The school year so far...

I've been going to this school for nearly two years, so I think I've formulated a pretty solid, albeit complicated, opinion of it. One thing I like about FAIR Downtown is the art. I love art class. It's probably my favorite time of the day, and I like that art is integrated into other classes. Often, larger projects have some wiggle room for creativity, so I can tailor it to my own style and make something unique.

However, the school does have room for improvement. I would like to see basically more of everything; more art and more learning and more options for what classes to take, etc. I think if the staff spent more time thinking about the curriculum they could formulate plans to give us interesting information more efficiently. I say this because I miss academic support. I miss academic support and I think the classes are too long! Last year I had a nice half hour to do my homework. But I also used that time to just read about and look at interesting things. Often, throughout the day, things come to mind that I want to learn more about. A teacher will say a word or mention a concept that I want to learn more about, and academic support was a time where I could pursue those interests.

I think the class I am doing the best at is painting. I'm not talking about grades per say, but more in just terms of productivity. Almost every day, I go there right after I finish eating and I don't leave until I have like three minutes to get to class. I basically just love doing art, and I love painting, and I love Mrs. Conwell. She sort of lets me do whatever, which is great because the art room provides a lot of materials and a lot of possibilities. For example, right now I am working on stencils. I make the stencil in photoshop and then trace it over on a transparency. Then I put that on the overhead projector and make the large version, which I can then cut and paint. Most of these things I do not have at home, so it's great.

I think the things I am most struggling with is not a particular class, but just homework in general. I just have this problem where when I get home, I want nothing to do with the first six hours of the day. At home I do many things; play music, listen to music, watch movies, and just hang out in general. This goes back to academic support. When I'm in school I have the momentum of all the activity going on, so I can do my work really fast. But when I go home I am tired and I just want to jam to some tunes, you know? So I guess I just have to buckle down and do it. I have found that if I do my homework right when I get home it's the best, but that takes so much willpower...

My plans for 4th quarter are pretty much "stay the course". 3rd quarter I didn't do so good, so I'm just going to have to buckle down, like I said. It's like running a race. At the end of it, you're tired and you just want it to end. But when you see the finish line, if you just push yourself one more notch you can sprint to the finish and finish strong. I actually did that once and went from about 5th place to 3rd. So yeah I am going ot make this promise: all A's for 4th quarter. not even an A-

The consequences of "sexting"

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/27/us/27sexting.html?_r=1&src=ISMR_HP_LI_LST_FB

I find this topic interesting because it brings to light many issues regarding teens nowadays. I find it interesting that sexting basically counts as child pornography and can therefore carry heavy charges. It really makes you think about broad laws such as this. Are the kids really doing something that bad? Or should there be different laws? One thing I was confused about though is the apparent outcry against the lack of prosecution against the girl who actually took the picture. Really? She just made a silly mistake. It was everyone else who did the real damage. Anyway, I would like to know what you think of this complicated issue down in the comments.

Libyan rebels push far and fast as Obama reassures the nation

So, in a rather nice turn of events, rebel forces in Libya have begun to push back on Gaddaffi's (or however you spell that) troops, thanks to US and NATO airstrikes. Well I think this is just dandy. Really, I do. Another cool thing is that the rebels have been able to ransack ammunition dumps left behind by the retreating government forces. They are now closing in on Tripoli, although they have been met with increasing resistance. I really do hope they throw that government into the trash.

Meanwhile, Barack Obama made an address to the nation the other day to talk about Libya, which I watched. I found it quite nice, although I stopped paying attention after a while. I liked what he said about there being a moral obligation to step in there. I agree, 100 percent, with the government's decision to send some planes and boats over there. I mean, really, a dictator was killing civilians and threatening to kill more. I just think that they should have been more clear in the beginning, because for a moment I was scared we were going to have another war in the middle east.

I do think that Obama made a mistake in his speech. He decided to talk about the US plane that went down. In case you didn't know, a fighter jet had a malfunction and crashed. The pilots ejected safely into rebel territory and were treated by the people in a nearby town. However, when a US helicopter came to pick the pilots up, it mistook the rebels for enemies and opened fire on them. Several people were wounded, including a little boy. I'm not sure if anyone was killed. But even if nobody was seriously hurt, I don't think Obama should have even mentioned that event at all, even if is highlights the friendliness between the rebels and the US.

