The Town

Once upon a time, when I had time to breath and other things than constantly working, I went to see a movie with my mom called The Town. Heard of it? I have to admit I was pretty reticent about spending two hours in the movie theater watching a movie that did not intersted me in the first place. I was wrong. It is a great movie. The story takes place in Boston, and more specifically in a part of Boston where bank robbery are omnipresent. The story line has nothing exptional but I really appreciated the fact that the whole story is viewed from the point of view of the criminals, not the police like most of the movies opposing criminals and justice. Although a little bit long this movie goes more in depth into the emotions of the characters and do not just show a succession of of bank robberry (not like Public Ennemies that simply showed a succession of random events and robberies that had no connections one another). I like the whole atmosphere that the movie created. It is not one of these movies where you just feel so uncomfortable you want to run out of the movie theater (which surprisingly enough happens a lot). Even if a movie needs to be really good to have my approval, I think I can say without a doubt that this one should be on you “must see” list (yes that’s right I have a “must see” list of movies!!). Before watching this movie, I had no idea that Charleston was considered “the bank robbery capital of America” or something like that. Some people say that TV inhibits your mental capacities to develop. But what they don’t tell you is that it can also teach you some things. So if you can find time and if you have an extra $8 you want to spend to watch a movie, go see The Town.

Strikes in France

We just received at home a French magazine that has a very interesting article about the strikes that are going one right now in France. From what I understood, France is going through tough times now. Almost everyone is stricking including the refining industry, an industry that is extremely important since it is the one that allow oil to be usable. So due to strikes in the refining industry, France is experiencing a shortage in oil, causing the price of oil and of means of transportation such as bus tickets to be exessively high. However, these are not the only problems that are cause by the shorage of oil. Stores will soon be no longer approvisionated, causing a food shortage and slowing even more the economy down. The aviation industry is also impacted since kerozene is no longer available so less and less planes are able to leave France. I think that it is in that kind of situations that you really realize that the people are the real instrument of democracy (or self-destruction in that case). I just hope the the president will do something soon to ameliorate the condition of workers and avoid the upcoming problems that will undoubtably have disastrous effects on the people and the economy.

The best country in the world is...

So which country do you think is the best in the world? No it has nothing to do with the World Cup or the Olympic Games. Do you think that is the United States?... Well, I am sorry to disappoint you but the United States is far from holding the first place. And the winner is … Finland!! That’s right Finland was estimated as being the best country in the world by a study conducted by Newsweek. The top ten is:

1. Finland

2. Switzerland

3. Sweden

4. Australia

5. Luxembourg

6. Norway

7. Canada

8. Netherlands

9. Japan

10. Denmark

We can find the United States right after holding the eleventh place. As you can see the top ten countries tend to be small, rich and quite cold. But Finland had not been chosen randomly. Compared to other countries, Finland is very economically dynamic and was evaluated as offering a good quality of life to its citizens (which includes factors such as health coverage, security and chances to make a decent living). Education is also a determining factor that place Finland as the best. We talked about this in TOK last year and we looked at the revolutionary educational system that Finland uses. There are no tuition fees for students; these are paid by the government (that has a budget of 5.9 billion which is a huge number considering the size of the country). Now I know which I am going to live in when I graduate from college. Finland.

Quick question/opinion

I have a quick question for everyone. Last month I received a Newsweek that had a very intriguing title and I would like to have your opinion on what you think it means. So what do you think the phrase “The making of a Terrorist-coddling Warmongering Wall Street-loving Socialistic Godless Muslim President” means?

Espuna y nada más

No don’t worry this post is not in Spanish (although I am in the mood to write in Spanish!). A couple of weeks ago, we read a story in Spanish that left me disconcerted. The story is called “Espuna y nada más” written by Hernando Téllez. The story takes place in a country where rebel movements are widespread and where the government troops actively suppress them. It is the story of a barber, who, as the reader learns later in the story, is a member of the rebellion. One day a man enters the barbershop and asks to be shaved. As soon as the man enters, the barber recognizes him as being Captain Torres who is responsible for the arrests and executions of rebels. All along the story, the reader knows that the barber knows who the man is but we have the impression that Torres on the other hand does not know that the barber is a rebel, as he openly speaks about the arrests that took place and the next executions of rebels that will occur. The reader therefore thinks that the Torres believes the barber is a supporter of the government. As the barber shaves Torres he thinks how easy it would be for him to kill him without anyone noticing. However, his moral sense prevents him from murdering Torres. The last sentence of the story is “Me habían dicho que usted me mataría. Vine para comprobarlo. Pero matar no es fácil. Yo sé por qué lo digo” which could be translated as “I was told that you would kill me. I came to see. But killing is not easy. I know what I am talking about.” This last sentence reveals that Torres actually knew who the barber was. However, it also causes the reader to think. From the barber’s point of view, Torres is the reason for the death of many of his friends and maybe even of some members of his family. However, he finds himself incapable of taking revenge by killing him. As Torres says, killing is not easy. Sometimes someone’s moral values are stronger than any rivalry that may exist.

