Grades

For honors, we were supposed to read an article on the effects of grades on students and society as a whole.  The article was basically insulting the grading system and calling it useless and counter-productive and teaching the wrong things to the children.

I must say, I wholeheartedly agree.  I myself have went from a hardcore grading school to a college more worried about the learning process and I enjoy it.  Granted, the grades are still there, but there is less emphasis on that.  I actually remember more stuff in college than from high school.  It is more interesting.  The professors actually care.  The high school teachers did care.  They just hated my graduating class.  Apparently, we were a bunch of hellions.  I mean, when they harass a teacher they don’t like….  Yeah, they were a bunch of idiots.

If the grading scale was nixed, I believe that students won’t know what to do at first.  Perhaps they might rebel and not do a darn thing.  I don’t necessarily blame them but I wouldn’t that just cause I would be ecstatic and realize the potential.  Nixing the grading scale would make it so your work ethic is the focus and how you do stuff, whether creatively or above and beyond the call of duty.  Thus, I believe that in the long run, it would help considerable for any individual because said individual would have experienced something similar to a workplace.  Grades are essentially what separates school from work.  Work never have the grades  yet it is similar to what we do in school.  Get rid of the grades and the shock won’t be so bad when getting a job for the first time.

 

All in all, I definitely agree that the grading scale should be nixed.  I mean, each teacher grades differently.  Each teacher has a different set of numbers.  For instance, one teacher would consider a five a ten or another would consider a 1 a 4.  Thus, perhaps you are technically getting an A, but the teacher made it a C.  I know, it seems strange, but think about it and it will become clear.  Numbers don’t mean the same to each person.  So, why is there a grading scale when that fact is well-known to everybody?

Posted in Honors | 41 Comments

Internet brings out worse in us or not?

What do you think of the argument that the internet unleashes our worst impulses?

Well,  I am not going to say it doesn’t.  Yet it does.  It goes both ways.  Internet gives us the tools to be cruel and mean and essentially bring out the worse in us.  Yet, you as a person can decide not to.  Truly, it varies with each person.  They decide.  Thus, they will do.  Hopefully, they will realize that the internet was created by us and is not an alternate reality.  Nothing compares to reality.

The internet can most certainly unleash our worst impulses.  The opportunity is there.  One can be mean just by hiding behind a fake name and making it impossible to track anything back to you.  Basically, you can get away scotch free just by playing it safe.  If there is the opportunity to be tracked and caught redhanded, people are normally on their best behavior.  Facebook is a great example.  People normally put their real names down, and, well,  people don’t want a bad reputation unless they don’t care.

On the other hand, people can just use the internet as tools.  Just that.  Tools.  Possbily to chat with people.  Whatever it is, the way people should use internet is in a good way.  Don’t be mean to others.  Unless you know them and are friends.  Then, whatever.  It’s your friend.  Be wary about what you say.  Text is taken quite differently than saying it aloud and in the presence of people.

All in all, be wary.  Internet has the power to do anything.  Including killing.  thus, pay attention.

Posted in CEC: Videogames | 30 Comments

Affection

Our topic for honors is affection, human touch, and in general, love.  One article was about the nature of affection and talked about an experiment done on monkeys to emphasize the importance of affection.  Another article was about human touch and how we need to stop talking so much and start touching.  In a good way, that is.  Not the molesting part.

  1. Is the harry Harlow article, as described here, really about love?  Or is it about touch?  Or something else?

I believe it was about touch more so than love.  Animals cannot necessarily understand love.  Well, they could, but their primal instincts kick in more so than the actual thought of love.

2. Can the findings by Harlow relate to adults or is it limited to childrearing practices?

It can relate to adults.  But it is much harder to find the relation.  It is extremely easy to find the relationship in childrearing.

3. If you accept the Harlow findings, does our need for touch disappear as we mature?

I accept his findings.  I have seen enough examples to know that Harlow is correct, at least in terms of creating a person capable to fit into society’s standards nowadays.

 

  1. Do you agree with what Michael Young argues in this article?  What do you think can be done to permit more tactile communicating?

Yes, I do.  I have no idea how to permit more tactile communicating.

2. Do you think your most intimate relationships would be stronger if you didn’t have to meet all of your needs to touch and be touched?  Would you feel comfortable letting your significant other fulfill some of their needs by, for example, hugging, holding hands with, and being touched by others?

I am a guy so if I had a significant other, it would be a woman.  I might be wrong but I believe that women touch each other all the time.  They are simply more open to touch.  Possibly due to their inherent mother nature.  As for intimate relationships, I have not had a relationship just yet with a girlfriend.  So, no idea.  I have been focusing on other areas of my life.

Posted in Honors | 40 Comments

Palmer Research Symposium

I went to the 10:00 – 11:00AM Poster session.  The feeling in that room was one of knowledge, the Yockey room.  There were many topics and presentations in that room.  There was one about a radio antenna picking up solar flares on the sun detected from Jupiter or something like that.  It was funny with their first reading they thought it was Armageddon because the readings were off the charts.  Instead, it was from the cars’ spark plugs nearby the science center.  Anyway, this topic was one of the best done.

