Title of the article: The Priceless Advice Toni Morrison Gave Me
Everyone has a mentor in their lives and it is all about what you take away from that person that allows you to grow yourself. A.J Verdelle was a student at the time when she met Toni Morrison. Verdelle was asked to meet Morrison about her book. She was always so inspired by Morrison’s work and saw her as someone who could give her advice. The many times she spoke with Toni she did not address her by the name most people knew her as, instead she called her by her birth name “Chloe.”She saw her as the young writer she once was and Verdelle knew she could learn so much, not just in writing but about being a woman. This article caught my attention because this past week, Toni Morrison passed away who was one of the best American Novelist’s. She taught people the importance of reading and writing and how to appreciate it more. She allowed people and think about what they read and apply her lessons to the world around us. It is important for people to have a mentor because it allows for you to carry out the lessons after they are gone. Even though Verdelle did not known Toni Morrison for that long, she grew as a writer and a person through the prudent advice she gave. Toni Morrison will always be remembered for the critically acclaimed work as an author but, A.J Verdelle will always remember her as “Miss Chloe.” In the wise words of Chloe Morrison “You wanna fly, you got to give up the shit that weighs you down.”
‘One Child Nation’ Review: Controlling Minds and Bodies
I have not watched the documentary “One Child Nation”, but I feel a responsibility to after hearing about it from this review.
I was born in 2005 as the second child to a Chinese family. My mother moved to Vancouver to give birth to me and my sister, then moved back to China. As a result, my sister and I have Canadian passports and my mother did not break the law by having two children, a privilege not many had. I never gave much thought to China’s one child policy. But had I been born in China, my life would be drastically different in ways I can’t even begin to imagine because of it. I might not even exist.
I like how the review is titled “Controlling Minds and Bodies”. The implementation of the one child policy not only required the policing of bodies through government surveillance, raids, forced sterilizations, late-term abortions, and more. It also required manipulating people’s minds. I could see this in the trailer of the documentary, in how people were made to believe they had no choice but to accept the policy.
I am Chinese and I love my country, though that doesn't mean I approve of the actions of government. It is for that reason I feel a responsibility to learn our history, the good, the bad, and where there is no straight answer.
If you could won 3 million dollars in one day, it would probably be the best day in your life. That is what Kyle Giersdorf, a pro-Fortnite player, is waking up to right now. He recently won it in a Fortnite competition. This is undoubtedly the largest e-sports prize to ever be handed out. Although many critics may say that you shouldn't get all that money for just playing games, Kyle says that it does take a lot of work. One of the top 3 winners, Shane Cotton, said that [I] practiced six to eight hours a day during the school year, and in the summer he stepped it up to around 10 hours a day, he said. This is a lot of work for a kid only in high school to do. Kyle says that he will most likely invest the money towards his future. Although it may seem like a joke at first, e-sports is definitely a growing field and many will start to make profit off of it.
I believe I earned a 4 on this post as I used sophisticated language, gave insightful details to the topic being addressed in the article, and stated my opinion on the matter clearly.
Comment written by Colleen Ohare
This week, to answer the question of what I found most interesting in the Times, I would say the article titled, “Trump Weighs New Stance on Guns as Pressure Mounts After Shootings”. I chose this article because after the recent mass shootings in Ohio and Texas, it answered a pressing question for me, being, “is anything actually going to get done this time?”. According to the article, the answer is a hopeful maybe. The article talks of the possibility of legislation being passed on gun control, one that involves background checks and the seizing of weapons from citizens deemed dangerous. As of right now, there is a possible willingness from President Trump and Mitch McConnell, the Republican majority leader, to open up the conversation. To return to the original question of “Why did this interest me most?”, the answer is rather simple. I want to be informed on one of the largest current political debates. How am I to speak with others on gun control if I am not aware of the most current updates on its legislation? This idea of being informed stretches to most anything going on in the political world, whether it be climate change or the economy. I, like many others my age, yearn for more gun control after the countless school shootings our country has suffered. But to be active in this desire, to essentially "do something about it", I must first understand what "it" is, which is why this article intrigued me most.
The article that peaked my interest in the times this week was “Need a Mental Health Day? Some States Give Students the Option”. This idea to give students excused mental health days is essential in this day and age. Many students deal with anxiety, especially those that take honors and AP courses. Considering the amount of work that they need to put in succeed, it is not far-fetched for almost all of those students to deal with a lot of anxiety. I see it in literal panic attacks from my classmates because of a big test coming up. Furthermore, in this day and age the rates for suicide have increased, and it commonly comes down to a struggle with mental health. Therefore if a student is taking a day off from school for their mental health, it should be excused because it very well may save their life. The counter argument to this is that a student can lie and have a free day off from school, but when you factor in the actual life of a student struggling with depression or some sort of mental illness, it is worth it in the end. This article shows promise to the idea of mental health days across the country, which is essential for students to be able to cope with their struggles and then continue to succeed in school.
The article "You Are Probably Overconfident" interests me because it reveals to me the self-serving bias that I'm not immune to: when confronted with success, I tend to attribute it to my own talent or skills; otherwise, I tend to blame exogenous factors for my failure. In my decision-making, this self-serving bias is like an ever-present little commander, clandestinely directing my thinking along a path that makes me feel good about myself and misguidedly telling me to choose the way that replicates my past successes. It tells me that success comes easy as long as I reapply my tested knowledge and skills this way, never to remind me of the possibility of failure.
However, this over-confidence is not entirely bad. Without it, we may get too daunted by the vast number of unknown variables. We may miss the exhilarating moment of skiing downhill because of the possibility of an avalanche; we may not have the dazzling variety of goods on the shelves because no investors are confident that they can storm through business risks; we may not even be able to enjoy the applications of new scientific discoveries because of the fear of experimental failures. These adventures are as rewarding as they are uncertain, but undertaking them requires confidence or even over-confidence.
To me, the prospect of unlocking thousands of exciting possibilities in life is just so hard to let go. I believe that as I venture into uncharted territories, my confidence is always my best guide.
Rolling Out the Welcome Mat for Travelers With Autism
By Elaine Glusac
Recalling those ASD kids I have contacted when volunteering in an orphanage, I can hardly define them as a group of incapability and low vitality. Rather, they are calm, optimistic, and, in most circumstances, surrounded by love. It is inspiring to watch them, to live commonly, striving to overcome the existing pitfall. However, besides the autists’ own determinations, how the society will react is actually the crux of this issue. To incorporate or to discriminate is a required question for the mass public to consider. The most vexing hindrances of autism are the difficulty to communicate and accept the routine. And unfortunately, these are also the things people are unwilling to explain in detail and in patience, during our hastily lives.
From the article, it is really reassuring to see so many individuals as well as organizations realize this setback. Carrying an inclusive attitude, they encourage the autists to step out of isolations and explore the world with vigor.
I am an introvert. As a child, I worried when others encouraged me to “not be so shy” and felt ashamed when my uncomfortable attempts at small-talk ended in awkward silence. However, growing up, I found my power by embracing my introversion — more specifically, through the reading and writing I enjoyed so much in my solitude. When I was in secondary school, I enjoyed reading Wendy Cope, particularly her poem The Orange, which described how Cope discovered contentment in things as mundane and mediocre as an orange. Works of literature inspired me to pay attention to the moments of beauty in the world around us and understand the transience of our daily dilemmas in the bigger scheme of life.
Working as a writer for my school’s newspaper, I shared these insights I came to appreciate. I wrote poetry about cherry blossoms in the warm breeze and narratives about bona fides of human nature that I observe in the minutiae of day-to-day life. Though I chose to remain hidden behind my curtain of words, when my peers read and resonated with my thoughts, I became a leader in my own right. The long afternoons I spent with books had given my words the strength to carry my ideas far and wide.
I agree with the Quiet Revolution Laura Holson describes in Susan Cain Instigates a ʻQuiet Revolutionʼ of Introverts. It’s about time that we destigmatize introversion, and allow all children to explore and expand without judgment. Extroverted or introverted, we can each impact the world in our way.
As a young female athlete, the issue of equal pay clashing with a high-end sport like soccer struck my interest in "Pushed by Consumers, Some Sponsors Join Soccer’s Fight Over Equal Pay". With the multiple records broken in the 2019 World Cup including an amazing fourth win, the women’s US soccer team continues to inspire. However, compared to their male counterparts – who have yet to win a single World Cup Title – they continue to take the spotlight, while the issue of equal or fair pay is still left in the dark.
With all the controversy of women in sports – from testosterone levels in Track and Field to unequal pay between the men and women soccer team – it is only fair that people are taking a stand. It enlightens me to see that not only women, but the team’s greatest influences (their sponsors) are taking a stand against the US Soccer Association. Despite this, the impact isn’t what was expected as these sponsors are feeding more money into the association only to receive little to no response. I don’t think that by feeding more money into the cause will help create change, but instead it might help the issue at hand. I believe that although these large sponsors such as Secret or Nike are fighting with the Women's soccer team, the smaller sponsors who are lurking in the dark must take a stand in order to stress the message needed. Even so, a different approach is needed (other than feeding more money) as the only way to make a change is for the cause to change itself.
In recent years the realm of E-sports has grown from tiny little competitions to great tournaments where the grand prize is comparable to many major sports tournaments. This phenomenon was made clear in "This Fortnite World Cup Winner Is 16 and $3 Million Richer". Kyle Giersdorf, 16, was the winner of the Fortnite World Cup and $3 million. The Wimbledon singles champions will win $3.85 million. Kyle claims that he trains in the ways of Fortnite at least 6-8 hours during school and 10 hours during the summer. Many professional athletes have to train in their game every day. See what is going on here: as the realm of E-sports grows, it is starting to resemble professional sports. I for one, am grateful for this phenomenon as I feel that having a platform that awards video game player with millions of dollars proves the fact that video games are being more incorporated into society and I hope this trend will continue.
As a young female athlete, the issue of equal pay clashing with a high-end sport like soccer struck my interest in "Pushed by Consumers, Some Sponsors Join Soccer’s Fight Over Equal Pay". With the multiple records broken in the 2019 World Cup including an amazing fourth win, the women’s US soccer team continues to inspire. However, compared to their male counterparts – who have yet to win a single World Cup Title – they continue to take the spotlight, while the issue of equal or fair pay is still left in the dark.
With all the controversy of women in sports – from testosterone levels in Track and Field to unequal pay between the men and women soccer team – it is only fair that people are taking a stand. It enlightens me to see that not only women, but the team’s greatest influences (their sponsors) are taking a stand against the US Soccer Association. Despite this, the impact isn’t what was expected as these sponsors are feeding more money into the association only to receive little to no response. I don’t think that by feeding more money into the cause will help create change, but instead it might help the issue at hand. I believe that although these large sponsors such as Secret or Nike are fighting with the Women's soccer team, the smaller sponsors who are lurking in the dark must take a stand in order to stress the message needed. Even so, a different approach is needed (other than feeding more money) as the only way to make a change is for the cause to change itself.
“Eavesdropping on Ocean Vuong’s New Book”
Vuong’s name fit his poetry perfectly: deep, encompassing, turbulent but vastly humbling. Like an ‘Ocean’.
Vuong’s poetry has an effervescent essence. He portrays poverty not for its tangible tragedy but for the rare moments of pleasure; conflicts not as a plot-advancing mechanism, but to add intriguing layers & texture to the narrative.
While I couldn’t fully comprehend his experiences, I felt a connection. As a diplomat’s daughter, I’ve lived in 4 different countries, belonging everywhere & nowhere. Vuong contains multitudes of pain but goes beyond mourning & self-pity to seek meaning in his new identity, which deeply resonated with me.
Ocean Vuong listens to Frank Ocean, revealing certain amounts of sadness & vulnerability within his Queer Diasporic body. He grapples with sexuality, race, and the dichotomy between preservation of memories & integration. Queerness & Diaspora forcibly changed his orientation, replacing the primordial identities of culture/upbringing he carried in Vietnam before reaching America.
Vuong’s goal is to create “a new gaze, a new attribution to American identity”. His writing is, above all, for young Vietnamese Americans. I wonder if he’s trying to save them, in a way. Czeslaw Milosz once said: “What is poetry which does not save Nations or people?” Why should poetry, something unique to each, be tasked with influencing collective groups? Even if a piece only saves the poet himself, is it any less poetry?
This week, I read “U.S. to Resume Capital Punishment for Federal Inmates on Death Row” by Katie Benner. It was fascinating to learn that although there are many reasons against it, the government is reinstating the death penalty. Several reasons for stopping capital punishment were discussed: public support for capital punishment has diminished over the years, an unusually high number of people (160 people after 1973) who were executed were later acquitted for their crimes, and there have been issues with the methods of execution causing unnecessary suffering. Despite the strong argument against capital punishment, five men convicted of murder are scheduled to be executed in December. Resuming capital punishment with men convicted of such a crime may be a way of garnering initial support for the death penalty until more crimes, such as drug dealing, are considered worthy of capital punishment over time. In fact, last year, President Trump expressed his desire to reinstate the death penalty and sentence drug dealers to death. However, considering the fact that mass shootings are becoming increasingly frequent, resuming the capital punishment may also be a government attempt to regain some semblance of control over criminal justice, to dissuade people from committing such crimes, or to increase news coverage of deaths of people who are “deserving of death” rather than innocent civilians. No matter the reason, the return of the death penalty is bound to stir up controversy.
This week, I read “U.S. to Resume Capital Punishment for Federal Inmates on Death Row” by Katie Benner. It was fascinating to learn that although there are many reasons against it, the government is reinstating the death penalty. Several reasons for stopping capital punishment were discussed: public support for capital punishment has diminished over the years, an unusually high number of people (160 people after 1973) who were executed were later acquitted for their crimes, and there have been issues with the methods of execution causing unnecessary suffering. Despite the strong argument against capital punishment, five men convicted of murder are scheduled to be executed in December. Resuming capital punishment with men convicted of such a crime may be a way of garnering initial support for the death penalty until more crimes, such as drug dealing, are considered worthy of capital punishment over time. In fact, last year, President Trump expressed his desire to reinstate the death penalty and sentence drug dealers to death. However, considering the fact that mass shootings are becoming increasingly frequent, resuming the capital punishment may also be a government attempt to regain some semblance of control over criminal justice, to dissuade people from committing such crimes, or to increase news coverage of deaths of people who are “deserving of death” rather than innocent civilians. No matter the reason, the return of the death penalty is bound to stir up controversy.
Whenever I'd watch the news, I'd be alarmed to hear about the rise of far-right political parties in Europe. I saw grisly images of Europeans demonizing multiculturalism, and in one instance, going so far as to physically attack traveling bands of refugees. I'd shake my head in disbelief. After all, as a continent with a dark history of far-right politics, shouldn't these countries know better?
Thus, I was stunned to learn that according to "What Happened to America’s Political Center of Gravity?", the Republican Party leans further to the right than other conservative parties in other democracies, and even more so than many "far-right" parties. I was particularly shocked to see that the GOP ranks more conservatively than UKIP, which campaigned for Brexit, and the National Rally, whose leader almost came to rule France. I had viewed these two organizations as threats to liberty and individual rights in two of the most stable democracies on Earth.
With knowledge of the roles that nationalism and fascism played in triggering the World Wars, I'm alarmed that many Europeans would subscribe to the same far-right beliefs that led to many of the atrocities of the 20th century. But, I'm more surprised that these sentiments are echoed more extremely here in the United States. As the mainstream conservative party, Republicans are meant to represent the views of Americans. This op-ed raises concerns for me that if we aren't vigilant, American conservatism is on a dangerous path.
Assailing High Drug Prices, Bernie Sanders Heads to Canada for Affordable Insulin
I have been on insulin since fourth grade. The bowl of quinoa for lunch, my morning swim, even the stress from a school assignment on the cusp of a deadline, all are complicated factors that go into dosing insulin. It is a burden on my life—but one I must bear, as untreated high blood sugar will kill me. Even a short bout of high blood sugar blurs my vision to a muddy puddle and saps my energy. But even the most religious titration of insulin coverage can only give a tenuous control of my blood sugar levels.
Imagine those who cannot afford insulin.
Looking at the top photo of the article, I saw that on the bus, in the row ahead of Bernie Sanders, were three diabetic children—like me. Without reading a single word, I empathized over our shared struggle. Yet, they carried burdens that I hope to never experience. How can they manage their diabetes if they cannot pay for insulin?
It is tragic that children are forced to go to Canada to get insulin they can afford, and it is a stark indication of an insulin crisis. Diabetics—many around my age—suffer because the medicine they need is held out of reach by soaring prices. Their blood vessels and organs are permanently damaged by high blood sugars they are powerless to control. Although well meaning, insulin caravans are not a solution. All diabetics should be able to access insulin without having to leave the country.
This week, I read “U.S. to Resume Capital Punishment for Federal Inmates on Death Row” by Katie Benner. It was fascinating to learn that although there are many reasons against it, the government is reinstating the death penalty. Several reasons for stopping capital punishment were discussed: public support for capital punishment has diminished over the years, an unusually high number of people (160 people after 1973) who were executed were later acquitted for their crimes, and there have been issues with the methods of execution causing unnecessary suffering. Despite the strong argument against capital punishment, five men convicted of murder are scheduled to be executed in December. Resuming capital punishment with men convicted of such a crime may be a way of garnering initial support for the death penalty until more crimes, such as drug dealing, are considered worthy of capital punishment over time. In fact, last year, President Trump expressed his desire to reinstate the death penalty and sentence drug dealers to death. However, considering the fact that mass shootings are becoming increasingly frequent, resuming the capital punishment may also be a government attempt to regain some semblance of control over criminal justice, to dissuade people from committing such crimes, or to increase news coverage of deaths of people who are “deserving of death” rather than innocent civilians. No matter the reason, the return of the death penalty is bound to stir up controversy.
What interested me the most this week was the article,”Less Trash, More Schools — One Plastic Brick at a Time” by Anemona Hartocollis. Trash pollution is one of the major causes of our current environmental crisis. In this article Hartocollis writes about how a group of women in Ivory Coast have collected plastic from across their country to build schools. Not only is this effective way of keeping the plastic out of the oceans and streets but it also creates a better learning environment. Previous classrooms were built on mud and straw making them hard to maintain. How it works is, a community association of strong women, collect plastic throughout their city. Then, they sell to a Colombian company that converts waste to the plastic brick used to build the schools. Other times they’ll sell at a recycling market where the plastic is made into other useful items such as chairs, sandals, and baskets. I believe the women of Ivory Coast served a great example to particularly third world countries to show you don’t need a lot of money to make a change. Ironically, the US, amongst the richest in the world, generates about 40 percent of the world waste but only happens to be 5 percent of the worlds overall population. Ivory Coast amid of other countries such as Sweden, Indonesia, Hong Kong and India have all found effective ways to reduce their waste should be prime examples to the US and other world powers on how to reduce their pollution in a way that benefits us and the Earth.
This week, I read “U.S. to Resume Capital Punishment for Federal Inmates on Death Row” by Katie Benner. It was fascinating to learn that although there are many reasons against it, the government is reinstating the death penalty. Several reasons for stopping capital punishment were discussed: public support for capital punishment has diminished over the years, an unusually high number of people (160 people after 1973) who were executed were later acquitted for their crimes, and there have been issues with the methods of execution causing unnecessary suffering. Despite the strong argument against capital punishment, five men convicted of murder are scheduled to be executed in December. Resuming capital punishment with men convicted of such a crime may be a way of garnering initial support for the death penalty until more crimes, such as drug dealing, are considered worthy of capital punishment over time. In fact, last year, President Trump expressed his desire to reinstate the death penalty and sentence drug dealers to death. However, considering the fact that mass shootings are becoming increasingly frequent, resuming the capital punishment may also be a government attempt to regain some semblance of control over criminal justice, to dissuade people from committing such crimes, or to increase news coverage of deaths of people who are “deserving of death” rather than innocent civilians. No matter the reason, the return of the death penalty is bound to stir up controversy.
This week, the article that interested me the most was "Should Black People Wear Sunscreen?" It caught my eye because this is a question I actually ask myself every summer. As a black girl who has the privelege of going to the New Jersey beaches every summer, I always question if I should put on sunscreen before leaving the house. Even though I question if I should apply, I never do because I never know why a darker-skinned person should have to wear sunscreen. I always thought that this question was stupid because I never had proof as to why I had this suspicion until I read this article. This article made me realize that when sunscreen is being talked about, it is only being directed to people with lighter skin tones. This is shown by the light, pale color that sunscreen has. Any person of color knows that most sunscreens have a white residue. Even the sunscreens that do have a tint to them are called tanning lotions, which is still directed towards people with lighter complextions. This article also informed me, through a study by Dr. Martin Weinstein, that there isn't even a direct correlation between dark skin, sun exposure, and skin cancer. The study proved that black people don't mainly get skin cancer because our melanin absorbs between 50-70% less of the sun’s ultraviolet light than paler skin tones do. But rarely when black people do get skin cancer it's in the feet or hands, which is the lightest parts of our body, with the least sun exposure.
Who is responsible for mass shootings? The scapegoats are many: sensationalized media coverage, unregulated Internet access, a lack of political will on the part of Congress.
Andrew Ross Sorkin’s article “How Banks Unwittingly Finance Mass Shootings” cites a new villain: credit card companies. In his article, he points out that 8 out of 13 mass shootings in the past decade were financed by credit cards — one, Omar Mateen, spent an astonishing $26,532 before the mass shooting at the Pulse nightclub.
It reminds me of an experience I had six months ago. We’d moved back to the United States after a year abroad in Korea, and my mom’s credit card was rejected at Giant while purchasing groceries. Obviously, the card’s bank had an algorithm in place designed to protect my parents from credit card fraud — they’d made a judgment based on our time away from the country and found our purchase of eggs and coffee beans suspicious enough to warrant a flag.
Why can’t card companies do the same with weapons? The reality is that they can, and simply don’t because they don’t feel the political pressure to do so. Given the current political climate, we can’t count on politicians to strong-arm card companies into decisive action, but we, as consumers, can. Much as corporations began to sever ties to the NRA in the wake of the Stoneman High school shooting, only our united power as consumers can stand toe-to-toe with big banks and big business.
The Math Equation That Tried to Stump the Internet
By Steven Strogatz
Every time we solve a math problem, we either get it correct or feel paranoid. At some point, most of us can agree that mathematics was our most resented subject in school. We should remember that in PEMDAS or BODMAS, after solving the first two elements, multiply or divide, and finally add or subtract. Division and multiplication same priority, so we solve what appears first. The same applies to A and S by evaluating from the left side to the right. Based on the two answers for 8÷2(2+2), 16 and 1, an argument arose as one taunted over the other’s understanding of the question.
If quarrels like this occur constantly due to an ambiguity in math, what can we say about the subject itself? Every day, math always leaves us a challenge. This is up to us if we will accept the challenge or not? If we decline this request, paranoia will manifest us. The same happened to me when I had to solve probability questions in tests. Each question only made it worse since I could not figure out what type of formula I had to apply.
I found the equation 8÷2(2+2) intriguing after seeing the two answers. Nothing is embarrassing about being confused or wrong. We just need to reevaluate 8÷2(2+2) to fathom how others answered. If you still don’t understand, ask others how they obtained the answer. How do we know what we know? Well, besides formulas, math itself is concrete knowledge. Now, relish and have confidence in math.
This week, in the Times, the article that fascinated me the most was "Juul Says It Doesn't Target Kids, but Its E-Cigarettes Pull Them In." This article caught my attention as a result of the topic proving to be a rising issue, and that it may provide some important information for those on the edge about vaping. To be frank, the title relatively sums up the article, as Dr. Kessler examines and discusses the ways youth are attracted to Juul and how we got here. Despite ingeniously stating that young people are not intended to be consumers, they know all too well that there would be barely any consumers without them. What's very interesting is the fact their product is supposed to serve as an alternative to curve addictions, as opposed to beginning them for many people. When a casual examines Juul's product, what's there not to love? The device features an incredibly sleek design, almost cutting-edge, and it quite literally can pass for a USB Drive. There are multiple flavors one can choose from, from fruits to mint. However, above all, the properties of the nicotine with how Juul manipulates them sum up an experience for a young person likely to return. Currently, it's becoming painstakingly obvious that Juul lacks some honesty, and the public and specifically F.D.A. are starting to take aim at a soon-to-be giant. I don't have much to worry about it, considering I've never vaped and never will. However, it'll be interesting to see if Juul can continue to manipulate millions.
"Who Won Night 1 of the Democratic Debate? Experts Weigh In"
I am going to being one of the youngest voters in the upcoming election. When I figured out that was fortunate enough to vote so young, I made a promise to myself to be a well-educated voter, which is why I read this article.
I consider myself lucky to be able to change the future of my beautiful country. I can elect America’s first woman or openly gay president and be apart of a cornerstone for change. I can further America's path toward equal rights and cause the same change as when President Barack Obama was elected.
When Barack Obama was elected, I was sitting on the edge of my mother's bed watching the tv with a map of the United States glowing in red and blue. I saw the last electoral college votes come in and I was clueless to what the electoral college was. I was also oblivious to the fact that America had its first African American President on the ballot. I thought of America as a diverse country and my six-year-old self assumed our President’s reflected that.
Throughout this article, I am reminded to consider what change each candidate can bring. Some candidates could re-enter America into the Paris Agreement to combat climate change so that San Francisco doesn’t fall into the sea. Or create gun laws so that children don’t go to school scared because they have seen all the horror stories. America needs a President that will bring change, and I indent on helping bring that change with my ballot.
As a high school student, procrastination is considered a normal aspect of daily life. Often, I find myself putting aside school tasks assigned for one month until the very last weekend or watching a movie at midnight instead of completing homework due the next morning, which would often lead to late nights (even all-nighters!). However, even the physically and mentally painful all-nighters I’ve pulled could not stop my procrastination - I would probably procrastinate the next day. I always believed that it was simply inevitable, and that every single person would encounter it at some point in their life.
Thus, I was interested in the article: Why You Procrastinate (It Has Nothing to Do with Self-Control). Although I thought I knew what procrastination was, this article shed light on a new, eye-opening view. Originally, it seemed to me that procrastination rooted from poor time management and bad decisions, but I never associated it with negative emotions surrounding a task. Things started to click for me as I read this article. If a particular assignment brings me stress and anxiety, I would want to avoid those emotions, despite its negative consequences. I would rather not face those emotions, but avoid them until it was absolutely necessary to complete the task. It was not until this article that I viewed procrastination as a vicious cycle of being handed a task, negative emotions, unintended negative consequences, and even sometimes, rewards - if you’re lucky.
“Where ‘Euphoria’ Is Surprisingly Conservative.” is an article that definitely caught my attention the most this week. Being a heavy watcher of the HBO show Euphoria because of how out of pocket the show is, seeing the word conservative in the same sentence immediately peaked my interest and when I began reading the article, I wasn’t disappointed at all.
The show follows a teenage drug addict and people in her age group that somehow all have a connection, these connections are always heightened by the internet which is what this article touches on. The way that Euphoria consistently shows teenagers the bad side of the internet. This is an issue that I feel like all teenagers can relate to, if they aren’t to relate to anything else while watching the show which is why I enjoyed this article so much. We are constantly warned of the dangers of the internet when we are young, but as time goes on we continue to stray further and further away from those warnings as we become more reliant on social media to stay connected with one another.
This article pointed out a lesson that many may not be able to immediately point out, but a lesson that if pointed out to you you’d have a ‘wow’ moment. It’s like an educational show that we watch as kids, we never really realize that it’s teaching us a lesson when masked in colorful images and a storyline so we enjoy it and take from it sometimes without even knowing.
I am an introvert. As a child, I worried when others encouraged me to “not be so shy” and felt ashamed when my uncomfortable attempts at small-talk ended in awkward silence. However, growing up, I found my power by embracing my introversion — more specifically, through the reading and writing I enjoyed so much in my solitude. When I was in secondary school, I enjoyed reading Wendy Cope, particularly her poem The Orange, which described how Cope discovered contentment in things as mundane and mediocre as an orange. Works of literature inspired me to pay attention to the moments of beauty in the world around us and understand the transience of our daily dilemmas in the bigger scheme of life.
Working as a writer for my school’s newspaper, I shared these insights I came to appreciate. I wrote poetry about cherry blossoms in the spring breeze and narratives about bona fides in human nature that I observe in the minutiae of day-to-day life. Though I chose to remain hidden behind my curtain of words, when my peers read and resonated with my thoughts, I became a leader in my own right. The afternoons I spent with books had given my words the strength to carry my ideas far and wide.
I agree with the Quiet Revolution Laura Holson describes in 'Susan Cain Instigates a ʻQuiet Revolutionʼ of Introverts'. It’s about time that we destigmatize introversion, and allow all children to explore and expand without judgment. Extroverted or introverted, we can each impact the world in our way.
This week in the Times an article that interested me was "Could your house be an Instagram Star?" From a young age I've always known that what I wanted to do was interior design and architecture so when I see pictures of people's perfectly designed homes on Instagram it catches my attention. But like everything on social media its not all real and it all comes with a price. This article has explained how hard people work not only to achieve these picture perfect homes but mostly to maintain them. These homes are still where families live and therefore should be able to be messy. But since these perfect homes have become the highlight of many Instagram accounts they are now put under a microscope in which they must look perfect at all times. This leading the families who live in these homes to no longer feel at home as there are picture of every part of their house online and they can barely move an inch because it could mess up the house. Most of the influencers talked about how they no longer felt comfortable in their homes nor wanted entertain people there because they now see their home not as where they live but as their workspace. Therefore, this article has proved to me that although these pictures seem perfect and make it look as it it would be great to live there, they also come with the price of no longer feeling comfortable in your own home because it is now exposed to the public.
The article that interested me the most was "He Left His Twins in a Hot Car and They Died. Accident or Crime?". I wanted to read this article because I saw the headline while shopping at the beach last week and thought it was an interesting case but never looked into it. The first thoughts that came to my head were "how does someone leave two babies that they have had for over a year in a car and forget about them?". To me, this made no sense, but then I tried to read deeper and see if I could come up with a reason as to why he would do this. For example, maybe they had a new routine that he wasn't used too, or maybe the kids were sleeping and he genuinely just forgot about them. But I also don't know if these are great enough excuses to leave your kids in the car. It also surprised me when the article claimed that 494 other babies have also died before from people leaving them in cars. I feel like most people don't see it from the mother's point of view too, she probably doesn't want to see her husband go to jail because then she would have lost her twins and her husband all at one time. Then she would be left to raise her 4-year-old son all by herself. Overall, I find this to be a really tragic but interesting case and I'm glad that I was able to look into it after all.
This week, I found the reading "Anatomy Of A Scene | How Thor Transforms in ‘Avengers: Endgame’" most interesting. It is a short clip narrated by Anthony and Joe Russo, the directors of the movie ‘Avengers: Endgame”. As a big fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, this movie is definitely my favourite one among the 22 big films in MCU, and it is the movie that touches me the most, in terms of its emotional scenes, comedy scenes, easter eggs, and fan-services. In the narrated clip, showing the scene which Thor had a visit from Hulk and the Raccoon, Chris Hemsworth, playing Thor, did a perfect job as he was able to play both the comedy and solemnity of the scene in intriguing ways, showing the internal struggle of the character, demonstrating how this superhero drowned himself in beer and video games, masking the pain of the responsibility he feels for the massive loss of life. Moreover, after listening to the directors' analysis on this scene, I truly appreciate the screenwriters and directors on how they manage to bring the complexed emotion of the character to the screen by maintaining a perfect balance between the funny side and the tragic side of the scene.
The article “Climate Change Threatens the World’s Food Supply, United Nations Warns” written by Christopher Flavelle interested me the most this week. I found it interesting because it renewed my view on the topic of climate change. For example, before I read this article, I thought that reforestation is one of the best ways to resolve the crisis. However, the article gave me a different perspective on reforestation. It reveals that although planting more trees “[pulls] carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere,” reforestation will increase food prices in the future since it can “push crops and livestock onto less productive lands.” By presenting the negative effect of planting more trees, the article changed my opinion about the idea that reforestation is the “perfect solution” of climate change. Also, this article increased my concern for climate change. A researcher in the article states that if more than two degrees of global warming occurs, 100 million more people will likely experience the risk of hunger. This statement caused me to realize the severity of global warming—a slight increase in temperature will have a serious effect on humans, and thus deepened my desire to solve this issue.
This week’s article that interested me the most is “Trump Weighs New Stance on Guns as Pressure Mounts After Shootings”. This topic is an important topic that needs to be discussed, especially after the 2 back-to-back deadly shootings in El Paso Texas and Dayton. These shootings continue to make people question: why are guns still so easy to obtain in today’s society? And another question also arises: What is Trump doing about these shootings? At the moment no new gun control bills have been passed yet but in the recent years Trump did place a ban on bump stocks after the deadly Las Vegas concert shooting. We will see in the near future how Donald Trump and Congress react on the problems of gun control.
The article I found most interesting was the article on the separation of illegal immigrants in Mississippi. I chose this article because I was really interested in immigration and policy over immigration overall.
Hundreds of parents are separated from their children after an ICE raid detained massive amounts of illegal immigrants. Children and parents are once again separated, now within the United States, far from the border.
I feel like detaining immigrants and separating them is not right. If these children were born within the United States, then the parents also has rights accordingly. They are children, and without parents, they can be scarred for life. It definitely hurts to see how so many children are begging for their parents back, and these parents are not criminals, did not bring crime, and did not hurt anybody. Non-US citizens are less likely to commit crimes compared to US born citizens. So why are we detaining so many people and separating the families?
"Documenting Climate Change by Air, Land and Sea"
Nature photography never fails to totally capture my attention. And because I’m so enchanted by lush forests and crystalline waters, I chose to look through this photo series, thinking I’d be particularly shaken by the absence of that beauty. After all, the words are clear and the implication is evident: Haner is documenting “the effects of climate change around the world.”
But besides the first couple photographs, I didn’t see any conspicuous sign of devastation. Instead, I saw natural beauty. Do I just not know enough about what a pristine natural environment is supposed to look like that these images don’t quite feel wrong to me? Should I be confused about the message the photographer is intending to send?
In any case, I suppose my confusion has significance. I have only ever seen Yellowstone, the Galapagos, and other heralded natural locations through a screen. I don’t know what these places looked like before they showed up on my computer, and I haven’t been alive long enough to notice any dramatic photographed differences. As Haner says, gradual change is difficult to document. Its effects aren't always obvious.
The challenge of communicating the reality of climate change is seriously problematic today. Yet, Haner's photographs do communicate something important to me. They show me that the beautiful places I see are changing. I'm not sure what they've changed from or what they'll change to, but they're changing.
I chose to write about the graphic "When Lawmakers Try to Ban Assault Weapons, Gunmakers Adapt".
School shootings are a tragic occurence. Sadly, they are frequent in the United States, more so than in any other country. The frightening aftermath of these attacks has led to many proposals to limit the mass murder, a popular one being stricter gun laws in the form of an assault weapons ban.
I was interested in this graphic because it showcases the futility of weapon bans in regard to school shootings in a very simple way. In spite of the lawmakers, gunsmiths find a way to circumvent weapon and attachment bans. They do so by modifying a different weapon type to the point where it is indistinguishable from the banned weapon.
The underlying issue in the nature of these attacks is not the weapon's rate of fire or its magazine capacity. The real concern schools should be dealing with is what leads students to pull the trigger in the first place.
The mentality of "If we ban weapons then people will have nothing to shoot with" encourages taking shortcuts in order to avoid the responsibility of caring for troubled students and providing them with emotional support. It might work in the short term, but gunsmiths will soon find their way, and schools will be back to ground zero.
Lawmakers and schools should not be focusing on lazy roundabout solutions. They make them stray farther from the true problem, and that is the lack of personal care in the education system.
"Documenting Climate Change by Air, Land and Sea"
Nature photography never fails to totally capture my attention. And because I’m so enchanted by lush forests and crystalline waters, I chose to look through this photo series, thinking I’d be particularly shaken by the absence of that beauty. After all, the words are clear and the implication is evident: Mr. Haner is documenting “the effects of climate change around the world.”
But besides the first couple photographs, I didn’t see any conspicuous sign of devastation. Instead, I saw natural beauty. Do I just not know enough about what a pristine natural environment should look like that these images don’t quite feel wrong to me? Should I be confused about the message the photographer is intending to send?
In any case, I suppose my confusion has significance. I have only ever seen Yellowstone, the Galapagos, and other heralded natural locations through a screen. I don’t know what these places looked like before they showed up on my computer, and I haven’t been alive long enough to notice any dramatic photographed differences. As Mr. Haner says, gradual change is difficult to document. Its effects aren't always obvious.
The challenge of communicating the reality of climate change is seriously problematic today. Yet, Mr. Haner's photographs do communicate something important to me. They show me that the beautiful places I see are changing. I'm not sure what they've changed from or what they'll change to, but they're changing.
I wrote about the article “All of Those Products Are Making Your Skin Worse
” which talked about how the products breakdown the skin barrier and harm the acid mantle. It began with Nicolas Travis, the founder of the skin-care brand Allies of Skin, answering some questions from the customers with their sensitive skin. And he said that most of it was because they’re using the product with drying alcohol or harsh essential oils. Then move on to how to repair the skin barrier.
I think this article draws me with its title of skin because I was eager to find out how to make my skin become better and why I have so many pimples. In the age of seventeen, most girls like me started to pay attention to our appearance but we don’t have enough experience about how to take care about our skin . Therefore, we can read this kind of articles to build up our knowledge.
This week, the article "A School Laptop Under $500 That Isn’t Junk" caught my attention. The article starts by telling you what to look for in a laptop, such as an SSD, intel core i3 or i5 processor, and at least 4 GB of memory. The article recommends a Chromebook over a Windows laptop, if your not going to use Windows applications. If you do get a Windows laptop, it may be slower but at least you can get the apps you need.
This article was not only interesting, it was also helpful. School starts in three days and I may need a laptop that actually works and fits my budget. This article definitely helped me, because it showed me what to look for and even gave some of the top recommended devices.
The article that struck me the most this week was "Nigerians Flee After Men on Motorbikes Shoot Down Mourners". The aforementioned 'Men on Motorbikes' refers to the terrorist organization known as Boko Haram.
I was born in Nigeria, but I've had dual citizenship in the United States as well as my home country all my life thanks to my father. I only lived in Nigeria for a year before my mother and I moved to the United States. Despite not having any firsthand memories of the place I was born, my mom and dad have painted vivid images in my head over the course of my life. I've heard about beautiful beaches and thriving marketplaces just as much as I've heard about casual domestic violence and government corruption.
I've been following the stories behind Boko Haram since the beginning of middle school, and it's shown me how priveleged I am that I no longer live in an area where that kind of danger is always present. The article mentions how the organization terrorizes the locals for food and animals, and how the government claims that they're handling the threat. I've heard all of this from my parents at home. It saddens me and my family that our government is so inefficient and unstable that they can't or won't do anything to help the citizens of Nigeria, especially rural Nigeria, where people's entire livelihoods are threatened even more frequently than the cities. However, I find myself proud that the villagers won't take their fate lying down.
Stephen Romero, a six-year-old child who passed away at a shooting at festival in California. It was heartbroken that the news was so creepy to me but was awfully normal to American. The shooting happened in Gilroy Garlic Festival, an annual three-day event in California. The festival can be regarded as a family reunion, but today the “reunion” turns to tear apart families. During the shooting, attenders ran when hearing the terrifying sound of the gunshot, and even knocked on doors around the holding place in search of shelter. I was so upset when noticing the news, then another impactful fact came to my eye, until now in 2019, there are up to 8 school shooting in America which won’t happen in Taiwan.
“My son had his whole life to live and he was only 6,” this must be an unacceptable fact to the little boy’s family. Through the news, the issue of gun policy had aroused in some countries. Some said, the gun policy shouldn’t be existed, another said, gun policy is a necessary, without it, people who illegally holds guns may hurt the ones do not. This makes the issue more complicated and it seems that the answer is endless.
This Fortnite World Cup Winner is 16 and $3 Million Richer
Derrick Bryson Taylor and Niraj Chokshi
July 29, 2019
When I came across this article, I was excited to read it. Fortnite had been a game I was interested in since about two months after it was released, but because of school and all, I wasn’t able to play much of it. When I read the title, that a 16 year old had won the Fortnite World Cup, I was surprised that the winner was not a well known figure in the game, such as Ninja, Tfue, or Myth. What surprised me even more was that “Bugha” had only been playing the game for two years, and through relentless practice was he able to achieve such a feat. This prize is the single largest prize in eSports history, and all “Bugha” is going to spend it on is a new desk, then save the left over for his future. Along with him, 2nd place, “Psalm” and 3rd place “Epikwhale” also scored many points and received a multi-million dollar prize. It is impressive that teens and young adults are beating the biggest names in Fortnite and are the top in the world.
The article this week that really got me thinking about a certain issue was titled "Democrats Warn That Federal 'Red Flag' Law Would Not Be Enough." It primarily discusses the proposition that a new Republican backed law called the Red Flag Law would not suffice in the prevention of mass shootings. This law has gained traction in the recent terrible massacres in Dayton, Ohio and El Paso, Texas that occurred back to back. First, this law must be understood in order to put it into context. Essentially, it allows the government to seize firearms from those who have certain warning signs reported to authorities. The article states that Republicans have been quick to agree, but Senator Chuck Schumer as well as other Democrats believe it will not be enough to stop shooters. In my personal opinion, I believe this will set up many loopholes that will end in unnecessary confiscation. In essence, it sounds logical, yet what are the terms of these laws? What constitutes a "red flag"? There could be value to this as most of the guns used in massacres were bought legally-they got through a background check. Additionally, these people were also mentally ill. That being said, does this mean the government is allowed to take weapons away from people solely for being mentally ill regardless of showing the "red flags"? The second amendment was put in place for these exact government over reaches. That regardless of how someone is born, they have to right to life and the right to protection.
How to Support a Friend or Loved One Who Has Been Sexually Abused
This week I read this article from the beginning of the year, but it still feels fresh to me. As a very successful movement, #MeToo did bring a lot of attention to the topic of sexual harassment. But focusing on how to bring justice to the victim, #MeToo brought way less attention on the aspect of how to take care of victims. I found this article was really informative, talking about all kind of actions victims’ friend could do, from being a listener to educating themselves about sexual harassment to honoring the victims’ progress of recovering. Sexual abused, or even sexual harassment, will leave very deep wounds(either physical or mental) on victims. My friend once told me she was hugged suddenly by a male stranger from her back on the road, and the man kept telling her he liked her. She was terrified and felt ashamed. “I wish I could peel my skin down”, she said. I didn’t and couldn’t feel her in the same way. I simply perceived her shame feeling as a sign of her conservative ideology and lack of courage to fight back. It was until I been through the similar thing that I realized no matter how people will effect by sexual harassment to some extent. But, as I didn’t console my friend, I didn’t receive any helpful comfort from others, too. People should know how to deal with the situation. This article provides so much helpful information, and I wish more people could learn from it like me.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/30/us/extra-time-504-sat-act.html
The phrase “money can do anything” is becoming true in our society, especially from all the parents trying to buy test time for their kids. Even after recent college scandals, the rich have been seeking other ways to have a leg up into college admission; using disability plans to get extra time on tests. In my school there are many kids with learning disabilities that get extra time on tests. I would always envy them because I wasn’t a fast test taker, and would struggle finishing assessments.
Although the 504 plan helps many disabled, students, the wealthy have found a way to take advantage of this. Data show that wealthier areas have a much higher percentage of students that get extra time, while areas with lower average incomes have lower percentages of students with a 504 plan. Disability tests are expensive, so in low-income areas, kids are under-diagnosed, while in high-income areas families are paying thousands of dollars for their kids to be evaluated. Many parents apparently make their kids get diagnosed for the sole purpose of obtaining more time on SAT and ACT tests, a huge part in getting into college.
Our society will never be fair, and the rich will always have an advantage as long as their is not equal access to evaluation. College is important; it can decide where the rest of your life can go. If getting into college is not a fair process, then our society is unfair.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/29/arts/music/lil-nas-x-old-town-road-billboard-record.html?module=inline
This week I found interest in an article about Lil Nas X's song ' Old Town Road' which I knew about through a remixed version. The fact that it broke billboard records for "longest-running number 1 single in the 61 year history of Billboard's Hot 100" as said by Ben Sisario is something that seems so hard to do. Naturally I became really curious as to how this song went viral across the internet.
The interesting thing I learned is that Lil Nas X, the person behind the song ,wasn't an artist, but a college dropout from Atlanta named Montero Hill. I thought the clever lyrics and the interesting track he bought online were the reason his song become a viral sensation in no time. Surpassing songs on the billboard charts from well established artists like Shawn Mendes,Bllie Eilish, Taylor Swift, and Ed Sheeran.
I soon realized though that he continued do as well as other artists not just because of the genre used or style of beat, but for his smart use of viral marketing which really played huge roll in gaining him recognition. Lil Nas X showed people something different, catchy, and unexpected which is a reason the song was liked. It's also fascinating to read how the memes and videos spread on the internet were a big factor in his road to success over night. What some artists didn't do in years he did it in minutes because of the meme's made about his song in seconds.
I found a 30 seconds clip titled "People Flee in Times Square After Mistaking Noise for Gunshots". This year the USA has had over 200 mass shootings, and just recently two back to back a couple days ago. After all the gun violence in this country, citizens are on the edge when they think they hear gunshots.
I picked this short clip, because it shows how gun violence is messing up America.
This week I read the article What Swimming Taught Me About Happiness. This article details the interesting beginning to a unique swimming career and how it has changed a man's view on life. Richard A Friedman a physiatrist and contributing opinion writer to the New York Times loves to swim everyday. Friedman would go to the pool most days and loved to practice his strokes. However one day, Igor a swim team coach saw his talent and asked him to be on his team. Igor was not like any other coach though, he would not emphasize speed but rather the technique in which to accomplish the stroke. Friedman learned with proper technique and patience the easier and faster the action would become and he saw a life lesson in this idea. “Everyone wants to be happy, yet the more directly we pursue happiness, the more elusive it becomes” said Friedman. I believe that this ideology is very true and applies to my life a lot. I love to plan out my vacation or my outing with friends but the more time and thinking I have to put into the event the less fun it becomes. Therefore in order to live a fulfilling life you must live your life like it is your last day and not stress on the little problems.
This week the article that most peaked ,i interest was "Under Brazil’s Far-Right Leader, Amazon Protections Slashed and Forests Fall" by Letícia Casado and Ernesto Londoño. This is because it opened my eyes to South American politics, something we rarely get in the West's ethnocentric mainstream media as well as show a current example of progress vs. conservation. Often times in mainstream media we only get a glimpse at domestic affairs through rose colored glasses in the west however this article gives us a real, gritty look of the populist part in Brazil, its effects on South America and the world. It also shows the West's intervention in global affairs which is seen often but rarely alongside the words of their opposition. This article also begs the moral question how much progress is too far? We are currently seeing the future and our planet's advocates butt heads. What good is a future in which we cannot live? Thus this article opened ,y eyes to the dangers of progressing past our limits and the pitfalls of Brazilian politics.
“Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” Breaks Billboard’s Singles Record”
By Ben Sisaio
This article provided not only provided an in depth look of the new record breaking song, however a shocking fact about how important the record that Lil Nas set really is. This song is now the “longest-running No. 1 single in the 61-year history of Billboard’s Hot 100 charts”. In fact, it has been an astonishing 17 week streak that this song has dominated the charts and has basically been stuck in everybody’s head. The previous record holder was “Despacito” by Luis Fonsi, with Daddy Yankee and Justin Bieber, which was at the top of the billboards for 16 weeks.
Remixes of the song with popular artists also made this song desirable to all different people who follow many diverse genres of music. I think that the song “Old Town Road” will continue to be a popular if the artist continues to promote it as he has done. In a world where technology is so prevalent and everyone is so connected, it is a strategic move to promote yourself on social media platforms, and that is what Lil Nas has done and will continue to do in order to continue his successful career.
“How I Came to Own My Name”
Since moving to the United States, I don’t think I’ve anyone actually pronounce my full name completely correct besides my family of course. That bothers me a lot at first because I thought that “Why is it so hard to say it correctly, maybe they don’t care to try hard enough”. Everyone back home, in Vietnam all knows how to, in fact, my name are very common. I just came to the fact that this is a different country, everyone is different i guess.
I still have anxiety coming to first day of school and having to pronounce my name for the teacher in front of the who class, I just hated that attention.
Maybe that’s why I always wonder, how would it be like to be born with a more common “American” name? Like Emily, Tiffany, or Natalie? I imagine myself as them, finally everyone would pronounce and spell my name correctly, I can actually find my name on those key rings from the souvenir shop, and I don’t have to say my name again in front of everyone in class. But, what kind of person will I be like? What will my personality be? Would I have made different choices?.
My parents chose the name for me, my grandparents, aunts and uncles, everyone called me this, it’s still a memories that I want to keep and wear it on me forever. Why would I want to change who I am because I feel different? I grew up with my name and I’ll live with it.
I don’t have that fear of saying my name out loud anymore and I’m glad that I came to accept who I am.
“Wife of American Imprisoned in Iran Cites ASAP Rocky in Plea for Trump’s Help”
He can’t rap, has never produced a record, nor been on TV; Xiyue Wang, an Ivy League intellectual, sits in a prison cell in Iran waiting for the political storm to pass, or maybe in light of recent events, works on rhyming skills. Meanwhile, A$AP Rocky, with Trump’s support, arrived home in his private jet. I believe that being a famous rapper shouldn’t earn you a “get out of jail free card.” Wang, who was conducting research in Iran, has been imprisoned for three years. No evidence has been released by the Iranian government indicating wrongdoing. On the other hand, A$AP was recorded beating a man in Switzerland. Shouldn't Trump have at least tried to return Wang back to the US?
The unfortunate turn of events for Wang is that Trump, a reality star in his own right, can relate to A$AP, and not to the political plight of Wang. Although Wang’s wife, Hua Qu, has been fighting for Wang’s return for three years, it only took Trump two days to spring the rapper. Trump focuses on the spotlight, and not on those who most need his help. Although relations with Iran are strained, it’s possible Iran could show goodwill, resulting in the same free pass that was given to A$AP. At the very least, applying some pressure on Iran may bring Wang’s freedom. If rhyming can set a man free, consider this: Trump cares about the show, but Mr. President don't you know, that Wang should be free, just like you and me!
Title: Kevin Duran join Nets in NBA free agency
Date: July 1 2019
By. Scott Caccilo and Marc Stein
My opinion is that Kevin Durant wanted to get a reaction from everyone and surprise them with the news that he is leaving the Golden State warriors or he was just mad at them because the attention was more on Curry.
In the age of tech giants like Elon Musk, anything seems possible when it comes to space. The latest space exploration technology unveiled last week was not designed by Elon Musk, but it was launched by the SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket in June. This week I was interested by the article, “LightSail-2 Mission Shows Solar Sailing’s Potential for Spaceflight”. The article explains how the LightSail-2 spacecraft uses the momentum of photons emitted by the Sun to propel itself through orbit. The photons bounce against the craft’s sails and the constant stream from the Sun is enough to generate movement through space. The spacecraft is the latest project in the LightSail program, undertaken by a nonprofit company called the Planetary Society. The Society launched a similar spacecraft titled the LightSail-1 four years ago, but the mission was largely unsuccessful. The second model fixed the problems of the first, and has operated without problems so far. While the technology is still in its infancy, the possibilities seem limitless. The lifespan of a spacecraft is usually dependent on its fuel supplies. LightSail-2 uses no fuel, and thus is capable of long-duration missions. With an endless means of propulsion, a spacecraft equipped with solar sailing technology could sail as far as the light reaches. Possible applications include the transportation of cargo to other planets or long distance travel to comets. It will be interesting to see where this technology takes us in the future.
Teens are copping vapes; stop these apes!
My first day in my high school was great until I saw the first vape. At first I thought the kid was sucking on a usb drive, but after inhaling, he started spouting smoke. I was mesmerized until I found out what it was.
“JUUL Says It Doesn’t Target Kids. But Its E-Cigarettes Pull Them In.” reminded me of this horrific moment.. I first thought vaping was uncommon, but as I continued my journey through freshman year I found out many students do it. I realized this was not a small problem but an epidemic,
JUUL is a tobacco company criticized for targeting teens. JUUL was originally made to help smokers quit smoking. However, JUUL found it more profitable marketing vapes to teens, even though this is illegal. JUUL has been trying to appeal to the younger generations by creating funny flavors for the vapes such as cucumber, mango, strawberry etc. Nicotine has been known for hurting teens and affect the teens growth and yet teens still do this. teens aren’t even allowed to have access to these, which is the biggest controversy about this issue. Over 3.6 million students from schools used JUULs.
Tobacco companies like JUUL need to stop marketing their products to teens. If camelback can’t sell cigarettes to teens then why should JUUL be allowed to sell vapes? This may cause our future generations to deteriorate away and I do not want that. The epidemic needs to be stopped before it gets out of hand.
What interested me the most this week was the article "The Mosquitoes Are Coming for Us" By Timothy C. Winegard. The article states that "They are our apex predator, the deadliest hunters of human beings on the planet." I believe this is true as many experience their blood-sucking abilities every day. The female mosquito collects human blood in order to develop her own eggs. In addition, they prefer type O blood. They often leave an itchy bump because of a human allergy to their saliva. However, the scary thing is if they leave one of several deadly diseases, including malaria, Zika, West Nile, dengue and yellow fever behind. In fact, there are over 100 trillion mosquitoes that killed about 700,000 people every year. Scientists presume that mosquitoes have killed over half of the 108 billion humans that have ever lived in the past 200,000 years. Alone, a mosquito doesn't cause any harm-- but it is the disease that she carries that can cause major catastrophe. Mosquitoes have accompanies traders and travelers throughout history to become the most lethal weapon on our planet. A recent inovation called CRISPR involved wih gene editing allows us to kill mosquitos in a fashion never before seen. I believe that mosquitos are tedious, and that something has to be done in order to stop the countless human deaths caused by them. However, they are a part of the ecosystem and making them extinct will cause a plethra of new problems. I hope that scientists soon find a solution.
Episodes of mass murder have brought themselves to the attention of the American people, and how to combat and prevent them is one of the most hotly debated issues in the nation. Richard Friedman offers his take on the matter in “Why Mass Murderers May Not Be Very Different From You or Me”. Friedman attacks the conception that individuals involved in these acts are mentally ill. He supports this by citing a study conducted by the FBI, in which only a low percentage of cases had a mental illness (Friedman). He gains credibility with this, as the FBI is an incredibly reliable source on the matter, and thus forces consideration from the audience at the very least. He continues to push, driving his argument home with, “This should scare the hell out of all of us.” (Friedman). Such a provocative and powerful closing contention really impacts the reader on a severe emotional level. Friedman very effectively delivers a gut-punch of an opinion that is hard to argue with.
Despite my reservations upon beginning this piece, I have come to agree with Mr. Friedman. He provides such compelling reasons to side with him, and I find them hard to ignore. The implications behind assuming his correctness change the landscape of considering the modern mass murder epidemic, and the approach he takes by presenting his view is one thats hard not to follow after being considered from his standpoint.
"15 Days of Fury: How Puerto Rico's Government Collapsed.
Simmering frustrations over disaster response, a weak economy and graft scandals turned into mass protests that toppled Gov. Ricardo Rosselló."
This week, the article I chose to write about is a political article. The uprising could've been traced to an earlier date, when Gov. Ricardo A. Rosselló left the island, on a vacation in Europe. The political legacy that he and his father had but showed signs of crumbling the first few days of the trip, when a couple of top former members of his administration were indicated on federal corruption charges. After, messages from his "circle" were leaked, one message even called a prominent female politician a "whore."
The leaked messages sparked a protest, and upon Ricardo A. Rosselló's return, they demanded he stepped down from his position of power. "Mr. Rosselló, a 40-year old M.I.T.-educated engineer and scion of a political dynasty, announced on Wednesday that he would step down..."After, many protesters celebrated.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/31/science/lightsail-solar-sail.html
Forget about Elon’s reusable rocket boosters returning to Earth. This mylar sail, slowly drifting around, is the most exciting development in space engineering since man first walked on the moon.
Why? Well for starters, it means we’ve harnessed the sun as a source of propulsive power. Spaceflight is free from the tethers of fossil fuels
Yet what makes this mission so groundbreaking isn’t the technology. It’s that this mission wasn’t one carried out by NASA, or by a billionaire hell-bent on galactic conquest: it was developed by citizens, and financed through crowdfunding. At a total cost of seven million dollars, the project cost less than forty-five seconds of Super Bowl advertising time.
Without question, we need NASA and Elon. Without their technologies, this mission couldn’t have happened in the first place. But the success of LightSail-2 is an inspiration to amateurs and students like me. It represents the democratization of space engineering. We can dream of someday working on amazing space projects at SpaceX. But we can also just open up a crowdfunding page and start making something happen right now.
The article that I found most interesting this week was "How They Made Little Simba Look So Lifelike In 'The Lion King'". I chose this article for many reasons. For starters it is a great testimony to the advancements humanity has made in digital cinematography. A mere 30 years ago a high budget all animated production like The Lion King would be impossible to make. This was due to the restraints of technology back in the 80's. Now companies use motion capture,CGI, and other digital editing software to bring animation to a new level.
In the article the time and work put into mastering the digital art of the movie is evident. The team spent weeks studying the movement of real lions and other wildlife to fine tune the movement of the creatures on screen. They also spent days upon days carefully crafting the fur to make it have a realistic look, even the eyes were worked on to look as realistic as possible. Cinematography is at a new age and the skilled men and women who are pioneering the industry are making great strides toward hyper realistic films. This article helped me to understand just how much time and effort went into crafting the movie, and how much research it takes just to make a movie like The Lion King.
This week I found the article “Need Extra Time on Tests? It Helps to Have Cash” very interesting. In wake of the college admissions scandal, it shows how the affluent in our society use their means to create better college admissions outcomes for their children. Due to the dysfunctional healthcare system in this country, it is cost prohibitive for lower income students to get a diagnosis for A.D.D. or similar disabilities that inhibit their abilities on a timed test. Meanwhile, students that can spend well into the four figures can obtain a diagnosis that can boost their scores significantly, even if they don’t actually have anything worth diagnosing. As someone who’s taken the SAT, I can definitely attest to this research; if I could check my answers over again, I would have scored tangibly better.
To solve this issue, there are challenges. First, the system is decentralized; many testing organizations defer to doctors, who can perform tests of questionable accuracy. Second, it’s hard to make the system robust in terms of security, without denying legitimate claims. Third, we’re not even touching on the healthcare system that makes it hard to afford a diagnosis. It will be interesting to see what changes are made in the future.
Uber Posts 5.2 Billion Loss and Slowest Growth Rate Ever
By: Kate Conger
This week, I decided to read about the financial aspects of Uber. The company seems to have been losing money over the past year, and according to this article, it has to do with stock compensation and Uber needing to pay it's workers. Uber has also just experienced it's slowest public quarterly growth rate ever. I think that, according to the statistics, Uber has been having a pretty bad year. There is only so much innovating they can do before Uber runs out of new creative ideas. They're already a step above the normal taxi industry, and only have a few major competitors, such as Lyft. I think that Uber is not going to see too much more growth, unless they really go big.If they aren't already offering this, I think they could start offering large group transportation, with big buses, for long distance travelling. Other than things like that, I don't see a lot of innovation left in Uber's future. The company itself,thinks that they will be able to get growth numbers backup. They,however, have not shared any plans on how they plan on doing this, which is still a little concerning. I would suggest, if they haven't done so already, that they hire a team of creative minds to brainstorm new ideas.
