Tattoos & Piercings—Fashion or Faux Pas?

By Abrahim Harb

In the article by Andres Martin “on Teenagers and Tattoos,” Martin discusses the many reasons why teenagers get tattoos and piercings. The topics he discusses are exactly why teenagers get piercings and tattoos, and even some adults get tattoos. He seems to hit every point straight on the head not and not missing a beat. This spoke to me because, although I had always been intrigued by getting my own tattoo, I never realized how desperate I was too fit in with everyone else and I was doing this without even knowing! He briefly talks about the issue that arises when parents and the teens disagree when going to get a tattoo or piercing, whether they are opposed to it in general or do not like where the tattoo or piercing is placed. Although to a certain extent the parents can take charge of this mutilation of the body as some people refer to it, after the age of eighteen we can “do as we please”, knowing that when we mess up our parents will either be there to hold us as we cry or say “I told you so”. Even if most parents see this as a plea for attention, the teens feel it will “personalize their body, making it a true home and fit temple for the spirit that dwells inside it.” As Michelle Delio author of Tattoo: The Exotic Art of Skin Decoration. I agree with what Delio said because your body is like a home and if you don’t feel comfortable in it, you will feel weird all your life; it’s like living in a house and not painting the walls, and not hanging photos on the walls.

Who Killed The Electric Car?

By Abrahim Harb

On January 1990 the Zero Emission Vehicle ("ZEV") was introduced at the Los Angeles Auto Show with the intent of lessening California’s growing air pollution. They began to revolutionize the way people would drive, especially in California due to its high air pollution. But it never got the change to reach any other state. Soon enough following General Motors was Toyota, Nissan, and Honda they joined in and created a prototype like the EV1’s. The EV1 ran off electricity, and could be plugged in anywhere. All I thought was “wow! I want to own one!” When I saw the movie, but now they are all gone- what a travesty! How could they create something that runs so smooth, was very quite, and an innovative in starting to stop air pollution? Just to take it off the market, and eliminated it fully. If they had been kept around, and Al Gore was elected as President, we would not be in the rut that we are in now. The air pollution situation would be under control, and we would not be in a recession.

Tests That Cheat Students

By Abrahim Harb

Alfie Kohn makes a perfect point in this piece of literature and I wholeheartedly back-up what he feels should be changed in the schooling systems. Students should feel at ease and have fun—but not an extreme amount of it at school. For example, having these students from Virginia cram various aspects of social, political, and economical life in Virginia from the Reconstruction period to the twentieth century and then test them on it, seems to hinder the students from truly finding a discipline or career that interests these students that are being put under this rigorous curriculum.

Kohn makes it quite clear where he stands on this topic, and seems to fearlessly trample over the counterargument with his reasoning that is clear and to the point, without stopping to see the repercussions. Students will loose all sense of freedom when it comes to choosing a career they would like to pursue, if these intense mandated standards continue to exist. Even though students should be held accountable to have a certain level of knowledge, some students may not be interested in these certain topics that must be obtained. In return they do not give the subject the proper attention and remember the bare minimum which has a long term negative effect. Students may even have “brain farts” or may become nervous while testing, then when it comes down to the results it does not reflect there true knowledge.