Rallies for America

Are you all excited for October 30? You may, ask what is on October 30? Well, for those of you who remember October 30 (a date that has absolutely no significance whatsoever) is the day when the Rally to restore sanity and the March to keep fear alive will take place in Washington DC. I have to say, I really would like to go. In this atmosphere of intense political debate, I think it would be interesting to hear the opinion of people who are not afraid to offer critical points of view on very current topics that affect us day to day. The thing I really appreciate about the concept of these two rallies is that it appeals to everyone, common people like you and I, who are too busy with their jobs and other obligations to participate actively in political demonstrations (referred as the Busy Majority by Jon Stewart). These two rallies allow diverse political opinion and views on actual events to be shared and openly criticized. I actually marked my planner. Unfortunately I will not be able to attend the rally, I have to take the TOEFL instead L. But for those of you who are available, go and help saving sanity in the United States (of keep fear alive, whichever you prefer).

Whatever Works

One Friday evening, when life was easier, Reshma and I watched the movie Whatever Works. Although being a hilarious movie, it also underlines very important aspects of our society. Here is the opening. It will give you a better idea of what I am talking about and maybe the wish to watch it!!

So, what is you first reaction? Not bad right?!

Later in the movie Boris shares his opinion about life when he says: “I happen to hate New Year's celebrations. Everybody desperate to have fun. Trying to celebrate in some pathetic little way. Celebrate what? A step closer to the grave? That's why I can't say enough times, whatever love you can get and give, whatever happiness you can filch or provide, every temporary measure of grace, whatever works. And don't kid yourself. Because its by no means up to your own human ingenuity. A bigger part of your existence is luck, than you'd like to admit. Christ, you know the odds of your fathers one sperm from the billions, finding the single egg that made you. Don't think about it, you'll have a panic attack.”

And I have to admit, even if it is quite pessimistic, it’s true. Because our lives is filled with troubles, responsibilities and constraints (without even mentioning the pressure and expectations that we can all feel), and because our society is defined by horrific events, we should try to find happiness, love and relief wherever we can. So the conclusion we should come up to is whatever works!

... not so extravagant after all

So, to continue on my previous deep reflections about my future… Oh by the way you should read the previous post before reading this one otherwise it won’t make a lot of sense to you. A couple of weeks ago, I had a meeting with my guidance counselor to discuss my situation and college applications. During this meeting I learnt that I will not be able to receive any federal aids or any scholarship from universities because I am not an American citizen. After this very depressing meeting, I had what you can define as a panic moment. To not be able to get scholarships means that I will probably not be able to go to the college I want and even if I cannot admit it out loud that is the reality. So in the car on the way home, after having cooled down, I started talking to Reshma about my potential future. On a joking tone I told her that I would not go to college and instead open my first prestige hotel. And because this hotel would be so amazing and the demand would be so great, I would have to open another one and another one and soon create a hotel resort. I would be rich before the age of thirty, would have time for my personal life and would not even have to worry about working to earn money since the hotel resort would do so well, money would just flow in my bank account. Anyone interested in a potential partnership? Think about it, it could be a great business opportunity!! Even if I was saying that just to joke around, I realize that even if it can be dangerous, it is not completely unrealistic. After all, many people who did not go to college and dared to take risks ended up very successful and sometimes even more successful than some who went to college. To do what is expected of you is not always the solution.

To be continued…

What to do with my life?...

Hi, I am back!! Yes I know it’s been a while since my last article. But don’t worry Mr. Wilcox I did not stop thinking in the mean time. Actually, the past events have stimulated my mind quite a lot (that may be part of the reason why I feel so exhausted right now!!). But it is not time to complain. It is time to get to the topic that made me think the most these past few days. As everyone else, I am preparing my college applications. The other day, I was looking information up about the medical program of some universities when I stopped for a second to think. I realized that I was already a senior in high school, that next year I will be a freshman in college in whatever country I will be in at that time, that I will spend the next ten years of life studying medicine to finally reach my goal in fifteen years and become a neurosurgeon. I will then start working (in a hospital probably) at the age of thirty and that it will take make my about ten extra years to built a good reputation. And because I will be so concentrated on my work and my patients, I will not have any time to dedicate to my personal life and will wake up one day realizing that my life passed without me realizing it. I will not have realized any of my dream, will not have had fun and will have dedicated my life to work. I will die alone with tones of diploma and recognition that will bring me no comfort in the end. That when I started to depress a little. But when I think about it I don’t even know if my life will be different if I choose to rethink my goal of becoming a surgeon. And really what could I do except medicine? My art skills are inexistent, I don’t have strong enough nerves to become a lawyer, becoming a teacher is completely out of the question because I would not be able to handle kids who do not care enough to try. So that where I am at. I don’t know.

