Autism Among Adults

     In the website latimes.com, there is an article written by Alan Zarembo that points out how there are many adults living today in society who have cases of autism they are not even aware of. Ben Perrick is an example of one of these cases. He was diagnosed to have autism in 1954 by the man who discovered autism, Dr. Leo Kanner. Today, however, he is regarded as a schizophrenic who is mentally retarded. Ten percent of cases that were reevaluated, like Perrick's, have seen that they also have autism that has gone unrecognized.
     Many cases of people who are diagnosed with autism at an older age are specified in the article, and in a way, they all seem very sad. If when they were younger they had gotten a clear diagnosis to what was wrong with them, maybe they would have been better off. Many people in today's society have even mild forms of autism that they may have suspected, but are not sure of. It is important for these people to know of their conditions, because after all, they are living in the world like the rest of us. Once their main caretaker dies, they must be faced with the tough reality of trying to take care of themselves and survive. If you fear you mayhave autism, consult a physician immediately!

"The Raven"

     This saturday during the saturday class, we read "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe, a gothic writer. His prose and style of writing is very unique and distinguished, and it happens to be one of my favorite forms of writing. In this poem, a raven is shown to remind the narrator of his lost love, Lenore, resulting in him going crazy and talking to the raven. He starts talking with the bird, adn the bird's only response is "nevermore". At teh end of the poem, we ind out that the bird, which signifies an evil being, also signifies Lenore, and the fact that the narrator will forget about Lenore "nevermore".
     The gothic style is shown in his poem in a few ways. The setting is very bleak and dark in the beiginning of the poem, starting off with a midnight in December in a huge mansion. There is an indirect violent incident, which is the loss of Lenore, which could have been violent in some fashion. The main narrator seems as though he is psychotic, because the bird is taling to him, adn he is getting tortured by it. Somehow, after speaking to the bird,a  supernatural event occurs, and the raven actually answers back. All of these characteristics in the poem enable it to be a gothic piece of literature.

Can Infections Cause Mental Illnesses?

     In an article by Shari Roan from the Los Angeles Times called "Childhood Disorder Prompts Study of Infection Link to Mental Illness", it is discovered that it is very possible for certain minor infections to cause much more serious mental problems such such a OCD in victims. The term for this unfortunate situation is pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder associated with streptococcus, or PANDAS. Because of PANDAS, a young sixth-grader named Brody Kennedy who got strep throat ended up havving obsessive compulsive disorder. The boy started not wanting to go to school because of his newfound germaphobia. He took showers more than three times a day, and in general, becasue very antsy about everything in his environment. These are the typical symptoms of an OCD patient.
     The antibodies from the PANDAS attack only the viral or baterial cells of teh infection, but they also begin to attack neurotransmiters and cells in the brain, which causes mantal issues. This situation not only leads to OCD, but it has also lead to diseases such as anorexia, schizophrenia, and autism. Therefore, if one is to get an infection, especially nowadays, they must immediately go to the doctor adn inform them of this problem if they are already not informed. An infection should not be the underlying cause for something much more serious like a mental illness which may last a lifetime. Brody Kennedy's parents are still taking him to the doctor, and trying to find cures for his problem., Meanwhile, all others are trying to find the solution to these antibodies attacking the brain to prevent other such cases ftom occuring.

My Favorite Part of The Scarlet Letter

     The Scarlet Letter proved to be one of the more interesting books with sophisticated language that might seem boring to some. It had a great plot, along with a well-written storyline that captured the essence of the setting very well. If it were not for the revelations of the main suspence in the story that got revealed well before the actual part in the book, I think I would have actually not put the book down. There were many boring parts in the book where I wanted to slap myself with twelve sticks because of how unenterained I was, however, some parts were very interesting. The most interesting and thrilling part of the book, in my opinion, is whenever Chillingworth finds out about the "A" on Dimmesdale's chest.
     Chillingworth was supposed to be helping Dimmesdale out, and aiding him whenever he seemed in need. However, the moment when he ripped open Dimesdale's shirt and saw the "A" etched in his skin, we all knew that Dimmesdale was in for a wild ride (and not a fun one that you sit on at Disneyland). My favorite part of the book is whenever Chillingworth finds out at first, but what he does to Dimmesdale in return also ties in as my favorite part. I personally am very interested in things like torture and the extent to which one would go to to ensure another's suffring. Given all this, I found this section of the book, which explains how Chillingworth was slowly mentally as well as physically draining out Dimmesdale to be very interesting and thrilling. Not many would think the same, but this is my blog.

