Only through Darkness and Death can one find Light and Life

I'm switching up my style here.  I've recently finished reading the book "The Power of Myth" by Joseph Campbell with Bill Moyers.  The entire book is an interview between Moyers and Campbell.  Joseph Campbell was a very enlightening mythologist.  I found this book itself to be very enlightening.  It is packed with mythological and religious stories.  Most of my post for the remainder of the summer will probably deal with the mythological ideas and stories.  This one is the concept of rebirth.
Whoa! Do you come back to life? Not quite. Rebirth in a metaphorical sense shall be touched upon.  Every human being goes through a metamorphisis, a rebirth.  Most commonly it takes place during the adolescent years.  To better explain this topic, I will include two stories.  These summaries will be quite short and probably not nearly as forceful as the actual book; so, I recommend you read the book.  First, there is Siddhartha Guatama (pardon me for spelling) who was a wealthy Hindu prince.  Throughout his youth, Siddhartha had been shielded by his father of the horrible tragedies that haunt our world, sickness, age, and death.  When Siddhartha had finally been exposed to the tragedies, he ran away into a dark forest.  After undergoing meditation and various obstacles, Siddhartha left the forest as the Buddha, the Enlightened One.  Now, keep in mind the idea of going into a dark place as a youth and exiting as someone greater.
The second story is the classic "Dante's Inferno".  Dante is is traveling through a dark forest and encounters a lion, panther, and she-wolf (I think they represent pride, desire, and fear).  To escape, he follows Virgil, and Virgil then leads Dante through the 9 circles of Hell.  Not only does "The Divine Comedy" provide an allegory for "your actions have consequences", but there was more to the story.  Upon exiting the Inferno, Dante is left out of the forest staring into the stars of the night sky, knowing that he has learned/changed. 
The whole idea of this is to metaphorically show that by traveling through "a dark place", whether be a dark forest or Hell, which represents the death of the previous character (Siddhartha the prince or Dante cornered by pride, desire, and fear), a new enlightened character emerges.  This concept is found in other stories as well.  Jesus died on the cross, descended to Hell, rose three days later, and new life emerges (Christianity). The Great Flood which lasted for 40 days and 40 nights wiped out great sin.  The Flood was no picnic; so, the Flood can be looked at as the "dark place".  Out of that came land cleansed of sin.
There are even more practical examples of this (when I say practical I mean a myth that explains a real world phenomenon, not a practical myth). I forget where this story originated from, but it was from a Native American tribe.  A man approaches a boy everyday in the same place, and the man challenges the boy to wrestle with him everyday.  One day, the man tells the boy once they are finished wrestling to kill the man and bury his body.  The boy does so, and buries the body.  Out of the spot where the boy buried the man arises maize, corn.  This is believed to be the origin of corn.  The philosophy in this is out of death comes life.  Out of the death of the man comes life of the tribe because they now have maize to eat.  It has been a while since I last read that story; so, there mmay be a few details off, but that is basically the concept.
Ok, ok. How does this apply to us modern-day? Well, the most common place for the biggest metamorphisis to occur is in adolescence.  Those raging hormones take a toll on the teenager and can make a relatively mediocre obstacle seem like the world's coming to an end.  The teenage years still can be tough no matter what environment. In essence, we die as teenagers (the end of our childhood), and we are reborn as adults.  Out of every single tragic event, we can become that much stronger (Dragon Ball Z philosophy), for every tragic event or major instance of suffering is a dark forest.  We can fight through the Inferno or forest or whatever and find the new light or life that we may embrace.  Why should we learn this through mythology? So we know that when we go through that dark forest that there is a light waiting for us, but it is still up to us to find that light.  When my biology teacher died, and I sat crying in his class, I promised him that I would never give up at my dreams, and that I dedicate my life of physics to him.  Out of his death, sprung my true ambition to live for what I dream.
These are my views and opinions, and I wish not to be judged upon for them.  Some parts of these stories may be incorrect, but that is because I'm doing this from memory, and I can make mistakes.  I hope this has made somewhat of an impact in at least one person.  'Till next time.

HIGGS BOSON DISCOVERY!!!!!!!

Title says it all.  I've done a bit more research into the Higgs Boson, and its main function is that it proves the Higgs field which explains the mass of particles.  Imagine a body of water as the Higgs field and fish as particles.  Some fish can swim quickly because they are streamline and interact little with water.  Some particles have little (or no) mass because they interact little (or not at all) with the Higgs Field.  See the connection?  It is not the size of the particles that determine mass; it is the interaction with the Higgs Field.  This also means a heavy particle has a lot of interaction with the Higgs Field.  NOTE: THE Higgs Boson still needs more looking into, but A Higgs Boson was discovered.  The scientists do not know if what they found was THE Higgs Boson, but it is definitley A Higgs Boson.  So that is good enough reasoning for us to have the party of our lives! WOOHOO! Scientific Discovery! Oh yeah... Happy Fourth of July, as well.

