Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Guess Who?


Guess Who?
Some interesting exceptions with personality,
Piles of money, money talks of course,
Diva, pretty, pink hair,
She has the creative power,
“Monster” she outclassed with Kanye West and Jay-Z
Just THINK PINK!
Most talented women,
Photos were everywhere you go,
Others want to get their hands on her,
She does have a full-time wig maker!
She is courageous in what she does
She’s a walking exaggeration, outsize in sound, personality and look, 
And she’s a rapid evolver,
Discarding old modes as easily as adopting new ones
Most influential female rapper of all time, most talked-about young rapper,
Its. . . . . . . . . NICK MINAJ.
 

Reflection

I picked these articles because I wanted to write a found poem on one of my favorite female rap artists, Nicki Minaj.  the found poem are some things that people will used to describe her or even something that she might have accomplished. My point was to see if people can read this a guess who that was by just writing things that might describe her. I think that is very fun creating found poems, I learned how to do it in middle school and it was easy just finding words and putting them together.


Monday, April 8, 2013

Time For A Raise?




A cover story “Time for a raise?” in the upfront news magazine President Barack Obama wants to increase the federal minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $9 an hour. But the problem is can he get everyone on the same page?

In the article it includes that Obama wants congress to raise the federal minimum wage, which hasn't been changed since 2009. Some people are for this change because more money will help out low income families, with minimum. Wage jobs, more money in people pockets the more they spend for businesses, and also minimum wage isn't keeping up with inflation. But some people aren't for the change, they argue that it’s going to be more money out of business pockets, and they might have to fire some people or if not that cut some hours.

In my opinion I think that this is a good idea for low income families who need more money around the house, and it’s good to always change the minimum wage when the inflation goes up. But I also agree with the people who are against Obama, because their arguments make scents.

This article reminded of a book call “Out of the dust” in middle school about a family that was going thought a great depression during the worldwide economic downturn in the 1930s. And it reminded me of this article because I think this is slowly happening to our economy, and people are slowly getting aware of it, and now the president is going in to try to fix it by raising the minimum wage. But if I were in the congress I will agree with the law to raise the minimum wage to $9.
 


Friday, March 22, 2013

SLAUGHTER OF THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT



In the article "Slaughter of the African Elephants" according to studies, by PLoS One journalist, 62% of elephants vanished from central Africa between 2002 and 2011. And the reason giving for this explanation was for their precious ivory.

The article also includes that about a year ago; poachers attacked a family of forest elephants in central Africa. The article also includes that when the attacked happened someone who witnessed it said that wildlife guards were outgunned.

In my opinion I think that there could of been another alternative then killing them, and I think that the people who did this had known idea if they were mothers to other elephant, or even worse fathers to them. I also think that the people, who buy the things that were made by the elephants tucks, aren’t aware how these things come about, and what people do to the elephants for it.

This article made me think about the people who slaughter elephants, do they have any emotions before they do what they do to the elephants? When the people who slaughter the elephants did they ever think that the elephants will become extinct? Do other people around the world know how these innocent elephants re being killed just for their precious ivory? Is there anything that we can do to stop this "slaughtering elephants" for the ivory? 

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

SISTERS IN ARMS


I the article “Sisters in Arms,” the United States military is lifting its ban on women in combat, but the Pentagon has vowed that standards will not be lowered to make it easier for women to join combat units.

In this article, the writer includes that America’s most recent wars in the past 12 years, almost 300,000 women have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. They, the Military officials also state that if they were to let women into Navy SEALs there will be an open for more than 200,000 jobs for women.

In my opinion I think that it should be equal rights for women in men that want to be in the military. I also think that if they want to fight for their country, they should have the full rights, and opportunities to it, if they as women want to put their life in danger let them get everyone’s full support.

In this article it made me think about the time my uncle offered me and my brother a clean job at a work site he was working at and he offered my brother more than me, but he never told us that he did, but when my brother told me how much he got paid I approached my uncle about it and he said “Boys work harder,” and my first reaction to that was that you should never discriminate women and men on a job, if it’s the same job title. 

Thursday, February 21, 2013

DRUGS + YOUR BRAIN




In this article "Drugs + Your Brain" it talks about the use of drugs and how it can affect you brain, and they also talk about how not all drugs are the same, but they all can affect the brain and can lead to serious problems.
The article talks about how some of the consequences that can affect your brain such as memory melt down, by using the drug marijuana, out of control, by using alcohol and marijuana, and another common consequence is fear and rage, by using cocaine, methamphetamine, steroids, or prescription drugs.
I think that it is important that people know how the use of some of these common drugs can affect your body, because I that most people will change their perspective on using these drugs. And I think that when most people used these common drugs like marijuana and alcohol they never know how it’s affecting their bodies.

This article made me think about the young teens and adults now, because I as a young teen who spends a lot of time around young easily influenced teens, think that a lot of young and sometimes older people think that it is a new thing to used drugs and they really don't know what and how that drug is affecting their body, such as your brain.






Friday, February 8, 2013

FACEBOOK


In the article "Facebook," by Veronica Majerol of The New York Times she talks about how there are more that 900 million people are on the social networking site called, "Facebook." But in the U.S., some young people are just saying no to Facebook.
For some people that use this site, privacy is their main concern. And for other people it's just simply a matter of not wanting the whole world to know about everything that their doing with their lives. And for some people they're just not interested. Mary Carney, 21 year old senior in college said "It kind of just a waste of time, like my time could be better used on studding or doing all the other things I have to do."
 
