Fix me

“Fix me”

Problems

We all have them

We all deal with them

Despite what we call them

Issues

Obstacles

Our problems take on different names

Different faces

Different or the same

Depression

Anxiety

Friends

Sleep deprivation

Social pressure

Obligations

Stress

Drama

ADHD

Family

Day by day

Are you ok?

Rhetorical

Fixed

Hypothetical

Problems

Always generalized

Solutions

Always easy

Affected

Always not willing

Lazy

Do what you must

Concern

Unmotivate

Control

How do you fix a problem?

That doesn't want to be solved

The emptiness of Sohrab

This image represents Sohrab’s mind. The individual spaces represent Sohrab’s possible life. What he could’ve done is captured in each of the spaces. Before Sohrab had a joyful life with his parents, like these cubbies had once been bright and new. However, now, it’s empty, also reflecting upon Sohrab’s loneliness and lack of connection with others. The dust and cobwebs demonstrate how Sohrab has been left uncared of and mistreated which causes him to lose the will to interact with others and to live. The sliver of light entering the cubbies is the hope that Amir brings when he saves Sohrab. However, the majority of the cubby remains dark and empty representing Sohrab’s pessimistic world view and lack of happiness.

Governments Fighting Pirates

“Come all you young sailormen, and listen to me!” a voice booms, “I’ll sing you a song of the fish in the sea!” (Ubisoft). The images that enter one’s head from this song is probably what people would think of when they hear the word “pirates”. The term “African pirates” brings a different connotation than just “pirates”. The Tom Hanks and the 2013 movie “Captain Phillips” comes to mind instead of old timey pirates sailing the seven seas.

Yet as cheerful as the previous sea shanty may be, West African pirates are quite the opposite. In the past, most of Africa’s piracy stemmed from Somalia due to the cargo being exported. In 2011 alone, piracy in Somalia accounted for more than half of the attacks and hijackings worldwide (WSC).

After the government had put in place measures and actions to reduce piracy (SA), the pirate attacks and hijackings had declined. But, the pirates didn’t simply leave Africa, they have shifted towards West Africa, in the Gulf of Guinea. The reason for this appeared to be due to the lack of cargo going through Somalia, and the oil going out of West Africa (IPD). With 100 billion dollars worth of crude oil stolen out of West Africa since 1960 (UNNC), what will the African governments do to combat this emerging form of piracy?

Possible short-term solutions have been proposed and are in practice. They range from outfitting ships with pirate deterrents (SA), to military action from foreign nations (BBC).

Long-term solutions would come from government action, as most countries have agreed (ANS). Piracy originates from the unstable economy created by the country’s corruption. To permanently rid West Africa of all piracy, the government must work on an economic reform. Piracy fuels the existing corruption and creates more crime and instability (Economist). However, West African government is not alone in this fight. The all of five members of the UN Security council have sent forces in aid, the first time since World War Two (GALE).

Though some of the short-term solutions may seem a little extreme for cargo and oil rigs, they do present a practical solution that would work nearly immediately (SA). The agreed long-term solution is significant change in government to completely remove corruption from the country (Economist). As the sea shanty says: “Up jumps the whale, the largest of all. If you want any wind, well, I'll blow ye a squall!” (Ubisoft).

Works Cited

"Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag Soundtrack - Fish in the Sea." YouTube. YouTube, 2 Nov. 2013. Web. 16 Mar. 2016.

"Danger Zone: Chasing West Africa's Pirates - BBC News." BBC News. Web. 07 Mar. 2016.

"How East African Piracy Ended, and Lessons West Africa Can Learn to End Crime on Its Waters." Somali Agenda. 02 Mar. 2015. Web. 16 Mar. 2016.

"Piracy in West Africa | Africa Renewal Online." UN News Center. UN. Web. 08 Mar. 2016.

"Piracy in West Africa Targets the Region's Oil Industry." International Policy Digest. 30 Dec. 2014. Web. 10 Mar. 2016.

"UN Authorises Naval Forces to Fight Piracy in East Africa." Africa News Service 18 Nov. 2015. Global Issues In Context. Web. 8 Mar. 2016.

"The Ungoverned Seas." The Economist. The Economist Newspaper, 29 Nov. 2014. Web. 04 Mar. 2016.

"Piracy." World Shipping Council. Web. 16 Mar. 2016.

The Coat is not a Coat

Sijie uses the symbol of the sheepskin coat to represents the Little Seamstress, Luo, and the narrator’s hunger for knowledge about the ideas of love, passion, and desire illustrated in the western literature, more specifically Ursule Mirouët by Balzac. The new ideas in the book exposes the characters to different aspects in life that they have not been exposed to before. The book introduces a new way of life different to their own which they strive to “reenact” in real life amongst each other.  

“I decided I would write directly onto the inside of my sheepskin coat. The short coat, a gift from the villagers when I arrived, was made of skins with wool of varying lengths and textures on the outside and bare hide on the inside”(58).

“‘She ended up putting your wretched coat on (which looked very good on her, I must say). She said having Balzac’s words next to her skin made her feel good, and also more intelligent”(62).

Four Ways Your Mindset Changes Your World