To be continued…

Genetic Diseases

I finished a chemistry project on Saturday. We were able to choose a topic of our choice to research. Each person in the class had a different topic. Mine was Wilson’s disease. It is a genetic disease (autosomal recessive), which cause an accumulation of copper in the body. The excess copper first attacks the liver, then enters the bloodstream and attacks vital organs such as the brain, the liver, the kidneys and the eyes. We did another project in bio about genetic disorders. I had Huntington’s disease, which basically is a progressive degeneration of brain cells. The patient looses his ability to control his movements, his peripheral vision and faces many other symptoms. After having finished my paper, I stopped for a second and asked myself questions. Since all these diseases are genetic, a person is born with the abnormality. So I thought, omitting the scientific explanation of the mutations, why does a specific person get a disease like that? I mean you are born with it and your entire life is then based on and shaped by it. Is God have a role to play in all of this? If so, why would he punish a baby who has done nothing wrong? I do not know. I did not find the answer to all these questions yet.

We sometimes talk about this in biology class and I always find myself without any answers. People with that kind of genetic disorder usually have a 50-50% chance of having the disease (like with Huntington). If you knew you had a chance of having such a disease, would you want to know in order to get treated and live with the fear of the disease getting worse with time or would you prefer to stay in ignorance and live your life without worrying about it (with the risk of dying younger and transmitting the gene to your children)? It all comes back to the same question: is ignorance bliss? It is certainly easy to give an opinion when not actually experiencing a situation like that. But if I were in that position I think I would prefer to not know and live my life as I want and enjoy every second of every minute of every day. We all die after all (does it remind you of somebody?).

Designing a ideal school… not that easy

Reshma and I just finished the project consisting in designing our own school. Well, I do not know if it was the all point of this project but it is VERY hard to do. At first, when we were assigned the project, I thought in my head, “Oh, it is going to be an easy thing to do. There are so many things I would like to change in the current system…” I am sure of one thing. I was wrong. In the current system, especially as a student, we feel that many things could be changed, which would make the school day way better and less stressful. We would like to make classes and school day shorter, lunch breaks longer…. But when we think about it, many of these ideas are very hard to apply to real life when we take into consideration the curriculum to cover, bus schedule, safety of the school and plenty of other factors. When Reshma and I were designing our ideal school, we realized that our ideal system, when thinking of all these factors, was very close to the current one. So students, we complain a lot about an educational system that is not so bad. Of course, there are some things that could be improved to make the system better and when reflected that in our project but there are not as many as we thought there would be. And also, I thought it quite hard to think of an ideal system different to one (well actually two) I have known my all life. I just thought that would be interesting to point that out since we will present our project pretty soon. And I have the feeling that we (Reshma and I) will not be the only group having an ideal school strangely close to the current system we are used to.

Reliquias encontradas (¡en español!)

Yo no lo sé porque pero me siento en una humor de escribir un diario en español hoy entonces es lo que va a hacer (¡ya empecé si no lo nota!). Entonces voy a hablar de un tema de actualidad que se pasó esta semana o la semana pasada (yo no ya había decidido) que me interesaba o que era extranjero. Leí un articulo la semana pasada en el periódico español El País sobre estatuas griegas antiguas que habían volado y que se encontraban entre las manos de contrabandistas.

La policía griega recuperó dos estatuas que representan a dos jóvenes que datan del siglo VI antes del Cristo. Estas estatuas fueron volados por dos contrabandistas de antigüedades. Las autoridades griegas recuperaron las estatuas el lunes pasado antes que los contrabandistas las vendan. Ahora las estatuas son en seguridad en el Museo Arqueológico de Atenas. Los expertos afirman que es le descubrimiento más importantes de los últimos cuarenta años en arqueología y las estatuas son prácticamente intactas. Pienso que este descubrimiento es fantástico y que es una gran suerte que nosotros podemos contemplar reliquia tan antiguas. También es una buena cosa que las reliquias son en seguridad en el Museo de Atenas en lugar de el los manos de contrabandistas. Espero que los arqueológicos encontrarán más reliquias en el futuro.

Economy and furniture

Yesterday, I went to IKEA to buy some furniture for my bedroom. So after two hours in the car, we finally arrive to IKEA in Pittsburg, PA. When we arrive on the parking, the number of cars astonished me; we hardly found a place to park! The first interrogation that came to my mind was “do all these people have money to buy furniture during this economy downturn?” Apparently yes! While we hear everywhere that the economy is very bad, that layoffs are more and more common, that people are losing their jobs, … so I was surprised to see that people still have enough money to spend it on new furniture, something that is not fundamentally vital. Do not misunderstand me. I think it is great to see that people are spending money. It indicates that they have the financial means to and it helps the economy in a way. I am just wondering if some sectors on activity are very damaged by the economy crisis while for some others the crisis does not have any impact on them. In any case, it is a very good sign that people continue to spend money. I am just hoping that they spend money because they have the financial mean to and can afford it and that they are not making a tone of credits that they will not be able to pay off later (plunging us all again in a economic crisis).

