Favorite Piece of Literature

This year, as an eleventh grader who is forced to read essays and books throughout the whole school year, I was actually quite surprised when I found myself fancying "The Ways We Lie" by Stephanie Ericsson. This piece of literature had be wondering and thinking about all the times I have lied (I never lie) and made me realize that every individual has incorporated one of those ten types of lies at least once in their lifetime. Also, because it was extremely straightforward and was written in such a clear format, it made it more enjoyable to  the readers. It also was one of the most recent essays that was written, and the examples were fairly easy to relate to. As a teenager, we tend to consider ourselves as wise and sneaky, but after reading this essay you realize that all our actions and lies have been done and even analyzed! Stephanie Ericsson wrote her essay with a vocabulary that was not difficult to comprehend, and did not involve the task of searching for words in a dictionary. Furthermore, the subject the author wrote about certainly does not appeal to only one specific person or community, which eases the process of grasping the author's message; and, not to say the least, it makes the essay worth my precious time. Sure, I love reading about a proposal that encourages readers to eat babies as much as the next guy; but this particular piece of literature has succeeded with connecting its audience with the main moral of the essay.

Holding Hands is a Punishment?

According to an article called, "Westwood High School Students In Arizona Forced To Hold Hands As Punishment For Fighting" in The Huffington Post, a first year principal offered two students who fought with one another two distinct choices: they would either receive suspension which would be written in their permanent record or they would be forced to hold hands publicly as a punishment. They both chose the later and had to face the taunts directed to them by the students.  Westwood High School students found the matter extremely hilarious, except for the two boys who hung their heads in shame throughout the whole process. They did not want one soul to see their faces during this public humiliation. This punishment lasted only one hour, but one of the two boys, Charles, ditched school the next day because of the unbearable teasing. Even though several parents were satisfied with this type of punishment, many others worry that forcing two guys to hold hands as a punishments portrays a negative message about homosexuals.  Nevertheless, the district does not agree with the principal's decision, and state that they will address the matter with him immediately.

Saint Vartan Camp

It may be hard to digest, but as a kid I used to be extremely quiet and shy. I always was worried about what people's views were of me, and always thought twice about my actions before anything. Yes, it is always wise to be cautious, but it definitely depends on the reasoning behind the hesitation. During gatherings or even school, it seemed to me that I expended an abundant amount of time trying to be "normal." However, during the summer of 2010 I attended a two week long Armenian summer camp located in New York with my cousins. One can imagine how nerve wrecking it can be to technically live in a bounded location with strangers whom one has never been acquainted with before. My two cousins were old enough to be councilors, forcing me to socialize and start new friendships with my age campers. It was extremely awkward, because all the campers were showering each other with hugs, expressing how much they missed one another, and updating each other about all the new gossip they may have possibly missed out on since last year. It took me about two days to finally feel comfortable and to realize that it was time for me to step out of my shell and make new friends. During breakfast, lunch, and dinner I sat with these strangers and began to start conversations, and eventually exchanged personal funny experiences and stories with one another. Sooner or later, I saw myself forming long lasting relationships with each and every one of them. Each week, each age group had to perform a small skit for the talent show. We decided to make fun of the councilors, and after our performance I finally felt the strong connection between the whole camp. It seemed to me I was no longer away from home. They became my brothers and sisters. As one week quickly flew by, we were all told to gather in one of the camp's buildings. Being my first year, I had no idea what to expect and was waiting impatiently with my friends, who come to think of it were actually quite calm compared to me. Then, I witnessed each councilor picking up a microphone and say a few heart warming words about one of their campers. After, I came to a conclusion that the councilors were passing out awards to each camper of the week.  As my councilor took that microphone from the prior speaker, she began to describe a camper who had only been attending the camp for one week. It did not take long for her to announce the name of this camper, who so happened to be me. I was honored with the award of being the camper of the week. I quickly stood up in awe, and realized that these people all have a special place in my heart. They have molded me into the person I am today. Even though, I attended this camp for two weeks, they taught me to accept myself and not care about what others may think of it. It has also helped me to be more social and outgoing. Consequently, I no longer felt the need to fit in with the norm. As Dr. Seuss once said, "Those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind." This is the quote I live by, and because of it I live life every day without any regrets or worries.

My Brain Hurts!

