The Daily Mammal

The elephant shrew, above, is more closely related to elephants than rodents.

Jennifer Atkins has an ambitious goal: draw every mammal species on Earth. Since there are 5,000 named mammals, she expects the project to take 14 years if she draws one animal every day.

Follow her progress here.

Top 10 Wildlife Conservation Stories for 2007

Read brief summaries about the work being done by conservationists to save nature's endangered species.

Duelity

At duelity.net, the Vancouver Film School presents a pair of beautiful animations that illustrate two opposing theories of the origins of life, evolution and creationism.

View the videos here.

I want to stress that the theory of evolution is a scientific one, supported by evidence gathered from the natural world. Creationism is a religious doctrine; it is substantiated not by scientific data but by Christian belief.

The conflict between science and religion, I think, arises when one discipline infringes upon the boundaries of the other. Science -- because of its inability to gather data beyond the natural world -- should not make any claims about the existence or non-existence of God. Religion -- because of its inability to discredit scientific theories based on rigorous data -- should not make any claims about the validity of the theory of evolution.

Science can not tell you that you do not have a soul, or that God does not exist. Likewise, religion can not tell you that the world is flat or that humans did not share a common ancestor with other primates. To avoid conflict, keep the areas of expertise between the two disciplines distinct. For I believe there should be room for both science and religion in a moral, rational, and free-thinking human being.

Best Astronomy Photos of 2007

APOD (Astronomy Pic of the Day) has posted its favorite astronomy pics of 2007. The one below is my favorite -- be sure to click inside the pic to view a larger image of it.

Cool Insect Video

Big Yellow Taxi by Joni Mitchell

They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
With a pink hotel, a boutique
And a swinging hot spot

Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got
Till it's gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

They took all the trees
Put 'em in a tree museum
And they charged the people
A dollar and a half just to see 'em

Hey farmer farmer
Put away that DDT now
Give me spots on my apples
But leave me the birds and the bees
Please!

Late last night
I heard the screen door slam
And a big yellow taxi
Took away my old man

Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got
Till it's gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

Cat vs. Crawfish and The Unknown Rebel

Here's a cute video of a pet cat toying with a very well defended crawfish (and a disinterested dog in the background). I love the acoustic version of the Imperial March (Darth Vader's theme song in Star Wars).


The video reminded me of one of the heroes of the late 20th century, the Unknown Rebel.

Watch the video of the Unknown Rebel defying a fleet of tanks here. What do you do when you're staring down impossible odds? Very few choose to stand and fight.

The True Origins of Hip Hop

Did you know that hip hop began in a Mongolian farming village? A funny (but fake) story about the origins of hip hop.

Untidy Beds May Keep Us Healthy

Don't like making your bed? Use science to justify your sloth!

According to the BBC, a new study suggests that unmade beds are less habitable by house dust mites. These pesty dust mites are thought to cause problems like allergies and asthma. The theory is that unmade beds dry sheets and mattresses better than made beds; made beds tend to be warmer and moister, ideal conditions for dust mite habitation.

"Something as simple as leaving a bed unmade during the day can remove moisture from the sheets and mattress so the mites will dehydrate and eventually die," Dr Stephen Pretlove said.

Read the BBC article here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4181629.stm

Origami Master

Eric Joisel is a true origami master, able to create life-like sculptures out of single sheets of paper. He is able to simulate the emotions, postures, and movements of people (out of paper, mind you) far better than multi-million dollar Hollywood action movies like Beowulf.

Goethe Quote

Readers of this blog know though that I love poetry and science. So when I see a quote about the two together, my heart skips a beat.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (pronounced Ger-ta) said "Science arose from poetry...when times change the two can meet again on a higher level as friends."

I admire Goethe's work. He's a German romantic who wrote one of my favorite novellas, The Sorrows of Young Werther, and he's one of the most quotable guys around. But I'm not sure what he means here. Science arose from poetry?? When did that happen? How can they meet again? I have some ideas about what he's trying to say -- namely, mind/body dualism -- but, still, I am puzzled. Anyone want to take a stab at interpreting what Goethe means?

Raising Tadpoles

SEM kids --
Here is some info about raising tadpoles. If you have some extra time, please read it! I will look into acquiring the necessary materials this week.

http://allaboutfrogs.org/info/tadpoles/
http://www.fdrproject.org/pages/POtads.htm

A Love Poem...

...written by one of my 8th graders. i think it is beautiful.

i wrote to you about my feelings
but you just put it aside
i told you that i cherished you
but you acted like you didn't care
i see you smile
and that makes me feel pure inside
i see you talking to your friends
i wonder...
"why can't we be like that"
i keep thinking about you
even when you put me down
i try to help you
thinking that something might occur
i say i love you
and you take it...
like someone passing you a ball
catch it and throw it to someone
like nothing...

Confirming a Bias

In a previous post, I warned you of the danger of squirrels. New Scientist, a reputable scientific journal, has published legitimate scientific research to back up my claims!

Relying on data collected from infrared (IR) video taken, scientists have concluded that squirrels use heat-emitting bushy tails to ward off predators! And I quote Jeff Hecht:

It's Californian ground squirrel versus rattlesnake in a potentially lethal showdown. But the squirrel has a secret weapon that until now has remained invisible to the human eye.

The ground squirrel heats up its tail then waves it in the snake's face - a form of harassment that confuses the rattler, which has an infrared sensing organ for detecting small mammals.

What's really amazing is that the ground squirrel will heat its tail when confronted by a rattlesnake, which detects IR light, but will not heat its tail when confronted by a gopher snake, which does not detect IR light.

Don't believe me? See for yourself. View the YouTube videos in the New Scientist article.

Light Writing

Check out the work of these two German artists. I wonder if they are responsible for the light writing in this Red Hot Chili Peppers video.





The Energie Motion website has more pics and a YouTube video.

Mid-Autumn Festival

Notice the moon at all this week? It is at its biggest and brightest today, and the Chinese celebrate this event every year. It's called the Mid-Autumn Festival, and, along with New Year's, is one of the biggest Chinese holidays. During this time, many Chinese people eat a special food called Moon Cake -- it's a sweet pastry with red bean paste in the middle (although it looks delicious, I'm not a big fan...it tastes a bit weird if you're not used to eating East Asian sweets).

The Chinese celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival with their family, because the full moon makes you long for home and your loved ones. To mark the occasion, my family went out to dinner on Sunday and enjoyed a delicious seafood meal in Flushing.

Hope you enjoy your Mid-Autumn Festival!

Tree Climbing Goats!

Out in Morocco between Marrakech and Esouria, goats eating in a Argan tree.

