Shpeal

Summer Beginnings

2009-05-14T09:35:00.003-05:00

Well the past few months have been busy with school and what not, but now that I am free from that I will have some time to do some more enjoyable things. This summer I will staying on campus and doing research in Dr. Jun's lab--specifically pancreatic islet research. Also I have a little project planned for the summer in the form of a 1986 Mazda RX7. It is not running at the moment but hopefully it will be in the next few weeks and then I will just be cleaning it up. I have some pictures lying around somewhere so maybe I will put those up or maybe not (who knows). That about all I have to say right now. Check back for pictures and further updates.

Moderation Shpeal

2009-04-01T05:01:00.015-05:00

This blog will serve somewhat as a continuation of a previous blog about our generation's health.

In today's world obesity is running rampant in basically all developed countries. Everyone is looking for some quick and easy solution to losing that weight because of the society that we have grown up in with fast food, fast cars, and the attitude that if it takes more than 3 minutes to do it is not worth doing. The problem starts there. For one to lose weight and really keep it off, it cannot be done instantly.

The best way to lose weight is through moderation. No let me explain what that means. It does mean you get to enjoy ice cream, cookies, big 12 oz steaks, french fries, and whatever else. It does not mean that you get to enjoy them everyday. It does mean that you have to enjoy some of those things you may not like such as vegetables--preferably without a pound of dressing on them. More in depth is just asks you to each conservatively, but not starve yourself, to eat healthy, but still be able to enjoy those treats that you so like.

Moderation means that you should not feel bad for eating those fries maybe once a day or every few days as long as you are not eating them every meal--because that is not moderation. You can have bacon for breakfast, bratwurst sausage for lunch, and a steak for dinner, but you might have to limit how much you eat. Again moderation. That also means, however, that you have to have your moderation for vegetables and fruits--those foods that eating them every meal and in large portions still count as eating in moderation. Most everyone knows what it means to eat healthy, but few do because they feel that they always have to eat healthy. Don't!

You can eat whatever you like--in moderation.

Newspaper Shpeal

2009-04-01T05:01:00.007-05:00

Nowadays, with so much information available on the internet are newpapers, books, magazines, etc. even necessary? One could effectively find the news online, go to gutenberg.org and read a book, subscribe to an online magazine, etc. So why do we still have hard copies of printed material?

One would think that these things would be on the brink of extinction, but in actually they are still doing fairly well. Maybe there is something to being able to physically turn a page, to bringing the text close for further inspection, and to taking notes in the margins. With technology now, however, physically turning the page is about that only thing that one cannot do though page turning can be simulated.

Even though many of these features can be replicated or simulated on a computer, printed word still has its benefits. No one every cautions you for staring at a book for extended periods of time--unless its in low light. Printed copies allow one to arrange them in such a way that all the pages can be examined at the same time for better editing and notetaking. Lastly, there is just something so natural about turning a paper that computers have yet to achieve.

Printed word is here to stay--unless printed word and virtual word become indistinguishable.

Evolution Shpeal

2009-03-23T00:19:00.006-05:00

Since the idea of evolution was first described by Darwin--and maybe even a little before-- there has always been controversy between it and creationism. I do not want to say that one is more correct than another, but simple comment on the evidence for and against evolution.

Evolution has firstly the evidence that Darwin saw on the Galapagos Islands, finches' varying beaks, swimming iguanas, and such. Most people will agree with those observations by saying that microevolution does happen just not macro. The next big piece of evidence is the fossil record. Though many people have different theories for why it could be aside from evolution, such as two creations (Genesis 1 & 2) and just extinct species that God originally created. Lastly increasing complexity in organism that seemed to be fairly well linked in their traits. For example, all chordates have four basic characteristics that they all share though they look totally different because some of them lose or modify those characteristics.

There is also, however, evidence against evolution. Though there is clear evidence on our Earth of microevolution, it it difficult to see macroevolution taking place because of the amount of time required for it. Those that believe in a young Earth do not believe that the Earth has been around long enough for macroevolution to have happened. The next piece of evidence that many people use is that all of our radioactive dating methods and other methods that we use to age the Earth depend on a constant rate. One example that many will use is the Grand Canyon, which many people believe took millions of years to erode, being cause by the Great Flood. Evidence that we have seen in our lives that can show this rapid erosion/change, such as Mt. St. Helen eruptions and blowing its whole top off. Lastly, the idea of inseparable parts, which states that if you take just one part away the whole mechanism will not work, such as the eye. Though from looking at various creatures we can see various forms of "eyes," which kind of have a progressive complexity to them.

