Amazing Australia

If I had to choose a place for a “once in a lifetime” aspect it would be to hike around all the amazing places in Australia. Australia has many remarkable hiking spots which I believe could truly change someone’s perspective on nature and life itself. I feel as Australia is one of the most beautiful places to travel because it is, in a deep was, one with nature. Through rainforests, over mountain ridges, across open plains, beside lakes and oceans, Australia has so much to offer to hikers who are prepared to pull the boots on and get dirty. I have heard that Australia is a gorgeous continent and I know that the hikes there are one hundred percent extreme! It is the best place to travel for someone who has a thrill for adventure and those who want to do something crazy, dangerous, and awesome. I know that if I go to Australia I’ll never want to come back to the US because I would be so in love with the country. I think I would stay there for at least three months in order to be able to hike through every single place, route, and path there is there. I would also love to see the animals that live up close for the first time because it would be way better than just seeing pictures of them online. Australia is beautiful and dangerous at the same time and that is what makes me want to travel there. I feel as though that would be the greatest adventure of all.

Pope Says Genocide

 

“Pope Francis uses 'genocide' to refer to mass killings of Armenians by Turks”

By: Jethro Mullen

Source: CNN

http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/12/europe/pope-francis-turkey-armenia-genocide-reference/index.html

 

Pope Francis jeopardized Turkish anger on Sunday by using the word "genocide" in order to state the mass killings of Armenians a hundred years ago under the Ottoman Empire. "In the past century, our human family has lived through three massive and unprecedented tragedies," the Pope said during the Mass at St. Peter's Basilica to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. His usage of the term genocide upset Turkey and the country called forth its ambassador to the Vatican for "consultations" only hours after the Pope’s comments. Earlier that day, Turkey summoned the ambassador from the Vatican for a meeting. Their former ambassador from the Vatican, Kenan Gursoy, told CNN in a telephone interview it was the first time Turkey has summoned its ambassador home from the Vatican, "This does not mean that our diplomatic ties with the Vatican are over."  He states that the Pope's use of the word "genocide" was "a one-sided evaluation. In a tweet on Sunday on his official account, Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu titled the Pope's use of the word as "unacceptable" and "out of touch with both historical facts and legal basis.”  Blah blah blah

The people should read this article so that they could realize just how much the Pope has done just by saying the word genocide. This changes everything regarding their relations with Turkey and really helps us Armenian. The Pope helped us spread the knowledge of genocide throughout the world and for that we are grateful.

New Discovery

“Madagascar marvel: Divers find fossils of extinct giant lemurs”

By: Daisy Carrington

Source: CNN

http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/19/africa/underwater-fossil-lemur-graveyard-madagascar/index.html

Laurie Godfrey, a paleontologist at the University of Massachusetts is part of an international team who recently uncovered one the most incredible collection of fossils found on the island of Madagascar in three flooded caves. The find is being touted as Madagascar's largest underwater graveyard. All three caves, Malaza Manga, Aven, and Mitoho, are submerged underneath Tsimanampetsotsa National Park. Their potential was first uncovered by Ryan Dart, an Australian diver. When Dart saw what was down there, he contacted his colleague Phillip Lehman, a diver for the Dominican Republic Speleological Society. What he found were the remnants of a lost world. With funding and logistical help from the National Geographic Society, the National Science Foundation and Madagascar National Parks made an initial exploration of the cave. The bones aren't damaged in any way. They believe that although extinct, the animals uncovered in the caves died recently. Signs point to their co-existence with humans. Godfrey believes that human effect played a large role in wiping out Madagascar's native species.

 The idea of finding fossils belonging to a never before found species is extremely thrilling and I am sure everyone reading this article agrees. The people should read this and be aware of the new discoveries being made around the world. This is just one of many discoveries and I am one hundred percent sure that many more will be made soon. Luckily with our advanced technology it will not be difficult to find and unravel the many mysteries this world contains.