Anyway, as always my prayers go out to all of the innocent people who are needlessly suffering

The Crusades: Then and Now

I just read an article about the crusades in relation to the wars in the Middle East. Shortly after the attacks on 11 September 2001, both president Bush and Osama Bin Laden used the word "crusade" to describe their wars. The word crusade actually has Christian connotations in its roots. In this sense, a crusade is always a christian war. Bush didn't know this at the time and regretted saying it. However, Bin Laden knew what he was doing. In the Muslim world, the word crusade often has a negative connotation. In Muslim eyes, the crusades were basically the Western world pooping on the Muslim world; killing islamic people, burning cities, and so on. So Bin Laden called the invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan a crusade. In this way, he painted the (mostly western) coalition forces as invaders and infidels, and tried to act as the new Saladin in order to unite the Muslim world against the coalition.

Of course it's not all black and white, but whatever.

Also, in Libya, Gaddaffi's ceasefire was a bluff that I should have seen. oh well...

New Photos!!!

Just letting you all know that I put some new photos on my flickr, which you can view here.

Among these is my first roll from my Holga. Awesome stuff. Also, my first roll of black and white film is on there, and I am very pleased with the results!!

Libya UPDATE: CEASEFIRE AND NO-FLY ZONE

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12787739

I should probably stop posting blogs about an event that is changing so rapidly, but I must. I am so happy with the direction this is going. Not only does the U.N.-imposed no-fly zone include text that protects civilians by "any means necessary", but the Libyan government has responded with this ceasefire declaration. Of course there is a chance that they are just lying or something, but I have a feeling that they finally are getting a little scared of the rest of the world jumping into Libya to protect civilians and (hopefully) help out the rebels.

However, not is all peachy in that region. Yemen, the poorest country in North Africa, has seen its own demonstrations. Until now, the military has been using water cannons, rubber bullets, and tear gas to dispel demonstrations. That all changed when government loyalists and police opened fire on a demonstration honoring seven protesters who were killed. They used live rounds-- real bullets. Children were among the wounded. The death toll is around 30 and expected to rise.

Also, in Japan, the nuclear crisis is worsening as people are trying harder and harder to get the reactor cooled down. High levels of radiation inside the plant have delayed efforts to bring the normal cooling systems back online, a process that is expected to last until Sunday. So between now and then, people are using any means necessary, sea water, fire trucks, and helicopters, to help prevent further melting.

My heart goes out to all the people experiencing these times of hardship.

Song of the Now

Jonny Greenwood - Prospectors Quartet

I could write on and on about this song. I find it so beautiful and sad and fragile. It comes from the soundtrack to the film There Will be Blood. It is a fantastic film. I believe that if it hadn't came out the same year as No Country for Old men, it probably would have grabbed best picture. This song I think really illustrates the damage that Daniel Plainview's madness has caused. This is the last track on the album which I think fits that nicely. At first it is exciting prospects for oil, but soon you find that Plainview is a madman, and this song illustrates him finally breaking down. I love nearly everything about this song, from the surging cellos to the chord progression to the almost waltz-like climax of it before it finally ends on such a quiet, sad note.

Wimper not bang.

In case you didn't know, Jonny Greenwood is also the guitarist in the phenomenal band known as Radiohead.

Pro-Gaddafi Forces close in on Rebel Stronhold

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/03/201131614230683317.html

So Gaddafi's son has said that the rebels will be crushed in 48 hours. Of course this is an exaggeration, but I have a strong fear that he may be partly true. Just like in Egypt, the anti-government protests started in peace, but unlike Egypt, they have ended in violence. Now there is a civil war going on and it doesn't look pretty. Gaddafi's forces have planes and helicopters and bombs, while the rebels have old russian AK-47s and the like. This is not a balanced war.

