Last Post!

Theres a journey ahead of me and I can't deny that I'm sad about this chapter in my life coming to a close. I have enjoyed English as well as my other classes immensely this year. Im excited for my life ahead and the studies that I have looking forward too. Thank you Dr. Forman for providing a great, intellectual yet calm environment in English. I definitely feel ready to tackle the journey ahead. I'll miss high school and all the great people in it. Thank you all!
-Laurence Graff

Tosh.O

How can it be that there is a show on TV with such basic, cheap production techniques that remains to be successful? Tosh.O succeeds with its soup knock-off format and complex ideas of a simple premiss. Also like the soup, a great host that is humorous and also risky adds to the interest factor for people to watch the show. Tosh.o takes the simpleness of online videos a set further by even interviewing the subject which is key as it proves by their ratings that society is interested in the subjects of these videos. I highly recommend tosh.0 for its humor.

Scrubs.

I find myself late at night, every night watching a particular program that I never have desire to watch but fate would have it that we meet every night. Scrubs is always on, re run after re run, and since my remote is broken in my room and I am incredibly lazy; I have developed a sort of bond to the show. Now every night whenever it is on, I find myself content with what i'm watching. I understand it may not be the funniest show, but It has just enough flow to keep me interested and is a great thing to watch before bed.  I highly recommend you try watching it and see if you find a new show.

Insidious

Warning do not see this movie! I saw insidious with Daveed and I can honestly say i have never left a movie so confused, and dissatisfied with what I just saw. Insidious combines a stupid plot accompanied by lame CGI and acting that left you in slight chuckles mocking its stupidity. The story involves a child who at first is thought to be in a comma, but it is soon learned that his soul is traveling the unknown and now he cant get back as the dead are trying to steal his body. Yes I know, It sounds as ridiculous as it was.

Wagamama!

If you know me then you know there is nothing I like more than Wagamama's. What's that you say? Only the best restaurant in the world. Founded and reaching its fame with multiple restaurants all around the United Kingdom , Wagamamas had been franchised to multiple countries all around the world, including the United States recently with restaurants in Boston and Washington DC. The cuisine is acclaimed as healthy asian fusion, specifically centered on noodles. It is hard to not enjoy yourself at Wagammas, with the atmosphere created along with the prime food.  I highly recommend it and can safely say that you will find it one of your favorite restaurants.
Spread the word and bring it to LA

http://www.wagamama.com/

Conformity Vs Noteriety

Conformity can be considered a safe game most people play to achieve a successful life. Those who step out the box and subject them self to criticism, but highlight themselves as unique individuals are the ones who shine in society and receive fame and notoriety. Many still choose to remain down the safe road , which is today more practical. We can point to evidence today that those who are at the forefront of media   and public attention, Charlie Sheen has gained more followers on twitter in faster time than anyone else, The jersey shore is a worldwide represented show in which characters like Snooki and the Situation have achieved attention for their complete un-conformist ideals. It seems in todays conformist society it is ironic that the thing that encompasses us the most is those who are especially unique.

Intro

Conformity is a standard for which the majority of a society perceive the desirable aspects of life in a collective view and subsequently the norms for which people should live by. Education, Religion, and Society shape the minds from the moment we are born, as we are essentially all born into conformist societies whether they be totalitarian or democratic. Those who step out these boundaries that society has set in their region are either frowned upon for acting different from the norms of education, religion, and life or greatly admired for stepping out the box and still reaching success. Understandably the goals of success for individuals may all be unique to those who don't take risks and break conformist routine, they present an unreliable option, thus causing many to play the game safely. Samsa represents the individual of a conformist life in all aspects of society and life, Kafka breaks that mold in the most ridiculous way to highlight the importance and decline of intimacy of a human subject in the world due to the matter of conformity forcing a lifestyle.  

Conformity

Today, education is pushing conformist ideals towards the youth of the nation. In todays Private Schools like Buckley, we find a nature in which standards according to the school must be followed. Uniform, classes, and environment remains the same year by year. Although students may be offered a choice in what they want to learn for certain classes, the norm remains the same with a set standard. Ideally this system does work today to spit out individuals who in turn go on to be the ideal members of society, and although this meets the norm of civilized life, One can come to question the perception of freedom in society that is set in the minds of children by educational facilities and their rules. I don't believe this is the only system that exists to allow for success and the freedom of success. We educate youth on the entirety of book smarts and memorization in a environment that pushes them to act to the standard of "civilized" in the perception of todays majority. Other options can be attained from a more lenient and free choice when young, to allow to the education of street smart standards.

Disscusion

Yesterday, the group discussion allowed us to delve deeper into Kafka's novel with intelligent analysis, and multiple views of opinion. Each of us expressed are views regarding the issues facing Gregor and effectively came together to understand the novel as a whole better than when we started. All of us spoke and many led discussion to form a mold of understanding for the whole class listening to the conversation.

PARAGRAPH

Marlow encounters two major symbols within the Heart of Darkness: The river and the jungle, both juxtapose each other in multiple ways. Each represent a sense of the unknown with the density of the jungle and the winding direction of the river. However, the river offers a single path, where as the jungle is unexpected, large, and a mystery. There is the sense of human threat and unordered within the jungle from tribes and other mysteries, ironically making the river the safer setting of the two. This plays in to the ideals regarding the colonization by the British. They offer no choice for the locals and are forced into their way of direction, just like the river. Both the river and the jungle serve a sense of savageness that also relates to the principles of the colonizers. 

Blog

Marlow encounters two major symbols within the novel: The river and the jungle that both juxtapose each other in multiple ways. Each represent a sense of the unknown in the density of the jungle and the dangerous river. However, the river offers a single path, where as the jungle is unexpected, large, and almost impossible to move through. There is the sense of human threat of tribes within the jungle. This plays in to the ideals regarding the colonization by the British. They offer no choice for the locals and are forced into their way of direction, just like the river. Both the river and the jungle serve a sense of savageness that also relates to the principles of the colonizers. 

ESSAY

I plan to explore the relationship, mood, and learning Marlow experiences along the river and jungle and how that plays upon his morals. From this I plan to examine the sincerity of Marlow in his current situation and his view and justification against the British colonialism. My essay will essentially relate the morals with views of Marlow and investigate the questions of if his view is right.

Pyschological

The Congo undoubtably has a profound effect on and within Marlow. In these new surroundings Marlow can be visually seen as becoming uneasy and discomforted even by his new environment. Through the ill-will and ill-intent in the British colonization, Marlow sees the lack of morals and how that physiologically makes him question his own morals. He understand that his being there draws him into the very things he despises.

#6

Marlow uses the painting to convey multiple aspects of the colonization by the British on the Africa. The light in the painting has relation with multiple symbols such as power and differences. The light is also used to signify the racial differences. The light of the torch on the darkness represents the situation of colonization and the contrasts between the two. Marlow feels discontent for the ongoing colonization by the British as he feels it is uncomfortable. The blind fold further goes to represent the helplessness of those who are colonized and the ignorance of the power in control.

Marlow Blog.

Marlow utilizes the imagery and setting of london to connect to the reader, as well as the effects of English colonization upon Africa and the Romans. Through the similarities presented through the desires and temptations of power. Marlow foreshadows his point of the discontent that colonization can present in wich he soon discovers.