I'm about to head off to Maine for awhile, and I realize I missed my day for the past two days, sorry Kasey, I'm going to use yours, though you can still put out a newsletter today if you want.
Brad and I awhile ago came up with plans to build a model school, the way we would want a school to be built. It's 3 floors high, not a circle, and actually has a pretty decent design. First it was all on paper, then we worked on making it out of Pop Tart boxes, and now Brad started working on making it out of posicle sticks. It should look cool, eventually we want to build a scale model out of wood or something, and put in desks and whatnot. Make it look real. It'll take awhile to get it all done, but it'll look really cool. And if anyone has a couple million dollars just sitting around, care to make a donation so we can make a plan a reality? Lol =P
Recently I've been listening to a lot more music, and I've really gotten into it. I've listened to music before, but now I've really been listening to a lot. I've never really listened to music throughout middle school and most of high school, up until now. So my playlist is rather small, but it's building. If you have any suggestions, could you post them as comments? I'll put a list of some of the artists I listen to at the end.
I need to get ready to leave for Maine, so this is where I have to end.
Questions:
1. Favorite vacation memory?
2. Prefered weather (any day)?
3. Dream vacaton?
Quotes:
I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.
- Bill Cosby
I want freedom for the full expression of my personality.
- Mahatma Gandhi
Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.
- Mahatma Gandhi
Artists:
3 Days Grace
Nickleback
Streetlight Manifesto*
Skillet
3 Doors Down
The Fray*
Staind*
Aiden
AFI
Thousand Foot Krutch*
Creed
Simple Plan*
Blink 182
Breaking Benjamin
John Mayer
Matchbox 20*
Metallica
Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
Jumpsuit
* = Favorite
July 31-2009
-By Josh
Friday, July 31, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Newsletter #00056
well, so here i sit. utterly embarassed about how long it's been since my last newsletter...
so let me begin by apologizing for that. i'm sorry. i will try harder in the future.
the first thing i want to talk about is how idiotic the court system in massachusetts is, because it has really been bugging me. Yeah, most of us know that the court system works like this:
-you go to the first branch and go before a judge for a decision
-if you feel the decision was unjust or unconstitutional you can appeal it
-appelate court is above and more powerful than the previous court and the decision is final (unless you see it as unjust still where you can keep appealing all the way up to the united states supreme court, if you have that much money lying around)
and this part i have no problem with. that is good, well thought out, effective. the part i have a problem with is the judges themselves. there is nothing anywhere saying that they have to read over anything or even so much as listen to testimony to make a final decision and sign off on it. so it could simply be a choice on a whim. for all the rules care, the judge could be looking between the two papers saying eeny-mini-miny-moe.(haha) but really, they don't have to make an educated and well thought out decision. they may as well pull jurisdictions out of a hat.
well, now that i've got that out i guess i'll tell you a bit about my summer. i don't know if you're interested, but i will. well, i have gone to a few concerts, three at tanglewood. Now, Tanglewood is an amazing place for someone like me. it is the summer home of the boston symphony orchestra and an amazing place to listen to music. the last concert i saw there was the boston pops for film night. absolutely amazing. another concert i attended this summer was a Reel Big Fish concert courtesy of curtis. this really introduced me to the ska genre of music. i highly recommend you try to listen to some, and the band i see running the top of the line for this type of music is streetlight manifesto, i highly recommend you check them out. other than that i've not been doing much, home alone and reading and the sort. i began working on a new form of josh and my school, it's coming along, i may post pictures as to the progress of it here on facebook, it will be a really neat thing when it's done
well, it's all i've got for now, so here are some questions. more than one to make up for my lack of newsletters. i would appreciate answers if you have the time
1.how have your summers been?
2.what is your favorite TV show?
3. if you were stuck somewhere, and all necessities were provided, and you were given two.....wishes let's say. what would they be?
quote:
Every individual has a place to fill in the world, and is important, in some respect, whether he chooses to be so or not
July 29-2009
-By Brad
so let me begin by apologizing for that. i'm sorry. i will try harder in the future.
the first thing i want to talk about is how idiotic the court system in massachusetts is, because it has really been bugging me. Yeah, most of us know that the court system works like this:
-you go to the first branch and go before a judge for a decision
-if you feel the decision was unjust or unconstitutional you can appeal it
-appelate court is above and more powerful than the previous court and the decision is final (unless you see it as unjust still where you can keep appealing all the way up to the united states supreme court, if you have that much money lying around)
and this part i have no problem with. that is good, well thought out, effective. the part i have a problem with is the judges themselves. there is nothing anywhere saying that they have to read over anything or even so much as listen to testimony to make a final decision and sign off on it. so it could simply be a choice on a whim. for all the rules care, the judge could be looking between the two papers saying eeny-mini-miny-moe.(haha) but really, they don't have to make an educated and well thought out decision. they may as well pull jurisdictions out of a hat.
well, now that i've got that out i guess i'll tell you a bit about my summer. i don't know if you're interested, but i will. well, i have gone to a few concerts, three at tanglewood. Now, Tanglewood is an amazing place for someone like me. it is the summer home of the boston symphony orchestra and an amazing place to listen to music. the last concert i saw there was the boston pops for film night. absolutely amazing. another concert i attended this summer was a Reel Big Fish concert courtesy of curtis. this really introduced me to the ska genre of music. i highly recommend you try to listen to some, and the band i see running the top of the line for this type of music is streetlight manifesto, i highly recommend you check them out. other than that i've not been doing much, home alone and reading and the sort. i began working on a new form of josh and my school, it's coming along, i may post pictures as to the progress of it here on facebook, it will be a really neat thing when it's done
well, it's all i've got for now, so here are some questions. more than one to make up for my lack of newsletters. i would appreciate answers if you have the time
1.how have your summers been?
