cross-curricular-works

Solver

Wed, 22 May 2013 23:07:36 +0100

Throughout our lives here on earth, special people are placed in our paths to help us along the way. Some come to help us solve our problems while others show up to become problems so that we can further grow into our potential. Usually we like the Solvers more than we like the Problems.

During my short seventeen years of life, I’ve met my fair share of Problems but I’ve only had the pleasure of meeting five or six really good Solvers. One of my favorite people who helped me get through some very hard times in my life is my friend Emily.

Emily is one of the sweetest, nicest, strongest girls you could ever meet. She could help anyone out of any problem; she knows exactly what to say and exactly when to say it. Emily helped me through so many problems; she kept me alive when I was fighting my way through depression, when she herself was in that deep pit because so many people looked up to her and she didn’t understand why.

Emily was, and is, always so strong; she helped me be strong too. When she moved away three years ago I had a hard time keeping that strength, but it was easier, just because I had known her. Emily was a great Solver and I know she’s solved more problems than I can probably count.

Emily is an amazing person, and because I love her I’m sorry to say that I will always look up to her.

Grave's Disease

Wed, 22 May 2013 23:03:25 +0100

Graves' disease is an autoimmune disorder dealing with an overactive thyroid gland. This is a type of hyperthyroidism. This disease is more common in the female population and often pops up after childbirth. Graves' disease is also a very hereditary illness and if one part of a set of identical twins shows symptoms of the disease then there’s a 25% likelihood that the other twin will also.

Most systems in the body are affected by this disease. Symptoms can include bulging eyes, muscle weakness, and hand tremors. The thyroid also usually enlarges to twice its normal size. Those with the disease also see a lot of weight loss despite an increased want to eat. Insomnia and anxiety also often occur in those with the disease.

When trying to diagnose patients, doctors will check the neck to see if the thyroid has been enlarged. Another test includes testing blood to measure levels of TSH, T3, and T4 (hormones produced by the thyroid). Signs of this disease at early stages include fatigue, bulging eyes, and lack of concentration.

The whole idea for treating this disease is to control the overactive thyroid gland. Symptoms are usually treated until the hyperthyroidism can be controlled. Surgery and radiation are a common treatment but if used, the patient must start taking replacement thyroid hormones and keep taking them for the rest of their lives. However, the bulging eyes are another problem that can’t be helped by the treatment of the disease as the radioactive iodine they use might make the situation worse. Sometimes steroids that suppress the immune system can reduce irritation and swelling but usually the eyes will have to be taped shut at night to avoid dryness.

Treatment is usually taken well but can sometimes lead to hypothyroidism which can cause depression, mental and physical sluggishness, and weight gain. Complications from treatment may arise such as scarring from surgery, atrial fibrillation, or an increased risk for osteoporosis. The most cost effective treatment, a total thyroidectomy can cost around 19,300 US dollars. One needs to realize what option would be best and would fit into their lifestyles.

Resources

PubMed Health

Wikipedia

In the Garden with Bennion Jazz

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 23:39:22 +0100

Bennion's Jazz Band put on a show during lunch one day that was rather enjoyable considering the age of the players. Solos were good though most couldn't be heard but otherwise balance was good. Dynamics were followed and tempo was kept. Their instructor didn't need to stand in front of them the entire time because they didn't falter when he wasn't there.
It was interesting to see that solos weren't set before the performance. There was a grouping of measures played again and again allowing for anyone that wanted a solo to get one as long as they were acknowledged by their conductor first. I was proud when my friend's little brother, who we were there to see, was allowed a solo, one of the few to be actually heard.
I was also glad to see that so many of the other students would stop and listen to the music instead of just having it sit as a background noise. Bennion exceeded my expectations of a middle school band I can't wait to go back for an actual concert.

Voice of Democracy

Mon, 29 Oct 2012 23:55:00 +0100

It took the founding fathers 116 days to write the Constitution and create and agree upon enough compromises to at least pacify all delegates from the thirteen colonies. They covered as many topics as they could without taking away any of the liberties of the country’s citizens; the rights that they had fought so hard for. These men didn’t know how long the Constitution would stay in place or what trials we could possibly go through today, but they wrote a document that would influence the nation into becoming something that would benefit every person within its reaching boundaries.