How Internet-depend we are…

Last summer, my mum and I went to France and Spain. I took Macbeth with me (for those who do not know who Macbeth is, it is my computer!). And of course, because it is an American computer, I did not have access to Internet. No need to tell you, I was miserable. I did not know what to do. Moreover, my mum worked and all my friends left in vacation in another part of France. I was alone. So I did things I never do: I cleaned the entire house, I mowed the garden, I cleaned every single plate in the kitchen … I missed Internet. And then I realize how Internet-dependent I was, which when you think about it is kind of scary. The same thing happened a couple days ago; I could not connect to Internet. Once more, I felt lost. I talked to my mum about this and the conclusion I can withdraw from this is that our generation always had known and lived with Internet while for the previous generations, it is a relatively new tool. When Internet did not exist, people had to go to the library to find information for example. However, because our generation has always known Internet, some ways to do things were lost between two generations. I am not saying that Internet is a bad thing (I personally love Internet!) but by making every thing easier, Internet made us forget some basic ways to do things.

Ignorance is Bliss…or is it?

Since we wrote this Matrix essay, I encounter several times situations in which I would have preferred not to know what was going on. These were usually things that one I knew them, hurt me profoundly and left me confuses. I surprised myself to tell myself “ignorance is bliss after all”. But now I am reflecting over these situations and I am wondering, “is ignorance really bliss?” Undeniably, ignorance can protect one from being hurt emotionally. On the other hand these experiences, although hard and sometimes disturbing, allowed me to put myself in question, thing I would not have done if I did not face these situations. They allowed me to improve myself and to not do the mistakes I once did. However, I think it is easy to fall in ignorance again because I feel that a part of me does not want to face hardship and prefer to stay in wonderland where things are surrounded by illusions. I believe it takes courage to face hardship. So I think what I can conclude from all of this is that when one is in complete ignorance and does not have doubt about anything, ignorance can be bliss and protective. However, ignorance can hinder improvement of oneself. I feel this post is a very confusing one but if you understood what I am trying to say, do not hesitate to give your opinion about it!!

What makes a good commercials?

So as I was saying in a previous, I went to the shopping mole and, I waited for my mum to choose cloth. Without realizing it, I began to pay attention to the commercials for this particular shopping moles. After hearing it three times, I surprised myself of being able to remember almost half of the commercial. The way this commercial was pronounced was particularly annoying but I realize now that it is probably one of the reasons why I remember it so well. In general, there are so many commercials on the loudspeaker (usually with the same voice, or close to the same) that try to make you buy something that most people (at least me) do not even pay attention to what it talks about. However, this commercial, although very annoying, was different from the other and this allowed me to remember it. So after realizing I remembered the commercial, I began to think about what makes a good commercial. Difference and repetition are the two things I came up with to answer this question. What do you think? Do not hesitate to give you opinion about this post!!

Newsweek Front cover

A couple months ago, my mother took out a subscription to the magazine Newsweek. I personally like reading it to be aware of what is going on in the world and also to find ideas to write journals and give my opinion about current events. I also like the article in this magazine because many of them are critical and bring a new light on certain events. However, the thing I like the most in this magazine is the front cover (as you may have guessed from the title of this post!!). Although sometimes controversial (such as the one with Sarah Palin making an advertisement for Blackberry, they are usually shocking or enigmatic. I remember one of them represented the White House up side down. I think they are always perfectly well chosen. This week, we received the new Newsweek and the front cover was, as usual the first thing that struck me. So I started to think what make a front cover a good front cover. Taking the example of Newsweek again, I usually remember very well their front covers; therefore it has to be memorable. It also has to be insightful and summarize in a couple words and a picture the main points the author of the article want to express. The front cover also has to attract the reader to learn more about a certain topic, to open the magazine and eventually buy it. Therefore, the success of a magazine relies a lot in the first place on its front cover. Personally, I know that I remember better the front cover of Newsweek from every week than the actual articles in it. I just found this interesting and I wanted to share this with you.

Saint Patrick’s Day

Several weeks ago, we celebrated Saint Patrick’s Day. I think it is very pleasant to see every one dressed in green and be part of this celebration. However, from the first day I arrived in the United States, I never understood why Saint Patrick’s Day in celebrated in the US and why so many people take part of it. From what I understood, Saint Patrick’s Day is an occasion for Irish people to celebrate Saint Patrick, the patron protector of the Irish population. The majority of the population of the United States is not Irish so why such an infatuation for this celebration? I even read that every year the city of Chicago dyes the Chicago River in green at this occasion (which I suppose can be very bad for the environment and contribute to the pollution of the waters). This celebration surely originates from the Irish immigrant living in the United States. However, the Irish population is mainly concentrated in Boston and its area so I still find very interesting to see how a celebration introduced by Irish people in a certain region of the vast territory of the United States was able to spread through the entire continent (I assume Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated everywhere in the US). On the other hand, in France I never hear of Saint Patrick’s Day and I think everyone will agree to say that France is relatively closer to Ireland than the United States is. Still if someone can explain me more in detail the origin of this celebration and why a lot of people in the United States celebrates it, it would be very helpful!!

