Today and Now

We all love snow and snow days off from school or work. Unless of course that cost hard working people the money they need. Speaking about snow, remember the huge snow storm of 2010? Record were being set all over the United State. 49 of 50 states were hit by some sort of heavy snow fall. Florida was untouched by all the massive snow falls. There is a pretty good explanation for this phenomena.

As things get warm, it becomes easier for it to become moist. This is true in most cases. Take that example and put it into our atmosphere. With the increasing temperatures, more moisture is being held in out atmosphere. All this moisture will be turned into heavy rainfall, hurricanes, or thunder snow. Guess what? this is all caused from global warming.


How this works? In a basic sense, as from what I have read so far, the increased heat is melting the polar ice caps. The released moisture will rise into the atmosphere and collect.  All that moisture will equal major storms and what not. 

There also seems to be an increase in tornado's in the United States. Just recently there was a tornado in North East, Philadelphia. Tornadoes in Philadelphia, let alone Pennsylvania are very rare. About 4 days ago, there was an EF-0 Tornado in Lehigh Valley. When does that ever happen? Scientist have just claimed that the increase in tornado activity is from global warming. Not enough information has been released for me to say anything about it. 

It's a scary thought to have tornadoes tear apart your house. Or to have massive amounts of snow cave in your your ceiling and roof. I'm pretty sure none of you do either. So please take into consideration all the destruction that you can potentially cause by just throwing a McDoThe world doesn't revolve around it. It revolves around your actions. So take action and save the world!

Here's a quick fact:
global-temps

Sorry if you can't see it
Henry Out.



Sources: 

http://www.usatoday.com/weather/climate/globalwarming/2011-01-12-2010-warmest-year-climate-change_N.htm


http://www.usatoday.com/weather/climate/globalwarming/2011-03-01-snow-cold-global-warming_N.htm


http://wattsupwiththat.com/2011/02/03/chicago-snow-2011-and-1967-global-warming-then-too/ 






The Corn Industry

​Since the food industry has grown and there's always more people to feed, the quality of food coming out of factories isn't the same as they used to be 40 years ago. A large factor to that is corn. Cows bred by big coporations are fed corn mil. Cows stomachs are supposed to be fed grass. This species for centuries of generations were raised on the open land of grass. Corn messes up the digestive system of a cow and as a result, they need to be given antibiotics by the time they start eating corn. Which is once they come out their mother's uterus lining into a world where the calves purpose is to be eaten. 

Two men, Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis, decided to become farmers to learn were the food they eat so much came from. After a nine month period, after planting 31,000 seeds of corn on one acre of land, turned into 10,000 pound harvest. Ten thousand pounds of corn can produced 57, 348 cans of soda, 3,894 corn-fed hamburgers, 2,301 pounds of bacon, or 6,726 boxes of corn flakes. Both of these men realized corn was literally in everything they ate. Doughnuts, bacon, beef, soda, etc. In the conclusion of gaining this knowledge, they decided to get their analyzed to exactly see how much corn was in their bodies. Cheney had a 58% make up of corn in his body and Ellis 53%. 

Cheney and Ellis actually made a film called King Corn to show regular Americans what most of their food consists of. Cheney and Ellis say Earl Butz, the 18th secretary of agriculture, is the blame for this big industry of corn production that caused the fast food industry to boom in the past twenty years. After being in office from 1971 to 1976 under Presiden Nixon's appointment, Butz's idea was to genetically modify corn to create a surplus of the product. 


So, Butz who died in 2008, could be the primary blame for this vegetable that colonized all of Americas died, but regardless, since it's a big money maker for corporations and no farmers, it's going to be hard to wean of off such a highly used project. 

Sources:

Fueling The Fast Food Industry

Bullying.

One topic I feel that needs to be addressed is bullying. It is such a powerful thing and I feel it should be mentioned.The bullies don't even realize how effective what they're doing is. Over the internet, phone or in person. Bullying is bullying. There are a a lot of different reasons. The bullies feel insecure and they need someone to pick on and make them feel better about them self. Jealousy is a major reason. Like the bully isn't as pretty and the one person gets all the attention, so the bully just hates it so much she tries to make her feel bad. Because the other person is different. For example gay. When in reality there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, in my opinion.

