I Fought the Law And the Law Won (For Now)

"Sudan apostasy women Meriam Ibrahim 'to campaign'"
By: Anonymous
Source: BBC
http://m.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-29399209

   Meriam Ibrahim, a Sudanese woman seeking asylum in the United States of America, made an important statement recently. She announced that she is to wage a campaign against religious persecution, as she was a victim of this type violation against human rights. She was tried and arrested for apostasy in Sudan for practicing Christianity when her father was a Muslim, as this was viewed as a renouncement of fate opposing Islam law in her country. However, her mother raised her as a Christian, and she married one too. Mrs. Ibrahim was unfairly tried and cruelly treated in prison. It is there where she gave birth to her daughter, all the while being shackled. This drew outrage from the international community, the ensuing pressure of which resulted in her release. She recently received an award from an American Christian foundation.
         The story of Meriam Ibrahim is an important one. It is first a story of vitality: through all the hardships imposed upon this brave woman, she held her faith, believing that it was all a test provided by God. Mrs. Ibrahim maintained humbleness by conceding that there were other Sudanese civilians who experienced more difficult plights. Her story also works to display a centuries old issue: religious persecution, the violation of human rights. Mrs. Ibrahim stated, "Sadly, this was all under the guise of the law. So instead of protecting people, the law is harming them" ("Sudan apostasy women 'to campaign'" 1). Whenever governments fail their duties of protecting civilians, change must be brought about. Her dream of returning to Sudan, as well as her approaching campaign against religious persecution, provide hope that this change will soon decent upon the country and all other countries where it is needed.

Raise Your Spoons

            My heart is frozen [from the countless times I spent eating ice cream out of the carton in my freezer]. I am a warrior against this artificial gust of cold wind. My name is Armine Kalbakian, and I am an ice cream-aholic.  I find myself thinking, “Are we back to this again?” My spoon, though little, digs up an impressive scoop of my favorite breed of ice cream: cookies and cream, and answers the self-imposed question defiantly. There is a certain adrenaline rush unique to the all-you-can-eat-before-your-mother-walks-in-ice-cream-parlor founded by yours truly. Some seek these pleasures as they jump off airplanes, or mountain climb, or sneak out through a second floor window, or dive into the depths of the uncharted ocean. Even then, success is not always granted. My rebellious act, on the other hand, is destined to make you full of contentment. This can only be done through a cookies and cream flavor of ice cream, however. I am a pirate and this carton of the loveliest mix of emotion is a treasure hunt. The vanilla flavor carries itself in a self-righteous fashion. It in itself is rewarding, with its simplicity. The chunks of Oreo cookies are worthy objects of my affection; they leave me and my spoon with something to look for[ward to]. When these two magical elements join together, their potency is evident. The contrast between the tender vanilla and the soft crunch of the Oreos is enough to make one fall in love. I hastily search for the pieces of chocolate bliss before my mother enters the kitchen to scold me. In this haste, there still exists a prolonged feeling of invincibility each time the cookies kiss my taste buds. In this haste, there still exists a prolonged feeling of gratefulness each time the vanilla soothes the darkness of my throat. In this haste, I am the cookies and cream ice cream. The cookies and cream ice cream is me. Together, we are the grandest breed of ice cream in the relentless sea. 

An End to an Ism?

“Could early intervention erase signs of autism?”

By: Jen Christensen

Source: CNN

http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/10/health/autism-early-intervention/

           

            There are times when people take on a victim mentality in the face of tragedy. For example, parents of children who may have autism, a developmental disorder that impairs social and communication skills, may feel helpless against the odds. They may believe that no preventive method exists to free their child from this disorder. However, a recent “pilot” study of seven children aged seven to fifteen months old demonstrating autism potential, brought forth a profound amount of hope among concerned parents and scientists. For twelve consecutive weeks it trained these mothers and fathers with behavioral modification techniques, designed to be incorporated into their daily lives and to bring about improvement in the issues these children displayed. These included songs and rhymes, activities designed to generate increased engagement and reactions on the child’s behalf. Thirty-six months later, the positive effects of this study were felt. “Five children no longer showed symptoms of autism, one had mild autism but no developmental delays, and one had severe autism” (Christensen 1). Unfortunately, a formal conclusion can not be proclaimed from a study of such a limited number of subjects.

            This study is a hopeful one all the same. It concedes that early intervention is effective and may serve to erase autism-related signs completely. It also shows that a multitude of minor signs pointing toward this disorder exist that parents should look out for in their children. The importance of this finding should therefore not be undermined, as autism is a serious disorder that now affects an approximate one in sixty-eight American children. Parents should endeavor to help their children at an early stage with these behavioral modification techniques if developmental setbacks are perceived, even if these are not related to autism. As is evident in the case of Noah, one of the seven children studied, his language skills now exceed those of his peers. The ever evolving world of scientific findings is a promising one, especially in regards to the welfare of our children.

