Heating Up Ideas

thINK 3: Women's Rights

2010-12-01T07:43:00.000-08:00

“The emotional, sexual, and psychological stereotyping of females begins when the doctor says, ‘It’s a girl.’” This quote, by Shirley Chisholm, is discouraging because it’s true, especially in some countries. Ever since the fourteenth and fifteenth amendment, it seems that people have overlooked women’s rights. Sadly, some countries overlook women’s rights altogether.

“Despite many successes in empowering women, numerous issues still exist in all areas of life, ranging from cultural, political to the economic.” It has been stated that gender discrimination affects girls and women throughout their lifetime. For example, women often work just as hard as men yet are paid less. Women and girls are often the ones that suffer the most hardship. Gender equality furthers the cause of child survival and development for all society, so the importance of women’s rights and gender equality should not be underestimated.

In comparison to women’s oppression in many countries, I am proud to live in the United States where women have stood up for what they believe in and have become an example for younger girls like me to have that same courage as they did. Many women like Abigail Adams, Susan B. Anthony, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton have done that exact thing. However, even though we have our rights here, others should have the right to fight for theirs also. Some may think that women’s rights are better than they used to be, like it is in the U.S., but there are women all over the world that are still crying out for help as they are forced to do and be someone they are not.

thINK 2: Shopping Can Be Dangerous.

2010-11-22T07:56:00.000-08:00

Black Friday is the best day to find discounts on small and large items. According to a survey talked about on the site below, the weekend after Thanksgiving has the best shopping deals. This was perceived by 61 percent. 86 percent of these consumers believed that the best deals were found on Black Friday. 33 percent felt the best deals were on Cyber Monday while 17 percent voted for the Saturday following Black Friday.

Every year, many hear about the insane chaos of the accidents that happen by just shopping. I found many sites that have tips on how to shop and think wisely about pricings and deals along the way. Many people will think about Black Friday shopping deals, but before you get excited about it, police have warnings for you. There are numerous tips on how to be safe when it comes to Black Friday shopping.

I have already heard that many are waiting in lines right now to be the first to get into stores and buy the big screen TV’s and much more for the cheapest price of the year. Many will also get up at three or four in the morning and start shopping for Christmas. I, on the other hand, will be sleeping in on Friday for as long as I can. My family has never been a big fan of shopping on Black Friday and we don’t plan to start now. However, this year, I will have to get up a little earlier than usual to come back from Missouri to cheer on the pioneers as they battle against Greenwood in the semi-finals to see who will go on to state.

http://web-self-service.tmcnet.com/topics/mobile-answers/articles/118327-black-friday-shopping-survey-reveals-best-deals-thanksgiving.htm

thINK 1: Survey. Shmurvey. Nobody takes those seriously.

2010-11-08T08:00:00.000-08:00

Last week, my 2B AP English 12 class had to fill out a 150 question drug and violence survey. As you probably can imagine, there was a lot of groaning and complaining.

When I was younger, we took these surveys and I remember some kids in my class would fill out the worst possible answers even though they weren't bad kids. Laughing all the way to the end of the survey, they would get to the question: "How honest were you in filling out this survey?" Of course you know they are going to mark the choice "very honest." So with this said, why take these surveys? I know there are some kids that do answer the questions honestly, but the survey and end statistics are a joke in the end because some weren’t honest.

So how can you get these questions answered privately with honest answers? The answer: You really can’t. Unless... there was a one-on-one session with each student in every school in Arkansas, but that is highly unrealistic.

I, personally, think that the survey is not very efficient. The questions get answered truthfully and not truthfully, but what can the survey and statistics do about the problems that arise in kids anyway? Kids that are making bad choices are still going to make bad choices because of their peers and maybe even their parents. There has been and always will be pressure on kids to just be included in the world. A survey is not going to fix anything.

thINK Journal 3: Managing time.

2010-10-11T07:23:00.003-07:00

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.impactlab.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/childand-tv.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.impactlab.net/2008/11/20/childhood-obesity-and-fast-food-commercials-linked/&usg=__4kT7eFnLXwOy15h2pGwUj8OwNjQ=&h=384&w=512&sz=14&hl=en&start=4&sig2=yNLvXpByZZ3sI_ULVb6r8A&zoom=1&tbnid=a4d_lWiScMANQM:&tbnh=112&tbnw=150&ei=6cm3TKWXN4-0ngeu1tDkCA&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dadvirtisements%2Bfor%2Bchildren%26hl%3Den%26biw%3D838%26bih%3D388%26gbv%3D2%26tbs%3Disch:10%2C364&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=545&vpy=83&dur=6147&hovh=194&hovw=259&tx=151&ty=203&oei=pcm3TMTvBoOclgf-p6iNCQ&esq=13&page=2&ndsp=8&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:4&biw=838&bih=388

As I was searching for something to write about for my last journal for the nine weeks, I came across the advertisement that is cited above.

Even though the advertisement has no words, the point comes across clear. When I was little, I was amazed by the TV and I used to watch my favorite movies and shows all the time. My younger cousins, especially when they were toddlers, would not listen to me or my family members when they needed to get their attention. You would have to say their names multiple times for them to listen. This shows how much a distraction TV is, starting at a young age. When I was in Junior High, I would come home and watch TV for two hours, even when I had loads of homework to do. I remember getting into trouble all the time for not getting my work done.

So what can we do to stop this problem? We can make sure that our kids have a time limit on the TV, or at least have their homework, chores, etc. done by the time they watch shows. Not only is it important for there to be limit, but also monitoring. Kids need to be watching appropriate shows and that can only be taken care of by the parents.

Not only does TV take away valuable time, but it also can hurt a person’s eyes if they are too close like the boy in the picture. So let’s not only manage our time, but protect our eyes also.

thINK Journal 2: Don't lie.

2010-10-11T07:23:00.001-07:00

http://nymag.com/news/features/43893/

The article, "Learning to Lie," found above in the New York Times has very excellent research and information on lies and how and when they start happening.

Many children are found innocent when they are young, but naturally, they are learning how to become good liars. Around three years old, kids will start lying about things that even their parents see them do. Around four years old, they start learning how to become good liars which “is a strong sign that he/she has brains.” Reading this article, I found that even though we think “truthfulness is a young child’s virtue,” it’s really “lying that becomes more of the advanced skill.” While these statements were hard to believe, they made sense. A child has to recognize the truth in order to lie, and make it a good lie at that.

