A Shot at Blogging

Looking back to the first day of school I remember people telling me how hard this class would be. Some told me that I would learn a lot and others told me that it would be the hardest English class of my life. I walked into class and it seemed inviting. Mrs. Lahaise told us about how the easiest way to fail the class is to not follow directions. She told us that her directions will always be clear and if we follow them we will be do fine in the class. This was very relieving to me because I always follow directions.

Before entering this class, I looked at reading as boring and pointless. However, this year I read the books “Native Son”, “Five People You Meet In Heaven”, and “And Then There Were None” which really opened my eyes to how great books can be. In “Native Son”, I really enjoyed the first two books which were very interesting. The “Five People You Meet In Heaven”  had five great lessons that really opened my eyes. It was a great book and movie. “And Then There Were None” is an amazing mystery story that gave me great entertainment. It made me realize what kind of books I love to read. I love thought provoking books that keep the reader wanting more throughout. I perceive myself to be a good student who does what he is told. This class is definitely practice on how to follow directions, a very important skill in life.

There have been a lot of positive and negative parts of this year in 503. I would say the best parts were the books we read, the topics we discussed, TED Videos, and most of all, the blogs. I think this blog idea as an assignment is great. If anything is changed with the blogs, I would say lessen the quantity. Most of the blog posts are not graded because there is not enough time to read them all. The worst part of the class is actually hard to think of. I would say it was the author project because there were many other better projects we could have done instead.

If you are taking this class next year I first suggest you not take the advice of this years students. This year was unusual as Mrs. Lahaise was not completely on top of her game, however, I guarantee you she will be back stronger and tougher next year. Be ready for a tough course. Also make sure you know how to follow directions throughout the year because it is a vital part of the class. Other than that good luck and I hope you all do well next year and beyond. This was a great year and we all became smarter as a class.

Wow! Honestly, this book is the best I have ever read. “And Then There Were None” is a mystery/horror book that keeps you guessing until the very end. Basically, the story starts with 10 characters, each receiving a letter from a mysterious person on Indian Island. Some are invited for a job, while others are invited to meet old friends. This dramatic irony builds through the entire story and the characters are killed one by one. By the end of the book, the reader has been suspicious, at one point or another, of every single character. I promise you, when you finish this book, you will still be utterly confused. Trust me! I myself blamed every single character and at some points, multiple characters. When you come to the end you will be speechless! I promise you! Right when you think you got the killer… when he/she is in your grasp and in front of you… somebody else is killed somewhere else and the mystery is back. Seriously, please read this book it is truly amazing. I’m very happy that this was the book I do my last fat paragraph on!

As many of you may already know, I am a huge NBA, and Lakers fan. Currently it is the Conference Finals and there is not much doubt who wins each series. Although the Suns won back to back home games, I still believe they are a long shot to get passed the Lakers. On the other side, the Celtics are up 3-1 on the Magic. Unless the Magic miraculously turn things around and win three straight games, the Celtics look to be pulling out a second finals appearance in 3 years. I look forward to seeing a Lakers-Celtics Finals rematch. This year, both teams are better, hungrier, and tougher. I believe the Lakers will repeat this year in a grinding, 7 game series against the Celtics.

This post-season has definitely not been the most exciting, however, that will be changing soon. There has only been one 7 game series, and that was a very unexpected one. There have also been 4 sweeps! Yes, that’s right, 4! This shows how great the gap is between the title contenders and the weak playoff teams. The Spurs were too old to keep up with the hot Suns, the Jazz were too small for the Lakers, and Orlando dominated two weak teams in the Bobcats and Hawks. Orlando looked like they were headed to the finals early on, until the Celtics escaped from under the radar to beat the favorites, Cavaliers, and now take Orlando to the brink of elimination. Outside of the Celtics eliminating LeBron James and the Cavaliers from the playoffs, there have really been no exciting events this year. I predict that will change in a huge way once the Finals come around.

This years Lakers-Celtics Finals match up will be one that is remembered for years. Both teams are playing some of the best basketball of the whole season and are ready to face off. I believe the Lakers have an advantage in the starting lineup, while the Celtics hold an advantage in the bench. As the Celtics were losing game 4 of their series with Orlando, I could not help but notice why. Rajon Rondo, the heart and spirit of the Celtics team all post-season, got two early fouls and was forced to sit on the bench for most of the game. I believe that if the Lakers can slow him down, or take him out of the game completely, that team would have no chance. I know that sounds like a big “if”, however, Rondo will be guarded by one of the best defenders in the league, Kobe. If Kobe can limit Rondo’s speed and passing, while making him work on the defensive end, the Lakers have a very good chance. That is definitely an important match up to look out for, and can very well determine the winner of this years Championship.

This year, we will finally see the tough, and long anticipated rivalry between Boston and LA. Two years ago this same match up created a lot of hype and failed to deliver that amazing series. However, this year both teams are stronger and playing better basketball. Both teams want to win the Championship, and both teams know what it is going to take. I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait for the Finals to begin!