The article that caught my attention this week was “Climate Change Threatens the World’s Food Supply, United Nations Warns.” It interested me the most because from the title alone, it demonstrates how climate change is truly giving off a negative effect on the world. That is because all living things in our world need food to survive and due to climate change, our resource of food is becoming more scarce. The main factor of having an unsustainable food source is because of the droughts that many countries have experienced. Without water, the farmers’ crops do not have the ability to grow thus leading to us consumers not having certain crops available to us. In this situation, there is quite a bit of irony because due to our production of pollution that lead to global warming, we do not get an adequate food supply. Upon reading this article I feel as though if we work as a society, we will be able to put an end to climate change. We can do so by not taking advantage of certain resources that we know are important for us to live. Also, if people become more informed about the ongoing climate crisis, then I think we could prevent scarcity among the limited natural resources we have left. Overall, if we can reduce the carbon dioxide levels that we produce and choose to live a more environmentally friendly lifestyle, we can restore the earth to its former glory and have a sustainable food source.
"This Fortnite World Cup Winner Is 16 and $3 Million Richer"
I can't express my devotion for how far E-Sports and the gaming industry as a whole have come in the most recent years. The sheer amount of support and growth that has E-Sports has gained since the early 2000s has set the community up to be one of the highest up-and-coming grossing industries across the globe. In regards to the recent uprising of Fortnite as a competitive "last man standing" genre of e-sports, I'd say it has changed how people will look at the community for years to come. Although I'm not as educated as I would have liked to be discussing the game, I certainly hold great respect for how Fortnite has become one of the most known conversation topics for this year - the E-Sports event being no different. I also appreciate the young audience that the game captures and brings into its competitive scene - usually when it comes to E-Sports, games such as the Call of Duty franchise and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive are usually known to be the titans of the industry. However, both games have an 18+ age restriction with both the PEGI and ESRB rating systems; only allowing older players to be allowed to compete in tournaments. As far as I'm concerned, Fortnite has improved the E-Sports industry by allowing gamers of all ages to prove their worth on the big screens of the entertainment world.
“What Swimming Taught Me About Happiness”
When I was nine years old, my parents finally allowed me to go trick or treating. My friends used to tell me all about their experiences, and after hearing about them, I decided that Halloween would be my favorite holiday. The night before Halloween was a sleepless one; I was unable to contain due to the excitement. Although I never had experienced trick or treating, I continued to think about how much fun it would be the next morning.
I spent so much time anticipating that I became disappointed when morning came. Although I still had a good time receiving candy from house to house, the day did not offer as much enjoyment as I thought it would. Looking back, I regret my actions and I wish I didn’t
Another situation would be when I was invited to a birthday party. The person who invited me never talked to me at all, and they only invited me because their parents were close to my parents. Before the party, I thought about what I would do and convinced myself that I would have a good time. However, it was the opposite; I felt out of place and called my parents an hour early to pick me up.
I chose this article because I felt that the phenomenon was intriguing to read about and reminded me of my two situations. The study “Vanishing Time in the Pursuit of Happiness” was interesting and made me learn more about achieving emotions. Also, I was exposed to a different viewpoint on how to achieve real happiness after reading this article.
“A Better Address Can Change a Child’s Future”
An experiment in Seattle called Moving to Opportunity is trying to move families to better neighborhoods. Nicholas Kristof writes about the positive changes that moving as a child can have on them. He writes about a participant in Moving to Opportunity, Jackie Rath. Kristof compares Rath's life in an impoverished neighborhood and the life her youngest child, Amina, could have. “In Rath’s new ‘high-opportunity neighborhood’... Amina will on average earn $260,000 more over a lifetime than growing up in her old neighborhood” (Kristof). Comparing Amina’s future to her mother’s past shows a positive change and supports Kristof’s argument that moving has a large impact on a child’s life.
I think moving children to better neighborhoods is a step in the right direction. Many things that affect adults start in their childhood. That includes education, poverty, and community. Moving to Opportunity is trying to end poverty by giving kids an advantage in life. I am fortunate enough to live in a city with low crime rates and a good education system. Many of the children here have access to resources that can earn them high paying jobs. I used to live in a city where education is not as good and is rife with crime. Compared to my old home, the kids here are doing much better later in life, largely due to the help they get. Helping children get ahead before they go out into the real world is a substantial way to ensure they do well.
Some families are paying up to $10,000 for students to be allowed additional time on assessments and classwork, but the question that remains is how this is beneficial to the adolescent. This payment is viewed as a disability accommodation, but this issue prompts that there could be a financial disadvantage. In the times this week I was interested by the article, 'Need Extra Time on Tests? It Helps to Have Cash' by Dana Goldstein and Jugal K. Patel because it shows how division is being heightened in the school system due to wealth.
The article mentions that many students rush through important standardized tests such as the SAT's and ACT's, and being offered additional time could help raise scores and ultimately increase the adolescents college acceptance rate. However, the ability to have the 504 plan which allows for extra time is sometimes based off of the household income. Goldstien notes that in the top 1 percent 5.8 percent of students held a 504 plan, more than double the national average of 2.7 percent. This statistic shows even further that there is a divide in additional education services based off of wealth. This article stuck out to me this week because I think it is unfortunate that money is a factor in college admission and learning based off of mental health struggles. I find it unfair that the diagnosis cost so much money, and hope that potentially in the future this could change.
I had originally clicked on this opinion article in hopes of reading about the portrayal of America in foreign media, especially in terms of gun safety, yet this article was not quite what I had assumed. Although still interesting, the article covered the recent action taken by Congress to address the ever present and continuous problem that is gun safety in America. It has come to a point, I believe, where no matter what stance you have on the issue, it can be agreed that action must be taken. When there are hundreds of mass shootings a year in one county and little more than public apologies as responses, it is clear that there is a problem. I found it especially enlightening after Australia’s one - and only - mass shooting of past years prompted immediate and comprehensive governmental changes. I think, as the article described, any action that is taken by Congress to begin a discussion about finding the root of America’s gun issues is a good action indeed. It takes multiple factors to come together for even one shooter to be able to inflict damage. If scientists and politicians could come together and help unravel even one factor, America could begin to look to a brighter and safer future.
India Revokes Kashmir’s Special Status, Raising Fear of Unrest
Learning about my Indian heritage is always so puzzling, as current events largely shape what I know about my country. Currently, the status in Kashmir is very tense, as both India and Pakistan are fighting for dominance and authority. But in the case of revoking Kashmir's special status, I feel it is essential to take information from both sides. For those cities that needed commerical development and industrialization, this would pose as a benefit. But for those that prospered under the 70+ years the article has been in effect, it would limit Kashmir's individual powers. The Kashmir conflict has been going on for decades, and I just wish people around the world knew that Kashmir is not always just a place of war. On a recent trip, I visited the Ladakh region of Kashmir. Over there, my entire perspective of Kashmir changed. The beautiful green valley contrasting with the bright blue sky, and the mountains peeking out from behind reminded me of how even though a place can be war-torn, it is always beautiful from the inside. The local villagers live in such peace and simplicity, it is astounding. Overall, I wish people would unite and come together to focus on the positive aspect of certain issues, and always remember to never judge someone or something by what you see.
I often find myself checking the window at every car noise to see if the FedEx or UPS truck has arrived with my amazon package. So, when I saw the article "FedEx Ends Ground Delivery Partnership With Amazon," I was quite shocked. But, as I read the article, it started to make sense why they might make such a decision.
You may have noticed an increase of semi-trucks on the highway with the prime logo plastered across them. Those are just some of the pieces of Amazon's newest endeavor, the shipping department. They have begun to set up their own logistics and delivery services, including Prime Air and Amazon Flex, a service much like uber where people use their cars to deliver packages to customers. But this raises the question, why is it that FedEx is cutting its deal with Amazon? Turns out, Amazon's pushes for their own delivery service has caused FedEx to let their contract expire. It shows the strain on the relationship between Amazon and its partners. Amazon is constantly moving to lower shipping costs for their items, which puts a great deal of pressure on the carriers. If the postal service cannot keep up, Amazon will find new ways to deliver packages. And, carriers like FedEx will have to find new markets to fulfill, such as delivering Walmart or Target products. We'll have to wait and see what impact this decision has on the industry. After all, not everything happens in just two days.
"Ethiopia Says It Planted Over 350 Million Trees in a Day, a Record"
By: Palko Karasz
At the beginning of this week, I heard about Ethiopia and how they planted over 350 million trees, but when I came across it today, I knew I wanted to write and learn more about what Ethiopia did. With students and civil servants included and encouraged to be a part of planting 200 million seeds, the community ended up with a total of 350 million seedlings planted. Ethiopia has not only set the new record for planting the most seeds in one day but has helped fight against climate change, habitat loss, and erosion. The article even discusses that The United States has almost 3.5 million square miles of land not being used by people, and if we planted trees in that space that could store two-thirds of the carbon we have pumped into the atmosphere. After reading this article I feel motivated and inspired to help our planet and fight against climate change. Planting trees is not that difficult and the U.S could help by simply planting seeds in the unused land. Not only would it help out our planet, but it would also bring our country together as one.
Rome’s New Rules: No Sitting on the Spanish Steps (and No Wading in the Trevi Fountain)
This week, I read an article about how people are no longer allowed to sit on the widely known Spanish Steps located in Rome. Those supporting the ban say that those sitting on the steps are disrespecting and damaging the steps and visitors are also creating traffic in the area. They want the history of the region to be preserved for future generations. Those against the ban, however, say that sitting on the steps is causing little to no damage and it might be cheaper to just clean the steps rather than to pay officers to enforce the new rules. They believe that many memories were created on those steps and others should be able to experience what they had experienced many years ago. Both sides have reasonable and logical arguments making neither of them objectively better than the other and that is what makes this such a fascinating argument. I believe that both are correct, given the right time of day. If it is currently rush hour, when the streets would be most busy, those sitting on the stairs could be an obstacle to those walking to and from work. I understand the need to monitor the stairs at this time. During a less busy time of day, however, I see no harm in letting people sit on the stairs as long as they are respectful and careful. I believe that people still have the right to sit on the stairs, although I still see the value in preserving the 174 historic stairs.
"Uber Posts $5.2 Billion Loss and Slowest Ever Growth Rate"
This week I've found the article about Uber loss interesting. I think this article is interesting because of the company it talks about and not because the way it wrote.
As Kate Conger wrote we can read that Uber isn't stable company and it seems like their doing things in the wrong way. In the article we can read that Uber is trying to do everything, they're not trying to focus in one specifical product and by my opinion that's why the lost 5.2B$ in the last quarter.
With all the bad thing about Uber, we can see that losing big amounts of money doesn't happened only in Uber, but it's happening in most of the start-up company at the beginning of their way, to make big company profitable at the first years it's almost impossible. It took to Amazon for almost twenty years to turn into profitable company and still they aren't doing big profit like Apple.
Another interesting way is the fact that Uber isn't anymore privet and they're giving stock options for their employees, and by the article it's huge waste of money.
For summery, the article explain a lot about Uber and their loss of money andwhy it's happening, As the biggest service of their kind in the world I'm sure that Uber will Turn into profit company, I'm sure nobody will let Uber collapse, but if it would happen it won't be because their lost, but because the changes of the regulations around the US and the world.
Kenneth Chang’s article illustrates the success of The Planetary Society’s LightSail-2 and how its success may improve future space explorations. However, this may not only advance our space exploration technology in the future but also further advance everyday technology on Earth. That is what happened during the two World Wars. While the global economy did stagnate, we also saw a technology boom after the world started to recover. Households technologies improved greatly as a result of the arms race during World War I and II. Which is why a global Space Race would also be beneficial.
Not only would household technologies improve, but also the economy itself would get better due to the influx of new jobs related to researching new technologies and materials. The pros of a space race outweigh the cons and while there is a possibility that tensions may arise between certain companies and foreign countries, the repercussions are just possibilities while the fact that technology will improve is a certainty. There is also a possibility that foreign relations may actually improve, and countries may work together and collaborate to travel to space. Competition has always been apart of the human race. If we harness that competitive spirit and direct it towards something productive, we can produce something of value that may be useful for generations.
The article that interested me the most this week was "Uber Posts $5.2 Billion Loss and Slowest Ever Growth Rate". This really surprised me. Uber seems to be around everywhere. In big cities, small towns and now emerging in the country side. This pass week, I was in Baltimore and saw all of Uber's scooters and many people using them. I wonder if Uber went at instances and business problems differently they would be better. In the long run, Uber lost a lot of money, but even though its a small growth rate I think they will bounce back and be a thriving business.
"The Vegetarians Who Turned Into Butchers"
Although I’m a meat lover, I understand the logic that leads many to a vegetarian lifestyle: opposition to abusive meat industry practices and a love for animals. When I came across this article about a vegetarian becoming a butcher, it added a new complex layer. Beyond making me reconsider my choices when I order a burger, this article made me think about the cost of ethically-raised meat. I love these butchers’ mission to create a food source while also protecting animals from abuse. However, this mission overlooks the privilege of food choice. When considering people with lower incomes, is it more reasonable to purchase meat that is cheaper but not ethically raised? How much does it cost to feed a family of four a meal that is both ethically and fiscally responsible? Grass-fed meat is better for one’s health, but is it good for one’s wallet? I applaud to these former vegetarians changing meat production, but I worry that income disparities will lead to “clean” meat being available only to the wealthy. I think we have to ask what we can do to make sure that more people have the opportunity to make this choice.
The article that caught my eye was “Need a Mental Health Day? Some States Give Students the Option,” by Derrick Bryson Taylor. I chose this article because many of my friends and I get stressed about school. Recently, for high schoolers all round America, mental health has been a developing problem. The main reasons are depression and anxiety. The rate of both are rising, and even the suicide rate is increasing. Mental health is very important, especially for high school students who have many choices to make about their future. Depression is a huge problem for students, and I believe it is because of all the stress that comes with school. Along with a long day of school, students have to balance things such as homework, sports, work, and keeping a social life. Although school is necessary to help become an adult, go to college, and start our futures, it can be overly stressful. I think that a few mental health days a year would be a great solution. It could help reduce stress because if someone is overwhelmed with work, they can take a day to relax and have extra time to get needed rest or do work they need to get done. This may not drop the rate of depression and anxiety, but it is a great start to try and fix it. I can relate to this article because I get stressed over how much work I have to do, and sometimes I wish I could take a mental health day to have some extra time.
The article I found most interesting was "They Survived Colonization and War, But Venezuela's Collapse Was Too Much". The country has been in heavy turmoil since the election of Maduro to government, battered by hunger and economic collapse, the people of venezuela have nowhere to turn to but to leave their homes behind in search for sanctuary in other places near and afar. What I take most from this is how different governments are accessing the issue and how they are taking initiative, it leaves hope that the people of this collapsed nation will soon find the safety from suffering that they need. However, even with the hope of safety for these people, many cultures of the region will now be impacted by this issue and will struggle to keep their shape.
Throughout my life I have experienced two of my pets grow old and pass away so I know how difficult it is to watch them start to struggle due to their age. This is why the article “How to Care for an Aging Pet” by Tessa Miller grabbed my focus. As the owners of animals it is our responsibility to give our pets the best lives we possibly can so when age related problems start occurring we need to make changes to accommodate their issues. The first modification you should make in your pets life when they start getting older is taking them to the vet more regularly, specifically at least twice a year. Check-ups along with monitoring their daily life, like eating and sleeping schedules, for any changes is the best way to spot if your pet is sick or in pain. Arthritis, dementia, heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, and cancer are all common illnesses older pets are likely to have but thankfully more treatments are developing to help animals. Changes should also be made in the animal’s household to better fit their circumstances, like making sure your pet with arthritis does not have to jump or climb stairs often. Unfortunately, even if you do all these things it is inevitable that your pet will eventually pass. It is sad to know we do not have as much time as we wish we could with our furry friends but we should all make the most of the time we do have together and shower them with lots of love and affection.
The article I found most interesting in the Times this week was "Your Baby Boomer Report Card." As a granddaughter of four Baby Boomers, this caught my eye because it is very popular for young adults to believe that the world has gotten worse since the baby boomers took over. They judge their voting, their impact on the workforce, and their influence on pop culture and social justice. I found it interesting that the Baby Boomers' "Manners and Morals" were graded with a C+, because I have noticed myself that many members of their generation tends to have no problem being rude when they do not get what they want. Also, it rewarded them with an A- in "Technology and Innovations" because as my grandmother has told me and I have observed is that technology has arguably changed more in their lifetimes than in anyone else's. I was interested in this article because it directly addressed these topics as well as many others concerning the generation that raised my parents. Baby Boomers changed the world, and its up to us to decide if it was for the worse or for the better.
In a world where mankind has developed into an age of advanced technology and industrialization, society has made numerous discoveries of the most ancient marks left behind by humans. Despite this, “In Ethopian Mountains, Ancient Humans Were Living the High Life” written by Carl Zimmer, introduces a new mystery that has risen of the very first human inhabitants.
This article caught my interest because it made me think of civilization and how humans have developed decades after decades overcoming many adversities. Yet, there is still so much evidence of even our first ancestors that still remains on this earth. I found that to be interesting and the article really made me rethink on human civilization.
When I read this article I started to think about the very origins of human civilization and questioned where we really came from. There have been hundreds of thousands year old fossils found as well as rock shelters from our ancestors. The fact that humans have adapted and even to these high altitudes in Ethiopia just show the amazing capabilities of humans. What are we capable of? Have we really discovered our true potential as a species?
The article, "Need a Mental Health Day? Some States Give Students the Option", caught my eye this week because I disagree with the concept presented. Although I believe mental health is a serious topic that should be treated with sensitivity, I don't think schools offering mental health days is the way to deal with this issue. If kids are offered any excused absence from school, they will take it. This will result in more kids saying that they have mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression in order to receive special privileges. Staying home from school due to these problems will lead to many of the students "having these problems". Eventually it won't be a special privilege anymore because every child will be saying they are suffering from these mental illnesses. Although this gives a good opportunity for a day of rest to a child who needs it, it allows for many different children to take advantage of it. As children get these opportunities to miss school days for issues that don't pertain to them, they will begin to take school and their education less seriously. I know as a student myself that sometimes taking a day off is exactly what I need; given the chance to have those absences excused I would take advantage of every day. Therefore losing days I could've learned something new and instead skipped because I was feeling "anxious". The article states that in Oregon students get 5 days in a 3 month period and that will result in every student taking all 5 days off.
After noticing that one of my peers wrote about anxiety and mental health disorders in teenagers, I decided to do some digging myself. I read the article “Teenagers Say Depression and Anxiety Are Major Issues Among Their Peers” as a teen who knows that lots of the students in my area struggle with these issues, including myself. While I’ve fought hard and am much better now, the same cannot be said for my peers. Lots of my friends struggle with mental health disorders and it’s overwhelming as their friend to watch them suffer and to know their pain and to feel helpless in their fight to save themselves, from themselves. I remember being terrified of my own thoughts, I remember the mornings that I dreaded getting up because I knew I had to fight myself for the rest of the day. For the past couple of years, all I’ve wanted to do is help my peers to finally be happy again. As a teen that went through this and came out on the other side happy and feeling a million times better I wanted to share that feeling with my friends. I quickly became overwhelmed with the number of friends I had that needed help and how many of them didn’t want help from me or anyone. It definitely rained on my help everyone with mental health issues parade. I still have this dream to one day help every child and teenager get over their mental health disorders and find a treatment that works, but the world has shown me that sometimes it just isn’t the right time.
The article that interested me this week was “Museums Need to Step Into the Future”. As a frequent museum-goer myself, at first it never occurred me to look behind the scenes of such. However, the more I learned about it, the more it seemed to be more than just archives being lent/borrowed and such. This article discusses what some people may not think about; an interesting idea. That idea being the museum itself must reflect what it is talking about in its exhibits. In general, I agree on the idea that museums should be more diverse in time period, such as the referenced Whitney and Guggenheim, which have some more contemporary collections to talk about concepts of today and the future. It itself is an idea that the staff must also reflect this expansiveness brings up a conversation of if museums are just the collections they offer or also political markets in itself. A museum does not necessarily hold political or societal opinion, its color changes based on whatever artwork is housed within it and that art reflects independent opinions. However, if the ideology of a body of work is also translated into the actual function of the museum, there might be a smaller gap between the museum itself and the works they showcase. As this conversation is had, a conclusion might be reached if this is the right approach.
From a different general perspective, workplace equality should in general be respected, and this article handles it in an environment not commonly talked about.
The article that caught my attention this week was “Need Extra Time On The Tests? It Helps to Have Cash.”
I find this article very interesting. For years, extended time was always a way to helping kids with disabilities like ADHD, dyslexia, visual or auditory impairments, a chance of getting higher success rate when taking important exams such as A.P exams, SAT or ACT. By giving these kids an extra amount of time, these kids were proven to strive and do better because they get additional time to answer or read the questions more throughly. College board and ACT are required to provide testing accommodations for students who fall under this category. But recently some parents were found taking advantage of this by using money to hire consultant and cheat their children’s way into prestigious universities. This is unfair to those that don’t have the same privileges and to those that are actually have disabilities.
As a high school student, I find it every hard when taking AP exams since time was very pressuring and there is usually no time for second thoughts when it comes to answering those questions. To hear that peers who can write, can read, can think perfectly fine like myself, gets the privilege to buy accommodations just because they can afford it. This is very upsetting and I think these parents should rethink of how unfair this is for all the other kids bd stop with this action.
“Triceratops Skull, 65 Million Years Old, Unearthed by College Student, 23”
This article interested me very much. As a young child my sisters favorite dinosaur was the triceratops and it still holds a special place in my heart. Reading the article was cool in the way it brought back those childhood memories. The fact that a creature that big, this specific ones skull measured 5 feet across excluding the frill, fascinated me and reminded me of how much I loved dinosaurs. Overall this article brought dinosaurs back into my thoughts and reminded me just how amazing dinosaurs are, and put into perspective just how immense the world is and how much there is left to discover.
"White Sox, Yankees to Play at 'Field of Dreams' in 2020"
By The Associated Press
This article caught my attention because I am really interested in Major League Baseball's idea to bring baseball games to other states and countries that have not hosted a team before. I think this is a great way to expand the community of fans and even potential players. It is a way to show people who aren't traditionally influenced by this game how much it can really impact a person and their life. I believe that the decision for 2 teams to play a game where the movie Field of Dreams was filmed is amazing. Movies in general are something special that can bring people together. But Field of Dreams is such an iconic movie that the entire baseball community will be able to come together at a common place that means something special to every single person. Both this movie and the sport of baseball, as said by Commissioner Rob Manfred, are both known for linking generations together. This game played by the Yankees and White Sox may just be another game to some, but to real baseball fans, this game hits home.
The article "Don't Assume Trump's Approval Rating Can't Climb Higher. It already Has." garnered my interest because it shows aspects of Trump's approval rating. The article asserts that Trump's defeat in 2020 might not be as likely as Democrats might think due to Trump's assent in recent polls. The article also presumes that Trump will have a strong opponent. In my opinion, I do not think there is a high chance of Trump having a strong opponent. The current democratic front-runner, Joe Biden, is an old white male who comes from the establishment. Due to these facts, his nomination risks losing the far left segment of the party. Bernie, similarly, risk alienating a segment of the party, however, it would come from the center-left segment of the party. In my mind, the only person who would stand a chance against Trump would be Pete Buttigieg. Buttigieg stands politically between Biden and Bernie, and because he speaks well, he would, thereby be able to bridge the gap between the two halves of the party. The problem with Buttigieg comes from the fact that Biden comfortably holds first place in the race. Should Biden or Bernie be nominated, the Democrats would stand to either have a candidate who doesn't inspire people to vote, or a candidate who would drive people to Trump, raising his approval number due to that candidate being a socialist.
"Under Brazil’s Far-Right Leader, Amazon Protections Slashed and Forests Fall"
This article caught my eye because environmental conservation is essential to our future. The article discusses Jair Bolsonaro, President of Brazil, and his prioritization of economic growth rather than environmental preservation of the Amazon. Under his watch, deforestation has increased by 80%. This is not only an injustice to his people but also to the future generations who will follow them. In the short term, such ideals may seem enticing; but in the long run, it will have harmful repercussions. Once these actions (deforestation, pollution, etc.) have been carried through, we will not be able to undo them. At this critical time, we must realize economic gain at the expense of the environment will only give us short term gains. We must find a balance between industry and the environment in the long run. Is a strong economy more important than clean air, uncontaminated water, and rich natural resources?
"LightSail-2 Mission Shows Solar Sailing’s Potential for Spaceflight"
This article interested me because it made me think of the infinite possibilities that space can offer to the world.
Through the years, space exploration has caught my eye but seemed to have limited resources to go beyond our own solar system, Or so I thought. Engineers and scientists have branched off from the traditional use of rockets and the power of acceleration.The LightSail-2 has opened a new branch of space exploration to scientists by using the particles of light from the sun to get lift off. The sails advanced technology utilizes the sun's rays to generate a continuous nudge. And since the sun is always shining in space, it speeds up over time without the use of fuel.
The use of light to propel the LightSail, also sparked a new idea for me, an endless space with over a billion stars in each galaxy to explore. The possibilities for scientific discovery are limitless. From finding a new intelligent life form,to finding a new place that could be a possible new home for the human race.Thanks to the LightSail, scientists could improve all of its forms of space travel and exploration. Making earth's final frontier more accessible for further research and exploration.
"Uber Posts $5.2 Billion Loss and Slowest Ever Growth Rate"
This is the article I chose to read this week since I am a business-minded individual. Uber is a company that I actually like primarily because of its affordability, but this indeed does come with its own costs, primarily in "contractor" expenses (drivers' vehicles deteoriate rapidly, although there are many opportunities to make a substantial living). New York has been working to restrict the company due to its ability to undercut the standard taxi service, which I personally believe is unfair treatment.
This week I read an article titled, "Need Extra Time on Tests? It Helps to Have Cash". This article interested me because as a student, many of my classmates have extra time on tests. Extra time is supposed to be used to benefit someone with a disability, but I believe that the idea of extra time is being abused. One problem is that people can get extra time who don't really need it. Extra time could be an advantage to anyone taking a test. Many students may perform better on a test if they have more time to take it, but time is one of the constraints you have while taking an exam. Another issue is that it costs thousands of dollars to get a diagnosis in order to receive extra time. Students that need extra time in poorer areas are unable to because they can't afford to see a psychologist. In addition, extra time on standardized testing seems like it could be an unfair advantage for students competing for top-notch colleges. I was shocked to read that the ACT and College Board don't notify colleges on which students received extra time. The ACT specifically is a timed test so I think extra time defeats the purpose of the test. Even though extra time is supposed to level the playing field, I think colleges should know if people are using extra time in order to make a decision on who to accept into their school. Overall this article interested me due to the fact that I see the abuse of extra time in my school and want to learn more about what it entails.
"She’s 14, Disabled From a Bomb Blast and One of Iraq’s Top Table Tennis Players"
Among all the articles, this article particularly drew my attention because an table tennis athlete, Lafta, who became an amputee from a bomb blast did not yield to fate. Although she lost her arm and legs, she still practice painstakingly and wholeheartedly to pursue her athletic dream. If we see this in the micro perspective, we could find that no matter what obstacles we've encountered, if we keep a positive attitude, we definitely can conquer it at the end.
This inspiring story really has a great connection with me because I was an athlete before and I suffered from heart disease at that time. I will feel suffocated when I was doing high intensity training or matches sometimes. To be honest, I was on the verge of giving up my athletic career once, but I made the right decision at the very last moment. I told myself that if I give up on what I really enjoy, I would regret my entire life. Fortunately, I overcame heart disease after several treatments and practices. Now, looking back to those days that I persevered through tough training and my physical disease, I would be really proud to said that "I made it!" .
This week, the article that caught my eyes was "Boeing 737 Max Needs Full F.A.A. Review, Crash Families Say." As an aviation enthusiast, I found this article about the new Boeing 737-MAX aircraft very interesting. In recent years, Boeing came out with a refresh of the older (but very popular) 737 classic. This new aircraft used many of the same parts. Because of this, the F.A.A decided that only the parts that were significantly changed from the older model would be reviewed, allowing some key things to be left undetected This proved to be a mistake as there were crashes and many technical difficulties with the aircraft. After Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crashed, the families of the victims reached out to the F.A.A, asking them to do a full review of the MaX aircraft. This would ground the aircraft for about a year, as full reviews require extensive tests and inspections. After the F.A.A received this message, they responded saying it probably would've happened already if it was going to occur, and that they "didn't see it plausible." I understand this as many Airlines are counting on Boeing for the delivery of many 737-Max's. While many Airlines need these new aircrafts, I believe safety is the most important factor. I think that some type of review needs to be made over the MAX crisis. It would not be same to sell thousands of 737's that aren't 100% safe. This could put many thousands of peoples lives at risk.
When I saw the news about the Capital One data breach, I was not that surprised, due to the prelude of the same thing with Equifax. The amount of breached consumers is striking in both cases, indicating a more intensive potential of personal information leakage.
As a high school student, rather than a bank manager or a software engineer, leakage of information seems abstract to me, but I just encountered a case. I picked up a phone scam in which a strange man accused me of some civil cases. How could the fraud know my name and my number? Information is spread whenever I create any account on any website or whenever I establish my own credit card at any banks. Our information can be goods in an invisible market, sold and resold.
Hackers are often those who study computer science or software engineering professionally. Paige Thompson, in this case, is the software engineer who previously worked for Amazon. She represents the ones who enjoy the advances of the world and utilizes them negatively, and the existence of such a group is unstoppable. It does not matter how much hackers are punished as an aftermath, since the information which hackers are eager for is already derived. We must focus on how to forestall the hacking before it is done.
As people learn more about new things and turn the unknown to the known, they unintentionally bring themselves in front of certain dangers. What we should care about is how to take use of information and maintain its beneficial function.
The article that most caught my attention this week was "Need a Mental Health Day? Some states give students the option." Mental health issues in students is an issue I'm passionate about, especially given everything that's happened these past few years (ie. shootings, rising suicide rates, politics.) Seeing states begin to put these "mental health days" into effect is a great sign; it means people are starting to see mental health in teens as a real issue and are working to make it better for us students. I know many people who could benefit from a program like this, including myself, and I sincerely hope it spreads to more and more states. The more places this law reaches, the more kids who are helped.
Although very few of my peers have been officially diagnosed, I know many who struggle with symptoms of depression and anxiety, a lot of which is worsened by being forced by strict attendance rules to come to school. Laws like this do a great deal to relieve stress and pressure from students. It could make the difference in a suicidal student's life; even non-suicidal students would benefit greatly from this idea of not punishing mental illness. These things are important, and hopefully Utah and Oregon start a domino effect in mental health awareness in schools.
This week, the article, "How Sharks Glow to Each Other Deep in the Ocean" by Joanna Klein, caught my attention. The ocean and its many mysteries have always fascinated me, and this article, which is about luminous interactions between sharks in the ocean, captivated me. According to this article, there was a recent study done focusing on the swell shark and the chain catshark where scientists discovered, on a molecular level, how these sharks emit the color green. This study found that the sharkskin contains a certain set of molecules, which all have bromine, that allows the sharkskin to take in the blue light (only blue light penetrates through the ocean water at the depth where the sharks live) and emit green light, allowing for other sharks to see each other as they glow. Also, each gender emits a certain pattern in order to find a mate in the ocean. Even though these findings only apply to the swell shark and the chain catshark, there are still many species of sharks that might glow, and a great deal of future research can stem from the recent findings on luminous interactions between sharks.
“How Fixing Your Teeth Can Fix Your Face”
By Crystal Martin
Although we don’t realize, our teeth takes a great part in shaping our face and image. They construct the whole half of our face: the jaw, cheekbone, and our smile. When we look at the TV, all beautiful and handsome celebrities have the perfect teeth that create a perfect smile. When we are happy, we smile. When we take a picture, we smile. But smiling was awkward to me. I always closed my lips and forced myself to smile, while being cautious not to show my teeth.
I went to the dentist to get braces. I agree that I fixed my teeth, but I truly don’t want to do it again. First, smiling was not an option after eating something. Tiny food scraps would get stuck in the metal wire surrounding my teeth and some were very hard to take off. Another reason was that everytime I went to the dentist to tighten the wire, I could barely eat something because it felt like my teeth would fall out. After taking out the braces, I experienced a new world. I’ve never felt so happy and never realized how soft my gum was and how smooth my teeth were.
It was difficult to go through braces, but now I feel confident-- not just with my teeth, but me in general. The pain was worth it. In order to achieve something you strongly desire, you must endure the pain that follows. Then you will experience heaven. Everything has a cost. Once we endure the cost with pain, we will be rewarded with something stupendously significant.
"What Swimming Taught Me About Happiness"
Richard A. Friedman was at the pool when he got convinced to join the swim team by the swim coach. He did, and felt great for having gone to an early morning workout before most people had gotten up. One thing that wasn't good though, was his lack of progress with his swim times. Friedman's coach corrected his thinking, saying, "Speed is not the goal; it is the result of perfect beautiful technique" (Friedman). This meant that instead of focusing on going faster, he should focus on having the best possible strokes he could. Then you would get fast as a result of that. Friedman realized that this type of thinking also applied to many other aspects of life too. For example, when people try to too hard to be happy, they often get stressed out and become unhappy. What they need to do is instead be in the moment and have a nice time with their friends-- happiness will come as a consequence of that.
I agree with Friedman's assertion that people should not become obsessed with their plans and goals, but I also believe that they should not lose sight of them either. For example, last year during high school swimming, I was much slower than I had been previously in some events. I kept on trying to get faster, but that just wouldn't happen. But at the state meet, when I had finally decided to relax and see what happens, I drop time. This shows that if you don't obsess over your goals, the goals will come much easier as a result of that.
"The Math Equation That Tried to Stump the Internet"
The viral math equation, 8 ÷ 2(2+2) = ? has created an online rift, dividing the internet over two numbers. Although the equation originated on Twitter, it eventually made its way to Facebook, then an Asian discussion board within. My father spotted it and passed the question to me.
Like most people who attended elementary school in the U.S., I remember the order of operations with the mnemonic PEMDAS. Applying this skill, I obtained the answer sixteen. Yet, some parents in my father’s Facebook group disagreed, insistent that it is one.
In the Bay Area, many people, especially those working for high-tech companies, have learned advanced math. However, there can only be one answer to single-variable equations.
These scientists, engineers, researchers, and even stay-at-home moms, may have more mathematical knowledge than I, but in the process of gathering new knowledge, they left behind the old. The equation, meant to confuse, was successful because many of those answering had forgotten their basics.
Learning is like a crepe cake. There are many skills to build, but the top layer cannot be held up without the one below. Make and frost an uneven layer, and the entire cake will be thrown off.
The Tweeters and Facebook users can feel ashamed by their basic error, but should also realize that they have learned something new. Unlike them, I’d like to avoid these embarrassments, so I’ll start by building a strong foundation.
“A Particularly Dutch Summer Rite: Children Let Loose in the Night Woods”
There I was, halfway up a mountain. No one except my bike partner was in sight, and we had to make it to the top. There was no way for any car to get up the trail; it was just two 13-year olds biking. Once we summited the mountain, we could get to our campsite. All I had to do was get through this.
Are such challenges a good idea? Almost all societies have had some form of rite of passage throughout history, and they still exist in the modern world. On a recent trip to Arizona, I learned about a rite of passage of the Navajo. Teenagers would be sent off towards the mountains to find a spot to sit for three days to look for their spirit animal with only a little food and water.
On what was probably the most difficult school trip I ever went on, we had to bike up a few thousand feet in blazing hot sun with no breeze or shade. It was the hardest part and felt like a test to see if we were worthy of the rest of the journey. Expeditions like these have a similar purpose as rites of passage: they challenge young people to expand their horizons and start new chapters of their lives.
Rites of passage such as the Dutch “droppings” discussed in the article are not only to prove that young adults are worthy and mature enough to be a member of society; such trials are also to help teens grow and become independent.
The article, "Ethiopia Says It Planted Over 350 Million Trees in a Day, a Record", caught my attention because it shows that there's always something you can do to make a difference. With deforestation and global warming being a detrimental problem in this world, many countries are standing up to it and doing something. One of these countries is Ethiopia. The article explains that in Ethiopia, the Prime Minister is making nationwide efforts to combat deforestation and climate change. The goal is to plant at least four billion trees before fall. On Monday, the country managed to plant 350 million trees in one day, a new world record. Citizens were urged to participate with many schools and offices being closed for the day. Although this is huge for the reforestation effort, Ethiopia is not the only country doing its part. Many other countries have joined campaigns to encourage tree planting across the world. The article mentioned that a study by the Swiss Federal Institute for Technology found that 900 million hectares of land were not being used by humans around the world. The researchers said, "If trees were planted on all of that land...they could store about two-thirds of all the carbon that human activity has created since the Industrial Revolution." I think Ethiopia is a great example and even more countries should take action against climate change. I believe that we can still fix what the human race has destroyed if we all work together and save the environment.
There Was No Gunfire in Times Square. But the Panic Was Still Real.
It was midnight. I was on the phone with my parents, who were 300 miles away at a rest stop near Pittsburgh. When we finished our conversation, my mother moved to end the call. My heart began to race, and I asked them to stay on the line until they reached their car.
At first, I didn’t know why I was so nervous. Then it hit me.
I’m not alone. The fear has reached New York, Utah, California, Virginia - terrifying false alarms in the last week have hit opposite ends of the country. The sounds of falling signs and motorcycles now have the ability to make us run for our lives. It’s becoming tough to look at the news, to see which place has been hit - a random public space, in a random city, in a random state. I feel, like many in this country, that my town is next.
I remember the massive rallies after the shooting at Majorie Stoneman Douglas. The problem of gun violence has multiplied since then, but the efforts have died out devolving into political rhetoric that goes nowhere. Thoughts and prayers are still offered. The anger and grief are still there. The drive isn’t.
We need to find the same fire to come together, build off each other's ideas to work out a plan, and act. If we are ever to stem the flow of terror of mass shootings in the US, “we will fix this” needs to become “we are fixing this.” Not as Democrats, not as Republicans, but as Americans.
"How Phones Made the World Your Office, Like It or Not"
The first handheld wireless phone was created in the 70s, and nowadays every person owns a cell phone. Cell phones have undoubtedly made our daily lives much easier. Any knowledge you seek can be found within seconds of googling it. With a quick click of a button, you can call or text anyone, and a multitude of information and photos is stored all on one small electronic rectangle. However, are cell phones only beneficial? Cell phones allow access to you 100% of the time. If I don't answer my phone on the second call, I receive a worry-filled text from my mom asking why I am not responding. Constant social media notifications are distracting and cause excessive time spent on your phone. Lunch with friends or family dinner at the table is interrupted by the urge to check our screens. Many people even become addicted to their phones, consumed in a YouTube video and ignoring the people around them. The handheld phone was an innovation that changed the world, but often times I think I would be better off without it.
“If You Didn’t ‘Sharent,’ Did You Even Parent?”
This video reminds me of the shocking and uncomfortable moment of seeing my birthday pictures plastered on my mother’s social media, nickname and birthdate attached.
The op-ed reveals the inherent conflict between a parent’s desire to share online and a child’s interest in privacy. The children in the video voiced my frustration of being shown off and exposed against my will. They, like me, have the right to take responsibility for their own digital footprint. The parent perspective on the issue is also worth weighing. Initially the parents held to their expectation that their child should be completely agreeable and open to them. While unfair, this assumption likely stems from the parents’ unconditional love for their children. The mindset is that mother knows best.
In light of prevalent dangers such as identity theft and hacking, there are two important takeaways. The first is for parents be aware that viewers of any sharing website can have sinister motives. The second, a key to good parenting, is to always communicate about disagreements and problems.
In the internet age, the information parents share will surely follow their children into adulthood. Without communication the parents in the video wouldn’t realize the magnitude and impact of their actions, thus putting their children’s futures at risk.
Week 8-There Was No Gunfire in Times Square. But the Panic Was Still Real
By: Micheal Wilson
A sputtering engine was all it took to ignite mass hysteria. 12 people were injured as crowds of people clambered into restaurants, storefronts, and theatres, interrupting the final monologue of “To Kill a Mockingbird”, to avoid what was thought to be an active shooter. While the perceived threat was actually a backfiring engine, the response it produced echoed the fear of a nation still reeling from three mass shootings.
For most mass shootings my coping method has been to tell myself that I would never have to be in that situation but this was different . I was in the Shubert Theatre watching Celia Keenan-Bolger at Scout Finch just one week earlier.
Now after the shootings in Gilroy, El Paso and Dayton, I’m scarred. The fear that I as I walk through the hallways of my school bullets might rain down.
The question “Am I next?” has been gnawing at my subconscious , trying to suffocate any thought of relative safety. This underlying fear contradicts everything I was ever taught about what America was supposed to be. I was never supposed to feel this kind of fear. Together we were supposed to be able to prevent these kinds of tragedies. The climbing death toll only highlights the deliberate action that politicians are taking to prevent any action because when the only thing being offered is thoughts and prayers there is no hope that anything will improve.
This week, I read, "Ethiopia Says it Planted Over 350 Million Trees in a Day, a Record." I found this article interesting because social media recently has been trying to promote awareness for the environment. With rising carbon emissions and global warming, some countries have been trying to make a change. Ethiopia is one example. To combat deforestation, the prime minister of Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed, including most of the nation, planted 200 million seedlings, Closing schools, and offices, many people were able to join him and urged to participate in this event. While this was only a one-day tree-planting effort, it might as well have limited the growing amount of carbon being released. According to the article, "..when they matured they could store about two-thirds of all the carbon that human activity has pumped into the atmosphere since the Industrial Revolution." Hopefully more countries will follow Ethiopia and promote more actions being done and strive to create a healthier world for future generations.
The article that caught my attention was titled "An Online Preschool Closes a Gap but Exposes Another". In Fowler, California, a large amount of the population struggled to afford a high quality, daylong preschool. David Cardenas, the mayor of Fowler, knew this although there were not many options. Cardenas fortunately found an online preschool that was entirely run by a nonprofit group. Waterford Upstart is beneficial for lower income families and has kids click through lessons 15 minutes per day for five days a week. Over 16,000 children in the United States graduated after nine months of the program this year. Although, many early education experts see issues with online pre-schooling. Steve Barnett, co director of the National Institute for Early Education Research of Rutgers University, said "a good preschool program typically developed a child’s social and emotional abilities, as well as ingraining lessons like thinking before you act. All of that can’t be done online." Personally, I believe that children are being taught very similar lessons has schools by using this program and therefore, this program is beneficial towards the families that have a hard time paying for day long preschools.
The article that interested me the most was “America’s Next Top Pool Float”. It was about all the different, unique types of pool floats rather than the basic noodle and tube. My favorite was the invention of the inflatable rubber duck float. The trend of the creative floats is said to be started by Taylor Swift back in 2015 at her iconic Fourth of July party.
Creative tubes are now very popular to compliment in pictures for social media ,but also for complimenting your outfit. There are so many different shapes so you can find the perfect one for your personality. Pool floats are a summer necessity.
" A Hidden Gem of Rhode Island" by Caryn B. Davis
As a person who has lived in Rhode Island my whole life, I would have never thought of it as a vacation spot. This article opened my eyes to some of the major benefits to living in Rhode Island. For instance, I always knew we were the Ocean State, but I never realized that we have 100 miles of coastline. Rhode Island is also close to many things, such as Manhattan, which is only a 2 and a half hour ride away, and Boston, which is only an hour and a half away. Even though I live in the smallest state in the USA, it's crazy to think that I still only know about half of what's around me. Although this article focuses on the South County of Rhode Island and I live in Newport County, I have still visited some of the places mentioned within the article. Reading about places I have personally been to always seems to keep my interest. Along with places I have been to, Caryn also talks about places I never knew existed, such as Watch Hill, and Weekapaug. The next time I am looking for something new to do, I might go visit the Watch Hill Lighthouse, or even the Quonochontaug Barrier Beach in Weekapaug. I feel as though Caryn perfectly summed up Rhode Island and made it seem like the perfect day trip/vacation spot. Reading this article makes me want to stay in Rhode Island and visit the South County more. Overall, Rhode Island truly does have some hidden gems and I am proud to be living in such a peaceful, beautiful state.
An article that Caught my eye this week, "Don"t assume Trumps approval rating can't climb higher. It already has" I found this week to be very insightful and interesting, especially since the massive amount of controversy following the mass shootings.
I choose to read this article upon viewing it because in this day in age it seems as if every public figure or celebrity seems to have something to say about the president of the United States, And Though people are probably thinking 'there is no way Trump is going to win in 2020' that is frankly the opposite trend. According to this article, since 2016, Trumps Approval rates have increased by 10. Additionally, it stated that Republican voters in 2016, were 2 times less likely to get up and vote than now, where they will most likely vote for Trump according to the approval rate trend.
But on the contrary, it gave many other statements about why he won and why won't win again. Since his approval rates are still under 50%, and the loss in 2016 was a result of low Black turnout and a weak democrat that voters couldn't back, maybe the democrat candidate in November will grab up the 51% of voters who do not advocate for trump.
Yes, economically Trump has done well for the United States, But as the trade war with China brings economic harm to America, along with his public comments, his approval rate may go back to 34%, as it was in 2016. By 2020, who knows what the public opinion may be.
"She Wasn’t Exposed to Nuts. Why Was She Going Into Anaphylactic Shock?"
By: Lia Hansen
I am one of the many people who have an allergy to nuts. I started only being allergic to walnuts and pecans, but one day, while eating hazelnuts, my mouth felt itchy, my throat closed up, and all I could do was sit on the floor and cough for half an hour. So we went to the allergy doctor and added hazelnuts to my list. When I saw an article telling of an allergic reaction without exposure to any known allergens, I clicked on it. It turned out that she had an unusual disorder caused by the development of too many mast cells, and the idea that anyone could have a potentially lethal allergic reaction out of the blue made me curious. Allergies still have no fast cure and cannot be prevented. I wonder how many people have allergies to obscure foods that they do not even know about. I also am curious about how allergies develop over time, like my hazelnut allergy. This article did not turn out to be what I expected, but it was still an interesting allergy-related series of events. The U.S. government health plans spent more than $1 billion on EpiPens between 2011 and 2015. Additional funds should be dedicated to the study of allergies to find lasting cures, improving many people's lifestyle and reducing the U.S.'s expenditures.
Week 8:
Article: Need Mental Health Day? Some States Give Students the Option
The concept of mental health is a very layered and controversial topic especially among today's youth; schools beginning to allow their students to take mental health days is a step forward into raising awareness of a damaged youth. When it comes down to talking about mental health with teens, I feel as if it's often ignored and not taken as the serious issue it is. Anxiety and depression are rising health issues that are taking a toll on a mass majority of students and contribute to other issues. Mental illness rising also adds to a rising drug and suicide epidemic; juuling, vaping and opioid abuse within high schoolers is an enormous issue that majority of the time connects back to depression and anxiety that kids are facing. Giving students the access to take days to themselves and collect themselves is an amazing opportunity to help students who face with their issues alone. It can be seen as a step of prevention for students going through a rough time, this can be something that can prevent something as big as school shootings. Allowing kids to understand that it’s okay to not be okay at times and need a break can reach out to students and be vital to progression within students mental health.
The article that I found most interesting was “Need a Mental Health Day? Some States Give Students the Option,” by Derrick Bryson Taylor. In my opinion, more states should follow Utah and Oregon by implementing this policy for all students. As stated in the article, students are stressed out from not only school work but what is happening in the world such as climate change and mass shootings. If schools add on to this stress with schoolwork and tests, students may enter a state of depression and this leads to an increase in suicides rates as stated by Taylor. If more states were to implement this policy, students wouldn’t feel as much stress as they currently are and learn to take care of their mental health. Instead of being worried for the students who will take advantage of this by faking being stressed, parents should think about the students who are really stressed to the point where they are miserable and need a day off. Overall, all schools should offer mental health days so students can improve their mental health and release their stress from events in school and outside school.
This week, I read "This Fortnite World Cup Winner Is 16 and $3 Million Richer" by Derrick Bryson Taylor and Niraj Chokshi. As a 16-year-old and fellow gamer, I am excited to see that video games and gaming dexterity have become more respected by society as of recently. The fact that there was a $3 million payout for a gaming tournament speaks volume to the growth of the gaming community and industry. This tournament will be set as a threshold to those wishing to compete in a video game tournaments that reward cash prizes. Though not many tournaments can allow such a large amount of prize money to the first place winner, there is now a large potential for future tournaments to fulfill. It is reassuring to young players that wish to compete that, if they take home the top prize, their hard work and many hours trying to master their craft will pay off. I am interested to see how competitive video games will become and the amount of support behind them will increase. There are also lots of games to choose from that offer competitive challenges with cash awards. There has been a change in culture that is beginning to show that video games are no longer just a waste of time but can be fruitful to those that take them seriously. In the end, I believe young gamers will be more motivated to articulate their own style of play on any game due to this event.
"Trump Weighs New Stance on Guns as Pressure Mounts After Shootings"
This week I was interested in reading about how the recent mass shootings have caused our president to possibly change his stance on guns. It is interesting to see how a republican president like Donald Trump is willing to consider the idea of having background checks on gun purchasers. Never before has our president wanted to do background checks until two mass shootings and rising pressures from concerned Americans. Gun control is debated in our country and to see the possibility of a background check bill getting passed shows strides that our country is taking towards a safer place. However, I do find it fascinating that our president is working towards this bill only due to the two mass shootings. What I mean is, did it have to take 31 people’s lives to be taken from them to realize that gun safety needs to be addressed and fixed? Though I am glad something is being done, it should have been done before innocent lives were taken in Texas. I would like to keep up with articles regarding gun safety because I want to know if Mr.Trump will take action on this issue rather than backing away like he has done in the past. This article caught my attention due to the fact that I am interested in politics and want to live in a country where I can feel safe, so I am curious to see the actions that will hopefully be taken to get there.
“Evolution Gave Us Heart Disease. We’re Not Stuck With It.”
Heart disease is not new to me. My father lives with it; rather, it controls him. It is not just a disease, but everything that the disease entails. The chest pain. The pills. The heart attacks. And three days ago, the quadruple bypass surgery. Seeing him in the ICU - gray and cold, a giant IV in his neck, chest drains and tubes everywhere - was overwhelming. For a moment, I felt doomed to go down the same path. After all, isn’t it in my genes?
Before reading this article, I never thought about the origins of heart disease. To me, it was all cholesterol, blockages, and arteries. Dr. Warraich’s insight into its evolutionary basis reveals a far more complex perspective. I discovered that by protecting us from the omnipresent threats of illness and starvation, our bodies allowed us to create new dangers, such as overeating and sedentary living. Furthermore, our immune systems try to attack threats that no longer exist, creating inflammation and leading to heart disease.
Even if our bodies have not adapted to cope with our changing habits and lifestyles, we can adapt our lifestyles to deal with the body’s mechanisms. Although my immune system can “[turn] its menacing guns inward,” with weapons like fatty streaks, plaque, and blockages, I do not have to simply take its fire. I have the tools to retaliate - diet, exercise, and stress management. My genes and even evolution may be striking hard, but I can fight back.
Technological advancement has sparked a new era of journalism--one that has obfuscated the distinction between entertainment and news. While media and our current political system are inextricably linked, it has drastically reconstructed the role of the press, replacing investigative journalism with sensationalized misinformation. It has become an uncensored echo chamber--exacerbating existing political biases and transforming citizen engagement. Clearly, given the rapid nature of technological media consumption, consumers are now subjected to a powerful, influential medium that has the ability to create a polemical, narrowly focused political position, one that has the potential to sway elections and alter public opinion. Thus, I was intrigued by the article, “With Most States Under One Party’s Control, America Grows More Divided.”
Author Timothy Williams illuminates the idea that Democrats and Republicans appear to create partisan divisions regarding every issue, both opposing and demonizing each other. He furthers this notion, explaining that “It is the first time in more than a century that all but one state legislature is dominated by a single party.” I believe that this divide in our nation has been exponentially escalated by the media, who overstates the division and emphasizes preexisting beliefs. In turn, polarization has created a cultural divide and had a pivotal effect on how we interact in our society.
The article I chose for this week is "Uber Posts $5.2 Billion Loss and Slowest Ever Growth Rate" by Kate Conger. With the rise of technology and applications that allow us to contact outsiders as well as set up online businesses is growing there is no doubt that major and even small companies are going to experience falls and rises. It surprises me that with a company as big as Uber it still goes through money problems. But then I realized that every company is being rivaled and in that case need to find ways to lure the people to them. I believe it is amazing how one persons thoughts can be magnified and set into action by the technology we have now. The costs given by the article may seem large (rather large) but when you really think about the size of Uber with its total amount of workers, it is a small price to pay through all its success. Seeing how Uber as an online transportation network boom into life and succession, should give other people hope or motivation in creating their own businesses and to prosper. Any online job or organization that gives jobs to people is really giving people the opportunities to gather some money as well as to try different jobs and expand their experience. Some people don't like online organizations such as Uber because they take job opportunities but in my opinion I enjoy the idea of technology taking a big role in the society and I believe that many more people should use the internet to grow their own companies.
"Need a Mental Health Day? Some States Give Students the Option"
By Derrick Bryson Taylor
Given our current state of America, anxiety, depression, and other mental illnesses are anything but rare. Utah and Oregon are recognizing and acting upon this, providing the option that students may take a number of days off from school to focus on their mental health. This is so important for stressed out students in order to prevent a build up of anxieties caused from school which the American Education System has not accommodated for. Not only would these days help students struggling with mental illness, it would also reduce the stigma of it. If the administration at all schools officially recognized the struggles of being a student/teenager, the students may feel more comfortable talking about and more likely to take care of themselves in this aspect. I am certain that I would use and benefit from the option to take mental healths days along with many of my peers.
"Shooting at Festival in California Kills ..."
As a child, I cherished our family trips to the Gilroy Garlic Festival. I recall munching down on an endless supply of garlic fries and mischievously commenting on my parents’ sunscreen-lathered faces, only to soon suffer the same fate. For what councilman Peter Leroe-Munoz identifies as a crown jewel of cultural identity, this landmark festival has served as a source of warm, nostalgic memories for countless families over decades. Now, thousands will carry the lifelong trauma of hiding underneath a linen tablecloth or running away from the sound of gunshots ringing out in a crowd.
The numbing frequency of mass shootings in the United States and the scars they leave behind have come to define part of the modern American experience, despite repeated tragedy after tragedy. What I have realized is that this unthinkable reality holds permanent implications for our nation’s identity. Public events like the Gilroy Garlic Festival hold a key role in the formation of shared experiences between friends, family, and the American collective. The proliferation of mass shootings like in Gilroy, El Paso, and Dayton characterize our society as a ‘gun society’ and fundamentally threaten our democracy’s values of life and liberty.
I believe that it is our social and political obligation to advance an unyielding legislative agenda for effective gun laws. We risk losing our most basic freedoms if we choose to continue with the status quo.
This week, the article that interested me the most was “These Giant Parrots Once Roamed New Zealand.” The article interested me as I was born and raised in New Zealand. When I was living there, I had a neighbor who owned many parrots as his pets. I was always fascinated with the beauty of these birds and would constantly go look at them. From a young age, I learned about and saw the many different species of birds in New Zealand. When I saw that a prehistoric bird had recently been discovered, I instantly wanted to know more about the Heracles Inexpectatus. It shocked me to know that these parrots were larger than the kakapo. I would've loved to have been able to see the Hercules parrot when they were still living.
The article I decided to read this week was “Need a Mental Health Day? Some States Give Students the Option.” This article first piqued my interest due to seeing back to school sections start appearing as the school year is set to begin relatively soon. Being a student myself, I found it interesting that this policy is being introduced as this was the first time I have ever heard of it being a possible change to the education system. The article mentions “some parents had opposed the bill, raising concerns that students could take mental health days by pretending to be sick.” This was generally the way I thought that the school system worked, in that the only way that a student would ever be able to be absent from school without skipping was through staying home “sick.” That is why I believe this policy is a positive development in the school system as it is finally addressing the stress that school causes for all students. They address the issue with the policy giving a way to recover without faking an illness or having to rely on parents to be lenient and let the students stay home. However, though this policy is great in my opinion, it has only been introduced in two western states and I am interested to see how this policy develops over the course of this next school year and am hopeful to see this introduced nationally over time.
While looking at the articles from the New York Times this week, I came across one titled "Dayton Has Survived Highs and Lows. It Will Survive This." After hearing news about the Dayton shooting, my heart was crushed. We constantly see events like this happening on the news but never imagine it could happen to us. In reality, it could happen to anyone, and the author of this article, David Belcher, had to learn this the hard way.
David Belcher grew up in Dayton, and has always considered it his home. In the article he explains how Dayton is a city that has fufilled many dreams and given lots of hope to people from all over the world. This was very interesting to me because I have never heard of the majority of events he was writing about. At one point in the article it states, "Dayton in its prime, was built on the hopes of the tens of thousands of people who fled Appalachia after World War II for the unionized factories of National Cash Register, General Motors, Frigidaire and Chrysler. My parents were among them ..." Belcher goes on to say that he is hopeful in the city of Dayton; he believes that they will be able to get through this tragedy.
I'm thrilled that there is still so much hope after such a traumatic event has taken place. However, I really wish that there could be a solution to problems like this, so people won't have to keep facing these obstacles. I have confidence in our future, too, I just hope our country comes together to make some changes very soon.
"Climate Change Threatens the World’s Food Supply, United Nation Warns" shows that worldwide consumption rates of food are detrimental. Food is becoming less nutritious leading to an increase in malnutrition and temperature rise is decreasing crop yields. Less food will increase prices that put those in poverty at an increased risk of malnutrition. Due to richer countries not being as affected as poorer countries, the United States and European countries will experience increased immigration levels. When drought was occurring in Latin American countries there was an influx of migrants at the United States border with Mexico. This is an example of the effect of climate change and lack of food will have on migration rates. The current climate in our politics will need to change to accommodate or start to change the use of resources.
Overall this article interested me because of how recent this information is and my lack of awareness of the level of crisis the world is facing. I knew global warming was damaging crop yields and was causing weather such as wildfires and heatwaves, however, I did not realize the impact. This article has made me feel extremely fortunate to live in a country that is not suffering from a lack of resources like other countries. I hope that due to our country’s position we can begin to implement changes to decrease the rate of global warming and to think critically about the production of food.
