Favorite Piece of Literature

     The pieces of literature we discussed this year ranged from a wide variety, including the shooting of an elephant, to suggesting we eat babies. However, my favorite piece of literature we have discussed this year was "The Ways We Lie" by Stephanie Ericsson. This ethical piece was written in the 1990s, which unlike the other pieces of literature, appealed to me more because of the modern language. Most of the other pieces were difficult to understand due to the heavy language and the depth of analyzing involved. However, "The Ways We Lie" was straight to the point, and discussed an idea that applies to most people today. The other pieces were about subjects which took place at a time far before we were born, which made it difficult to understand. Although there were many different points she discussed, Ericsson used examples to clarify her thoughts, and used humor to grab the audiences' focus. Also, her piece was my favorite because of the ethical values it encompassed. The other stories were either speeches, autobiographies/memoirs, or persuasive. Ethics urges the reader not only to think about the general morals and values of people, but also about their own selves. While the reading the story, I would try and see if any of the ten lies were involved throughout my life on a day-to-day basis. It became personal, which appealed to me more than the other stories.

Tree Art

   
     On November 24, 2012, Alissa Walker wrote the article, "L.A. arboretum turns wind-toppled trees into artistic windfall", in the Los Angeles Times. Last year, from November 30 until December 2, the Santa Ana winds tore through the Los Angeles County area. It resulted in roofs being pulled off of homes, snapped power lines, and 350,000 residents living in a blackout for a week. However, the greatest effect was on the trees of the Los Angeles County, which were torn from their roots or snapped in half. The Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden found 235 trees destroyed, and over 1,000 damaged. The value and species of wood gave scientists the opportunity to be able to study them in the three weeks that those areas where the trees had fallen were closed, as well as artists. Artists began asking the scientists if they could borrow the wood that was left behind. Over 130 artists, furniture designers, and wood turners collected the wood remains, turned them into either artworks, bowls, tables, sculptures, games, or jewelry, and then gave them to the arboretum, so that they could put it on display. "Forces of Nature", ironically happening on November 30-December 2, is an exhibition that features certain works from over seventy five artists. The artists have agreed to give some of the proceeds to the arboretum, and some have pledged all of their proceeds into buying new trees.

A Memory That Has Affected Me

     Throughout my lifetime, I have traveled to many different countries, and created a numerous amount of memories. However, the area that I have seem to have the most memories is located at The Americana in Glendale, California. This "hangout" spot is located less then ten minutes away from my home, and Talar and I seem to find ourselves there almost everyday. One time, Mariam, Ani, Talar, and I had to complete a history project, which required a powerpoint presentation. We decided that the ideal and most convenient location was Americana. The four of us were sitting on the balcony of Barnes and Nobles, diligently working on this project, when suddenly a man in his mid-eighties walked up to his. He said, "Hello ladies. You know, not many people have been able to do this, but you girls seem smart enough so here you go." He then laid down three strips of paper in front of us, and walked away. The strips, which we figured out were parts of a puzzle, were to be put a certain way so that a man was sitting on a horse, but the horse was also sitting on the man. Although we were scared of a stranger talking to us at first, we attempted to do this puzzle, but could not figure it out. About ten minutes later, the man walked back to us and showed us the secret. Realizing that the man had a heavy Middle Eastern accent, I said 'hello' in Arabic. He answered back in Arabic, but said he was from Iran, and spoke Farsi. He proceeded by telling us how he learned his trick, which was that he used to work in the Magic Castle in Beverly Hills as a bartender, and after the shows were over, the magicians would teach the story of how he and his wife met. The immense love he had for her was evident, and all four of us felt the pain he felt when informed us she had passed away. We kept all the materials he used to show us the tricks, and later took a picture with him. After leaving Barnes and Nobles, and after only completing the title page of our history project, we decided to watch a movie. On our way there, we realized we did not know the man's name. We started yelling to the balcony, and when the man tried telling us, and we did not understand, he wrote his name on a napkin, and flew it to us. Issa created one of the most captivating experiences I have ever had at Americana. He taught us to be humble, and that the title of 'stranger' can diminish with a unique sense of hello.

