Truly beautiful

Have you ever just been hanging out with somebody you love, be in friend, family, or lover, and just thought to yourself: this person is truly beautiful. I’m not even talking about physical appearance, though that could also be a factor. I am talking about the person’s mind or soul. The kind of person who loves you even on your worst days and always has something nice to say. The kind of person you run to when you are feeling blue and they envelop you in their arms and mumble something about egging  a house. I don’t know. That kind of person’s job description changes from person to person. However, I feel like everyone knows at least one person they find truly beautiful. I used to not understand the saying, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But, I find as I get older, it becomes more and more clear. You don’t have to have any defining physical qualities to be considered beautiful. You just have to have a sort of selflessness towards those you love. This makes being beautiful a lot harder than learning to apply eyeliner. Which brings me to the real reason of this post. I stabbed myself with eyeliner in the eye. Being a girl is painful. 

Sincerely Sydney

Child Pornography Debate

I am seriously in shock and awe over this issue. Never did I ever think that there could be a side whowould want to lessen the amount of years that people who possess or distribute childpornography are sentenced to. But of course, since we are in America and every dumbass out their can have a say on things, people are trying to lessen the jail time for pedophiles. Their reason? These days, people convicted of child pornography can serve more jail time than those who actually sexually abuse the child. Instead of doing what is logical, which would be to lengthen the time sexually abusive adults can serve in jail, they decided that the smart decision would be to just shorten the sexual abuse convict’s jail time.

            I almost threw up when I read that logic. It seems so backwards, I could hardly believe that someone would ever consider this a good idea, let alone convince others to believe the same thing. Child pornography is one of the most horrid things that is around; I would agree with Jerom Elam and put it on the samelevel as terrorism. He says it most perfectly: “[child pornography is a] war these ‘terrorists’ wage against a child’s innocence.” Pornographers are satisfying themselves by the fear and pain a child feels while their purity is being desecrated. Personally, I feel like anyone who has such a power complex as to feel joy at this should go to Hell. They do not deserve to be alive on this Earth anymore. However, in America, we tend to avoid corporal punishment and in most states the death penalty is no longer allowed. The supporters of shortening the jail time of child pornographers say we must do so much more though to help these god-forsaken, horrible human beings. That a lot of the time they are just mentally sick and would never actually hurt a child, so we as a society should not alienate them by making them serve 10 years. They believe that if the social institutions in their life stay present and they are watched, that the problem will go away.

 However, this just does not seem to be the case.

            Most people who distribute or possess child pornography are not just 30 year old men with a some extreme psychological problems, who merely need some counseling and support. They are actually child molesters; men and women who need to feel power and in control over something, and choose to exploit children. “According to Ryan C. W. Hall, MD, and Richard C. W. Hall, MD in their 2007 article “A Profile of Pedophilia:"’Studies and case reports indicate that 30% to 80% of individuals who viewed child pornography and 76% of individuals who were arrested for Internet child pornography had molested a child.’” (Elam, par. 27/28­).

Horrible Human Being

That isn’t just one or two porn watchers. That is a majority of porn watchers. Putting them out in the real world is just asking for trouble. New stories fill the headlines about awful things happening to the children of the world. Hell, in the FBI’s Top Wanted list there is a child pornographer. His name is Eric Justin Toth; he abused is accessibility to children as a teacher and camp counselor. These pornographers are no longer just creepy old peeping toms through the window or weird ol’ Sal down the street. They are men and women with easy access to children and a disgusting appetite to fill.

As law enforcement, it is hard to catch everyone involved in this messed up market. There are so many people, and anyone who helps allow this to continue is to blame. With the few people we have caught, though, we should set an example for others. And lessening the punishment is not the correct way to do so. This problem is expanding so far and wide, with the cases nearly doubling in the past 6 years, and that is only the ones we know of. In order to crack down, we need to keep the current laws on child pornography sentencing and raise the ones on rape and child molestation. Every child has a right to their innocence, and since they are too young to know how to secure that right, we as a society must.