A student's hatred for math is not found uncommon when visiting a high school, or any school for that matter. When one expresses severe emotional distress when acquainted with a math textbook, is it out of mere attention? According to an article called, "Just thinking about math can make your head hurt,study confirms" published by Karen Kaplan in The Los Angeles Times, a psychologist from University of Chicago has conducted a study to justify the reasoning behind math anxiety. The researcher gathered fourteen individuals that portray a high level of anxiety when revealed to math. They were kindly asked to solve simple algebra problems; and throughout that time period their brains were being observed by an MRI scanner. Then, another set of fourteen volunteers, who portrayed a comfortable state when it comes to numbers and math, were asked to complete the same task. The latter subjects' brains were also being monitored. Scientist, later, were introduced to a fascinating discovery. Those who felt comprehensive during the experiment,due to their math anxiety, revealed a quite active INSp. The INSp is a part of an organism's brain that is detected to cause pain when stimulated. Therefore, that certain stimulation may be the leading factor of why an individual may feel pain and anguish when doing math. However, the main discovery that astonishes the scientists was that the math-anxious subjects showed the most activity in the INSp portion of the brain-as well as the mid-cingulate cortex, or MCC, which is also involved in processing pain- while waiting for the next upcoming math problem.

The Three Virtues

The three valuable virtues that were chosen late Wednesday night are the following: resolution, frugality, and tranquility.

Resolution:  Resolution is having the strength and determination to accomplish what you had set out to do. As it became evident last week, I am blessed with the horrible habit of forgetting. I have tried  many methods to solve this unwanted trait. However, those solutions were always cut short, due to my laziness to actually be persistent and consistent. Therefore, I picked resolution to be one of my three virtues. However, it was certainly no surprise, when I found myself failing to recall my commitment with Dg. Tamar. I had promised to bring a five dollar donation on Friday for the Syrian Armenians, but due to my lousy memory, I had, in a sense, lied to my Armenian teacher. Nevertheless, I will hand in my donation to her, as soon as the bell which indicates the cessation of first recess has been rung. How do I know for certain that I will not forget this time? I have actually set a reminder on my phone! Also, as mentioned before, I had not brought my textbook to class, which ultimately made me lose participation points. If this vice not only continues, but worsens, it will only hurt me in the long run.  I was hoping that this assignment would help me with this abhorrent habit; but lamentably it must join my pile of other failed methods that I once undertook. 

Frugality: The will power to avoid spending money on luxurious items. I chose this virtue, because I respect the time and effort my parents have put into their work to support their family, and I wish not to throw their hard labor into the trash. Especially in this economy, it is not easy to take care of a family of five. Consequently, I did not buy any snacks from the school vending machines, but instead filled my long forgotten lunchbox with homemade meals, and brought it to school for me to enjoy and indulge in. However, not only did I succeed in not spending extraneous money, but I accompanied my mom to work on Saturday to help her with any overbearing tasks she had at the moment. It brings me great joy to state that I actually stayed true to my commitment, and now understand  why Benjamin Franklin chose frugality to be a part of the thirteen virtues he wished to perfect. With that being said, it seems as if though, for the most part I, in fact, did succeed in completing the task of resolution, by successfully staying within the guidelines of frugality. This accomplishment has inevitably made me into a stronger person, who will not fall victim to any unfavorable temptations in the future.

Tranquility: "Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable." It is extremely important to maintain oneself in distress,because it is not healthy to always stress over unwanted outcomes. Therefore, I decided to challenge myself, and attempt to not be obnoxious or angry during disdainful situations. However, on Thursday, my Armenian teacher had asked my two friends and me to visit each classroom and to ask the students whether they will donate a sincere amount of money to the Syrian Armenian cause. While visiting each classroom, students did not even allow us to finish our announcement and exclaimed in a rude manner  that we should leave because not one student wants to donate. This is when I disregarded my assignment, and yelled at the students for their obnoxious conduct toward us and most importantly, toward the cause. I should not have stooped to their level, but it was difficult for me to restrain my rage. This comes to show that I have yet numerous faults to improve, before I reach moral perfection. 