These are just a few examples of what bullying could be about. If bullying of any kind is done to the point where person getting bullied is starting to feel so awful about them self they let the bully win. They take their own life. It's a heart breaking thing. It really is. 

Sculpture & 3 Pictures

The last two pictures are pictures of my sculpture. I took 200 photos and during my weekend vacation to portland I used 3 pictures from the bunch and altered the saturation and exposure of these photos. 
Ashley's Pictures 002 (2)
Ashley's Pictures 002 (2)
Ashley's Pictures 023 (2)
Ashley's Pictures 023 (2)
Ashley's Pictures 023
Ashley's Pictures 023
Ashley's Pictures 024 (2)
Ashley's Pictures 024 (2)
Ashley's Pictures 024
Ashley's Pictures 024
Ashley's Pictures 029
Ashley's Pictures 029
Ashley's Pictures 030
Ashley's Pictures 030

WHY NOT SAME SEX MARRAIGE!?!?!?!?!?!?

    I completely understand that there are people in the world who are going to argue against the title of this blog post. However, to me, it's just a rhetorical question. There are so many other things in the world , that are actually wrong, that those people can be spending their time on.

    The United States has come so far over the years with same-sex marriage. Granted, there has been over a  half a million hate crimes for same - sex couples. Keep in consideration that there weren't that many people coming out in the 1920s, so that number of hate crimes was a lot.

    There was a change that came for same-sex couples. In 1972, East Lansing, Michigan banned the discrimination against same sex couples.  However, with change, there are always going to be people against it.  Many people thought that it was a "threat" to the American way of life. Also, some Americans didn't want to have a gay airplane pilot, school teacher, or even doctor. However, when you think about it, we need those people. Why would you stop someone from helping you get to where you want to go, learn, or even cure your disease. WHY?

    When you just sit there and ask yourself the question "WHY" , it is hard to think of an excuse. Any type of discrimination is wrong. There is a wide variety of people who are discriminated against on a daily basis. There are people that really take that seriously. There are people who take their own lives BECAUSE of it. But what I wan't you to do is just as yourself "WHY". You know the reasons why they are doing this. But why do most people want this for same-sex couples or anyone who is teased. These are the consequences. WHY? WHY? WHY and HOW can  people so cruel?



The Link were I got all of my statistics is here.

Rehab After Drugs and Alcohol [ The Longterm Save] pt. 3

          After more of my research I still see that more kids each day are starting to do drugs and drink at a young age. By a young age I mean 10 and up. I don't really know why these kids do this. After researching that, I found out that most kids do this for publicity and self esteem. I also found out that children who use or drugs and alcohol is to feel old. To be older than they actually are.

          I do know someone who smokes and drinks to be cool his name is Nasir he is only 10 years old he has 2 older brothers and 2 older sister they live right next door to me. He smokes and drinks because his brothers do it. He tells them that if he doesn't smoke or drink with them he will tell their mom. The 2 older brothers are also young one is 12 the other 15. Now people come around asking to buy off of them and smoke with them. In reality they are using his money they no he want buy the drugs or alcohol because they are friends. So he buys and buys, smoke and drink. It is sad to see people at a young age do these things.

          I have tried talking to them but they don't listen. I don't get why they don't listen. It is for their own health, but the more their friends come around the more they buy.

         I hope all of this stops not just with them but in general drug and alcohol, abuse messes up people minds and action. It makes them look different as a person and kills people including themselves.

NO DRUGS
NO ALCOHOL

You and the World, Childhood Obesity, By Willie Willson

 

 

            Some of you people that are reading this are probably thinking that childhood obesity can’t affect much of our general public.  You are wrong.  16% of children are obese.  That is a large enough of a percentage to be called an epidemic.  Out of those obese children, ½ of them become obese adults. 

            If you are a parent and your child is obese, don’t just think that they will magically become fit.  That is a process which lasts for a long time.  Diet and exercise affect your Child's weight, and so does mindset.  You need to make them think, and be strong enough to get through each day’s workout.  You need to encourage them, and push them.

