Willpower: Baumeister, Burger King & the Bulge

Big King Burger in mouth, ice cream in hand = thunder thighs

On an April day trying its hardest to become spring, I sit at the local chain of Burger King to use the free WiFi. I am reminded yet again of the disturbing obesity pandemic, clarifying that no longer is it an epidemic, which is concentrated in a particular region, but instead it's widespread throughout continents and truly even the world. No longer are fast food restaurants an American convenience, but instead have proliferated to every nook and cranny of the globe. Tellingly,

1. "McDonald's operates over 33,000 restaurants worldwide, employing more than 1.7 million people."  Frequently Asked Questions :: McDonalds

Spinoza vs. Leibniz: Who has the substance?

Spinoza proposes the following for substance:

a.\"that which is in itself, and is conceived through itself: in other words, that of which a conception can be formed independently of any other conception\"(Pg.179 [defn. III]).

b.\"Substance is by nature prior to its modifications\"(Pg.180[Prop. I]).

c.\"There cannot be granted several substances, but one substance only\"(Pg 181[In Proof of Prop V]).

d.\"One substance cannot be produced by another substance\"(Pg.181 [Prop. VI]).

e.\"Existence belongs to the nature of substance\"(Pg. 182) [Prop VII]).

f. \"Every substance is necessarily infinite\" (Pg 182 [Prop. VIII]).

Leibniz puts forth the following for substance:

l.\"The Monad is nothing else than a simple substance, which goes to make up composites\"(Pg. 455 #1).

m. \"where there are no constituent parts there is possible neither extension, nor form, nor divisibility\"(Pg. 455 #3).

The Philosophy of Mr. N

I would like to write upon the topic of Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche.
I would like to know one (or more) of the following:

* What drove Nietzsche insane?

* Why he dislikes Christianity?

* What his main philosophical argument was?

* More about his ideas: Apollonian and Dionysian, Death of God, Eternal Recurrence, Herd instinct, Master-Slave Morality, Übermensch, Perspectivism, Will to Power, Ressentiment

* Why did he grow such a large mustache?

Quotes from Mr. N:

Gott ist tot! Gott bleibt tot! Und wir haben ihn getötet.

Plato ist langweilig

Das Christenthum ist eine Metaphysik des Henkers...

The very word 'Christianity' is a misunderstanding — in truth, there was only one Christian, and he died on the cross.

John Clark's Alma Mater

Based on true events. Names changed for the sake of privacy.

\"In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God...\" Wait, hold on! This is too far back in time. The time is two millennium from the birth of Jesus and the setting is in a quaint little town called Fox River. The Wayland body has just gathered in the chapel to hear a talk on morals and ethics, or more likely scapegoating, archaic religion, and mimetic desire with a twist of rivalry. But the surprise comes when the man of the hour announces that he will be holding two competitions. The best part is that the rewards are certificates to the Vineyard, one of the best Christian coffee bookstores around the town. My ears perk up and my mind whispers what an awesome adventure to embark upon and that prize is beyond belief.

The first challenge is two figure out a geometrical riddle about the Earth. Simplified down, how can you travel in a certain way and end up in the same place? And then the real twist comes when the teacher of morals includes the condition that there are an infinite set of infinite solutions. Well surely this must mean God is involved. The second task is to write an essay on whether the author of our alma mater had biblical verses in mind.

But I am getting ahead of myself. After the presentation and exhilaration of the challenge, my subconscious mind contemplates these topics. I go up to Mr. Garner during a snack break and propose to him that God holds in his mind an infinite way of answering this question with being able to imagine earth upon earth. Mr. Garner chuckles and says that he is talking only about this here Earth. A while later in the week I make my way over to my Mr. Weston's house for a mentor inning. We have tasty soup and watch a movie, but within that time the enigmatic riddle comes up again. And would you believe that I offer to my mentor group a more exact definition of what the riddle is? A strange, illogical person helps others win a competition he himself has set out to master. But I go and explain what I thought the puzzle was. Slowly, but surely, my main opponent arises. It is the brainiac Jill Gothal, a master mind of logic, science, and all other random matters.

The Departed

what am i going to do with you
ice cream at the parlor
children eating french fries
pay off that debt
your servant forgive me my sins
relying on the drug lord
you have to make your own way
or else you end up dead
smoking cigars
now I am
forsake all else
congratulations on your accomplishment
get out of here
bag pipes playing in the background
you earned it man
welcome to the force
you have no idea
what about your dad
folder containing secret info
are you who you say you are
we never get any where
don't sell guns

families are always rising and falling in America
SAT scores are very important
prove to yourself who you are
ask yourselves questions

Eternal Fire

Fire

Hot burning
light heat
keep the enemy away
camping with you my friend
hearts aglow
candles lit
yellow orange and purple
white and red fireworks
hot dogs in a pan
boiling water over flowing
the sun millions of miles away
moon reflecting the electro magnetism of the sun
other stars are showing that they are just as bright
Alpha Centari what a sight

pollution clouding the sight of the fire
the fire in the sky
the dome of God
sitting upon the mountain of fire
poor little children cold and tired
fire we need you
work hard for us
powering people
calorie counting
little units of heat

