this article that truly fanned the flames of my anger. One was the president’s tweet explaining that the forces are incapable of the “tremendous medical costs and disruption” of transgender service members. The second was Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the White House press secretary, explaining that the president’s decision was based on that openly transgender service members “erodes military readiness and unit cohesion”. The reason these quotes boiled my insides was not only because of the blunt transphobia, but because the Pentagon debunked both of these ideas.
Reading this article was important to me because I am a member of the LGBTQ+ community in multiple ways, one of which is being agender. On the Wednesday Trump passed the legislation, I was on my church youth group’s summer trip. My church is open and affirming and one of the places we visited in our trip was The Center in New York; a public space for youth of the LGBT community to spend time and to feel safe. We visited The Center the day of Trump’s decision and that is where I first learned about the new bill. It made me mad to read this article, not only because of the ignorance expressed by the new president, but because of how he (Trump) dismissed the over 1.3 million transgender military members who are bravely fighting for our country. There were two quotes in this article that truly fanned the flames of my anger. One was the president’s tweet explaining that the forces are incapable of the “tremendous medical costs and disruption” of transgender service members. The second was Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the White House press secretary, explaining that the president’s decision was based on that openly transgender service members “erodes military readiness and unit cohesion”. The reason these quotes boiled my insides was not only because of the blunt transphobia, but because the Pentagon debunked both of these ideas.
"Michael Phelps ‘Raced’ a ‘Shark,’ Kind Of. Not Really."
July was my favorite month as child, and not because of the loud noises in the sky on the 4th, or the tolerable summer temperatures. I loved July for the one week where the TV was full of recorded shows, and my family refused to go to the beach. July was all about Shark Week. Discovery Channel annually occupied my attention, with historical insight, suspenseful documentaries, or just plain shark attacks. This year, I completely forgot about the highlight of July, until I saw an unusual commercial. Michael Phelps, known to be the fastest swimmer in the world, was going to "race a Great White shark". I wasn't able to watch the program, but this article explained what I had missed. The title itself lured me, and definitely summed up the episode. Phelps did not actually "race" a shark, instead, he swam up against a computer generated shark for 100 meters. It was really impossible to compare a human against a different species, but the advertisement for the episode did not explain that. Discovery Channel made it seem as if they somehow managed to have a live shark compete next to Phelps. Viewers were upset, and expressed their disappointment on social media. Although the commercials could have been more straightforward, watchers should have considered the swimmer's safety and life. It was a combination of bad advertising, and careless viewers, that made this year's Shark Week, a letdown.
July was my favorite month as child, and not because of the loud noises in the sky on the 4th, or the tolerable summer temperatures. I loved July for the one week where the TV was full of recorded shows, and my family refused to go to the beach. July was all about Shark Week. Discovery Channel annually occupied my attention, with historical insight, suspenseful documentaries, or just plain shark attacks. This year, I completely forgot about the highlight of July, until I saw an unusual commercial. Michael Phelps, known to be the fastest swimmer in the world, was going to "race a Great White shark". I wasn't able to watch the program, but this article explained what I had missed. The title itself lured me, and definitely summed up the episode. Phelps did not actually "race" a shark, instead, he swam up against a computer generated shark for 100 meters. It was really impossible to compare a human against a different species, but the advertisement for the episode did not explain that. Discovery Channel made it seem as if they somehow managed to have a live shark compete next to Phelps. Viewers were upset, and expressed their disappointment on social media. Although the commercials could have been more straightforward, watchers should have considered the swimmer's safety and life. It was a combination of bad advertising, and careless viewers, that made this year's Shark Week, a letdown.
