a breakdown of the news cycle

Professor Nigel Hughes, 

First of all, I want to say how glad someone is writing about these unnecessary and tragic killings in Bangladesh. More people need to know about the atrocities all over the world. Along with that, I also want to say that I agree with you that science and scientific discoveries need to be accepted with more weight and respect, as the longer we wait, the more drastic consequences to our actions on this earth we will face. I, too, am frustrated with our own government’s inability to accept scientific fact and do something to stop the destruction of our own planet. However, I feel as though you may be using the unfortunate situation in this country in an effort to push that type of agenda.

The three writers who were slaughtered in Bangladesh all have in common that they were well-educated bloggers and writers, and through their education they found faults in Islam and turned to Atheism. They had scientific basis for rejecting the religion and spoke of their beliefs on the internet and through publications. But they were not killed for being scientists. They were killed for opposing Islam. They were killed because they were outspoken against religion itself and the country’s Islamic extremists put them on a hit list. 

Avijit Roy wrote many books, one of the most popular being The Virus of Faith and was the founder of a blog called Mukto-Mona (”Free Thinkers”). He and his wife were attacked by a group called the Ansarullah Bangla Team, an Islamic extremist organization that actually may be affiliated with the student wing of the Jamaat-e-Islami party in Bangladesh-- a party that has been historically conservative and corrupt. 

Washiqur Rahman was not a high-profile blogger like Avjit but was targeted because he was open-minded and progressive. The two suspects responsible for his murder were from the Ansarullah Bangla Team and claimed they attacked him because of his islamic articles and his position against Islamic fundamentalism. 

Ananta Bijoy Das was an atheist blogger who also contributed to Avijit Roy’s Mukto-Mona and was vocal about free speech and his own lack of religion and was killed in the same way as Roy and Rahman, a manner that is almost trademark for the Islamic extremists. 

There are countless more people beyond these three, however. Asif Mohiuddin, a "militant atheist", was attacked in 2013 by Ansarullah Bangla for his opposition to religious extremism. Shafiul Islam, a sociology professor, was killed in 2014 by Ansarullah Bangla because he didn’t allow women with burqas in his class because he thought they could cheat on tests with them and was seen, for this action, as anti-Islamic. Ahmed Rajib Haider, who organized the Shahbahg movement and called for the ban of the Jamaat-e-Islami party, was attacked and killed in 2013.

This is truly an issue of censorship by the government (specifically a certain party and it’s supporters) and a threat to free speech. Saying that Bangladesh has a problem with scientists not only undermines the many scientists and intellectuals learning, researching, and thriving in a country whose brightest minds were wiped out by one of the worst genocides of the 20th century during it’s independence war, but it also redirects the story away from the true problems in Bangladesh-- the fact that religious extremism is becoming more and more prevalent in a country whose government does nothing to combat it.

teencommentary will be focused on discussing current events and how I feel about them (which is great considering the 2016 presidential race is well underway and bound to be a shit show). every week I plan to try to read my public policy textbook and actually learn a little bit of the public policy that I was supposed to spring quarter 2015, and discuss my views on that as well. moreover I hope that through this endeavor I will get back into writing eloquently and effectively, which I miss very much and consider my sole respectable skill. 

Bangladesh and its culture were never really important to me throughout my childhood years. My attention to my culture was limited to the family get-togethers I was forced to attend every weekend, and the news from Bangladeshi channels that we paid extra to have. As a kid, I never really appreciated what my culture had to offer and being a Bangladeshi-American was weird for me, because I had never felt a connection to half of that title.

By: Shigufa Saleheen

Joel Stein– the writer for the New York Times,  and now more currently,  the Awesome Column for TIME– was sitting around in the living room of his LA home when I got to interview him this summer to talk about life, journalism, and his advice to all. 

From writing for Martha Stewart Living to Time Out New York to eventually TIME magazine, Joel Stein had an interesting path to his success. His high school career was a simple one, with a small high school and solid group of friends. Although a major journalist now, Stein’s first debut in the world of published writing began on his high school newspaper, where he wrote a reoccurring column “You Know You Go To J.P Stevens When….” From then on, and even though “it was more about the writing than the reporting”, Stein continued on to study at Stanford University as an English major and write for the Stanford Daily and for magazines like Newsweek.

