The decade is coming to an end and I’m starting to realize how old I am getting. It’s strange to think that I’ve spent half of my life in the 20^th century and the other half in this century!

Here’s a quick recap of my top ten news events from the first decade of the 21^st century.

2009: ‘King of Pop’ dies at 50

Credit: Los Angeles Times Michael Jackson is pictured here in 1990.

Michael Jackson’s death stunned more than just the music industry. People across the globe began to mourn the life of this musical icon. The entertainer united the Western and Eastern world through talent and legendary dance moves, including the moonwalk.

“My goal in life is to give to the world what I was lucky to receive: the ecstasy of divine union through my music and my dance.”
-Michael Jackson, “King of Pop”

2008: African-American elected U.S. president

Photo Credit: New York Times Senator Barack Obama celebrated with his wife after his victory in Illinois

The United States’ presidential election came to a historical close Nov. 4, 2008 when Barack Obama was elected as the first African-American president of the United States of America. After a campaign based on the notion of change, Obama declared, “Change has come to America.” While the 20th century was marked with racially driven civil rights campaigns, the 21st century brought America new hope in extinguishing racial gaps.

“If there is anyone out there who doubts that America is a place where anything is possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.”
-Barack Obama, 44th President of the U.S.

2007: Virginia Tech Shooting

Photo Credit: Alan Kim | The Roanoke Times Emergency workers carry people on the Virginia Tech campus April 16, 2007 in Blacksburg, Va.

In 2007, America experienced its deadliest shooting rampage, which occurred at Virginia Tech University. The gunman, Seung-Hui Cho, killed 32 people and wounded 15 others before killing himself. Cho suffered from a severe anxiety disorder, which may have been the cause of his massacre. Additionally, police did not respond to a 911 call until two and a half hours after Cho’s initial shot — a factor that students suggest could have spared some of the lives lost that day.

“None of us really want to stay here tonight. I will come back, I won’t be happy about staying in my room knowing something happened three floors above me.”
-Virginia Tech freshman Chaille Godinez, who left his dorm to stay at a friend’s house after the shooting

2006:  Pluto no longer a planet

Photo credit: NASA, ESA and G. Bacon (STScl) An artist's image shows Pluto (center) and its largest moon, Charon, (right). Charon is half the size of Pluto and orbits along with it; the eight true planets are all far larger than their moons.

Children around the world, dreaming to become an astronaut have one less planet to one day visit. In 2006, after scientists assigned a new definition to the term “planet,” the ice-covered entity, Pluto, was demoted. A planet is now defined by its orbit being the most dominant entity in its region. Due to the size and number of moons that surround Pluto, it does not meet this criteria. I guess size does matter after all.

“The definition itself is not that important. There are lots of interesting bodies out there for us to study. We need to have a definition, though, because it makes it easier for people to understand what we mean.”
-Amy Simon-Miller, NASA scientist

2005: Hurricane Katrina causes turmoil

Photo Credit: National Geographic A man walks down a flooded street August 29, 2005 in New Orleans Hurricane Katrina after strong winds and rain cause flooding and destruction.

The U.S. experienced one of the most deadliest and destructive storms to ever form in the Atlantic Ocean. With 140-mile-an-hour winds, Hurricane Katrina caused mass chaos in New Orleans, where much of the damage occurred. More than 1,500 people in Louisiana alone died as a result of the storm, and thousands more were left stranded. The impact of the storm and the organization and speed of the government’s response resulted in much criticism.

“It’s like being in a third world country. We’re trying to work without power. Everybody knows we’re all in this together. We’re just trying to stay alive.”
-Mitch Handrich, registered nurse manager at Charity Hospital in New Orleans.

2004: U.S. re-elects Bush

Credit: BBC News George W. Bush speaks to the public for the first time since his Nov. 2, 2004 presidential election victory.

After nearly 120 million votes, George W. Bush won the 2004 presidential election with 51% of the popular vote against Sen. John Kerry, who claimed 48% of the vote. Foreign policy and the “war on terrorism” were major campaign themes discussed in debates prior to the election. As Bush served his second term, and more troops were committed to Afghanistan and Iraq, his approval ratings plummeted.