It seems goats are attracted to the berries of Argan trees in Morocco. Argan tree branches are generally a bit of reach for the generally short goat, but the berries are so enticing that the goats become adroit tree climbers during berry season.

The Fantastic Voyage of Billy The Bullet

Chemistry Videos from the Journal of Chemical Education

The Journal of Chemical Education has 16 very short and interesting (e.g., toxic substances, solutions, ferrofluids, explosions!) chemical experiments caught on video. View them here.

Here's mercury behaving like a beating heart. Wild.

And a feather causing a big kaboom!

Be careful what you touch in the lab!

An Annotated Bibliography of Good Summer Reading Books

Today, I attended a lecture highlighting the best fiction and non-fiction books out there for middle school readers. I'm not going to type up the full bibliography (email me if you want the complete list), but I will write a brief annotated bibliography of a few books that got my attention. The bibliography is grouped by my interests -- first up is origami, then pop up books, and finally other fine children's books. Young or old, I encourage you to go out to the library and check out any that grab your attention!

Origami
- Kasahara, Kunihiko. Extreme Origami. (2003). New York: Sterling.
The origami art found in this book is certainly not for the novice folder! Kasahara is an origami master; along with engineers like Robert Lang, Kasahara's been expanding the reach and production of origami through new and innovative designs. This book has instructions for a number of novel and stunningly beautiful origami pieces.


Pop Up Book Manuals

-Carter, David A. and James Diaz. The Elements of Pop Up. (1999). New York: Little Simon.
My bookmaking teacher calls this the 'bible' of pop up books. It gives you a set of step-by-step instructions for making 50 different pop ups, starting with the most basic and ending with some rather complex designs. I will definitely invest the $25 needed to own this manual.

- Diehn, Gwen. Making Books that Fly, Fold, Wrap, Hide, Pop Up, Twist, & Turn. (1998). Asheville, NC: Lark Books.
One of my friends made me a photo album as a birthday gift, and I've been showing it off to all my friends since. Using this book as a guide, you can impress your own friends by making your own photo albums and much, much more.

- Pop-Up Books.
This binder is for teachers -- it provides lesson plans and materials for teaching a course in making pop up books.


Other Children's Books

- Sabuda, Robert & Matthew Reinhart. Encyclopedia Prehistorica: Dinosaurs. (2005). Boston: Candlewick Press.
There are three books in series: Dinosaurs (2005), Sharks (2006), and Mega Beasts (2007). They are all pop up books constructed by the master Robert Sabuda. Each page is jam packed with cool pop ups and interesting info about prehistoric animals.

- Selznick, Brian. The Invention of Hugo Carbret. (2007). New York: Scholastic Press.
This is one of the thickest children's books I have ever seen, but almost half of it is composed of beautiful illustrations. The story begins with 40 pages of illustrations; just when you start to wonder what's going on, the text begins. Throughout the rest of the book, Selznick weaves his drawings with his words to tell the story of Hugo Carbret.


- Wiesner, David. Flotsam. (2006). New York: Clarion Books.
A beautiful children's book. Wiesner has won 3 Caldecott Awards for his books, and this one may be his finest. The story is about a young boy who discovers a camera on the beach, develops the film, and discovers a hidden secret. Check out the book to find out what he discovers!


- Young, Dwight. Dear Mr. President: Letters to the Oval Office from the Files of National Archives. (2005). Washington: National Geographic Society.
Read actual letters sent to the president throughout history. The letter sent by Elvis Presley requesting to be a Secret Federal Agent is a hoot!

Confratute

Greetings from UCONN! Mr. Connolly, Ms. Lewis, Ms. Stupart, and I are attending a week-long summer institute at the University of Connecticut called Confratute (conference + fraternity + institute). The conference's goal is to offer enrichment activities to teachers, so teachers can make class more fun and interesting for students. I'm taking two classes this week: one on bookmaking and the other on modular origami.

In my bookmaking class today, I learned about a v interesting book called Spoiled: The Refrigerators of New Orleans by Tom Varisco. Varisco photographed the spoiled refrigerators during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. These Katrina Refrigerators became a mode of self-expression during the aftermath of Katrina's destruction -- residents used spray cans and garbage to create graffiti with humorous, satirical, and/or political messages.


As you can see, creativity comes in a multitude of unexpected forms...For example, at lunch today, Mr. Connolly inverted a coffee cup lid to use as a ketchup container. I've also seen him use the gulf of space between a 4-cup cupholder. Creative, but honestly, also a bit depressing. The man, clearly, likes his ketchup.

Sympathetic Hippo

Panda Teamwork

Looks like the last video I posted was taken down for copyright reasons, so here's a similar one. Not as cool as a prison break, but you get the idea.

Tape Figures

Think you need a lot to do a lot? Think again. All of the following sculptures were made from ordinary scotch tape and an artist's imagination. (Unfortunately, I don't have any info about the artist.)







Thanks Thuy for the email!

A Summer Vacation Spiel

So it's summer vacation -- time to take a break from learning, right? WRONG! Learning happens all the time, not just in my classroom (stop laughing -- admit it, you learned something in there). Turn off the television, computer, video game, and cell phone, get off your behind, and learn by DOING!

My summer is going to be awesome because it's going to be jam packed with learning. I'm going to an educators' workshop in Connecticut next week so I can beef up my teaching chops. Then I'm off to Southeast Asia -- Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand -- so I can absorb the culture and food :) on the other side of the world. Then I'm flying back into California so I can help take care of my grandmother while my aunt recovers from shoulder surgery, and hopefully learn more about my late mother and her extended family. Finally, I hope to take a road trip up from LA to Vancouver with some friends, so I can soak in some sun, a few National Parks, and good people. Sounds like a great summer, right? The funny thing is, I'm most looking forward to the 20+ hour airplane ride to and from Asia. Just so I can buckle down and read some books I've been dying to get to all year.

Not going to CTY this summer? Don't have the $$$$ required to travel 'round the globe? Doesn't matter. Learning can take place in any setting -- you just have to have the proper mindset. Now's the time to pick up activities that interest YOU. Set some (achievable) goals for yourself, find out how to accomplish them, and get started! I expect a full report the next time we meet.

So have fun this summer, relax, learn a little, and be safe!

Manhattanhenge

Manhattanites take it for granted that their avenues run north-south and their streets run east-west. But truly observant inhabitants know that Manhattan's street grid is rotated 29 degrees away from the north-south axis.

