Recently, it has come to our attention that people under their mid-twenties do not have fully developed brains. The lack of development in the prefrontal cortex and fewer pathways to the limbic system means that our brains can’t process rewards and punishments adequately, which directly impacts one's ability to make calculated, responsible decisions. All of this is now clear to us, but how can it be applied to the way our justice system operates?

It is cruel and unusual punishment to try eighteen year-olds as adults because their brains are not fully developed and they cannot be held fully responsible since their brain is malleable and they do not have full self control. The prefrontal cortex of the adolescent brain is developing, and since the prefrontal cortex is the part of the brain that is responsible for short and long term decision making, people are not capable of fully thinking through their actions and weighing the long term consequences until they are in their mid-twenties. Adolescents are vulnerable to being manipulated by their peers as well as the adults in their life, meaning that if they have poor guidance from their peers or parents they are more likely to act on them than people with fully developed brains. Ninety percent of adolescents who commit a crime do not continue to do so in their adult life, further demonstrating the extent to which brain development impacts a person’s ability to analyze their situation before they act.    

The issue is all the complexities that such adjustments would add to our already delicate justice system. Looking from the perspective of the judicial system.  While science does show that the brain has not fully developed by the age of 18, that is when a person legally becomes an adult. So, according to this logic it would make sense for a person to be tried as an adult at that age. Pushing back this cutoff may suggest that 18 year olds cannot be held responsible for their actions, and if this is the case, shouldn’t they still be considered minors who need supervision?  It is true that the neuroscience behind the other side’s argument is undeniable, implementing this solution that satisfies the needs of both sides. This is a solution that must embrace leniency as well as establish clear cut boundaries and rigidity necessary in order to keep America’s judicial system ticking.   

It is clear that both sides have valid arguments. Having knowledge is one thing, but it means nothing until it is applied to the real world. This knowledge needs to be used to advance our social structure and put the world in terms of this new found information. This is the stage that we are at currently while our perception of the development of the human brain changes, so must our judicial system. I believe that the most effective solution would be to set up different age cutoffs with increasing severity.

Our recent history shows how there have already been modifications in sentences because of lack of brain development and inability to make well thought out decisions, such as in Roper v. Simmons when in 2002 the Missouri Supreme Court stayed the execution of a man who had been committed of a crime committed at the age of 17. The Court determined that due to his immaturity, his case was comparable to a case in the U.S. Supreme Court which determined that execution of the mentally ill constituted a violation of the Eighth Amendment as it was cruel and unusual punishment for someone who could not control his actions in the same way as an average citizen. Following this, in Graham v. Florida in 2010, it was ruled that sentencing minors to a life in prison without parole, except in cases of homicide, was unconstitutional in that it constituted cruel and unusual punishment.  

    Mycelia is the body of a fungus that connects to roots of plants. Mushrooms are just the reproductive part of the fungus as flowers are to plants. There are many different subcategories of mycelia and for this post I will be focussing more or less exclusively on mycorrhiza. The mycorrhizal connection forms what is referred to as the “wood wide web” and allows trees, shrubs, and plants of all types to share information and nutrients with their neighboring plants. Experiments have shown that carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus can be passed along underground between plants which would account for the survival of small plants on the forest floor which are too deeply shaded to make enough food through photosynthesis.

Experiments have also shown that mycorrhizae are efficient transport systems for chemical messages between plants. One plant can signal others in the vicinity when there is a pest and natural repellents are needed so that others can start producing the needed chemicals before there is a full blown infestation. These are just two of the functions of mycorrhizae that we have discovered. There may be even more. We do know however that plants with a strong underground system of mycorrhizae are healthier than their counterparts.

Plants and mycorrhizae have a symbiotic relationship, meaning that they both support each other. While the plants provide the mycorrhizae with carbohydrates, the mycorrhizae help supply the plants with water, nitrogen, and phosphorous. The mycorrhizae also helps boost the plant’s immune system by triggering  chemicals that help defend it from harmful bacteria or diseases. The health of plants is essential especially when it comes to cleaning the air of carbon dioxide and repurposing pollution into oxygen.

Mycorrhizae also help to reform soil. Mycelium are what can break down rocks and mineral and turn them into nutrient rich soil. Regenerative agriculture is better than simply sustainable agriculture in that it depends on nature’s tendency to revert to a closed nutrient loop, greater biological diversity and a reliance on internal rather than external resources. The mycorrhizae are part of the healthy soil that makes regenerative agriculture possible, because in a healthy soil, plants can handle drought, insect attacks and nutrient absorption without chemicals from external sources. This kind of farming results in no nutrient runoff or pollution of waterways because regenerative soil retains its nutrients.

    The “wood wide web” works similarly to the human brain. The mycorrhizal connections are similar to the neurons in how they transfer signals and chemicals. Another way I can relate to mycorrhizae is through horticulture. I have always been intrigued by plants and this information has completely altered my perspective of my surroundings.

References:

Fleming, N. (2014, November 11). Plants Talk to Each Other Using an Internet of Fungus. Retrieved March 16, 2016, from http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20141111-plants-have-a-hidden-internet

Giovannetti, M., Avio, L., Fortuna, P., Pellegrino, E., Sbrana, C., & Strani, P. (2006, January). At the Root of the Wood Wide Web: Self Recognition and Non-Self Incompatibility in Mycorrhizal Networks. Retrieved March 16, 2016, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2633692/

Stamets, P. (2016, March 16). Mushrooms as Medicine. Lecture presented at Exponential Medicine. Retrieved March 16, 2016, from Fleming, N. (2014, November 11). Plants Talk to Each Other Using an Internet of Fungus. Retrieved March 16, 2016, from http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2016/03/14/mushroom-healing-power.aspx?e_cid=20160314Z1_DNL_art_3&utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art3&utm_campaign=20160314Z1&et_cid=DM100397&et_rid=1398413319

¿Quién eres tú? Habla un poco de tus experiencias, valores, ideas, creencias, políticas

Yo soy Mahatma Ghandi. Dirigí a India a la independencia de Inglaterra. Soy pacifista y estoy en contra de las guerras. Valor igualdad, libertad y respeta. Respeto todas las religiones y clases sociales. Yo creo en la ley del amor, vida, y creación en lugar de la violencia que causa el odio, la muerta, la destrucción.    

¿Qué ves en la obra? ¿Cómo son los colores? Describe el tono.

Veo desesperación, injusticia y desigualdad. Veo los personas que están luchando para sus derechos humanos y la libertad. 

¿Qué quiere decir el artista?

Su visión es muy realistico. La guerra es llena de muerte, sufrimiento, violencia,  y miedo de los hombres, mujeres, bebes, y animales.

¿Qué comunica/significa la obra para ti?