“President Bush’s re-election comes at a critical time. A world that is fractured, divided and uncertain must be brought together to fight this global terrorism in all forms.”
-Tony Blair, former British Prime Minister

2003: Invasion of Iraq

Photo Credit: BBC News Concerns begin to rise for refugees in Basra in Southern Iraq, which was surrounded by British military March 22, 2003.

March 20, 2003, the United States waged war against Iraq and dropped bombs on the nation’s capital, Baghdad. The main target of the war was the removal of Saddam Hussein’s leadership and the implementation of a wholly democratic Iraq. Americans were successful as Hussein was executed in 2006; however the U.S. has continued to engage in this war, adding weapons of mass destruction to its list of reasons for invading Iraq. Thus far, 4,370 U.S. military members have died fighting the war in Iraq.

“I thought then, and I think now, that the invasion of Iraq was unnecessary and unjust. And I think the premises on which it was launched were false.”
-Jimmy Carter, my hero … and 39th president of the U.S.

2002: Enron Scandal

Credit: Getty Images via BBC News Former CEO Kenneth Lay insisted on innocence throughout the entire Enron predicament.

After its 2001 bankruptcy and suspicions of corporate abuse and accounting fraud, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that it would pursue a criminal investigation of Enron Corp., which now goes by Enron Creditors Recovery Corp. The company’s founder, Kenneth Lay, faced a potential sentence of up to 45 years in prison, but died in 2006 before this final trial.

“I take full responsibility for what happened at Enron. But saying that, I know in my mind that I did nothing criminal.”
-Kenneth Lay, former CEO of Enron

2001: Terrorists attack America

Photo Credit: Sara K. Schwittek (© Reuters/CORBIS) With the Brooklyn Bridge in the foreground, a plane explodes after hitting the second tower of the World Trade Center as the other tower burns, Sept. 11, 2001 in New York.

Sept. 11 was one of those days where you remember where you were exactly you heard the news: two hijacked planes crashed into the Twin Towers in New York, leaving nearly 3,000 people dead. An additional plane attacked the Pentagon. The day’s events were the biggest attack on the United States by a terrorist organization, Al-Qaida, and resulted in two wars: Afghanistan (since 2001) and Iraq (since 2003). After the attack, the U.S. went through great lengths to restore national security.

“All of a sudden there were people screaming. I saw people jumping out of the buildings. Their arms were flailing. I stopped taking pictures and started crying.”
-Michael Walter, Freelance Photojournalist

2000: Y2K Craze

Photo credit: © Andrew Heenan I believe the cartoon says it all.

Just before the millennium came to a start, people around the world thought computers would crash as a result of the Y2K bug, leaving businesses in turmoil. The U.S. spent an estimated $108.8 billion preparing for the bug; however the turn of the century only brought minor computer-related glitches.

“It ended up being a fairly minor issue because people really worked together. I mean if we had ignored the thing then, then we’d be seeing real impact.”
-Bill Gates, Microsoft Chairman

Well, after this long ordeal a decision has finally been made. Here is my quick synopsis and take on Amanda Knox’s trial.

With the exception of strong DNA evidence, all fingers pointed to Amanda Knox, 22, as a murderer, thus the judge and jury found her guilty, sentencing her to 26 years in prison. I am not writing to voice my opinion on whether or not she committed the crime. Rather, point out the adversity a trial like this brings.

Amanda Knox’s  trial has, so far, cost her family more than $1 million. What middle-class family can afford that? Through the frequent trips to Perugia, Italy to lawyers, a trial like this causes a financial burden on anyone.

Additionally her family must be torn. Her mom and dad have to sit by while their daughter is being prosecuted for hours. A person whose life they were responsible for 18 years traveled half-way across the world. Knox traveled independently, and as parents could only hope that her daughter made the right decisions.  Is Knox’s guilty sentence a reflection of bad parenthood? Or, is the task of raising children becoming increasingly difficult?