Why should you care? Well, as Geoff Manaugh writes in his delectable BLDGBLOG, this angle carries "interesting astronomical side effects" -- namely, "Manhattanhedge," as coined by Neil deGrasse Tyson. For two days every year (May 28 and July 12/13), the setting sun lines up perfectly with the east-west streets of Manhattan's main street grid. The result, needless to say, is spectacular:




Unfortunately, I'll be out of town next week. Otherwise, I'd be simultaneously watching the sunset and sweeping a lady off her feet in Union Square Park like the couple above :)

The Evolution Store

One of my favorite stores in the city is The Evolution Store found in the unlikeliest of neighborhoods, uppity-buppity SoHo. Even though you don't need to be a science geek to enjoy visiting this store, it sure helps. The first time I visited, I felt like Charlie in the Chocolate Factory: so many things to see, so many things to play with, so little time! I walked away with one of my prized possessions, a Venus fly trap (which, sadly, died from owner neglect).

Like many shoppers, I was amazed by the gamut of biological artifacts found there -- when NY Magazine visited the story, they found that it was "packed to the rafters (which are hung with snakes, anatomical charts, and prehistoric shark jaws) with softball-size ostrich eggs, Venus flytraps, and the skulls of skunks, minks, and muskrats." As one online reviewer stated, "Their stock is enough to make you want to start a collection of dead things in vials." Yup, totally sweet.

And reviewer Megan C. perhaps put it best when she said,

Going to Evolution is sort of like spying on your cool older brother while he makes out with his super-pretty girlfriend, except that in this case your older brother is time and his girlfriend is nature.
You can get disgustingly cheap fossils at Evolution. I'm not sure what the monetary value of a genuine fossil of some snail-thing from 30 million years ago ought to be, but I feel certain that it should be more than six dollars. Plus, this is the only place I know of where I can buy a complete set of models of the skulls of all the "found links" between a monkey and myself.

Intrigued? The Evolution Store is located at 120 Spring St. near Mercer St. Take the 6, E, or C to Spring St. It is open 7 days a week, from 11 am to 7 pm.

My City

If you came to my city,
You wouldn't hear
A robin chirping
As she nests in the trees.
You would hear
The wild, tangled coos
Of furious pigeons fighting
Over a hard piece of bread.

If you came to my city,
You wouldn't hear
The sound of silence
In the morning.
You would hear car horns,
People yelling, dogs barking,
And the occasional
Cat screech.

Yep, my city
Is noisy, loud, and unfair,
But it's my home
And what I grew up with.

Though it maybe be tough,
Mean and hard
It will always be
My city.

Reina Samuels
Washington, D.C.
from Paint Me Like I Am

Why I Write Poetry

by Kevin Powell

I have not always been a fan of poetry. Nah. In fact, I hated it and thought poetry an activity for the overly sensitive--and suckers. Suckers in the sense that I, a Black boy from the ghetto, would--could--never let my guard down long enough for you, the observer,to see me--naked--as I am. But the reality is that I had always, on the down low, dug poetry, be it the sensual sonnets of William Shakespeare, the dark meditations of Edgar Allan Poe, or the lonesome thoughts of Emily Dickinson.

However, it was not until I encountered the first very traumatic experience of my adult life, at age twenty-two, that poetry really began to mean something to me. You see, I was suspended from my university for an indiscretion I will not share here. Having been the first person in my immediate family to attend college, I was devastated and could not tell my moms what had happened. Between sudden bouts with insomnia and school-mandated trips to a therapist, I scrawled words which became stanzas which became my initial attempts at poetry. Although I had studied this literary form in both high school and college, I did not know if poems were supposed to be long or short, nor if what I was writing was actually good or not.

Back then I did not care, to be honest. I had wanted to be a writer since I was eleven and, outside of some short fiction I penned during my high school years, this post-college writing was the first time I felt free—and truly felt that I was, indeed, a writer. And how amazing it was, yo. To be able to say whatever I wanted, to push the door to my imagination and walk through, without fear, to those spaces I never knew existed.

And it was not enough for me to write poetry in isolation. I knew I had to share my words with other people and I soon found myself in hole-in-the-wall spots in north Jersey and New York City, reading to audiences of maybe ten people. I was mad happy about that too. I felt empowered, that my voice, my life, my world, mattered. That poetry was, no doubt, special, magical, a gift from some greater being and I was merely the vessel carrying the word.

It took me a few years but I eventually recovered from that college suspension. Now all these years later, after five books, numerous magazine and newspaper articles, and travels across America and outside of the States to places like England, France, and the Caribbean. I cannot help but think back to those very innocent days when I kept a tiny notepad in my back pocket and tried to capture everything I felt at any given moment, on the subway, at a grocery store, while walking down a street in Newark or Harlem, or Brooklyn.

Today I cannot picture what it would be like not being a poet. Yeah, I am sensitive, because one cannot be a poet without having some level of sensitivity. Without some connection to one’s soul, and the souls of other human beings. And, yeah, I am a sucker, for words. For sure, I love words and the poetry made from stringing just the right words together. In this coming together of pen and paper, of fingers and computer keys, of raw-dog emotions and instant testimonies that make poetry—to me—as necessary as the blood beating a path to our hearts.

The New York City-based Kevin Powell is a poet, journalist, essayist, activist, and public speaker. Kevin is the author of five books, including his editorship of the recent HarperCollins release Who Shot Ya? Three Decades of Hiphop Photography (images by Ernie Paniccioli), which is the first-ever pictorial history of hiphop. Kevin's essays, articles, and reviews have appeared in many publications, including the Washington Post, Essence, Newsweek, and Vibe, where he was a longtime staff writer. A highly sought-after political and pop cultural commentator, Kevin has shared his views on VH1, BET, CNN, and a host of other media outlets. And Kevin first reached the national spotlight as a cast member on the original season of MTV's The Real World, the most successful reality-based program in television history.

My Soul

Sometimes
When I feel like I'm going to fall apart
I hold my ribs, all the way around,
Both sides.
My ribs hold me together,
Like glue.
Theykeep my breath close to my heartbeat.
They keep my soul from escaping and
Leaving me, grounded.
I hold brightness and shadows in
The hollow where my ribs meet.
I hold them there in the memories
Of slow, sorrowful music and
Porch steps.
I hold my ribs, until I feel solid.
Until my legs are tree trunks and
My fingers are fruit.

Ember Ward
San Francisco
from Paint Me Like I Am

Cooperative Pandas Break Out of Zoo!

Enjoy the video? Imagine and create a fictional and humorous dialogue between the two pandas. Post your dialogue in the comments section -- those who submit their sketch before July 9 will receive a PRIZE!

Free Tennis Lessons at Crotona Park

Tired of sitting at home all day with nothing to do? The New York Junior Tennis League (NYJTL) offers free tennis lessons for kids throughout the city. This is info I gleaned from the organization's website:

This program offers free tennis lessons to children ages 6-18 in the community. Trained coaches provide a comprehensive schedule of instruction, practice and play for all levels. Players develop their skills, make new friends, and learn the rules and sportsmanship of the game of tennis.

