Environmental News

"Environmentalists wary about harm to birds from Texas oil spill"
By: Michael Muskal
Source: Los Angeles Times

Recently the Houston Ship Channel experienced a massive oil spill. Environmentalists have informed people that there has been "limited damage" to birds nearby the oil spill. According to Richard Gibbons (conservation director of Houston), the oil spill was caused by a collision involving a fuel barge and a ship. More than two-hundred birds were contaminated with oil from the spill; these birds varied in species. Gibbons and Ileana Peña (his counterpart with Audubon Texas) have informed Los Angeles Times that they are "being very watchful," from Sundown Island in Matagorda Bay, where resonance is keeping the area clear of oil. They are keeping the birds in a oil contaminated-free zone. During the incident, the fuel barge collided with a vessel which lead to about 168,000 gallons of oil flowing into the waters of the Galveston Bay. The channel was instantly closed right after the incident but a few days later it was opened partially once again. It is now completely "operational." Some of this spill stretched into the Gulf of Mexico, but the environmentalists tried to move as quickly as possible to protect the areas where it is more sensitive. Gibbons reported that it has been difficult to determine the oiled birds since they are always traveling, but most of the birds that were hurt were definitely from the oil spill.

Unnecessary Items

Materialistic items are unnecessary to humans; thus it becoming appropriate to eliminate these items from our lives. Items that people want are entirely distinct from items that are needed. Wanted items are simply desired yet avoidable. There are many items that i can live without; starting with my closet. I own excess clothing that I can survive without, such as extra tops and jeans that do not fit me anymore. Also, my closet is mainly occupied with extra shoes and purses that i do not use. It is truly inspiring that Chris McCandless donates all of his money to charity. It should not be hard for us to do the same with the extra clothing we possess. Another avoidable item in my closet would be make-up, because it is not an item that is necessary to own in order to survive. Just as I own items that I can live without, there are those that I need in my life. My phone is extremely important, because it allows me to make long distance calls; therefore I can keep in touch with my family. My laptop is an important item to me as well, because it allows me to complete tasks, such as my homework, instantly and in an organized manner.

The Daily Show

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyDOAQNsTrI

Jon Stewart, the host of The Daily Show has created a segment to talk about the difficulties, which people have been struggling with recently in Egypt. The Daily Show is based on satirical news made in a humorous way. In this segment, Jon Stewart begins talking about Spring. He mentions the easter bunny as an "unholy tinted span of a chicken and a chocolate lover." Afterwards he changes the subject to Egypt's economy. The news reported states that Egypt is not doing so well, "unemployment at thirteen percent, inflation has almost doubled sine November… Tourism has dropped almost four billion dollars…;" Jon Stewart makes a sarcastic comment saying that Egypt is, "a work in progress." Stewart begins to get excited when he hears there has been an arrest of a man in Egypt, as he makes assumptions whether the criminal is a terrorist, or sabotaging Egypt's infrastructure, and so on. Instead Stewart discovers that the man who was arrested is Bassem Yousseff, the host of a satirical comedy show. He becomes shocked and frightened of the thought that he has been speaking to a criminal. Bassem Yousseff was charged for insulting both the President and Islam. Stewart is annoying, because Yousseff's actions are not illegal; in fact he mentions if it were illegal Fox News would be closed by now. Bassem Youseff's show mocked President Morsi when he was awarded an honorary degree in Pakistan and his "less than fluent English." Later, he begins to show clips of himself mocking President Obama and President Bush.
Jon Stewart mocks the President of Egypt in this segment. He does not understand why President Morsi would arrest an innocent comedian who mocked his hat, while Stewart on the other hand has been doing the exact same for years. This was an incredibly enjoyable and ridiculous segment.