Journey to Macca

"Review: Paul McCartney at Dodger Stadium: Fit, Giddy, and in Vintage Form"
By: Randall Roberts
Source: LA Times
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/posts/la-et-ms-paul-mccartney-dodger-stadium-fit-giddy-vintage-form-20140811-column.html

Photo by: Armine Kalbakian

    Former Beatle George Harrison once said, "The Beatles will exist without us". Perhaps his prediction was correct as forty-eight years after the band's concert at Dodger's Stadium in Los Angeles, in the absence of the three other members of the group, Paul McCartney performed on the same stage in front of an astounding crowd of fifty thousand fans, products of three different generations. The evening did not go on unremarked and multiple journalists were quick to publish reviews of the show. These  hold a fair share of persuasive appeals and arguable claims, as is the case with  LA Time's journalist Randall Roberts' review.
        Roberts' review possesses one major claim, accompanied by a minor one. The claim that guides the piece is a claim of value, which is detected in the line "McCartney looked and sounded great" (Roberts 1). This can be considered a claim of value, because it is the author's personal judgement based on his taste on whether or not the concert was an enjoyable one. The criteria used to back up this claim includes the lengthy set list of varied songs "Each in its own feeling, each drawing its own gasps of joy and recollection" (Roberts 1). In addition to the waves of nostalgia and emotion that were aroused within the audience, Roberts describes the show's exciting lighting effects,  as well as McCartney's fashionable vintage outfit, constant change of instrument, livelihood and down-to-earth personality. Towards the end, the author concedes to a counterargument regarding Paul McCartney's new songs and use of samples on select classic ones. It is here where Roberts makes a claim of policy by stating, "Hire a dang string quartet already. I'm sure we'd all have chipped in an extra buck to see 'Eleanor Rigby' performed as it should be, rather than with samples" (Roberts 1). He then refutes these claims by dismissing them in lieu of the overall eminence of the concert.
          Above all, the review relies on persuasive appeals, most notably pathos, to describe the concert. While the author does not explicitly state his credibility to review the event, one may assume that ethos exists in the explanation he gives about technical musical flaws. Logos is also apparent throughout the review. For example, the number of concert goers, mention of songs sung during the performance, and various highlights of the night are factual evidence that persuade readers that the night was an enjoyable one. Roberts' review holds an immense sum of pathos, however. He describes the emotional tole the songs had on the audience that evening, and uses words like "nostalgia", "recollection", and "joy". Roberts uses lyrics from multiple songs to highlight this effect, as the songs often reach out to listeners with the use of "you". He concludes the review with a question from the song "Eleanor Rigby" that he believes applies to the entire audience, and answers it with a particularly emotional response that reiterates his initial claim about the concert: "In a perfect world, within these songs, and awash in this feeling" (Roberts 1). 

Live and Let Live

“Meet Dreadnoughtus, Perhaps the Biggest Creature to Ever Walk the Planet”

By: Greg Botelho

Source: CNN

http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/04/world/americas/dreadnoughtus-huge-dinosaur/index.html?hpt=wo_t2

            According to the wise words of Sir Paul McCartney, “If this ever changing world in which we’re living makes you give in and cry, say live and let die”. Apparently, scientists are not deterred by the ever evolving technological world. They instead revel in all that it offers as it is a great aid in the field of science. Scientists recently published a report on a series of archaeological findings in southwestern Patagonia, Argentina, in which they discovered more than a hundred and thirty bones belonging to a new species of dinosaur. Archaeologists then went on to name the creature “Dreadnoughtus schrani”, which means, in part, “fear nothing”. “You wouldn't be scared, either, if you towered over every creature in sight, could smash most anything with your whip-like tail and could smoosh most anything with your colossal feet” (Botelho 1). It is presumably one of the largest land animals to ever walk the surface of the earth at sixty-five tons and an eighty-five foot height. It is also assumed to be an overeater of plants. As archaeologists piece the Drednoughtus schrani remains together, they offer an adamant refusal to “let die”.

            The significance of findings such as this is as colossal as the remains of the unearthed dinosaur. Archaeologists typically only discover three to twenty-seven percent of the fossils of a dinosaur of this type. The crew in Argentina, however, found a landmark seventy percent of this Drednoughtus schrani. It serves as an incessant reminder of the magnitude of this world, beyond the scope of one’s wildest imaginations. Even when scientists believe they have found the largest or the most miniscule of creatures, there will always be more out there. The hope of all humanity can be found in this looming possibility.