Luck be a Sandy Tonight

In The Huffington Post, Wayne Parry wrote an article called, "Hurrican Sandy Megastorm: New Jersey, Delaware, And More States Scramble Before Storm." This article states that due to an upcoming mega-storm, nicknamed, Sandy, residents who live along the coast of Delaware, New Jersey, Connecticut, and other threatening areas are being ordered to evacuate in order to avoid deadly outcomes such as: penetrating winds of eighty mph or higher and as much as a foot of rain. New York City declared that its transportation utilities will stop running Sunday night, and that its 1.1 million-student school systems would be closed on Monday. Sandy initially started in the Caribbean, where it took approximately five dozen lives; and is now headed north, and is predicted to reach the mid-Atlantic coast, in New Jersey where Sandy will be greeted with a wintry storm coming from the west and cold air emitting from the Arctic.  The aftermath of Sandy is expected to bring chaos over 800 miles from the East Coast to the Great Lakes. Forecasters warned the people, that because of excess rain, the ground can reach to a high saturation level, which will proceed with trees toppling onto power lines and causing the cities to experience a blackout for several days.  Also, it is assumed to snow heavily in parts of West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky, and North Carolina.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/28/hurricane-sandy-megastorm-new-york-jersey-photos_n_2032990.html#slide=more259321

Here Lies Reverend Dimmesdale

I cannot obtain the appropriate words to fully and thoroughly represent The Scarlet Letter as for what it truly is: a novel of such sudden and continuous clashing of emotions that the reader cannot experience the full ride of one particular sensation. Throughout the novel, it was evident that Roger Chillingworth and Reverend Dimmesdale had a perpetuating clandestine rivalry between one another. However, I never fully understood Roger's mentality and new found goal: to torture the Reverend for sinning with his wedded wife, Hester Prynne. Yes, after being informed about the sin,  Roger felt as if though a person had mocked his well-being and had attacked his dignity and pride. Nevertheless,  Arthur Dimmesdale is the true victim here. Hester was married not out of love, but because of a horrible tradition that compels individuals to marry for connections. Therefore, there was no attachment or love invested in the marriage between Hester and Roger to begin with. Consequently, Arthur nor Hester are found in fault in this scenario. The Reverend may have committed an act of hypocrisy and sin, but his action was justified by affection. Also, Roger Chillingworth needed not to take matters into his own hands and assume the position of God, Himself. Dimmesdale was already being punished by not being able to take care of his only daughter, Pearl, and by not having the opportunity to live in matrimony with his one and only love, Hester. The narrator commits no mistake by pronouncing a connection between Satan and Roger Chillingworth. This is absolutely ironic, because as Roger attempts to fit into the shoes of Almighty God, he is actually drawing himself closer with Satan and his evil ways. Furthermore, during the election of the new governor, Reverend Dimmesdale made a sermon that was thought to be his best sermon yet. After completing his sermon, his guilt drove him to admit to the people of the town of his wrongdoing and sin. He, later, kissed his beloved woman, bid her farewell, and died. A year after, Roger Chillingworth dies, too, when his sole reason for living was no longer living itself. The latter portrays Roger's atrocious personality, and how his life was wasted due to vengeance and animosity. Ultimately, there is a great amount of sympathy felt for Dimmesdale, because all he wished to do was to live with Hester and Pearl, happily and peacefully.

Important Quote

"When he found the eyes of Hester Prynne fastened on his own, and saw that she appeared to recognize him, he slowly and calmly raised his finger, made a gesture with it in the air, and laid it on his lips." (42) This is when the village surrounded the scaffold to behold the ultimate sinner, Hester Prynne. The narrator starts by describing a man who seemed to have important significance to Hester; but we were only bestowed a limited amount of information about this suspicious stranger. It did not take long before this man, later revealed as Roger, and Hester engaged in eye contact. Without hesitation  Roger raised his finger close to his lips, as in to warn Hester to not say a word. He is later informed that the woman who stands before the people has actually cheated on her husband, who has been away for about two years now. For the narrator to focus on a man who has never been mentioned before in the previous chapters, implies to the readers that he will be one of the main characters throughout the rest of the novel. This scene makes it quite obvious to us, readers, that this man is keeping valuable information away from us. Until this point, The Scarlet Letter resembled to an unfinished puzzle that missed two important pieces: the acknowledgement of Hester's husband and secret lover. Therefore, we can conjecture that Roger Chillingworth must be one of these two puzzle pieces. Unsurprisingly, he is later brought forth as Hester's husband, whose new purpose in life is to make baby Pear's mysterious biological father suffer.