The article “‘With Me Nearly Always’: Readers on Emotional Support Animals,” interested me this week. Most non-support animal owners and people without disabilities don’t fully understand how this is a necessity for others. Although many think that some people use this as an excuse rather than a serious mental disorder or physical condition, that isn’t always true. Actual benefits come from these animals and the article features real stories, but still some people just assume an excuse is always being made. In some cases, these animals change the lives of their owners and have done incredible jobs when responding to whatever their needs may be. Companionship of animals is crucial for a lot of peoples’ health and might even be the only affection they have from anyone. It’s easy for an ordinary human, without any form of disabilities, to complain about the use of the animals when they don’t know what it’s like to depend on one to make everyday tasks a little more bearable. Even just their presence might push the owner to get out of bed and it’s a big help for a lot of people, especially those who struggle with depression. The calming nature of a service animal can help ease anxiety and reduce stress among several other things. It’s unnecessary to judge someone with a support pet and many outsiders don’t stop to consider what they might be going through. In numerous cases, the support from an animal can really make the difference of recovery and this is why they’re so important.
Alexandra Horowitz's “Things People Say to their Dogs”, explains how our attitude toward our pets, actually gives hints to who we are. Dogs and pets are everywhere, and we tend to express our emotions by talking to and spending time with them. This simple interaction shows our values, as Horowitz describes how she felt about what she has seen. “It makes me feel optimistic about humans to hear us talk to other animals. We are at our best in those moments when we extend the circle we’ve drawn around ourselves to include them” (Horowitz). The overwhelming amount of emotion that we associate with pets, as well as, personal connections allow the author to affect pathos. In combination with her studies, the reader finds themselves affected by her rhetoric.
I happen to agree with her point. Our real character shines through when we are dealing with animals. I know for me at least my dogs are the best stress relievers. You always feel like you can sit there and tell your dogs everything. They are the best listeners because they never judge or respond. When I got back from the hospital, the only thing that allowed me to cope with being housebound was my pets. They came and sat with me and helped me get everything off my chest. We can put up walls and hide things from people but dogs can see through all that. They are incredible beings that show our true nature. Appreciate them while you have them around.
On August 3rd, starting at 10:39 am MDT in El Paso, Texas, 22 victims lost their lives in the 7th deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. Just hours later, 9 more people are murdered in Dayton, Ohio. These two events are just part of the reoccurring nightmare that is threatening our society and lives.
Being so affected by the recent tragedies, I was most interested this week in the podcast, "2 Days, 2 Cities, 2 Massacres" hosted by Michael Barbaro. As I listened to the podcast as different officials talking about the victims of the El Paso shooting, with one of the victims shot being just 10 years old, I thought about how my own life, and the lives of people around me, are being threatened.
When I was young and I was out with my parents collecting groceries, I was worried about getting a lollipop or helping my mom choose dinner. Now, when I am just 16 years old, my thoughts immediately begin with "Where do I go if there is a shooter" and "How can I keep myself and those around me safe?". This is not what a person any age should be concerned with.
This year alone, there have been more mass shootings than days in the year. Now, the question is no longer if there will be another shooting, but when the next shooting will take place and where. This pattern will keep repeating, and get worse, unless, we gather as a country, no matter our political views, to help our neighbors, friends, family, and community stay together and stay safe. It is time for action.
In reading Benedict Carey's "What Experts Know About People Who Commit Mass Shootings," a concise, yet multifaceted look into the psychological lens behind such horrid atrocities (mass shootings) is given. Naturally, looking into such a woefully relevant topic was of great interest to me. The ambiguity and/or lack of knowledge in answering some of the article's listed questions is insightful of the just how many inadequacies are present in current mindsets and legislative regulations. Interestingly, it seems as if such inadequacies ties into the ultimate ineffectuality of the method of marking people showing "red flags," mainly with the fact that there is little established or reliable profile of potential shooters (with there being shooters of different gender and socioeconomic backgrounds, as per the insight of Dr. Deborah Weisbrot in the text). Reading the article led me to form a striking question - what is the role and effects of the press and media coverage on mass shootings? Does heightened coverage of such atrocities bring about increased awareness and spawn increased action, or does it proliferate motivations for more inhumane acts - or even both? Reading this article brought me further interest in closely following and reading on such a topic.
“‘There’s Nothing Being Done’: Mourning and Anger After Mass Shootings”
One week. Over 30 people. In the span of only one week, over 30 lives were lost due to gun violence from three separate incidents. The first incident happened on Sunday, July 28. What was supposed to be a fun and nice day for families turned into a horrifying day due to gun violence that led to the loss of three people. What happened in California was devastating, and less then a week later, there was another shooting in El Paso, Texas. Less than 24 hours after that, another shooting in Dayton, Ohio.
One week. Dozens of lives that were ended too soon. Acts of gun violence should not be occurring frequently and at all, but on average, about 40,000 people are killed and about 100,000 people are injured in a year due to guns. How the government should deal with guns has been a heated topic of debate for years and there isn’t one clear solution. However, action needs to be taken. People shouldn’t be scared of going outside of their house. Schools shouldn't be a place where students need to focus on their safety rather than their education. We shouldn’t need to be thinking about the fastest way to escape a place, but this is the society we now live in.
How many more times do these acts of violence need to happen until real change happens? Politics is hard but the question of the safety of our lives is not, change needs to happen now.
“Evolution Gave Us Heart Disease. We’re Not Stuck With It.”
Heart disease is not new to me. My father lives with it; rather, it controls him. It is not just a disease, but everything that the disease entails. The chest pain. The pills. The heart attacks. And three days ago, the quadruple bypass surgery. Seeing him in the ICU - gray and cold, a giant IV in his neck, chest drains and tubes everywhere - was overwhelming. For a moment, I felt doomed to go down the same path. After all, isn’t it in my genes?
Before reading this article, I never thought about the origins of heart disease. To me, it was all cholesterol, blockages, and arteries. Dr. Warraich’s insight into its evolutionary basis reveals a far more complex perspective. I discovered that by protecting us from the omnipresent threats of illness and starvation, our bodies allowed us to create new dangers, such as overeating and sedentary living. Furthermore, our immune systems try to attack threats that no longer exist, creating inflammation and leading to heart disease.
Even if our bodies have not adapted to cope with our changing habits and lifestyles, we can adapt our lifestyles to deal with the body’s mechanisms. Although my immune system can “[turn] its menacing guns inward,” with weapons like fatty streaks, plaque, and blockages, I do not have to simply take its fire. I have the tools to retaliate - diet, exercise, and stress management. My genes and even evolution may be striking hard, but I can fight back.
"The Cruel Farce of Cutting Food Stamps"
Thousands of families and individuals rely on government assistance to live. This is the message the New York Times Editorial Board highlights. Specifically, this article informs of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. This program has successfully been aiding families who lie under the federal line of poverty that need financial assistance. With the SNAP program, a great quantity of adults and children are being led into living healthier lifestyles because it allows them to obtain a variety in nutriments. Although SNAP critics have argued that there are people who are taking advantage of the generous help of the food stamps, the amount of families and individuals that do need the program are much much higher. Just because a minimal percent of Americans are taking advantage of the program, the government should not reduce the funding on the program because it could end up affecting the needy families in a very dangerous way. As it is now, an unthinkable amount of people are starving to death everyday. It is extremely important for government funding to either increase or remain at a constant level in food stamps availability because a generous amount of families rely on this to acquire their dietary needs on a daily basis.
Something that sparked my interest this week was the article "Ethiopia Says It Planted Over 350 Million Trees in a Day, a Record." At first, this number seemed incomprehensible and impossible to achieve in one day. However, this inspiring story of a community of individuals who came together to tackle a common goal was eye-opening. These Ethiopian people realized that deforestation rates are at an all-time high and recognized the negative impacts chopping down billions of trees has on our planet. Their philosophy is that the only way to combat the horrible environmental effects of the decreasing number of trees is to plant more. Although they could not stop the people who are taking down the trees, they took action together in an attempt to compensate for the damage being done.I found this article to be an uplifting report about the people in Ethiopia who took action to protect the Earth and how they are inspiring others to make similar changes. Along with Ethiopia, many other places have taken action as well. According to the article, “The Earth Day Network has called for planting 7.8 billion trees on Earth Day next year — one for every living person.” This further proves the fact that when we all work as a team, an amazing change can be made possible. The overall message I grasped from the article was that we must look out for the generations of people that will come after us in order to create a more hopeful future for everyone.
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I was at a debate tournament in April when I first ran an argument about Indian foreign policies and Kashmir. Kashmir has long been a geopolitical hotspot for Pakistan and India. India’s nuanced agenda there has been trying to violently eradicate any Muslim in the region due to centuries of deep rooted nationalism. Militaristic violence has also swept the land as the two countries battle for claim over it, like two kids fighting over a toy.
Little did I know how much the conflict was going to escalate in the coming months.
This article not only elaborates the elevation of tensions, but also how external actors, such as China and the U.S., could play a role in the coming days. Now the Indian BJP has removed autonomy, banned tourists, and shut down internet access and schools in Kashmir. I was appalled that India would ever take such extreme measures and that the U.S. would still be backing it up. Through the atrocities the article highlights, I experienced an epiphany that nationalistic sentiments are a veridical threat to citizens—whether that be in India with the treatment of Kashmir or even the U.S. with gun violence. The government needs to be taking actions to check back and we as a society must embrace plurality and diversity in our countries because that is what creates more tolerance and broadens our horizons for one another.
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This week, the article that interested me the most was "Got Impossible Milk? The Quest for Lab-Made Dairy." I chose this article because it showed me an alternative to animal products that I wasn't aware existed.
Recently, I became vegetarian, and am very intrigued by the Impossible burger, which is a plant-based patty that is extremely similar to a hamburger made of beef. I decided to stop eating meat for environmental reasons, but could never quite make the plunge to stop eating all animal products like milk and eggs. Baking is one of my favorite hobbies, and eggs and dairy are essential to create all of the cakes and pastries my heart desires. I feel guilty for still consuming animal products, especially dairy, when I'm aware of the horrible impact it has on the planet, but after reading this article I discovered that in the near future I could eat a product nearly identical to milk, or to an egg that does not negatively affect the environment. These products are plant-based and are so similar to the animal products they replace because of the microbe-made proteins loaded into them. I think that many people want to reduce the amount of animal products they ingest, but think the plant-based alternatives can't compare. These new foods, however, are now proving that they can indeed compare to traditional animal products, and give me hope that in the future humans won't rely so heavily on animal derived products and will begin to eat more environmentally friendly foods.
"How the Trump Era Is Molding the Next Generation of Voters" by Emily Badger and Claire Cain Miller
This week, I found that the political shift to the left in Generation Z to be fascinating as I saw it described in the above article. The fact that teenagers such as Jaden Rams who had originally supported Donald Trump and leaned towards right wing politics are beginning to shift their views to the Democratic side, despite their previous political affiliations brought attention to how polarizing Trump is as a political figure. Rather than there being a middle ground, Trump has created a more radical Republican agenda in his time as president. This raises a crucial question for younger voters: Is it time for me to make a change in the system?
As I see it, the use of social media has allowed younger voters to enter the political community and become informed about decisions Trump makes in the White House. To get a sense of the person and president that he is, all one has to do is scroll through his Twitter account. Younger voters are also able to see the discourse Trump creates on social media firsthand, as well as in conversation with their peers.
The content of this article is crucial in conjuction with the upcoming 2020 presidential election. Although Democratic and Republican canidates have not been clearly defined yet, the shift in political ideology in today's young voters could predict another transfer of power from the Republicans to the Democrats.
This week in the Times I read the article, "Hackers’ Latest Target: School Districts". This was interesting because it reminded me of the difficulty my school had with its computers and networks this past year, and just how vulnerable they could be. When I think of my school and the way it handles its technology it makes me think of how an elderly person would handle their first smartphone, they wouldn't know what to do with it. It doesn't surprise me that hackers are taking advantage of school districts. They are easy targets, often not prepared for threats like these.
Also, this article made me think of how clumsy my school district can be with my data online. A quick google search of my name and you can find my graduation year, what town I live in, pictures of me, and even the exact times and locations of the places I will be for events such as sports. All information provided to the public by my school. In the wrong hands, this information can be used against me. Schools should be more careful with what they put on the internet.
As school districts transition to storing everything online, they must take the necessary precautions to keep the data of their students safe. At the end of the article, it brought up the idea of going back to storing students' data with pen and paper. School districts might just have to go back to doing this as it seems to be the safer option.
I read the article, “He Left His Twins in a Hot Car and They Died. Accident or Crime?” this week and the reason this article drew me in was because I’ve heard about many cases where a parent or guardian will leave a child(ren) in a hot car for hours, only for it to be an accident and they simply forgot, but what if the parent didn’t forget?
This article began with a couple of similar cases, showing that leaving a child in a hot car wasn’t has uncommon has some people may think. Though there are many cases surrounding this issue, the article was mainly concerned about the Bronx case.
Juan Rodriguez dropped off his four year old child to daycare and swore that he then dropped off his two, 15-month old, twin babies. The issue I have with this case is, I don’t personally know Rodriguez. I don’t know if he cares for his children the way any parent should. I don’t know if he was frustrated that morning, whether that’d be him not getting enough sleep, or the twins being complicated and not cooperating. All I know about Rodriguez is that he is a social worker and I think it’s fair to say that social workers are not ones to purposely hurt children.
It’s hard to say whether Rodriguez simply forgot or meant to harm his babies, but as far as the case has gone, Rodriguez was charged with manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide. He will be back in court on Thursday.
Leaving children in hot cars are not easy cases to solve, but hopefully the Bronx case ends in justice.
"Trump Weighs New Stance on Guns as Pressure Mounts After Shootings"
This week I was interested in reading about how the recent mass shootings have caused our president to possibly change his stance on guns. It is interesting to see how a strong republican president like Donald Trump is willing to consider the idea of having background checks on gun purchasers. Never before has our president wanted to do background checks until two mass shootings and pressure from concerned Americans. Gun control is debated in our country and to see the possibility of a background check bill getting passed shows strides that our country is taking towards a safer place. However, I do find it fascinating that our president is working towards this bill only due to the two mass shootings. What I mean is, did it have to take 31 people’s lives to be taken from them to realize that gun safety needs to be addressed and fixed? Though I am glad something is being done, it should have been done before innocent lives were taken in Texas. I would like to keep up with articles regarding gun safety because I want to know if Mr.Trump will take action on this issue rather than backing away like he has done in the past. This article caught my attention due to the fact that I am interested in politics and want to live in a country where I can feel safe, so I am curious to see the actions that will hopefully be taken to get there.
The article I chose to read this week was one titled "Lil Nas X's Old Town Road Breaks Billboard's Singles Records".
I picked this article to read because I am admittedly, just a little obsessed with this song. It's so perfectly constructed, and honestly, the song crossed the genre barrier in a way that hadn't really been done before.
I'm not at all surprised that it took off the way that it did because, honestly, it is really such an earworm. I remember hearing it for the first time at a spirit night practice in March and it was stuck in my head for the next few days before I even realized what it was called or who it was by. Then, I heard the remix with Billy Ray Cyrus and I loved it even more.
I'm not sure when I started following Lil Nas X on Twitter, but, as it says in the article, he clearly knows how to use social media in a way that keeps people interested while marketing his hit song and the other songs off of his album. It really is masterful.
I don't know how much longer it can stay on the top of the tracks, but has proved that it has massive staying power, and unless someone big drops a new song soon, it may just set a bigger record that might take years and years to break.
Until that happens (and after it happens), I'll probably continue to listen to all 4 (5?) versions of Old Town Road because it really never does get old.
"The Aftermath of Shootings in Ohio and Texas"
Does wearing a seatbelt infringe upon someone driving a car? Does refraining from jaywalking prevent someone from crossing the street? Of course not. Using this logic, gun laws must not encroach upon the right to bear arms. On the contrary, while the above-mentioned traffic laws should be obliged, they don’t guarantee accidents from occurring.
Why play devil's advocate to safety regulations? Traffic laws are not as controversial as gun laws, yet allude to point even necessary gun reform can be argued against. Stereotypically, liberals endorse reform because less guns inherently create safer communities. The conservative mantra concludes background checks and buyback programs won’t stop criminals from accessing weapons and plead, shouldn’t innocent Americans be able to protect themselves?
Moving the needle forward in either direction proves difficult when our leaders value protecting their political affiliation over the general welfare of Americans. Victims are undermined and their problems not rectified due to fighting across both sides of the aisle.
So where can we go from here in this static climate of party politics? Let us remember, solving problems must not be contingent upon which side takes credit. We must think of the families (who may range in political viewpoint) who tragically lost loved ones. We must put their perspectives, interests and ideas at the forefront of the discussion of reform, and seek higher ground.
The article that interested me the most this week was "This Fortnite World Cup Winner Is 16 and $3 Million Richer." This article was written by Derrick Bryson Taylor and Niraj Chokshi. It caught my attention because as the son of two hard-working parents, I have forever heard that, "video games aren't and will never be a source of income." Although my dreams of being a professional gamer/ youtuber have long since dissipated as I have grown older, I still believe that video games not only will be, but are a source of income in today's world. For instance, look at young Kyle Giersdorf (I say young yet we are the same age), aka "Bugha", and see that he won $3 million just from playing video games. That is more money than most people see in their entire life. But its not just Fortnite handing out huge prizes; other games likes Fifa (virtual soccer), NBA2K (virtual basketball), Call of Duty (virtual warfare), and many more have also been seen putting together tournaments with big cash payouts to its top performers. So in my opinion, we are just reaching the tip of the iceberg in the world of competitive gaming and soon in the future people will think how minuscule a prize $3 million was.
"Climate Change Threatens the World's Food Supply, United Nations Warns" By Christopher Flavelle.
This week that article that caught my attention was about a problem all of us live under, climate change. The United Nations have repeatedly come out about the steep increase of of global temperature and the inevitable dangers if we continue down the path that will lead us to catastrophe. As it stands in the article half-billion live in desert conditions and it's only growing and soil is being used or dried up faster then it's being made. The effects of this serious change could start deminishing our food supply. But now that we know we can take further action to prevent catastrophe and to prevent the possible starvation of millions. Poorer community's will suffer more because of money strain and also immigration. And speaking of immigration climate change will fuel mass immigration to country's with milder climate. Each year we add more carbon dioxide to the already very dirty air and if we don't stop now then it will take longer of our Earth's ecosystem to recover.
Plants, living multicellular organisms that produce the necessary requirements for human survival, are no longer seen as inanimate objects subject to the will of human beings. The article titled “You Can Talk to Plants. Maybe You Should Listen,” written by JoAnna Klein, boldly captures the reader’s attention from the onset of the piece. People are asked to alter their persepectives on plants after hearing the sounds they make, to view them as more than simple organisms who are solely allotted the capacity to grow, reproduce, and evolve. Now, discoveries are being made that yield information as to the true complexity of these organisms.
Spanning the length of time, plants have been communicating with one another through vibrations that can now be translated into sound through sensors. Data shows that certain sounds lead to increased growth and production; “Strawberries have grown bushier; kiwi and rice roots, longer. Sound has guided roots to water.” With these ground-breaking discoveries, in both a literal and metaphorical sense, scientists and farmers are able to manipulate this new factor and, in turn, increase crop yield.
This newly discovered trait has fundamentally altered the way humans view plants in their everyday life. Now individuals may stop and pause as they pass by their aloe resting in the kitchen window, or water the tomato plant growing in the garden, and ponder whether or not they should say hello, simply because the plant could be listening.
This weeks article I chose an article that talks about under aged smoking and the smoking devices that kids use. Some devices that kids use contain E cigs and Juuls. Under aged smoking is a major topic in this day in age and its so easy for kids to have access to smoking devices. The question this article goes over is that juuls don’t target kids but E- cigs do.
Lets see some stats. The text states ,’’Last year over 3.6 million middle and high school students used e-cigarettes last year.’’ Those stats are insane and the stats are only growing. The text also states,’’ Up by 1.5 million over 2017.’’ We can only assume higher percentages as the years go by. Some of the things about juuls consist higher nicotine percentages with 5%, the design make it easier and more appealing to kids to use juuls instead of e-cigs, and they deliver more puffs than a regular cig. The text states,’’ Each juul cartridge with 5% nicotine delivers 200 puffs, compared to the 10 to 15 puffs of a traditional cigarette. E-cigarettes have a wide assortment of flavors, lots of puffs, and very addictive. E-cigs are a start to smoking that then move more experienced smokers to juul pens that have a higher nicotine percentage. The good thing about the situations with juul pens is that juul pens need to be cleared by the FDA, the food and drug administration, to be eligibly safe for use among all ages and people.
"The Roots of Boeing’s 737 Max Crisis: A Regulator Relaxes Its Oversight"
The 737 max has been grounded since March, and it seems it will remain that way until December. It seems that the root cause for the failure of the MCAS system was lack of regulatory oversight. The FAA has a program where airplane manufacturers can self-certify certain aspects of the plane, while the FAA focuses on parts it deems more important. However, in the case of the 737 Max, this allowed a flaw in the MCAS system to go unnoticed.
Multitasking is a daily habit for most people; for example: watching television while cooking dinner; listening to music while talking to friends; and texting and driving, which is extremely dangerous. In Daniel T. Willingham’s article, “The High Price of Multitasking”, he explains why. Instead of doing two things at the same time, the brain actually just switches between the two. It is incapable of focusing on both things equally. Willingham demonstrates how dangerous multitasking can be in his example of texting and driving. He starts out with a rhetorical device formally called dirimens copulatio; ”Not only do smartphones provide unprecedented access to information, they provide unprecedented opportunities to multitask” (Willingham). Another name for dirimens copulatio is amplification. It takes an idea and builds on it, creating a stronger effect on the audience. Willingham introduces a fact, then relates it to his main point. The audience agrees with the first subordinate clause because it makes sense logically. By appealing to logos, Willingham increases his ethos, rendering his argument more persuasive.
Willingham’s argument is obvious in real life. He brings up a good point when explaining how multitasking happens in the brain (it does not). Doing homework while texting or scrolling through Instagram is so slow. When my phone is off, the time it takes to finish my homework is drastically reduced. Multitasking can be dangerous and is always inefficient.
“India Tempts Fate in Kashmir, ‘The Most Dangerous Place in the World’
I was at a debate tournament in April when I first ran an argument about Indian foreign policies and Kashmir. Kashmir has long been a geopolitical hotspot for Pakistan and India. India’s nuanced agenda there has been trying to violently eradicate any Muslim in the region due to centuries of deep rooted nationalism. Militaristic violence has also swept the land as the two countries battle for claim over it, like two kids fighting over a toy.
Little did I know how much the conflict was going to escalate in the coming months.
This article not only elaborates the elevation of tensions, but also how external actors, such as China and the U.S., could play a role in the coming days. The Indian BJP has no way removed autonomy, banned tourists, and shut down internet access and schools in Kashmir. I was appalled that India would ever take such extreme measures and that the U.S. would still be backing it up. Through the atrocities the article highlights, I experienced an epiphany that nationalistic sentiments are a veridical threat to citizens—whether that be in India with the treatment of Kashmir or even the U.S. with gun violence. The government needs to be taking actions to check back and we as a society must embrace plurality and diversity in our countries because that is what creates more tolerance and broadens our horizons for one another.
This week, I came across an article discussing the tragic deaths off infants across the country caused by being left in cars. According to the article, most deaths are caused by the parents just simply forgetting. However, this raises the question of whether or not it is a crime. When I thought about this question, I automatically thought that it should be a crime. This was until I thought about the grievance the parents are still going through. In addition, it is also an accident. I feel that if a parent were to leave a child in a car intentionally, it should be considered a crime. For example, if a parent were to leave their child in their car so she can run a "quick errand", it would be considered a crime. However, an accident like forgetting should not be considered a crime.
"How Bodycams Distort Real Life"
The idea of body cameras was that it was a way to allow the public to keep to the police in line after the multiple accounts of deadly use of force by police. Bodycams also benefitted police as they documented their actions and the police could unequivocally deny accusations of unauthorized uses of force.
These theoretical benefits were ingrained into my mind as the public demanded the use of bodycams in every police department. And so, when I saw an article that criticized them, I became interested in how anyone can see bodycams as anything but an absolute good. I started reading the article looking to reinforce my preconceived notion by looking for ways to criticize the article, for I believed it would use weak arguemnts to justify this outrageous idea. But when Cahn pointed out how people sympathize more with the side they get the perspective of, the implication that bodycams could distort the truth was made clear. And with every other point, the article brought up, such as cameras in police work leads to distorted perspectives and breaches in privacy, the claim that bodycams' employment in police work distorts reality was made more credible. The idea of that it is, “wise to be wary of technical fixes to complicated problems.”, was solidified by the end of the article. I saw that although we would like a quick fix to our societal problems like police violence, solutions must be employed with careful consideration for the implications.
This week, I read, “The Priceless Advice Toni Morrison Gave Me”. This article was about a woman author, named A.J., reflecting on her meetings with her idol. These two women had met each other after Toni had read A. J.’s “The Good Negress”. After they had met, Toni had taken them back to her apartment. A.J. was in awe when she saw where Toni had lived. Toni had expressed that her apartment was three stories high. A.J. was so shocked to be in her idol’s home, that the only thing she could do was nod. This is very relatable, because if I were to meet an idol of mine, I would react in the same quiet way. Also, I found interesting, that Toni had influence in what Princeton does. She often requests them to do something, but sometimes they don’t; so it was nice for her to see that they had done something that she had asked them to do by hiring A.J as part of their staff. Additionally, I found fascinating, that Toni had treated A.J. so kindly. She had treated her like a human being and even read her book. Overall, I found this article interesting because someone had met a person they have looked up to. It is not everyday that people get to meet them and share an experience like this together. In my life, I wish I could have the luxury of meeting one of my idols.
"She's 14, Disabled From a Bomb Blast and One of Iraq's Top Table Tennis Players"
The most fascinating article that I had the pleasure of reading was surrounding a very inspiring young lady. Not only is she younger than me, but 14-year-old Najla Imad Lafta has accomplished a motivational feat. Following the tragic bomb blast that left Najla without portions of three of her limbs, the future seemed hopeless. This tragedy precipitated detrimental effects that left Najla at rock bottom. For some people, it would be intuitive to give up and lose all hope. However, Najla had a different outlook on life. Although she felt some envy towards her friends who were lucky enough to be walking on two limbs, she discerned that she could use what she had to pursue a career in table tennis. Her inspiring father, Imad Lafta, who worked for the Iraqi Army, attempted anything he could to make his daughter happy. Yet, he was unable to afford to purchase prosthetic limbs from Britain for her. Instead, he asked his friend, a table tennis coach, to help his daughter. After this diligent girl persisted in countless training sessions, she earned herself a position on the nation's Paralympic team. This interesting story proves the effects of hard work, resilience, and a positive mindset. Even Najla, a disabled girl coming from a poverty-stricken household with limited resources, was able to find her place in the world. This story inspires me, and should certainly inspire anyone else facing adversity.
"The Fortnite World Cup Winner Is 16 and $3 Million Richer" by Derrick Bryson Taylor and Niraj Chokshi
Fortnite is a video game that has been around for about two years now. I have seen people of all ages, including both my eight-year-old little brother and my twin brother, play this game for hours at a time. I have noticed my twin brother ignore his schoolwork and put Fortnite above something important. The idea of a 16 year old winning $3 million from winning a competition is shocking to me. The idea of spending 8 hours staring at a TV screen playing the same game over and over again seems incredibly boring and repetitive. The reason I chose to read and comment on this article is that I cannot imagine making money off of a video game that I do in my free time. The thought of making a career out of pressing buttons on a control seems impossible to do. Going to college and graduating high school is typically the standard way to make a living and get a decent job, but the world is changing before our eyes. Simply excelling at a free video game can improve one's chances of making a career for themselves, yet this path is very rare and unlikely. Someone could spend hours a day, playing the same game, and get absolutely nowhere. This idea of putting so much time into a video game seems absurd to me and does not appear to be a very reliable source of income.
Another day, another shooting. Every day it feels like there’s a new gunman in a new place, but it’s always the same story. We have become so accustomed to this new America, that we are unfazed by these massacres. The violence seems illusory, as if it exists in another reality altogether. But when I opened my phone on Wednesday night and read there was a potential shooter in Mclean, Virginia, I froze -- the only thought in my head was that people I know could have died.
The truth is, hundreds of people have died. We can see ourselves as lucky if we haven’t lost loved ones to these killings, but that in and of itself shows how normal mass shootings have become. We live with death in the back of our minds, and false alarms can be frequent and terrorizing, from unscheduled lockdown drills in school to a dirt bike backfiring in a crowded plaza.
Michael Wilson’s “There Was No Gunfire in Times Square. But the Panic Was Real” shows how although we see shootings as regular occurrences, there is so much terror inside of us; we almost expect ourselves to be the next victims. It’s heartbreaking to realize that citizens have to worry about something like this which could be prevented. If there is any silver lining, any bright side to such a terrible period in U.S. history, it is that with such fear may come an opportunity for change.
The article that most fascinated me in the Times this week was one titled “Greta Thunberg to Attend New York Climate Talks. She’ll Take a Sailboat.” The reason that I chose this article was due to my interest in Miss Thunberg. While spending time scrolling through social media, I frequently see clips of Greta's speeches, and find them so empowering and influential. This article was truly an eye-opener on how dedicated she is to preserving our earth. It talks of her traveling to New York in a sailboat to attend a very crucial talk about our climate. The sailboat has been designed to be a zero emissions vessel.
While traveling, Greta is putting her comfort aside, as she will have to live for two-weeks with no kitchen or shower or air conditioning. To me, that shows how driven this young woman is to not take part in using fossil fuels. To many modern Americans, having to live without these amenities and eat freeze dried or vacuum packed meals seems unnecessary, but by not worrying about her comfort, Greta is sending a message that this form saying no to fossil fuels is something that is necessary.
Seeing Greta being so zealous when it comes to climate is very empowering because we do not see it enough in our media today. After reading this article, I found a TED talk that Greta did, her words were alarming yet plain-spoken, presenting the call to assist in saving our world. Even Greta herself states “It is our future on the line, and we must at least have a say in it.”
“All of Those Products Are Making Your Skin Worse” by Courtney Rubin.
Who would have thought that the most popular product in our routine could be the most harmful to us? Lately, I have been using more and more facial products, and I have found myself being more interested in different brands. Personally for me, I prefer using soaps that lather more than soaps that don’t. The only problems that I have after using the products is that my face gets dry and I have tried multiple lotions, but I end up breaking out after.
I think that everyone should be more aware of what they use on their faces. Many people will grab the cheapest product or they will get a product just because it has good reviews. Nowadays, people are paying more and more attention to their looks. Some people even have face routines filled with lotions, soaps, and face masks. If people want to keep their faces healthy we should be paying attention to ingredients. Similar to how we look at ingredients to keep our bodies healthy.
"We Went to the Moon. Why Can't We Solve Climate Change?"
This article has caught my attention because the environment is an important part of the lives of everyone that lives on this planet. We are destroying the environment faster than we can fix it and it is becoming a major problem. Humans are finally figuring out that we are slowly killing ourselves, but the problem is that no one is taking action. This problem is growing at an exponential rate, and the solutions are becoming obsolete. The words of Neil Armstrong as he landed on the moon "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind." The message I took from this quote is that the moon landing was a massive stepping stone for mankind, but we can go further with our achievements. Why can't our next great achievement be solving the climate change problem? We are unable to inhabit another planet in the time the Earth has left with the course we are currently on. This year, Earth overshoot day fell on July 29th. That means we have used a year's worth of natural resources in 209 days. This is 3 days earlier than last year. We are rapidly destroying the Earth, and there is scientific research to back up the evidence. We have to convince people that the situation is real, and the consequences are drastic. One of which could result in the termination of the human race. As I read this article I was appalled at how we have such amazing technology and advancements, but are unable to save our home.
Change is needed.
“This Fortnite World Cup Winner is 16 and $3 Million Richer”
This week I chose to write about Kyle Giersdorf, also known as “Bugha”. He is a 16-year-old from Pennsylvania who just recently won the Fortnite World Cup, earning him $3 million.
Fortnite is a video game that came out two years ago that has attracted almost 250 million players. In Fortnite “100 players meet on a virtual island and battle it out until one is left”. Fortnite has taken the community by storm and there have been many competitions recently, with the Fortnite World Cup being the biggest one yet.
This article intrigued me because Kyle has shown how it is possible to balance his consuming schedule of gaming and training with his school work. In addition, Kyle has shown that with a lot of hard work and dedication it is possible to be successful. He is only 16 years old and managed to place first in a World Cup that 40 million players had originally participated in qualifiers for. He is most certainly an inspiration and as a person who enjoys playing video games myself, he shows that it is possible to balance it with school and other activities.
Winning the Fortnite World Cup has opened many doors for Kyle in his future. It has not only earned him a huge paycheck but also allows him to grow his brand and get his name out there.
Okay, so what's new in the world? We are only 2/3 of the way through 2019 and already 50+ people have died from mass shootings just in the U.S. alone. After two of the biggest mass shootings this year, President Trump is finally exploring the necessary changes that need to be made through this countries background check system. This is a start (after 2.5 years of presidency) to making America great again. "Trump Weighs New Stance on Guns as Pressure Mounts After Shootings" examines the induced force from these two abhorrent events on the Republican Party in order to deliver these issues to the Senate. Unfortunately these concerns will have to wait till next month when the Senate is able to reconvene, however there is discussion of a new red-flag legislation that would allow the government to seize firearms if people are deemed dangerous. Until these changes can occur, the country is living in total, utter fear. In March, 2018, the Napa Valley experienced a horrific mass shooting killing 5 people, including and unborn child. This shooting occurred at a local veterans home from someone who experienced a severe case of PTSD. Despite many of the citizen's wanting to enforce these new changes, many of Trump's supporters, hope to keep these flexible restraints. Currently the house is split in their approach to these problems. In today's world, it's important for everyone to understand the extent of which these shootings continue to occur and how to stay cautious and safe.
The article I read was called, "U.S. Soccer Sponsor Enters Equal Pay Fight on Women's Side."
This article explains the struggle the U.S women's soccer team is going through in order to try and receive equal pay. I've been playing soccer my entire life, which is why I took an interest in this particular article. Ever since I was little, I've been watching the Women's World Cup. To this day, I find each and every one of them an inspiration. However, after reading this article, I was shocked by what I found out.
The article states, "women players could expect to earn tens of thousands of dollars less than their male counterparts for the same work." This astonished me because these ladies have had such an impact on my life and reading about how they've been treated really upset me. I'm so glad about how many people are mad about this. When a stadium of fans shouts, "Equal Pay!" you know there are people who care about this issue and want there to be a change.
In addition to the support the fans are giving, the sponsors are supporting the team fully about arguing this issue. They've given them so much support and have earned so much money for the team.
Overall, the U.S Women's team has been treated unfairly and they deserve equal pay. After watching them my whole life and being inspired by many of their players, this issue means a lot to me. Women shouldn't be discriminated against because of their gender.
M.L.B. Goes Black and White in Search of Green
By: Tyler Kepner
If there is one sport I love, it would be baseball. Growing up I was always watching any games I could, with Players Weekend being one of best weekends of the season. Usually, the uniforms are a different style using the colors of the teams they represent with their nicknames on the back. This year however, I was surprised to find out that the uniforms will be rather tame this year, with a simple black and white color scheme. Up until I read this article, I had no idea how much these special uniforms cost. Now that I know, this article really informed me about how much these uniforms mean in terms of business for Major League Baseball. It’s hard to say now how well these uniforms will sell, and it will also be interesting to see how the players will choose to express themselves in these basic colors. Until then, we can continue to enjoy the weeks leading up to the Postseason.
I am a 16 year old girl who has always loved fashion but has not had the confidence to fully express my true self or unique sense of style until recently. Growing up, shopping was always a frustrating experience, especially in my “tween days.” I had a difficult time finding clothes that were unique and made me feel beautiful. During those middle school years, and even today, I continued to witness countless girls like me struggle with the same issue. Fashion should be a fun way for girls to express themselves, feel empowered and shine with confidence, so while reading the New York Times, I found “Shopping Can Make You Famous” written by Sanam Yar interesting and inspiring. To my surprise and delight, the article shared the story of how a 23 year old woman created a business on a social shopping app to assist individuals in finding new styles from different eras. I was drawn to this story because I love vintage clothing, accessories, and shoes. I admire a woman who is passionate and creates a business that helps others. I am happy for her success and grateful that she is able to combine the power of technology with the creativity of fashion to help me and other girls become more confident in our appearance and unique sense of style.
"Need a Mental Health Day? Some States Give Students the Option" By Derrick Bryson Taylor
This article in particular caught my attention due to the topics of mental health and students. Its brings up the topic of children being able to take mental 5 health days in a three-month period, which is a law Oregon passed on July 1, 2019. Other states, such as Utah, slowly are starting to do the same but in different ways. The article showcases a few of many students that appear to be on board with recent actions. Not only that, parents are rising to support it due to experiences with their own kids. There is a positive mental health movement to decrease suicide ratings in teens, and it seems that the correct steps are starting to be taken. That is shown by this article.
An ongoing issue in the United States is the topic of gun control. Many people believe the laws are too loose concerning the purchasing and owning of firearms. Before I read “El Paso Suspect Ordered Gun and Moved Out Weeks Before Attack” and many other similar stories about similar shootings, I felt the laws were fine. Since seeing all of these internal attacks on America, there has been one common problem; firearms being too accessible. A lot of people blame these attacks on mental illness but the ability to buy firearms so easily is just as big of a factor. In this article, the mother of the shooter had called the police saying that she did not think her son was mature enough to own a military-style assault rifle. That immediately should have put him on some sort of list if his own mother was alerting the cops about his gun ownership. If the law enforcement realized that this possible threat would have caused twenty-two deaths, they would have seized his gun as soon as he bought it. Although it is unfortunate that they did not realize what was soon to happen, it never should have made it that far. All the suspect had to do to bypass the two weeks wait time for a firearm was to purchase one at a gun show. This shooting hits particularly close to home because I have family living in Texas, and my mother was down in Houston. Although Houston is on the opposite side of the state, I never want to worry about her safety like this again.
For this week’s article, I chose “Hackers’ Latest Target: School Districts” by Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs. In this article, the author starts off by explaining that all hackers have a motive. However, no matter the motives, multiple hackers have already attacked schools. The author goes on to say that “Many public institutions, including hospitals, local government and colleges, have been hit with ransomware attacks in recent years, but school districts have proved particularly enticing to hackers because they hold troves of private data and often lack the resources to fend off intruders.” Also, since a myriad of schools do not have staff trained in cybersecurity, these attacks are going to keep occurring. There has already been three different cyberattacks in Louisiana and the FBI is currently working on a quick way to dismiss and destroy the virus. Bogel-Burroughs finalizes his article by discussing the fact that one of the Louisiana schools will not be allowed to use their computers for some time once the school year starts up.
This article is extremely upsetting to me. As if the tragedies of school shootings were not bad enough, now schools have to worry about online attacks as well. Having an individual trained in online security may not seem like a big deal because many people have the same mindset in these situations: “It cannot/will not happen to us.” However, schools should all have at least one trained individual because, in reality, tragedy can happen to anyone.
“No More Family Separations, Except These 900”.
Family is a vital support for everyone in the world because love has power to change a person, even if he or she is a crime or a person who has criminal record. So I think the authorities cannot ignore the importance of family relationship when legislating. In this case, children are always innocent, but they usually suffer hardship due to adults’ decisions.
First, the government takes immigrants’ background into consideration is sensible, but I think children should not be involved. Every member plays a crucial role in a family, none of them can endure separation. Second, separation may cause lots of follow-up problems to children, for example, separation may cast psychological shadow in their heart. They may be difficult to walk out of fear and suffer from mental illness forever. This is not an easy-solving problem, so when the authorities announce policies, they should think about how to protect children’s right and pay attention to the negative effects of their decisions.
Maybe those decisions are just a piece of cake or nothing for upper-class people, however, they may be quite a huge stone for lower-class people and children.
The article that I found most interesting in The Times this week was ”You’re Not Paying Attention, but You Really Should Be”. This article sparked my interest because it points out what we as people aren’t doing enough, which is taking the time to take in the world.
I personally think that this world is obsessed with smartphones. Don’t get me wrong, I am too sometimes. We use them for work and play every single day. A large amount of us use them for keeping up with things that don’t greatly benefit our lives. Social media is a popular way for us to do this by keeping us up to date with the latest trends or pop culture drama. When distractions like these exist, it’s hard to notice what the world is trying to offer.
This article emphasized that if we took a moment to focus on the world itself instead of our Facebook feeds we can come up with brilliant ideas and inventions never thought of before. I 100% agree with this. Not focusing on these diversions can lead to new ideas that can benefit the world and ourselves. I feel that when we busy ourselves with things that don’t let us progress in life, we’re not letting our minds be productive. A clear mind will let you stimulate endless new thoughts and ideas without having the stress of keeping up with a celebrity’s pointless posts.
We need to keep up with this rapidly changing world so that we can have the chance to come up with amazing and innovative inventions that can make life easier and more enjoyable for all of us.
Do Older People Have a Different Smell?
This week I was interested in
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/08/well/live/do-older-people-have-a-different-smell.html
This article stood out most to me and was the one that initially caught my eye. I’ve always wondered if older people actually did have a smell because I had a thought in the back of my mind that they did. Now scientists have actual research to answer my hypothesis. The author, Ann Bauer, explained that she lent her house to an older couple, and when she came back there was a distinct smell. A biologist, Johan Lundstrom, confirmed what Japanese researchers found in 2001, which was that there is a chemical on the skin of older people that produced a distinctive odor. It was interesting to see another person’s opinion also. Another older chemist, Dr. George Preti, disagreed with Dr. Lundstrom and said that older people smell less than younger people. But Dr. Preti concluded that his decision was pretty bias considering he is pretty old. This was also interesting to see everyone’s view on the topic depending on the age.
"Capital One Data Breach Comprises Data of Over 100 Million"
What interested me the most in the Times this week is the new about a women, a former worker of Amazon, hacking into numerous accounts that held personal information of many customers. This data breach is considered to be one of the largest thefts of data from a bank. What really interested me was the fact that the suspect, Paige Thompson, due to a lack of better terms, dug her own grave after publicly sharing the fact that she is completing these actions. What doesn't make sense is the fact that she is not ashamed of her actions, on the contrary, she is well aware of the consequences that come with data breach. It is astonishing to me that, to an extent, that the robbery of 140,000 social security numbers and 80,000 bank account numbers, could have been avoided due to her publicly posting about her actions. This article interested me because sometimes, social media is overlooked and many see is as a light hearted network to share important and lastiing memories. However, many lack to notice all the other types of posts that are uploaded that can lead to many people getting hurt.
"Need Extra Time on Tests? It Helps to Have Cash"
Kids in every zip code have struggles with mental issues, including ADHD, anxiety, and depression. This can make taking tests in school a challenge, especially when tests are timed, like they tend to be in some high school courses. To help with this issue students with disorders that effect their ability to complete a timed test, with their best effort, can get a written letter stating they can have an extended time. Today there is a big issue regarding this. With testing and doctors being so expensive kids with a lower income can't get the proper evaluation they need to get an excuse, and kids with more wealthier parents are getting diagnosed with disorders they don't have, just to get extended time. This issue makes american school systems, and america in general, unfair, and biased. I thought this article was interesting because not only are rich people using their money to the worst advantage, somehow they are able to get away it. This isn't good for the students that actually could benefit from a time extension, but don't legally qualify since they can't afford proper treatment and testing. Sometimes doctors are able to tell when someone is faking their symptoms, and i believe doctors should use this when they can tell kids, or their parents, are trying to use a disability to their advantage.
Gianna_GHS_19
The article that interested me the most this week was "Lil Nas X’s ‘Old Town Road’ Breaks Billboard’s Singles Record" I chose this article because it shows how fast life changes. 6 months ago, lil Nas was living on his sisters couch, and he bought the beat for 10 dollars. and 6 months later he started a pop culture phenomenon that will influence popular music for years to come. This song was also able to merge 2 completely different cultures together. This is shown when my 74 year old grandma dances to this song. And 14 year old, rap loving friend dances in the same way.
"Is Your Child a Digital Addict? Here's What You Can Do.
This article talks about how children act when they are with electronics. It is sometimes hard for parents to take away the screen after their child has been with it for a long time. It can become addicting and even dangerous. Children usually end up screaming or throwing a tantrum. I may not be a parent, but I am an older sister. When I see my little brothers playing Fortnite, it never seems to stop. It can go on for hours at a time. I feel like they aren't even here sometimes. It's really annoying when you take away there phones and ps4 away because they usually aren't very happy about. This article can help a parent in need to stop an addiction.
The article that I decided to read this week was "Ethiopia Says It Planted Over 350 Million Trees in a Day, a Record" by Palko Karasz. This article caught my attention because I would have never imagined over 350 million trees being grown one day. I mean 350 million is not a small number. As I read the article, I was glad to see that the government in Ethiopia is actually doing something to combat deforestation and global warming. It makes me wonder why the United States is not doing an event like this where people go and plant trees because the only way to combat global warming is to plant trees. I was pretty shock to learn that if we were to grow tress on about 3.5 million acres of land that is not being used by humans and can support forest then about two thirds of that carbon that is in our atmosphere will be stored in the trees when they mature. To me this sounds like a solution to end global warming, but will everyone do their part and contribute? The government original goal was to plant at least 200 million trees but end up growing over 350 tress which shows that they are really dedicated in combating both deforestation and global warming. On that day many schools and government offices were closed so officials, student, and teachers could take part in this activity. I think this is a great way to educate people and to also raise awareness about global warming because a lot of people do know the consequences of global warming and deforestation.
Many news articles these days talk about immigration, particularly asylum, which is one of the most highlighted worldwide concern; and "A Border Kept Him From His Daughter. He Came Only in Time to Say Goodbye." is also one of the articles.
This article, portraying a tragic story of a father and a daughter, is appealing for it is a long, descriptive pathos: a rhetorical device used to appeal to emotion. Appealing to the reader's guilt, pity, grief, and sympathy, the article overall did a great job in conveying its argument: the US should open its border to whoever has an emotional story. Going further into inference, the readers may receive the feeling that "cold" law is the problem.
However, are such irrational sentiments more ethical than rational law?
The law now is not only cold but also warm. If it were only callous, anyone could be Jean Valjean. The jury system represents the irrationality of law by allowing mobs, which are not familiar to a long list of law, to determine one's guilt. This warmth, along with the coldness, shows the neutral ethics of our law.
Putting additional emotion to this fairly balanced neutrality is venomous. As pathos is such a potent rhetorical device, the addition partializes the news article, which is, ideally, to allow readers to think by conveying unbiased information.
Therefore, if I may conclude, the article, though interesting, forgot the primary purpose of the news article: to give the purest, essential, and impartial information.
For this weeks article, I read "Netflix Deletes '13 Reasons Why' Suicide Scene." When I read this title I was surprised I honestly never thought Netflix would ever remove this scene as it has been on Netflix for 2 years now. However, Netflix has been advised by medical experts to take the scene down. Honestly, I think this should've been down a lot longer ago when '13 Reasons Why' was being linked to suicides and they were increasing. This scene, in particular, is very graphic and to young viewers, it can have an effect on. I understand the creator of the show was trying to draw awareness to the issue, but I really think it did more harm than good. Instead, awareness needs to be spread in a more positive way for those struggling. In fact, I think for someone who is struggling watching the now-deleted scene in this show could trigger them instead of showing them that they shouldn't.
"Need a Mental Health Day? Some States Give Students the Option"
This article caught my attention because mental health is something that I know a lot of students struggle with. Students, including myself, are often very anxious and stressed out from busy schedules and late nights. This article addresses laws passed in Utah and Oregon that allow students in both of these states to take sick days from school for their mental health. I found it very interesting to read that in Utah a valid excuse to miss school was changed from a physical illness to a illness that is either mental or physical. A lot of people struggle with mental illness in silence and I think it is very important to have open and honest conversations regarding mental health. Students are just one of many groups of people who experience high anxiety and stress levels on a daily basis. I think that these new laws are going to allow more children to take care of their mental health just as much as their physical health. I hope the message spread from this article inspires students to have more conversations regarding mental health both in school and out of school. This article helped me to better understand the impact mental illnesses have on students and the great strides schools are taking to help students who are struggling.
There Was No Gunfire in Times Square. But the Panic Was Still Real.
My ninth grade English class, like many others across the nation, read To Kill a Mockingbird. The story, although 1000 miles and 80 years away, was relatable: one of losing trust and faith in the world. That’s a story America seems to have been forced to learn.
Like Jim and Scout, we are awakening to a world not as just or safe as we once thought. When a motorcycle backfired in Times Square, it caused a panic that spread nearby, leading to a premature end to a theater production of To Kill a Mockingbird. The accounts in the article brought vividly to light the bubbling of fear, fear we all cannot help but possess. The tragic events in Texas, Ohio, and California can happen anywhere. Those running in Times Square certainly thought it was happening to them, and justly so. There is not a shred of doubt in my mind that had I been in Manhattan that evening, I would have run just as fast.
Our nation is on edge. We live in a society surviving day by day, attack by attack. As the scores of people stormed Shubert Theater, it brought with it a blurring, between Maycomb and the United States, between fact and fiction. One actor within the theaters’ production of To Kill a Mockingbird noted: “This is the world we live in. This cannot be our world.” The state of our society is unsustainable, yet paradoxically never-ending. Somehow, somewhere, this madness needs to come to an end. If it doesn't, the terrorists will win.
“Thoughts and Prayers’ Aren’t Enough, America’s First Gun Violence Minister Says”
The lack of gun regulation, after hundreds of Americans were killed, is a direct representation of how kindness is vanishing. Today, forcing opinions down each other’s throats and “being right” is more important than protecting the innocent. Yet, the scariest thing is how easily the United States has given up on us, its future.
Deanna Hollas has become the first minister to publicly state that ‘Thoughts and Prayers’ are not enough to stop mass shootings. Hollas supports gun violence prevention, contrasting most of her fellow religious figures. Hollas believes keeping the conversation moving forward will have a tremendous impact on the gun regulations movement. She hopes to educate with the gun violence facts. Hollas is determined to help people understand that violence has no place in our world, including Gods’.
America must hold weapon purchasers to much higher standards, prioritizing living children over the materialistic, power image of gun rights. Mass shootings have become normalized and this is the root of the problem; Americans have become desensitized. Those who have died beg that we remember their stories. As most superpower countries establish stricter gun regulations, we must ask ourselves why the United States government is refusing to protect its people. Listen, protest, remember: safety is a fundamental right upon which our country was founded, and a basic right of humanity.
The article that intrigued me this week was “The Spy Business Is Booming and We Should Be Worried”. This article caught my attention because we always hear about spies in movies and other ways but we never know too much about them. It was very interesting to see that an ordinary everyday person could obtain such high tech gadgets when it used to be very difficult and only officials were allowed to obtain them. The extensive availability of these weapons to an ordinary person could pose threats. Along with that there are not just government spies everywhere, there are also unofficial spies working for dangerous groups. The thought of all of this can truly frighten someone.
“India Tempts Fate in Kashmir, ‘The Most Dangerous Place in the World’
I was at a debate tournament in April when I first ran an argument about Indian foreign policies and Kashmir. Kashmir has long been a geopolitical hotspot for Pakistan and India. India’s nuanced agenda there has been trying to violently eradicate any Muslim in the region due to centuries of deep rooted nationalism. Militaristic violence has also swept the land as the two countries battle for claim over it, like two kids fighting over a toy.
Little did I know how much the conflict was going to escalate in the coming months.
This article not only elaborates the elevation of tensions, but also how external actors, such as China and the U.S., could play a role in the coming days. Now the Indian BJP has removed autonomy, banned tourists, and shut down internet access and schools in Kashmir. I was appalled that India would ever take such extreme measures and that the U.S. would still be backing it up. Through the atrocities the article highlights, I experienced an epiphany that nationalistic sentiments are a veridical threat to citizens—whether that be in India with the treatment of Kashmir or even the U.S. with gun violence. The government needs to be taking actions to check back and we as a society must embrace plurality and diversity in our countries because that is what creates more tolerance and broadens our horizons for one another.
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The article that caught my attention this week is "Uber Posts $5.2 Billion Loss and slowest Ever Growth Rate" by Kate Conger. This loss surprised me as Uber has become a very popular app for transportation of both food and people. The author says, "A majority of that- about- $3.9 billion- was caused by stock-based compensation that Uber paid its employees after its I.P.O". However, the chief executive officer of Uber said that 2019 is expected to be their highest investment year yet. He concluded his statement by clarifying that the company wants to have positive growth. Furthermore in the article, I learned that Uber did have healthy growth in certain areas. For example, there were more than 100 million new monthly active rides. This gave the company some hope that they are growing as a business and that they are reaching out to a variety of new customers. This article interested me because Uber seems like a commonly used app that is attracting many new customers as time goes on. It took me by surprise when I read the title that said Uber had lost $5.2 billion dollars. I learned that businesses often go through a period where they lose money, but that allows the company to gain knowledge of why money was lost and how that could be fixed. These downfalls can often be helpful as it teaches the company not to make the same mistakes again. This prepares them for future success in upcoming years.
This week I read an article called "Ethiopia Says It Planted Over 350 Million Trees In A Day, A Record", by Palko Karasz. This particular article caught my attention because the article is dealing with climate change, a topic that our world desperately needs to focus on today. To help deal with the effect of deforestation and global warming, Ethiopia's prime minister, Abiy Ahmed, started a campaign with the hope to plant 4 billion trees in Ethiopia before the fall. His campaign, along with the help of many civilians, environmentalists, government officials, and others broke the record for the largest number of trees planted in one day. Their original goal was to plant 200 million seeds but at the end of they ended up planting 350 million. Over the years Ethiopia's growing population did not go well with the fact that since the early 20th century the country's forest coverage decreased from 30% to just 4% in 2000. That decrease continued to grow but in recent years Ethiopia has started to focus on rebuilding its forests and working to end global warming. As part of the future generation of this world, I hope this story inspires other people and other countries to start standing up and taking action against climate change in our world because if we don't, we may as well not have a world much sooner than we would like to think.
To me, the diary entries in the compilation titled “The Woman Looked at Me and Motioned to a Sweatshirt in Her Bag” perfectly capture the essence of my city.
Growing up in New York City has also meant sharing memories of my hometown with millions. It’s an odd feeling. Then again, that's what makes New York so special.
I walk down 42nd Street on weekdays, listening to the chattering of the morning crowd, cars honking, and the rumble of a city awakening bright-eyed under a clear sky. I can smell the heady scent of coffee, a hint of car exhaust, and sometimes sausage, which wafts out doors as customers hurry in and out of breakfast shops.
I look. Under the shade of a tree, an old woman folds her newspaper. A businessman hastily adjusts his tie as he rushes forward, perhaps late to work. At the marble steps of the New York Public Library, a girl raises her camera.
We all live our separate lives, crossing paths with few. However, we share memories of the same smells, the same cafes, subways, and parks. Many share the same religion, nationality, or social belief, regardless of how many there are overall.
It was both strange and wonderful that I could perfectly visualize the events of the diary entries though unknown, yet familiar eyes. We are all connected through our roles as friends, relatives, or acquaintances. New Yorkers are also connected by our city. Amidst the millions, we recognize each other with kindness, compassion, and respect.
I'm proud to be a New Yorker.
The article I was interested the most this weekend was “How Bill de Blasio Went from Progressive Hope to Punching Bag” which talked about how de Blasio’s avarice for a greater political position made the very people who elected him into office as mayor of New York City feel betrayed and forgotten by him, as it became way too obvious that he only used the position as a stepping stone for a presidential candidacy. There is a reason why de Blasio is doing so poorly; Democrats are now making their candidates accountable for their own actions. While I was watching the second Democratic debates I couldn’t help but be impressed with what de Blasio had to say, and if de Blasio did not have the shameful record that he holds I truly believe he would be a serious candidate alongside other progressive candidates such as Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren. In fact, his lackluster performance as mayor may even have been acceptable in the past, but now more and more people are voting for politicians based not on their policies or their electability but rather what they have done and why they are running: look no further than to Elizabeth Warren, who has been praised for her willingness to deal with problems not with fancy rhetoric but with good, expansive legislature, or moderates Pete Buttigieg and Beto O’Rourke, who try to avoid the slew of negativity that comes with election seasons.
People are getting tired of power-hungry insider politicians, and de Blasio is no exception.
“A Quarter of Humanity Faces Looming Water Crisis.” This article seemed interesting because it points out the very real danger of water scarcity. “From India to Iran to Botswana, 17 countries around the world are currently under extremely high water stress, meaning they are using almost all the water they have, according to new World Resources Institute data published Tuesday.” This amount will increase exponentially in the years to come if we don’t do anything about it. Desperate, cities are draining groundwater and aquifers to grow crops and avoid dehydration. This points out the fact that climate change is a looming threat that needs to be dealt with. This is not the first time the governments of the world have warned the public about the dangers of global warming. Thankfully, there are still forms of action we can take. There is time to reduce carbon emissions and reduce food waste, but the clock is ticking. And that carbon dioxide is going nowhere.
The article that I chose to read for this week is, “How Phones Made the World Your Office, Like It or Not.” To think at this day of age, cell phones or technology overall has taken over our lives. Although the article I’ve read talks more about the manufacturing of the cell phone, I wanted to talk about the negative impacts cell phones have over us. As a teenager, I try to limit myself from constantly being on my phone because I know it can damage someones mental health. Cell phones can also be extremely distracting. Speaking from experience, I've always sent a text or two during class. Research shows that our memory capacity, ability to process data, and general intelligence improves significantly when our smartphone is completely out of sight. It is better to have your cell phone on silent and in a backpack. But at the same time, without a cell phone, it can be sort of difficult for someone to get by on a regular day to day basis.
Of the many intriguing articles suggested this week I chose: "Need a Mental Health Day? Some States Give Students the Options". I found this one especially ingratiating because, as most people have experienced during their school years, I too had feigned sickness to avoid school due to stress. I think that having the ability to take a sick day to avoid this stress, even if only for one day, will be extremely helpful.
As I think my Introduction makes clear, I also find the opposing argument, that it will cause higher rates of faking illness, to be absolutely false. In fact, I believe that it would have the exact opposite effect by enabling students suffering from anxiety to tell the truth.
“Triceratops Skull, 65 Million Years Old, Unearthed by College Student” interested me the most this week because I have always been curious about ancient creatures and civilizations. However, the fossil is surprisingly not what interested me the most in the article. What really got me thinking was the fact that the college kid who discovered the fossil actually never planned on going fossil hunting over the summer in the first place. Initially, he wanted an internship, but was rejected and led to work with his professor hunting for fossils. When he was rejected, he was probably disappointed, but the rejection ended up being one of the best things that has ever happened to him and gave him the opportunity to do something that almost no one has ever experienced. And that is what I liked about this article, the way it showed that staying optimistic and ready for any opportunities that come your way, even through the tough times, is one of the best things you can do for yourself.
As climate change worsens and the earth becomes less and less inhabitable, it’s becoming alarmingly more crucial to initiate worldwide efforts for change, which drew me to the article “Ethiopia Says It Planted Over 350 Million Trees in a Day, a Record.” Reforestation initiatives are a good step towards bettering our environment, and 350 millions trees planted in one day is incredibly impressive. It is astounding how beneficial planting trees in the 3.5 million square miles of land not used by humans could theoretically be according the study referenced in the article, and this study as well as the heartwarming efforts in Ethiopia give me hope. However, I am still plagued by the concern that the majority of people do not care enough to make an effort to save this planet along with the fear that it is too late to fully undo all that we have done to it. I can only hope the rest of the world will follow Ethiopa’s example and attempt to make a difference for the earth.