Satirical News

"Portion of Finite Life Spent In Mock Fantasy Baseball Draft"
Source: The Onion

Technology has become extremely important in our everyday lives. People do not take any time during the day to go outside and try something new. It is unusual nowadays, to see children in a playground or at the park; instead it is normal to find them on an iPad or playing video games in the house. On March 13, 2014 local web designer, Spencer Krone, devoted his life to his new Fantasy Baseball League on Yahoo! Without even noticing, Krone spent his entire Thursday evening creating his team for the Fantasy Baseball Draft. He believed that Mike Trout was an amazing player, but was crashed when he noticed someone else had already drafted him; just as he reported, "Dammit, somebody already got Mike Trout." He was also hoping to have McCutchen and Goldschmidt. Spencer Krone had reported saying, "his every breathe brought him closer to the inevitable end of his time on earth." Krone is only twenty-six years old and he had chosen to spent over two hours playing a full twenty-three round run for the fantasy draft.
Wasting time playing with technology will keep an individual away from exploring the world. One cannot spend every day locked up in his/her room playing video games; instead one should become more productive and step outside.

The Economy In Our Lives

The economy plays an extremely important role in our lives. It is revolved around consumerism; what we purchase, and how we save is the role humans obtain in the economy. Humans have become very dependent on materialistic items, therefore making consuming a very common part of one's lifestyle. If one does not consume they are considered to be out of the norm that society has created for us. When I think of economy I think of consuming, and when consuming comes to mind I blame media. Media is one of the main reasons why we consume. Advertisements, reality TV shows, TV shows, and movies are all susceptible in showing us products that we all would like to have. Now days people also buy what they can not afford due to media, this results in debt. American consumers today are in an average of $11.36 trillion in debt. Money and wealth are greatly desired by all Americans because the luxurious lifestyle of a celebrity is very appealing and has become a growing trend among us. Modesty in all humans has started to come tumbling down because of how possessive we have become. Consuming has also become therapeutic; for example, when one is upset or has gone through a tremendous heart break (this is typically among women), they go shopping. By consuming in items that they want, they make themselves feel better, however this does not take away the emotional pain an outside source has caused them. Because an item can cause no harm to us realistically, we are drawn to the idea of having more. This logic has never occurred to anyone because it has become so normal to us as if it is a part of our nature, and it is. However, we do not need to do so much of it because our wants have now overpowered our needs. Debt has also lost its alarming purpose because the drive and addiction consuming has created in our lives we have just stopped caring. Today we are generally described as lazy but actively consuming nation!

Business and the Economy

"The President's New Mission: Teach the Children (About Money)"
By: Dan Kadlec
Source: Time



On March 7, 2014 Dan Kadlac informed everyone about Obama's decision of teaching young americans about money and finance. His decision is based on the idea of having a brighter future for the children. President Obama's Advisory Council on Financial Capability for Young Americans (PACFCYA) meet for business on Monday, March 10, 2014. It will be the very first time they meet to discuss a matter that can change the forthcoming. The PACFCYA has promised, "to set a smart new course for financial education in the United States." Since 2008, when President George W. Bush first established the PACFCYA, American presidents have been "on the financial education bandwagon." President Bush had a vision of an ownership society, which he stated, ""We want people to own assets. We want people to be able to manage their assets." He had hopes that one day a population that was intelligent with managing their money would reduce the odds of a repeat finical crisis. President Obama decided to change the word "Literacy" to "Capability" in the PACFCYA; this made it clear on the new approach Obama was taking. It has been said that, "teaching kids about money has always been part of the council's mission." It is going to be a long process to solve the financial ignorance, but it is going to start with the youths (starting with the students in first grade).

