Got a Little Captain in You?

Captain Morgan's is a brand of rum that many are familiar with, but how many actually know the history behind the name? The name comes from the great Caribbean privateer Sir Henry Morgan. He was from Wales. He had a reputation of being the most dangerous pirates who worked on the Spanish Main. He was very successful in his lifetime. He began as a part of some political council in England. He worked on a ship and eventually became an admiral. He led attacks on many Spanish colonies. The greed controlled Morgan, though. He became a pirate. He was one of the best in history. His death is not completely certain. He was on of the very few pirates that actually got to retire and escape much legal disputes.

Stress

I am so stressed out. I feel like just lying down and crying. I don't want to wake up. Everything is being piled on us at the last minute. I don't know what to do. It is very difficult for me to do everyone's work all at the same time. I have never had this problem. In high school, I never ran into this problem. I understand that I am in a whole other world, but this is ridiculous. Have professors no mercy? I am pleading for our homework load to lighten so I can get some damn studying done. I can't do that because professors don't give a shit about anything that doesn't involve their class. This is super frustrating. I finally had felt some relief about this semester, and then-BOOM!-more and more work.

Who Dat

In the past the New Orleans Saints have been given the nickname as the "Aints." The nickname was given to them because for the longest time the team was absolutely terrible. The supporter of the team was not much, well, support. The year when Katrina hit their record was 3-13. They could not even play in their home state, because there was nowhere for them to play. The conditions had gotten so bad that the owner of the team, Tom Benson, was thinking about permanently relocating the team. However, the fans had a difference of opinion, and the New Orleans Saints stayed where they belong. The following year, in 2006, the team got to play in their home stadium. With the new renovations at the Super Dome and the undying support of the fans, the Saints had their best year. They were one game shy of the Super Bowl. Since then, the Saints have improved and are now 12-0.

Ann. Bib # I Lost Count

http://jcp.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/59/4/335






Marshall B Kapp;Journal of Clinical Pathology ,2006.BMJ Publishing Group Ltd & Association of Clinical Pathologists





This excerpt that I selected is focused on informed consent. Informed consent along with the indefinite definition of property, is still trying to be interpreted rather than adjusting or changing the law. Informed consent has been modified under specific guidelines:



• Physical and psychological risks to subjects are minimized.

• Physical and psychological risks to subjects are reasonable in relation to anticipated benefits to those subjects and to the importance of the general knowledge that may reasonably be expected to result

• Selection of subjects is equitable.

• Informed consent will be obtained, including at least the following items being communicated to potential participants or their authorized surrogates:



1. purposes of the research, its expected duration, and the nature of any interventions/experiments;

2. anticipated risks and benefits of participation and the reasonable alternatives to participation in the research protocol;

3. confidentiality provisions relating to the research records;

4. any compensation and/or treatment available for research related injuries; the right to not participate and to discontinue participation at any time without penalty

Informed consent must also be documented in an orderly and proper fashion. The excerpt helps my paper to elaborate and ultimately define informed consent.

Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving was very peaceful. Usually, tensions get high as Mom rushes to prepare our meal. This year was different. I think that she was trying to make it enjoyable, because my family is never home together at the same time. I am always on-the-go. She shows me a lot more trust than she did before. I think it is all because she sees that I am capable of handling most things on my own. I think she also knows that I have the wisdom to ask for help when I need it. I am not too stubborn. All in all, the day was very nice; it allowed me to think about things without any stress.

Let's Edit the Textbooks.....

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/02/060209184558.htm

The article, "New Analysis Shows Three Human Migrations out Of Africa," posted by Science Daily is about new discoveries about previously determined dates of our ancestors. The article focuses its argument on the work of Alan R. Templeton, PhD, of Washington University in St Louis. He has proven that Eurasian populations interbred with those of Africa. His findings have enabled new discoveries about the dates to which these people belong. These new findings suggest that these populations have existed long before they were originally thought to have existed. These studies were assisted by the use of technology and a modified computer program that was used by Templeton. The new discoveries can help us determine more about the earlier populations. The more accurate dates we can derive the more accurate scientists and anthropologists' studies may be.

Ann. Bib

http://books.google.com/books?id=9Q1hr-E8x-YC&pg=PA168&lpg=PA168&dq=a+solution+to+the+tissue+property+debate&source=bl&ots=gHqCfIZPrG&sig=WnayUhL9qhKySIM-1879b8UPuqM&hl=en&ei=t88LS-DcEY-Ytge0tNzrAg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CAgQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=a%20solution%20to%20the%20tissue%20property%20debate&f=false

The Stored Tissue Issue, Robert F. Weir; Robert S. Olick






Within the book, there is a section corresponding to actions that have taken place in Oregon to help better the tissue debate. A committee was assigned to come up with a better resolution to the property debate. In most cases property rights are mainly to benefit the researcher. The reasoning is to protect scientific research and experimentation. The book also refers to abandonment of property. The laws pertaining to abandonment of property state that all rights and ownership are relinquished if ownership is given up. The book raises a question as to whether or not tissues should apply. The argument is that in most cases the patient was under the impression that by giving up their tissue for whatever medical reason, the tissue would become medical waste.





