Did What?(315)

A man named Felix Baumgartner set the world record of the highest free fall of 24 miles, more than 120,000 feet above the Earth. The previous world record was 102,800 feet, or 19 miles that was set 52 years ago by an Air Force test pilot named Joe Kittinger. The technology nowadays is more advanced which allowed Baumgartner to test the new limits and capabilities of bailing from aircraft at high altitudes.

More than eight million people watched the free fall that was broadcasted live on YouTube. The free fall itself lasted more than four minutes, at a speed of 830 miles per hour that was a VERY long fall. Baumgartner rode up to that altitude in what looks sort of like the capsule that astronauts fall back to the Earth in when they come back from space. The capsule was attached to a special balloon that carried him up 24 miles into space. When he reached 24 miles, he simply stepped out of the capsule and off of the platform and began his free fall. In order to withstand the extreme temperatures, he wore a special suit that provided him thermo protection and oxygen in order to breathe.

I can’t fathom how much courage and practice it would take to be ready for a fall like that. I can barely think about normal skydiving much less THAT type of skydiving, or more rather space-diving. Felix Baumgartner is fifty two years old right now. To be fifty two and do that would take a lot of courage. I might expect a twenty year old or someone like that who is young and stupid to attempt it but I guess his age just means that he probably put a lot of thought, planning, and practice into his stunt. The free fall just goes to show how many new things we can still do even though there have been so many monumental things already done.

High School (460)

Since I am absolutely fresh out of ideas for a blog post, I thought id write about my high school experience. As you might expect, I have some common themes of important people, activities, hobbies, etc. first of all, my friends. Ive had about 3 main friends through my high school experience and if that whole laughing adds years to your life thing is true, then they’ve added plenty of years to my life alone. They’ve been there for company, birthdays, boy troubles, school rants, driving vents, and so many more things. Its been great.

These three friends also participated in color guard as I did. if you wernt aware, im continuing color guard when I go to college because I love it so much. Color guard has been my main social …well, place? Whatever. There have been sleepovers, long days, cold nights, bruises, blisters, cuts, sore muscles, bashed fingers and noses and through it all we have tried our hardest to stick with it. for me, I feel like my color guard carreer came naturally. I started my first year out being in a trio, my second year spinning rifle and dancing, third year adding sabre with more duets and trios and my senior year was a combination. Ive enjoied helping newbies and joking with my friends about how I will smack the next band member who gets in my way.

Next, my teachers that ive learned from over the years have mostly been life long influences. Others… well, not so much. I would like to believe that eventually people grow up or grow out of their stubbornness or pissy ways but they don’t. And some people I swear have gained a life time of wisdom and knowledge again each time I see them.

Then theres the boyfriends. Yeah, the few ive dated have made a lasting impression on my life whether its being so happy I cant stop smiling or so heartbroken I beg my parents to let me skip school and sleep the rest of my life cuz that’s my only form of happiness. ..maybe a bit dramatic but hey, im a teenaged girl. I can say that and know the world will end in the same moment if I don’t get my way. (well at least I admit to it).

And then theres my family whos always there. They take me out to dinner every birthday where ever I want to go, wouldn’t miss a football game I perform at for the world, help me through my surprisingly lacking life of drama, and every situation possible whether I ask for help or would rather them leave me alone until graduation.

Wow I can write a lot about something when its off topic from my actual homework.

TMI (305)

A while ago, an article was published on CNN about the discovery of horse meat, or rather DNA, in hamburgers that were on sale in supermarkets in Britain and Ireland. The Food Safety Authority of Ireland published their findings on Tuesday morning. They showed that ten out of the twenty seven hamburger products that they tested contained horse DNA, i.e. they contained horse meat. Twenty three hamburger products out of the twenty seven contained pig DNA, or pig meat. To put this in perspective, thirty seven percent of the tested hamburger products contained horse meat and eighty five percent of the tested hamburger products contained pig meat.

 For those of you that are unaware, hamburgers come from cows. I will be the first one to admit that there is a lot of meat and ingredients in store bought hamburgers that may not be the plain ground beef that I really want. According to another article I found, most hamburgers probably have E. coli and the cows that the hamburgers come from are fed chicken feces. I really don’t need to go into the unappetizing meat industry so I’ll just go back to my specifically titled article.

