Trumps Decision to Backout of the Iran Nuclear Deal.

In the article, Trump Abandons Iran Nuclear Deal He Long Scorned, Mark Landler discusses possible outcomes from Donald Trump’s recent decision to withdrawal from the Iranian Nuclear Deal. Throughout Trumps campaign, Trump has long stated his opinion towards the Iran Deal, often referring to the deal as a one-sided and defective agreement, as well as promising the American people if elected, the Iran Deal would be first to go. This past Tuesday on May 8, 2018, with that promise in mind, Trump officially announced the United States departure from the Iran nuclear deal. The deal, supported by world powers; China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States, was established in 2015 after the knowledge of an Iranian plan to develop nuclear weapons surfaced. This deal involved the restriction of enrichment materials, reprocessing of heavy water facilities; removing the likelihood of weapon by-products, monitoring of Iran activities and sanctions.

However, Trump believed this deal did “not address the threat of Iran’s ballistic missiles or its malign behavior in the region, and that the expiration dates for the sunset clauses open the door to an Iranian nuclear bomb down the road.”.

Another reason for Trumps persistence to dismantle this deal was likely due to his administration presenting “concrete evidence” about the lies of Iran nuclear facilities. This ‘concrete evidence’ was misleading as the world powers have known of the Iran nuclear facilities and enrichment materials. It was after this information presented itself in the past that the Iran Nuclear Deal was made. Trump announcing this to be new information was deceiving.

The president’s plan now is to implement stronger sanctions in hopes of a similar result to that of the recent North Korea resolution. However, Trumps accord will continue to spark controversy in upcoming months, what comes from this is still unknown.

Because these last three months western allies such as France, Germany and the UK have even lobbied Trump to try and persuade him to not back out of the agreement, I believe the American people should take western allies opinion into consideration when evaluating one of Trumps many decisions, especially when that opinion is unanimous. Trumps decision to withdraw from this agreement will only diminish the United States reliability with international treaties and worsen relations between Western Allies.

There is also a future possibility of a nuclear-war with Iran or another war in the Middle East, as stated by former President Barack Obama. I believe this to be a great possibility as Iran has already stated their opposition to Trumps decision to withdrawal and Israel, Iran’s enemy, has praised the very decision.

An Informative Post: Promising Research Suggests Scientists are One Step Closer to Alzheimer’s Cure.

In an article titled, “Scientists Push Plan to Change How Researchers Define Alzheimer’s”, Jon Hamilton addresses the concept that Alzheimer’s should not be identified through signs and symptoms but rather through biological changes in the brain.

Scientists are stating Alzheimer’s should be determined in an individual through more physical traits such as plaques, calcium and other abnormal protein build up in their brain rather than the symptoms of the disease such as memory loss and thinking problems. Clifford Jack, an Alzheimer’s researcher at Mayo Clinic Rochester stated this would make the “symptoms become the result of the disease, not the definition of the disease”. A coalition of scientists have been pushing this plan to change the way people define Alzheimer’s for several reasons.

It became apparent the method of determining the disease was ineffective when researchers found nearly 30 percent of people who met all appropriate clinical criteria did not have Alzheimer’s disease in a case involving experimental drugs for the disease. Pushing this plan would also bring possible early treatment plans for those with the Alzheimer’s gene when identified through biomarkers. The tests being done involve special brain scans and tests of spinal fluid. Eliezer Masliah, director of the Division of Neuroscience at the National Institute on Aging believes the preventive treatment could begin five years before the onset of the symptoms. Currently tests scientists are pushing researchers to use; spinal fluid tests and brain scans, are only meant for researchers not physicians however some doctors are already using these tests to help narrow their results of the patient’s pathology and have found success.