In my opinion I think that the older people get the less time they spend on social networks like Facebook. But for those people who don’t get on for privacy reason I just think that they shouldn’t put all their business out there for other people to see. And I also agree with Carney, about Facebook being a waste of time, and you could be using that time so something better.
If Facebook is worth more than $100 billion, what do you think it will be like in there future if younger people are using in less in the U.S... Do you think that it will be a newer social network site, and make Facebook become out of biasness. I could ask many people if they used Facebook and their opinion but everyone will answer different. Maybe some people will be interesting to know.

Friday, February 1, 2013

THE NEW FACE OF AMERICA



In the article "The new face of America" by Veronica Majerol covered than for the first time, more minorities are being born in the U.S. than whites. But that is changing over time, more Hispanic/Latino, and black people are starting to a rose in the U.S. being born and there are less white people

In the article 22 year-old Jessica Ramirez said "The school I went to was predominantly Latino. . . . So I just felt that it was normal." The article also talks about where minorities are a majority in the U.S. And there are four states, including California with 60%, Hawaii 77%, New Mexico 60%, Texas 55%, and Washington D.C. with 65%. These states are non-whites make up more than the population.

In my opinion I think that for the first time Caucasian people do make-up the United States and I also think that Caucasian people have ruled the state for years so it’s time for new faces.  

Did this article make you think about the amount of white people in your neighborhood? Do you think about the majority of the faces in your neighborhood?

Friday, January 25, 2013

ALL WORK and NO PLAY: WHY YOUR KIDS ARE MORE ANXIOUS, DEPRESSED

In This article by Esther Entin reports say that kids free play time has been going down and it’s keeping them from being confident adults. And it explains why kids are more anxious, and depressed.

As you were young you probably remember playing a lot of child hood games, but over there years the time amount that children have spent playing games, house, tag, and many more games have declined. But in the article it says that less play time when your younger makes you more anxious and depressed as you get older. One of the reasons why they say this is because it is through play that children first learn how to make decisions, solve problems, exert self-control, and follow rules.

I think that what this article is saying is true that if kids don't get enough play time when their younger it makes them more anxious and depressed, and I also think that kids learn to handle their anger, fear, and emotions while playing.

This article makes me think are parents aware about what goes on in their children's lives. I as a young teen spent a lot of time playing around and I think that it made me more confident by being a good problem solver, and made me less emotion by knowing how to control my anger. And I know that a lot of these problems are going on with adults lacking off and this might just be the problem why.

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

CIVIL WAR IN SYRIA RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT WHEN TO INTERVENE



In the article "CIVIL WAR IN SYRIA RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT WHEN TO INTERVENE " by PBS News Hour, they talk about how it’s dangerous it is for a lot of civilians to stay in their homes because of the civil war going on. And while this war is going on this question remains in every one’s head, should the U.S intervene.
In the article the (UNHCR) estimated that over 200,000 people have left their homes to become Refugees in other countries. Another thing that was estimated was that as many as 2.5 million people have been affected by the crisis. When the U.S was questioned if they would intervene, the allies said they will not intervene their militarily unless Syrian President Bashar al-Assad uses chemical weapons on his own people.
 
I think that it’s wrong what Assad is doing to his own people, and I think that the U.S should not intervene with this situation until he uses chemical weapons, just because it would be starting a wars between the U.S and Syria, when there is problems that the U.S already have to deal with and they're still trying to end the war between the U.S and Iraq and they are still slowly pulling out our troops, so why get in between something when you're already in the middle of something?
 
This article made me think of a movie that I once seen and they were talking about whether they should get in between a middle of a war or should they stay out and I think it is similar to the situation that is going on in Syria.





Friday, January 4, 2013

PHILADELPHIA SUPERINTENDENT INDENTIFIES SCHOOLS HE INTENDS TO CLOSE


In the article " Philadelphia superintendent identifies schools he intends to close," by Kristen A. Graham, they talk about how the Philadelphia school district, superintendent William R. Hite wants to make the largest reduction in the history of Philadelphia school district by shutting down six city schools and relocate, closing programs, or reshuffle grades at many more.

"This is a historic moment for us," Hite said at news conference. Overall there will be twenty-two elementary schools, four middle, and eleven high schools. But the changes will only be made if Hite's recommendations are accepted by the School Reform Commission, which will happen later in March.

In my opinion I think that if the School Reform Commission agrees to Hite's recommendations the city of Philadelphia well have a lot of problems with students in school. For an instant violence can be a problem, because a lot of students from different school may not get along with each other and that may cause problems throughout the school with drama. Another problem can be the students academic levels, not every student are on the same level as the other students from different schools.

Did this article make you wonder about anything? What if this happens to your school next how would you feel? If it was to happen how you would adjust to a new school, new surroundings, and new environment? Do you think that Parkway would ever be in a situation like this?

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

MARIJUANA LAWS JUST CREATES CRIMINALS

  



In the article it says that New York City spends about $75 million every year on arresting people for marijuana possession, but what people don't know is that the state decriminalized this offence more than 30 years ago. And possession of marijuana is now the number one arrest category in New York.

A big majority of the people getting arrested are people who live in a community of color. And one fact that stood out to me was that 85% of the people arrested for possession of marijuana is black and Latino. And I think this is going to become a bigger problem than what it is now because in the article it says that more than 50,000 people in 2011 were arrested that year for small amounts of marijuana.

In my opinion I think that it’s a shame that they have to spend some much money arresting those people that year. And I also think that the criminals should pay all of that money back to New York.

Did this article make you think about how many arrest will happen in another year like 2013 in New York? What did this article make you think about? What did it make you wonder? These questions can be asked more than once but really think about them now!