Signs of Stress

-"Of Course You're Stressed. Just Look At You"
-Chris Woolston, Los Angeles Times 
-April 27, 2013
-http://www.latimes.com/health/la-he-ordinary-stress-20130427,0,214998.story
When people are stressed, they usually have the same signs showing they are stressed. However, when they have been under that stress for years, it appears to be worse. Due to cortisol and a number of other hormones, the brain puts itself in a "fight-or-flight" situation, and this is noticed through a change in physical appearances or actions. One way the human body tries to fight away stress is through grinding teeth. People release their stress and problems by putting their teeth through the torture. Another sign is gum disease. Having high amounts of cortisol in the blood leads to periodontal disease, and that leads to tooth loss. More signs of stress are inflammation, thinning hair and bones, and weight gain. People eat more when they are stressed due to the need to have something to comfort them. Cortisol weakens bones because it prevents them from being able to gain calcium, and inflammation is also caused due to the cortisol and other hormones.

Eleven-Year-Old Survivor

-"Five Dead in Georgia House Fire, 11-Year-Old Girl Sole Survivor"
-Michael Mello, Los Angeles
-April 27, 2013
-http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-georgia-house-fire-20130427,0,3889612.story
In Newnan Georgia, the house of a family with five children was burned and four of them were killed along with one adult. At one in the morning, firefighters appeared at their house but the home was completely burned. The last child remaining had no idea what was happening until her mother woke her up and urged her to run away. However, the child's mother, Alonna McCrary, was found dead in attempt to rescue her four other children, ages one through five. The one child who survived was sent to the hospital to check her lungs. She must feel lonely and abandoned because she no longer has her mother or her other four siblings by her side. Lately, a lot of people have been dying from tragic events such as this, or the Boston bombings. It is heartbreaking to know members of families are passing away, especially for this specific girl because she was the only one to survive.

Suspect's University

-"Boston Bombings; Students at Suspect's Campus Express Shock, Relief"
-Michael J. Mishak, Los Angeles Times
-April 21, 2013
-http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-boston-bombings-umass-students-20130421,0,7176563.story
University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, the university where Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the man suspected of being the bomber at the Boston Marathon, was enrolled. When the university was notified that he was the suspect, they evacuated the school knowing he was enrolled there, but was reopened after he had been captured. A school that used to be loud and talkative, was now shy and scared. The lives of these students will no longer be the same, especially for those who had him in their class, or maybe even sat next to him and talked to him on a daily basis, or even if he lived in the same dormitory as they did. Two students who lived in the same dormitory were rudely awakened by a fire alarm, and went to live with their family, considering they were not allowed into their dorms whatsoever. All they wanted was to have life back to the way it was and to finish the semester as quickly and calmly as possible. The school wants to be as comforting to the students as possible. Being a witness to this large of an event must have been extremely traumatizing for the students.

Hookah vs Cigarettes

-"Study: Hookah No Safer Than Cigarettes, Just Differently Dangerous"
-Amina Khan, Los Angeles Times
-April 19, 2013
-http://www.latimes.com/news/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-hookah-cigarette-smoking-cancer-shisha-20130419,0,7032333.story
People who smoke hookah try to argue that it is safer than cigarettes, such as the forty percent of college students who have admit to doing it and said they believe it is safer. Hookah smokers believe that since it is water based, the tobacco and other toxic ingredients will be filtered out. Contrary to their belief, it does not filter out anything and they probably inhale more tobacco from hookah than cigarettes. A study in San Francisco tested eight men and five women for four days of smoking cigarettes (about eleven per day), and another four days of smoking hookah (three sessions per day). Even though more nicotine was found in the participants' blood when smoking cigarettes, they could still get addicted to hookah. However, almost three times as much carbon monoxide was found in their breath for smoking hookah, and higher levels of benzene in their urine (linking to leukemia).

-"Caffeine Amps Up Bees' Memory, Study Finds"
-Amina Khan, Los Angeles Times
-March 7, 2013
-http://www.latimes.com/news/science/la-sci-bees-caffeine-20130308,0,3993130.story
Caffeine is not only for humans to get their energy, but when bees take in nectar with a bit of caffeine, they get a little boost of energy, and a little boost in their memory. Labs have done research where when a bee takes in nectar with the slightest trace of caffeine, they could slightly remember a floral scent about three days later. However, if there is a larger amount of caffeine, then they could completely remember the sent three days later. Neuroethologist Geraldine Wright found slight doses of caffeine in the nectar of coffee plants and four types of citrus. The bees were trained by being sprayed a floral scent in their faces, then being fed the sources of caffeine. When the experiment was done ten minutes later, it was not as effective as it was when tested repeatedly as time passed. The bees were not only tested as they were alive, but their brains were taken out and hooked up to electrodes, and flooded with caffeine. The caffeine had an effect on the neurons that were involved with their memory, similar to the effect it had with the brain of mammals.