As the children grow older, they start lying about situations that could get them into serious trouble. “For two decades, parents have rated ‘honesty’ as the trait they most want in their children.” This shows how much trouble parents have at home with trying to fix this problem and that something needs to be changed. Many say that trust and honesty are essential in relationships and that lying is wrong, yet most of them lie. If people say that lying is wrong and then go and lie, then where does that leave them? There has to be discipline for themselves and kids. If there is not discipline, how will we know when someone as close as our friends or family are telling the truth or not?

thINK Journal 1: Girl Power Isn't All About Looks

2010-10-11T07:22:00.000-07:00

http://demo.fb.se/e/girlpower/retouch/retouch/index.html

Right when I saw the cover of this magazine (site listed above), I knew it would be perfect to write about. Reading the side comments about what is in the magazine almost made me mad. Girl power is not just about looks and how you can be the impossible "perfect."

The comments "Look like the stars in Hollywood, large imperfections that can easily be retouched, and how I became perfect" is what makes the insecurities of girls start to boil, and that's just on the front cover! TV, magazines, and more make girls today feel like they have to be skinny, fit, and fashionable. Yes, it is important to take care of a person's body and be healthy, but not to the point where they are miserable trying to look like the latest size zero fashion models.

If a survey was taken, I would predict that more than half would say that they are insecure about their bodies. So many people are caught up in looks that they do not look past the makeup and see the real girl inside. We should not judge people, me included, by what they are wearing or how they fix their hair. What is going to matter in the end? Definitely not fashion, my friends.

The comment “Look like the stars in Hollywood” is almost impossible because they don’t even look like that. We have so much technology today that it is hard not to fix every imperfection. In all honesty, I catch myself wishing I could be cute and look like Selena Gomez, but then, I sometimes wonder what stars would look like without all the cosmetic help and fame.

Inking My Thinking Through Independent Reading

2010-09-24T08:01:00.000-07:00

Independent reading book: "Neverwhere" by Neil Gaiman
(Information is what has been read so far.)

Quester: Richard Mayhew

A place to go: London

Reason to go there: He got a job.

Challenges and trials (so far): Had to make the decision of whether or not to save the girl on the street that was injured. He did and it ruined his relationship with his fiance.

Real reason to go there: Not entirely sure yet.

Communion and Rebirth

2010-09-19T19:26:00.001-07:00

In "How to Read Literature Like a Professor" by Thomas C. Foster, Chapter 2 talks about communion and chapter 18 talks about rebirth.

A few days ago in AP English, we read chapter 8 of "The Horse Dealer's Daughter" by D.H. Lawrence and the book applies perfectly with these two chapters of "How to Read Literature like a Professor."

"Sometimes a meal is just a meal and eating with others is simply eating with others. More often than not, though, it's not. Whenever people eat or drink together, it's communion." In communion, however, some people choose to not participate like Mabel in "The Horse Dealer's Daughter." She was there physically but not apart of the conversation between her brothers. Moreover, it showed that Mabel's brothers did not care about her by the way they talked about her appearance. They said that the "fixity of her face" was that of a bull-dog.

In chapter 18, it talks about people entering water- some never to return and others to survive. "When writer's baptize a character, they mean death, rebirth, or new identity." In "The Horse Dealer's Daughter", Mabel wasn't happy at all. She wanted something new, she wanted to be happy, she wanted a "rebirth", and that is exactly what happened. Almost drowning in the water, she was saved by the doctor and they fell in love. As I said in the post before this, the pond is used as a symbol of rebirth for both characters- a rebirth of love and happiness. They entered the "dead water" and came out with a "relief to be out of the clutches of the pond."

Symbolism

2010-09-16T08:14:00.000-07:00

After reading "The Horse Dealer's Daughter", the English class was asked: The pond is a major symbol in the story. Examine its symbolic value by providing quotations from the story. Discuss whether it always symbolizes the same thing whenever used or whether it is polysemic. What really happens in the pond? Here is my response:

In the story before the scene of the pond and there on after, it shows that the pond symbolizes rebirth and love. Mabel and the doctor catch each other's eyes and then eventually, he'll risk his life to save Marbel who almost drowns in the "motionless water." Mabel purposefully tries to drown herself because she wants to be happy and start something new. The pond is used as a symbol of rebirth for both characters- a rebirth of love and happiness. They entered the "dead water" and came out with a "relief to be out of the clutches of the pond." Seeing that the pond can symbolize rebirth leading to love and happiness, I would say that the pond can be polysemic.

Reading Journal Word List

2010-09-14T10:27:00.000-07:00

Ineffectuality
Stupor
Floutingly
Sprawled
Erect
Jaunty
Fippancy
Spat

Journal 4: Always determined

2010-09-09T18:14:00.000-07:00

In class, we read "A Worn Path."

1. Quester: Phoenix Jackson.
2. Place to go: Town.
3. Reason to go there: Get medicine for her grandson.
4. Challenges and trials: Walking over a log (she closed her eyes because she was so scared), getting caught on a bush (she did not want to rip her dress), coming across a man in the woods telling her to go back home (she does not take no for an answer).
5. Real reason to go there: She remembers that she wanted to buy her child a little windmill.

Phoenix Jackson is very determined throughout the story. Even though she was half blind, she knew she still needed to get to town for her grandson. In the story, you learn that she trusts herself. She comes across challenges, like the ones listed above, and handles them very well.

Phoenix talks to herself and the animals a lot. She does so because she is lonely and/or scared. You can tell that she is practical with her poverty. She finds a nickel in the woods and knows that she cannot rip her dress because she needs to pay for items in town for her grandson.

This short story was very uplifting. It showed how much somebody is willing to suffer for someone they love.

Thesis: Phoenix Jackson's encouraging determination shows that she is loving and dedicated to her grandson by being able to see the many challenges she overcomes throughout her journey.

Journal 3: Unity in Care

2010-08-26T17:02:00.000-07:00

Everyday in this world people hear about unexpected, horrifying tragedies. However, they come together as one with love in caring for others who are in need. In this picture cited below called “Fragile”, this child is being taken care of after a great tragedy in his life. Surrounding the young child, nurses and doctors care for him, wrapping him in bandages.

A natural disaster, like this earthquake, can destroy lives, property, and emotional well-being in an instant. However, it takes time for healing and these doctors and nurses are the beginning of this healing process in this child’s life- physically and emotionally.

In this picture I see chaos. Picturing myself looking at the situation in real life, I see people running around, grabbing bandages, and caring for the hurt person as best as they know how. Not knowing the outcome of the child, they care for him as if it was their own. This chaos slowly turns into peace as they calm and comfort the child. Saying this, I also see love. The child might remember the disaster and the physical and emotional pain that he went through, but he will also never forget the love given by the people that took care of him, his family, and his friends.