You Tell Me What It Is

Singe my shoulder
the dungeon is not place to hang out
powder your makeup
you probably ate it
fly in my soup
itching my head
reading a love book
until I am dead
is there truth out there to be found
under the ground
or in the sky
never forsake us
read and lie

the book is true but the magazine gossip
work real hard but never play
retire late and loose your health
never make the trip to Mexico
you are being a hemorroid
make you clean the toilet
do not let it sit around for a day or two
If we have no water how do we beautify
we go as our raw ugly natural selves
dog lieing on the carpet
eating a bone made of cow hide
on the last page of your book
but it is only the beginning

Other Poems

Alone in a dark wood
breathing heavy perspiring
beads of sweat roll down my brow
eyes of red give me a scowl
my heart beats louder
my ears scream
my nose runs
my eyes refuse to leave
my hands freeze over with fear
the wolf is coming to eat me
He wants to put me in his stomach
I do not want to go there

Burp belch look out
runny nose and stinging eyes
my contacts protest that my eyes are dry
blood shot contact coming out
must wet with fluid
saliva will not work
nor will apple juice
I will need artificial water
the stuff you get in a tube
a tube of plastic
a tube for anything
materialism
wandering in the waste land
burp belch let it out

A Hug for All Reasons

GOOD HUGS CAN HELP YOU BEAR ANYTHING

Hugs are not only nice, they are needed. Hugs can help relieve pain and depression, make the healthy healthier, the happy happier and the most secure among us even more so. Hugging feels good, overcomes fears, eases tension, provides stretching exercise if you are short, provides stooping exercise if you are tall. Hugging also does not upset the environment, saves heat, is portable, requires no special equipment, makes happy days happier, & makes impossible days possible.

Here are some main types of hugs.

THE A-FRAME HUG

Stand facing each other, arms wrapped around each other's shoulders, sides of heads pressed together, bodies not touching below the shoulders. The length of time spent this way is usually brief, since this is often a \"hello or good-by\" hug. The A-frame hug is most appropriate for situations that require a degree of formality. Because it is relatively non-threatening it is comfortable for shy or unpracticed huggers. An A-frame hug is particularly apt for a great-aunt you haven't seen since you were a toddler; your husband's boss's wife; your former academic adviser.

BACK-TO-FRONT HUGS

In the back-to-front hug (also known as the waist-grabber), the hugger approaches the other from the back, folds arms around his or her waist and gives a gentle hug. The waist-grabber is the perfect hug to give someone who is peeling potatoes, scrubbing pans over a kitchen sink or otherwise engaged in some stand-up chore. The feeling behind it is happy and supportive. (Even more supportive would be the back-to-front hug followed by the picking up of a dish towel and applying it to the pans.) Back-to-front hugs are for

The Internet Could Die, Please Help

Tell Congress: Pass Net Neutrality Now

The phone and cable companies are scrambling to kill Net Neutrality so they can inspect and filter content, and overcharge you for using the Web in ways they don't like. Over the past six months alone, these companies have hired 500 lobbyists in Washington to try to stop this bill from becoming law.

It's up to you to tell your members of Congress to side with the public -- not with the corporate lobbyists -- and take a final stand for an open Internet by supporting the Internet Freedom Preservation Act of 2009 (H.R. 3458).

Big Media conglomerates have billions; we have you. Every contribution, no matter how big or small, brings us closer to a media system that features investigative journalism, vibrant independent media, diversity of ownership and universal access to a fast, affordable, open Internet. We don't take money from industry groups or government sources, so we need your help. Giving online is easy. Please donate today.

http://www.freepress.net/donate

Cordial: The Dance

Written by Mr. Clark...Cordial: Wayland slang for mandatory. Cordial really means affable.

There's gonna be a dance
I had another plan
I wanted to go to town to see a dog about a man
But they cooked my goose
It's no use
Because-- IT\"S CORDIAL
that's what the man said
My boy friend's in town
I thought we'd have a talk
I thought we might even have a little walk
But they caught me flat
Can't have that chat
Because it's cordial.

I ought to write a letter
I need shampoo
I gotta study history and algebra too
I oughta clean my room
And have a manicure
But the're takin' me over to

Cordial: The Musical

From the musical Malcom by Mr. Clark
Cordial is used to mean mandatory.