The power of music

After coming back from school, I had the firm intention of writing many journals to catch up with all the journals I did not write this quarter (by the way, I apologize about this). So I was saying, I came back from school and my mum asked me to go shopping with her and for those who know me enough, you know how much I dislike shopping especially after a week like this one, where the only this you want to do after having survived is sleep. Despite my insistence on the fact that I had more than ten journals to write, my mum continued to urge me to go shopping with her and … I had to accept. So after having walked from one end of the shopping mole to the other for I do not know how many hours, I finally begged my mum to go home. So in the car on the way home at 9 pm, I began to think about how many journals I had to write and calculate how many journals I needed to do to have enough before Saturday. I think it is useless to precise that it is technically impossible to do eighteen journals in a couple hours… at least for me! Back to my story. I was in the car and I was trying to find good topics to write about and of course I started to worry. Suddenly I paid attention to the music on the radio and recognized one of my favorite songs. I stated to sing “I can catch the moon in my hands/ Don't you know who I am /Remeber my name /Fame /I'm gonna live forever …”. You probably all know this song. In a second all my worries disappeared and I was completely captivated by the music on the radio. Music always has had this effect on me, it makes me forget my worries for a moment and makes me see life in a brighter way. Many say that music is a way to escape difficulties and obstacles one encounter in his life and I completely agree with this. I just wanted to share my opinion with you and allow you to think about this.

Looking for a college?

First I would like to know who is looking for what. I thought it is me who is supposed to look for the best University meeting my expectation, or at least this is the basic idea I had in mind till till we start to receive letters from College and University starting with a catchy attention getter like’’ Emilie, we are interested in you and you will find in the program attached all the benefits to join University X.’’

So, now I have the unpleasant impression to have been converted into a product to be purchased. It is really disappointing and worrying to see that this important step I am taking for my future is only a question of business and I am reduced to the state of a product. I would much prefer receiving objective advices on the different processes possible and steps to take to access the career I have in mind. How can I make sure I will be receiving honest advices to my question if I know that the driver for the university is money only. I think I will have to make my own experience and start to talk with some of them and make my form my own opinions.

This step in our life is very important and exciting and I really would like to make sure I will make the good choice. A good choice first for the studies delivered and the environment offered for my own development and secondly because I know that my mother will be main contributor and I profoundly respect and consider that point in my search too.

I would be interesting and perhaps helpful if we could talk between us about the questions, concerns, fears we have. We can use the blog or talk together as you want.

Break

It’s been a long time now since I have posted my last journal entry. Sorry for my readers but I needed a break to find new inspirations. Today I am happy to be back with you and sad as if I step back and think about what happened the last few weeks, we can say that the landscape is rather depressing. We have had the terrorist attack on Christmas day, the earthquake in Haiti with its endless list of victims, February has been marked by the alarming situation in Afghanistan where it remains a tough challenge for the Afghans and coalition troops to find the path that will definitely eradicate Taliban presence and this morning we started the day by an alarming email from one of our friend living in Chili who escaped to the Earthquake of 7.5 on the Richter scale and phone calls from France saying their area has been devastated by a storm.

What else to add to all of that? Everything is said. We are living in an unpredictable world, constantly under the threat of a terrorist attack or the risk of another event where you or your family or friend can loose the life. Besides this cruel worldwide reality, ‘’normal’’ life continues and we have all follow up the Vancouver games with the hope to escape the chaotic world influence. But here again, the opening ceremony was clouded by the death of the Georgian luger just some hours ago during a training session.

Sorry if I have been of bad company today but this is the frame of mind I am at the moment and I would be curious to know how you feel with all these events happening around us and would be ;ore than happy to get your opinion on this blog.

What can replace newspaper and pencil

As everybody you have certainly seen the new toy unveiled this week by Steve Jobs. Ipad is a superb product of technologies and very attractive. It is hard to believe that so many functionalities are possible and accessible in your hand and by simple touch.

I’m sure it will be a marketing success even if I do not see in what the tablet will be a revolutionary step for the computer world.

Cell phone, instant messaging, email have really change our day to day lives and have permitted to save lives in many occasions. Here I am more skeptical

Stop and think a minute about what kind of benefits it offer and the risks of the concept.

Ipad offers extensive multimedia functionalities. That’s fine. But where is the pleasure to watch a movie alone, read news stayed apart in your corner?

From a societal standpoint, I see the device as a new risk and factor of isolation in a world where loneliness is becoming a standard characteristic of the society and sometimes a real plague we have to take care.

I don’t know for you but to me nothing can replace the pleasure to read news in the news paper and share what I am reading with others around me or the watch a movie at home or to go to cinema with friends.