Higgs Boson Alert!!!!

ALERT!!!  Higgs Boson may be discovered.  On July 4, 3 a.m. ET, a webcast will be broadcasted to show three weeks of "secret research" done by the folks at CERN.  "Reports from the experiments indicate that at least one of them, if not both, will reach the 5 sigma level of significance for the Higgs signal, when they combine 2011 and 2012 data and the most sensitive channel. So, this will definitely be the long-awaited Higgs discovery announcement, and party time for HEP [high-energy physics] physicists," Columbia mathematician Peter Woit.  "5 sigma" means that it is officially discovered.  The actual discovery of the Higgs Boson would be the most important discovery in particle physics of all time.  This is the only particle theoretically proposed by the Standard Model of particles that have not yet been discovered.  The Higgs Boson will clarify and make sense the fundamentals of particle physics.  It provides an explanation to electroweak symmetry and supersymmetry.  What does this mean for string enthusiasts like myself?  It actually means that string theory can provide a logical explanation of nature.  Supersymmetry would make sense if the Higgs Boson exists; so, it is further acking for string theory.  There is still a possibility that CERN has only been picking up signals from a particle similar to the theoretical, God-particle known as the Higgs Boson.  I'm keeping my hopes up, and I cannot wait to hear more.  Here is the article where I gathered information.  HIGGS BOSON BABY!!!  Please do not mind the link.  That is not the actual title of the article.

Everthing is Connected

This was a saying my late biology teacher used.  This is in honor for you, Mr. Bisaga.  I will never forget you, and I promise to fulfill my potential. You have encouraged me to take pride in my intellect and to put my best foot forward.  I promise I will never let you down.  Rest in peace, Mr. Bisaga.

I'm Growing Up

As my Freshman year of high school winds down, I am making a post about my maturity through this school year.  I feel as though I have grown the most out of my life during this year.  During this school year, I have been keeping a journal.  I am going to post a summary of the first entry and compare it to the last entry.  Then, I am going to go in depth on what exactly I went through and what I learned.  I will leave out people's names in this post (each person's name will be identified by the number of asterisks), and these summaries will not be word for word of what I have written down.
September 27, 2011
I have just been assigned my first book report in world history.  (At this time, I felt a little overwhelmed with my work load.  I had no idea what to expect for an honors class in high school.)  My biology teacher was today on a double lab (double period) again.  I hope he feels better, he seems like a really great guy.  ***** just gave a speech during lunch today.  I think she will make a great VP.  She is hardworking and dedicated; so, that is good.  (At this time, I was trying (but failing) to get over a girl; so, I was thinking about other girls to get my mind off of her.  ***** was one of the two girls I began having feelings for.)  I see **** (other girl) outside, but she doesn't even notice me anymore, at all.  I don't think she even sees my as a friend.  My class advisor seems like a friendly guy with some really great ideas.  Overall, I felt this day went well, but I still miss ******. (The girl who I am trying to get over.)
June 4, 2012
Thanks to my prescribed anti-depressants, I feel much better, today.  I met the new class advisor, and she seems very nice.  As the new VP, I can't wait to show her what I can do.  I'm going to give my passion project presentation in G+T next period.  I even included a quote from my biology teacher, Rest In Peace.  I'll make you proud, Mr. ******!  **** just walked by.  I may have a fool's chance with her, but what is life without trying.  As for *****, I'm really hoping that I can just keep my distance from her for the rest of high school.  I've been hearing from a very trusted friend that she hates me.  I've heard some other things, too, which add up to ***** has been lying to me all along.  I'm not going to dwell on the dislike we have for each other; I just don't want to get hurt again, like last time.  I saw a picture of ******'s sister on the wall in the middle school.  This rekindled some hope that ****** still exists.  But, I know she hates me.  She still didn't respond and never will (I had sent her a friendly letter over spring break, and she never responded back).  This is my call to move on.  I'm going to let it go.  Goodbye ******.

As for everything that happened between (so this all makes sense), here it is.  I have had an intense work load that I did not expect to be as hefty.  Stress has gotten to me so badly, I have had to see a psychologist.  My biology teacher remained to be out sick for a large amount of time.  He was in though, and he proved to be one of my favorite teachers.  He passed away on April 23 (I think it is that day).  The class advisor we originally had, quit being our class advisor due to lack of participation.  I was the most active member in class; so, that helped for me to achieve VP.  Lastly, the problems with *****.  I will sum this up as there was a "debate fiasco" and I was left feeling betrayed, let-down, and heart-broken.  Then, she harshly scolded me afterwards for something that I did NOT intend as revenge.  Now, what could I have learned from this year?