The Constitution wasn’t made to regulate all points of life but to give politicians a basis to make the laws that we have today. The legislative branch is not allowed to make laws contrary to the rights outlined in the Constitution because that’s what we fought for, that’s what we fight for now. Our freedoms and liberties are immortalized on that parchment and until our country falls – and hopefully that’s many years from now – neither will that celebrated document.

Our constitution was written in a time of need and we live in a time of need now. The founders were part of a government that was crumbling and could not possibly last; we are living under a government that continually contends with itself. The Constitution came about to smooth over arguments and complications, to bring together a nation, to unite different groups that cared only for themselves. We were given a common goal and purpose.

Everything the American people stand for and believe in is embodied in the Constitution. The standards that our country were founded upon can be found in every article. All citizens may not agree on everything but the Constitution still exemplifies the freedoms and rights that we all want. The delegates came together to give our country the government that it needed and deserved.

The Constitution is still very relevant in our society today. Though some politicians try to bypass what it says for their own gain instead of for the good of the country, the document itself was made to bring the best for US citizens. It should make life for our families better and it should allow us to live within our own rights and freedoms. The corruption of politics today does not come from the base of our government but those that take care of its branches. If we rely on our basics and remember when Washington said to stay away from political parties and when Lincoln reminded us that a house divided is doomed to fall, we’ll be alright.

About Me Essay

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 23:42:26 +0100

An introduction to me as a person is not going to be easy. I am the most complicated person who has ever walked the earth; just ask my friends. But everyone’s complicated in their own right and how hard can it really be to just spell out how one acts or feels? How one is? But we’re here only to scratch the surface and I’ve probably bored you half to death by now so I’ll let you get on the actual body and substance of the essay.

School definitely has its ups and downs but for the most part I would say I’m a good student. Sure I don’t always finish my assignments on time and sometimes I talk in class but I can usually grasp what’s taught and apply it where and when needed. I like learning best when I can watch someone use the concept being taught. Hands-on learning is great, especially when it comes to dissections in classes like Human Biology, but when I see someone going through the steps I can work it out in my head and then recall the information later on. I’d call that one of my strengths, being able to store what I see and use it later.

Out of school, after a day of pushing through the crowded halls and lingering for hours in classes with other students, I like to go home and read so I can get away from the chaos and stress of what happens to be my world. If I’m lucky, I’ll get to watch TV alone with my mom after she gets home from work. Our favorite show to watch together is “One Upon a Time” on Fox. We like to see how the writers take people from old fairy tales and place them into our modern world, how their lives reflect their stories even if they don’t remember who they are. Most of what I do outside of school is to keep my mind off of everything that goes on inside the halls and classrooms of Taylorsville High. Not that I dislike it here, of course, but just to feel calm if only for a minute or two, that’s what I go for when I’m away at home.

Moving on to my family, I have to tell you that there isn't much going on there. We’re pretty normal compared to the stereotypical idea of an American family: we go to church and all of us hold one calling or another in our ward, my dad’s been divorced once and my mom and half-sister (from Dad’s previous marriage) have that “I’m not actually related to you but I guess I still have to tolerate you” sentiment towards each other, my parents fight about money, and we eat dinner around the television until I decide I've had enough and go up to my room to be an average broody teenager. I’m impatient like my dad (one of my weaknesses) but also impulsive and devoted like my mom. This often causes tension in our house but everything gets worked out by the time we go to bed (“Never go to sleep angry,” huh?). I try to make things simple for others so that they don’t have to worry about much more than what’s necessary. Anyway, my family is mostly monolingual but my aunt can speak fluent French and I can usually read the letters she gets from friends in France and the whole family (extended relatives included) can mouth their way around a Mexican restaurant’s menu with a pretty convincing accent. Just like normal. Right?

It’s strange to see how when one gets closer to a personal conversation topic the more they seem to talk. I think maybe it’s the fact that we all want to be heard and actually known by someone, to see if they can possibly understand us better than we ourselves can. But enough of my psychobabble, you want to hear a conclusion. Who I am will never really be known but facts about myself and my personality can be brought up and displayed for all to see. I may be complicated, but under that there are the essentials and traits that just make me.

US History Persuasion

Wed, 23 May 2012 00:27:22 +0100

The Annexation of Hawaii as an Example of US Imperialism

In the time from 1890 to 1920 the annexation of Hawaii is surely an example of imperialism in the US. The US government creates and maintains unfair economic and political situations by introducing treaties that first enticed the Hawaiians to be friends and allies with the States and then made new treaties that made it harder for Hawaiian residents and farmers to live without the islands becoming part of the US. Plantation owners also pressured the Hawaiian king to accept a constitution that limited royal power on the islands.