1. I've been up half the night
with two papers to write
And there's no end in sight.
Do I put up fight?
No. You'll find me in the chapel
'Cause it's CORDIAL

There's a big test today.
I keep slaving away.
Though I hope and I pray.
There is nothing to say.
You will find me in the chapel.
'Cause it's CORDIAL

2. There's a speaker on hand.
He's the worst in the land
And he speaks only Greek
Which we don't understand
But you'll find us in the chapel
'Cause it's CORDIAL

Questions That Drive People Insane

stealing wireless
is it ethical to take what is overflowing onto your property or is it stealing or are they trespassing is this even a question that needs to be asked how many people even steal wireless or should I say borrow

hitch hiking
would you do it anymore is it safe should it be made illegal to prevent murders you never know who you are going to pick up

rock music
good times or demonically inspired are the Beatles alright what about Marilyn Manson is the music good and just not the lyrics

what do we do about noise pollution does anyone keep track of the decibel levels does someone have the right to play their music loud enough so that it disturbs you in your closed up house

what does everyone think of speed limits it seems that more and more people are not following them anyway is 5 or 10 MPH over alright

do cops really eat donuts are lawyers sleazy do doctors have illegible handwriting do dentists like their laughing gas a little too much

freedom of expression where is the limit can you call homosexuality a sin can you call another religion lies what is hate speech what is the freedom of the press libel

Lovers Lost in Bliss

Penelope was sitting at her kitchen table munching on a donut and stirring her coffee. She was thinking about her beautiful daughter Calypso. Her bright blue eyes glowed with love for every flower and sprout she came across. Calypso wanted to be the world's most brilliant botanist. Penelope lost the apple of her eye last year in the biggest fire that town had ever seen. The old Munston barn was a hang out for kids. Sometimes they would go there after school to talk and other times it became cancer corner. Most of the time there was a bunch of kids there, but the accident took place when Calypso got there before her friends. Some older kids had just got done having a smoke and decided to go the the ice cream joint. All the kids dropped their cigarettes and jumped on their bikes to get some rocky road.

It just so happened that Calypso went up to the loft while a small flame started in the hay. It grew bigger without her notice and eventually engulfed the barn with no means of escape. Penelope's mind was stuck on that event day after day and her terrible depression had kept growing worse. Her boss at work was ready to fire her for her showing up late and poor work ethic. She never wrote the newspaper articles on time, tended to be a glum influence on the others workers, and was full of other such downward pulling behavior. Penelople was persuaded to move somewhere tropical; She was convinced that it was in her best interest to get away from the frigid Canadian life. She had just finished putting most of her useless items on ebay. She had numerous dolls and other such collectibles that had no pragmatic purpose. She had plans to go to Mexico, where a sister had a vacation home. Her kind sister advised her to go to...

Bolgia Number Eight

The pouch begins with Dante and Virgil climbing where “without the
hand the foot could not go on”(XXVI: 18). They get to the top of
the mountain and Dante sorrows. He sees numerous flames where “every
flame contrives to steal away a sinner”(43-44). Dante goes “to balance
where the bridge’ high point gives a better view”(45). Virgil explains
the pouch saying, “each one here/ Enfolds himself in what burns him”(50-
51) Looking out they see two sinners who are “Enduring vengeance
together, as they did wrath”(59). In these flames are the famous
or infamous “Ulysses and Diomedes”(vs.58). The people of the time
considered these men heros while Dante is making the suggestion that
God considers them prideful brutes. Dante asks “If they can speak
with those sparks of flame”(67). These sinners are so much in fire
that they have become their own fire. 

Ulysses and Diomedes are eternally
burning together and when they speak it is a “murmur like fire the
wind beats”(85). Odysseus uses the serpentine tongue of the fire
to hiss out his tale of woe. Odysseus explains his sin crackling
“Not fondness for my son, nor any claim/ of reverence for my father,
nor love I owed / Penelope, to please her, could overcome / my longing
for experience of the world”(91-94). His abandonment of his family
is a grave error for any man to make. This betrayal is not his only
sin for...

America, Belly, Forest

All Written by a 4th/5th grader...
America is rich and free,
likin’ nature and the bee,
feelin’ great about their state,
readin’ books in cozy nooks,
workin’ hard to the dawn,
sleepin’ comfy in their lawn,
smilin’out at the world,
helpin’ people live their lives,
havin’ fun and playin’ games
doin’ their duty when on call,
stoppin’ crime without a flaw,
livin’ fully in our dream of life.
Belly Walkers

In my view, snakes are okay if...

Descarte: What Is He Talking About?

Exposition:

1) What is Descartes' argument for the existence of the thinking  \"I\"?

Descartes begins in what seems a world of confusion. He constantly has the senses of touch, taste, sight, smell, and hearing interferring with his logical, rational mind. Adding to these multitudinous stimulations emotion, desire, and dreams.
Dreams seem a way for Descartes to explain how to go from the \"imaginary\" to the real. He deciphers that 3+2 equals five in his dreams as well as when he thinks he is awake. These truths do not change amidst the confusion of any stimuli. The one problem might be that every time he thinks through the thought to come to a conclusion of truth, an evil genuis plants a false solution in his mind. Descartes answer to the evil genuis problem is that he has the ability to doubt his thoughts. Being able to doubt convinces Descartes that there is truth and that the truth can be known. He summarizes that he can be sure he exists because he has the ability to think or doubt.

2) What is Descartes' argument for the existence of God?

Descartes sees that there are imperfections in himself. He then wonders where he gets the ideas of perfection. If he has imperfections, there must be a being of which has no imperfections.The lacking of existence is an imperfection and could not be attributed to the idea/being of where perfection comes. He has a little knowledge that can grow, thus there must be a being who has all the knowledge that he can learn. He is able to conceive of eternal life, thus this being must be eternal in order to not lack this perfection. All other perfections are attributed to this being.

