Quote Analyzation

"Ah, but," interposed, more softly, a young wife, holding a child by the hand. "let her cover the mark as she will, the pang of it will always be in her heart." (Hawthorne, 36) 

A quote is as powerful as when, how, and why it is said. This particular quote was stated whilst Hester Prynne stood in front of many for the people to recognize her as a sinner. A scarlet letter with the letter "A" - appropriately selected, standing for "Adultery" - was decided to be brandished on her bosom for the rest of her existence in the Puritan civilization in Boston. As she stood proudly amongst her fellow townspeople, Hester fell victim to endless gossiping and snickering. This quote came from the last of a group of women sharing their worthless opinions on the matter. Although the others' opinions were worthless, this scornful remark truly set the feel of the novel as a whole. Hawthorne's sense to sneak in such a powerful quote from such a powerless character shows his literary genius. The quote's immense power is that no matter how much she covers her scarlet letter, the presence of the guilt and disappointment will always be upon her. She is now a sinner, and sinners could never cover up their sins. This quote, however, is also ironic in the sense that Hester never really covered up her shameful marking signifying her pride. Will the "pang of it always be in her heart?" Will Hester Prynne succumb to the sorrows and troubles facing her whilst she brandishes that deemed scarlet letter and will this lady's opinion be actualized; or will Hester's pride slowly destroy her enemies?

Fisker sells its assets to Hong Kong tycoon, files for bankruptcy

http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-hy-fisker-sale-bankruptcy-20131122,0,4870491.story#axzz2lRZJIQLu

Jerry Hirsch

Fisker? That is no Mercedes-Benz, BMW, or Porsche... but Fisker not being a car industry mogul is presumably why they are filing bankruptcy. Fiskers are rarely spotted, but when they are, one would surely stop and stare. The Fisker Karma is arguably one of the most sleekest, stylish, and eye-popping automobiles out there and it is truly a shame the world rarely sees them. An investor group headed by Hong Kong tycoon Richard Li purchased the federal loan made to Fisker, therefore acquiring the assets to the already struggling company. With Li only paying around $8,000,000, the federal government will lose up to $139 million in the deal. Despite the loss taken from the federal government, Li's Hybrid Technology is willing to continue production of the hybrid automobile and continue to pursue the hybrid advances and attempt to rejuvenate the company as a whole. The designer of the Fisker Karma was Henrik Fisker, who has already worked on a sum of beautiful automobiles - the Aston Martin DB9 and V-8 Vantage, along with the BMW Z8. Fisker Automotive started off as a prodigious and promising company, ready to revitalize the world of automobiles with their unique combination of hybrid technologies, speed, flare, and pure beauty. It is truly disheartening to witness the economical death of such an auspicious and felicitous company.

Puritans in 1600's; Religion

http://www3.gettysburg.edu/~tshannon/hist106web/site15/test2.htm

Henry the VIII of England was a man of many wonders - and wives, but as he wanted to divorce Catherine of Aragon, he needed the permission from the Catholic Church. Divorce was not accepted in the Catholic Church, therefore a jumpy and impatient Henry the VIII created is own church: The Church of England (The Anglican Church). As the Church of England became more strict as the years passed, a religious group called the Puritans believed that the Anglican Church was flawed and branched out to practice their own religious views. When the King denied all forms of religious tolerance, the Puritans decided to take the treacherous journey to the New World to preserve and practice their beliefs. The New World became the perfect spot for the Puritans. They preached of their religion to the Indians settling there. Puritan leaders converted Native Americans into the Puritan religion and labelled them "Praying Indians." These "Praying Indians" then were separated from their initial groups and brought them to the Puritan settlements. The Puritans had many obscure beliefs. Of such, arguably the most controversial and the one which started the most trouble, was their beliefs in regards to the interaction of Satan on the people. The Puritans were most concerned with the influence and the "existence" of witchcraft within the people. Gender roles were deeply ingrained in the Puritan society; therefore the accusations of the witchcrafts based almost always on the women. Religion was easily the top priority for the settlers and was a key aspect of the settler's lives. Every move they made was based on their religious beliefs and what was tolerated by their beloved religion. 