US government controlled sugarcane sales from and within Hawaii to bring them “into the fold.” Congress signed a treaty to exempt Hawaii from sugarcane tariffs and when the treaty came up for renewal the US government asked for more from the islands. One such ‘perk’ for the US was exclusive rights to a naval base at Pearl Harbor. Later, Congress passed a tariff in 1890 that made it harder for Hawaiians to sell sugar than US owners. Hawaiian planters concluded that the only way to make sales increase was to join with the US as a territory.

The US government controlled the economy in Hawaii until it lead to the control of their government also. Exempting Hawaiian sugar from tariffs allowed US planters to become prominent on the islands and in turn allowed them to easily persuade the king at the time to sign a new constitution that limited his rights.

What some don’t know is that before all of this, King Kamehameha III secretly asked the United States to annex Hawaii in 1851. This offer was declined by Secretary of State Daniel Webster who said “No power ought to take possession of the islands as a conquest… or colonization.” (799). Also, when Grover Cleveland became president, he withdrew an annexation treaty that had been sent to Hawaii by President Harrison.

The Annexation of Hawaii is a great example of US imperialism with the control of their economy and slow takeover of the government supporting the idea. The US government enticed and snared Hawaii to have them become a territory through treaties and constitutions. Through this pull, the US created and maintained economic disadvantages over Hawaii.

Sources Cited

Webster, Daniel, Cohen 1982, p.799

Chemistry Argument

Wed, 23 May 2012 00:24:59 +0100

Nuclear Energy and Waste

Nuclear energy is a genius advance in science that is both more efficient and cleaner than the regular fossil fuels often used to create energy. Nuclear reactions create less waste, more easily controlled energy, and are created by more easily accessible resources.

Nuclear reactors produce less waste because more energy can be created with fewer resources. Uranium can produce 3.7 million times as much energy as the same amount of coal can. Waste is the lowest class of radioactivity and is always monitored so that it doesn’t leak into where it can cause harm. Energy Solutions in Utah has gone 3,500,000 hours without incident and nuclear waste does not expel as much carbon dioxide (CO2) as coal does, leaving our ozone intact.

Energy produced by nuclear plants is more easily controlled than that of coal or natural gas. Fuel rods are slightly uncovered if more power is wanted, and are then covered again when the need for nuclear power goes down. When the fuel rods are spent, they are simply taken out and put into cooling tanks to reduce in heat while coal plants must truck away tons of ash after burning their fuel stores.

Resources for nuclear energy is more easily at our disposal than that of coal or natural gas. Uranium can be found in abundance and spent fuel rods can also be recycled. This is especially true since so much more energy is produced with smaller amounts of fuel.

Nuclear energy is being more and more throughout the world. It’s a good resource that should be taken advantage of because it create less waste, more easily controlled energy, and is created by more easily accessible resources.

Concert Report

Wed, 23 May 2012 00:20:45 +0100

Music and the Spoken Word & the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert

Being able to see the Mormon Tabernacle Choir preform for their Christmas concert was an amazing experience. Jane Seymour and Nathan Gunn were wonderful additions to the already amazing talents of the choir. When Miss Seymour was narrating, she brought the right emotion to the words and phrases and with Mr. Gunn’s singing you could tell that he paid particular and close attention to the words he was using.

One of my favorite songs that the choir preformed with Mr. Gunn was “T’was the Night Before Christmas” by Ken Darby. Gunn preformed with the right infliction on each word, his baritone voice rising and falling in conjunction with the phrase.

But my real and absolute favorite part of the concert was the performance of “Good King Wenceslas.” The transition between story and song was just so amazing and simply laid. Seymour’s narrative was wonderful, you could tell that she was into the tale and she understood the meaning and reason behind it. The choir was tender with words and the dancers expressed the ideals and imagery of the story so well. The fluttering of fake snow helped a lot too when it came to setting the scene.

The band and orchestra also did a great job. All parts were balanced: instruments could be heard and weren’t drowned out while at the same time the vocals were never overpowered. Everyone kept perfect time, stayed together, lines were not forgotten, and you could hear the conviction of the stories could be heard with every note.