tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28196434767179865292023-11-05T01:48:02.474-07:00Writings from a childEach day Vanarias will spend sevral minutes to write something. These writings may sound strange but record his real thinking,feeling, and voice as a child each day.Onedrophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14656833554702128333noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2819643476717986529.post-80482573784974164702011-02-28T17:45:00.000-08:002011-02-28T17:45:13.753-08:00The book I read: "Godless" by Pete Hautman.<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">The book opens with two best friends, Jason Bock, an agnostic who has great contempt for the religion that his parents forced unto him, and Shin, a frail, but highly intelligent and obsessive boy, walking to a massive water tower in search of gastropods. When they arrive, Jason is inspired by the grandeur of the water tower to create his own religion involving the water tower as its deity.</span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Water from that tower was pumped to every home and business for miles around. The water connected all of us. It kept us alive. That was when I came up with the idea of the water tower as being God.” (8)</span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">And so, as Shin begins to feverishly write the holy book for their newfound religion, Chutengodianism(CTG), Jason recruits three other followers, Dan Grant, a friend of his whose father is a priest, Magda Price, a girl from his religious group, and Henry Stagg, the local rogue. The five of them agree to meet up at the top of the water tower for a religious gathering at midnight, and while Shin is not strong enough to make it onto the tower, the other four reach the top, and in an instance of typical childish stupidity, go for a swim inside the reservoir. After their little swim, Henry slips and falls off, breaking several bones in the process, and the four are arrested for trespassing and contamination. From this point on, everything goes downhill. Jason is grounded, Dan disappears and is turned against Jason by his fundamentalist father, Magda is in deep trouble, and Henry is in the hospital, broken. Jason desperately attempts to contact Shin, but realizes that Shin had actually begun to believe in CTG. Shin’s combined fanaticism and his jealousy of being excluded had led to a total mental breakdown that almost got him killed.</span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Shin did most of the talking. I just listened to my best friend tell me the “truth” of water tower, that the ocean was a conscious entity, and that water towers could walk.”(181)</span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">All of this is blamed on Jason. Meanwhile Jason’s father, a religious fanatic, desperately tries to remedy the situation and convert his son, failing miserably. Eventually, everything collapses as a recovered Henry, Magda, and a couple of lackeys break off into their own separate sect of Chutengodianism. At the end of the book, Jason reflects on what he had done and the influence that he had, envying at others who possessed the thing he did not have: faith.</span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Now, a summary of this book is difficult, because of the complexity of its message, however, this is why I enjoyed the novel. The story was a fascinating exploration of the effects of religion on the mindset of people. It shows, through parody, the consequences and power of religion unleashed upon the human condition. This book mainly does three things. First, it emphasizes fact that a religion is simply an idea, that it was “all just made up anyway” (145). It addresses the simplicity with which such an idea can come about. That all you need is “a few disciples, and a god.”(18) This book also stresses the consequences that such an idea can have. It can inspire and make people follow you. “[Jason’s] friends listen to what he says.”(188) But can still be deadly. If it weren’t for the idea popping up, Shin would not have gone insane, Dan would not have betrayed Jason, Henry would not have broken 3 bones and Magda would not have been severely punished. However, the theme that stands out most is the influence religion can exert on people. This shown in Shin’s madness, which drove him to go as far as actually believing that the water tower god he and Jason created as a joke, was actually real. This is shown in the punishment and disgust that Jason, the rebel, faces from religious folk like Dan, this father, and the people in his religious group that leads him to feel persecuted. In the end, what the book shows is that all of this power, this consequence, all originate from a singular idea, simple and easy to create, further emphasizing its danger.</span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">While the message that this book delivered was really what I got from this book, other aspects really jumped out and sucked me in. First of all, I find the biblical references quite amusing. At the beginning of each chapter, there is a small excerpt from the CTG bible that closely resembles Genesis. For it includes nearly a carbon copy of the beginning of Genesis, only replacing God with the Ocean, and making it conform more to scientific fact. It also uses a style of writing that matches that of the Bible. Clearly, the author expected the reader to have known about the creation story, and to have known the way the Bible is written, from which he can then successfully parody. Furthermore, Jason writes his own version of “The Ten Commandments”, yet another biblical reference. The author also successfully parodies this by having Jason declare that he was to write a better set of commandments. Secondly, the book also had sections that took us into the thought process of Jason, which I thought was a neat touch. But most importantly, this book ceases to be interesting. There is always a buildup. The plot continuously moves, and there is hardly any exposition, which I thought was quite brilliant.