Wind gusts reported at Russian plane crash site; all 50 onboard die

by Sergei L. Loiko
11.17.13

http://www.latimes.com/world/worldnow/la-fg-wn-russian-plane-crashes-kazan-killing-50-20131117,0,2765899.story#axzz2kwKaltbf

An average morning for the Russian civilians headed on their relatively short journey from the extravagant and beautiful capital city of Moscow to Kazan, a city of lesser fame and importance. Stepping on to the empowering Boeing 747, all 50 passengers - comprised of 44 passengers and 6 crew members - never could have expected it be the last people knew of them. What seemed to be a calm, normal morning in Russia turned out to be a day of mourning. Wind gusts were reported, but the pilot was certain the flight would not have been affected by those winds. As they were beginning to land the plane instantaneously split in half and burst into flames - a true recipe for disaster. Among the innocent civilians on board, there were a handful of prominent figures that passed away also: Irek  Minnikhanov, the son of the Russia's president of the Tatarstan republic, amongst other men of importance. Some reports claim the wind gusts were strong and sudden during the landing, and others say the winds were so strong the pilot attempted to land two or three times before the disaster occurred. Others suggested there might have a trouble with the technical aspect on board, but there was a reassurance of the safety and tip-top quality of the Boeing 747. From all the evidence gathered, there has been a decision that there is truly not enough evidence and further investigations are scheduled. Whatever it may be, the lives of the victims will forever be mourned and their presence in the lives of their loved ones will forever be felt.

Ralph Waldo Emerson SOAPSTONE

Ralph Waldo Emerson is often considered a favorite in the literary world. His unique prose meshed with his exemplifying wit and intellect attract readers of all sorts. This excerpt from his world-renounced novel, Education - which was published posthumously - opens the minds of his readers by challenging what "education" truly is and how one could fully live up to the full potential of gaining a complete education. As one begins to try to grasp the concept of a piece, a simple yet effective way to do so is to analyze the piece using the SOAPSTONE rhetoric method. For example, in Ralph Waldo Emerson's excerpt from Education, the speaker is Ralph Waldo Emerson himself. The occasion is the time period of the 1820's to the 1830's where he found himself disappointed in the educational system after becoming a teacher himself at the age of 18. The audience is hypothetically everyone. Emerson did not write only to a specific group of individuals, but rather for every individual to absorb what he had to offer. The purpose would be to teach, to reform, and to inform. He yearned to teach what he felt needed to be taught, to reform the views of the people on the educational system and to reform the educational system in general, and to inform students that education is not just confined in the walls of the classroom. The subject of the passage is idea that education has been taught completely wrong and that students deserve to be respect and with that respect comes fulfillment of educational wonders. Emerson's tone was confident, shrewd, bold, proud, and he sounded as if he was ready to make a difference in the world. The SOAPSTONE for Ralph Waldo Emerson helps summarize quickly yet effectively his argument.

Detroit poised to elect its first white mayor since 1974

http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-detroit-mayoral-race-20131103,0,5811.story#axzz2jbvPiZSn

Alana Semuels 

For a city with such rich American history, Detroit has seen better days - to say the absolute least. From the heart of the United States' budding automobile industry, due to the likes of Henry Ford, Detroit has now been a city looking to regain their stature. Detroit has been regarded as a "black" city because of the heavy rap and hip-hop influences, powering mobs and gangsters, and the heavy percentage of African-Americans who just simply reside in the heart of Michigan. For the first time since 1974, the city of Detroit is poised to elect a white mayor. The last time their mayor was a white man the Vietnam War was coming to a close. Their last mayor, Kwame Kilpatrick, was recently sentenced to up to 28 years in prison for corruption. One can easily argue he has not left the BEST influence on his people. Now that the city is filing for official bankruptcy protection, the new white mayor, Mike Duggan is looking to take over. With a commanding 2-1 lead on his second place candidate, he is surprisingly ahead. But one may ask, "why 'surprisingly'?" The last multiple elections have been solely based on race and/or personal preferences rather than what that candidate brings to the table. People are voting based on the color on the skin of the candidate then the foundation they plan to establish for the city they live. In a city with 82% of its population being African-American, one can see why it is surprising. The city of Detroit, Michigan deeply hopes that Mike Duggan can fill that emphatic hole left by Kilpatrick and revitalize the city and its residents. 