Dimmesdale Gets My Vote!

     Should I choose the man who is slowly becoming the devil, or should I choose the poor man who is being tortured by a creature such as this. Of course, I pick Dimmesdale! There is a true connection between Dimmesdale and Hester, one which Chillingworth or any other satan "wanna-be" cannot demise! The marriage between Chillingworth and Hester was already an aranged one, so Hester was not even into him when they tied the knot. On top of that, he is torturing the one man that she loves that actually might love her back! Chillingworth is the Devil!
     Hester even confirmes that even though Chillingworth was keeping Dimmesdale alive, "Better he had died at once!" (Hawthorne 160) Is any woman deserving of a man whose help and guidance leads to another's slowly descending life? I think not! Dimmesdale is the man she shares her one prized posession, Pearl with! They concieved this child together! So what if the satan has possessed her soul, or if she is well beyond the paranormal... She is their child! A parent's love for a child exceeds any obstacle or hardship that may come along the way! (except in Matilda's case in the movie Matilda) I rest my casee!

Gum Chewing Does NOT Affect Weight Loss

     Have you ever seen commericals on gum claiming that chewing their gum will lower your snack cravings, therefore, contribute to weight loss? I know I have, and for a while, I was very convinced that this did actually have quite an affect on weight loss. It only makes sense that if your mouth is busy doing something else, it is not eating anything. However, in an article in the La Times written by Jeannine Stein called "Study: Chewing sugar-free gum has no big effect on weight loss", gum chewing actually poses no affect on weight loss. The reliability of this article is based on a research that was conducted on a group of people.
     Two-hundred and one overweight or obese individuals participated in a research to prove this hypothesis. Half of them were in the experimental group, and those individuals were told to follow an eating chart and chew gum for ninety minutes a day. The experimental group was given the same eating chart, but they were given no gum to chew. At the end of a certain amount of time, both groups were evaluated, and there was no significant change in between both groups. Only a slight weight loss among both groups, probably due to the eating chart. So next time you reach out for a stick of gum because you crave something unhealthy, do yourself a favor and eat something healthy instead of chewing gum or eating something unhealthy. In the words of Mr. Wonka, "Chewing gum is really gross, chewing gum I hate the most."

The Scarlet Letter: Connections with American Romanticism

     In The Scarlet Letter, a book that we started reading last week, we get to see a lot of American Romantic aspects being reflected into the story. This is no surprise, since the story was essentially written in the 1840s, which correstponds directly to the American Romantic era. An example of a romantic aspect would be the prison door (Hawthorne 43). In all of chapter one, the author describes the door very carefully and descriptively, not missing an inch of character from it. It is very dark, rusted, and old, which corresponds with the common "ghastly thrills" that the people were interested in during the romantic era. This door also sets the initial mood for the story, foreshadowing future unfortunate events that might take place. It also foreshadows irony that may be coming up in the story because of the fact that it was an old, distusting door, in the middle of a quite elegant, architecturally sophisticated environment.
     Another aspect of Ameican Romanticism is the fact that Anne Hutchinson was reffered to (Hawthorne 44). Anne Hutchinson was a woman who belived in faith in God. She preached that having faith will bring one closer to God. This set her as an outcast compared to the rest of the villagers, because not everyone believed in that. She was kiled, which contributes to the aspect of facination with death of American Romanticism. This also serves as a foreshadow for what might happen to Hester Prynne since she was both compared to Hutchinson, and in a similar situation as Hutchinson was in because of the fact that they are both outcasts in society.

Tamar the Sinner.

