Baggage

Nowadays teenagers' most prized possessions would be their smartphone, laptop, and TV. As a teenager myself, I consider that to be partially true. However, I can more than comfortably give up my phone and my TV. I would be able to give up my phone because it has caused more distractions and annoyances than productivity in my life. It is enjoyable to use as it has the power to do anything instantaneously, however its immense powers lead it to become the main path to procrastination. As for my TV; it would be rather easy to give it away because I often end up staying up late at nights watching episode after episode of TV shows that will never get me anywhere in life. Instead of reading a book, I spend countless hours hooked to shows i could live without. The one object in my life that I would not want to live without is my laptop. My laptop is the gateway to infinite possibilities and will be superbly useful to me in the future. My laptop is where I print my documents, read the news, and, most importantly, learn. If I do not understand a math assignment, I browse the internet with my laptop to find a tutorial on that specific lesson. If presented with the opportunity to leave the past behind and move on to a new destination with a fresh horizon of challenges, I would be content with a bag full of clothes and other simple necessities and my laptop.

EARTHQUAKE!

http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-0330-quake-puentehills-20140330,0,3860867.story#axzz2xT5nj33U

Earthquakes have long been one of the main fears of residing in the beautiful coastal state of California. The longest and most dreadful fault in the state, the San Andreas fault, has often been regarded as the godfather of the earthquakes that shake up the state. On Friday, March 28, 2014, the city of La Habra - along with neighboring cities - was shaken up with a magnitude 5.1 earthquake. Although it might not be the most devastating of earthquakes, it opened some thought about the possibility of another major fault line in SoCal. The Puente Hills thrust fault is especially dangerous due to its location. It ranges from the "suburbs of northern Orange county, through San Gabriel Valley and under the skyscrapers of downtown Los Angeles before ending in Hollywood." The rather "moderate" earthquake however has cause a decent amount of damage around the affected areas: the typical toppled furniture, broken glass, and fallen pictures. Experts say an earthquake with the magnitude of 7.5 could slip the fault open and increase shaking times by a minimum of twenty seconds and increase intensity tremendously. It is greatly dangerous due to its crucial, making it in the heart of many homes and businesses.

Video Satire

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uE80NuMkvg8

The issue at hand was a citizen upset at the construction of a mosque in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. He was reportedly upset because it is stated in the Constitution that there is a separation of church and state, but he believes that Islam "combines" church and state. Jon Stewart begins his satire by pausing the interview and initially criticizing his use of pronouns. The man had been indadvertedly using his pronouns in the sense that the Constitution only protects him and not the Muslim people. When asked if any community should have the right to ban the construction of mosques, the man gave a shrewd yes and backed up his argument with "that is not discriminating based on religion." Stewart again pauses, chuckles, and blatantly states "I'm pretty sure that is the definition of discriminating based on religion." Furthermore, the man stated that "Islam is both a religion and a set of laws, thats the different between Islam and other traditional religions." Stewart fires back by saying that the religion of his people, Judaism, is dependent on a book called the Torah - which directly translates to "The Law." It is much easier to understand the situations when approached with satire like such. If it were not for Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, the news would be bland and boring.

Basketball Coach Sees Something In 7’3” High School Sophomore

http://www.theonion.com/articles/basketball-coach-sees-something-in-73-high-school,31599/

Basketball programs are often judged by how well they scout talent and the amount of star-power their incoming recruits have. Recruiting players based on height or race has always been a highly controversial issue. These monstrous teenagers are the hypothetical gold mine for college/high school scouts, and this article depicts the stereotypical coach's approach. Kelvyn Park high school basketball coach Keith Burris reportedly "sees something" in 7'3" sophomore Adrian Patton. Burris sarcastically quoted, "I can't put my finger on it, but there's definitely something special about that kid." The satire throughout this article is comedic gold. Not only does the writer show how self-empowering these coaches are and how they believe they are "amazing" scouts, but also points out their flaws. Any human being with a minuscule sense of logic would know that a player as tall as 7'3" would be strategically placed near the basket for minimal-effort, easy points. The coach wants to "try him as a shooter," but not all hope is lost because he has a "hunch" that he will thrive in the low post. As a basketball player, enthusiast, and dedicated fan, the sarcasm and satire present throughout the article was throughly enjoyed and highly appreciated.