2.what is your favorite TV show?
3. if you were stuck somewhere, and all necessities were provided, and you were given two.....wishes let's say. what would they be?
quote:
Every individual has a place to fill in the world, and is important, in some respect, whether he chooses to be so or not
July 29-2009
-By Brad
Monday, July 20, 2009
Newsletter #00055
Ok everyone, another guest writer for you today! I was gonna also contribute but what I think I'm gonna write about in my next newsletter doesn't go along w/ what is gonna be in here today so I'm just gonna save it for next Friday I think.
Anyways, the guest writer today is Nick Mag! His topic is actually really interesting. So here it is!
Seeing as other people have managed to sneak guest appearances in these newsletters, I figured, “Hey why can’t I?” Well, yes, there are plenty of reasons, but without further ado, let’s jump right into the topic I want to breach.
The World.
No, not the gaseous ball of atmosphere where hate, love, and confusion come from (not to mention ourselves), but a project off of the coast of Dubai. Yes Dubai, the place where a giant palm tree island was built. A rich developer, who, if I recall correctly was Middle Eastern, had a spark of an idea, which grew into the most exclusive real estate project on the planet Earth.
The dream was this; construct a set of islands, which are clustered together in the shape of the world. Don’t thinks its possible? Just check it out—
Anyways, the guest writer today is Nick Mag! His topic is actually really interesting. So here it is!
Seeing as other people have managed to sneak guest appearances in these newsletters, I figured, “Hey why can’t I?” Well, yes, there are plenty of reasons, but without further ado, let’s jump right into the topic I want to breach.
The World.
No, not the gaseous ball of atmosphere where hate, love, and confusion come from (not to mention ourselves), but a project off of the coast of Dubai. Yes Dubai, the place where a giant palm tree island was built. A rich developer, who, if I recall correctly was Middle Eastern, had a spark of an idea, which grew into the most exclusive real estate project on the planet Earth.
The dream was this; construct a set of islands, which are clustered together in the shape of the world. Don’t thinks its possible? Just check it out—
The goal of this project, which was completed January 10, 2008, was to create a piece of land, which is bare aside form the sand, and can be sold as real estate. However, buying islands is always tricky business, due to their exclusivity and difficulty to manage. What The World offers is an island free of these things. The Islands can be bought, then shaped into any desired form, and they are all set up on a central waterway, which makes transportation a breeze. There, manmade islands were created similar to how you might imagine, with lots and lots of dirt and sand being thrown into the ocean.
Their location is also close enough to land, and they boast year-round sunshine. Seems like a pretty enticing deal, does it not? Well, the organization that made The World chooses 50 buyers every year and then shows them around. To be selected, I imagine that your bank account needs to be in a gold-sealed vault. Still, 94% of the islands are already sold! They are split up into sections including residential and commercial, so that only so many private or company buyers can be involved.
Ok, so after all this I pose a question that has been in the back of my mind ever since I saw this project unfold years ago: “Where is this taking us, and is it too far?” I mean, the project is exciting, and I will not pretend that it didn’t peak my curiosity, but still. We are creating land, which is the opposite of a canal I suppose, and making more for us. Fundamentally, we are changing our planet more, as if unsatisfied with the beauty it has presented naturally. Does this mean we will start creating continents, or removing them? Are we going to go too far, and like global warming, only stop when it’s really too late?
Well anyways, I want to thank Kasey for giving me some space in this newsletter. It was a lot of fun!
Thanks to Nick too for the cool topic. I looked it up on Wikipedia and it had some more info on this so anyone who is curious should go look it up. Also, this being mostly for Nick's information, I had to retype this entire thing because your new link didn't do anything different. That's also why this took me so long to post, since I had to retype the entire thing and find that stupid last picture cuz I couldn't copy and paste it.
Anyways, that's enough of my rambling. Comment and show Nick some love!
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Newsletter #00054
Running on about 4 hours of sleep, thanks to Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
Overall, I'd say it was an OK movie, but know that my opinion is extremely biased because I've read the books and like them so much. If I didn't read the books, I'd say it was a pretty good movie, and it keeps the storyline going. I won't go into much detail, but if you've read the books, the movie left a lot to be desired. They didn't go into any detail at all, they made some stuff up (a Christmas surprise!...) and to me, it felt like they could have done some stuff better. I liked the movie, don't get me wrong, I just like the books better. Though I'm quite glad that they are splitting the last book into two movies, hopefully they won't be leaving out a lot.
(If you're in college, this entire paragraph basically is useless to you =P)
I know this seems kinda early to be thinking about, but I've started to look into colleges, and I came across a useful tool that helps me look through them. If you go to http://www.mycollegeoptions.org/ and create an account, it makes it really easy to find good colleges. You fill out all your information, what you're interested in, etc., and it finds colleges that match you. Once that happens, you can view more information about the colleges, and see what extracurriculars they have, their list of majors, etc. It's a lot easier to find out information about colleges instead of going to their websites and digging for all the information. So if you want to start looking at different colleges, this is a cool tool to use.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=422-yb8TXj8
This is a video of one of the songs we'll be doing for concert band next year! I can't wait to do it. It should be lots of fun! =D Marching season is going to be really good too! Haha, it'll be an awesome year! This year's seniors are lucky.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0312370156?ie=UTF8&tag=nationalnov09-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0312370156
That is the Amazon.com link to a book I want to read. It was a book that was written during NaNoWriMo, and it looks really interesting. Should be a good read, and I want to try and get it.
Well, this is a rather short newsletter, so I'll try and make up for it next week.
Quote:
Courage and perseverance have a magical talisman, before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish into air.