"Ahimsa", la filosofía del amor y paz, es la figura en la ventana con la vela. Demuestra la esperanza y ganas de paz. Con todo el pánico de los otros figuras "Ahimsa" muestra la luz.

¿Te gusta? ¿Por qué la escogiste?

Este obra de arte es muy significativo y verdad. El mensaje es muy fuerte, importante y relevante. 

Yo elegí la canción Por Si Acaso No Regreso por Celia Cruz. Celia Cruz fue nato en Cuba en el año mil novecientos y veinticinco. Sus padres no eran ricos y su padre quería que Celia estudia a ser maestra. Pero una de sus maestras le dijo que podría ganar mucho más dinero como animador. Tuvo gran éxito cantando salsa con una banda en Cuba y en otros países de Latinoamérica. Después del golpe militar exitoso de Cuba por Fidel Castro, el clima político ha cambiado al peor por muchas personas, y Celia y su esposo nunca regresaron de una gira de conciertos en Latinoamérica. Huyeron a los Estados Unidos a vivir. Ella continuó a tener éxito fenomenal en su carrera pero nunca dejó de anhelar su tierra de nacimiento. Esta canción se trata del periodo cuando Fidel Castro llegó al poder y mucha gente de Cuba fue a los Estados Unidos y no se les permitirá regresar. Ella habla de su amor por su país, pero no puede volver a Cuba.

            Usa maracas, trompeta, guitarra para crear un tono melancolía constante y fuerte. La trompeta se utiliza a acentuar las voces. El ritmo de las maracas y tambor son como el ritmo del corazón, siempre latando, nunca cambiando. Representa su amor constante por su tierra nativa. Su voz sube y cae con emoción como las ondas del mar. Es una canción un poco deprimente porque ella no puede volver a Cuba. Inmigración, pérdida, dolor, esperanza y la falta de la posibilidad de regresar son temas muy importante en esta canción. Por Si Acaso No Regreso es el título y también es un frase que Celia Cruz repite mucho en esta canción. Aunque Cruz estaba en los Estados Unidos tenía una conexión con Cuba y lamentaba su inmigración. Es un historia de los inmigrantes que esperan regresar a su patria. Un línea significante es “Las cadenas siguen atando, pero yo sigo esperando, y al cielo rezando.” Para mí este línea es significativo. Tiene un imagen muy deprimente y chocante. Las cadenas parecen ser dañando y esclavizando a su tierra amada. Ver su país como una persona es muy eficaz. Hasta el final, nunca deja de esperar que se caen las cadenas.

           Por Si Acaso No Regreso tiene un mensaje muy fuerte y tiene sentimiento. Mi reacción fue que sentí abrumada con emociones y yo entendí el mensaje de los líricos. Tuve una conexión personal a una isla tropical a la que no puedo regresar. El ritmo de la canción me hace recordar mi isla, los sonidos, los olores y el calor. No fué mi lugar de nacimiento pero puedo sentir, en su voz, su pérdida. También la música esta muy sensual. Yo pienso que todos los personas pueden relacionar con la canción Por Si Acaso No Regreso. Aunque no comprenden los líricos pueden oír el sentimiento y lamentar en la voz de Celia Cruz. Aprendí su historia y los sentimientos de muchos inmigrantes cubanos. Hacer la decisión de huir y por siempre abandonar su familia y su país me parece imposible pero en muchos casos necesario.

Yo vivo en el centro de Philadelphia y vivo allí por toda mi vida. Me gusta mi comunidad  porque es muy pequeño y mis vecinos son muy amables. También mi casa es cerca de mi escuela y la ubicación es muy útil. Los artes son muy importante porque mi comunidad es cerca del Museo de Arte y del Barnes Fundación. Figuras históricas de la fundación del país son muy importante en Philadelphia, por ejemplo Benjamin Franklin. Mi comunidad esta ubicada al lado del Parkway Benjamin Franklin donde ocurren todos los grandes eventos públicos en Philadelphia. El Parkway fue creado como un acceso monumental a la ciudad. Los edificios de ambos lados son del estilo neoclásico del período de los artes bellos. Los museos de arte, historia, ciencia y la biblioteca central son un fondo elegante y orgulloso por todos los eventos espectaculares y también por un paseo casual. Mi comunidad esta llena de belleza.

Arte tiene muchas formas. Literatura es arte, música es arte, imágenes son arte, pinturas son arte. Todos son arte, pero cuando yo pienso de arte imagino los artes visuales. Yo pienso de los dibujos, pinturas, y murales. Los artes son creativos porque retratan un mensaje o idea muy simple  en una forma creativa y bonita. El propósito de arte es para inspirar la gente y hacerla pensar.  Una buena obra de arte es significativo para muchas personas. Para mi una buena obra debe ser atractivo pero según la mayoría, técnicamente no es necesario. Yo creo que todas las obras de arte deberían tener un mensaje y en algunas veces son controvertidos. El mensaje no necesita ser complejo pero arte necesita mostrar pensamientos en el diseño. Sí, yo pienso que vandalismo y el grafiti son tipos de arte porque tienen mensajes e ideas en el diseño.

El propósito de mi mural es para hacer el edificio más característico y bonito. Es para expresar la cultura y el significado de los artes públicos en la comunidad. Este mural es importante por las personas que viven en esta comunidad. Usaría imágenes de arte clásico. Yo quiero revelar la cultura de mi barrio y los artes para usar imagenes impresionistas en el mural. La fundación de Barnes sería un buen lugar para un mural porque el edificio no es en carácter con los otros edificios en el Parkway de Benjamin Franklin. El Parkway tiene el tema del período de los artes bellos de los francés. Los paredes de este edificio son muy aburridos y modernos. Me gustaría pintar este edificio con elementos arquitectónicos clásicos como frontones y columnas y con elementos de las pinturas de la colección adentro del museo, especialmente porque es un museo de arte que tiene obras pintados por pintores famosos,y el exterior no es característico de las  pinturas que contiene.

Como lo veo yo este mural es una obra de arte. Tiene un mensaje fuerte y la obra y locación es muy creativo. Para mi mi mural califica como arte público. Por lo general arte público revela aspectos importantes de una comunidad. Mi obra revela la importancia de los artes a través de las bailarinas pintado de Degas y las obras de Monet, Manet, y Renoir.  Yo puse mucho pensamiento en mi mural y en lo qué incluiría en la final obra de arte. Yo investigué y descubrí mucho de los artistas impresionistos y estoy orgullosa de la mural.

Sería un buen lugar para un mural porque el edificio no es en carácter con los otros edificios en el Parkway de Benjamin Franklin. El Parkway tiene el tema del período de los artes bellos de los francés.  Este edificio es muy aburrido y poco interesante. Me gustaría pintar este edificio con arte clásico especialmente porque es un museo de arte y el exterior no es característico de las pinturas que contiene.