Divers Find Gold Ore Off Pacific Coast

     On November 7, 2012 the article, "Amurskaya, Sunken Russian Ship, Carrying Gold Ore, Found Off Pacific Coast" was published in The Huffington Post by an unknown author. On October 28, 2012, the freighter Amurskaya sailed into the Sea of Okhotsk. However, the weather conditions that day made it impossible for any ships to set sail. The owner of this ship ignored the weather warnings, and instructed the ship to continue to sail that day, with 700 tons of gold ore on board. When the weather conditions became worse, a distress call was made from the ship. However it was too late, because the Amurskaya sank about 230 feet below the Sea of Okhotsk, a part of the Pacific Ocean. Eleven of its crew members are still missing, and a criminal charge has been issued for the ship's owner, who is being charged of improper cargo procedures, and instructing the ship to sail despite the weather conditions. Although divers found the gold ore on November 7, there is still no news of how much gold the ore contained.

The Three Virtues

     The three virtues I attempted to master this week were temperance, industry, and tranquility.

Temperance: The virtue of temperance consists of the idea of self-discipline, pertaining to food and drinks. I chose this virtue because I have already been familiar with it for the past month, and it would not be difficult to continue temperance. Naturally, mastering temperance was a success, because even though the meals I ate throughout the three days were mouth-watering, I was able to stop myself the minute my stomach indicated I was full. However, the base of this strength for the past three days came from the fact that I did not go trick-or-treating, which meant there was no Halloween candy for me to indulge in, and give up my temperance for, in sight. The drinking aspect was much easier because the only drink I consume is water, and sometimes tea.

Industry: The virtue of industry means that in order to be efficient and productive, it is necessary to cut out all things useless, such as television, computers, and cell phones. I chose industry because I have the tendency to choose watching television, texting, and surfing the Internet, rather than completing certain tasks that are important. During the course of these three days, I completely failed. Instead of doing my homework when I came home on Thursday night, I watched Here Comes Honey Boo-Boo, and completed the homework Friday morning in the car. On Saturday mornings, I take a college class at a community college. However, this class bores me to death, and I always end up texting Mariam and talking about a variety of topics, rather than taking notes and paying attention to the professor. Continuing the tradition, Mariam and I texted throughout the three hour class, and I did not take any notes. Lastly, returning home from my college class, I had set my mind to completing the heap of chemistry homework assigned to us over the weekend. However, P.S. I Love You was premiering on ABC Family, and I could not pass up the opportunity to watch one of my favorite romantic movies. During these past three days, I came to the conclusion that I tend to watch an excessive amount of television, and mastering the virtue of industry will probably be my main focus once I begin attending college.

Tranquility: The virtue of tranquility is the idea of being peaceful, especially when certain events occur that causes one to become angry. The reason I chose to attempt mastering tranquility is because I came up with the conclusion that I have back problems because of the amount of stress I am dealing with, along with the fact that I let every problem affect me. During these three days, I somewhat succeeded with becoming tranquil. There were many moments when I wanted to scream, but instead I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and kept my mouth shut. The only moment that altered my tranquility was Saturday afternoon, when I checked my current grades online. For one of my classes, it said I had a missing assignment, which made my grade drop seventeen percent. However, I was missing that assignment because I had gone to the hospital that day, which made it an excused absence. I raged and became angry at this event, and still currently am. Although tranquility is an important aspect towards health, there are some matters where being calm is impossible.

Hurricane Sandy Takes Over NYC

     The article, "NYC Evacuations Begin Over Hurricane Sandy; Public Schools Closed", was written by Jennifer Peltz in The Huffington Post on October 28, 2012. Each day, more than five million New York city residents use the city's subway system and buses to get to work, school, and around town. As of today, Sunday October 28, 2012, the city's transit system, subways and Metro-North and Long Island commuter trains, will shut down beginning at 7 p.m. , with the last city bus ending at 9 p.m. Along with the city's transit system, the city's school system, which serves about one million students, will close Monday. Both these systems are our nation's largest, and the impact of their shut downs will greatly effect the city in a negative way. Hurricane Sandy, which is expected to have an impact on cities ranging from the Great Lakes to the East Coast, was headed north from the Caribbean, and is expected to hit a cold front along with a snowstorm. If the storm hits a high tide, the effects on low-lying areas, especially the subway systems who are expected to be flooded by next week, will be much more severe than Hurricane Irene. The Tropical Storm Irene last year also forced the city's transit and school system to shut down. Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced that a storm surge of about six to eleven feet was expected, which was followed by his announcement of ordering residents in low-lying areas, such as lower Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Staten Island, to evacuate immediately. However, The New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq OMX Group still plan to open Monday, which will cause many problems for employees who arrive to work using the city's transit system. 

