U.N. Court Orders Japan to Halt Whale Hunt

The inhumane, punishable whale hunting that is ensued by millions of Japanese fishermen is finally coming to an end. They claim to be hunting these whales for "scientific research", but this type of mass-murdering was wrongly described as innocent. After years of tolerating this cruelty, the United Nations assembly finally ordered these whaling companies to cease their trade and refrain from owning any hunting permits.

This event affects me and my classmates in a positive way, since the majority of us are against animal cruelty. This issue has been abundant and popular for years now, and it is great to finally see justice being brought to these animals. In Spanish class, we were focusing on helping people from Columbia; this helps animals, so it is basically the same concept.

I love that these whalers are getting their licenses taken away. Animals are not on this Earth to be treated with cruelty and heartlessness. There is actually a whole show centered around this topic, and I'm sure the main characters, men who sail around with the intent of stopping these hunters, are elated upon hearing this news.

What is the central idea of the passage and how is it developed and refined throughout the selection? Use evidence from the selection to support your answer. The author defines the central idea of this article to be summed up in one word: justice. These poor whales have been mistreated, slaughtered, and abused for far too long, and the author shows his condescension through the quote, "Japan's fleet carries out an annual whale hunt despite a worldwide moratorium, taking advantage of a loophole in the law that permits the killing of the mammals for scientific research" (Ahmed), and by use of the word "despite", the author's disapproving tone is shown. 

The central idea is also characterized throughout the selection by the use of cold hard facts and evidence against whale hunting. The author states, "Each year, environmental groups such as Sea Shepherd pursue the Japanese hunters in an attempt to disrupt the whaling" (Ahmed) which shows that people are not happy with the practice of whale hunting. 

Ahmed, Saeed. "U.N. Court Orders Japan to Halt Whale Hunt". Cable News Network. CNN, 31 Mar. 2014. Web. 31 Mar. 2014. <http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/31/world/asia/japan-whale-hunt/index.html?hpt=hp_inthenews>.

Zarria, Pete. "Bluer than Blue". Photograph. FlickrCC. Yahoo, 21 July 2013. Web. 31 Mar. 2014. <http://www.flickr.com/photos/98019953@N00/10846872546>.

Malaysia Airlines Flight 370: Get Up to Speed on the Latest Development

This article source explains that Flight 370 disappeared by flying under the radar, using mountainous terrain to cover the aircraft's tracks, and flying over eleven countries, including thousands of miles of uncharted land and oceans. Investigators are trying to determine who was flying the plane, whether that be a terrorist, a spy, or just a regular pilot, and investigators have determined that the pilot deliberately steered the plane off it's course. Right now, investigators believe that the plane has either crashed or landed near Thailand or the south Indian Ocean. Countries are now running background checks on every passenger on the plane, but none of the profiles have led investigators to pinpoint one particular person or group of people.

Although this tragedy has nothing to do with what we're doing in our English 10 class at the moment, it does relate to our unit on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This hijacker, if this incident is an act of terrorism, is infringing on the rights of all passengers on the plane. There are other human rights that this terrorist is ignoring, but the main one is that he or she is putting the lives of others in danger. Although we aren't learning about human rights anymore, this can still be applied and identified in circumstances other than the classroom.

I feel terrible about Flight 370, and I hope that these innocent people are still alive, wherever they are. It doesn't affect me directly, but to many other citizens, I'm sure it is heartbreaking and intimidating. This makes me even more hesitant to ride an airplane, since incidents like this occur all the time in all parts of the world. But just like the plane crash in the Andes mountains, those passengers were later found, and hopefully these people aboard Flight 370 are alive and safe.

How does the author use language to advance her point of view? Use evidence from the selection to support your answer? The author uses language to advance her point of view by explaining the back story, headlines, and theories of Flight 370. She states, "For the families and loved ones of those aboard Flight 370, some find comfort that there's no evidence the plane crashed." (CNN), which highlights the families and friends of the passengers. Also, she explains the effects of the crash by stating, "I hope they are alive... no matter how small the chance is" (CNN). 

Bergeron. "Wintage Plane and Modern Photography". Photograph. FlickrCC. Yahoo, 19 Sept. 2009. Web. 17 Mar. 2014. <http://www.flickr.com/photos/34823889@N07/3985326811>. 

Shoichet, Catherine. "Malaysia Airlines Flight 370: Get Up to Speed on the Latest Development". CNN. Cable News Network, 17 Mar. 2014. Web. 17 Mar. 2014. 

Mysterious Clusters of Birth Defects Stumps Doctors

When a small town in rural Washington is bombarded with birth defects in newborns, doctors are enduring the race against time to find a preventative cure for these children. What started out as only a few rare cases, Anencephaly (a defect in where parts of the skull and brain are missing) is on the rise in Washington. Within two years, Dr. Sara Barron has examined at least twenty-three cases of this fatal disease. Researchers suspect Anencephaly to be the outcome of a number of variables, such as chemical exposure, diet, location, etc. In regards to their research, many critics claim that scientists have insufficient evidence and are lacking knowledge when it comes to neural tube defects, and many citizens of this town are outraged that doctors aren't doing everything they can to find the cause and the cure.

I feel as though this disease is running it's course by costing the lives of innocent babies. As for the doctors, I think that they should research every case related to neural tube defects, and interview all living patients to determine why there has been such an increase in these birth defects. One citizen of this Washington town claims to be "...outraged that state researchers haven't called to ask questions: What did she eat while she was pregnant? Did she spend time near farms that sprayed pesticides? Did she take any herbs or supplements? How about [the child's] father? Was he exposed to any toxic chemicals?" (Cohen). The doctors need to look further into the issue so that they can save the lives that will otherwise be lost.

This relates to what I am doing in my English 10 Honors class in the way that children everywhere are suffering through no fault of their own. During and after the Holocaust, birth defect rates skyrocketed, and these exposed mothers and children were not able to access doctors to help them live and determine the cause of their child's illness. Now that most children today have the right to a doctor and to health, medical professionals are not performing at their best to aid these dying infants.

  How does the structure of the text refine and support the author’s claim? The structure of the text refines the author's claim by placing the controversial, key quotes as headers to paragraphs, such as, "Very Bad Research" (Cohen), and "I Wish They Would Take Things More Seriously" (Cohen). By placing these phrases at the top of each main point, the author shows the negativity and the outrage that the patients and their families have against the doctors.

Cohen, Elizabeth. "Mysterious cluster of births defects stumps doctors". CNN. Cable News Network, 1 Mar. 2014. Web. 3 Mar. 2014.
<http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/01/health/cohen-birth-defects/index.html?hpt=hp_inthenews>.

Hawk, Thomas. "Holi Baby". Photograph. FlickrCC. Yahoo, 24 Mar. 2013. Web. 3 Mar. 2014.
<http://www.flickr.com/photos/51035555243@N01/7531769724>.