One of the things that intrigued me most about Joel Stein’s career is not only the humor and content of his wide variety of articles, but also the controversy that follows with others. If you look up Joel Stein on the internet, first come a few of many articles he’s written, but then start to come the endless number of articles by others bashing his ideas. Now, it’s true that there are definitely some faults with some of his work in that Stein’s personal opinion shines through and can border on offensive to certain groups. But in my opinion, that’s the freedom of speech. Stein isn’t afraid to say what his ideas and thoughts on present day issues and society, and he doesn’t mean for it to be offensive, but instead something thats original.

In an article written earlier this year, Stein talks about the millennial generation—our generation—and how we’re narcissistic, self-absorbed, and expect everything to be handed to us. The article was filled with various statistics and profiles of typical millennial archetypes, and critics of the article claimed that Stein just came to an conclusion based on his own bias and ignorance. But that wasn’t really the case. “I worked on that article for a year.” Stein mentioned, “I’ve never done this for an article, but we probably talked to more than 50 different people. We did a lot of research.”

“It hurts. I mean, no one likes to have everyone on the Internet screaming at them about how much of an idiot they are.” Stein says when asked about how he deals with all that criticism. “I feel it, but I don’t particularly regret anything I wrote.”

Regardless of controversy on Joel Stein’s part, his position as TIME is one of that many truly envy opened. “I worked for a sitcom for 6 months in a writers room, but what I started to realize as the weeks had gone by was that I had missed reporting. And I didn’t know that, I thought I just loved writing,” Stein mentioned when asked about the best part of his job. “And then I realized that the great things that I’ve got to do in my life was thanks to TIME Magazine.

"Getting to interview all these people… and not necessarily just celebrities, but just seeing how things work like talking to the CEO of a company or the guy who runs Burning Man or anything to show me around and show me how something works–  that’s kind of amazing.” His own passion and value for journalism is what inspires many to take a deeper interest into the field themselves. “Write a bunch of different styles for a bunch of different publications for a bunch of different audiences.” Stein said when asked about any advice he could think of for aspiring writers. “And the same with reading. Read poetry, read fiction, read nonfiction, it’ll broaden your perspective.”

By Shigufa Saleheen

This past week marked the first ever Polio Awareness Week, put together by Centennial’s own Interact club. Working in union with Santiago, Corona, and JFK, this week consisted of various events at each school to both raise awareness about Polio and raise money for its eradication.

Poliovirus is a crippling and potentially fatal disease that still affects major parts of the world, like Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan. It’s caused by a virus as indicated in the name, and once infected, there is no very effective cure. In fact, the best cure for polio is preventing it through vaccinations– and that is where Centennial students can help.

Interact had been selling t-shirts to raise awareness for polio all of the past week. For $10, each purchase of a shirt provided 16 people with with vaccinations. Centennial managed to sell a little over 200 shirts, meaning at least 3,200 vaccinations funded by our school alone. On top of that, an agreement between the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Rotary International, which supports Interact, doubled each dollar raised — meaning that each shirt will actually end up saving 32 children from poliovirus.

The week was filled with various events, starting off on Tuesday with the passing out of purple bracelets to show support for the cause. Wednesday, Interact officers carried around ink pads and inked pinkies, to imitate the purple ink dipped pinkies that those who receive vaccinations get in order to show that they’ve become polio-free. October 24th, Polio Awareness Day, started off with the color purple all across the school as many dressed up in the color to show their support for the cause, and the event of the day was just as successful. Ms. Lopez- Jones, a polio survivor herself, came to talk about polio and her journey as tons of students came by to listen during their lunches. She talked about her life in Mexico, and moving to the U.S and the struggles she had to endure with just growing up and with growing up as a polio patient. She brought in a brace that she wore at a young age that her father, a shoemaker, made for her to help her walk just a bit more than before, and shared great stories of her childhood which, although may have been different strayed from the usual, was every bit as amusing and entertaining.

By Shigufa Saleheen

This year, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, was one of the biggest protests that the country had seen for a while. And it all started with a blog post. Shahbag Protests. 

The chance of many people around the world knowing of this event is quite minimal, but its significance is not.