1. Trust is delicate.  Do not give trust out to anyone, even the people who think are your friends unless trust has been built up.
2. Never give up.  No matter what pushes you down, you get back up.  No matter what rains down on you, you must still live through it.  However, there is a catch.  You still have to choose your battles and know when to cut your losses.  There is a difference between a wise choice and laziness.
3. Letting things go.  I always hold on to grudges.  But, now I feel as though I can stop.  I am not going to hold onto the debate fiasco.  In fact, I want to forget all about it, even though I feel I was the victim in the situation.
4. Life is short / Seize the moment.  You never know if you are ever going to see another happy moment again.  For every one that comes your way, treasure it.  Don't hold on to it to the extent you miss it, but enough so you can look back and say "I was happy".
5. Friends.  I don't care how strong you think you are.  You need friends.  You need people to be there for you.  Lonliness really hurts.  You cannot solve all of your problems, especially emotional and psychological ones, by yourself.  You can still be strong and accept help from friends.
6. Don't let people take advantage of you.  This relates to the trust lesson.  People that take advantage of you are scientifically considered parasites.  You have to be able to live YOUR life, not live by constantly helping someone else out with their life.
7. Everything is connected.  This was a quote my biology teacher used.  I will make another post exemplifying it.

This is it Freshman year, goodbye.  I have one last thing to say; it is my wisdom of the year.  We as humans are gifted with superpowers.  We have been gifted with an indomitable spirit, and we possess the same conciousness that the legends before us possessed.  There are an infinite number of questions and challenges that await us, and we can take on them all.  But if Superman didn't use his powers, would he still be super?  If you aren't going to take on these questions and challenges with your superpowers, who will?

Final Day of String Theory

O.K. so I have started my powerpoint for my string theory presentation because I am going to have to present everything I have learned soon.  I know string theory can be dry for most people so I am trying to make this presentation as interesting as possible.  Because of this, I am finished with my research on string theory.  However, I have decided to spend my last day researching what string theory is up against, other possible universal theories.  I looked at quantum foam.  It is Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle in space-time geometry.  Space-time geometry is brought to you by Einstein's General Theory of Relativity and how gravity works in our universe.  Quantum foam suggests that gravity is actually a quantum field (we do not have any evidence proving that).  Also, quantum foam suggests that there are quantum black holes that appear and dissappear in a very short amount of time at a very small scale.  Wormholes even form and dissolve.  This is why it is called "foam".  Quantum black holes and wormholes are like foam.  There is no evidence supporting space-time has mini black holes or wormholes that behave like foam, either.  This has been a real joy to have time to study what I love.  Thank you Ms. Mystrena!!!!!

Spurlock, can you spare a dime?

Recently in my G+T class, I viewed Morgan Spurlock's 30 Days.  Remember, this is the same guy from Supersize Me.  This is a series where he does unusual things for thirty days.  The episode I saw was him and his fiancee living on only minimum wage for thirty days.  Currently, federal minimum wage is $7.25.  I did see things I expected to see, but there were a lot of things I did not expect to see.  Foremost, it was nearly impossible to live off of only minimum wage.  Minimum wage does not give you health coverage.  If you were to get sick or hurt, visiting the hospital would basically finish you off.  Another thing which surprised me was the injuries.  Both Morgan and his fiancee became sick.  I never thought that living only on minimum wage would mean an increased likelihood of becoming sick or injured.  In poverty there is poor sanitation and back-breaking labor.  This most likely will send you to the hospital which will be obscenely expensive.  I knew living on minimum wage would be hard, but I did not expect it to be near impossible.  However, I think this was only realistic to an extent.  Spurlock never showed long term effects of living on minimum wage, and the very negative sides of poverty.  The apartment he rented was in an area with drug trafficking.  The episode never showed any drug trafficking (which I suppose is a good thing).  I know for a fact that areas in that kind of poverty can be open to drug traffic and violence.  None of that was shown in this episode, but drug traffic and violence would probably be a part of reality.  Overall, I learned from this episode.  I learned that most people on minimum wage are regular people who fell on hard times (not neccessarily because of drugs) and are looking for a way out of poverty.  The US, currently, is not making poverty an easy thing to climb out of.  We do not give a chance to these people to better themselves.  I learned that we have to change the way we work so we raise the standard of living for the people in poverty.

Particles of our Universe

A major key concept of String Theory is that strings produce particles.  I figured, "why not learn about all of the particles?"  This is going to be a list of information, but I may eventually turn it into a chart with some more information.  NOTE: I did not include the Higgs Boson because I still do not know what it is or what it would fall under.  I did include the graviton, though.  For those who don't know about the Higgs Boson and graviton, each is a theoretical particle.  In string theory these particles exist, but we currently have not proven their existence.  Yes, this list is long; I know.  If there are any errors, I apologize for any potential mistakes.