In the end, who can be sure? We just have to wait till more evidence presents itself.

Economic Situation Shpeal

2009-03-22T16:52:00.008-05:00

With the recession, economics issues often come to mind. Everyone constantly wants more money because they think that it will make them happy, but as a philosophy teacher recently mentioned to me, once you are above the poverty level more money does not truly make you happy. Sure, during a recession more people fall below that poverty level, but most of the people complaining are those that were already fairly well off and have recently had to downgrade.

Another slightly different issue that I want to bring up is the economic situation in other countries. Missionaries and other people that go over to other countries seem to have the preconception that anyone that lives outside of a developed country in not well off. Coming from rural Russia, I know that you can be perfectly fine with the equivalent of with only a few US dollars. One reason is that many daily things are less expensive. Another reason is that they do not have all the extravagant things we do (because they can not afford them). But again, they are above the poverty level so they are perfectly content. As I mentioned in my blog entitled "Money Shpeal," things are much less stressful when all you are worrying about is the essentials.

More money actually makes for stressful living, so maybe they are truly better off.

Political Parties Shpeal

2009-03-20T00:39:00.010-05:00

With President Obama winning the election and taking office in January, many people thought that our country, already in a recession, would essentially collapse. After a few months though, we are still here not really any worse for wear. But, why? He is not doing things the way he should or the way my party does some of you may think.

Truly there is rarely a "right" way to do things. Each political party essentially want to get the same thing done they just have different ways that they think it should get done. The reason we have parties is because either method would work. If one was the way something should be done and was shown to work all the time, there would be no argument and no parties.

But, I am not suggesting political parties are bad simply that people should not get so upset over another political party taking office. Most everyone that is elected is done so because they have the people's/country's intention in mind. If someone comes in with some radical ideas that you do not like, chances are enough people in Congress, for example, will not like it either and vote it down. Our country has systems in place to ensure that a majority has to favor an such actions.

Essentially it is no big deal.

Mathematics Shpeal

2009-03-20T00:38:00.030-05:00

I thought to myself the other day I really enjoy mathematics because everything stems from something learned previously. For example, the most basic form of math I can think of is counting. From counting stems addition. From addition we get subtraction, which is just adding a negative number; multiplication, which is adding the same number some amount of times; and division, which comes from the inverse of multiplication. In doing these basic calculations, one also develops variables unknowingly by saying, "2 plus 2 equals what?" This is the same as saying, "2 plus 2 equals x."

From mathematics also comes the logic, which can be applied to solving other types of problem, that goes into solving equations and the equations that can then be used to describes pretty much all other occurrences. These equations are used to prove physics theories, which then go on to prove chemistry and biology theories. From those theories comes our understanding of pretty much everything. The logic is what allows us to put all those theories together by realizing that complex ideas build off of other already known simple ideas.

Oh, what we can do with some simple counting.

Our Generation's Health Shpeal

2009-03-20T00:38:00.029-05:00

The other day someone told me that our generation is actually the first not predicted to outlive our parents. That is kind of a sad declaration. One would think with all of our technological and medical advances, it would be no problem living for a hundred years or so, but it is actually those advances that may be hurting us.

Preindustrial age, obesity was not often seen among the working class because people were always moving around and working. Nowadays, many people have desk jobs or other jobs that require very little physical activity. Also, not many people do not have the time or the desire to workout, so they end up living a fairly sedentary life.

Our schedule seem to incorporate a lot less sleep. One big reason is because of a technological advance, the light bulb. The artificial light that it creates actually makes our bodies think they are less tired than they really are. Before electricity, people's sleep cycles would revolve around sunlight. When it got dark, it was bedtime. This schedule always allowed for the minimum necessary amount of sleep. A recent study has actually shown that a person can lose weight just by getting the right amount of sleep with no other changes.

Another wonderful advance that has lead to the degeneration of our generation's health is processed and fast foods. They are more convenient than having to prepare meals from scratch, and they take less time to make, but then they also take time off of your life. Even foods that are not fast foods but have preservatives and such have a negative effect on the body.

It is not difficult to see why someone would make the claim that our parents will outlive us. So, why do we not change it?