Also, her younger sister’s lives have been changed forever. Do they have the ability to have a normal life anymore? Or has this trial tainted chance of normalcy?

Additionally, there are two other men who have been convicted in this crime. Their lives, too, have been change along with their families lives.

On the other side of things Meredith Kercher’s family is going through the same kinds of hardships, with the additional loss of their child, sister or friend. Their family has to grieve this loss while watching the trial play out in the public’s eye. Constant media coverage is just another reminder of Kercher’s death and their loss.

I think the lesson to be learned from this situation is that we must always be careful of whom we become involved with, what actions we participate and how it affects us a person. This story, which is gaining worldwide media attention is tragic, but it is just another reminder of the cruelty human beings have the potential to cause.

We are a powerful species, but we should use our power for good, not evil.

Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies in the final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed.
-Dwight D. Eisenhower

In his first year of presidency, Barack Obama has made yet another crucial decision for the United States: ordering the deployment of an additional 30,000 troops to Afghanistan over the next six months.

In his speech today at West Point, N.Y., Obama said the U.S. will remove all of its troops by the end of 2011, “bringing the Iraq war to a responsible end.”

For eight long years, the U.S. has been fighting this war — a war that seems to have lost it’s purpose.

“Years of debate over Iraq and terrorism have left our unity on national security issues in tatters, and created a highly polarized and partisan backdrop for this effort,” Obama said in his speech.

I will be the first to admit that I find the purpose of war confusing. I don’t understand why the U.S. is in Afghanistan. There has not been a major terrorist threat from the Taliban or Al-Qaida on American soil since the Sept. 11 attacks. Shouldn’t the United States’ main goal be national security? Can’t national security be accomplished by regulating who can and cannot enter the U.S.? And, if that is the case, then why is there a need for Americans to be in Iraq or Afghanistan?

I understand America’s interest in international affairs through promotion of world peace, which results in wanting to put an end to Al-Qaida and the Taliban, but shouldn’t we give Iraq and Afghanistan the opportunity to resolve their own issues before we impose our troops on them?

War has always been confusing for me — I’ve never quite understood the need for it. Unfortunately, I can’t help but question how many of those 30,000 soldiers will return to the U.S alive.

• How many of those 30,000 soldiers will return unwounded—with all of their limbs fully in tact?
• How many will return with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder? How many will commit suicide once returning to the U.S.?
• How many will have looked death in the eye?
• How many will have killed someone, causing even more pain to an Iraqi of Afghani family?
• How many families need to suffer before the government realizes that war is never the solution?
• How many lives need to be lost for us to realize that war is dangerous to the body and mind?

Am I just being crazy here? I want to know…

What do you think about President Barack Obama’s decision to deploy 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan?

Though we all enjoy the occasional award show full of controversies, such as American Idol runner up Adam Lambert’s sexually suggestive dance, or Teen pop star Miley Cyrus’ ‘pole dancing,’ it’s nice to see a proper award show out there recognizing and awarding people for real contributions to society.

The CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute program, which is in it’s third year on air, is a great opportunity to bring awareness to global human welfare issues and possibly inspire us to think of others in our daily life. There are many heroes in the world, who make both small and large contributions through their humanitarian efforts. These heroes often go unrecognized. CNN Heroes may not be able to recognize them all, but it does a great job highlighting individuals who each have an injustice they are fighting for, whether nationally and globally.

The award show, which airs every Thanksgiving weekend, is a great reminder that the fourth Thursday in November is just one day out of 365. Though things may not always go our way, we still have far more to be thankful for than we may ever realize.

Click here to meet the top ten CNN Heroes for 2009

The Hero of the year was Efren Peñaflorida:

“Our planet is filled with heroes — young and old, rich and poor, man, woman of different colors, shapes and sizes. We are one great tapestry. Each person has a hidden hero within, you just have to look inside you and search it in your heart, and be the hero to the next one in need … the hero in you is waiting to be unleashed … You are the change that you dream, as I am the change that I dream, and collectively we are the change that this world needs to be.”