Meanwhile, in the comfy padded halls of the United Nations, politicians are debating over imposing a no-fly zone. Really? They are talking about imposing a no-fly zone? They should have done that three weeks ago! They should now be talking about how many troops to send in. Really, a crazy dictator is killing his own civilians to stay in power. Sound familiar? I mean, really, just send in troops and planes and kill Gaddafi. Yes, I consider myself a pacifist and I would never ever kill anybody unless I really had to. But honestly, if I was given the chance, I might kill Gaddafi myself. This is seriously something that has to be acted on quickly. Okay, the United States, France, the Arab Leauge, and anyone else supporting the no fly zone, I have a message for you: SEND TROOPS TO LIBYA RIGHT NOW!!!!

Jeez.

Nuclear Crisis in Japan

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fukushima_I_nuclear_accidents

This situation in Japan continues to worry me. Reports of the actual earthquake and tsunami business have died down and have been replaced by reports of Japan's heavily damaged Fukushima nuclear plant. If you don't know what I am talking about, you can read that heavily extensive and constantly updated Wikipedia article up there. Basically, the tsunami damaged the outer shielding of the reactor and destroyed or disrupted the cooling systems. The cooling is probably the most important part of any nuclear reactor. Without cooling, you get what most people call a "meltdown", where the radioactive material gets so hot that it melts through the shielding and releases a lot of radiation.

Depending on what news source you subscribe to, the amount of damage ranges from minimal to Chernobyl. I do not think this is a Chernobyl, but boy does it worry me. The last thing the good people of Japan need is another disaster. Speaking of which, don't you kind of wish they continued reporting on the damage? In Hati, they did it almost continuously. I know that the situations are different, and that Japan is much more adept at taking care of itself, but I have a feeling that there is still widespread damage and I want to know about it.

Anyways, I think we all should be paying close attention to this. This is probably going to be the most well-documented nuclear disaster in history, which is great because that makes it easier to prevent catastrophe. In past disasters, the worst parts happened relatively quietly.

More Violence in Bahrain

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-bahrain-crackdown-20110317,0,349653.story

Well isn't this horrible. Riot police and soldiers cracked down on the pro-democracy tent city in a town square. The fired tear gas and used armored vehicles to disperse the crowd, and they occasionally used shotguns. Yes, shot guns and not with rubber bullets in them. At least two demonstrators were killed and more injured. Cars carrying the wounded were shot at as they were driving to the hospital. The majority of the population is Shiite Muslim while the government is mostly Sunni.

What is this? Why aren't there calls for action? This isn't like Libya, where there are militia groups with weapons, these people were sleeping in tents. Their only weapons were literally sticks and stones, and they get shot at as they are being rushed to the hospital. If anything REMOTELY like this happened anywhere NEAR the United States there would be an international outcry. Where are the troops in Bahrain? Some people say it's not our business. Well I think if innocent people are being killed it's EVERYONE'S business.

Obama signs executive order that keeps Guantanamo Bay open

Facepalm.jpg

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2011/03/obamas-gitmo-rules-disappoint-backers-cheer-critics/1

So yeah, that's what he did. Obama signed it himself. This wasn't some obscure decision passed by Congress or whatever, it was an executive order made in the executive office signed by President Barack Obama. I can't believe this!!! If you have been living under a rock for the last like five years, Guantanamo Bay is a prison in Cuba (off of American soil) which is owned by the U.S. government. It is used to detain suspects of terrorism and things of that nature. Sounds great, right? Well except for the torture and mistreatment of prisoners, and indefinite imprisonment without trial, it is great. I do understand that these are suspects of terrorism which is a horrible thing, but you can't just violate human rights now. There are worldwide laws for that, not just US laws.

When he was campaigning, Obama promised to close that horrible place. I was so glad. True, it is difficult to deal with these people, but not in that way. Now he is going back on his promise; it's clear as day. Why, might you ask? It's not exactly clear. He issued a statement along with the order saying that he reserves the right to try terror suspects in federal courts. Well that's good news, but it seems to me that Gitmo is just a no-man's land.

The whole world, including the United States, hates North Korea because of its human rights abuses. What about this prison?

iPad

I am a contradictory person. I am practical sometimes, and indulgent other times. My dad is always practical and my mom was always indulgent. I could sense those differences and the problems that arose from them, so I suppose I subconsciously am trying to compromise.