Stereotypes

"Discuss Adolf Hitlers reported statement, 'Who still tells nowadays of the extermination of the Armenians?' Does this statement have any validity today?"
This statement has no validity today. If it did, then Armenian schools would not mention the 'extermination' of Armenians at least once a day. Ever since Kindergarten, Armenian students and children, even if they do not attend an Armenian school, are taught about the Genocide. Nowadays, Americans also have learned about what has happened to the Armenians. The Armenian culture is all about spreading and having themselves known.
"Discuss the following: 'Genocide can never be eliminated because it is deeply rooted in human nature.' Do you agree or disagree?"
I completely agree with this quote because there are always countries or even one person who is against another country or person. Genocide is not only the killing of a group of people who follow a certain religion or live in a certain place, it could be one person. In the end, there will be one person who wants to kill someone else whether it be for their race, religion, or any belief they have. Even if they do not want to reach those extremes, they will still hate their enemy. Not one person could be loved by everyone else.

Daylight Saving

-"Struggle to Adjust to Daylight Saving? It's Not Just You."
-Joseph Serna, Los Angeles Times
-March 8, 2013
-http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-daylight-saving-effects-20130308,0,5646480.story
People all have the struggle of waking up early in the morning and driving to work or school. However, now that time has been pushed ahead one hour, the sun rises a little later than usual. The Better Sleep Council has done research showing that sixty one percent of Americans said their work quality on Monday has been affected by the change of time. Losing an hour of sleep also changed the eating and driving habits of the 1,038 adults surveyed. Twenty nine percent of those people said it would take them almost a week to adjust to the time changes. A Swedish study from five years ago said the chances of having a heart attack the first three days of the daylight savings time changes increased by ten percent. An Australian study that same year showed people, specifically men, were more likely to commit suicide. All it takes for these statistics to decrease is for people to start preparing from days before to receive enough sleep.

Is the Glass Half Empty?

-"Study: The Health Benefits of Pessimism"
-March 1, 2013, Los Angeles Times
-Monte Morin
-http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-pessimism-benefits-20130301,0,6108812.story
People have always said that they should be optimistic and look at the glass half full, rather than to be pessimistic and look at the glass half empty. However, a German study shows that those who have a better outlook on life, have their life end about ten years before those who have a negative outlook on life. They surveyed about forty thousand Germans between the ages of eighteen and ninety six, every year for ten years from 1993 until 2003. The younger group overestimated their success and health in their life, while the middle age group was closer to knowing their lives would not be as great as they thought. The elder group had a better life than they thought they would have, but the pessimists had less of the chance to suffer with disabilities or early death. One of the authors of Psychology and Aging said "We found that from early to late adulthood, individuals adapt their anticipations of future life satisfaction from optimistic, to accurate to pessimistic...Pessimistic accuracy appears to be linked with preserved functional health and better chances to survive".

Carnival Masquerade

With $100,000 to spend on a party, any type of party is possible. If I were to throw one, it would be a masquerade, containing carnival rides, all on a beach house. The house would be on the coast of Malibu, an ultra private beach home with four bedrooms. This would cost $45,000 for a month. The masks will also be available at the party, and each dozen masks will cost twenty dollars. If there is more than two hundred people attending, that would require twenty dozens which equals to almost $400. The additional items to make the party carnival themed include:
Ferris Wheel : $2,000
Teacup Ride: $900
Cotton Candy/Popcorn Machine: $130 each
Magician: $260
The food I would have to offer my guests would be a 1920's inspired meal. It would all be homemade because I am one who prefers making my own food rather than ordering it. The cost of making each for approximately 200 people would be:
Mint Julep: $300
Stuffed Mushrooms: $200
Chicken Breast a la Rose with Waldorf Salad: $450
Lemon Chiffon Cake: $250




The method of transportation I would offer to my guests would be a party bus limo which would cost $975 per bus, and each could hold up to one hundred people, therefore two would be required. To hire a DJ for the music, it would cost me about $400 for a normal one who can play music that the guests can enjoy and dance to. Thus far, the total would be $52,370. With the left over money I could purchase one thousand dollars worth of decorations, forty six thousand for party favors (Michael Kors watches, $230 each), and the rest to treat myself to buy an outfit to wear at my party.

