Author: Anthony Reilly

The following image is of basketball player Lebron James, also commonly referred to as “King James.” He is currently on the Los Angeles Lakers in his 17^thseason. If you are a hardcore or even a casual fan, you see how much Lebron has dominated from the moment he stepped on an NBA court when he was 18. This wallpaper shows Lebron sitting on a throne, trying to portray his dominance as an athlete. The colors used in this artwork are purple and yellowish gold. The background is set in a castle, which also shows some wires connecting to Lebron’s throne which lights it up. You could say Lebron has a serious and somewhat menacing look on his face. This sort of image gives me goosebumps, which I can’t really explain why. The target audience for this would be Lebron fans, Lakers fans, and sports fans in general. It is conveying his sense of dominance and how other NBA players respect him for all he has contributed to the game. The image is meant to act as a wallpaper for your phone, but I think it would also go well as a video game or magazine cover. Lebron is in full uniform in this artwork, while also holding a Los Angeles Lakers towel. This artwork was composed so Lebron and his throne were the center of attention and the focal point. The maker of this artwork is @DESIGNEDBYJOHNNY and JRDN Designs. He is clearly a very talented artist and wants to show off his creative masterpieces. The backdrop and colors used are used to represent the Lakers team colors and show team pride. The creator gets every detail of Lebron’s physical appearance; from his tattoos to his facial hair and hairline. On the jersey Lebron is wearing, the Lakers logo and his jersey number is lit up, kind of like a neon sign in bright yellow. Despite the power lines, the rest of the castle in the background has a medieval feel and the type you would see in tv and movies. Johnny must’ve done a lot of sketching and planning before coming to his final product. Lebron is such a well-known figure and a legend. Someone who looks at this image might look at it and think he’s the boss or “top dog.” According to many fans, analysts, and even some former players, he is the “goat”, or greatest of all time. Getting back to the image, the contrast of a dark purple to the bright yellow allows Lebron to stand out as well as have a nice glow to him. Overall, this image stood out to me in a special way that I can’t explain. I hope Lebron James sees this piece and shows love to the designer. 

Universities and Colleges are an exciting place for a lot of people, and adding sports teams only makes it better. Many popular high school stars make their decision on which university to attend based on the prestigiousness of that school’s sports program. Statistics show that men’s and women’s programs including basketball and football bring in billions of dollars of revenue each year for the NCAA—making universities across the United States branch their presence globally to students, celebrities, and coaches worldwide. The NCAA, coaches, and other people get a share of the profit, but none for the student-athletes who bring in the viewers in the first place. I strongly believe student athletes should benefit from their name, including but not limited to brand endorsements, gifts, contracts, and payment for their successes and publicity that they bring to their respective universities. This application of paying student-athletes change given the time-energy, money generated from the students and athletes, and so the student-athletes can benefit from their success given the following reasons. 

If more athletes as high caliber as Lebron spoke up, it might force the NCAA to seriously rethink their policy. Although I think this should be a last resort, a boycott of NCAA events like March Madness and the College football tournament may have to happen if the players’ voices are not heard. Hopefully other solutions can be crafted before anything like this were to happen. Action does need to happen soon. 

This is is hot topic that I believe will never go away. More and more students go to college and play a sport, even if it is not one of the big ones. You may be wondering, what kinds of solutions can be crafted to satisfy athletes and those high up in the NCAA. What problems lie in the way of significant progress? The NCAA is a well established bureaucracy, and trying to deal with them will be challenging to say the least. The fight must start somewhere.

As overpopulation continues to come up as a threat to earth, the question of living on other planets is ever growing. There are arguments in favor of and against space colonization. Arguments for colonization include the survival of human civilization and the biosphere in the event of a planetary-scale disaster. Plus, the availability of additional resources in space could lead to the expansion of human society. The most common objections to colonization include concerns that the commodification of the cosmos may be likely to enhance the interests of the already powerful, including major economic and military institutions, and to exacerbate pre-existing detrimental processes such as wars, economic inequality, and environmental degradation. No space colonies have been built so far. Currently, the building of a space colony would present a set of huge technological and economic challenges. Elon Musk, Tesla CEO and founder of SpaceX, wants to send people to Mars within the next 10 years. The logistics of getting them back to earth safe and sound still presents a problem. What if there are not as many resources on these planets as we think? Is there really other life on other planets? Your own thoughts about space colonization may depend on your stance towards environmental issues and climate change. This issue will certainly continue to produce discussion and debate in the years to come.

Gillian Crawford wrote about the impact of the pardoning of confederate generals after the Civil War. The political climate we have today can be linked back to these events. She does a good job of providing examples to link back to her main ideas. The writer’s opinions do come about, but they do not overshadow the point she is trying to get across. The author does not use any vulgar language, which helps her be level-headed and rational. In a formal piece like the Arak journal, it is important to come across like a professional and present a reasonable argument. She does a good job of doing this. Crawford provides many examples of Confederate events by including exact dates and quotes from those mentioned. This helps to boost her credibility and convince her audience she is right. Overall this was a well written piece. If just one discussion comes out of this, then the author has done her job.

By Anthony Reilly

Thesis: The author states that after the Civil War the United States was still deeply divided despite a Union victory. In the face of the division, presidents sought to pardon confederate figures rather than strictly punish them.

The audience targeted are historians, students and anyone else who is interested in Civil War history.

Ethos: provides evidence when mentioning a real conversation a southern delegate had with Abraham Lincoln

She uses real world examples by mentioning the events of Charlottesville, Va to those protesting the removal of confederate statues

Uses some good vocabulary choice when writing about different aspects

Pathos/Kairos: When the author writes that Lincoln’s decision to pardon officers who “resigned from U.S. governmental positions to file an “application of amnesty”, was lenient because they committed treason, it sort of convinces you that they should have been punished more severely. This essay is generally free of bias. Slight emotional tones at times, but for the most part, straightforward.

Logos: Gillian Crawford uses quotes, facts, and real world examples to back up her ideas.

The argument being made is that our leaders now can do a lot of harm or good with their actions toward racial issues. We will feel the effects now and for many generations to come.

In grade 6 I had to complete a project for my social studies class. I will refer to my teacher as a different name out of respect for him. Mr. Wallace was generally an easy-going and approachable teacher. That is until one time in March where I tested his limits. We had to build a replica of a famous building, landmark, monument, or important scene in history. We had a few weeks to complete the project, as my teacher wanted everyone to do their best work. My first couple of classmates presented, then a few more went. This would go for a week and a half until we got down to the final ones. I was one of the few remaining who had to present. Mr. Wallace was beginning to wonder when I would have my project ready, and he began to question me. I lied to my teacher and said my replica was almost complete and that I was putting the finishing touches on it. Fast forward a little bit, my parents found out and their reaction was not pleasant. After some yelling and awkward talk of disappointment, it was time to do the assignment. I had decided to build the Buckingham Palace in the United Kingdom. I finished the replica with the help of my parents, gave the presentation, and received surprisingly good feedback from Mr. Wallace and my classmates. My twelve year old self was dumb enough to think I could get out of doing the assignment. Always do your work. I learned the hard way.