“In Politics, Apologies Are for Losers”
Across continents, cultures and languages, some things are universal. One of those things—the idea that children must be taught to apologize. It’s ingrained into our minds until we reach the understanding of an apology’s importance. It is, simply put, the right thing to do. And who are we supposed to be counting on to do the right thing? Our politicians. Yet, as Mr. Sunstein clearly shows through both his writing and surveys, an apology can be their ultimate weakness. The one thing supposed to get the public back on their side after offensive comments or actions instead ironically plunges them deeper into dislike. But in this context, is this truly ironic? Or rather, is it just indicative of what society has started to look for in a leader? Instead of someone who accepts responsibility, much of our country has grown to crave someone whose ideals are so staunchly set that they feel no need to apologize, even for shocking instances. An easy example: the current president, who prides himself on never showing remorse when it comes to just about anything.
Yet it was actually seeing the author’s quantitative data supporting this rapidly-growing ideal that was incredibly eye opening for me, and it ignited several questions about this trend’s future. All of them left me wondering about the generation that will both demand an apology from leaders and truly understand the moral low ground that is not making one at all. Will there ever be one?
“Hackers’ Latest Target: School Districts”
Cybersecurity and the overall world of computers has always been my biggest passion. Almost all of my hobbies and interests branch off of the ever expanding technology industry. That being so, this article immediately grabbed my attention.
I have seen firsthand how vulnerable small community schools can be. In an era where ransomeware and malicious teens with more cybersecurity knowledge than the technology admin’s at their school exists, the need for a strong cybersecurity is more than necessary. As stated by Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs, schools have become a victim to this more often than ever in recent years. Schools hold very important and private information about students that should not, and cannot be this vulnerable. Most towns and school comittees overlook this and simply hope and claim that it won’t happen to them. And that mentality is what allows for these attacks to happen. Just last year, a student was able to access every student ID. Which is the default password to our accounts for our grading system. These IDs were simply on a file with attatched to its owner’s name accessibile by any windows computer with the lowest level of permissions. Up until this point, students were not allowed to change their passwords. The inibility to change a password is a major security flaw and allowed for this to happen. Without more advanced security, events like this will happen constantly and even more malicious attacks will happen.
In Sandra Gracia’s, “F.D.A. Names 16 Brands of Food That May Be Linked to Canine Heart Disease”, she informs how there is a common trend among dog food and heart disease due to certain ingredients. According to the article, most dog foods like Blue Buffalo are usually grain-free and consist of large proportions of peas, potatoes, or legume seeds. Studies have found that dog food products have caused thinning in the ventricles of the heart. This would weaken the heart, cause fluids to enter the lungs, and result in future illnesses. Although the percentage of dogs with heart disease stemming from dog food is relatively low, 560 with heart conditions since 2015, it is an intriguing trend. Naturally, dogs are carnivores and gain nutrients from eating herbivores. Dog food containing high percentages of plants does raise skepticism. In the dog food world, there seems to be no real front runner for a safe, trusted, and healthy option. As a dog owner, one is faced with hundreds of different dog food brands and ingredients. Choosing the right dog food that suits a certain dog breed can almost seem impossible. With hundreds of choices, maybe people should go back to feeding dogs meat. Consistently feeding meat to a dog can become pricy but would it be the safest food choice? After thousands of years of domestication, for many humans’ dogs have become considered as family members. Given that people consider dogs family members, they will to find and buy for what’s best for their pet.
“Let Us Predict Whether You’re a Democrat or a Republican”
I live in one of the most liberal districts of Minnesota; the same one currently represented by the famous Ilhan Omar. And still, like the majority of the population, I’ve always considered myself to hold a unique perspective on life and politics. As it turns out, I was wrong. For it only took a simple four questions for Mr. Chinoy to accurately predict my political stance, and thoroughly shocked me in the process.
Though the results of the quiz were what got my attention, I was even more intrigued to find that I was not the only one. According to Mr. Chinoy, both the Democratic and Republican parties have been growing increasingly divided based on the issue of identity. So much so that knowing a person's race, religious identity, and gender can be enough to predict who they will be voting for. And as these lines of division build, our political environment is growing more hostile.
I am a Jewish white person who also tends to lean Democrat. But it is my view that when I am having a conversation with another person, whether it be on politics or what my weekend plans are, none of this should matter. I believe that as a society we must join together over the things we are decided upon and recognize instead what we share. We are all human beings, and we all have the right to choose for ourselves what we believe in, no matter where we come from.
This week the article, “Juul Says It Doesn’t Target Kids. But Its E-Cigarettes Pull Them In” interested me the most. I enjoyed reading it because I didn’t realize that they didn’t want to attract the younger customers. They meant for their product to attract smokers to get them off of regular cigarettes. Their intention was not to introduce the young era to the E-Cigarettes. This article really showed what the intentions of these products are for.
Article: Reporting on a Very Bad Year for the College Admissions Industry
Becoming a junior in high school like I am is a scary step for all students. The concept of college no longer is a far off idea but now a reality that must be worked towards. Any college-bound student knows that this is a crucial time meant for building up applications, taking standardized tests and keeping up a high GPA in order to have a fair shot at their selection of schools. However, after taking into account recent events I wonder how fair the admissions process really is. Hearing multiple stories of wealthy parents manipulating their childs way into a prestigious university by committing crimes like faking scores and bribing coaches is not only discouraging to low-income students but also to any student that dreamed of attending that school. The newest scheme parents are attempting is equally unfair: altering disability evaluations for their child in order to receive extended time on their ACT’s or SAT’s. Not only is behavior like this putting their child at an unfair advantage but when uncovered, drawing suspicion on children that receive extended time for genuine reasons. In my opinion, the college you go to should be representative of the hard work and effort you put into school rather than your parents financial status. The fault lies with both the institutions and the people that are exploiting the system.
"A Quarter of Humanity Faces Looming Water Crises"
This week I found the article "A Quarter of Humanity Faces Looming Water Crises" by Somini Sengupta and Weiyi Cai interesting. The article goes over how countries like India and Iran and cities like Sao Paulo, Brazil are running out of water. This interested me because according to the article, these crises are a direct result of climate change. Climate change has been a hot topic recently. The article also mentioned that these crises are only going to get worse as time goes on if we do not change our methods of water conservation, farming, ect. This article makes me wonder about how much longer before water shortages are a world wide problem.
“Triceratops Skull, 65 Million Years Old, Unearthed by College Student, 23” - Emily S. Rueb
I was interested in this because I haven’t heard of any big fossil finds in a while. Not that I tend to stay updated on fossils but a discovery like this is big and quite exciting. Duran, the college student who helped discover the skull, actually had just been rejected by an internship at the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum in L.A.
It’s crazy to think that if he had gotten that internship he would’ve missed out on discovering the skull. He got the chance of a lifetime all because he missed out on a different opportunity. Now what they found is even crazier. The skull length wise is 5 feet and between 750-1000 pounds. Digging it out took ten days because of how careful they had to be and then they went through several steps to make sure it would travel safely.
Mr. Duran and Professor Kjelland just contributed to science and discovered something many have tried and failed to discover. And I personally feel that’s pretty incredible.
This week I read about the teenager winning there million dollars for winning a video game tournament, and although the government actually too half of it, I could not fathom winning that much. Personally, I am a big fan of video games and with EVO, a huge fighting tournament that occurred this past weekend, I began to think deeper into this sector of competition. Videogames are something that you can be naturally good at, however fine-tuning your skills is necessary to become good enough to be competitive. I have attended a few competitions for some fighting games I like, and although I'm not amazing, it is fascinating to realize how competitive people can get, including even the most casual of gamers. Some pro players dedicate their lives to their game of choice and these tournaments are the pinnacle of their careers. On another note, I find it amusing how people can be complaining that video games promote violence, which I think is ridiculous, and still host such large competitions with such a large jackpot. People don't know what they want and change their opinions depending on the situation. I am happy for the kid as he is young and talented, and I wish him well. It shows that different people excel at different activities and if you put your mind to it then you then you can live your passion
The article I decided to read this week is called “Bringing Up Robot Baby, a Teenage Rite of Passage”. The reason I picked this article is because in health class at my school we have to do a project with robot babies. In school we are told that these babies reduce the pregnancy rate in teens however in Australia it was shown that these robot babies make it more likely for teens to have babies. This is surprising to me because after a weekend with the baby I was traumatized and I didn’t want anything to do with another baby. I had to wake up every 30 mins in the middle of the night to tend to the baby which is very annoying. With that being said I disagree with what the research study said. I think our teachers make us do this project so us as students will not ever want to have a baby because babies are too much of a responsibility. The robot babies make students understand that if they are sexually active that they must be safe or they might end up with a baby. Robot babies show how hard parenting is. Overall robot babies in health classes is a great opportunity to traumatize students from having babies.
"Need Extra Time on Tests? It Helps to Have Cash"
This article caught my eye because the school year is starting soon. The article's main idea was how some student's parents along with the students want more time on tests, and to do so they fake mental or physical problems to get the 504 plan. This plan is for those students with minor disabilities who are still able to attend a normal school but need some extra help. Along with the additional tutoring, this plan also provides extra time on tests. It accommodates those students that need this extra time just so that they can finish the test to the best of their abilities. Because of that, some families have lied their way into the plan to provide their children with the additional advantage of extra time. This illustrates the complexities of our current education system. Most students nowadays develop some form of mental problems like anxiety and depression sometime during their education, partially due to the pressures that our school system puts on the students. And studies have shown that most students would benefit from extending their test time leading to higher scores. I believe that it is important for these plans to be taken seriously and not to be taken advantage of, but I think this situation clearly illustrates the desperation of some of the students. Even though this is not the best way to handle this, it is understandable, and I found it interesting to discover the lengths that some people will go to succeed.
This week I choose the article, "Less Trash, More Schools." This article caught my attention because it focused on multiple world issues. This article discussed the lack of job opportunities in Africa, the difference in wages between men an women, and the plastic overload. Plastic is a problem that needs unique solutions. The women in this article are inspiring because they don't have the best pay or the best job in the world, yet they still use their resources to help the planet. It is inspiring in the aspect that many people in the world don't know how they can help the earth other than recycling plastic water bottles. This article shows that unique way that these women in Africa choose to help save the planet from pollution. The work that the women are doing to create schools from plastic shows that pollution is something that everyone can help fight against no matter circumstances.
“Climate Change Threatens the World’s Food Supply, the United Nations Warns”
Fossil fuels form over gargantuan stretches of time; aquatic plankton mixes with mud to form oil and natural gas, while land plants form coal & methane. This is similar to the snail-like formation of soil, another non-renewable resource.
Long ago, hunter-gatherers observed that planting seeds allows cultivation, and we since have taken off with the idea. Industrialization sparked a domino effect resulting in billions of tons of carbon leaving rainforests, woods, peat bogs, etc. cleared for crops like palm oil or corn. I remembered all this upon reading the headline, but a sick irony soon became apparent.
Desertification follows crops, killing ecosystems & livelihoods. Climatic disruption of the food supply will impede our ability to coax enough food from farms. By burning fossil fuels we have stamped an expiration date on the status quo and shot ourselves in the foot, and it would be callous to say that humanity is being served justice, because we aren’t; retribution will be most lethal to the regions that the industrialized world depends on for crops and materials, the regions historically manipulated into now supporting our lives as we know them.
It’s from a place of privilege that I can try to glean some grand takeaway from this noxious cycle. But I’d rather see change, so when I or my friends see an article like this, we can feel hope, rather than trying to rationalize all that’s gone wrong.
Toni Morrison, Towering Novelist of the Black Experience, Dies at 88
I was first introduced to Toni Morrison's work in my sophomore English classroom. My teacher was beloved - no pun intended - by the student body, though his book choices tended to deviate from the linear English curriculum. After our class had trudged through The Odyssey and Henry VI, we were excited to analyze a novel that occurred in our collective perceptible lifetimes.
This week, upon hearing of Ms. Morrison's death, I found myself rereading an essay I wrote on Song of Solomon. It's mediocre at best, likely written the night before it was due in a caffeinated haze, but my thesis sticks out: "Morrison paints Milkman's limited view of women as just that; by switching narratives, she paints a fuller picture of the women in the story, specifically Ruth, while simultaneously illustrating Milkman's internalized misogyny." Rereading this after the paper has been turned in, I allow myself to ponder what I meant by this. That Morrison's empathy was practically tangible? That her larger statement about gender stretches far beyond Milkman and Ruth?
Toni Morrison wrote for black women. For the white audiences reading her books, a world that was not catered towards them appeared on the pages. That's certainly how I felt, in my mostly white classroom, reading Song of Solomon. But Toni Morrison's books successfully did what only the best literature can - inspire empathy and love through word and story.
This week I decided that the article in which interests me most to be “Greta Thunberg to Attend New York climate Talks. She’ll Take a Sailboat.” When I first read the title, I thought to myself why that name sounded familiar I then realized that this woman was the 16-year-old climate activist that has organized the worldwide climate strikes that many of my friends have skipped school to attend. I learned about the scheduled climate strikes that had happened and what they were all about. I then later learned that these days off from school were also organized by this teenager from Sweeden that is also on the Spectrum. Immediately I thought that this girl is what the Earth truly needs, for people to not only speak of change but rather to push and make an effort for change, which she truly has. This article credits her with her successful protests and also says how she will be attending “two conferences ‘pretty much where our futures will be decided’”. She is seeking an eco-friendly way of transportation to attend the U.N Climate Action Summit in New York and the U.N Framework Convention on Climate Change. Thunberg was offered a ride on the racing boat Malizia II, which can operate without burning any fossil fuels, her ideal mode of transportation. This article inspires me to make more of an effort to work towards preventing climate change and follow the lead of the motivational activist Ms. Thuberg.
"The White House Blocked my Report on Climate Change and National Security," really caught my attention when I read the title. I sat there sitting on my bed thinking that this couldn't be true, it sounds very far-fetched, I thought it was someone just trying to gain publicity. But it turns out i am wrong, climate change is a global problem that became worse as us humans added more and more chemicals into the atmosphere. The amount of carbon dioxide emission when extracting and burning coal, oil and gas, is absurd, as well as when we cut down forests. This causes our environment to crumble. The government still seems to see past this issue and does not do anything about it. In addition climate change can damage our water and food security and weaken the quality of life.
Coming back to the trees now, removing trees for other things to be built its its spot is just not okay. Although there is another article that i did not read, but it caught my eye stated something in the title about Ethiopia planting 350 million trees in a day. And I am not going to say anything about that because i haven't read the article but that is incredible. There are a lot of people who do recognize this problem and do things about it, which is incredible, but the government cant shy away from this and pretend that there is no problem.
Turning on the news and hearing about another shooting, although horrible each time, has become less surprising then it should be for a topic with this type of magnitude. The article that caught my eye this week was “Shooting at Festival in California Kills at least 3” by Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs and Jacey Fortin. The shooting happened at a garlic festival in California and left 3 dead and 12 others injured. Among the three that were killed was a 6-year-old boy who was enjoying his time in a bouncy house when he was fatally shot. His family, along with many others, were trying to enjoy their time at this festival when suddenly everyone starts running for cover due to gunshots. People in public settings should not have to worry about being caught in a shooting. I personally feel that people should not be allowed to have easy access to guns, however with everyone so divided over how to handle gun laws it doesn’t seem like there will be changes anytime soon.
Why Mathematicians Hate That Viral Equation
Ever since I could remember, I liked math. What I enjoyed most was solving math problems that could be applied to real life and coming up with equations that could fit situations in real life.
However, when I started taking math exams in middle school in Korea, my idea about math changed. Though I still liked math, it seemed that the teachers who made the exams made the questions to stump their students and lead them to the wrong answer. Solving those questions often required students to interpret the questions in the specific way that the teacher who made the exams considered was the “proper solution,” despite the existence of many other approaches to the question.
The article “Why Mathematicians Hate that Viral Equation” interested me because it reminded me of my middle school years, when I had to take math exams that were designed to trick me. The article talked about a math equation that went viral because of its ambiguous use of mathematical equations.
I think that arguing about the viral equation (8 ÷ 2(2+2) = ?) is misleading. Like the mathematicians mentioned in the article, I believe that Math is a subject useful for its real-life application and pondering over problems like this harms the essence of math.
The article that interested me the most in the times this week was "What Experts Know About People who Commit Mass Shootings" by Benedict Carey. Today in society, mass shootings have become a norm and hearing about one is unfortunately not that surprising. Lately, it has been difficult to single out the "type", if you will, of people that would even imagine killing large amounts of innocent people, as there have been so many shootings committed by people of all different backgrounds. Luckily, experts have identified some patterns that a lot of shooters tend to have in common, and they are mentioned in this article. It has helped forensic psychologists and scientists find motive or intentions of these shooters to do what they did. This information interested me so much because I often wonder why these people have the desire to go out into the world with the purpose of killing people. For a while, I wondered if there was something off-balance in these people's brains that caused them to carry out mass shootings. But the article enlightened me and provided facts about how often, people with the desire to perpetuate a mass shooting often watch the skills of shooters before them and idolize them. Also, I found it interesting that the article states that there is a very little correlation between video game violence causing real-life aggression which leads to shootings and people with mental illness being more likely to start a mass shooting. These facts are rather surprising.
"Capital One Data Breach Compromises Data of Over 100 Million"
There was an article released this week detailing a hack of one of the largest banks in America, Capital One, by a former Amazon employee. The reason this is such a large development is because more than 100 million people were hacked and on top of that it will cost the company around 150 million dollars to repair any damages done in terms of information stolen and other problems caused by the hack. The hack that took place represents a problem on the grounds of personal privacy and cyber security within a company. Perhaps to protect personal information there may need to be laws put in place stating how much a company is entitled to know about someone. On the other hand, companies should direct more resources towards protecting information.
The article I found the most interesting this week was, “Simone Biles, in Tears, Says She Still Cannot Trust U.S.A. Gymnastics” by Danielle Allentuck
After a training session ahead of this week’s United States Gymnastics Championships, Biles described some of the emotional aftermath of the sport’s sexual abuse scandal.
This article left me feeling a little angry and sympathetic all in one. Sexual abuse is never something you want someone to experience, but unfortunately it’s happening more and more in the world of entertainment, especially sports. I really hope the USAG does take action with handling this case because if they don’t it’s showing other men in the association that they can get away with it and showing the gymnasts that not only does the association not back you up, but it breaks even more trust between the association and the victim. I can’t even imagine how she feels, but she seems she is putting her experience into something powerful by speaking up and trying to make a change. This doctor should be fired and shouldn’t be allowed to even have the opportunity to ever do that again. The USAG needs to stand behind their athletes and follow through with doing the right thing.
The article that interested me the most this week was “How to Take Better Travel Photos, Without a New Camera” by: Geoffrey Morrison. This article is about “finessing” pictures, and capturing moments on vacation without the use a nice, big, and fancy camera. The article gives multiple tips on how to take the “perfect” pictures while on vacation by just using your cell phone. The article provides some tips on the perfect camera angles, lighting, and suggested editing apps to make your pictures perfect. I found this article intriguing for various reasons. For one, as a teenager I’m always trying to find the perfect lighting and perfect angles to make sure that my pictures are what we call “finessed.” However, sometimes I feel as if our phones don’t always give you as much as a vivid, clear, and good quality picture like a big, fancy camera would. Another reason why I found this article intriguing is because my family and I like to travel frequently, and we like to capture certain moments that we could look back on. This article comes in clutch with some good tips that we can use in order to get those good quality pictures. Lastly, this article helped to open my eyes a little bit more about our technology. We don’t always need to have bigger and better things, for bigger and better outcomes. We already have a lot of technology at our fingertips, therefore we can work with what we already have in order to get the result that truly satisfies us.
"Marvel Studios Unveils Diverse Film Lineup at Comic-Con."
I am a huge fan of Marvel, and I’m ecstatic to see all the new productions that will be released in the coming years. I was intrigued by the increase in diversity Marvel is bringing to the franchise. Marvel has a special place in my heart, but it hasn’t been very diverse until recently. However, it seems that is about to change. For example, with "Black Widow," we are getting our second female led movie, and with another film, "Eternals", Kumail Nanjani, an American-Pakistani comedian, will be one of the leads. Additionally, with "Shang-Chi: and the Legend of the Ten Rings," we are getting our first Asian superhero played by Simu Liu. There are also the upcoming movies "Thor: Love and Thunder" and "Blade."In Thor, We will have our first LGBTQ hero in Tessa Thompson's character, Valkyrie, who “As new king, she needs to find her queen." With "Blade," starring Mahershala Ali, we will have our second movie led by a black actor. Marvel is also doing a “Falcon and Winter Soldier” TV show with an African American Falcon played by Anthony Mackie who is now the new Captain America, Steve Rogers having passed down the shield. Overall, I think it is great that we are getting much more representation and diversity in modern television and movies. I believe this change will make a lot of people happy and bring certain political issues to light.
This week, I read the article, “Video Games Aren’t Why Shootings Happen. Politicians Still Blame Them.” by Kevin Draper. As the title states, video games have nothing to do with shootings in contrast to what Trump has said August 5th. According to many, and I mean MANY, studies, there is no correlation towards how such things as video games or movies can cause an increase in violence. It mentions that even though violent games may cause an increase in such things as anger or sadness but it isn’t such a thing that can lead them to create such crimes in real life. There is a line between reality and fiction. What happens in a game, stays in a game. It should never be brought to the real world. For example, it’s like saying that if I play such a game, especially a calm, creative game like Minecraft, that I’ll start going into the wild to punch trees. Or if I do play a violent game like Call Of Duty or Grand Theft Auto, that I’ll go around shooting people. Those who do cross the line are probably highly unstable people. In which case there is a correlation. But what are the odds? The odds are extremely low for this to happen. Take Japan for example. According to the rates in video games to crimes, it has the highest revenue in the world when it comes to video games. However, when it comes to shootings, there is only a small amount of at least 5 people dead a year. Same thing applies to other countries. Other countries except the US...
The article which most interested me this week is the one titled “This Fortnite World Cup Winner Is 16 and $3 Million Richer”. It is true that winning $3 million is very exciting and enviable, but we should not forget about the effort and time behind the win. I remember that last year, one of my friends indulged in a mobile game called “Shuai Tu Zhi Bin”. In this game, players in a team need to use theories from sandplay in order to win the game. As one of the leaders of her team, my friend had to spend lots of time on the game everyday, because they had to keep winning so that the ranking of the team could stay high. However, my friend had to catch up her schoolwork in the meantime, so she sacrificed her sleep time as a result. It could be easily predicted that this would not work. My friend started to fall asleep in class. After around 3 months she finally decided to quit the game and focus on her study. It is brave for Kyle to decide to train for 8 hours per week for the game, because such decision means that one has to sacrifice his or her study for an uncertain future. Nowadays, a large number of young people choose e-Sports as their career, despite the uncertainty they face. However, most parents still hold suspicion towards e-Sports, and they do not regard it as a proper career. Yet, we should still pay attention to the large amount of effort and time that players put into training behind their win, and appreciate the glory they have brought to the country.
Throughout the ages, humanity has witnessed an alarming rate of carbon dioxide emissions. As the population rises at an aggressive rate, the need for more cars and paper has increased. We have taken the finite resources of our world for granted. Creating anomalies such as global warming. It has been predicted that there is no turning back from our planet’s demise. Yet the NY Times article “Ethiopia Says It Planted Over 350 Million Trees in a Day, a Record” by Palko Karasz galvanized people all around the world. Countries have taken notice of the everlasting issue of global warming. And have started planting millions of trees today to combat deforestation. Thanks to Ethiopia’s plan to plant 4 billion trees before fall. A new record of 350 million trees have been planted in just a day. This achievement doesn’t just inspire people, It brings hope into the dark smoky world we have created. For one day people of all stature came together in order to better the world. A story like this will surely be remembered. It provides the influence required to better the world through unity. Nevertheless, Earth still has many problems to address in a short amount of time. But I believe that this article will provide a stepping stone for many countries to increase their expectations upon reforestation and environmental care. Along with ensuring the continued survival of our species on a more practical living standard. Without the incessant fear for our planet and our way of life.
I was not born in a 'good' neighboorhood. I was raised in the hoods of East San Diego, where life consisted of fun with neighbors and playing till the street lights came on. I was unaware of a lot of things that were stereotypical no-brainers for a hood kid. I lived the definition of 'it's all love in the hood', and stories like Davion Powell's are a slap into a harsh reality.
While I read this article, I found that Powell and I wore the same 'shoes'. We were both nerdy kids with single mothers and fathers who were not a persistent presence in our lives. I recently learned about the gang affiliations my extended family and family friends had, I am 15. Powell was the same age when he was introduced to the gang Folk Nations, from people he had probably lived around his entire life.
What I have learned is that most hood kids do not join gangs because they want to be tough. They want family, they want to belong, and they want something to be proud of. Most hood kids are not bad people. They are severely misguided, Powell being a prime example of that. What I have learned is, unfortunately, misguidance is deadly. And the hood is full of it.
This article really struck a chord with me. Not only because I could wear one of his shoes and call it my own, but because a lot of us need to take an example of Powell. Powell made efforts to change, not just for himself but for his family. If there is anything we need representing the hood, it needs to be the willingness to change.
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This week, an article that caught my interest was "Kyoto Studio Devastated by Fire Is Revered by Anime Fans". In July 18th at 10am (local time), the studio animations "Kyoto Animations" or "KyoAni", as known by fans, was set on fire, took the life of 33 people and injured a lot more. This article shows some of KyoAni's famous works, and tells just how unique the studio is. This article made me think just how sad it is, that someone can do such a thing to this amazing studio. But it also gave me some hope; in the article there were two posts from twitter that fans posted telling about the first anime they watched, that happen to be two works of KyoAni. Those posts made me feel just how loved KyoAni is. It reminded me many other posts and videos I saw about KyoAni and made me think about how communities can do a lot of good things. It reminded me that people from the community make donations for KyoAni, in order to help them. That people make art, tell their stories about the positive feelings KyoAni gave them and the way KyoAni shaped them for the better. Fans rise awareness to KyoAni by posting these heartwarming posts. People want to help and it's just awesome.
This week out of all the very interesting stories articles that the New York Times website had to offer , “Uber Posts $5.2 Billion Loss and Slowest Ever Growth Rate” interested me the most. This was one of the more intriguing articles this week about Uber and how it is losing money. This was very shocking because Uber is a very commonly used and a well known app for transportation. This article caught my attention because how could an app that almost everyone uses can be losing so much money? This app is used all around the world, it was shocking to read that they were not making but losing money. I would suspect that Uber no longer competing for prices with lyft, revenue for this company would have gone up. This program is losing money because of how it went public and all the promotions it had for the divers and the customers. What most surprised me from this article was how much money they were losing I would understand if it was a small amount but $5.2 billon seems like too much, but this company is trying to change that. From firing employees and chief executives stepping down Uber is trying to cut losses and begin to make money again. In the article it states that they are now cutting jobs to have a more interactive company and so that the money can circulate through this program once more. It even stated that they are projecting a great income next year. I have used this app many times and to see it have this great of a loss made this article very interesting.
This week an article that caught my attention was "Less Trash, More Schools — One Plastic Brick at a Time". In the Ivory Coast of Africa, a woman's group spend the bulk of their day collecting and recycling plastic waste. This plastic, however, is not just recycled, but specifically used to produce plastic bricks that are utilized to build schools around the Coast. I was particularly facinated in how these women, who originally used recycling as a means to gain profit, became the leaders of a project that can possibly set an example in which other countries can build from or replicate. This use of plastic, for example, combats the issue of excess waste that is witnessed on global levels from forests to the ocean. Taking plastic waste from the environment and using it towards something positive not only benefits us as humans, but the creatures in which we share the Earth. The bricks also improve education. The material is a great alternative the mud based buildings used previously in these areas because the plastic will not erode away and has greater stability. Also, they allow for more students in one classroom and coincidently more students per school. In addition, it is very important for new schools to be built in developing areas, because great minds lie everywhere but some are not given the opportunity to grow and be heard. However, with more efficient buildings for school and increased class size, more children will be given the chance to make an impact on the world.
Deadly Germ Research Is Shut Down at Army Lab Over Safety Concerns.
When I read this article I was shocked at how poorly they were handling the deadly germs. So that's why it is a good thing that the government shut this program down before it got too out of hand. The reason why it was so dangerous is because that the people over at the facility wouldn't dispose of some dangerous materials. And if there were a list on ways that you wouldn't want to get your research shut down not throwing away dangerous materials would probably be near the top of that list, it would be better if you just didn't have enough time to do the project. I think that this incident might be able to help other research facilities to dispose of their harmful materials more carefully. But the reason why it was so bad is because that around May of last year the steam sterilization plant at the facility got ruined during a flood, and when they changed out the old sterilization system with a new chemical one, the new one had a mechanical problem with it, so that is probably why these problems started arising, maybe. But if anything, this shows that proper disposal of harmful substances is important and should be taken seriously.
We often hear about shootings in the news, whether they occur in schools, offices, or even restaurants, the frequency of these events has raised concern across the nation. Many have questioned why gun control laws haven’t been created and enacted yet. The article “Why Doesn’t America Know More About Gun Safety” explains why the U.S. has little knowledge about guns, and the government is currently doing to ensure safer usage of guns. In 1996, Congress passed a law that prohibited the use of federal money for gun control advocacy. This amendment has led to over 600,000 deaths due to being shot. However, the government is now starting to take steps to reduce gun violence. Congress recently passed a bill in June to investing money into research about gun violence and safety. This has many foreseeable benefits such as allowing researchers to gather information on what motivates people to buy guns and factors that contribute to gun violence. This article addresses an urgent issue that our society is currently dealing with, and how the government is starting to correct it.
"Border Collie Trained to Recognize 1,022 Nouns Dies" by Derrick Bryson Taylor.
A dog, named Chaser, recently died at the age of 15. This dog was infamous for understanding 1,000+ nouns. This article interested me because we humans often consider ourselves the smartest creatures on the planet and value our lives more than any other animal. While this may be true there's so much we don't give other animals credit for. After all we can't easily communicate, which is why Chaser is so amazing. She could understand a thousand of our words, and as it states in the article, “What we would really like people to understand about Chaser is that she is not unique,” Ms. Bianchi said. “It’s the way she was taught that is unique. " Dogs are way smarter than we think, and who's to say what other animals can understand. It took humans years to figure out they have emotions, we still have some much to learn about each other and co-existing in this planet.
For week 8 of the contest, I was honestly quite stumped. I normally dislike writing about topics that are mainstream, resorting to niche articles about heat or musical performers. But “Long Before Border Walls, Entering the U.S. From Mexico Was as Easy as Crossing a Street” was a video that really just drew me in. I am sure we have all heard about Trump's as of yet unfulfilled plans for the border wall, considering his mug has been plastering the front page of every newsite for the past 4 years. My chosen video for this week puts a spin on all the Trump-related noise by looking back to when the border wall was first established and going into the history of how the modern idea came to be. Being a nerd of most everything, I was naturally inclined to watch the short documentary about the border’s past. It was satisfyingly commentated, in a way where it is still interesting while informative. The work also remained unbiased, not getting into political implications of the wall. This is something that really makes the video special in my eyes, as it's a lot easier for me to absorb historical information without constantly being bombarded with irrelevant opinions on the matter. The video not only taught me about a relevant piece of american history, it also was very topical, talking about what recent presidents changed along the US/Mexico border. In short, I liked the video because it taught me the story behind something talked about so often in today’s media.
This Fortnite World Cup Winner Is 16 and $3 Million Richer. I chose this article because it surprises me that one person could make that much money from playing a game. Kyle Giersdorf is quite fortunate to get the chance to compete in a tournament with 99 other individuals, each fighting for the 3 million dollar prize. When I read this, this makes me think that sometimes, it could be unfair in how others who don't have high-paying jobs, they don't make as much in a couple of days compared to Kyle Giersdorf. Kyle has been playing Fortnite for two years, introduced by his father. While reading this, it's crazy how his parents are fine with him playing the game everyday, since he's making money from it. If other parents saw their child playing games everyday, then they would be furious and end up taking away their computer. As you may have known, Fortnite has made millions of dollars and was nice enough to put together a 30 million dollar tournament. As I search for other popular games to see if they host anything like Fortnite, nothing pops up. Other games have at least a million dollar event each year, but the price is nowhere near Fortnite's tournament earnings. One person was lucky enough to take first place and 3 million dollars, while video game professionals have to stick to what they earn at events that are not about Fornite. It seems that Kyle won't be stopping anytime soon and will continue to play. The motivation Kyle has for the game will make him even more serious.
Continuously happening again and again, police brutality persists and has not been stopped. One contributing factor me be because, police officers are killing innocent and calling it “misconduct,” which is the equivalent of saying “oopsie,” and getting away scot-free with murder.
After wrongfully ending a life, who has to be called after a crime like this — the police. But what happens when a police officer commits the crime? Who investigates? According to the article, most police stations conduct their own private investigations. This doesn’t accomplish anything, and I was in awe to find that this has been going on for a long time. A police station conducting an investigation on its own officers is just like having your teacher allow your best friend to decide if you did anything wrong.
The leniency granted towards officers is apparent, and the idea presented by the article saying that public defenders should investigate instead is an applaudable idea. Not only would public defenders take away the bias police stations have for their officers, but it also will give families the justice they deserve for the murders and crimes committed against them.
Although I am not claiming that all police officers accused are quality of murder, allowing someone to get away with a crime leaves a bad taste in my mouth. As long as there is injustice, there will always be a way to right those wrongs, and in this case, the solution is through public defenders.
This week I read the article titled "The High Price of Multitasking" because I was intrigued by the headline. In fact, while I was browsing the New York Times for interesting articles to read I was at the same time multitasking by watching a YouTube video. I had been subconsciously zoning in and out of searching for articles, which caused me to struggle to maintain focus on either activity. Which, of course, is why this particular article stood out to me during my perusing. What's incredibly interesting about this article is the fact that it hones in on the exact problems regarding multitasking, including the habitual addiction as well as the eventual consequences. I was shocked to see that many of the claims the article made were reflective of some of my daily behavior: habits that I had never realized were inhibiting my productivity in the first place. Upon finishing the article, my perspective on multitasking had completely shifted, as I had originally thought it was an efficient use of time; now, however, I can only think of the cognitive tradeoffs that result from simultaneously performing multiple activities that would normally require undivided concentration individually.
This week out of all the very interesting stories articles that the New York Times website had to offer , “Uber Posts $5.2 Billion Loss and Slowest Ever Growth Rate” interested me the most. This was one of the more intriguing articles this week about Uber and how it is losing money. This was very shocking because Uber is a very commonly used and a well known app for transportation. This article caught my attention because how could an app that almost everyone uses can be losing so much money? This app is used all around the world, it was shocking to read that they were not making but losing money. I would suspect that Uber no longer competing for prices with lyft, revenue for this company would have gone up. This program is losing money because of how it went public and all the promotions it had for the divers and the customers. What most surprised me from this article was how much money they were losing I would understand if it was a small amount but $5.2 billon seems like too much, but this company is trying to change that. From firing employees and chief executives stepping down Uber is trying to cut losses and begin to make money again. In the article it states that they are now cutting jobs to have a more interactive company and so that the money can circulate through this program once more. It even stated that they are projecting a great income next year. I have used this app many times and to see it have this great of a loss made this article very interesting.
“He Left His Twins in a Hot Car and They Died. Accident or Crime?” by Sharon Otterman. Published on 01 August, 2019.
While reading this article, it broke my heart for not only the twins who died through this tragic event, but other toddlers and young children who died through the same event. This article highlights that there have been many cases where parents forgot their children in the car, causing them to die, and the different results and consequences each parent faced. Some cases conclude that the incident was an accident, and others charge the parents with manslaughter and murder.
This article made me wonder if parents could actually forget about their child. Did they leave their children in the car on purpose or was it purely just an accident? I thought that it was impossible to forget about your child, however, this article states that the human’s memory glitches, causing these tragic incidents.
This article also mentions a case where a parent did try to kill his child on purpose. However, it is shown that most of these tragedies resulted from accidents. These accidents brought depression, guilt, and sadness into the lives of the parents and to others.
The article that caught my attention was “ Under Brazil’s Far Right Leader, Amazon Protections Slashed and Forests Fall.” This is why, over the course of a decade, there has been a resurgence in far right governments worldwide. Now these forms of populist, and conservative government are in there own right another issue up for discussion. The bigger issue present are those who lead these governments and their ideas. One of the better examples is Bolsonaro’s far right government in Brazil which assumed leadership after last years election in the country. While looking into the article I came to a conclusion about what is typical of far right leaders. Their concepts of their native people first above all else is what drives many growing geopolitical issues of the present day. With Bolsonaro, another issue arises with his loosening on environmental policies in his country that are having drastic effects on the Amazon rainforest and therefore global warming. HIm once being a business man himself and charged on violating environmental regulations, is then not surprising to see his halting of fining for the rainforest’s exploitation and its inhabitants. He is more focused on the short term goal of economic growth thus completely neglecting the long term effects of a smaller rainforest and its impacts domestically and globally. This rising issue in Brazil can be concluded to be due to a corrupt politician taking advantage of his state and exploiting it for “economic benefit”.
The article that most interested me was, “Under Brazil’s Far-Right Leader, Amazon Protections Slashed and Forests Fall”. Right now is an extremely important time for the future of our world. If we do not change how we run as a society and do our everyday business then we will ruin our world, but if we change we can preserve the Earth. By destroying one of the largest forests in the world we are destroying a part of the earth itself. The Amazon filters carbon and helps prevent the process of global warming. Without the Amazon Global warming will increase speed by a great amount giving us less time to prevent it. So when I heard that the president of Brazil is causing the destruction of the Amazon I was appalled. Not only is it extremely important for the health of the earth but also for the thousands of animals who call it home. When the amazon is destroyed all of these animals will have to find a new place to live with the same type of climate. This will be a major problem and most likely a large percent of those animals may die. I feel as though the president is not thinking through his decision entirely because if he did he would of seen all the major problems that this deforestation causes.
“This Fortnite World Cup Winner Is 16 and $3 Million Richer”, by Derrick Taylor and Niraj Chokshi.
This article stuck out to me because the person who won the event was a 16 year old. Kyle Giersdorf is a 16 year old who won the fortnite World Cup, an esports event that had millions of people aiming to win, and walk away with 3 million dollare. To me it is amazing that someone not much older than me can go home a millionaire after doing something they love, something that for most people is a hobby. This article also brings to light that esports are becoming more and more prevalent, the event was held in the same venue as the United States Open tennis tournament, so people are taking it more seriously, and sports are evolving.
"The Secret History of 'Easter Eggs'"
What interested me in the times this week was the article about the history of Easter Eggs. This caught my attention because playing video games is one of my favorite things to do and seeing the words Easter Eggs reminded of video games. I wanted to learn about the origin and the secret history behind it. I learned that the first Easter Egg was created for revenge. In 1976, Warner Communications bought Atari and the game designer was Warren Robinett. The new bosses were not going to credit the authors of the games, so that is when Warren decided to make the first Easter Egg in the game "Adventure". In a secret room, flashing words read 'Created by Warren Robinett'. Now, Easter Eggs are more for entertainment than for revenge. For example, on March 10, 2018, (A.K.A International Mario Day) the Google Maps division changed the blue dot that represented your location to Mario in his go-kart. I never really encountered that Easter Egg and I kind of wish I had the chance to see it. Two Google Search Engineers, Josh Ain, and Colin Tincknell created "Poultry", which was an internal email group primarily dedicated for Easter Eggs. This made it so people who had access to this, were able to add Easter Eggs to Google search results. There may be a lot of Easter Eggs to be discovered in search results. This article was both informational and entertaining since it gave me information surrounding the origin of Easter Eggs.
I have chosen to read the article "Need a Mental Health Day? Some Stated Give Students the Option" by Derrick Bryson Taylor. The article speaks of a new proposition that has been spread to two states (Oregon and Utah) that allows students to skip school for a certain amount of days a month for "mental health." I think that at heart, this is a great idea as students do need time to relieve stress and manage their personal life. I believe; however, that this already exists, its called the weekend. While I hate to say it, I think students would take advantage of these "mental health days off" and skip school without consequences. Don't get me wrong, there are people out there that really do need extra time off, but what I say to them is go to the doctor, get a diagnosis and if there's something wrong, don't go to school, otherwise your going to have to deal with it. Kids want to skip school, most kids hate school, which is exactly why kids will take advantage of the situation. For kids who really need help with their mental health, giving them extra days off will not help either. Think about it, if you have grown reliant on those days off, what will happen when you get to college? Or your job? Will you call your boss and say you're not coming in for five days every three months because your "mentally stressed?" Didn't think so, with this, I would like to conclude that giving kids extra school days off for "mental health" is a bad idea for both kids who do and do not need them.
This week I read an article titled, "Thousands Are Targeted as ICE Prepares to Raid Undocumented Migrant Families." I was intrigued by this article because this is a very widely discussed topic right now and I wanted to learn more about the subject. In this article, I learned that starting Sunday Nationwide raids are going to begin arresting thousands of undocumented individuals and families. Some families have received notice of deportation while others have not. This is a very pressing issue in our society today. Some believe undocumented citizens should be deported while others believe that should not occur. Whichever side you are on one thing we should all agree on is that families should not be separated nor should babbies be arrested. Being separated from your parents at an extremely young age can be extremely traumatic for a child, therefore, they should not be arrested and should be kept with their families. I also learned in this article that families being targeted by ICE have ways to not get deported. ICE officials can not legally enter your home without your permission. President Trump also tweeted about the raids starting Sunday before the fact so it is also likely many undocumented citizens have left the address ICE is aware of. All in all, undocumented migrant families need to stick together in a time of hardship and we need to think of the future effects of arresting a young child.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/24/health/oregon-mental-health-days.html?module=inline
The article I read about this week dealt with the conflict of high school students and their battle against mental illness. Before I began reading the article, I believed that many students would just take advantage of this legislature because they wanted to get out of class. After reading it, however, my views were altered. Enduring just a year in high school has helped me gain some insight about how people can struggle so much just to get through a week of school. Though I do not suffer with any mental illness, I notice many of my classmates had been slowly changing through the year. People who I befriended in September became less energetic and lethargic for what seems to be like no reason. Just like having a physical ailment requires rest to heal, a mental illness requires rest too. This is why a "mental health day" is necessary to thousands of students across the country. I've seen that those same students who look like they dread being at school come back after a long winter break ready to work. I believe this is because they've had a long time to recover from their illness. Instead of attempting to record perfect attendance, I think that students should put their health ahead of everything else. While I do think that 5 days every three months is generous, it is one hundred percent necessary for students to perform the best they can when they need to
The article this week that I am most invested in was “Who Won Night 2 of the Democratic Debate? Experts Weigh In”. The 2020 election will most likely be one of the most important in recent history. With such monumental challenges facing the U.S. such as climate change and the recent immigrant crisis. So when the American people are trying to decide what presidential candidate they will choose to lead the arguably the most powerful country in the world, they would naturally watch the debates. In this case the July democratic debate was hosted by CNN. And they should be ashamed. CNN stifled just about everyone on the stage with a laughably short amount of time to speak. CNN was sound bite farming by only allowing candidates to speak for 15 seconds maximum at a time. This was the case for night one and two. Focusing on night one, Bernie was the clear winner. We could argue about who comes In second but Bernie definitely takes the cake for night one. He called out CNN’s corruption right to their face and correctly predicted that during the debate they would run ads against Medicare for all. CNN was asking purposefully twisted questions in an attempt smear Bernie using clips from the debate. Bernie had the establishment against him and still came out on top. Not to mention he came out with one of the best quotes of both debates. He wrote the darn bill. That’s my personal take on democratic debate night one.
The article that caught my attention is Thomas Kaplan's "Elizabeth Warren Calls Trump a White Supremacist". Apparently, I've been on a political rant in all of my comments for the Summer Reading Contest and this week is no different. Kaplan's article is a quick read but it definitely gets the point across.
This is the sign that the American people have been waiting for. The President of the United States had been called a white supremacist by multiple respected and valued politicians. While many have had the same opinion of Donald Trump for a while now, to have it actually put into words by multiple people who are in a position of power is amazing. These people who seem to have the same views on Mr. Trump as many of the voice-less American people actually have enough power to do something about it.
Many people, both citizens and politicians alike, in the US think that Trump is unfit for office. A lot of these people have been too scared to say something. Or maybe they do say something and their voices are drowned out by some news services and other people on Trump's payroll.
Either way, the fact remains that while Trump has lasted this long after winning the 2016 election, his reign is going to be coming to an end. With the amount of politicians that are against Mr. Trump's point of view, and the amount of voters backing up those politicians, Trump is sure to have his hands full when the time comes for the next presidential election.
This week I read the article, "It's Not Just a Chemical Imbalance" by Kelli María Korducki. This article captured my attention because of the complex feelings I felt reading the title.
As someone who struggles with mental illness, the idea that it is just chemical imbalance is endlessly comforting, as it says in the article. It helps to reassure the feelings of guilt and helplessness mental illness can impose. It makes it feel like it's not your fault; it helps you feel that it isn't something that you made up, and that you have a right to feel the way you do. Unfortunately, drugs to "fix" the chemical imbalance aren't always the best or only solution. They're just the easiest and quickest. It's a problem we want to solve right away, but each person's mind is too unique and complex for that. We want to fix it with concrete science; we want to pin it down and look it in the face. But we cannot properly do that when we don't fully understand it.
This article is a plea to start treating this issue like more than a science experiment. It asks us to start looking at this case by case and exploring other solutions. It isn't criticizing the use of medication. Medicines can really help some people treat their mental illness. But maybe it shouldn't always be the first thing psychiatrists try, because it really isn't for everyone. Counseling, or "talk therapy" can be endlessly helpful if we utilize it. People are nuanced and individual; so too should be our approach to mental illness
The corruption of law enforcement is a well-known problem in the United States. After reading the article, "How Bodycams Distort Real Life" by Albert Fox Cahn, I was intrigued to learn of the complications involving police bodycams.
Camera footage is one of the most prominent forms of proof in the present day. Ideally, one would believe that it would create a definitive conclusion to a court case with the blunt evidence that it provides, but research and statistics contradict this belief.
The initial reason for the incorporation of bodycam use by American police departments was to supposedly record potential police brutality. However, studies have shown that the cameras are quite problematic in achieving this goal. The first person footage can cause the viewer to, "defer to [the officer's] narrative," and its incredibly shaky quality creates a falsely intense mood. Furthermore, the New York Police Department failed to release bodycam footage in forty percent of cases in which it was requested. Are body cameras really beneficial toward justice?
I do not believe that the police force of any region would willingly reveal any critically harmful information towards itself. Essentially, the police force has established a system that, on the surface, appears to satisfy the public's demand for safer police practices. In reality, the use of bodycams has not shown to bring justice to police brutality.
Governments have been discussing the vast amounts of plastic contaminating the oceans after Japan’s Environment Ministry recorded that in a year, nearly 20,000 to 60,000 tons of plastic waste ends up in the ocean. This estimate caused a worldwide concern of safety for the oceans’ habitants, whereas governments are still contemplating on how to solve the problem. The article “Cleansing Plastic From Oceans: Big Ask for a Country That Loves Wrap” interested me the most because it weighed the pros and cons of both reducing plastic use and improving trash collection to lower the contamination, as well as explaining that governments are still indecisive on where to start.
My first thought was why would people want to clean up the plastic trash if they could eliminate the entire problem by just taking away plastic altogether. The article explained that they had already thought of this, but there was an even bigger issue accompanied by it. If plastic were no longer produced, people could be more prone to diseases by polluted dishware and food. The plastic serves a necessity for food safety and hygiene and taking it away could cause an even bigger crisis.
If we could just clean up our plastic more thoroughly we could at least lower these numbers of plastic waste in the oceans. Although this is not completely fixing the crisis, it is slowing it down. Some ways how people can do this include: advertising the contamination rate of oceans to help display its severity.
“A School Laptop Under $500 That Isn’t Junk”
With the relatively recent evolution of technology, computers and laptops are needed almost daily to succeed in school. For example, you need at least some sort of technological device to complete this post. Even with this high demand, it’s safe to say that a good, quality laptop isn’t cheap, and an affordable one is definitely hard to find. That’s what interested me most about this article; it gave a reasonable and thoroughly explained solution to a problem that students and workers both struggle with. The author did extensive research and compiled a list that readers can inspect and choose from. Coming from a person that knows little to none about computers, I found the article very helpful as it also added a list of things to look for when buying a new laptop. With school approaching soon, I thought this article was very beneficial and valuable.
I have recently read an article about how the two recent maas shootings potentially swaying more republicans to vote for it. I have thought about this before and wondered about what it would take fir people to realize some changes need to be made. I personally think that guns used for hunting are fine but automatic rifles should not be allowed as they are only really useful against other humans. I think that changing something somewhat significant about who can own certain guns could potentially prevent further tragedies similar to the past recent ones. Hopefully these recent events have made it clear that something has to be done about gun laws for something to be done about the recurring shootings.
“This Fortnite World Cup Winner Is 16 and $3 Million Richer” by Derrick Bryson Taylor and Niraj Chokshi
School, after-school prep classes, self-study sessions at home, sleep. Repeat. Such is a typical schedule for high schoolers in South Korea, where education is hailed as the foremost key to success and social mobility. Online games are reviled as an impediment to that success, eating away at self-control and sense of reality. In fact, in 2011, Korea instituted the Youth Protection Revision Act, which restricts online gaming hours for youth under the age of 16.
I’ve never shown an interest in online games. Whether that’s because of my inherent interests or society’s disapproval, I’m not so sure. Yet, this article made me question how my life would be different if I weren’t so focused on academics and school. Of course, I recognize that people like this 16-year-old Fortnite champion are only a handful at most, but I also believe that stories like Kyle’s can encourage teenagers to acknowledge that there's no one way to success.
Instead of condemning online gaming, Koreans may be able to find new value in supporting contemplative teenage players like Kyle who remain passionate but are cautious not to let gaming dominate their lives. By reframing our conversations about “unproductive” hobbies like online gaming, we could open ourselves up to more progressive dialogue about how younger generations can safely pursue their passions while balancing other aspects of their lives.
I read "The Cruel Farce of Cutting Food Stamps" by The Editorial Board. The article talks about how the Trump Administration has been cutting food stamps and taking away food from hungry children. Food Stamps are a product that essentially work as coupons, the government gives out coupons to people who need food and cannot provide for themselves. The stamps; however, have been abused and taken when the person taking them didn't really need them. In fact, may recipients of food stamps are illegal immigrants. I have seen it myself, people in the store buying prime steak and sushi using only food stamps, that goes to show that the people who have them might not need them. The worst part is, the money is being taken away from hardworking American's paychecks and being given to someone who sits around and lives for free. The same problem has been happening with welfare, or "Obamacare". People who don't deserve or don't need food stamps are taking money away from people who have earned it. And when the excuse of "I can't find anywhere to work" comes up, I reply with pointing to the nearest fast-food restaurant with a help wanted sign in the window. Therefore, I believe that Donald Trump has done nothing wrong by cutting some funding to food stamps and instead has diverted out taxes towards something more important.
The video: "There's Nothing Being Done"
The government sits stone-faced as guns roam free and death after death continues.
The first shooting close enough to jerk me to fearful reality was Gilroy. In the mere 24 hours that ensued, 22 other human lives were mercilessly taken in the El Paso shooting. As if that wasn't enough, 9 more died in the Dayton, Ohio shooting the morning after.
In response, we flood our social media with lukewarm posts of "join us in thoughts and prayers," going through the motions of performing weightless, blank, and machined responses. We don't realize that the more we sit idly by, the more we allow and normalize shootings in future generations, while gun violence revels in the attention it receives.
As a high school student myself, the threat becomes all the more imminent. All this hateful violence is enabled by unchecked gun laws, and I believe that our Second Amendment can be re-evaluated to keep up with changing times. The right to bear arms was pertinent to when we were ultimately required to fight for our rights under an unfair English government. Now, however, countless people are abusing it, jeopardizing our inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, which the government is obliged to protect. Yet, our laws remain unaltered.
After seeing those in the video helplessly demanding for something to be done, I write my opinion to join them in fighting for a better future because we need change, and we need it now.
This week, the article “This Fortnite World Cup Winner Is 16 and $3 Million Richer” interested me the most because it helped me to see how quickly the world is changing. As someone who watched esports heavily four years ago, I never expected a single person to be able to win $3 million in a tournament, and I surely did not expect it to be someone who is the same age as me. Just three years ago, the idea of having a stable career from playing video games was completely ridiculous, but considering the fact that this 16-year-old just made more than some people make in their entire lives, esports seems to have become a somewhat respectable option. Of course, you still have to be immensely skilled to be able to play a video game professionally, but it is still extremely impressive that a tournament of this scale was able to take place. In addition to this, in another five to ten years, it may be entirely possible that esports become as popular as some regular sports if the growth of esports and video games continue. People used to ridicule esports players for acting like they were working a real job, but after seeing how much money this 16-year-old has made, it is completely undeniable that esports is now a respectable form of work. This article has helped me realize just how fast the world is changing as new career options that no one thought would be viable are now real options that could make people lucrative amounts of money.
This week I read the article "She's 14, Disabled From a Bomb Blast and One of Iraq's Top Table Tennis Players" written by Alissa J. Rubin on July 26, 2019. Najla Imad Lafta survived a bomb that was placed under her father's car in 2008. Her father worked for the Iraqi Army at a joint Iraqi-American army base and was targeted. Even though she is missing limbs she still is good at sports. Najla had her right leg amputated at her thigh, her left leg amputated up to the knee and her right arm ends at her biceps. Even with these challenges Najla worked really hard and she was able to bring home four silver and four bronze medals in June from an international sporting tournament for the disabled in Egypt. I chose this article because Najla and I are the same age and we both love sports. After reading the article I was shocked to learn how different life could be in other parts of the world. Najla lives on an unpaved street in Iraq where there is no indoor plumbing and the electricity is erratic. Najla's story has taught me a great lesson. Although her family is very poor and she has lost several of her limbs, she is happy with her hard work and with what she has achieved. If she can do it, anyone can do it.
Today, people use fossil fuels without thinking twice. “Russian Land of Permafrost and Mammoths Is Thawing” put into perspective how my daily actions can affect those across the globe making it the most interesting of the week.
Carbon emissions released by the burning of fossil fuels are contributing to the greenhouse effect throughout the world causing the average temperature of the earth to increase. In places like Siberia, this dramatic rise in temperature is causing permafrost to melt. This ice has been frozen for thousands of years meaning new artifacts, preserved in the solid, are being uncovered. Unfortunately, nearby communities are being harmed and even destroyed in some cases. The towns are flooding and the houses are being lost due to longer summers and a higher average temperature. New species of plants and animals are also taking different migration patterns and the locals are having to change their agricultural methods.
Before reading this article, I knew the effects of climate change were lousy but I did not realize the direct impact it has on people today. If I had to move or change the way I lived on account of the amount of pollution others were putting in the atmosphere, I would be furious. Closer to Alaska than the Russian capital, these towns do not have the resources to solve all their problems. Everybody must think about carpooling, using clean energy sources, and voting to use their voice on behalf of these suffering people.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/08/climate/climate-change-food-supply.html
An interesting article to me this week is "Climate Change Threatens the World's Food Supply, United Nations Warns". I chose this article since it tackles a pressing issue of today, that being climate change. Within the article, the UN is reporting on what effects the changing climate could bring on food supplies warning that something must be done or soon the consequences will become too much to bear. But it is made clear that this isn't just an issue in certain parts of the world, we as people in all areas of the planet are contributing to the decaying state of our planet, and so all areas of the planet are at risk of reaching a breaking point for sustainability within our food supply. The article doesn't solely focus on the negatives as it does offer some possible fixes, showing that there is still hope and we are still able to do something to help prevent this potential disaster. Yet the article does go to inform how changes must be made sooner, when the problem is still repairable, rather than later. We as the people responsible for maintaining our world cant simply shrug this off with a simple solution. It is a looming threat to everyone no matter where in the world they reside, and so the world must come together and properly discuss available options but also must thoroughly explore each option to prevent the chance of merely ending one issue to bring an equally as major of one.
“Running to Put San Quentin Behind Him”
A few years ago, I had trouble running for a whole mile. Since then, I have come to enjoy running. Now, I would consider running to be a hobby. It is pretty inspiring that Markelle Taylor was able to qualify for the Boston Marathon in the San Quentin Marathon, which is held at a prison. I believe prison should not be only a punishment for prisoners, but also a place where people can be rehabilitated and prepared to re-enter society. The prison that Markelle was in was pretty progressive in terms of programs offered to the inmates, such as the running programs. Most of the prisons in America are not as progressive and tend to have a higher recidivism rate. This article most interested me the most because Markelle did not let prison stop him for chasing his dream(literally).
Due to expectations to fit into a mold, society struggles to accept the unique and different. Therefore, the overweight is no stranger to shame, scorn, and pressure to change. However, the article “How Sumo Taught Me to Love the Gym” illustrates Trevor Kezon’s inspiring journey to ignore judgment and embrace his own body and physique.
When reading the article, I admire Trevor’s mindset as he clearly loves and is confident in his body. Although society has stigmas on his outward appearance, he creates his own self-love and self-worth. He immerses himself and participates in multiple classes to become a sumo wrestler demonstrating his resolve to overcome preconceived notions. However, the gym’s discriminatory member angered me as their treatment of Trevor is terrible. Instead of being motivational they fat shame and degraded his accomplishments. Despite their negativity, Trevor’s ability to not only overcome verbal hate and prejudice, but continue to challenge the expectations enforces his resilience and determination to change harsh societal standards. In fact, his decision to become a sumo athlete redefines the negative connotation of his weight. Rather than losing pounds and yielding to social influence, he harnesses his frame and celebrates and strengthens what makes him different.
Regardless of a mold, society must not make unwarranted assumptions and pressure people to conform, but rather accept and support every part of a person, good or bad.
"Need a Mental Health Day? Some States Give Students the Option"
"Today’s students are grappling with a variety of issues beyond the classroom". Many students find themselves victim to poor mental result. For this many states are supporting the passing of a new law that would "[change] the definition of a student’s “valid excuse” to miss a day to include an illness “which may be mental or physical.”
For example, suicide rates amongst teenagers has risen dramatically with an expanding range of reasons. The parents of Chloe Wilson, a girl who took her life in 2018 after coming out as bisexual, believe that this new law could save for teenagers from ending their lives.
Nevertheless, the stigma associated with mental health must be broken for this law to truly be effective. "The lack of such education hinders the ability to recognize and understand the warning signs". Additionally, many believe that children are just going through "a phase", however such "a phase" could lead to tragic consequences.
This law must spread in order for the mental health of newer generations to improve. I believe that these sick days could help kids feel better about themselves and worry less about what others are saying about them, giving them a chance to improve their mental health. Likewise, I truly hope that this law gets out and continues to spread.