The scared child might be afraid for his obscure future, but he can also see hope from the people surrounding him and taking care of him. Over all, this picture teaches a lesson. It shows that even though we might not know a person, we always need to show love. This will help the child and also build up the people around the child as they unite and move forward together with care.

Munoz, Eduardo. Fragile. Digital image. Photos. 13 June 2010. Web. 25 July 2010.
.

Journal 2: Older and Wiser

2010-08-26T16:59:00.000-07:00

As people become older, they become wiser. Read along as you think about this statement and look at the picture cited below: “Older now, I draw myself better.” This statement and picture can mean so many things. Physically drawing a picture and/or someone mentally drawing a picture says so much about a person's character.

Did you like drawing when you were little? Did you ever draw portraits of yourself? When a person is young, drawing is messy, not straight, and scattered. Picture a five year old child with me. They do not make them or their friends look anything like they do in real life. They make them fat with board straight hair, pointy dresses, and sticks for arms and legs. Not knowing what he/she will become, the five year old has a whole unknown future ahead of him/her.

However, as a person’s life begins to shape, they learn more and more about who they truly are. The older and wiser they get, the better they can “draw” themselves. Knowing their characteristics better, they can see themselves in a light that they might not have ever imagined.

Looking at this picture, you see this man as someone who loves to enjoy life. He is older, and therefore he knows himself better. As a result, he is better able to portray who he truly is. Comparing two pictures of a person when they were young and when they were old can tell a story of their journey and how far they have come in their adventure of life.

Arkle, Peter. "NPR: Six-Word Memoirs." NPR : National Public Radio : News & Analysis, World, US, Music & Arts : NPR. Six-Word Memoirs, 2010. Web. 18 July 2010. .
(Last picture on slide.)

Journal 1: Blast from the Past

2010-08-26T16:56:00.000-07:00

Images: so many stories and so many memories. Looking at the image of “My Sunday Best” was a blast from the past for me. Working hard to buy nice clothes, the parents show pride in their children as they provide as best they can for Sundays.
This picture caught my attention at first glance. Why? I love old timey things, especially pictures because they tell stories. If I’m ever at anyone’s house and they have pictures on the wall or photo albums on the coffee table, it’s a guarantee that I’ll be looking at them. Growing up and going to church every Sunday, I always wore a dress, panty hose or lacy socks, and white or black shoes depending on the season, of course. My mom always wanted me and my sister to dress in our “Sunday best” so we hardly ever wore slacks. My mom was raised wearing her Sunday best to show respect, so wearing my Sunday best was a must.

This picture says more than just old-timey, genuinely happy, and church. It shows what they did to be able to dress like shown. You always see the old movies where the men and boys wear their nicest overalls, and the women and girls wear their prettiest dresses made with the finest cloth they can afford. Times were hard even before this picture was taken, but people still made sure that they saved money and took care of their new clothes that they worked so hard to buy. Saving them for special occasions, people took pride in dressing in their Sunday best. Being able to purchase new clothes shows evidence of a person’s hard work. Knowing that a person’s hard work paid off will always make them appreciate whatever they own or even do.

Wearing your “Sunday best” does show respect. It’s not to impress other members of the church, but rather to look nice as if Jesus was sitting right beside you, even if it does take effort to be able to wear that pretty dress with the cutest handbag.

Grubb, Johnny. My Sunday Best. Photograph. Found Magazine. 26 July 2005. Web. .

Not All Advice Is Wrong

2009-11-14T14:54:00.000-08:00

I found an article in TIMES by Tiffany Sharples O'Callaghan entitled The Contagion Effect of Bad Decisions". In this passage, she talks about how people should not take cues and advice from others because doing so, "can steer you in the wrong direction". I can see where O'Callaghan is coming from, but then, I have to disagree.

"Taking cues from others can steer you in the wrong direction" is not necessarily true. One, who said they were bad cues? And two, can't people help every once in a while? I think so. It's not healthy for an individual to keep everything bottled up inside and try to figure out everything on his/her own. A person needs to find a friend who they can trust and who has a good reputation to get advice from and more than likely, the friend will be able to help.

Not everybody is a person that follows just because "everyone is doing it". No offense O'Callaghan, but who do you think we are? Hopefully, we are grown up enough to have some good friends.

If a friend sees that another friend needs help then they care enough to help. Maybe the friend that is trying to help just wanted to give advice that happened to them from past experiences. I don't see a problem with that.

However, I can see where O'Callaghan was coming from. Sometimes a person just needs to follow their own heart and do what they think is right. Yes, take advice from good friends but after that stop, take your training wheels off and follow your heart.

Analysis

2009-11-13T06:27:00.000-08:00

This analysis is of two sentences out of The Awakening by Kate Chopin. The anaylsis includes, diction, syntax, imagery, attitude and also a tone thesis for the two sentences.

Syntax

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"Multitasking" Is Our Job- Argument 1

2009-10-29T17:46:00.000-07:00

A piece, Texting, Surfing, Studying?, written by Perri Klass M.D. talks about teenagers and if they can really "multitask" or if teenagers are just better at oscillating. Also, she talks about parents wanting to help their kids have good study habits.

"The truth is that you really don't multitask, you just think you do; the brain can't process two high-level cognitive things. What you are actually doing is oscillating between the two" (Dr. Christakis). Some kids "multitask" because it does help them think, and by multitasking, in this situation of course, means texting, instant messaging, etc. Teenagers are so use to having everything around them that it's to the point where it helps them concentrate, apparently. Some students are very good at oscillating. However, I am not. It's hard for me to concentrate unless I am by myself without any distractions. Yes, I can get my homework done when I am texting, but I can see where Klass is coming from when she asks herself if teenagers, and whoever else, are really learning something, or just learning on the surface of the point. Parents of teenagers do try to help them with their study habits, but I think it's just different from their parents' study methods. I believe that it's just all opinions on what helps you and fits an individual's personality on how a person concentrates when they study. Also, it can be the very fact of what a person has become accustomed to in his/her life.

This leads to when Klass says "you have to learn how you work and under what circumstances". However, Klass says that "no one can study effectively while watching, listening, surfing, and messaging". I don't fully agree with this. Yes, if we surf the web it can be a distraction, but listening to music can help some people concentrate, even if it is really loud. Cut teenagers and kids some slack- if they do their work, that is. Teenagers, especially, get tired of doing work 24/7 and would like to communicate with their friends every once in a while. Klass' son said that he would instant message while doing some work, but it was just looking up every once in a while. I agree that is alright to do, just don't go overboard. Klass' son also gave advice to his mom about his younger brother saying "not to worry until there is something to actually worry about". Dr. Cooper said that "if they're doing well, permitting them to have some choice permits them to find their own style".