</span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Overall this book is a brilliant exploration of the consequences of religion via parody. Now, I personally hold the opinion that the greatest way to get a point across is through comedy and parody. And I can say with confidence, after devouring this novel in an hour, that it is wholly entertaining, well written( unlike this book letter), and, most importantly, conveys a powerful message effectively. It is for these reasons that I enjoyed this book.</span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></span>Onedrophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14656833554702128333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2819643476717986529.post-36585427098354805232011-02-06T12:50:00.001-08:002011-02-06T12:50:45.305-08:00To Quench the Burning worldA student gives a controversial speech defending hate and fear. His ideas are not given a second’s notice. Completely rejected. (Reason 1)<br />
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Factions rise up within a government. The bureaucracy and conflict tear at the seams of the government until it breaks. Division (Reason 2)<br />
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A child cries, rejected by his parents for not sharing their views. He cries for a lost cause. Because of something that we have all experienced, and yet so few have overcome. (Reason 3)<br />
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Why must all of these things happen? The answer is that we as a people are like sheep, willing to receive and defend the opinions of the influential, but unwilling to accept or create ideas contradictory to those. That we suffer from severe intellectual laziness. And yes, while such a thing can take away the burden of critical thinking, and can inspire obedience, the consequences are catastrophic for all of humanity. <br />
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When I stood in front of my class all those years ago. I exhibited my free will, and talked without restraint. I talked about what we treat as evil. How it is a travesty that we as a species have an integral part of ourselves instead of embracing it. <br />
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And then the reaction came.<br />
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I greatly doubt that the people in the class listened to my reasons for defending such an indefensible thing. I greatly doubt that they listened to how I clearly explained how jealousy can be fruitful, how fear can protect, how anger can focus, asyndeton) how humanity owes it very survival to the existence of evil. I greatly doubt that they listened at all. For all I received for expressing myself were the jeers of my peers and a big fat F.<br />
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The idea was rejected. Not because there was any good counterargument. But simply because my points contradicted what they were taught. Now here’s a thought. What if that were applied to every controversial idea in the world? What kind of world would that be like? I. for one, wouldn’t want to live in such a world.<br />
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But that, is merely the tip of the iceberg. <br />
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If you were to look at America at large, you would see a stumbling giant with the strength of millions, destabilized by faction and argument. There is a literal war going on in the political arena with two factions. Hundreds of years ago, James Madison, a founding father, wrote a paper in which he warned us of the faction. He explained how factions “disregard the public good in conflicts. Having measures too often decided by the superior force of overbearing majority.” That when factions arise with singular intent, they face the opposition not with force or logic, but with a sea of voices that drowns out all. 80% of the population drowning out the voices of 20% is nothing more than fascism through the masses. For who needs a dictator when the people rule themselves with an iron fist, when the people are being told how to think, how to act, how to feel? We cannot let faction control us any longer. Lest that stumbling giant will fall and break. <br />
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And the solution is simple. Eliminate faction by thinking for yourself, adopting your own ideologies, and not letting the media, or any other source of opinion, control your own actions. And watch as the factions crumble as people awaken.<br />
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And finally, the last thing in need of addressing is…<br />
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Religion. Now if you brand me as “Heretic” or “Blasphemer”, then I rest my case. Do you see? This is exactly what I meant. Intellectual laziness. Rejection of opinions of others simply because they do not conform to your own.<br />
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What has religion not done? Suicide bombings, crusades, murders, intolerance. And while people argue that religion brings unity and hope. Its strikes far outweigh its successes. Children across the country cry, maltreated by their parents simply because they do not conform to the same delusion. They are deprived of respect and their time wasted. Over an idea. All of this. Over an idea.<br />
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But most importantly, I cannot condone the blows that religion has inflicted upon the development of modern science. Stem cell research, a field that could save millions, is controversial. Why? Because religion opposes it. Until very recently, there was debate over whether or not evolution should be taught in schools. Why? Because it contradicts religion. There are seriously people out there that still believe that the earth is 6000 years old, spreading pseudoscience. Why? Because that is what their religion teaches. (antistrophe) Anything that misinforms, sacrifices, slaughters, and inhibits as much as religion does should not exist in modern society. Yet it flourishes. Even as I say these words, most of you are disgusted by my blasphemy. Most of you cannot accept what I am saying simply because you were taught that what I am saying is wrong. <br />