One of the most shocking things I found out from the article was that in nine out of ten of the burger samples, there were relatively low levels of horse DNA but it one of those ten burgers, twenty nine percent of the burger was horse meat. As an AP Statistics student, I know that if that was the outcome of the sample, there is probably a higher chance of getting more horse meat in the burgers. That is absolutely disgusting. I would be curious to find the results of similar studies in other countries. Recently being in Ireland, I wonder exactly what was the meat I was eating?

Pan's Labrynth (329)

In world humanities we recently watched a movie called Pan’s Labrynth. The movie combined history and fantacy into  one. It was kind of creepy at some points but ill get to that later. Basically the movie starts with a girl and her pregnant mother moving somewhere for an important reason concidering they don’t want to be late and upset whoever is waiting and the fact that the mother is obviously having troubles riding such a great distance in her circumstance and needing a break every so often. When they arrive, a captain is waiting. He has recently married the mother who is pregnant with his son which is an important fact concidering he will pass on his last name. The Spanish war has just ended or almost ended. The mother falls ill and is to be taken great care of so the baby will survive. Meanwhile, the girl has made friends with a fairy who leads her to a fawn. She is the princess of some kingdom with no pain or sun and is to complete a few tasks before the full moon. Her tasks start out with fetching a key from a toad’s stomach and enabling the fig tree to flourish again. The second she is to walk past a feast and retrieve a dagger. After taking a bite of the feast, a very creepy white man with no eyes until he puts them in his hands with long nails like tallons or daggers, wakes up and comes after her. She learns from the pictures on the wall that he eats children.

Anyway, in the end it doesn’t end so well for her or her mother or the captain. But.. the captain was bad anyway so I think that’s a good thing.

I didn’t really like the movie though it was sort of interesting with the guard/army guys and the rebel civilian kind of guys and how they go back and forth probably just as the history goes.

Dont Let Them Take Over (347)

I watched a video that talked about how scientists have made discoveries pertaining to computers and linking them with thoughts. It started with a guy that was paralyzed that was able to communicate through a computer. There was a cap with neuron sensors that was placed on his head and a screen in front of him flashed a bunch of letters. When the guy saw the letter he wanted, he would think “that’s it” and it would record the letter. In this way, he could spell out words and make sentences that the computer would read. There were other discoveries that the video mentioned as well.  They followed the study of a neurosurgeon that implanted a neuron sensor into a monkey’s brain and recorded the neuron impulses in the brain. By determining what this meant, he was able to program a robotic arm to the monkey’s thoughts and the monkey was able to move the arm with only his mind. The study has progressed into human’s brains as well. They were testing the technology in a woman that was paralyzed and she was able to move the cursor on a computer screen and steer a wheelchair.

 I understand the benefits of this technology but to be honest it kind of scares me. I mean, if someone can operate a computer with their mind what can’t they do? What can’t computers do anymore? Hasn’t society learned anything from the science fiction movies? Robots take over, computers get so powerful that they control every aspect of human life, and then they take over. To be fair, the humans always win in the end, but they were made in Hollywood. With all of the new technologies emerging, what would keep people from turning into potatoes that live in a computer programmed world? The fact that these new things can help paralyzed and body-dead not brain-dead people renew their ability to move and communicate is a fantastic thing but what will stop people from abusing that technology and turning it into something you would see in a futuristic science fiction movie?

Interrupted Flight (299)

Ever wish you could fly? Me too. Ive kinda always wanted to see how those birds live. Don’t get me wrong, I like being a human. A species that is very dominant on our planet is perfect for me… im not so sure how id survive as an animal fending for myself. But anyway, i have always loved planes. I love that moment when you realize that you arnt attatched to the ground any more in any way and gravity no longer holds you to the Earth. Its one of my favorite experiances so im glad im so fortunate to have been on a plane once or twice every year of my life. But… what if I didn’t have to pay money to fly? What if I was a bird? Thatd be kinda cool. Maybe for a day or two. Im not sure how my fear of heights would be though.

Anyway, I began thinking of those things after seeing an article about two bald eagles on the internet. The thing is, these are still animals with no laws who settle disputes by themselves. A pair of eagles got into a fight in the air, locking their sharp tallons and started falling to the ground. Ironically, this happened over an airport and they were unable too unlock their tallons before hitting the ground. They lied there on the strip, tangled, as people viewed them and took pictures until a man showed up to take them for medical care. Once he arrived, he loaded them in his truck bed (because he didn’t have containers big enough) and trew mesh and coats over them and tied them down. During the ride, there was a rustle and then one of the eagles flew away. The other stuck around for medical attention though.