Nobody really knows, honestly, if teens can "multitask", but that doesn't mean that they can switch back and forth between studying and texting. It's all just a matter of how a person studies and what they can do to be successful with studying and making good grades. Let people choose for themselves. Hopefully, they are grown up and smart enough to do what's right.

I'd Tell You I'd Love You, But Then I'd Have To Kill You- Book Talk Video

2009-10-19T06:45:00.000-07:00

Sentence 12

2009-10-11T20:07:00.000-07:00

His sentence:
But others are of an infiltering spidery type that creep and burrow along the minute crevasses of the brain, slowly but inevitably destroying function, and almost impossible to remove.
from Death Be Not Proud by John Gunther

Gunther uses commas and a fan boy to describe what is going on.

My sentence:
But students are of the disrespectful type that talk in the middle of a lesson, softly but destroying trains of thought for others, and in the rudest way possible.

Sentence 11

2009-10-11T19:57:00.000-07:00

His sentence:
In blunt fact the operation itself, though prolonged, may not be violently dangerous, and though the technical preparation may be difficult, the actual surgery is of the most primitive type--simple extrication of an alien mass.
from Death Be Not Proud by John Gunther

Gunther uses commas and a dash to carry out the sentence and explain what it is talking about.

My sentence:
In the winter itself, though prolonged, may be cold, and though the money on heating will go up, the scenery is of the most beautiful ever--blankets of snow all the time.

Sentence 10

2009-10-11T19:50:00.001-07:00

His sentence:
Almost all the great contemporary neurosurgeons--like Putnam himself and Wilder Penfield--are Cushing men, Cushing trained.
from Death Be Not Proud by John Gunther

Gunther uses dashes to compare what has been said and what is being said.

My sentence:
Almost all the great athletes--like Shaq himself and Micheal Jordan--are fighting men, fighting trained.

Sentence 9

2009-10-11T19:40:00.000-07:00

His sentence:
The brain controls pain in other parts of the body, but there are no sensory nerves in brain tissue itself; you could cut a person's brain apart bit by bit, and there would be no pain.
from Death Be Not Proud by John Gunther

This compound-complex sentence uses semi-colons and fan boys that help explain how part of the brain works and/or some of what the brain does.

My sentence:
The mom controls fights in the family, but there is no dad to help with the situations; she could snap her fingers once, and the children would settle down.

Sentence 8

2009-10-11T19:35:00.000-07:00

His sentence:
It was a long ride in the cold, sullen, slippery rain.
from Death Be Not Proud by John Gunther

Even though this sentence is very simple, it is very descriptive and somewhat deep in its listing of what the rain was like. It sets the mood.

My sentence:
It was a scary thought in a dark, cold, eerie room.

Sentence 7

2009-10-11T19:29:00.000-07:00

His sentence:
Dr. Johnson, suspecting nothing so grave as this, had sent Johnny into Greenfield that morning--luckily with a nurse--for his metabloism test.
from Death Be Not Proud by John Gunther

This sentence uses two appositive phrases. One set apart by commas and the other set apart by dashes.

My sentence:
The mother, hoping that everything was alright, had rushed to the hospital that evening--luckily wtih a friend--for her son.

Sentence 6

2009-10-11T13:00:00.000-07:00

His sentence:
I talked to Traeger, I called Deerfield back, I got in touch with Frances who was out in Madison, I reached Putnam, I consulted Traeger once more, and by half-past four I was at 168th Street, waiting in Putnam's office.
from Death Be Not Proud by John Gunther

In this sentence, Gunther uses a series of parallel phrases telling what all he did--leading up to where he was.

My sentence:
I went to work, I got food, I got to the school, I organized everything I needed, I talked with my friends, and by twelve o'clock I was ready for the band competition, waiting in the band room.

Sentence 5

2009-10-11T12:53:00.000-07:00

His sentence:
He was always obedient--if only because he wanted so desperately to get well.
from Death Be Not Proud by John Gunther

The sentence is set apart by a dash--describing why he was obedient.

My sentence:
Bob was always sweet--if only because he wished so badly to have a girlfriend.

Sentence 4

2009-10-11T12:37:00.000-07:00

His sentence:
Johnny's generosity--he would give anything away--his affectionateness and amiability, concealed a considerable sturdiness of character.
from Death Be Not Proud by John Gunther

Gunther uses an appositive phrase set apart by dashes, giving more incite about Johnny and his character. Then, the sentence continues on describing more about him by listing--showing more of what his character was like.

My sentence:
Karen's love--she would care for anybody--her affection and grace, held a sturdiness of character.

Sentence 3

2009-10-11T12:26:00.000-07:00

His sentence:
His intelligence was, above all, detached and reasonable--and what is a mind for, except to reason with?
from Death Be Not Proud by John Gunther

He describes "his intelligence" by using an appositive and descriptive words. Then, he uses a dash to, once again, go into deeper thought, leaving the sentence as a rhetorical question.

My sentence:
Her clothes were, above all, cute and fashionable--and what are clothes for, except to characterize with?

Sentence 2

2009-10-07T06:31:00.000-07:00

His sentence:
From Frances he got a tremendous lot--his gift for fantasy, the realism and long view of his intelligence, his delicacy of perception, his creative curiosity.
from Death Be Not Proud by John Gunther

Using a prepostional phrase, Gunther explains the main topic of his sentence. Then, he goes into deeper thought telling why it was a tremendous lot by using a dash that follows parallel phrases.

My sentence:
From restrauants he got amazing service--his food for taste, the greatness and politeness of his waitress, his moment of relaxing, his satisfied body.

Sentence 1

2009-10-07T06:04:00.000-07:00

His sentence:
As the prize in one of the quizzes he won, he chose an advanced college text on the atom--something far beyond his powers at the time.
from Death Be Not Proud by John Gunther

Gunther is using continual prepositional phrases leading up to the main point he is trying to make. Then, he uses a dash to go into deeper meaning and thought about the subject.

My sentence:
As the group of students in one of the classes had done, they chose a challenging topic of history--something more advanced than their brains could understand at that age.

Spot the Fake Smile

2009-06-18T20:32:00.000-07:00

Daniel H. Pink's A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future is a very interesting book. In the book, Pink defines six senses: design, story, symphony, empathy, play, and meaning. For each sense, Pink backs each one up with a chapter and a portfolio. In the portfolio, Pink gives suggestions on how to develop the sense. He also provides books and web sites where you can try and experiment yourself.