Article #17

"Pediatrics Group Advises Against Retail-Based Clinics"
By: Alexandra Sifferlin
Source: Time

On February 23, 2014 Time has informed readers of the disadvantages of retail-based clinics according to the AAP. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is going against the retail-based clinics and telling parents to not take their children to these clinics. Recently, the AAP shared an update of their thoughts on the retail-based clinics, as well as criticizing them in this statement update. The AAP expressed comments such, as the retail-based clinics are "poor places for medical care." They assume this, because these retail-based clinics only provide for certain portions of a child's medical care and deny patients a "medical home." It is much safer to see a doctor, because they provide complete care for people and they know every patient including their history. The AAP strongly advises to not attend these clinics due to their unorganized patient follow-up. Nevertheless, the AAP recognizes that "retail-based clinics are not going away any time soon." This proves that in the future some children will be using retail-based clinics; according to statistics and surveys, it will be fifteen percent of children. Parents only take there children to retail clinics, because it works better with their schedules (this was shown in a study conducted in the year of 2013).

Nature Observation

We spend a lot of time on the Internet and on our cellphones, nowadays. I decided to put in thirty minutes of my time to sit outside and observe nature without any technological distractions around me. I stepped outside into my backyard, and went up the stairs to our patio. I never realized how dirty and worn out it had become since no one ever uses it. Before I sat down, I tired to wipe away the dry leaves off the cushion. I was completely isolated. One may think, how could anyone survive without technology? In fact, it was remarkably easy. I noticed an airplane, flying in circles; then I stared at it for just a little longer and noticed it was a bird. It was soaring in sky, so effortlessly. I felt relaxed. My thoughts were all over the place; wondering what life would be like, if everyday was just like those thirty minutes a spent outside. There was never a complete silence out there. Birds were chirping and the leaves were crashing into one another, because of the slight breeze. It was so peaceful. After sitting out for a while, it started to get very hot, and that comfort went away. My fingertips came into contact with a spider web, and I spontaneously jumped off my seat. I tried to get comfortable once again, but then flies and bees started buzzing around me. I got scared, and moved to a different spot where the sun was not hitting my face. I enjoyed the rest of the time I had left outside. It felt like a whole new world that I would not mind being in again.  

Which Community Are You Part Of?

A community could have various meaning to different people. The term community defines a group a people who share the same interests. There are communities such as, fandom communities, political, religious, ethnic, geographical, race, occupation, gender, class, economic status, or even language. As an individual, I am part of diverse communities. There are many people out there who share the communities as I do, but the one characteristic that makes me original and unique is my personality and my interests. I am an Armenian, who shares the same goals as others similar to me; that is freedom of our lands and the right to gain what was ours since the beginning. The communities one becomes part of, defines their personally and where they come from. A community is now necessarily your surroundings, but is more than that. I am also a part of an online community, such as twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and tumblr. By using social networks, such as tumblr, I display my interests online for everyone to see; it is a suitable way for anyone to be socially active. Without even knowing, you can be part of any community based off your curiosity and activity. Communities are a big part of our lives and can it can define the type of person you are.

Article #16

"Accused Craigslist Killer: I Murdered 22 More"
By: Sam Frizell
Source: Time

Earlier today, Sam Fritzell reported the arrest of a woman who has killed almost two-dozen harmless people. Miranda Barbour is a nineteen year old, who admits to the multiple killings across county, because of her involvement in a "Satanic cult." Miranda comes from Pennsylvania, and just recently she was charged with only one murder. She claims to have been part of this Satanic cult since the age of thirteen, before she moved to North Carolina. Miranda Barbour lived in Alaska up until her adolescent years; without hesitation, after joining the Satanic cult, she killed more people in Alaska, North Carolina, Texas, and California. Alongside her inhumane actions, Miranda and her newlywed husband pursued the murder of a man she had connected with off Craigslist. Her husband, Elytte Barbour, admits to the murder; as Miranda stabbed the Craigslist man in the front seat of her car, Elytte was holding a wire rope around his neck. The Associated Press reported from Miranda's jailhouse, she demanded once she is released, she will continue killing more innocent people.
How could two people become extremely cruel and merciless at such a young age? It is a shame that Miranda has gone around for many years murdering blameless victims, without getting caught until now.