Things started back in 1971, there was a war between Pakistan and Bangladesh for Bangladeshi independence known as the Liberation War. During this war, there was a lot of corruption with some Bangladeshi leaders– many of them switching sides and committing major disloyalty. But in 1973, they were pardoned and got a government amnesty for all of their crimes. This issue resurfaced again after the 2008 election when corruption in the government and the lack of prosecutions for war criminals cause a massive uproar in the country– a massive uproar which is still heavily present today.

There is a point beside the history lesson, however. The discontent in the country was overwhelming, but the things is– the change wasn’t brought by some great Bangladeshi leader or someone of high importance with speeches and campaigning. Change and protest came to be because of social networking. An online activist group, Blogger and Online Activists Network (BOAN) posted a blog post the night that controversial verdicts were announced and they called for their followers and blog readers to come to Shahbag square to protest and make a change.

And, look where that blog post has gotten them: 500,000+ people came to the square to protest and fight for a cause and slowly but surely, there are changes stirring in the small country of Bangladesh.This movement has spread to the United States as well, and many Bangladeshi communities all over the nation are holding their own little protests to show their support for the cause.

By: Shigufa Saleheen

A story of  four sisters and the experiences they have from the year they turn 16, The Year I Turned Sixteen, by Diane Schwemm, is a series about the four Walker sisters: Rose, Daisy, Laurel, and Lily; and their adventures of turning 16 and discovering themselves. The series starts off with Rose, the oldest of all of her sisters and the one with the most responsibility. As she blows out the candles for her 16th birthday, her family had just lost their father to an accident, and moved to a new and unfamiliar home. Rose, trying to adjust to losing her father and moving, also has to deal with their family being in a bit of financial struggle. Along with that situation, Rose’s boyfriend, Parker, seems like a bad character from the start; constantly being superficial and snobby because of his money. However, as Rose’s story progresses, we learn that Parker keeps Rose from following her dreams and her heart. Throughout her story, she questions her love for Parker and starts to become interested in another nicer, and sweeter guy.

Then comes Daisy, the cheerful and bold one of the sisters; the leader. Daisy is well-rounded in her life; doing sports, getting perfect grades, and being a perfect sister. However in the year she turns 16, her life gets turned a bit upside-down. Daisy’s mother is now spending time with their neighbor, Hal Leverett, which Daisy can’t stand. On top of that, Daisy now realizes what a financial struggle they’ve been dropped into, and decides to go work at the hospital. Accidents happen, problems come up, and suddenly, Daisy is thrown off her throne of excellence and onto a stool of barely making it by. She starts making bad decisions, hanging with the wrong people, and becoming distant with her sisters. Although she knows what she’s doing, she continues anyway until more situations shock her back to sanity. Daisy’s story has new twists and plotlines that make it a very interesting read that leaves you wanting to know what happens next.

The next one in the series is Laurel, the shy girl who loves animals. She also has a same kind of storyline as Rose does, but with a few more twists. Laurel has to grieve with a very special loved one of hers also passing away on top of typical teenage boy drama. After turning 16, Laurel faces new responsibilities and challenges like helping plan a major wedding and caring for animals at the shelter. Laurel in particular has trouble finding out who she is, but doesn’t acknowledge it until she finally has everything settled. Laurel’s story wasn’t bad, but in my opinion, wasn’t the most interesting either.

Lily, the youngest and innocent sister, begins her 16th year with doubts, wonder, and a sense of being lost. Lily is creative, and decides to join a writing class to find some talent that she can call her own. She deals with finding herself in her sister’s shadows, and spends her time trying to become someone different. Lily does follow in a few of her sisters’ footsteps, also having the ‘being with someone, but having eyes for another’ plotline. However, Lily’s personality shines through her story and makes her adventure and interesting read. Between the 4 stories, Laurel, Rose, and Lily’s stories were similar in dealing with wanting one guy in the beginning, and being completely oblivious to the one that’s in love with them already. All the while, Daisy’s was different in that her main problem wasn’t based on guys and love, but something even bigger. Her story had twists and plotlines that make it a very interesting read that leaves you wanting to know what happens next, while the rest were pretty good too, but cliché at times.

By: Shigufa Saleheen & Jazmin Jimenez

Bullying is a big problem with kids across America.