To Be Evil or Not

Whether 'tis horrible to fill your mind with sin
And think of weapons of terror and destruction
Or to take arms against a sea of enemies,
And by opposing kill them? To murder: to stab;
All the time; and by a death to say we end
A life with a thousand natural shocks
That electricity burns , 'tis a goal
Devoutly to be wish'd. To knife;
To drown: perchance to shoot with a rifle

For in that sleep of death what dreams may come
When down to the grave the victim goes
This must Not give us pause: there's the disrespect
That makes others lives miserable lives
For who would bear the lashes and whips of
The righteous oppressor, the humble man’s pain
The pangs of manipulative love, the law's delay,
The dishonesty and fraud in office
That impatient desire to destroy all in sight,
When he himself might his life take...

Tom Jones Book Ten Quote Notes

“Reader, it is impossible we should know what sort of person thou wilt be…”(Pg. 337). First off, Fielding’s referring to himself as we is quite intriguing. Truly he has multiple personalities. Secondly, the hardest task of a writer is determining how to write to the goal audience; this is even harder when you are not of the group you are writing to.

“Susan related the whole story, which the reader knows already”(Pg. 343). Fielding is a kind author in that he does not go over what he has already said. Most often, this would bore the reader. Sometimes, mental refreshments help the reader maintain the whole complicated story in his mind.

Research by a Fifth Grader

    The North West Indians lived from Alaska to California. In that area they had thick forests that rose sharply from the beaches. There are giant pine, redwood, and Douglas fir trees. There are also are berry bushes, good natural resources and a mild humid climate.


Their food consisted of whale, salmon, seals sea otters, and sea lions.  They used sixty feet long cedar dugout canoes, which held up to sixty men. They would spear the animals out at sea and tow the animals back with the rope that was attached to the spear. They also hunted bear, caribou, deer, elk, and moose on land for food.  They gathered things like nuts and berries also.


Their houses were built of large post for a frame and then covered with planked sides and roof. Several families lived in one house.
They made their clothes from skins and bark, woven together with dog or goat hair.

One of the special things the Northwest Indians had was a potlatch. During potlatch, the host would give away or destroy valued things to show how rich they are. Some of the things he would give away would be canoes, blankets, boxes, masks, slaves and more. The most valued thing was a copper sheet hammered into a shield. If he wanted a rival to try and outdo them in a potlatch he would destroy his shield. The totem pole was also special to them, it was common to show pictures or faces painted or carved on.

The Scarlet Letter Hero

Heroes and Heroines take on many different personas in different literary works. Some of the characters can start out weak and make their way up the mountain to courage. Others can be overly brave in the beginning and end up falling off the cliff to cowardice. In Nathaniel Hawthorn's work, The Scarlet Letter, we see heroes of sorts. I consider the strong-willed Hester, timid Dimmesdale and feisty Pearl to be the heroes.

1. An allegory of a hero can be seen in the introduction of the Scarlet Letter. The following is a description of the land around the prison:

\"much overgrown with burdock, pig-weed, apple-peru, and such unsightly vegetation, which evidently found something congenial in the soil that had so early borne the black flower of civilized society, a prison. ...on the [other] side of the portal, and rooted almost at the threshold, was a wild rose-bush, covered, in this month of June, with its delicate gems, which might be imagined to offer their fragrance and fragile beauty to the prisoner as he went in, and to the condemned criminal as he came forth to his doom\"(Scarlet Letter Chapter 1).

I interpret this description to mean how one person can be beautiful and strong in the midst of ugliness and weakness. Among the weeds of society there can be those that are beautiful and innocent. Hester would undoubtedly be the mightiest character, for her strength gives her the energy to live on in her pain and suffering. The townspeople, \"said that it [The Scarlet Letter] meant Able; so strong was Hester Prynne, with a woman's strength\"(Chapter 13).

The Creation of the Rainbow by a Fifth Grader

It was spring, long ago.  Little Crow lived in a wigwam with his family in an Indian village.  One day he walked through the valley.  As it was spring, there were lots of flowers to pick. He gathered several flowers for his mom and for himself.
He took them home and gave some to his mother.

He kept some for himself.  When he went to sleep, he dreamed.  In his dream he picked a flower with rainbow colored petals.
When he woke up, there was a flower in his hand.  It had the same rainbow colored petals from his dream.  He thought it was real special.  He put it in his pocket.

His stomach rumbled with hunger.  He wished his mom would make acorn mush.  “Poof!”  His mom began to make some!  While eating breakfast he showed his mom the flower, but one petal was gone.  When he checked, the petal wasn’t in his pocket.  Only three petals were left.
He finished breakfast and went outside to play with Black Wing, his friend. Outside the wigwam, they played a game.  You roll deer bones to get points.  The first person to get twenty-five points without going over wins.  Going over twenty-five meant you had to start over again.  Little Crow laid the flower beside him and they began to play.

Black Wing went first.  He got ten points.  Little Crow went next.  He only got five points.  Then Black Wing played again.  He got another ten points; now he had twenty points.  Little Crow went.  He needed twenty points more to win.

