I Want You All to Consider This...

...and the next time you feel angry, remember Carl Sagan's wisdom.

NASA's Spitzer Finds Solid Buckyballs in Space

Here is the link to the article.

     Well, I have finally found a new medium of news to discuss. Albeit, it is pretty much a beefed up version of SA. NASA! Straight from the space agency comes a whole round of posts concerning life, the Universe, and everything.
     Buckyballs are molecules constructed of 60 carbon atoms. They are super strong, conduct well, and could be used for a whole multitude of things. The article named medicines, water purification and armor, but what is to stop us for using it for anything that needs extreme strength? Possibly the outer layers of a rocket? If they are shock-absorbent, they could be used as car bodies and chassis, and possibly even drum shells. They are described as a sort of wonder-material. I think that the real value of the article comes from something else: what else is out there that we don't know about? I'll leave you to your imagination.
     I'm currently accumulating a great knowledge on writing a scientific news report I've discovered. I've read many posts from SA and various science blogs from universities. Blogging skeptics, I disagree with your views that this has nothing to do with your education as a writer. I have learned a great amount about the universe and the way to write about it through this. It is very helpful. At least, it is what you make of it.

A Scientific Observation

    Browsing Scientific American and the science pages of the Times, I have realized something. There are very few scientific articles concerning physics, astrophysics, and non-theoretical cosmology. My theory is that they are too difficult for the general public to comprehend, but that theory falls through mainly because if you're reading SA, you're probably pretty intelligent. Throw in some mathematics! Stop being such hardcore writers. Give us some physics from deep space! Okay, this is just my expressing my discontent for the content of the magazines I'm working with. Stop writing to please environment hippies and small minds! I know you can do better.

Sagan

"“Look again at that dot. That’s here. That’s home. That’s us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every “superstar,” every “supreme leader,” every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there—on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.”

Carl Sagan

Shame Is Not the Solution

Here is the link to the article.

     Teaching is a weird art. After teaching drums for about four months now, an unexpected obstacle has risen. I get no feedback so I don't know how to improve. If I were to ask a student to critique my teaching style, he would probably just say good and move on because it put him in a bad situation. Not that there are grades with music, but if it were a conventional classroom, a student would be pressured to write an unfair view for fear of saying anything bad about them. It would take some willpower. So really the question is how do teachers become better teachers? Do they judge by their test scores? Since they administered them, they shouldn't. A teacher will never really know how they are doing unless a student directly confronts them, and as I said, it is unlikely to happen. It is a strange art.

     I thought the article was bland. I've come to realize something though. Newspaper is boring. There is seldom an interesting editorial. I don't see any reason to read them unless you are trying to become a better writer (hence Blog). I don't think it is fair that teacher's ratings can be made public, and I do not think that shame is the answer either, but I believe the first step to becoming a great educator is becoming humble. They can go hand and hand, but this certainly isn't the way to do it. It is simply not fair. Read the article if you want to, but I wouldn't do it again.

Shuttering Bad Charter Schools

Here is the link to the article.

     What is wrong with charter schools? They are chances for gifted students to strive. It is a place for students who would be bored in a public school to learn. It is for the free thinkers and innovators of the future, and I only wish my parents had given me the option to go to one. I think why much of America hates charter schools is because they do not provide equal opportunities to all children. A child at a charter school will be more likely to receive a meaningful education than one at a public school because they are not tethered to the bogus education laws in place. This puts many children at a disadvantage, and thus the monumental hate of charter schools is erected. My thoughts are this: if you actually care about education, and not about numbers, you will find charter schools an amazing opportunity. Only the figure-crazed portion of America (and let's face it, it is a very hefty piece) would dislike an education in which you actually are allowed to learn. It goes back to the banking concept; those who are going to learn will learn, and those who would rather fill themselves with useless information will do so. Also, one thing about banking, I believe it is ultimately the student's decision whether or not they actually learn something. There are so many resources out there that allow anybody to learn anything, which is why I believe that charter schools are good. The public school student must find the resources of actual knowledge on their own, while a charter school delivers them to the student. Just because they are receiving a great education doesn't mean you should be mad at them.
     "A 2009 study from Stanford University’s Center for Research on Education Outcomes found that 37 percent of charter schools performed worse on student test measures than their traditional counterparts. Given that data, closure rates should clearly be higher." Wow that made me mad.If you hate charter schools so much, why don't you go around burning them? Just because it scored lower than a public school doesn't mean that it is worse. I won't reveal it here, but I have a great philosophy on this. Coming soon. I would bet that if you talked to some of the charter students, they would be brighter and more personable than the average public school student. You are not your numbers.
     The author (unnamed, probably because he was too ashamed to post a name to it) is stupid. He uses backwards logic and fallacies to "support" his opinions on charter schools. Not to mention it really ticked me off. He relied heavily on ethos and allowed himself to get inflamed about charter schools. There were some logos present, but I don't agree with it. I could see the average mind agreeing with it, however. Don't even bother reading this garbage.

The Talent Society

Here is the link to the article.