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Religion is the perfect threat. Wielding intellectual laziness like a chain. It controls the actions of billions. Nothing is quite as manipulative. But you can discard such chains, and behave like the sentient being that you are. Free your mind.<br />
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The sheer intellectual laziness that we face today is humanity’s greatest vice. It has restricted our progress, allowed factions to rise, stemmed our creativity, brought rejection to millions It has lead us into true slavery. For when an idea is controlled, people follow, without question, without hesitation. <br />
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It is the cruelest form of propaganda when we are told how to think, how to act, how to feel.(Parallelism) Cruel, because it allows us to stand by and watch our world burn.<br />
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So just let go. Do not let what other people want you to think get in the way of your own ideas. Free your mind. Free yourself.Onedrophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14656833554702128333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2819643476717986529.post-92055916220354032202009-03-25T17:57:00.000-07:002009-03-25T17:58:37.719-07:00Building a physics model in class<div align="justify">We are building a physics model in class. It is one of those chain reaction machines. The kind that one movement activates another function to accomplish another thing. We are using marbles, rolling down a ramp to hit another marble and eventually have one to cross the finish line. This is made out of paper tubes, and other things, all that can be gotten from one's house. Our project has many restrictions like time limit, trials, success, size and complexity. The project is 2 1/2 weeks long. </div>Onedrophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14656833554702128333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2819643476717986529.post-58860500388692736222009-03-24T16:27:00.000-07:002009-03-24T16:28:30.368-07:00Computer viruses<div align="justify">Computer viruses have been running rampart these days, infecting every program that is in their way. One of the most malicious things is <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Spyware</span>, a program that enters a computer through downloads or email and covertly steals personal information and passwords from the unlucky user of the computer. There have been many legitimate programs out there to search and destroy, but most of them are just trial versions and require that the user buy the full version to get complete security. And many people have done so and computer viruses <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">aren</span>’t attacking them anytime soon. This brings up yet another problem. Rogue programs. A little while back, I was getting sick of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">McAfee</span> telling me to get a Windows security system. So I went on the Internet and downloaded a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Spyware</span> eliminator called <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Spyware</span> Guard 2009. This was a big mistake on my part because not only did it send false messages to my desktop telling me to get the full version of the product, or the computer would be overrun, but it also sent <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Spyware</span> programs into my computer, eventually slowing it down to crashing point. I reinstalled the system and restored it to factory condition and lo and behold, the “security system” <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">redownloaded</span> itself. I had no other choice. I went on the Internet again to get a program that erases <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Malware</span> like this rogue program and it did the job. The program was gone. A few programs for people to avoid are the following: Anti-Virus Gold (not to be confused with the legitimate program AVG), <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Spyware</span> Guard 2009/2008, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Spyware</span> Sheriff, and others.</div>Onedrophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14656833554702128333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2819643476717986529.post-82065935981101851032009-03-17T19:59:00.000-07:002009-03-17T20:00:56.196-07:00St. Patrick ’s Day<div align="justify">Today is St. Patrick ’s Day. This day is here to commemorate the Saint from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">millennia</span> ago who converted hundreds of thousands of people into Christianity. He was born in Wales, captured by the Vikings and sent to Ireland as a slave. On night, he heard God talking to him in his sleep, telling him to escape at all costs. He escaped and started a strange way of being a missionary. He would walk right into another religious sect ruled by their chieftain and start to preach. Once, the chieftain captured him and was about to kill him, when he bestowed pity on him, gave him money and his own church. In 664 A.D. he became a saint. He spent the rest of his life preaching. In the 1800’s, during the potato famine, millions of Irish immigrants came to the United States, where they continued to go about their customs. On St. Patrick ’s Day, they marched in a parade of over 15000 people. The politicians were dazzled and decided to march with them. After a few years, St. Patrick ’s Day was integrated into American Culture and here we are today, on the several thousandth anniversary of that celebration. Curiously, today is also the same day as the British Evacuation from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Dorchester</span> Heights during the revolutionary war.