- John Quincy Adams
Word:
louche: adj. of questionable taste or morality
July 15-2009
-By Josh
Overall, I'd say it was an OK movie, but know that my opinion is extremely biased because I've read the books and like them so much. If I didn't read the books, I'd say it was a pretty good movie, and it keeps the storyline going. I won't go into much detail, but if you've read the books, the movie left a lot to be desired. They didn't go into any detail at all, they made some stuff up (a Christmas surprise!...) and to me, it felt like they could have done some stuff better. I liked the movie, don't get me wrong, I just like the books better. Though I'm quite glad that they are splitting the last book into two movies, hopefully they won't be leaving out a lot.
(If you're in college, this entire paragraph basically is useless to you =P)
I know this seems kinda early to be thinking about, but I've started to look into colleges, and I came across a useful tool that helps me look through them. If you go to http://www.mycollegeoption
http://www.youtube.com/wat
This is a video of one of the songs we'll be doing for concert band next year! I can't wait to do it. It should be lots of fun! =D Marching season is going to be really good too! Haha, it'll be an awesome year! This year's seniors are lucky.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/p
That is the Amazon.com link to a book I want to read. It was a book that was written during NaNoWriMo, and it looks really interesting. Should be a good read, and I want to try and get it.
Well, this is a rather short newsletter, so I'll try and make up for it next week.
Quote:
Courage and perseverance have a magical talisman, before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish into air.
- John Quincy Adams
Word:
louche: adj. of questionable taste or morality
July 15-2009
-By Josh
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Newsletter #00053
Ok, so I know I'm two days late, but I think today's newsletter is going to be a good one. Or at least that is what I hope.
So all week I have been thinking of things that I can write about and almost had something but then changed my mind at the last minute. In case you were wondering, I was going to write some stuff based on the movie I just watched- Deja Vu starring Denzel Washington. Anyone see it? Y/N?
The entire movie itself is pretty awesome and I loved the ideas behind it, only I realized that if I wrote what I was originally going to write, inspired by the movie I would just end up spoiling the movie for everyone. Plus, once I started to write the newsletter things just weren't going how I wanted them to.
Anyways... that brings me to my newsletter today which is going to incorporate something I've been wanting to talk about in some form for awhile, and something else which I think is incredibly awesome.
Ok, enough rambling.
Lately I think a lot of my newsletters have involved the same underlying theme, if you will, although I don't know if many of you noticed it. The theme being creativity.
For awhile now, and this probably doesn't pertain to just me, but I have been trying to figure myself out. What do I want to do in life, what do I want to accomplish, and probably most importantly to me, what kind of impact do I want to have? I mean, I go to school, get great grades, write papers and research topics and do a ton of extracurricular stuff all to get into a good college and find a stable job but lately it just doesn't seem like enough.
Or rather, it seems like too much.
I acknowledge that going to college and finding a good job is my best bet if I want to live a stable life. Sometimes though, I'm just not sure if that's what I want. What I do know is that I want to have an impact- on one person, or many, on a city or a town or an entire country. And I want to do it through my creativity, which, for me is my writing.
In society there are many jobs which are essential- doctors, firefighters, police officers, factory workers and farmers. These are the jobs which form the infrastructure of our society. They build, and protect, and provide for all our basic needs and help keep society running.
The one thing however that they don't do is make life worth living.
The people who do make life worth living are those who live creatively. Where would we be if not for the artists? The singers and the dancers and the writers and the free-minded people who make us think, and appreciate art and imagine things we only ever could have dreamed were possible. I know I wouldn't be the person I am today if I hadn't read the books I've read, or heard the music I've heard. Its a person's ability to take their own thoughts and opinions and ideas which keeps life interesting and helps us progress forward.
That's why I'm afraid of the future, of my future. I'm afraid that I'll get trapped in a life like the ones that my parents lead, and that so many in the world lead today. A life where money dictates success and where I am controlled by someone or something else, whether it be my boss or someone else.
I don't want to die without first experiencing the world and doing my part to change someone's life somehow.
I know that may all seem like a lot of rambling to you, but it leads nicely into the next part of what is shaping up to be a ridiculously long newsletter.
Something else I really wanted to talk about in this newsletter is the Burning Man festival held every year in the deserts of Nevada.
Having never experienced Burning Man for myself, I can guarantee that I am not going to do the festival justice in my descriptions of it, but I really want to talk about what the festival kind of is.
Every year in the Black Rock desert of Nevada, a termporary city is created. It is called Black Rock City and for one week is the temporary home of tens of thousands of people from all over the country and the world. According to burningman.com it is "dedicated to community, art, self-expression, and self-reliance."
Burning man is a city where there is no money. You are not allowed to buy anything (except for the ice and coffee sold there), although you are allowed to give gifts. Burning Man is a community where people come and express themselves through their creativity and art. It's a community of people who aren't there to judge anyone else. They are there to create art, and experience art and live in a society (albeit a temporary one) that's not dictated by a set way of thinking or living or doing.
I found a few quotes from a book about Burning Man on Google Books that I am going to share with you from someone who has actually experienced Burning Man, because I am sure they can do a better job of it than me.
"It’s a civilization that by the mutual agreement of all attendees has almost no commerce and is dedicated purely to creativity and play, where the standards of normal life can be inverted or ignored in the pursuit of fresh experiences and fresh identities."
Also,
"Because everyone puts so much effort into providing flash, entertainment, and bizarity for the delectation of all, every day at Burning Man is so packed with everything life has to offer—love, freely elected creative work, partying, learning, improvised zaniness, drugs, challenging conversations—that your sense of normal time is shattered. A flood of glorious superfluity washes over you, and each day and each night seem an eternal reoccurrence of everything both wonderful and terrible about life in a human community."