Armstrong Who?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/14/felix-baumgartner-jump-redbull-skydive_n_1965299.html

A world record-setting jump has instilled national pride into those who were fortunate enough to be living in a time like this. In an article called, "Felix Baumgartner Completes Record-Setting Jump" in The Huffington Post, it is stated that daredevil Felix Baumgartner has landed on planet Earth after jumping from the stratosphere. This is reported to be a twenty-four mile jump. After the ten minute fall from space, he landed safely in New Mexico. Right after his dramatic landing, he lifted his arms victoriously, making the crowd cheer frantically in awe. Felix's main goal was to travel faster than the speed of sound; however, it is not quite certain yet whether he actually reached his ambition or not. How did he do this, you may ask? He was seated in a pressurized capsule which was carried by a helium balloon. As obvious it may be, there are many life-threatening aspects in this jump of a life time. If Felix made contact with the capsule, then his suit would have ripped which would have exposed his body to an environment that lacked enough oxygen for a human being to survive. Around thirty cameras were recording this sensational jump; but what they did not admit to their viewers was that there was actually a twenty second lag during the broadcast. This was done to protect the viewers, in case of a mishap. As a matter of fact, he had made two preparation jumps beforehand. His first attempt was in March-consisting of a fifteen mile difference in altitude; and his second attempt was in June (eighteen miles high). Before his final jump, Felix had declared that if the outcome is successful, then NASA will finally have a new generation of spacesuits to protect astronauts, and to allow them to have an escape option, while being 120,000 feet above Earth. Nevertheless, Felix Baumgartner has retired from his jumping career; and plans to settle down with his girlfriend and fly helicopters for rescue missions in the United States and Austria.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBaV6qZiO6A

Mom, I Found a Mammoth

In The Huffington Post article, " 'Zhenya' Mammoth Find In North Russia, Biggest In 100 Years, Made By 11-Year-Old Evgeny Salinder," published by Ryan Grenoble, the remaining of a mammoth was found in North Russia by an eleven year old boy named, Evgeny Salinder. This second well preserved mammoth is thought to be about 30,000 years old. This discovered creature is known to be the largest mammoth that has been unearthed since 1901. After finding the mammoth, he informed his parents, who alerted to the appropriate authority. The scientists, later, wished to show this young boy respect and their gratitude by informally naming the creature Evgeny's nickname, "Zhenya." However, its actual legitimate name is Sopkarginsky Mammoth. Researchers have estimated the age of the creature when it died to be around fifteen to sixteen years old. Compared to previously found mammoths, this one is profoundly unique. It was not discovered as a skeleton; but as an animal in its standard state of flesh and bones, which weighed approximately half a ton.  The animal's flesh, bones, fat, and organs were properly and naturally perpetuated throughout the centuries! Because of this life changing  encounter, scientist were able to revise their false assumptions by now confidently stating that the "humps" on a mammoths back are certainly not bones. They are actually a large storage of fat that helped the extinct creature survive during outrageous winters. According to Itar-Tass, it will be transported to the history museum of Taimyr. Lastly,  researchers belonging to the Russian Academy of Sciences, will study this magnificent mammal at the Zoological and  Paleontological Museums in Moscow and St. Petersburg.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/04/zhenya-mammoth-find-russia_n_1940791.html?utm_hp_ref=science#slide=more250083

The Scarlet Letter

The Scarlet Letter has come to be a book of such conflicting information that leads the readers to be confused, but yet curious. However, throughout the book, Nathaniel Hawthorne has dropped subtle clues to the readers by the actions and reactions of Ms. Hester. The community was contemplating whether to allow Pearl to continue living with Hester; or to restrict Pearl from her mother-which will benefit them both equally. Hester became quite worried and wished to meet Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale to discuss the latter; and lastly to be bestowed the privilege of keeping her daughter, Pearl. This already shows the dependence she has towards the Reverend. Also, in the beginning of the story when Hester was being interrogated by Dimmesdale, it seemed as though it was all for show. The Reverend knew his limits, and especially knew how to "harass" Hester to a point where the audience will be satisfied. Therefore, Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale will be publicized to be the biological father of Pear. Also, it is no accident that Pearl's biological father and Hester's husband work so closely together. The sole reason of Hester deciding to stay in her hometown is to restrain her husband from discovering her paramour. Consequently, Reverend, the father, possess that same mission. Hence, the Reverend keeping Roger Chillingworth by his side to have a better eye on him, and reassuring that his deceitful secret does not reach any unfavorable ears. However, sooner or later Roger will overhear Hester and the Reverend talking about Pearl, which will make him outraged. Then, Roger and the Reverend will have an undying hate towards each other and will attempt to kill or humiliate each other in any way possible. They will plot to kill one another in multiple secretive ways; but their outcome will not be the one they desired. Hester will become insane from the conflicts that she has created, and  chose to kill not only herself, but also Pearl.