WC 137

Give me a Break, Give me a Break, Break me off a Piece of the Rest of the Week

I am so glad that we have one more day this week. I am really tired lately. It seems as though I cannot get enough sleep. Wednesday is going to be a long day. Dr. Hicks cancelled class (thank goodness), but the slight problem is that we now have a huge gap between our classes. Most of us have labs on Wednesday. We have to wait until 1:15 when lab starts. Why can't we just get that Wednesday off? It would be fantastic! Also, this Friday I have the pleasure of working. I do not look forward to that, but I do plan on getting up for the sales. I have yet to do my Christmas shopping. Our advancements in technology even allow shopper's to participate in Black Friday online. It almost seems smarter to use this method, especially since most people use debit cards anyhow.




WC 146

King of the Fishes

The electric eel is said to be the "King of the fishes," because it is the most deadly fish. The electric eel is located in the fresh waters of the Amazon Rivers of Peru, Venezuela, Columbia, and Brazil. It can produce an electric charge of 600 volts. This fish can detect and generate electric fields. Its lethal discharge can kill humans instantly. How do eels produce this electricity? They have three organs in their bodies that help promote this "electrifying" function. The main organ, the hunter's organ, and the sachs organ are made up of electrocytes. There are over 6000 electroplaques in the eel. The eel can determine the amount of voltage it wants to emit. Strangely, the eel is somewhat disoriented by salt. The salt messes up the polarity of the head and the tail of the eel.

WC 139

Ann. Bib.

DNA Promise and Peril

Linda L. McCabe; Edward R.B. McCabe; Regents of California Press, 2008.

http://books.google.com/books?id=KKrsBcU_DikC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_navlinks_s#v=onepage&q=&f=false

Rina Hikimian and David Korn from the Association of American Medical Colleges examined and researched the current conditions and impressions of the ownership of tissues and the property rights that are involved. The document reviews several court cases. In every court decision, the ruling was not in favor of the individual but in favor of the patent or institute of research. Summarizing each decision, science is left untouched. The court favors scientific research that ultimately will benefit more than one person. This impression disregards any argument of ethics and profit. I think these topics should be considered largely instead of casting them aside.

Hmm..

I read the link about pharmacists that is posted on the class blog.




I believe that a pharmacist should have the right to refuse to fill a prescription. However, the patient has a right to his/her prescription. A solution to this rising problem is to have another pharmacist that is willing to fill the prescription if the other one is uncomfortable. This solution would relieve any problems from the patient and the pharmacist will not feel guilty.





I am a pharmacy technician. I used to work in the Kroger pharmacy. When I was first hired, the pharmacist made me sign a paper that stated issues about the morning after pill that the article mentioned. The pharmacist explained to me that I had a choice as to whether or not I wanted honor this kind of prescription. If someone chose not to, someone else would take the uncomfortable person's place for the time the patient was there. Also, if one refused to have a part in this prescription, absolutely nothing can be said.

I Wanna Be Rich I Wanna Be Famous....

If only I had money.  Life would be so very simple.  I would not have to think about college.  Adios chemistry!  I am trying to work and be a full time student.  It is very difficult to do this.  I already have limited time, but work limits it even more.  I have a bitch for a boss!  I can't stand her.  She refuses to cooperate with my school schedule.  I handed her a copy and wrote down everything that I needed her to follow, but she will not honor my requests.  Now, I am in a situation.  She told me over the weekend she could no longer work with my school schedule, so she is moving me to the front-end.  I have to be a cashier!  I do not want to do that job whatsoever.  I tried to work in the pharmacy again, but their hours were supposedly cut back.  Does every turn I make have a dead end?

WIPS #2

The second reading was by a young man named, Benjamin Marshall. His work was titled, "Discussing Do-It-Yourself Porn: Tastes and Trends in User Generated Sexual Representation." He gave everyone in the room a warning before he began that his analysis was graphic at times and that it might be found highly offensive to some people. He gave everyone the opportunity to leave after he gave his warning. He was reading from an analysis that he made by watching various porn videos on Xtube. The website is another form of Youtube, but this is striclty for adult entertainment. He reviewed several different types of videos. He followed his video examples with some of the comments that corresponded to the videos. He discussed all sorts of issues such as homosexuality, sex with minors, sex with opposite sized people, and the responses to the different kinds of porn. I did not catch what his main objective was for this presentation. I can probably conclude that he was using this to study how people are so different in what they like. He said that he wanted to understand the people in the video and more importantly, the people viewing the material.