Burning Man is a place where it is not out of place to see works of art like this:
So all week I have been thinking of things that I can write about and almost had something but then changed my mind at the last minute. In case you were wondering, I was going to write some stuff based on the movie I just watched- Deja Vu starring Denzel Washington. Anyone see it? Y/N?
The entire movie itself is pretty awesome and I loved the ideas behind it, only I realized that if I wrote what I was originally going to write, inspired by the movie I would just end up spoiling the movie for everyone. Plus, once I started to write the newsletter things just weren't going how I wanted them to.
Anyways... that brings me to my newsletter today which is going to incorporate something I've been wanting to talk about in some form for awhile, and something else which I think is incredibly awesome.
Ok, enough rambling.
Lately I think a lot of my newsletters have involved the same underlying theme, if you will, although I don't know if many of you noticed it. The theme being creativity.
For awhile now, and this probably doesn't pertain to just me, but I have been trying to figure myself out. What do I want to do in life, what do I want to accomplish, and probably most importantly to me, what kind of impact do I want to have? I mean, I go to school, get great grades, write papers and research topics and do a ton of extracurricular stuff all to get into a good college and find a stable job but lately it just doesn't seem like enough.
Or rather, it seems like too much.
I acknowledge that going to college and finding a good job is my best bet if I want to live a stable life. Sometimes though, I'm just not sure if that's what I want. What I do know is that I want to have an impact- on one person, or many, on a city or a town or an entire country. And I want to do it through my creativity, which, for me is my writing.
In society there are many jobs which are essential- doctors, firefighters, police officers, factory workers and farmers. These are the jobs which form the infrastructure of our society. They build, and protect, and provide for all our basic needs and help keep society running.
The one thing however that they don't do is make life worth living.
The people who do make life worth living are those who live creatively. Where would we be if not for the artists? The singers and the dancers and the writers and the free-minded people who make us think, and appreciate art and imagine things we only ever could have dreamed were possible. I know I wouldn't be the person I am today if I hadn't read the books I've read, or heard the music I've heard. Its a person's ability to take their own thoughts and opinions and ideas which keeps life interesting and helps us progress forward.
That's why I'm afraid of the future, of my future. I'm afraid that I'll get trapped in a life like the ones that my parents lead, and that so many in the world lead today. A life where money dictates success and where I am controlled by someone or something else, whether it be my boss or someone else.
I don't want to die without first experiencing the world and doing my part to change someone's life somehow.
I know that may all seem like a lot of rambling to you, but it leads nicely into the next part of what is shaping up to be a ridiculously long newsletter.
Something else I really wanted to talk about in this newsletter is the Burning Man festival held every year in the deserts of Nevada.
Having never experienced Burning Man for myself, I can guarantee that I am not going to do the festival justice in my descriptions of it, but I really want to talk about what the festival kind of is.
Every year in the Black Rock desert of Nevada, a termporary city is created. It is called Black Rock City and for one week is the temporary home of tens of thousands of people from all over the country and the world. According to burningman.com it is "dedicated to community, art, self-expression, and self-reliance."
Burning man is a city where there is no money. You are not allowed to buy anything (except for the ice and coffee sold there), although you are allowed to give gifts. Burning Man is a community where people come and express themselves through their creativity and art. It's a community of people who aren't there to judge anyone else. They are there to create art, and experience art and live in a society (albeit a temporary one) that's not dictated by a set way of thinking or living or doing.
I found a few quotes from a book about Burning Man on Google Books that I am going to share with you from someone who has actually experienced Burning Man, because I am sure they can do a better job of it than me.
"It’s a civilization that by the mutual agreement of all attendees has almost no commerce and is dedicated purely to creativity and play, where the standards of normal life can be inverted or ignored in the pursuit of fresh experiences and fresh identities."
Also,
"Because everyone puts so much effort into providing flash, entertainment, and bizarity for the delectation of all, every day at Burning Man is so packed with everything life has to offer—love, freely elected creative work, partying, learning, improvised zaniness, drugs, challenging conversations—that your sense of normal time is shattered. A flood of glorious superfluity washes over you, and each day and each night seem an eternal reoccurrence of everything both wonderful and terrible about life in a human community."
Burning Man is a place where it is not out of place to see works of art like this:
This is made out of recycled trucks.
There are many things to do at Burning Man, like experience a show by fire-performers, or a performance by a group of circus performers. Everyone at Burning Man is encouraged to be a participant, rather than an observer. Here are a few more pics of things one might typically experience at a Burning Man festival:
art cars- the only type of car typically used for transportation at Burning Man. Many people also walk or ride bikes around the city.
Finally, at the end of the week a 40 ft figure of a man is burned, just as the festival's name describes.
the Burning Man
I know I haven't really done justice to an event that encompasses so many things and so many themes, but I thought the idea of the event itself tied into what I was talking about earlier with creativity and not letting yourself become constrained by the norms of society. One day I fully intend to go to Burning Man and experience it for myself, probably with my little sister and Lauren Pi who both want to go as well.
Anyways, this has been an insanely long newsletter, but I hope you have enjoyed it (if you could make it all the way through!)