·       Fermions - matter

o   Leptons – ½ spin

§  Lightest Neutrino – 0 (charge)

§  Electron - -1

§  Middle Neutrino - 0

§  Muon - -1

§  Heaviest Neutrino - 0

§  Tau - -1

o   Quarks – ½ spin

§  Up – 2/3

§  Down - -1/3

§  Charm – 2/3

§  Strange - -1/3

§  Top – 2/3

§  Bottom - -1/3

·       Bosons – force carrier

o   Unified Electroweak – 1 spin

§  Photon – 0 (charge)

·       Electromagnetism

§  W^- - -1

·       Weak Interaction

§  W⁺ - 1

·       Weak Interaction

§  Z⁰ – 0

·       Weak Interaction

o   Strong Interaction– 1

§  Gluon - 0

o   Gravity - ?

§  Graviton - ? (not yet proven)

·       Baryons – fermionic hadrons

o   Proton

§  Uud (Quark content)

§  1 (Electric Charge)

§  ½ (Spin)

o   Antiproton

§  Uud – (antiquarks)

§  -1

§  1/2

o   Neutron

§  Udd

§  0

§  1/2

o   Lambda

§  Uds

§  0

§  1/2

o   Omega

§  Sss

§  -1

§  3/2

·       Mesons – combination of quark and antiquark – bosonic hadron

o   Pion

§  Ud

§  1 - (electric charge)

§  0 - (spin)

o   Kaon

§  Su

§  -1

§  0

o   Rho

§  Ud

§  1

§  1

o   B-zero

§  Db

§  0

§  0

o   Eta-c

§  Cc

§  0

§  0

Strings in Black Holes

Stephen Hawking said information is lost in a black hole.  Leonard Susskind mentioned there was a holographic theory which was built off of string theory.  According to string theory, black holes have entropy.  Entropy is hidden information that is not easily or readily accessible such as the velocity of an atom or particle.  This entropy is still information.  In addition, black holes suck in information.  According to Stephen Hawking, not only is information lost in a black hole, a black hole radiates its particles.  This means a black hole would eventually completely evaporate away.  However, one of the most fundamental laws of quantum mechanics states that information is indestructible.  Where does the information go in a black hole if it justs gets sucked away?  Leonard Susskind came up with the holographic principle where the amount of information in a black hole is equal to the area of the event horizon.  That horizon (which is extremely hot due to radiation) is just a film or point of no return covering the black hole.  A holograph by itself is a 2-dimensional rendering of something 3-dimensional.  Alone, it looks like scrambled information.  When you observe it with light (photons), you see a 3-dimensional image.  The event horizon of a black hole is a holograph.  If you observe the information getting sucked in the black hole, you will see that information (whether it be particles or whatever) be radiated back out.  The information will still be the information, but it will be in radiated form.  When you burn a letter with writing, there is still technically the message, but you just cannot read it.  The information is not lost because the act of viewing the information will result in it being fed back out.  The holograph of the black hole allows us to see the information.  However, information can still be sucked into a black hole, but it is still not lost.  Thanks to string theory and Leonard Susskind, black holes make sense again, sort of.  Although this work seems contradictory to Stephen Hawking, he is still a very brilliant and respectable physicist, and I do not mean to talk badly of him in any way.

Poverty at a Snap Shot

I have discovered these three pictures thanks to my G+T teacher.  Each speaks to me with very weighted words.  As we know, a picture is worth a thousand words.  I hope to convey my opinions and feelings the best way possible.  Here they are: (These pictures can be found at the according URL's.)


http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2012/02/slum_life.html
Jan. 16, 2012. (Muhammed Muheisen/Associated Press)

This picture displays a little girl standing in a muddy alley way in Afghanistan.  This girl happens to be a refugee.  I took note in things that were not instantly noticable.  For instance, who noticed she was wearing only one shoe?  The girl looks to be in rags, and she does not even have enough clothing (poor as it is) to cover her both of her feet.  Also, where are her parents?  Her parents could purposefully have been taken out of the picture, but that would have been done to portray this message.  The message is: both parents (or guardians) are out working unable to chaperone their daughter.  There is no school for her to go to.  She is not old enough to work.  So, she aimlessly roams the streets, through the mud.  From this picture, one can gather that children are still harshly affected by poverty.