Engineers! Calling All Engineers!

According to an article called, "Fostering Tech Talent in Schools" in The New York Times published by Nick Wingfield, Steven Edouard, a teacher, advised his students to take a career path that involves computer science. He is also one of the 110 engineers, who works on a Microsoft program, which focuses to encourage high school students to be involved in the field of computer science; and to eventually make the decision to pursue computer science based fields and careers. During the time when we need the most technologically advanced graduates, there is an unfortunate shortage of them. This is a grave issue for the technology industry, let alone the nation's economy. According to Association for Computing Machinery, through 2020 there will be 150,000 novel job openings pertaining to that field each year. However, with different exciting jobs filled with great opportunities in the technology field, only 14,000 American students graduated as undergrads in computer science in 2011.   Brad Smith, Microsoft general council stated, " People can't get jobs and we have jobs that can't be filled." Consequently, technology companies have actually taken the initiative to lobby for looser immigration rules in order to be allowed to welcome more engineers from other countries. In addition to lobbying, they have organized sponsoring tech competitions, to motivate and inspire students to be involved in the industry. For example, Google is in charge of a summer camp program for upcoming ninth grade high school students. In this camp, high school teachers lecture and demonstrate their skills to the campers, at local universities. Specifically in this case, desperate times truly call for desperate measures. Microsoft has directed their engineers to teach classes in schools for a full year. Keving Wang became the cause of this program. He is a Microsoft engineer who graduated from Harvard. Mr. Wang volunteered as a computer science teacher in 2009 at a public school located in Seattle. Microsoft saw this as an effective technique to encourage students to major in technology based careers. Therefore, Microsoft aided Mr. Wang economically, which bestowed him the opportunity to teach full time. This financial support is recognized as Teal, or Technology Education and Literacy in Schools. Teal has been displayed in twenty-two schools in Seattle, and in schools found in Washington, Utah, North Dakota, and California. Big technology companies are aware of the intimidation this field produces ; and how students are more likely to feel apprehension toward computer science subjects. For that reason, Microsoft uses the method of connecting the field to technologies that teens utilize in their lives.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/01/technology/microsoft-sends-engineers-to-schools-to-encourage-the-next-generation.html?ref=technology

Chicken or the Egg?

According to an article called "Chicken, Egg, and Taste Buds" in The Huffington Post published by David Katz, M.D., there is a correlation between sensitivity of taste buds and obesity.  Researchers came to a conclusion that there is a possibility that the sensitivity level in a human's taste bud is an explanation for the development of obesity. However, this statement cannot be validated, because the results were obtained from a cross-sectional study. In a cross-sectional study, researchers can be presented with information that portrays whether both A and B is founded in a person. Nevertheless, this study is not reliable when it deals with the concept of cause and effect. Therefore, the experiment is incapable to prove if obesity is the result of having low sensitivity in one's taste buds or if one has insensitive taste buds because of being obese; consequently numbing the taste buds by eating food that contains chemicals similar to monosodium glutamate. Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a salt of the amino acid, Glutamic Acid.  This case can be compared to the infamous quote, "Which one came first. The chicken or the egg?" A question that boggles one's mind and can never be answered with one "correct" explanation. Now, there is a new question for the people of this nation and/or world: Which one came first? Obesity or insensitive taste buds?

Become Free or Die Trying

The speaker of "Speech in the Virginia Convention" is Patrick Henry. Patrick is a patriotic motivator who wishes to branch away from the English government. He is extremely aggravated and annoyed of the mistreatment and harassment from England. The occasion is at the Virginia Convention in the 1770s. This time period was the start of the infamous American Revolution. During this time frame, many patriots stormed up a plan to finally stand up and fight against the British, and to conclusively be seen as an established and independent country, called America. Therefore, the main subjects were freedom and independence.  He mentions how they have petitioned and have tried to resolve this issue in a diplomatic manner; but since that did not receive any notice nor recognition, the only solution was to fight. Nearly one-third of the colonists were classified as patriots and the other one-third as loyalists. Consequently, leaving the remaining one-third of the population to be either undecided or simply apathetic about participating in the war. Patrick's goal was to persuade all the non-patriots to change their mentality and open their eyes to the world of independence and sovereignty. He strongly believed that the colonists needed to stop submitting to the English's harsh and unbearable laws and guidelines. England had forced the colonies to export their products to England in order for them to sell it back to the colonies for a much higher cost. Patrick Henry, states many types of examples to justify his objective. Nevertheless, towards the end he includes that the final decision the colonists make is entirely irrelevant to him. No matter what the ultimatum may be, he will stick to his words and fight until he sees the results America deserves or die trying.