Annotated Bib. IV

http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=YHne2bkHd9AC&oi=fnd&pg=PR9&dq=property+rights+in+the+body&ots=QT0OxROHN4&sig=GrXQNIQf83LcrFHuw77CgA03c3Q#v=onepage&q=&f=false

Body Parts: Property Rights and the Ownership of Human Biological Materials. E. Richard Gold. Georgetown University Press, 1996.

In chapter two, there is a section that describes a court case.  In the Moore v. Regents of the University of California case, property rights within the body are discussed.  In 1976, a man named John Moore had to get his spleen removed.  The physician that operated and treated Moore kept his spleen for research.  The physician realized that Moore's spleen held special cells that he could culture.  The physician did so and made an enormous profit off of his work.  Moore found out about what the physician had done with his extracted body parts and took the matter to the courts.  Moore also drew an interest in his body parts as profit.  The courts ruled that although the way of gaining these findings was wrong, the appeal was not going to be honored because Golde's findings contributed to science and medicine.  His findings had a purpose.  This section of the book helps give an opinion of how members of scientific background view property rights in the body.  The courts overlook the profits that are gained, and look primarily at what good comes from this.

Works in Progress Symposium

The first reading I attended was by a young woman named, Samantha Patton.  Her presentation was titled, "Thinking in Color."  She started off her presentation with an example.  She said that a green apple could be recognized and pictured faster than a shiny apple.  The reason for this is because visual words are processed faster than any others.  Her objective is to prove that abstract words are grounded just as concrete words.  They had fifty-two people participate in the "data experiment."  The participants read a number of nouns some concrete and the majority abstact. The participants were not restricted by the responses they were allowed to give.  However, they were not allowed to choose rainbow or colorless as a color.  After they evaluated the results from the data experiment, they narrowed the free response to eleven colors.  Experiment 1, as they called it, used a stoop based format and excluded the color brown.  They used a program on the computer that measured accuracy and response time.  They seemed to be happy with the results, so I assume that what they had hypthesized was what they proved.

Swain, Margaret S., and Randy W. Marusyk. Life choices: a Hastings Center introduction to bioethics. Ed. Joseph H. Howell and William F. Sale. Second ed. Washington, D.C.: Georgetown UP, 2007. Print.

http://books.google.com/books?id=59lktthaUUMC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_navlinks_s#v=onepage&q=&f=false

The section in the book starting on page 484 is written by Swain and Marusyk.  The section is titled, "An Alternative to Property Rights in Human Tissues."  The section makes suggestions to the ownership problem.  They assess the problem that people want to use tissues for profit.  In the past, tissues has little of no monetary value, but no it does.  The article makes an argument that involes the type of economy we have.  The United States has a free market economy, but the property issue proposes ideas geared for a commercial market economy.  Who gets to own the tissues?  There have been many court cases involving this question, but there is no particular set of rules or laws that each case must follow.  Therefore, each case must be examined individually.  The decision in one case is different in other cases.  The question is still unanswered.  This section states that the best option is to come to a decision as to whether or not property rights should be honored in humans.  The solution presented is to allow no property rights tobe given to any one person, but to have the tissue placed in the trust of  physician or medical staff .

The Family Tree Video

The Family Tree video is very interesting. The movie takes place at a street fair in New York. They chose this particular setting, because this is the country's "melting pot." All types of people diverge here. The workers gather a variety of people in order to get a variety of data. The goal is to collect samples from what appears to be totally unrelated people, so they can trace back to each one's ancestors. I really like the project. It is very interesting. The information in the video is presented very well. I don't understand, though, how a group of humans arose from one set of parents. Does that mean they were all inbred? The project has already confirmed our ancestors all started their journey in Africa. They started moving out of the area probably due to climate changes geographic happenings. The project also declares that human genes are 99% related to one another’s. It is hard to fathom that the 1% develops the differences in millions of people. Biologically, race does not exist. I think is really interesting that the color of skin has no effect on differences in genes. I really like this video.

Simon Says.....he is a good catcher

Peter Simon is an ordinary baseball catcher. He is skilled at his position on the field and proud of his accomplishments. Training with several professional coaches, trainers, and athletes have helped shape his catching techniques and establish many of his own.


Catchers have a tough position. Throwing and catching are only a few skills that catchers must perform.

Catchers lead the team and call all the shots- or, "pitches" that is. Simon says, “Leadership skills are a must. The catcher dictates the flow of the game, and every pitch.”

The catcher must have a good relationship with the pitcher as well. If the catcher does not get along with the pitcher it can ruin the flow of the game. The catcher has to be fully alert in order to make calls for his other teammates.