</div>Onedrophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14656833554702128333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2819643476717986529.post-42056840621813991102009-03-16T17:09:00.000-07:002009-03-16T17:10:36.168-07:00Stress<div align="justify">Stress is a very dangerous thing. It can lead to depression, uninhibited emotions and loss of control. It makes people have less and less control over their own actions and causes irrational thinking and horrible repercussions.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"> Stress can come from a variety of areas like overwork, perpetual insults and irritation, loss of sleep, peer pressure and others. The best way to deal with stress is to relax and take things one step at a time, eliminating the root of the problem, and if new problems pop up, resolve them immediately. Also try to take some time off. Distract yourself with other things if the stress is too bad and always continue to control your breathing.</div>Onedrophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14656833554702128333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2819643476717986529.post-90269134294839343972009-03-16T05:53:00.000-07:002009-03-16T05:55:52.157-07:00A poem: The Flood<strong>Part 1<br /></strong><br />The moon shines upon a shadowy sea<br />The water ripples<br />The wind howls<br />The ocean trembles<br /><br />A wave breaks upon the darkened shore<br />A few more follow.<br />A tranquil ocean suddenly turns into<br />A raging storm<br /><br />Storm clouds gather on the cold horizon<br />Streams of rain sprinkle down<br />Spray of silvery splinters<br />Sprinkles turn into showers<br /><br />Water collects along the shoreline<br />Waves start crashing<br />Washing up the sandy plain<br />Wading through the land<br /><br /><strong>Part 2</strong><br /><br />The collecting water turns into more than a puddle<br />It turns into a lake on shore<br />The water steadily rises<br />And flows further inshore<br /><br />The buildup increases at an incredible rate<br />Five feet, ten feet, then twenty feet deep<br />It rushes toward the shore, a mighty monster<br />Picking up trees and wreaking havoc far and wide<br />Suddenly the supporter of life turns into death<br />The water consumes everything leaving nothing behind<br />An unstoppable force. Unyielding, invincible.<br />A vortex<br /><br />Villages, trees, cars and buses<br />Buildings three stories tall<br />Nothing could resist its almighty force<br />It played with its victims, all succumbing to its mind numbing advancement<br /><br />Throwing things aside with ease<br />Whirlpools dragging things down<br />The freezing wind adding a cold factor<br />When will it ever end?<br /><br />It didn’t end<br />It raged on swallowing up the countryside in a raging wave<br />The greatest flood of all time<br />A rising dragon<br /><br />It seemed it was all over<br />A whole country, submerged, freezing<br />The island gone<br />Swallowed by the void<br /><br /><strong>Part 3<br /></strong><br />A beam of light came down from the heavens<br />Shining through the dismal stormclouds<br />A beacon, a sign<br />The water started to melt away<br /><br />Twenty feet, ten feet, five feet<br />Then nothing<br />Nothing<br />All<br />Was<br />Silent<br /><br />As the tough survivors came down from the hills and mountains<br />An amazing sight met their eyes<br />Their cities and towns and houses<br />All gone<br /><br />All that was left was…<br />A paradise<br />Trees and rolling plains<br />Lands of purity<br /><br />The flood had come and gone washing everything away<br />Rendering the earth anew<br />It had destroyed them<br />But it had saved themOnedrophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14656833554702128333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2819643476717986529.post-40801131924918113702009-03-09T17:03:00.000-07:002009-03-09T17:05:06.529-07:00A poemA powerful weapon in the hands of many<br /> At the beginning, I thought<br /> A poem, big deal, a piece of literature, a piece of writing<br /> Words on paper<br /> A plain sight to see<br /> But that’s all I saw, a plain sight.<br /> Nothing deep, nothing special<br /> I was too<br /> Too<br /> Too shortsighted<br /> Too deaf<br /> Too blind<br /> Too impaired<br /> To see<br /> To see the power behind literature<br /> So powerful that it couldn’t be overwhelmed<br /> Poems are a language.<br /> They are motion<br /> They inspire<br /> They manipulate<br /> To understand, you must truly understand yourself<br /> To interpret<br /> You must understand<br /> And to understand<br /> You must know one thing<br /> Things aren’t what they always think<br /> So to understand<br /> Is to take a step<br /> Forward in life.Onedrophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14656833554702128333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2819643476717986529.post-54917277098138287482009-03-06T17:29:00.000-08:002009-03-06T17:32:39.916-08:00The Boston Massacre<div align="justify">Today is the day of the Boston Massacre. Over 230 years ago there were protesters against the british empire in New England. I’m sure you know the story. A group of British Soldiers fired upon a crowd of protesting mobbers. They were beaten with clubs and words, lobster shells and snowballs were being thrown at the british soldiers, but they stood there with their orders of neutrality. Finally, when a colonist approached a british soldier with a club, the soldier had no choice. They had no schoice but to fire in self defense, soon other soldiers were firing. No one knows if the captain gave the order to fire or not, but in either case, the pandemonium had ensued, there was chaos everywhere. Boston was soon buzzing with the news of the killings. Propaganda artists during the time like James Otis, Sam Adams and Paul Revere renamed this killing as a massacre in a bid to lower the public image of the british. The argument went on