Free Summer Programs run July 2 to August 24 unless otherwise specified. Registration is ongoing -- you can sign up at anytime throughout the season.

Crotona Park
East 173 Street
off Crotona Avenue
Mon-Fri 9am -12 noon

Not going to be around Crotona? Here's a list of other locations in the Bronx (and the other, lesser boros).

I hope someone takes advantage of this opportunity to learn how to play tennis. Not because I'm a nice guy, but because I want a tennis partner in the city. Ms. Bernstein offered to play tennis with me a few times, but she always seems to flake out. Plus, if you start learning now, there's a chance you might become good enough to give tennis lessons yourself and charge crazy amounts of money (I, of course, would take a cut of your profits for introducing you to tennis).

What American Accent Do You Have?

Take the quiz and find out!

Strangely enough, I have a Midland accent (from Kansas City to Pittsburgh). Here's the description:

("Midland" is not necessarily the same thing as "Midwest") The default, lowest-common-denominator American accent that newscasters try to imitate. Since it's a neutral accent, just because you have a Midland accent doesn't mean you're from the Midland.

Water Balloon + Flame Experiment

What happens when you put a balloon above a lit candle? It pops, right?

Well, what happens if you fill that same balloon with water and put it above the lit candle? The balloon pops and water spills all over the place? Nope!

Water boils at 100 degrees celsius -- a temperature too low to pop the balloon. As long as there is liquid water in the balloon, the balloon's temperature will not rise above the temperature of boiling water; therefore, the balloon will not pop.

Gotta see it to believe it? Check it out here!

There are more Robert Krampf videos here. Let me know if there are any interesting demos you'd like to see in class!

Carabao Dreams

how how the carabao said to me in a dream
refute the conspiring evils
prove the strength that wills your breath
hold tightly to poetry and loved ones
as a book would bind its pages
share your story through art and song
fix your eyes on the stars so your voice
can be heard
"taas noo, iho, taas noo!"

you are more than
what they say
what they think
what they see

pinoy is more than
brown and alibata
barongs and tinikling
pansit and Goldilocks
you will understand

queer is more than
cocks and A.I.D.S.
white men and the Castro
June and pride marches
you will understand

life is more than
angst and depression
money and aspiration
wanting and loneliness
you will understand

how how the carabao said to me
tell the people your story
don't think an amendment frees your
speech
if they cover their ears and refuse to listen
yell if you have to
you do not have a choice
this is not a request
you need to be heard

how how the carabao said to me
rush out into the world in perfect
surrender
give in to the sun as she licks your face
and thighs
offer no words when the winds
whip at your backside
respect the moon
yield up limber arms in reverence to
the stars
for darkness is also a gift
and silence can be a friend
go out into the world and do these things and you will understand

how how the carabao said to me
sadness is not the absence of happiness
but your incapacity to witness its presence
your soul is not just a bird taking up
wings
your soul is the sea
your spirit is the shore
your mind is the black expanse
that births planets and consumes galaxies
you are not only part of the revolution
but you are the revolution
when you stop building comfortable walls
and notice that your feet are planted
on the same ground on which millions
have stood
you will understand
you will understand
you will understand

you are more than pansit
A.I.D.S.
and depression

how how the carabao said to me in a dream
this is just a dream
these are just my words
breathe life into them
assign them feet
make them real

how how the carabao said to me

how

how

Timothy Arevalo, age 18
from You Hear Me?


carabao - water buffalo
"taas noo, iho, taas noo!" - "Look up, son, look up!"
pinoy - a Filipino person
alibata - ancience Tagalog script
barong - traditional Filipino shirt
tinikling - traditional Filipino dance
pansit - rice noodles

Instructions for Life

Catch the football and make sure you score a touchdown;
jump into the mud and make certain it is enjoyable; rip
your jeans and tear your shirts; bleed on the field of glory
and take it like a man; grind the grass stains into your
clothes; order a hot dog at a baseball game; watch the
Super Bowl and tell everyone about the play in the second
half to prove you watched it; root for the home team; get
hurt but don't cry; hide your emotions; pick yourself up
when you are down; watch violent movies and crave blood
and destruction. This is how to act tough on the outside;
this is how you act in front of the guys. Slick your hair
back with your father's gel just the right way to catch the
eye of the girl next to you; don't burp; act like a gentle-
man; wear clothes that make you look cool; walk a walk
that shows the girls how suave you are; act mature; protect
your sister if she needs help. This is how you act in front of
the girls. Do well in school; get straight A's because you
have to get into a good college. This is how to succeed; this
is how to be prosperous; this is how to be happy and live
life to the fullest.

Brando, age 15
from You Hear Me?

Time Somebody Told Me

Time Somebody Told Me
That I am lovely, good and real
That I am beautiful inside
If they only knew
How that would make me feel.

Time Somebody Told Me
That my mind is quick, sharp
and full of wit
That I should keep on trying
and never quit.

Time Somebody Told Me
How they loved and needed me
How my smile is filled with hope
and my spirit sets them free
How my eyes shine, full of light
How good they feel when they hug me tight.

Time Somebody Told Me

So, I had a talk with myself
Just me, nobody else
'cause it was time
Somebody Told Me.

Quantedius Hall, "son of Reality," age 12
From You Hear Me?

The Girl I Like

I saw this girl on my way
home. She is everything
I want in a girl. A girl who
makes me smile when she smiles,
a girl who speaks what she feels.
She makes my heart skip like
a street beat, happy.

Ronnie Ross, age 16.
From You Hear Me?

I Want

To know
If there's a ghetto
In heaven.

Troy Williams, age 16
from You Hear Me?

Harriman State Park

For the last two weekends in a row, I've headed to Harriman State Park.

The first week, I went there with my brother Jeff, my friend Danielle, and my dog Cheaper. After a few hours of hiking uphill without a trail, we looked like a motley crew: our clothing was drenched in sweat, our sneakers were soaked from treading through nasty mud, our legs were cut and bleeding from hiking through brush, and our mouths were parched because we had forgotten to bring water. However, we did find a few wild blueberries to munch on. The hard work was worth it though, because we made it to the top of a beautiful vista overlooking nothing but rolling hills covered in lush green trees. I yelled at the top of my lungs and heard my voice echo in the valleys below. It was one of the best feelings in the world!