The article, “How Much Protein Do We Need,” struck my attention. In our present-day society, health “gurus” around the world acknowledge that consuming a large amount of protein is the start to a proactive diet. At least that is the narrative around my household because I live with a so called “bodybuilder.” However, I was shocked to learn that consuming too much protein can have negative consequences like kidney disease. The article expresses the growing concern of everyone being drawn to the idea that more protein is better. The reason why many people are fixated on consuming large amounts of protein is that they are frightened they will “crash” and potentially lose focus. The article states that the only category of people that should ingest large amounts of protein are elite athletes. As a result, the average American is consuming almost twice the recommended amount of protein per day. In closing, protein is a vital part of any diet; however, we should eat everything in moderation even if it is deemed healthy because it might have negative side effects.
As a performer, I really wanted to pick an article that had to do with the arts. When I went to the arts section of the New York times, I found an article titled, “Descending Into Madness, A Russian Scientist Turns to Art” by Will Heinrich. It caught my eye mostly because of the word madness. It causes so many thoughts to come to mind. The first thought that crossed my mind was that someone went crazy. The next thing I wondered was how science could turn someone mad. Then, I thought about how being in chemistry this year made me feel and I began to understand. It made me think about my experiences with school and dance and how my art form helped me relax and return back to my normal self. I find it amazing how any form of art, painting, drawing, dancing, singing, acting, etc., can have the power to heal “madness”. It’s truly astounding how such a simple thing can help a person in such a big way.
"Why Kids Can't Write"
Writing has always been something I have thought myself to be good at. I believe that I am capable of formulating an interesting sentence that aids in the advancement of my subject and utilizing rhetoric. But, in my tenth grade English honors class, I was taught a vast amount of grammar that I had never previously known and I learned how seldom grammar is taught especially past elementary school.
Dana Goldstein's article, "Why Kids Can't Write" illustrated how teachers are no longer taught to focus on grammar when teaching writing to students, especially in high school, but to focus on inspiring their students to enjoy writing. Goldstein also described the programs that have been instituted as an attempt to assist teachers in learning how to instruct their students in grammar, while keeping them interested.
My English teacher put a focus on grammar, teaching it in a way that was not exactly interesting, but was easy for me to understand and apply that knowledge to my writing pieces, helping me improve. This article interested me because all of the improvement I did last year should not have been over the course of one year, it should have taken place gradually as I advanced through the grade levels. The whirlwind grammar course of my sophomore year was incredibly beneficial and I hope that the remainder of my teachers are as grammar oriented as my previous teacher was so that I may continue to improve as a writer.
Writing has always been something I have thought myself to be good at. I believe that I am capable of formulating an interesting sentence that aids in the advancement of my subject and utilizing rhetoric. But, in my tenth grade English honors class, I was taught a vast amount of grammar that I had never previously known and I learned how seldom grammar is taught especially past elementary school.
Dana Goldstein's article, "Why Kids Can't Write" illustrated how teachers are no longer taught to focus on grammar when teaching writing to students, especially in high school, but to focus on inspiring their students to enjoy writing. Goldstein also described the programs that have been instituted as an attempt to assist teachers in learning how to instruct their students in grammar, while keeping them interested.
My English teacher put a focus on grammar, teaching it in a way that was not exactly interesting, but was easy for me to understand and apply that knowledge to my writing pieces, helping me improve. This article interested me because all of the improvement I did last year should not have been over the course of one year, it should have taken place gradually as I advanced through the grade levels. The whirlwind grammar course of my sophomore year was incredibly beneficial and I hope that the remainder of my teachers are as grammar oriented as my previous teacher was so that I may continue to improve as a writer.