If the catcher becomes lazy, “a runner on third could easily steal as oppose to a runner on first of third and get a base run,” says Simon.

What makes Peter so great at catching? What has helped make him the all-star player that he is today? He believes that his training with professionals has helped better him. All good catchers must acquire technique.

Simon says, “Framing the ball, blocking the ball, and pitch calling are techniques that every pitcher needs to know how to do and do it well.”

Fooling the umpire, catching crazy throws, and knowing which calls to make for the other team’s hitters is only a few of the many techniques Peter knows.

Although, Simon is adequately skilled, catchers have to be fit. Simon believes catchers must be the fittest players on the team because of the constant up and down.

“Not just anybody can be a catcher, but with extreme training, conditioning, good balance, and good hand-eye coordination it might be possible,” Peter Simon declares.

Don’t be fooled, Peter is not Superman; he also gets exhausted sometimes. In order to overcome tired legs from squatting, it is ideal for a catcher to know tricks on how to ease his legs.

The legs can get tired, but so can a throwing arm. It is important to make good throws to the bases or your target. Throwing can be difficult for an unfit or fatigued catcher, so it is important that the catcher can endure the length of the game.

“Practice makes perfect. Catchers can improve their throwing arm by long tossing-warming up before a game-, techniques in throwing, footwork, and accuracy,” says Peter.

Catching is an important position in baseball. It takes a strong, fit player to perform all the skills that are required for the position. Peter Simon is an expert at catching, and plans to continue sharing his expertise to other athletes one day.

Anotated Bib. III

http://www.nationalchildrensstudy.gov/about/organization/advisorycommittee/2005Sep/Pages/Tab-7-Informed-Consent-for-Genetic-Research-on-Stored-Tissue-Samples.pdf

Clayton, Ellen, and Karen Steinburg. "Informed Consent for Genetic Research on Stored Tissue Samples." Informed Consent for Genetic Research on Stored Tissue Samples. Jama, 13 Dec. 1995. Web. 24 Oct. 2009. http://www.nationalchildrensstudy.gov/about/organization/advisorycommittee/2005Sep/Pages/Tab-7-Informed-Consent-for-Genetic-Research-on-Stored-Tissue-Samples.pdf.


This excerpt was posted online.  It is from a book, and it is a collaboration of ideas about informed consent.  The ideas and problems that revolve around the topic are discussed.  This helps create ideas about the tissue debate's main issue: property.

I said "NO!"

I have given the gift of blood to Lifeblood twice.  I have been turned down once because my blood pressure was not where it needed to be.  I don't mind giving blood to help aid in its uses, but I really hate it when their representatives call.  Tonight, I was on the phone with a lady from Lifeblood for approximately thirty minutes.  She insisted on me coming in to donate some of my platelets.  I told her I had a busy schedule, yet she continued to carry on.  She urged me to make an appointment for tomorrow or Wednesday.  I refused to make an appointment.  She would not take no for an answer, so she put me down for an appointment next Thursday.  Needless to say, I will not be there.

During this unecessary thirty minute chat, I learned that platelets can only be saved for five days.  The platelets become perishable thereafter.  In the past and in Europe, seven days is the maximum shelf life.  However, the platelets may not be as good or adequate.

176

What is Property?

Ashley Livingston


Wendy Sumner-Winter

English1010

24 October 2009



Tissues as Human Property?



Tissues are a “collection of similar cells that group together to perform a specialized function” (Carpi). Tissues and cells may be used for research to study diseases. They can also be used to help discover cures. Tissues that are removed from the body during surgery may not simply be kept by the doctor. If there are some tissues or cells “left over that can be used for research” (HTA), the patient must give the doctor permission through written consent. Written consent is a form the patient has to complete; the form allows the patient to either give the doctor rights to perform research on the tissues or the patient can choose to say no. Written consent may be overridden on “living patients if the samples are anonymous” (HTA). The issue has to be passed through an ethics committee first, though. A person may also donate their tissues after his/her death. Consent is always needed unless the person was deceased before September 1, 2006. If records show no sign of consent, permission can be requested from a close relative. The huge question past written consent is: Who does the tissues belong to? The term “property” cannot be defined. A decision has yet to be made as to who owns the tissues.

http://www.questia.com/googleScholar.qst;jsessionid=KJzdZVRT7WjKSKpT0GpqkMVCPL525yDh7LLTq9hTp9gdxzGLWpxP!-82436048!-1854981251?docId=5002303854

Nelkin, Dorothy, and Lori Andrews. "Homo Economicus: Commercialization of Body Tissue in the Age of Biotechnology." Hastings Center Report (1998).

This article is not free, but the basis of the trial excerpt gave me some fresh ideas.