Bullying is addressed in almost every school, especially high schools, but many are now starting to forget bullying in our younger siblings lives. In fact, between 4th and 8th grade in particular, 90% of students are victims of bullying. On top of that, it’s estimated that 160,000 children miss school everyday due to the fear of attack and intimidation by other students, and 56% of students have personally felt some sort of bullying at school.

Giselle, a 3rd grader at a local elementary school, says, “I didn’t want to go to school for a while because this girl was telling people not to talk to me. I was always by myself because of her.”

There are many types of bullying, like physical bullying (hitting, pushing, taking a child’s possessions). However, nowadays with kids, the bullying tends to be more of verbal bullying (making threats, name-calling) and/or psychological bullying (excluding other children, spreading rumors).

Natalie, a 4th grader, says, “Boys were threatening to hurt me because they wanted to make me cry…” Budget cuts have also been an adding factor to bullying.  Due to budget cuts, elementary school counselors are one of the first things to get cut. 

Centennial counselor Katrina Johangiry says that “Elementary is main foundation where children learn to problem solve, but when you take away counselors and people they can talk to, it builds the challenge.” As family members to younger students, it’s our responsibility to educate and help our young relatives understand the severity of bullying.

There are a few telltale signs of someone who is being bullied. They might have recurrent complaints of physical symptoms such as stomach-aches or headaches with no apparent cause, or a sudden drop in grades or other learning problems. They could also be crying frequently and for no apparent reason, and suddenly change the way that they talk about themselves- calling themselves a loser, or someone else a jerk. It’s important to help them when these signs come up, and to encourage them to fight against it.

Lienely, a 3rd grader, says that he ”saw a kid getting kicked by three other boys, and everyone in the class saw.” One of the reasons bullying keeps on happening is because no one is willing to speak up. Destiny, another 3rd grader, says “I was always getting bullied by my partner [in class]. He called me fat and ugly, and I cried and begged my mom to let me stay home. I was scared to tell the teacher.”

By Shigufa Saleheen & Jazmin Jimenez

You are in a classroom with 20 other students, staring at the work from the class you are supposed to be in. You’ve been taken out of the class because you’ve done something wrong, and you probably feel aggravated because you have no other choice but to be in there. On top of that, no one in this classroom is certified to teach all subjects, and can’t really help you on your verb conjugations or polynomials, and you are missing the lesson because you are in there.

ACP stands for alternative classroom placement and is an in-school suspension. You can have up to two full days in ACP before further punishments are enforced. There is a whole system you must go through before you are sent to ACP. It starts with the child being uncooperative or defiant and getting warnings from the teacher. Then comes a detention, and soon double detentions. Then, you receive Saturday school or depending on the situation, straight to ACP. And even though there are numerous steps leading to ACP, you will still find nearly a classroom full of students almost every day. Although it is the student’s decisions that cause them to go to ACP, the reason parents send their teenagers to school is for them to learn. When they are being defiant or not following directions, disciplinary measures do need to be taken, but not to disrupt a student’s education.

Although the student may be disruptive in class, there is still a chance for him/her to learn, and depriving the student from the opportunity to learn isn’t going to help. In some cases, the student’s behavior could be due to issues he/she cannot control. For example, a person is late to class because his/her mother has 3 other children that also have to be at school at the same time and he/she gets a Saturday school due to the tardy sweep. They the students might then miss a Saturday school because of some kind of emergency or problem at home, yet this kid is still accountable for attending their Saturday school and will receive ACP.

In ACP, the person is not given the appropriate instruction for the assignment that has been brought to him/her, because the school needs all certified teachers in a classroom and cannot afford to have a teacher in a classroom supervising those who are in trouble, or don’t care for their education. He/she might actually want to do well and school and this might put the person behind in their studies. This will, in the end, hurt the student once again.

As Sam Oramas, Assistant Principal, said “If we don’t have Saturday school and we can’t get a certified teacher, then what?” A more efficient way of keeping our students disciplined could be offering them a series of solutions.