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/07/poverty_within_white_south_afr.html
March 12, 2010. (REUTERS/Finbarr O'Reilly)

This pictures shows a couple, Donovan Durant and Anna Snyders, grieving over the loss of their baby a few hours after that baby was prematurely born.  I found this picture truly heartbreaking.  The toys Anna holds were all probably meant for their baby.  If you look closely at Donovan's right hand, you will notice a small teddy bear that would have been the perfect toy for an infant.  These two wanted a child, and they wanted to shower him/her with love.  These two must be suffering from the worst pain, the loss of a beloved baby. 

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/02/portraits_from_the_congo.html
February 10, 2009. (REUTERS/Finbarr O'Reilly)

This picture shows two boys, Jean-Pierre Kalikunshe and Espoir Kangeshe, comforting each other.  They both recently under went surgery for their leg deformities.  They come from the Democratic Republic of Congo and they were assisted from the charity Stand Proud.  Only about 70 children were fortunate enough to be helped from this charity.  Personally, I enjoyed this picture in a way.  They both smile.  To be able to smile means that you (and them as well as everyone else) are able to enjoy life for what it is and have a will to live through it.  They live in a war-ravaged area with handicapped legs, and they still manage to smile.  You could break their legs.  You could break their homes.  You could break their families apart.  But, you could NEVER break their spirit. 

Waste Land

Welcome to the jungle!!! err... I guess I should say the wasteland.  Recently, in my G+T class we saw the movie Wasteland.  This was a documentary about Vik Muniz, famous artist, who traveled to Jardim Gramacho, Brazil to make artwork out of trash.  There he met some of the people who pick out the recyclable materials from the landfill.  Overall, this production and project has had a major impact in the pickers, Vic Muniz, and myself.  I found this movie enlightening and motivational.  I learned of some of the conditions people live through and how they survive through poverty.  In the beginning of the film, I felt immense pity for these people.  As the movie progressed, I got the chance to see the people up close.  The pickers discussed their lives.  I heard their stories, their tragedies.  I saw their lives, their smiles.  My feelings changed as we approached the end of the film.  Instead of pity, I wanted to give these people my respect.  The pickers live in extremely horrible conditions, yet they still live.  One woman named Isis cried about her boyfriend breaking up with her.  Don't get me wrong; she has every right to cry.  However, she cried about a relationship, not her home, not the sanitary conditions, not poor education, not the drug traffic.  She has become so used to the poverty; she has learned to live with it.  Notice when I say live.  These people are not broken; they still laugh and smile.  They live through conditions I could only imagine, and they treat it as their everyday life.  In order to cope with their daily struggles, I would have to be superhuman.  The pickers are simply remarkable.  Was this whole movie meant dedicated to making an impact in the viewers?  Not quite.  Vik still helped the pickers.  He provided numerous oppurtunities for the pickers.  Foremost, he got them famous from this movie and his paintings.  This fame led to recognition of the Association of Collectors of the Metropolitan Landfill of Jardim Gramacho (ACMLJG).  This was created by Tiao Santos, and now this association is global.  Everyone else had oppurtunities, as well.  One woman opened a drug store.  Isis left Jardim Gramacho.  Education became a priority in Jardim Gramacho in addition to sanitation.

Aside from the remarkable people mentioned in the movie, there was an underlying message about trash.  The movie did get me thinking about the trash I produce.  Before this movie, I would always be sure to put my recyclables in the recycling bin.  Now, I think I may tackle anyone who decides to dispose of their trash improperly.  O.K. Maybe not tackle, but violently wag my finger.  This film made me realize that trash and waste MUST be a high priority.

Lastly, art has prevailed to make a difference in society.  Vik Muniz's artistic style highlighted not only the lives of those in poverty but also those in higher classes.  The pictures depict people in poverty.  The pictures are made of trash.  We carelessly produce the trash.  I think the pictures represent how we are keeping them in poverty by producing so much trash.  Not only does Vik target Jardim Gramacho, but he is targeting landfills everywhere.  The story remains the same: higher classes produce trash which the lower classes in poverty must pick up.  That is the beauty of art.  Yes, art can have a message or meaning behind it!  Thank you for reading this post, and I hope this enlightened you to the brave, strong people of Jardim Gramacho.

String Theory - Day 4

I did this research over the weekend because I'm not going to be able to Friday in class.  I primarily researched on branes.  First, Edward Witton (not sure of spelling) is the one who devised M-Theory.  Next, there are seperate dimensions, according to string theory, but we can not see them.  Branes are streched out strings which encompass dimensions.  Imagine a brane as a loaf of bread which holds our universe.  This may be the 4-brane because of the four dimensions we experience, 1time 3space.  This is where parallel universes may arise from.  The point is, strings give the structure for branes which holds dimensions.  Also, it is believed that the graviton, particle which holds gravity, comes from closed strings which do not latch onto any branes.  The strings move between the branes which spreads out the gravitons; thus, spreading out the force of gravity between dimensions.  This is why the force of gravity is so weak compared to Electro-magnetism, weak nuclear force (radiation), and strong nuclear force (atom kaboom).  Next, I think I maybe want to do how string theory relates to black holes.  I know I have Leonard Susskind on my side for that one!  Have a nice day! :)

I Have Decided

I am going to do work on... String Theory!