     I have come across many experiences in my life where I have been entangled in a situation that unfortunately portrays the "sinner" side of me. The sin I feel I am most likely to commit is wrath. Those who know me at best may know that I can have episodes of sheer anger when I get really upset at something. Sometimes, I may not even know my limits as to what is considered acceptable anger and psychotic anger. This in itself obviously sounds like a crazy person talking, but all the great people are, right?
    These episodes would most likely be seen by the public during my basketball games often. The reason for it in my opinion is because I set such great expectations for myself, and when I cannot seem to reach high enough to achieve them, I get vry mad, and let it out as anger. I believe, however, that these episodes help me shake off whatever is going wrong, get my head straight, and come back fiercely and aggressively (which is a good thing in a game, not so much otherwise). If people were to brand me by my sins, I would be utterly dissappointed. Not only would they be being rude, but they would also probably be disregarding their own sins to focus on someone else's. Yes, people make mistakes, and yes, we all sin at one point in our lives. It is best to ask for forgiveness, be careful to not commit the same thing next time, and move on with your life.

"Huswifery"

     In a poem that we read this week by Edward Taylor, a man from Puritan Times writes about his dear, loving wife, who serves as his connection to God. The speaker is the author of the poem, Edward Taylor. The poem was written in Puritan Times, when colonizing into the Americas was beginning to become a trend. All who came to America were allowed to belive in any Christian faith they wanted, which essentially is the reason why Puritan faith was so popular at the time. In an appreciative tone, Taylor addresses both his love towards God and his wife, while informing the reader of the clear bondhe creates between the two.
     Throughout the poem, Taylor explains the process of his wife making clothes for him. He starts by saying how his wife makes thread with the spinning wheel, showing her love towards her husband as well as God. He later explains how she weves the thread together in order to create a cloth. Though he mentions how colorful the cloth is, one can assume that his idea of colorful of different shades of bland colors, since those types of monotonous colors were the fashion at the time. He  finishes off my saying that he now has a "holy robe" which his wife knit with her love towards God in mind. This makes the bridge between him and God, which seves as a great aspect to any Puritan man at the time.

Tattoos for the Animals!

     On October 24th, there was an article in the Huffington Post named "Billy White, Tattoo Artist, Raises Money For Surviving Zanesville, Ohio Exotic Animals". Billy White, a 62 year-old tattoos artist from Zaneville, Ohio donated more than $1,000 to help in the capturing and caring of mokre than a hundred animals that were let loose by a farmer, Terry Thompson, right before he shot himself. Many animals that were let loose were unfortunately killed by officials. Police killed 48 animals, including eighteen rare Bengal tigers, seventeen lions and eight bears.
     White said that until that Saturday, anybody who walked in and got a tattoo of a tiger or any other exotic animal would have the proceeds of his/her visit go to donating money to help these animals. Though no one knows why White would do such a  thing, one can conclude that it came out of the mere kindness of his own heart. These poor animals were shot and killed because of the careless mistake of the farmer. Many were angry because of the tragedy, but many others were hopeful that the money raised would contribute to the surviving animals and their future.

My Favorite Speech Presentation

     This week, Mrs. Kirkman had a wonderful idea to make us create a project on any given speech by using powerpoint.The list of speeches we had to choose from were very famous speeches that used all that we have learned in this class so far, especially when it comes to persuasion techniques. Other than the speech I had chosen, "Farewell to Baseball" by Lou Gehrig, I think Gareen Mehseredjian and Patil Hovsepian's speech project was very well presented. They did their project on Hilary Clinton's speech, "Women's Rights are Human Rights, which was delivered in Beijing, China, September 5, 1995. The significance behind delivering this speech in China was to inform the old-fashioned people there that human rights need tobe applied to both men and women, that there are no differences between what women and men could and have the right to do.
     Hillary Clinton's purpose was to tell all people in her audience, especially those in China listening to her live, that women have all basic rights that all humans are accountable for having. She was very demanding and confident when delivering her speech, and the speech was full of "charged words" that intrigued the audience and caught their attention. The fact that she delivered this speech very firmly and beautifully has helped society as a whole, by becoming a great contribution for people to understand the importance of human rights. Kudos to Patil and Gareen for presenting it so well!