For example, they can do things after school instead of during their lessons. According to the severity of the incident, the school could assign community service hours. Then after school for a certain period of time, the student can do community service that would benefit the school. Another option is to have an ACP type program after school.  The parents can be notified that their student is staying a few hours after school, and they will be taken from their 6th period class. It would be the same thing you do in ACP, except not during your classroom instruction. An easier way to prevent student’s education from being affected by ACP may just be to make going to Saturday school a bit easier. Students, with their parents consent, can choose a nearby Saturday that is free for them, and have a lesser chance of missing it.

By: Shigufa Saleheen

Imagine helping out with elementary school kids. They are young, they are cute, and they are just getting ready to go to recess. You are pretty excited too, because you get to play with all of them on the playground equipment that you haven’t touched in a long time. You are pretty darn excited, and right as you are about help a little kid on the swing, they stop and say, “HOLD MY CELL PHONE!”

I admit, cell phones are important and useful tools. You can easily communicate, and use them in emergencies. For those who are independent, cell phones are very helpful. But what about those kids who have an adult or someone older with them almost all of them time? What about the kids in elementary school who have teachers, older siblings, and parents to ask for their every need? In that case, what is a cell phone useful for? In my life, cell phones were like a rite of passage. It was the moment I knew my parents trusted me. Now, it’s almost as if these devices have become toys for kids to play with for their own amusement. Even throughout high school, seniors and beyond, on average, have gotten their phones a bit later in life than the freshman class. It depends on the person’s individual situation, like their independence and their parent’s willingness, but generally, the age limit for technology is being lowered every generation.

By: Shigufa Saleheen

Tips on how to stay cool when the temperature tries to make it impossible. With temperatures constantly in the 100’s range, there is no denying that it’s been hot.However, to survive this heat, there are probably better ways to stay cool than sticking your head in your refrigerator.

For future reference, Centennial coaches and students tell how they keep cool. Coach Logan has problems with the heat, especially since the beginning of football season is when the weather is at its worst. The best and easiest thing to do would be to stay hydrated. Logan says that he lets the “players get water whenever they need to,” and even if you don’t play sports, it’s a good idea to do that, too.  When it’s really hot, water evaporates from your body, and you need to replenish that water before you get dehydrated. So water, energy drinks, and even fruits with juice are the right way to go.

If you really don’t like the heat, you can also just sit inside. Lunch is one of the few times during the day you can control being outside. Some teachers let students sit in their classrooms during lunch, let you do homework and even bring your friends. For Adrienne Capistrano, sophomore, sometimes the best way to cool down is to just “sit in the A/C.” There also some easy steps you can take to being cool as well. For example, you can dress lightly, and carry around a light sweater for when it gets really cold in class.

By: Shigufa Saleheen

Who doesn’t love Starbucks? The coffee shop, known for its amazing assortment of coffee blends and frappuccinos, has something for almost everyone. But if you do have a picky taste or you just want to try out something new, we can definitely help you out.  Here are just a few of tons of recipes and flavors you can try out the next time you stop by the coffee shop. *Note: All of these recipes are best with a tall size.

Girl Scout season is a wonderful time of year solely because beloved cookies come back for a short amount of time. But what happens when suddenly you’re craving samoas in July? Treat yourself to a Samoa Cookie Frappuccino! Start off with a mocha frap base, add 2 pumps of caramel syrup, and don’t forget to ask for coconut flakes to be blended into the drink. If Thin Mints girl scout cookies are more your style, then there’s still a drink for you to try. For a Thin Mint Frappuccino, start with Tazo Green Tea Creme Frap and add in 2 pumps of chocolate syrup, 1 pump of mint syrup, java chips, and a little bit of honey to recreate the cookie classic.

Missing the Pumpkin Spice Latte once the holiday season is over? Try a Year Long Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino by ordering a latte, one pump of chai, and one pump of white chocolate mocha to enjoy one of your favorite holiday drink anytime.

Harry Potter lovers have probably always wondered what the famous Butterbeer drink mentioned in the books must’ve tasted like, but now you can know for yourself with the Butterbeer Frappuccino! Ask for a crème frap base and make sure you use whole milk because it’s necessary for the right consistency. Add 3 pumps of caramel syrup, 3 pumps of toffee syrup, and top off your frapp with whipped crème and a caramel drizzle. Now that the winter is finally here, you can also try the same flavor in a hot Butterbeer latte. Get whole milk steamed an 3 pumps of caramel syrup, 2 pumps of toffee nut syrup, 2 pumps of cinnamon dolce syrup, whipped cream, and some crème brulee topping to finish it off! If you prefer a strong coffee flavor, add a shot of espresso.