The article was written by Dorthi Nelkin and Lori Andrews on an internet site.  The article focuses on the debate for tissue ownership as a money making opportunity.  The article states that manufacturers may use body parts that have been extracted as ingredients or parts in some of the products they may produce.  The article directs attention to commercialization of body tissues beyond medical purposes.  It gives an example of how DNA from someone famous could be used in a marketed product and then sold.  The article gives me a new approach on my topic.  It creates another perception of how commercialization is and can be done.

That's it Let's Just Say We Came From a Stork

http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/48616/description/Fossil_find_sparks_debate_on_primate_origins


These findings are very interesting.  I think the whole idea of evolution is so complex.  It seems simply, but there is so many gaps that have to be accounted for.  This finding, however, is a good example of the work we are doing today.  We are still digging-literally, digging-for evidence.  We are looking for answers that will solve such a big puzzle.  Is there anyway we will ever know?  I'm not sure if there will ever be a conclusion, or a sound, solid finding that will support all evidence.  The creatures' sizes amaze me.  In the article, the animals weights are dramatically smaller than today's primates.  It is very strange.

Got an Angel to my left and a Devil on my shoulder.......

As I prepare myself for my midterms or just the homework load in general, I find it harder and harder to stay awake to study. The moment I open a book or begin studying, you can basically "stick a fork in me-I'm DONE!"  So, what is the trick?  How do people do it?  I have yet to learn what it takes.  I know that I have to do better, but I cannot seem to motivate myself or discipline myself to do better.  How can I stay up when I am dog-tired?  Coffee and caffeinated products do not seem to help anymore.  I have built a tolerance level to both.  I was reading some tips online and the passage gave some strategies for staying up in order to complete an assignment.

1.  Exercise
2.  Eat good foods while studying.
3.  Drink water while studying.
4.  Do something to increase blood flow.
5.  Do not sit in a comfortable place.
6.  Take breaks in between studying time.

My biggest problem is convincing myself that I need a nap.  I hate whenever I do this because I accomplish nothing.  I hope to improve my studying habits, so I can improve my grades.

Annoted Bibliography I

New England Journal of Medicine.  Body of Research — Ownership and Use of Human Tissue.  R. Alta Charo, J.D. Volume 355:1517-1519 October 12, 2006 Number 15



http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/355/15/1517
 
This article was posted by the New England Journal of Medicine.  The main argument within the excerpt is the unclear definition of property?  Who can have own your body?  The questions arise as the debate over human tissue continues.  The debate lacks property establishment which seems to be the ultimate problem over this topic.  The article also addresses a particle case involving a prostate cancer surgeon, Catalona.  He had received the consent of his patients and collected tissue samples during his time with them at Washington University.  The doctor relocated to practice elsewhere, but the courts would not allow him to relocate the sample of tissue as well; this was dictated even after the patients gave another consent to have their tissues to be moved to the doctor's new location.  Why does written consent not override any decision?

I Got Ya Where I Want Ya......

If a centralized DNA database was to arise, I believe it would become a failed operation.  As technology increases, so does many people's awarness and the proper way to use the new technologies.  A DNA sample has to correspond to a name, and a name must correspond with a social security number.  If this information were to be lost, a crisis would result, and many people would be at risk.  I think that DNA database should be use for record keeping of potential people that endager society- whatever that offense may be.  It would help with identification of crooked individuals that might "change" their name in every crime they may commit. 

Word Count: 111

Memphis Drivers are Contributors to EXTREME Road Rage

When I drive home from school somedays, I like to crack my windows and turn the radio off.  I do this if I have a headache or if I want to just relax and think.  While I was driving home, I became more and more aware of my frustrations with most of the drivers that surrounded me.  In one drive home, I had almost been hit, I counted, at least five times.  My count did not include how many times I had to slam on my brakes because someone decided to swerve over without looking.  I didn't include how many times someone pulled out in front of me and decided to do an average of ten to twenty miles under the speed limit.  The count did not include how many cut me off whenever I needed to switch lanes. It also did not include how many times I had to brake because someone was sitting in the middle of moving traffic-on the wrong side, of course-in order to get to the other side.  This is more than apparent that Memphis has a problem with many of its drivers.  How could a problem like this be fixed? Why are the driver's tests designed so that anyone can pass?  The system has major flaws.  My test to get my license included a two minute drive around the little square of Covington at a speed of twenty-five miles per hour.  Who cannot pass under these strict limitations? Please!


Oh, and I also had to brake because a speeding hub cap was advancing towards my car. 

Word Count: 262

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmDOodc0j28
I'm not sure exactly how I came across this video, but I really like it. 

The guy in the video was talking about how many Americans think that any immigrant should learn English and something about the United States.  He said that 92% of all immigrants pass the test that they take after becoming legal.   The same test was administered to high school students in Oklahoma.  Less than 25% passed.  The numbers are drastically different opening the broader topic of this video: Education.  The guy is baffled by how much the students don't know.  He feels very strongly about education.  I agree with this man.  The lack of education is shocking.

