Quick-Freezing the Dead

Also known as the Cryonics movement, "quick-freezing" the dead is a method that some scientists have experimented with in hope of achieving the phenomenon of resurrection. Robert Ettinger was the brain behind the Cryonics movement. He himself has been frozen in liquid nitrogen (the material used to keep subjects frozen) and was the first "test subject". He was frozen at 92 years of age, in the hope that with various advancements in technology and science he would some day be revived and cured of his illnesses. Ettinger prefered the term "Immortalist" for people who chose this path for their bodies. Many scientists believe that "neurological suspension" (freezing of the brain and head) is the only way to preserve indefinite life.

Macs VS PCs

Macs vs. PCs, which is better?

Additional Writing Topics (Some Machines do have Personalities)

Here is the link to my essay Cars have "Strong" Personalities .

The Human Cost of an Illiterate Society Response

Jonathan Kozol makes it abundantly clear that he is sympathetic towards people that "suffer" from illiteracy. Kozol's purpose in writing this essay was to show people who aren't illiterate how to understand the life of those who are. Although Kozol himself is clearly literate, he shows deep passion and understanding for those who aren't, and sets out to prove this through his use of syntax but also repition and real-life examples.

Perhaps one of the strongest parts of Kozol's essay is his use of syntax. Some of his sentences are elegant and well formed. The reader often sees this when he tries to explain or prove a point about people who are illiterate. Some of his sentences however are short and choppy and seem to almost personify and make clear the confusion and thought process of people who are illiterate. Imagine being immersed in a world where nothing makes sense, and there are few means available to try and learn the language necessary to be able to adapt. Although the illiterate people could certainly go and take classes to be able to understand the languages around them, the point Kozol tries to prove is that how are the expected to function in society in the meantime? Does their inability to adapt to their surroundings perpetuate their problem? Does this problem get carried down from generation to generation? These are all questions that Kozol tries to answer through his writing.

Another tool that Kozol utilizes extensively is repition. The clearest form of repetition in his essay is in paragraphs 16 through 24. In each of these paragraphs either the first word or the first sentence contains the word "illiterate". When one sees the word illiterate they imagine a person who doesn't speak a language necessary to prosper in their surroundings. Through Kozol's use of reptition, the word "illiteracy" is used to create almost a though of chronic dissability. These people are no longer in control of their life or actions and are helpless to change their path. Kozol wants them to be seen as victims of society and people who are literate. Instead of focusing on how the illiterate people could potentionally fix their problem, Kozol focuses on the problems created for them due to their "illiterate dissability". Through the repetition of the word Illiteracy, the reader can understand the pain and hardships illiterate people have to experience. The word becomes more powerful with each mention in the essay.

My favorite part about Kozol's essay is his use of real-life examples. Through the real life examples the reader can really imagine what life must be like for people who are illiterate. Although Kozol uses many powerful tools in his writing, it is the real life examples from illiterate people that brings his point home. When someone relays information to a third party it only leaves a minute impact. When that third party is forced to read and analyze instances and experiences from people who have suffered from being illiterate, it provides for an entirely new level of intensity. When Kozol brings up the fact about childbirth, and illiteracy being carried down from generation to generation, it leaves a lasting impact.

Narrative Essay Link!

Riding (Narrative essay emulating Digging)

