Byrne, Kevin. “Water Theft Becomes Common Consequence of Ongoing California Drought.” AccuWeather. Accuweather, 12 May 2015. Web. 12 May 2015. <http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/stealing-water-california-drought/46978449>.

In the article “Water Theft Becomes Common Consequence of Ongoing California Drought”, AccuWeather staff writer Kevin Byrne reports what people are doing throughout the water shortage California has been having for the past several months. This drought is one of the biggest droughts that California has ever experience. Water regulation has become an arduous task for the government, state, and local officials. Crime rates have increased regarding water stealth. Byrne highlights how some places such as Concord and Oakland increased their fines for people who are caught stealing water. This piece of information contributes to how severe the ongoing water drought in California is.

“Black Widow”

Hidden in the shadows

Lethal as poison

I wait.

Years spent in that room

Stone cold, just like how I’m meant to be.

In the face of others I am

Patient. Vigilant. Cooperative? Maybe if times need be.

I was reconstructed for this-

Ready, always.

Poised- Like the perfect model.

Resolute – I am better than all of them

[As I was programmed to be].

Take me for granted, well,

That’s your mistake.

Arnold, Carrie. “The New Danger of Synthetic Drugs.” The Lancet. Elsevier, 6 July 2013. Web. 6 May 2015. <http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thelancet.com%2Fjournals%2Flancet%2Farticle%2FPIIS0140-6736(13)61512-3%2Ffulltext>.

“The New Danger of Synthetic Drugs” is an article written by Carrie Arnold about the government’s stance on the rising distribution of synthetic drugs. These drugs are technically ‘legal’ because they do not meet restrictions that the Drug Enforcement Administration have placed on illegal substances. Arnold highlights the The Synthetic Drug Abuse Prevention Act of 2012 which was passed by the U.S. Congress to prohibit certain chemicals in the synthetic drugs that have been altered to pass restrictions. Synthetic drugs have become an international issue and this bill may be adopted by European nations so that their laws may finally have a way to deal with its distribution.

https://blogs.baruch.cuny.edu/eng2150druggroup5/

Drugs have been around for centuries. As time went on, the types of drugs have increased. There are many uses of drugs ranging from medicinal to recreational purposes. They’ve become so popular in the media; there isn’t a week that goes by without a magazine headline about a celebrity using drugs. We hear about it so often in the news with marijuana and the on-going decades’ long debate on whether or not it should be legalized. Although we hear about drugs often in them media, there isn’t much remark on what these substances do to us. High schools nowadays have a mandatory one semester of health to be taken. We are taught that they are illegal, dangerous to use, and the bottom line? We shouldn’t use them.

Thoughts often tend to surround the detrimental aspects of drug culture. People think of it as a chemical substance that harms our body and will consequentially lead to their deaths. What they don’t think about is what drugs are. As it was aforementioned, we are taught that they shouldn’t be used. The education system today does not revolve on keeping people informed about drugs. Not many people know exactly what it is in these substances they shouldn’t be using. Young people, namely teenagers, are more susceptible to the consequential aspects of drugs because they simply view it as a fun way to escape from their lives.

1. How are we going to submit our work onto the blog’s website? How will the formatting be?
2. How will we list our citations? A whole separate page with all the citations listed from each paper, underneath the papers, or both?
3. Will the reference paper just be a factual paper with no argumentative/personal input?

Further Research:

• Information about LSD – Ed
• Information about MDMA – Orr
• Reference Paper Sources (2-4 required) Ed & Danny for Marijuana/ Courtney for Adderall/ Donna for Synthetic Drugs
• Introduction Paper – Everyone researches what to contribute for it

1) Whenever drugs are mentioned, there is a negative connotation that it is a ‘harmful substance’. Due to the amount of misconceptions regarding drugs, we’ve decided to take it upon ourselves to re-educate the readers. Our goal is to show that there is much more to drugs than its connotation by debunking the myths surrounding them.

2) Our main strategy is to have our papers separated by the myths we have chosen to integrate into our works. Our reference paper will be included on the same page as the links to our papers. It will provide background information about the factual component of drugs such as how its portrayal in the media led to its negative connotation. After that the reader will be led to a section in which we have separated the papers that have been written to re-educate the reader on the

3) We want our viewers to encounter the creative piece and group introduction when they first view our project. By displaying the poem first, we give the reader a glimpse of the subject matter at hand in a simplistic manner. The group introduction will inform the reader how we intend to tie our papers altogether.

4) The papers will be clustered together by the type of drug they were written about. There will be a page labeled ‘Facts’ in which we separate the scholarly, description, and close reading a papers based on the five drugs we’ve written about. This allows navigation to be more accessible based on topic rather than what type of paper it is.

Creative Piece: Daniel

Primary Text w/ Description: Daniel

Primary Text w/ Description: Courtney

Primary Text w/ Description: Edo

Primary Text w/ Description: Orr

Primary Text w/ Description: Donna

Scholarly Analysis Paper: Daniel

Scholarly Analysis Paper: Courtney 

Close Reading Analysis Paper: Courtney

Close Reading Analysis Paper: Donna
Close Reading Analysis Paper: Edo 

In “The Eclipse,” Augusto Monterroso uses vivid imagery to depict a primitive Mayan civilization. These ferocious and wild images depict a society far more savage than the cultivated European public. Monterroso uses this imagery to set the stage for his irony at the end of the story where he questions which society is truly wiser.

Before Brother Bartolome Arrazola met his sacrificial death, he tried to reason with the Natives of the Guatemalan Jungle to not go through with their plan. He stated that his death would bring upon the darkening of the sun, an impending eclipse. This usage of imagery describing the darkening of the sun portrays a negative, sinister connotation. It portrays how Arrazola believed his knowledge of this astrological event would help save his life from a tragic end. He believed that because he was taught Aristotle’s teachings, he had an advantage over this group of people who lived in a jungle, an uncivilized habitat where they couldn’t possibly gather this type of intellect.

Monterroso successfully continues to use imagery to help the audience create a mental picture of the text. He does this when he describes what is happening to Bartolome in the Guatemalan Jungle. The short story vividly describes, “Upon awakening he found himself surrounded by a group of indifferent natives who were getting ready to sacrifice him in front of an altar.” This helps the reader create a gruesome image of what is going on in the text. Another example from the text that one may imagine and view horrifically, is when, “Brother Bartolone Arrazola’s heart spilled its fiery blood on the sacrificial stone.” This paints a violent image; the reader can imagine how Bartolome’s blood flows as a consequence of this violent act. Monterroso’s portrayal of imagery of the Native’s sacrificial act allows the reader to view the Natives as a savage sort.

The imagery in the short story “The Eclipse,” by Augusto Monterroso portrays the brutal and boisterous nature of Mayan civilization in contrast to the orderly European society. Through colorful depictions and vivid images, Monterroso differentiates both civilizations yet, despite this, ironically presents the thirst for knowledge and advancement in a world much bigger than both the Mayans and the Spaniards.