     I will begin by posting a comment from the Time's forum written by a user called cgehner. "This is another one of the rambling, amorphous, nonsense editorials which Mr. Brooks seems to specialize in. To label the fact that, as a society and as individuals, we have become less cohesive, more shallow, without much of a sense of individual and social responsibility... to label this as "\'The Talent Society' strikes me as ludicrous." I could not have said it better. It reminded me of Sherlock (then again, so does everything) and how he calls himself a high-functioning sociopath. This actually is meant to be a joke I believe because that's what a psychopath is, but either way it fits David Brooks very well. He was probably sitting in his flat, alone, pondering his dwindling social network, because after all, he is a middle-aged man, so he can now speak for all of them, when he wrote this. I disagree with what he has to say, which is, social norms have changed from being married with kids to single and lonely.

     This article actually has opened my eyes to something I have been pondering a bit: people who live in major cities have no concept of suburban life and suburban dwellers have no regard for city life. We both tend to make sweeping generalizations about the other in no time at all. I was in Mass General yesterday, and I noticed something. The state of mind one must have in order to survive in the city, is indeed, shifted from that of suburbia, however, we are all still people. Just because a young man lives on his own in the city doesn't mean he's a sociopath who is only concerned with his work. Maybe he knows he can't support another person on his salary. Maybe he just lost his job and his girlfriend left him. Maybe he is a sociopath. No matter the case, one can't just assume he is a hipster who rejects society's wants and substitutes his own. In short, there is not enough (any) research to support Brooks' claims.

Why Online Dating Doesn't Work

Here is the link to the article.

     Okay, well I've always had a sort of radical opinion on this: meet people in person. There is not enough human interaction today (says the man behind the blog). People's abilities of judgement are diminishing, and with the internet growing, likely will never return. A human meeting a fellow human is a magical moment that, in my opinion, defines us. We show who we really want to be to those who don't know us. The key is that it has to be in person, otherwise the illusion won't work and you'll be another sleazy online jerk. You might meet someone who seems repulsive online because her profile claims that, "she really loves cats," when in real life she is a leading biologist with a PhD who travels to Africa twice a year to study lions. You are not you online.
     Well, I thought this was a pretty generic article. There was nothing that jumped out at me. It was quite boring, but it was quick, and therefore, almost painless. It's worth looking at if you ask me because it only took a minute or so.

Beyond SATs, Finding Success in Numbers

Here is the link to the article.

     There is a slight problem with this article and foundation. That is, the SAT's are fair. I will start my argument by negating yours: a quality of an intelligent person is being able to pass a test. Good test-takers need nerves of steel as well as intellect and experience. It is a summation of your character, work ethic, and overall aptitude for learning. It is high stakes, but guess what? So is life, so get over it. I do not pity poor testers, but I will help you if you need it because everyone should be able to test with ease. Moving on, I thought the man who started it is pretty chill, but I have no personal reaction whatsoever to the editorial. I think it is an odd concept, but seeing how it doesn't directly affect me, it does not matter and shall be treated as such.
     I thought the writing style was better than most Times composers. It did get boring around the middle, but I figured I had gotten that far already, so why stop? I particularly dislike the title. It is quite misleading: I thought I would read some way to hack the SAT's, but instead it talks about some students that were selected for their intellect that is not consistent with their scores. I see this as a problem. Hell, I should move to the Bronx so I can go to school for free. I'd be a shoo-in. Anyhow, the piece was average. Don't bother reading it.

GOD IS ANGRY!!

Before you read this, watch this video. It will only take a minute.

     In this blog, I will break down my views on God once and for all because I constantly get pestered about it, and this will provide a definite place for me to point them. Please do not take this entry personally, I don't aim to offend, insult, or anger people in any way. I do not aim to preach atheism or agnosticism in any way, shape, or form. This will mainly be arguing against a Christian religious system because I am familiar with it. Your religion and moral beliefs do not and will never have any impact on me, and the same should be said about you. Read at your own risk.
     To start, God does not exist, at least not in the traditional sense that Christians accept. Creationism is plain wrong. It has been disproved by science. Hawking put it this way: there was no time before the universe was created. Therefore, there was no time for a being to create the universe. Since time did not exist, neither did anything, including a god. Thus, a major gap in Christian belief is created. There you go. Stephen Hawking disproved God in one sentence. It is worth mentioning that I have never heard a better argument from a Christian.
     God has always been a scare tactic, and nothing more. Christians have been using "him" as a means to get what they want since religion began. Heaven and hell are nothing more than a way to make people fear going against your philosophies. This is one of the most hideous aspects of Christianity. This is how they rose to power to begin with; a system which is fundamentally based in fear, but shrouds itself in claims of love should hold no ground in the world. It has become a mass-scale brain-washing, polluting youth, scaring kids out of free will to either make their parents happy or for fear losing out on heaven or in fear of going to hell.. Christianity makes our kids too stupid to put two and two together: paradise and purgatory are tools used be people who wish to control and contort you. Unless you wish to become a mindless pig, buy into it, because, again, God has already been disproved. They have this idea that they have this thing called the "Mandate of Heaven", or the divine right to rule. Government is only derived from a mandate of the masses. The convoluted idea that they have the rights to my life, freedom, and mind is something that I find absolutely outrageous. In the kid's video about Mine Craft, he claims to be the "authority of America" because he is a Christian. Guess what? I do not care. You will not order me around, order any of my friends around, or convert me because you cannot compete with my massive intellect. I make my own decisions, end of story.
     One of the most frustrating parts of this argument is trying to deal with Christianity's extremists. Some could make a point that they are the worst extremists of any mainstream religion. The main reason in defense of this is that they will distort their precious faith to accommodate what they value outside of God's realm. One of their most controversial subjects is their thoughts on gay marriage. Here is a simple solution in which everyone wins: stay out of it. Your ignorance is already at titanic levels, why not add a little more to it? Homosexuality is not a disease; it is also not something to be ashamed of. The next person to tell me how much they hate gays will be verbally skinned.
     To sum up, I'm sorry Christianity, but your reign of power has come to an end. With the separation of church and state, you have become useless. Your deity has been disproved and your sole purpose today is to corrupt the American population. I stand by what I said on an old post, that religion should be abolished. It causes too much fear, grief, and institutionalization of thought to be allowed to continue. But who am I to tell you off? Take what I have said, or leave it. Just know that it makes no difference to me.