After we got back to our parked car, we decided to jump in a lake to cool down. As soon as we approached the water, a pair of geese swam over, started flapping their wings aggressively, and honking obnoxiously loud at us. Just the other day, I learned that male and female geese are monogamous partners for life. I assume that this pair was trying to protect its terrority (and perhaps its young ones). Still, that didn't stop my brother and me from jumping in to the lake. As soon as my brother hit the water, the geese lunged. My dog Cheaper instinctively dove into the lake to protect my brother, even though she is terrified of water. Needless to say, the geese were intimidated by the mighty trio (my brother, myself, and my dog) and kept a safe distance away.

I've heard a few people say that the views in Nyack are worth checking out, so I'm probably going to ride my bike there next week.

Thanks for the pics Danielle.

The Bronx Library Center

I went to the Bronx Library Center (310 E. Kingsbridge Rd. off of Fordham Rd.) with a group of 6th graders today -- what a fantastic library! Lots of great books, in a beautiful space, with a friendly and helpful staff. If I were a middle school student in the Bx, I'd probably spend every day of my summer there (well, I'd probably split my time at a library and an outdoor destination, like Pelham Bay Park).

The kind staff erased my overdue fines, so I can check out books from the NYPL again. Two of the books I took out are poetry compilations: Paint Me Like I Am and You Hear Me? Poems and Writing by Teenage Boys. I've really started getting into poetry a few months ago; really, ever since I visited Ms. Rymer's poetry class. I find that it really helps me understand myself and others, and it doesn't take a lot of time to get into, like a novel. I like my poetry candid and raw -- I'll post a few of my favorite poems later.

The third book I checked out is called Be More Chill by Ned Vizzini. I was drawn to the book by its title and cool cover -- I'll post a review of it after I finish reading it.

What the World Eats

Here's a photo essay featured at time.com

Life: A Journey Through Time by Frans Lanting

Using contemporary photographs taken from different points around the world, photographer Frans Lanting has created a visual timeline of the evolution of life on Earth. The sequence of breathtaking photos trace the history of life, from its fiery beginnings through its evolution in sea, land, and air. I was captivated by many of the photographs, and the accompanying music by Philip Glass only intensifies the experience. If you have 10+ minutes of free time, check out Life: A Journey Through Time.

Riddle

You have three light bulbs inside a windowless room and three switches connected to the light bulbs outside of the room. You need to find out which switches are connected to which lightbulbs; however, you can only enter the room once (and, let's say, only for a brief amount of time).

You need to think outside the box on this one -- no clever contraptions necessary, just make use of the natural properties of light bulbs. Happy thinking!

Battle at Kruger

Lions, crocodiles and water buffalo duke it out in the sickest animal battle I've ever seen!

Tiny Critters on Fingers

Soooo tiny.

Pink Dolphins!

You've heard of pink flamingos, but pink dolphins? According to Neatorama, these dolphins are pink for the same reason flamingos are -- their colorful diet. These animals both feed on a large quantity of crustaceans like shrimp, which happen to be high in alpha- and beta-carotenes. Carotenes are pigments that give foods like shrimp (and veggies like carrots) their bright orange and yellow hues. I assume that when the dolphins and flamingos "process" the shrimp, the color changes from orange to pink.

Hmmm...I noticed that the yuppies in my room have lost their orange sheen since I lost my fish food. They've been living off of te aquatic plants in the aquarium, and have looked progressively less orange (and more gray).

I wonder if I eat a whole lot of carrots I just might be able turn my skin orange for Halloween??

Le voyage fantastique

Le Gentil Garcon, a contemporary artist from Nice, France, has put together a delightful mash-up of prints. The characters, who are all originals from Jules Verne’s Journey to the Center of the Earth, venture inside the anatomical drawings of Leonardo da Vinci. It's "a kind of remake, retro, on paper, of a famous science fiction B movie about a team of scientists hurled inside a human body."

MH3 Radio Plays

Seventh grade students wrote personal essays about moments of personal significance in their lives and used it to produce a radio play. Listen in on their plays, and post a comment to the performers!

Check out http://seventhgradesojourners.blogspot.com/

"Hands" by Sarah Kay

"Nothing is for Nothing" by Jill Scott

"Motives and Thoughts" by Lauryn Hill

Rotating bodies, confusion of sound
Negative imagery, holding us down
Social delusion, clearly constructed
Human condition, morals corrupted
Trapped in reaction, lawlessness war
Dissatisfaction from bowels to core
Devil’s technology, strategy for
Human mythologies, urban folklore
Sick of psychology, counterfeit cure
Wicked theology, robbing the poor
Scheme demonology mislead the pure
Strictly strategically studying war
Light shown in darkness, image exposed
Few can see through the new emperor’s clothes
Lustful this hustle turn humans to hoes
When the blind lead the blind
Just more trouble and woes
It’s the mind that they chose
Its designed to stay closed
Standard of jokers, court just a logic
Sick looking cosmics, from schoolyards to college

Primitive man with civilize knowledge
System collapse and he still won’t acknowledge

God is the saviour, studies behavior
Trying to fix the mix mind that he gave ya
Stiff-necked scholars on prescription meds
Wishing their problems were all in their heads
Morale dilemma, pride is the root
Misguided from youth, heart divided from truth
Egyptians and Grecians, spiritually dead
Imperially led, by the gods in their heads

Motives and thoughts

Industrial wealth
Global economy, in it for self
Heart full of madness, covered with kind
Pleasure designed to take over your mind
Furnished in godliness, painted in good
This tainted priesthood got real saints misunderstood
While classes in government, set up the veil
And cultivate minds for more mythical tales
Typical Hollywood follies good girl
While vice and corruption take over the world

Motives and thoughts
Check your motives and thoughts

Blind with the wickedness, deep in your heart
Modern day wickedness is all you’ve been taught
Lied to your neighbors, so you get ahead
Modern day trickery is all you’ve been fed

Motives and thoughts
Check your motives and thoughts

"P.O.W." by Alicia Keys

I'm a prisoner
Of words unsaid
Just lonely feelings
Locked away in my head
I trap myself further
Every time I stay quiet
I should start to speak
But I stop and stay silent
And now I've made
My own hard bed
Inside a prison of words unsaid
I am a P.O.W.
Not a prisoner of war
A prisoner of words
Like a soldier
I'm a fighter
Yet only a puppet
Mostly I only say
What you wanna hear
Could you take it if I came clear?
Or would you rather see me
Stoned on a drug of complacency and compromise
M.I.A.
I guess that's what I am
Scraping this cold earth
For a piece of myself
For peace in myself
It'd be easier if you put me in jail
If you locked me away
I'd have someone to blame
But these bars of steel are of my making
They surround my mind
And have me shaking
My hands are cuffed behind my back
I'm a prisoner of the worst kind, in fact
A prisoner of compromise
A prisoner of compassion
A prisoner of kindness
A prisoner of expectation
A prisoner of my youth
Run too fast to be old
I've forgotten what I was told
Ain't I a sight to behold?
A prisoner of age dying to be young
To my head is my hand with a gun
And it's cold and it's hard
Cause there's nowhere to run
When you've caged youself
By holding your tongue
I'm a prisoner
Of words unsaid
Just lonely feelings
Locked away in my head
It's like solitary confinement
Every time I stay quiet
I should start to speak
But I stop and stay silent
And now I've made
My own hard bed
Inside a prison of words unsaid

The New Earth-Like Planet

Neil DeGrasse Tyson discusses the discovery of "New Earth" on the Colbert Report.

