My Architect

Prompt: Today in class we watched a portion of the movie My Architect which is based on the world-renowned architect, Lou Khan. After we finished watching the movie, we were to reflect on Louis Kahn's story in light of today's journal write.

Due to the environment of the classroom we were not able to watch the entire movie and personally I do not think it is sufficient enough to comment on Lou's life, since we had to restart the movie during the last hour of class. From what I could grasp, an illegitimate son of this famous architect is trying to get to know his father by retracing his past and conversing with colleagues/friends of his father's. Lou had three women in his life, with one being his wife and two having illegitimate children of his. Nathaniel, one of his illegitimate children, is the one that is being focused upon in this documentary. Personally, I found this part of his life immoral since I cannot judge him as a whole. If I were in Nathaniel's position I don't know if I would feel the way he did in wanting to know his father.

Response to Commentary

Commentary: Classrooms Have Become Unecessarily High Tech

I find this funny since our school, High Tech High International, utilizes technology for educational purposes such as this blog where I present all of my assignments. I do agree that technology does have its pros and cons when it comes to a classroom setting and spending 5 billion dollars seems highly uneccesary. I feel that because of the exponential growth of technology advancements it is good to educate kids on technology at a basic level, such as when I first went to this school. I learned to utilize my skills of fireworks, photoshop, microsoft, and dreamweaver to enhance the quality of the product that I'm working with to present and in some occupations these skills may be required. I agree with the author that "Very little in these early grades needs to be digital, electronic or high def." and that there are cons such as "including the constant need for technological assistance, ongoing teacher training, upgrades to systems and programs, and much more" and also the need to renew classroom resources such as textbooks. This is why I like our school system in the way that we don't have textbooks but I would like to improve it so that we have at least one textbook for a references and make copies of that. In summary, basically I believe that schools should implement some sort of a technological learning environment maybe in the later years in school such as in high school.

Vocabulary Week 17

Listening to some people can be tortuous, just ask Ferris Bueller.



Despite their senescent years, the old couple still remained in love with each other.

My parents will be going to Boracay, Philippines this summer as well as other Asian countries which makes me wish I could go too so I can enjoy the tranquility of this place.

[e/c please!]

Because Takesheti Street, a popular shopping section of Harajuku, was very crowded Rachel told our group to stay in the proximity of this long and narrow street.

The parrot's imitability of my voice seemed to be somewhat irritating.

[e/c please!]

Before entering this super clean laboratory, I have to wear a shroud before entering also known as booties and a lab coat so that what I'm working with and the environment will not be contaminated.

[e/c please!]

Sometimes I have to work laboriously cleaning numerous bottles, diluting samples, or just inputing data at my internship.

[e/c please!]

Interminable means incaple of being terminated. I feel that this picture respresents that word since our close bond makes our friendship interminable.

Definitions:

imitability - capable or worthy of being imitated

interminable - incapable of being terminated
intuit - to know or receive by intuition
laboriously - equiring much work, exertion, or perseverance
proximity - nearness in place, time, order, occurrence, or relation
reticence - disposed to be silent or not to speak freely; reserved
senescent - growing old; aging
shroud - something that covers or conceals like a garment
situation - a place or locality
synchronously - occurring at the same time; coinciding in time
tortuous - not direct or straightforward, as in procedure or speech
tranquility - calmness; peacefulness; quiet; serenity

California's Autism Rises Despite Vaccine Change

This article states that after having blamed the preservative, Thimerosal, found in vaccines, which are high in mercury, for being a factor in developing autism which is a neurological disorder, the state decided to remove this mercury-rich preservative from the common vaccines taken during childhood onwards. However, aside from the absence of this preservative, a new study "found the autism rate in children rose continuously during the 12-year study period from 1995 to 2007." Even though Thimerosal hasn't been used since 2001 there are still high rates of autism. All in all, the study conducted showed that mercury has no effect when it comes to being a factor in causing autism.
I've been hearing a lot about the controversy of high in mercury preservatives in our vaccines and how even some parents refuse to have their children take vaccines for they fear that they might develop this neurological disorder. I believe that it is vital for a child to have vaccines and the fact that this study disproves the fact that mercury found in shots does not have an effect in this neurological disorder might encourage parents to not be so fearful.

The Tipping Point

Title: The Tipping Point
Author: Gladwell, Malcolm
Publication: Little, Brown and Company, NY 2000

Reason, Type, & Setting: After Elika, my humanities teacher, assigned us to read an excerpt of this book, it inclined me to read more on how our society can cause a tipping point. I'd categorize this book as an informative social psychological book. It was very thought-provoking and reminded me of Freakanomics and Survival of the Sickest. I find these types of books very intriguing which is why I decided to read this book as well. I plan to read Blink, another of Malcolm Gladwell's books.