Random Thing: HEALTHY but TASTY Food

     As an athlete it is my absolute MAIN goal to treat my body like a temple. Obviously sometimes I cheat, I may have a soda here or there, or perhaps as piece of chocolate or a cookie, but for the most part I try to eat healthily. My biggest challenge in eating healthy is that I can never find foods I like, that taste good, and provide me with the balanced meal I need. The main part about eating and creating healthy meals is that you know what proportions are necessary, what abouts of carbs, sugars, wheats, etc. My goal for this year, and for this posts as well as others, is to maintain a "healthy tasty diet" of sorts. I will include foods in my diet but only foods that are good for you in some way, either mentally or physically. I will occaisonally have cheat days, perhaps once a week, but for the most part I will stick to my healthy tasty diet. I will be tracking my progress and posting pictures and recipes of foods that I create or make that are delicious and nutritious.
     One great tool I will be using to evalutate the health properties of my meals, stay strict to my diet, and track my progress is an app on my phone called "My Fitness Pal". One aspect about it I love is that you can add all the individual different components of your meal onto a list, and then the app calibrates how many calories are present in that meal. For example, If I add 1 oz of butter, 3 cherry tomatoes, and 1/2 cup of cheese to a meal, it will calculate how many calories are created by those items as well as how much exercise it will take to burn off. I have tried many different fitness apps and this one is my favorite because it doesn't tell me that I eat too much or too little or work out to little or anything that could dampen my morale, instead it helps me create and work with a fitness plan and diet that works best for me.
     While I will be posting blog posts filled with some of my healthy meals, I will be tracking my daily and weekly progress with my fitness pal. I hope to post about dishes that are both healthy and tasty. There are many ways to "cheat" and make meals taste absolutely delicious but still be healthy and have components necessary to mainting a balanced diet. I hope to post weekly about my meals or at least monthly, If I post monthly then I will include a list of various meals and their components, the outcomes, and the overall taste and benefit of the food. As for tonight, I set out on an adventure to make pasta with vegetables from my garden, butter instead of olive oil, but healthy in all other areas.

Greasy Lake Blog Post

Clearly Innocent Boys at Greasy Lake

    In the essay “Greasy Lake” by T.C. Boyle, three main characters, Jeff, Digby and the Narrator travel to a remote lake looking for some trouble. The narrator explains that him and the boys are cool customers, and are bad characters not to be messed with. It is made clear in the first few paragraphs of the essay that the boys aren’t tough, bad, or even cool, but quite the opposite. The narrator desires to be seen as a “bad character” and talks about sniffing glue and ether, wearing torn up leather jackets and drinking gin and fruit juice to prove his point. Through information presented, the boys show us that their “Greasy Appearance” is only a facade hiding their true weak and innocent nature.
    In the initial description of the boys, the narrator intends his information to be taken as “serious” and “tough” when in reality every piece of information presented oozes with inauthentic “badness”. The first “tough” piece of information the narrator presents is when he says “we wheeled our parents’ whining station wagons out into the street we left a patch of rubber half a block long”.  The patch of rubber the narrator is referring to is often called a “burn out” and happens when one floors the gas pedal from a dead stop. This first piece of information given to the reader clearly illustrates the narrator’s attempt to be cool because any “bad Character” would have referred to the marks as the result of a burn out, nevermind the fact that the burnouts were done in suburban housewife station wagons. I am not sure what greasy character would want to be seen in a station wagon, or even bring attention to it. Another example displaying the boys true nature is “ ..in the company of two dangerous characters...headshop proprietor”. The fact that Digby got into Cornell, and Ivy League College proves that he is not remotely a “bad character”. He had to have maintained good grades, be wealthy, and enroll in hard classes to get into cornell, and none of these aspects prove him a bad character but rather instead a good character. As for Jeff, the narrator mentions the possibility of him becoming a “headshop proprietor” in other words, a drug dealer, and no true greasy character would admit or suggest their friend is or is aspiring to become a drug dealer.
    The events that take place in the rest of the essay further prove that the narrator and his friends aren’t bad characters, but weak innocent young men desperately trying to fit in. Their reckless behavior and false appearances get them into trouble at Greasy Lake that leads them to realize they are pretending to be something they aren’t. The final proof of their true innocent nature is in the final paragraph of the essay when a woman offers them some form of drugs and invites them to hang out. The boys quickly decline the invitation. This just further supports the idea that the boys aren’t true greasy characters, and probably won’t act as such after being traumatized by the severe events at greasy lake. They realize that their desire to be bad and fit in isn’t worth enduring such gruesome circumstances.

What I Know Essay

All things are significant, great or small.