Sincerely Sydney

Part of the sermon I gave today, in case you were interested

My Uncle Roger has become a major guide in my life, and has advised me on the important topics of family and marriage. This past summer, his wife, Angie, became very sick. She experienced a stroke, and ever since it has been a struggle for her day after day.  Roger has stepped up in ways that only a very strong man could ever possibly do. He cares for her every day, by helping her do even the simplest things, while still holding a job. I come over and visit them as often as I can, and when I visit, Angie gets very tired and tends to have to take a nap. During this time, Roger and I talk about our lives and families. Through these talks and his actions, I have realized the importance of marriage and family. How you need to marry someone who truly will be there through sickness and health, because sometimes the unexpected happens. How you must always place your family first, because they are the ones who will love you unconditionally and never leave your life. He has shown me a real life example of how families can be stressed and still survive. Most importantly, the lessons I learn from him tell me that when you love someone, you are willing to put their well-being above your own.  We have learned this many times, with the most memorable story being God sacrificing his only son because of his love for us. Sometimes, though, we must do the same thing. Maybe not on the same scale as the crucifixion of Jesus, but still a very meaningful thing to do here on Earth.  I believe my Uncle Roger can be considered a Good Sheppard, showing through his actions how to be a good Christian.

Sincerely Sydney

Must be in a science-article mood this weekend

“Billion-year Upgrade”

Bob Holmes

New Scientist

2/19/2011, p42-49

                Bob Holmes’ article discussed how to make photosynthesis more efficient in crop plants. Basically, the act of photosynthesis started billions of years ago in cyanobacterium. While their photosynthetic process is constantly involving, the one in plants is not as much because of the slow growth rate and ever-changing structure of plants. The fault in plants is that the enzyme rubisco first developed in a time on the earth when oxygen was not present. During this time, rubisco had no problem changing carbon dioxide into carbons for the Calvin cycle. But now, since oxygen is so prevalent, the carbon dioxide and oxygen seems almost interchangeable for rubisco, and when oxygen is used, the cell destroys food instead of making it. In order to cut down on this, scientists suggest we take a hint from cyanobacterium and genetically create crops that have carboxysomes (little internal pockets that surround rubisco and only have bicarbonate pumped in, which carbon anhydrase makes into carbon dioxide before it enters rubisco). There are skeptics who suggest that since the plant hasn’t made this evolutionary change by itself, maybe it can’t physically do it, but scientists believe that it is possible. Another type of change that scientists are trying to adapt in plants is that of nitrogen-fixation. Since plants need nitrogen to make proteins, they need a more direct way than just taking it from the soil using their roots. By putting the genes into the plants chloroplast, they believe that the plant won’t reject them (since it is “essentially putting bacterial genes in a bacterial system”).  The problem is that the key enzyme in this process is rendered useless by oxygen, which is a product of photosynthesis, done in chloroplasts. The possible solution is putting the process on a “molecular timer”, making the nitrogen fixation happen during the night and the photosynthesis happen during the day, when the enzyme is inactive. Both of these genetic alteration plans are underway and hope to be successful in about three years.

               

This information is important because of the rising price of food. Everywhere you turn the price of food is slowly rising because of the fact that we have more people than ever to try to feed on the Earth. The less of a food that is available and the higher the demand, the more the food companies can charge for said food, making it very expensive to survive. And when a tropical storm hits (which seems to frequent as of late), the entire agricultural output is destroyed in that area, putting more stress on the food market. Having a better crop, a crop that can photosynthesize more efficiently, would really help make sure that we always have enough food to maintain a balance in prices and effectively feed everyone. This is because the crops will yield more, as there will be more of them and they will be larger in size. The article said using this old and outdated version of photosynthesis and trying to make the demands for food is “like building a modern aircraft carrier and powering it with a Victorian steam engine”. In a day and age that places such an emphasis on developing our technology and resources, we should place time and effort on developing something that people cannot live without: food.

I believe that people who plan on being part of the agricultural science and market field should read this article. Some may not realize that to better our plants’ yield, we may actually have to alter the plant itself, not just its growing conditions. This seems to be an up and coming scientific goal, and the payoff of the things suggested in the article could lead to an increase in food yield of 15%. That is a huge number when we are talking of a lot of plants. I found this article easy to read, so it would be a great introduction into this topic for those interested.
Sincerely Sydney

Something to think about...

Sincerely Sydney

Article Review!