After the release of the 2015 film, Concussion, a major topic of discussion has many people wondering, is football safe? After reading the NYT article, “111 NFL Brains All But One had CTE” it became blatantly apparent that football is not only dangerous, but life threatening. As a high school athlete I’ve been intrigued by these conversations, what is being hidden from us? Never having played the sport of football myself, I still wonder how years of wear on my body will affect me, later in life. After an intense study on the brains of deceased NFL players, CTE was found to be in 99 percent of the test subjects. This evidence shows with no uncertainty the relationship between football and degenerative brain disorders. I chose this article to read because the field of neurology deeply interests me and I enjoyed learning about the different sections of the brain and how they affect the athlete’s behavior. Over the past week since the article was published I have seen and heard lots of conversation revolving around the results of Dr. McKee’s study. My facebook timeline was crowded with people voicing their opinions on the sport and whether or not it is worth it. The study shows that football players may obtain 62 blows to the head in one game alone. Over a career of sixteen or twenty years, the damage becomes completely devastating and irreversible. I was drawn to this article after seeing other people's opinions in order to read the facts and form my own.
"Michael Phelps ‘Raced’ a ‘Shark,’ Kind Of. Not Really."
This week's article in regard to Shark Week interested me from the start. Who wouldn't want to see the best Olympian of all time compete with one of the most fascinating sea creatures out there? Well, it turns out that's not exactly how the show went. Michael Phelps' time was recorded as was a Great White and they were compared from there. Although the race was not as expected, it was very interesting to see how a human vs. shark would compare in speed in the wide open ocean. This event also led to much talk on social media where many disappointed fans were upset that their idol didn't actually race a shark. But sadly, in reality, you could never risk the life of such an important athlete for entertinment.
This week's article in regard to Shark Week interested me from the start. Who wouldn't want to see the best Olympian of all time compete with one of the most fascinating sea creatures out there? Well, it turns out that's not exactly how the show went. Michael Phelps' time was recorded as was a Great White and they were compared from there. Although the race was not as expected, it was very interesting to see how a human vs. shark would compare in speed in the wide open ocean. This event also led to much talk on social media where many disappointed fans were upset that their idol didn't actually race a shark. But sadly, in reality, you could never risk the life of such an important athlete for entertinment.
I read the article "110 NFL Brains". In this article, it was examined that 110 out of 111 brains of former NFL players had CTE, which is caused by excessive blows to the brains of NFL players because the sport is so dangerous. This CTE causes so many bad things to happen, like the suicides of many NFL players, and this even inspired the Will Smith movie, "concussion". What makes me so conflicted is that I am a fan of the NFL, and football inspires, helps, and can change the lives of so many people in a positive way. However, it is crazy that we could support such a sport, in which people get so damaged as football is a horribly brutal sport. It makes me question if football will be looked back on in such a way that gladiator fights are looked back on, as the romans were civilized people such as us. In all, this was a very interesting article that got me thinking.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/01/us/john-wayne-gacy-victim.html?ribbon...
Decades of Questions Get Chilling Answer: He Was John Wayne Gacy’s Victim
This is one kind of article that always causes some kind of un-describable feeling inside me: one of anger to the murderer, sorrow for the victim and pity for the family. Its one thing if a person is murdered and found, but a huge other thing if a person was murdered, declared lost due to not finding any corpses then finding the dead body years later. In this case, the boy's father and mother were even dead when they found the body! I find that extremely painful for the family members, especially his father and mother: Who never knew why his son disappeared. Besides, i believed that the boy shouldn't have trusted strangers and get lured into the house to be killed. Although this happens a lot in my country, every time a body was found a year or two after it's murder, it gives me great shocks.
Decades of Questions Get Chilling Answer: He Was John Wayne Gacy’s Victim
This is one kind of article that always causes some kind of un-describable feeling inside me: one of anger to the murderer, sorrow for the victim and pity for the family. Its one thing if a person is murdered and found, but a huge other thing if a person was murdered, declared lost due to not finding any corpses then finding the dead body years later. In this case, the boy's father and mother were even dead when they found the body! I find that extremely painful for the family members, especially his father and mother: Who never knew why his son disappeared. Besides, i believed that the boy shouldn't have trusted strangers and get lured into the house to be killed. Although this happens a lot in my country, every time a body was found a year or two after it's murder, it gives me great shocks.