"Straw Into Gold"

     Sandra Cisneros enchants us with her autobiography, "Straw Into Gold: The Metamorphosis of the Every Day". Cisneros is originally Mexican, but she has traveled to countless istes all over the world. She is from the modern day and age, unlike most of the stories that we have read this year. Another difference between the previous stories we have read and this autobiography is that it has no set occasion. Rather, it is taking place during her life in general.
     She writes this story to provide to the reader and introduction to her life, to show her successes and how they have led her to where she is. She has achieved turning the "straw into gold" by accomplishing thing that she never thought possible. The story becomes the base of knowing the hardships that she went through in life in order to get to her life today. She writes in a very simple, descriptive tone, as if speaking to her audience in person. Cisneros's story truly made me feel that I should challenge myself, go against all odds, and become an independent, successful person in the future in order to be happy with my life.

5 Virtues

     There are a million-and-one things wrong with me. I know my flaws, as well as my strengths. However, one has to always think, "What can I do in order to make myself a better person..."? If I were to pick five virtues that I should work on, I would pick the following: Diligence, because it is very important to stick to something and completely finish it. Patience, because it seems hard for me to keep my cool sometimes. Having patience would make me a lot calmer and understanding person. Cooperation, because being an Armenian, I already have the disadvantage (or advantage in some cases) of being very stubborn. I tend to think that I am always right, which is not the best thing to think in most cases. Eloquence, because I truly believe that speech and the way one speaks can have a very strong influence on people's opinions. Having the virtue of being eloquent can help when leading a large group, which comes in handy often. Finally, humility, because to me, humbleness shows the true character of any person. I highly respect those that have the ability to be humble.
     I chose to be patient for the past two days. Though it proved to be very difficult at times, I think I did pull through as best as I could. An example of how I was patient actually happened today (or yesturday since I am posting this 12:24 AM). I was blocking the enterance as a scout while Aram I Catholicos visited, and there were many avid christian old ladies among the crowd. There was a group of seventy to eighty year olds who were insisting that they should pass through, and no matter how many times I told them that they could not, they kept shoving and pushing. If they were twenty years younger, and if I was not wearing my scouts uniform, I sware I would have beat them all up. Fortunately, the circumstances did not let me express myself in that way. I thought about how I was working on my patience, and I restrained from getting mad, and chose instead to be understanding and patient. Next time old women are bothering you, think that you have your entire life ahead of you, and they have lived their's, so they are just tired now. Understand, have patience, and go home and punch a pillow instead.

"The Autobiography"

     This week we read an autobiography written by Benjamin Franklin. It's main subject was how he worked in order to achieve moral perfection. Most of us know that that is one impossible feat, but he tried to achieve it, which shows great determination. He never did get the time to finish up his work because of how active he was back in the day. In the portion of it that we rad in class though, he was trying to inform the reader of how he diligently tried to become a morally perfect being by following certain quotas he set oout for himself to follow.
     These quotas were a set of thirteen virtues. Franklin aspired to follow these thirteen virtues for the rest of his life, and therefor, become the being he was striving to be. To keep track of his records, he made a chart which he marked on every day. He had initially planned to keep that up for the rest of his life, however since he got caught up in other political and social issues, he was not able to follow it. However, he was "head-faked" into learning and becoming partr of the great person he wanted to be by simply being aware of his achievements over time. Though he did not completely finish what he had started, it definately did make him into a better person. His tone throughout is very practical, and informative, which reflects his calm, determined attitude.

GO TO CAMP!!!

     Have you ever wondered to yourself, "Gosh, I wonder how people like Bear Grylls survive in nature..."? Well put the wondering and pondering to a stop! Camp is the answer to these curious thoughts of yours. Homenetmen Camp Tecuya is located in Frazier Park and is bound to satisfy your thirst for the knowledge of surviving in nature. Camp is the place everyone wants to be, the one spot all people want to go. Is there such a thing as the perfect getaway location? Can anywhere in the world substitute the feeling of home one gets when they go to camp? Nothing - i repeat, nothing in this world is able to compensate for the fresh outdoors-y feeling of Camp Tecuya.

     Waking up to the scent of pine, stretching your muscles to relax and take in the fresh air, and splashing your face with the ice cold water in the chilly morning are bound to be a few of the thousands of simple pleasures that camp can bring. One can shoot arrows at archery or go to target practice with BB-guns. They can go on hikes on the several planned out routes in the campground, or they can just choose the alternative and sleep in till afternoon under a cozy tent in a sleeping bag. The possibilities are endless! The best part about it is that it is hardly any cost to you! No overpriced hotel/casino in the middle of the desert can even come close to all the advantages and perks Homenetmen Camp can bring!