The Scarlet Letter #3

     The Scarlet Letter was truly a fascinating novel. It managed to take us through an emotional journey by encompassing the emotions of all the major characters in each page. The sympathy for Hester Prynne was clearly established midway through the book, but what about the other two major characters: Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale and Roger Chillingworth? Who are readers more sympathetic towards? It is true that both characters have their points. Chillingworth comes to America to find his wife evolved in a public cheating scandal with a child that is not his. However, he vows to seek revenge upon his wife for the rest of his life, which eventually turned him into an evil man. Dimmesdale decides to betray God's rules and turn against his own beliefs by sinning. He chooses to allow Hester to receive all the punishments, along with the guilt and shame of the sin, instead of being a man and sharing the responsibility equally. However, I choose to feel more sympathetic towards Dimmesdale. Yes, he committed a sin and kept it a secret from the community. However, I believe he justifies his sin with the power of love. His secret love for Hester overcame him to the point that he could not be without her. Although he chose to not take the responsibility of bearing the punishment with Hester, he suffered in another way. Dimmesdale had to endure the guilt and shame by not being able to share his secret with anyone, not being able to be with Hester publicly or privately, and lastly not being able to fulfill the duties of being a father to Pearl. When one keeps a problem internally for a long period of time, eventually they burst. This is what happened with Dimmesdale. He could no longer keep his secret, and decided to confess his love for Hester and the fact that he was Pearl's father, before he died. It is hard to sympathize with Chillingworth, because he is the cause of all this. He chose to take revenge on Dimmesdale, keeping Hester away from her true lover, and depriving Pearl of her father.

The Scarlet Letter #2

     " 'Never!" replied Hester Prynne, looking, not at Mr. Wilson, but into the deep and troubled eyes of the younger clergymen. "It is too deeply branded. Ye cannot take it off. And would that I might endure his agony, as well as mine!' "(47) This quote was said by Hester while she was standing on the platform in front of the entire community as part of her punishment. During this punishment, she was being pressured by the town leaders, who included Reverend Dimmesdale, to confess the name of Pearl's father. Mr. Wilson had urged Reverend Dimmesdale to convince Hester to confess, as she was part of his church, and therefore, his responsibility. In his attempt to do so, he says to Hester that she should say the name, so that the father can stand by her side, as he is equally guilty, so that he does not have to live with a guilty heart for the rest of his life. Mr. Wilson adds that if she were to confess, then they might consider removing the scarlet letter. She refused by saying that the 'A' was far too attached to her to have it be removed. She is committed to enduring her pain, as well as Pearl's fathers'. While she said this, she was looking directly into Reverend Dimmesdale's eyes, which showed signs of deep pain from the guilt he was keeping in. This quote is of significance because it shows how first, although Hester comes off as if she was proud of wearing the scarlet letter. However, by saying that it cannot be removed because it is "too deeply branded", she truly understands the eternal scarring her action has bestowed upon her. Second, her refusal to betray her lover shows Hester's strong-willed character and compassion. She chooses to suffer the consequences by herself, rather than be selfish and have the consequences equally shared by her lover. Hester shows compassion by caring about Reverend Dimmesdale's position in society. If she were to confess, Reverend Dimmesdale, a vital religious role in the community, would cause corruption among the citizens. They would think that it was tolerable to commit sins, since a Reverend had committed one of the "deadliest" ones. This quote is significant because it portrays a lesson, which is that no matter what life hands you, you must remain true to yourself and withstand all troubles without using any form of evil. This is shown when Hester decides to not leave Boston, and later helping the citizens in different ways, rather than being angry at them for the cruel remarks they made everyday to her and Pearl. This is why the later 'A' was later interpreted as 'Able' rather than 'Adulterer.'

Emergency Alert: Put Down That Soda!