Social Media:1 Gangsters:0

In "Rockstarz, VCG Arrests: Nearly 50 Brooklyn Gang Members In Custody After Posting On Facebook About Alleged Murders" from The Huffington Post published by Britney Fitzgerald, it states how gangs are now using social media outlets as a way to promote their performances. A gang named, Rockstarz, posted a status saying, "Rockstartz are up 3-0." This score portrays the number of gang members from the opposing gang (Very Crispy Gangsters) killed by the prior. The two gangs are both located in Brooklyn, New York; and both use Facebook and other social sites as a passage to satirize and intimidate one another. June 6, 2011 marks their anniversary of rivalry, when due to a dangerous and erratic shoot out, a Very Crispy Gangsters member named Johnny Santiago was shot and killed. After, the two conflicting teams became, in Facebook terms, "friends," they launched an ongoing verbal battle via Facebook messaging. However, one gang took a step further by posting a picture of himself wearing clothing items that belonged to a man he had murdered.  The impudent Facebook and gang member did not fail to include an obnoxious caption for his published picture. The caption was the following: " I can't give it back. You can't walk no more." The Brooklyn police is making use of these Facebook posts that will serve as evidence during their investigation on this matter. Actually, Facebook has become a trend for many other different Brooklyn-based gangs to show off their "accomplishments." Therefore,  in January, forty-three members from the gangs Wave Gang and Hoodstarz were convicted and arrested for murder, after publicizing it on Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube. Once again, technology has been mistreated for uses other than connecting and sharing pictures with friends. Nevertheless, this does serve as a beneficial factor for the government and/or police to track down dangerous and deadly gang members and murderers.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/14/rockstarz-vcg-arrests-facebook_n_1885004.html?ir=Technology

It Glows!

Recently an article called, "Crabs May Rely on Color to Tell Food from Poison" in The New York Times published by Sindya N. Bhanoo, states how two species of crabs have the capability to detect their food from poison. Majority of sea creatures are not able to detect colors in the water; however, these crabs can differentiate between two colors: blue and green. They are extremely sensitive to ultraviolet lights, which makes the latter possible. Under the sea, both corals and plankton produce light, and this can be dangerous for the sea animals because corals can be deadly to crabs. According to a biologist, from Duke University, once the plankton reaches the coral, it releases a blue glow. Also, simultaneously, the coral then generates a green luminosity. Therefore, the characteristic of these two species of crabs, truly validates the importance of Charles Darwin's theory of survival of the fittest. The researchers gathered all their data from oceans near the Bahamas. They even recorded and examined the crabs' eating habits. Researchers also took the initiative to capture eight of these crabs, and discovered how all their eyes were receptive to the ultraviolet lights. It amazes how there are so many different types of creatures, that we have not yet discovered nor distinguished. Humans always refer to themselves as the smartest creatures on Earth; but what us humans need to realize is that each organisms has their own unique talents which helps them survive and grow. This production of beautiful lights under the ocean, will without a doubt be a beautiful and a fabulous site to see.

The True Meaning of Life

                             

It is ninety-eight degrees outside; sweat drips from all of your pours. You cannot help, but remember your mother approaching you with a gratifying, cold, mouthwatering bowl of cookie dough ice cream. You accept this golden offer.Who would even have the audacity to reject a luscious scoop of this memorable and most appetizing ice cream? Each spoonful keeps you in suspense, wondering if that bite will be the one. Would that bite contain pieces of that soft chocolaty cookie dough? If not, you try once more, and luckily you have that heavenly piece of dough melting in your mouth, leaving you wanting more. How about the texture? The texture changes from being soft and creamy, to being chewy and sweet.  Many ice creams overdue it, by adding numerous types of components. However, this one of a kind ice cream is perfectly balanced. The cookie dough adds that extra kick to the classic vanilla ice cream. Cookie dough ice cream is life, life is cookie dough ice cream.

Instagram: Good or Evil?