I consider myself to be a fairly typical American.  Well, slightly atypical because I grew up in a city away from the isolationist tendencies of the suburban culture that makes up the majority of America.  I realize that I embrace the very American conceit that I am pretty much in control of my beliefs - that I am the captain of my ship of consciousness.  But with just a little reflection, it becomes obvious that there is a fathomless ocean of prejudice, culturally determined attitudes, and peer pressures that my little ship of consciousness precariously tries to stay afloat on.  In other words, I am aware that there is a system of beliefs beyond myself that has helped to shape who I am.  

Even without taking the IAT test, I know that cognitive dissonance is ever present in myself.  An event that is most revealing is my response to my grandfather after his stroke.  My grandfather is an enormously erudite, cultured man, trained as a civil engineer and architect, who spent most of his adult life as a painter of marinescapes.  He is a man who knows at least something about everything, can easily talk about almost any subject, writes poetry, and has a wonderful sense of humor - a man that you could look up to and admire.  So it was a bit of a shock when, due to a massive stroke, he lost control of the right side of his body and his ability to talk and express his ideas clearly.

    Although he didn’t lose any of his mental capacity or his encyclopaedic knowledge, I noticed that somehow he sank in how others perceived him.  Even worse I noticed that I was one of those people who underestimated his abilities!  Somehow a person who can speak persuasively and with ease seems more intelligent than a person who cannot.  It didn’t seem to matter that I knew my grandfather to be a really smart man and loved him dearly, or that I knew that he was still all there and that none of his intellect had deteriorated.  A built-in bias was tinting my view of him.  Clearly an unconscious, automatic system is present that dictates my thoughts or the way I see the world.  It was not until seeing the way others acted around him, or the way they talked down to him in a demeaning manner, like he was a small child, that I realized my own bias. I realized that I, too, had to monitor myself to make sure that I didn’t let his current disabilities obscure who he really was in my eyes.  I cannot imagine a worse punishment than having someone treat you that way when in your mind you still feel the same. You have retained all your knowledge, but it almost torments you because you can’t express yourself through words, people make assumptions and place labels. People treat you as though you are lesser simply because you have difficulty articulating your thoughts.

This unconscious bias also affects how I see myself.  From an early age, I can remember how it feels to fail to meet my own expectations of perfection in oral and written communication skills. My older siblings were reading fluently, while I struggled to read a simple sentence. Granted that they were much older than I was, yet I noticed that some of my classmates were reading rather large books as well. I can remember my teacher telling me to keep at it and that I was improving and would eventually “catch up.” This was a double edged sword because it told me that I was lacking in a much-valued societal skill. I perceived that I was “not good enough.”  

What these memories reveal to me is that much of our respond to the world is not shaped by our private system of beliefs or values.  It is obvious that our society favors certain traits above others, that it has a clear and strict idea of what it means to be intelligent, and that it imposes strict criteria on us that we are forced to use to judge each other. We are rarely conscious of this system, rather, we learn society’s idea of the ideal person from our elders, parents, siblings, teachers and others from the time we are born.  We then measure ourselves and others by this impossible ideal for a lifetime, automatically making judgements without consciously knowing why.  We become our own harshest critic, punishing ourselves repeatedly for each perceived misstep.  

As I watched my grandfather struggle to regain some of his ability to read, to write, and to speak; I understood that the part of him that was the man I knew him to be - that sees the greater picture, that appreciates beauty, that understands people’s true intentions, that loves - that part is still all there.  My biases only create a separation that I don’t want.  Similarly, my anxieties about my reading ability only made it harder for me throw myself into every challenge and succeed, which is certainly something that I didn’t want to happen.  I reassure myself that, with work, these biases can be overcome, or at least managed. This may be a delusion, but I need to feel that I have at least a little control of my life.  

While our society imposes on us certain biases that discredit some individuals unjustly while putting undeserved importance on others, it is helpful to remind ourselves that these cultural biases can be overcome when they conflict with the core ideals and values that identify a community.  As the reading noted, we as individuals have an amazing ability to tolerate a fair amount of “dissonance,” but when the tension becomes too great, we are forced to respond even if we don’t want to.  If nothing else this should be reassuring and appealing to the that other American bias - optimism.  We put up with a lot, but then we use our consciousness to struggle and to change ourselves and the world around us.

Yo soy Hernán Cortés un conquistador muy famoso.  Yo era comandante de la expedición de México en 1518.  Cuando yo y los otros conquistadors capturado el líder de las Aztecas, Montezuma II.  Yo estoy responsable por muchos  vidas de las Aztecas.  En este pictura mis manos se cubren en sangre de las Aztecas. Yo impacto la cultura de México mucho.  Este es por qué yo estoy un personaje importante en la historia de México

Una Oda a de Pancho Villa.

Dedicado, valiente, fuerte.

Cuando yo te veo pienso en el revolucionario, libertad, confidente.

Me haces pienso que fuerza de un comunidad cuando ellos luchan por sus derechos.

Tú, mi es un inspiración y una persona muy respetable.

Este mural esta ubicado cerca de calle Broad (o avenida de los artes) y calle Locust.  Revela la significancia de los artes en nuestra comunidad. La mural muestra que Filadelfia es el centro de todo los artes. También revela la diversidad de esta ciudad. Hay bailarines, actors de teatro, cantantes de opera, músicos, y un dibujo brújula por los artes visuals. Tiene un tema o objectos recurrente que es el uso de burbujas y pelotas, através de la obra de arte, pelotas se utilizan como un puntal.

La cultura de una población se expresa en todas las formas del arte. En este mural aparece que la comunidad de Filadelfia valua las cosas finas que aquí estan dibujados.

(Enters latrine with two others. He looks around nervously to make sure the room is completely empty and none is in earshot before closing the door securely.)

It’s not trolley cars, dammit, it’s machine guns! The parts we are making in this factory are for the MG-42 burp guns. We have a choice – we can go along with what we are told and make parts for the very machine guns being used to wipe out our men or we can take a stand and maybe save some lives.

(Lowers voice)

Whatever we do, we cannot let them know that we know, but somewhere out there American soldiers, like us, are being slaughtered by the weapons we helped create.  I know that it is easier to do nothing and follow orders, but what does one life mean when thousands are being killed.  Every life we save will justify the risk we take.  Our lives at present seem precarious.  Some days, rations are so thin we can’t help but concoct dreams of the perfect meal. As poor as conditions are, though, if we are caught, I can assure you they will not be merciful.  Except for the possibility of liberation, no one survives the punishment of hard labor. (Pause) While this is not the way any of us envisioned this situation unfolding, for me there is only one option.