Another topic was one about taking too many M&Ms associated with the size of the bag.  Basically, the bigger the bag was, the more you eat.  And vice versa for a small bag.  It was interesting but common sense for people trying to lose weight.  This is evidence supporting that fact.

All in all, the Palmer Research Symposium was quite interesting.  Some of the presentations were a bit shabby or too easy.  Then again, I didn’t go to them all.  My opinion would certainly differ then.

Posted in CEC: Videogames | 67 Comments

Glee

For honors we had to watch an episode from Glee.  This particular episode dealt with homophobia and bullying.  Other topics that were touched on was the pressure to be THE MAN.

To be honest, I never watched an episode of Glee before the recent honors discussion.  Now I know why I never watch it.  I could feel my manhood slipping away.  Don’t get me wrong it is a decent show.  But I can only take so much.

The deal with the homophobia was an interesting take.  My philosophy is “Don’t hit on me or flirt with me if gay and we are just fine.”  I make it known that I am straight and they respect my wishes.  I mean, I know an Eagle Scout that is gay.  I am just glad he said it afterwards rather than during the process of getting the rank.  Otherwise he would never get it.  The Boy Scouts have the power to get rid of members they don’t want because it is a private organization.  So, I have no problems with gay individuals.  Just don’t flirt with me.  All I am asking.

I just wrote a paper on bullying so I definitely know what bullying is all about.  I also went through a tiny bit of it as well.  A tiny bit as in before I had the growth spurt at 5th Grade that practically made me an adult’s size; the size I am right now minus the muscles.  A big issue with bullying is the fact of size.  If you are a big person you will never get picked on.  Or if you just simply do not put up with their crap regardless of size.  What Kurt did was the best thing he could have done by going to the teachers.  But that did not work.  He instead transferred to another school as a last resort.  What sucked is that it was the only solution for him.  But, most people do not think of that type o bully, a bully harassing a gay student just so the bully him/herself won’t be considered gay.  It is just wrong how many different types of bullying is out there.

Posted in Honors | 22 Comments

Time Travel

For honors,we had to read two articles and watch 2 videos.  The first artciel was about if time travel was possible written by PBS.  The second article was discovery.com about the same topic.  The videos were both from Stephen Hawking.  First was about wormholes and second about theory of time travel.

I have to admit, it was interesting reading about the theory of time travel.  It just hurts my brain thinking of all the possible paradoxes.  I swear there must a million different ways to screw EVERYTHING up if time travel was made possible.  Sure, going into the future is not at all bad.  But, wouldn’t going into the future screw things up in that time era?  Also, couldn’t the future be the past if one has gone into the future far enough?  then that would suggest that there really is a circle of life.  So, the Lion King was right…  Anyway, it is simply mindboggling at the effects of time travel.  I know I would vote against having time travel.  In fact, it would be altogether bad if time travel was developed.  Just think of how giddy the terrorists would be.  Think of what would happen if somebody like Bin Laden or Saddam Hussein had access to time travel. There are simply too many risks about what would happen if time travel was developed.

Going up to insane speed, all the way to light speed, to time travel seems a bit far fetched.  I mean, really?  Yes, I can see how the calculations and theories would point us in that direction.  But…  The bigger you are, the faster you burn.  Nay nay for huge space ship unless there is some kind of force shield like in those scifi games and movies.  Wormhole sounds slightly more reasonable compared to going at speed of light.  Not much, though.  It is more likely for this to occur, I believe.  Truthfully, it would be awesome if wormholes were around.  One way to save gas.  You don’t use it in the first place.  Just be prepared to have a missing limb when appearing on opposite side of wormhole.  But, hey, you saved $1,000,000,000 in gas set at $4 a gallon.  Well, worth it, eh?  …  Sorry, I had to.

In comparison of the two methods of time travel, wormholes seem to be the most likely.  It is easier to understand the concept there rather than thinking a space ship can actually handle going at the speed of light.

Posted in Honors | 23 Comments

Paper 3 Idea and Reading

For my paper, I am thinking about doing it on bullying.  The topic is not set in stone.  I am still trying to figure out what I want to do for my paper.  In fact, I have not thought much about it.  I was more worried about the ARG presentation.  So, the paper could change topics sometime again.

As for the reading, it was talking about the serious games.  The games that touch upon certain controversies or worries.  For instance, running out of oil in the future is pretty likely to happen sometime soon.  I was impressed at the ideas of having a game set like World Without Oil.  This “game” basically predicts a future without oil.  Oil is used for practically everything in the world and is the reason for just about all of our technological advancements.  Obviously, having no more oil would a death blow to us all.  WWO is where it steps in then.  It prepares us all for the inevitable loss of oil by envisioning a world without oil.  Players take and prepare by creating gardens, riding bikes, or even doing laundry by hand.  So, the game makes you develop your survival instincts because we would all be forced to do so when oil runs out.

I like the idea of serious games.  It is amazing by making whatever it is into a game can help us become better at whatever it is.  Granted, some of them might be useless to certain individuals.  Simple preferences, right there.  But, the serious games are still a great idea.  If worried about a certain topic or controversy, create a game or join a game already set up and then help the world that way.