"This Fortnite World Cup Winner Is 16 and $3 Million Richer"
Last week, the gaming industry has really taken off. The single most earned prize money, $3 million was taken home by SEN Bugha. This article caught my attention because Fortnite has really blown up and have been able to create careers for people. The eSports industry has been blowing up lately and is projected to pass "real" sports in
viewership by 2021. The Fortnite World Cup is a great example, the viewership blew the U.S Open out of the water. Both Men and Women tennis matches combined. During the Fortnite World Cup, over 1 million live viewers were watching the game, and a day after the stream, over 10 million people have already watched the video. As a person who loves statistics, Bugha should have gotten a larger prize money instead of $3 million. Over 40 million people have participated in the qualifiers and Bugha came out on top. There's a perception that you cannot make money of from gaming but Bugha has really proved them wrong. At 16 years old and winning $3 million is insane to think about (consider taxes). Regardless, Bugha has really defined what you can do for your career, if you put your mind into what you love, you will be able to achieve anything.
Ever since my mom returned from taking our dog Lucie to her annual checkup, my family and I have been trying to find ways to change the way we take care of her. Why? Well, according to the vet, Lucie has now entered a new stage of her life. That’s right, she’s aging. And with aging comes new responsibilities, for us. We now have to take her on two short walks instead of one, keep track of new fatty lumps that appear under her skin (it not as gross as you think), and make sure to keep her mind stimulated with dog puzzles and interactive games. But is all this enough? That’s why I had to read Tessa Miller’s article, “How to Care For an Aging Pet”. And boy am I glad I did. According to this article, we are doing everything we need to, reassuring me that I, along with the rest of my family, are good dog carers. I also learned about some new things to help channel her inner Betty White and live forever. For starters, I learned getting high on weed is good for dogs. And when I say weed, I mean CBD oil. This oil can help aging dogs with any aches or pain they may have, allowing them to run and play pain free. However, although there are studies being done to prove CBD oil works, it is still seen as an alternative to medication and therefore can’t be prescribed by a vet. That’s okay though, for I don’t see myself buying weed for my dog in the near future, but who knows? All I know is that I will continue to take care of Lucie and make sure she's around for as long as possible.
The article this week that really got me thinking about a certain issue was titled "Democrats Warn That Federal 'Red Flag' Law Would Not Be Enough." It primarily discusses the proposition that a new Republican backed law called the Red Flag Law would not suffice in the prevention of mass shootings. This law has gained traction in the recent terrible massacres in Dayton, Ohio and El Paso, Texas that occurred back to back. First, this law must be understood in order to put it into context. Essentially, it allows the government to seize firearms from those who have certain warning signs reported to authorities. The article states that Republicans have been quick to agree, but Senator Chuck Schumer as well as other Democrats believe it will not be enough to stop shooters. In my personal opinion, I believe this will set up many loopholes that will end in unnecessary confiscation. In essence, it sounds logical, yet what are the terms of these laws? What constitutes a "red flag"? There could be value to this as most of the guns used in massacres were bought legally-they got through a background check. Additionally, these people were also mentally ill. That being said, does this mean the government is allowed to take weapons away from people solely for being mentally ill regardless of showing the "red flags"? The second amendment was put in place for these exact government over reaches. That regardless of how someone is born, they have to right to life and the right to protection.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/01/nyregion/children-left-to-die-in-hot-cars-accident-or-murder.html?module=inline
I found this article interesting because I’ve heard so many stories on the news where a child is forgotten in the car by a parent and the outcome of the situation can end in so many ways whether its death or suffering from injuries or even the possibility of someone kidnapping the child. The hard thing about this situation is when this does happen most times it's difficult to determine whether it was on purpose which would be considered as a crime or by accident. Each parent that this happens to legal actions are taken differently against them for each case which is not fair because just like in the article it explained that 2 different parents each forgot their child in the car and for each parent the verdict was different. One was set free and one was charged which isn't fair because both parents did the exact same thing. I believe if there is to be no evidence of it being on purpose the parent should get minimal punishment so the legal system still shows people that it is still very wrong to leave a child in the car. If there is evidence in if the person did it on purpose the person should be punished for their actions. If it were to be on purpose legal actions should be taken the exact same just like any other case that was exactly like that and same for the cases that were on accident.
Why a cow, why is it that cattle are used to produce the majority of milk that is consumed around the world. For the people that can enjoy it, milk and the products made from it are considered as treats. Milk is so ingrained in our society its considered its own food group. Although some people dislike the way the cows are treated and they seek alternatives like soy milk or other plant based milks. But it just isn't the same as cows milk. Simply put plant based milks are chemically different than milk produced by a cow. The article "Got Impossible Milk? The Quest for Lab-Made Dairy" peaked my interest because I have seen a rise in lab grown food such as meat. For years now we have used bacteria to produce insulin and other chemicals and hormones rather than kill animals and harvest it from them. The idea of using bacteria to produce the different contents of milk sounds like a great idea as long as its cost effective enough. The amount of money that goes into making a pound of lab grown meat is tremendous and it wouldn't be the type of product your average consumer could afford. I have a friend who is a vegan and I have discussed their thoughts on lab grown meat and they said it is a good idea. But I don't like the idea of lab grown milk for the same reason as I do the idea of lab grown meat. The meat provides an alternative choice to killing animals. Where the milk diversifies the markets if something were to ever happen to the cows, something like the Irish potato famine
This week, I was interested in the article, “Shooting at Festival in California Kills at Least 3.” The article discusses the recent shooting at the garlic festival in Gilroy on Sunday. The shooting took the life of a six-year-old boy, who had been playing in an inflatable bounce house. His father told reporters that his son was shot in the back, his wife was shot in the stomach, and his mother-in-law was shot in the leg. The police responded to the shooting within a minute. This article was very interesting to me. Shootings have been happening a lot recently. Just in the past week, there have been many shootings. It is terrifying to think that innocent people die and get injured because someone is on a shooting rampage and is out to kill people. A few days ago, there was a shooting scare in my city at the annual fair. There were sounds of gunfire, which alarmed everyone, and caused them to try to escape. This caused some injuries. Luckily, there were no gunshots at the fair, they were near the fair. Though not very many people were injured or hurt, it is scary and alarming to hear something of this sort. To feel that there is little to no safety almost everywhere you go is most likely one of the worst feelings in the world. I cannot imagine how the people who had to go through things like these would feel. Shootings can happen anywhere, so there is no way anyone can truly be prepared for them. It is just disturbing.
“As BTS’s Reach Expands, an Army of Dedicated K-Pop Translators Grows” By: P. Claire Dodson
As a dedicated fan of BTS I myself and millions of other fans love to know what is going on in their lives. However as someone who doesn’t speak Korean, I find it very difficult to know what they’re saying or talking about. Simply because in app translations don’t work in the slightest. This doesn’t only go for the Korean language but many other languages as well. The translations can be messed up or just straight up incorrect and doesn’t make any sense. This is where translators come in. There are many people who speak Korean in the BTS fandom, but not many of them are able to translate to the international fans because they don’t speak other languages. Translators on Twitter and many other social media platforms put the time and effort into translating all the BTS entertainment and posts to people who don’t speak or understand Korean. Some are people who speak both Korean and English while others study Korean to understand the boys better. They spend hours and hours translating songs, social media posts, videos, interviews, and so much more. As a part of this fandom I am so incredibly grateful for the people who put so much time into this. I like to keep up to date with everything that’s going on with these boys and translators make it so much easier to do so. If it weren’t for these amazing translators, I wouldn’t be able to feel like I’m truly a part of this family and fandom.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/06/opinion/sunday/social-media-homophobia.html
About a week ago, in the course of casual conversation, my friend spoke about his sexual orientation. He is gay. I thought nothing of it and our conversation continued normally. Unfortunately, for people like Mr. Akuson, this scenario does not come easily. When I was reading his article, I was touched and saddened by his story and his fight for acceptance within his own family.
As a teen, social media occupies most of our lives. Most adolescents have an Instagram or Snapchat account by the time they are in middle school. Very few of us, if any, need to think deeply about our pictures before we post them in order to prevent our families from sending us hate messages. As a straight female, I don’t often have to think about people judging my sexuality, and whether others will accept it. Every day, I use social media, blissfully ignorant of the struggles that other people face when posting about the people they love.
In Korea, where my parents are from, people from the LGBTQ+ community face many hardships, although awareness is slowly rising. I can only imagine how difficult it must be in Nigeria, where Mr. Akuson is from. Although I had never really thought about LGBTQ+ rights in other countries, Mr. Akuson’s description of his family’s messages brought his experiences into perspective.
If I could tell Mr. Akuson one thing, it would be that his family does not define him, and that he is loved.
"This Fortnite World Cup Winner Is 16 and $3 Million Richer" by Derrick Bryson Taylor and Niraj Choksi
The article that really caught my eye this week was about this young teenager, who is the same age as me, winning a World Gaming Cup and gaining $3 million. His name is Kyle, known as "Bugha" online, is said lucky winner. The game played was Fortnite, a game with nearly 250 million registered players according to Epic Games, and around 40 million of them participated in online qualifiers for the World Cup. Kyle states that Fortnite is the only game he plays competitively, playing 6 to 8 hours a day, at least 5 days a week. He finished the tournament with 59 points, blowing everyone out of the water. He wants more than anything to get into next year's Fortnite World Cup, and he will train hard to be.
What interested me most in the New York Times this week was an article titled “You Are What You Watch? The Social Effects of TV.” This article was particularly intriguing to me because it focuses on the social aspects of people being so connected to television. In fact, it states that people are more likely to be watching TV than to be sleeping, working, or doing any other activity. Since television plays such a large role in our lives, it is only natural that it influences our thinking, opinions on matters such as politics, and even cognitive ability. In multiple studies, it has been proven that watching Sesame Street increases children's cognitive performance. Contrary to this, a study done in Norwegia provides evidence that as teenagers and young adults read less and watch cable TV more, the average IQ score decreased. The fact that TV has the ability to change our lives and mold our minds is very interesting to me. There are so many different factors that can change who we are and what we think. TV is something that has only been around for a short amount of time, yet has an effect on almost everyone. It is amazing to me that someone’s personality, opinions, and abilities can be influenced by what he watches on TV.
Baseball is a favorite pastime for much of American society, a game our country has had as a constant source of entertainment throughout all times in history. Some of our most dear celebrities were brought into fame from this game. What if the idols and inspirations we've looked up to so long were not only amazing ball players, but also lived longer than the average person?
This week, I delved into the article "Another Baseball Mystery: Why Do Players Seem To Live Longer?". A study conducted by Harvard speculated the different medical and mortal advantages seemingly gained by players of the sport. Position by position, the study found many interesting trends, like common groin diseases for catchers, who are always crouching and in direct line with the ball, or how a middle infield position prepares you for a longer life than normal.
An article like this was both intriguing, and the kind of news that is uplifting and fun to be reading about. Weekly headlines often dive into the horrors the world experiences, while this article showed a creative approach to research.
Moreover, it was refreshing to see how baseball players would not suffer the same long term health issues that players of neighboring sports, such as football, are prone to later in their lives. This article shed a light on the rewarding and more "human" side of the people we see on our televisions. Celebrities and athletes always seem objective to the public, but this uplifting article made them more real for me.
The Ohio and Texas mass shootings have swept the nation with sorrow and terror this 2019. There have been more mass shootings in the U.S. this year than days passed. A terrifying portion of these shootings has been in high schools.
As a colored high school student, I already feel slightly alien within the public school system. Imagine my horror when I hear that the Dayton Shooter made a "hit-list" in high school, or that the El Paso Shooter targeted colored individuals, both common in school shootings. Having to mourn monthly for the loss of student lives due to shootings at neighboring schools is absolutely sickening. Yet, no laws have passed in order to restrict gun ownership amongst the people.
The article that confirmed my worst fears was "The Aftermath of Shootings in Ohio and Texas". It says Trump has not brought up or spoken for the idea of gun restrictions. He "called instead for more focus on violent video games and mental illnesses".
When it's a less common shooter of color, the issue is always race. However, when it's a white shooter, video games and mental illness are to blame. Trump defends white privilege, even if he sent out a tweet against it that was clearly not written by him.
Why must we live in fear of living our lives? Why must children and colored people live with the constant fear of being shot for no reason? Why hasn't something been done yet?
These are the questions the government needs to ponder. Not "should video games be banned?"
What interested me most in The Times this week was an article called "Less Trash, More Schools — One Plastic Brick at a Time," written by Anemona Hartocollis and with photographs by Yagazie Emezi. This article explained how women in West Africa are collecting plastic garbage which gets recycled into plastic bricks that are then used to build classrooms. Recently it feels as though the Climate Crisis is closing in; dominating politics, creeping onto social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter, and reminders of it are everywhere. I found this article so fascinating because not only is it women that are taking plastic garbage off the streets, but it's women in another part of the world that we don't often see brought up along side global warming and pollution. However, by reading this article I learned that Abidjan, Ivory Coast produces about 300 tons of plastic waste a day; a staggering number when you imagine how much of that ends up in the ocean. This wasn't their only problem though, because more importantly the mud-brick and wood classrooms that they had before plastic bricks were in constant need of repair. By combining the amount of plastic that goes to waste and their need for better building supplies, the combination of these two things resulted in an incredible resource for West Africa. The pictures made the article more engaging and I felt as though they helped me to understand just how much of a change was being made.
This week I was most interested by "Trump’s Opponents Want to Name His Big Donors. His Supporters Say It’s Harassment." This article caught my attention because I do believe it is wrong to leak the names of Trump's donors due to the fact that in the world we live in now people are likely to send death threats and negative comments towards someone. Also some people like to keep politics private and separate from other things such as businesses but with what congressman Castro did he total stripped this option from the 44 people. The harassment may not be leaking the names of the 44 people but the harassment is what comes after the names are leaked, like back-lash from people. I believe people are entitled to their beliefs even if I do not agree with them so this was really wrong. But I do believe they should make the companies that are supporting is campaign public because people deserve to know what their money is going into. Some may say sharing the companies is basically the same thing as sharing peoples name but its really not, most people will just see the brand and think, "Okay I won't buy from there until the campaigning is over" while sharing a name will likely lead people to look up names on social media and harass them with negative comments. While I do not agree with Trump and do not support him I believe his supporters are allowed to their privacy and they should be the ones who decide who know about their donations and who doesn't.
The article this week that really got me thinking about a certain issue was titled "Democrats Warn That Federal 'Red Flag' Law Would Not Be Enough." It primarily discusses the proposition that a new Republican backed law called the Red Flag Law would not suffice in the prevention of mass shootings. This law has gained traction in the recent terrible massacres in Dayton, Ohio and El Paso, Texas that occurred back to back. First, this law must be understood in order to put it into context. Essentially, it allows the government to seize firearms from those who have certain warning signs reported to authorities. The article states that Republicans have been quick to agree, but Senator Chuck Schumer as well as other Democrats believe it will not be enough to stop shooters. In my personal opinion, I believe this will set up many loopholes that will end in unnecessary confiscation. In essence, it sounds logical, yet what are the terms of these laws? What constitutes a "red flag"? There could be value to this as most of the guns used in massacres were bought legally-they got through a background check. Additionally, these people were also mentally ill. That being said, does this mean the government is allowed to take weapons away from people solely for being mentally ill regardless of showing the "red flags"? The second amendment was put in place for these exact government over reaches. That regardless of how someone is born, they have to right to life and the right to protection.
"Yankees, With 6 Homers, Defeat the Orioles"
The New York Yankees have tied a single season record against the Baltimore orioles when after they hit six homeruns in this game. They tied the record of hitting the most homeruns in one opponents stadium in a season. These six homeruns hit by Mike Tauchman, DJ LeMahieu, Brett Gardner, Cameron Maybin, and Austin Romine also propelled the Yankees to their seventh straight win. Tauchman also robbed a homerun off of Oriole Pedro Severino
“Thousands Are Targeted as ICE Prepares to Raid Undocumented Migrant Families”
A few weeks ago, President Trump began giving ICE permission to conduct raids in major cities, ones that will soon lead to the deportation and separation of families across the nation.
As I read this article, I noticed that we often forget the sentiments that were the foundation of our country.
Unless you are a descendant of Native Americans, we are all here today because of immigrant ancestors. My family, like many others, came to the United States from Europe, leaving everything behind with hopes that prosperity was waiting. Even the Founding Fathers sailed to the New World as immigrants, escaping religious persecution. America has welcomed European immigrants for centuries. So, why do we throw away these ideals for the thousands of non-white immigrants and refugees coming to the United States today?
This article caught my eye because it enforced the frustration I feel about our nation. How selfish are we that kick people out of their homes because they tried to attain a better life? That we separate children from families that gave up everything to protect them? A middle ground must be found to help the incoming immigrants. If we were to make the citizenship process more efficient and inclusive, fewer immigrants would cross the border illegally, and fewer families could be torn apart in the process. Imagine yourself in their shoes, and I can assure you that you would feel the same.
"El Paso Shooting: Massacre That Killed 20 Being Investigated as Domestic Terrorism"
An article this week that caught my eye was about the shooting in El Paso. This initially caught my eye because I live in Texas and it was all over the news the past couple of days, but when looking deeper into this article I found out that the shooter is from Allen, Texas which is where I currently live. Seeing something so terrible happen to innocent people is devastating, especially when the person who intentionally caused all of this harm is right in my backyard. My sympathy is truly with all of the families in El Paso, and I cannot say enough about how scary it is to see this happen so close to home. That being said, it makes me wonder if I am even safe in my own town. I do not know much about gun laws, but I can confidently say that seeing all the pain that this has caused makes me wonder if our gun laws are strict enough to prevent this kind of thing from happening again. With the number of mass shootings and school shootings raising I want to ensure that myself along with all of my friends and family nationwide that we are protected against these kinds of crime. All I want is for authorities and politicians to rethink their positions and find a way to keep everyone safe from this happening to anyone ever again.
Here Are the Nine People Killed in Seconds in Dayton
Even though mass shootings happen so often in America, it’s still shocking every time I hear one on the news. The fear that runs through me, knowing I could be next, that my mom, or my best friend, could be next, isn’t new. This week, a gunman took 9 lives in Dayton, Ohio. The article that interested me this week wasn’t about the gunman, why he committed this heinous act, or about his past, but about his victims. For far too many victims of gun violence, the focus is on the gunman, or it becomes a political game, where arguments about gun control and mental health become the focus. While those arguments are vital to stop the epidemic of gun violence in our country, we need to remember the victims of these crimes.
Reading this article, seeing the victims’ smiling faces, makes the crime seem more real. Megan Betts was a student at Wright State University. Monica Brickhouse and Beatrice Warren-Curtis were two close friends hanging out. Nicholas Cumer was an intern at a cancer research facility. Derrick Fudge was a family man. Thomas McNichols was a father of 4. Lois Oglesby worked at a daycare center caring for countless children. Saeed Saleh was an immigrant who moved here just 3 years ago. Logan Turner was a top employee at his job at Thaler Machine Company. These people are real people, with real lives. The focus when these horrible crimes are committed should be on the victims, which is exactly what this article shows.
Hackers’ Latest Target: School Districts
By Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs
https://nyti.ms/2JXQFqA
As a student getting ready for the school year, the article "Hackers' Latest Target: School Districts " caught my attention. As I read the article, I became concerned that personal information is not properly protected by school systems. It was alarming to discover that my personal information was at risk because of the schools in the US not having strong technical teams, and not even one staff member who was allocated the responsibility of cybersecurity. The number of public school students in America is over 56 million. The fact that so many people are at risk is truly shocking, especially to those who are part of that 56 million. Schools have to start taking this threat more seriously, instead of waiting for a breach, and then being forced to pay thousands of dollars and delay school years. This not only affects our information, but our education, and unless more care is taken for cybersecurity in schools, this will continue to be a major problem that should not exist to begin with.
"When Entering the U.S. Was as Easy as Crossing a Street"
If you search “Distance between Tijuana and San Diego”, Google reveals that it takes 38 minutes to travel 31.9 miles across the border. When I was returning to the U.S. from Mexico, it took 3 grueling hours - and that was only the border wait time.
The fact that entering the U.S. from Mexico was as easy as crossing a street is mind-boggling as a teenager who grew up in a country with a lack of gun control and filled with drugs and violence. Homeland security is one of America’s top priorities but Americans need to consider: how much progress as a nation have we really made? According to Botti’s video, the first fence meant to control human movement was based on racial motives, and ever since then, America has recycled materials from history in order to prevent future terrorism. A country founded on the belief that everyone has equal inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness is the same country building barriers and denying access to those seeking freedom and safety.
For many migrants, the “American Dream” is a fantasy; far from the reality that used to be only walking distance away has transformed into 3 hours, 180 days, 6 months, or a lifetime away.
Powered by the past we must keep perfecting, and although crossing borders now may not be simple anymore, the U.S. must reconstruct efficient security and strengthen relationships with other countries built on trust, not walls or borders.
This week the article that caught my attention the most in the New York Times was “Seesaws Straddle the Mexico Border, and Smiles Shine Through” by Simon Romero. I had seen an instagram picture earlier this week that related to this piece of playground equipment. Children seemed to really enjoy the seesaw, and it gives children a chance to connect with other children from “the other side.” The smiling children didn’t care that their partner on the other side was separated from them, the just cared that they were able to play on the seesaw. It bridges Mexico and the United States, and it allows children to play with one another no matter where they’re from. Along with this, the architects have also thought of more ways to connect the two sides despite the wall: a Burrito Wall and a Wildlife Wall. I especially liked the idea of the Wildlife Wall because it would allow “free movement of critically endangered species between Mexico and the U.S.” The Burrito Wall would involve a food cart between the two countries. Despite the wall being built, there are many ways in which the architects and designers have decided to connect the two countries. The two sides can eat the same food, have the same wildlife, and kids can enjoy playing with one another, despite the metal poles in the way. I think the idea of the ‘gaps’ in the wall show that people still want a connection with our next store neighbors, and that North America will still be connected either way.
Baseball is a favorite pastime for much of American society, a game our country has had as a constant source of entertainment throughout all times in history. Some of our most dear celebrities were brought into fame from this game. What if the idols and inspirations we've looked up to so long were not only amazing ball players, but also lived longer than the average person?
This week, I delved into the article "Another Baseball Mystery: Why Do Players Seem To Live Longer?". A study conducted by Harvard speculated the different medical and mortal advantages seemingly gained by players of the sport. Position by position, the study found many interesting trends, like common groin diseases for catchers, who are always crouching and in direct line with the ball, or how a middle infield position prepares you for a longer life than normal.
An article like this was both intriguing, and the kind of news that is uplifting and fun to be reading about. Weekly headlines often dive into the horrors the world experiences, while this article showed a creative approach to research.
Moreover, it was refreshing to see how baseball players would not suffer the same long term health issues that players of neighboring sports, such as football, are prone to later in their lives. This article shed a light on the rewarding and more "human" side of the people we see on our televisions. Celebrities and athletes always seem objective to the public, but this uplifting article made them more real for me.
"Was trump's El Paso Visit a Turning Point?"
The article that interested me most this week was about Trump not being supported on his visit to El Paso. He went to offer condolence. Twenty two people were killed in the El Paso shooting. According to the article the president was alone and out-numbered. This is a problem because we are one nation for one good, the good of the people. Trump stated that O'Rourke, should be embarrassed by polling one percent in the Democratic Primary. Trump made comments about his first name Beto, Many were upset because they do not think it was the time to talk bad about someone. I agree this was not the best place but it does not make sense to run for one percent of the votes, Democrats would be stronger if less candidates ran. They especially disagree because the shooting had racist intent. The article argues, "It was a fresh dose of racism." Many El Paso residents became angry above sadness. They want stricter gun laws so shootings stop. I think even if we have stricter gun laws, if someone wants it bad enough they good get one. The gun laws will just take the guns away from people who want them as protection or for sport. A lady was outside Walmart to pay her respects to the victims, wearing a MAGA hat, she was told to take it off. This is a problem because expressing political views is what made our country great, now we must keep America great.
The article that I found most interesting in the Times this week is “She’s 14, Disabled From a Bomb Blast and One of Iraq’s Top Table Tennis Players.” The center of attention in this article is a girl named Najla Imad Lafta. At the age of three, Najla was injured by a car bomb, which left her without a right arm and two legs. As she grew up and realized that she could not do most things that other kids did for fun, she decided to try playing table tennis. At first, Najla became frustrated when trying to play table tennis because she could not use her dominant hand. This did not stop her and her perseverance led her to become a pro at the sport. She has since competed in many sporting tournaments for the disabled and won a variety of awards. Najla’s story should be used to motivate children who are now going through the same struggles that she has encountered in the past, to keep on trying. Najla has not given up and has been fitted for prosthetics. In the past, the prosthetics that she had gotten were very painful and this occurred with a couple of them. There is a type of prosthetic that is meant for athletes that Najla hopes to one day purchase, but for now, she cannot get them because they are too expensive for her parents to afford. I genuinely find Najla as an inspiration to me and hope that children all around the world learn about her story, influencing them to never give up, no matter what they are going through.
Having grown up in Korea, a country that is alarmingly silent in addressing its high suicide rate,
I’m accustomed to the notion that mental health is something not to be discussed. However, being influenced by more progressive cultures, I find myself advocating for mental health issues in Korea, which leads to a personal internal and external battle. This article was refreshing, as it gives me hope that battles against stigmas surrounding mental health issues are being fought around the world.
This article only begins to underscore the need for more attention on mental health issues affecting the youth, as well as new policies. Indeed, policies such as mental health days can open up nation-wide, and even international discussions like the ones mentioned in the article. One of utmost importance is the parent-child conversation. I hope that other states and nations follow Oregon and Utah’s example to make appropriate changes, according to the needs of each region. In Asian Tiger nations, where rapid social and industrial development led to great generational gaps on topics like that of mental health, these discussions would most definitely help bridge the divide.
url: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/24/health/oregon-mental-health-days.html?rref=education&module=Ribbon&version=context®ion=Header&action=click&contentCollection=Education&pgtype=Blogs
The article that interested me the most in the New York Times this week was “This Fortnite World Cup Winner Is 16 and $3 Million Richer.” Kyle Giersdorf, a normal 16-year-old boy from Philadelphia, managed to beat out 99 other opponents in a solo competition of Fortnite to win the absurd $3 million dollar prize. About 40 million out of 250 million registered users had participated in the first-ever Fortnite World Cup, with tickets to attend the weekend competition ranging from $50 to $150. Kyle managed to usurp them all to win the hefty prize.
This article interested me because I can relate to Kyle in a sense. I played Fortnite for over a year for a long period during the day, although nowhere near as religiously as Kyle. I have a lot of friends who play the game a lot as well and are incredibly skilled, possibly enough to seriously compete in such a competition. The fact that there exists such a competition for such a game is, in my opinion, a huge landmark for e-sports in general. The popularity of Fortnite has captivated a wide variety of people, from my 9-year-old brother to famous athletes like MLB pitcher David Price, who got carpal tunnel from playing so much. Unlike most others who play the game, Kyle got paid a lot for it. If I had the time and the will, I believe that I could do just as good, if not better than Kyle, and I could make some serious money just like him. Hopefully a new game becomes just as popular and profitable so I can compete for big money.
"There Was No Gunfire in Times Square. But the Panic Was Still Real."
Micheal Wilson's report on the panic in Times Square caused by sounds of gunshots (which were actually the sound of a backfiring dirt bike) felt all too real to me—because I was there.
I was in Shubert Theatre watching "To Kill a Mockingbird" (the famous racially charged tale of a condemned innocent black man) when I heard banging on the theatre doors. I assumed it was part of the show until it I noticed actress Celia Keenan-Bolger peer over at the noise with fear in her eyes. It was then that a stampede rushed past the doors and into the theatre, screaming and shouting abound.
The only thing that could go through my mind was: this was it. It simply made sense; there were recent shootings in El Paso and Dayton, and I was a fool for watching this play of all plays, at a time when white supremacist sentiment is on the rise. But I did what I had been trained to do in school: find a way out and run for it.
While the threat was not real, my fear certainly was. It's the same fear I feel when I'm in school and the loudspeaker barks that we are having a lockdown drill. It's the same fear I have when I see someone wearing a Confederate flag approach me on the street.
As a democracy, we must never let legislative failures create complacency for change within us. If terror can be ignited in a crowd so quickly—even worse when this terror has become the new normal—it means the terrorists have succeeded.
The typical American teenager would be more than satisfied by earning 10 or 20 dollars that they in turn could spend on whatever they want. But 16-year-old Kyle Giersdorf is not a typical American teenager, as he was able to defeat 99 of the most skilled Fortnite players in the world on July 28 to win the first ever Fortnite World Cup as well as the $3 million grand prize. The article, "This Fortnite World Cup Winner Is 16 and $3 Million Richer", by Derrick Bryson Taylor and Niraj Chokshi summarizes the event which took place at the U.S.T.A. Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York. It astonishes me that this game has grown so ridiculously popular that the publishers were able to set up an event at the very same venue that hosts extremely prestigious events such as the United States Open. Over the past two years, Fortnite has seen it's popularity flourish and has quickly become one of the most beloved video games of the 21st century. Therefore, it's no surprise that the article states that Kyle's reward of $3 million is the biggest ever individual prize in the history of e-sports. As a 16-year-old myself, I find it fascinating and bizarre that someone my own age could win such a monumental amount of money playing the very same game that I've spent hours playing. Giersdorf's remarkable $3 million win shows some of the more fruitful and productive aspects of playing video games and disproves the people who claim it's merely a pointless hobby.
This week, the topic of immigration law, I.C.E., and detention centers, sparked up my interest. The reason why immigration interested me is because in America, many things become related to immigration whether individuals are crossing the borders to seek refuge or just simply want to possess a better and more safer lifestyle for themselves and their future generations. Whether one contains different religious beliefs, political standpoints, or just differing moral values, somewhere along the lines, one person or another stands divided as to how American immigration policies should be resolved, I discovered an article published under the category, “U.S.”. In this article entitled,“A Border Kept Him From His Daughter. Nows He’s Here To Say Goodbye,” discusses how a young girl, Heyidi Gámez Gacia,13, from Honduras was seperated from her father at the U.S. Border and had to wait and seek shelter alone but unfortunately her father was detained at least four times, sending her into distress. What seems preposterous is the fact that in the 1700’s, the United States was founded by “immigrants”. According to Merriam Webster Dictionary, united means made one(ie:combined), meaning the combination of more than one people,I cant comprehend USA logic in discarding of immigrants, when the foundation of this country was immigrants, and many find the common dream, a healthier and safer life.
The article that I found most interesting in this week’s New York Times was “She's 14, disabled from a bomb blast and one of Iraq’s top table tennis players.” It's a heartwarming story about Najla Imad Lafta, a young girl who lost three of her limbs in a bomb explosion. After months of feeling that her life no longer had value, she discovered she was still amazing at one sport in particular: table tennis. She would go on to win the first of many medals and championships in tournaments for disabled players. This story teaches its readers many important life lessons. One, it shows us that no matter how tough your situation may be or no matter what disadvantages you may have, you have the option to make the best of what's thrown your way. Najla could have continued to give up hope for a better life but instead she found a hobby that works around her disability. Two, it shows people that a person’s disability doesn't define them. Najla didn't let here's define her and is is now a table tennis champion at 14 despite the fact she only has her one arm. Disabilities are becoming more common everyday and it's vital that there are people like Najla that find ways to overcome them and make the best of what life has thrown their way.
The article I found the most intriguing was an opinion article called "Juul Says It Doesn’t Target Kids. But Its E-Cigarettes Pull Them In." By David. A Kessler. Kessler criticizes the company Juul, for it's design for easy access to younger users. He also criticizes Juul for the amount of nicotine contained in a single Juul cartridge. A single Juul cartridge contains 5 percent nicotine as opposed to 1 to 2.4 percent in a traditional cigarette. Kessler also ridicules Juul for the amount of puffs contained in a Juul cartridge. It contains approximately 200 puffs compared to 5-10 puffs in a regular cigarette. I feel that Juul is being greedy with their products. By making their e-cigarettes so addictive, it causes more sales. They have not made their product to be a path for someone attempting to stop smoking. Adding more nicotine in their product makes it more addictive, as well as being able to be more "productive" in one use. The reason this article interested me so much, is because I have many peers and even family members who are smokers. I frustrates me how e-cigarettes and Juuls have an image of being an easier and less harsh cigarette. Juul has created a design of an e-cigarette to look like an USB-drive, making it easier for students to hide their cigarettes in plain sight. As well as releasing flavors to their Juul products, making it more enjoyable for the user. We all know the effects when you become addicted to nicotine, so why should Juul be allowed to do this.
“When Rape Onscreen Is Directed by a Woman”
This article piqued my interest because it amazes me how people have a problem with real-life situations being shown on tv. Rape is a serious thing that unfortunately takes a toll on the world we know today. When she said “People are realizing this country has a history that has been hidden from it, a history that a lot of people won’t accept,” I’ve never agreed more. There is so much that we sugar coat but it’s all fake. Our world is just as messed up as it was back then, when are we going to stop it? In this article, it says back then people would kill each other, and sometimes even boast. I can’t even wrap my head around that one, the fact that a person, a human being like us can do such a thing. I understand how things can be graphic and people can be easily offended, I get that. What I don’t get is how some people can act like it’s not something that actually happened. Also, I found it interesting and brave that in order to make this film truly authentic the actor met with sexual assault survivors and had a psychologist on set. That’s dedication and not something very easy to listen to nor talk about. I found this article eye-opening and I’ll watch this film because it keeps it real. It may be uncomfortable but the truth can be just that.
“The Creepy Anglerfish Comes to Light. (Just Don’t Get Too Close)”
Lurking hundreds of meters below the ocean surface, lives the perplexing anglerfish. To us, the anglerfish appears to be an evolutionary mishap, however what is strange to us is survival for the anglerfish. Anglerfish are incredibly intriguing and elusive fish. There are very different from normal fish species and have adapted to live in the deep ocean. Anglerfish have bioluminescent rod tips to attract prey, males are parasitic and fundamentally different from females, and there are 168 species. Each of these species is unique. The article characterizes these fish by showing and linking remarkable photos and videos of the creatures, along with vivid descriptions.
This is why this article has interested me so much. To see such an intriguing and bizarre fish revealed in photos and on video shows how complex the anglerfish is, and how different it is to survive in the cold depths of the ocean. The authors give a great opportunity to see such a fascinating animal.
This article, “This Fortnite World Cup Winner Is 16 and $3 Million Richer” really interested me this week. I used to play this game with all my friends and actually tuned in to this event. The gameplay of the people in this tournament is totally different then casual players like myself and my friends. This would be expected, since there is a huge prize at stake and these players are the best of the best. The prize is the biggest solo prize in any e sports competition. This competition wasn’t a walk in the park to participate in either. Each of the players had to go through a series of 10 weeks in qualifiers, to decide the 100 best players that should compete, hence creating this high stakes prize pool, because it has the best Fortnite players. In each of the games, Kyle, A.K.A. Bugha stayed calm and collected, earning himself almost double the next person’s points. The crazy thing is, he for sure won’t come away with all of the money. With tax, from the United States and New York, he will come away with around only 1.5 million dollars, which is outrageous in my mind. As this is American life, it would be heart wrenching to receive only half of my prize. Still, this is a huge accomplishment for e sports as this prize is bigger than most of professional sports. This proves e sports can be a career, as Kyle practiced 8-10 hours a day and came away with this prize. This accomplishment by Kyle has opened many eyes in the sports/e sports community, along with mine.
The article i found interesting was " want to stop gulls from stealing your food? stare them down, study says ". The article talks about a guy named Neil Fraser he was walking down the main street in Aberdeen and then he was eating a bacon and chicken sandwich when he was halfway through eating it the sandwich disappeared from his hand. It turns out the gull came from behind him and he didn’t see it and the gull ate his sandwich. the reason why i choose this article is that when I saw the title of the article I remembered when I use to live in new York there was this shore that me and my family use to love sitting there it was a very peaceful and a nice place to sit and we use to always get food with us and sit there and I remember there use to always be birds that always take the food and one time the whole plate got spilled down and my mom got so made and then we all started laughing and when it got on the floor all the other birds came and they started all eating it so when I saw the article it reminded me of all those memories we had when we use to go to the shore and always having the birds take our food and when I read the article and it talked about the research I was really interested about knowing how to get them away because I remember we use to try to like wave or stand in front of them to get them away but they wouldn’t go away and if they did they fly and come from the other side.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/08/opinion/el-paso-trump-racism.html?fallback=0&recId=1PAcWLqCE31eM1Ux5Ukm5TqsTn3&locked=0&geoContinent=NA&geoRegion=NH&recAlloc=top_conversion&geoCountry=US&blockId=most-popular&imp_id=170658406&action=click&module=Most%20Popular&pgtype=Homepage
This week I read "Was Trump’s El Paso Visit a Turning Point?" which caught my attention because I hadn't heard much about Trump's visit to El Paso. Apparently that was for a reason; Trump never even made a public appearance there. In this article, the author stated his opinion that this trip was a turning point for our country because the people of El Paso came together in not welcoming the president. He argued that this showed that his white nationalist reign is now, possibly, coming to an end. I hope this proves to be true, and that this will not be the last time the people take away the president's power like they did in El Paso. What I also find astounding is the president's response to his hostile environment. Instead of trying to soothe tensions or even make any sort of speech or appearance, he simply fired off some racist and offensive tweets from the safety of his jet. This immature move on President Trump's part only furthers the author's claim that this trip was a turning point, and shows how he is weaker than he once was. What happened in El Paso was a tragedy that can not be forgotten, and I hope that what happened there is indeed a turning point in the right direction for our country.
I've always been a very passionate person, and when there's something I want to get done, I will completely immerse myself in it until it's finished. I can block out everything else and build a singular focus on that one goal, and I will be the first to tell you that it's not a healthy habit. While it often can lead to a good initial product, I find it far too easy to get stuck in my own head and lose sight of everything going on around me.
This means that while I admire the mental fortitude of people who manage to maintain that focus for the rest of their lives, I can't say that I ever want to end up in the same position. It's an ability I respect, but the cost in other areas isn't something I'd be willing to exchange. Genuine relationships and experiences are what make life interesting, and when you lose yourself in your work, you miss out on a lot of what makes life great; you restrict your thoughts to only what you've already experienced, and you're left almost completely out of contact with the vast world around you.
This is why, when I came across the article, "Do You Have to Be a Jerk to Be Great?", I had an immediate answer to the question it poses. No, you don't, and to aspire to the kind of single-minded focus described in the article can often be incredibly unhealthy and result in a kind of detachment from reality that can damage the relationships that make life great.
"The Man Who Photographed Woodstock’s Most Iconic Couple"
A moment in history captured with a Leica camera. Two people, strangers to the public eye, become culturally iconic. This idea has always fascinated me. That despite a photograph only being a small glimpse into the past, it can be a powerful tool in crafting the public's perception of an event or time. When I saw the title of this article I was immediately curious about this mysterious photographer. Why was he there and what was his purpose? Did he know the couple that he was photographing? After reading the article I learned that he was there with his two sons and that although he wasn't affiliated with a particular new source, he was there to get pictures for places such as the New York Times. It must be incredibly strange to be involved in the making of history. And the craziest part is, there's no way of knowing what will be remembered long after we're gone. This photograph at Woodstock will likely last for a long time, it's legacy continuing on. And the man behind the camera probably would've remained a mystery to me had I not read this article. But I feel confident that this historical event will be remembered by Burk Uzzle's snapshots of the past.
The article that caught my attention this week was called,” Want to Spot Gulls From Stealing Your Food? Stare Them Down, Study Says,” by Iliana Magra. The reason it interested me was that I experience seagulls trying to steal food from me all the time when I am at the beach. The article surrounds a study done in England, where they put chips in front of gulls and saw how they would react if they were being looked at. In the end, the majority of the birds would not attempt to grab the food if they were being looked at while trying to get the chip. This study makes a lot of sense to me because when people are looked/stared at they tend to get uncomfortable and move on. For example, a pick-pocket will not steal items when they are being looked at so they won’t get caught. Just like the gulls, the pick-pockets grab items when they aren’t being observed. For me, I do not like being looked at and it gives me anxiety. When someone stares at me my first instinct is to move or change positions, not stare back at them. This article shows how close species of animals act even if they are all different. Next summer I am going to try this if I go to the beach and see how the seagulls react to it.
The article I read this week was “Trump Condemns White supremacy but Stops Short of Major Gun Control”. I found this article interesting as it is in the recent events that unfolded at El Paso, Texas and in Dayton, Ohio. With the current state of America in turmoil with two parties fighting against each other on issues regarding events like the ones I stated above and more. I find that these talks or “arguments going back in forth will lead to nowhere as has happens many times before in the past in trumps presidency: we can talk about how nothing really significant came out in both the parkland and Los Vegas shooting that occurred in Trump’s presidency. I also found it strange that at the moment of these two events, that president trump found the need to bring in immigration control, when the only correlation to that was in the El Paso Shooter’s Manifest in which he claims his hatred to Hispanic Immigrants. I do not see anything significant in terms of laws being passed in term of the two events or past events of “Domestic Terrorism”. After Trump’s presidency maybe, but until we find a President that is competent to act on Tragic events like the ones in El Paso and Dayton, and that we can have congress not fighting one other in Simple Laws then maybe this country can pull itself from the destruction it is causing itself.
"When Hate Came to El Paso"
By: Richard Parker
This article interested me the most this week because it was such a violent massacre that happened in this small town. When Patrick Crusius decided to take so many lives of innocent people it definitely brought awareness to the situation. The world believes that guns need to be banned and that we need to monitor who comes in and out of the country. This circumstance did not fall under these examples. Patrick Crusius was a white male who took out his own racial prejudice over a group of innocent people. What is so heartbreaking becomes the fact that these individuals didn't know what they were walking into when they stepped foot in that Walmart. The only thing they knew was the fact that they were low on groceries, school supplies, etc. The writer of this article, Richard Parker, describes his own experience he felt that was brought upon his town. This article brings upon the fact that this situation needs to be taken care of. This article explained that this can happen to anyone and that truly is an eye-opener and terrifying for our nation's future.
“9 Are Killed in Dayton in Second Mass Shooting in 24 Hours” by Haley Willis and Caroline Kim.
This video shows news coverage and information on a Mass shooting that took place on Sunday, August 4th, on a busy street in Dayton, Ohio. This shooting came just 13 hours after another tragic mass shooting in El Paso, Texas, leaving a combined 32 dead and another 51 injured. These back to back attacks have caused devastation and mourning across America and the affected cities. These shootings and acts of violence should be a sign that we need change, now. One of my close friends recently went on a trip to Japan and brought back many stories. He pointed out to me that in Japan, you don’t see guns: It’s illegal to own them and police rarely even carry them. The strict gun restrictions that Japan has, contribute to it being one of the safest places in the world from gun violence and deadly killings. America needs to have stricter gun laws and prevention, and it needs it more than ever. Being from the same county as MSD high school, I have felt the first hand effects that gun violence can have on a community. Gun violence in America is at a high and the government is in no hurry to fix it. We need action now to save our communities and our country.
The article that interested me to the greatest extent this week was entitled “ ‘We’re Lab Rats’: A Baseball League Where Stealing First Is Ok” It describes how Major League Baseball is using the independent Atlantic League to test upwards of 10 changes to the game of baseball in an attempt to grasp hold of a younger audience who are seemingly becoming less and less patient with the century’s old game. Among these changes include, most notably robotic home plate umpires, larger bases, and the ability to steal first base on any pitch the catcher does not catch. This is an interesting situation because it shows that the officials at the top of the baseball world recognize their sport has an aging audience, and are actively trying to make the game more exciting and lively to capture the attention of a younger generation that has been gravitating away from the diamond and overall, more towards the hardwood. They are attempting to inject more action into a genetically slow paced sport because that what all the growing sports on a national and worldwide level feature, constant action excitement. Some of these changes implemented in this league at the MLB’s behest, such as batter friendly check swing calls and the abolishment of the infield shift, make it abundantly clear that they are are attempting to go about this by favoring batters in the rulebook in the hope it will lead to more production at the plate, ensuring that America’s Pastime doesn’t stay in the past.
“When Rape Onscreen Is Directed by a Woman”
This article piqued my interest because it amazes me how people have a problem with real-life situations being shown on tv. Rape is a serious thing that unfortunately takes a toll on the world we know today. When she said “People are realizing this country has a history that has been hidden from it, a history that a lot of people won’t accept,” I’ve never agreed more. There is so much that we sugar coat but it’s all fake. Our world is just as messed up as it was back then, when are we going to stop it? In this article, it says back then people would kill each other, and sometimes even boast. I can’t even wrap my head around that one, the fact that a person, a human being like us can do such a thing. I understand how things can be graphic and people can be easily offended, I get that. What I don’t get is how some people can act like it’s not something that actually happened. Also, I found it interesting and brave that in order to make this film truly authentic the actor met with sexual assault survivors and had a psychologist on set. That’s dedication and not something very easy to listen to nor talk about. I found this article eye-opening and I’ll watch this film because it keeps it real. It may be uncomfortable but the truth can be just that.
"Shooting at Festival in California Kills at Least 3" by Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs and Jacey Fortin
There is no escaping the unimaginable amount of mass shootings that have happened in the past week alone. Just that one sentence sounds like something out of a cheap dystopian novel. Even though the United States is stuck in a reluctantly sadistic loop of violence and empty solutions, each one of these shootings make solving the gun control situation more urgent.
We need to reject the selfish ideal that each amendment is there to benefit us as individuals when the Constitution is a bond between the American people to lead with honor. We all have a responsibility to do whatever it takes to stop these tragedies, and that does not just mean banning assault rifles. It means increased background checks, a reduction of violence in the media, and a collective rejection of hateful, racist messages.
This won't be easy. Making many major changes will take time and will be accompanied by growing pains.
But continuing to argue about who is right and wrong does nothing to save the lives of innocent victims. Boundaries need to be set whether everyone agrees or not. No one needs a military-grade assault weapon, and if you think you do, then explain that to six-year-old Stephen Romero who was murdered by one while playing in a bouncy house. It's time for America to rethink its priorities and do the right thing, even if it's inconvenient.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/17/arts/music/ed-sheeran-no6-collaborations-project-review.html
While I was browsing the New York Times looking for an article, I found an album review about Ed Sheeran's recent collaboration project. I decided to read this because I was actually listening to his songs released in this project at the time I found the article, and I thought it was meant for me to be read.
Being a long time fan of Ed, I was really excited when he released new music after two years. I love the complete switch up of the style of music from his previous three albums, and I thought that these new tracks gave a brand new and refreshed version of who Ed is. The article's author had different opinions, saying how "this record presents countless opportunities for (Ed) to fumble," and this was the first thing that had me mad. The pop charts have been very competitive over the past year especially, and I feel like Ed deciding to do collaborations with many different artists would branch out his audience even more, possibly getting him higher on the charts.
There was another point in the article where the author mentions how Ed was "singing about how he doesn’t fit in," and then went on to talk about how he thinks Ed is a "titan" always reminding people of his success. This got me really furious. Just because Ed is a famous musician and he has a lot of accomplishments does not mean that he still does not feel anxious and out of place like the rest of us.
This week in the New York Times Summer Reading Contest, I decided to choose the article "The Secret to having the Best Summer Ever". I expected it to be a couple paragraphs like the articles I previously used for my other entries, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was actually made up of aesthetically pleasing imagery with a couple words per page. The pictures and the colors used all helped to tell the equally beautiful story of Noah Doolady and his love for roller skating, specifically with others. I chose this article because as many teens on social media have noted, the summer of 2019 has not been as exciting as the previous years (which is debatable) and I was curious to see what secret The New York Times had in store for me. But instead of a plain bulleted list of "tips", I was able to appreciate Noah's love for skating and how it has changed his life and has given him 'the best summer ever'. I easily found myself relating with the subject matter of the story, being passionate about what you love to do and to love sharing that with others. The way Noah had been dreaming, searching for someone to skate with and finally found Kev, is something I think many people hope for, being able to find someone who is passionate doing the same things as you and forming a connection from there.
This week the article,” Shooting at Festival in California Kills at Least 3” interested me the most. In this article it is explained how a shooter walked into the Gilroy Garlic festival and started firing rounds into the crowd. In the crowd several were injured and 3 were reported dead. Among those 3 deaths was a 6 year old boy. The family describes the commotion going on and how fun violence has gone too far.
This story really interested me because shootings have become spreading in the US. There has been approximately 240 shooting in the US this year alone, more than any country in the world. Alongside with this attack was the attack in the bar killing 18. I believe these acts show enough on why we need gun laws to help lower these rates of terrorism. President Trump also tweeted about the issue stating how his condolences are with the families affected. If anything, the president should see these attacks on American soil done by Americans as a call for gun laws. If we don’t put restraints, people would start feeling scared just to leave their home. The attacks led on innocent people should be talked of more to raise awareness about how easy it is to retrieve a gun from anyone and use it to lead attacks like these. I believe the US has seen more than enough attacks happen and should take some sort of action to stop the murders. If the number keeps rising we will soon not be able to go anywhere due to the lack of safety assurance that will arise.
“M.L.B. Goes Black and White in Search of Green”
For some reason, baseball is my favorite professional sport to watch. Some people say that baseball is just like watching paint dry because it’s just that boring to them. However, it’s nothing like that to me especially on Players’ Weekend. I love watching baseball during this event because every team is just having fun and letting people see their other side by wearing flashy clothes and cleats. This article caught my attention because it said that teams will be wearing black on black and white on white uniforms. Those jerseys just don’t scream fun. Last year, I remember every team had completely different uniforms than their regular ones. That is what I wanted to see this year. As Tyler Kepner said in his article “the whole sport will look almost indistinguishable, with logos, numerals and lettering all but impossible to see”, meaning to me, the jersey will be no more fun than normal or exciting. The article interested me enough to keep reading because I wanted to hear other people’s thought and they were the same as mine. Same old boring jerseys. I liked last years Players’ Weekend because everyone had fun in their new, slick uniforms with their very own nickname on the back. On my travel baseball team, we get to wear cool uniforms with digital camouflage on them. It’s different just like how the Players’ Weekend should be but instead the league decided to go for a very generic black and white.
https://www.nytimes.com/video/opinion/100000006620643/parents-social-media-oversharing.html
Facebook was founded in 2004, Twitter in 2006, and Instagram in 2010, followed by an ignition of tech industry that rooted social connection in the average smartphone. Unrealistic interpretations of perfect lives, ridden of flaws and hardships, soon captivated the teenage need for role models. This pressure to perfect one’s social image and share memories encourages information sharing, especially among parents. Yet, too often, teens' real-life role models jeopardize our privacy with information shared throughout our childhoods.
The video spotlights that, when parents upload images of their children, they contribute to an indestructible digital footprint shaping the way others view us. This online platform becomes our permanent first impression on others, and often leaks perceptions of ourselves that we want to remain private.
While social media is a living summary of teenage lives, we often forget that an eternal digital footprint did not hang over our parents’ childhoods the way it does ours, where information in the media never expires. Social media is younger than most American teens, so schools did not warn against the power of a digital presence in past generations. To many parents, publishing children's information is unrelated to an unsafe online presence.
Beginning in 2004, Facebook led the pack of social media; one can only wonder when the idea of privacy will go viral.
Gun violence has been a hot and controversial topic resulting in much debate in America for a long while now. Therefore, the introduction of the idea that a mass murderer may be behind any normal person is bone-chilling. In fact, a tragedy occurred very close to home at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School a little over a year ago. When my father had told me for the first time that there was a school shooting five minutes away from I go to soccer practice four nights a week, I didn’t believe him. I had not yet realized the concept that terrible things happen everywhere and could happen anytime to me or someone close to me.
The article “Why Mass Murderers May Not Be Very Different From You or Me” goes into detail explaining that just because someone has done something as dreadful and horrific and taking the lives of many innocent people, it doesn’t immediately make them deranged or mentally ill. In fact, the majority of them are under the pressure of everyday stress and unhappiness that affects us all.
This notion also made me think that people have a necessity of designating blame to everything that might be considered abnormal to them. We have difficulty accepting that someone “normal” has the potential to commit such an atrocity. It creates a negative stigma because it draws away attention from the root of the problem: the guns themselves.
But, regardless of what could be done to gun control policies, we must still live with the scary reality that anything can happen.
The article that I found most interesting this week was, "Capital One Data breach Compromises Data of Over 100 Million" by Emily Flitter and Karen Weise. I found this article interesting because it highlights a large problem in todays society, where everything can be accessed online. In 2017 a data breach caused the personal information of over 140 million consumers to be leaked. The leak happened at Capital One, the nations third largest credit card issuer. The person who caused this leak was Paige Thompson, a former worker for Amazon Web Service. Ms. Thompson stole over 80,000 bank account numbers and 140,000 social security numbers. This was a very costly breach as well, as Equifax has settled the claim in court for 650 million dollars, over 500 million dollars more than Capital One expected. Another problem this shows is how easily a determined hacker could obtain your personal information. If the third largest credit card issuer can be hacked by a single person, what place is safe? This question is what I left with at the end of the article, and is a large reason on why I found this article to be the most interesting I have read this week.
The topic of illegal immigration has lead to rising tensions in politics, and it's a serious issue that desperately needs a solution. When families face separation caused by deportation, it causes so much strain for everyone involved. The article "An American Middle Schooler, Orphaned by Deportation" is an extremely emotional yet important article. It tells the story of a 13 year old being separated from her mother by the ICE.
Instances and stories such as what is described in this article show the lack of empathy shown towards undocumented immigrants and their families. Undocumented immigrants are not the monsters that they are so often portrayed as, and children do not deserve to be orphaned because of this misrepresentation. Ripping mothers and fathers away from their children is a disgustingly cruel and dehumanizing act, and the families and lives so many undocumented immigrants have worked to build are destroyed. I believe that this article is so interesting because it displays empathy towards people who are working so hard to give their families the best life.
Gun violence has been a hot and controversial topic resulting in much debate in America for a long while now. Therefore, the introduction of the idea that a mass murderer may be behind any normal person is bone-chilling. In fact, a tragedy occurred very close to home at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School a little over a year ago. When my father had told me for the first time that there was a school shooting five minutes away from I go to soccer practice four nights a week, I didn’t believe him. I had not yet realized the concept that terrible things happen everywhere and could happen anytime to me or someone close to me.
The article “Why Mass Murderers May Not Be Very Different From You or Me” goes into detail explaining that just because someone has done something as dreadful and horrific and taking the lives of many innocent people, it doesn’t immediately make them deranged or mentally ill. In fact, the majority of them are under the pressure of everyday stress and unhappiness that affects us all.
This notion also made me think that people have a necessity of designating blame to everything that might be considered abnormal to them. We have difficulty accepting that someone “normal” has the potential to commit such an atrocity. It creates a negative stigma because it draws away attention from the root of the problem: the guns themselves.
But, regardless of what could be done to gun control policies, we must still live with this scary reality.
This week I was drawn to reading the article titled, "You Are Probably Overconfident. (If You Skip This, Doubly So.)". The writer of the piece, Carl Richards, explains how there are situations in our lives where we are overconfident without even truly realizing. I found this opinion to be very interesting because mental health illnesses and self esteem issues are more present in today's society than ever before. Many people struggle with feeling as though they are not good enough or worthy of happiness. However, I do not believe this problem is what Richards was referring to while writing this article. He used less emotional examples like backcountry skiing and the risks people are willing to take so easily. It is quite fascinating to hear Richards explain how himself or friends would ski down a dangerous uncharted trail simply because the person before them did successfully. When the mind desperately wants to do something, it will latch on to any piece of evidence to try to justify future actions. People are too confident in the sense of blinding doing something without fully understanding what they are getting into beforehand. A lucky outcome to a dangerous situation can give false confidence to people. It can lead them to believe they should keep taking the same daring risks until someone has to pay for it. On the contrary, no one likes a coward. There needs to be a balance in risk taking. Having right judgement and the right amount of confidence is never fully mastered.
"Fortnite World Cup Crowns a Teenage Winner, Now $3 Million Richer"
This week, I was interested in the article that spoke of the most recent tournament in the highly popular video game, "Fortnite". In the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center where the tournament was being held, 16 year-old Kyle Giersdorf from Pennsylvania won around $3 million dollars. I believe this will be a good thing for the future of Esports because many social media platforms advertised about this event. Even though video games seem to have no other purpose to us except for the use of enjoyment, Kyle's father said that his son would spend close to six to eight hours a day "practicing", almost five days a week. Even though he is now considered a millionaire, he says he has to balance school life with is video games. I think this is and important lesson for all young boys and girls aspiring to be pro gamers because even though it is important to work towards your personal goals in your free time, it is even more important to keep good grades and stay on track in life. Kyle's management company Sentinel, says that the winnings of $3 million dollars that their client earned was the largest cash reward won in esports history. As the market of Esports begins to grow, I believe that the fanbase will grow as well. This means that it will get much more competitive and more exciting over time. Made in 2017, Fortnite has become one of the most popular games in video game history, sweeping the globe in style.
I sprawled myself across the carpet, my mind absorbing every marvel on the television. The water was mesmerizing, but the creatures inhabiting it were far more captivating.
The narrator began to speak, “Now these frightening creatures are the stuff of nightmares.” I waited anxiously as a ghostly creature emerged from the blackness of the chasm below.
This bulbous creature was simply entrancing. It was surreal the way it lurked in the shadows mysteriously, the way its curved, elongated spears pierced the flesh of its unknowing victims, and the way its light was able to attract prey seemingly right into its death-trap of a mouth.
I was interested in the article “The Creepy Anglerfish Comes to Light. (Just Don’t Get Too Close.)” because I believed that there is always something more to learn from these exquisite animals. There was.
During the many hours I have spent watching oceanological documentaries, I assumed that both male and female anglerfish use their light to lure fish directly into their mouths.
Before reading this article, I never would have imagined that minuscule male anglerfish do not possess the ability to lure other fish and have to resort to permanently attaching themselves to females and donating sperm in order to receive nutrients and survive.
I once thought these fish were self-sustaining. However, I guess being tiny and “lightless” entail permanently fusing your tissue and circulatory system with someone else, and that’s really the stuff of nightmares.
While scrolling through the New York Times website this week I stumbled across an article that I could relate with completely. The article titled “Need a Mental Health Day? Some States Give Students the Option” by Derrick Bryson Taylor focuses on the benefits of allowing students to take mental health days. It immediately compelled me because on multiple occasions I have felt the need to take a day off but didn’t take the opportunity.
Only two states have seen how much of an importance a mental health day can be for students these states are Oregon and Utah. In an age of higher rates of depression, anxiety, bullying/cyberbullying, and mass shootings it has become clear that being mentally healthy is a big part of our lives. There have been many cases of teenagers committing suicide because of things they experienced daily in school. Chloe Wilson committed suicide in 2018 after being bullied extremely after coming out as bisexual at school. Chloe would fake being sick on some occasions to stay home because she couldn’t bear to go to school to be tormented by other students. Her parents believe that since their daughter was embarrassed to come and talk to them about her mental health they never understood what was going on with her. They support these new laws because it will make people suffering from mental issues feel less embarrassed and ashamed about something they need help to overcome.
“Trump Comes to Console. El Paso Says No Thanks.”
According to President Donald Trump, the overriding cause of violence and danger in America is due to illegal immigration. Yet, the danger that threatened El Paso, Texas August 3 was not from over the border, not even from their own town. This tragedy was caused by a white male, who killed 22 people that morning.