July 12-2009
-By Kasey
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Newsletter #00052
Finally past 50, I can't believe we've made it this far! Good job Brad and Kasey! =]
If you enjoy writing, and have ever wanted to write a novel, then there is something that you should try. It is called National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo. This takes place in the month of November, every year. The goal of NaNoWriMo is to have a person write a short novel, containing 50,000 words. You can write about whatever you want to, and just have fun with it. Now, this seems like a lot, but it is possible to do. You get the entire month of November to write this, and you can outline beforehand what you'd write about. It is really good to do, and if you like writing, a challenge to try. I plan on trying it myself this November, and Kasey might too. If you want more information about NaNoWriMo, go to:
http://www.nanowrimo.org/
Now, another tool with writing that I discovered is called Write or Die. I heard about it before, but I was finally able to find the link. The link is:
http://lab.drwicked.com/writeordie.html
This is a very interesting tool. There are three different modes, and they are: Gentle Mode, Normal Mode, and Kamikaze mode. Once you start writing in one of the modes, you need to continue. In gentle mode, you just get a small reminder to continue typing. In normal mode, an annoying noise sounds and it won't stop unless you keep writing. For kamikaze mode, if you stop writing long enough, what you've typed starts to get deleted. This is a good tool if you find yourself getting easily distracted while writing, or you seem to get writer's block. It helps you overcome those, and it works really well. I was able to write 600 words in 20 minutes, and though my story was kinda warped and choppy, it was still a story. And I went in having no idea what to write about. It's a lot of fun to do.
Something that I discovered online was a blog about the Sims. Now, this may sound geekish, but I find it to be interesting. It's about a person who owns the Sims 3, which recently came out for the computer. The person who writes the blog created two homeless Sims, an insane, improper, angry father with a kind, unlucky, clumsy daughter. Then he left them to their own free will, then created a story out of what they did. It's an amusing story, and if you'd want to read it, the link is:
http://aliceandkev.wordpress.com/
Kinda strange to read a story about make-believe people, but it gave me some laughs. Maybe you'll find it interesting too.
A game that a friend showed me online is about selling lemonade, and it's a fun game to try and do, I can never seem to make a big profit though. =P See if you can do any better.
http://lemonadestandgame.com/
Anyone know where I can get a job? If anyone is hiring? I'd take any job! =D
Well, that's my newsletter for today. Check out some links and maybe you'll find some stuff you're interested in.
Quote:
Holding onto anger is like grasping onto a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else. You are the one who gets burned.
- Gautama Buddha
July 8-2009
-By Josh
If you enjoy writing, and have ever wanted to write a novel, then there is something that you should try. It is called National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo. This takes place in the month of November, every year. The goal of NaNoWriMo is to have a person write a short novel, containing 50,000 words. You can write about whatever you want to, and just have fun with it. Now, this seems like a lot, but it is possible to do. You get the entire month of November to write this, and you can outline beforehand what you'd write about. It is really good to do, and if you like writing, a challenge to try. I plan on trying it myself this November, and Kasey might too. If you want more information about NaNoWriMo, go to:
http://www.nanowrimo.org/
Now, another tool with writing that I discovered is called Write or Die. I heard about it before, but I was finally able to find the link. The link is:
http://lab.drwicked.com/writeordie.html
This is a very interesting tool. There are three different modes, and they are: Gentle Mode, Normal Mode, and Kamikaze mode. Once you start writing in one of the modes, you need to continue. In gentle mode, you just get a small reminder to continue typing. In normal mode, an annoying noise sounds and it won't stop unless you keep writing. For kamikaze mode, if you stop writing long enough, what you've typed starts to get deleted. This is a good tool if you find yourself getting easily distracted while writing, or you seem to get writer's block. It helps you overcome those, and it works really well. I was able to write 600 words in 20 minutes, and though my story was kinda warped and choppy, it was still a story. And I went in having no idea what to write about. It's a lot of fun to do.
Something that I discovered online was a blog about the Sims. Now, this may sound geekish, but I find it to be interesting. It's about a person who owns the Sims 3, which recently came out for the computer. The person who writes the blog created two homeless Sims, an insane, improper, angry father with a kind, unlucky, clumsy daughter. Then he left them to their own free will, then created a story out of what they did. It's an amusing story, and if you'd want to read it, the link is:
http://aliceandkev.wordpress.com/
Kinda strange to read a story about make-believe people, but it gave me some laughs. Maybe you'll find it interesting too.
A game that a friend showed me online is about selling lemonade, and it's a fun game to try and do, I can never seem to make a big profit though. =P See if you can do any better.
http://lemonadestandgame.com/
Anyone know where I can get a job? If anyone is hiring? I'd take any job! =D
Well, that's my newsletter for today. Check out some links and maybe you'll find some stuff you're interested in.
Quote:
Holding onto anger is like grasping onto a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else. You are the one who gets burned.
- Gautama Buddha
July 8-2009
-By Josh
Newsletter #00051
okay, i must apologize right now. i have been behind in getting these out lately, so please forgive me, it shouldn't be happening anymore.
okay, as promised, i have some puzzling paradoxes for you today. hand picked by me.
now, i am providing no answers whatsoever to these paradoxes, so if you want an answer (which i will have for all of the problems) simply send an email to our email address, where you will be sent an answer, so to further facilitate this process, i will also number them. the email address will be at the bottom.
1. The missing dollar paradox:
Three people have dinner at a restaurant. After the meal, the waiter brings over the bill, which comes to $30. So each diner conributes $10
The waiter takes the cash to the manager, who informs him that a mistake was made totting up the bill. The actual cost of the meal was just $25. So the diners have been overcharged $5.
The manager hands five $1 bills to the waiter, and tells him to return them to the diners. However, the waiter wasn't entirely honest. Rather than handing over all five $1 bills, he hands over just three of them. He gives one to each diner, and keeps two for himself.
But there is something amiss here. The three diners end up paying $9 each, making a total of 27$. meanwhile, the waiter pockets $2. But $27 plus $2 adds up to just $29 rather than the origional $30. Where is the missing dollar?