Ipad is said to be an electronic pad that will replace pad and pencil which explain the brand name chosen by Apple.

I have a MacBook and I love it. I like the graphic options and the finger touch. But when I have to think about a project, I still prefer to take my pad and pencil to draft my ideas. It is as if my brain was connected to may pencil. I do not have the same sensation when I formulate my ideas directly on my Mac.

I agree it is a new and superb gadget, very impressive from a technology standpoint. I am sure most will want to get as a symbol of ‘’must-have device of the generation’’. But to which extent it is a benefit to us, I would say that the demonstration still have to be made.

Absurd…

I would like to share my reflections about Haiti earthquake and the tragic aftermath regularly reported in the news. As an observer, I feel angry and sad with some comments and political controversies about why that happened, how much time each country brought help and support, the efficiency and poor coordination on the field….

It is hopeless to see people spending time and energy to endless critics while we are here in the utmost and clear demonstration of the absurdism of our life.

The only word I have to qualify my feeling about this human tragedy is absurd.

It is absurd in the concrete and realistic sense of the term as we know that this poor country has been struck by tsunami a couple years ago and that it is on the way of a high seismic activity.

It is absurd as I can not believe that the technology was not able to predict it first and then we were not good enough to prevent it.

As always in similar case of peril and human tragedy, it was good to see several nations use their power to bring help, compassion and support very quickly. However it was sad to see the critics and controversies arise on the efficiency of the help on the field.

It was good to see this worldwide concern and support at individual level often expressed as a financial contribution to help to improve the life of the Haitian people. At the individual level, I can’t help but thinking about the conscious and unconscious motivations of people giving money to Haiti. Is it unconsciously a way to recognize that this tragedy is a fatality and God as the master of the Universe can play a role her? In other words, it is a way to have clear conscious with God?

Is it to repress the idea that death is part of the human condition in other word a way to deny the reality of life’s absurdity?

Would Camus be still alive, he would have certainly commented the tragedy as absurd from a philosophical point of view.

To me, this kind of tragedy recalls us that death is unpredictable and gives us the right perception of life. In this sense, all human activity can be considered as absurd and the real sense of the life is to be aware of its actually and totally beauty and pain.

To drive or not to drive at 16?

"Do you have your driving license?"

Those who ask me this question always seem puzzled when I answer: “ No, and I am not in a hurry to take it”.

For the US students, it is essential to have the driving license as soonest as possible and in most cases at 16. I think I understand the reasons for that. USA is a huge country, railroad and subway systems are only available in certain parts of the US, and distances between two points often require a car.

I understand the point. However, it is interesting to note that in the USA the highest rate for car accidents concern new drivers below 18years old.

Recent medical studies have shown that below 18 years old, brain is not completely formed and more particularly the area of the brain that participate the evaluation of risk and decision is not completed.

This may explain the high rate of fatal car accident to the new and under 18 years old drivers.

Coming from Europe, I am used to have access to public transportation everywhere and there is no need for students to get driving license as young as 16years.

In France, we can start learning when we are 16 by taking theory classes and a minimum of 20 hours driving lessons with an instructor. Then a certificate is released that permit us to drive with a parent. Then, it is required to drive at least 3000kms before be eligible to apply for the test. You can apply for the test when you are 18.

I think the driving training in France is very robust and prepare you correctly to be a driver conscious of the risks and dangers that may arise from you or others if rules are not correctly applied.

Another reason why I am not in a hurry to get my license now is because I have no mean to pay for the lessons, get a car and pay the insurance and gas. I will have a car when I will be able to get it and maintain it.

If it is essential in the US to get the driving license before 18, I think it should be included in the curriculum as a mandatory class. Personally, I am thinking about the need to get it as I may need it when I will have chosen my future college.

Happy birthday

I don’t know for you but personally I don’t like birthday celebration and don’t even understand why it is so important for so many people. How can you be happy the day that rings a bell recalling you are closer to the end of your journey?

What do we celebrate? This is my question each year. I remember when I was five years old, my older cousins told me the day before my birthday that I will becoming a “grown girl”. I was so frightened as he told me that as I thought that something terrible would happen during the night that would transform me. I was so troubled that I could not sleep that night.

Should we consider birthday time as rite of passage as it was done in the past by several tribes to celebrate the important period of the life? It was more a test than a party. Young boys had to proof they were able to fight and survive in difficult condition and young girls were submitted to other female proves.

I think that birthdays and other traditional celebrations like Christmas or Easter have been captured by the marketing prospects and converted into pure product of consumption. Have you noted that the month of your birthday you receive bunches of special offers from stores you have visited even once? It is boring and sad to realize that you are considered only under the angle of potential profit for the society.

Another point that completed my disillusion is when I realized that birth date is often used as your social security number to check your identity. You are ONLY a number. No consideration for the miracle of the life that happen when you were born. You are a number.