Who’s King Of Pop Now?

Here is the link to the article.

     Here is the problem: there are too many ways to download music (or buy it for that matter) to actually decide who is the best seller. With crazy piracy rates, it is impossible to tell who is number one. Sure, Cohen was atop Amazon for a while, but does that make him the king of popular music? Not quite. He has written some of the greatest songs ever, such as Hallelujah. This does not make him the greatest pop musician in the world because, to be honest, it is completely aesthetic. Cohen is far from my favorite pop musician. Some bands atop the list are Oasis, Mumford and Sons, Panic! At the Disco, and Guster. None of them even resemble Cohen which leads me to my next point: stop categorizing music as pop. Just because it is popular doesn't mean it is the conventional form of "pop", meaning Britney Spears or Miley Cyrus or someone like that. Call Oasis indie, Mumford folk, Panic! rock, and Guster indie. Stop calling music pop, or even worse, the lazy way out, which is of course, alternative.
     I really liked some of the points the author raised. "Until the last century, there was no expectation that artists would constantly change styles and messages." He just crapped all over our generation's music, and while I don't agree with a lot of it, it is true that some of the older popular artists have stayed true to their original genres. You don't hear Paul rapping. But I do have to say that musical taste does evolve, and it is a creative freedom that we posses to be able to move on. I don't think we should judge bands based on how closely their newest album resembles their oldest. While the author claims that music should not be like fashion, I must disagree and say that if music never evolved, we would still be singing drum beats from thousands of years ago. There is no final destination, and just because we are in a dark age right now, don't go bashing people's musical talent because they're popular. By all means, do it if they suck, but Cohen doesn't. He wrote probably the most influential piece of music of all time, so don't say anything about him. Clearly this writer doesn't know much about music and its history. Ethos is way out of whack here. You cannot simply rely on pathos when discussing music. Try again next time.

A Universe from Nothing

Here is the link to the article.

     Einstein is truly a man of another character. His strengths were not strictly scientific as he was an outstanding philosopher, and a great bike rider. I have a fairly long list of his moral ideas which have no place here, but it is worth mentioning. I have little reaction to the excerpt because there is little science that I did not already know because I have an interest in cosmology and have done a good deal of independent research on it. I know that the universe is expanding and all that jazz that I won't get into for fear of boring the reader.
     I thought that the article was well-written. To start, it was actually an excerpt from a book. The reason I liked how it was constructed was that it pulled a generic quote out right from the start to engage the imagination of the reader. The purpose of the excerpt wasn't entirely scientific; it possessed a mysterious quality that caused the reader to want to wonder about the universe. It is encouraging the average mind to become extraordinary. It makes the reader think to further the opportunities of science. It is an advertisement that dares the reader not just to question Einstein's theories, but to come up with their own and try to prove them. Not that it will happen, but that is the beauty of it all. You are free to think whatever you would like, and the author is only there to guide your thoughts and emotions. Overall, a nice article for those who are interested in cosmology.

Number Games

     Everyday, I hear the same few classmates complaining about how low their grades are because their just teachers are unfair. To you shallow people, and I think you know who you are (though you won't be reading this), stop. Just stop. Your fanaticism over your cume is your greatest fault. Your unrelenting drive to beat my GPA will eventually be the death of you. Or will it? After all, if you let your numbers define who you are, you are living a non-human life. You aren't experiencing what it means to learn, to live. You are only fulfilling your parents and teacher's expectations, and while the act is admirable, it is far less so than learning, not for your future's sake, but for personal enjoyment and want. The one who learns for another is a fool, a hypocrite, a fake. True knowledge exists only in the way that we want it to, not because it is required to be.
     Your grade is fair, dear complainer, as your actions and words have justified it. Your incentive for apathy is holding you back, and will do so until your dying day. Meanwhile, you become defensive at the slightest mention that you do not, in fact, deserve the number grade that you have, the rank and the credit you have "earned" due to the above. Your work ethic, you claim, is great,but in fact it is just that. It is a work ethic, not a learn ethic. For those of you who spit facts back, I have little reverence. I cannot accept that you wish to do well. However, when the two coexist in one body, an essential colossus of learning is spawned. There are very few; I am not one. Nobody I know is one, so why even bother continuing to talk about it? There is a difference between a person of wisdom and a person of knowledge, of learning. Your learning should not exist in merely an academic setting. One must carry what is developed in the classroom into life, and more importantly, bring learning to your feeble lives, for it will give them strength. Take notice of your thoughts. See just where they take you, and maybe, just maybe, you will escape your fate of numerical suicide.