     On October 10, 2012, Michael F. Jacobson wrote the article, "Amputation, Impotence, Painful Dentistry: Soda Equals Sadness", in The Huffington Post. We have all heard how junk food is harmful, how there are statistics to prove it, and the diseases that come with eating them. However, how harmful is soda? In the past, Coca-Cola was served in six and a half or ten ounce bottles. The bottle size has now increased to twenty, thirty two, or sixty four ounce bottles. Coca-Cola promotes itself as a source of happiness, such as having commercials that have vending machines "dispensing happiness". One of these vending machines had a man standing inside, and every time people would insert money to buy a Coca-Cola, a man's hand would stick out of the dispenser, passing out different gifts, which included balloon animals, a pizza box, a six footlong sandwich, and jackpot noise to let the customers know that they "hit the jackpot" by selecting Coca-Cola. Another vending machine did not need money to operate. The front of the machine had "Hug Me" written in ginormous letters, and all customers who would hug the machine received a free coke. However, this creative marketing technique is aimed to hide the disturbing facts about the long-term effect coke can have on a person. These harmful effects include obesity, tooth decay, diabetes, heart disease, and other problems. The diabetes side effect can go so far as to including amputation of infected limbs and erectile dysfunction. In other words, Coca-Cola is causing sadness rather than happiness. "The Real Bears" is an animated short film produced by Alex Bogusky, with a song written and sung by Jason Mraz, showing the negative side effects of drinking Coca-Cola. It includes actual facts, but in a way so that children and adults can fully understand that by not drinking soda, they can prevent harmful effects to their body.

Coca-Cola advertisement: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMOuF8oskRU
"The Real Bears": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myxwCEGcBYc&feature=player_embedded

The Scarlet Letter

     Although The Scarlet Letter is quite the complicated novel, I will attempt to conjure my "psychic" skills in predicting the outcome of the book. To start off, the father of Pearl will be revealed to be Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale. This predication was the effect of the interrogation at the Governor's house, the day Hester delivered the Governor's gloves. When the men were questioning wether they should take Pearl away from Hester, Hester looked to the Reverend for protection. Up to this point, Hester was a very self-sufficient woman, who did not need the help of anyone but herself. The fact that she is now asking for help, shows that she somehow trusts the Reverend. Also, on the day she stood on the scaffold, the Reverend asked her who the father of Pearl is. After she refused to answer, he did not question her any further, which is odd, especially when they made Hester's crime a ginormous deal in the community. Furthermore, since Reverend Dimmesdale is considered one of the holiest minister's in the community, the truth that will soon be revealed will cause chaos. The townspeople will believe that if a man as holy as the Reverend committed one of the greatest sins ever, then it will be fine to commit sins themselves. This will cause religious conflicts, and soon the town will be run by the witches, who include Pearl. Throughout all of this commotion, Roger Chillingworth will use his medicinal practice to kill Reverend Dimmesdale, and take revenge for what the Reverend has done to his wife. Later, he will realize that he has deprived Pearl of her father, and his guilty conscience will lead to a suicidal death, again using his own medicine to kill himself.

The Original Gangster

     On October 6, 2012 Andres Jauregui wrote the article, "Victor Joseph Espinoza, 425-Pound Gang Member, Allegedly Tried to Kidnap Boy", in The Huffington Post. The rate of kidnapping has shot through the roof in the past ten years. Parents have become more and more concerned about the safety of their children's lives, to the extent that they accompany their children everywhere. On Friday October 4, 2012, a ten year old California boy (whose name was not mentioned in the article), along with his nineteen year old cousin, were walking to a local park in Santa Ana for the ten year old's soccer practice. Victor Joseph Espinoza, a fifty five year old, 425-pound gang member, was accused of trying to kidnap the ten year old boy. Espinoza grabbed the boy by both his arms, pulled him close to his body, and started smelling him. The boy managed to break free and ran to his soccer coach (whose name was also not mentioned in the article), and told him what had happened. The soccer coach, also a parent, found Espinoza by a nearby bike trail. He confronted him about the incident, and attempted to restrain him, but failed. A police helicopter found Espinoza, crouching under a tree in a nearby home, and arrested him. Espinoza has had more than 60 arrests in the past 30 years, some of which include drug possession, assault with a deadly weapon, and attempted murder. Espinoza tried to abduct a young girl that same evening, before he attempted to abduct the ten year old boy in a extremely well-lit park with many parents and soccer players around. He is now being held on $100,000 bail, facing charges of false imprisonment, child annoyance, and other charges since he is a gang member.