The only pleasure I have with my birthday is to see the joy of my mother and the endless narrative she likes to repeat each year about my birth. I like to see her joy. This is the best present I can receive.

The taste of the clementines.

I like eating clementines in winter. I like the taste of this small fruit easy to take with you, easy to peel and full of vitamin C. I was peeling one of this delicious fruit, when my attention stopped on the label – Product for California -. Suddenly my delight faded and I started to think about how much my delicious clementines have contributed to the pollution, greenhouse emission and climate change. California, 2000 miles from Ohio. They have probably be shipped by air. How much does the transport contribute to CO2 emissions? Suddenly, my clementines had another taste and I started to feel guilty. I needed a calculator..

France has introduced Green taxes and regulation since 2006. I remember my mother at the supermarket looking at the labels to see where the products were coming from and giving preference to local product rather than product coming from Guadeloupe or Africa that had required air transport and thus largely contributed to greenhouse emissions.

I don’t know how the carbon regulation will be translated in our economy and day to day life. Personally, I feel concerned by the topic but completely lost as to know what I can do at a personal level. Let’s take an example. I like salmon. When you are in front of fish counter you have the choice between fresh farmed, frozen and wild salmon. Question: how to know which of them has consumed less fuel to fish it and to ship it? Should we have to become an expert in fishing methods to know the difference it makes on climate impact when you want to buy a piece of salmon fish?

Will CAP-AND-TRADE rules help to reduce CO2 emissions by 80% as it is claimed or is it just poised to become the next indicator of performance for the industries who will receive tax reduction in return and therefore able to produce ;ore and pollute more.

Save the planet will not be a business solution only. I think it will take time as it is a question of mindset with huge financial interest at stake.

In the meantime, we will have to learn how to count our carbon contribution in our day to day life and try to reduce it as much as possible.

As my first action, I said my mom that we will spend our vacations in the US this year rather than flying to Italy as we planed it to do.

What if I had to study in Israeli University?

While you are preoccupied with deciding which college you will attend, swaying between criteria like cost, the most far from your parent, extra curriculum activities and so forth, I wanted to stop a little bit and think about the student living in stressful countries exposed to stress factors like hostile countries around you.

Have you ever thought about the chance you have to live in a peaceful and prosperous country and what would be your life and future I other conditions?

I did some researches and learned that if you were in Israel for example, your next obligation after your senior year would be three years military service if you are a man and two years if you are a woman. While it can be seen as a penalty, I wonder if this could explain why Israel produces mush more High Tech companies and is rated number three after USA and China with 98 NASDAQ listed companies and has produced several Nobel contribution.

It looks like Israel Army can be a real stepping stone for the best students if you are chosen by the Elite Units. These units are as prestigious a Harvard, Stanford or MIT and open unique possibilities to the applicants.

Moreover the military service offers the possibility to create and nurture a valuable cross cultural network of expertise and knowledge useful in their future career. Several startup companies are founded from technology and knowledge discovered during their military service.

This is the case of the startup company who has revolutionized the genetic science by being the first able to map the human genome based similar date analysis used to analyze terrorist network.

Another difference between Israeli students and students from other countries is their higher level of individual initiatives and their multidisciplinary skills producing a reserve of high-skilled multidisciplinary entrepreneurs, and yet millionaire young people.

To me the main reason why Israeli students are much more mature than US students when go to the college and then when in their career is because they have grown in a country where they can loose life every minute and they have learned to make rational, quick and right decisions for their life. They have acquired incomparable and valuable skills compared to their counterparts.

However should we wish to be faced to similar situations to gain in maturity? I don’t think so. But I think we should think more outside our small box and be more open to what happen all over the world.

Sherlock Holmes and TOK?

TOK is the well-known acronym Theory of Knowledge. What does that mean? Does that mean that there is a theory on what should by known and how it should be learned? That point remains unclear to me and continues to puzzle me. Who better than I know what I would like to learn and retain?

This is the paradox every student has to face to get the diploma; accumulate a basic knowledge in a range of mandatory matters even if you have no affinity for the topic.

You have certainly watch the remake of Sherlock Holmes inspired from the Novels of Sir Conan Doyle in which Sherlock Holmes is depicted as an eccentric character with an ample knowledge in a wide range of topic and served by a strong and minute sense of observation. Besides that, Sir Conan Doyle depicts his main character as perfectly ignorant in literature, philosophy and politics. I like the theory he develops to explain paradox between exceptional knowledge and ignorance of Sherlock Holmes.

He says that ‘’brain is like a little empty attic, and you have to stock it with furniture as you choose. A fool takes all sorts that come across so that the knowledge which might be useful to him gets crowded out, so that he has difficulty in laying is hands upon it. Now the skilful workman is very careful as what he takes into his brain-attic. He will have nothing but the tools which may help him in doing his work. It is a mistake to think that little room has elastic walls and can be distend to any extend…It is of the highest importance, therefore, not to have useless facts elbowing out the useful ones’’ - The complete Novels and Stories Sir Conan Doyle Vol1

What is the most important? I like Sherlock Holmes character as he appears as a strong and reliable figure. Too many people have the tendency to talk about topics they even don’t master, just to show up as a smart and interesting person.