for a long time and involved a trial in which John Adams, the second president went against his own brother, Sam Adams to help soldiers. Its still in debate whether the soldiers were ordered to fire or did just from self defense. </div>Onedrophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14656833554702128333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2819643476717986529.post-19151372227382441052009-03-02T10:14:00.000-08:002009-03-02T10:15:16.786-08:00A voice from a child<div align="justify"> Being forced to do something on a regular basis that one does not like to do, want to do or even cares about, is no way to get things accomplished. Quality, not quantity is what really matters. If someone is forced to do something that they are not comfortable with on a regular basis, the quality of their work takes a nose dive. What some people most understand is others feel pain too. They are not to be treated like machines that will obey every command the others give out. So some respect, give them some slack, allow them to relax and then ask them to do something. </div>Onedrophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14656833554702128333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2819643476717986529.post-67142962686983389802009-02-27T15:19:00.000-08:002009-02-27T15:21:34.929-08:00Shakespeare is very hard to understand<div align="justify"> Shakespeare is very hard to understand. Currently in English we are reading and studying A Midsummer Nightʼs Dream. This is one of the easier ones. We have just finished reading the play. Soon we will have a cumulative test on the entire play. I really donʼt get what makes Shakespeare so great. I mean the language is unique and the plot funny, but I donʼt see the art and complexity of his writing. It seems the storyline is always based on 2 things. Marriage or everyone dying. The words are also very hard to understand. And the language strange. The humor is crude and every bit is strange. Their speeches are long and hard to decipher. There are good parts. The good things about the plays and the poems are the good morals and intelligent interpretation of the plays. They may have flaws, but all of his works do have merit. </div>Onedrophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14656833554702128333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2819643476717986529.post-4516376242686879402009-02-25T17:34:00.000-08:002009-02-25T17:35:56.949-08:00Rubikʼs cube<div align="justify"> A rubikʼs cube is an interesting puzzle invented by erno rubik in the early 20 century. It has over 4 quadrillion combinations possible so it is very hard to solve. Luckily there are techniques that are used to make solving one easy. The world record for speedcubing is less than 10 seconds. My personal record is 45 seconds. </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">There are 3 techniques and the more efficient ones are much harder but allow speedcubing to be possible. There are also variations on the 3x3 like the Rubikʼs Revenge, a 4x4 and the Professors Cube, a 5x5. Eastsheen has developed 6x6 and 7x7s. </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">They are exciting puzzles and solving one is a feat that almost everyone takes to great surprise and makes them believe you are a genius, when really, the technique for solving one is quite simple indeed.</div>Onedrophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14656833554702128333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2819643476717986529.post-35956400043897363982009-02-24T17:56:00.000-08:002009-02-24T17:57:49.067-08:00Pride<div align="justify"> Pride is a big factor of many societies. The pride of its people seems to have no limit. Almost everyone in this world cares more about what they think than about he thoughts of others. This is what makes arguments difficult. One side wont be able to see other peoplesʼ opinions and there fore, is oblivious to otherʼs thoughts and decisions and therefore makes the arguments harder to settle. This is a major obstacle in peopleʼs way and halts them from accomplishing their goals as easily. It also makes many people unaware of other peopleʼs pain and as time crawls on, people become less and less aware. Sooner or later, people turn ungrateful. They become crueler. This would lead to collapse and after a long, long time, the decomposition and deterioration of civilization. How to avoid this? Pay attention to the world and all it has to offer. Pay attention to other people. Pay attention to anyone but yourself more than you already do. In other words, be selfless. If everyone were to do this, the world would not need to be saved from anything, even if an apocalypse were to happen. Cooperation would save the world.</div>Onedrophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14656833554702128333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2819643476717986529.post-28232020424894881262009-02-23T16:47:00.000-08:002009-02-23T16:48:33.776-08:00The day after a vacation<div align="justify">The days after a vacation can be very tough. The thought of having to go back to school is very depressing for many people. But on the bright side, for many people the break can be a refreshing experience and going back to school fresh would be nice. Also, sometimes the vacation is a boring experience and a tiring one. If one has to stay inside for a full week and have to work again can sometimes be a tiring experience. And the experience of returning to the old is an enlightening and nice experience by itself. And if one has had an especially boring time, meeting oneʼs fellow classmates again is a great experience.