Throughout the years, the world has constructed numerous amount of technological advancements, that has not only caused communicating with one another easier, but also has been seen by the users as a form of outlet for sexual needs and desires. According to an article,  "Instaporn: Porn, 'KikSex' Lurk Just Inside Instagram's Photo Eden", published in The Huffington Post,  Instagram possesses approximately eighty million users, who share their filtered pictures taken throughout their daily lives. Instagram users have inevitably established a popular hashtag, known as "#foodporn." Unfortunately, Instagram has also become a place of actual images of porn.  There are 201,000 pictures hashtagged as "Instasex" and only 135,000 are innocent pictures of lattes. Sadly, Instagram is not only being used to exchange inappropriate sex-related pictures, but also a place where users can find their cyber sex partners. It is not uncommon to promote your Kik profile, an application which allows users to message clandestinely; but users are now advertising their Kik profile to chat with individuals for sex-related purposes. For example, one male user posted saying, "Woke up horny as hell!!!!! Girls who wanna play post a comment and I’ll kik you. Don’t be shy. We can trade pics and have some naughty talk." Nevertheless, Instagram is not the only social media outlet that has to face this degrading dilemma. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Tumblr have attempted to abolish all posts and pictures that disobey their terms. Instagram has traced to have over five million uploads of photos per day; therefore, the fifteen full time employees, rely on the users to report any posts that portrays any form of misconduct. Nonetheless, even if a user is expelled from using this application, there is always a way of rejoining. Disastrously, social media websites and applications have turned into a channel of satisfying one's sexual desires. This comes to show, how technological advancements have its benefits and drawbacks.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/30/instagram-porn_n_1842761.html

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness

In the 1770's Thomas Jefferson took the initiative to document a revolution provoking declaration: the Declaration of Independence. He based this testimony off of philosopher John Locke's principles and ideas. The purpose of this lengthy historical document was to branch away from England's authority and overwhelming tax acts. He demanded from King George III to show the long overdue respect to the colonists and diligently read all the following reasons that forced the soon to be Americans to formulate such a conception and conclusion. On July 4, 1776 the Declaration of Independence was published in multiple newspapers which acted as a form of encouragement and inspiration to the colonists, to rebel against England's government for their right to be a free country. This assigned him as a representative for all the patriots during the Revolutionary War. After listing each justification for the revolution, Thomas Jefferson concludes the Declaration of Independence by stating, "And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortune, and our sacred Honor." ( "The Declaration of Independence")  All those three points were taken away from the colonists by the English. England taxed them on numerous raw materials and made them kill their own people. The Revolutionary War showed England that the colonists were ready to receive what they always deserved: respect and freedom.

To Kill or Not to Kill

"Norway Mass Killer Gets the Maximum: 21 Years" by Mark Lewis in The New York Times canvasses Norway's infamous Anders Behrins Breivik. who was sentenced to twenty-one years in prison, earlier this week. He is known for killing over seventy helpless victims, during a shooting attack, in July, 2011. Sentencing a murderer twenty-one years in prison is considered to be a tremendously unusual and counterproductive punishment in America; however, Norway looks upon America's justice system as overbearingly castigating. Norway is a country that emphasizes on morals encompassing nonviolence and benign authorization. In fact, they abolished the death penalty and believe prison is a place where one is afforded the chance to rehabilitate. Distinctly, Mr. Breivik will have the fabulous luxury of living in a three cell-suite of rooms furnished with numerous gadgets and exercise equipment. Also, surprisingly a bizarre amount of parents , whose children fell victim to the Norway Massacre, are very please with the verdict. Nevertheless, Mr Breivik's statement about killing more persons if bestowed the opportunity, supposedly persuaded the judges to make Mr. Breivik's releasing, most unlikely. According to the judges, he will be detained there by perpetually extending his sentence by five years.
 http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/25/world/europe/anders-behring-breivik-murder-trial.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2

"Madonna Sued: Russian Anti-Gay Groups Sue Pop Star For Over $10 Million"

