War

WAR

War.
Listen to that paralyzing word,
War.
Who knew that a 3 letter combo could mean so much more?

War.
The source of millions of deaths,
War.
Only leaves a few thousand left.

War.
People think is a solution to all,
War.
They ignore every single tragic fall.

War.
Makes things worse,
War.
Everyone is immersed.

War.
Every side loses,
War.
Leaves wounds and bruises.

War.
Billions of fires are shot,
War.
Even more lives are lost.

War.
Needs to end,
It can't go on and on.

We need to call everyone our friend,
The lives that are gone are gone.

Our World Would Be Perfect

Our World Would Be Perfect

Our World would be Perfect if we could all just listen,
If all our unique personalities would just glisten.

Our World would be Perfect if we embraced the differences,
If all the bullying and hate finishes.

Our World would be Perfect if not a single fire was shot,
If not even a single life was lost.

Our World would be Perfect if we could all selflessly help out,
If there wasn't a single terrorized scream or shout.

Our World would be Perfect if we learned to work together,
If we knew that it could make things better.

Our World would be Perfect if everyone had food on their plate and a roof above their head,
If everyone was lovingly tucked into bed.

Our World would be Perfect if everyone had a sunrise to look forward to,
If we could paint the world with vivid colors - instead of a dull blue.

Our World would be Perfect,
Just Perfect.

Imagine

Imagine-
That everyone lived under a roof,
Imagine-
If everyone danced to the groove.

Imagine-
That everyone followed their heart,
Imagine-
That families didn't have to be torn apart.

Imagine-
If everyone had food on their plate,
Imagine-
If justice was never delayed.

Imagine-
If everyone would respect one another,
Imagine-
If everyone was loved by a mother.

Imagine-
If there was a cure to every disease,
Imagine-
That everyone could just be pleased.

Imagine-
If everyone could be kind and giving,
Imagine-
If those lost in war could be living.

Imagine-
If everyone in the world could learn,
Imagine-
If homes were built, not burnt.

Imagine-
If Mother Earth wasn't dying,
Imagine-
If our world would be free of lying.

Imagine-
If no one would get into crime and drugs
Imagine-
If there was no such thing as thieves and thugs.

Now Imagine-
That someone would take charge,
Imagine-
That they could change the world at large.

Imagine-
That this could all be true.
Imagine-
That now it's all left up to you.

Stand with this voice, Sing with it too

 

I am the voice of those whose worlds are bleak,
Those whom society considers weak.
I am the voice of those who are pushed in the halls,
Those whom are jammed against the walls.
I am the voice of those who gets picked on night and day,
Sometimes, we just want it all to go away.
“Why us?” we think, as we are laughed at,
“Why us?” we wonder, when we are treated as someone’s doormat.
I am their voice,
The single strong one amongst the feeble noise.
I am the voice who stands up for those,
Who don’t even look past their nose.
I am the voice who wants confidence to fill in,
Every dark and dingy room and bin.
I am the voice who wants righteousness to never be delayed,
The voice who turns all lemons into lemonade.
“Why not?” I think, as I stare up into the sky,
“Why not?” I wonder, our spirits can soar high.
I am the voice of those 3.2 million and counting,
Who swim in a pool of insults – no wait, they’re drowning.
Together, let’s burst this gloom balloon encasing our world,
And let the flag of freedom be unfurled.
Stand with this voice, sing with it too,
End the bullying, let’s undo.
Stand with this voice, sing with it too,
End the torment, teasing, torture that innocents suffer through.
Stand with this voice, sing with it too,
There’s enough room for everyone to shine through.
Stand with this voice, sing with it too.

Girls in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths)

It's a typical Saturday and you are out shopping for new clothes and enter the girls section. After your eyes get used to all the hot pink, flowers, and hearts, you begin to read what's on the T-shirts, and it's something along the lines of: "I'm too pretty to do homework." Who says girls can't succeed in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields, or education at that? Did we just forget all the fabulous females that excelled in these areas? Where did all this stereotyping come from?

 

Well, the University of Chicago sheds some light on this. Mr. Forbes is trying to understand how stereotype threat impacts women, why they leave STEM fields, and how that trend can be reversed. Stereotype threat happens because our society tends to reinforce stereotypes, such as “women and girls are not good at math.” For many females, they encounter this stereotype in the world and often reflect upon it during stressful, anxiety-ridden situations, like when taking a test, something that might happen to you. These can become a detriment to their performance, inadvertently reinforcing for a woman that she, like other women, is not good at math, for example. Mr. Forbes recommends girls to get interested in STEM programs and learn as much as possible in their STEM classes at an early age, but that isn't reality yet; girls are still biting their nails in the academic hot seat.

 

I view these studies as purely a mental illusion that girls feel. Girls may feel a lack of confidence in themselves, but as soon as they overcome it, they will shine. I know that I have never felt below my male classmates, and my Science/Math scores are exceptional (A+). I have also given many presentations using Microsoft PowerPoint, and have even created my own websites. I truly exceed in STEM, and I know that if fellow girls can just overcome this stereotype, they will too, like many of them already are. But I was shocked that it's not only the female's mindset, but of the job employer's as well.