Plot: This book informs the reader of a compilation of studies that became very successful and recognizable in society, why certain trends become popular, and how the environment can affect the actions of others. These studies are broken down into philosophies such as: The Stickiness Factor (which my teacher had us read in class), The Law of the Few, and The Power of Context. The Stickiness Factor describes how little change can trigger a big result such as adding a map to a brochure talking of the importance of getting a tetanus shot at a University campus. The whole premise of this book is how certain factors affect/manipulate society.

Evaluation: This book, as I said before, was very intriguing and thought-provoking which I enjoyed very much. It is one of those books that can be a page turner. However, Gladwell seems to go into depth when it comes to these examples which is somewhat rather boring for me to read. For others, it may be a good thing. Other than that, I really enjoy reading books such as these. I'd recommend this to anyone since it really is an eye-opener.

Author/Trivia/Context: Malcolm Gladwell is a journalist and reporter for various newpapers such as The NewYorker and Washington Post. His other works include Blink.




Honors Due Date: May 12th

Agent Orange Relief Foundation

[Temporary Logo]

Mission Statement: I, as well as my peers, propose to start a non-profit organization that benefits the people of Vietnam that were affected during the Vietnam War. Specifically, our organization would target those who are experiencing the effects of the chemical, Agent Orange, which was used in chemical warfare by the US toward the Viet Cong. Our main goal is to spread awareness in order to find solutions for this problem. One onf these ways is to indict the US government and military for the environmental damage they have done to the habitat of Vietnam. I will be researching the environmental policy behind this chemical agent, what and how specific components of Agent Orange affect the environment.

Vocabulary Week 16

[e/c please!]

Conversely means something opposite or contrary. After going to a luau-themed party we took this picture. Everyone in the picture is smiling and looking at the camera, whereas my brother conversely covers his face with a cup of soda.

[e/c please!]

Infatuation means foolish or all-absorbing passion. After taking so many pictures with my bffs [:p], I started to look back at ourselves and I thought we looked a bit infatuated since we were making silly poses.

[e/c please!]

Enamored means to inspire with love and captivate. When I traveled to Japan, I was able to finally eat authentic Japanese food and it enamored me to try various types of Japanese foods aside from sushi. In this picture I was able to eat sashimi for the first time as well as a type of soup that Sumo wrestlers eat since I was in the Sumo District in Tokyo.

[e/c please!]

Acquiesce means to agree or consent. This picture was taken before Advisory Olympics which is an annual event held by our school where each advisory competes in various games to be the ultimate advisory. My advisory members suggested that we put blue paint on our faces to look fierce, but though I was a bit hesitant I acquiesced.

Inevitability means unable to be avoided, evaded, or escaped which exactly pertains to my family. You will not see me absent from school unless I'm very sick that I'd have to go to visit my doctor or for an academic purpose. In a nutshell, everyday when I wake up school is inevitable.

[e/c please!]

Awkward means lacking grace or ease in movement. Here is a picture of myself and a fellow campmate up on a high ropes course by UCSD. Since this was my first time experiencing a climb such as this I looked everything but graceful. I felt that I looked a bit awkward trying to find a way how to reach the top and eventually balance on a beam with my partner.

Futile means incapable of producing any result or ineffective. At my internship, SPAWAR Environmental, I work with a system called the Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy, depicted above here. This system analyzes samples that I've prepared and sometimes when I do not the prepare the water samples correctly or contaminate them, I end up with futile results.

This picture shows a group of ballerina's on pointe. It can represent the word deleterious, in the way that the different positions they have to go through which can cause deleterious injuries to their feet. These injuries include: Athlete's foot, heel bruising, sprains, and stress fractures.

acquiesce - agree; consent

amorous - showing or expressing love

aroma - an odor arising from spices, plants, cooking, etc

awkward - lacking grace or ease in movement

consummate - to bring to a state of perfection; fulfill.

conversely - something opposite or contrary.

deleterious - injurious to health

delirium - a state of violent excitement or emotion

ecstasy - an overpowering emotion or exaltation; a state of sudden, intense feeling.

enamored - To inspire with love; captivate

futile - incapable of producing any result; ineffective; useless; not successful:

incantation - the formula employed; a spell or charm.

inevitability - unable to be avoided, evaded, or escaped; certain; necessary

infatuation - foolish or all-absorbing passion or an instance of this