During August 9, 2012 at her concert in Russia, Madonna had the audacity to confront the parliament of St. Petersburg about the recent law they had just passed, blackballing "propaganda of sodomy, lesbianism, bisexualism and transgenderism, and pedophilia to minors" (The Huffington Post). As a result anti-gray groups  in Russia, decided to sue Madonna for more than $10 million dollars; they allegedly state that the reasoning behind their decision is that because of her, the people in St. Petersburg suffered from moral damage. For example a lawyer, named Alexander Pochuyev, who is representing the plaintiffs, complains about how Madonna's encouragement towards homosexuality has given many people "psychological stress and emotional shock" (The Huffington Post). According to The Huffington Post, in March, Madonna declared the law a "ridiculous atrocity." Madonna has clearly showed the people whose side she is on and whose rights she will protect. One of the many Russians who sued Madonna, justifies his reasoning by explaining how because of Madonna, many males and females will turn gay; and that will lead to Russia's decrease in population and will not allow the capacious country to protect itself. In the video below, Madonna includes a biblical quote, " Love thy neighbor as thyself." This hopefully helps many religious communities understand and grasp the idea of equality, regardless of their sex, race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation. Having Madonna as a gay rights advocate, truly helps the gay community to be one step closer to their goal. Many music lovers who respect Madonna, will take her words and thoughts into consideration, which may or may not change their mentality and opinion. Nevertheless, she has no problem showing the world how she changed from being "Like a Virgin" to being "Like an Activist."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/18/madonna-sued-russia-st-petersburg-concert_n_1803061.html?ir=Entertainment


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnEUMA-nPd4&feature=player_embedded#!

"Salvation"

"Salvation" is written and told by Langston Hughes. This piece of literature takes place in church, where Langston attempts to feel the special and expected moment of connecting with Jesus for the first time. Nevertheless, he was certainly not conjecturing to lie about this once in a lifetime bond with the divinity of God.  He starts reflecting on this episode by mentioning how the days were fairly close to his thirteenth birthday. He, then prepared himself to visit his church. Here children gathered together all for the same detectable objective: to be brought to Jesus. The preacher succeeded to preach a sermon that dealt with the biblical story of the lamb of God. However, Langston felt out of the loop when he began to realize that this was the time where the kids needed to evidently prove their first and life changing acquaintance with Jesus. He was not able to comprehend the internal conflict he faced, when he did not experience the long overdue connection with Christ. That is when the feeling of confusion took over him. As he failed to adapt with his fellow lambs, Langston began to be affected by the feeling of sadness. His last calling came when a boy named Westley confessed his lack of connection with Jesus; Wesley decided to lie about this emotional and spiritual juxtaposition and tried to convince Langston to do the same. This created a short period of hopelessness for Langston, which led him to lie about experiencing the uttermost important connection with Christ. With doing so, he had lied not only to his aunt, but to the whole church. That night, Langston could not stop crying as he laid in his bed, because of his ongoing conflict with his guilty conscious. The aunt justified his action, by explaining to the family that it was because of experiencing the very vigorous bond with the Lord. Langston, informed to his readers all the drawbacks one will face if they deceive the ones they love and truly care about. Also, there is an even deeper message that informs the readers of all the disadvantages of expecting and assuming a certain outcome.

Revenge Tastes Oh So Sweet!

Books have the power to make readers lose their perception of reality and enter into a world of novelty. Since the seventh grade, I have been recommending the book The Count of Monte Cristo  by Alexandre Dumas to all my family members. The book starts off with an innocent man being convicted of a crime by anonymous figures, who are revealed to be his resentful allies. He eventually stormed up a plan of retaliation that took years to implement. The process leaves you in suspense, wondering if he calculated his revenge correctly. He took the role of God and placed his enemies' fate into his own hands. He did not only see himself as God, but also many different identities: Dantes disguised himself as an Italian priest, who traveled back to a town very familiar to him. This gave the now Italian priest leverage to collect valuable information to frame Caderousse, one of the Count’s former cunning friends. This may have been looked upon as vengeful, but one cannot stop but feel impressed. Dantes, who through acquired riches worked his way into a Count, took every aspect of life into consideration and planned accordingly. The Count succeeded in utilizing his assets of patience and practicability. When I read this book, I found myself contemplating the idea of good versus evil. As a reader, one always roots for good to prevail and punish the bad. However, the author leaves you in a grey area, where you see Dantes developing into what one might consider evil. This strangely lures me towards him even more. Unconsciously, I no longer saw Dantes as a fictional character that the author created to publish a book; I saw Dantes as a representative for whomever has been taken advantage of. Strangely enough, I put myself into the Count's shoes, and thought of myself as the real Dantes, who was capable and intelligent enough to prevail in such an ingenious and somewhat dark project. 

•