My second outside event was the reading from Robert Root.  I was hoping that he would be more reserved than McCarthy. 

When I first walked in there was a few others in our class that attended as well.  I was glad that I was not the only one about to waste a good hour for this boring event.  I sat down and started talking.  After a few minutes passed a handful of people had piled into the place.  I noticed how different and diverse many of the spectators looked.  I assumed that if this author could attract such a variety of people then his work must be somewhat bearable.  To my surprise, the event wasn't too dry, and Robert Root was not so bad himself. 

McCarthy: An Example of Willpower

Mike McCarthy is willpower.  He is an excellent example of how sheer determination can carry you through the "thick and the thin" to overcome obstacles and ultimately lead you to your life's ambitions.  He carries himself nobly and reinforces his work through his passions.  As my peers and I transition from high school to college, we lack, for the most part, discipline and willpower.  After hearing a professional talk about what it takes to achieve so-called dreams, it makes me realize how much time I have wasted.  The same time that I chose to sacrifice my schoolwork for wasteful, useless activities is the time that I could have studied or completed an assignment early with better context.  I have always wanted to become a pediatric oncologist, and by doing the simple act of procrastination, I have chosen to eliminate willpower and discipline from my quest for knowledge.  I hope to develop the same mentality that prepared McCarthy for his accomplishments.

Blah

Sunday I was scheduled to work from five o'clock in the evening to nine.  I was already upset when I had seen this on my work schedule that Friday.  Before the start of the semester, I had given my boss a copy of my school schedule upon her request.  I wrote down what I wanted (no nights past eight o'clock, no more than sixteen hours, etc.).  She never seems to honor my schedule, and this is becoming very frustrating. 

When Sunday came around, I decided that I was not going to work.  I am consumed in homework.  The assignment that required most of my attention was The Beak Of the Finch Assignment.  Well, I called in and said I was sick.   I stayed up all night reading the damn thing, and I even woke up a three in the morning yersterday, just to find out that there was an extension on the assignment!!! Wonderful! I realize how much I can't stand the total use of computers.  I don't think we should rely on these devices for everything.  After feeling like I could just hide under a rock and sleep my day away, I started thinking about how I could have studied for my chemistry quiz and my math test!  Where does Time hide?  I cannot seem to organize my time and schedule.  I am not easily adjusting to this huge change.  I'm not enjoying my college experience like I should be able to do.

Hmm...

The quote by Friere concludes that education can functions as two things: an instrument to which an individual can conform to a present system (society) or it is a way to deal with reality through actively and intelligently becoming engaged with ourselves as we transform into independent individuals. Freire believes people will be divided into those that are socially aware of themselves and those that are aware of themselves as an individual. Each person's perception will ultimately reflect his/her's education directly. The quote is very universal and simply stated. The message is very powerful, though. Will I conform to popular beliefs-the crowd-and do only what is required of me, or will I rise above my comforts and challenge myself through my strengths and weaknesses? It is a choice everyone must make.  I think that we must compromise and obtain both functions of education.  We can broaden our perceptions by seeing every option.  The choice will determine what is to become of us as individuals.

Observation Proposal

NEW OBSERVATION PROPOSAL:
I will be observing a childrens soccer game. The soccer team consists of girls and boys between the ages of four and six. I will be observing the interactions between the teams' players and those of the crowd. Also, I will take not of my surroundings: place, time, weather, etc..

OLD OBSERVATION PROPOSAL:
Education is slowly getting more and more restricted. There are so many tests that require specific, vague knowledge in most high school classes that students cannot extend their quest for knowledge. It is clearly a problem. I would like to sit in my old high school chemistry class and compare and contrast the differences that have been made in order to simply "pass" students. I would also like to interview the teacher, Mr. Dalton Huffman, and get his thoughts on this year's changes and what he thinks about them. I will also be observing the students behaviors, expressions, etc. as he teaches the course subject.

Observation in Class

Is being forced to engage in conversation naturally easy for individuals? Elliot and Bobby seemed to struggle with the instruction to communicate with each other. The discussion was not supplied with a topic which made the two boys create one(s) on their own. The task appeared to be difficult. The conversation roughly began with Bobby rapidly spitting-out random questions to a slow responsive Elliot. As the two squirmed in their chairs, they made every effort to avoid eye contact with one another. The jittery movements appeared to be a sign of nervousness as each guy was trying to think of a question to ask. The questions helped give an understanding of the differences and similarities between Bobby and Elliot. They have different tastes in music and dogs. Both share the same dislike toward Dr. Freilich and the book about Darwin.
After a series of questions asked and answered, the conversation went from a moderate pace to a halt. The conversation ran very dry. With the help of the teacher, a topic was supplied. The subject was just tossed to them. They each had to consider his thoughts as an unusual topic was presented. The facial expressions on their faces appeared to be just as annoyed by the unfamiliar material just as much as the ones they had to create.
The way in which a person speaks, the pace of the conversation, the body language, the posture, and the facial expressions all conclude something about the individual. Personality, knowledge of the subject matter, and deliverance of opinion can help to lead a conversation as this project demonstrated. By observing, one can broaden his/her thoughts and learn through others perceptions, as well.