The Five People You Meet in Heaven is an unbelievable, absolutely amazing story with very deep messages and meanings. A couple weeks ago I finished reading the book and felt it was the greatest book I had ever read. Now I saw the movie after reading it and although the movie is also amazing, the book is slightly better. Although the book was better, the movie made the story more appealing to me than it previously was. It helped me better visualize the story and everything that was going on.

This story starts out with the death of a man named Eddie. Eddie was a maintenance worker at the Ruby Pier and was killed when he attempted to push a child out of the way of a falling ride. He goes to heaven and meets 5 people of importance to his life. These 5 people will each teach him a very important lesson. First, Eddie meets a familiar blue man. This blue man had died many years ago when he swerved off the road to prevent hitting Eddie. He did not know Eddie, they were strangers. However, strangers are just family they are yet to meet. The blue man’s lesson is that everyone is somehow connected and there are no random acts. The blue man was killed, however, Eddie lived on. It was not his time to die.

The second person Eddie meets in heaven was his captain in the war. The captain starts out saying that all the shots and vaccinations they got for the war were pointless. We later see that the captain was killed by a land mine that he stepped on when he was making sure there was nothing ahead of their truck. We also find out in this scene that the captain was the one who shot Eddie in the leg and took out his knee. When Eddie hears this, he gets furious and attacks the captain. Afterward, the captain gives his lesson. “Sometimes when you sacrifice something you are not really losing it, you are just passing it on to somebody else.” I believe this is the most important lesson that Eddie learns because it most relates to today’s world. People need to sacrifice more often to make the world a better place.

The third person Eddie meets in heaven is Ruby. She tells Eddie about the history of Ruby Pier. He also learns a lot about his father and finally forgives him for everything that had happened in their lives. Eddie learns that “We think that by hating someone we harm them, but hatred is a curved blade, and whatever harm we do, we also do to ourselves.” This is a very important lesson and it is definitely evident when Eddie’s father saves his old friend even though he was angry with him.

The fourth person Eddie meets in heaven is the love of his life, Margarite. They go back together and remember their happy times and love for each other. Margarite claims that she felt his love all the way in heaven. She teaches Eddie that love does not end, it simply changes forms. This is an important thing to keep in mind. Life may end but love does not have to. Just because the person is not next to you does not mean you cannot remember them. I believe this is an important lesson.

The fifth and final person that Eddie meets in heaven is a little girl by the name of Tala. She begins by talking to Eddie and tell him her name and trying to communicate. She ends up telling Eddie that he burned her which confuses him. She shows him the day when he burned down the hut in the Philippines in the war. Tala teaches Eddie that everyone has a purpose in life. She tells him that his purpose was to protect children, and that is why he lived at the pier his whole life. She also tells him that he saved the little girl at the pier at his accident. Eddie finally realizes that everybody has a purpose in life and no life is a waste. He cleans Tala with a wet rock and his sins are washed away. Eddie is finally free to rest in peace in heaven.

Do you enjoy reading novels with tons of adventure and action? If your answer is yes, then Cup of Gold by John Steinbeck is definitely the book for you. Take a look at some of the great details in this action filled novel. In order not to kill the book I will blank out the names of the characters and only show you the actions. “_____ moved forward with his drawn rapier. “Defend yourself!” he cried. ______ did not change his position. The sword dropped from _______’s hand. …” (pg 158-9) Sounds thrilling right? Well there is this and much, much more. The basic story line of this book is about a pirate named Sir Henry Morgan, also called Young Henry. He is the son of a man named Old Robert. Young Henry wants nothing else in the world except two things. He wants to conquer the colony of Panama (aka ‘Cup of Gold’) and to obtain the beautiful woman called La Santa Roja, or the red saint. He believed he would go insane if he did not accomplish these two goals and devoted his life to it, even though Panama was said to be an impossible attack. I don’t want to ruin too much but this is a pretty interesting book. If you like a book with happy endings then I’m sorry but don’t read this book because it is a sad book. Here is the last part of the book to show you that it really is not a happy ending. “The fire went out of the ember with a dry, hard snap. There was no light anywhere…” (pg 230) If a book ends off like that, you don’t have to know what it is about to see it is not a happy ending. I personally enjoy realistic endings rather than fairy tale ‘happily ever afters’, so I liked it. Another thing you all should consider is that this book is by John Steinbeck, a very well known and respected writer. Some of his other best books are Grapes of Wrath (which we are reading now), Tortilla Flat, and East of Eden.

Today I came across this simple website talking about the nature of people (click here). In my head I thought about if it is better to be selfish or selfless? Obviously everybody would say selfless because its the “right” or “moral” thing to say. If you really think about this, it is impossible to be completely one or the other. If somebody were completely selfless, they would give their house, clothes, food, water, family, and even themselves away. A completely selfless person would have absolutely nothing to live for. Some people are selfless because it makes them feel important or good. This is not selflessness because they do it for that good feeling, not to actually help the other person out.