Armenian ‘orphan rug’ is in White House storage, as unseen as genocide is neglected

"Armenian ‘orphan rug’ is in White House storage, as unseen as genocide is neglected"

Philip Kennicott 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/museums/armenian-orphan-rug-remains-in-white-house-storage-as-unseen-as-genocide-is-neglected/2013/10/21/90458518-3a6d-11e3-b6a9-da62c264f40e_story.html

Shortly after the devastating genocide committed by the bloody hands of the Ottoman Empire against the Armenian peoples, the modicum percentage of Armenians who had survived were left devastated. In the the early 1920's, a group of Armenian orphans who had survived the genocide had woven a rug to thank the American Government for their aid. That rug was formally sent to then president, Calvin Coolidge's, home: the White House. Coolidge had proudly displayed it due to its symbolic and sentimental value and it's delicate and appealing touches. Ever since Coolidge's term, it has been put in the White House storage. Author Hagop Martin Deranian had hoped that for the launching of his new book, President Calvin Coolidge and the Armenian Orphan Rug, he could display the rug. Considering his launch was at the world renounced Smithsonian museum, he had assumed the White House would budge and let him display the rug. Due to an important relationship with the Turkish government, a rug that has been in storage for years - with probably no sentimental value to any president past Coolidge - the White House turned him down. A rug might not be billions of dollars in oil rights, an important military, or yearly funding, but it is a sign of appreication that should be of importance to the American government. 

Education

What is education? Education is the distinct knowledge that completes a man. If one wants to be a doctor, one does not just rush to the nearest hospital and beg to execute the next procedure. One would receive the proper education to fulfill the gaps in their knowledge in the given field. Aside from the proper knowledge in the field, one must have real-life experiences to complete their learnings. School systems are too heavily dependent on students' results on standardized tests. Testing, I agree, is a valid way of determining a student's understanding of a topic; but as the great intellectual Albert Einstein once quoted, “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” This quote proves that if a monkey, a fish, an elephant, and a tiger  were in the same classroom, and the teacher tested them on their ability to climb a tree; the monkey would prevail, the tiger would be mediocre, and the elephant and fish would fail. But if the fish were tested on its ability to swim, the tiger on its ability to hunt, and the elephant on its ability to control and empower, the test results would make more sense. The schooling system needs to include vast opportunities of classes and/or testing systems which directly correlate to the real-life experiences. I will never need to know how many children Thomas Jefferson had or what a eukaryotic cell is unless I choose those paths as my majors; but I sure as hell need to know how to pay taxes, how to handle money when presented to me, and how to buy a house. The school system refers to education as knowledge based on textbooks, graded based on how well students could memorize boring facts. 

Francisco Rafael Arellano Felix, Mexican Drug Lord, Killed By Assassin In Clown Costume

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/20/francisco-rafael-arellano-felix-killed-assassin-clown_n_4132174.html?utm_hp_ref=world&ir=World

Hunter Stuart

10/20/13

Superman? Batman? Anybody? No superheroes were present when the infamous drug lord Francisco Rafael Arellano Felix was reigning the streets. The oldest brother for the Arellano Felix cartel was shot in the chest and head by an unusual assassin: a clown. As ludicrous as that may sound, this occurred at the Cabo San Lucas Resort in Baja California. Although the motive of the disguised assassin is still unclear, one could assume that it was because of the enormous drug cartel that he and his brothers ran for decades. The cartel not only ruined many lives because of their extravagant drug distribution, but also the brutality and the murder of innocent civilians, along with law enforcement and members of competing drug cartels. Although Francisco may not have been one of the top influences of the cartel due to his numerous years spent in prison, he had left his mark on people's lives. It is said that the cartel is now ran by Francisco's sister Enedina and her son Fernando - who is referred to as the "The Engineer"- for quite some time now. If a clown could murder one of the members of a lucrative drug cartel, then one could assume that inviting a clown to your only child's sixth birthday is not of the greatest ideas. All jokes aside, this brave man committed a heroic deed that many men wish they could have done themselves.