After reading the chapter on Empathy, I decided to experiment and learn how to "Spot the Fake Smile." I took a ten-minute, twenty-question test to see if I could determine a fake smile against a real smile.

Before taking the test, I thought it would be simple to detect a fake smile. However, once I started watching the videos, I saw that the test wasn't going to be so easy. While watching some of the videos, I saw that some were obvious but others, not so much. In the chapter Empathy, Pink gives advice by saying that the only way to detect a fake smile, is by looking at the eyes, and I do believe that. Watching the eyes instead of the smile, sometimes, did give me my answer. Here is a video where the eyes gave the answer away:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/mind/surveys/smiles/movie12.shtml

This video shows that the smile was fake, partially because of the eyes.

Here are more examples of fake and genuine smiles:

Fake-http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/mind/surveys/smiles/movie13.shtml

Genuine-http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/mind/surveys/smiles/movie15.shtml

When I watched some of the videos that were hard to determine, I started thinking that sometimes I would only be able to tell if someone was faking a smile only if I really knew them. For instance, I can definitely tell when my sister has a fake smile and when she doesn't just because I know her and her personality, as goes for some of my friends. Watching these people on the videos, however, I had no clue what their names were or what their personality was like. So, for me, I think determining what kind of smile a person is giving you has to deal with whether you know them or not.

Island of the Blue Dolphins Book Reveiw- Classic Read

2009-05-29T19:46:00.000-07:00

Scott O'Deal's Island of the Blue Dolphins was a great read. A girl named Karana goes through a lot of hard times as she loses things in her life. She goes through a lot and ends up on the island by herself. Surviving on her own, she makes weapons, gathers food, and builds a house. She also gains and loses friends on the island. After her long stay on the Island of the Blue Dolphins, a ship comes and she has to decide whether she wants to leave or not.

The tone or attitude of this book is very frank and matter of fact. The narrator's voice is very flowing and expressive.

I would definitely recommend this book. Island of the Blue Dolphins is a book on survival and determination. The book inspired me and I know it will inspire others.

Sophomore Year 08-09

2009-05-22T08:49:00.001-07:00

As this year comes to a close, I have mixed feelings. I am happy that summer is close, but I have really enjoyed my sophomore year.

Not only have I learned more in school, but I have also learned a lot in personal situations. I have been in situations that I do and do not like, but what is most important is that I have learned from every single situation. I have laughed, smiled, screamed, and cried. Not all of those are pleasant but I will never forget those moments.

God has taught me so much, especially when things did not turn out how I expected them to or wanted them to. I have learned that God has a plan for my life and that he is going to take care of me no matter what. Seeing that God has so much in store for me, I cannot explain how excited I am to see what He is going to do in my life.

This year, I have also learned who I can and cannot trust. I have been in situations this year where I have learned who my real friends are and who I can always talk to about anything.

Not only is my sophomore year gone, but also my last school year with my sister. As you may know from an earlier blog, this year was my sister's senior year. Thinking that I won't get to see her every day, let alone talk to her, is a sad thought. A couple of days ago, I realized she is moving into her dorm room a little bit less than three months now. I do not think that I have fully realized that things are changing and things are going to be different.

Letting go of my sophomore year is hard, but I will always cherish and never forget a single moment.

Of Mice and Men Book Review

2009-05-22T08:48:00.000-07:00

John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men saddened me with its unexpected story.

This book illustrates the life lesson that anything can happen, good or bad.

Lennie, in the book, is not smart, forgetting everything as soon as he is told. George is smart and quick, knowing what to do. These two friends go through a lot together, keeping each other on their toes.

One thing that I like about this book is that for each chapter, there is a setting and the reading tells a person exactly what is going on around the people so you can picture very easily.

In the beginning of the book, George and Lennie get let off a bus miles away from the farm they are suppose to start working at. Finding the ranch, the first thing they do is talk to the boss and they get hired. George and Lennie meet several characters and learn quickly what each person is like. Throughout the book, there are fights and talks as they learn from each other. But, not meaning any harm, things happen on accident. Having a lot of misunderstandings, things get a little out of hand.

I do recommend Of Mice and Men. The book is sad and it does have some language in it, but Of Mice and Men is a great book.

The House on Mango Street Book Review

2009-05-14T18:28:00.000-07:00

Sandra Cisneros's The House on Mango Street confused me because the book did not really have a story line and the book also felt a little scatter- brained to me.

Esperanza is a girl that has moved around a lot and now lives on Mango Street. She has always dreamed to live in a nice, pretty house that her parents always tell her about, but Esperanza is stuck with a beat up, old house for now. Throughout the book, Esperanza talks about what all happens on Mango Street. She talks about her friends and more.

The attitude or tone of the book just felt informative to me. The House on Mango Street just talked about Esperanza's life and what she dealt with.

I would not recommend The House on Mango Street because the book did not excite me in any way or seem interesting.

Teacher Appreciation

2009-05-10T11:03:00.000-07:00

I do not know about you, but I know that I do not realize how much my teachers do for me and the rest of my classmates. Preparing us for the real world, I know some of my teachers stay up at late hours of the night working on what my classmates and I need to know to be prepared for tests and even more, college.

I want to say thank you to Mr. Goodwin, Mrs. Roepcke, Mrs. Hogan, Mrs. Gillmore, Mr. Matthews, Mr. Robertson, and Coach Armstrong for all they have done and for what they will do. I also want to thank all my elementary and Junior High teachers for what they have done.

Not only do my teachers help prepare my classmates and me for the rest of our lives, but they are also there for us if we need to talk to them about anything.

With all this said, thank you teachers for helping me through these years, learning what I need to know before I go out into the real world.

The Hard Worker

2009-05-06T19:12:00.000-07:00

So much depends
upon

A hard
worker

Drenched with
responsibilities

Inside her busy
office.

The Giver Book Review

2009-05-01T12:47:00.000-07:00

Lois Lowry's The Giver was a good read because the book made me think a lot and the book was also interesting.

In The Giver, as a person got older, they would get more. When a person in the book turned a one they would be put into a family unit, when they turned a nine they would be given a bicycle, and when they turned a twelve, they would find out what their job was and start training right away.

Everyone's job normally suited what they like doing and the jobs were also typical. But, Jonas's job was a little different. His job was to receive memories and the memories were given by the Giver. Jonas held memories and feelings that no one else in his world knew about. Everyday Jonas would receive memories and feelings from the Giver. Some memories/feelings were good and some were bad.