Video Observation

Differences in settings provoke different thoughts and perceptions. The class assignment was to observe a video about a man and his mother. Encouraged to use our senses, we watch it multiple times alternating among two senses: sight, hearing, and the two combined. After completing my first observations in class, I observed the video a second time, thereafter, at my house.In class, I observed a man with his mother as indicated through the dialect. The son was vis iting his parents. The mother asks the boy if he likes fish, and the son replies “No, mom, I don’t like fish.” The mother was very consistent and asked the same question, more specifically, if the guy liked tuna. Responding in the same manner, he told her no once more. She said she prepared the tuna with celery to give it a crunch. He was still uninterested in the dish, so the mother began trying to convince him and persuade him to taste it by using examples. He continued to reject her requests with the same “I don’t like fish” line. He eventually tastes the fish and does not like it as he has said before. The mother says he can wait for dinner anyway, because they were going to the restaurant. He agreed with going to a restaurant, and said he was ready. The mother, once more, was not having this, and started nagging about his clothes. He gives her the same responses objecting whatever she asks. They went to a restaurant and it was packed, so his mom suggested a different one: a seafood place.
After bringing the assignment home and watching the video at my house, I was able to analyze the details behind my observation. The story follows the same however, I noted more observations that I has not considered earlier. The son in the video seems to be around his late twenties or early thirties. Information about his age in combination with the way and pace at which he answers his mother allows the viewer to assume this conversation has taken place before. The way the mother presents herself as is very pushy and annoying. She seems to use her technique often to persuade her son to try something or whatever should be the case. The pictures were always being drawn as the story unfolded. I think the pictures are being drawn as the story is told verbally, because the drawings express the story nonverbally. The video observation helped to break down how we use the senses to uncover a message and analyze it. The observations in class will always be different if that is the first observation constructed. The second time we don’t have to try and figure out what is the overall message or conflict. The analysis of what has been observed is the main point in the second observation. By observing, not only once, we can understand details and perceptions through the use of

One Day Maybe

There is a study posted in Science News about monkeys being able to see color. The study showed that it was possible to inject a strand of the virus that constructs eye color into the monkeys eye and within a short time it could see color. The discovery is very fascinating. The study demonstrates the movement of our technology and how we are applying it today. The experiment was actually expected to not work. The monkeys were able to distinguish between yellow, green, blue, and red through color tests. The project is hopeful, but has yet to be demonstrated on humans. The Science News said the experiment was arousing many vision experts and that it might possibly help explain the evolving of color vision in time.




The article:
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/47396/title/Monkeys_get_full_color_vision

"unbeWEAVEable"

During my senior year, I was enrolled in a health science course. It was broken down into two classes: Medical Therapeutics and Clinicals. We covered the material very rapidly which left extra time each class period. In order to fill in for this extra time, my teacher would pull up current news videos or articles on the computer. I really enjoyed the class, however, this was not my favorite part of it. I typically found other ways to apply my attention to whenever she began. In one instance, she began as usual to search the news until she came across one that completely caught my attention. It was a video about an African American Kansas woman whose life had been saved by her weave. The story’s contents provoke thoughtful laughter. It is sad that she was trying to be murdered, but it is humorous that she had been saved by nothing more than her tightly woven weave. To this day, I am still baffled by this article. The only word that I could possibly describe it as is “unbeWEAVEable!”


The actual video is linked below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RL2utgOCVUw

The link below is a video about the situation: (This video is simply for entertainment. It is very funny!!!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baQQ9Io599Q