Syria: Seven Red Cross workers abducted, aid group says

http://www.latimes.com/world/worldnow/la-fg-wn-red-cross-kidnapped-syria-20131013,0,2700781.story

Patrick J. McDonnell 

10-13-13

For months and months, especially being surrounded by and being a part of the Armenian community, for most of whom have relatives in Syria, we have been hearing about the countless devastating occurrences in Syria. As the rebels are relentless in their attack, receiving much indirect support from the Americans, on their way to dethroning their president they have harmed thousands of innocent civilians. Here we have another story of how seven workers of the International Committee of the Red Cross were waylaid by gunmen at a humanitarian convoy in northern Syria. Numerous amounts of these kidnappings have been occurring on Syrian roadsides all along northern Syria. Aid groups have theorized that they are holding these innocent men ransom to take whatever money they can get ravish from the loved ones of their captives in efforts to expand their rebellious efforts. Along with these Red Cross workers have been foreign journalists and even bishops. For the most recent Red Cross kidnapping, witnesses say that the terrorist groups could have assumed that it was a religious symbol because of the red cross, but they should be aware of the international symbol for the Red Cross. As a human being myself, seeing these reckless rebels stop at nothing to hurt the innocent civilians to "send a message" to the government is just flat-out ridiculous and stupid.

Karnie's and Rita's Speech Presentation

Karnie and Rita did a wonderful job on their presentation. Not only was their PowerPoint informative, clear, and to-the-point; but their presentation skills were exceptional as well. The one aspect that caught my eye and maybe not another's was their choice of subject. The Holocaust is not an event that we have been through, but as Armenians who have seen one of the most grueling genocides, this was the closest to it. I appreciated the connections they made with the literary devices and SOAPST analysis. Their entire presentation was stellar, especially how they - probably mistakenly - mentioned classical oration, induction, AND deduction which is super difficult to do. Speeches usually choose one or other, or a combination of induction of deduction, but hardly ever three. To spot that takes immense skill and knowledge. Great job on the overall project and, once again, great choice of speech, allowed an audience of Armenians and one Native American - who has unfortunately seen the likes of the Trail of Tears - to truly connect on Elie Wiesel's dramatic speech on the holocaust. The connections, the material, the presentation, and overall efforts that went into this presentation paid off and left a great impression on the audience.

Obama on Redskin's Name Change

 " Obama Would 'Think About Changing' Washington Redskins Name If He Owned Team "

Julie Pace 

10/05/13

At a time of such concern for the citizens and government of the United States, one would expect the President, a man we hold responsible for all that happens in our country, to mention the government crisis and give us citizens hope. Barack Obama sat down and discussed the now controversial name of Washington's NFL team - the Redskins - because of its racist aspects towards the Native-American population. Obama claimed that he would have changed the name of the team of he owned it because the name offends a "sizable group of people." There are many other teams who have named their teams after Native American people such as the Kansas City Chiefs of the NFL and MLB's Atlanta Braves and Cleveland Indians. The Redskins have faced loads of controversy over the name which included a huge bill by the Native Americans preventing them from federal copyright protection - but it is not passed yet. Team owner Dan Snyder vowed to never change the name of his beloved team, but NFL commissioner Roger Goodell stated that, contradictory to his previous statements, actions have to be taken place in opposition to the Redskins because of the fans and citizens the name offends. 

Declaration of Independence

"He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people."

