iPhoto Project

I've just finished making an iPhoto project that spelled out my name and had pictures that represented who I am. I started out and was trying to have all the letters that spelled out my name represent a part of me, but I found that was too laborious and time consuming for me to complete it in time. So, if there was a complication during the process, it was that I couldn't find many letters that I thought were original enough for me to include in the project. Once I got my letters, it was smooth sailing from there, and I'm glad that I'm now able to use iPhoto!

NASA Picture

Explanation: The Moon, fresh from a biting encounter with the Sun last week, appeared next to threaten Venus. The waxing Moon appeared to glide right past, however, just a few degrees away. Venus, of course, is much further away from the Earth than the Moon, so the passing was really just an angular illusion. Pictured above on June 13, a fading sunset finds the crescent Moon and Venus between clouds and above the city lights of Geneva, Switzerland.

I chose to post this picture because it not only shows distant planets and stars, but also the Earth as we would see it from an airplane. To me, it symbolizes the fact that we truly are just a small part of something way bigger. We've fallen into the belief that the whole universe metaphorically revolves around us, and this can lead us into serious problems. We need to realize that it's not all about me, me, me, but rather that we all have a role to play in our survival and without each other we are doomed. For each organism plays a role in the survival of all the others, and we are just the lucky benefactors.

Bibliography:
Gregory Giuliani. The Moon & Venus Over Geneva. 13 June 2002. Astronomy Picture of the Day. NASA. 19 Feb. 2009 .

Athletes and the Media

Recently, Michael Phelps was caught doing drugs, and some pictures were taken. These pictures eventually made their way into the mainstream media. I can't say that I was heartbroken, finding that one of my sports idols was not the person I had at one time perceived him to be, but I was sad and almost in a state of disbelief. I can't imagine what would possess him to do something like that, since everything seemed to be great in his life, having just broken Mark Spitz's record for most gold medals at one Olympics. But, I'm not him, so I can't make judgements about his life, and being in the spotlight can be a lot of pressure. Still that isn't a reason to do drugs, and I don't have any anger toward the media for sharing the pictures. Michael needs to be aware of what he's doing, and must act as if every thing he does will be closely scrutinized, because most things he does will be.

Animal Farm

Right now, I'm reading the novel Animal Farm by George Orwell. I'm about half way through the book, and I love it! Its tough reading it as a human (which is probably the only way to read it) because it constantly bashes all the problems that humans have caused and can cause because of our nature. The book is about a farm where the farmer is neglecting his animals, drinks constantly, and doesn't care about the condition of the farm's buildings. The animals decide to revolt against the farmer, driving him away into town. They turn the farm into Animal Farm, becoming self-sufficient while maintaining a relatively luxurious lifestyle. Another pro for the book is that it isn't very long, about 100 pages, so I strongly suggest reading it!

Foreclosures

Recently, our country has fallen victim to a serious financial problem. This problem is that many homes are being foreclosed, which is when a mortgage lender reclaims a home because the home owner fails to repay the mortgage. This can be very devastating to home owners, because they lose their home and they are forced to move out within a very short period of time. I don't know any body who has had their home foreclosed, because they chose wisely when buying, and I take that as an example for how I should be deciding when I'm older. I believe that the government shouldn't help people whose homes have been foreclosed. I know it sounds cruel, but when someone goes looking for a home, they should always check to see if he or she can afford it. Also, the buyer should be saving money in case a sudden problem arises.