However, as emphasized by Simon Romero and Rick Rojas, the tough relations between El Paso and President Trump grew before this great loss. Due to close proximity to Mexico, Trump has stereotyped these citizens as criminals, creating an atmosphere of distrust. Judy Lugo, president of the Texas State Employees Union, states, “We are a community of love, a community of family. We are not what he says we are. We are not rapists. We are not dirty”. As America, a nation of unity, we are supposed to represent prosperity, growth, and equality. Yet, when a president does not understand their people, and the people cannot rely on their leader, the nation is not unified at all.
Maybe the safe, loving, and cultural environment in El Paso was killed by a gun. Or maybe it was killed when a wall was used to separate two different lands, two different societies, or, as some would argue, two halves of one whole. The American people need to find the courage to embrace integrity, fight for change, and support fellow people, not a close-minded opinion of race. As El Paso works to stand strong, we need to stand with them.
"Supreme Court Lets Trump Proceed on Border Wall"
The past few weeks have had a lot of international news as well as in the United States. However, what stuck out for me was about the Wall being allowed to be made. Without getting too political, building the wall was a plan made by the Trump administration to stop illegal aliens from crossing the border. Most of the democrats were against this including some Republicans, and the majority of the world thought it was a pretty stupid idea and made memes out of it. However, as time when on, as the plan made more ground, it became a little more reasonable and realistic too. The reason why it stood out to me was because this was not talked about much in the news which was very surprising since I expected it to be a lot more popular. I was surprised the supreme court actually ruled it 5-4. There has been controversies over if this is who we are as a nation, saying it's unethical. A solicitor general, argued against the court, saying that the courts had misread the provisions. 6 months ago, the country had its longest shutdown after Congress refused to sent the funds for the wall construction. In a brief held supporting opponents of the wall, lawyers pointed out that under the constitution, the wall could not be constructed without funds approved by Congress. I wonder if they are planning to use this in the future against presidents in the future that they don't like. I believe this represents the political separation of our country.
“You Are Probably Overconfident. (If You Skip This, Doubly So.)”
I have a problem: I either over- or underestimate my abilities; thus, it took me a while to click on the article – it caught my attention, but I wasn’t sure if I classified myself as “confident”.
This piece covered self-serving bias, a term that I recalled from my AP Psych class even before stumbling upon it in the text. Basically, people tend to tie the good that happens to them to their behavior, and the bad to the external situations, leading to the people’s obliviousness and frequent risk exposure.
For instance, there is the case of missing avalanches by sheer chance and attributing that to good judgment. This reminded me of my Dad’s comforting words about statistics and phone drops. After my Samsung fell, for the nth time, and damaged due to a crack in its internal screen, Dad said that it was bound to happen of probability. Not of my crooked hands. Seemingly ever-present, self-serving bias also relates to birth control, the traditional “pull-out method”. Pregnancy would be attributed to an unlucky chance; its lack, to one’s handiwork.
Moreover, it seems paradoxical to get rid of this bias and not have a low self-esteem, since those who are aware of the existence of this bias, especially those researching it, doubt their behavior at an extreme level. The situation is kind of similar to Socrates’ quote, “I know that I know nothing,” only tailored to “I am sure that I am unsure of everything.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/29/us/fortnite-world-cup-winner-bugha.html?module=inline
This week I chose to read the article “This Fortnite World Cup Winner Is 16 and $3 Million Richer” written by Derrick Bryson Taylor and Niraj Chokshi. The article talks about Kyle Giersdorf or “Bugha” the sixteen year old Fortnite player who won the Fortnite World Cup at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Being sixteen, it truly is impressive to see someone my age be able to win $3 million playing a video game. What makes his winning more impressive is how he was able to manage practicing playing Fortnite and school. In addition to balancing Fortnite and school, he also has won the largest individual prize in esports history, a great accomplishment for someone his age. With his large sum of prize money, he wants to buy a new desk and some clothes. I am surprised by this as any other sixteen year old I know would buy many expensive unnecessary items. Overall, this article was very interesting to me as it was about esports which is something that I frequently watch.
The article I read this week in the New York Times is "The Secret to Having the Best Summer Ever" by Jacob Moscovitch. The author talks about Noah Doolady's love for roller skating and how he found a partner, Kev Presley, to skate with. The pictures show their adventures skating together. They describe how connected and in sync they feel when they skate together. But what really drew me to this article was its pictures and videos. The pictures of them roller skating show how much fun they have. Their quotes give an even deeper insight into the visuals. The bright pop of colors in some of the pictures gives a feeling of adventure and a rush of adrenaline. I could see the connection that they have and the bond they have built through roller skating.
I think this article is trying to show people that you could make the most out of anything. Even the littlest of things could bring you so much joy. Finding a hobby or a fun activity to do in the summer or in your free time can give you the best memories and sharing those experiences with someone could feel magical.
"You Are Probably Overconfident. (If You Skip This, Doubly So.)"
I found this article interesting because I can relate to it on a personal level. Whether it’s thinking something is easier than it actually is, or underestimating something that I know is difficult, I am not immune to the phenomenon mentioned in this article. One of my favorite activities is playing table tennis. The first time I saw my friends playing table tennis, I said: “that looks like a piece of cake”. To my dismay, when it was my turn to play, I couldn’t even get the ball over the net. Besides this, I looked like a fool since I had just called it a piece of cake a few moments prior. After this day, I have tried my hardest to not underestimate anything just because it looks simple. It also turns out that this thing you underestimate could become one of your favorite hobbies.
In just one weekend, the U.S.A. was shaken by two mass shootings. One of the killers was a member of the far-right, a supporter of Trump, and even wrote a manifesto in which he wrote about his hatred for Hispanics and his need to remove them. The other held progressive views. Some conservatives are disgruntled with how the media is only pointing out the shooter's beliefs when they are on the far-right and not the left. Stephens maintains that the situations are completely different and claims of media bias are baseless. He says that the incident “directly implicates the immigrant-bashing xenophobic right led by Donald Trump.” (Stephens). He then compares it to the Dayton shooting which he describes as "a mass shooting in the mold of the Las Vegas massacre: victims at random, motives unknown.” (Stephens). He compares the hateful rhetoric of Trump to the language of Hutu propagandists before the Rwandan genocide. He could have just described Trump’s rhetoric as being rude, negative, or even harmful. But by doing this, he creates an idea of Trump’s language as having dangerous potential.
I agree with most of Stephens’ argument. I see how Stephens connects Trump’s unpleasant language towards Hispanics as being a force behind this massacre. However, I think that making the comparison to Hutu propagandists is premature. The violence that took place was awful, but it pales in comparison to the Rwandan genocide, which claimed the lives of over a million people.
The topic I have chosen this week was “America’s Next Top Pool Float,” by Sanam Yar. I choose this topic because pool floats are a major part of summer, and sadly summer is coming to an end. I also though it would be a fun topic to read about to read about how big pool floats are in the summertime and how people have loved them. I think pool floats are a big part of summer because summer is about going summing. Also they are something for everyone one to enjoy and love. Pool floats aren’t something just for kids to enjoy they is something for everyone to love. They come in all sorts of color, shapes, and sizes. They come as unicorns, doughnuts, and much more crazier design. There is something for everyone to love. They also keep on getting bigger and bigger. They also keep getting crazier and more creative like dragons, pizza, and even a bill that moves with the waves. I have been amazed with the stories I have read about and the different types of pool floats people have ridden on. I think this article has shown me that pool floats are something the most people enjoy and love using in the summertime. People not only love pool floats just to sit on but take a bunch a pictures on for the perfect summer picture. Even celebrities will try that to get the perfect summer picture. I think this article was a really fun article to read this summer and I really enjoyed reading about the fun summer. This showed me how enjoyable summer is and how much fun you can have in summer.
1
The article I chose to read this week was "Now There's an Event to Storm Loch Ness and 'Find Dat Big Boi'." I would be lying if I didn't mention that the simple edition of the words 'Dat Big Boi' captivated me enough to read this article. The article is about a Facebook event that was posted in the wake of the famous "Storm Area 51" post. The article mentions how the Lock Ness post uses similar language to the Area 51 post. A major slogan for Area 51 was 'They can't stop us all' for Loch Ness this is parodied by 'Nessie can't hide from us all'. The article also goes over the media coverage of Area 51 and Loch Ness. While Area 51 had wider coverage, Loch Ness still had responses from officials who work around the Loch Ness. They warned that while there is no presence military personnel at Loch Ness, the dimensions and nature of the lake would still make it hard to storm. Now while this all is in good fun, I have somewhat of a gripe with articles and other media covering memes in this way. I look at memes and make memes quite often, maybe too much. My experience with memes has taught me one major thing, once memes are mainstream they lose all comedic value. While yes the idea that nearly 2 million people agreed to storm Area 51 is something that cannot be looked over, the media attention it got seems unnecessary. The coverage killed what could've been a long-standing meme, and this fate wasn't isolated to just this one.
The United Nations released a climate report conducted by the I.P.C.C. on Thursday, which threatened a point of irreversible change in the near future, notably, effects of climate change on agricultural tolls and society. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is a group of scientists sponsored by the United Nations to further research on climate change. Christopher Flavelle summarized this report in “Climate Change Threatens the World’s Food Supply, United Nations Warns”. The report calls for a return to indigenous farming techniques as a possible solution to the impending threat of a food crisis.
Human effect on climate change is often based on a timeline beginning with the Industrial Revolution. This great era of technological change brought alongside social change, as those “unindustrialized” were deemed uncivilized. This technology was innovated upon the idea of what is possible, not what is right.
Now, as Earth’s deteriorating condition threatens our food supply, we are looking to possibly return to previously deemed “uncivilized” techniques for survival. Technology’s effects on agriculture are coming to light- yet not to humanity’s success.
The human idea of achieving what is possible without the consideration of what is right has long been debated. As we face climate change, we consider reverting to indigenous peoples’ techniques, and endure a lost debate over what was possible, versus what should have been done.
"An Onstage Wedding Brings a Broadway Happy Ending to Life"
This week I read an article that involved a topic that I'm very interested in. The Prom, the musical which will close August 11th involves topics like equality and love, which can unfortunately not be seen eye to eye by everyone, is an amazing and fun show. But, this week the show featured a fun surprise! The actors weren't the only ones on stage that night, a wedding was also performed as well. I found this very interesting, because you hear of engagements taking place on Broadway stages, but not weddings! This event was also very moving, because like the show, the couple was two ladies. I'm very glad to have read this article because I enjoyed reading about happenings on Broadway!
"ICE Deported Him to a Country He’d Never Seen. He Died 2 Months Later."
Immigration is said to be one of the most controversial topics in America. Whether bigger borders should be built or to have leniency towards those seeking to start a new life. Unfortunately, Jimmy Aldaoud had the bitter end of what really goes on when immigration laws are forced, and had to deal with consequences that he shouldn't have faced to begin with.
Our president's idea of making our country "great again" is by "getting rid" of immigrants or in this case "criminals". Though Jimmy Aldaoud did participate in various criminal activities, he struggled with numerous health issues. This fact right here brings me to why this article peaked my interest.
Many mass shooters today in the media are "excused" or "justified" for their actions based on the excuse of them not being able to resolve their health issues. however Jimmy Aldaoud never got the chance. Jimmy Aldaoud dealt with poor mental health, had same criminal tendencies if not less, and was sent back to a country he's never known. however these mass shooters still reside in the United States. this is why this article interests me, it shows the true double standard of what it means to be an "American"
"All of Those Products Are Making Your Skin Worse"
This week this article caught my eye because i have always wondered what was really the best thing for you to use on your skin,and this article helped. I never thought about their being a barrier or another layer before your skin really. i deal with rosacea and that is a way your barrier is already broken which i didn't know. overall this article was very informational and good knowledge to have
Cassie_GHS_2019
https://nyti.ms/333Ez6S
Within 14 hours of a mass shooting in El Paso, we’ve received news of yet another in Dayton. I chose this article because I feel that perhaps the hate and racism it describes isn’t the only cause of our increasingly bloody new norm.
I was born on the outskirts of Baton Rouge, where I attended a decrepit, post-Katrina school that was no stranger to the specter of gun violence. Yet, the method by which we were instructed to deal with that overshadowing menace was simply total avoidance of the matter. In fact, in second grade, I had an origami bookmark confiscated because it resembled a pistol.
The issue is that this approach has become indicative of American culture surrounding gun violence. We hope that by not engaging, we won’t suffer the consequences. It’s a philosophy only too familiar to me, the great-grandson of Nien Cheng, who survived China’s Cultural Revolution to write a bestselling memoir, Life and Death in Shanghai. She called it cultural fatalism - the idea that by trying to stop something from occurring, you only become the target. It’s why no one said anything as tanks rolled over pro-democracy protesters in Tiananmen Square three decades ago, or when Xi Jinping declared himself dictator-for-life last year. The fact that this callous strategy is flourishing in America right now ultimately explains why our leaders are quick to send their thoughts and prayers, but only shoot down bills introducing real gun reform with bullets of their own.
This article interested me because I had seen a lot of negativity directed towards President Trump following his visit to El Paso, but I hadn’t had the time to look into why exactly that was. This article opened up my perspective on what exactly caused that negativity, as well as why the visit was being called a turning point. This article outlined the racist and prejudiced statements President Trump made, including the jab at Beto O’Rourke that Trump made on twitter about O’Rourke’s Spanish name. Finally, this author did an excellent job capturing the emotion of the city of El Paso, saying “El Paso is not a volatile, rioting city where the president could expect trouble. But he inevitably saw how alone he was in his toxic, racist politics.” This article was very well written, and could be the start of a series of authors writing about Trump losing out among his population.
When I was younger, I was amazed every time I saw my mother dive into the waves at the beach, without fear of sharks or monsters. Now I know there aren’t sea monsters, only creepy, deep-sea fish that look like ones. The article, “The Creepy Anglerfish Comes to Light. (Just Don’t Get Too Close)” caught my attention, since I've live on the coast, I swim in the ocean, and also my fascination with the unknown creatures of the deep blue.
There is so much of the ocean that is unknown to us and yet it surrounds us on our very own planet. That’s why it is so exciting to learn about unfamiliar marine animals like the blobfish and the anglerfish. The angler fish was discovered in 1833, but was still quite elusive, since they live so deep. Only corpses that washed ashore could be studied until advancements in technology allowed scientists to observe further down into the ocean. This allowed them to observe how they catch food, mate, and swim. The anglerfish uses a glowing lure to attract prey close to its mouth, then with their large needle-like teeth trap the prey in its mouth. A male anglerfish, which is a small parasite, will latch on to a female and provide sperm in exchange for nutrients. The majority of the time the anglerfish will just drift to preserve energy in the “desert of the ocean”, where there is little to eat. We didn’t have these facts about them until recently and there is still more to observe and learn. And we won’t know what’s deeper until we get the technology.
I was interested in this article because I often wonder how our culture got to the point its at and how many traditions came to be normal. This article kind of answers that but really explains it as how baby boomers ruined the world. He splits up a list of ratings and explains in a report card format. He explains that baby boomers worst grades would be in politics which he says ruined the world. I also found it interesting how the Author portrayed all of “Greats” of the baby boomer generation as failures of some sort and brought up of the issues i've never thought of. The Author concludes that the Baby Boomers deserve a b- and that they have succeeded in materialistic things but not whats key to a civilization.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/26/us/politics/supreme-court-border-wall-trump.html?module=inline
The article that piqued my interest this week would be “Supreme Court Lets Trump Proceed On Border Wall.” I find it to be utterly baffling that the US Congress has allowed a racist billionaire to compromise the integrity and diversity of the American people. Donald Trump’s border wall just might temporarily solve the drug trafficking issue he claims to have inspired his plans, but it will lead to a plethora of new problems as well. The border wall is a waste of money, and speaking of money, what parts of the military funds will the money coming out from to allow for the construction process? Will this change affect the safety of our beloved family members and friends currently risking their lives fighting for our country? Or will it impact the lives of our retired heroes recovering from the throes of war? Alongside this, if the construction were to be approved, it would lead to a disturbance within a covenant that our founding fathers had established long ago. Donald Trump’s plans would be detrimental to the separation of powers bestowed upon the 3 branches. This would allow the executive branch’s power to grow and violate the constitution. Once that line is crossed, where will the United States government go on from there? Will our democracy crumble and lead to utter chaos? Will the American people no longer live in the land of the free, but a land ruled by a tyrant or king?
This week, my favorite article was “The Creepy Anglerfish Comes to Light. (Just Don’t Get Too Close.)” by William J. Broad. I have always been interested in animals and the strange ones that live in the deep oceans. I first learned about anglerfish the same way I suppose many other kids learned about it, from the movie “Finding Nemo”. I remember as a child thinking it was made up for the movie, but those demonic-looking fish actually exist.
The article goes into some of the things we are recently able to learn about anglerfish using new technologies. Before, information on them was limited and scientists were only able to study dead subjects washed up. Now with new robotic and camera technologies, we can observe them live.
For example, I thought anglerfish were fast. In the movie “Finding Nemo” the anglerfish is seen to swim extremely fast when chasing the main characters. But in real life, they float in a fixed position or swim slowly, luring prey then using the suction from their giant mouths to pull food in.
I also found it interesting that there are many different species. One species spends most of its time on the ocean floor “walking” on its fins which look like feet. It can swim, but it chooses to walk in order to sneak up on prey better.
Finally, I learned that the large, predatorial anglerfish are actually only female. Male anglerfish look nothing like the females. They are much smaller and drain their nutrients from females when mating.
This week I read “This Fortnite World Cup Winner Is 16 and $3 Million Richer.” Fortnite, along with the Area 51 Raid, humors me. I recently went to New York City and almost everywhere you looked there was an advertisement for “The Fortnite World Championship.” It has assimilated into pop culture and has been growing at a rapid pace. Kyle Giersdorf, the sixteen year old fortnite world champion, was able to win three million dollars from simply playing a video game. This fascinated me at how phrases like “video games will lead you no where” aren’t very relevant anymore. Kyle, and many others make a living off of gaming. The way the world has changed since my childhood is incredible. From the political climate, to technology, to the roles video games have, the world has changed in major ways. It’s exciting to see what changes come next.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/05/us/dayton-shooter-connor-betts.html
This week, an article about the Dayton gunman had caught my eye. This article, in particular, interested me because it focussed on the gunman's personal history. Multiple people who knew the terrorist in the past said similar things. They said they "saw it coming" or "he would talk about guns and gore". One person even said he made a list of people that he wanted to harm or sexually assault. Hannah Shows, an old classmate, said she had been put on the list because she had turned down the gunman after he showed interest in her in grade nine. Reading this terrified me. Not because I fear that if I ever turn down a guy he will commit a horrendous act like the one in Dayton, but because I believe that people will start to fear this. Mass murders aren't born from getting rejected by girls. There was something wrong with him from the start. The problem isn't picking out the signs early; the problem is allowing people like him easy access to guns. We need gun control now. We need background checks. We need to ban automatic firearms.
"World Reacts to El Paso Shooting and the Hate That Fueled It"
The article that most interested me this week was the article "World Reacts to El Paso Shooting and the Hate That Fueled It”. On Monday, a gunman killed 22 people and injured many more in a Walmart store in El Paso, Texas. The gunman shared that this attack was a response to the Hispanic invasion of Texas and his motive was to kill as many Hispanics as he could. There was not any mention of the gunman in this attack against the Hispanics which is strange because it seems whenever we have a domestic terrorist attack, there is never any mention of the terrorist. However, if the terrorist had been a foreigner, people would have been focusing more on the killer instead of the victims. In my opinion, a terrorist is a terrorist and it doesn’t matter what country you're from. This means that we need to realize that the problem is taking place in our country. One problem we are having in the US today is that gun violence is sadly becoming very common. We hear about mass shootings all the time where the number of deaths reaches the double digits. It terrifies me to think that I might be shot and killed in a mall or store so I think that it is very important that laws be put into place to help this problem. This type of violence is unfamiliar in other countries which goes to show what needs to be fixed in our country.
"Why Mass Murderers May Not Be Very Different From You or Me"
Although it's easy to believe that any person who would take up guns against unguarded citizens is deranged or simply not right in the head, that idea may be farther from the truth then one imagines. This week, I was interested in a closer look at the belief and reasoning behind mass shooters. As one can imagine, several mass shooters were indeed diagnosed with mental illnesses that affected their behavior. However, several mentioned studies have showcased that these kinds of shooters are quite rare. What many of these other shooters are, is a person, experiencing the same stress and anger as anyone else. Someone who instead of correctly dealing with it releases it on the unsuspecting public.
It's interesting to learn that the ever-growing number of public shootings are not caused by the unwell, or uncontrollable but by persons using their actions to pander their beliefs. Several recent shooters have written online manifestos contributing themselves to reasons such as racism, xenophobia, and other demographic targeting ways.
I am interested to learn that almost every recent mass shooting is not only illegal and despicable, but also inexcusable. These people are of sound mind enough to not commit these crimes and yet do so anyway. In the end, I am most interested in what punishment we deem these people deserve
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/26/us/politics/supreme-court-border-wall-trump.html?module=inline
The article that piqued my interest this week would be “Supreme Court Lets Trump Proceed On Border Wall.” I find it to be utterly baffling that the US Congress has allowed a racist billionaire to compromise the integrity and diversity of the American people. Donald Trump’s border wall just might temporarily solve the drug trafficking issue he claims to have inspired his plans, but it will lead to a plethora of new problems as well. The border wall is a waste of money, and speaking of money, what parts of the military funds will the money coming out from to allow for the construction process? Will this change affect the safety of our beloved family members and friends currently risking their lives fighting for our country? Or will it impact the lives of our retired heroes recovering from the throes of war? Alongside this, if the construction were to be approved, it would lead to a disturbance within a covenant that our founding fathers had established long ago. Donald Trump’s plans would be detrimental to the separation of powers bestowed upon the 3 branches. This would allow the executive branch’s power to grow and violate the constitution. Once that line is crossed, where will the United States government go on from there? Will our democracy crumble and lead to utter chaos? Will the American people no longer live in the land of the free, but a land ruled by a tyrant or king?
bengal12YasamineB
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/11/opinion/sunday/men-extreme-diets.html
Eating disorders have, in our society, always been a taboo topic. For good reason, of course. An in-depth discussion about an ED can trigger survivors in recovery. But it is important to understand these issues and talk about the effect they have on all sorts of people. Wrestlers often experience EDs, like the ones the author of the article discussed, in order to make weight. My brother is in wrestling and jokes about harmful tactics he or others use to make weight. I can never tell if he’s joking, and that worries me. I always find myself telling him to eat and looking too closely at his eating habits during the wrestling season. We all need to be more sensitive to boys facing these issues, and we also need to treat both girls and boys with eating disorders with more respect.
When I read the news "Need a Mental Health Day? Some States Give Students the Option" by Derrick Bryson Taylor, the sense of desperate regret I bore since middle school crawled back into my mind.
I hate myself for the simplicity of my mind that fools me into believing that mental illnesses are far away from reality. Unfortunately, one of my friends in middle school suffered from depression and had to quit school. She was always a quiet girl, sentimental and sensitive. Somehow I ignored her growing reticence at first. But the situation soon became so grave that she refused to talk to anyone for whole days. It was, as I later realized, at the brink of her abysmal despair, that she told me that she was anxious and depressed because of the pressure in the school. Ignorant of depression at that time, I foolishly judged all her feelings as normal responses to the stress of the exams. I even told her that she had been acting too pretentiously for the triviality. However, she was growing wanner every day. Finally, after three months of sufferings, she quitted school to receive treatment. I have always been regretting for the injuries I committed to her.
If there were a mental health day, I might have taken my friend’s situation more seriously. If there were a mental health day, her life might be changed because of her classmates’ awareness and support. If there were a mental health day, the society might have saved the lives of millions of teenagers from mental problems.
Picture this: Before going to work and providing for your family, you drop your toddler off to daycare and assume your baby is in daycare with your toddler. Little do you know you baby is asleep in the back seat and is slowly dying while you're working inside. You go to jail despite it being a horrific accident. This is what Juan Rodriguez has to go through in the story,"He Left His Twins in a Hot Car and They Died. Accident or Crime?" I chose this story as my interesting topic because it got me thinking: should people really be charged for committing a crime by accident? In my opinion, I don't think so. I know for a fact Juan was heartbroken to find his dead babies in the back of his car. He would never intend to kill his children because that's something normal parents don't do. Deranged parents intentionally bring harm to their children. So deranged parents should be the ones in jail. People make mistakes all of the time. We're all human. Granted this mistake was very irresponsible but Juan didn't deserve to go to jail for an awful accident.
"Less Trash, More Schools — One Plastic Brick at a Time"
By: Anemona Hartocollis
I, like many adolescents, living in western a society rarely think about less fortunate places of the world. If we do think of those places, we only think of how bad it must be to live in that situation. Then we go about our day almost instantly forget about it. We hardly think or discuss about the people who have to live in those situations. Those people that have to overcome tremendous hardships everyday. Hardships that we hope that we never have to face. What matters is that those people are dealing with the hardships. Humans are reliable at three things; fighting for survival, having hope against odds and being resourceful. This is what links humans around the world, past and present. That present is happening right now in Ivory Coast, in West Africa. People there, faced with hardships, are doing what humans are most reliable at and that is what made this article interesting to me. The person who is at the focus of this story is Mariam Coulibaly. She is the leader of a group called "The Fighting Women" who pick up plastic trash. They do so making less than $20 a week, helping their community by turning the trash into bricks which is then used to build schools. The women hope to better provide for their community and families when the new brick factory is built. Their struggle is a true testament to what human nature can do dealt difficult cards. This is inspiring.
Gamlin_GHS_19
“There Was No Gunfire in Times Square. But the Panic Was Still Real.”
Last Wednesday, while waiting for my bus to depart from the Santa Cruz Metro Center, I was falling asleep to Ed Sheeran when I heard the sound I never thought I would hear.
It was like a thousand cymbals had clashed at one moment. In an instant, I was huddled beneath my seat, my body reduced to a twitching sack of adrenaline and jelly. The subsequent panic, gunshots, and dread made the waiting the worst twenty minutes of my life.
I eventually learned that the shots were the result of a heated argument rather than a mentally unstable domestic terrorist. Although no one was injured, the incident speaks to the severity of America’s gun problem. As Mr. Wilson explains, the population is so inundated with news of shootings that any loud sound—a vehicle backfiring, a store sign falling—can trigger widespread panic. More and more Americans are experiencing what it’s like to fear for their lives at the hands of a gun. We are actually, as Mr. Wilson puts it, living in a “new normal.”
As I listened to the car radio the next morning, I wondered how it might sound if shootings became so frequent they were reported like traffic: “A shooting at the Cupertino Target has the block zoned off and slow traffic backed up into Stelling. Additionally, police investigating a shooting at the Autumn Festival has the southbound 280 exit 13 closed.”
It may very well be the new normal if we don’t take action to avoid it.
This week I decided to go somewhere completely different from what I usually read. The article “Why Mathematicians Hate That Viral Equation”, by Kenneth Chang, he explains that the equation is put in a way that will confuse people and there is not one concept that can make the equation make sense. The viral equation is 8/2(2+2)=?, many mathematicians hate this equation. Some mathematicians had some very heated comments about this equation some of favorite ones were: “I hate this” by Amie Wilkinson, a mathematician at the University of Chicago. Dr. Wilkinson said “Secretly, it enraged me, but I didn’t actually take it out on rachel fully”. Rachel Pulido Oakley, who was a writer for “The Simpsons” sent it to Dr. Wilkinson, who is a old college friend. Also there is this one that had me laughing for a bit, “No one in good spirits would ever want to inflict it on anyone else” this was said by Dr. Ribet. To me this was a very fun read because I did see this on my feed while scrolling through Instagram, and I solved thinking it was pretty easy. But after reading this article I started to laugh because mathematicians hated the presence of that equation while I thought it was harmless and simple. To me that just showed the difference of thinking of an equation and a subject. Personally I do not mind Math, I am more of a Science man but. I just thought it was pretty cool how mathematicians could hate such a simple problem, yet again they are experts on the subject.
This Week’s ‘Pose’ Episode Brought the Cast to Tears
The fourth installment of season 2 of FX’s Pose caught me and many viewers by surprise through the tragic and untimely death of supporting black transgender character Candy Ferocity.
Pose follows the lives of black and brown LGBTQ members in New York’s 80s ballroom scene. With Pose taking place in the late 1980s and early 1990s New York during the AIDS epidemic, death is common and littered throughout the show. However, Angelica Ross’ character Candy Ferocity’s death takes a dark turn from the average depiction of death in the show as she was murdered in an attempt to make money through sex work. Despite Pose taking place over twenty years ago, the problem of black and brown transgender women being killed is still a problem today.
At the time of writing this, more than 1,000 transgender and gender-nonconforming people have been killed around the world since 2016. In the US, twelve black transgender women have been murdered in 2019 with this number constantly increasing.
This article drew me in because Pose is a favorite show of mine and how it shows little has changed with the treatment of black trans women in America. The show serves as a microcosm of today’s world and highlights contemporary problems that have been ignored for years.
People still treat transgender people as less than human and a call to action must be made before these senseless killings and violence will stop ravaging communities across the country.
"Less Trash, More Schools -- One Plastic Brick at a time"
This article sure caught my attention. Reading the title I was surely confused. Schools? Made out of Plastic Bricks? How could that possibly work?
However, this article was quite interesting and I found comfort when reading it. One day a women's group in West Africa started collecting littered plastic bags and with them would recycle them and they would be reduced and made into sturdy bricks and those bricks are now being used to build schools! It is comforting to know that our own country is making efforts to help the planet but also to learn how other countries in the world are contributing to the care and keeping of our planet!
William Henry once said, “The eyes shout what the lips are afraid to say.” This powerful quote, along with the awareness of my family’s history of extreme myopia has helped me become increasingly receptive of this one crucial fact - your eyes are more than just the windows to your soul; it is your everything. Eyes give us the opportunity and the gift of seeing the world from our own unique perspective.
Given such foreboding familial background, my eyes have always been held in the highest regard. No fingers, by any means, were allowed in proximity to my eyes. That is precisely the reason why I am totally and utterly unable to concede to my mother’s wishes to replace my dark-rimmed, nerdy-looking glasses for more fresh-faced contacts. Though universally known and used, I honestly don’t feel that people really think about the process of wearing contacts and removing them. It was always terrifying to imagine fingers digging aimlessly to extract a thin piece of polymer resting in front of the eye! Reading the article “Contact Lens Start-Up, Big on Social Media, May Be Bad for Eyes, Doctors Say” has definitely further deepened this “irrational” fear of mine. I feel for the poor people who suffered the consequences of such ignorant and irresponsible actions. I simply can’t believe that there would be a company who would sacrifice health and one’s wellbeing for cheap sales and publicity! These backhanded decisions make me question whether the world is filled with ulterior motives.
Picture this: Before going to work and providing for your family, you drop your toddler off to daycare and assume your baby is in daycare with your toddler. Little do you know you baby is asleep in the back seat and is slowly dying while you're working inside. You go to jail despite it being a horrific accident. This is what Juan Rodriguez has to go through in the story,"He Left His Twins in a Hot Car and They Died. Accident or Crime?" I chose this story as my interesting topic because it got me thinking: should people really be charged for committing a crime by accident? In my opinion, I don't think so. I know for a fact Juan was heartbroken to find his dead babies in the back of his car. He would never intend to kill his children because that's something normal parents don't do. Deranged parents intentionally bring harm to their children. So deranged parents should be the ones in jail. People make mistakes all of the time. We're all human. Granted this mistake was very irresponsible but Juan didn't deserve to go to jail for an awful accident.
“I wish we could’ve made it”by Ali Watkins
This interested me in the Times this week because I never knew that Brooklyn was as bad as it was until now I mean all those shootings and all the problems with the gangs when does it end? Where does it end?
Davion Powell was just one of the many in Brooklyn, one of the youngest men shot and killed, Davion was only a couple years older than me which makes me think anything is possible and it makes me afraid that I might be next.
I hope I am wrong I hope violence takes a turn for the greater and people realize what they are doing and see what harm they are causing in their society before it’s too late because to me this is getting out of hand and it’s sad because it ranges from mass shootings to a teenage boy or teenage girl to a toddler or infant.
These are all people either a friend, a brother, a sister, a cousin, a niece or nephew a mother a father an aunt or uncle they never knew what hit them they didn’t deserve this and my hope is that we make a difference today that the shooting and violence today in our country goes down and that we can prevent it from happening again.
My best wishes go out to Damani Troutman and her two children Samir and supreme I guess my only wish is that they could’ve made it too.
"White Terrorism Shows ‘Stunning’ Parallels to Islamic State’s Rise"
There have been more mass shootings than days so far in this year. It’s increasingly evident that white nationalists play a significant role in that statistic.
Social media’s ubiquitous presence has greatly exacerbated this trend. White nationalists brood on radical sites, drawing from manifestos of like-minded individuals to fan the incendiary flames of hate, bigotry, and sadism. But the borrowing doesn’t just end there.
The most ironically twisted part is that even as white nationalists condemn any non-whites as enemies, they also emulate many of the ideologies of the infamous Islamic State – whose base of Muslims is theoretically one of their biggest foes. In fact, the rise of this movement almost identically mirrors key motives of the Islamic State, notably an apocalyptic ideology and a driving thirst for notoriety.
However, that is not to say responses to the two are equal. An act of terrorism committed by a Muslim invokes rampant vilification. An act of terrorism committed by a white nationalist invokes wishy-washy rhetoric from America’s president.
Lack of substantial action to prevent such future events, let alone half-hearted mumblings of promises for change, will only encourage further tragedies. If we keep these double standards – for the same crime, cracking down on foreign terrorists but allowing white nationalistic terrorists to get away – we are opening the door for more devastation.
30 seconds.
Bang!
9 lives gone.
Less than 24 hours.
Bang!
29 lives gone.
Shocking isn’t it?! My world has gone from playing outside to having lock down drills during recess. My classmates are talking about getting bunkers for school like it is a normal thing to do now. Why is it necessary in the first place to have young minds thinking about their safety, because of gun violence? Things have escalated fast with this problem which has now become a big social issue. I knew that the world wasn’t always the sweetest place, but not even in my wildest thoughts did I think that Walmart (a place where I used to get my crayons and stuffed animals) would be a spot that a mass shooting would take place. I was naïve about this matter until I got a call from my father from all the way across the world to go over safety rules with me. He must have read an article like, "Back to Back Outbreaks of Gun Violence in El Paso and Dayton Stun Country" by Campbell Robertson, Julie Bosman and Mitch Smith, an article that really showed the raw truth about what is happening in the U.S. With all this being said, gun violence is terrifying, and I hope that people will take action with me to stop this instead of pushing the issue into the back of their minds. Because, unless we do something about this BAM! our future is going to go shooting down in front of our own eyes.
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Picture this: Before going to work and providing for your family, you drop your toddler off to daycare and assume your baby is in daycare with your toddler. Little do you know you baby is asleep in the back seat and is slowly dying while you're working inside. You go to jail despite it being a horrific accident. This is what Juan Rodriguez has to go through in the story,"He Left His Twins in a Hot Car and They Died. Accident or Crime?" I chose this story as my interesting topic because it got me thinking: should people really be charged for committing a crime by accident? In my opinion, I don't think so. I know for a fact Juan was heartbroken to find his dead babies in the back of his car. He would never intend to kill his children because that's something normal parents don't do. Deranged parents intentionally bring harm to their children. So deranged parents should be the ones in jail. People make mistakes all of the time. We're all human. Granted this mistake was very irresponsible but Juan didn't deserve to go to jail for an awful accident.
You might be wrong about the “beneficially effective” products that you constantly put on your face. It seems almost impossible to believe that cleansers as well as moisturizers are doing more harm rather than good regarding the acid mantle of your skin.
I found, “All of Those Products Are Making Your Skin Worse” to be the most important article on The Times this week. Being someone who partakes in a daily skincare routine, I found it very interesting that “damaging” and “harsh” products are being promoted by socially popular brands. This realization has done nothing besides lead me to believe that these big name companies are advertising harmful products solely for income.
It is terrible to hear that I might have been negatively affecting my acid mantle by applying the wrong things to my skin. It should be brought to people's attention that every time they wash their face, damage is being done. Personally, I have never heard of the acid mantle, and frankly did not know it was a very important layer of the skin. The acid mantle helps to protect any form of bacteria or virus from entering your skin. To think that I was destroying this crucial acidic film is horrible!
If more people new about the effects of washing their face with certain cleansers, it could make an impact on the amount of individuals that penetrate their acid mantle. Give back to your skin by providing it with nourishing cleansers and moisturizers that will restore your acid mantle one rinse at a time.
“Man Attacks Boy Who Refused to Remove Hat for National Anthem, Officials Say” By Neil Vigdor.
This week this article has caught my attention. When you read the headline there is a reminiscent of Colin Kaepernick and what he did to protest police brutality against people of color. I thought the 13 year old boy was doing something similar, but in actuality he just didn’t want to take his hat off. Although I understand where Curt James Brockway is coming from. I understand we need to tell others when they are wrong but just like how you can just simply change someone’s opinion by telling them they are wrong, you can’t tell people to do something they are unwilling to do. Brockway said that wearing hat during the national anthem is disrespectful , I agree but to what extent is considered disrespectful. During 4th of July we have the print of our flag on everything from plates to pants and that is consider okay in people’s eyes but according to the U.S. code that is dishonoring our flag. If I were to go and ask around, if burning our flag is disrespectful a majority will say it is, but according to the U.S. code the most respectful and dignified way to destroy our flag when it’s no longer good for display is to burn it. So what really is respectful? I feel that people need to learn that there are always someone that wouldn’t agree with them. After telling the young boy once and he refuse to listen Brockway should have minded his own business instead of acting out so violently.
“I wish we could’ve made it”by Ali Watkins
This interested me in the Times this week because I never knew that Brooklyn was as bad as it was until now I mean all those shootings and all the problems with the gangs when does it end? Where does it end?
Davion Powell was just one of the many in Brooklyn, one of the youngest men shot and killed, Davion was only a couple years older than me which makes me think anything is possible and it makes me afraid that I might be next.
I hope I am wrong I hope violence takes a turn for the greater and people realize what they are doing and see what harm they are causing in their society before it’s too late because to me this is getting out of hand and it’s sad because it ranges from mass shootings to a teenage boy or teenage girl to a toddler or infant.
These are all people either a friend, a brother, a sister, a cousin, a niece or nephew a mother a father an aunt or uncle they never knew what hit them they didn’t deserve this and my hope is that we make a difference today that the shooting and violence today in our country goes down and that we can prevent it from happening again.
My best wishes go out to Damani Troutman and her two children Samir and supreme I guess my only wish is that they could’ve made it too.
In this week’s New York Times, I was Most interested by the article, “Shooting at Festival in California Kills at Least 3”. For obvious reasons, this article caught my attention immediately. I can’t even express how upsetting it is that this is the world we live in. A world where you can’t go anywhere that is truly safe. Three people died at a garlic festival. Twelve more people were injured. No one there was bothering anyone, no one was doing anything wrong. Innocent people suffered a consequence that they didn’t deserve. That’s not to say that there ever is any good reason to attack people, no matter what they’re doing. These people though, were just enjoying a normal day, and someone who was angry with life ruined that for them. A six year old DIED. A human that had a whole life ahead of them lost it to someone else’s misdirected and uncontrolled anger. The fact that this sort of stuff not only happens in our world, but keeps happening over and over again is completely unacceptable. People should be able to go about their day to day life without the fear of a maniac with a gun jumping out and killing them. Sadly, that’s the world we live in, and you do have to live in fear of the knowledge that you could be murdered or attacked at nearly any given time. That’s why I found this article interesting. Not just interesting, important. It’s important that we know that this is the world we live in, and something has to be done about it.
"Why Mass Murderers May Not Be Very Different From You or Me"
With the abundance of mass shootings lately, many on the conservative side of the political spectrum seem quick to blame mental illness as the cause. Richard Friedman, however, argues that the majority of mass murderers are ordinary individuals who are just motivated by extreme hatred. Friedman tells multiple stories of mass shootings, about how the shooters all had no mental illnesses but were instead driven by rage towards a particular group. He drives his point home with the statement "people in the grip of ordinary emotion are capable of carrying out heinous acts of violence; you don’t need to have a mental illness to be a 'monster'" (Friedman). Reading this sparks a paranoia that anyone around us could be a mass murderer. I wholeheartedly agree with Friedman's argument, as it seems that nearly every mass shooting I hear about in the news was directed at a particular group of people. The recent mass shooting in El Paso is an example of how mass murderers are driven by hatred instead of mental illness, as the shooter was explicitly targeting Hispanic immigrants, which was proven in the four-page manifesto he released before the shooting. It seems that the mental illness narrative is consistently used as a scapegoat for these mass shootings instead of addressing the real issue at hand, the undeserved hatred toward minority groups which is driving some people in this country to commit horrible acts of violence.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/26/arts/music/popcast-bts-kpop.html?searchResultPosition=6
For the past two years of my life, I’ve been into this K-pop group called BTS. They are a Korean boy group who has completely changed my life. Which is why I decided to do my article this week on them. During this article, it talks about how BTS had their first-ever stadium performance in the United States. They performed at Citi Field as the first-ever Korean group to ever have done so. Personally, I have been to two of the concerts in the past year. One of them being the stadium in Chicago (Soldier Field) and I can say that it was an amazing experience to see. BTS’ shows actually keep the audience thrilled throughout the whole shows by showing small clips of them in between times they are changing for the next performance. Another reason why I decided to choose this article was because this group has taught me so many things. One of them is teaching me how to love myself. When I first found out about them, I was in such a bad state of mind but after listening to their music and getting to know them as human beings, I learned that I should focus on myself a lot more and learn to love myself before I can love anyone else. When the concert in the Citi Field, I was so proud of them because they literally started from nothing. BTS' success I believe, really comes off their message to tell teenagers nowadays to love themselves.
Having played video games for most of my life, I have grown quite attached to them. They’ve helped shape me into the person I am today, and I’ve made many of my closest friends through them. With that being said, it pains me to see important people in the media, the government, and even the presidential office depict them as horrible abominations that are the cause of recent shootings and violent outbreaks in youth. Feeling upset at these recent accusations, I came across the article “Video Games Aren’t Why Shootings Happen. Politicians Still Blame Them”, by Kevin Draper, which interested me because of its leading quote from psychology professor Chris Ferguson: “The data on bananas causing suicide is about as conclusive”.
This quote, relating to studies being unable to prove the link between video games and violence, really stuck with me. People are blaming recent events on video games, even when the actual evidence to back up their claims is that slim? This made me angry, especially when considering the social status and influence that those making these negative accusations have in our society. President Trump, Dan Patrick, and Kevin McCarthy are all feeding false information that isn’t backed by any evidence to the general public, which will be trusted as fact by many people in our community. This is especially hypocritical of President Trump, who frequently talks about his hatred of fake news. You’d think he’d do some research of his own before spreading any himself.
"ICE Deported Him to a Country He’d Never Seen. He Died 2 Months Later."
This article caught my attention because when I first saw the title I thought nothing of it. This was simply another injustice that has happened due to the racism rooted in this country; tragic yet still ordinary.
This is the story of a man that entered the US legally but got deported to a country that he has never known. Jimmy Aldaoud was an American that was born in Iraq. Aldaoud was riddled with mental illnesses. This however, seemingly was not taken into account when ICE decided to deport him to Baghdad.
To be fair Aldaoud was not a model citizen. He had been arrested many times before and this is the reason for his deportation.
Though nothing can excuse Aldaoud from his illegal actions, he was severely mentally ill. This should have been a factor when deciding to deport him considering that when white men decide to shoot innocent people they have the option to plead insanity. This is to say that if any person that kills so many innocent lives can plead insanity then why can't he.
All in all, it just baffles me that ICE would be immoral enough to deliberately put a man endanger, regardless of their ethnicity. The US should stop worrying about immigrants seeking refuge in our country and start to worry more about the citizens of this nation. I'm sure that if this man had been given proper medical attention instead of being pushed away to be someone else's problem, he would still be alive today.
“How We Fact-Check in an Age of Misinformation”
If it’s on national television, it has to be true, right? Turns out, the world isn’t as perfect as it seems. People will do anything within their power to pursue a goal they have. In the 21st century, politicians are not always factual, so fact checking has never been more important.
For the first time in my life, I decided to watch a political debate. Finally, I had matured enough to understand the basics of politics. While I was watching the Democratic Debate, I thought to myself that these were very wise people, who used facts to prove a point. However, after discovering that numerous aspects about the debate were false, I was dumbfounded. I always ignored my teachers when they said “be careful, not everything online is true”, and now I was here, realizing that I had just been tricked.
Our president, Donald Trump is also one of many politicians who are far from the truth. In fact, according to a major news source, Trump has made over “10,000 false or misleading claims” throughout his rallies, interviews, etc. These political figures are willing to lie to us, if they’re able to win our vote. As an American, it’s our responsibility to make sure that we disregard false information, by relying on online sites such as the New York Times, and to make sure we are choosing equitable people to represent our country, using facts and not lies.
The article that I found interesting this week was about the attack in El Paso Texas. A man went into a Walmart and proceed to kill 22 people and injure others. When I first heard of the attack I was curious as to what kind of person could do this. I was also curious as to how the people around him let this happen. After reading this article I got a better understanding as to what happened.
The suspect purchased an AK-style rifle weeks before the attack. His mother called the police to seek information as to whether him purchasing the weapon is legal or not. I’m guessing she had an uneasy feeling about this from the start. I'm also guessing that many peers from high school also had an uneasy feeling about the suspect. Throughout the article the suspects peers claimed he was “kinda off”, was almost always alone, and that he had no friends. The suspect also moved out of his grandparents house weeks before the attack without anyone knowing his exact whereabouts. He also went on to tweet a post that was against immigrants and claimed about “the Hispanic invasion of Texas” before the attack.
Given the details on the suspect, the people surrounding him had many warnings that could have prevented this tragic act of terrorism. If the people around him paid closer attention to the details this could have possibly been prevented.
The article that interested me the most in The Times this week was "Simone Biles, in Tears, Says She Still Cannot Trust U.S.A. Gymnastics." This article caught my eye because last week, I read an article about Ashley Wagner's sexual assault case and why she was advocating for more protection for figure skaters under United States Figure Skating. I wanted to learn more about how situations similar to Wagner's had affected other athletes in other sports. In this article, Simone Biles says that she still cannot trust U.S.A. Gymnastics after they failed to protect hundreds of their athletes from Larry Nassar, who was accused by over 300 gymnasts of sexual abuse. U.S.A. Gymnastics trusted Nassar to work on its gymnasts, and he molested hundreds of them under the false appearance of a medical procedure. In addition, Biles discusses the emotional aftermath of being sexually assaulted. She said that she has been in therapy to help cope with the trauma and that at times, just going to the gym to train was too hard. Other times, Biles said, "a switch would flip" during a workout, and she would remember what had happened to her and have to stop training. She also immediately puts her guard up when new people are introduced in the U.S.A. Gymnastics organization because those people there that she had known for years were unsuccessful in keeping gymnasts safe. Biles says she cannot trust U.S.A. Gymnastics after they couldn't do their only job, which was to protect their athletes.
Everyone has probably been told at least once in their life to be passionate about what they want.The problem occurs when people become so addicted to their work that they grow oblivious to the real world. This week I decided to read the article, " Do You Have to Be a Jerk to Be Great" because of the idea that people only succeed if they are all-knowing or egotistical. This idea was proved wrong after reading the article. In the article, it talks about two successful men who lived horridly outside of the work field. They mistreated their family and lived a lonely life. It came to a point where there work was so transparent that people could tell they had misspent their lives.They had not truly succeeded. I believe that it is better to live a life focused on many great things rather than just one. In fact, people miss out on the real world when they are too obsessed with their success. They isolate themselves and start to become foreign to the people most important to them. Its okay to have passion but people should draw the line when they start to notice that their ambition is consuming them. If they don't ,they will fall in too deep and start acting like a jerk.
This week I read the Article “Man Fatally Stabs 4 in California Crime Spree, Police Say” The article revolves around a stabbing that happened this Wednesday, August 6, 2019. A man by the name of Zachary Castandea went on a killing spree in Southern California. The 33 year old man had killed 4 people and injured two more before the police were able to take him into custody.
The reason this article caught my eye was due to the fact that I feel very strongly about allowing a person to take another person’s life. It is not right for one person to decide another person’s fate and when they should die, yet it seems to happen almost every day. People take innocent people’s lives. Some people believe it’s the weapon that kills the person however, there is where I disagree. The weapon is merely a pawn in the king’s choices, the king being the person in control, the person holding the weapon. There is no way to put a complete stop to this sadly because there will always be people who feel the need to kill whether for the reason of seeing it in a video game, movie, and/or real life, hearing about it, growing up around it, or other things that might play in someone’s life to cause them to want to take someone’s life.
Another thing I do not agree with is that fact that when people can’t get something like a gun to kill people they will turn to things that are easily accessible like a knife from your kitchen.
These are the reasons I chose to read this article and why it intrigued me.
Need a Mental Health Day? Some States Give Students the Option
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/24/health/oregon-mental-health-days.html?module=inline
The article I read this week was one about mental health. Issues such as anxiety and depression are things anybody could be faced with, but I think they are most prevalent in students. Getting behind on schoolwork, not understanding concepts, and trying to make good grades can easily stress someone out. Both Utah an Oregon have passed laws to allow students mental health days. This means they can have an excused day off of school to help them get back in the right state of mind. Some people find the new laws very necessary and some find them irrelevant. Personally I think every state should pass these laws for their students. It could preserve others wellbeing, and even save lives.
The article I chose was the “El Paso Shooting: Massacre That Killed 20 Being Investigated as Domestic Terrorism.” I chose this article because of the fact that shootings have been such a huge issue in our modern society lately. This shooting was a massacre that killed 20 people, the following day 27 more were wounded. What makes this horrible situation even more horrible is our president's response to the shootings. President Trump showed no genuine care in the tragedy, his response was ignorant. There have been three shootings in less than a week, and sadly it doesn’t seem our president truly cares. The El Paso shooting is one of the many tragic shootings that have occurred and with time if nobody does anything, more are to come. It has come up to the point where if you walk into a large store with many people, you fear for your life, and plan an escape route at times in your mind. People shouldn’t have to worry about this anymore, and more people shouldn’t have to die for there to be change.
This week I enjoyed an opinionated article about how swimming teaches author, Richard Friedman, happiness. Throughout the article Friedman compares how swimming teaches happiness, just how living a good life also teaches happiness. He quotes, “In the end, happiness is a side effect of living well — just like speed can be the result of excellent swimming technique.” The overall argument is very well written and constructed. Friedman uses real life examples to make it easier for the readers to understand his emotions towards swimming. By showing results from research studies, Friedman develops credibility for himself and adds to the plot of his argument; he found that, “...thinking too much about how to be happy actually backfires and undermines well-being.” He also adds humor by stating, “One day, a few years ago, I was rushing from the pool dripping wet when a man with a Russian accent stopped me and said, ‘You must come to svim with the team.’” This gives the article a sense of connectedness between the author and reader. Being a swimmer myself, I can really relate this article to my own life. Friedman’s touches on how swimming distracts you from any problems going on in one’s life. By focusing in on your technique, your worries disappear, and you become a better, faster, and stronger swimmer. So, it’s a win-win scenario. Which makes swimming stress relieving, and overall improves one’s happiness. In sum, Friedman states his opinions in a clear, relatable, and concise way.
"Less Trash, More Schools-One Plastic Brick at a Time"
This week, the article that interested me the most was about reusing trash to make bricks to build a school in Africa. This really caught my eye because it's important to me to see a way to create a opportunity for kids to receive a proper education. The Women's Group located in West Africa began collecting plastic garbage to start building a school. Mariam Coulibaly played a major roll in order to make this happen. Ms. Coulibaly collected plastic items for about twenty years and organizing this major project. This article made realize how important people like her are because her idea sparked education, jobs, and a way to clean up Africa in the most efficient way possible.it's so inspiring to see how much effort Ms.Coulibaly put in to make this possible. By going on 5am runs into towns to collect trash, to creating a community association called "Fighting Women" to unite the community to make use of the trash their collecting. Once they collected all the trash, they would meet to sell and sort what they have. Although the women were making seventeen to twelve dollars less than the minimum wage, Ms. Coulibaly was putting the little money she was getting into private school tuition for her three kids to grow up with the education they deserve. Although she was receiving less than minimum wage, it still shows how dedicated she is to have kids grow up with the right education, even if that means making a school out of trash.
"Why Mass Murderers May Not Be Very Different From You or Me"
We believe that we will always adhere to our values, but this is far from the truth.
I was introduced to the malleability of human morals in history class. We were learning about WWII, horrified by the Nazis' crimes. We questioned: how could people commit such an atrocity against humanity?
The answer was not what we expected: banality. Hannah Arendt, a philosopher, detected this when she witnessed the trial of Adolph Eichmann, who transported millions of Jews to concentration camps. She discerned that he seemed "terrifyingly normal."
She reported on the "banality of evil" after the observation. She described how anyone could have been viable to commit the crimes, as normalcy was the common trait in those that did. Abstaining from their ethics, they reassured themselves that they were not the real evil; they were only following someone else's ideology.
I was reminded of this when I read the NYT article. Most mass murderers are not mentally ill; they have the same emotions we all have — rage and vengeance are merely amplified. As more extremist groups have congregated on the internet, future mass murderers become devoted to erroneous doctrines, believing they should kill to follow those ideals.
Claiming that murderers are "mentally ill" gives us the illusion of safety, implying that a "normal person" would never do such a thing. But this is dangerous, and convinces us to not face the true problem: compliance.
The article “Juul Targeted Schools and Youth Camps, House Panel on Vaping Claims” attracts attention as it addresses a topic relevant to most teens: vaping. Because so many parents, doctors, and teachers are concerned about this issue, it is startling to discover that schools are allowing and even being paid for letting Juul employees talk to students about health. Schools that team up with Juul seem to be promoting e-cigarettes instead of condemning them. They are supporting the unhealthy habit many teens are already struggling with. The company, however, does not wish to be seen as bribing schools and targeting teens. According to The New York Times, Juul’s chief administrative director said that all the programs with schools and health camps are designed to stop kids from using the product. The business's efforts are counterproductive and confusing. Youth who go to these schools or camps are introduced to the vape company, leading to interest in the product. Despite the good message on the surface, the camps act as a kind of advertisement with the cover of a healthy program. On top of it all, social media influencers are “recruited” by Juul to promote the devices. Teenagers are notorious for the use of social media. They absorb the ideas presented by influencers, including vaping. Seeing the promotion of Juul by social media, schools, and friends aggravate the issue of teen vaping.
The most intriguing article was " El Paso Suspect Ordered Gun and Moved Out in Weeks Before Attack." Early this month a shooting occurred which resulted in 22 deaths at a Walmart, in El Paso, Texas. This devastating event is now being investigated and could rule as a hate crime or a domestic terrorist act. The gunman, Patrick Crusius astounded fellow family members with the act. The gunman developed an opinion on politics in his youth. The questions he asked those peers were different. Conversations had sparked debates where Crusius would argue his beliefs. When Crusius's mother had called the police about a recent order of an AK style rifle purchased by her son, asking for help regarding the proper usage. Ms. Crusius did not provide her name or her sons at the time. This story is one with subtle warnings that sparked little to no concern during the occasions.
I chose this story due to controversial debates on gun control within recent years. In a perfect world, hateful acts can be prevented. Unfortunately, not everyone can be watched or closely monitored. Placing stricter gun control laws will help temporarily, but not a long term situation. In the end, the conclusion is people hurt people. America has to take accountability for the people' actions, not the weapon itself. Answers to these concerns result in differences in political views. I believe to restrain hateful crimes, American's have to build a united front on the topics at hand, as a whole.
bengal11JamieK
“Chance the Rappers Ode’s to Joy”
The piece on Chance the Rapper immediately caught my eye. He’s a favorite musician of mine. All the work he has done for my home ,Chicago, touched me as an individual. He’s not your stereotypical rapper. His new album was long awaited by fans. I love the line the article chose to include “Side chicks can't take out splinters/ Side chicks make they Kool-Aid with Splenda.” Those lines speak wonders. They are funny, but they allude to a much greater issue happening in our world. I was pleased that Chance brings up this issue in a sort of satirical way. His music isn't always that way though.
My favorite song by him would be “65th & Ingleside.” It is a more serious song. The first line of the song “There's a way, out of no way” has so much meaning. Lyric Genius says it's a reference to the gospel saying “God will make a way when there seems to be no way.” It also is a remark to how he thought he was going to lose his girl and daughter because of his infidelity. At this time he was living with his girlfriend so he lost everything. He had no home, he lost his daughter and his future wife. The song while sad, makes me feel inspired. His new album is actually about the marriage between him and his wife. Chance turns his whole life around. It really shows his growth as a partner and father. He becomes faithful and an even better father. This song other than the language, is amazing. I recommend giving Chance a chance.
This week, I read “Lil Nas X’s ‘Old Town Road’ Breaks Billboard’s Singles Record” by Ben Sisario. This article is especially interesting to me because the track “Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X is much different than anything that has hit #1 on Billboard before, and the Lil Nas X’s way of marketing the song and getting it where it is is very new.
The story behind the song is very intriguing. Lil Nas X (real name Montero Hill), a college dropout who bought a backing track for $30, managed to create a “country-trap hybrid”, and used it to create the song. "Old Town Roas" started to catch fire on TikTok, a video app used by many young people. I find this funny, as TikTok has dominated social media, with many people my age making videos of themselves dancing to the track with cowboy hats on. Hill signed with Columbia Records and “Old Town Road” reached #1 on Billboard in mid-April. Lil Nas X even tweeted, “EVERYBODY STREAM ALL 79 VERSIONS OF OLD TOWN ROAD!! LET’S BREAK THE RECORD!!”
What really catches my eye is how Lil Nas X marketed the song. It is interesting that Hill, in the words of Matty Karas of Music Leaf, ‘understands how the web works, how culture moves in 2019’ , and capitalized on this to create a musical sensation. His use of social media and the internet to make “Old Town Road” into a #1 hit astonishes and intrigues me, and I’ll be interested to see if and how the rest of the music industry uses the web to try to replicate this success.
Video Games are taking the newest generation by storm. Many kids are growing up in front of screens playing on their gaming consoles. Some people think games are just a hobby, and can’t become a real source of income for adult-hood. The article I chose to read this week disproves that. I read “This Fortnite World Cup Winner Is 16 and $3 Million Richer,” by Derrick Bryson Taylor and Niraj Chokski. This told the story of how a 16 year old, Kyle Giersdorf, won 3 million dollars in a game tournament for Fortnite. He trained and played Fortnite for multiple hours every day, while having to deal with school. Giersdorf has almost broke E-sport records in total earnings won, but has broken the most an individual has made from a single prize . Only a few people have made more money from esport tournaments than Kyle, and he plans to keep pushing to make more and more progress in his gaming career.
This peaked my interest this week because I also play video games very frequently. It is a dream of mine to make millions from the comfort of my own home, or own desk. I play hours on end every week, and seem to be pretty good at them. When I compare myself to other popular players and professional streamers, I didn't come close to topping them, and plan to play casually with friends.