Passion Project

YEEEEEEEAAAAAAAHHHHHHH! In G+T class, I am working on a passion project.  It is just a project I independently work on.  I am given every Friday in G+T.  O' my GOODNESS! I love this! I am either going to come up with a formula for time dilation (if it doesn't exist) or look into quantum mechanics.  I got to start researching now.  I've never felt so alive. I'M ALIVE!

Tongue Twisters

Hey everyone.  In my G+T class, we have started a unit on public speaking and formal debate.  I figured it would be helpful to the class if I posted some suggestions for tongue twisters which help with articulation of speech.  Here they are.

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.  Did Peter Piper pick a peck of pickled peppers?  If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, where’s the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?

A skunk sat on a stump.  The stump thunk the skunk stunk.  The stunk thunk the stump stunk.

The sixth sick sheik’s sixth sheep’s sick.

I know "thunk" is not a real word, but it adds to the difficulty of the twister.  Enjoy the tongue twisters.  Personally, I think that last one is very devious.

Aristotle Classification of Life

This Classification of life is based on Aristotles 3 principles of life.  At level 1, anything living can reside there because everything living can grow and decay.  At level 2, humans and animals can go there because we are able to voluntarily move and perceive our environment.  Vegetable (I mean PLANTS) stays at level 1 because most plants can not move or perceive.  Level 3 is specifically reserved for humans because we are the only living species that can cognate.  What does this have to do with Terri Schiavo?  I'm glad I asked.  In her coma state, she could not function properly.  The autospy proves that she could not think, move, or perceive.  According to Aristotle, she would be classified as a plant, hence the term "vegetative state".  Ending her life in that state would be the eequivalent to ending the life of a cucumber.  In her perspective, she was dead because she really did not have any sense of perspective, much like a vegetable.  From the outside, she was just a mountain of cells failing to function properly.  For those who believe every human has a soul, the soul already left her body.  What is left (as in what people are debating to keep alive) is a carcass trying to biologically function.  After Queen Anne Boleyn was beheaded, her eyes rolled and her face twitched.  Was she still alive when they cut off her head??!!? NO!!!! There was remaining stimuli within her faace that caused her muscles to involuntarily twitch.  That is what has happened to Terri Schiavo except over a much longer period of time.  People immediately think she is still alive, but the "soul" has already left the body.  It is only biological processes occuring within the body that decieve people.  Terri was dead, but her body was alive.  Alive being equivalent to a vegetable, not a human.