2. racetrack. there seems to be no answer here, but there is refuting information, so yes, you can ask about it.
think of a racetrack. now think of a runner running around this track. now, on this track there is halfway point, one where the runner will have half the trck left to cover, and the runner must reach this point before he can finish his lap. now once he gets to the half way point, he now has half the track to run, but there is still a halfway point between he and the finish line that he must come to, this will mark him having one-quarter of the track left to run. now, if you keep looking that the runner needs to reach halfway points, the argument can be made that it is impossible for the runner to finish, for you can always make a new half way point.
okay, while looking through paradoxes, i found this amazing theory started by Albert Einstien. now here is our father of relativity talkingg about the relevance of time, motion, and time travel. now, i don't know all the facts behind it, but i can tell you what is true.
Einstein figured out that if you were to take two clocks, one you kept in one spot (say your living room, just for an example) and you sent the other on a trip around the earth, that they would actually count time separately and differently, therefore passing trough times at separate rates. this theory is called "time dialation". the only problem with this is that, to show a noticeable difference, the clock going around the world would have to be travelling at speeds nearing the speed of light (which due to another theory is impossible for any object other than light to reach). so, technically, if we could send a man or woman aound the world at close to the speed of light, we would be sending
into the future.
okay, that's all i have time for today, but i think i gave you enough to think about.
question: what is the best excuse you've used?
quote:Imagination is more important than knowledge-from the great albert einstein, i thought it was appropriate.
email:
JKBNewsletters@gmail.com
July 8-2009
-By Brad
okay, as promised, i have some puzzling paradoxes for you today. hand picked by me.
now, i am providing no answers whatsoever to these paradoxes, so if you want an answer (which i will have for all of the problems) simply send an email to our email address, where you will be sent an answer, so to further facilitate this process, i will also number them. the email address will be at the bottom.
1. The missing dollar paradox:
Three people have dinner at a restaurant. After the meal, the waiter brings over the bill, which comes to $30. So each diner conributes $10
The waiter takes the cash to the manager, who informs him that a mistake was made totting up the bill. The actual cost of the meal was just $25. So the diners have been overcharged $5.
The manager hands five $1 bills to the waiter, and tells him to return them to the diners. However, the waiter wasn't entirely honest. Rather than handing over all five $1 bills, he hands over just three of them. He gives one to each diner, and keeps two for himself.
But there is something amiss here. The three diners end up paying $9 each, making a total of 27$. meanwhile, the waiter pockets $2. But $27 plus $2 adds up to just $29 rather than the origional $30. Where is the missing dollar?
2. racetrack. there seems to be no answer here, but there is refuting information, so yes, you can ask about it.
think of a racetrack. now think of a runner running around this track. now, on this track there is halfway point, one where the runner will have half the trck left to cover, and the runner must reach this point before he can finish his lap. now once he gets to the half way point, he now has half the track to run, but there is still a halfway point between he and the finish line that he must come to, this will mark him having one-quarter of the track left to run. now, if you keep looking that the runner needs to reach halfway points, the argument can be made that it is impossible for the runner to finish, for you can always make a new half way point.
okay, while looking through paradoxes, i found this amazing theory started by Albert Einstien. now here is our father of relativity talkingg about the relevance of time, motion, and time travel. now, i don't know all the facts behind it, but i can tell you what is true.
Einstein figured out that if you were to take two clocks, one you kept in one spot (say your living room, just for an example) and you sent the other on a trip around the earth, that they would actually count time separately and differently, therefore passing trough times at separate rates. this theory is called "time dialation". the only problem with this is that, to show a noticeable difference, the clock going around the world would have to be travelling at speeds nearing the speed of light (which due to another theory is impossible for any object other than light to reach). so, technically, if we could send a man or woman aound the world at close to the speed of light, we would be sending
into the future.
okay, that's all i have time for today, but i think i gave you enough to think about.
question: what is the best excuse you've used?
quote:Imagination is more important than knowledge-from the great albert einstein, i thought it was appropriate.
email:
JKBNewsletters@gmail.com
July 8-2009
-By Brad
Newsletter #00050
well tonight, everyone from the newsletter team here is trying to put out a newsletter, hope you enjoy it, because it's been quite the week for us.
alright, i felt the need to explain something to you tonight. what josh and i usually talk about in our free time are things called paradoxes, in fact, we have put some in newsletters, don't ask me to name them, but we have. due to this fact, i felt the need to explaing what a paradox is. now, a paradox is usually viewed as a statement that contradicts itself (not an oxymoron), or something that seems to supercede common sense. it could also be seen as anything with a surprizing outcome or something that contradicts out intuition.
I tell you this because tonight's newsetter is going to be a special, if you will. I am going to load paradox upon paradox on you, and baffle your minds. with any luck, they will get stuck in your head, and then you yourself will have a bit of a trick up your sleeve, so sit back and enjoy. also, the movie review will be at the bottom for those who feel the need to see how that is coming from me.
here is a paradox called "The Airy Box" G. B. Airy was a british astronomer who supposedly found an empty box, wrote on a piece of paper "empty box" and placed it inside. now, as you and i both know, by him placing the piece of paper in the box, it is no longer empty, making the statement untrue.
now, this book i'm reading goes on to explain some things (things i deem HIGHLY unneccesary) that i should also put here, just to get you thinking:
1-placement of the slip of paper could alter the truth. if it were taped to the outside, it would be true. if it were placed on the outside, it would be true. if it were placed on the inside, it would be false.if it were taped on the inside (therefore becoming a part of the interior of the box) it would be true.