“I wish I could get twenty points,’’ he thought.  ‘‘Poof!’’ He rolled, and he got twenty points.  He won!  ‘‘I won!’’ he shouted.  Then he noticed another petal had fallen off the flower.
‘‘Little Crow, come home now!’’ mom called.
‘‘I wish my mom would be quiet,’’ he thought again.  ‘‘Poof!’’ There went another petal!  Two petals now lay on the ground.  He went home.

Christmas Garden Recipe by a Fifth Grader

CHRISTMAS IS…

A time of giving and loving
A time of getting a tree
A season of white snow and clear ice
A time to sing carols

A time of feasting
A time to be jolly
A time to hang lights on your house
A time for stockings on the mantle
A time to be thankful
A time we remember Jesus Christ’s birth

Glorious Garden

I like gardening outside when the birds
Are singing and it’s partly sunny
I can pull most weeds but have a hard time with prickers
I have a garden down by some huge trees
I dislike weeds that keep coming back again, again and again
I always hope to enjoy gardening
I never want to harm nature
I should weed more often than I do
I want to have a very good, pretty and well maintained garden

O Greece & Egypt

Let not the religions of old remain a mystery. O, Greece and Egypt, give up the secrets of your faiths. [Summoning]

The conglomeration of ancient religions deserves to be sorted out, and the ancient faiths remain to be examined in the light of modern day science. The remains of idols and sacred texts, the stories passed down through generations of families, and the landscape designs of the temples are waiting to be understood and appreciated.

\"The Mysteries of Eleusis...were connected not only with Athenian and Greek existence but with human existence in general\" 1 Religion is the blood of humanity. Humans come out of the cradle exploring the world and eventually begin to ask the questions that plague humanity daily. Who am I? Where did I come from? Why am I here? Where am I going? These questions have been in the heart of men since creation. Philosophy's diverse branches lend man many different answers. Human kind has looked for truth and found answers ranging from \"there is no meaning\" to \"find your own meaning\" to \"what this holy book says is meaning.\" Humanity's reaching for the stars in search of answers is reflected in her many religions.

\"The name of Eleusis appealed to the throngs of those who strove for a happy arrival [in the afterlife] and gave itself to be recognized as the goal of human life\" 2  People revered the diety, Eleusis, so much that they sought for happiness and meaning within her personality. Her followers formed a secret society to guard Eleusis's secrets. The story of her life was kept within the walls of the temple. \"Thus an inequality was created between the initiate and the profane, a division here and now, by virtue of which one group is blessed while the others go to their death in imperfection and uncertainty\" 3 Those on the outside had no hope, but, on the other hand, what did it matter if they had no idea of what they would be missing in the afterlife?

1 C. Kerenyi. Eleusis: Archetypal Image of Mother and Daughter. Princeton: Princeton University Press.Page 12
2 Kerenyi, 23.
3 Kerenyi, 14.

St. Matthew by a Fifth Grader

St. Matthew’s feast day is September 21.  He is the patron of bankers, accountants, tax-gatherers and security guards.

Matthew was a tax collector, apostle, and an evangelist.  He was the son of Alphaeus. The first Gospel was written by Matthew in which he speaks of his call to be an apostle.  Sitting at his desk one day, he saw Christ come to him.  When the Lord said to him, “Follow Me,” he at once left his work and followed the Master.  The people were surprised to see a Roman tax collector become one of the special friends and disciple of the Master.

Musings About a Tree by a Fifth Grader

MY TREE

My tree has little seeds,
big and small leaves,
some are yellow,

And some are green,
and some are in between.

My Tree has a canopy of
shade, made for me

To see and be happy in.
My tree’s bark,
is worse than its bite!";"MY TREE

My tree has little seeds,
big and small leaves,
some are yellow,

Needle in a Stack of Hay

Rounding the corner and turning the bend, I see a gigantic humongous pile of hay hiding in a corner of Discovery Hall. I soon learn that we are digging in this brown mass of grass. Of course the object we would search for was a prickly pointy needle. The seniors are cackling and chuckling to their hearts content. One wonders what joy they get out of this. Some people look gung ho others look really slow, some jump in and others yell. Our leaders did not yet tell us how to go about this in the most efficient productive way. Should we gently scrape off the straw or should we dig to the bottom and then search the ground. Oh! What a conundrum we were in.

We all get around the grass and attack it with our fleshbare hands. Sifting slowly, getting anxious, hoping not to get stabbed by a needle. All are getting weary. Are heart wonders if this mission is futile. Some people stand around with out even trying and others dive right in. A few of the upperclassmen pull out a luxurious used mattress and were lie on it snickering and taunting us. We have plans to get back at them. The desire arises in our hearts and we give the goats their grass, by this I mean we throw the hay in their faces.