Not only do I feel it is impossible to be completely selfish or selfless, I also find it to be very senseless. Why would anyone want to live completely for themselves, or completely for others? Why not enjoy both? The way I live my life is this. I first look at my options to see what is at stake for me and for the others involved. If I have the capability to gain a lot from a certain action, I will do it. However I will not do something for myself that will negatively effect somebody else. The way I see it, my community and I are on the same team. We must work together with a common goal. That goal is to live a happy life. If I can give a little to make another person’s life a little better, then I have done my team good. The most important part of this concept is who is in and who is out of this team. If somebody has the opportunity to help others or myself, and chooses not to, I will make sure to remember that next time I have a selfish vs selfless decision to make towards them.

http://lahaiseslair.com/ashot/2010/02/16/does-democracy-make-the-immoral-look-moral/
http://lahaiseslair.com/ashot/2010/03/16/there-is-always-something-to-be-happy-about/

We’ve all been there. You are having a bad day and nothing seems to go your way. Sometimes its irritating, sometimes its just sad. No matter how wrong things are going, just remember its only a phase and there is still a lot to be happy about. The most unexpected things can put a smile on your face and can brighten up your day. The other day I was having one of these bad days and felt like it was the end of the world. In an attempt to forget about the things that anger me, I went online to search for funny quotes, facts, and topics. I ended up finding this website. It is a list of random facts about the most random things. I know, to some people, it sounds stupid, but for me it brightened up my whole day. I spent about an hour looking through this kind of material and by the end of that hour I was laughing and had forgotten what I was mad about.

This just goes to show that its the little things in life that truly matter. Its those people and things that make you happy and are there when nobody and nothing else is. The most important message I want to send with this blog post is that we all need to remember, happiness is not a temporary feeling in our lives, it is actually the anger and sadness which are temporarily hiding our happiness. We are all born happy and should remember that without happiness, you are not living your life the right way. We all need to go out and find that thing that makes us happy. Whether it is some kind of game, activity, job, or even a special person, there is something in all of our lives that can brighten up the darkest day.

Have you realized how amazing our technology today really is? I never really thought about it until today. And I’m not talking about video games, computer programs, and other entertainment based technologies. I am talking about the technology scientists use for new discoveries and finding data. Today I was reading the yahoo article about the earthquake in Chile and I found it very shocking what NASA has discovered. Before I go on, please go read the article and take a look at the information it presents. yahoo Chile earthquake

According to NASA scientists, the 8.8 earthquake may have shifted earth’s axis. They say this will probably result in a shortening of the day. This prediction in itself is very shocking to me as to how they would figure this out but this isn’t the surprising part. They said that the day will be shortened by precisely 1.26 milliseconds. It boggles my mind when I think about how they might have calculated this. I would think that if it was a change that minor it would be undetectable and we would never realize it until hundreds of these earthquakes cumulatively shifted it by about a second at least. These scientists have estimated the time to ten thousandths of a second.

As if this wasn’t enough, I continued reading the article to find that the earth’s axis was shifted by 3 inches. Really? The earth’s radius is approximately 6.38 million meters and scientists detected a 3 inch shift? I’m not sure if this is truly amazing data or if I have just been underestimating technology. Please comment this post and let me know if you too are amazed by this information. Until next week, I wish the victims of the Chile earthquake and their families the best in the future.

This is my second straight post about morality but this was a really interesting point that I read, and I could not pass on it. I read a thought provoking question from Six Thought Provoking Questions, and to save you a click and navigation from this page here is the question:

2. It is considered immoral for me to steal from my neighbor Joe in order to send my kids to school, or to paint a picture, or to subsidize my tobacco crop, so how can it be right for me to do it using the government as my agent? Is it moral just because enough of us vote to take Joe’s money for something we want to do? Is this “mob rule” okay for any purpose, or only if it is a “good” purpose? If so, who decides what a “good” purpose is?

This question is very well worded and makes a deep point. As we speak today the government is cutting money from schools, elderly care, and other important places. Their purpose is labeled as good since they are cutting back costs to save the nation money. However, these are not “wasteful” places where money is being spent. Education is the key to our nations future and elderly care is very important since it is taking care of the people who once served our country. If I were to go and rob schools of their money and my purpose was the recession, I would be put in jail and labeled as a bad citizen. Yet our government is doing this exact same thing with the exact same excuse. Does morality really change when an issue is voted upon? I don’t see how that works and find it very unjust.

I would like to briefly mention a second immorality in the government which is also mentioned in the above link. In Germany, prior to World War II, the people voted for Hitler to take power. The great Democracy. Great intentions. Great expectations. Majority rule. How can it go so wrong to put into power such an evil and sick-minded man. Which once again brings us to the question. Does morality change when the act is voted upon? Is putting Hitler as president moral just because the people wanted it that way? My opinion is no.

Please comment this post and the last one and let me know what your thoughts are on morality. Are your views similar or different?