            As I have previously stated, obese children are 51% more likely to get heart diseases, diabetes, or some other possibly fatal disease.  About half of all obese people have diabetes as well.  Also, people with a lower education have a higher chance at becoming obese.  These are staggering statistics.

            Throughout this project, I’ve discussed obesity through the lens of an academic.  I cannot fathom being obese, but I know that this is an issue that needs to be pursued.  America is slowly becoming more obese, and I don’t want the future of our country to look like the movie Wall-E.  Help America by checking out the links below, and doing research yourself.  With our help, this topic could become a first priority.

Bibliography:

http://usgovinfo.about.com/library/weekly/aa010803a.htm

http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09317.html

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/obesityinchildren.html

Me and The World- The Energy Crisis #3

I don't like the way the energy crisis is going. We are going to run out of the coal and natural gas that the earth to hundreds of years to make. We need a new source of energy that is renewable and doesn't take the earth hundreds of years to make. I propose that we use either Solar Power, Wind Power or Hydro Power. Each of these energy sources have Pros and Cons.


Unknown-1Unknown-2images
​Solar vs. Hydro vs. Wind

Solar
Solar power is can be used almost any where and isn't that difficult to maintain. he system will also last for a very long time and it is silent so it won't mess with its environment. The problem is that Solar Power is not cheap to set up. It is very costly, and finding a good position for it is also difficult. There is a varying in power output and will probably require a large battery bank (place to store the energy) since Solar power can't operate at night.

Hydro
Hydro is great because it is the lowest cost per wattage and has a predictable annual energy output. The system also has low maintenance and can be made unobtrusive. Hydro power is difficult to find a good location for and parts will wear out easier and require more maintenance. It also can be costly to set up and damages the surrounding area.

Wind
Wind power has cheap energy cost and also has a predictable out put of energy. The problem is, that it is very expensive yo put turbines up and it is difficult to place them in places because of their size.It is also a hazard to birds and people object to the tower aesthetically.
​Sources
Solar Alaska

Blog post #2

1. How is sound produced by this instrument (now that you know more about sound, please try to refer specifically to the energy transfer and vibrations)?


I was thinking about doing piano at first. Pretty sure I'm going to make either a xylophone or a twanger to make matters easier. Sound is produced with the xylophone by hitting on the keyboard of different sounds and pitches. The longer the rod the more mass it has where as to a shorter rod it'll have a more pitch sound.


2. Based on your understanding, how are you changing the pitch? What physical characteristics are important in this instrument?


 It depends on the length and width of the rod to create the sound.  



3. What materials will you actually be using for your instrument and why? How will you play your instrument? What is your plan for constructing the instrument?


I planned on using metal plates to use as the keyboard and a box to have a base for the plates. From my understandings, the length and width of the rod will have more of an effect in constructing the instrument I would like to play. 


4. What outstanding questions do you still have?



Am I on the right path Ms. Awesome? 

Musical Instrument: Blog post #2


1. How is sound produced by this instrument (now that you know more about sound, please try to refer specifically to the energy transfer and vibrations)?

I was thinking about doing piano at first. Pretty sure I'm going to make either a xylophone or a twanger to make matters easier. Sound is produced with the xylophone by hitting on the keyboard of different sounds and pitches. The longer the rod the more mass it has where as to a shorter rod it'll have a more pitch sound.

2. Based on your understanding, how are you changing the pitch? What physical characteristics are important in this instrument?

 It depends on the length and width of the rod to create the sound.  


3. What materials will you actually be using for your instrument and why? How will you play your instrument? What is your plan for constructing the instrument?

I planned on using metal plates to use as the keyboard and a box to have a base for the plates. From my understandings, the length and width of the rod will have more of an effect in constructing the instrument I would like to play. 

4. What outstanding questions do you still have?


Am I on the right path Ms. Awesome? 

Blog Post #2 Gonzalez

1. How is sound produced by this instrument (now that you know more about sound, please try to refer specifically to the energy transfer and vibrations)?