Anyways, the new iPad came out as you probably know. Not a big deal really. I do think the iPad is cool, but I would never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever get one unless I really really really really really really really really don't have ANYTHING to spend my money on. This includes every single obscure and expensive device, every charity on the planet, college funds for my future children and their children's children.... If I get all of that taken care of then I would consider buying an iPad.

That is, until the iPad 2 came out.

I checked it out because I was bored and curious and as soon as I saw it I found myself under a powerful, intoxicating, ineffable spell. Now I have this horrible, undying, and painfully strong WANT for this beautiful device. Wow, boy is it an awesome piece of aluminum and glass. My want is so unbelievable.

Why is this want so strong? I think this originates from Apple's genius marketing; absolutely sinister, it is. I think the reason it is so great is because people are so loyal to Apple. It is one of those corporations that has succeeded not because of smart investment or whatever, it's because they made awesome stuff. Steve Jobs started out as a barefooted rebel out of his garage, and in some ways he hasn't lost that rebelliousness. I think it is his imagination, and the imaginations of the people that he has surrounded himself with, that was able to put forth innovations like the Macintosh, iPod, iPhone, and now the iPad.

I don't think the iPad is really that great. It's a compromise between the touchiness of an iPhone with the power of a Macbook. But really, I would rather just have an iPhone so that I can put it in my pocket. Regardless of its uselessness, Apple has managed to market the iPad as a revolutionary device that will soon be in every American home, etc. No matter how much logic I jam into my brain, the consumerist inside me still yearns for the sexy aluminum curves of this pointless indulgence.

Oh, did I mention that it comes in white? WHITE!?!?!? GAH.

A Short Study in Islamic Art

In school we are taking a quick look at various forms of Islamic art. Traditional Islamic art reflects the religion. There are four main types: Calligraphy, Patterns based on plants, Geometric patterns, and Figural representation. Below are some examples:

Here we have a piece of textile art. I see many intricate yet organized patterns. Sweeping lines, geometric shapes, along with many plants and trees and flowers. The colors range from deep red to golden, with a touch of green for the plants. This piece includes geometric and vegetal patterns.

Fighting in Libya

So the fighting in Libya continues. Whereas in other North African and Middle Eastern countries have harbored relatively peaceful demonstrations, Libya turned sour fast (I now note that my father's prediction of this was true). And now the country seems to be moving closer and closer to civil war and it's quite scary. I think this is especially worrisome to me because this is really the first time something like this has happened in my lifetime. I have read of violent and epic revolutions in the past, but in those cases the outcomes were already known; the timeline was fixed and predetermined. Here, nobody knows what is going to happen.

In world history class, we have learned much about Ancient Rome. It is interesting, studying the fall of the Roman Empire, to see all of the littler groups of people, growing in an empire, until it all dissolves. Now Libya is being separated; pro-government and anti-government peopel squaring off, with tensions increasing, as illustrated in the video.

This, like any other revolution and/or civil war, has untold implications for the world. This is especially true considering the vast amounts of oil that just so happen to be in Libya. This presents an interesting case of a joining of interests. Normally, it seems that big corporations and their lobbyists are against the good people of the world. But now, everybody wants the situation to cool; the companies because they want control over their assets, and people like myself who are just concerned for the well-being of the good people of Libya.

Animoto about Islam

An Animoto video about the fifth pillar of Islam, the Pilgrimage to Mecca:



The fifth pillar of Islam is called the Hajj. It refers to the duty of every able-bodied Muslim to make at least one pilgrimage to Mecca, a city in Saudi Arabia. Mecca is a holy city of Islam; in fact, only Muslim people are allowed in it. The pilgrimage reflects a similar journey that Muhammad made. Upon reaching Mecca, Muslim people perform various rituals and ceremonies, similar to ones a catholic person might make when they go to the Vatican in Rome. One of the most prominent features is the gigantic black stone in the center of an enormous mosque. This stone is known as the Kaaba, which predates Islam and is considered the most sacred site in the religion. One of the many things a Muslim person is to do there is to walk around the stone seven times counter-clockwise. This is what every Muslim person faces when they perform their prayers, no matter where they are. This increases the connection between every Muslim person since all the prayers are at the same time and facing the same direction.