 

In the summer of 2012, researchers at Yale published a study proving that physicists, chemists and biologists are likely to view a young male scientist more favorably than a woman with the same qualifications. Presented with identical summaries of the accomplishments of two imaginary applicants, professors at six major research institutions were significantly more willing to offer the man a job. If they did hire the woman, they set her salary, on average, nearly $4,000 lower than the man’s per year.

 

All this leads us to today, where we still see stereotyped retailers, biased employers, and nervous girls. We still see discouraging ads and clothing, driving girls away from STEM Fields. Though many parents are complaining to clothing lines and demanding that they stop selling such sexist clothing, but others are taking this determination a step further. Many organizations, such as Girl Scouts, FabFems, and Women @ NASA, promote female roles in STEM. They hope to get future generations of girls back on the right track.

 

So, girls, go for STEM! With these organizations and concerned and involved parents trying to reshape our society's stereotypes, we hope to really be equally viewed and respected equally as our male counterparts. Until then, we can't get discouraged; the women who didn't are widely known today. Marie Curie was an exceptional scientist, Sally Ride was the first American Woman in Space, and Marissa Mayer is the CEO of Yahoo!. All 3 of these women, along with many more, have overcome the gender barriers, and done something great with their contributions towards STEM. All they needed was determination, passion, and the confidence to overcome stereotypes...maybe you could be the next leading female in STEM!

US and Iran relations: A meeting with John Limbert

 

 

Have you ever had a really good friend a while back, and then things just blew up? You would see them in the hallways, and try to avoid eye contact? You felt this urge to talk to them, but it had been so long, and you just couldn’t bring yourself to do that, right? This analogy directly relates to the way our country felt with Iran.

 

To begin with, things were going great with US and Iran. We worked with Iran in the Atoms for Peace program, and we shared nuclear technologies with them constantly, like you and your friend would share homework answers. On New Year’s Eve, President Jimmy Carter stood beside the Shah and toasted him, saying, "Iran, because of the great leadership of the Shah, is an island of stability."

 

That “stability” lasted no longer than a year for Iran. In 1979, Iranian students took over the Tehran-based US Embassy after Iran overthrew the Shah, and held hostage 66 diplomats and US citizens for 444 days. These hostages were released minutes after President Reagan was sworn into presidency.

 

One of the hostages was a man named John Limbert and I had the honor of meeting him recently through my Model United Nations League of Creative Minds. I was able to have an interactive discussion with him and my fellow delegates.

 

I couldn’t have met Mr. Limbert at a better time. My meeting occurred just days before Washington made the nuclear deal with Iran and I got to hear his long-held view on our relationship with that country. I learned about the hardships and struggles, but, most of all, his feelings toward Iran.

 

Mr. Limbert dreamed that the US and Iran would resume talks, become like they were before, and normalize relations. Surprisingly, he wasn’t very upset with Iran, even after being kept hostage. He compared Iran to a cornered cat that would lash out very soon. He said that the rest of the world would have to play their cards out right with Iran. Mr. Limbert thought that if the US and Iran would become allies again; the international community would be able to tame the “lashing cat.” In 2014, this became a reality.

 

The US struck a historic nuclear deal Iran, in the most significant development between Washington and Tehran. This marks a milestone be-tween the two countries, bringing strength to the diplomatic relations which were shattered 34 years ago when Iran's Islamic revolution climaxed in the storming of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran. Since then, relations between the two countries have been rough … until the recent accord!

 

I think this nuclear deal was like killing 2 birds with one stone. By ensuring this deal, not only did we make the Middle East region safer, but the icy relationship with Iran has been thawed. Like a fresh layer of fallen snow, 2014 will eventually be known in history as the year of the accord. After all this, all I can think is: 34 years…wow, the US and Iran really take holding a grudge to a whole new level!

Speak Out! A Time When One Person’s Voice Had a Lasting Impact

What are the 3 apples that changed the world? They are Adam's apple, Newton's apple, and Steve Jobs' apple, and all 3 of these people made a lasting impact on the world.

The world is full of great personalities such as Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, and many others. However, living in modern times and in Silicon Valley, I couldn't resist but choose a man who has completely revolutionized the way we listen to music, make calls, check emails, and browse the internet. I'm going to talk about a man who used his voice and vision to change the course of history and has altered the path of the future. You guessed it folks, it’s Steve Jobs!

At age 17, Steve joined Reed College, only to drop out within half a year. During his 2005 Stanford Commencement address, Jobs recalled “If I had never dropped out, I would have never dropped in on the calligraphy class, and personal computers might not have the wonderful typography that they do.” His inner voice of following one’s passion and creative learning not only changed his life, but also made a lasting impact on the way we interact with computers.