Basketball Used As a Tool For a New Nation

   

     The article, "Lithuania Basketball Team Helped To Inspire Nation's Freedom and Independence" was written by Jordon Schultz in The Huffington Post on September 21, 2012. Many people think of basketball as a sport they love to play, watch, or collect valuable cards on. However, the 1992 Lithuanian Olympic basketball team saw a different vision. For fifty years, the country of Lithuania had been under the heavy rule of Soviet Russia. The Communist reign had such an enormous role, that it even went to as far as trying to change the language, religion, and even the flags of this small country. The basketball players wanted no part of this. They were sick of being burdened by the heavy rules forced upon them by the USSR. They decided to use basketball as a means of inspiration not only for themselves, but for the rest of the country. In 1992, they achieved their goal by winning the olympic bronze medal in Barcelona, which represented the end of the atrocious fifty years that the citizens of Lithuania had to endure. This was one of their greatest achievements, especially because the United States had one of the greatest basketball teams to ever participate in the basketball category in the Olympics, with Michael Jordon leading "The Dream Team." Although Marius Markevicius, a Lithuanian living in Los Angeles,was only sixteen years old in 1992, he understood the cultural conflict of what was happening at home. He reports the significance of the 1992 Lithuanian team in his new film, "The Dream Team," which debuted at the Sundance festival, will appear in theaters on September 28. During their road to achieving the bronze medal, the Lithuanian team had no support, other than the band The Grateful Dead. The band loved the cause the team was fighting for, and decided to donate tie-dye warmups, with a dunking skeleton on the front. It signified the pride, rebelliousness, and soul the team had. Lithuania, a small and independent Baltic country with over 3.5 million people, views basketball as the tool which was able to unite a nation in their time of need, and give inspiration to each person belonging to that culture, wether they lived in Lithuania or another country.

Zombie Apocalypse

     On September 17, 2012, Andy Campbell wrote the article, "Zombie Apocalypse Training: HALO Corp. To Train Military, Law Enforcement on Virus Outbreak" in the Huffington Post. On September 16, security from HALO Corp. announced that about 1,000 military personnel, police officials, medical experts, and federal workers will learn to deal with "a zombie apocalypse", otherwise known as a worldwide pandemic. Currently, the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, along with gun owners, are ready for a zombie apocalypse. The Military Times said that zombies, people who are crazy, violent, and fearful, will roam San Diego, CA. Their job is to harass the people participating in this training session, so that the participants will learn how to prepare for a real disaster. The Military Times and CDC have assured that zombies are not real. They are just a way to ensure that the public is prepared for situations similar to the "zombie apocalypse." In the article, Campbell wrote, "Earlier this month, the Department of Homeland Security reported that "the zombies are coming" as part of a hilarious bid to get citizens to prepare for a real disaster."

"Speech in the Virginia Convention" by Patrick Henry

     "Speech in the Virginia Convention" was a speech said by Patrick Henry, a strong opposer of the British rule on the American colonies. The occasion of this speech occurs during the Virginia Convention in the 1770s. During this time, the colonists in America were being mistreated by their rulers, England. Although some people were in agreement that the British should keep ruling the colonies in the same manner, another group of colonists, called patriots, were in strong favor of a revolution. The Virginia Convention speech by Patrick Henry was to persuade the President and Congress members that by starting a revolution, they would be able to be a free, independent country, and govern themselves. He persuades them to believe that they should no longer subject to merely hoping for change, but to actually stand up and fight or their rights. Henry also inspires the audience to join him in this fight, because the end results would become beneficial for them, since they would not suffer any more. The subject of the speech was freedom and independence. Henry's speech was centered around the idea that the colonies needed to stop surrendering to British invasion, and fight to become an independent country. They had done everything possible, such as petitioning, to gain freedom, but had failed. Henry urged the colonists that now was the time to physically fight, since there was no other option left.