</div>Onedrophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14656833554702128333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2819643476717986529.post-89703576668465419182009-02-21T19:21:00.000-08:002009-02-21T19:24:39.881-08:00We are wasting something each day<div align="justify">Wasting time, energy, money, resources and life is not the smartest idea. If someone gets something, say, a tape player, but <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">doesn</span>ʼt get a tape, then what is the point of getting the tape player? Also, in these harsh economic times, why would the company that is receiving a bailout, waste the bailout? Why would the government spend so much of its money on issues that are not needed? Why would people stand around and waste time when they know full well that their time is ticking away every nanosecond they are laying around, reading this paragraph, or in my case typing this paragraph? Fossil fuels reserves on the planet are rapidly deteriorating and we are burning it by the tons every minute. Nobody in the world seems to care about what is happening. Everything is falling apart and they are all doing what people do best, waste time. </div>Onedrophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14656833554702128333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2819643476717986529.post-32077274624131670772009-02-19T17:32:00.000-08:002009-02-19T17:34:09.236-08:00Prototype This<div align="justify"> Thereʼs this show called <strong><em>Prototype This</em></strong> on Discovery. The guys there are geniuses. They are inventing the types of things that the common people could only speculate and dream about, like body motion sensitive robots. So far, as Iʼ<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">ve</span> seen, human motion sensitive Robot boxing, motor propelled sofas, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">waterslide</span> simulators, personal airbags, 6-legged robots, psychic spoon bending machinery, and machinery that can sense human emotion, and above all, remote control of objects through the mind. Its q<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">uite</span> amazing. Some of those things help mankind, others are just awesome pieces of equipment.</div>Onedrophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14656833554702128333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2819643476717986529.post-45682051607824575052009-02-15T18:12:00.000-08:002009-02-15T18:14:34.127-08:00What if?<div align="justify"> I was just wondering what if different people see in different colors. For example, what if one person saw green as what someone else saw as blue? This would change everything. If one was to live in the other personʼs world, then what would they think? One would have to look on the labels on colors to figure things out. Of course <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">i am</span> sure many people have thought about this too. This mightʼ<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">ve</span> come from the idea of different color eyes. Someone with green eyes might see things differently than a person with blue or black eyes. Just something to ponder about while riding in a car getting oneʼs head bored off.</div>Onedrophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14656833554702128333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2819643476717986529.post-31615537474392465432009-02-12T18:15:00.000-08:002009-02-12T18:17:10.637-08:00The martial arts<div align="justify">The martial arts is a curious thing. At times it is used as an art of war. Other times it is used as a tool for peace and meditation, exercise and the bettering of oneself. It is fighting written fancily. One must be calm and determined in order to win. One must have discipline. </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">There are several types of martial arts including boxing, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">kung</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">fu</span>, karate, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">taekwondo</span>, wrestling, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">muay</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">thai</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">choikwondo</span>, and street fighting. Normally when people say Martial Arts, they usually mean the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Asian</span> variety. Many people mistakenly assume that martial arts are merely a categorized and developed style of fighting, but there is much more to it. People get stronger doing Martial Arts seriously than most <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">exercises</span> machines. And once one masterʼs martial arts, they also must learn controlling themselves. In a way martial arts are also passive. It requires speed and agility, strength and understanding. Some world acclaimed martial artists include Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Jet Li and the list goes on.</div>Onedrophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14656833554702128333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2819643476717986529.post-70081578286003907302009-02-11T17:46:00.000-08:002009-02-11T17:48:42.734-08:00Contrast: a remarkable thing<div align="justify">Contrast is a remarkable thing. It is literally 2 sides of the same coin. One is one way and the other is the other way.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"> Life can have contrast also. There are the high moments and there are the low moments. Things can jump from being great to apocalyptic. Contrast defines change. When change occurs it is different but serious change involves contrast. When contrasted the situation can turn things around, oneʼs personality can turn around and someone can turn from a moody, angry and unstable person at the edge of a cliff, about to fall over to a jolly person that easily controls himself if he finds that the cliff is only an inch tall and the bottom is filled with pillows and money. Life fluctuates and contrasts all the time so we can find ourselves happy in one moment and depressed in another. Serious changes can lead to a complete change of personality. This is often the case that is avoided, unless the contrasting change turns the person or thing in a positive way.