As a teenager, Steve had visited India for spiritual enlightenment. Even though the visit didn’t go as expected, it was a major turning point in his life. He was able to very clearly articulate the strengths of eastern and western cultures. Steve summed up his experience in these words, "Western rational thought is not an innate human characteristic; it is learned. The people in the Indian countryside don’t use their intellect like we do, they use their intuition instead. Intuition is a very powerful thing, more powerful than intellect." He blended technological advancements of the western world with this intuitive spirit and Zen Buddhism philosophy of "Less is More" to create aesthetically minimal products. This had set the precedence and now the pinch-in, pinch-out, and finger-scrolling are standard features on all mobile devices across the globe. It is hard to imagine that there ever were or ever will be devices that are not as intuitive and easy to use as iProducts. His message has changed the technology landscape for good.

In his 1985 interview with a fashion magazine, Jobs stated that computers need not be dull. His words, "If we can inject that liberal-arts spirit into the very serious realm of business, I think it will be a worthwhile contribution. We can't even conceive of how far it will go," greatly influenced Apple designs. His long-held philosophy about the marriage of technology and liberal arts took Apple to great heights. These creative iDevices not only made Apple the most valuable and admired company in the world, but changed the way every other technology company designs and markets their products. Now, whoever has the latest iProduct is considered cool, and if it wasn’t for Mr. Jobs, you would be stuck at the bottom of the popularity chart. Apple is so creative that a fashion icon, Burberry CEO Mrs. Ahrendts, is a senior executive at Apple and could very well be the next CEO of this technology company.

For many years now, I've been performing Bollywood dance, which is a creative fusion of traditional Indian dance form and western styles of Hip-Hop and Jazz. I'm also an active member of a Model United Nations league, where I'm learning about policies, diplomacy, and world politics. Just like Steve Jobs, I am using my voice to create awareness and minimize the gap between various cultures. Recently, I've written a letter to Campbell Mayor Evan Low, suggesting that we celebrate all religions and cultures through a "Unity in Diversity" festival.

I'm doing my bit, in my own way, to follow Steve's vision and spread his words of creative learning and blending the eastern and western values.

If you are using an iPod, iPhone, iPad, or for that matter, any smart phone or a tablet, then, my friend, you are the agent of change, the testimony of the lasting impact that Jobs envisioned and spoke up for.

Quoting Steve Jobs, “Do you want to sell sugar water for the rest of your life, or do you want to come with me and change the world?"

If I were Campbell's Mayor, I would...

As first generation immigrants, my parents came to the USA from India in 2000. After evaluating many cities like Cupertino, San Jose, and Saratoga they found a perfect balance of small city coziness and a big city feel in Campbell and decided to call it their home. From the humble beginning as the Orchard City to the current home to sprawling Pruneyard Shopping Center, and original home to eBay, it is the perfect place to live. I was born in our South Bascom Avenue apartment, spent most of my early childhood playing at John D. Morgan Park, across from our then home, and have since been in the same neighborhood. I am Amisha Wadhwa, a 7th grader, attending Moreland Middle School. I am involved in many extracurricular activities including Model United Nations, where I’m learning about social policies, politics, history and ethics to solve real-world problems diplomatically. It would be a dream come true if I could become the mayor of the glorious city of Campbell one day.

If I were the mayor, here are some of my proposals to make this best city even better.

One thing I love about Campbell is its diversity. It is a melting pot of many different cultures, with over 45% residents being Hispanics, Asians or Indians. I propose to have a “Unity-in-Diversity” festival, where we celebrate everyone's heritage and tradition. The festival could have multicultural exhibits such as lectures, performances, dancing, music, theatre, and food! This will be a great outlet for people to explore different cultures while being right in their own Campbell! This inclusion will make everybody feel more appreciated and bring awareness and acceptance to diverse cultures.

I am very big on keeping our environment clean and eco-friendly. I regularly volunteer through my school’s Greenkeepers club. I’ve participated in the “Save the Bay” event and most recently cleaned up the San Tomas Aquino Creek as part of California Coastal Cleanup Day. I’m proud that Campbell already has adopted the Bring Your Own Bag Policy, and I would like to take this a notch higher. I'd like to propose Stamp Out Styrofoam (SOS) program. We all know that Styrofoam is very bad for the environment as it never decomposes. We should ask all Campbell shops and restaurants to stop using Styrofoam and replace it with eco-friendly biodegradable or corn-based compostable packaging. This ban will reduce litter and the amount of garbage going into city landfills. It will help to meet state requirements and avoid increased costs in the future. We can and should make Campbell an even cleaner city!

My last proposal is to have a big-box retailer such as Wal-Mart or a Target store in the city. Since many Campbell residents head out to such stores in San Jose or Cupertino anyhow, it would be much better to have one in Campbell itself. This would create additional jobs and generate new revenue streams for the city, both of which will boost local economy. We could use some of this additional revenue for the city schools. An improved economy and better schools will attract more people, increase the value of the home prices and city will benefit from higher property taxes. Truly a win-win situation. An ideal place for this store could be near South Bascom Ave., where there are a lot of empty lots and sparingly visited shops.

Campbell is a fantastic city, with many social and eco-friendly events and activities. Implementing my proposals will set the bar even higher. I truly hope that my city of Campbell continues to evolve with the times and set the example - environmentally, culturally, and technologically.

 

http://www.campbellexpress.net/online/20131127.pdf