When we joined the Army, we promised to defend our country.  We may be prisoners, but that doesn’t change the mission. This is not about our loved ones or our own lives; it is about the future of our country, and I will defend it at all costs.  To give up now is to give up all we have fought for up to this point, and all that we have been through will be for nothing. We were trained for nine long months to fight, but we never even had a chance. Our first battle - ambushed and captured.  Shamed… Now look at us. Killing our own. That’s not what I signed up for.  

There are many who would say that the virtuous thing to do would be to save our own lives, return to America, and take care of our families.  Maybe I’ll feel differently if things go badly, but no one lives forever.  The only moment in life that counts is the present. Any wasted moment is regrettable; so every opportunity to make a meaningful difference in one’s own life and the lives of others must be seized.  I have lived a full life.  What the hell is the reason for being alive if it is only to follow the rules and keep oneself fed in order to go on following the rules, and so on till we die anyway.

(Long pause)

Since there is no past and no future, there is no more postponing.  I will not be satisfied with a promise to myself that I will take action tomorrow.  It must start today.  Every second counts.

Si pudiera vivir nuevamente mi vida, 

Sería contenta y cómoda con yo mismo,

y sentiría bien acerca de las situaciones en mi vida.

Yo crearía recuerdos y tomaría riesgos.

Reiría con muchas personas

sólo porque yo soy feliz,

no pensaría del futuro. 

Hablaría con todas las personas

porque yo sentiría confianza en mí mismo.

Sonreiría por no específica razón

y yo sería muy alegre  todos los tiempos.

Es muy importante vivir en el presente.

Yo viviría en el presente siempre y nunca sería preocupado del pasado or futuro,

porque no puedo cambiar el pasado y no puedo predecir el futuro.

Evolution of Language

           At its core, language is the means that individuals within a group use to communicate with each other.  Stripped down from its rules and accumulated history, language is what makes it possible for humans to function as a group and to be essentially human.  While many if not most other species have their own unique language oral or otherwise, allowing individuals to communicate within that species, human language allows for each generation to add its knowledge to that of the previous generation and thereby to accumulate cultural knowledge and evolve.  In other words, language allows us to have an historical record.

           Similarly, language is personal and idiosyncratic. The way we speak identifies us and sets us apart from others even from those within our group. Everyone has a unique style of talking. While it is accepted that there is an expected way of speaking, in reality there is no such thing as normal; even in one country there are many dialects that are associated with specific cities or regions.  Often the different regional dialects can be traced to the diverse languages of the people who immigrated to America.  There are still traces of the original languages of immigrants in the way we speak or through slang. Language reveals who we are.  We guess other people’s upbringings, their values, and their overall lives, without even getting to know them. We generalize and convince ourselves that we know. We judge one another, making assumptions. We have to accept the fact that there is no universal way of speaking English, or any other language for that matter. English is still a young language and it is already so far from Old English that they are essentially completely different languages. Our language is still evolving and being reshaped.    

           Language is not universal but is rooted in a specific time and place. It can be understood better by looking at two comedies that are conceived in two different media – William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing and the recent television sit-com Scrubs.  Both works focus on using dramatic presentation to reveal to their audiences peoples foibles and let them appreciate the humor in the human predicament.  Both works were very popular in their days, which confirm that they both successfully reached their intended audiences.  Yet the works are very different from each other and speak to the time and culture in which they were written. 

           In Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing Act 2 Scene 1, Beatrice is talking with Benedick, but she is not aware of the fact that it is Benedick she is talking to because he is wearing a disguise. Beatrice says, “Do, do. He’ll but break a comparison or two on me, which peradventures not marked or not laughed at strikes him into melancholy and then there is a partridge wing saved, for the fool will eat no supper that night.”  In this quote Beatrice is saying that if Benedick finds out what she said about him, he would mock her and make some witty comments, but if no one laughed or acknowledged his jokes, he would be miserable because he is simply a fool desperate for the attention of others. This results in a multitude of translations. For us in twentieth century America, the language seems stilted and awkwardly complex, yet sixteenth century Elizabethan Englishmen easily understood the cadence and the allusions, otherwise the humor would have fallen flat and the play would have been a disaster.

           In the 2001 comedy show, Scrubs, which follows a group of quirky interns and shows the obstacles that confront them on a daily basis. Elliot Reed is frustrated about the way the Chief of Medicine, Dr. Kelso, talks down to her. When she complains to Dr. Cox about how she felt when Dr. Kelso was being so demeaning to her, he responds with his typical cutting wit, “And you, you neurotic one-woman freak show, take your blah-blah to the blah-blah-ologist; because if you're so stupid as to confront the Chief of Medicine over some quasi-offensive endearment, then you've just got to go ahead and replace the captain of your brain ship because he's drunk at the wheel!” (season 1, episode 4) While both this and the Shakespeare quote have a similar sense of wit and sarcasm, and Cox’s statement not any less complex than the great playwright’s, this quote does not require much, if any, explanation.  It is written for and spoken to a contemporary audience and the references are easily understood.  It is still English that is being spoken, but the language has changed significantly during the last 400 years, and Shakespeare needs to be translated to be understood by our ears.

           This evolution of the English language becomes even clearer if we look at written prose as it appears in the tragic novel.  It may be argued that we can see the most dramatic changes in this form of literature.  In Wuthering Heights, written by Emily Brontë in the nineteenth century, the language used is elaborate, although not to the degree we found in the dramatic poetry of Shakespeare.  There is a strong use of similes and metaphors, especially when describing physical characteristics.  Take for example our introduction to Heathcliff, “Do you mark those two lines between your eyes; and those thick brows, that, instead of rising arched, sink in the middle; and that couple of black fiends, so deeply buried, who never open their windows boldly, but lurk glinting under them, like devil's spies?”  We are meant to feel the threatening fierceness of the story’s main character, to be almost afraid of him, to both love and hate him in this deeply Romantic novel. Today we would consider this language and this attitude to be more pretentious than beautiful.  We no longer enjoy being lost in long, emotive descriptions and are more prone to getting tangled in the words.  Contemporary language leans toward minimalism.

           This tendency is evident in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, where a completely different style is pursued.  Even though it was written in the 1920’s, our style of writing today remains similar to that of The Great Gatsby, for we are heirs to the Modernist style that evolved during that period.  At end of the book, Nick Carraway describes his cousin Daisy and her husband Tom after they have caused so much trouble thusly, “They were careless people, Tom and Daisy––they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they made…” (p. 179). This quote is simply saying that Tom and Daisy did not care about others and when they created problems, they just left it for other people to deal with. It says a lot, about upper class America in general they retreat into their fortune and don’t even think about those who are poorer or lower than them. Instead of having overly complex language full of unneeded metaphors. The language in The Great Gatsby is spare. Despite its simplicity, it is rich in meaning and says much more than that of Emily Brontë.