Czech Republic Bans Alcohol

     On September 15, 2012, Karel Janicek wrote the article, "Czech Republic Alcohol Ban: Country Bans Hard Liquor Sales Amid Wave of Methanol Poisoning" in the Huffington Post. After the death toll rising to 19 people on Friday, Czech Republic has decided to ban the sale of spirits containing more than 20 percent of alcohol. This decision was made effective immediately after the country was swept with methanol poisoning. The ban applies to all restaurants, hotels, stores, and the Internet. The problem is mostly centered around northeastern Czech Republic. Methanol, because it is cheap,  is a common alternative to producing alcohol, and is used because it cannot be distinguished from real alcohol. Labs around the country have been testing suspicious alcohol samples that were seized by police raids. The sources are not clear of the worst methanol poising "in decades", according to police spokeswoman Stepanka Zatloukalova, however almost 20 people have been arrested. If this problem continues to span out for over a few months, it will become a big problem for the economy.

Scaring Children Into Behaving

Bill Lichtenstein wrote the article "A Terrifying Way to Discipline Children" on September 8, 2012 in the New York Times. The article introduces a brief background about how more than 400,000 students were restrained or isolated in seclusion rooms. Of those 400,000 students, about 12% had learning, behavioral, physical, or developmental disabilities. Currently, there are no federal laws banning this practice of punishment, which has no evidence of being effective. This issue has been introduced to the House of Representatives and Senate, but there is no expectation of voting on it this year. The author of this article included his own personal experience, with the abuse of his daughter, Rose. Rose had speech and language delays when she first started kindergarten in Lexington, Mass. On January 6, 2006, her parents received a phone call from her school asking them to come pick their daughter up, because she had taken her clothes off. Lichtenstein said, "At school, her mother and I found Rose standing alone on the cement floor of a basement mop closet, illuminated by a single light bulb. There was nothing in the closet for a child — no chair, no books, no crayons, nothing but our daughter standing naked in a pool of urine, looking frightened as she tried to cover herself with her hands. On the floor lay her favorite purple-striped Hanna Andersson outfit and panties. Rose got dressed and we removed her from the school. We later learned that Rose had been locked in the closet five times that morning. She said that during the last confinement, she needed to use the restroom but didn’t want to wet her outfit. So she disrobed. Rather than help her, the school called us and then covered the narrow door’s small window with a file folder, on which someone had written “Don’t touch!” Rose still has nightmares and severe stress symptoms. Her parents filed an action against her school system, who agreed to pay for her treatment needed to recover from her trauma. 

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

     I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream! The ice cream I scream for, is mint chocolate chip. This delectable flavor of ice cream is a combination of mint, whose flavor comes from either creme de menthe, spearmint, or peppermint, ice cream and small chocolate chips. Mint chocolate chip is tied in second place with cookies in cream for the second most popular ice cream flavor in America, with 3.7% votes in a survey conducted by the International Ice Cream Association. This flavor of ice cream hits a home run because of all the different experiences you enjoy with just one bite. The mint ice cream is the main component of this desert. Its chill, refreshing, creamy aspect creates a flavor marriage in heaven with the chocolate chips. Chocolate chips, chips of chocolate, are the reason why this flavor is so heavenly because of their crunchy, bittersweet, divine, and just sinfully delicious taste. On July 12, 2012, President Obama, while campaigning in Iowa, relaxed by visiting a local ice cream shop, and told the cashier, "I think I'll go with the classic mint chocolate chip." If the President of the United States chose this flavor, then you know there must be something delicious about it! How could your taste buds not have the urge to just try one spoonful?

And they said there was no cheating in college...

    On Thursday, August 30th, 2012, Richard Perez-Pena wrote in the New York Times the article "Harvard Says 125 Students May Have Cheated on Exam." Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard University is faced with possibly the largest cheating scandal in the history of the university's existence. The class, Introduction to Congress, had 279 students, 125 of whom were suspected of cheating during their take-home final exam in May. The professor, Matthew B. Platt, noticed similarities in some of the answers in all 125 students' exams, and reported it immediately to the administration. Harvard's College Administrative Board concluded, after a thorough investigation, that almost half of the 125 students showed signs of POSSIBLE cheating. The cheating was said to have been committed using groups. Jay Harris, the dean of undergraduate education said, "This is unprecedented in its scope and magnitude. The enabling role of technology is a big part of this picture. It’s the ease of sharing. With that has come, I believe, a certain cavalier attitude.” Harvard university is beginning to increase the incorporation of "academic integrity." Drew Gilpin Faust, Harvard's president, told the university's official newspaper, The Harvard Gazette, that, "The scope of the allegations suggests that there is work to be done to ensure that every student at Harvard understands and embraces the values that are fundamental to its community of scholars." If the students are found guilty, they are faced with up to one year suspension, which does not allow them to come back to school for the fall term, which starts on Tuesday.

