Declaration of Independence

When the in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for a group of people to distance themselves from something that has caused them suffering while promising a better life.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that not all soft drinks are created equal, that some have a profoundly negative effect on the health of those who would ingest their sweet, sugary contents. Many exist, but not all bear the mark; caffeine.

A repurposed naturally-occurring plant insecticide turned into a food, caffeine gives you a temporary rush of energy. "Run faster, jump higher"; in the words of Andy Samberg, "Man, I'm not gonna let you poison me!"

But throwing it on the ground is not enough to rid ourselves of this volatile, energetic toxin. Everywhere we look, even in food (chocolate), we find delicious proof that we cannot live without caffeine.

To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has given us energy under a temporary ruse, only to steal more than he gave in the first place.

He has supplemented himself into our lives in a manner that he may be inescapable.

He has tied people to a leash of addiction, forcing regular users to need caffeine to function throughout the day.

He has cost us our money, our time, our health, all so that we can stay up all night finishing an AP Comp paper. He is an evil that must be stopped, but any of us alone are too weak; we must unite and work together if we are to have any hope of conquering this beast.

We therefore declare independence from caffeine. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of life, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.

Inaugural Address

My Fellow Americans: I stand before you, humbled by your choice to elect me as your president of the United States. It is a great honor to join the likes of my predecessors, and I will devote myself to making this an honor well-earned.

America is presented with troubling times. We have been hit by the storm, but still have yet to reach the epicenter of the whirlwind, as we have greater-yet hardships still standing in between us and the American dream.

But these are hardships that we will face. America was founded upon defiance in the face of adversity, and it has become a defining characteristic of anyone proud enough to call themselves an American.

The time, ladies and gentlemen, has come to fight.

If America is to continue to prosper, to remain a shining beacon of hope for democracy, every capable person must fight, whether by pen or sword. Whether you are making necessary supplies in a factory or find yourself stationed on the front lines, we must all take the necessary steps to combat adversity, and show the rest of the world just what we're capable of.

And in return, America shall be shown the greatest liberties it has ever scene. America is a country run by its citizens, not governments, and if we persevere, every man and woman will be free to make their life the way they want it, in harmony with one another; to truly make America the land of the free, and the home of the brave.

Jay Gatsby - So Far Away

While Avenged Sevenfold made the song "So Far Away" to mourn the loss of their drummer, I feel like many of the verses are applicable to Jay Gatsby's obsession and desire for Daisy.

As Gatsby stands on his dock, looking across the lake at the green light that marks Daisy's house, he feels so close with her finally within reach, yet so far away, struggling to find a way to reach out to her.
"I have so much to say, but you're so far away."

As Nick sets his plan to meet Daisy into motion, it's obvious that he's prepared for it, and has felt empty without Daisy in his life.
"How do I live without the ones I love?
Time still turns the pages of the book it's burned."

Finally, Tom is more interested in his mistress than Daisy, and along comes Daisy's old love to offer her a life of riches just when her marriage and life seemed in shambles.
"I tried to heal your broken heart
With all that I could."

Am I a Transcendentalist?

Transcendentalism is an intersting philosphy that we've had to read over the last couple of days. It revolves largely around the concept of self-reliance, and self-worth. It says that we should worship the God within, and that determination and confidence in ourselves and our own ideas will lead to enlightenment.

"Speak your latest conviction, and it shall be the universal sense."

As a Republican, I agree with the concept of being capable of being self-sufficient and not absolutely relying on others. But if we push others away, we do lose a great deal of potential. I belive the pinacle of genius lies in collaboraton; did Lance Armstrong personally design, build, and launch the rocket that took him to the moon? No, he's just a grunt with the bowels to withstand high g-forces, who rode into space on the most advanced vehicle ever made.

On the other end of a spectrum, throwing a talented person into a group of other perfectly talented people could result in that's person's talents never having a chance to shine. It's a balance of both giving a person room to grow and develop while still having others nearby to collaborate with, and this is a balance that transcendentalism does not promote.

So no, I am not a transcendentalist. I agree with a few points that it makes, but overall it just doesn't fit with my beliefs.

Map Analysis

Florida et regiones vicinae

Florida et regiones vicinae is a map of what is literally translated from latin as “Florida and Surrounding Areas”. It is a noticeably bare map; while it gives a general shape of, well, Florida and its surrounding areas, it’s obviously not perfectly accurate to anyone who has seen Florida’s shape on one of many modern-day maps; the peninsular state is shorter and more pointed, there’s a massive coastline extended much further east than in reality, and it has its bays a bit over-pronounced.

The map is also lacking when it comes to markings; over what covers the Bahamas, Northern Cuba, and roughly a quarter of the United States, there are less than 50 marked unique locations, and what locations are marked are mostly rivers with native titles. Native Americans obviously were still in control of America. This map is obviously a very early and misinformed one.

However, it’s not designed to be a perfect representation, however, but rather an idea, a foundation for future maps to be based upon. “Early maps and travel narratives were the first accounts to chronicle English impressions of the New World. As they did so, they charted a psychic space within which American whiteness developed.”

Occupy the Classroom

Link to article

Nicholas D. Kristof details in his op-ed how while Occupy Wall Street successfully shines a spotlight on an issue in America, the solution lies not in alterations to the payment of taxes, but rather in going to the root of the problem; education. By instituting programs to ensure that underprivelaged people have a better education, they're more likely to graduate school, get a job, get their own house, etc.

He does a good job of nabbing everybody's attention with a clear, progressive thesis that starts off with Occupy Wall Street (which everybody by this point has most likely heard of) and steers into a proposition of action that's described with detail while still being concise, and is well-backed by evidence of similar successful attempts at what he's proposing.

Sound and Fury

Sound and Fury is a documentary about two families with deaf children. Both families are considering a cochlear implant for their deaf child to help them hear; one family is deaf, while the other one is hearing. (but the parents of both families are related, so the hearing one knows sign language)

In the end of the film, the deaf family decides to not get the implant for their child because they want their kid to experience all that deaf culture has to offer, and instead enrolls her in a deaf school. Meanwhile, the hearing family gets an implant for their child.

Both families present decent arguments for their side. The deaf family believes that their child should have a chance to explore deaf culture, and perhaps when they're older they should have a chance to choose whether they want an implant or not. Since they're both decently successful people, they don't believe their daughter would be unable to succeed in life with deafness. They see deafness as an identity, not a handicap.

Meanwhile, the hearing family really wants their child to be able to have every opportunity to succeed. By implanting the child at a very young age (their child was 11 months old) the child has a headstart in picking up on language.

While I'm not part of the deaf discourse, it seems to me like the deaf family resents the hearing world, and wants to seclude themselves. While they are able to make enough money to live a decently happy life, even the father admits at one point that he thinks his deafness prevents him from being able to really ascend up the corporate ladder. They are pressured from hearing family members to give their child an implant, and being able to return to their secluded world makes them calm and serene.

Meanwhile, the hearing family wants their child to be able to choose whatever they want in life, and not be limited in their interaction with the vast majority of people.