I don’t sugar coat my writing. Just read and reflect.

I don’t know if I can be a journalist because when tragic news events happen, they consume my mind … more so than the average person. I hate seeing sadness in thew world, and I hate knowing there is nothing I can do to make it go away. I hate seeing the anger and hatred it brings out in people. I wish people would substitute their anger with patience and love.

If you know me you know I rarely, if ever, voice my opinion on anything. I am putting myself out on a limb here — not sure how it will be interpreted.

I don’t know anyone else like me. I feel sympathy for everyone, whether you are the victim or the murderer. There is a place in my heart for you because I know that everything happens for a reason. I can’t control the actions of those “bad” people in the world, but being angry and wishing  they suffer a painful death does not make me a better person…it does not bring peace to my soul or the world I live in. It just emphasizes hatred and disregard for others.

I have my ideal world in my head: everyone loves one another, there is no judgment, no ignorance, no hatred. The problem is this ideal world will never exist.

I don’t know what to do. Through actions, one person can make a difference, but through reason, one cannot. My ideology of loving all, no matter their actions, is rare. I’ve  yet to meet another person who would truly sees the good in everyone as I do.

Note: This article was originally published on Oct. 17, 2008 in The Lead, a student-run business magazine at the American University in Cairo. It was a rather unknown publication, without a Web site I can hyperlink to, but it was my first international publication. :) Also, it makes me want to go back to Egypt real bad!

American students watch out for US economy

By Sarah Rafique

As the economic crisis in the United States takes full swing and stock markets roller coaster, Americans studying in Egypt continue their daily routine with little concern about their spending habits abroad. Students do, however, voice concern about life when they return to the U.S.

“It’s a hot mess,” said Brian Jacek, a political science and Middle East studies major from Rochester, New York.

Jacek, as well as other Americans studying in Egypt, are keeping up with the U.S. news through online media as well as communication with family and friends.

“I’ve been following the stock market, because I feel that that’s the indicator that most news media outlets are using,” Jacek said. Gas prices are another way for the everyday person to gauge the economy.

“It’s very scary,” Jacek said. “It hasn’t affected my money situation necessarily in any way, however it’s made me worried with what’s happening back home.”

Whether you’re an American abroad or in the U.S., the situation may have been predictable, if not avoidable.

“I think that this whole thing is ridiculous,” said Felice Jackson, a Flagstaff, Arizona ALI student. “I think it’s ridiculous that people feel like it’s a surprise that the market crashed. This was coming and we knew it was coming.”

Jackson said anyone could have predicted the financial crisis.

“I think Americans have been fearful for a while and this is something that was bound to happen,” Jackson said. “I think if you look at any sort of historical records when the economy was running the way ours was, on no real money; just on a lot of borrowing, of course it’s going to crash,” Jackson said.

Jacek, and other study abroad students are worried about the bank in general, but also about student loans.

“The fact that a lot of our college funds are invested into stocks right now and we don’t know what the economy is going to be like when we go in the workforce [is a concern],” said Alex Bowles, an anthropology and political science major from Christiansburg, Virginia.

“My friends and I talk about it fairly often. I think everyone’s a little bit concerned about it,” Bowles said. “(But) it seems abstract because we’re not there; we’re not a part of it.”

Bowles thinks people need to be aware and concerned about the crisis, but that it will not affect her while she’s here in Egypt.

Jackson, who has been in Egypt since January, hasn’t been negatively affected by the U.S. economy because the exchange rate has slightly improved in her favor. “It’s going to be very difficult when I go back to the U.S. because the dollar will actually be worth a dollar and not five pounds,” Jackson said.

Rather than the everyday person, who is not immediately affected by or contributing to the crisis, major corporations are to blame, Jackson said.

“When people and banks of institutions are irresponsible with their money of course it’s going to crash, so it was sort of something inevitable,” Jackson said.