An International Legacy Striped of Achievments

     On August 24, 2012, Lance Pugmire wrote in the Los Angeles Times the article "USADA strips Lance Armstrong's Tour de France victories." On Friday, August 24, 2012, the U.S Anti-Doping Agency striped Lance Armstrong, a former American professional road racing cyclist, of all seven Tour de France, the world's greatest cycling competition, titles that he won between 1999-2005. He was alleged of blood-doping and using steroids, with the proof of test results and numerous witnesses, to whom he offered and encouraged to use the same illegal substances that he was using. The peculiar aspect of this story is the fact that Armstrong never tested positive for any of the alleged substances during his races. However, instead of denying the allegations, just as how he had been doing since 1999,  he decided to voluntarily not fight against the charges. Besides the punishment of being striped of all his Tour de France titles, Armstrong has been banned from a lifetime of competition. Armstrong and the International Cycling Union are questioning wether or not the USADA have the authority to take such an action. The USADA justified their decision by releasing the statement which said, “Because Mr. Armstrong could have had a hearing before neutral arbitrators to contest USADA’s evidence and sanction and he voluntarily chose not to do so, USADA’s sanction is final.” I do not agree with the decisions the USADA has taken against Lance Armstrong. I believe Armstrong has deserved every title he has achieved, especially after having battled with testicular cancer. If during the actual races Armstrong was not tested positive in random drug tests, then the accounts of witnesses, some of which include his former cyclist teammates, and blood tests taken after the races should not count. 

"The Declaration of Independence" by Thomas Jefferson

     The "Declaration of Independence" is one of the most influential pieces of document in American history.  It established the foundation for freedom for the first time since the thirteen colonies were originally founded. Although it was written by Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin, the actual speakers of the "Declaration of Independence" are the colonists found in the thirteen colonies during the time period of 1776. Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin plant the opinions and concerns the colonists had into this document of history, which establishes the individual rights the colonists gained which included expressing their opinions freely. The document includes all the reasons for which the colonists seek freedom to be their own country, instead of being restrained to the rule of their motherland, England. Although the direct writers of this document are not the colonists, the entire spirit is revolved around the exact ideas that they formed themselves. The audience of the "Declaration of Independence" is King George III, along with the American colonists. The document is aimed for King George III to read, which will persuade him to believe why letting the colonies establish themselves as their own country is a logical idea, and an intelligent move for England to release them from their rule. The audience also appeals to the American colonists. The "Declaration of Independence" was aimed to inspire and to inform colonists on why they should support the Revolution, and how beneficial it would be for them to fight for their rights. It opened their eyes to the pressing issues which were beginning to take a tole on the colonies, and inspired them to fight for freedom before those issues started to really cause damage due to the decisions of King George III. The occasion of this document is July 4, 1776. Every year, July 4th is marked with different patriotic acts, celebrating the independence gained for the American colonies during 1776. July 4, 1776 was the first day which the Declaration of Independence was published and put into effect. To this very day, the fundamentals of that document play a vital role in the American government's policies.

"Salvation" by Langston Hughes

     Langston Hughes not only is the author of this essay, but he is also the speaker. "Salvation" is about a point in Hughes' life where he experienced a situation that dramatically changed his perception on divine faith. Hughes's is an African American poet, playwright, fiction writer, essayist, and autobiographer. He is best known for being a major influence in the Harlem Renaissance, a time where African American literature, art, music, and scholarship flourished. The occasion for "Salvation" is the period of time when Hughes was a twelve year old child attending church. However, that day was not the ordinary "church day", because it was going to impact a group of children in a way they had never experienced before. That day was the time when the children of that African American community, were going to experience their first connection with Jesus. This was a very special occasion because, according to Hughes', "My aunt told me that you were saved... hear and feel Jesus in your soul."(179) Hughes' tone starts off with expectancy and then confusion. From the accounts of many old people, including his own aunt, Hughes's was expectant that his connection with Jesus would occur almost immediately, just how it had occurred with the other children in the church. He became confused however, when all the children, except for himself and one other boy, had gone to the alter, claiming that they had seen Jesus. He was overcome with sadness and hopelessness as he became the only child that did not establish a connection with Him. Deciding to save the rest of the congregation from further delay and to save himself from embarrassment, he decided to lie and pretend that he had been saved. Hughes's tone switched to guilt towards the end of the story because he felt he had deceived the church and could not bear to tell the truth to his aunt. The fact that Jesus did not appear to come save him from his misery caused Hughes to lose his faith in the existence of God and Jesus.