Economy

Our lives here on the planet, sadly, revolve greatly around the concept of economy. What is an economy? It is an intricate system which shows a country's, state's, county's, or city's monetary stability, power, and influence. In our lives, the economy plays a great role because we need money to make our dreams come true. For example, my dream is to buy an old, wrecked Porsche 911 and restore it top to bottom in pristine condition and use it as my weekend car. However sweet that sounds, there is the economic situation of my family that my dream relies on. My father owns a business; if the economy is down, his profits are down. Also, my mother works at a school. If for any reason the economy takes a tumble again, the school would have to make cuts - one of them could be my mom. These situations also have their flips sides; when the economy is booming, my dad's business is flourishing and my mother has a chance at getting a raise. The economy has its ups and downs, but we have to never forget how blessed we are. The computers we are typing on, the homes we reside in, and the schools we go to are merely foreseen by us but are unimaginable assets for kids elsewhere. The economic situations we are accustomed to would be a dream come true for others. From buying water at a vending machine to buying a new car, the economy plays a huge role in our lives.

Bitcoin Enthusiasts On Controversy Surrounding Founder: Meh

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/08/global-ho-hum-greets-hubb_n_4922021.html?utm_hp_ref=technology
by Ryan Nakashima and Bree Fowler

Bitcoins have spurred controversy ever since the idea was introduced to the people. What was its monetary value? What was the purpose? Was it even going to serve its purpose or be a catastrophic failure. Bitcoins are a form of online currency and can only be traded with bit coins to purchase products and just about anything on the internet. As many controversial situations do, Bitcoins has two extreme sides. There are the supporters; who will commit their lives to prove to the world that Bitcoins will soon be of super monetary value and serve as a critical piece of our economy. Then there are the opposers who, from the get go, never believed in the power of Bitcoins and probably never will. The new spill of controversy has came about recently regarding the actual creator of Bitcoin. He was said to be a "Japanese American living in Southern California," but the man has recently strongly denied it to the Associated Press. The man has been known as "Satoshi Nakamoto." Although this has seemed like a rather great controversy as the backers of Bitcoin deserve to know who the real creator is, the proud supporters claim this will have little-to-no impact on the value and progress of Bitcoins as the people in charge now are making positive strides. Multiple key contributors, designers, and backbones of Bitcoin have testified that they do not care who the original creator is - but they do respect him greatly - and only wish to seek the future of Bitcoin with or without knowing who the original creator is.

Life

Many great minds have pondered one mighty, unconquerable question: "What is the meaning of life?" As I sat outside with my hypothetical thinking cap on, I suddenly realized I had sat out during the perfect time. As the sun sets in front of my eyes, I now could say I have solved the mystery of life. The thirty minutes I spent outside summed up life. First it was sunny; the sun's rays beamed with the spirit of hope, happiness, and productivity. Then, as the sun began to set, there was a dim moment where it seemed as if all the beauties of life were slipping away from my fingertips. And as I sat there, the darkness began to suck all the light away from the Earth. Suddenly what was a pretty, budding flower was hidden under the great shade. We all have that one moment in life to take advantage of, take risks, make mistakes, laugh, run from responsibilities, enjoy yourself, fall in love, live life. For the time will come when you look back and realize your life is entering a downhill slope and you wonder if you lived it to its potential. That moment when you realize everything is slipping away because of the sun setting is a moment you want to be proud of, not one you regret. That is the meaning of life. Do not simply let the moments of brightness and endless possibilities slip away until you reach the time in your life where you question yourself. Live. Do something so crazy if you tell your grandkids, they will think you are the coolest person they have ever met. Sit outside and take a breathe of fresh air, it will do wonders for you.