The past five to ten years of economic history has been “otherworldly,” Jackson said. “This is not the way the real world works, even in U.S.; even though we’re very wealthy.”

“People spend money exuberantly,” Jackson said. People allowed themselves to spend money they don’t even have by convincing themselves that they could earn money and spend money that they could never pay back.

“So, someone that makes $150,000 a year should never have allowed themselves to believe that they could afford a $300,000 house and a $50,000 car and credit cards, and all that.”

Though students aren’t paying attention to their spending habits abroad, some anticipate watching their money closely when they are back in the U.S. “I’m returning at what’s traditionally a very busy economic period—Christmas-time,” Jackson said. “I think I will spend less on gifts, parties, all the extras that accompany that time of year in the U.S.”

“This is a wake up call, and its reality and it’s good for the U.S.,” Jackson said. “[The economy] won’t be back where it was, but it will even out. It will become more realistic and I think more people will learn to better manage their assets.”

Here’s a little inspiration to ‘live life to the fullest’…

By Sarah Rafique

The hands of time are strangling me.

They grabbed me by the heart and won’t let go.

Do I fight back or do I give in?

Each hour, each minute, each second — each moment  is limited.

Too many possibilities exist to be limited by time.

Each dream, fueled by ambition — yet reality can’t visit each aspiration.

Where do my priorities lie?

The future is unknown — will it even come?

Is each second memorable?

Is each minute meaningful?

If my eyes never see tomorrow, will my life be complete?

Don’t regret for the past nor live for the future.

The time is now.

Education is key. Whether it is formal education or self-taught, the need for expanding one’s knowledge is necessary to lead a fulfilling life.

From the day we’re born until the day we die, education is an ongoing process. We learn to breathe and take our first steps. We learn to depend on others and accept that one day we will die. And, somewhere along the way, we go to school.

From an exhibit in the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, located on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea

Some may not make it past high school, while others, like me, are lucky to attend college.

I, for one, have not always realized how lucky I am to be at Baylor. Every year, there are people who donate hundreds, thousands and sometimes millions of dollars towards scholarships that allow students to further their intellectual thought—not to mention improve their chances at employment and making a living.

Though I sometimes have three exams on one day, pull an all-nighter or read 100 pages of quite possibly the most boring book ever written, I still feel privileged to be here. I have professors that are excited about the material they teach and challenge me to expand my way of thinking.

I am grateful for the care they put into their lesson plans, and their desire to pass the wisdom they have learned throughout the years onto my peers and I.

I sometimes wonder what life would have been like had I not gone to college. Though I wouldn’t have a piece of paper to frame, justifying my intellect and understanding of the world, I would have still had the same opportunity to gain that knowledge.

Libraries are a wonderful invention that further scholarship. They contain thousands of books on every topic imaginable. These books, some of which were banned at one point in history, contain the key to life. There are books documenting the Civil Rights, the Holocaust and other events and subjects that give us insight into the past so that we may change in the future.

These libraries hold the key to knowledge and knowledge is a component of education, thus education is key.

The thing that makes education so gratifying is that it’s the only thing in life that is completely, 100% free. You can control whether you gain knowlege and you can chose to be an intellectual person.

Unless you get hit by an unfortunate case of Alzheimer’s, not a single person can take that knowledge away from you.

… And why I don’t judge other people who do.

I don’t drink. There are many reasons for this life choice, but I think it is the right one — for me at least.

Why not try some of Welch's sparkling juice or cider for that fancy occasion.

Naturally, because I don’t drink, I don’t go out to bars. Before I turned 21 in August, I was able to say, “I’m not 21,” as my excuse to not go out. I used it to reply to those friends that I didn’t want to explain why I didn’t drink — because if you are a college student, not drinking seems to be a preposterous idea. But now, at the age of (*tear I’m old) 21, I can and will firmly decline a drink without embarrassment or second thought.

However, I came to learn that not all college students should be clumped in that category of “college drunkards,” or “out for a good time.” In fact, many of the friends I’ve made throughout my college career do not drink, or do so only on the occasion.