Jonas gets upset that nobody in his world gets to have memories and feelings like he does. Feeling this way, Jonas figures out a way where it is possible for people to experience something that they can cherish, good or bad.

I do recommend The Giver because the book is an interesting read and because I personally think the end is good. The end lets a person believe whatever they want to believe happened in Jonas's world and lets their imaginations fly.

My Favorite Techie Tool

2009-04-15T15:45:00.001-07:00

My favorite web-based technology tool is blogs. I like blogging because it keeps me thinking and it keeps me organized. I also get to share my opinions and thoughts with my friends. Expressing how I feel about a topic or a book makes me feel good about myself because I feel like I have had a say in what we are doing in my class.

Blogging also makes me feel accomplished. I like working hard and writing posts because I feel like I have done a good job.

Blogs keep me organized with my thoughts and also because my teacher set up a class blog. The class blog helps me out tremendously because I can always check and make sure that I have everything done. This helps a lot with my busy schedule in case I forget something.

In my opinion, blogger is enjoyable. Writing my thoughts down and posting them is easy and fun.

Animal Farm Book Review

2009-04-15T15:42:00.000-07:00

George Orwell's Animal Farm was a very interesting, deep read. Have you ever heard of animals taking over a farm? Me either, but this book symbolizes what went on at the time of the Russian Revolution. Relating to the Russian Revolution, Animal Farm made me think a lot.

Mr. Jones, of the Manor farm, was very careless about what went on at his farm. He especially did not care about the animals. Mr. Jones mistreated the animals and worked them very hard with little food. Eventually the animals got tired of his selfish acts and decided to take over the farm. Kicking Mr. Jones and his family out, the animals were finally free. Well, sort of. Being the smartest, the pigs took control of the farm. Two boars, Snowball and Napoleon worked together at first but disagreeing all the time, Snowball was the one to go. Taking over, Napoleon was a selfish liar who only cared about himself. The animals worked so hard and got very little in return. They also had to handle battles to keep the farm. By working all the time and also fighting in battles, the animals had double the work.

Has anybody ever said to you that life is not fair? Well, that is what I thought when I read this book. Life was not fair for the animals beside the pigs. Animal Farm also made me think that a person can only trust themselves and no one else. With these two statements that I thought about, I was able to relate to what is going on in my life right now.

I would definitely recommend this book. Animal Farm is a pretty easy read and the book helps you better understand more of what went on at the time of the Russian Revolution.

The Secret Language of Girls Book Review

2009-04-15T15:41:00.000-07:00

Frances O'Roark Dowell's The Secret Language of Girls can relate to teenage girls around the world.

Kate and Maryiln have been best friends forever but now, things are changing. Marylin decides that Kate can act immature at times and she decides to start hanging out with girls who she thinks are more mature. Kate and Marylin go there separate ways and by doing so, they start to hang out with other kids. Through the changes they always wonder about each other. Still caring about Kate and their friendship, Marylin tries to stop what might happen to Kate when things get out of hand.

I would recommend this book because The Secret Language of Girls shows that people go in an out of your lives but there is always a true best friend that will always be there. This book also teaches that no matter what happens in a friendship, true friends always care.

An Excerpt from Anthem Essay

2009-04-05T12:23:00.000-07:00

Any quote from a book can have so much significance and detail behind the sentence that only the author might know. In Anthem there is a lot of meaning behind Ayn Rand’s sentences. She is the only person that knows what she is truly talking about and we could only guess.

“The glass box in our arms is like a living heart that gives us strength. We have lied to ourselves. We have not built this box for the good of our brothers” (Page 76, Paragraph 5). The first part of this quote is all about security. In Anthem, Equality 7-2521 are always by themselves doing their own thing and they just want to feel safe and secure. Equality cannot get security from anything or anybody, but they can get the security and strength from this glowing, glass box.

“I wish to know the meaning of things. I am the meaning” (Page 94, Paragraph 3). At the end of the book, Equality 7-2521 starts figuring out who he really is and what life really is. He thinks that he is everything and that he is so confident and so sure of himself. By saying that he is the meaning, Equality thinks that he has solved everything and that all his problems are solved. This quote makes me think that everything revolves around Equality and that he thinks he is the greatest thing on the earth. This quote sounds like he is a snobby kid that only thinks that he is better than the whole world. Equality might think he is right, but he is so wrong on so many different levels.

“I owe nothing to my brothers, nor do I gather debts from them” (Page 96, Paragraph 1). Equality definitely acts selfish in this quote. He does not give anything nor does he do anything for his brothers. Not only does he not do anything for his brothers, but he does not want to. Equality 7-2521 does not want to deal with responsibility. He does not want anything because then, he just feels like he has to give something back in return.

These three quotes that Equality 7-2521 said really makes me frustrated and mad. To me, Equality is very selfish. He does not care about his brothers and not caring a thing about other people is the worst thing that a person could do in life. These quotes from Anthem makes it obvious that Equality 7-2521 needs/wants security and love in his life. He feels like the only way he can find security and love is by being selfish, but we all know that being selfish is not the answer to problems and wants, whether we like to think that or not. At the same time, Equality knows that he has a lot in his life and does not need to be selfish about what he has.

My Spring Break

2009-04-05T12:01:00.000-07:00

My spring break was the best one that I have had in a long time. I got to go to Orlando, Florida on a band trip. The best part was that I got to go to Disney World with my friends.

At Disney World, I found out that I have grown to love rollar coasters. I went on some rollar coasters that I never thought I would go on. I also love to be on the front row of a rollar coaster because I felt like I was the only one riding the ride.

I got to know more about the people in band. Everybody had so much fun together. What more could a person ask for just hanging out with her friends during spring break at the "happiest place on Earth"?

Driving on the charter buses was fun, but so uncomfortable. I could not get any sleep no matter how hard I tried.

We went to Hollywood Studios, Island of Adventures, Universal Studios, Animal Kingdom, Epcot, and Magic Kingdom. There was no possible way to get everything done in one day. One of the reasons why it was not possible was because there were so many people and we had to wait in line for every ride.

I would absolutely love to go back to Disney World again. I would definitely want to go back with my family and get to experience Disney World with them. Going back to Disney World would be worth it. It would be a dream come true.

Anthem Book Review

2009-03-11T21:27:00.000-07:00

Ayn Rand's Anthem saddened me, yet inspired me.

In ways, I would say a world that had a lot of rules would be perfect, but in other ways I would say rules do not make a world perfect. In my opinion, freedom would make a world perfect.

Freedom is definitely what Equality 7-2521 was looking for. He breaks a lot of rules- talking to women, stealing, finding a tunnel- but why would he break all these rules you might ask? He wants to be free. He wants to live his own life and not have other people tell him what to do.