2-if you were to write "this box is empty" on the inside of a box, it would be true, because though the ink were in it, it has become a part of the box
okay, i can't keep this going. much more on these things next week i promise.
review:
Second Hand Lions was the movie we all watched together on sunday.
i really enjoyed this movie. if you read one of my newsletters awhile ago, i mentioned those people who you need to meet to understand things better. this showed two of those people. you are introduced to two harsh, cruel seeming men, who you come to care so much about by the end of the film. then the main character (whom i forget the name of) is also someone you come to know and like very much. someone to stand up for himself. the ending is surprisingly not sad either, it is happy
sorry for being so vague, i'm tired. the newsletter on monday willl make up for it, i apologize
July 2-2009
-By Brad
alright, i felt the need to explain something to you tonight. what josh and i usually talk about in our free time are things called paradoxes, in fact, we have put some in newsletters, don't ask me to name them, but we have. due to this fact, i felt the need to explaing what a paradox is. now, a paradox is usually viewed as a statement that contradicts itself (not an oxymoron), or something that seems to supercede common sense. it could also be seen as anything with a surprizing outcome or something that contradicts out intuition.
I tell you this because tonight's newsetter is going to be a special, if you will. I am going to load paradox upon paradox on you, and baffle your minds. with any luck, they will get stuck in your head, and then you yourself will have a bit of a trick up your sleeve, so sit back and enjoy. also, the movie review will be at the bottom for those who feel the need to see how that is coming from me.
here is a paradox called "The Airy Box" G. B. Airy was a british astronomer who supposedly found an empty box, wrote on a piece of paper "empty box" and placed it inside. now, as you and i both know, by him placing the piece of paper in the box, it is no longer empty, making the statement untrue.
now, this book i'm reading goes on to explain some things (things i deem HIGHLY unneccesary) that i should also put here, just to get you thinking:
1-placement of the slip of paper could alter the truth. if it were taped to the outside, it would be true. if it were placed on the outside, it would be true. if it were placed on the inside, it would be false.if it were taped on the inside (therefore becoming a part of the interior of the box) it would be true.
2-if you were to write "this box is empty" on the inside of a box, it would be true, because though the ink were in it, it has become a part of the box
okay, i can't keep this going. much more on these things next week i promise.
review:
Second Hand Lions was the movie we all watched together on sunday.
i really enjoyed this movie. if you read one of my newsletters awhile ago, i mentioned those people who you need to meet to understand things better. this showed two of those people. you are introduced to two harsh, cruel seeming men, who you come to care so much about by the end of the film. then the main character (whom i forget the name of) is also someone you come to know and like very much. someone to stand up for himself. the ending is surprisingly not sad either, it is happy
sorry for being so vague, i'm tired. the newsletter on monday willl make up for it, i apologize
July 2-2009
-By Brad
Newsletter #00049
All right, well I had started to write a newsletter and then lost it all. That is super frustrating, just let me say that.
Anyways, if you don’t already know, Brad, Josh and myself are each putting out a newsletter tonight. We are also all doing our first movie reviews! I haven’t read Josh’s yet or Brad’s, although I did skim through Josh’s newsletter just to steal his grading system. So here’s my review for you all!
Movie: Secondhand Lions
Storyline: 9.5/10
Acting: 9/10
Humor: 7.5/10
Captivation: 9.5/10
Rewatchability: 9/10
Overall: 9.1/10
I am the one who recommended this movie for our first review, which is probably why my ratings are so high. However, this is a movie that I firmly believe does deserve the ratings I’ve given it.
The basic storyline of this movie is pretty simple. It takes place in approximately the 1960s in Texas. Walter, the young son of a single mother, is brought to live with his two eccentric uncles in an attempt to find out where they have kept the fortune they are supposed to have accumulated. I could go further and summarize the movie, but I don’t think I need to, because it is not just the basic plot that makes the movie what it is, but rather, all the little details.
During the movie, Walter’s uncle tells him a story—a fantastic story of sheiks and the French Legion, of being kidnapped and saving a princess. This is the story of his uncles’ lives.
Or is it?
As Walter, and the audience watch the movie and hear the story it seems hard to believe that the story could be true. Although with uncles as crazy as his, it just might be.
This is one of the key elements of the movie and one of the reasons I love it so much. Throughout the entire film, Walter has been subjected to lie after lie from his mother and struggles sometimes to know what to believe, and what not to believe. It is then that one of my favorite scenes comes about, in which Walter’s Uncle Hub says something that really stuck with me. He tells Walter that,
“Sometimes the things that may or may not be true are the things a man needs to believe in the most. That people are basically good; that honor, courage, and virtue mean everything; that power and money, money and power mean nothing; that good always triumphs over evil; and I want you to remember this, that love... true love never dies. You remember that, boy. You remember that. Doesn't matter if it's true or not. You see, a man should believe in those things, because those are the things worth believing in.”
I think that quote right there really captures the essence of the movie. Whether or not the story about his uncles was true doesn’t matter. What matters is that Walter, and everybody really, believes in things because they are important to believe in.
As a writer, I tend to live in my own world, and even though sometimes people might tell me to get my head out of the clouds, or live in reality, I still essentially choose to believe in things like good triumphing over evil, or that love is like in the fairy tales, whether or not it actually is. And while it may seem crazy to some, I don’t think I would want to live any other way because sometimes I think the world needs a bit more childish innocence. And I think that it is that quality in people which fuels optimism and creativity, while those who bog themselves down too much in reality lose sight of the good in life.
I hope that wasn’t a bit too hectic or out there for you guys reading this. I didn’t really mean for my movie review to get so off track, but that’s why I like this movie so much. It’s a movie that retains a sense of wonder and creativity and imagination and that is something that I always enjoy when watching a movie or reading a book.
Anyways, this entire newsletter wasn’t really supposed to be just my review, but that’s all I have for you tonight. Hopefully next week I’ll have something better for you all.
July 2-2009
-By Kasey
Anyways, if you don’t already know, Brad, Josh and myself are each putting out a newsletter tonight. We are also all doing our first movie reviews! I haven’t read Josh’s yet or Brad’s, although I did skim through Josh’s newsletter just to steal his grading system. So here’s my review for you all!