Video Game Violence Shpeal

2009-03-17T17:18:00.015-05:00

You always hear in the news about video games causing people to kill other people or to be violent, but think about it. When you were a little kid, did you play video games? If you have killed anybody or been extremely violent to someone--the few of you that there are--then more likely than not you did it because of another reason. Most of us turned out as perfectly normal people--relatively.

I actually read a study a while back that showed that children that were on either extreme of the amount of time (very little or too much) they spent playing video games were social outcasts and therefore exhibited stranger behavior. Video games, nowadays, have actually become a form of social bonding just like sports. You never hear of someone in the news going out and killing a bunch of people because they played football or baseball.

Back in the days when I used to play Super Mario World on my SNES, I had no desire to hurt anyone. It was just pure bliss.

Money Shpeal

2009-03-16T00:58:00.016-05:00

This kind of goes back to management a little--but only a little. The saying "money makes the world go round" seems to prove very true from what I have seen. When I first began teaching Taekwondo after training in it for 2 years, I wanted to do it so that I could pass on my knowledge to others coming up in the ranks. The longer I taught the more I realized how much I enjoyed teaching others.

What I realized, however, is that not everyone had this same altruistic intention. I used to think that my instructor just wanted me to improve, so that I would be better, but really he wants me to improve my skills so that the students look better. He wants more students so that he can have more income. More competing for more bank.

Not that money is a bad thing. One needs money to live--to buy the essentials. But, when something seems to become totally dependent on money and nothing else, that is taking it a little too far.

Ahh, childhood ideas crushed for the sake of money.

Childhood Shpeal

2009-03-12T19:13:00.011-05:00

One of the definitions of maturity is the lack of innocence, so growing up is basically the loss of innocence/ignorance. In some ways, however, this ignorance is a good thing. Children do not have all of the concerns that most of us worry about in our everyday life and do not know the evils of the real world. But, they also lack an understanding of the workings of the world--however limited our understanding may be.

The big question,I guess, is when do we lose our innocence, and do the pros outweigh the cons? I will let you decide that.

What is interesting to consider though is what kind of life we would have without all of our daily concerns. I do not mean the important ones like food, shelter, and warmth--though those would be nice to ignore too. I mean the bills for all the things that are not essential, drama in our daily life, or even just finding something to entertain us throughout the day.

Understanding is nice. Unnecessary worrying is not.

Management Shpeal

2009-03-12T02:11:00.008-05:00

At some point--I am not sure when--we were either told or it was just kind of understood that managers and supervisors had some type of higher awareness of whatever they were in charge of.

For the past several years I have been in a middle-management type of position as a TaeKwonDo instructor. This past summer I worked under someone who was new to the whole leadership idea. Before having the school handed over to him though--he bought it from the previous owner--he was apparently instructed/trained in the running of the school. After being there for so long, it seemed to me like he would have an easy job on his hands. This assumption probably stems from the previous statement in the previous paragraph.

I learned that I was wrong in my assumption. Not only could I have managed the school better, but his management got to the point that the school went under--shortly after I had left. It was then that I realized the glaring truth. Most of the times the word management is just a title that carries very little weigh. Often times leadership positions are appointed to friends and family or whoever can buy the position as opposed to whoever is the most competent. This practice in turn inspires very little confidence in superiors and decreases productivity.

Such, however, is what happens with big companies. Someone has to fill the role and there is not enough time to do it right yourself, so you pass it off to someone else. Then comes the decision of appoint someone you know or a total stranger.

All in all management is rarely competent, so always think for yourself and do not solely depend on them to get things done.

Mac vs PC Shpeal

2009-03-12T02:02:00.012-05:00

So, my mom recently told me that her company was thinking about upgrading their computers and switching to Macs, and it got me thinking. People seem to put Macs on some kind of pedestal because other people tell them all these wonderful things about them. Realistically, however, what makes Macs so wonderful is the software not the hardware. If you try and run Windows on a Mac, the computer is going to be just as slow and the battery life--laptops--is going to be just as horrible as with a computer that was originally meant to run Windows. This also applies to Mac's being virtually virus-free. Again, software not hardware.

If the software is what makes Macs so wonderful, then the problem that arises is that not all software is compatible on Macs. All of the engineering software that her company uses I do not believe works on Macs, so they will probably be pleasantly surprised to find out that what they were hoping for is unreal. One would assume of course that the company would look into all these matters first, but hearing from other people and seeing how companies are run for myself, I am not entirely sure that will happen, but that is for another time.

Conclusion? Macs are no more special than PCs.