On The Birth of Charles Dickens

     Charles John Huffam Dickens was born on February 7, 1812 to John and Elizabeth Dickens in Landport at Portsea. In case you didn't notice, that makes today his 200th birthday. I randomly came across this fact while reading a comparison of he and Twain which was actually quite interesting, but consider the odds of my finding this. If my calculations are correct, it is a one in 73800 chance that I find out his birthday on exactly his 200th birthday.

     I am not the biggest Dickens fan, although I have blogged about his lifestyle; I've only ever read his Great Expectations and A Christmas Carol. While I did enjoy it, and it was one of the best books we read freshman year, I have never read any of his other works. I'm pretty sure A Tale of Two Cities is in the Junior curriculum, however, I don't know if that applies to the AP class. One thing in particular I liked about Great Expectations was Dickens' ability to present and alter characters. Pip's moral persona changes so rapidly throughout the novel that it adds energy to the piece. While he is one of the few that actually changes, the rest of the characters' personalities are placed carefully and in accordance to the plot, the theme, and most importantly, to Pip. Dickens is revered as a master of the English language at the level of Shakespeare and Twain, and in celebration of his 200th birthday, I dedicate this post to him.

First Impressions of Townie

     I am actually having trouble reading this book. I can't concentrate on much of what Dubus is saying because I feel as if the story isn't going anywhere. Granted, I'm only 46 pages in, but I think something key about memoirs is that their plot inches along. It happened in The Tender Bar. As well. The plot just doesn't move. It takes so long to get going, then you only have a moment of enjoyment for the last 50-100 pages you've read.
     The reason I enjoyed The Tender Bar so much was because of the constant, beautiful language that Moehringer used. It made you forget about how slow the story actually was, and when one finally arrived at one of the high points, it would overwhelm them. This changes with Townie because Dubus' linguistic skills are not even close to that of Moehringer's. They are wildly pedestrian; he describes his already boring life with your average writer's word choice. Moehringer talked constantly about how he expanded his vocabulary; Dubus does no such thing. While Dubus is still talented, I feel as if he is writing to write if that makes sense. He seems as if he's taken the joy of the act out of the work. It is as if he takes away his artistic integrity. As I continue to trudge through Townie, I may choose to follow up to this. Maybe not. We will see.

Facebook is Using You

Here is the link to the article.

     The author of this article did something interesting: she implied pathos. She made you feel emotional about the subject although she wrote using only logos and ethos. It makes you want to scream and kick something. She illustrates a miserable paradox: you can't expect to use the internet without being put at some sort of disadvantage, but you still can't not use the internet or you won't be able to function as efficiently because of this age of instant information. This really ticks me off because it shows that big corporations are controlling our lives, and not just because of the mass of time you spend on it for no reason. It is not okay. I will not have Facebook make my life decisions for me. I am my own person, and I will not be raised to die by some dirty, money-filthy pig sitting behind a desk. So here is what we do: create a movement to ban the tracking of web data, rendering us immune to online red-lining. This will be a serious problem unless someone does something big. Will it hurt the economy? Yes, but will it save you, reader? Heck yeah. Take a stand for yourself because God knows nobody else will.
     Actually, this article was a pretty rich example of logos and ethos. It argued using (seemingly) valid points, and presented ideas that a fairly seasoned reader wouldn't know or realize. I felt strongly that the article was correct, which means that she did her job, and did it well. I have a natural distrust of big-game corporations such as Facebook and Google, but that doesn't stop me from using them. I'm writing this using Google Chrome, and was on Facebook an hour ago. This scares me a bit, knowing that every move I make is being recorded, analyzed, and judged by people who I'm sure believe themselves to be better than I am. Sure, many people are eating out of the palm of your hand, but I am not.

Is GPS All in Our Heads?

Here is the link to the article.

     I chose this article because it has much to do with the last post I made. Humans are not only losing social skills, but now they are losing basic survival skills. If there was some sort of apocalypse, the ones without the GPSes would be the only survivors. During my driving hours about a year ago, the instructor had me drive someone home, and even though I knew exactly where he lived because we are old friends, she insisted on plugging it into the GPS, "just in case." People's faith in themselves is diminishing past the point of return. I much agree with the article; humans need to experience navigation for themselves, and I personally believe they need to be cognitive of it at a very young age to develop the skill. There are really no upsides to using a GPS other than showing you exactly where you need to go, so why not actually use your head and think about the route you need to take? Another incident of mass indolence.
     I liked the language of the article very much. Actually, it's not that I enjoyed the language so much, but instead I liked a specific analogy. Julia Frankenstein said, while describing the lack of information displayed on a GPS map, "Developing a cognitive map from this reduced information is a bit like trying to get an entire musical piece from a few notes." Beautiful! A GPS is the equivalent of a condensed score! Someone hit the Mr. Ketchen soundboard! This was a very interesting read. I am beginning, through this blog, to finally comprehend the magnitude of human incompetence in life.

Quantum Cryptography Comes to Smart Phones

Here is the link to the article.