The fifteenth grievance in the Declaration of Independence simply lists how their former King - King George III - has waged war against them. All of the concerns that were listed showed the unfair, unjust attacking of the British. Although, the Americans were not the best at following orders and commands, their jumpy and rebellious demeanor was due to the insensible laws and acts passed by the British against the Americans. This grievance can naturally seem as if it has no relation to modern day United States, but if looked upon in a broader perspective, one could see that what this grievance is referring to is the fact that if anybody plans on waging a war against the United States, just or unjust, there is going to be retaliation.

"He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the consent of our legislatures."

The eleventh grievance in the Declaration of Independence directly takes a hit at the Quartering Act of 1744. In the Quartering Act, American citizens were to welcome English soldiers into their homes and provide for them. The reason for the Act was to ensure of no civilian wrongdoings and to be stationed and ready if a war to be waged. This grievance basically mocks the Quartering Act and shows the Americans' anger for the British mockery and distrust in them. The eleventh grievance in no way can relate to modern day Americans, but because of the British army's international reputation and renounced strength, the Americans' will to against them shows their true courage.

Nairobi Mall Terrorist Shooting

Nairobi Mall Shooting: Gunmen Throw Grenades, Open Fire At Upscale Shopping Center

JASON STRAZIUSO

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/21/nairobi-mall-shooting_n_3967042.html

The newly constructed, populated, Israeli-owned Nairobi mall was an important attraction for the the citizens of Kenya. Including big name stores such as Nike, Adidas, and Bose, a mall of such "luxury" was something to be proud of.  All changed on August 21st, a morning that the people of Kenya will surely never forget. Gunmen barged into Kenya's top mall equipped assault rifles and grenades. Bullets were fired, grenades were thrown, casualties were confirmed. Crying mothers, tightly grasping their innocent, wounded children running for their lives is what the scenario consisted off. The total number, for now, is at a solid 30. The gunmen - Al-Qaida linked, specifically part of Somalia's Islamic extremist group - raised a highly controversial religious issue. Many witnesses testified that the gunmen were holding down civilians with guns to their faces and the answer to one simple question could have saved their lives: "Are you Muslim?" Witnesses stated that if the answer was "yes," the civilian would be released, and if the answer were "no," the man would breathe the last breathe of his life. This sort of religious issue should not be ignored, and has to be acted upon immediately. Killing ones solely based off of their religion is not acceptable. 

Can We Trust What We Know?

Why The Internet Might Be Wrong About Nikola Tesla

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/13/internet-nikola-tesla_n_3921291.html?utm_hp_ref=technology

(No author named) The Huffington Post 

As the world knows - or may know - Serbian-American Nikola Tesla is the electrifying genius who defied all odds and invented and helped invent much of the devices which are widely used today such as the radar, ac/dc currents, sonar, the remote control, X-rays, radio, and many more. His groundbreaking intellect and unsurpassed vision of potential inventions made Tesla look superhuman. Although he is regarded as one of the greatest inventors the world has ever seen, is his inspirational story of stupendous wit and capabilities wholly truthful? The internet portrays Nikola Tesla as a "selfless creator for the people," but ironically so, Nikola Tesla was famous. Famous as in Time Magazine cover page famous. He was as high as they get when it came to scientific fame and wisdom. His unimaginable respect can seem tangible, but it was quite the contrary. There was a quote that said "aside from history being written by the winners, it was also written by the victims." This quote leaves us with a ginormous question mark: is what we know as history the truth, or one side of the story? The world will probably never know the actual truth, but it's an exciting way to start off a debate. 

Pulp Fiction

http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/reviews/pulp-fiction-19941014

Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction is often regraded as one of the greatest crime thrillers ever. When presented with a movie of such high caliber, it is naturally expected of a critic to not use claims of policy because there would be no need for change or amendment. However, this review written by Peter Travers for Rolling Stone on October 14, 1994 displays claims of value. For example, Travers mentions the acting of the movie to be "dynamite" and describes the careers of John Travolta and Bruce Willis after this movie as "revived." Claims like these are solely paused on one's point of view and it can easily be argued, for instance, that it was in fact the screenplay, plot, and directing that made the movie stand out as opposed to the acting. For the comments made on the careers of Travolta and Willis, they may be true; but one could easily argue that their careers were never "dead" for them to have been "revived." Throughout the review, Travers makes multiple claims of value to support his overall point: it was a great movie. That is what it all boils down to. Travers raves about Tarantino's storytelling and passion, mentioning how his relative youth contradicts that. This review was clear cut, to the point, and influential. Its purpose of telling potential viewers to watch this movie was surely reached.