Movie: Secondhand Lions
Storyline: 9.5/10
Acting: 9/10
Humor: 7.5/10
Captivation: 9.5/10
Rewatchability: 9/10
Overall: 9.1/10
I am the one who recommended this movie for our first review, which is probably why my ratings are so high. However, this is a movie that I firmly believe does deserve the ratings I’ve given it.
The basic storyline of this movie is pretty simple. It takes place in approximately the 1960s in Texas. Walter, the young son of a single mother, is brought to live with his two eccentric uncles in an attempt to find out where they have kept the fortune they are supposed to have accumulated. I could go further and summarize the movie, but I don’t think I need to, because it is not just the basic plot that makes the movie what it is, but rather, all the little details.
During the movie, Walter’s uncle tells him a story—a fantastic story of sheiks and the French Legion, of being kidnapped and saving a princess. This is the story of his uncles’ lives.
Or is it?
As Walter, and the audience watch the movie and hear the story it seems hard to believe that the story could be true. Although with uncles as crazy as his, it just might be.
This is one of the key elements of the movie and one of the reasons I love it so much. Throughout the entire film, Walter has been subjected to lie after lie from his mother and struggles sometimes to know what to believe, and what not to believe. It is then that one of my favorite scenes comes about, in which Walter’s Uncle Hub says something that really stuck with me. He tells Walter that,
“Sometimes the things that may or may not be true are the things a man needs to believe in the most. That people are basically good; that honor, courage, and virtue mean everything; that power and money, money and power mean nothing; that good always triumphs over evil; and I want you to remember this, that love... true love never dies. You remember that, boy. You remember that. Doesn't matter if it's true or not. You see, a man should believe in those things, because those are the things worth believing in.”
I think that quote right there really captures the essence of the movie. Whether or not the story about his uncles was true doesn’t matter. What matters is that Walter, and everybody really, believes in things because they are important to believe in.
As a writer, I tend to live in my own world, and even though sometimes people might tell me to get my head out of the clouds, or live in reality, I still essentially choose to believe in things like good triumphing over evil, or that love is like in the fairy tales, whether or not it actually is. And while it may seem crazy to some, I don’t think I would want to live any other way because sometimes I think the world needs a bit more childish innocence. And I think that it is that quality in people which fuels optimism and creativity, while those who bog themselves down too much in reality lose sight of the good in life.
I hope that wasn’t a bit too hectic or out there for you guys reading this. I didn’t really mean for my movie review to get so off track, but that’s why I like this movie so much. It’s a movie that retains a sense of wonder and creativity and imagination and that is something that I always enjoy when watching a movie or reading a book.
Anyways, this entire newsletter wasn’t really supposed to be just my review, but that’s all I have for you tonight. Hopefully next week I’ll have something better for you all.
July 2-2009
-By Kasey
Newsletter #00048
Well, it seems like I'm the first one to put out a newsletter tonight.
Kasey, Brad, and I have a surprise for you...possibly.....
We all watched a movie, and we're all going to write our reviews on it. I don't know exactly what to write about it, but I'm going to try.
The movie that we all watched was called Secondhand Lions , and this is how I would rate it on a scale based 1-10, with 10 being the best.
Storyline: 7.5/10
Acting: 7/10
Humor: 8/10
Captivation: 6.75/10
Re-watchable: 6.5/10
Overall: 6.8/10
The movie itself was good, and at times interesting. I enjoyed watching it, but probably wouldn't watch it again for awhile on my own, though I wouldn't have objections if forced to watch it (if that makes sense...). Anyways, there was humor, which I rated the highest. I thought it was a funny movie. I did enjoy it, and would recommend it if you want a laugh or two.
Um, now that I'm done with that, I need to think of something to talk about....
I have used that voice recognition thing that Brad talked about in his last newsletter, and I would say give it a try if you have Windows Vista. It's cool to do, and it actually works well when you train it, and there are some cool macros that you can get it to do.
http://www.addictinggames.com/pandemic2.html
http://www.addictinggames.com/antbuster.html
1- Fun game, and Ironic considering the pandemic level of the H1N1
2- My favorite game ever from addictinggames.com
Kasey, Brad, and I have a surprise for you...possibly.....
We all watched a movie, and we're all going to write our reviews on it. I don't know exactly what to write about it, but I'm going to try.
The movie that we all watched was called Secondhand Lions , and this is how I would rate it on a scale based 1-10, with 10 being the best.
Storyline: 7.5/10
Acting: 7/10
Humor: 8/10
Captivation: 6.75/10
Re-watchable: 6.5/10
Overall: 6.8/10
The movie itself was good, and at times interesting. I enjoyed watching it, but probably wouldn't watch it again for awhile on my own, though I wouldn't have objections if forced to watch it (if that makes sense...). Anyways, there was humor, which I rated the highest. I thought it was a funny movie. I did enjoy it, and would recommend it if you want a laugh or two.
Um, now that I'm done with that, I need to think of something to talk about....
I have used that voice recognition thing that Brad talked about in his last newsletter, and I would say give it a try if you have Windows Vista. It's cool to do, and it actually works well when you train it, and there are some cool macros that you can get it to do.
http://www.addictinggames.
http://www.addictinggames.
1- Fun game, and Ironic considering the pandemic level of the H1N1
2- My favorite game ever from addictinggames.com
amazing...
Ok, look at the photo, and stare at the dot in the center. Eventually, everything else disappears. It's cool, and I stole the photo from this website.
http://www.brainbashers.co
That's all I got for this newsletter.
Word:
vagary: n. an extravagant, erratic, or unpredictable notion, action, or occurrence.
Quote:
Live in such a way that you would not be ashamed to sell your parrot to the town gossip.
Will Rogers (1879 - 1935)
Don't know who that is, but it is a good quote.
July 2-2009
-By Josh
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