Article #15

"Can You Die From Drinking Too Much Soda?"
By: Alexandra Sifferlin
Source: Time

Alexa Linboom was a five year old who was punished to drink more than two liters of soda and water. As her punishment, Alexa's parents forced her to chug several twelve-ounce bottles of soda for over one or two hours. Alexa began to vomit and scream in pain after conducting this act for assorted hours. After all the torture, Alexa became paralyzed and then unconscious. The parents of this child were charged with murder. The examination of the dead body revealed that the extensive intake of liquids caused her brain the swell and then rupture. Alexa died from intense intoxication of fluids and it was considered to be a crime of manslaughter.
Water is good for the human body; it cleanses one and keeps them hydrated. Even though water has its benefits any type of liquid could be harmful to one. Drinking too much of a fluid and extremely quickly could be dangerous or it could indeed kill a person. The kidneys of the human body maintain the balance of controlling how much water and salt leave the body. By consuming an excessive amount of water, the kidneys will not be able to keep up. It becomes life threatening when the excess water enters the cells.

The Great Gatsby

After reading The Great Gatsby the novel, as a class we enjoyed watching the movie. It was a fascinating movie with great actors and actresses. Each role was interpreted perfectly describing the characters as who they truly were, as presented in the novel. The Great Gatsby portrays life during the roaring twenties and the great parties people had during the time of prohibition. Since the movie was creating during the year of 2013, it had to stay within the theme of that age. The roaring twenties was all about jazz music, but the movie used different genres of this century; such as rap music and pop.
The scenery of the movie was created perfectly just as described in the novel, by using identical colors as illustrated. The Great Gatsby is an extremely beautifully written novel; nevertheless the movie conceived each scene to be better visualized for the audience. It also included the pathetic fallacies that were shown in the novel; the romantic rain during the scene where Daisy and Gatsby are going to meet again and the hottest day of the summer, which showed the chaos and stress of each character. The movie used every line out of the novel, word by word, and arranged it as if the novel was being read all over again. Baz Luhrmann did an amazing job directing this wonderful movie!

Article #14

"The Best Concussion-Proof Helmets"
By: Alexandra Sifferlin
Source: Time

From boxing to football to soccer, athletes can receive a concussion. Concussions can have a great damage to one's brain, but it will linger after the symptoms. These symptoms include: dizziness, headaches, and memory loss fade. These symptoms can remain for months before the substantial damage occurs. It can also cause serious health problems; such as depression, leading towards Alzheimer's and spreading to other brain injuries. Athletes genuinely suffer the most from concussion, due to the adrenaline rush of competing; they do not let anything come in their way of being on top. Health officials have been trying to think of a way to create better equipment for these athletes. What they have discovered was the best concussion-proof helmets ever created. These helmets can lower the risk of brain injuries. Researchers have proven that athletes who wear mouth guards and helmets act aggressively, reasoning that their equipment is surely protective towards anything. In fact those protective equipments are not certainly beneficial towards one's health. Researchers have shown that there cannot be a helmet incredibly protective towards concussions. This helmet that was created in not completely concussion-proof, but researchers found it to lower the risk of a concussion by 54%. This helmet is called the Riddell Revolution. The Riddell Revolution proves to lower the impact on the brain, rather than those athletes who wore the VSR4.

Article #13

"Scientists Invent a 'Machine' That Helps Women Get Promoted"

Source: Time

By: Belinda Luscomba 

Women are known to have anxiety often. In fact, anxiety occurs in most women. Researchers and scientists have been trying to invent a way to fix the solution. A small study was published in the Psychology of Women Quarterly by Jessi L. Smith, who is the professor of psychology in the Montana State University and also former student. She did a study with about sixty freshman female students and asked them to write a short and brief essay about their achievements. This study has proved that people who express their achievements and abilities become more relaxed. In this case, anxiety will disappear and women will feel calm and carefree; thus can continue enjoying their day without having to stress out in any way. In this study, students were separated into two rooms. Unexpectedly, during this study, students who wrote excellent essays in one of the rooms, we're rewarded up to $1,000 or more than the other room. On the other hand the best essays we're awarded by earning $5,000. This study proves a lot and it shows that women would not feel anxiety anymore as long as they feel good about themselves. Self-confidence is important for everyone and must be distributed throughout the day. 