Dance Off

Chicken Police

Chapter 21 of The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupery

It was then that the fox appeared.
"Good morning," said the fox.
"Good morning," the little prince responded politely, although when he turned around he saw nothing.
"I am right here," the voice said, "under the apple tree."
"Who are you?" asked the little prince, and added, "You are very pretty to look at."
"I am a fox," the fox said.
"Come and play with me," proposed the little prince. "I am so unhappy."
"I cannot play with you," the fox said. "I am not tamed."
"Ah! Please excuse me," said the little prince.
But, after some thought, he added:
"What does that mean--'tame'?"
"You do not live here," said the fox. "What is it that you are looking for?"
"I am looking for men," said the little prince. "What does that mean--'tame'?"
"Men," said the fox. "They have guns, and they hunt. It is very disturbing. They also raise chickens. These are their only interests. Are you looking for chickens?"
"No," said the little prince. "I am looking for friends. What does that mean--'tame'?"
"It is an act too often neglected," said the fox. It means to establish ties."
"'To establish ties'?"
"Just that," said the fox. "To me, you are still nothing more than a little boy who is just like a hundred thousand other little boys. And I have no need of you. And you, on your part, have no need of me. To you, I am nothing more than a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world . . ."
"I am beginning to understand," said the little prince. "There is a flower . . . I think that she has tamed me . . ."
"It is possible," said the fox. "On the Earth one sees all sorts of things."
"Oh, but this is not on the Earth!" said the little prince.
The fox seemed perplexed, and very curious.
"On another planet?"
"Yes."
"Are there hunters on that planet?"
"No."
"Ah, that is interesting! Are there chickens?"
"No."
"Nothing is perfect," sighed the fox.
But he came back to his idea.
"My life is very monotonous," the fox said. "I hunt chickens; men hunt me. All the chickens are just alike, and all the men are just alike. And, in consequence, I am a little bored. But if you tame me, it will be as if the sun came to shine on my life. I shall know the sound of a step that will be different from all the others. Other steps send me hurrying back underneath the ground. Yours will call me, like music, out of my burrow. And then look: you see the grain-fields down yonder? I do not eat bread. Wheat is of no use to me. The wheat fields have nothing to say to me. And that is sad. But you have hair that is the color of gold. Think how wonderful that will be when you have tamed me! The grain, which is also golden, will bring me back the thought of you. And I shall love to listen to the wind in the wheat . . ."
The fox gazed at the little prince, for a long time.
"Please--tame me!" he said.
"I want to, very much," the little prince replied. "But I have not much time. I have friends to discover, and a great many things to understand."
"One only understands the things that one tames," said the fox. "Men have no more time to understand anything. They buy things all ready made at the shops. But there is no shop anywhere where one can buy friendship, and so men have no friends any more. If you want a friend, tame me . . ."
"What must I do, to tame you?" asked the little prince.
"You must be very patient," replied the fox. "First you will sit down at a little distance from me--like that--in the grass. I shall look at you out of the corner of my eye, and you will say nothing. Words are the source of misunderstandings. But you will sit a little closer to me, every day . . ."
The next day the little prince came back.
"It would have been better to come back at the same hour," said the fox. "If, for example, you come at four o'clock in the afternoon, then at three o'clock I shall begin to be happy. I shall feel happier and happier as the hour advances. At four o'clock, I shall already be worrying and jumping about. I shall show you how happy I am! But if you come at just any time, I shall never know at what hour my heart is to be ready to greet you . . . One must observe the proper rites . . ."
"What is a rite?" asked the little prince.
"Those also are actions too often neglected," said the fox. "They are what make one day different from other days, one hour from other hours. There is a rite, for example, among my hunters. Every Thursday they dance with the village girls. So Thursday is a wonderful day for me! I can take a walk as far as the vineyards. But if the hunters danced at just any time, every day would be like every other day, and I should never have any vacation at all."
So the little prince tamed the fox. And when the hour of his departure drew near--
"Ah," said the fox, "I shall cry."
"It is your own fault," said the little prince. "I never wished you any sort of harm; but you wanted me to tame you . . ."
"Yes, that is so," said the fox.
"But now you are going to cry!" said the little prince.
"Yes, that is so," said the fox.
"Then it has done you no good at all!"
"It has done me good," said the fox, "because of the color of the wheat fields." And then he added:
"Go and look again at the roses. You will understand now that yours is unique in all the world. Then come back to say goodbye to me, and I will make you a present of a secret."
The little prince went away, to look again at the roses.
"You are not at all like my rose," he said. "As yet you are nothing. No one has tamed you, and you have tamed no one. You are like my fox when I first knew him. He was only a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But I have made him my friend, and now he is unique in all the world."
And the roses were very much embarassed.
"You are beautiful, but you are empty," he went on. "One could not die for you. To be sure, an ordinary passerby would think that my rose looked just like you--the rose that belongs to me. But in herself alone she is more important than all the hundreds of you other roses: because it is she that I have watered; because it is she that I have put under the glass globe; because it is she that I have sheltered behind the screen; because it is for her that I have killed the caterpillars (except the two or three that we saved to become butterflies); because it is she that I have listened to, when she grumbled, or boasted, or ever sometimes when she said nothing. Because she is my rose.
And he went back to meet the fox.
"Goodbye," he said.
"Goodbye," said the fox. "And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
"What is essential is invisible to the eye," the little prince repeated, so that he would be sure to remember.
"It is the time you have wasted for your rose that makes your rose so important."
"It is the time I have wasted for my rose--" said the little prince, so that he would be sure to remember.
"Men have forgotten this truth," said the fox. "But you must not forget it. You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed. You are responsible for your rose . . ."
"I am responsible for my rose," the little prince repeated, so that he would be sure to remember.

Giant Crystals

This article explains how giant crystals formed in the Cueva de los Cristales -- "The conditions were perfect. By maintaining the temperature just below 58 degrees for a very long time you get a few, very big crystals," said Professor Garcia-Ruiz.