This book, was a little confusing. Equality 7-2521 and others went by the word "We". At times I did not know if the characters were talking in the "We" form or if they were just talking about themselves- "I".

I would not recommend this book because in my opinion, Anthem was weird. I would also not recommend this book because the character in Anthem, Equality 7-2521, can persuade a person to think that they are only here on Earth for themselves and not for God.

Someone Like You Book Review

2009-03-11T20:55:00.000-07:00

Sarah Dessen's Someone Like You is a scary learning experience that could happen to young girls anywhere.

This book illustrates so many life lessons that kids need to learn today. Responsibility, learning from a person's own mistakes the hard way, and trust.

This book is the story of two best friends that go through rough times together. In Someone Like You, bad things are happening one after the other. When the death of a friend occurs, Scarlett has to lean on Halley, but Halley has never had to take the load. Throughout the book, they have to lean on each other for support when they could not turn to anyone else. Even though they fought sometimes, they both knew that they were there for each other, no matter what.

Some people, like Halley, have to learn things the hard way. I am definitely stubborn at times and I do not like people telling me what the right road to take is. By not listening and doing my own thing, I find out the hard way. In the book, Halley did not like the fact that Scarlett and Halley's mom were telling her what to do. Halley thought she was making the right decision, but in the end she knew that the people who cared about her were right.

This book also teaches trust. Even though the things that were being told to Halley were upsetting, she had to trust her mom and Scarlett but she didn't.

A person also has to step up and take responsibility, even though he/she might not like doing what they have to.

Even though things did not work out how each of them would have liked it to, they learned that they will always be there for each other.

I would definitely recommend this book to a girl that just wants a good read. In my opinion, Someone Like You is an inspiring read because the read reminds a person that their friends are always there for them.

281 pages-1 book

To Perfect My World...

2009-03-11T12:01:00.000-07:00

This world is definitely not perfect, the world will ever be. People have so many opinions and different views on a variety of many different things. These opinions and views make it hard for everybody to get along.

In my own world, I would love to perfect many things, but I do not think trying would even help. With my life only, I would want to perfect people's attitudes, including mine. I get so frustrated with people that only care about themselves, and trust me, I can be that way also. I would want to get rid of snobby attitudes and I would love for everybody to be friends. No cliques, no nothing. By doing this, there would be a lot less drama and there would not be any grudges being held. Everybody would get along and be loving and kind towards one other. Being kind and loving towards one another is definitely one of the things that we need in this world.

Everybody deals with stress. Stress makes everything so much more difficult. A person could get stressed and frustrated with himself that they could take the stress out on somebody else that does not deserve it. Yes, we get busy sometimes but it would be nice not to stress about everything that we have to do.

Perfecting attitudes and stress would make my world ten times better. Hopefully these changes would also help out other people in my world.

Lush Book Review

2009-02-16T15:14:00.000-08:00

Natasha Friend's Lush saddened me with the terrible story of a girl named Samantha. The most saddest thing about this is that a lot of girls, even guys, have some of the same stories as Samantha in our world today.

The life lesson that this book illustrates is that things can be hard at times and a person might need someone to lean on when they're down. Also when things are going wrong, you just need to hope for the best and never give up on what can happen, and keep faith.

Sometimes you also have to forgive a person when they do wrong.

In Lush, I feel bad for Samantha's whole family. Her dad is an alcoholic and he's to the point where he can't help drinking anymore. Samantha can't talk to her friends about her dad's problem, so she writes a note to someone that she thinks will hopefully help her with her problems.

I would recommend this book. Lush can be depressing at times, but it can keep you on your toes about what can and probably is happening in our world today.

Call of the Wild Book Review

2009-02-16T15:12:00.000-08:00

Jack London's The Call of the Wild left me wondering in happy thoughts but at the same time, sad thoughts.

We might not think very often of a dog's life and what it's like, but in silly ways a dog's life can be like a humans' life. Dogs do not always have a pleasurable life. Buck thought his life was pretty great until he was sent out into the wild. Buck and a lot of other dogs get taken away from their homes to go work in Canada because of the gold rush that hit the Klondike region. Men needed the dogs to pull their sleds on long journeys. This can relate to humans because sometimes we have to do jobs that we don't necessarily like to do. In The Call of the Wild dogs fight just like humans would. In the book when the dogs fight they all get around to see the action, and humans do that also. Being similar to humans, dogs have a ruff life and their life is not always happy. Dogs also learn a lot of things along the way.

Buck learns a lot from the humans and dogs in this book; he learns what to do and what not to do on this treacherous journey.

In ways I recommend The Call of the Wild. If it were me, I probably would not pick up this book, but if your the kind of person that likes books about dogs, any kind of animal, or just wants an inspirational read, then I would read this book. Not only does The Call of the Wild talk about dogs and a dog's life, but you might possibly learn the importance on what taking a stand is.

Antigone Book Review

2009-01-25T18:36:00.000-08:00

Sophocles's Antigone shows me how dangerous it can be to take a stand.

Antigone is definitely a book on taking a stand for what a person believes, and what they think is best. Unfortunately, for some characters in the book, even though they took a stand, they did not think of the consequences of what could happen in the end.

People definitely need to learn to think before they act, and they also need to always think of any possibilities that could happen in a situation. If they do no act in this way, situations can be very dangerous.

Personally, this was not my kind of book, but if you're the kind of person that likes poetic format, I would say go for it. I would say this because not only is Antigone the style of writing that you like, but this book teaches lessons on taking a stand and what could happen if a situation got too far.

Taking a Stand for Respect

2009-01-24T11:25:00.001-08:00

I have yet to take a stand, but one day I would love to take a stand for respect.

Lack of respect is one of my biggest pet peeve’s, but I do not know why I have not stood up for respect yet. In a way, I am probably scared because I would not have a clue as to how people would react.

If a person did not know me then they would be surprised if I took a stand for something that I really cared about, but if somebody did know me they would be happy to see that I did take a stand.

Everywhere I look, I see disrespect.

I see a lot of disrespect towards teachers and elderly people. In probably most of my classes, at least one person has to show disrespect to one of my teachers everyday. People show disrespect towards old people by making fun of how they look, walk, or talk. I hate when I am shopping or at a restaurant and I see a person making fun of an older person. It upsets me so much because that individual may not be able to help the way they look, move, or talk.

Not only have I not taken a stand for respect, but I also have no idea what I would say or do.

If a person knew me, they would say I am very shy and quiet before they got to know me or before I got to know them. So, standing up for something is really hard for me to do in front of people that I do not know very well.