Russian Punk Rockers Convicted for Opposing Russian President

      Sergei L. Loiko and Carol J. Williams wrote an article called "Sentencing of punk rockers in Russia reignites opposition" on August 17, 2012 at 6:38 P.M. in the Los Angeles Times, which was about an event that has globally shaken the world about the injustice currently occurring in Russia. On Friday, August 17, 2012, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alekhina, and Yekaterina Samutsevich, all members of an infamous Russian band called "Pussy Riot", received a sentence of two years in prison. Their crime occurred in February, when the three young punk rockers entered a Russian Orthodox Church, Moscow's Christ the Savior Cathedral, and began a "punk prayer" in the alter, which was a series of songs with their messages aimed to use religion as a way for Russia to remove their own president, Vladimir Putin, from office. The verdict seemed to not only upset avid anti-Putin believers, but also famous musicians such as Paul McCartney, Madonna, Sting, and Bjork who are in disagreement with the treatment of the musicians by the Russian government. On behalf of the United States, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said, "The United States is concerned about both the verdict and the disproportionate sentences handed down by a Moscow court in the case against the members of the band Pussy Riot and the negative impact on freedom of expression in Russia. We urge Russian authorities to review this case and ensure that the right to freedom of expression is upheld." 

  The brutal treatment of the three women during their detainment along with the unreasonable verdict given to them by the Russian court, shows the lack of freedom of expression given to Russian citizens. It limits their freedom in a way that they are only allowed to express themselves if they are in agreement with the government. This shows Russia's strenuous control on their citizens and the necessity to have the people unified by using strict rules and conducts that limits anything beyond what is considered "right" by the Russian upper class.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-russia-band-sentence-20120818,0,4588693.story

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

     As a student at Pilibos, we are assigned many books which are mandatory to read as part of our class curriculum. However, by the end of this book, I had forgotten all about the "mandatory" aspect and enjoyed all the lessons The Last Lecture had taught me. Randy Pausch, a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon University, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and well knew his time on Earth was about to end faster than he had expected. A professor's "last lecture" at Carnegie Mellon is supposed to analyze the most important subject in their life and what they picture the end of their life to be. Randy chose "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams" as his lecture topic. During the duration of the book, he explains all the experiences he went through during his short life, and how he accomplished all the goals he set for himself. For example, while chaperoning students on a trip to NASA, he was not allowed to enter a spaceship on display, as it was only available to the students. He decided to find a "loop-hole" by changing his status to become a journalist, a person who is allowed to explore the spaceship. One can acquire many lessons from this short memoir, but the one that I acquired seemed the most significant; you cannot change destiny. You can, however, change the way you perceive every moment and become optimistic on all situations. Randy teaches this lesson by using the quote, " We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand." An example of this includes his wedding day. Randy and his wife, Jai, were supposed to fly away in a hot-air balloon as a romantic getaway. The balloon had complications along the way, and had shifted paths so that they did not have a place to land. Randy reminisces about this event not in a pessimistic way, but by an optimistic point of view, by saying that it would make a very memorable and unique wedding story to share with their children. He establishes the essence of "living every moment as if it was your last" and taught readers that not all good things come easy. The Last Lecture is my favorite book because it reminds me that no matter how tragic a problem can be, there is always a more tragic one somewhere in the world. All you have to do is keep your head high, and push forward because the end results are always rewarding. Also, a pessimist has a lesser chance of accomplishing a goal than an optimist does, and therefore I choose to be a "Tigger"(optimist) and not an "Eeyore"(pessimist), as Randy says it. 

Memorable quotes from the novel that are forever encrypted into my mind include:

-"The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don't want it badly enough. They're there to stop the other people."

-"Time is all you have. And you may find one day that you have less than you think."

-"If nobody ever worried about what was in other people's heads, we'd all be thirty three percent more effective in our lives and in our jobs."

-"Have something to bring to the table. Because that will make you more welcome"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo  - The actual lecture