</div>Onedrophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14656833554702128333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2819643476717986529.post-7961266202674217482009-02-10T06:08:00.000-08:002009-02-10T06:11:39.147-08:00Argument on national bank<div align="justify">The argument in the government between Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton was going on for some time and its still going on. Their most recent argument is the one of the national bank issue. </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">Hamilton is in support of the bank and Jefferson is against it. At this point Congress is debating whether or not to create a bank or not. They are currently not sure about the legality of the situation because it may be unconstitutional to create a national bank. There are currently 2 main opinions in the matter. One of them is Hamiltonʼs idea and the other one is Jeffersonʼs. The two of them are respectively Pro-national bank and Con-national bank. Hamilton was the one who came up with the plan of a national bank in hopes of giving the national economy a new factor. He hoped that the national bank would be a bank where the government could store its money. Hamiltonʼs ideas of a national bank also lead him to the idea of a national mint, where the United States could produce its own coins. This bank would be able to lend money to various businesses and the government. Hamilton also knew the risks of the kind of power this Bank would bring so he drew up a 20-year charter, where after the time was up, only congress would be able to decide if the bank would continue to exist or not. He also asked the states to each start their own banks to ensure that this bank would not monopolize the system. Hamilton also stated that the bank was in accordance with the powers granted to the Congress though the constitution. Specifically, Article I Section 8 gave them the power, otherwise known as the elastic clause. He obviously thought that the National Bank and the mint were necessary and proper for the Nation to function efficiently. This is what some people call loose construction of the constitution. Like always, Jefferson was against Hamilton, whatever Hamilton agreed with, it was almost certain that Jefferson would disagree. Both Jefferson and Madison thought that the National Bank was a risky idea. They did not believe that the U.S. constitutionʼs elastic clause cover this kind of stuff. This is what some people call strict construction, adhering by what exactly what the constitution says, no loopholes. Jefferson also believes that necessary only should be applied in special situations and that the law only applies to the things that necessary and proper, not merely convenient. </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">Currently, the public opinion is leaning towards Hamiltonʼs side and Washington is more supportive of Hamilton. Hamiltonʼs idea is a great idea. There is nothing that can go wrong. It is a plan that is supposed to improve the economy and give the government a bigger leverage in the economy. It is designed to aid, not to harm. The only thing that is in its way is a minor technicality in the constitution called strict construction. It is the fundamental basis of the elastic clause to provide areas of the government in which the congress can improve or update. The national bank is a plan used to strengthen the United States of America and there is nothing serious stopping it, so donʼt stop it. </div>Onedrophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14656833554702128333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2819643476717986529.post-42361617183958482712009-02-09T05:41:00.000-08:002009-02-09T05:43:25.729-08:00What do people do before tests<div align="justify">Before tests, what do people do? Do they study? Do they linger and try to forget about the test or do they panic? </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">I like the second option. Usually they studying is already done in class. Unless the test involves memorization like the knowledge of capitals or something like that. Normally, when I take a test, I just use common sense and the knowledge that I picked up from class. And so far, the technique has worked perfectly for me in every school except for the hard ones. It seems that I only need one look under pressure and I do fine. This is why when I get a bad grade, I gripe over it more than normal people do, because I keep wondering that if I had studied some more, I wouldʼ<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">ve</span> done much better. Luckily that has happened only a handful of times so I am confident that my technique works better than 4 hours of studying, taking notes and memorization put together, you just need to be determined and have a large capacity for knowledge intake. </div>Onedrophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14656833554702128333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2819643476717986529.post-32088033337646418612009-02-07T16:44:00.000-08:002009-02-07T16:47:45.114-08:00Microwaves are amazing<div align="justify">Microwaves are amazing. For one thing they are extremely handy when it comes to cooking stuff because of its amazing energy output that cooks things instantaneously. It can also be used to cook up aspirins and other types of drugs quicker than the usual way. But the greatest achievement done using a microwave is cooking random things in it like <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Gamecubes</span>, remote controls, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">wiimotes</span>, watermelons, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">lightbulbs</span>, even <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">rubik</span>’s cubes. Just pop one of those things in, take cover, and when it stops, look inside and see what kind of devastation you’<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">ve</span> caused to the thing you put in. For example, ping pong balls go in and start exploding. If you put a microwave in a microwave, the microwave in the microwave breaks the host microwave. In fact there is a series of episodes on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Youtube</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">soley</span> devoted to putting things inside microwaves and seeing what happens. So far, they’<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">ve</span> gone through over 7 microwaves, 3 locations and have broken several electronics, a Barbie doll, 2 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">furbies</span>, a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Pikachu</span>, a baker dozen eggs, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">thermite</span>, a spray paint bottle, a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">rubik</span>’s cube and several bars of soap. There have been a total of 133 episodes and 5 seasons and still counting.