Posted in CEC: Videogames | 23 Comments

KONY 2012

For honors, we had to watch a video and read an article about KONY 2012, an organization trying to bring down Joesph Kony, the world’s worst war criminal.  The video explained what the organization is trying to do and to try to get us all involved and donate money to bring Kony down.  Then the article was about how the co-founder was caught doing some … illegal activities and arrested.

The video hit home about how lucky I am.  Sure, I have a disability that challenges me every step of the way.  But at least I can live in peace.  If I was born, I would have possibly been killed outright from the moment they found I was hard of hearing.  Either from birth or as a six-year old, they would have eventually found out.  Scary.

Kony is one sick bastard, pardon my horrible french language.  I mean, child soldiers?  Talk about cannon fodder.  Children are not equipped for war and don’t have the physique to actively take part in war.  They are simply still growing.  It is just plain wrong and a waste of life.  Then when I watched the part of Jacob saying he wanted to die…  I was furious.  How can this one person want to die so much?  And how can Kony actually do this stuff

So, I believe KONY 2012 is an organization with a great goal.  Then one of the co-founders is caught and arrested after having a er… blast from drinking a little bit too much.  To  be honest, I could care less about that.  The organization is still fine.  The dude just let himself get out of control and got caught while doing so.  Whatever the case is, it was a misstep for the dude.  We all make it.  Granted, we don’t do the stuff that he did.

Posted in Honors | 60 Comments

Review of Popular Game: COD MW3

I have, obviously, decided to review COD MW3.  I read the article that Game Informer did on it.  They gave it a score of 9.

Personally, I think the score should be higher.  Sure, it is still almost the exact same as MW2.  But, MW3 basically improved upon the formula and delivered.  Multiplayer is now finally more balanced.  Spec Ops received a massive overhaul.  Single player campaign’s story is wrapped up to a conclusion, finally.  In other words, they delivered.  And we all received it giddily.  Well, those that like playing these kinds of games.

I don’t really play multiplayer all that often simply  because all of the hardcore freaks are playing it right now.  Only until there is a new COD game will I attempt MW3 multiplayer.  Either that good or freaking hackers.  Anyway, I instead play Spec Ops with my brother.

There are two different Spec Ops modes, missions much like MW2 where you do certain crazy objectives.  Or Survival.  Survival is where you essentially survive wave after wave of hordes of enemies.  My brother and I play that all the time.  Mainly because it is simple and easy for us to do and to also improve our skills for when we decide to annihilate everybody online sometime in the future.

The campaign was ok.  It wasn’t fantastic but the set pieces were awesome.  Great cinematic Action.  Otherwise, the other modes are the main attractions in this game.

I will give this game a score of 9.75 out of 10.  It was beautifully done but not quite perfect.  The single player campaign could have been better.  Meanwhile, everything else was executed perfectly.

As a sidenote, has anybody seen those MW3 commercials promoting the game and the DLC?  HILARIOUS!!

Posted in CEC: Videogames | 28 Comments

Game Beginning

I decided to play Mass Effect 3 again.  I beat it the first time around on easy just to watch the story.  One of the  best ever.  The gameplay is great once again.  It is actually the best so far.  Action with a hint of RPG.  Great.  Anyway, the game’s beginning story is one of the best, I feel.  Actually, this game is one of the best, period.  This game could definitely be considered an epic game.  It is epic because I rarely get so engrossed in a game.  It felt like I was in it.

The game started out with your Shepard person(Basically you.  You customize character and have a very generic name in order to make it easier for the conversations) in Alliance base, the humans’ version of future scifi intergalactic military.  It is around the year of 2187 or so.  I can’t remember exactly.  Shepard is lolling around watching this kid outside his window play with a toy fighter ship.  Then James, this ripped dude opens the door to your apartment and tells you the head honchos want to meet with you.  You go and chance across Admiral Anderson and Ashley while on the way to the meeting, taking note that everybody is on edge, rushing about.  You chat with Anderson and Ashley/Kaidan, both from the very first game in the series.  Anderson is like a fatherly figure but a badass one.  Ashley (female) is an alliance soldier that is either a good friend or a lover, depending on choices made in previous two games if any.  Could be dead and replaced with Kaidan (male), powerful biotic (scifi magic user).  But default is opposite of gender you chose.    You chit chat with the two mentioned then met up with head honchos.  Basically, the meeting was about the appearance of the Reapers, extremely advanced synthetic (robotic) race hellbent on annihilating any organic life every 50k years.  Of course, as soon as Shepard mentioned that, guess what appeared?  Reapers.  Guess what happened then?  Giant laser beam takes out head honchos and wreaks havoc on building.  You and Anderson only survivors.  Ashley or Kaidan wasn’t at meeting, elsewhere instead.  You run and shoot and survive and then escape in the Normandy, your trusty ship, and start a campaign to retake the galaxy.  Sounds cliche but the way it is done is unique.

You read the beginning and my little summary.  Buy the blasted game.  It is on XBOX and PS3.   No excuse.  BUY.  NOW.

Posted in CEC: Videogames | 32 Comments