The Case of Terri Schiavo

              Hello travelers, I bring a riddle to all of you.  Well, it is more of an ethical dilemma.  It is known as the Terri Schiavo case.  I recently, learned about it in my G+T class.  For those who are not aware of this case, continue reading.  For those who want to know my opinion and evidence, skip this paragraph to the next one.  In 1990, Terri Schiavo was a married woman at age 26 who suffered from cardiac arrest.  She was also bulimic. On February 25, Terri collasped on the floor at 4:00 a.m. from her heart stopping.  In November 1992, the husband of Terri Schiavo, Michael, wins a case against doctors that misdiagnosed her.  The real reason for her cardiac arrest was because she had a potassium deficiency from her bulimic habits.  She received $700,000 for her care and $300,000 for her husband.  In May 1998, Mr. Schiavo files to remove Terri's feeding tube; thus, cutting her off from life.  The Schindlers, Terri's family, fight to keep the feeding tube connected to Terri.  The feeding tube is removed on April 24, 2001, but it is reinserted on the 26th of the same month.  November 22 2002, Judge Greer rules that there is no evidence for possible recovery for Ms. Schiavo.  August 26 2003, Jeb Bush, govenor of Florida, asks the court to appoint a new guardian for Terri, but the court does not act.  October 21 2003, Jeb Bush passes "Terri's Law" which makes doctors reinsert the tube that feeds her.  September 23 2004, Florida's Supreme Court removes Terri's Law, and declares it unconstitutional.  The tube still remains of controversy of whether or not to be removed, kept in, or reinserted.  March 18 2005, the tube is removed.  March 21 2005, President Bush signs into law demanding a review for the case.  Judges, state and federal, reject parents' appeals and keep the tube out.  March 31 2005, the Schindler's announec Terri's death.  An autopsy was performed on her brain to assess the damage.  Throughout the entire 15 years of this case, the U.S. Supreme refused to be involved.  They refused 6 times.  There have been rumors that Terri has been abused by her husband who dated another woman during Terri's absence.
                As for my opinions of this case, I think the decision to remove the tube was justified.  Before you start to call me a heartless meanie, hear my reasons out.  First of all, Terri was bulimic, which is what caused her heart to stop.  Bulimia is something people do to themselves.  Obviously, Terri was not happy with herself.  As a matter of fact, there is evidence proving that bulimia does come from emotional distress.  In the article, it says that bulimia can arise from poor self-image and low self-esteem.  Hypothetically speaking, if Terri could have recovered, how do we know if she would want to recover.  For all we know, Terri could have been suicidal.  Her bulimia was her way to express that.  She may have figured that she will either get thin or die trying.  She did become thin, no more than 120 pounds; yet, she continued her bulimic habits.  The only option left for her was death.  Ms. Schiavo may not have wanted life support because she would not have wanted to continue living.  Remember, her husband saw Terri for who she was.  The Schindlers probably only saw her as the little girl they raised.  Terri's family may not have been able to comprehend Terri's negative outlook on her life.  How easy is it to think that a family member who you grew up with is emotionally disturbed?  Not easy, which is why Mr. Schiavo may have been able to spot it instead of her family.  Another important thing to consider was the fact this was a decision to end a human's life.  I think her human life ended as soon as her heart stopped.  When she was in her coma, there is evidence proving she had no chance of recovery.  She was completely in a vegetative state with no chance to recover.  Her brain was half the weight of an average human's.  She could not think, feel, see, or interact with her environment in any way.  You could not even classify her as a human.  Remember, it was her own habits of bulimia that caused her heart to stop.  I will include in my next blog post about Aristotle's Classification of Life and how it relates to this.  Also, the article said that there is no evidence that Terri has been abused by her husband.  Her husband wanted what was best for her.  People may point out that Mr. Schiavo was an adulterer for dating another woman while Terri was in her coma.  However, we must remember that Mr. Schiavo, who never abused his wife, knew Terri best.  He was determined to give her what she wanted.  In doing so, he accepted the fact that his wife was basically dead.  He no longer had a marriage with Terri because she was dead; therefore, it was fine for him to pursue other interests.  With no chance of recovering and the probability that she wanted it this way, it seems that this was the right decision.  However, you may feel free to disagree in the comments.  Just do not write any nasty comments.  Have a nice day.

Gattaca and Natal Spectrum Opinions

              Hello world.  In my Gifted and Talented class, my class viewed the movie Gattaca.  Basically, the movie took place in a futuristic world where parents can artificially enhance there children's genes.  The main character, Vincent, was naturally born; so, he was considered inferior due to his randomly selected natural genes.  In order to fulfill his dream to travel through space, he posed as Gerome, an artificial gene selected fellow who was crippled from the waist down.  Vincent made his way as an elite worker at Gattaca spaceport, but a murder within the port caused trouble for Vincent.  Crime investigators were practically crawling around the area, and it put Vincent's false identity at risk.  In the end, Vincent was caught, but allowed to board the rocket.  Gerome killed himself in the end, as well.  Throughout the film, Vincent suffered from emotional abuse from his younger artificial brother, Anton.  As children, they would swim in the ocean and see who could go farther out without turning back.  It was called Chicken, and Anton would always win until they were young adults.  Finally, Vincent beat Anton, but Vincent moved out of his parents' house to where he would then work at the spaceport as a janitor.  Later, he agreed with Gerome to pose as him.  Due to Gerome's crippled legs, he could no longer do anything except help Vincent.  Near the end of the film, Vincent and Anton play chicken one last time.  Vincent won, again.
             Honestly, I enjoyed this movie.  I think the message behind it was you can do anything you put your mind to.  All of the genetically enhanced people had the capabilities to do anything they wanted, but they never had any real dreams.  They were spoiled with being so talented.  Vincent, on the other hand, had a real dream, and he put his mind to his dream.  As a brief example, Vincent finally beat Anton swimming because Vincent put all of his energy into the swim out and did not save any for the return back to shore.  Vincent wanted to win at all costs, but Anton did not.  In addition to this example, Gerome told Vincent that he gave Vincent his body, but Vincent gave him Vincent's dream.  It became Gerome's mission to help Vincent achieve his dream.  Once Vincent had achieved his dream of boarding the rocket, Gerome killed himself.  Gerome no longer had any reason to continue his own life.  His mission was complete, and he had nothing else to do to fulfill himself.  To put this lengthy opinion to an end, this movie emphasized the importance of dreams, and how you can accomplish those dreams from dedication.