     Have you ever seen a person doing something absolutely idiotic with a smartphone? I sure have. I think that the idea of a smartphone is actually quite stupid. A smartphone takes away from your life. I have some crappy phone with a slide out keyboard that I use every now and then. I also have an iPod touch, second generation. I bought it with the mindset that all the apps and the ease of music navigation would be worth it. I mainly bought it, however, because it was around the time that everyone started getting them. If I had known how useless they actually are, I would have put my money I worked hard to earn to better use. Nowadays, the only thing I use my iPod Touch for is my book app (which is actually awesome, it has all the classics you could think of; it claims some 23,000+ books, but I would still prefer a kindle) and as a clock. I use my sister's old green iPod for music, but mainly listen on Spotify on my computer. The unneeded distractions spawned by smart phones don't seem to be going away, or anywhere for that matter, so instead of arguing with the feeble people who use them, I will instead talk about the article.
     The author relied on logos mostly in an attempt to warn the infidels of their blessed iPhone's shortcomings. That is actually quite ironic as people with iPhones probably don't read SI. And not Sports Illustrated. As these foolish people continue to place their trust in the fact that nobody can hack it because it's their phone, more and more are being robbed. It is sort of sad I think; the poor people too stupid to realize it are playing prey to sleazy people. These thieves are real threats, and people are too caught up in their iLightSabers to take heed. None of this would've happened if we didn't have smart phones in the first place. They are a way for pompous people to flaunt their wealth. Nobody needs one, especially high schoolers.  There is nothing important enough happening in anyone's lives at Hanover to constitute the number of Twitter followers they think they deserve. News flash, you are a boring, miserable, shallow person! Nobody should willingly pay attention to your status updates, profile picture changes, and relationship statuses. I see a fair number of my classmates on their iPhones in class constantly. They are repeat offenders; some even sit in the class with their iPhones in their laps, blatantly disrespecting their teachers, classmates, and making themselves look bad. If you had an actual emergency, excuse yourself from class and make a call in the office. Just because you think what you will be drinking Friday night is more important than your schoolwork doesn't mean that it actually is. In short, smart phones are a dehumanizing society and creating emotional, ethical, and social issues. They are unnecessary and should be disposed of accordingly.

Memoir Take Two: Townie

Townie by Andre Dubus III.

Funny, You're So Sad

Here is the link to the article.

     I haven't read the article yet. However, before I do, I will take the time to say that this entire post will be about the linguistic style of David Hill because I feel like I've been getting off-topic as of late. I will be right back.

     Back. Hill used a fair amount of rhetorical devices which is actually better than most of the Times Columnists already. However, it was not to the point of abuse so that it took away from what he was trying to say. An example of one would be the providing of examples. He would do it indirectly, never coming out and rattling off a list, instead telling his story while he did so. "The more comedy shows I went to, the more I began to think like a comic. Every insight I would have, every observation, every anecdote, I subconsciously turning into jokes. The scenes in my real life played out in my head as stories told on stage framed by a spotlight - each beat followed by a comforting blanket of laughs from a sympathetic audience," (Hill). He expresses his longing for a comedic experience in which he nails his jokes and is recognized as a good guy.
     You have to feel bad for him; David Hill has been through a lot. Not to sound pretentious, but I like the fact that he doesn't dwell on his losses. He offers the information without remorse, coolly even, without looking back. He has an it-is-what-it-is attitude, and you can tell he doesn't want to trip over the minor details that could potentially take away from his plot. Douglas Adams once wrote something along the lines of "I never got the hang of Tuesdays" in The Guide and never mentioned it again. Not throughout the entire "trilogy". David Hill's voice was smooth, almost relaxing if it were not for his revelation of the truth of most comedians. His use of pathos and ethos compliment each other, however, there is an absent of logos. Let's be honest though, there is little logic in comedy ( I am not hating I swear). Anyhow, it was a nice read, and it actually had some lyrical worth. Check it out.

An Abundance of Exoplanets Changes our Universe

Here is the link to the article.

     I have often thought about this. What is out there? Who is out there? There is no doubt in my mind that there are other life forms out there (Hawking has almost proved it statistically) but the question that lingers is where are they, will we find them before we die out, and if we do find them, how could we contact them? There are many more that I don't wish to talk about including should we talk to them, or will they be able to understand us? Mark my words: there is non-earth life out there. Watch this and argue statistics with me, I dare you. Until we find each other, life goes on. That is all I have to say about that.

     I think this article is a bit useless. It is asking us to appreciate the Universe as the writer sees it, which is all the stars that have been studied and named when in actuality, we can never accomplish that goal. NEVER! Space is expanding too quickly! We physically cannot capture all the stars within the observable universe (about 13 BILLION light years because that is about the time of the Big Bang) and then record all the ones that were recently spawned. Think about that: there is actually something out there that is quantifiably impossible.

     Take a look at the map of the observable universe shown in the video. Those lights aren't just stars, or galaxies, but THOUSANDS of galaxies! There is so much out there that I cannot even describe it. It surpasses the ability of the human mind to comprehend, so why even try? Plus, we don't even know exactly how much is beyond our view! I thought that the article was a good thought and a step in the right direction, but it was an ENORMOUS understatement as to the size of the Universe and the discoveries we've made. There is (as usual) nothing spectacular or otherwise to discuss linguistically in the article. It was written with an awestruck tone, which leads me to believe the author is easily astounded. To end, I would like to leave the reader with a couple of theories. The first one says if ever anyone discovers exactly what the universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory that states that this has already happened. These are the products of the eccentric and genius mind of Douglas Adams. Goodnight.