Vibrations of the strings create a sound similar to a tuning fork. The body of the guitar amplifies the sounds.

2. Based on your understanding, how are you changing the pitch? What physical characteristics are important in this instrument?

You're changing the pitch of the instrument by using a thicker string.

3. What materials will you actually be using for your instrument and why? How will you play your instrument? What is your plan for constructing the instrument?


Wood, and Guitar Strings, maybe some sort of pegs (Most likely some sort of pegs to keep the strings on)


4. What outstanding questions do you still have?

Blog Post #1 Gilberto Gonzalez

--How is it played? What does the person have to do to produce sound?

To play a guitar you pluck or strum the strings. 

--How do you change a note? (you might have to watch very carefully to see this)

You can change the note by putting your finger on a fret or using a different string.

--How is it shaped?


It's shaped like an Hour Glass.

--What does this make you think about how you can create and change sound?

I feel as if the shape effects the way the vibrations travel, also the amount of space inside affects how loud the instrument is.

--What connections (if any) do you think you can draw between what you are observing and you might already know about waves?

Ian McClendon Music Blog #1

The instrument that I picked was a guitar. A string instrument with specific tensioned wires which can alter the sound that it will produce. The size, thickness, and tension is the most important components to finding the right tune. 

-The proper way to play a guitar is by plucking the string or by strumming all the strings by holding certain frets that can produce specific tones/ notes. 
- To change the note of the guitar can be done by plucking different strings and also by holding a string along the neck of the guitar. The further down the neck you hold the higher the pitch of the tone will be. Tones and notes that can flow together is counted by frets. From the top of the neck goes from 1-20 frets. Frets 3, 5, 7, 9 are the main notes to play. 
-A guitar should be shaped with horizontal length so that the strings can be placed along the neck of the guitar and pass over a hollow base where the reverb of the sound can be amplified. 
-I was thinking about how large of a hollow hole can be placed in the base and still how loud can it be? Will more holes in the guitar give it a different sound?
-As interfering waves are produced from the guitar while strumming can be more of a constructive interference and help the sound of the guitar. Also by plucking individual string along with other can correspond into a beautiful melody. 


Video Of the Song: http://fretplay.com/guitar-videos.php?title=Train-Hey-Soul-Sister-Guitar-Lesson&band=train&studio=TotallyGuitars&id=2243



electric-guitar-strings2
electric-guitar-strings2

Music Instrument Blog


 

The instrument I chose was a xylophone. In order to produce sound you must hit the xylophone. The xylophone is a rectangular type of instrument with longer or shorter rectangles that produce higher and shorter notes. Those rectangles or hollow bars (depending on design) produce higher and lower pitched noises when you hit them.

 


When you hit the instrument the vibration through the material causes the sound waves to occur. If the bars are larger there needs to be more vibration, therefore causing a deeper sounds. So the size of the bars actually causes the pitch. For the instrument I am making I will most likely be using metal, copper, or PCP piping. I will play the instrument by hitting it with some type of bar that will actually cause sound. I will use nails and screws to make the instrument and as little tape as possible because tape muffles the sound and interferes with the sound waves. 

Lamaya's Musical Blog #1

--How is it played? What does the person have to do to produce sound?

The arm holds up the viola, and the person playing the viola is holding it steady by the chin.  You would have to move the bow across the strings to produce sound.

 

--How do you change a note?

 Each string itself has it’s own note so moving the bow across the strings. Then, depending on where you place your fingers on the string at the top, it changes the way the note sounds.

 

--How is it shaped?

It have a vase like shape.

 

--What does this make you think about how you can create and change sound?

Sound can be changed by adding pressure to a specific part.            

 

 

 

Chance At Champions - Brett Chapman (Stats EC)

Unlike many other mathematics classes that I have completed during my four years at SLA, Statistics with Ms. Thompson brings something different. A quadratic equation or second derivative isn't as apparent to a human in everyday life as statistics.  With that, Ms. Thompson has always created a requirement for real life application in our benchmark projects. My favorite statistics benchmark of the year must have been our third quarter benchmark, which required the class to apply our knowledge of probability to the real world.