“The Orderly Chaos of Proteins”

A. Dunker and R. Kriwacki

Scientific American

April 2011, 68-73

                In “The Orderly Chaos of Proteins”, the main focus of the article was proteins with disordered parts. Previous knowledge before this discovery suggests that all proteins must “fold into a precise, rigid configuration” (68). Now, from the compilation of many studies, it can be concluded that proteins can have portions of their amino acid chain that doesn’t have a specific shape all the time. The start of this notion was suggested in the 1940s, when Linus Pauling observed that some antibodies can fold up in a multitude of ways to fit the surface of the antigen, and since then certain proteins have been seen to have unstructured parts that allow it to have a specific function. NMR spectroscopy showed the amino acids moving a lot, and when it was performed on the protein p21, which helps control the division of cells, he noticed the protein was almost all disordered and can still perform its function. The disordered parts of proteins give it the ability to be flexible and mold itself to enzymes, which is why more disordered proteins generally are used for signaling and regulation.  The scientists who have been working on researching disordered proteins believe that they have more hydrophilic amino acids because hydrophobic amino acids have to be inwards, limiting the variability of the protein. Research also suggests that eukaryotes have more of these disordered proteins because they have more parts that need regulation and signaling to coordinate among the various cells and tissues.

                This article, as it should go without saying, is very important to not only biology, but also life as we know it. Proteins themselves are arguably one of the most important units of life, since everything relates to them including DNA and cells.  Since 1/3 of all the proteins in our body have disordered parts, it seems self-evident that we should know about this type of protein. Disordered proteins and how they function can help explain how certain things in our body happen, especially when it comes to signaling and regulating. If you know how these things work, you can manipulate them to fit your own personal needs. A more specific example of this involves proteins key involvement in disease. Disordered proteins can be very dangerous when it comes to disease, because when they are in excess they are more likely to mishmash and cause a plaque of sorts, which can lead to Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s, and Parkinson’s. If we can figure out how to make disordered proteins more structured, in the brain especially, we can possibly learn to prevent these neurodegenerative diseases. Scientists are currently using disordered protein knowledge to fight cancer. Protein-protein relationships are very common within biology and humans, making it an ideal way to treat diseases, and proteins that are disordered can more easily interact with structured proteins than another structured protein could. As of late, studies have been going on in animals in which a molecule blocks an interaction between a gene that suppresses cancer and its regulatory partner. This has been shown to be successful in fighting cancer, and now this research has developed into clinical trials for humans. A cure to these devastating diseases would be a major breakthrough for science, and it would create a healthier society.

               

                I recommend this article to those trying to find cures to diseases or who have a disease. This protein-protein interaction that is being suggested for cures is highly effective so far, and if tweaked a bit, could be the new lead in fighting disease. I suggested this to anyone who has a disease since it can help explain the cure that may be used on them, and I strongly believe in understanding what is wrong with you and how it is going to be fixed, as it helps you understand the implications behind it. This article has a high lexile level, however, so make sure to allot yourself enough time to read it.  

Sincerely Sydney

Be my, Be my, Be my Yoko Ono

I believe I am in love with this band, the Barenaked Ladies. They are just so upbeat: a good studying band. They make you want to jump around with your girlfriends and eat chocolate covered strawberries. Or maybe that is just me! hahaha Whatever the case is, even if this isn't your favorite song, I believe everyone should give them a chance.
Sincerely Sydney

Constitution for A School--An attempt at a perfect school system pt. 2

Bill of Rights:

1^st Amendment: Every person has the right to an equal education, regardless of wealth, gender, race, religion, or intelligence. The amount of an educational experience a student wishes to pursue, will be the amount they get in return.

2^nd Amendment: No teacher can ever verbally or physically abuse a child for any reason. The judicial branch will deal with any discipline, and any violators will be given a verbal warning the first time, a written warning the second. The third occurrence will lead to a firing of said offender.

3^rd Amendment: Every person has the right to freely practice their own religion at school, as long as it does not infringe on any rights of the others.

4^th Amendment: The school newspaper and any other press are allowed free speech of any topic as long as it is not slander.

5^th Amendment: Students are allowed to express their own opinions, regardless of if they are the popular belief, as long as it does not endanger or slander any other person.

6^th Amendment: Every person has the right to hearing if they are being accused, with a lawyer to defend them. Everyone is innocent until proven guilty.