           What these examples of the English language show - ranging from highly stylized, poetic allusions of Elizabethan England to the more vernacular, allusion-rich contemporary television comedy. Similarly from the highly emotional, richly described Romantic novel to the strongly symbolic, almost abstract Modern novel is that the language is constantly changing and evolving to express the aesthetic goals and spiritual needs of the time.  The language evolves in order to constantly remain as an effective means of communication.  We as individuals must stay linked to the others within our group and our world. And as we need language for this purpose, language, whether spoken or written, will remain the most powerful vehicle for our self-expression.

Work Cited

Shakespeare, William.  Much Ado About Nothing. New York: Washington Square Press, 1995.

Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 2004.

Brontë, Emily. Wuthering Heights. Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, 1996.

"My Old Lady." Scrubs. NBC. WCAU, Philadelphia. October 16. 2001. Television.

Baldwin, James. "If Black Language Isn't A Language, Then Tell Me, What Is." Editorial.

           Yo inscrito en el registro civil de Pennsylvania el veintiséis de Febrero en el año mil novecientos noventa y ocho. Mi padre es un arquitecto. Yo tengo dos hermanos mayores: una hermana y un hermano. Yo soy la más joven de todos mis primos y soy la unica persona en mi familia que todavía va a una escuela secundaria. Pero no soy la más inmadura. Mis dos tios son como niños y casí nunca estaban permitido a cuidar a los niños de la familia. Nunca se casarón y son un poco fiables. Pero estos tios ayudan a sus padres mejor de todos.

            Yo soy una niña con pelo morena y rojo, largo y ondulado. Mis ojos son morenos y mi nariz no es pequeño y no es grande. Yo tengo piel pálida y mis orejas y mi nariz se pongan roja cuando hace frío. Tengo pecas en mi cara en el verano cuando hace sol y tengo una sonrisa grandísima. Yo tengo 15 años. Yo no soy baja pero también no soy alta.  Se puede decir que soy de altura media. Me duelen mis pies porque camino mucho con mis pies. Llevar ropa que siempre tiene muchos colores. Llevar los verdes, azules, rojos, naranjas, púrpuras, y a veces incluso blanco, marrón, gris, y negro. Los colores brillantes me hacen feliz. Yo también llevo joyería. Me gusta llevar mis anillos porque son muy intrincado y bonita. Soy introvertida pero soy amable y simpática. Vivo en Philadelphia en el estado de Pennsylvania en los Estados Unidos. 

            Mis relaciones académicas estan muy buenas. Me cae bien con todos mis profesores y con los estudiantes también. Todas las personas llevamos bien. Yo estoy tímida en muchas cosas  porque soy introvertida y yo pienso que unos profesores son autoritarios pero otros profesores son muy permisivos pero no me cae mal con los profesores porque me gustan mis clases. Colaboración es difícil a veces porque a veces estudiantes no quieren trabajar, pero yo trabajo mucho en los proyectos y todo esta bien. Mis mejores amigas son muy importante para mi y entienden mi personalidad y emociones. Cuando yo soy muy timida y nerviosa, ellas me ayudan. Cuando yo tengo un problema ellas evalúan la situación. Ellas son un poco extrañas pero son generosas y amables. Ellas no son extrovertidas pero son muy intelectuales. Ellas son muy pensativos. Ellas no estan permisivas todas las veces y son un poco combativa. A veces mis amigas argumentan entre si mismos pero no me gusta argumentar. A veces yo argumento también pero no me siento bién. Mi amiga me escucha cuando yo tengo una pregunta. Ella esta una buena amiga y yo trato de ser una amiga tan buena para ella. Me cae bien con ella porque mi amiga me entiende. 

            Me cae bien con mi familia y muchas otras personas. Mi familia no es muy larga y todos son amables y simpáticos. Me cae bien con muchas personas en mi escuela y me gusta la escuela mucho. Mis amigos saben que yo soy tranquila  pero no es verdad en todos las situaciones.A veces yo estoy tímida y silencia porque yo estoy nerviosa pero yo escucho bien y soy pensativa. Yo soy una buena trabajadora y yo pongo mucho esfuerzo en mi trabajo. Soy creativa y creo que yo soy artística, pero yo no se. En escuela me cae bien con muchos de mis profesores, pero soy muy timida y nerviosa cuando yo hablo en mis clases. Todos de mi familia eran tímidos en clase pero somos buenos estudiantes y muy creativos. Me gusta pintar pero no se si a otras personas les gusta mirar mi trabajo.Valgo mucho el arte y el mundo natural.En mi casa mi hermana y padre son un poco combativos pero yo no soy combativa y no me gusta discutir nada importante o personal con ellos. 

            Mi hermana esta graduada de Universidad y tiene un pequena empresa. Mi hermana y yo compartimos un dormitorio y tenemos diferentes horarios. Frecuentamente nos despertamos y nos iritamos. Cuando yo era joven, mi hermano me iritaba mucho, pero está a una universidad lejos de aqui en la Universidad de Virginia, y ahora nos caemos mucho mejor. Tiene un abuelo y dos abuelas. Ellos son muy importantes para mi.

            Yo voy a hacer una máscara que tiene partes de animales diferentes y partes del mundo natural. Este diseño de mi máscara me permite ser más creativa. Mi máscara tiene orejas de un ciervo para mostrar mi timidez. Tiene ojos de un gato porque yo soy un individual. Mi máscara tiene parte de un árbol porque representar a mi conexión con la naturaleza.

Yo soy una niña con pelo morena y rojo. Vivo en Philadelphia, Pennsylvania en los Estados Unidos. Yo no soy baja pero tambien no soy alta. Soy introvertida pero soy amble y simpática. Mis amigos saben que yo soy tranquila  pero no es verdad en todos los situaciónes. A veces yo estoy timida y silencia porque yo estoy nerviosa pero yo escucho bien y soy pensativa. Me cae bien con muchas personas en mi escuela y me gusta la escuela mucho. Yo soy una buena trabajadora y yo pongo mucho esfuerzo en mi trabajo. Soy creativa y creo que yo soy artistica, pero yo no se. Me gusta pintar pero no se si a otras personas les gusta mirar mi trabajo.Valgo mucho el arte y el mundo natural. Me gustan los animals. Mi familia es importante para mi. Me gustan las montañas porque fui a las montañas en el estado de Nueva York todos los veranos de mi vida.