We'll see how they compare to the crystals being grown in our classroom...

Dr. Quantum - Double Slit Experiment

Animal Couples

Aww jeez, I'm such a softy but I can't help myself. Check out this adorable photo set of couples in the animal kingdom.

1000 Blank White Cards

This game sounds like fun. Let me know if anyone is interested in playing. I would like to try it out in SEM, Advisory, or amongst my friends (hint hint Lily).

Ketchup In A Bottle Trick

Does anybody know why the ketchup packet sinks when you squeeze the water bottle and floats when you let the bottle go? Jayvon and Jose, this is another version of a Cartesian Diver -- one of which you constructed for your science fair project -- so you two should definitely know and share the answer!

"Where have all the leaders gone?" by Lee Iacocca

I agree wholeheartedly with this rant about the current White House administration. Here's a taste (make sure you click the link above to read the full excerpt):

Am I the only guy in this country who's fed up with what's happening? Where the h*** is our outrage? We should be screaming bloody murder. We've got a gang of clueless bozos steering our ship of state right over a cliff, we've got corporate gangsters stealing us blind, and we can't even clean up after a hurricane much less build a hybrid car. But instead of getting mad, everyone sits around and nods their heads when the politicians say, "Stay the course."

Stay the course? You've got to be kidding. This is America, not the d***** Titanic. I'll give you a sound bite: Throw the bums out!

...

My friends tell me to calm down. They say, "Lee, you're eighty-two years old. Leave the rage to the young people." I'd love to—as soon as I can pry them away from their iPods for five seconds and get them to pay attention. I'm going to speak up because it's my patriotic duty. I think people will listen to me. They say I have a reputation as a straight shooter. So I'll tell you how I see it, and it's not pretty, but at least it's real. I'm hoping to strike a nerve in those young folks who say they don't vote because they don't trust politicians to represent their interests. Hey, America, wake up. These guys work for us.

Dropouts

One of my new favorite magazines is Teen Ink, a monthly magazine for teens written by teens. As to be expected, much of the writing is mediocre; however, there are some interesting, relevant, and well-written pieces too. This is an opinion piece written by Nevele Ramos, articulating his (her?) thesis that teachers need to do more to motivate their students to graduate from school.

Why Stay in School
- High school dropouts have a life span nine years shorter than people who graduate.
- Dropouts are more likely to face poverty.
- Typically, high school dropouts earn $19k a year while graduates earn $28k a year.
- If you drop out of high school, your chances of incarceration increase -- nationally, 68% of state prison inmates are dropouts.

Eek! Consider yourselves forewarned.

Young Scientists of Mott Hall 3

This is a letter my colleagues and I sent out a few weeks ago to friends living in New York. If you're interested in helping out, drop me a line.

Dear Friends and Esteemed Colleagues,
You're cordially invited to meet the young scientists of Mott Hall 3. (Just in case you don't know, MH3 is a public middle school in the Bronx.) We thought that you would make the perfect judge for our school-wide science fair on Friday, April 20. The presentations at the fair will be from 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. with judging following immediately afterwards. In addition, you are welcome to stay for our awards ceremony beginning promptly at 1:30 p.m.

We would greatly appreciate your involvement in this event, and to show our gratitude we will be providing lunch on that day. As such, it is important to respond via by Monday, April 16 to let us know if you will be attending.

Our students have spent a good deal of time on their work, and they are looking forward to having outside judges validate their effort. In order to make this possible, we are looking to have 15 judges, so please forward this email to anyone else who you think would make a good candidate.

Sincerely,
Hulya Karamemis, Patricia Waters, and Derrick Wu

Gear Up Podcasters

Check out your classmates' newly updated podcasting Web site here. There's plenty of ublach to keep you busy for a while :)

James Jean

James Jean is an illustrator who's worked on projects for a number of big time clients (Atlantic Records, Dark Horse Comics, Nike, TIME). He attended the School of Visual Arts right here in New York and graduated with a BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts) in 2001.

NYC's HIV/AIDS Epidemic

The truth is scary.

Did you know that New York City has the highest AIDS case rate in the country? There are more people in NYC living with AIDS then Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, and Washington DC combined!

And HIV is an acute problem in our communities: four out of five (80%) new AIDS diagnoses and deaths are among African Americans and Hispanics.

Here are some suggestions to protect yourself:
1) Be informed. Learn what HIV/AIDS is and how it is transmitted.
2) Avoid risky (i.e., stupid) behaviors. Do not have sex until you are ready and it is with a person you trust. And never have unprotected sex, even with a steady partner -- many boyfriends and girlfriends are unknowingly spreading the disease.
3) If you're sexually active, get tested. An early diagnosis can mean the difference between life and death -- for you and your loved ones.

Questions? More info and links can be found at The Dept.of Health and Mental Hygiene's HIV/AIDS homepage. Or talk to Ms. Caroline, myself, or an adult you trust.

Flying Eagle Bowling Shot

My roommate and I play a few games of 'Wii' bowling every week. It's gotten pretty competitive, to the point where it's renewed my interest in 'real' bowling. I mean, you can't do this S-I-C-K trick shot on the Wii (come on Nintendo, get working on it!)

Adios, Tres Amigos!

Three of my best friends are leaving New York this week. I thought, as a going away present, I'd write a little tribute to each of them. Here's the first one.

Marc lived across the hall from me my senior year, but we never hung out much. I spent most of my time in the science library, and he spent most of his time lounging around the various cafes and coffee bars around Swarthmore. Besides, he had his group of friends at Swarthmore -- too cool for school -- and I had mine -- too worried about getting into medical school to be cool. So, by the time he graduated, the only impression I really had of him was his room: it was so messy you literally could not move from one end to the next without lifting pounds of dirty clothing and shoes, old library books, and whatever bagatelle accumulates in a dorm room over the course of a semester.

After college, we found ourselves both living in NY and bereft of close, intellectually stimulating friends. At first, we hung out maybe once a month. We found that we actually shared a lot in common: we both grew up in middle class immigrant families, and we both shared a passion to produce something meaningful in life. Marc's passion is theater, and I learned that theater intersected with my academic passion, philosophy, in many ways. He introduced me to the epic theater of Bertolt Brecht, a library of foreign and indie films, and the various happenings in the world of art & theater in New York City.