Sinner in the Hands of an Angry God

     "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" has to be one of the most powerful speeches I have ever read. Powerful in a sense of being able to instill so much fear into the audience, that they do not dare not to listen. In this speech, Johnathan Edwards speaks to a crowd of sinners in a tent. His job is to go around and preach to people about not sinning, so they will not go to hell. This takes place in 1741, when there already were very strong religious beliefs, as well as an intimidation from God to the people. Edwards' main goal was to get the people to stop sinning, so that eventually they end up going to heaven.Though his words were very harsh, and quite disturbing, it did get the message through.
     At the actual day when he gave his speech, his voice was very monotonous and boring, despite the strong words. This created a sort of suspense for the audience, because they were always left wondering, "Is he going to look at me?", "Is he going to explode any second?". Through these little ways to capture the audience's attention, Edwards was ablew to achieve his goal of scaring the people enough to follow him. His powerful imagery was very frightening. The mere fact that someone is telling you that the only thing keeping you alive is God makes you automatically look to God as this being that should not even be gone against. God was the only chance of hope left for these people in their minds, which means that Edwards was able to persuade the entire lot of people to follow his ideas. This shows that maybe fear is the answer to be able to control people... Then again, any person wanting to brainwash any large group of people should have no problems with instilling fear in them.

The Best Ice Cream Flavor: Strawberries and Cream

    Ice cream has changed the way Americans have llived forever. What was once a simple dessert has come to take over entire children's lives, as they live every waking moment hoping they would see ice cream the next. There are thousands of different flavors of ice cream, but the one that is the best is strawberries and cream. This flavor is real; this flavor is creamy; this flavor gives meaning to my life. Those vendors across the street with their ice cream carts and bells are not as dangerous as some mothers might assume for their children. They are the ones that hold the key to the world that children see as a dream come true, in strawberry and cream clouds and waterfalls.
    Is there any other flavor on earth that gives you a fresh fruity taste while giving a rich, creamy taste? I have journeyed the world and tasted many different types of ice creams, and it is safe to say that "Freza" flavored ice cream is the biggest bag you can get for your buck. Chocolate, vanilla, rocky road? Do these even stand a chance against an opponent so great? This simple and plain flavor brings forth a new exciting era in the vast world of ice cream! May everyone eat strawberries and cream ice cream with great pleasure and pride.

Shark's Survival, or Chinese Traditions?

     For many, many years, it has been a tradition as well as a delicacy for the Chinese culture to eat shark fin soup, a gelatinous soup with a crucial ingredient of dried shark fins. According to "Shark Fin Soup Being One Step Closer to Being Banned in California", an article on latimes.com though, the killing of millions of sharks each year seem to deeply concern the Senate and Congress. The killing of all these sharks "threatens to disrupt ocean systems", which would concern the government more than the disruption of Chinese traditions. A few people view this decision as disrespect towards Chinese culture and cuisine, while others think of the well-being of the sharks as much more important for the society as a whole. Bills were passed banning the selling of these shark fins.
     This seems to be an issue regarding one's beliefs verses the overall well-being of the people. For the Chinese people, this is a bill banning a part of their background, their traditions, their culture. Americans need to view the issue from their side of the table. Yes, the wildlife is very important in this world of endangered species, but the preservation of traditions and culture is also a very important aspect to the world's civilizations in order to keep pure history alive. Likewise, Chinese people need to be able to see this from the opposite perspective. Some things need to be sacrificed in order to ensure a better future. Either way, this article can induce many different viewpoints on the topic, which make it a very thought-inducing article. Props to Tony Barboza.

"Mission Update"

     "Wow" is the word Steve Squyres decides to use as an opening sentence for his blog post in September 28, 2006. The mere fact that we see this much awe just from the opening sentence shows that this blog post is heading towards a different tone than the stories we previously read. "Mission Update" is a blog post that Steve Squyres publishes during his time in orbit around Mars, therefore, it is told in his point of view. It is very descriptive, telling of his and his crew's journeys discussing the things the current occurrences in space. This post is open for all to see, so it is not limited to only NASA engineers. Anyone, anywhere around the world could follow his posts to see what new updates and discoveries he has for the people.
     The purpose of this short blog post we read was to inform people while exploring a new land in space. The way it was written was so "people-friendly", that one would think they are carrying a conversation with someone as they are reading it. This separates this specific piece of nonfiction from the previous ones we had read. Though at times it was strictly informative, describing in detail of all the different craters they will visit and how they will take a panorama photo, Squyres was still able to make it sound as if it was a regular person on the other end of the screen instead of a bunch of technology savvy NASA engineers. This enables the reader to be interested in the topic and continue to read on.