Clothing in the 1920's

Clothing in the 1920's was a major change to what it was before the decade. Before then, the people would always wear formal attire, but in the 1920's, they began to wear clothing that was more comfortable. One of the popular styles for women was "the flapper" which, rather than it being tight and puffy, it was flat and loose. Men also began to wear comfortable clothing, rather than extremely fancy suits, but the suits in the 1920's are basically the same style as they are today. These changes were affected by the development of fabrics and clothing. Women also began to dress like boys, and this was because of the women's rights movement. Shorter hairstyles and fitted dresses became the new fashion for the decade. One of the most influential and first women to change begin this trend was Coco Chanel.
The clothing in the 1920's ties to the first few chapters of The Great Gatsby because at Gatsby's party everyone is dressed in the elegant clothing along with fancy and expensive jewelry. The dresses that the women wore themselves was not too expensive, but the jewelry showed that they were rich. Their choice of clothing was a sign that the guests had high expectations of the party.

Doctors Cooking

-"Doctors Who Cook Say They Give Better Nutrition Advice"
-February 18, 2013, Los Angeles Times
-Mary MacVean
-latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-doctors-who-cook-say-they-give-better-nutrition-advice-20130218,0,5323180.story
Harvard University has been doing an experiment with the Culinary Institute of America, where healthcare professionals are learning nutritional sciences along with cooking. The purpose of the experiment, “Healthy Kitchens, Healthy Lives – Caring for Our Patients and Ourselves”, is for doctors to to be able to influence their patients into following their ways of eating healthy. Before the conference, forty six percent of participants were able to say they successfully changed the eating habits and lifestyle of overweight patients. However, after the conference, eighty one percent were able to do this. This is an excellent way of getting Americans to eat healthier, rather than only the patients who are obese or overweight ones. Doctors would also feel better about themselves for eating healthy, and being able to be the influence of their patients to eat healthier. 

Gatorade and Chicken

-"Sport Report - Gatorade Chemicals and Chicken Wing Shortage"
-January 31, 2013, The Colbert Report
-http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/423443/january-31-2013/sport-report---gatorade-chemicals---chicken-wing-shortage
Recently, the Gatorade company has changed the recipe of their beverages by taking out a chemical that makes it flame retardant. Colbert is attempting to tell his viewers that by Gatorade taking out one chemical from their beverages, that does not mean it is now healthier in any way. He is satirizing the makers of Gatorade, and the fact that they think this one ingredient could make it better. Colbert's techniques throughout the video is that he is making jokes about the situations, but at the same time, he is using serious examples. The other case is, that for Super Bowl Sunday, there was a shortage of chicken wings because people have supposedly stolen them. Here, he is making fun of the people who were stealing the chicken wings. Colbert also uses price examples of the chicken wings and that the prices were raising, as well as questioning what parts of the chicken they realistically feed consumers, rather than what consumers think they are.

Artist's Life in One Painting

-"Terrible Artist Thinks Latest Piece Really Represents A Culmination Of Everything He’s Been Working Toward All His Life"
-February 2, 2013, The Onion
-http://www.theonion.com/articles/terrible-artist-thinks-latest-piece-really-represe,31130/
Artists usually incorporate their lives or emotions into their paintings. However, Todd Reese, a terrible artist, says that one of his recent paintings basically tells his entire life story. Paintings are similar to memoirs, they emphasize on a single part of ones life. In this case, the painting was like an autobiography. Reese has not taken any classes on art or any training, but after finishing his work of art, he wants to begin a video art project. It is extremely odd to see that at age fifty-six, the man could still be considered a terrible and untalented artist. People may wonder if the man himself is aware of the fact that he is one of the least talented artists to exist. He most likely does not because if he did, then he would have stopped painting a while ago. His better works of art may be coming together now, but there may be a person who sees his art as inspirational.

