Lent Give-Aways & Their Result

What are you giving up for Lent? Chocolate? Candy? Soda? Surprisingly many kids have decided to give up all social networks such as AOL Instant Messenger, and any other form of e-mail or online chat. Most of these teens have said that it has been extremely difficult to stay away that long. Giving up these sites has helped many focus while doing homework and realize how much they relied on computers. MySpace alone attracted 64.4 million different visitors in just the month of February! This shows that this generation is way too attached to online chatting. ONe doctor even said, "this behavior results in a lack of sleep, missed meals, poor hygiene and, in some extreme situations, seizures." As you can see, this small habit can result into much more serious issues. Therefore, limiting online time is beneficial because it helps us realize how much more important school work is and human interaction instead of online chats. "People are realizing that reality involves people, not pixels." I feel that this will result in a better society, where it is not overpowered by technology. Although I am writing this on the computer as we speak, lessening online availability will improve the society, along with our own health.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/internet/03/29/no.facebook.lent/index.html

Hi everybody! Testing this week! AHHHHHHHHHHH :) To all my "eighvies" GOOD LUCK!
hahahhahaha

Class Response: Gregor Mendel: Genetics

All throughout the unit of Genetics, we have been learning about the miraculous works of Gregor Mendel. Was he just an ordinary guy who had a random craving for peas? No! He worked with pea plants to discover heredity. In class we learned that he was a monk who was educated by the University of Virginia. Throughout his lifetime (1822-1884) he developed the method of cross-polinization. He performed his arts in a monestary garden on his campus that soon became his home away from home. We also learned that he was called the "Father of Genetics" due to his extreme discoveries and his notes that were useful to the scientists to come. Having done a whole chart about Mendel, we can just about say that we are experts. But, for more information, i went onto a website full of Gregor's achievements. It told me that he tested on 28,000 pea plants. He found out two laws, His first law was that each gene has two alleles: one from each parent. The second was that it is a random assortment of chromosomes that lead to many different alleles. The website also contained this famous quote, "The value of utility of any experiment are determined by the fitness of the material to the purpose for which it is used." This website contained lots of extra information that I can add to my notes on this famous scientist Gregor Mendel. I feel that if Mendel hadn't been so successful in his studies, we would not have such advanced theories about genetics. How would we ever know the probability of a gene that our children will have? We wouldn't if it wasn't for Gregor Mendel!

info found at:http://library.thinkquest.org/C0118084/History/Mendel.htm

Class Response: Genetics Assessment: Therapeutic Cloning

Imagine being sick in a hospital bed, not knowing what is wrong with you, not even knowing if you'll live through the next minute. Then, the doctors mention therapeutic cloning as your only chance to survive, with the small catch; this would be a test run meaning that this is not gauranteed to work. Would you take the risk? I know I would! My Genetics Assessment question was why we should support therapeutic cloning, and what the many benefits are. This was a very interesting topic to research because I feel that I agreed with the point of view I was placed on. I found out that therapeutic cloning and stem cell research are ways to clone cells and organs in the human body to use as a disease treatment. Cloning would easily help all humans with diseases because it would enable us to clone organs to use as donors, which would eliminate the problem of waiting for a donor. This would ensure us that it is the same DNA as the reciever, and it will be the right size. Also, by cloning stem cells, it lets us multiply them into different types of cells (nerve, brain, blood, etc.). Also, by cloning, we can test new treatments on them without hurting anyone. As long as we keep it for medical reasons, I am 100% behind therapeutic cloning. I feel that it will save millions of lives, while enhancing medical science all together.
some info found from: http://www.religioustolerance.org/clo_ther.htm
(others from my assessment notes)

Cameras Smarter Than Us?

Whenever I walk into a store that has a surveillance camera, I wave my arms idioticly and make funny faces at the camera. Don't laugh. We've all done it. Whether the camera is in a grocery store or a high-class resaurant, no one can resist putting on a show for whoever is on the other side of the wires and hi-tech lenses. This fascinating article I read was on how security cameras in stores and airports are smarter than ever. New designs and definitely new technology led to a new security camera that can interpret what they see, such as how tall you are, how much you weigh, and if the way you're walking means you are up to something. They are called "never-blinking surveillance cameras" because they are always watching, as if waiting for something to happen. A lot of the cameras used today catch criminals after the crime, but this new gadget is "able to detect suspicious behavior and potentially prevent crime befor it occurs." Many areas, such as Chicago, Washington, Baltimore, gaming industries, and casinos, have already put this amazing technology to work. Although these places seem to have put this gizmo to good use, London is the new camera's best customer, having installed many all around the country. US militaries in Iraq are also using them for safety purposes, in order to protect borders and forts. As you can see, these new cameras would decrease the amounts of thefts in stores, and other crimes elsewhere. I feel that the US government should install these cameras to most- if not all -of the major stores. From now on, be careful on what faces you make at the cameras wherever you go, because you never know what face is interpreted as someone up to no good.
info found at: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17330942

Too Sick, or Too Quick

I read a very intresting article about how parents know when to let their child stay home from school due to certain symptoms. We have all tried it before...putting hot water on our foreheads, faking a pale face with baby powder, and my favorite, the crayon chicken pox. Most of the times parents catch us, because mothers seem to know all. But do they know when their children are really too sick for school? Well, in the article it said that the usual fever limit is around 100 or 101, although they definitely vary depending on the school or state. Many other sicknesses to stay home to would include vomiting, severe nausea, pink eye, rashes, viruses, etc. On the other hand, colds are not usually a reason to stay home, unless the symptoms would lead the child to be extremely uncomfortable in class, or you feel it may be leading up to a flu. As far as when it is okay to send your child back to school, most parents and schools feel most comfortable using the 24 hour rule, which goes for fever, vomiting, and other illnesses, although simple colds can have a much fewer limit. So, in the time between work carpools and the buses arriving, try to avoid split-second decisions. For they often lead to careless choices and huge mistakes. The article's main lesson was for the parents to trust their instincts. This can go from sending them to school with complaints of a cold, or keeping them home due to lack of normality. I completely agree with that statement, because I know that my parents know a lot more than I do about being sick. So, for all of my classmates reading this, when you complain of being "too sick for school" trust your parents' opinions and decisions, for they know what they are doing.

info found at: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=2893860

http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/ptech/02/13/gps.sneaker.ap/index.html

In this highly interesting article, a man named Isaac Daniel has created a GPS chip imbedded into a line of sneakers. After losing his eight-year-old son in 2002, he was determined to find a way to help all parents find their children in a time of devistation. However, the shoe can be worn without having accessed the tracking system. When the wearer gets in an emergency situation, he/she can just press a button on the side of the shoe. As soon as the system is activated, it sends a signal to a monitoring service (that does cost you money). To be safe, if for some reason the wearer was not able to press the button, a family member or close friend can call the monitoring service.Much to the very uptight parents in America's dismay, they can not call the authorities just to find out where their teen is really sneaking off to. If this does happen, the one who called will have to pay a cost by law. The only major flaw in Daniel's invention is that the connection may vary based on how many satellite systems are reachable. So, in order for your signal to be completely transmitted, you'd need a pretty clear view of the sky. Being such an efficient idea, they are now starting to implant these chips into military combat boots, so that they will be able to track their MIA soldiers. These shoes will truly be able to secure the safety of America's citizens. In my opinion, these shoes would certainly help parents locate missing children. Also, I am so thankful that they will be able to help those serving our country in Iraq. This is truly a miraculous invention that will change the way America looks at technology.