The Nothingness of Nietzsche

Nietzsche begins the Madman from The Joyful Wisdom with a question meant to be answered with a no. But on second thought, one must really wonder if they have ever met the type of madman Nietzsche is talking about. There are those that lose touch with reality, communicate with aliens, and fizzle at the mouth. There are people possessed by spirits or delirious or deluded or schizophrenic. Nietzsche is talking about a different type of person. One who is out of place, odd, peculiar, the one that does not belong in society. This insanity can be seen when the man lights a lantern on a bright morning. He runs to the market and cries out that he is seeking God. What does all this mean?    

Obviously the madman does not need a lantern for all is evident before him. Perchance the sunlight represents God and God being everywhere.

Somehow, this man can not see the natural light, and so invents a light to look with. The Bible says that since the beginning of the world God has been know to them, that all nature cries out that there is a God, and that the imprint of God is left in each man's heart. This man must be foolish to look for the sun with a candle. Maybe this mans attempt can be likened to a man coming up with theories and ideas about the nature of God. Proclaiming himself to be wise, the intellectual becomes stupid on purpose. For the lusts of the flesh do not want to be revealed by the light of truth.

A Basin of Eternal Wax

The Latin language leads to fruitful mental development. Latin bases and prefixes and suffixes all provide pertinent information for the child of technology. Sleepy, tired children desire to sleep. When will the flood of homework stop? When can we get rid of the midnight oil? When do we have time for the work of God? HALT! Our whole life should be for God and Him alone. All this busy work gets in the way of charity and service. One becomes a scholar on Arabic cultural development or an expert in the fertility cults of ancient Egypt, but for no reason. Only one life, ‘Twill soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last.

Eternity! Eternity! It is written on the sidewalks of Sydney. Can a sermon be preached with one word? Has eternity been understood by the sons of God or has eternity entered the deepest chambers of the heart? A little girl is looking up friends on facebook. They are not her real friends; they are only virtual representation of people. O! How easy it is to lie in the digital realm and how much more the conscience is pricked when talking face to face. And the burning bush never burned out. Go to the desert and see the flames of God. The light of love is all consuming. Either come to the light or flee forever from it. A little boy, with his head on the table, is dreaming of Zeus throwing a thunder bolt at his toes. The kid wants to get his Latin project done. Completed! Finished! The solid wood walls cry out to be deep. Enough superficial how are you fine chitter chatter.

Are We Alone in the Universe?

This question has puzzled man since his beginning. Philosophers have come up with systems saying that all we can be sure of is the self. Other intellectuals claim that we are gods and are constantly evolving better and better. By bringing religion into the picture, there are stories of demons, angels, monsters, dragons, and God. The universal aspect of belief in the supernatural leads one to consider if there is evidence for other worldly beings. Take a journey through the framework of the Brothers Karamazov to explore proofs for the existence of God and demons and see how much of an influence these beings play on the characters of the novel.

Before proving the thesis of there being other sentient creatures, let us explore the skeptics' objections. Doubters might say that these are forces that are part of the human psyche and have no existence outside the being of the human. Freud declared that it is the id, ego, and super-ego battling it out.

Possibly, the trials and tribulations a human being experiences are external in the sense that they brought about by societal influences via religion, economics, politics, education, etc. Being raised a Hindu, when would live so as to achieve unity with Brahman. Living in a capitalist economy, one would live so as to make as much money as possible. Being a democrat would lead one to strive for social programs. Going to college, one would have a different view of the universe then an uneducated person.
There are neural-chemical processes that fire randomly in the brain so as to cause meaningless positive and negative emotions that cover and taint the sensual experiences. Dopamine, endorphins, adrenaline, testosterone, estrogen, and a vast array of other hormone/neurotransmitters give people experiences without any choice on their part. You are born with certain genes and chemicals and thus one becomes what the chemicals make them.

What is Time?

Is it really just a construct to keep everything from happening at once? How can God exist outside of time and how did He create time? Everyone is used to a timeline as seen in a history class. First this war, then this king, then this invention, etc. How old is the universe? Is it possible for time to exist without space and matter? What then would keep track of time?

A pendulum measures time. Time allows an object A to move from point b to point c. This object is made of matter and moves into an open area of space. Clocks are extremely interesting phenomena to think about. Until the advent of digital clocks, gears and hands were the building blocks of time keeping devices. Motion in space accounted for time. A dripping faucet keeps the beat. No creatures worry about noon time. Everything has happened before. Since the fathers have passed away all things continue as they always have. 

Storm from Dark Cloud

Storm based off of watching the game:

Dark Cloud
Sony Computer Entertainment

Storm

There is blood on the floor
demons and monsters galore
the man is running around with a sword
a clock hangs upon the wall
time travel is a reality
the king wants to go back in time
a goblin just died

a globe has been opened
sounds of warfare are heard again
a man in a metal mask trudges down the stairs
a girl hangs her head low
the brave soldier fell
stars and galaxies spin
a treasure chest is unlocked
the mysteries within are given up

Babel's Dark Cloud

This post is based off of watching the movie:

Babel
With Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Mohamed Akhzam, Harriet Walter, et al.

Babble

Peeping through a hole
Throwing rocks in a can
Shooting at the wolf
Answering the telephone
Daddy wonders how you are
Kissed by the nanny
Mother shot by children
Scared of the dark
Petting them on the head
Reflection in the mirror
Kitchen full of clutter
Spanish music in the background
How are you?
Lady riding camel

On the Lighter Side: Walter Burtis

Where have you lived?