Quitting Smoking

-"Quitting Smoking Prolongs Life at Any Age"
-Amina Khan, Los Angeles Times
-January 23, 2013
-http://www.latimes.com/health/la-sci-smoking-risks-20130124,0,1494622.story
Quitting smoking at any age could be helpful to any person's life expectancy. New research has been done, showing that by quitting at the age of sixty-four increases one's life by four years, and quitting at thirty-four can increase it by up to a decade. Fortunately, the percentage of smokers has decreased to about nineteen percent, but unfortunately, there are about forty five million smokers remaining in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that smoking related diseases have been the cause of less than half a million deaths each year. The elderly smokers need to be informed of this news as well as young ones, and it is never too late to quit smoking. However, some smokers believe that they cannot survive without smoking because they have been doing it for such a long time, that they think there is no way to replace their bad habit. If they stick to their plan of quitting and are serious about it, then surely they can do it.

Healthier School Meals

-"Alliance of Big City School Districts Aims for More Healthful Meals"
-Teresa Watanabe, Los Angeles Times
-January 17, 2013
-http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-lausd-food-20130117,0,1016267.story
Los Angeles Unified School District, along with five other school districts, have decided to spend less money to make their cafeteria meals healthier and the trays more eco-friendly. Since the amount of children suffering from obesity and diabetes is increasing, a couple of school districts have realized the issue and have decided to act upon it. They have substituted products on their menu to being healthier such as using whole grain products and serving fresh fruit instead of cupcakes for school celebrations. In fact, all New York District schools contain salad bars in their cafeterias. Serving healthier and more organic meals, along with using environmentally friendly trays, are more expensive, but each school district is slowly attempting to work their way up to reach their goals. Schools have cut down having flavored milk or sodas in their vending machines or cafeterias, or are getting rid of their polystyrene trays. A fun treat that schools have come up with is the idea of "ants on a log". This is a stick of celery covered in peanut butter, with raisins placed on them representing the ants.

Nature

As I sit on the porch of my front yard at around noon, I listen closely to the footsteps and small-talk of families as they stroll along. I hear the sound of the skateboard rushing on concrete towards me from behind, looking back to see it is my neighbor. I give him a smile as he continues to pass me and proceed with his daily ride on his skateboard. I take a glance at my pomegranate tree, and realize it is missing something: the bright green leaves it was rich with only a month ago. I look on the ground and notice the dead orange and brown leaves surrounding the tree. I noticed the temperature rising, but felt the slight breeze every time a car would speed by. The sounds of the motors running was not very soothing, but the chirping and singing of the birds made it somewhat bearable. What I heard next, was a car blasting Armenian music. I could not understand the purpose of doing that, but I realized he was not the only car blasting music. A few minutes later I realized there were other drivers blasting different types of music. Since I was sitting on the front porch right next to the door, I heard my family and heard my mother shouting my name. I could already smell the food, and could not wait to eat the delicious hot dogs she made for me.

America's Health is Improving

-"Believe It or Not, Report Says Fresh Fruit is #1 Snack in America"
-Karen Kaplan, Los Angeles Times
-January 8, 2013
-http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-snacking-in-america-fresh-fruit-20130108,0,2606289.story
After most states of the United States claimed to be extremely unhealthy with most of their population being overweight, fruits have claimed to be the healthiest snacks. Along with them being the most popular snack, farmers are growing excessive amounts of fruits as well. Americans have eaten almost ten to twenty-five times more fruit than junk food such as chocolate and potato chips. There are a few reasons to why fresh fruits popularity has grown. One would be that it's a common snack between all age groups ranging from babies and senior citizens. It is also a snack that could be eaten any time of the day, including a sweet dessert. Recently, Americans have also been realizing that they must take extra care of themselves, and the only healthy snack they could think of are fruits. The final reason is because fruit is not a snack to fill ones stomach for too long of a time, therefore they eat fruits more often.

Independent Reading Project

Out of all the book choices from the list for our independent reading project, I read Me Talk Pretty One Day. After the presentations, the book that seemed most appealing was the one Andre read which is Into the Wild. This book seemed intriguing because it inspired me to really think about my life to find what is known as my "wild". Similar to the book I read, this book did not have aspects that would make it depressing and instead inspirational. The book I would probably be least likely to read is Unbelievable: The Life, Death and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G. The reason for this would be because even though this rapper may have had an interesting life, it is not a topic I am interested in. The other stories seemed to be depressing, which is why I chose a less depressing book, but this story was not very intriguing for me. Hearing about the story and his life did sound more intriguing than actually reading the book.