Gender Roles

Gender roles in today's society still follow the typical stereotypes we've been dealing with for years. Despite remarkable progress made toward the goal of gender equality, the stereotypes of the "macho brute" and the "sensitive female" continue. People who break these stereotypes are either ignored or worshiped. I do think that males have had an unfair traditional advantage for far too long, but the goal is equality, not reversal in roles. While targeting for that goal, the progresses of the times need to be reflected. Gender roles in the old-fashioned sense still exist, but there is a generous amount of evidence which shows these roles are slowly changing in ways people cannot predict. Today we have many more female workers and society's beliefs as regards to the role of women as homemakers has changed. Women are commonly referred to as approaching in second behind men. Men have always had this certain cultural superiority. Women, however, are excelling significantly in the classroom and career-wise at a slightly higher rate than men. The stereotypes and biases are still there however, buried deep within years of traditions turned to constitution. There is evidence to lead one to believe that these gender roles and restraints are ever-changing and becoming like we'd never expected. People are slowly beginning to accept "non-traditional" gender roles. My hope is that abnormalities from tradition will eventually be considered acceptable for both men and women. 

Ancient Civilization

National Geographic reports that archaeologists have discovered the urban remains of what they believe is a vanished ancient civilization. Both a writer and photographer for National Geographic accompanied a team of scientists to the Honduras' Mosquitia region on the trail of a legendary "White City" also known as the "City of the Monkey God." The expedition was launched after aerial light detection scanning’s uncovered man-made structures below the rainforest. A team of U.S. and Honduran archaeologists, a light detection scanning engineer, an ethnobotanist, anthropologists and documentary filmmakers entered the isolated region. They were protected by Honduran Special forces. Writer Douglas Preston said the team emerged on February 25, after documenting the ruins of the "vanished culture." "In contrast to the nearby Maya, this vanished culture has been scarcely studied and it remains virtually unknown," Douglas wrote. Archaeologists’ believed there had been an entire civilization with many cities. The expedition found works, including an earthen pyramid as well as a collection of stone sculptures, thought to potentially have been burial offerings. Archaeologist Oscar Neil Cruz, from the Honduran Institute of Anthropology and History, estimated they dated from A.D. 1000 to 1400. The researchers were greeted by wildlife which were never before seen by humans. "The Honduran government is committed to protecting this area, but doesn't have the money. We urgently need international support," Douglas wrote.

            The idea of finding a whole new ancient civilization makes me extremely excited and I am sure everyone reading this article is too. The people should read this and be aware of the new discoveries being made.

Our Planet Sucks

Astronomers from NASA announced Wednesday the discovery of a planet that makes Earth look atrocious. The space agency’s researchers explained to the media that they recently identified planet, HD 904790 b. It makes Earth look silly in every possible way. The planet has a larger size, perfect terrestrial surface, various and lush landforms, and an amount of natural resources, all of which indicate that Earth is “a festering pile of garbage in comparison.” (theonion) HD 904790 b has a broad ring system that bests Saturn’s, zero tectonic plate activity, and more fresh water in just one of its massive, unpolluted oceans than we have on our entire “worthless” planet. NASA astronomers have calculated that it would take mankind approximately 300,000 years to reach this new planet in a space capsule, but universally agreed that it was worth a shot rather than “spend another day on this stupid lump of shit. (Censored)”

The planet is being satirized by this article. The author ridicules Earth constantly and refers to is as “a piece of shit”. It is humorous the way the author compares the new planet to ours and then insults ours and quoting that other people are too embarrassed because they thought Earth was amazing and now want to “kill themselves”.    

Undecided Voters

This is a scene from Family Guy. It is a political satire that shows how presidential candidates and voters act. It is a good representation of political satire because while being entertaining and humorous, it still expresses messages about what politics and voters are actually like. It appeals to the audience by making jokes about certain topics (in this case 9/11), and it is still able to show a real life message. It starts with the question: "If reelected, will you increase the frequency of garbage pickups?" Mayor West replies by not answering the question, but just dancing around it and finishing by saying something the public will like, instead of an actual answer. Then everyone started talking happily about him and saying they will vote for him. Lois is boggled by such response from the voters. Brian tells her to just stick to short answers and that will win her this debate. She is then asked about what she will do about crime in the city. All she says is "A lot" and the crowd goes wild. Her answer for the next questions is also “9/11.”

            This scene is particularly making fun of all Americans in a generalized manner. It is using mockery and humor to show that most voters in America are looking for answers that they like and want to hear, not the correct responses. It shows satire by showing that people of America will believe anything and everything they hear in political debates. This proves that all you have to do to win an election is say all the right stuff, not have all the right intentions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YOh-rpvjYg