That said, I still know quite a few people who enjoy their weekly routine of hitting up Waco’s (or in my hometown, Austin’s) finest bars and clubs routinely Thursday through Saturday. Am I judging them? Or do I look at them in a negative light? Of course not. Just as I expect do not do the same to me for not drinking.

Anyway, back to why I don’t drink. Religion is a factor — as a Muslim, consuming alcohol is strictly forbidden. However, I strongly believe that if my faith didn’t reprimand me from drinking, I would still hold true to my belief that drinking is pointless.

And, here’s why:

If you prefer the sparking wine over sparking non-alcoholic cider, you may end up like this at the end of the night…

For starters, I’ve often heard people say that beer is an acquired taste. That they have to drink it a number of times before they actually enjoy the taste of it. If beer makes one act stupid and tastes nasty in the first place, why bother? Shouldn’t the point of a drink be enjoying the way it makes your palate hunger for more?

Next, I don’t like the idea that a drink can alter my mindset,  judgment and actions — things I can’t undo if gone awry.

Finally, to reiterate, I just don’t see what benefits would get if I drank. There is too much than can go wrong to justify drinking. For example, getting tipsy and making a fool of myself in some bar dancing on the tables. Also, why would I conflict myself to being coming addicted to a substance that is prone to addiction? That is just asking for trouble.

Or, more importantly, the impaired judgment that makes me (if I were to drink) feel like I can get behind a wheel and drive just a few blocks home. It’s just reckless and irresponsible. Ruin your liver, make a fool of yourself, throw your life away to this addiction, but do not carelessly and stupidly endanger the lives of others.

That’s my two cents for why I do not drink. But here’s one last note.

...Or worse, you might jump behind the wheel thinking this looks normal!

I must stress to my friends out there that I do not judge others who drink. I, obviously, know people who drink and I have been around people while they are drinking, but do not judge them negatively. I have no desire to ever drink in my life time. It is an idea that has been firmly planted in my mind, but I freely welcome those who do, as long as they do it responsibly.

I do not think I am some “weird holy freak” for not drinking. Rather, I’ve made a rational, conscience decision to abstain from alcohol.

Let me know your thoughts on drinking, drunk driving and if  you judge people becasue they do or do not drink.

Title translation: I love the Arabic language.

As part of my Arabic class at Baylor, I have to keep a portfolio. In this entry, I wrote a biography about myself in Arabic. To my poor non-Arabic speaking friends is say this: enjoy the squiggly lines of goodness. It’s so beautiful too look at and listen to.

انا اسمي ساره رفيق. انا من مدينة استن لكن اسكن في مدينة واكو عشان ادرس في الجامعة يالور. ادرس صحا فه. انا بحب اتفرج عله الاخبر باليل. انا اشتفل غند الجريده في الجامعة بالور. اشتفل بين ٣٠ و ٣٥ ساعه كل اسبوع. انا ادرس الغه العربية برده عشان بحب الغه. السنه اجر انا درست في الجاماعة الامريكيه يالقاهره انا بحب الدواه مصر انا سكنت في القاهره في ٤ سهور و درس الغه العربية و صحافا برده انا درست العمية. اسكن في شفه صغيره قريب من الجامعه شفه عندها ٢ اوض نوم ٢ حمام مطبج و اوضة سفره

كل اوضة عنده سجاده و نطبج و عنده تلاجة دولاب مصبج و وتاجتز عندي ام ارمله و اثنين جوات اجت صغيره عمرها ١٧ سنة و تسكن في استن مع امي هي في مدرسه ثانوي و تعمل في مكتبة في مدينة جوجتون و جوجتون قريب من مدينة استن

اجت كبير عمرها ٢٢ سنه و تتخرجت الجامعة بالور السنة اللي فا تت الان هي تسمن ف و تدرس في مدينة سان انتونيو هي تدرس علم الاحياء و هوسكن

I also had to do a video for my Arabic class. Don’t laugh at my accent. I’m still learning. :)