"Trump Says Transgender People Will Not Be Allowed in the Military"
This article captivated my attention because I wasn't aware about the burden that the surgery and hormone therapy places on the military. I somewhat agree with Trump because it would cut the medical costs of the people who want to change their gender. The military is not government funded program to cover the costs of sex change operations. It is for training physically capable citizens who are mentally stable. People who desire to become the opposite sex undergo surgery and hormone treatment which lasts two years. Trans people who are transitioning from male-to-female or female-male are mentally unstable; 55% of trans people experience high levels of anxiety, and 41% of trans people attempt suicide at least once in their people. With these problems plus the stressful environment and rigorous training in the military, transgender troops would disrupt the army, and they would experience stress beyond comprehension. The military needs mentally and physically fit men and women to protect the US. However, I disagree that transgender troops should be disagreed just because they are trans; if they have already gone through hormonal treatment and are mentally and physically fit, they should be allowed to serve in the military. Since there are only around 2450 transgender troops out of 1.3 million active troops, the amount of money the military spends on their sex change operations $318 million is a waste of money.
This article captivated my attention because I wasn't aware about the burden that the surgery and hormone therapy places on the military. I somewhat agree with Trump because it would cut the medical costs of the people who want to change their gender. The military is not government funded program to cover the costs of sex change operations. It is for training physically capable citizens who are mentally stable. People who desire to become the opposite sex undergo surgery and hormone treatment which lasts two years. Trans people who are transitioning from male-to-female or female-male are mentally unstable; 55% of trans people experience high levels of anxiety, and 41% of trans people attempt suicide at least once in their people. With these problems plus the stressful environment and rigorous training in the military, transgender troops would disrupt the army, and they would experience stress beyond comprehension. The military needs mentally and physically fit men and women to protect the US. However, I disagree that transgender troops should be disagreed just because they are trans; if they have already gone through hormonal treatment and are mentally and physically fit, they should be allowed to serve in the military. Since there are only around 2450 transgender troops out of 1.3 million active troops, the amount of money the military spends on their sex change operations $318 million is a waste of money.
"How Actors Fall In Instant Love" by Alexis Soloski intrigued me the most, mostly because recently I have been watching a lot of Netflix.However having so many available shows to watch but so little Summer left poses a big problem. So watching on a tight schedule, most of the time chemistry between actors can make or break a show for me. This behind-the-scenes look of an actual casts experiences is interesting because it shows a different perspective of the acting industry that the audience hasn't seen before. A big point in this article is differentiating on-screen love with real life, pretending to love someone in a play and then going home to your significant other. To me this seems very difficult, because you're basically living a double life, and what if you favor your characters life more than your own? I would say I like my current life, but being a cop and taking down a major drug cartel would be way cooler. In the article the actors talk about, finding things they admire about their co-stars in order to "Fall in love" with them. This is weird to me because I have never thought of a performance effecting an actors normal life, but now i realize it is a full-time job for them. Overall I am glad I read this article, it goes beyond just the script of a performance and has given me a whole new respect for actors.
This article caught my attention because even though I'm just a teenager, I am very aware of the gender inequality that goes on in our lives. I started to notice it as I was entering high school and my awareness has only grown. I chose this article because one day I will be entering the working world and I want to understand why there are barely any women who made it to the top. Because it would sound so pointless to enter a career where you can't climb the ranks. I want to enter a career where I can be promoted and work towards something. I truly believe that feminism is still such a scary word for people, men, and women. I've found the biggest problem is that most people have the wrong preconceived definition for it. If you are a feminist you want gender equality. I think we need to do a better job educating the country. I realize that in other countries, women cannot enjoy many of the freedoms women in American can, but that is not an excuse to say that we should be happy with what we have. No, we should not be happy until we are equal. Until the number of female CEOs is the same as the male CEOs. Women are capable of so many things, and a lot of companies are excluding a whole freaking gender. A gender that could bring so many great ideas and changes. If women were just as prominent in businesses who know where the companies could go.