What's the Word with Arthur

How Rock Got Its Roll The Guitars and Brands that Shaped Modern Music By Arthur Hanlon Introduction Eric Clapton and Lil Nas X have about as much in common as an apple and a piece of toast. However, neither artist would exist without the creation of just one instrument that changed the way music was recorded and performed. Despite its reputation as an instrument of rock, the electric guitar triggered a musical revolution that permeated every genre and paved the way for today’s music landscape. It gave artists access to an enormous range of sounds that for the first time allowed them to put their personal spin on the instrument. The invention began to take shape around the 1940s, and was inspired by a purely egotistical idea: guitarists wanted their instruments to be louder so that more people could hear them play. This quest for decibels locked the major guitar brands in a decades-long battle to see whose product would dominate the future of rock n’ roll. And while they...

Martial Arts Instructor A vast majority of my core beliefs and values come as a result of my time as a mixed martial arts (MMA) instructor. This is far from a typical first job, but it is a position I held proudly throughout my entire high school career. I spent ten years training and putting in the time before the owners asked me to become a member of the teaching staff. Despite now being gone for several years, I still consider my time at the dojo to be a crucial part of my personal identity.  Everyone on the staff worked under Sensei Robert Duzoglou, founder of both the school and the martial arts style we practiced. I joined as a teaching assistant and received increasing responsibility during my four years there, eventually becoming a core instructor before I had to leave for college. Most of our work centered around supporting the lessons and programs developed in the school. We focused not only on providing our students with combat education, but also on teaching...

American Like Me First Impressions I was born and raised in Miami with a Colombian mother, and have always considered Latin cultur e to be an important part of my personal identity. Not only was I immersed in a Colombian lifestyle in my house, but exploring the city while growing up also guaranteed that I had friends from virtually every major Latin country. This makes America Ferrera’s book particularly personal for me. Miami has a unique atmosphere where Latin culture has fully blended with that of the United States, but outside of the city, I have seen my friends and family judged and discriminated against for their ethnicities. Furthermore, Hollywood’s depiction of Colombia has shown the country as nothing more than a cartel-ridden nation of drugs, something which has always bothered me deeply. It is therefore incredibly inspiring for me to see an influential Latina stand by her heritage and denounce the subtle judgements our society makes. Ferrera’s introduction ...