I chose to write about this for the main reason of my Grandmother having had the disease, Alzheimer’s. Due to Alzheimer’s being more prevalent in women, it prompts the questions of whether my mom, sister or I will end up getting the disease. For years my mother has taken memory-specific nutrients and vitamins to help prevent the likelihood of getting the incurable disease, however, with the new knowledge this article has given me, there are more options to consider when it comes to treatments. Tests can be taken to define Alzheimer’s accurately and before any serious symptoms occur; my mother, sister and I may have the possible future option of getting a treatment plan early on, of five years! This is huge. Getting an early diagnosis could help a lot, as taking any treatment plan can help temporarily alleviate symptoms and slow down the progression of the disease.

A trip to Washington Island.

If you’re looking for a beautiful place to sailboat, camp or just relax and read a book, consider taking a trip to Washington Island, Wisconsin. The island itself inhabits roughly 700 people year round, is surrounded by Lake Michigan and possesses some of the most amazing sights and quaint attractions for visitors.

This past summer, my family and I made a trip to visit an old friend at Washington Island. When we arrived we were given a tour of the small island. We drove past coffee shops, lavender fields, old fishermen spots and beaches. Our first stop was at School House Beach. This beautiful beach is special to the island and the only one of its kind.

This limestone beach is full of white smooth pebbles; they collect on the shore and deep within the waters, making the lake crystal clear. It must be remembered that the stones, although beckoning to be brought home, must not be taken from the beach. Over several years of visitors coming to School House Beach and taking the white stones, has resulted in angry island residents. Taking a native stone from the beach now results in a fine, sorry.

After the tour my family and I booked a motel. After unpacking, it was mid-afternoon, so we decided to take a short drive to one of the lavender shops.

Everything in this shop is produced from the lavender field in the back! So you can imagine the warm aroma of fresh lavender when I walked in the room. From lavender soaps to lavender-caramel popcorn; this place has it all. I purchased the lavender-caramel popcorn, my dad got lavender vinaigrette and my brother got lavender honey. And let me tell you, everything is as good as it sounds.

Early the next morning, I woke up wanting to explore the island on my own, so I put on a hoodie for that cool misty morning and walked a few blocks till I reached a cluster of shops and restaurants. I decided to grab a cup of coffee and walked into Red Cup Coffee Shop. The place was relaxed with only a few people; some reading a book and others drinking their coffees while looking at knitted scarfs, Red Cup merchandise and hand-made jewelry. I ordered a small coffee and looked around. This place was my kind of place.

As the trip continued, we camped, went sailing and visited a few other attraction sites. Here are some photos:

On our last day, we decided to take a ferry to a small secluded part of the island. Here we walked a trail that encompassed the outskirts of the island. After hiking all day we went back to the motel and prepared to leave. Leaving Washington Island I couldn’t help but think about how much joy this little island had brought me this summer.

~I can’t forget to mention there are several camping sites you and your family can reserve to enjoy a night on the island looking out at the water. But beware, Rock Island is reported as the most haunted island in Wisconsin (there aren’t many islands in Wisconsin). Some have said they hear drums and people whispering amongst themselves but whats a camping trip without some ghost stories!

So grab a book and backpack and make take a trip to Washington Island. This quiet, charming and stunning island makes for the perfect getaway.

U.S. Airstrikes in Syria. What does this mean for the Syrian people?

In the article, As Dust Settles from U.S. Airstrikes, Syria Faces Same Questions, Ben Hubbard writes about the aftermath of Trumps decision to launch missile strikes against the Syrian government.

For several years, Syrian citizens have suffered in their battle for change in opposition to their President Bashar al-Assad. Because of recent chemical attacks on civilians in Syria, killing 70 and leaving 500 people with chemical symptoms, the United States, U.K., and France attacked chemical weapons sites on April 14, 2018 to prevent further attacks. The U.S. said three areas were targeted; research facilities, storage facilities and more remote areas that were suspected to hold the nerve agent sarin. Many believe this was a way for the United States to deter any further interactions with Syria as President Trump previously stated, “No amount of American blood or treasure can produce lasting peace and security on the Middle East”. The aftermath of these strikes has only left anti-government activists in Syria wondering what’s next; with Trump stating, “mission accomplished” and Mr. Assad moving forward, many civilians aren’t very hopeful of anything changing soon.