"A Journey Through Texas"

     In "A Journey Through Texas", Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca is a Spaniard who goes to the Americas in the 1540s in search of some new information and discoveries for the Eastern World. In this narrative, he tells of his adventures and journeys around the area in what is today's Texas. He comes across a few groups of Indians, among them being very helpful ones, as well as more aggressive ones. With the guidance of the helpful Indians, him and his crew embark on a journey of explorations and great, new findings. A very important thing they learned from the Indians was how to grow crops like maize (corn).
     Through learning about the Indian's culture and customs, he also tries to influence them by preaching to them about Christianity. He does this mainly because he wants to get the King and Queen back home to see the great role he is playing in the New World. When they realize that he is promoting their beliefs and views, and showing power among the Indians, they will fund him with new ships and equipment so that he can go again. This was very important for Cabeza de Vaca and his crew, because they wanted to explore new lands, and with the aid of the King and Queen, they were guaranteed great successes in the future. This narrative shows how the people of that time were not only after gold, contrary to the belief. They did believe in advancements by the process of gaining new knowledge, and they were very passionate about coming back to the Old World with new ideas, thoughts, perspectives, and stories to tell about their adventures and the people they met on the way.

Breast Implants Are Not All Fun and Games.

     An article called "Woman's Breast Implant Explodes During Paintball: New High-Impact Sport's Risk?" on latimes.com has proven to show that while breast implants may be beneficial for some, they do also pose a serious risk on the health of many women that may be into high impact sports. A woman reportedly had her breast implant explode due to a paintball bullet that came straight to her breast. This is not even the first incident reported of an exploded breast implant. A woman ruptured her implants in a car accident. Another woman claimed that her implants saved her life by blocking a bullet from getting to her heart.
     I, myself am not a supporter of any type of implant surgery that is done mainly to just enhance looks. There are obviously risks to getting surgeries such as breast augmentation, and they are clearly stated to patients before and after their surgeries. Though having your implant exlode during a game of paintball is not so common, it should be considered by the patient if they care enough about their own well-being. The only solution I could think of for avoiding a terrible thing such as a painful breast implant explosions is not getting the breast implant in the first place. The moral of the story can be "If you absolutely have to get breast implants, avoid any potentially high-impact activities". Even better, think twice before changing your looks in order to "enhance" them, and maybe choose something less risky to achceive the look your are going for.

 

My Favorite Book. Of All Time. Forever.

Books are very underestimated in the advanced world we are living in today. I, however, have discovered a newfound love for books during the past year. Though I love many books, Of Mice and Men is favorite. I read it last year, in Mrs. Patil's english class. The reason why I love it so much has a lot to do with the way my teacher approached the book, and the points she put emphasis on while reading it. However, the book in itself is written so beautifully and simply, that it is hard not to fall in love with the way John Steinbeck viewed and portrayed friendship. In this novel, George and Lenny are an unlikely pair that are evidently dependent on each other for survival. Their relationship becomes so strong and loving, that even death cannot come in between them. George knows what is best for Lenny, who is slightly slow, but he finds him to be somewhat of a nuisance or burden in his life. However, towards the end of the book, he realizes how much their friendship means to him, and how not only Lenny is dependent on him, but he also is dependent on Lenny. The theme of friendship has a very strong place in my heart, because I know the value of a loyal friend who is always at your side, no matter what. To go through what George went through in order to save his best friend is unimaginably difficult. To pull the trigger on the one person you know will love you no matter what for their own good seems unreasonable, but George's reasons are all valid, once they are thought through. I love this book, because it makes me realize the true value of friendship, and reminds me of how lucky I am to have people I can trust and rely on in my life. Whether it be providing a ride home, or pulling the trigger, friends truly help you capture the essence of the beauty of life.