Video Games For the Win!

A Multitasking Video Game Makes Old Brains Act Younger

Matt Richtel

nytimes.com

            When one is confronted with the thought of video games - especially if they are of the older age, therefore not being introduced to the video game crave of the modern-day video-gamers – it is not often associated with productivity and brain activity. Video games have an unfair title and reputation of being harmful, which is to not be true to a certain extent. Brain scientists have discovered that a simple multitasking effort of swerving a car and simultaneously picking out road signs in a video game “can help improve the short-term memory and long-term focus of older adults.” Impressively, adults as old as 80 were showing drastic improvements in their cognitive activity not only during the video game but during every day processes. This is one infinitesimal step for technology in general, but a grand step for the future of brain activity. A discovery like such opens door to many questions, and with questions there will come answers. To further prove the influence of video games on the brain performance’s of individuals, a four-year, $300,000 research program was launched at University of California, San Francisco led by Dr. Adam Gazzaley. They created a similar video game called “NeuroRacer,” and the results were similar although “NeuroRacer” helped point out how difficult it was for adults to successfully multitask. This invigorating discovery could possibly change the way scientists view neurology and spark up new interest in that field.

Cookies n Cream

One cannot claim they have lived life to the fullest without tasting Cookies n Cream. Cookies n Cream is a unique, delicious mix of Oreo crackers and vanilla ice cream. If you are a fan of the Oreo cookie, then Cookies n Cream is for you. Not only does the individual that thought of this brilliant, ground-breaking idea deserve an award, but the people who actually put it together and made it possible for us to devour. The combination of the sweet, creamy taste of the vanilla ice cream and the chocolaty, crunchy chunks of cookie leaves your mouth watering. It is as if your taste buds are being sent up to flavor heaven as soon as you take a bite of the Cookies n Cream ice cream (simile). The crunchy, crispy cookie and the creamy, celestial vanilla are often compared to as the yin-yang - a combination of two opposites magically perfect (alliteration). I mean there has to be a reason that on College Humor's poll for "Best Ice Cream Flavor" it was obviously voted #1, right? Who is more credible to judge the taste of ice cream than college students? They too agree that mixing velvety ice cream with a hearty cookie crunch is a match made in heaven.

Throughout most of the article - if not all - I implied the use of pathos.

LAUSD equips two public schools with iPads; first of many?!

LAUSD launches its drive to equip every student with iPads

by Howard Blume

latimes

One would think the schools with the most cash to spend would be the first to welcome the Apple tablets to their classrooms. Broadacres Elementary School in Carson and Cimarron Elementary School in Hawthorne were the two schools introduced to the iPads. Ironically, both were schools who either did not have working wireless internet or wireless internet in general. The bringing of iPads "levels the playing field" said Principal Cynthia M. Williams of Cimarron, where 70% of students are from low-income families. There is a potential 1 billion dollar push for iPads across LAUSD, half of the money to Apple and the other half to supply the schools with working internet various other expenses. The iPads are obviously meant for learning purposes, plausibly eventually eliminating heavy textbooks from children's backs. Also, tablets provide an interactive learning experience in which children could feel more excited about educating themselves. Over the next two weeks, iPads are being distributed at 45 other campuses. Each of the districts 650,000 students will get their share of technology within the next year or so. However, each iPad costs $678 - which is approximately 200-300 dollars more pricey than a normal iPad - but comes with programmed educational software, a sturdy case,  and three year warranty. Could this be a breakthrough for schools nationwide?