After learning about the chemical attack, this intrigued me to learn more about Trumps stance on the incidence as well as the on-going war in Syria. I learned the significance of the situation as there is some controversy about bombing another country without approval of congress, as several believe this is unconstitutional. Although not mainstream controversy in social media, I found this important as several individuals have noted that congress may not be intervening as much as they should.

With Syria I learned this has been a seven-year on-going civil war, with civilians suffering massively. Although a complicated situation, I do believe what Trump did was progressive in the fact that was his only choice. The only way Syria could be “fixed” would involve a settlement between Russia and the United States, something that would take a lot of diplomatic effort from the Trump administration. Because this would be a hard decision for any president I don’t see this happening anytime soon with our current president.

 

Want to make Crack Pie with just the ingredients found in your kitchen? Here’s the recipe.

Crack Pie, a pie that dates back to the days of the pilgrims; so simple but surprisingly delicious. Christina Tosi, the owner of the very successful Milk Bar in NYC, made this pie for thanksgiving on a whim with just the ingredients she had in the house. To her surprise, everyone in her family couldn’t get enough of this pie! Adding the pie to her menu, crack pie became a huge hit with customers. The sweet treat even made headlines when CNN news anchor Andersoon Cooper commented on Milk Bars success, stating there were often large lines in the morning, to which he mentioned he loved the sweet and addictive Crack Pie; getting it almost every morning before work.

After watching the episode on Christina Tosi in the documentary-series Chef’s Table, I couldn’t help but make this amazing pie. With such simple ingredients I couldn’t believe the results!

Here’s the Original Milk Bar Crack Pie recipe:

Oatmeal Cookie Crust

• Nonstick vegetable oil spray
• 9 tablespoons (1 stick plus 1 tablespoon) unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
• 5 1/2 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar, divided
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon (generous) salt

Filling

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon nonfat dry milk powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, cooled slightly
• 6 1/2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Powdered sugar (for dusting)

RECIPE PREPARATION (https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/crack-pie)

Oat Cookie Crust

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper; coat with nonstick spray. Combine 6 tablespoons butter, 4 tablespoons brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons sugar in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat mixture until light and fluffy, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl, about 2 minutes. Add egg; beat until pale and fluffy. Add oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and beat until well blended, about 1 minute. Turn oat mixture out onto prepared baking pan; press out evenly to edges of pan. Bake until light golden on top, 17 to 18 minutes. Transfer baking pan to rack and cool cookie completely.

• Using hands, crumble oat cookie into large bowl; add 3 tablespoons butter and 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar. Rub in with fingertips until mixture is moist enough to stick together. Transfer cookie crust mixture to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Using fingers, press mixture evenly onto bottom and up sides of pie dish. Place pie dish with crust on rimmed baking sheet.

Filling

• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Whisk both sugars, milk powder, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Add melted butter and whisk until blended. Add cream, then egg yolks and vanilla and whisk until well blended. Pour filling into crust. Bake pie 30 minutes (filling may begin to bubble). Reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Continue to bake pie until filling is brown in spots and set around edges but center still moves slightly when pie dish is gently shaken, about 20 minutes longer. Cool pie 2 hours in pie dish on rack. Chill uncovered overnight.

• DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover; keep chilled.

• Sift powdered sugar lightly over top of pie. Cut pie into wedges and serve cold.

 

Please leave in the comments what you liked best about this recipe or if theres anything you’d tweak in this recipe?

 

Introduction: According to Coco

Hello fellow bloggers! I thought I’d introduce myself. My name is Collette, I’m 18 years old and just beginning my journey towards a career in writing. This fall I plan to major in journalism and go from there. I’m starting this blog to further my writing skills but really I’m primarily doing this to share ideas and enjoy writing! Because really whats a better way to express yourself but through writing.

With my blog, According to Coco, I plan to write about my experiences, my ideas and everything in-between.

Anyways, please give any feedback on my writing, as well as giving your opinion on my posts to start a discussion.  🙂