</div>Onedrophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14656833554702128333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2819643476717986529.post-18298473541244454602009-02-06T06:02:00.000-08:002009-02-06T06:06:11.513-08:00They are fighting for a reason<div align="justify"><em>*****a school report****</em></div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">In the very beginning, Earl Percy’s hand held up a sword flashing in the light, the beacon of inspiration. The Redcoats charged. They charged forward, transforming into a single entity with all the power of a conqueror. A scarlet dragon as they say. A force of domination. Awing and destroying everything in its way. One sees Johnny, skeptical that the poor farmer minutemen even stood a chance against the incredible force that was approaching them. As they charged away from Boston, it seemed that the war was over before it even began. That all was lost. That all that they had been working for, protesting for and fighting for was lost, that they had no chance against the invincible, omnipotent British Army. With all of this, it <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">isn</span>’t surprising that the people were extremely surprised when the British come back. In the beginning, they don’t see anything. Then the army comes back. They come back pathetic, disparate and individuals. Disheartened and as Esther Forbes describes, red ants. All of the hope that was lost when the British left was rushing back with the defeated British. They know now that they have a chance, that they could make it through the war alive and free. And as for the British, they realize that they are not merely fighting a group of poor farmers fighting for an imaginary freedom, they are fighting for a reason, and that reason was what was keeping them up. They ideal that a man could stand up. </div>Onedrophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14656833554702128333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2819643476717986529.post-55703905669102188572009-02-05T07:07:00.000-08:002009-02-05T07:09:07.843-08:00a great site for reference: Wikipedia<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Wikipedia</span> is a great site for reference. It is a site where people can post information about any topic they wish. Some say that the information on the site is faulty because it can be posted and edited by anyone. But by my experience almost all of the information on the site is genuine. One of the best things about it is that it is partially opinion based. This allows personal experiences to be shared. And since anyone can post stuff, there is nearly an article on everything. On a normal encyclopedia there are only select topics on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">wikipedia</span>, everyone contributes. There are also some specific encyclopedias devoted to specific topics. Topics like Halo, Spore, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Eragon</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Dragonball</span> Z. Many people use <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">wikipedia</span> for their everyday enlightenment needs. Things like projects, essays, and homework use <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">wikipedia</span>. In a nutshell, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">wikipedia</span> is an all purpose awesome encyclopedia.Onedrophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14656833554702128333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2819643476717986529.post-34154514046649937752009-02-04T07:17:00.000-08:002009-02-04T07:19:06.976-08:00Snowshoeing<div align="justify">At my school, we are currently having a snowshoeing course. I does not like it very much because I came from the South. I am going to rant about it in this essay just to get all the pent up frustration out. </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">First off we are expected to wear heavy winter clothes. Sadly, outside it is currently too warm to be wearing jackets, but is too cold to be without them. The P.E. teachers say that if we don’t wear the jackets we go out and freeze in school clothes. Even if its snowing out. </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">Secondly. The snowshoes don’t work very well. We sink just about as much as boots do and it seems that the only thing that keeps the snowshoes from completely sinking is a combination of spread out weight distribution and packing of the snow and anyway, the extra 2 pounds strapped to one’s feet is debilitating and it makes walking harder. They have about 70 pairs of snowshoes each costing them around 88 dollars. That’s a crazy 6160 dollars. Our water fountain in the gym <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">isn</span>’t working and the school looks like a literal jail. With 6k one can at least get the water fountains online and make some renovations to the building instead of wasting all of it on ridiculous snowshoes that people hate and don’t work as well as the older types do.</div>Onedrophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14656833554702128333noreply@blogger.com0