“Protesters Start Three Days of Civil Disobedience in Hong Kong”
In China, where I live, every piece of media is censored and doctored by the state. Yet, even so, when the headline of the newspaper that day read “Radical Hong Kong Rioters Terrorize City with Violence,” I was shocked. As the TV droned on about how the protesters were “vicious” and the police “disciplined,” I opened my phone to videos of these officers viciously beating elderly passerby, pepper-spraying injured journalists, and firing canister after canister of tear gas into buildings packed with panicked civilians. And the “savage” protesters? They returned at midnight to clean up the debris once it became clear that those in charge would not do so. I knew then which side I ought to support.
However, though my conviction for their cause has not, my thoughts on the demonstrators’ increasingly desperate tactics have wavered in recent weeks. As the article acknowledges, the state media has capitalized on the most extreme cases of violence to antagonize the uninformed; as such, those who have resorted to attacking police with gasoline bombs and repeatedly blocking subway stations risk discrediting not only their cause but also their compatriots. For Hong Kong, the battle against the autocratic Chinese government is an uphill one–only when protesters continue to act with their characteristic dignity and principle in the face of brutality can they hope to bring about the change they so desperately need and deserve.
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Video: “Man From Michigan Pleaded for Help After Deportation to Iraq”
Jimmy Aldaoud, who lived the wonders of being raised on American soil has been killed due to America’s negligence of the UDHR. The Department of Homeland Security, responsible for ensuring safety, security, and resiliency against terrorism has stripped Mr. Aldaoud from his family, alienated him, causing his death whilst begging for help due to his medical condition in a country he couldn’t communicate in. Stranded in Iraq, visibly distressed and unkempt. Aldaoud begs for understanding, “I’ve been in the U.S. since I was six months, He said I was going to Iraq, I’ve never been there, I’ve been in this country my whole life.” Mr. Aldaoud’s opportunity to defend himself was immorally stripped away, his voice has been silenced in the face of DHS’s barbarism. Yet what appalls me is the various violations of the UDHR when addressing Aldaoud’s case. Article one proclaims, “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights...” If the U.S. prizes themselves off of these articles, then where was the representation of these rights when Jimmy Aldaoud’s freedom and equality were revoked in the hands of a robotic, manipulative system. The Department of Homeland Security murdered a man to “ensure security,” and “safety.” Jimmy, a human who deserved equality couldn’t get help for his disease in a country he was alienated in. Jimmy Aldaoud, a man from Michigan, was a victim of DHS’s human rights negligence.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/08/climate/noaa-hurricane-forecast.html
I think everyone has some sort of memory from hurricane season. Hurricane Season is a time, usually from June 1st to November 30th, when hurricanes form in the Atlantic Ocean. I link the phrase “hurricane season” to Hurricane Irene, which struck the East Coast in 2011 and Hurricane Irma and Maria which struck the Caribean, Puerto Rico, and Florida in 2017. I have distinct memories from these hurricanes that make them stand out in my mind. People all along the East Coast might have similar memories from these and other hurricanes. This year, Federal Weather Researchers expect hurricane activity to be greater than normal. This means that at least 17 hurricanes are expected to make landfall this year. Hurricane season is ramping up and two storms have already been named. Some researchers suggest that global warming and climate change are causing storms to stall and eventually, dump large amounts of water on cities across the U.S. Hurricane Season is showing people the changes that are occurring on our Earth and is helping us to understand that it is not long until we can not reverse the clock. We must take action to save our planet.
In this weeks article, it talks about the biggest Fortnite event so far, the Fortnite World Cup. This event was filled with loads of famous people around the gaming industry including all of Faze Clan, CEO of 100 Theives, and hundreds of pro Fortnite players and casters. Some celebrities even attended this fortnite event. This event was jammed pack with all its tickets sold out including cosplay members, zip lines ,IRL Fortnite items, over 100 screens, and over 100 cameras for all angles for the audience. The event gave a full view on everything about the event. Also ,’’Giant 4K LED screens for live in game footage of the players, smoke machines, spotlights, and confetti in every match played.’’ Although the gaming event may sound friendly and all fun in games, its not for the players and other competitors….. its all business when they are playing. The text states.’’ But the World Cup is deadly serious. Forty million players participated in online qualifiers, and epic games gave out $30 million in prize money, including $3 million to the winners in both the solo and duo competitions.’’ The crazy thing about that is,'' That is more than Novak Djokovic and Simona Halep earned for winning the Wimbledon this month. As a matter of fact, the fortnite arena for the world cup took place in a tennis stadium due to its wide acres of land for outside viewing of the tournament and its activities. The event had carnival type fortnite games named Glider Zipline, and Pickaxe Pit.
Rhythm assisted poetry has been around for years, but few are able to pour their heart and soul into rap like Nathan Feuerstein. ‘NF’ was first on the scene as a Christian rapper in 2014, but quickly turned from gospel to a self-reflecting story teller. Oftentimes rapping about his previous experiences living through a rough childhood, or talking about his emotions towards his position as a rapper, he accumulated a large fan base who could relate to his music.
In the article “NF has the No. 1 Album in the Country, and He Sounds Miserable” by Jon Caramanica, NF’s awkward position as a rapper is pointed out. Despite achieving multiple platinum awards and reaching No. 12 on Billboard's Top 100 on his single “Let You Down” in 2017 on his album, Perception, NF has stayed out of mainstream music, and has still not received the attention that would be expected. With his new album The Search, his interaction with fame and how he deals with his achievements is brought up again and again. In fact, on the song “Leave Me Alone”, he talks about why he is underestimated as a rapper: “We don't post enough on our socials/To keep the buzz from fading”. NF feels he’s not being active enough in the hip-hop community outside of his music, causing him to be overlooked.
What many fans find so endearing about his music is how well he explains his own situation to others through catchy fast paced rap lyrics, and how he has a knack for depicting his own life to others through his music.
https://nyti.ms/33egRF1
Whenever we visited my aunt in Japan, my South Korean mother, who attended college in Tokyo, always told me to “remember” the painful shared history between Korea and Japan. As my identity further developed as a native Korean with a profound fascination for Japanese culture, her guidance compelled me to navigate the relationship between past, present, and future when I felt caught between two worlds.
Given that the recent economic feud between South Korea and Japan stems from Japan’s colonial rule over Korea during WWII, the act of remembering, embittered by nationalism and lingering emotions from the past, now endangers the greater good in the face of North Korea’s recent missile launch.
Memory is a complex thing, and South Korea and Japan thus face the challenge of striking a healthy balance between past actions and future collaborations. Not only must each country acknowledge its past histories — warts and all — but also recognize that the greater international well-being depends on their willingness to sacrifice and cooperate as allies. History is incontrovertibly an important element of our lives and we should all learn to “remember,” as my mother advised, but while also remaining mindful of its relationship to present and future circumstances.
“LightSail-2 Mission Shows Solar Sailing’s Potential for Spaceflight”
Humanity will not touch the stars for a long time, a very long time. That is the hard truth. A multitude of issues prevents humankind from exploring the vast expanse of interstellar space, namely technology, biology, and funding. Requisite technology for interstellar human transport has not yet been developed. Null gravity environments and radiation both have appreciable detrimental effects on humans and there is simply not enough funding to develop technologies to resolve these issues. It will be hundreds or thousands of years before humans ever achieve interstellar travel.
However, while humans are victim to all of these cosmic nuisances, machines are not. Machines can survive the harsh conditions and extended periods of time required for space travel. The first visitors to other solar systems will be machines. Solar sail technology allows for lightweight machines to fly at fractions of the speed of light by taking advantage of the momentum of photons (light) that hit its sail. Because there is no air (and therefore no air resistance) in space, the spacecraft constantly accelerates, allowing it to achieve these momentous velocities. This technology exists and is being demonstrated as functional by LightSail 2. It is reasonable to say that within 50 years, unmanned missions could be launched to other stars, powered solely by the power of light.
The article that interested me most this week was, "The Lonely Pursuit of Air Hockey Greatness," by Allie Conti. This article talks about how people train and become great in the world of air hockey. It talks about the struggles they go to not only to find a place to play, the correct pucks to play with, but also how you have to be in a physical condition to play. As an ice and field hockey player, it was interesting to learn how people were so competitive with air hockey, as I think of it as a game we play when messy around at a restaurant after a game. Through the article it was interesting to learn about how the sport was not accepted or allowed in New York, but was in some parts in Ontario. Also how some air hockey tables are not the same length as others and there is different puck weight. Lastly, it was interesting to learn how the better the shape your in the better your probably are. You can also have different techniques that set you apart from other players. Players are ranked from best to worst and it takes lots of skill and practice to be the best. Overall, it was cool learn about a sport that is not very popular and how people will do anything for a sport they love.
This week on the times i was interested by the article, or should i say the tutorial, “Yes, You Can: Fold a Fitted Sheet” which was produced by The New York Times. It was enlightening really, watching and reading about how to fold a fitted sheet, a question that I have been pondering for as long as I can remember but never found time to google the answer of. The reason for my discovery of this question came straight out of my undeniable laziness and pure hatred of all things politics. You see, when I said I was interested in this article, I more or less was just excited to finally see an article that wasn’t about Donald Trump or something grim and sad (although a serious problem) such as the shooting that have occurred recently. As a teenager I tend to put things off, such as looking up the answer to the question “how do you fold a fitted sheet” and the summer reading contest that I am being required to do for my APlang class that i am taking this year, so anything that helps me achieve my goals, such as completing my summer homework that I am already slacking on, is interesting to me. I think my mom will be pleased to know I am now able to fold a fitted sheet, I am too. Folding, very interesting.
"The El Paso Shooting is the Violence Latino’s Are Dreading"
Early morning on August 3, a shooter walked into a Walmart in El Paso killed 22 people and injured 24 in another mass shooting. The shooter, Patrick Crusius, was supposedly aiming to shoot and kill Latinos with his AK-47 assault rifle. The victims range from age 2 to age 90, and 8 of the 22 victims were Mexican citizens. Janet Murguia, believes that the shooting was caused by President Donald Trump’s hatred and discrimination against Mexican citizens and immigrants.
Murguia uses the belittlement charge to persuade the audience of President Trump’s wrongs against Mexicans. “We should have spent the last two and a half years working to advance our country. Instead, we had to focus on protecting the progress we have made — while also responding to the administration’s cruel actions that traumatize children, inflict pain and break down communities.” (Murguia). She also uses sympathy, as she replays the anger and intense sadness people have expressed since the shooting.
I agree with Ms. Murguia. I believe that Mr. Trump’s hateful attitude toward immigrants is one of the causes behind mass shootings like the one in El Paso. Before he killed dozens of people, Patrick Crusius posted an article comparing Mexican immigration to an “invasion”. This hateful attitude toward our neighbors will only escalate the chances of another shooting like this happening again.
“Now There’s an Event to Storm Loch Ness and ‘Find Dat Big Boi’”
What are my plans for September 20? Obviously, I’ll be storming Area 51 with my fellow Naruto runners and Kyles. After, I’ll be searching for Bigfoot - he can’t evade us all. But before I take my flight to South Korea (we’ll be storming North Korea), I’ll check up on my European friends on their way to the Vatican.
This article stood out to me because I’m floored by how much attention these memes are getting. The original “Storm Area 51” event should have been contained to platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and Reddit. Instead, it spread like wildfire: it was picked up by traditional news outlets, the government issued a warning against it, and my mom sat me down and warned me how dangerous this would be. My own mom is proficient in this meme.
Since the meme began, it has multiplied in the form of storming every mysterious location, including the Loch Ness, Fort Knox, and the Bermuda Triangle.
Most of the time, memes are throwaway jokes with a shelf-life of a week. In some cases, however, memes can be influential forces - for example, the anti-vax meme spread awareness about the importance of vaccines. In this case, the “storming” memes have reached the masses and those brave or foolish enough to go may actually get hurt. But with all the attention the storming jokes are getting from articles like this one, storming any secretive location seems plausible and almost justified.
“LightSail-2 Mission Shows Solar Sailing’s Potential for Spaceflight”
Humanity will not touch the stars for a long time, a very long time. That is the hard truth. A multitude of issues prevents humankind from exploring the vast expanse of interstellar space, namely technology, biology, and funding. Requisite technology for interstellar human transport has not yet been developed. Null gravity environments and radiation both have appreciable detrimental effects on humans and there is simply not enough funding to develop technologies to resolve these issues. It will be hundreds or thousands of years before humans ever achieve interstellar travel.
However, while humans are victim to all of these cosmic nuisances, machines are not. Machines can survive the harsh conditions and extended periods of time required for space travel. The first visitors to other solar systems will be machines. Solar sail technology allows for lightweight machines to fly at fractions of the speed of light by taking advantage of the momentum of photons (light) that hit its sail. Because there is no air (and therefore no air resistance) in space, the spacecraft constantly accelerates, allowing it to achieve these momentous velocities. This technology exists and is being demonstrated as functional by LightSail 2. It is reasonable to say that within 50 years, unmanned missions could be launched to other stars, powered solely by the power of light.
The article I read was “Now There’s an Event to Storm Loch Ness and ‘Find Dat Big Boi’”
I found this article interesting because it relates to current events that teens, me included, are enjoying. The Area 51 raid has become a huge meme, and has drawn obvious national attention, from people of all ages. This event is funny because it follows after the Area 51 storming event. It also gets interesting and funny when the spokeswoman said “There is really no need...it is open to the public 24/7, 365 days a year” I also found it interesting when the lifeguards at Loch Ness described the typical conditions of the lake. The water is very cold, and the weather can drastically change within a matter of minutes. A final thing I found interesting about this article was the size of the lake. I had no idea that the lake was 750ft deep and miles long. It baffles me that a body of water could be that deep!!!
According to the United States Army, a women must ‘act’ like a rape victim in order to be one. She’s required to scream, yell and fight her abuser in order for the sex to be considered rape. All women in the military are trained to be silent and obedient giving potential rapists the upper hand, leaving victims helpless. In America, many rape victims hide their abuse in fear of the humiliation and consequences that may follow filing a report. The sexual assault cases in the military are quickly concealed and left undealt with due to a ‘lack of evidence’ or because the women simply didn’t struggle hard enough. A man was able to rape a women, leave his semen on her covers and still have his conviction overturned. The reality of the situation is that, the people who protect our nation are left unprotected by our nation; something that must be changed in the future not only for the sake of future enlisted women but for the sake of all women of America. As a teen girl, I feel as if I’ve experienced some of the foul and inhumane things men are capable of. Often while exercising, men believe they have the right to slow their vehicles to stare, honk their horn, and take photos of not only women but teen girls; this is a fact that is simply intolerable. If America wishes to see a potential change in our country, then those who defend our nation shouldn’t be left abandoned because of sexual predators. Change cannot persist through silence, absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.
This week I have read and viewed The Weekly, episode eight “Hard Left”, intern understanding and agreeing with the views of young liberal activists. The Sunrise movement, mentioned in this episode regarding poor management of action to deal with climate change, opened my eyes to demanding responsibility from our representatives. With our current president, who withdrew from the Paris climate act 4 years ago, little has been done to act on climate change in terms of new laws to slow down and control the change in which is occurring to the planet. Actions in which can help to restore the relationship between the United States and other countries collaborating on the standards of the Paris climate agreement would be to first, be the exemplary country to take charge and save planet earth. Some lobbyists and politicians have proposed to tax the carbon footprint of individuals, convert to alternative fuel options, conduct studies on climate change affects for decades, and more. I currently am thrilled with the campaign of multiple democratic canidits this year, for they have proposed action on climate change. It is also a relief that all the canidates understand the evidence surrounding climate changes effects, studied by scientists, proves that climate change is occurring and is not a “hoax”.
This Summer Stinks. But at Least We’ve Got ‘Old Town Road.’
I read the title with skepticism: “This Summer Stinks. But at Least We’ve Got ‘Old Town Road’” by Farhad Manjoo.
How could a short, fad-spawning song like “Old Town Road” unite people in the face of such divisiveness? Manjoo convinced me that, even in this time of polarization, entertainment media can bring us together.
In his article, Manjoo argues that cultural successes such as the song as well as Avengers: Endgame or The Office demonstrate the “power of digital culture to forge a shared perspective” (Manjoo). He uses impactful diction to strengthen his position. When describing the song, he calls it “something wonderful and true” with “twangy, earworming jubilation” (Manjoo). Manjoo’s use of powerful words like “wonderful” and “jubilation” convinces the reader that “Old Town Road” can indeed foster a shared perspective.
Even Manjoo, the author, recognizes it’s “just a two-minute pop song”, and I didn’t believe it could have any larger impact. But, in between reading the article and writing this comment, I heard “Old Town Road” on the radio - on a different continent. That helped me realize its real impact. “Old Town Road” won’t make us drop our arguments or reconcile our differences. But it can help. Right now, social media and news media help us shut out opposing opinions. But when so many people experience the same thing, even if it’s “just a pop song”, it brings us together. And we need that right now.
The article I found the most interesting this week was: “He Left His Twins in a Hot Car and They Died. Accident or Crime?” Unless the prosecutors are absolutely certain that a parent's intent was murdering thier child/children, no one should ever get pressed with charges or punished for leaving their children in the car. Yes, what Juan Rodriguez did was incredibly stupid, unfortunate, and irresponsible, but it was also a complete accident. Nobody should get punished for a genuine mistake; if Juan had remembered his children earlier he would have corrected his mistake. If anything, he is already being punished for life by having to cope with the loss of not one but two of his children, and living with the guilt that he is the one who (accidentally) killed them, when all he had to do to prevent it was drop them off at daycare. There is no court-issued punishment worse than what Juan had already brought upon himself.
“James Comey: Mr. President, please take a stand against racism.”
This article interested me because it calls out the president and what he is doing with his power. On multiple occasions, Trump has indirectly encouraged and emboldened racist people. For example, he said there were “some very fine people” when talking about white nationalists in Charlottesville. He stayed silent when his adoring supporters chanted “send her back”, about Ilhan Omar, at one of his rallies. This president says he is not racist and who might say he is not to blame for the shootings in Texas and Ohio is the same president who told four upstanding congresswomen of color to “go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came.” This is just the tip of the iceberg. Back in 1973, the US Department of Justice under the Nixon Administration, sued Trump due to his refusal to rent to black tenants. Not too long ago, in 2015, in his campaign, Trump called Mexican immigrants “rapists” who are “bringing crime” and “bringing drugs” to the US. His campaign was largely built on building a wall to keep these immigrants out of the US. This shows clearly that this mans intent is building a country that is run on white supremacy, and that’s not acceptable.
This action of “trying to unleash and exploit the radioactive energy of racism” is what got Trump elected. People should vote in 2020 to make sure this doesn’t happen again.
“These Giant ParrotsOnce Roamed New Zealand”
For this week in the times, I read the article “These Giant ParrotsOnce Roamed New Zealand” by Cara Giaimo. The article told about bones that were found on an island in New Zealand have been identified as a giant 3-foot parrot that lived 19 to 16 million years ago. The author exclaimed how the giant parrot weighed as much as 15 pounds and likely did not fly. To read facts like that is why this article interested me the most. I am not a fan of politics nor am I a fan of celebrities so articles such as this one tend to catch my eye. Also, it is always good to expand your knowledge of all things, so why not learn about a huge prehistoric parrot? Our planet's history has always sparked my interest so reading this article was a no brainer for me. The scientists that discovered this bird are still unsure of the exact mass of this creature, so until they find that information i'll be waiting.
This is an Article About Women. I was immediately drawn in by the millions of possibilities that could follow that title. What I read, wonderfully, was an analysis of feminist fashion and how it has been coopted by the market. The “economics of visibility,” as the author calls it, allows companies to adopt a thin veneer of inclusivity and progressiveness while their actions say otherwise.
As I read this article, I was instantly reminded of Pride month, where companies add rainbows to their logos or sponsor floats in local parades while actively discriminating against LGBT folks. YouTube and their parent company Google, for example, ran ads in support of queer families and changed their logos on social media, while restricting LGBT videos and demonetizing queer creators. The Human Rights Foundation named Raytheon, a weapons manufacturer, the best place to work for LGBT people. One of Raytheon’s main partners is Saudi Arabia, where it’s illegal to be gay.
This is what happens when the politics of a movement gets separated from its iconography, and suddenly the symbol doesn’t have that same power it once carried. Companies have decided that the women’s and queer rights movements are popular enough to turn a profit from, and in so doing have taken the power of visibility out of our hands and into their pockets.
"Walmart Store Connected Cultures, Until a Killer ‘Came Here for Us’
https://nyti.ms/33glIWv"
On one serene Saturday afternoon, I opened the curtain next to my desk in a perfunctory manner. The sun shone as usual, nothing was extraordinary until my phone displayed a notification of the mass shooting in El Paso. It caught my attention because I did not turn on notifications for news apps; my phone seldom shows any except for momentous events. Additionally, the name of the place sounded like a town near the border. Since the city I live in is also really close to Mexico, I had an indescribably timorous feeling: Would this tragedy arise in our city someday?
I love looking out from the window in my room every afternoon. The saturated blue sky embellished with fluffy white clouds, sporadic blackbirds, and lush palm trees is my favorite painting on the wall. I do not want this masterpiece to be stained by blood. I am scared that deafening gunshots would break the tranquil afternoon.
Sadly, it seems not many people understand its beauty; some even describe the border as “a place of crisis.” However, the only crisis is caused by those extremists who believe that it is their responsibility to save their land from innocent Hispanic people. They draw a circle, claim it as their territory, and attack anyone who wants to enter. Technologies allow us to connect with others easily. Why would people still imprison themselves inside the imaginary circle?
"Fortnite World Cup Crowns a Teenage Winner, Now $3 Million Richer"
Kyle Giersdorf was like a lot of teenagers in modern America, go to school for 7 hours a day to then go home and relax playing video games that you love. For many people this time is there escape from reality, a time to separate yourself from the troubles of the world and immerse yourself in a reality where everything is possible.
For some video games have become more than just a hobby. Lately it can be turned into a career and Kyle, just a highschooler from Pennsylvania, was able to turn his passion into his career. After playing for up to 10 hours a day across 5 days a week he was able to qualify for a contest to win up to $3 million while playing the game he loved. Qualifying for the Fortnite World Cup was a dream for many and Kyle wasted no time when given the chance. He went in aiming for a high placement but after the first game, he knew he would accept nothing less first place.
As the 6 games went on he further expanded his lead until it was all over and he had won. As the final seconds ticked down you could see the concentration on Kyle's face quickly change to excitement. Kye had just achieved something many people will never get to, he was able to earn money doing what he loved. A champion was crowned and life would never be the same for Kyle. Coming home with $3 million he now had one goal, to buy a new desk so he can keep pursuing what he loves.
“What Experts Know About People Who Commit Mass Shootings?”
It seems as if the United States has been plagued with a serious epidemic that has only continued to grow in lethality throughout history. This epidemic is known widely as “mass murder”. As I began to scan the articles present in the New York Times this week, my heart ached vigorously. For, the headlines I viewed seemed especially tragic this week following the mass shootings that occurred this past Saturday and Sunday.
My mouse clicked and my chosen article laid before me. Written by American Journalist, Benedict Carey, the article delves deep into the psychological aspect behind these tragedies, taking readers into the mind of a mass shooter and answering questions regarding contributing factors presented by society. Written in a question-and-answer format, Carey answers, and addresses many common questions and speculations, backed by scientific analysis, research, and publications.
I finished the article with great disappointment and a craving for more; I wanted answers. However, this conclusive emptiness I felt only furtherly justified a report on my behalf. For, I did not choose to report on this article because of any enjoyable, congenial, or even engrossing aspect. Simply, I felt the need to spread the word on gun violence; doing my part to keep the topic in conversation, even if my part may be too small to be majorly impactful on its own.
“James Comey: Mr. President, please take a stand against racism.”
This article interested me because it calls out the president and what he is doing with his power. On multiple occasions, Trump has indirectly encouraged and emboldened racist people. For example, he said there were “some very fine people” when talking about white nationalists in Charlottesville. He stayed silent when his adoring supporters chanted “send her back”, about Ilhan Omar, at one of his rallies. This president says he is not racist and who might say he is not to blame for the shootings in Texas and Ohio is the same president who told four upstanding congresswomen of color to “go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came.” This is just the tip of the iceberg. Back in 1973, the US Department of Justice under the Nixon Administration, sued Trump due to his refusal to rent to black tenants. Not too long ago, in 2015, in his campaign, Trump called Mexican immigrants “rapists” who are “bringing crime” and “bringing drugs” to the US. His campaign was largely built on building a wall to keep these immigrants out of the US. This shows clearly that this mans intent is building a country that is run on white supremacy, and that’s not acceptable.
This action of “trying to unleash and exploit the radioactive energy of racism” is what got Trump elected. People should vote in 2020 to make sure this doesn’t happen again.
For week eight of the NYT Summer Reading Contest, what caught my eye immediately was the article, "Nxivm: How a Sex Cult Leader Seduced and Programmed His Followers". Written by Colin Moynihan, the article describes a court case where many victims of a sub-Nxivm sex cult group, controlled by Mr. Raniere, were taught different principles and values in order to please their leader, despite if it was unlawful, or immoral. Personally, I wish the article went more in-depth psychologically about Mr. Raniere's manipulation methods, in order for the reader to understand what the victims went through, and how they were essentially "reprogrammed" for Raniere's sickly twisted purposes. Unquestionably, I feel awful that these lewd acts transpired, and hope that the victims are getting the help they deserve in order to heal as best they can. It is inexcusable that such an ordeal can take place in today's society, and I hope those who took part in manipulating the victims are punished lawfully.
This week I read the Article "Trump weighs new stance as pressure mounts after shootings", by Sheryl Gay Stolberg, Maggie Habberman and Johnatan Martin.
As a former inhabitant of a country where guns are banned, I honestly do not know what to say about this stance. You see, although Gun legislation theoretically, could reduce murders by firearm, there are two chilling facts left: Madmen will always find a way to make ends meet, and Humans err.
Enter The Dark Web: An unspeakable-thing-riddled piece of code that shows the darker nuances of human nature. The thing is, The Dark web has stores that are like an Amazon of Illegal stuff. From Drugs and illegal firearms to... *shudders* Humans. See the keyword there? You can illegally get weapons through the readily accessible Dark Web. The criminals and madmen would only get slightly annoyed as they would have to pay more for "goods" they could get cheaper at an earlier time. Nevertheless, who knows? They might their own version of Domiciliary Prime shipping.
Furthermore, Humans err. "See that gloom, shady guy there? Well, he was killed after his weapons were confiscated and some thugs did a home invasion. Shot twice in the heart. Poor guy, he was just a grump." The matter is not "if we will err, but when. Moreover, what about interpersonal strifes? "I hate you, so you are uncertified to own guns." Moreover, being a gun owner is expensive. How would you, reader, feel if they took $100k from you?
"Ethiopia Says It Planted Over 350 Million Trees in a Day, a Record"
This week, the article that caught my attention was one about the environment. In Ethiopia, the government is pushing to get at least 200 million seedlings planted a day, however over 350 million ended up being planted. I believe it is a great idea to have your country plant trees together, as it promotes unity and combats land degradation. Obviously, the people of Ethiopia thought the same way, totally crushing their original 200 million tree goal. This tree movement truly shows that a lot of people getting together can truly make a difference.
This week in the Times I read “Milo Ventimiglia on Jack Pearson and the Other Good Guys.” The reason I chose this article is because Milo Ventimiglia is a key character that I have watched for a long portion of my life. I have grown up knowing and watching the show ‘Gilmore Girls.’ Gilmore Girls is about two women (a mom and daughter) who take on the world together. They go to a diner everyday and Luke (diner owner) is very close to the mom and Luke has a nephew named Jess (Milo Ventimiglia.) Jess plays a crucial character in this show. This is just one of many roles that Milo has played. He has also appeared in a very popular show called ‘This Is Us’ and a new recent film called ‘The Art of Racing In the Rain.’ ‘The Art of Racing In the Rain’ was originally a Best Seller book. I feel like Milo Ventimiglia was a great choice for this role. He express his emotions in these films so well. He really captures the true love that people have with dogs. Connections with animals is unbelievably strong. Milo knows how to capture the emotions from people and translate it into his work. He says “Ventimiglia, 42, explained why his game isn’t about grabbing the most golden statuettes — something he learned from those dogs.” Him being able to say that he learned for dogs is something remarkably special. This is the reason why i chose this article is because I feel like all people can learn something from animals.
This week I read the article “How They Made Simba Look So Lifelike in ‘The Lion King’”. This article taught us about how the producers and editors for this movie made the characters, particularly Simba, look so realistic.The 3 most noticeable parts were the face, the fur, and the movement of this character. To get a visual effect of this quality takes a lot of time and skill. The filmmakers for ‘The Lion King’ even went to Kenya, and took pictures of lions in real life, so they could relate back to that when creating these characters. To create the face of the lions and cubs, the editors studied the pictures of the cubs from kenya and researched information so they could make the lions “not too cartoony”. Although this was a difficult task, the fur is worse. The craftspeople would manage millions of hairs on each lion. But, they have an app that will duplicate these furs and cover the whole body of the lion with them, with of course changing the size if necessary. Lastly, the movement. Not only would you have to create the character’s movement in a way that feels right for the role, they still had to match the voice with the movement of the mouth. This was interesting to me because I’ve already watched this movie twice, and it was amazing both times. The graphics caught my eye, and to finally see how they pulled it off, is very cool. Well with all of the technology these days, anything is possible.
Need a Mental Health Day? Some States Give Students the Option
High school students’ lives today are not like they were 30 years ago. Academic pressure has drastically increased and many environments have become more competitive in terms of extracurriculars. Adolescents are often required to balance tough schedules including extra help, clubs, exams, homework, sports, and music. Accordingly, it is common for students to feel stressed, anxious, or even depressed during the school year. This is why I found Derrick Bryson Taylor’s article interesting. In my opinion, Utah and Oregon state governments have headed a step in the right direction. Allowing mental health days helps to reduce not only the stress a student may be feeling but also the stigma surrounding mental health in society today. By taking a mental health day as opposed to faking a sick day, students also have an opportunity to bring their feelings into the spotlight and potentially discuss the underlying issue with their parents. While some may be concerned with the validity of these excuses when a child claims five mental health days in a short period of time, I believe that the limit ensures that abusers will not be harmed from an educational standpoint. In other words, this law helps students more than it hurts them. I hope that other states follow in the implementation of similar laws in order to lessen the stress placed upon students of this generation.
In the Badlands, there are many secrets to be found. The article "Triceratops Skull, 65 Million Years Old, Unearthed by College Student, 23" caught my attention this week because of the fascinating discovery that Harrison Duran, a college student, found. After being rejected an internship at the Los Angeles Museum, he was then invited to go fossil hunting with a professor, Michael Kjelland, in North Dakota. During the hunt, they uncovered a triceratops spanning 5 feet in length, a truly remarkable discovery.
This article fascinated me because of the odds of Mr. Duran finding such a rare treasure. If Duran had been accepted into the internship at the museum, the odds of finding the triceratops skull would have been significantly lower. It can be thought of like the domino effect. One small decision lead to larger and more impactful outcomes. While Duran regrets not being accepted to the internship, he did have a chance to receive a hands-on experience.
Mr. Duran's passion for the dinosaur world burned since he was a child, he always wondered what secrets and wonders could be found. Today, his passion still burns just as bright, and it grows even brighter as he continues his career in fossil excavation. Recently, he and Professor Kjelland started a nonprofit organization called "Fossil Excavators", which provides students the opportunity to experience fossil excavation. Duran's story, which started from a misfortune, quickly grew to a life changing event, and a new career.
“Pushed by Consumers, Some Sponsors Join Soccer’s Fight Over Equal Pay” By Kevin Draper
The US Women’s National Soccer Team is taking the world by storm. This past July in France they won the Women’s World Cup. This is their fourth time in franchise history that they’ve claimed the title of world champions and to help you comprehend their dominance, there’s only been eight Women’s World Cups. The United States have won half. The US Men’s National Soccer Team is a different story. This team has never won a World Cup and they failed to even qualify for the most recent one. When comparing a team who just won a World Cup to one that did not even participate, which one do you think deserves to be paid more? Unfortunately, the salaries of the women in US soccer is but a fraction of those of the men’s.
This article describes how members of the Women’s National team are being rewarded by their sponsors to make up for their wimpy salaries in comparison to the men. Big name brands such as Nike and Secret are compensating the team for winning the World Cup. This article interests me because I believe it is a step in the right direction not only for the US Women’s National Soccer Team, but for women’s sports as a whole. The best team deserves the highest compensation, regardless of gender. I believe that with more actions like these, my children and grandchildren will get to live in a world where women’s sports are more respected and the gender wage gap is but a thing of the past.
I wrote about the article “Sevilla and the Science of Soccer’s Summer Transfer Window” which talking about Ramón Rodríguez Verdejo, who is also known as Monchi. He became director of football in Sevilla after they were relegated from La Liga at the end of the 1999/00 season. 20 years later, and he became a force to be reckoned with because of three reasons.
First, his approach to his team, each player is there to get to breakout and then get sold at a fair price and then do the same thing for his replacement and so on and so forth. This approach is quite unique, usually, when a player gets into his prime the club will ask a lot more than his value, while in Sevilla the player’s goal in the club is to be sold for a fair price to a bigger club.
Also, when he implies his approach to the team and succeeds, there is a lot of financial value for the club in it. His 14 most profitable sales got the club approximately 189.75 million pounds, which is 97% of the club’s yearly budget. While the money in the system is on the rise, so does the execution of his philosophies in an expanding loop.
Lastly, he built the club’s financial state, it’s reputation, and it’s quality. He did it with his method and philosophy, from relegation to trophies. Considering the improvement, you can only wonder what they can achieve in a few more years with him, in regard to trophies and to finances.
Eventually, I would say that Sevilla and Monchi are the same, he has the effect of a top European club.
“This Fortnite World Cup Winner Is 16 and $3 Million Richer”, by Derrick Taylor and Niraj Chokshi.
Fortnite, which has rapidly become a global sensation over the past year, recently held the finally to its month’s long world cup. The finals, which took place at U.S.T.A. Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York, put on display the top 100 players of the game and had them battle it out for the 30-million-dollar prize pool. The first-place winner of the competition was 16-year-old Kyle Giersdorf, known online as “Bugha”, who won the grand prize of three million dollars. And, while it may be surprising that someone so young had won such a large amount of money, he was not alone as the top three finishers, all of whom are between the ages of 16 and 24, won a combined total of about six million dollars. I found this article interesting because it demonstrates the impact that technology, specifically video games and the internet, has on the world. Because of great inventions such as the internet, new careers that never previously existed are being created and are becoming accessible to everyone. The article verifies this as it shows that young adults and teenagers earned very large amounts of money by playing a video game and streaming it to others. Because of these advances in technology and the way we consume media, “less-traditional” career paths are being formed that allows anyone to use their creativity to make a living in the growing digital space.
The article that caught my attention this week was written by Sharon Otterman, “He Left His Twins in a Hot Car and They Died. Accident or Crime?” Stories are always aired on the news of parents leaving their children in their vehicles for long periods of time unattended. Some have happy endings, with the children being gotten to in the nick of time. Unfortunately, others end up with minor or fatal injuries. Personally, I think these situations should be dealt as crimes. It’s another thing to leave your groceries in your car forgotten but leaving living and breathing children is whole different story. There are many ways to remember that your children are in the backseat. For example, put an object on the floor next to your child that you’ll need for that day. Whether it be your shoe, phone, or keys, it will help you remember that your kids are in the car. It’s a dangerous situation for a child being alone in a car apart from the fact that they may overheat. Someone can car jack while the child is still situated in the back. To summarize, I think parents/adults who leave minors unattended in a car should be a charged.
The article that caught my attention this week was, "No More Family Seperations Except, for these 900" by Miriam Jordan. The author reviews President Trump's plan to limit the separation of families after his initial crackdown on immigration caused a massive outcry. The article reveals flaws in the system through examples where parents were separated due to criminal offenses that were never backed up by evidence in court. An individual deserves the rights to a fair trial, and this right was stripped from several innocent people.
In addition to this, the article explains that family seperations are based upon whether or not an immigration employee believes that the current guardian of the child is fit to care for them. While the intentions behind this are good, assumptions can be easily made. The article explains that a father had wanted to let his daughter sleep and decided to wait to changing her diaper. An employee took the child because they believed the parent was neglecting her. The assumptions made based upon very simple misunderstandings are tragic, no family should be sperated because of it. I can't imagine what it would be like to be sperated from my parents, and especially my brother. I think we need to review what is going on in court and take a closer look at the guidelines immigration employees are given, because a family does not deserve this sort of heartbreak due to a very simple misunderstanding.
This week, I read the article “The Mosquitoes Are Coming for Us” by Timothy C. Winegard. I found it particularly interesting because it questions the ethicality of using genetic technology to alter nature, and because I always seem to be covered in mosquito bites (no matter how hard I try to avoid them).
While I knew about Malaria, Yellow Fever, and other similarly spread diseases, I don’t think I ever really understood the devastating quantity of people that have been affected or are currently at-risk; moreover, there really isn’t much we can do to prevent these diseases from spreading, and that lack of control is frightening. With diseases like Malaria, we do have the option to eliminate a significant portion of their carriers to slow them, but does that mean we should?
Foregoing questions of whether or not it is morally “right” to eliminate thousands of species of insects for our own benefit doesn’t make this question any easier; as a part of practically every ecosystem in the world, we still have to consider the effects that killing mosquitos would have on the bugs, plants, and animals that eat them, and, subsequently, the ones that eat the ones that eat them, possibly disrupting entire food webs. Wiping out a group of insects that vast could have unpredictably devastating results for the whole world, so, as much as I hate mosquitoes and the damage they do, I think it’s worth it to at least ask ourselves if getting rid of them completely could do more harm than good.
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The article that caught my attention this week was "This Fortnite World Cup Winner Is 16 and $3 Million Richer". Although the article just explained what three people won millions of dollars playing a virtual game it led me to believe that video games a really big problem for children. Epic games stated that 40 million players played in the tournament but only 100 people won, but as a child you only see the winners and now children will spend hours a day practicing to become a professional.
This week I read the article "Under Brazil’s Far-Right Leader, Amazon Protections Slashed and Forests Fall" by Letícia Casado and Ernesto Londoño. The article goes into detail about the decisions made by the Brazilian government to scale back efforts to protect the Amazon forest. President Jair Bolsonaro has also cut funding to Brazil's environmental agencies and he has taken an anti- environment stance. Deforestation of the Amazon has increased since the changes were made due to less protection against illegal logging, mining ,and ranching. Damage to the Amazon forest hurts the climate change effort because the Amazon forest is one of Earth's largest producers of oxygen as well as taking in carbon dioxide. If the Amazon is destroyed, the global warming issue will only worsen.
The article that I chose to read this week was titled "The Creey Anglerfish Comes to Light (Just Don't Get Too Close,)which was written by William J.Broad. The female anglerfish are surprisingly are a lot bigger then the males. The females are about the size of a grown man's hand making a fist. The females are also the ones with the light stretching out of the top of their heads. The light consists of different colors like yellow, orange with a purple tint, or blue with a yellow tint. They have the light because it helps lure their prey to them so all they have to do is open their mouth and chomp down. Once they bite down on their prey it immediately gets sent to the anglerfish's stomach almost like a vaccum. An anglerfish normally eats shrimp like animals, squids, worms, and lanternfish. Anglerfish are a difficult species to do live research on since they like to live in the deep and dark parts of the sea, causing it to be difficult for humans to find them. Instead scientists examine dead ones on land and place them in a museum once done with research. Anglerfish seem like such an odd type of species and I hope scientists are able to find more information on them.
This week, the article that interested me the most was “Shooting at Festival in California Kills at Least 3” by Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs and Jacey Fortin. This shooting took place at a garlic festival in California. The shooter was carrying an assault rifle who killed 3 and injured 12 people. Innocent people were just trying to go to a festival and enjoy their time there with family and friends, but yet get injured or killed from someone who has no right shooting someone no matter the circumstance. Another innocent boy at age 6 was killed when he was having the time of his life in the bounce house. It is so sad to hear and see all of the shootings going on in today’s world. In my opinion I feel that no one should be allowed to walk around with a gun. Others might disagree, but I feel it would decrease the amount of shootings that take place all around the world. If someone chooses to carry a gun then I feel that the process to get the license should be changed and made harder. I hope that the shootings around the world come to an end very quickly, but with today’s society I don’t see that happening anytime soon which is so sad and heart-breaking.
The article that sparked my interest is “Trump Condemns White Supremacy but Stops Short of Major Gun Controls”. This comes to my attention because I do not feel that the title is really reporting on facts, but is instead bringing in the writer’s own opinion on what the president should do. In the article the writer seems to be prompting that the president should provide ideas for major gun control instead of providing other reasons why shootings could be happening at a higher rate. Also who is judging what major gun control is? Trump did call for background checks before people can buy weapons. In my opinion, this is not reporting on what President Trump said, but rather on what he did not say, bringing a bias from the writer’s own opinion.
I feel that there are many different skills should be acquired by all children. One of the is highlighted in the article titled, "Swim Lessons for All," written by The Editorial Board. This interested me because I am a swimmer and I feel that it is a skill everyone should have. It was shocking to me that 72% of public high school students say that they don't know how to swim. This is because when they were growing up they didn't get the opportunity to get swim lessons. The cost of swimming lessons should be much lower in order for all people of all backgrounds to be able to learn this skill. As the article states, in 2010, the U.S.A Swimming Foundation found that 69% of black children, 58% of Latino children, and 42% of white children all said that they had little to no swimming ability. This also was very surprising to me because I believe all people of all races should be able to swim. I believe that this is a skill that everyone should have.
The article that I read this week was "Why mass murderers may not be very different from you or me." This caught my eye because of the recent shooting in El Paso. Even considering the fact that the people who commit mass murders are regular people like us seems unbelievable. I cannot even think about what could influence a person to commit this kind of act. Nonetheless, Richard Freidman, the writer of this article and a psychiatrist, explained that most of the gunmen included in mass murders were not mentally ill. Actually, they were tested and revealed to be quite regular minded people. Honestly, this shocks me because of the magnitude of hatred that must drive these people to kill. Many of these shooters were driven by racist ideas, while others were ticked off simply by small acts such as being fired from their job. In the end, I strongly believe that this must somehow change, for the benefit of humanity.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/03/us/el-paso-walmart-shooting.amp.html
In this weeks Times’s article I decided to write about that El Paso shooting. This topic interested me because I have heard bits and pieces about what has happened but didn’t know the whole story. It is devastating what happened. What would ever make someone think that it is okay to walk into a crowded area and just start firing a gun. I obviously knew that it was a shooting but didn’t know that it was in a popular and busy shopping center.
After reading this article I found another article that talked more on the suspected shooter and his mother. His mother had called the police days prior to the mass shooting. She was worried about her son owning a gun and didn’t think he was mature enough to handle such a powerful object. The police just told her that as long as he was 21 he could legally own a gun. I think maybe the mother should’ve talked a stand and said something to her son about what he could be getting himself into. Maybe it could have prevented this incident. This article also was very interesting and I learned a lot about the event that just recently happened.
Since the moment news surrounding the Dayton, Ohio shooting has hit the media, I have kept eyes and ears on the development of this tragic story. Timothy Williams and Farah Stockman have a live article posted on the New York Times, allowing readers to stay informed on any new developments or details. Yet, many readers choose not to listen to these stories or updates. Some never even hear about the story in the first place. As of now, 9 dead, 27 wounded, yet when I go to discuss this tragedy with others, they simply shrug. This shows me the startling truth surrounding mass violence; Americans are becoming desensitized.
In recent years, mass shootings have seem to become less of a tragedy and more of an entrancing story for much of the American population. Now being the topic of video games, TV shows, movies, and casual conversation, the fear surrounding mass shootings has been stripped. My friends and I have grown up in a time where mass shootings have become normalized and people are no longer shocked or upset to hear that numerous people have died in a horrific act. This makes me question what is in store for America’s future. Will this desensitization lead to less and less attempts towards ending this gun violence or possibly even more mass attacks? If so, it is truly a horrific and frightening time to be growing up in America.
The article “Some Students Get Extra Time for New York’s Elite High School Entrance Exam” by Kevin Quealy and Eliza Shapiro presents the percentages of students which get extra time in the high schools’ entrance exams. It seems that white students get more extra time allowances than any other ethnicities’ students. So the next question is raised, is there any kind of discrimination with getting the extra time?
According to the article, there is no doubt that the unfairness is a very important issue. Because, the high school you study does influence the college you will learn in the future and the field of study you will take. Students who get extra time have a larger chance to be admitted into prestigious schools. So, if there is any kind of discrimination it must be handled.
The extra time is given to students with physical disabilities or attention deficit. But, to request one of those extra time allowances you need to pay a lot of money. Also, poor families can’t afford this and usually those families aren’t white families.
Because of this problem, the economic status of a lot of black, Asian and Hispanic families affects the future of their children.
A similar situation happens in Israel. Students from the periphery can’t afford private teachers in contrast to students from the big cities. And, that is one of the reasons that the students from the periphery get lower grades and as a result they aren’t accepted to the elite units in the IDF.
The article called, "The White House Blocked my Report on Climate Change and National Security," was most interesting this week.
Climate change is a global problem that became worse as humans add a great amount of carbon dioxide emission when extracting and burning coal, oil and gas, as well as when cutting down forests. Unfortunately, government is not accepting the fact that climate change can harm national security. Increasing global temperature and level of ocean water produce shifts in a vast number of earth system processes such as drought or intensify heat waves. These events can disrupt societies and nations by harming people or degrading the social, political, economic, agricultural, or ecological system. In addition climate change can damage our water and food security and weakened the quality of life.
It is necessary for government to pass new law that limit the carbon dioxide emission and prevent global warming.
I believe the continuous call to use renewable resources: solar energy, using Co2 as a new chemical, replacing fossil fuel with biofuel can greatly reduce carbon dioxide emission and minimize the damage from global warming.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/29/business/confidence-bias-investing.html?searchResultPosition=3
This week I was most interested in the article "You Are Probably Overconfident. (If You Skip This, Doubly So.)" This article caught my attention because when I was reading the title I right away thought to myself, "I'm not overconfident, I'm not going to read this article." Then I read the rest of the article title and it made me question myself. "If I skip this article am I overconfident?"
The article starts off by telling us about the authors skiing adventures. The author lived in the Utah mountains and would ski in the backcountry. This means that where he would ski was never checked for avalanche risk. All the dangers were his own responsibilities every time he went skiing and there was always a chance that something would go wrong. So once the author and his friends made it down the mountain safely they would consider themselves good judges of danger and would repeat. Right away for me, that makes me think they are way too confident, overconfident, maybe because I've never been skiing.
After reading this article and learning from other examples, I realize how common it is to be overconfident. Even Daniel Kahneman, the guy who won a Nobel Price from his studies on being overconfident, confesses that he won't make better decisions after learning from his research. He too, finds that he is overconfident and that it is a hard thing not to be.
Lyons, Noah- Response #3
The article "Two Sides to White Nationalism" by Charles Blow delves into a pressing issue in America today. Guns, and white supremacy. After two mass shootings in one day, the gun debate once again rose to prominence, along with the debate about white supremacy. Blow's argument is simple, politicians and white supremacists share the same motives. His description of the two groups is a big part of why his article is persuasive. For example, he calls Trump and the Republican's anti-immigrant policy "poisonous"(Blow). He also compares the supremacists and the politicians by saying that they have the same goal, "To maintain and ensure white dominance..."(Blow). His strong diction appeals to the reader's sense of pathos, or emotion. When he uses powerful words, the audience truly feels the strength that white supremacists and politicians have.
I agree with Charles Blow. A lot of right-wing politicians have the same rhetoric as white supremacists. The way that our president has referred to Hispanic people justifies the shooter's actions. Calling Mexicans rapists and criminals had to have made the El Paso shooter feel good about what he was doing. In his eyes, he was making America great again. Americans live on high alert for mass shootings. In fact, in Times Square this week, a motorcycle backfired, people thought it was a shooting and went running for their lives. Why must we live in constant fear? Because politicians let people have killing machines.
“Man Assaulted Boy at Rodeo for Refusing to Remove Hat for Anthem, Officials Say”
This article was about a Montana man who strangled a 13 year old boy at a county rodeo just because he refused to take off his hat during the national anthem. According to the article, there was no indication that the boy was protesting and that it was fine to keep his hat on. The boy was seriously injured and was transported by life flight to Sacred Heart children’s hospital in Washington. This article was really interesting because there have been many arguments on whether people should stand proud of the national anthem or to sit down and simply ignore it. It’s a very gray area because it is the right to protest, but stand to show respect. I guess that it just matters to opinion, but I personally stand. I never really thought much of it, but I just think that it’s just out of respect, that’s all.
It seems like nowadays, people are bashing video games more than ever. It's understandable, no one wants their kid inside all day playing video games and never seeing the light of day again, but 16-year-old Kyle Giersdorf made himself quite a fortune in a Fortnite world cup. I read an article called "This Fortnite World Cup Winner is 16 and 3 Million Dollars richer by Derrick Bryson Taylor and Niraj Chokshi. It is amazing what games can do to somebody's life, in most cases, it can relieve stress and make someone have a lot of fun. In rare cases such as this one though, videogames changed Kyles life forever. With the horrible tragedy of the recent shootings in Ohio and Texas, many people have turned to blame violent video games. The truth is, more people benefit from video games as a way to relieve stress than any who might take violent action because of one. I think that this article is a great way of showing that video games can be constructive and play a crucial role in peoples lives.
The article I chose this week is “Lil Nas X’s Old Town Road Breaks Billboards Singles record” by Ben Sisario. It is about how the new artist’s single “Old Town Road” stayed on the billboard number one spot for 17 weeks straight, making it the longest running number one single in the history of Billboard.
This article was interesting because there was clearly a strategy behind making sure that the song stayed relevant. I would constantly hear this song played on the radio, discussed by radio talk show hosts, and saw the popularity of it emerging on multiple social media outlets. These posts would include memes of the song that caught the attention of his desired audience. One social media platform that helped this song gain popularity is “TikTok.” TikTok is a video sharing app where you can make music videos to existing songs. Lil Nas said “ I promoted the song as a meme on TikTok until it became way bigger.” He understands how to use social media to his advantage and how to utilize meme culture. Also, he made new remixes of the song featuring different artists to expand his audience.
In conclusion, Lil Nas broke a huge record. His single beat legendary artists work such as Mariah Carey, and Justin Bieber. “Old Town Road” was his first mainstream hit and made his presence known as a “country rap” artist. His knowledge of social media and meme culture helped him tremendously in the success of this song and proves that social media is an effective tool in staying relevant.
I usually open the New York Times first thing in the morning, but lately I’m much more hesitant. It seems as though this summer has only produced a barrage of bad news, and I’m not sure how much more I can take. However, when I saw Farhad Manjoo’s piece ‘This Summer Stinks. But at Least We’ve Got Old Town Road,’ I smiled at a headline for the first time in days.
While the song itself is simple, I think the idea behind Lil Nas X’s Old Town Road is “quietly profound,” as Manjoo writes. There’s something almost remarkable about how one comical song can link toddlers and grandparents, intersect rap and country, and crisscross people and cultures from all over the world. In our currently polarized nation, Old Town Road has provided musical optimism and a much-needed bonding connection.
Kids in cages, gun control, “go back to where you came from” - my outlook on the future has become increasingly pessimistic. But Manjoo’s article provided a glimmer of hope: I neglected to consider the power of my own generation. Through his song, Lil Nas X demonstrated the possibility of the future by positively harnessing the power of digital entertainment. Manjoo states, and I agree, that this new system will develop artistic innovation and a growing sense of unifying diversity that our world currently lacks. For now, Old Town Road is peeking through the cracks of bad news: an unlikely musical success story of a gay Generation Z-er who will ride till he can’t no more.
The article that caught my attention this week was “Need a Mental Health Day? Some States Give Students the Option.” I chose to read this article because I know many people, myself included, who could really benefit from a mental health day every once in a while. The article talked about state laws being passed in certain states that allow students to use mental health as a valid excuse to stay home from school, which is prompted mainly by the student activists following the Parkland shooting, and by everyday students who pretend to be sick to avoid the stresses and struggles that go along with attending school.
The article talked a lot about student suicide rates, which have been increasing recently. Experts believe that by encouraging students to pay closer attention to their mental health and physically asking for these days to help them get back on track, they can take a beat and get to the bottom of their stress. I think that this is a very good idea because I believe that all students have struggles that they face on a day-to-day basis, and adding school on top of that can be very overwhelming for kids already under a lot of pressure. I really enjoyed this article because it made me think about how to prepare for going back to school and dealing with all the work and the pressure in a calm and collected manner. I think that mental health is not recognized or talked about enough in school, and with the passing of these bills, that is hopefully subject to change.
The article that interested me this week was How They Made Little Simba Look So Lifelike in ‘The Lion King’ by Mekado Murphy. As I was scrolling through New York Times, this article caught my eye. As a child, I loved the Lion King, it was one of my favorite movies. When I heard they were making a live remake I was a little scared. Disney’s animations are beautiful and smooth, but I was worried that the characters would be unappealing and the movie would get hate such as the Aladdin remake did. And I didn’t want this classic to end up like that. When the trailer came out, I was amazed. As an artist/animator, I already know how much work goes into Disney’s (not saying I have that much work on my hands, just I know how it feels to animate something even just a few seconds and not nearly as complicated as that.) When this article appeared it showed just how complicated these animations can be. It really brings into the light on how not only Disney’s animations are hard, but how the average animator works without their own production team. Anyway, this article did inspire me, and I hope it inspires others to have the same passion for art work as the lovely art community.
The article I found interesting this week was ¨Need a Mental Health Day? Some States Give Students the Option.¨ As students in 2019, we are constantly under pressure for a variety of reasons: School, Work, Current Events, and much more. It is normal for students to want a day off from their routine to clear off their mind. The initiative that was taken by lawmakers in Utah and Oregon is something that other states should follow as well. A former student in the article mentioned that ¨... the difference one day makes is honestly life-changing.¨When students can take a day off to focus on their own health, it could create better results at school as well. I believe that this could personally make a difference in any students´ life as we would feel more comfortable with discussing any problems. This would also allow for those who suffer from anxiety or depression to clear their minds without having to feel the need to create excuses. Schools all across the U.S should take this into consideration as students would appreciate having a day off from our stressful routines.
The article I found most interesting this week was "Climate Change Threatens the World's Food Supply, United Nations Warns," by Christopher Flavelle. I chose this article because I never fully understood the full meaning of climate change and how much it affected our planet. After reading this article, I feel that I am more aware of consequences it could have on us. In the article, it states that climate change has already affected our food supply which worries me because more than 10% of the world is already undernourished. These facts could make anyone realize that this is a pressing issue and we need to figure out a way to save our planet and ourselves from what is coming in the future. Another fact that I thought was very alarming was the fact that we think that planting trees will make everything better when in fact that's not true. As Dr. McElwee stated that planting trees would "reduce the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere," but it would also increase the food prices as much as 80% by the year 2050. She made it clear that we need to start confronting these facts and take action in order to keep our planet healthy and safe for our future generations.
What interested me most in the times this week was an article named "Need a Mental Health Day? Some States Give Students the Option" by Derrick Bryson Taylor. I was interested because I know for a fact that this heavily applies to me and my fellow peers. As a hard-working student, there is a lot of pressure surrounding me being successful in school all whilst keeping it together mentally. This article mentions that some states deemed it necessary to give students a chance to take something called a "mental health day." This gives students the opportunity for a break and to recharge from everything that is going on. It is actually very strenuous for me personally to balance my social life and my academic life. On top of that, I barely find any time to relax by myself. Unfortunately, this bill has not been passed in my state but I personally think it is a strategic and much needed proposal. In the article, some parents argued that students might take advantage of these days by sabotaging it as a chance to do nothing. But, other parents counter-argued that even with that, there are still a numerous amount of students that genuinely would benefit from these days. Although individuals do not show signs of struggle, sometimes you might not be feeling it and do not obtain the motivation to work. This is in fact very acceptable, and just makes you a human. So, in sum, I believe this day is a realistic and beneficial occasion for students to take a much-needed break from everything.
I do not have a dog of my own, yet I have always wanted one. I have, though, gone through the loss of my own pet, so when I hear of a pet passing away, it wrenches my heart because I have been in that person's, or those people's, shoes. This is why I was intrigued by the article, "Border Collie Trained to Recognize 1,022 Nouns Dies" by Derrick Bryson Taylor, other than being impressed by how the collie could do such a thing. Taylor begins with contrasting a professor named John W. Pilley and his ability to train his Border collie well in understanding a greater than 1000 amount of nouns to others who grapple to train their pets to do the simplest trick. Taylor continues to describe the origin story of the relationship with the collie, Chaser, and her owner along with Pilley's method of training then tells of her death and burial. What I also found interesting is the fact that they thought the other people in the world should think of the method of training as unique instead of Chaser herself. When I first read the title, I thought the exact opposite, but what really made my mind change was the quote of Dr. Pilley, Chaser's owner who passed away, that said to have the recognization of dogs being a way more intelligent species than believed and with enough effort put in it, we can train them "just about anything." Pilley had the effort to train his dog what seemed impossible, showing his techniques unique, not Chaser, and standing out from every other dog owner.
The article "Automakers, Rejecting Trump Pollution Rule, Strike a Deal With California" interested me for various reasons. Climate change has an increasing impact on the world each year and it is interesting how different people react to it. In the coming weeks, Trump is expected to eliminate regulations set in place by the Obama administration that regulated vehicle admission. Through hearing this, Auto manufacturers have met with California regulators in order to win rules that restrict emissions for cars sold nationwide to counter Trumps plan. Personally, it baffles me that in this day and age someone would want to raise restrictions placed on emissions. It is great that auto makers are recognizing forthcoming problems that Trumps plan could cause and finally taking responsibility for conserving the environment, although it would be ideal for companies to convert to electric power sooner.
The article that most interested me was "This Fortnite World Cup Winner Is 16 and $3 Million Richer" by Derrick Bryson Taylor and Niraj Chokshi. This article is about a 16-year-old kid named Kyle Giersdorf from Pennsylvania. He was practicing for many months to be able to qualify and compete in the Fortnite World Cup. With a $30 million dollar prize pool from the company Epic Games, all participants had a chance to win a lot of money. The first place winner would take home $3 million and first place was taken by Kyle Giersdorf, also known as Bugha. The world cup ran on a point system with the player that has the most points taking first place. Bugha plays 6 to 8 hours a day and 5 days a week on average. Esports gaming is on a rise and only a handful of other players have earned close to what Kyle has made in one day. Competitive gaming has been growing for years and thanks to Fortnite, it is at the highest it has ever been. Esports organizations recruit players giving them large salaries to do what they enjoy most. Bugha was recruited to an organization called Sentinel that became popular after Bugha won the Fortnite World Cup. Kyle went into the tournament hoping to reach the top 20 which could make around $250,000. Due to the practice and hard work Bugha had put into his gaming, he scored a ton of points in the first round and then felt very confident for the rest of the tournament. Bugha had taken the competition by shock and had almost doubled the score of second place.
“Why Are These Medical Instruments So Tough to Sterilize?”