The Great Nicole Papazian

During the year 2014, the great Nicole Papazian threw her annual celebrations in honor of her wonderful guests. Everyone looked forward to July, to meet new people and have a carefree night at one of Nicole's enormous parties. This party lasted for one weekend and it only occurred once every year to keep people anticipating. There would be security outside, as look out. Guests were only allowed to enter if they had one of Nicole's authentic and one of a kind invitations in possession. Nicole Papazian was incredibly wealthy, that she was able to find a different location for this party every year and the decorations would be prepared within a couple of hours. As entertainment, Nicole brought acrobats who would perform by hanging off the ceiling; there would be fortunetellers and professional dancers on a high stage with a jumbo screen behind. All the great and popular celebrities were invited, such as: Dave Franco, Logan Lerman, Josh Hutcherson, Jennifer Lawrence, Rebel Wilson, Zac Efron, and Selena Gomez who enters with one of Nicole's lovely cousins. In one corner there would be sushi, in another pizza, and one more with Armenian food. Due to the variety of food offered at this party, guests had the option of choosing their favorites. The dance floor would be packed and of course the dj would be playing exotic, international, and party songs.

 

Roaring 20's Fashion

The 20's were an era of sensational changes, socially and politically. People during the 1920's became extremely wealthy and many moved into the cities. During this time period, there was prohibition and celebration. The wealthy had parties and alcohol even when it was banned. Women dressed a certain way during the roaring 20's. They accessorized their clothing by color, jewelry, and handbags to create a unique and original look. Fashion designers made quick and beautiful clothing, because they had the freedom to express themselves. Since the war had ended, women dressed in colorful and exotic clothing. The dresses women wore were much lighter, because in that age designers used less fabric. Designers were inspired by the joy and cheerfulness of the people after the war ended, that they constructed dresses shorter than ever before and with brighter colors. The roaring 20's were the era of the "flapper". Women who wore their hair in a certain style and wore short dresses were described as "flapper"; those women enjoyed listening to jazz music and celebrating. Every fashion designer experimented with textures and added fur to most jackets and dresses. Stylish women would wear stocking with dresses. These stocking were embellished with bright colors or patterns to match women's dresses. 

http://www.history.com/topics/roaring-twenties

http://www.thedandy.org/home/flappers-and-the-roaring-20-s

http://www.1920-30.com/fashion/

CES 2014

"CES 2014: BMW shows off 'drifting' self-drive cars
Source: BBC News

Recently BMW has introduced the world to their highly advanced automobile that is able to drive automated. BMW tested their invention on an altered 2-series Coupe and another 6-series Gran Coupe. During the test drive, BMW noticed their invention was a success. Both cars were able to speed past every curve on the racetrack and control a power slide without an individual on the driver's seat. Both cars were capable of driving through the racetrack, because BMW programed a 360-degree radar, cameras and accelerated sensors. By adding these accoutrements into the car, it was capable of noticing and sensing it's surroundings and adapting to it. This latest invention was demonstrated to an audience during the CES (Consumer Electronics Show) of 2014 in Los Vegas. BMW, along with Toyota, have been manifesting their high-tech, independent cars at the CES this year. Another advantage this new creation of autonomous cars is that is more likely accident-prone. The streets will become safer, because now people will not have to worry about the mistakes humans can make while driving. As more and more manufacturers create autonomous cars, it will soon be allowed on the streets. At this point, these unique inventions are not allowed on European roads, but eventually the success will grow and become approved throughout all streets.