7^th Amendment: No cruel or unusual punishment is allowed for any child or adult. Expulsion must be ratified by the executive branch as well as the judicial branch. Corporal punishment is not allowed.

8^th Amendment: No student or teacher is allowed to be searched without a warrant issued by the principal. This warrant must have due cause, like suspected drug dealing or stolen merchandise.

9^th Amendment: Everyone has the right to vote or run for any office in the government of the school. No discrimination is allowed.

10^th Amendment: Any trial that goes on must happen within the week of the accusation, and the jury must be impartial.
Sincerely Sydney

Constitution for A School--An attempt at a perfect school system pt. 1

Preamble:

                We the students, in order to form a more perfect school, establish respect for different cultures, and provide for the needs of the general youth public, have drafted this constitution to put in place a few laws regarding the running of the school. This document entitles students to receive full protection from anything threatening their safe learning environment. The school’s government’s goal is to push students to success, and this constitution shows how this will be achieved.

Article I:

The legislative branch of this new government will be bicameral, to promote equality.  The first body will be the House of Classes, with representatives chosen to speak for their class by population. There will one representative for every 25 people in a class. The second body will be the Schoolyard Senate, chosen by seniority. The freshman class will get three representatives, while the sophomores will get five, the juniors seven, and the seniors nine.  This branch will acknowledge that seniors have been around the school more and better understand the problems of the school. The branches will be equal in regards to authority. These bodies propose new laws and pass through amendments. They also keep the legislative and judicial branch in check by approving any laws the executive branch proposes. They can also impeach the principal if he/she sets an unfair budget for the school.  If the judicial branch makes a questionable judgment then the legislative branch can suspend it till further discussion.  Any issues must be approved by over 50% of both houses.

Article II:

The executive branch of the new government will hold only one office, yet there will be multiple people involved in making this branch work. The head will be the principal of the school, chosen by the school board, which is composed up of adults in the community. The advisor to the principal will be a student, an upper classmen, who is elected by the students. His jobs include bringing to light any and all problems the students seem to be having, so the principal can make better executive decisions.  The executive branch can propose new laws to the legislative branch. The executive branch also sets the budget for the school. The executive branch will keep the others in check by being able to veto any bills the legislative branch proposes and approving anyone who is appointed to the judicial branch. The principal is in power for four years, the advisor changes every year. They can serve up to 3 terms.

Article III:

                The judiciary branch of the new government will be composed completely of paid professionals. For any legal issues, the police force will take care of the problem and take it to the necessary legal court. This includes drug and violence issues. There will be one police man for every five hundred students. There will be four disciplinary figures at the school, one who oversees the other three. The lower three deal with social issues that might arise at the school, including stealing and bullying. The overseer finalizes the selected solution of the lower three, and helps with deal with difficult cases. There are also 5 counselors on board, who will help deal with aftermath of issues that may arise, and students are assigned counselors by last name.  The judicial branch keeps the other branches in check by deciding if the laws the legislative branch passed are constitutional.  The executive branch is the one who appoints judiciary branch members.

Article IV:

                Teachers have very little representation in the government. However, they make up the school board along with other prominent adults in the community, and they get to pick the executive branch, which is the principal. The principal decides the budget and has the authority to appoint judiciary members, so the school board has direct input on that that. If the school board feels like something is lacking in the school, or being done unfairly, they can petition. This petition process allows the school board to go to the legislative branches and make their case. The teachers and adults on the school board can also impeach legislative branch members if they have violated any law or constitutional right. The administration, thus, must listen to and respect the teachers.

Article V:

                The constitution of the school can be changed if need be.  First, a new change must be suggested by a legislative house or the principle. Then the legislative branches must have it pass among them both with 75 percent positive consensus in both houses. Then the school board must agree with a 80 percent positive consensus. Then an amendment may be adopted into the constitution. At any time, the judicial branch may put the bill on hold for being unconstitutional, but this can be reversed with solid evidence on how it is within the right power. Then the executive branch must decide if the judicial branch or legislative branch is correct.

 Article VI:

                When ratifying amendments, the consensus must be slightly higher than for normal laws. The process is the same, but the houses only need 65 percent agreement and the school board a 70 percent agreement.

Sincerely Sydney