Writing this paper makes me want to try harder to overcome my shyness and to look for opportunities to speak out against disrespect.

Half of My Sophomore Year

2008-12-18T18:38:00.000-08:00

Thinking and writing this post, I cannot believe that I am half way through my sophomore year. In just a matter of a few months, I have done so much.

I have cheered at all the football games, survived learning and performing color guard routines, and on top of all my other activities, survived all of the homework assignments and tests.

I also can't believe that I only have a matter of a few more months with my sister, Audrey, before she goes off to college. Looking back and thinking about when we were little, I do not see what I am going to do without her. My sister has helped me and is always there for me and I know that is not going to change. She has watched me do new cheers that I learned and helped me with my homework. The thing I am going to miss doing most with my sister is just goofing off and having fun whenever we can. So not only is half of my sophomore year gone, but also half of my last year with my sister at home.

Keeping busy with all my activities, I have had so much fun doing everything, even with the stress. So far, I think my sophomore year has been the most enjoying and fun in all my years of school, and I think it will continue to be.

Fate

2008-12-18T18:26:00.000-08:00

Fate was definitely not the deciding cause of the outcome of events in Julius Caesar. Fate did not control the actions of the characters, especially Caesar and Brutus. Instead, people took over.

The outcome of the play was determined by free will because people were responsible for their actions because of the choices they made. For example, Brutus could have decided not to kill Caesar, but Brutus used his own free will to choose to kill him anyway.

They thought they were following fate, but instead, it was their own free will. Fate did not control Julius Caesar's destiny-the actions of the people were responsible for Caesar's death.

Leadership

2008-12-08T14:56:00.000-08:00

In William Shakespeare's play, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, people did not agree with Caesar but he was still their leader. Striving to be a great leader, Caesar was not respected by some people.

A few weeks ago, we had a mini cheer camp for girls grades first through second. Helping the mini cheerleaders, I saw that without leaders, people would have no idea what to do. I also saw that not all of the girls agreed with what we did. They might not have agreed with us all the time, but without our leadership, they would have had no clue what they were doing on the field and track a few Friday's ago. Seeing that they didn't show respect, we tried to be patient. This makes me think that sometimes even if you don't like your leader, they still want to help you in every way possible. Even though some people might not like cheerleaders, we try our best and I know that Julius Caesar tried hard also.

So whether or not you are a cheerleader or a ruler like Julius Caesar, it still is extremely important to respect your leaders because without them, who knows what our world would be like today.

Are You Listening?

2008-11-18T15:35:00.000-08:00

As you probably already know from one of my earlier posts, my Pre-AP English 10 class is reading The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey. In Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood, Covey talks about five poor listening styles: spacing out, pretend listening, selective listening, word listening, and self-centered listening.

Honestly but sadly, I find myself doing some of these styles often. Spacing out and pretend listening are probably the styles that I do the most. For example, Audrey, my older sister, has funny stories to tell me after school sometimes. I will listen for a couple of minutes and then I become so self- centered and start worrying about my self that I will start acting like I am listening. I think pretend listening is probably one of the rudest action a person can do when their friend or love one is really hurt or just want to tell a funny story. Ashamed of myself, I am striving everyday to listen better. Listening to their problems or stories, the friend or family member will always know that I am there for them.

Also, this section has really shown me the gravity of listening and that I need to start paying more attention. It has also showed me that I need to think about other people and step into their shoes every once in a while and see life from their point of view. By doing this I will become a genuine listener.

Striving To Be Proactive

2008-11-06T18:10:00.000-08:00

For my class, Pre-AP English 10, I am reading a book called The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey, and I am really enjoying it. This book has given me a lot of great advice to help me through my teen years.

Out of all the habits that I have read so far, I really like habit one which is Be Proactive. Reading this section helped me realize how reactive I can be sometimes. My sister and I don’t fight a lot, but when we do, I can really be reactive. I make the situation worse instead of stepping back and seeing how I can be proactive.

This section, Be Proactive, has taught me to think before I say, and handle a situation in a way that will be best for others and me.

Mr. President

2008-09-17T12:49:00.000-07:00

I strongly agree with McCain, especially with his opinion on pro-life.

I know people feel terrible about adoption because the parents worry that the child might someday wonder who they're real parents are, but would they rather kill a living person?

This all relates back to Sarah Palin's daughter's situation. Knowing that she messed up, she is still going to take care of the baby.

In her speech of acceptance, at the republican national convention, Sarah talked about her and Todd's new baby boy Trig that has Down's Syndrome. Even though she knew that he was disabled when she was pregnant, she didn't abort him. Instead she said, "Sometimes the greatest joys bring challenge, and children with special needs, inspire special love." Palin and her husband chose to give Trig the best life that he could possibly have.

So, with this being said, I thank John McCain for believing in pro-life, because without a leader like him, babies that are disabled, or even perfectly fine have a chance to live.

To Be or Not To Be a Genre...

2008-09-17T12:27:00.000-07:00

I read The Time Machine in English, and after reading this book, I have decided to promote some Science- Fiction, but not all.

I promote The Time Machine because it's very adventurous and has a fun story line. The book and Science-Fiction in general also brings out the creative side in us. For me also though, The Time Machine was very hard to follow. I kept on having to go back and rethink everything, maybe even reread.

Not in this case with the book, The Time Machine, but sometimes, I would not promote science fiction as a genre. I discourage Science-Fiction because some people, when they start liking science- fiction a lot, they start believing in it. It makes me upset because, none of science- fiction is true, and some people get so into, and caught up in it they won't ever come back to reality.

My Hero...

2008-09-17T12:12:00.000-07:00

When Beautiful was a little girl, she was shy, scared, and all the boys made fun of her, but when Beautiful grew up into a teenager, she gained the most tremendous powers a girl could ever have. All her powers lead up to one great power, which is punishing boys. If a guy says or thinks anything mean or bad about a girl, Beautiful punishes them. She punishes them because a guy should never get away with hurting a girl, because every girl is beautiful. Boys do not know Beautiful has powers, and one way is how she is dressed. Beautiful dresses how a normal everyday teenager would dress because she wants to trick the boys so they won't know she is around. Even though she looks like a normal kid, she still has to be very sneaky about when and where she does things, so boys will not find out. When Beautiful detects that a guy is saying or thinking something, by either listening, or reading their mind, she suddenly becomes invisible. After becoming invisible, she walks up behind the guy jerks him back and he starts turning around and around, transforming into an ugly creature. Having the reminder that they are ugly by being creatures, they will always think twice about saying something mean.