Sole Survivor (302)

On yahoo, I looked at an article about a girl who has a rare past. The odds of being in an airplane crash are so little but sadly, it happens. Crocker was only four years old when the crash changed her life-when she lost her family and obtained physical scars as long as her later mental scars. She claims she has no memory of the crash being so young but she thinks of it every single day. She is reminded of it by the scars on her body and the tattoo she decided she wanted to have as a reminder- a part of her so present past. After the crash, Crocker went to live in Alabama with her aunt and uncle who she was raised by. She remembers that she realized that she was the sole survivor of the crash in middle school or maybe high school and kept thinking, “why me?” “why didn’t my brother survive?”. Out of the 154 people on the plane, she survived.

 The plane left a trail of debris as it crashed. Anything from seats to food to carts and parts. But not only that, there was also a trail of bodies. They lined a street showing the horror in the situation.

I think it would be hard to live through your life probably feeling somewhat normal until you grow old enough to be curious and realize that something didn’t add up. I bet its hard to think that you were the only one to live and ask yourself why you? Why didn’t someone else survive? Anyone. Im not sure if I could feel innocent.

Crocker, despite her past, still flies today with no worries believing that the odds are most likely in her favor. If its happened to her before, whats the chance itll happen again?

Not Many Left(343)

I’m sure almost everyone in the world knows that panda bears are an endangered species. But I did not realize how many we actually can account for. In fact, ive found that there are very few. In a recent news article by CNN, they reported that a panda cub in Washington D.C., just barely a week old, died of unknown causes Sunday morning. In that same article, they stated that there are about 1,900 pandas left in the world.

In another article by Yahoo about this same cub, they said that the first panda couple was given to the United States after Nixon’s trip to China in 1972. China has been sending their “National Treasure” to other countries as a symbol of gratitude since the Tang dynasty.

Pandas are one of my favorite animals. Of course I love all baby animals, but bear cubs are some of my favorite. Both of the articles caught my attention and I really wish I had more time to research pandas and China’s history of how they care for pandas and how they decide to breed and relocate pandas as they have only given a few to select zoos in America and to other countries in the world. I also want to know why there are so few pandas in the first place.

I think it is probably a good thing that we are making great efforts to breed pandas and bring their population up. I’m not sure, though again, how many pandas they have in the wild, in zoos, breeding places, etc. so I’m not sure if I can give my input on how I wouldn’t like if all the pandas were in enclosures.

I wish that we would treat more endangered species like pandas and put more effort into bringing their populations up. I feel that it is really important that we do our best to keep species alive not only to show how amazing they are to generations after us but so that we don’t lose them as an important part of our ecosystem.

Crime(392)

After reading the book The Girl that Played with Fire, a lot of sex crimes and underground crimes in foreign countries are catching my attention. This was obviously because a lot of the book was centered on the sex trade in Sweden. I found an article on NBC News that about how kitchen knives and chili powder were distributed to women all over India to try and help them protect against possible rape that would come from a radical Hindu nationalist party. This act of the knife and chili powder distribution has been named the knife campaign. It was sparked in response to the well known gang rape that lead to a national debate on how to deal with sex crimes. The Shiv Sena party said that they handed out 21,000 three inch blade knives to women in the city and areas nearby. Their plan was to hand out in total 100,000 knives.

The knife campaign taught many things to women to help them protect themselves. One of them said by the campaign runner Ajay Chaudhari was not to be afraid and fearful to use a knife on an attacker. He also said that a team of nine advocates were prepared to protect the victims in court cases.

So what was this gang rape event that caused so much awareness and thoughtfulness? It took place on December 16th when a 23 year old female physiotherapy student was beaten and raped on a moving public bus and then was thrown on a busy road harshly. The beating was so severe that it resulted in the student’s death two weeks later. This caused public outrage at the failure of the government in protecting women all over India where rape rates are extremely high in number. In India, one rape report is averagely reported every 20 minutes.

Women receiving self-defense tools and self-defense training have been a huge response to the terrible happening to the college student. I hope all is well with her family and that they are able to cope. I also hope the rapists are found and taken to court so they won’t do further harm to other women. It scares me how often it happens and makes me realize how badly women have it when having to travel in public in India. Hopefully work is done effectively to reduce the injustice.