During his tenure in NY, Marc was a true bohemian (aka poor and starving) artist. He first roomed with an Equadorian family in West Harlem, and then he shared a one-bedroom studio with three roommates in DUMBO, Brooklyn. He never had any money (he always had less money in his pocket than Janiesha's weekly allowance), so he was always working odd jobs -- like waking up at 5 am twice a week to make baklava and other Middle Eastern pastries at a Greek restaurant. Occasionally, he earned a grant to work on his own show, or he was hired as an extra hand or assistant on a production. But the hours were never stable, the pay was never good, and the work was never truly his own. During these bleak times, he had to endure his own self-doubt: Was he ever going to make it or would he spend all of his time just getting by? I think many other people in his position would have packed their bags, moved back home with ma and pa, and would have just given up. But Marc didn't.

I ended up enjoying my time with Marc a lot because he shares an intensity with the people he is with -- and that intensity is downright virulent. Marc is so intelligent, honest, and stubborn, you're immediately forced to make a choice when you hang out with him: either engage him at the same level (by also being intelligent, honest, and stubborn) or dismiss him as a crazy lunatic. I chose the former rather than the latter. Most of the time, we would go out to eat (that's another passion we shared -- cheap delicious ethnic food) and discuss the topic du jour exhaustively. Conversations with Marc, needless to say, are never boring.

Marc's going on a Christian pilgrimage in Spain for three months. He's bringing with him a sturdy pair of hiking boots and three books: The Canterbury Tales, The Qu'ran, and the Bible. Next Fall, he'll be attending a Ph. D. program in Theater Studies at the University of California Berkeley.

Ilkka Halso's The Museum of Nature

I stumbled across the work of Ilkka Halso on BLDGBLOG today. Her latest exhibition, "The Museum of Nature," displays stunning views of nature, but confines them within man-made structures. (Is "man-made" a sexist term? Is the proper term "human-made"?) As Geoff Manaugh, the author of the post on BLDGBLOG, eloquently states

The basic premise of Halso's digitally manipulated work is that "nature" has been transformed into a museum display – yet the public's interaction with this new, endangered artifact is limited...

True. I had the great fortune of growing up in Monmouth County, NJ. We had a handful of parks where I lived, and every week, I would go out hiking by myself in the woods.

I'd get lost for a few hours, imagining I belonged to the Lenape Tribe. I would follow the dirt trails: fording small streams, walking gingerly across fallen logs, and hanging off of nearby cliffs while swinging on the knobbed roots of trees.

Yet, now I live in New York City, and there's hardly a time when I can interact with nature and feel at one with it.

The city parks and gardens don't count: (1) they feel too man-made and (2) there is too many people. The times I do go out hiking -- when I get out of the city, or travel to far-away destinations like Hawaii or Trinidad -- I feel like a visitor, an outsider rather than active resident of nature.

So, I guess my interactions with nature have become like Halso's museum experience... maybe I'm just not cut out to be a city dweller.

If you have time, you should visit Halso's website too; she has some interesting work and it's all about the intersection of science and art.

Making a Ginormous Burger

These guys have what I lack...some real ambition! Watch 'em construct this 30 lb. hamburger from scratch.

"The Weirdest Book in the World"

Luigi Serafini has put together what must be coined "The Weirdest Book in the World."It's called Codex Seraphinianus (Latin, I believe, though I'm not sure if it means anything). The book appears to be about an unknown alien world, complete with pictures and text. However, it's written entirely in alien script -- with no translation to be found! On one page, there's a "Rosetta Stone" that translates the alien writing. Too bad it's translated into another alien language that's also indecipherable! The pictures are beautiful, purely original, and downright bizarre. Check it out if you dare!

Thanks Danielle for the tip!

Things to Ponder...

A sample of questions taken from The Kids' Book of Questions by Gregory Stock:
- If you could take a genetic test to discover what things you'd be best at, would you want to take it or just find out for yourself over time?
- If you knew you wouldn't get caught, would you cheat on a test by copying someone else's answers? What would you think if you saw other people cheating?
- What is your biggest fear? How would your life be different if suddenly you weren't afraid of this anymore?
- What is something you love doing now but will probably not enjoy in two years?
- On Halloween, a group of high-school students are caught scaring little kids and stealing their candy. If you could decide the punishment, what would it be?
- What makes you feel guilty? Do people try to make you feel guilty very often?
- If someone a lot smaller than you kept teasing you and telling lies about you and wouldn't stop, how far would you be willing to go to make the person stop? What about someone bigger than you?
- If you told your friends everything about yourself, including the things you are most embarrassed of, do you think they'd like you more or less than they do now?
- Have you ever thought you were going to die -- for example, in a big thunderstorm or a car accident? If so, did the experience teach you anything you could tell your friends?
- Do you wish your parents would question you less or more about what you do and how you feel?

And for those adults who might be reading, there's a book of questions for you too.

Thanks Amber for the tip!

The Science of Laughter

We laugh because we find something funny, right? Not according to the research of Robert Provine. People watching a funny movie alone rarely chuckle. Put the same people in a social setting, however, and they will guffaw at anything, funny or not. Provine recorded that 80-90% of the time, people laugh at lines in conversations that aren't funny.

So why do people laugh? According to Professor Jaak Panksepp (he's from Northern Europe btw, hence the strange sounding name), laughter is a way animals signal to others that they're ready to engage in friendly interaction. It's a reliable signal too, because it's often done unconsciously and difficult to fake.

So...we laugh because we want to get along and make friends. Makes sense. I mean, do you feel comfortable around people that don't laugh at all? Or even people that laugh too much?

Don't buy it? Try it yourself. Take an observation journal, snoop around (I mean, uh, conduct research), and see what makes people laugh.

Read the NYT article here.

I <3 Spring Break

Before we left for break, Naysha asked what my plans are for Spring Vacation. Well, here they are:
1) Learn how to cook Chinese food. I want my dad to teach me how to make his delicious dumplings. They're the reason why I'm so round (and happy)!
2) Play with my friend's baby. A good friend from back home had a baby daughter this year, and I want to go to Delaware to visit.
I dare you to tell me she's not the most adorable baby ever! Double dog dare you.
3) Ride my bike. Maybe I'll take it down to Delaware with me. I love riding my bike on nature trails, the beach, and the streets of New York.
4) Write a paper. I'm still working on my Masters degree in education, so I have homework just like you guys. Luckily, I get to choose the book I'm writing about.
5) Improve my apartment. After Kayla criticized the neatness of the dorm rooms on our college tour, I'm scared that my room is messier than those of my students. I didn't win Swarthmore's messiest room contest, but things can pretty ugly in here.

Sorry Naysha, no clubbing or partying. I will hang out with friends, though, and I suppose I might go dancing (Hahaha scary thought I know.). I wouldn't recommend partying/clubbing at all. Seems like party go-ers all end up in rehab or worse, like Britney Spears & Lindsay Lohan. That's my justification, anyhow, for being an uber-dork :)