Miranda is a genius except she doesn't want to be all facts

Smart people were once ridiculed for being smart. For thinking about what was deemed not to be thought about, such as why he was king and not this genius free thinker who could save England. In one of Miranda's blog posts on the book Feed by M.T. Anderson, brings up what really makes people smart.

Miranda says that memorizing a bunch of facts does not necessarily make some one smart. Having tons of information stuck in your brain, which can be accessed at any time like a search engine (I.E. Google for those that don't know). She claims that this does not make a person an intellectual genius, simply someone who has a search engine in their brain and can use it whenever. So true.

This made me think about 51, and how we are graded 4 times a year. Each time we are handed our report cards, we all quiver in fear over whether or not we will get a good grade. Soon we glance at those faithful pieces of paper and either sigh with relief, or cry to our friends. Sooner or later, we all share our grades. This is the time when we are put in our place. This is when we are deemed smart, or dumb. But why?

Just because some people are better at memorizing mathematical formulas, or science regents questions, does this make them better then those who have wonderful ideas swimming in their heads and just do not do well on tests? This is exactly the truth, and everyone knows it. That in our middle school community, we are judged by our test grades, and I do not think that it is right to do so. Some do, and those are their views, not mine.

Miranda, thank you for inspiring my short, unnoticed rant on smarts. You have true intellect to think like this.

http://cottoncandymush.blogspot.com/2011/02/google-in-your-brain.html

Dear Ms. Rear

I read the newspaper independently


therefore I have written a independent reading blog post about Egypt. Just saying.

(this isn't a blog post).

Sick Day

At this very moment, I am sick. I am writing this write as ELA class is ending on Thursday. Just thought I'd let everyone know.

Egypt is in a state of turmoil at the moment, as everyday thousands of protesters file out into the streets of Cairo and protest outside the palace of their corrupt dictator. This man, who's name I can not hope to spell, has run a fake democracy in Egypt for over 30 years now. The Egyptian people have finally grown too restless, and want change. The U.S. is stuck in a bit of crossfire, as they totally support the protesters, but then again the dictator has been a loyal ally to the U.S. all his years.

In Egypt, a youth organization has been streaming live images over social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. The video's have helped rally support for their cause, both in Egypt and abroad. What they're doing is by no means illegal, but of course they are trying to be shut down by the dictator and his supporters as they are denting his support.

What they are doing is by no means that dangerous at all, but it still takes a little courage. This kind of courage is shown by not many, and if it was, the world would be a better place in so many ways. I ask you all to try and get the kind of courage that these people have, and help the world in little ways, that might just be big after all.

shhh, don't tell anyone...

Secrets. What odd things like, "don't tell Tracy, but we're all going to the mall later" or "Don't tell the American public, but we stole Nixon's views on communist Cuba, and forced our wrongfully preachy views upon him." They are made up of little things called words, which in secrets can really hurt people's feelings. Or minds. Or countries. Really though, secrets are dangerous things.

I am still reading The dark side of Camelot, which is really just an amazing book. Every page is a new burst of history I didn't know, and now do. Some pages (or should I say most pages), tell of countless secrets. Countless corrupt secrets that would have destroyed the Kennedy campaign. I like them.

Secrets are so scary. I hate it when people talk behind my back about me, but I love doing it to other people. A good piece of gossip can turn my day around, even when I was having a horrible day. The two faces of secrets makes them a true monster. They can entertain, but at the same time they can destroy. They can be wielded as a weapon, one more powerful the sword. You can't regret things when your dead because you don't think. Secrets can destroy anything from friendships to presidential nominations.

The president of the United States of America is supposed to be someone great. Someone who will help the nation, and at the same time help the world. Humans have secrets. Secrets can destroy people. The president is human. Therefore, the president can be destroyed by secrets.

Probably not just JFK.

The question is not does the president have secrets, but do we want to know them.

Conspiracies are catching.