Ever get to the Starbucks counter and still don’t know if you want white chocolate or dark? A Zebra/Tuxedo Frappuccino is the way to go.  Order a mocha drink, hot or cold doesn’t matter, and make it with half white chocolate and half regular. Add some java chips and you’ve got the best of both worlds!

Big fan of Twix?  Order a Twix Frappuccino by getting a caramel frap and blending in hazelnut syrup, java chips, and whipped cream—all topped with some whipped crème, mocha drizzle, and caramel sauce!  More of a Snickers fan? Get a Java Chip frapp and add a pump of toffee nut syrup, with some whipped crème and caramel drizzle on top! The Nutella Frappuccino  is a regular coffee frap with 2 pumps of mocha syrup, 1 pump of hazelnut syrup, and whipped crème blended in.

But if you like the sound of that, you could also try the Ferrero Rocher Frappuccino, which is a Double Chocolate Chip frapp with 2 pumps of Mocha syrup and 2 pumps of hazelnut drizzle. Add some whipped crème with some hazelnut drizzle on top, and you’re bound to have a drink to match those delicious chocolates.

If you’re not as big of a chocolate fan, you could always try out the Tiramisu Frappuccino. The drink is a coffee frap with ½ pump of hazelnut syrup, ½ pump of toffeenut syrup, 1 pump of the new caramel flan syrup, 1 pump of mocha syrup, 1 shot of espresso, all topped with whipped crème, caramel flan sauce, and mocha drizzle.

Caramel Apple Spice is also an interesting option for anyone backing away from the heavily syrup-ed drinks. Fill the drink up to the first line of the cup with whole milk, the second line with apple juice, and then add in 2 pumps of cinnamon dolce sauce for a sweet and fruity new flavor.

And last but not least, why get a random drink for your friends as a birthday drink when you can get a Birthday Cake Frappuccino? Ask for a vanilla bean frap and add in a pump of almond syrup and some whipped crème on top to have a birthday treat on the go!

I’m a bibliophile, meaning I absolutely love books. It’s a passion I have, really, that nobody in my family really understands. My mother says that I should study, not spend time reading fantasies and fairy tales. But the feeling of a good book, when the characters feel so real and you can sense the emotion; that is what I love. It's not that my father doesn't believe my mother’s philosophy, and if he were to catch me reading one of my books while I was supposed to be studying, he wouldn't be happy. But he seems to understand the joy that I get from reading, so sometimes he takes me to the store and he buys books randomly, on a whim.

Those impromptu bookstore days are my favorite days of all. My father will have barely uttered the ‘B’ of ‘Barnes and Nobles’ and both me and my brother jump up from whatever we were doing and run to get dressed. I grab multiple coupons I print off of the computer, because more coupons means a possibility of more books, and get into the car with lightning speed.

When we get to the bookstore, we all split up. My father goes to one end of the bookstore where his favorite things are, and me and my brother get a double chocolaty chip Frappachino and then head over to our section of the store. I tell my brother to stay in the kids corner, where he gets all of his books, and that he should only come out if he really need me or my dad. And then I walk off. 

            Teenagers only have a little section of the book store. They pack everything they have into two rows of shelves in the middle of the back of the entire store and pay no attention to it. Even the bookshelves of the teens compared to all the others throughout the store looks to me like a rebel without a cause. Books throughout the shelves, fit in every way possible, and scattered all throughout. I absolutely adore it. I sip on my frappuchino and lose myself in books. The time passes without me even noticing, and I’m sitting in my favorite spot, next to the window where I can see the cars and the mall, with a ton of potential books to buy. As I read the books.  I immerse myself in each individual book I pick up, either immediately falling in love with certain characters and stories while choosing to leave others behind.

Hours will pass and I will finally get to relax. There’s no one to bother me, and nothing for me to worry about for long amounts of time as I read and drink my sugary beverage. And even after we leave, my relaxation stays in small amounts. I still have those characters I fell in love with to take home, and I still have those stories I enjoyed to read.