              Now! As you, the reader, have probably noticed, the other portion of the title is Natal Spectrum.  WHAT DOES THAT MEAN!!!  Well, it deals with bioethical issues involving birth and selection of traits, similiar to Gattaca.  Right now, I am going to list nine bioethical issues in order of controversy from least controversial to most controversial.
1. Natural Reproduction
2. Carrier Testing: Genetic tests of parents that show the risk of passing on genetic disorders
3. Prenatal Testing: Genetic screening of fetus for genes that cause disorders
4. Fertility Drugs: Prescription drugs which increase a woman's chances of becoming pregnant
5. Artificial Insemination: Insertion of sperm into female reproductive tract by syringe in a doctor's office
6. In Vitro Fertilization: Fertilization of sperm and egg in petri dish.  Viable embyros are chosen and inserted into the female reproductive tract via a syringe in a doctor's office
7. Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis for Diseases: Fertilization of sperm and egg in a petri dish.  Embryos are screened for a certain genetic disorder.  Those without the defective gene are inserted into the female reproductive tract via a syringe in a doctor's office.
8. Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis for Non-deletrious Traits: Fertilization of sperm and egg in a Petri dish.  Embryos are screened for non-deletrious traits ( such as hair color, height, sex ).  Those with desired genes are inserted into the female reproductive tract via a syringe in a doctor's office.
9. Cloning: The creation of an organism that is the exact genetic copy of another.
             Whoa! That stuff seems to get pretty controversial.  Now here are my reasons for why I put them in that particular order.  Natural reproduction is first because without it, humans would cease to exist, period.  Carrier testing is ranked higher than that because carrier testing is not necessary to human existance.  The point is: you can debate about carrier testing, but you cannot debate about not having natural reproduction without sounding insane.  We need natural reproduction.  Carrier testing, itself, is not so contraversial; so, it is next to the least contraversial.  Prenatal testing is ranked higher than that because prenatal testing may lead to an abortion, which is VERY contraversial.  If a parent knows that the child WILL (the "will" is what separates prenatal from carrier testing) have a genetic disorder, the parent may opt for an abortion.  However, I believe that most parents would love their child no matter what; so, an abortion is an unlikely option.  The fact that a parent could opt for an abortion (other than not having a child altogether) is the reason why it is ranked higher than carrier testing.  Furthermore, fertility drugs are ranked 4th because I think the side-effects of the drugs would be much more common than a parent getting an abortion for their child.  Remember, the side effects can take effect on both the parent and the child.  Even more controversial than that would be artificial insemination.  One side could argue that it can give a couple, who cannot reproduce naturally, the chance to experience the miracle of birth.  Another side could easily argue that this way is not the way Nature intended it to be.  Also, this is not some pill; it is a full-blown syringe!  Something can always go wrong during the insemination process, even worse than a fertility drug.  I find that In Vitro fertilization is even more controversial than artificial insemination only because now the doctor is taking both sperm and an egg out of their natural places, which increases the risk of error or hazard.  Alright, I have the pre-implantation genetic diagnosis for disease next because it contains all of the risks of the previous method of reproduction in addition to the controversy of whether or not we should control birth.  All I mean by that is "Would you rather control what makes up your child or love him/her no matter what?"  Now, getting rid of genetic disorders is an appealing option to most (if not all) parents, but it boils down to if those parents really love their child (no matter whaat he/she turns out to be) or if that child was a biological success.  Also, rascism can arise.  People with genetic disorders will be bullied based on not only their disorder, but also their wealth.  Most likely, poor families will not be able to afford this diagnosis.  Next, there is the option to choose your child's traits.  Basically, this is what happened in Gattaca.  People who are not genetically superior will be pushed around and denied luxuries such as decent jobs. (Vincent was janitor.  Vincent posing as Gerome was astronaut.)  On the other hand, there are people out there are people out there who would love to choose their child and give them the "superior" genes.  Lastly, cloning is the most controversial issue.  Do not get me going on how much I am against this.  Yet, there are people who are for cloning.  Yes, it may seem "cool" to have a copy of yourself (for the first 10 seconds), but what does cloning really accomplish?  Congratulations, you took away someone's individuality.  What do you even plan on doing with a clone? Put them (against their will) in the army because they are copies? That is SICK!  Clones would be people, too.  All that has really been done is a greater population with less individuality of the people.
            Think I'm done yet with my opinions?  Nope.  Now, I would like to address where we, as humans, should stop at.  I think we should stop at In Vitro fertilization.  This option is only really controversial between the parents.  If they want to have a baby but cannot naturally, they should be able to have a baby.  They could have fine parenting skills; so, the process of actually getting the baby is not that significant.  The risks involved in doing this only apply to the parents.  The Pre-implantation of genes can affect more than just the parents because racism between the natural-born and selected-born will arise.  So, 1 through 6 are O.K. for me to happen, but 7 through 9 disturb me.  Thanks for your time, and I hope this got you thinking about your own philosophy.