QUOTE

Hello.  This week, while researching my research paper about evolution, I found this awesome quote!  It was about my topic, which is : Should the theory of evolution be taught in high school.  This quote is for the argument AGAINST evolution in school, and I thought it was interesting.  Here it is:

"Question is: Can you tell me anything you know about evolution, any one thing, any one thing that is true? I tried that question on the geology staff at the Field Museum of Natural History and the only answer I got was silence. I tried it on the members of the Evolutionary Morphology Seminar in the University of Chicago, a very prestigious body of evolutionists, and all I got there was silence for a long time and eventually one person said, 'I do know one thing - it ought not to be taught in high school.'"-Dr. Colin Patterson 

Isn't that interesting? I thought so!  It is weird because i would have thought that an evolutionist themselves would have thought the other way around, that evolution should be for sure taught in school.  This quote is obviously said by someone who is against evolution in school, so it is very biased, but still, it struck me as strange.  What kind of person would be an evolutionist, but still be AGAINST one of the most controversial topics of their own profession?  If I was an evolutionist, I would be all for evolution in schools, not saying that I am, but still!  Most people agree with their jobs, or maybe that is just my impression.  But, what kind of person would have a job that they didn't believe in?  I guess I could understand if they were extremely poor or in dire need of money or if they were only trying to support their family, but if it wasn't absolutely necessary that you had a job, wouldn't you find one that you agreed with?  I know this is biased because the only jobs I have ever had are babysitting jobs, but even those I pick and choose.  If the last time I babysat the kids were whiny and needy and difficult, I am probably not going to want to babysit for them again.  That is just how I see it.  But no matter how you see it, you have to admit it is a pretty good quote.

Nineteen Minutes #2

Okay, so I finished the book this week and it was AMAZING!! The end did disappoint me a little bit, I admit, but it was still really good and I recommend it to EVERYONE.  This time, instead of just summarizing the book, I would like to analyze a quote from the book.  There are a ton of good quotes, but this is one of my favorites:

"Nobody wants to admit this, but bad things will keep on happening. Maybe that's because it's all a chain, and a long time ago someone did the first bad thing, and that led someone else to do another bad thing, and so on. You know, like that game where you whisper a sentence into someones' ear, and that person whispers it to someone else, and it all comes out wrong in the end. But then again, maybe bad things happen because it's the only way we can keep remembering what good is supposed to look like" 

Wow, deep, right?  Well, this quote is a huge theme of the book.  The book is all about that one horrifying act of violence that Peter did and it's affects on a lot of people's lives, like a domino effect.  And this quote says it all!  We have all done bad things and then we feel bad about what we did.  That is the force that keeps us all from doing all bad things, a conscience.  I know I have one for sure!! And I have seen consciences do some pretty crazy things to make itself feel better.  And that always brings us back to the good side of things.

Free Verse Poem

The Olden Golden Days

Oh, those olden golden days, how I miss them.
The Wii, the iPods, the Blackberrys are old news now.
Now, in the new blue days are so sleek and shiny.
There aren’t any more glitches in those old computers,
That used to freeze up every second.
iTunes is old news and so is the old fashion Ugg.
Now we have space gear and spaceships
Instead of sweatshirts and SUVs.
Those days are long gone now.
Those golden olden days.

Bibliography annotations

Allen, Greg. “Bill Lets Fla. Schools Teach Evolution Alternatives.” National Public Radio.  29 Apr. 2008

Greg Allen is the Miami correspondent for NPR.  He has been working there for six years.  He graduated with honors from the University of Pennsylvania in 1977. In this article, the Florida legislation was considering a bill that called for “academic freedom” or to question the theory of evolution.  The bill required that teachers give a thorough explanation of the theory of evolution, and then let students analyze it.  Supporters say it promotes academic freedom and critics say it is a “smoke-screen” or an excuse to bring religion into school.  The critics argue that it is wrong according to the separation of church and state.  This supports the argument against evolution in schools.

McKnight, Peter. “Religion in Disguise.” SIRS. 29 Oct. 2008

Peter McKnight was a professor in philosophy in science, ethics, and writing at the University of Western Ohio.  He has written for multiple newspapers and was formerly an attorney, also.  This article attacks the groups opposing the theory of evolution.  It explains how ridiculous the claims and acts of the creationists or intelligent designers who believe in a God and believe that modern science doesn’t leave room for God.  This article clearly supports the argument for evolution in schools.

Nineteen Minutes

As I said before, a total Jodi Picoult spree.  Her book Nineteen Minutes is an amazing book, and I'm not even done!! It is scary at first, but I love it right now and I can hardly put it down.  IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THIS BOOK, DON'T GO ANY FURTHER!!!!!  Peter Houghton was teased his whole life and he had never had more than one friend at a time, his first being Josie Cormier.  Their moms were friends after they were born and they became best friends until the mothers, Lacy for Peter and Alex for Josie, got in a fight.  Peter and Josie were still friends, just not at each other's houses, only at school.  Then, in sixth grade, Josie became popular and she told Peter she couldn't hang out with him anymore.  That is when Peter became friends with Derek.  In their sophomore year, Josie started dating Matt, who was ridiculously mean to Peter along with his friend Drew, and always had been.  Then, in their junior year, Peter's older brother was killed in a car crash with a drunk driver.  The brother, Joey, had always been the favorite, perffect son and Peter had known.  Peter was really into creating video games, and he created one where the losers in a school shot down all the jocks.  Derek helped him create it but Derek didn't think twice about it, whereas Peter had planned the whole thing.  On March 6, 2007 Peter struck Sterling High School and went after those who had victimized him his whole life.  He killed ten kids, including Josie's two best friends, Courtney and Maddie, and her boyfriend Matt.  As Peter was about to kill himself, Patrick, the detective, found him and put him into custody.  The trial is the part coming up in the book for me and I cannot wait to get to it!!!!!! Everyone should read this book!!! It is soooo good! 

The Tenth Circle

Okay.  Mrs B, I know this is supposedly late, but please sympathize with my long and sad story of a computer being unavailable to me and not thinking of handwriting it because I am really sorry and I have learned my lesson and please think about your morals and the ethical thing to do when making your decision.  Thank you.  Now to my book.  I am kind of on a Jodi Picoult spree.  The Tenth Circle is a story about a girl who is raped.  Her mom is having an affair with one of her college students, being a professor.  Her dad is a comic book illustrator.  Anna was raped by her ex-boyfriend who broke up with her.  They were both drunk and it was a huge deal.  Meanwhile, her dad and mom aren't even sleeping in the same room anymore because her dad found out about her affair.  I really don't want to ruin all of the surprises so if you haven't read this book, DON'T KEEP READING!!!!  Thank you.  So, Anna presses charges, but all of the evidence is against her, and the town is outraged because Jason, the ex-boyfriend, is the town's hockey star and their small town hero.  Then, the idea of drugs come into play, and it turns out Anna was on a date rape drug. This means that Jason would be tried as an adult.  Then, Jason's hockey scholarship is revoked because of the incident and he is found dead in the river, thought to be a suicide.  But the detective on the case doesn't believe it.  He finds a reason to arrest Anna for murdering Jason, but before he can get to her, she runs away.  She goes to her dad's home town of Akiak, Alaska.  Her parents follow her there and the police follow them there.  To save their daughter, both parents "admit" to the murder.  But we find out on the last page that it was in fact Anna's mother and it was a complete accident, since Jason had come on to her.  Wow, it was an intense book, but I liked it!!