I lived in Kansas for 9 years. I liked the freedom of living in the country. For example, you could lure animals in by leaving out food for them. By doing that, we took in 9 dogs, 12 cats, a ferret, and 2 rabbits. The ferret wanted to live in the garage; the other animals stayed outside. The cats had plenty of food with all the mice that were around. Living on a farm, the other animals found food also. I now live inWaterloo, Iowa. Even though I have friends in town, I miss country life in Kansas.

Favorite foods? Wiener Schnitzel, really good steak that is medium rare, and grilled corn with butter.
Favorite books now and as a kid? I like action and mystery where the story is personal, but I hate romance, they ruin books.

What is one specific book you like? Mortal Allies by Brian Haig; I do not like autobiographies, but instead enjoy reading about the main events of history. My interest is focused on World War II, Vietnam, and other wars.

Favorite music? Any except opera. I love classical, hip hop, rap, rock, and I am open to new things. I do listen to the occasional country.

What is a prominent memory about your childhood? When I ran away from home. I was eight years old, and my big brother made me make a peanut butter sandwich for him. I used the loaf ends, which he does not like, and gobs of peanut butter. Because he didn't like it, he made me eat it; to get back at him, I ran away. He was supposed to be babysitting me. Eventually I was picked up by a state trouper and brought home.

What are you most proud of about you life?
Being the person that I am: caring and helping people, being myself, and not a poser.
What is your favorite drink? Cold, white milk.

A Greek Speaks

Sophomore Nicholas \"Curly\" Kosewski's father was a Polish catholic and his mother was a Greek Orthodox believer. As a result of this religious difference, Kosewski's dad had to convert to the Greek Orthodox faith and Nick subsequently adopted this faith as well.

When Kosewski came to Wayland, he felt \"distanced from [his] church,\" and thus \"decided to check out all the other churches in town.\" After the tour of Beaver Dam, Kosewski moved on and found Assumption Greek Orthodox Church in Madison, which stands \"about eight times longer than the other churches.\" Kosewski also belongs to the Chicago diocese \"which basically incorporates the entire Midwest.\"

In regards to other followers of Christ, Kosewski said, \"we are fairly similar to other Christian denominations; we stick to the old beliefs.\" But, Kosewski added, \"we have a different Bible than everyone else.\"

The website of the Assumption Church said in explanation of the Greek Bible, \"By Holy Scriptures we mean the Old Testament (including the Apocrypha) as translated in the Septuagint Bible, and the New Testament in its authorized version in the Greek Language in which it was originally written.\"
The Eastern Orthodox faith is well-known for its use of icons. However, other Christian groups have a hard time understanding this use of images, considering the famous Old Testament passage: \"Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them\"(Exodus 20:4-5a).

Senior Reflections

The English 2 Honors class starts the same as any other day with the sophomores chatting in their desks and the teacher upfront preparing his lesson. Unbeknownst to the class, dark machinations are brewing within the professor's cranium. Suddenly, the teacher pulls a desk in front of the only door to the class; then his hand reaches up and slaps the light switch to cloak the classroom with blackness. We wait. Nothing happens.

We twiddle our fingers, but our teachers' hands are still. Anxiety rises in our minds as we try to decide what to do. Someone provokes the teacher; the teacher responds by handing her a piece of paper with a scrawled message. She reads the note but does not share its contents with her classmates.

Meanwhile, I busy myself with the mission of uncovering the meaning of the message. The singled-out student refuses to share; I become bitter and decide to get a message of my own. I walk up to the teacher, the infamous Mr. Gardner, of course, and kick the desk he is guarding. He scowls, scribbles, and hands me a note; I rejoice that I now have a clue to decode. There are two words on the scrap--\"Strike One\"--suggesting the well-known baseball rule \"three strikes, and you're out.\"

Stressing Out About Finals: Should We Even Have Them?

Do end of semester exams benefit students? Before a flurry of emotion responds, take time to look at both sides of the paper. It might only be a one page test.

The Pro-Exam Faction
Those in support of finals argue that the tests give students the chance to learn what they were supposed to have learned during the semester. Others say that exams encourage the student to retain information in his or her long-term memory. If a student knows s/he will be tested on materials learned over months, they will spend more time studying the material.

Exams also give students the opportunity to correct mistakes they made on tests. As a student reviews the work they did throughout the course, they can fine-tune their mastery of the material. If you get an answer wrong once, finals is the time to prove you now know the correct information.
If the teacher weighs finals heavily, students who have slacked off a wee bit during the year get a chance to boost their grade. If you have a “B” grade so far, and ace the final, a B+/A- is possible. On the other hand, if the teacher puts less gravity on the exams, one does not have to worry as much about a negative impact on their standing grades.

Teachers point out to students that exams in high school prepares one for standardized tests, college exams and other tests like the MCAT, LSAT, GRE and NBDE. Some people also think exams give a more accurate assessment of student knowledge than homework or regular tests. Regular work is easier to cheat on, they claim.

