33,000 Flee Volcano in Guatemala

Associated Press, Los Angeles Times

     On September 13, 2012, a volcano exploded in a touristic region of Guatemala. The volcano had a few violent eruptions which sent ash and smoke two miles into the air. Other than the ash there was hot lava falling down on the sides of the mountain, which rolled rapidly over 2,000 feet. However, it was not the lava that was dangerous for the people, it was the smoke that rained down on them. The thick smoke covered the nearby towns and villages right after the volcano exploded. The nearest village was "covered in darkness", said one of the villagers. The name of this volcano translates into "Volcano of Fire" and this eruption explains exactly why it was named that. Health specialists said that there were many respiratory problems and even more eye problems. This was caused because of the thick smoke rained over the towns and made it hard to breathe and see. Natural disasters such as this eruption are inevitable and we can not do anything to stop them. However, if we are prepared, we will not suffer as much.

Taliban Targeted Afghanistan Base to Get to Prince Harry

Laura King, Los Angeles Times

     In Kabul, Afghanistan, there were attacks on NATO bases from the Taliban in order to capture or kill Prince Harry. The British Prince is the helicopter pilot in the military and known as Captain Harry Wales. For a while there were decreased amount of attacks in that specific area of Afghanistan, but since Prince Harry has arrived, the number of attacks have increased. The base is heavily guarded which makes it almost impossible to kill a highly ranked official. However, a roadside bomb that was meant for Prince Harry killed twelve civilians and two U.S. marines.
     A Taliban spokesman said, "There are many other foreign bases … but we stormed this one because of Prince Harry's presence there." This statement is very straightforward and reveals that the only reason the Taliban attacked the base was because of the Prince. According to some people, the presence of Prince Harry is not benefitting them, instead it is making it more dangerous for others to stay there. If the base was not well guarded, the Taliban would have most likely gotten hold of Prince Harry and probably killed him. Britain should just leave high ranked officials in Britain so it will not cause problems like this elsewhere.

SOAPST "Speech in the Virginia Convention"

     Patrick Henry, a patriot and freedom loving person, is giving the influential speech at the Virginia Convention. Henry is giving this speech in the 1770's which was the period of time when the colonies were finally coming together and thinking of being a country of their own. He speaks out to the president, the congress members, and the rest of the audience who he is mainly trying to persuade. The way he talks to the people is very influential and inspirational. Unlike many other people, he has the talent of talking enthusiastically to get his word across to his audience. The whole point of his speech is to persuade and inspire the colonists to fight for their freedom which most of them want. He tells them that if they do not step up and fight, no one is going to do it for them. He even emphasizes how important freedom is for him that he says, "give me freedom, or give me death". For Patrick Henry whether or not the colonists fight, he will fight either way to get his independence.

China Earthquakes Prompt Massive Evacuation

David Pierson, Los Angeles Times

     On September 8, 2012 eighty people were killed in China because of two moderate earthquakes. The first earthquake hit at 11:19 A.M. which had a 5.7 magnitude. Just an hour after, an aftershock hit which measured 5.6 magnitude. These earthquakes were not too severe, but since the center was in a rural area, most of the homes collapsed due to poor architecture. 20,000 homes were destroyed or damaged in this area and 100,000 people were evacuated. Even with such a large number of evacuees, eighty people died and 700 other were injured. Countless people are left with no homes and have to wait until the Chinese government seeks some sort of shelter for them.
     This disaster in China can be a warning for people living in Los Angeles to always be ready for an earthquake. We live in a very earthquake prone area and in any second the big one might happen. It is already overdue by many years and it is bound to happen sometime soon. We cannot do anything to prevent it from happening. However, we can be prepared for the worst and survive with the least amount of deaths possible.

In Egypt, state news anchor in head scarf causes a stir

By Reem Abdellatif, Los Angeles Times

     In Cairo, Egypt, an anchorwoman aired on live television, but with a different wardrobe. She was wearing a scarf over her head to cover her hair. In Muslim tradition it is a rule that women do not show any part of their hair in public. However, it had been fifty years that an anchorwoman had appeared on television with a veil on. This stirred up some problems in the Egyptian community, specifically in Cairo. Some people thought that wearing a veil gives women freedom to do as they please. However, others think that wearing a veil might cause discrimination among the anchorwomen on television.

     The reason women had not worn a head scarf for fifty years is because former president Hosni Mubarak had a secular mind-set towards this issue. He made a rule that women should not wear a head scarf on television in order not to have severe discrimination against them. This rule is no longer in order because of the obvious reason that Hosni Mubarak is no longer the president of Egypt. 

     I think that giving freedom to these anchorwomen is the right choice. If a woman is religious she should have the right to follow her beliefs and in this case wear a head scarf.

Cookies n Cream with Cookie Dough

     Ice cream has hundreds of flavors to choose from. Almost any edible food can be mixed with ice cream and have a wonderful taste. The best ice cream however, is vanilla ice cream with cookies n cream and cookie dough. This ice cream not only contains one taste, not two, not three, but four different tastes in one place! The vanilla, and the cookies, and the cream, and the dough mix together to make one amazing flavor of ice cream. Does your ice cream have four different flavors? I didn't think so. Other flavors are too plain and boring to enjoy. However, with this flavor, you will not know which part of the ice cream will come every time you eat. Maybe all four parts of it might come at once! The best part of all is when the soft, creamy cookie dough mixes with the crunchy cookies. The difference in those two tastes adds to how great this ice cream flavor is.

Don't Bother Yelling 'Taxi!' in Saudi Arabia Anymore.

By Carol J. Williams, Los Angeles Times


      In Saudi Arabia there has been an innovative method of having less traffic on the road. The only way anyone can get a ride from a taxi is if they call in advance to book their ride. Passengers are no longer allowed to stand on the corner of streets and wave for a taxi to stop and take them to their destination. Even if they are just coming out of an airport, the passengers must call the taxi to reserve a spot. In addition to this new law, all taxi drivers need to place a tracking system in their cars so the company they work for will know exactly where they are going. Any unauthorized stops, driving with no passengers, or breaking any traffic rules will be automatically reported to their bosses.
     This new law is very beneficial for Saudi Arabia and its citizens. Less traffic on the road means less pollution in the city which is healthier for the people. Less taxis also gives room for other cars to drive easily and the chance of accidents drops. The fact that there are tracking systems in the taxis is important for the company. A taxi driver will not be able to use the taxi for his personal needs.