The Tender Bar as an Addition to the AP Curriculum

     Yesterday, I went skiing. On the three-hour drive up to the mountain, I forgot where I was. I didn't know that I was going skiing with my cousins who I won't see for months because they're going to Sweden. I didn't know that the day that we picked was the day that the lift tickets were only ten dollars, and that it just snowed the perfect amount the night before. I was consumed. I was engrossed within a memoir that isn't. It does not recount the J.R. Moehringer's life thus far. It presses rewind and repeat.
     Never have I read a book so rhetorically sound. A work like this comes around very rarely, and I am lucky enough to be cherishing it today. I didn't even choose to read the book; Mrs. Fay said something like "Here Jimbo read this", and off I went. I was dreading the book. Everything about it seemed alien. I didn't like the look of the author, the title, really anything about it. Without reading a synopsis, I jumped right into the prologue, with my usual negative mindset of books that I don't want to read.
     In ten pages, I was hooked, reeled in, salted, and served. I have never read (or at least taken notice of) a book so rhetorically rich. A line I found particularly exciting was "Of course many bars in Manhasset, like bars everywhere, were nasty places, full of pickled people marinating in regret," (Moehringer 7). This was the first great example I came across. All of a sudden, as I was reading an unexceptional introduction, I was hit with a perfect line. The word "marinating" is so expertly placed that I had to stop reading to appreciate its value. As I carry on reading, the word continues to present its true meaning to the reader. Dickens, Moehringer's favorite bar, is a tool for outlining the true definition of the verb "marinate" because of its people, its relax at all costs attitude, and its atmosphere. The air was described as the color of beer. There are countless amounts of examples of words that can describe everything in this book. That is the way Moehringer writes: he tells the hideous truth beautifully.
     Mrs. Fay, I feel that I have learned more in the first 113 pages of J.R. Moehringer's The Tender Bar that in any other piece of literature we've read in class. For next year's class, I would recommend one memoir of the student's choice and The Tender Bar. Your job will become one billion times easier and your students will be handed fives on the AP exam, I guarantee it (that is not a guarantee). The moral of the story is that everyone should read this book, and I cannot wait until the sweet end.

Edit: This book just made me tear up, right here in the middle of history class. I have strong doubts that this will ever happen again as I didn't imagine it possible to begin with. This shows just how spectacular the book is, and I implore you to experience it.

A Long Overdue Rant on Scheduling...AGAIN

     Yes, I ranted about it before in response to Kelly's article in the Mariner. Today is one of the worst days of all time. I can only think of two others so bad. Today is terrible because I have a physics lab to do. The highest grade I've ever gotten on one was a B-. I have only not gotten a perfect score or above perfect score on one of Doc's tests which proves that I know the material thoroughly. Why the f**k should I have to do a lab that takes three out of my four days off to do? It pisses me off to no end. It's not that I'm mad at Doctor DeFranzo; it is a part of his course. I am ticked off because I got forced into doing this garbage. The guidance department and the administrators responsible should have been fired for the atrocity that occurred. My peers and I have been put at a disadvantage that cannot be undone. I would've thought that the administration would at least try to stay on the ball with NEASC right around the corner.
     My year is a joke. I am not learning anything. English is the only class I consider remotely challenging, and that's only because of the work load, not the content. Why should a kid who sleeps through a level one class he was forced into, yet still gets the highest grade in the class, need to do the busy work that comes with level one classes? Work will be the death of me. As long as I am learning, work is no big deal. But when it gets to the point that I know the concept, I need to move on or else I go insane. The only productive part about physics is that I practice sight reading music all the time. I haven't learned anything because I'm not compatible with the class. I only know one other person in my class who gets the material like I do, and she feels the same way as I do. Oh and there are a couple in the other level one that got forced in like me who also treat it like a study and get A's. It is too hard for me to actually concentrate on this stupid, pointless lab that I really just feel like guessing with the numbers because I know that even if I got a zero on this lab I would still have an A. I can't do this. F word. To summarize, I wish to learn, but my school will not allow me to. I am ashamed to be graduating from Hanover High.

The Whirling Sound of Planet Dickens

Here is the link to the article.

     Dickens is pretty chill. The thing that bugs me about this is that whenever I think of him, I automatically think about the Doctor Who episode about him. Also, when he's being interviewed on the "tele", it's quite funny. He says something along the lines of this year's special will involve ghosts of the past, present, and future all at once! It was funny because time had collapsed and all time was happening at once and was about to deteriorate into nothing! Speaking of which, this year's Christmas special was miserable. I strongly disliked it, which is sad because I loved last year's so much. It was too sappy. Last year's was straight up sad, but this one was the feel-good story of the year. I did, however, like what they did with the trees and how they have souls and spirits. Also, I liked the Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe-esque feel, specifically the box.
     But let's get back to Dickens. I thought that they kind of described him as a 19th century rock star. He partied, was crazy, and was extremely successful. This is somewhat in contrast to the Doctor Who bit, in which he seemed very inquisitive. Actually that might be because he met a Time Lord. But in the article, he seems like he has every answer to everything. He seems so self-assured that he needs to wander the streets in search of new questions that need answering. This he probably considered to be his life's aim. It is not a bad one if you ask me. Dickens is probably one of the most interesting people to ever live. I wish I could talk to him for just an hour to gain some his wisdom in writing and in life. I liked the line, "Every night he walked a dozen miles, without which, he said, 'I should just explode and perish.'” However, I think the real beauty lies in Dickens' character. The article was a pretty good read, and surprisingly well written. I would  recommend it.