A Creationist Responds in a High School Newspaper

Alex Korndorf, a critic of creation, cannot say the following without meriting a response: \"[Intelligent design theory] is pure dogma with absolutely no basis in reality.” I disagree. The reality of creation is firmly founded. Korndorf also said, “Not only are the intelligent design lobby’s arguments against evolution void, but intelligent design is not science at all.” I beg to differ. Check out all the bibliographic information at the end of this article. There are serious arguments, facts and scientists supporting the creation science side.
Alex Korndorf asked for an example of an irreducibly complex organism that “ has absolutely no evolutionarily beneficial results unless it is fully evolved.” The Bombardier Beetle is one creature that fits the ticket:

“The bombardier does appear to be unique in the animal kingdom. Its defense system is extraordinarily intricate, a cross between tear gas and a tommy gun. When the beetle senses danger, it internally mixes enzymes contained in one body chamber with concentrated solutions of some rather harmless compounds, hydrogen peroxide and hydroquinones, confined to a second chamber. This generates a noxious spray of caustic benzoquinones, which explode from its body at a boiling 212 degrees Fahrenheit. What is more, the fluid is pumped through twin rear nozzles, which can be rotated, like a B-17's gun turret, to hit a hungry ant or frog with bull's eye accuracy.” Quote from Natalie Angier reported by Rich Thompson/ San Francisco, Time Magazine (February 25, 1985), p. 70.

Pseudo Obituaries for Three Girls

Note: These are fake!

Titles: Faux Obits, Rigor Mortis, Nefarious Necrology, Pre-Mortem, Ante Mortem

Jacqueline Dawn Hill
Jackie was born in the back of a van, May 6th, 1992. Last Tuesday, Jackie died unexpectedly while dining on a steak with mushrooms at a Ritz Carlton Hotel. After an intense investigation into the cause of death, the chef revealed that the hotel had tried a new line of produce that accidentally included tainted mushrooms. Following the trail further, the farmer that grew the fungus admitted to using manure from a bovine with mad cow disease. Jackie’s favorite hobby was collecting rare rocks and garden gnomes. Left in a diary to be read at her funeral, Jackie revealed that she had an unfulfilled fetish for tackling people. Her family mourns the loss of a bright, caring, and crazy child.

For the Love of Wisdom: High School Philosophy

We have all heard “dubito, ergo cogito, ergo sum,” right? If you haven’t, and even if you have, take Mr. Nicholson’s Philosophy course. I took a full year—Ancient Philosophy in the fall, Modern in the spring—and it was one of the best decisions of my life. Let me tell you a bit about it.

We would explore Metaphysics daily, questioning whether or not God, the soul or the world exists. Puzzling over why there is being and not-non being drove us insane. Even A=A was not a given. My mental universe was shaken with questions demanding answers. But first I had to learn how to learn about learning.

Thus, we would turn to Epistemology, which deals with the way we know what we know. One problem arises called the Learner’s Paradox. If you’re looking for truth, how do you know when you have found it? If you already know what truth is, why are you looking for it? To answer this conundrum, Plato postulates the theory of the forms, where one has a previous existence in a realm full of true knowledge. Ripped from the realm of the forms, birthed into a body and brainwashed to forget what you knew, the process of learning would be that of remembering. Aristotle answers this enigma in a divergent manner. Take the class to find out how “The Philosopher” out thinks his teacher Plato.

A Hand-full of Buddha

The love of money is the root of all evil, but in the case of loving money because it helps others, goodness flows from this desire. This theme of benevolent and malevolent greed is showcased in the movie \"A Fistful of Dollars,\" where Clint Eastwood, named 'Joe' by a townsperson, earns blood money, only to give it up for the good of a family.

Flowing from this major theme of greed, multiple individual themes that correlate with Buddhism are apparent.

Author Dean Sluyter provides ample insights into the relationship between the above Spaghetti Western and the Asian Religion/Philosophy founded by the Buddha.

One parallel is the idea of \"stillness in action\"(226). The director of \"A Fistful of Dollars\" notes that Clint Eastwood is so brilliant in his role because he is comfortable being on camera and yet not really doing anything at the same time. Clint is able to give long, drawn-out facial expressions over actions taking place that say more than other film angles could.

Modern Christians with Corinthian Problems

How seriously should a modern day Christian take the words of the Apostle Paul? In some ways, this man seems extreme and unrealistic, in other ways, he is compromising and practical. To fully understand Christ, one cannot neglect to take into account the words of Paul. Although the applicability of certain ideas has transformed over time; some apply to different people and others apply to the same people in different ways. The book of 1st Corinthians contains numerous examples of Paul's advice.

In the beginning of the letter, Paul appeals to all of the Christians to agree with one another. This strong suggestion seems difficult. If two groups diverge on an issue, hopefully at least one of them has a more accurate view of the truth. The whole situation becomes bogged down when the truth needs to carry on, but the groups cannot come to a compromise about the truth. The example of the pivotal issue of the process of salvation is a major cause for division, leaving some Christian's consciences bitterly sensitive.