Mi mejor amiga es muy importante para mi y ella entiende mi personalidad y emociones. Cuando yo soy muy timida y nerviosa, ella me ayuda. Cuando yo tengo un problema ella evalua la situación. Ella es un poco extraña pero es generosa y amable. Ella no es extrovertida pero es muy intelectual. Ella es muy pensativo. Ella no esta permisiva todas las veces y es un poco combativa. Mi amiga me escucha cuando yo tengo una pregunta. Me cae bien con ella porque mi amiga me entiende.

Mis relaciones académicas estan muy buenas. Me cae bien con todos mis profesores y con los estudiantes tambien. Todas las personas llevamos bien. Yo estoy timida en muchas cosas  porque soy introvertida y yo pienso que unos profesores son autoritarios pero otros profesores son muy permisivos pero no me cae mal con los profesores porque me gustan mis clases. Colaboración es dificil a veces porque a veces estudiantes no quieren trabajar, pero yo trabajo mucho en los proyectos y todo esta bien.

Me cae bien con mi familia y muchas otras personas. Mi familia no es muy larga y todos son amables y simpaticos. Mi familia es muy ruidosa pero yo soy timida y tranquila. En escuela me cae bien con muchos de mis prefosores, pero soy muy timida y nerviosa cuando yo hablo en mis clases. Todos de mi familia son timidos en clase pero son buenos estudiantes y muy creativos. En mi casa mi hermana y padre son un poco combativos pero yo no soy combativa y no me gusta discutir nada importante o personal con ellos.  Mi hermana y yo compartimos un dormitorio y tenemos diferentes horarios. Frecuentamente nos despertamos y nos iritamos. Cuando yo era joven, mi hermano me iritaba mucho, pero está a una universidad lejos de aqui y ahora nos caemos mucho mejor.Yo soy la mas joven de todos su familia. Pero no soy la mas inmadura. Mi dos tios son como niños y casi nunca estaban permetido a cuidar a los niños de la familia. Nunca se casaron y son un poco fiables. Pero estos tios ayudan a sus padres major de todos.

Yo quiero aprender mas Español y estoy emocionado por la clase de Español quatro. Estoy dedicada a estudiar en este clase.

- Claudia Bonitatibus

Inquiry - For this project the first thing that we had to think about is what our element means to our culture or history. We had to think about its various uses and which we wanted to display in our final project.
Research – The point of this project was to discover more about the element given to us and display our new knowledge in a creative and unique way. To ensure that we had done research on our element there was one guideline, we had to have three different original and distinctive pieces. My element was Iodine which is currently used mainly in medicine as a sterilizer, but since this project required me to look outside the box I had to find its other uses and since it was not used in as many different things today I had to do more research on its history and its uses in the past. My final Ideas were an old fashioned camera because they used to be used in prints and kelp, which is the main source of iodine.
Collaboration – Besides just sharing working utensils and space collaboration was a pretty big aspect of this project. A good example of this for me is how I was having difficulty getting my prints to turn out the way I thought they should so I found someone who had finished with three perfect, neat copies and asked them to help me and give me tips so that I could do others. I think that there is much to be learned from our peers even in an individual art project or any project in that matter. Whether this be simply sharing space and materials or asking for someone’s opinion which helps see your work through a different lens and have a more complete final product. I think that not using the input of your peers is just throwing aside one of the most useful tools to creating a project to the best of your ability.
Presentation – The way that we displayed our knowledge and research on our element was through the final print of the stamp that we created. This is what we have been designing and preparing for the past month as well as our last assignment for the ninth grade art elective.
Reflection- This reflection has gotten me to think about all that I have learned during the process of completing this progress both about my element, art, and in general. I have taken a lot from this project and have put a lot of effort into my final piece and am glad to have made the choices I made with design and how I displayed the element.

           Ned Vizzini’s It’s Kind of a Funny Story is a deft, eloquent, and riotously funny novel about a not so humorous topic – the crippling effects of depression.  Inspired by the author’s own experience during his five-day stay in a New York psychiatric hospital, this book was published in 2006.  He was only twenty-five.  A major Hollywood film of the same name staring Keir Gilchrist, Dana DeVestern, and Zach Galifianakis was released four years later.

            It’s Kind of a Funny Story tells the story of Craig Gilner, a driven teenage growing up in Manhattan.  Ever since he was young child, he knew exactly what he wanted to be - he was going to be the president of America.  He is a conscientious worker; and because of his ambition and this hard work he is able to get admitted into Manhattan’s most exclusive school and labor intensive, the Executive Pre-Professional High School, which is full of some of the most precocious children of his age.  Even though Craig convinces himself that this was what he wants, he finds that in this new school he is struggling to just keep up with the rest of the pack.  His best friend, Aaron, on the other hand, got into the school without even trying.  

            Craig feels anguish as everything starts to pile up on him - schoolwork, extracurriculars needed to get into a decent college, social obligations, and guilt because of what he is putting his family through.  Could he possibly get into a decent college or even make it through high school?  This anxiety continues to grow in cycles until his life  gets turbulent and it becomes to be too much to bear.  Craig becomes suicidal.  Fortunately, Craig has the good sense to check himself into a psychiatric hospital before it is too late.  Here he finally feels safe.  There is a sense of stability here that anchors him to reality, something he was unable to find in the outside world.  He feels in control.  The hospital is his bulwark against his depression.  In this environment he is finally able to piece everything together, to brood constructively.  He connects to the others in the ward because even though they are of all different ages and have different troubles in their pasts they are all going through rough times and are able to help each other get through them.  

            In the hospital he meets many people who proved to be true friends, the most prominent of which is Noel.  Noel has the same problem as Craig, which is revealed to us by the scars on her cheek. Both Craig and Noel are teenagers struggling under the weight of adolescence and the expectations and labels that society has placed on them.  This is a bond that cannot be broken.  It is what makes this story so powerful in addition to being witty.

             This is an excellent book for teenage readers trying to make sense out of what it means to be a unique and complex individual and how we can navigate between our expectations and reality.  Life can be fraught with danger and pretty scary at times, but if Craig Gilner can tame his pernicious demons, I think that we, too, should be able give it a good shot. If we can accomplish this self-discovery with half the humor of the narrator, we will be doubly successful.  The novel feels like a genuine rendition of a teenager’s experience. This made the characters and emotions relatable giving the book an extremely powerful message. Other than modifying some annoying colloquial phrases that seem forced, I wouldn’t change a thing.  If you like heavy topics dealt with in a light-hearted and witty way It’s Kind of a Funny Story  is a must read.  I for one strongly recommend it.

            When I first started looking for organizations to get involved with I did not know the myriad ways a diverse group of people and small organizations were working to improve Philadelphia. For my first project I worked on setting up a community garden in the back of a small church in North Philly neighborhood where food availability is a chronic problem.  This church’s garden worked in conjunction with a soup kitchen that the church also ran - as soon as the vegetables that the church group grew could be harvested, they would bring this produce to the soup kitchen to help supply the poorer citizens of neighborhood with healthy foods. This all took place in a derelict lot. Even though there was only a small amount of space, using raised planter beds and contamination-free soil, we were able to make use of all the land that we had at our disposal to grow wholesome food.