            In order to accomplish this, Shanice Braxton (my partner) and I decided to find the probability of the Philadelphia Phillies winning the World Series. Before the MLB season started, there was a lot of talk on the Phillies being a favorable team to win the championship so we had to do the math. When dealing with probability, there are two types, theoretical and experimental. Because the Phillies were not actually playing, we had to choose theoretical probability and use past winnings and loses of the team’s franchise history. Therefore, to our surprise the Philadelphia Phillies only had approximately 1.5% of winning the World Series! Besides the mathematics, we represented our data graphically by creating a venn-diagram. Instead of creating a simple venn-diagram of two intersecting circles, we created a diagram of concentric circles (circles within circles) to show that winning the World Series is dependent of going to the World Series, while that is simultaneously dependant upon being in the playoff season to begin with. Other graphics were later added to contribute to our pamphlets design and presentation.

All in all, this project gave us incentive to inquire about probability and present those findings. It also gave us the ability to research and collaborate on applying statistical concepts to the real life situations. Although the theoretical probability of the Phillies winning the World Series is slim, anything can happen and we continue to cheer for them.

Braxton_Chapman_StatsQ3BM_ Outside Brochure
Braxton_Chapman_StatsQ3BM_ Outside Brochure
Braxton_Chapman_StatsQ3BM_Inside Brochure
Braxton_Chapman_StatsQ3BM_Inside Brochure

Favorite Stats Benchmark

My favorite Stats BM would HAVE to be the third quarter benchmark. That benchmark was all about probability and the statistics of obtaining one object over the other. I always had a problem with keeping up with the math of certain probabilities but with that benchmark, it helped me keep up with it and not get so lost. Finding a way to be creative with the task was also a super fun way to keep me interested in the project. But the project seemed easy, which in some cases it was, but the only explanation for that is because the previous work before the benchmark was assigned helped me get a much better understanding and made me feel like I breezed through it. So overall, that benchmark gave me a well deserved understanding of probability.


Inquiry: Using two boxes or bags of Skittles; what are the probabilities of grabbing certain colors of Skittles out of a bag?

Research: Find the equation for obtaining one type of Skittle after another.

Collaboration: Get a few peers to grab a certain amount of Skittles for me.

Presentation: Using a keynote to show the probabilities of getting a certain color of candy/candies. Multiple slides will show the differences between two colors or
one color on its’ own.

Reflection: Reflect on if the probabilities are plausible and if the presentation could be better.

More people are helping!

In my previous blogs I wanted to know about why people do this to the animals and the research that I just found gave me some reasons why they do this. Some act on sadistic desires, some act unintentionally, some harming pets with there carelessness. One of the main topics why is systemic the choices we make as a collective. People abuse children’s pets to coerce them into sexual abuse or to keep the children quiet about them the parent’s crudity to them. Also the children harm the animals because they want to take our there anger on another victim.

 

Ways you can help if you know this is happening or not, help the organizations retrieve the animals left behind. If you know someone who cannot take care of there pet find someone who can or call an animal association. If people have problems with animals try and help them through it, everything you do helps.

 

Pets are a big part of people lives did you know that a child in the U.S is more likely to have a pet then live stay at home father. Did you know that most American Homes have pets then children? Did you know every year 100 million animals die in experiments and tests? Did you know that 70% of the abusers also committed other crimes?  The Internet is one of the biggest sources to find out facts about this topic. This still will be happening even if we are saving some. So if more people know then they can help to. This is my last blog post there was two more about animal cruelly, what I should do is continue my research and find out more because this an strong topic and not only is it with animals but also with children and it should stop now. 


http://www.pet-abuse.com/pages/cruelty_database/statistics/classifications.php 

http://animalcrueltyfacts.net/

http://www.peta.org/b/thepetafiles/archive/tags/animal+abuse/default.aspx

http://www.americanhumane.org/interaction/support-the-bond/fact-sheets/animal-abuse-domestic-violence.html

http://www.animalcrueltyfacts.net/statistics