Autobiography Rough Draft

In 2006, my sister, Sam, her friend, Katie, and my friend Ashley and I went to the Beale Street Music Festival. This was the first time our parents allowed us to attend a major event without parental supervision. Since my aunt lives in midtown, we thought it best to stay over there for the couple of days we were allowed to attend due to the convenience of her house. We were dropped off that Saturday afternoon psyched about the line-up and the fun atmosphere. It is not unusual to save the biggest act last (who always plays at midnight), which that year it was Godsmack. After hours upon hours of non-stop music and total enjoyment, it was time for the big act. All four of us had managed to squeeze our way to the very front. Then, a roar of screams from the crowd arised as the music began to play; this was it. The band sounded amazing! I was having a blast, and I looked up to see if my group was too. That's when I saw my sister...crying. She came toward me with the most unexplainable look: very cross, concerned, and afraid. I asked what was the problem, and she replied that some guy in the crowd was inappropriately touching on her chest. She kept saying that she wanted to leave, and I, as her big sister, assured her that we were on our way out. I turned around and started pushing through the crowd. We forced our way through and dodged the many mosh-pits. I seemed to be doing well in my attempt to get her away from the commotion until I crossed swords with this physically unattractive, chunky, and rude woman. After politely trying to get past her, she refused to let me move past. Still determined to deliver my sister to a safer place, we engaged in a rather friendly conversation. After the engagement, I threw my arm back and popped her right across her face. Needless to say, I got by the troll. As we kept pressing forward trying to find the end of the crowd, Katie is complaining the whole time about her feet, about how tired she was, and anything else that seemed to come to mind. I eventually had enough of the consecutive complaints and voiced my opinions on such things. After finally breaking off, I realized Ashley was not with us, and the last time I had seen her was back in the crowd. She was talking to some guy nobody knew. It hit me faster than a speeding bullet! Panic officially set in. She had no cell phone to call, so I did not know what to do. I found an officer on duty that night and told him our situation. He was absolutely no help. We walked around for two hours after the concert ended, yet still no sign of my friend. Finally, we found her. What a night.





1. The elements at stake were my friend and my responsibility.

2. What does that say about you?

• Always looking to have fun
• Enjoys large events with provided entertainment
• Defensive of family
• I like to try and stay positive; Do not like negative attitudes
• Worry under pressure

3. What is different about that than the way you would like to be perceived?

I am a very laid back person, and I don't get angry very easily.

4. What is it about this experience/anecdote that would make anyone be able to know the experience as something that they can feel/think/remember/understand? . . . . . . UNIVERSALITY

Everyone can relate to standing up for a family member. Most know that serious situations make people become stressed.

Autobiographies: Do They Really Matter?

Autobiographies are personal accounts of a person's experiences and the times to which their life corresponds. Biographies are impersonal annals that are not experienced and written by the same person. The importance of these distinctions is defined by the way in which they are used for research, knowledge, etc.. Autobiographies are primary sources that allow readers to understand the emotions, opinions, and experiences that the author has personally been involved. They are ideal tools for research and understanding through genuine documentation. Biographies are detailed presentations of a subject's experiences in life told and written by someone else. These are standard resources for collecting basic facts about memorable times in a subject's life. I believe autobiographies are worth reading for a broad knowledge of an individual, so that one may understand the individual to a more personal degree. By learning about other's reality, one can grasp a better perception of another individual and his/her understanding.

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1. The last extremely difficult writing assignment was for my AP English class. I had to write an analytical essay comparing and contrasting two poems using specific elements. Poetry does not interest me, and I have a hard time comprehending the elaborate language often chosen. It was very hard to motivate myself to do the assignment.
2. The entire class was given the same assignment from our teacher. The essay was considered tough to the class, but our teacher thought it to be an assignment that would apply what we had been practicing. In order for my essay to be valid, I had to dissect the poems, evaluate how each part contributed to the work as a whole, and distinguish among the most important lines and those that simply gave detail. I highlighted the lines that seem to be of greater impact, and began to construct my work. We had to share our essays with each other to help us develop a broader outlook and knowledge about analyzing literature. By sharing information, I learned what other key terms or figurative elements to look for.

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1. split, lose, paused, considered, vanished, rounding, trailed, picked, follow, chased, knew, smashed, entered, ran, coming, wound, chased, strained, pounding, thought, fling, point, forget, aim, drive, go, impelled, compelled, follow, running, improvising, running, choosing, find, slow, discovering, dismayed, exhilarated, save
2. paused, considered, vanished, rounding, picked, smashed, chased, expected, choking, pounding sliding, impelled, compelled running, failing, dismayed
3. “It’s wide black door opened; a man got out of it, running.” “It was an immense discovery, pounding into my hot head with every sliding, joyous step, that this ordinary adult evidently knew what I thought only children who trained at football knew: that you have to fling yourself at what you’re doing, you have to point yourself, forget yourself, aim, dive. ”
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1. in city clothes, suit and tie, street shoes, thin man,[normal], skinny, redheaded, [furious], [sainted]
2. my lips felt swollen, couldn’t see out the sides of my eyes, coughing, [ordinary], [normal], [anger], [usual]
3. His allusion to the man’s description evolves around the narrative pace.

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1. passionately, I wanted the glory to last forever, precisely, prolong the drama of the chase and cap his glory, brooded, dismembered us piecemeal, staked us to anthills, exalting pursuit,
2. we could have ran through every backyard, snowy backyard, nothing has required so much of me since as being chased all over Pittsburg in the middle of winter-, running terrified