Unnatural Landscapes: The Human Impact on Earth's Surface

Here is the link to the article.

     I am no tree hugger. I will never sit outside a college (or in Boston) in protest of the destruction of the environment. There is nothing I can do to stop the spread of human growth. It is way too late for that. But these pictures are just wrong. Look at the pile of tires. Stephen Hawking has never used numbers that large. Here is a question for the AP Environmental Science class: what's up in Canada? I would bet that they would have no response. There is just an abundance of environmental problems. In real life, the environment is being torn apart right under our noses (remember that dull Patterns story, The Secret Life of Garbage?). My response? Oh well. Too bad. Too soon we will have to pack our bags and ship out to some planet at the edge of the universe. Hopefully science will develop to the point in which we actually have the ability to do so. Maybe Hawking will find the answer to stabilizing wormholes. Maybe. These are some pretty huge problems, and I don't know about you, but I don't want to end up like the people in Wally. Moral of the story is to keep pushing for astrophysics because environmental scientists aren't doing us any favors. Remember that actions speak louder than words.

Happiness Is.

     Have you, dear reader, ever been in a good mood? I mean an exuberant, walk-on-clouds mood for no good reason whatsoever? Well, it doesn't happen often, but I'm in one. Though my face lacks the smile that one would expect, my thoughts have aligned. It cannot be explained by any doctor; I am just happy. I didn't even have a good day. I was asked a lot of deep questions that I haven't come up with answers to from people I wouldn't expect to pose them. This might have to do with it. I often obsess over ethics inside my head, rarely revealing what I come up with. This time, I was put on the spot about something I have never noticed. The question was "Can I just be replaced?". The answer is yes, and I know and accept this, but why? Can everybody? At least the majority of the American population could I believe. This, strangely, does not disturb me. The person who was down about this question. Why? In fact, I find it comforting that there is someone who will be just as good as I am at living life. I am happy with what I've done thus far, and I am proud of every word I've said. I don't have a single regret because if anything had turned out to be slightly different, than I would be an entirely different person. That is frightful. I am happy right now, and because of that, I love everything that has happened to me, for better or for worse. This perfect utopia that is my mood should never be broken. Euphoria  is coursing through my thoughts and limbs at the speed of sound, floating on, delivering good news to all who care to hear. The most perfect thing about this post is that, at most, eleven people will read it. They are eleven people that I trust and value. On that note, I am off to better myself. Have a wonderful night.

Stephen Hawking, "Equal to Anything!"

Here is the link to the article.

     Stephen Hawking has always been a huge inspiration of mine. About a year ago, I watched a ridiculously long documentary of him that focused primarily on his work on black holes. It was interesting and informative. It covered everything from the dark monsters to string theory to greater dimensions. I watched Curiosity with Stephen Hawking, a fantastic production that disproved any sort of creator. Click here if you want to watch it; I will not argue any more about whether or not there is a god. He is one of the visionaries of the modern age, and he held the Lucasian Professor of Mathematics for 30 years at the University of Cambridge. He is an extraordinary human being, and this biography about him will certainly assist us at holding him in the highest regards.
     I learned a new word today: fetter. It is a chain or a shackle. This is perfectly appropriate for the title of the biography. Although Hawking may be immobile due to illness, his mind is very much free. I thought the excerpt from the biography was rich. One would probably think that such a book would be a bland story about some boring physicist's life, but there actually is some really beef (meaning drama) in his life. Actully, this article didn't tell me much I didn't already know. As we move into 2012, I cannot wait to see what Hawking discovers concerning life, the universe, and everything.

Also, his first wife wrote a book of memoirs, if I can find it I will read it.

New Rules for the New Year

Here is the link to the article by Bill Maher.

     I went into this article expecting a serious list about how poorly structured and impractical the average Joe's New Year's resolutions are, and was blown away at its content. Instead of the stone-faced truth that I wanted to read, I was instead given a comedic group of ideas that all were unique. I don't follow the presidential race (although I should, I can vote for 2012), but I know just enough to actually understand the jokes. Only, any time Rick Perry is mentioned, I start foaming at the mouth, so I didn't actually like all of them. I thought that Maher raised a good point in the beginning. Why must New Year's resolutions be about self-improvement? Can't you help your family or community? I think that people sometimes forget that running every day isn't the only thing you can do to make yourself feel good.
     I enjoyed Maher's poking fun at online journalism. I agree that people documenting the clothes that celebrities wear should constitute the returning of a degree, but also removal from Earth. There is nothing more that I can't stand than the news feed I see when I log onto my Yahoo email. For instance, today, the first article I saw was called Dennis Rodman's Racy New Job I skimmed it and it is about how some basketball star is now coaching a topless woman's league. Simply put, I do not care about Rodman or some stupid basketball league. While I find Yahoo especially guilty of this, it is surely not the only site that puts out such news. My sister watches E! News and whenever I hear it on in the background it ticks me off. The stupid host's voice sounds like nails on a chalkboard, and despite my best efforts, I cannot restrain from telling Maria to watch something good, possibly Doctor Who. I also thought that the one about the natural disaster was funny. I particularly liked the line about them being "swallowed up by the earth". It was a quick read, I would recommend it for something to do. Nice job Bill.