Food Desert: Part 2

Food Desert: Part 1

Bibliography

A. Negative space is typically the space surrounding an object. It is a way of displaying the shape of an object using just two colors and without drawing details with pen or pencil. In other words it is the background.

B. In my tree I was able to identify the negative space because I could see the outline of the figure and from there I was able to identify which was the positive and negative space. By having the capability to differentiate between the two I could move on to the more minor details such as branches, roots, and the grass. What helped me the most was thinking of the piece like a mirror, because whatever happens on one side is always reversed on the other and that all the pieces cut off of one were placed on the other.

       My still life was my very first negative space drawing. It took me a while to catch on because it was hard for me to see the space in only two colors, white and black. I started off by defining the positive space and from there I was able to shade in the background.

C. An artist needs to be able to define the shape of their subject as clearly as possible. After all having well formed objects is the beginning to every good art pieces. To be able to do so you need at least a basic understanding of how negative and positive space relate and how to be able to see their subject through that lens.

D. Having a clear outline of a shape and being able to see where the background begins makes an art piece much more appealing and pleasant to look at. There is a balance between positive and negative space that we do not always notice. I think that it is very important not to only focus on the positive like we tend to do, but also pay attention to the background.

I learned more about how to set up the back wall. At first I was unsure of how to set it up but by relying on my artists eye I was able to fix the proportions. I also discovered how to shade my drawing better.

If I did not have the back wall drawn to proportion my whole project would not correspond to the actual shape and layout of the room. The shading made it look less two dimensional.

If I remade my assignment I would make sure to add more details and that the stools and table are to scale. I would also shade more and add texture to the furniture and tiles, in other words make it look realistic.

The first thing I would tell them is that you need to make sure that the vanishing point and back wall (If they are drawing a room) are in the appropriate location. From there place the major components such as windows, tiles, and tables, after this you can move on to details. Remember to connect everything back to the vanishing point.

I mainly just drew what I saw and what looked correct. I did not use any websites, but I did check in with my peers to see if I was headed in a good direction or if everything looked to scale.

Description a)

Art not without ambition, but without the illness that should attend it:

            the snake (which represents cunning) is still in the cage. This means that he is still loyal and can restrain himself from taking action

No, this my hand will rather the multitudinous seas incarnadine, making the green one red:

            The snake is out of the cage and rising up to the crown. The door to the cage was opened when he killed the man who he had sworn loyalty to. From here the action only escalates. This quote is also displayed in how the paint starts off green at the bottom and slowly turns red. I chose to do this because the green represents peace and safety, but just like in the play the green is contaminated by the red (which stands for danger).

To be thus is nothing, But to be safely thus:

            The snake has almost reached the crown. At this point Macbeth reveals that he will do anything to maintain his powerful position, even if that does mean harming more than one life.

When our actions do not, our fears do make us traitors:

            The snake is now at the crown and is beginning to coil itself around it. This represents how protective he is of his power, he has gone through much bloodshed and the cunning has already taken full control at this point there is no shame in killing for his own cause. He became a traitor long ago and now feels no guilt.

Those he commands move only in command, nothing in love:

            The snake has a firm grip on the crown and is in position to attack anything that threatens him. At this point in the play Macbeth doesn’t even care about being loved and admired, he gave up on that in the very beginning. He destroyed all respect for him when he killed one who was only good to him and Macbeth knows that. Now he is prepared for battle and he will stop at nothing.

 It took a bit of plan on how I wanted to display my ideas on paper. I knew from the beginning what the basic idea was but it I had to keep adjusting it to see how to involve the quotes. In the end I set it up like a timeline. Adding the quotes confused me in the beginning because I did not want then to distract from the painting itself. I turned it into a timeline so that it was easy to see the different stages. I am proud of how I involved symbolism that displays Macbeth's conscious well. For example how the green is contaminated by red. Green representing safety and growth, red representing bloodshed and danger. If I had a chance to change it I would simply spend more time working on it because I would like to touch up certain aspects of it. Maybe even try using multiple mediums . I learned many different styles of presentation. I learned the importance of not being to concise, yet being engaging at the same time. making sure to clearly explain the connection between your project and your papers thesis is extremely important.In my presentation I felt confident in what I was saying. I was proud of my work and I believe that that showed in how I was able to explain the choices I made. Usually I am not as confident in work because I am not as enthusiastic about it. I am glad that I chose a project that interested me.

-    How does this project relate to the real world?

Geometry has a lot of say in the appearance of our city. This project has a lot to do with the architecture and design of both buildings and city blocks. It taught me how the height of buildings can be found only through triangles. Having the capability to measure distances with ease is a very useful skill. The architecture aspect is more about proportions and making sure that everything is to scale and precise. It is actually much harder than it sounds. I had to measure and re-measure my building to double check my results. I think that from now on I will always make sure to verify my results in every way possible.

-       What was the most exciting portion of this project and why? What was the least exciting portion to this project and why?

There were many elements of this project that I were nice to work on. I enjoyed making the draft of my building. I tended to prefer the manual measuring because is was easier to base the estimates off of an already known object. For me it was challenging finding known measurements because my building is currently under construction and many crucial aspects were inaccessible to me. It was a bit difficult finding ways to deal with compromising and finding new strategies but in the end I was able to estimate the height in many different and I discovered tools that I didn’t originally know were available to me. I also enjoyed drawing the building which allowed me to put my knowledge of the Franklin Institutes structure on paper

-     What did you learn from completing this project?

I learned a lot about the techniques of measuring a building that has cut outs and different heights.  I found the measuring by using triangles very useful, particularly the mirror method. This helped me understand how geometry and shapes are involved in designing of cities or structures and in our daily life. I learned a lot about compromising and finding new ways to reach a certain goal. Sometimes I reached complications, but as I went along I found them much easier to deal with. I learned ho important precision is in my life as well. I guess I never really paid attention to the thought put into each individual building.

            In my previous blog I talked about the concept and impact of food deserts, but now I feel the need to affirm that there is hope that this problem can be solved.  And even better, I can report that several sustainable and innovative solutions are now being explored.  Communities all over America that can be classified as food deserts are taking a proactive attitude toward this problem and are currently experimenting with possible solutions to ensure that everyone gets the needed nutrients.  This can take many forms, from community gardens to grocery stands outside of McDonald’s.  Let me describe a few of these efforts before I discuss the survey that I conducted about food deserts.