I found this article while scrolling through the New York Times. This article describes the problems the medical community faces with treating different patients with specific kinds of diseases. A medical tool that is used to treat patients with pancreatic or bile ducts issues, called the duodenoscope, is causing more illness in hundreds of patients throughout the country and in Europe. Professionals have found that the cause of this are bacteria that are being transferred from one patient to the next through the duodenoscopes. Due to the fact that this tool is curvy, bendable, and small, it makes it much more difficult to sterilize after each use.
The reason I found this article interesting was because when I read the article, I opened up my knowledge of the struggles and regular challenges that surface in the medical community. The hundreds of people being affected by this issue today will most likely turn out to be thousands of people if the problem is not addressed and fixed. The inventiveness that is required of all scientists in the medical field allows me to have even more respect for every single one of those people. This is another reason why I found this article so interesting.
This week I chose the article "Border Collie Trained to Recognize 1022 Nouns Dies." This article stood out to me right away because my love for dogs. That's the main reason I chose this article. But when I read the article I realized how interesting it really was. I think it is very cool that this border collie knew 1022 nouns. The way that he taught Chaser is also incredible. It is very smart idea to teach her words by using toys. Dogs love toys so it probably made it easier to learn. I think that other dog owners should attempt this with their dogs. I wonder if all breeds and types of dogs could go to the same level Chaser did. It just goes to show that dogs are smarter than we think. I also really enjoyed the video at the end of this article. It was nice to have visual representations of how he taught the dog and how she followed the commands. Overall, I really enjoyed this article and I'm glad I chose to read it.
Economics is not a topic that regularly crosses the mind of the average person. However, when it does, most people don’t think of economics relating to their daily lives. I see that economics can be applied to nearly anything recently having read some of Levitt and Dubner’s Freakonomics, which utilizes economic concepts to make claims about unconventional and taboo matters. The book offered something novel and refreshing, yet still used long-established economic principles to form their arguments. The authors explained economic concepts clearly, while simultaneously using them to justify their claims. While Freakonomics did not give a clear picture of how the layman can use economics in their everyday life, it does demonstrate that there is more to economics than the minimal of it that the general population recognizes.
With this in mind, the unique approach to economics presented in Freakonomics drew me to the article, “Economics Isn’t Dismal. It’s Useful.” I wanted to see how Wolfers depicted economics and how was he going to prove to me what I already suspected. Economics was not just a class to take or a profession to hold. Hence, by using the modern approach mentioned to teach, everyone can learn something from economics. It may feel overwhelming, but economics can help people to make better choices that benefit themselves. As a highly indecisive person, having an analytical tool readily available to assist me in making reliable, smart decisions is extraordinary.
The article that I read this week that I found most interesting was "Need a Mental Health Day? Some States Give Students the Option" by Derrick Bryson Taylor. Oregon and Utah lawmakers signed bills giving students mental health days or excuses to miss a day of school because of mental health reasons. Lots of teenagers are standing in support of this bill. What high school student wouldn't? I thought this was amazing. It can be inferred that schools in Oregon and Utah will have lower school shooting ratings, better test scores, and a decrease in suicide rates for children. In different states with a weak education systems, like North Carolina and Alabama, the difference between having one mental health day every 3 months could change a lot. People are more aware of mental health conditions now than they were 10 years ago and this is a good thing to start taking action to improve mental health especially in todays youth. In conclusion, laws like the one in Oregon and Utah need to be a inspiration for other states but this is the start of a better environment for students in the Untied States.
The article I chose for this week is titled "Need a Mental Health Day? Some States Give Students the Option," written by Derrick Bryson Taylor. This article was very interesting to me for so many reasons. As a teen in todays time, we are so overwhelmed with everything going on and it feels like we never get a break. The lawmakers in Oregon and Utah have finally taken a stand to help teenagers out. Teenagers now a days are so consumed with school, sports, and figuring out what we need to do with our future that it is so hard to step back and focus on ourselves. With the opportunity to have this Mental Health Day, I feel like we would all be able to have one day to focus on ourselves and just take a break. As someone who deals with anxiety, I feel like this would give me the chance, if needed, to take a break from the crazy and get myself ready for what needs to be done. This day would also help kids who are struggling with telling people about their illness and getting them the help they need. As said in the article, suicide rates have been rising and suicide has come to the second leading cause of death in ages 10-34 years old. This is a serious problem and I feel that these new legislations have started the conversation that we all need to have. I just hope that all states will follow the lead of the others and give the students a day to take a break and focus on whats important, our health.
With deforestation and global warming being a detrimental problem in this world, some countries are standing up to it and doing something. One of these countries is Ethiopia. The article, "Ethiopia Says It Planted Over 350 Million Trees in a Day, a Record", caught my eye because it's a testament to the fact that there's always something you can do to make a difference. The article explains that in Ethiopia, the Prime Minister is making nationwide efforts to combat deforestation and climate change. The goal is to plant four billion trees before fall. On Monday, the country managed to plant 350 million trees in one day, a new world record. Citizens were urged to participate with many schools and gov offices being closed for the day. Although this is huge for the reforestation effort, Ethiopia is not the only country doing its part. Many other countries have joined campaigns to encourage tree planting across the world. The article mentioned that a study by the Swiss Federal Institute for Technology found that 900 million hectares of land was not being used by humans around the world. The researchers said, "If trees were planted on all of that land...when they matured they could store about two-thirds of all the carbon that human activity has pumped into the atmosphere since the Industrial Revolution." With a massive increase in population and deforestation in the past decades, Ethiopia is fighting for change in the nation which will hopefully cause action around the world.
The article that caught my attention this week was “Need a Mental Health Day? Some States Give Student the Option.” I chose this article because anxiety disorders and depression are some of the most common types of mental illnesses among teenagers. As a high school student, at times I can feel overwhelmed by current world issues or responsibilities, although I personally do not have anxiety or depression I am well aware of how they can take a toll on someone who does, effecting how they respond to situations in their lives. Oregon and Utah became the first states to pass a bill defining sick days as both “mental and physical”. Former students and parents voiced their opinions on the bill by stating how one day can make a drastic difference when living with mental illness and going to school. Data collected by the 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Report showed how essential mental health days should be when suicide rates in every state have increased over the past two decades. Allowing students to take mental health days could possibly help them construct the emotional strength they need to face their own obstacles. This article has allowed me to apprehend how crucial the health of one’s mind can be when it comes to performance in their everyday lives. It is indispensable to know that no illness should be ignored if it is not visible, any illness should be treated with the same urgency even if those who are affected suffer silently.
The song "Old Town Road" is a perfect mix of country and rap. It pulls in lovers of both genres, and even lovers of neither. Myself and many of my friends played the song on repeat when it first came out. That's why the article "Lil Nas X’s ‘Old Town Road’ Breaks Billboard’s Singles Record" by Ben Sisario caught my eye. The song represents the effectiveness of a new medium of advertisement: memes. Of course the many remixes and the song itself helped boost its popularity, but neither of those are necessarily new. However, Lil Nas X's promotion of the song through memes and TikTok is indicative of the effectiveness of using internet culture to promote art like music. It is interesting to me because I, like many others my age, have seen first hand the memes the song has taken part in. I was there when the song was first released, and I watched it grow much more popular as time went on. Watching a song flourish and later become a record-breaker is incredible. The song demonstrates the importance of knowing what the internet wants, and how that knowledge can make something take off incredibly. Old Town Road is a good song, and is important to both people who enjoy it and people who dream of making a song of their own.
The article that interested me the most this week was: “You Are Probably Overconfident. (If You Skip This, Doubly So.)”
For this week, I have chosen the above-mentioned article. This was my choice for this week because this article brings up a very intriguing thought: are we as people overconfident with ourselves when we make decisions that have good outcomes, even when they come out of pure chance? I believe so. In my opinion, I do believe that people tend to be bias when it comes to themselves. Even more so in this day and time. Everyone would like to believe that they are informed and know what they are getting into. Although that may be true, no one can ever know what the exact outcome of a decision will be. As the article said, people may want to believe that they are ‘immune’ to a possible negative outcome once they have experience. However, that isn’t true. With things even as small as buying a yogurt at a supermarket, to things as huge as skiing down dangerous unmarked territories, no one can ever be able to predict the exact outcome.
When I saw Khaldiya Jibawi’s film, “Another Kind of Girl,” was chosen by Natalie Proulx for the New York Times Film Club, I was thrilled. The film beautifully illuminates life in a refugee camp, along with conveying love, ambition, and hope. I had the honor to interview Khaldiya in 2018, after I became involved with Another Kind of Girl Collective (AKGC), which holds photography and film workshops for Syrian refugee girls living in Jordon. It was through AKGC that Khaldiya learned filmmaking. One of her comments stays with me: “AKGC changed our lives for the better, and pushed us and gave us self-esteem because we didn’t have that before. With self-confidence, we have hope in life.” With resilience, she encourages girls to make the best of any situation and to not let their circumstances have an abiding negative impact on their lives. Before I spoke to Khaldiya, I thought the title of AKGC meant that these girls, by making art, were not conforming to traditional roles for women in Syria. Talking to her, I learned that the title actually refers to the fact that, even though they are refugees, the Syrian girls are like other teenagers, wanting to talk about love, parents, and friends. It’s so important that the Film Club gave Khaldiya’s artistry a platform; the film portrays a broader perspective of life as a refugee and shares the truth that people from all diverse backgrounds are not so different after all, which seems, in today’s world, more timely and important than ever.
“Thoughts and Prayers’ Aren’t Enough, America’s First Gun Violence Minister Says.”
By: Adeel Hassan
In the wake of two back to back tragic mass shootings, this article spotted my eye. Something often heard amongst many people after an act of gun violence is the phrase “thoughts and prayers”. While when most say this they mean no harm, this phrase does not stop anything or allow change in the way things are run. In other words, this phrase means absolutely nothing if no actual change is taken. In this article rev. Deanna Hollas states, “to do more than react to the latest mass shooting with an offer of benedictions. That, she said, is not sufficient in a country where 40,000 people are killed by guns each year” (Hassan). Deanna is not unfamiliar to gun violence and she pushes for more reform and for all Americans on both sides to stop talking past one another and come together for a solution. Over the past couple of years, gun violence in America has been an immense issue and has affected many people of all different ages and backgrounds. People should not have to live in fear of their life being taken by guns. Rev Deanna states how she grew up in an area where hunting was dominant and guns were often purchased, and this allows her to connect to both sides of the gun reform argument and eventually get them both to see a middle ground. While thoughts and prayers are sympathetic, they are not what is needed to fix a problem that has been happening continuously.
The article that I found the most interesting this week was, "Capital One Data Breach Compromises Data of Over 100 Million". my interest was piqued because of my strong opinions on data and data collection. Personally I believe that the blame should not be given solely to the companies that were hacked. Although Capital one specifically has experienced multiple hacks in the past and they still struggle to keep their client's data secure ,some blame has to be placed on the consumers. Holistically people have remained naive in regards to the issue of data collection. Until recently people have not been overly concerned. However, according to Deloitte university press 90% of Americans in 2014 believed they had lost control of their information online. Considering the fact that most Americans have just become concerned with their privacy in the last few years, it is no wonder why companies have not felt the pressure to better secure data.
Ethical Butcheries are revolutionizing the idea that vegetarianism is the only way to respect animals and stay healthy. The meat that is sold in the butcheries comes from grass fed animals whose life positively impacted the environment, thus providing vegetarians with an easier agenda to adhere to.
I found the mission of these butcheries to be confusing and contradictory. The Vegetarian agenda is one that abhors animal violence. The idea that it only acceptable to kill some animals is not only confusing, but ethically mind boggling.
It is the equivalence to permitting the murder of innocent civilians if the victims lived healthily and happily. Obviously, no right minded person would suggest that murder in this fashion is ever acceptable. However, I think the issue at hand needs to be reconsidered from a different approach entirely.
The food chain is one that has always existed, and will continue to exist indefinitely. Refusing to eat meat out of respect for animals is essentially throwing away the advantage of evolution bestowed upon us. This readjustment in thinking changes the concept of “Ethical” Butcheries entirely.
I still wholeheartedly support the mission of the butcheries with this new perspective. Our health and the environment are the only things pertaining to this article that concern me. If grass fed meat is better for our health than ordinary mass produced meat, we should all consider the healthier option. After all, who wouldn't choose the tastier option?
This week, I found interest in the article "Trump sets into North Korea and agrees with Kim Jong-Un to Resume Talks", written by Peter Baker and Michael Crowley. This article really sparked my interest due to all of the questioning of the government that has been constantly occurring and how some people believe that the government is not changing for the better. It was really surprising to me that our president actually went to North Korea to have a discussion with Kim Jong-Un. In the article Trump stated that, " A lot of progress has been made , a lot of friendships have been made, and this has been in particular a great friendship". This statement leaves me to have mixed emotions about whether or not this new mutual friendship benefits or negatively impacts the U.S and how this mutual friendship will impact the people in the U.S.
The article that caught my attention this week was, “This Fortnite World Cup Winner is 16 and $3 Million Richer”, by Derrick Bryson Taylor and Niraj Chokshi. The most interesting thing about the article was hearing how a 16-year-old, Kyle Giersdorf, won $3 million dollars by winning a Fortnite tournament. Although he worked hard to win the tournament, I believe that the amount of money he won was too much. There are professionals in different sports that only make a million per year. The pay that he received is most likely going to receive controversy. It amazes me that Kyle is going to be a junior in the fall just like me. It shows the world that age doesn’t matter when someone’s striving for their goals. His win in the Fortnite World Cup interested me because he’s doing something that he loves and he’s getting support from his parents at the same time. Most parents aren’t fond of the idea of their kid playing their gaming system for eight hours a day. Kyle realizes that this isn’t the most important thing and he finds time for the more important things, such as spending time with his family and friends. During the school year he doesn’t just forget about his studies but he makes sure to do all of his work before playing video games.
This week, the article that caught my attention was "Shooting at Festival in California Kills at Least 3." During this shooting, 12 were left injured and 3 were killed, including Stephen Romero, a 6 year old boy. Living in America, it seems shootings happen extremely often, and it is almost not even surprising to hear about events like this. After looking at some statistics, about 310 people are shot everyday in America, and roughly 100 are killed by these shots. These numbers are insanely high. In my opinion, the government has to do something about our gun laws. In this particular instance, the shooter was using an "assault-style rifle." Rifles such as these are capable of much more damage than a pistol or handgun. So why is it that we allow rifles such as these to be sold to just about anyone? In order to reduce the deaths and mass shooting in our country, I believe we should add more restriction on our gun laws.
The most interesting article to me this week was, “Supreme Court Let’s Trump Proceed on Boarder Wall”by Adam Liptak. This article caught my eye from the start. When I saw the title I knew this was a topic I feel strongly about and I wanted to hear what the author had to say about it. Reading the article I saw only negatives about the building of the wall when truly there are many unaddressed benefits. Some of which are stricter immigration policies and regulations, allowance of better screening of people entering the country, and insuring that immigrants enter the country with proper documentation and the governments knowledge allowing them to be taxed as workers and earn citizenship when desired same as a person from any other country. I do understand how the wall negatively affects the environment but wall benefits outweigh negatives. When President Trump declared a national emergency along the Mexican boarder and caused a government shut down, I believed he made a very powerful decision that showed he wanted to stick to his word and build this wall. His decision was very smart and got what he wanted accomplished. Now after getting the backing of the Supreme Court President Trump is correct when he claims this is a big victory. Now that I have read this article I have learned more about the negatives of the wall and I personally still believe the wall should be built. This is a very prominent topic that I really enjoy learning more about and I’m glad I read this article.
The article "This Fortnite World Cup Winner Is 16 and $3 Million Richer" stood out to me. I currently have a lawn business and I will occasionally play video games. When I saw this article, I got really interested. Some kid made millions by just playing games. He made more in one summer than most adults do in ten years. It was neat to see his reaction of saving most of his money, which many teenagers would not do. He also made Fortnite his career. This conflicts with school, but he strives to have time with family and get work done as well. Now, he can not play Fortnite forever because eventually it will die out, but if he use his money wisely and does not ignore the need for knowledge from school then he should be able to live a happy life after Fortnite is over and grow as a person.
Their Shows Flopped. Here’s What These 7 Actors Did Next.
When I first started to view this article, I assumed it would be about television shows. However, itis actually about theatre shows on Broadway. Although it was not what I expected, this article was still interesting to me as I wrote it. It features actors that were in failed plays and how they overcame the failures. The article showed me how to improve on my positive, glass half full outlook on life. The part that stood out to me most was the story of Jenn Colella. Her play, "Urban Cowboy," was canceled the day after its opening night. That experience taught her that she needs to be grateful for every chance she gets because all opportunities will eventually fade away.
Everyday we hear news of global warming and it fills us with a certain guilt that we aren’t doing enough to help our planet. As we might have those thoughts which say that our planet is doomed, there are still many people out there which give us hope about the future. As I was reading “Glimpsing our Post Consumption Future at the Cooper Hewitt” by James S. Russell I was intrigued by how people could come up with such ingenious ideas that can help save our planet. Looking at all of these people come up with brilliant ideas filled me with a sense of pride and relief, that people are working to make the world a better place and not just working to gain money. After reading this article I began wanting to see more products so I found more videos on this same topic which showed inventions like edible spoons and plastic-free shampoo pods. With each video I felt more in awe of what people were inventing but I realized that I had never seen any of these inventions in the real world. More people are making new things but none of them make to the market because people are scared to invest in them because they might not make a profit. I know it makes sense to not invest in radical ideas but sometimes I think people should take the risk and give it a shot, not to make a huge profit but to make the world a better place to live in. I am part of the generation that has to fix the mistakes made by past generations and it is very disheartening to see brilliant ideas go away in vain.
Summer is a unique season for those who still do not work. Time of the eternal freedom and unconscious power to do whatever you want. Students and pupils all over the world unpack skates, bikes, surfboards, camping backpacks, tents, swimsuits and run away to have their “Best Summer Ever”. But the magic doesn’t begin in the snap of a finger.
It doesn’t even have to begin in summer at all.
The ability to enjoy usually comes with some special conditions but it does not live up to the calendar. It means to be always with you no matter how above zero the degrees are. So, if you have your soulmate nearby and the right thing to do just do not forget to come back home from your impromptu summer in the middle of the snowy December.
I’m writing this piece of text for those who do not like summer. Neither do I. But it’s not the reason to skip it complaining about the weather and waiting for the good time. It’s already here. Don’t miss it.
The Creepy Anglerfish Comes to Light. (Just Don’t Get Too Close.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/29/science/anglerfish-bioluminescence-deep-sea.html?module=inline
This article about anglerfish really interests me because it evokes my curiosity of the deep sea and its residents. The anglerfish is a deep-sea predator who uses its flashing rod to lure preys. As the article mentions, we didn't know much about their behavior and lifestyle until the 1980s, when our deep-sea technology developed to a point to send bathyscaphes down to where the anglerfish lives. Since then, new observations have been recorded frequently by cameras about the anglerfish's behavior in the deep-sea abyss, including their rods, their bio-flashlights, and how they lure and devour their preys. With this quickly developing technology, we see not only the anglerfish, but many other mysterious organisms, such as the giant squid and glowing jellyfish. Some of these species are totally new to us. The deep sea has been the forbidden zone of human exploration for thousands of years, but we can now see through its mysterious veil and reveal its beauty. I believe that in the future, the deep sea will be another end for human development comparable to the outer space.
The article I chose to read this week is “Ethiopia Says It Planted Over 350 Million Trees in a Day, a Record” by Palko Karasz. When I first saw this on social media a few days ago, I was quite impressed. Planting 350 million trees in one day seems impossible, but many schools and government offices were closed for this event, allowing many people to participate. At the moment, the Earth is not in good condition to sustain all life for a very long time due to the pollution and deforestation. Society has been making gradual changed but at that rate, it may be too late to help our planet. However, the hard work of Ethiopia, if I am being honest, restored my faith in humanity and made me realize that there are more communities out in the world willing to make an impact on the environment.
I also read in the article that China has set out to become a leader in expanding forests and that the Earth Day Network has called for 7.8 million trees to be planted on Earth Day. In addition, according to a study by researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute for Technology, ETH Zurich, if trees were planted on all of the 900 million hectares of land, two-thirds of all carbon can be restored. All of these efforts would surely improve the planet, but unfortunately, this probably won’t decrease the pollution. Many parts of the ocean, beaches, and land are littered with plastic and trash, killing the animals. Hopefully, soon, the fate of Earth and humanity can be changed.
"New Nitrogen Ice Cream Shop Opens"
The article that interested me the most in the times his week was the story about the nitrogen ice cream. I think that it is amazing what can be done with the nitrogen and I have tried nitrogen ice cream and it was delicious. I didn't go to Four Winters but I went to a nitrogen place called "Frost Bite" I got banana ice cream with a syringe of caramel and it was delicious. Therefore I found it interesting that there was an article about it.
Back-to-Back Bursts of Gun Violence in El Paso and Dayton Stun Country
Two shootings within 24 hours. Three mass shootings in a week. 33,104 shooting incidents in one year and counting. 8,754 died as a result. #ThisisAmerica.
What else can I say? Is this America, a country full of hate, seeking revenge and voicing political stance with violence? Is this America, a country that lets anyone have guns, and don’t bother with stricter background checks? The answer is supposed to be no, but yes, America is a country full of hate, and don’t bother with stricter background checks. But we can all agree that there needs to be a solution to this.
The second amendment of the U.S. Constitution gave the people the right to bear arms. The reason that amendment was written was because our Founding Fathers wanted to make sure that the people can defend themselves when they need to. Not to attack when something upsets them. So far, there are no major threats other than the person sitting in the White House.
The House of Representatives has already taken action by passing a bill on stronger background checks, but the bill is blocked by Mitch McConnell. We need to have a bipartisan agreement on this. Unfortunately, the NRA has Republican members under their control. But Congress needs to find a way for those bills to be passed, or else more lives will be lost to guns, and we have to accept the sad truth, this is America.
"World Reacts to El Paso Shooting and the Hate That Fueled It"
Many immigrants come to the United States for a better life, to live the American dream. But as soon as they come knocking on that door, they are met with much more of a nightmare than a dream. The toxic nature of racism and terrorism, as seen by the El Paso shooting, have nations across the globe horrified, taking precautions to ensure the safety of their people.
As I finished reading the article, one idea that was brought up struck me hard: shootings are such a common occurrence within the US that some people aren’t fazed by it or its lack of change. Or at least until it doesn’t affect them personally. Taking a step back and realizing how often and how easy these shootings occur certainly makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand. But it only really matters when chaos is started by an enemy of the whole country, right?
The authors continue to describe how rising white nationalism, Trump’s echoing speech, and the ease of accessing guns fuel the hate we still see today. For as long as immigrants are faced with hostility, they will never find the pride in being American. The unfamiliarity of this violence in other countries goes to show what needs to be fixed in our ‘land of the free.’
Until then, ‘America’s civil war’ has yet to be resolved, as its foreign residents even fear the silence in their own homes. After all, there’s no point in living the American dream if someone shoots that dream down.
Tariff Tantrums and Recession Risks
Recession has become an increasing risk in the economy with Donald Trump and his power over tariffs. Paul Krugman attempts to clearly explain why this is the case when he hasn’t seen “many clear explanations” (Krugman). Krugman starts his article by asking a question the reader may have, then answering it shortly afterward. There are more instances of this type of persuasion throughout the rest of the article. Krugman also provides a few narratives of hypothetical situations to persuade the reader. These narratives employ terms or ideas he has already established to help the reader understand them better. Throughout the article as a whole, Krugman starts small and works up with all of his information, making it easier to digest for the reader and leading them to believe his claim. As for what’s presented in the article itself, Krugman claims that Donald Trump’s sheer unpredictability is what’s increasing the risk of recession. Krugman explains this by providing another narrative that shows two companies reacting accordingly to Trump’s change in tariffs. Krugman claims Trump’s indecision will cause the companies to delay their investments, negatively affecting the demand, and as such, enabling recession. I’m not sure how I should respond to his logic, as I’m not well-versed in economy. However, I will say that Krugman’s presentation is sound, and I didn’t find any contradicting information, suggesting an effective rhetorical approach.
A dog that can recognize more than 1,000 nouns is mind blowing! If someone can train a dog to do this, what else can they train dogs to do. The owner was a professor and used different ways to train his border collie nouns. He rewarded Chaser with play time instead of treats. For a person to train a dog to do something that a human can do is so awesome as well.What is the possibility of training a dog more than a thousand words? Dogs are very smart animals but can people train cats or any other animals to do something like this dog with this kind of intelligence? What if they can have more dogs to help more handicapped people and help them get around easier or faster. I never even heard of a dog that could be so smart to realize words and put them in groups and recognize commands and figure out what object is what and what to do with the object. I love the idea that someone would want to train a dog to do something like this. I give lots of credit to the owner for giving the dog lots of patients and love for doing something so awesome because i bet it took a long time. It’s crazy because some dogs can’t even learn a simple command like “sit” or “fetch”. It is heartbreaking that the owner passed away and this sweet dog passed away because both of them spent so many years together and had a great relationship.
Sophia Klein
Regina High School
This week I read an article titled “Mermaids Have Always Been Black.” Based on the title, I knew it would talk about the recent backlash Disney has been facing over the casting of a black lead in "The Little Mermaid" remake.
When I first heard that Ariel was going to be played by Halle Bailey I was really excited to see a black teenager get such an important role in a movie. I was surprised to see so many people refusing to accept Bailey as Ariel. I tried to understand people's anger. Those people had probably imagined that in the new remake the actress playing the role of Ariel would look like the cartoon. However, I could not understand people who justified their anger over the role of Ariel going to a black woman by comparing it to thought of the role of Mulan, Tiana, or Pocahontas going to a person of another race. Those characters have actual historical and cultural significance, while Ariel was a cartoon from an imaginary place.
Growing up as a young black girl whenever I wanted to be a Disney Princess for Halloween people would always suggest that I should be Princess Tiana because she was the only princess who shared a complexion similar to mine. Now Halle Bailey is hearing the same thing. Disney has had a serious lack of diversity. If there were already more characters, not just one, from different backgrounds their would be more acting jobs available for people of color. Then being Princess Tiana wouldn’t be the only other role people suggest she could play.
The Secret History of ‘Easter Eggs’
Easter eggs have become an increasingly popular phenomena that can be observed from programs in cars to the backgrounds in movies. Easter eggs can prove to be costly for some businesses, but it is an overall fun way to provide consumers to spend more time playing a specific video game or watching a movie to find them. For example, in the movie Avengers: Endgame, there are many conveniently placed easter eggs for eagle eyes fans to spot, such as the ballet slippers placed near Black Widow in her scene with Captain America, alluding to her past working in the Red Room, which we currently know very little about. Another example is the WordPress website. In this site's Terms of Service under the Disclaimer of Warranties subheading, it includes a small link buried in with all the legal terms that directs you to a photo of a beef brisket dinner along with a tribute to Mephis Minnie's, a San Francisco barbecue restaurant. Mr Mullenweg, the co-creator of the website, has claimed that it has been copied into many other site's Terms of Service without them noticing. The company Tesla, run by CEO Elon Musk, also features a variety of easter eggs placed in their products. According to this article, it states that the Model X car includes "...Romance Mode... Santa Mode... and what Tesla engineers call Emissions Testing Mode..." According to Tesla, those are just a few of many more easter eggs that haven't been uncovered yet.
This week I read the article “Traditional Dresses as Resistance”, which highlights the Rarámuri people, an indigenous group of people in Mexico, and their unwillingness to assimilate to the western culture. Frankly, I find it to be quite admirable of them to have such determination to keep their culture intact, despite many believing that accepting western culture as their own is the only way to economically and socially advance. This belief, in general, is very disheartening because people with different cultures should not have to conform to anyone else’s to be able to make a living for themselves. Men of this culture already been forced to give up their traditional garments to provide for their families. The Rarámuri women struggle greatly with the conquest of finding a job. Many jobs expect that the Rarámuri will dress according to uniform, but these women refuse because the way they dress is apart of them. However, because they resist assimilating, they suffer financially. This is completely unfair for these people because it is not just that they should be discriminated for their culture. Even the government of Mexico has yet to help these women find employment. Amazingly, these women still hold their heads high and work towards representing themselves throughout their community. One lady is working towards becoming a nurse in her traditional Rarámuri dress. Not to mention, the Rarámuri, women especially, dress beautifully in their handmade garments.
The article I chose was “He’s Your Destiny. Just Be Patient.” by Stefanie Abel Horowitz.
In Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five, the main character, Billy Pilgrim, repeatedly travels between different parts of life to relive them. Like an actor in a play, he knows what’s going to happen, whether it is happy or harmful. Yet he has to proceed the same way as before. Everything happens as before, because everything was decided before.
For a while, I believed in it. I told myself whenever I failed, it had to have happened. If I didn’t, I didn’t get lucky, it was just inevitable. As a person who loves math, I maintained that everything had causes and effects, and if we knew every event that occurred, we could know everything in the future. Everything followed from logic; nothing couldn’t be known.
Horowtiz’s article reassures me that this isn’t the case. Love, and anything else based on the fragility of human emotions, can’t be predicted or planned out, whether by me or something bigger. Destiny, whether or not it exists, isn’t something that we can ever hope to know.
I feel a bit uncomfortable about this. What’s the point of pursuing knowledge if some things will always be out of reach? Yet, at the same time, it comforts me to know that there is always going to be uncertainty in my life. Because if I know what is going to happen, I have nothing to live for.
The article I chose for this week is “Schools in England Introduce a New Subject: Mindfulness”. In the United States there aren’t many schools that offer subjects that have to deal with mental health. We all experience stress and sadness as well as emotions that are happy, but sometimes we don’t know how to express our emotions or control our emotional situation. In England, up to 370 schools are integrating a new subject titled “mindfulness” into their curriculum. In this class students will learn to regulate their emotions by using breathing, role playing exercises, and by teaching the children how to relax in stressful situations. The goal of this class is to help clear the youth’s mind and give them a proper mind to learn and create new ideas. Along with that, this class will also help kids through emotional problems instead of trying to protect them from the problems. I believe that mental health is an important topic to be taught and for kids to learn about because between the ages of 5-15 years old about 11.2% of these children are suffering with a mental disorder and this increasing number is something that should be lower, but the only way to lower this percentage is to teach about this topic.
The article that interested me most in the Times this week was “That Vexing Math Equation? Here’s an Addition.” I love math and solving equations, but the equation from this article really stumped me. Earlier, Twitter was asked to solve the equation: 8 ÷ 2(2+2) =? I used the order of operations to get the answer of 16. However, I learned in this article that other people online have been getting the answer one. As I continued through the article, the author explains that to get the answer of one, there is another way to solve the equation. This convention gives multiplication higher priority in this particular situation. This is why this article is so interesting to me. When there are more questions like this, which way should we solve our equations? Are we still going to use PEMDAS or this other convention in the future? There is normally a clear answer for any math problem, but this one has left me confused and with questions. I agree with the author, “If you want a clearer answer, ask a clearer question.”
The article, “Who Won Night 2 of the Democratic Debate? Experts Weigh In”, interested me due to its emphasis on the US 2020 election. With the startling defeat of Hillary Clinton in 2016, Democrats were expected to learn from this defeat and most have clearly shown they haven’t. When Hillary Clinton infamously said half of Trump supporters were a “basket of deplorables”, calling them all types of slurs from racist to sexist to islamophobic, it was thought of as a horrible political move not to be replicated. Now instead of focusing their campaign to voters who feel alienated by the party, they are choosing to call even more people racist and offer free healthcare to illegal immigrants. The most down to Earth democratic candidates are now being shamed by the party for not being radical enough or pointing out faults with the front runners. This can be seen by Kamala Harris effectively calling Tulsi Gabbard a russian probe after Gabbard called her out on her flagrant hypocrisy, and this message being amplified by left wing media outlets such as Vox. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, on the other hand are having their own competition to who can give more free stuff to more people, effectively trying to outdo each other with radical unpopular ideas each debate. With the current situation of the Democratic party, it should be an easy landslide win for Trump in 2020.
"The Mosquitoes Are Coming for Us"
This week, I decided to read an article regarding mosquitoes. Recently during the summer time, we all stay out in the evenings and wake up the next day with itchy spots all over our arms and legs. These itchy spots, although an inconvenience to us, helps the insects who caused them in the first place. Female mosquitoes enter our skin with two serrated mandible cutting blades and use their proboscis to suck on human blood. This human blood provides energy to mosquito eggs in the female mosquito, but leaves us with an allergic reaction to the saliva the mosquito inserted while taking our blood. Usually these bites are itchy for a while and eventually go away, but many times it causes more harm. Mosquito saliva can cause many deadly diseases like Yellow Fever, Dengue, Zika, West Nile, and most famous, Malaria. Throughout human existence, mosquitoes have killed about half of the 108 billion humans that have lives on earth. So why haven't we done anything to get rid of a species that has tried many times to get rid of us? A system known as Crispr is capable of changing the genome of an organism to get rid of certain traits. It is possible with this mechanism to create infertile mosquito offspring and release them, which would eventually cause the extinction of mosquitoes. But, humans have impacted the biosphere so drastically already, that it is more reasonable for us to use preventative measures instead. So, it looks like bug spray is staying.
In the article, “Need a Mental Health Day? Some States Give Students the Option”, by Derrick Bryson Taylor, school is becoming more stressful, depression and anxiety levels are increasing, and rate of suicide is increasing. As the years go on students nationwide are losing their mental health and we need to put an end to these negative issues students face on a daily basis that make them depressed and anxious. Mental health is so important especially in teenagers because it is the key of being social, performing well in school, and staying physically fit. Depression is anig problem among teens and I believe that the core reason behind it is stress. Every day students go into school so early in the morning after getting no sleep from staying up doing homework all night and I don’t think that it is healthy. School adds so much stress into a teens life between balancing friends and studying for tests and at a point it gets too much. Although school is stressful, I am aware school is necessary in becoming a successful adult and this overwhelming stress will prepare us for college and our future. I think a simple solution to help our mental help is giving students a mental health day when they need it. This will reduce stress which will most important reduce the high rate of teen suicide. I can relate to this article because school gives me stress and there are points throughout the year that a mental health day would benefit my peers and I.
The article that I read this week that was the most interesting to me was, "The Chef on a Mission to Bring Soulful, Healthy Food to All of Brooklyn". Francesca Chaney is the owner of a cafe called Sol Sip in Bushwick. The cafe meals and drinks are all plant based and nutritious. This was influenced by Francesca's upbringing. She always watched her grandmother cook meals from scratch, and her mother was a nutritionist. Her mother taught her about plant based eating, even though it was difficult to find vegan meals in her neighborhood. When she turned 18 she made her own elixirs and juices and sold them at a near by store, but then ended up opened up her own cafe. She wanted to help people get access to healthy and nutritious meals. I liked this article so much because I love to cook and bake. I can also relate to it because my mom is all about healthy eating, so everything I eat is pretty much all organic. But this article shows that Francesca loves what she does and wants to help others enjoy it as well, and that is something that I have thought of doing when I get older. This is just an inspiring story and I really enjoyed it.
As relations between the US and China continuing to rise, actions taken by China’s central bank added to those tensions. Anna Swanson’s article “China’s Currency Moves Escalate Trade War, Rattling Markets” discusses intentions and results. Swanson writes that China’s currency value was lowered on Sunday as a result of President Trump’s tariffs on Chinese goods. However, as a result the Treasury department has labeled China as a currency manipulator. The reasons for doing this are to try and lessen the effects of the tariffs the government has placed on China. The domestic results of this is the S&P 500 closing 3% lower than it opened. This three percent does not sound significant, however, when the fact is that 3% is hundreds of millions of dollars, it becomes more significant. Other nations in Southeast Asia are concerned about this as well because China’s success on the global markets has a faster and more direct effect on them. In China this will likely hurt businesses because many have borrowed money in American dollars and now that the exchange rate is detrimental to them it could hurt them most of all. This could result in a cascade effect stunting global economic growth with investors not inclined to do business with declining stability. While this could also be resolved through diplomatic means in a relatively short period, in the meantime with billions at stake global eyes will remain on the US and China and the ongoing trade disputes.
Article: Capital One Data Breach Compromises Data of Over 100 Million
As our society continues to become more and more reliant on technology, the more we have to be conscious of our digital security. Both as an individual and as a corporation. There is a constant digital war happening every second of our lives, it is fought between people trying to steal information and people trying to protect it. A real world example of this was brought to my eyes by this article. Paige Thompson, a software engineer in Seattle, breached Capital One's cyber security and gained over 100 million peoples' personal information. This information included, social security numbers, bank account numbers, etc. This incident will end up costing Capital One upwards of $150 million.
During the past three years, I have been participating in a school activity focused on introducing the basics of Cyber Security. As a result of this, I have developed an interest in digital security, and programming. I think that is why this story is so interesting to me, because it includes two topics that interest me and seeing them come into play at the highest scale is very fascinating to me. In addition, it illustrates the extreme need for strong cyber security by showing what can happen if you're found to be vulnerable by a digital attacker. This is interesting because I think a lot of people just think that hackers steal passwords, and they don't realize how much damage one hacker can do.
I found the article "Human Contact Is Now a Luxury Good" by Nellie Bowles fascinating. At first the article seemed to me to be about the difference in technological life styles between the different socio-economic classes, and yet as I read on I found it to be speaking about human interaction through technology.
I found Bowels' distinction between physical human interactions and mechanical interactions refreshing. This article wasn't another irritated comments about the generation of today "always on their phones". Unlike those, this article actually made me want to turn off my phone. Although the article ended with the positive effects of using technology, it made me doubt what i thought about using my phone. I used to think that the phone should be used to connect people to their friends and the world; I don't doubt that but I now additionally think that the more I get used to connecting to my friends and others through the phone, the farther apart we will grow in reality.
This was not the message of the article which is why I liked it so much. It made me think beyond the article's initial directive and made me think of ways to better it. I think that now I will be more aware of the way I talk to people and make connections with them. Technology is very convenient and helpful. The man in the article probably needed it in his life and it might have made it brighter, but I'm grateful that I don't need to rely on technology to have a connection and hope it stays this way.
The article that caught my attention this week was “Need a Mental Health Day? Some States Give Students the Option.” As soon as I saw this title, I realized just how great of an idea this is. There are many days where I feel stressed and anxious, and feel no escape from it. I wake up for school, and the last thing I want to do is leave the comforts of my bed. Whether it be anxiety from sports, schoolwork, friends, or anything else, sometimes we all just need a day off. The lawmakers of Utah and Oregon have seen that this is a major problem, and have each created a law allowing students to take a few mental health days. Now students with major mental illnesses, or students who just need a break, will be able to do so without being penalized. Hopefully, more states will follow suit, and students everywhere will be able to take a sigh of relief.
Climate Change Threatens the World’s Food Supply, United Nations Warns
Global warming - climate change is beginning to threaten the global balance of people, resources, and food. A UN report curated internationally and addressed to the international community emphasizes the need for action as soon as possible. The consequences of ignoring rising temperatures and continuing to take food production for granted cross over from environmental problems into social and political ones.
This is not the first alarming report that the UN has released regarding global warming climate change, and considering the trend of action, it won't be the last. However, the study makes clear that it is not too late for our planet. There's still time to reduce carbon emissions and reduce meat intake and food waste. There's still time to plant trees and use more renewable energy. The window for decisive legislation and policy change to protect the atmosphere is still wide open. I hope we don't let it pass us by. The clock is ticking. And all that CO2 isn't going anywhere.
" Need a Mental Health Day? Some States Give The Option"
I was interested in this article because I have witnessed fellow students suffering because of stress and anxiety. They will have full-blown panic attacks during class. I think if they had days where they could relax and stop worrying about the future, it would be extremely beneficial to their health. Stress and anxiety can be overlooked as something temporary, but some suffer to the point where they cannot focus on anything. Something that some people don't realize is that school is a very stressful place. They are pressured to get high grades, to meet social standards, to behave and, to always do what is expected of them. If they step out of line they are chastised in more ways than one. A break from this stress would greatly improve students performance.
This week I was interested in reading the article “Need Extra Time on Tests? It Helps to Have Cash” by Dana Goldstein and Jugal K. Patel. This article is about how students across the nation who are receiving additional time on standardized tests such as the SAT or ACT, are more likely to live in wealthier areas. According to the Department of Education Census Bureau, the majority of students in the nation with a 504 planーa plan which offers students extra time on tests by using other methods of recording answers such as keyboards on computers instead of a pencil on a scantronーattended schools with an income group in the top 1%. This unjust system proves how divided the nation’s social class is since wealthier students have more opportunities to improve their test scores with the use of their money for private tutors or the evaluation for extra time on tests. However, students in lower-class areas are more likely to receive a poorer education since they do not have access to proper resources, let alone to pay thousands of dollars to hire a certified psychologist to evaluate their child’s need for extra time. I strongly believe that all schools across the nation should require psychologists to evaluate students with no expenses in order for there to be a fair college admission based on the same opportunity to receive the best test score that the student can get. Unfortunately, money is a critical part of the world today and this issue is far from being resolved.
He Left His Twins in a Hot Car and They Died. Accident or Crime?
In order to make a proper indictment, all the facts must be reviewed. In these specific cases of “child negligence”, I believe they all should be investigated thoroughly before reaching a verdict. Like the article said in the last line, these cases are “never black and white”. In many law cases, you cannot generalize information simply because the cases are related. Each case has different facts that need to be reviewed with an open mind, unprejudiced towards the other cases. Dealing with the death of a child is painful enough, and knowing you are the cause of it can ruin your life. Instead of using resources to punish these “negligent” caregivers, I think the judicial system should use its resources to address more dangerous crimes and vital issues. If it is determined that the defendant did not maliciously intend to harm their child, instead of being sentenced to jail time, they should be forced to do some good for the community to give back. This way, less resources are being wasted in federal and state prisons.
It's worth noting that as technology continues to improve, problems arise simultaneously. As someone who considers himself tech-savvy, I found myself interested in the article "Hacker's Latest Target: School Districts" this week. The article explains how a hacking attempt occurred in the database of a school district. A scenario like this serves as a reminder that as technology continues to thrive, there will also be unpleasant happenings at the same time. It's a shame what people do in order to obtain money for themselves. Again, as someone who understands technology fairly well, I think as long as time continues, we can break out of this pattern of problem-with-innovation.
This week, I read “Thoughts and prayers aren’t enough” says the first gun violence minister.” As the title suggests, thoughts and prayers really aren’t enough. Neither is taking quick action after shootings. What about before? What about preventing the shootings?
I am a high school student in NY. I’ve heard about many shootings. Known friends of friends who’ve been killed. Students are terrified and traumatized, just hearing about the incidents. One of my friends jumps when she hears a loud noise, immediately assuming a shooting is taking place. Students live with the fear that their school is next.
No body is 100% safe, and I don’t think we ever will be, but if this new gun violence minister, Deanna Hollas, thinks she can make a difference or change the world, I say let her. There are so many things that could be done. I personally believe that if there were no guns at all no one would be shot or killed. However, as wonderful as it sounds, that scenario sounds highly improbable and unrealistic. In many’s eyes, guns were made to protect. Unfortunately, they fail to see the mass quantities of deaths caused by them.
The article I chose is written by Jeremy White, “When lawmakers tried to ban assault weapons, gun makers adapt.” I noticed that very little is done to stop gunmakers and third-party manufacturers from modifying any kind of gun that has been banned or restricted. Lawmakers have the ability to put numerous laws or restrictions on a gun but if no action is taken against gun makers then they will continue to respond and adapt to any restrictions or limitations by creating new modifications that can be put onto the guns. Gunmakers will always find ways to bypass any restriction if it means that they continue making money and gaining profit. An AR- 15 is a deadly weapon in the hands of any person. No citizen should feel the need to own a military style assault rifle. Reading this article has made me realize that gunmakers are the reason why its so hard to restrict or ban the use of a gun. How many more people need to be killed before something effective occurs? Mothers are losing their children, Brothers and sisters are loosing their siblings, Friends are losing their friends. Our entire country fears of a shooter showing up at any time or location ready to kill. Recently in New York, a motorcycle engine went off, mimicking the sound of a gun shot and thousands of people ran in various directions in fear of being shot. Its a constant pattern. A gun get banned or restricted, gunmakers find a solution, that solution gets banned or restricted, gunmakers find another solution, repeat.
Knowing that a billboard record has just been broken, it seems fitting that the article about such record caught my eye. With the song "Old Town Road" hitting 17 weeks at the number one spot, it can really go to show how the world is quickly changing, and how more things are having even vaster influences.
Much of the success of "Old Town Road" can be attributed to the internet. The way that inside jokes circulate in a friend group, internet jokes circulate throughout the web's vast reachers, catching the eye of everyone. Memes can be made that use specific concepts as jokes, and such a process was used on "Old Town Road". The creator, Montero Hill (or Lil Nas X), used the internet to his advantage to popularize the song. Constantly making jokes about the song on his twitter started up its popularity. Once people on the social media app TikTok caught wind of the song, it blew up further. What you can take away from all of this is how much the internet, and its peculiarities, are making an impact. Simple jokes led to a billboard record getting toppled, and more can only come from it.
After reading the article, you can really get a clear idea of how influential the internet really is. Memes led to worldwide phenomenons, short videos to mass popularization, and twitter accounts to stardom. The display of the power of the internet is shown heavily throughout this entire story, having more bearing in how the world works than years before. This truly means our world is evolving.
The article, “What Swimming Taught Me About Happiness”, interested me this week.
I know well that good technique in swimming guarantees increased speed and ease in swimming long distances. I started swimming when I was young and continued until I quit at 8th grade because I thought it was too hard and time consuming. In fact, in those times, I hated swimming because it was tiring and hard. I quit swimming for about 2 years and suddenly decided to join the swim team in 10th grade to lose weight. I quickly became one of the fastest in the team because of the ingrained techniques I learned while I was young.
Even after getting relatively good at swimming, I have never felt that working out with my team was fun. Instead, it was excruciating and arduous. I have never thought that swimming had anything related to happiness. The author helped me see an important relationship between two polar opposites: “happiness is a side effect of living well — just like speed can be the result of excellent swimming technique.” The pursuit of happiness does not guarantee happiness, but living well does. We need good social relationships not more stress by planning for vacations, downloading mindfulness apps, and reading self-help books. In swimming, the pursuit of swimming technique, not speed gets you better. Similarly, in life, we should try to live well, not pursue happiness.
The article that interested me the most in The Times this week was Lil Nas X’s ‘Old Town Road’ Breaks Billboards Singles Record. This article interested me the most because the song has been a major focus of pop culture recently and has also shown a trend in recent music where songs crossover multiple genres. This song a mixture of country and trap music caught lots of attention because of the uncommon combination of genres. This combination lead to the massive popularity of the song as it was able to attract listeners from both genres. The other thing that allowed Old Town Road to break the record was all the remixes that were released after the original release of the song. The release all featured other major artists like Billy Ray Cyrus and Young Thug. The releases brought new listeners to the song when it was beginning to die off and lose attention. Lil Nas X has also strategically used social media to hype up the song by posting about it on his twitter and drawing new listeners into the song. All of these things have allowed Old Town Road to break the record for the longest time for a single song to be on the top of the Billboard single charts.
David Brooks in his article, “The Ideology of Hate and How to Fight It,” argues that a pluralistic society, based around engagement with diversity, is the future through intense language mocking the terrorists and their thoughts and beliefs. Brooks starts by dissecting the ideology and mentions part is based around racial mixing being “diseased.” The word diseased has a negative connotation that reveals part of the lens that the terrorists are seeing the world through and causes their views to seem more unrealistic. He then adds another part of the ideology is based around the white race being “obliterated” (Brooks) through immigration. The extreme connotation associated with obliterated demonstrates the intensity of what the terrorists feel relating to other races, especially since a toned down word like overwhelmed could have been used.
I agree with Brooks that pluralism is the future for the world. Everybody is already so mixed ethnically and it is only going to increase, so why try to stop the inevitable. Brooks presents that pluralists are “expanding the definition of ‘us’” which is so important because there is no “them” we are all human.
Hawaii is an example of pluralism with many of its inhabitants being mixed race and everyone being more accepting because everything is so diverse. Hawaii is an example of what the future could hold for all of us.
This week in The New York Times the article "How Phones Made the World Your Office, Like It or Not by" by Jeff Giles.
Telephones entered our lives towards the end of the 19th century. And now they have been an essential part of our lives you could say that they have become our lives. Phones and similar technology have made so much possible.
The first call on a wireless phone was made on April 3, 1973, by Motorola executive ,Martin Cooper and the first call was to his rival company, Bell Laboratories.
There used to be a phone, DynaTAC “The Brick” had a battery lasted only around 20 minutes. It took 10 hours to charge and the phone was so heavy that nobody could hold it up longer the the 20 minutes that the battery lasted.
“Uber Wants to Sell You Train Tickets. And Be Your Bus Service, Too.”
Public transportation is used every single day to help people go to places faster. Transportation such as trains helps many people go to areas in a much quicker time than say a car. Trains and buses can also help people who are less fortunate to commute properly with a car. Uber, a global sensation allows public transportation with an easy app they can download on a phone. Uber can cover a variety of transportation options at a range of prices.
Recently, Uber has innovated a new way to purchase bus and train tickets in just “two simple clicks.” Some train stations have collaborated with Uber during the springtime. In the article, Uber “has teamed up with cities and transit agencies… to provide tickets, to transport people with disabilities or sometimes to substitute for a town’s public transportation system entirely.” I genuinely believe this a good strategy to help many by easy means of transportation. This could also provide great benefit to the world by saving people’s time and persuading more people into other sources of transportation.
The article in the New York Times that captured my interest was, “Running to Put San Quentin Behind Him”, by Patricia Leigh Brown. This article piqued my attention because of how awe-inspiring Markelle Taylor’s story is. Markelle Taylor, despite the hardship of his past, was able to rise above all of his affliction and make a change. While Taylor was still incarcerated, he recognized a change that needed to be made, and he did what most of us are incapable of doing, he changed. Markelle Taylor worked hard to better himself and focus, despite the circumstances. This is the kind of story the makes us wake up and realize are we living life to our fullest potential or are we just living life going through the motions, in need of making a change. As impossible as you believe change is, it is not impossible. All you need to do is have motivation and give an effort, as Markelle did. In Markelle Taylor’s words, “Prison saved my life. It made me a better person. A life sentence forces you to wake up.”
The article I found most interesting this week on the New York Times was, "Shooting at Festival in California Kills at Least 3," because we keep having this same issue with guns, and all it's causing is anxiety. Some Americans would dismiss the gun violence with peoples psychotic state, video games, and bullying, which is true in most cases. But, the problelm is less of the cause and more of us not doing anything about it. Gun violence has become an anxiety, an anxiety where your constantly trying to map out a way to save yourself in the situation of a mass shooting, and I have it. On February 14th, 2018, a man opened fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas Highschool with a semi-automatic rifle. I remember getting home around 3:15 that day, turning on the news, and instantly calling my Mom. At the time, the only other massive school shooting I could remember was the Sandy Hook school shooting in 2012, which I barely understood. From that day on, shootings seemed more and more relevant, almost to a point where they were happening every month. The panic and anxiety caused by tramatic events like this and the one in Dayton is only spreading. Most of what I know about gun laws and mass shootings is from the news, but I don't need the news to know that constantly planning escape routes in case of a mass shooting emergency is a new and defintly not normal form of anxiety.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/29/us/fortnite-world-cup-winner-bugha.html?module=inline
The article that interested me this week was titled “This Fortnite World Cup Winner Is 16 and $3 Million Richer”. This article describes the recent success of 16 year old gamer; Kyle Giersdorf or “Bugha”. Hyle recently entered into the Fortnite World Cup where 100 players from around the world congregated in one room where they all competed for the grand prize of 3 million dollars. Fortnite is a game where 100 players on an island compete for the top prize by seeing who can stay alive the longest. Kyle stated that walking into the competition, he was extremely nervous, however, after each game, his confidence grew more and more. Kyle was first introduced to this game by his father and now it has grown into a career for him. He states that he plays 6-8 hours a day which will become a challenge to balance with his schoolwork this upcoming year as a high school junior. Kyle ended up winning the 3 million dollar prize making him the recipient of the largest individual prize ever given in a gaming event. The second and third place winner also all received a prize of over a million dollars.
I chose this article because I found it extremely interesting that someone was able to accomplish so much, especially at such a young age. Also, it is fascinating to see just how lucrative gaming has become as the prize money that Kyle received is more than some professional sports players get paid.
I chose the article "The World's Fastest (Old) Man" because I am an avid long-distance runner and I was amazed at Charles Allie's speed. He runs 400 meters in approximately the same time as I do at age 16. It is difficult to fathom that someone more than four times my age can run just as fast or faster. Additionally, I know many older runners, and they have all experienced significant drops in their speed over time, unlike Allie. It is truly fascinating that Allie's lifestyle and physiology have allowed him to remain so swift. Allie's life causes me to wonder whether other people and athletes can find similar results by staying supremely fit and eating healthily. I would like to discover if this helps their muscles to age unusually slowly and their bodies to continue competing at such an advanced age.
I was also thrilled to learn that I often eat and train in a similar fashion to Allie. For instance, I usually train by running slightly longer distances than my races. Likewise, my coaches emphasize rest and healing just as Allie does. Although I am only 16 and Allie is 71, we still have much in common.
The article that I found the most interesting this week was, "Marvel Studios Unveils Diverse Film Lineup at Comic-Con." I am a huge fan of Marvel, and I am extremely excited to see all these new movies and television shows that will come out in the oncoming years. The thing I found most interesting though, was how much more diversity Marvel is bringing to the franchise. I'm not saying Marvel hasn't had much diversity in the past on purpose, but I just think it is very cool that we are getting some more diverse characters. For example, with "Black Widow" we are getting our second female led movie and with another film "Eternals", we will actually have a death superhero. That's not all, with the movie "Shang-Chi: and the Legend of the Ten Rings" we are getting our first Asian superhero as well as most of the cast also being Asian. Last we have the movies "Thor: Love and Thunder" and "Blade." With Thor we will have our first LGBTQ hero with Tessa Thompson's character who will most likely come out as bisexual, which she is also in the comics. Finally with "Blade" starring Mahershala Ali, we will have our second black actor led movie. Overall, I think it is great that we are getting a lot of more representation and diversity in modern television and movies. I think this will make a lot of people happy as well as bring attention to certain political issues.
The article that interested me the most this week was “Housing Crisis Grips Ireland a Decade After Property Crash” by Ed O’Loughlin.
The reason why this article sparked so much of my interest is because I stayed in Ireland for three entire weeks this summer. I was not shocked to read that the cost to buy a house in Ireland has increased tremendously. While in Ireland my uncle was telling me about the prices of houses for sale that he saw in the paper. He told me that to purchase an attached house in Ireland it would cost a little more than the market value of his independently standing house in the U.S. I will admit I was stunned because what he was saying did not really make any sense to me. I acknowledged what he had told me but left the conversation feeling skeptical. About a month later I am now here reading this article speaking of exactly what he had told me. Because of such a spike in prices, especially renting prices, Irish cities like Dublin have seen a big increase in homelessness. Many young adults have no choice but to spend most of their earnings on rent. This means instead of being able to save some money to make their own investments it is being spent on trying to not be homeless. This is especially bad because adults who previously aspired to own a house now doubt the chances of ever owning their own home.
The article I decided to write about this week was one entitled "Tree Stumps are Dead, Right? This One Was Alive." Having just taken biology last year, I found this article very intriguing. The idea that the stump of a tree can remain alive without leaves seems absurd. I think it's really interesting that a stump can remain alive by sharing water and nutrients with neighboring trees.
The article also mentioned something called "The wood wide web," which refers to the interconnectivity between trees and the ability that they have to relay information via fungus. This is something I have heard of before in a documentary, and it has always been fascinating to me. It's interesting to think that plants communicate with each other, and even help each other in the case of the living tree stump.
This article really brings together two ideas that may seem almost paradoxical, and that's the reason I chose it. It is about a stump, which many believe would be dead, but is somehow alive. It also pertains to the idea that plants, which are sessile organisms with no means of speech, can communicate. I think that nature is a beautiful and mysterious place that we haven't even begun to understand, and this article really highlights some of the fascinating intricacies it has.
Today I read the article, "Triceratops Skull, 65 Million Years Old, Unearthed by College Student, 23." A young man rejected by an internship is invited to trek the harsh Badlands. There, he finds an important piece of ancient history, the discovery of a triceratops skull. I chose this story primarily for 2 reasons: I have always been interested in prehistoric creatures like dinosaurs, and am happy to see that more records of these magnificent creatures that once roamed our world. Secondly, it's inspiring that though this college student once got rejected for an internship, he made up for it by excavating and finding the skull of the iconic three-hornd triceratops.
When I was scrolling through the different articles I could pick from, I came across the article, “This Fortnite World Cup Winner Is 16 and $3 Million Richer.” This article caught my eye because my brother plays Fortnite all the time. I too would play a round or two here and there, but never would I have thought that there would actually be competitions with real prizes for playing a video game!
Many adults believe that video games will turn their kids minds into mush but it turns out to not be the case. Kyle Giersdorf, a 16 year old boy, won the Fortnite World Cup making himself and his family 3 million dollars richer. He found the perfect balance between academics and video games so he could keep his grades up while doing what he loves to do. By finding that balance, he plays Fortnite like it’s his job. Although he never got paid to play, he found something that he loves and excelled at it. Through all his practice, he became the best Fortnite player in the world and deserves all the credit.
The article, "Egan Bernal Finishes Off Tour de France Victory," interested me the most this week. The article was a play-by-play of the three week Tour de France, which resulted in a win for Columbian Egan Bernal, the youngest person to win since World War II. Bernal competed against some of the finest cyclists in the world, including former winner Geraint Thomas and fan favorite Julian Alaphilippe. Although the course was a difficult one, with severe weather and altitudes reaching up to 9,088 feet, the odds were in favor of young Bernal. Even the obstacles made a contribution to his ultimate victory.
I believe the Tour de France is one of the world's most important traditions. To me, it is a symbol of unity in a divided world. I think this year's competition may be the greatest example of that. Many French people favored Julian Alaphilippe for his French heritage, and although he lost, he is still revered by his fans. Additionally, even among the disappointment of Alaphilippe's loss, all people gathered to celebrate the victory of Bernal. This just goes to show that the Tour de France truly is for everyone. It is rare to find a competition like this in our world today as it is a competition in which every person is celebrated for his own individual accomplishments, win or lose.
The article that interested me most this week in the Times was “Hackers’ Latest Target: School Districts”, by Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs. Burroughs explains how school districts are becoming a primary target to many hackers, as they store massive amounts of private information and usually have minimal security. It is scary to think that all the private information my school has about me could be leaked fairly easily. Although it does seem unlikely that my specific school district could fall victim to a cybersecurity breach, the article mentions how having the “it won’t happen to us” mentality is exactly what leads to these types of attacks. I’m sure that cybersecurity will only become more of an issue in the future, and our school districts need to prepare for that by adapting their staff and the way they perceive threats. The fact that thousands of students’ data can be leaked just by a single staff member opening a false email which contains dangerous malware is frightening and needs to be addressed. Schools need to realize that the financial risk of being hacked and having to pay a ransom to regain access to their computer system is worth the additional funds that a sufficient cybersecurity program would cost.