Kind-Hearted(361)

I found an article on Yahoo that explained the job of a man who lives in San Francisco. His job is to do highway parole which covers the Golden Gate Bridge. The Golden Gate Bridge is very popular for a vacationing site to see and it is so well known as a major man made structure. Kevin has had this patrol job for many years and he is particularly fit for the job because of how he does with it. That might be a bit confusing. Kevin has talked to many people who he found there, on the Bridge, and has helped almost every single one who was looking at the water, debating the jump. Kevin talks to the troubled people to talk them out of committing suicide. He says that in order to get them to start talking he asks their name, if they have family, their families names.. then he goes into what has troubled this person so much that they think they want to jump. He says the thing that gets them to come back to him is usually their children. He asks about their kids and they usually decide their kids are too important to abandon.

Kevin stayed on the bridge for hours with one person and the reason they decided not to jump was because Kevin was there, being so caring and wouldn’t give up. Kevin only ever lost one guy who shaked Kevin’s hand and said it was time for him to leave

I know that this event wasn’t something that happened in the rest of the world but when I think about it, things like this probably happen all the time all over the world. The Golden Gate Bridge hasn’t been the only place someone has jumped in order to commit suicide. Its sad but true. And im not sure what the numbers are for suicides in other countries but even if its lower than the U.S., caring people like Kevin help Troubled people like the ones he has helped on the famous bridge. I think hes sort of a hero and there should be more stories like this one instead of shootings, etc.

Vegitarian Menu(361)

Lately, even though im a senior and wont be eating at school much longer, it seems the menu at lunch is getting a little out of hand.. well, for my preferences. They’ve cut desserts most days and if we do get dessert its gotta still be healthy. Before the dessert went, a limit was put on dessert; you can only take one. I understand this though, some people don’t need that extra dessert. But this year the main dish has changed too. The proportions are smaller, we’ve got to have whole grain pasta and bread, etc. but honestly, is cutting proportions the best option? I know im always left feeling hungry, even with my fruits and veggies that I take for the side. And what’s with this new bread stick meal??? I mean, I love love love those bread sticks, they’re really good. And the sauce isn’t too bad when you dip them in it. but really? Is that a meal? I don’t think so. I take two. And now were also required to take a fruit or veggie or we will be charged more than if we didn’t. I mean, okay. Whatever. I know this doesn’t concern me, really, because I have less than a month left of high school but I still feel bad for the kids who get to eat their soy butter and whole wheat noodles.

An article I read that mentioned a school menu informed me that a school in NYC went to a completely vegetarian menu. It started off only 3 days a week, testing recipes with small groups of kids. It progressed to 4 days a week, and then all five. Granted this is an elementary school with kids who arnt high school football players eating pizzas whole but they still need their protine. The menus are planned with cheese and beans, etc. to ensure the kids still get the things they need but I know that there are kids in this country whom arnt fed at home for one reason or another. This could be their only meal they get and they arnt even allowed meat in it because it’s the healthier choice.

A distant Planet (327)

There was a link on the internet I found about a planet. The planet has two suns apparently just like something from star wars. I’m not really sure what the star wars version is but that’s how the article compared it. This planet is the first known of its kind and is a bit larger than Neptune in size. They call it PH1. PH1 was discovered by a couple of amateur astronomers.

The alien planet spends about 138 days orbiting once around its suns. The suns or stars themselves orbit around each other once every 20 days. PH1 is really hot and reaches temperatures over 600 degrees. It also has two other stars near it that aren’t even its main suns. Astronomers have been studying this planet and gaining so much information just “by studying light from one of its parent stars.”

I have always been interested in astronomy and think it’s really cool that amateur astronomers were the ones to discover this. I wish I could spend more time looking at stars and planets especially with a telescope that is really powerful. The planet and its suns are really cool too. I want to learn more about why this is the only one known of its kind. Why doesn’t this happen more often that we can tell? It is hard to believe that we can even see stuff like this thousands of light years away. That’s so hard for me to comprehend how far away that is. I really wish we knew more about what is out there. I bet there are tons of planets like PH1 that we don’t know about and many others that are even more surprising than having 4 stars near it. I am really glad that we have the technology we do to know about what is out there even as far as the moon. I don’t even know what I would think if we didn’t scientifically know all this stuff.