            New Orleans had the problem of getting good, nutritious food to its poorer citizens for such a long time that some were ready to give up on solving it.  Hurricane Katrina wrecked the fabric of the city so badly that New Orleans was considered a hopeless case, but they haven’t given up and are coming up with their own unique response to the problem. Their solution is pretty simple and sustainable for their community. They are growing vegetables in urban gardens, or as they call them, “urban farms”. In many ways this is even more convenient than the common grocery store, because everything that is being grown in these urban farms is there because of a real need. Another positive thing about this system is that it is not just about growing food, but it is also about educating others about horticulture so that people could grow their own food.  It is not easy for the people to adjust to cooking from scratch.  It is much simpler sticking to the fast food even though it may be unhealthful, because it fills them up quickly and is cheap.  What this misses is the whole purpose of eating food - to retrieve nutrients. This truly is an essential skill that is in danger of being lost in our society and yet is one of the simplest solutions to a tiresome problem.

Looking For Alaska, published in 2005, is the first novel written by the author, John Green, who at the time was only 28.  It was a powerful debut, winning the young author the Michael L. Printz Award and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize.  John Green would go on to write five more novels and become a prize-winning, best selling author.  Similar to this book, his books are directed towards teens with a focus on the idea of coming of age.

            Looking For Alaska is a melancholy story about a boy named Miles Halter and what he experiences and learns during his junior year at boarding school.  Miles Halter did not have many friends at his old school and is not notably adventurous, so when he comes to Culvert Creek in pursuit of “The Great Perhaps,” he discovers more about himself than he ever imagined.  From the moment he sets foot on campus and meets his roommate, his old safe life becomes a distant memory.  He gets entangled in both alcohol and cigarettes, and the most interesting person he has ever met, Alaska Young.  Alaska has a playful personality and is never afraid to stand up for what she believes is right, but she is an extremely troubled person, with more complications in her life than Miles can even comprehend.  Alaska lives life to the fullest; living everyday as if it were her last.  Unfortunately, it proves to be a short one.  During the winter she dies tragically in a car accident.  This is the central event of the novel and gives the book its structure of “before” and “after” that is noted in the chapter headings.  This event leaves Miles with many questions of how and why she died, which he just can’t come to terms with right away.  He and his roommate, the Colonel, need to do some detective work to answer their queries.

            This book is full of interesting and well-developed characters, each of whom has their unique traits and attractions, but everything orbits around Alaska. She is the magnet that draws the reader’s interest into the novel.  Alaska is my favorite character because she is the embodiment of many contradictions like youth and maturity.  Most importantly, while she is friendly and exceedingly mischievous, she also has a deep and pensive side that brings up many thought-provoking questions. The most powerful question that she brings up is “how will we ever get out of this labyrinth of suffering.” She answers this question with only three words - straight and fast. On the other hand, Miles finds a completely different answer.  He realizes that the way out of the labyrinth is to forgive.  After all, if one never forgives you will never truly be light of heart because you will only be given more anguish and constant nagging.  I feel the same way as Miles, because if he is never forgiven by Alaska, he would always be haunted by the sense of guilt that he let her go and never he would never forgive himself.  Earlier in the book this is what tortures Alaska - the feeling that she could have done something to save her mother.   She never realized that her mother would have forgiven her and that the last thing she would want Alaska to do is cause herself more agony.

            Looking for Alaska is a powerful and compelling book.  It explores topics that resonant with young adults with a deep sympathy and a wry sense of humor that makes it a thoroughly enjoyable read.   All the characters in the novel are well developed and fully rounded.  They have their flaws and good traits that one would expect in people. Sometimes They feel like real people and during the course of the novel the reader grows to deeply care about them.  I highly recommend this book to all readers whether adolescent or adult.

            The importance of eating well is an issue that resonates with me and is of importance to a big part of the world.  Whether it is because of how food tastes or because of the healthfulness of what we eat, but all of us take seriously what we eat and it concerns us that not everyone in America is able to do so.  This is why for my You and the World project I will focus on the problem of the lack of access to healthy foods experienced by different segments of our society based on socio-economic standing.  These areas of low access to healthy foods are called “food deserts.”  The US government defines food deserts as “a census tract that contains concentrations of low income people in which at least a third of the population lives more than a mile from a supermarket or large grocery store.” (Bornstein) Some people blame this lack of availability of good food for the obesity crisis in America especially in poorer urban neighborhoods, while others assert that this lack of accessibility is overstated. I will attempt to make sense of these arguments.

            People have been talking about the problem of “food deserts” in low-income, inner city neighborhoods for over a decade now. They are considered to be the byproduct of the abandonment of these neighborhoods by the major supermarket food stores in the later twentieth century and their replacement in these areas by the proliferation of fast food chains. For many people in these areas, it is simply too much of a burden to have to travel over a mile to the nearest grocery store to by fresh fruits and vegetables.  It is even more difficult considering that most of these people don’t own cars to transport their goods in, or are elderly, or have small children to look after. Instead of eating fruits and vegetables and in general eating well, people living in these “food deserts” are living off of processed foods high is sugar and fat and washing this stuff down with a soft drinks that are mostly sugar.  The problem is that junk food is extremely cheap and readily available, while healthy food is expensive and hard to find.  An additional factor complicating this issue is that while sweet and salty foods clearly taste good, they equally as clearly are destroying the health of people living in these areas.

            A major question, however, is how real is this concept that equates the relative poor health and high rate of obesity in poorer neighborhood due to the lack of accessibility?  Until recently it was accepted by most people that the presence of food deserts was the major contributing factor to the relative poorer health of inner city inhabitants, but recent studies have raised doubts about this correlation. (Bornstein)  Other issues, such as income, education, or culture may be even more important factors, but no study can deny the obvious importance that the scarcity of well-stocked supermarkets and other groceries has on the lack of healthy foods.

Graph of citizens affected by food deserts in Chicago here

That is why efforts to offer more food possibilities to these neighborhoods are so worthwhile.  Something has to be done to offer more choices other that expensive, hard to get healthy food and cheap deadly junk food.  One of the suggestions for reducing this problem was having “Mobile pantries”, which is when they open up a stand of boxes of different types of food. These foods are donated for this purpose and they are given out for free to everyone who is there with no proof of need being required.  Mobile pantries, however, have many faults. Since it is expensive to provide free food for so many people it takes a while to gather the amount of required donations, which leads to food distribution being less frequent than people need it to be. There are so many people in need at these mobile pantries that the line is tediously long leaving some wondering if it is even worth the wait.  

The perfect solution to this vexing problem of the limited availability of healthy food in poor neighborhoods is still waiting to be tried.  It will most likely take a combination of both public and private efforts, but what we need right now is the conviction that food deserts are a serious problem needing an immediate solution.