Duh! 11 Obvious Science Findings of 2011

Here is the link to the article.

     Scientific American strikes again! This time around, we have a hilarious article with something to actually discuss linguistically! I know, right! Okay, the article contained eleven apparent human and animal behaviors that are proven through science. All of them were confirmed, hold on, actually, I think it would've been funny to put one down, such as "99% of adults get hammered on New Year's Eve" and then disprove it. They probably have an article like that somewhere, but I'm not going to dig for it right now. My favorite one was smoking pot and driving is not safe. I wonder what they did to disprove it, I mean smoking it is illegal, so how are they able to put it to the test? Hmm...very suspicious indeed. I also wonder how much these tests cost, when in actuality, we didn't need them at all. I realize that it is never safe to assume in science, but come on. Pigs like mud, okay? Why else would they sit in it all day? Did they get stuck? Someone, somewhere spent a good deal of money to "determine" if these things are true.
     I think there is beauty in these words. The sheer simplicity is what really turns the reader on. Read just the titles of the findings. All of these could be a major part of a stand-up comedian's routine. I believe this was to further articulate the substance of the article. Keeping it short, clean, and crisp was the aim, and it was achieved well. If you haven't noticed, I've been writing this blog in contrast; I am quite wordy and I tend to run on. Anyhow, I would highly suggest reading this article, as it is a great break from most of the depressing "Outrage" articles us Language and Composition students often write about.

The Beginning of the End

     I sit here listening to Soul Meets Body, thinking about the new year and the last one. I cannot bring myself to say the number 2012. It just feels so remote, almost robotic. I accomplished so much in 2011, more than any other year in my life. Almost nothing went wrong, I can't even name anything that did. Chronologically, my favorite parts of 2011 were picking up the tenor, the Annapolis trip, and all the new friendships I've made. 2011 was the year I learned how to sort out the good people from the bad. I learned how I am going to conduct myself, who I will allow to be around me, and what I want to do in life. 2011 was a fantastic year, for it was the year in which my life came together. Although I have never had any physical problems, I have been wondering mentally, and I decided exactly who I am with much difficulty. I am not ready to leave it behind.
     2012 has been dubbed doomsday. December 21 is coming. I cannot wait to see what the media makes of it. I will be all over Cracked and the Times all next December. The Earth is not going to end. Do some research. Nothing will ever change; it never does. This is what I am afraid of: I go to school on Friday, December 21, and get wrecked by some drunk redneck who prefers to listen to mainstream media (see the outrage effect) than to listen to the logic of scientists. Astronomers agree that Planet X will not hit, nor pass near Earth. Nice try Nancy Lieder, but you are confused and a filthy liar. You cannot communicate with extra-terrestrials. I wish you could, if we could only find them. Recall the Random Monkey Theorem. But I'm getting off topic. I want the public to understand that the world will not end. No matter how hard I try, I will never hear the end of it (until December 22) because the news can go to town with it. So many whispers, they will say any of them can be correct, when truthfully, astronomers have already disproved it. But nobody listens to reason anymore. It is even claimed that the date will be a positive transition! Make up your minds! As far as science is concerned, nothing will hit the Earth. 2012, you are not the scariest thing since 2000. You are a phony who will only stir people into fear.

Reader Response Blog: Bless Me, Ultima 4

     Well, I finally made it. I spent my vacation skiing, repairing and playing an alto from 1931, and reading Anaya's Bless Me, Ultima. I feel pretty good right now, actually. I think I have accomplished a lot this Christmas break. However, this cannot change my dislike for the book. It's not even that I hated the book. Instead, I disliked it, and as a result, I consider it a waste of time. I wish I read it all before break started so I wouldn't have wasted my precious relaxation and practice time.

     The worst things about this book are its espanol and its world views. One of the (numerous) things that grinds my gears is when a person is over religious to the point where they constantly talk about it and they impose it upon the people who don't care about it. Sorry, I'm a "sinner" and it will never change. In your eyes at least because I think most of the things that I do are perfectly acceptable; I have never really hurt anyone, committed a crime, drunken or done drugs. I get good enough grades and I try as hard as I can. I want people (Anaya, Catholics) to stop telling me that I'm doing something wrong simply because I'm Protestant and don't go to church. Christianity is one of two major world religions that actively recruits. I think the other is Islam, but I could be mistaken. Anyhow, I am a good person, I work hard, and I am seeking a productive career. I felt like Anaya was criticizing everybody, Catholics and non-Catholics through the entire book. It was hard to connect to it because I am not Catholic, not religious, and have no connection to the llano. I am polar to Antonio, and for this reason, I have not enjoyed the book.

     This book never really had what people may call the "It Factor". I was never stimulated by its pages and the only time I ever felt any real emotion was when Narciso was killed. I felt sad and sort of annoyed that Anaya would kill off the most interesting character in the book. From there on out, all hope was lost. It was actually hard to finish the last pages; I had to mentally push myself. Bless Me, Ultima was a horrifically boring read, and I would not recommend it to anyone, ever.