2010 Martin Luther King’s day

Monday, January 18^th 2010 we celebrate the birthday of Dr Martin Luther King. Children and students are happy as schools are closed that day. I am glad too as that means one more day to prepare my midterm exams, however I can’t help but thinking about this untiring leader who fight his entire life for racial equality until his assassination in 1968 and who paved the way to Barack Obama, the first African American President.

Both Dr King and President Barack Obama have received the Nobel Peace prize

Dr King won the prize in response to his non-violent and steady fight to make black civil rights recognized. Dr King believed in a peaceful world with the inclusion of all people.

President Barack Obama received 2009 Nobel Peace Prize for his extraordinary efforts in creating a new climate in international politics to secure a better future in the world.

Dr King and President Obama are and will remain strong symbols of persons moved by a conviction of a better world and who deployed all their energy to this goal.

Would you adhere or not to their fight or political views, you can’t help but respecting them for their struggle.

I compare these people as catalysts in chemistry. They make some chemical reactions possible while they would not happen otherwise, then nothing can stop the process once it is initiated.

Dr King’s assassination has not stopped the civil right movement and actions. Today, if we reflect to his life and legacy, I think mentalities have changed and regulations have been established for not judging people by their color of their skin by their values and character.

This has been the cornerstone to civil rights recognition. To me, we need to continue the way paved by Dr King to the recognition of diversity. By diversity I mean cultural, race, gender, abilities, disabilities, and generations. This is a phenomenal richness and our greatest strength if we are intelligent enough to use it properly.

Being an optimistic person, I hope that nations will be intelligent enough to adopt the right attitudes and decisions for a better future and better values in the world.

Don’t wait for acting. Everyone at his individual level can act and make things change.

Johannesburg prepares for 2010 Soccer’s World Cup

If you are fond of soccer you are probably seeing the 2010 soccer’s world cup in Johannesburg as the main event of the year. I agree to say this tournament will be very important but I can’t help but being shocked seeing South chosen for this event.

It is appalling to see South Africa investing billions to get the infrastructures for the visitors, while several thousand of people are living under the poverty line.

I did some research on the situation in South Africa and I become completely appalled after reading some articles about the human trafficking in force in South Africa.

Because of the extremely poverty that can reach more than 90% in some townships, poor people are reduced to sell their children for as little as 50$ to human-trafficking syndicates who use them in human slavery of all its forms, that mean organ traffic, sexual slavery and drug traffic.

‘’Soccer world Cup is seen as a unique and exceptional chance to do more business’’, trafficker said, ‘’first with the stadium’s construction workers and then with the thousands of visitors’’

Even if international conventions have banned slavery in the past 150 years, it is reported that there are more slaves today than at any time in the history.

At the eve of Martin Luther Kings Day, who struggled for the human rights, I am really ashamed to see supposedly right-thinking people giving their support to this traffic. To me it is like collusion and it should be condemned by the international authorities.

This relies on diplomatic will and pressure from the International community.

Would a threat of boycott - as it was done at the occasion of the Olympic game in Beijing - be enough to impose severe measures against human traffic to appeal everybody to take a stance against an important question as human rights and liberties in South Africa?

A fragile balance

Last week, we were driving back from school when a deer crossed the street. By chance my mother was prompted enough to avoid it. I wondered: ‘’What would have been our days if we have had an accident? What is most dramatic than an accident that can break your life?’’

Last week, several thousands people have lost the life in a dramatic earthquake in Haiti. I wondered: ‘’Why that happened? What did innocent children, women and men did to lose the life or become deprived from their families?’’

Last Christmas, 278 people travelling from Amsterdam hardly escape from a terrorist attack.

Everyday, we are witness or involved in situations that recall us how fragile the life is and how sudden it may happen. We all agree to say that nothing is more important than life and the rest is relative compared to that.

Saying that, why do we make our day to day life so difficult, busy with work, school, activities, without time to think anything else than our obligations for the next day?

I was thinking about that and came to the conclusion that it was probably the only way human being has found to preserve themselves from the unbearable paradox of the life, I mean life has a end for everybody but everybody can loose the life by sheer accident like in a lottery.

Because it is impossible to live knowing there is a Damocles’ sword above our head, the only strategy is to burden our brain and conscience with things to do to avoid thinking we are constantly in a very sharp and fragile balance that can be broken instantly by external event.

Can we say that life is like time parameter in the theory of relativity of Einstein in which time does not have the same value depending on the field of reference considered? Life does not have the same value if you consider it from a narrow standpoint burdened by your To Do List, or if you consider it from a broader view and recall we are in a short-lived and fragile state. This would make us more humble and positive.

Black or White?

This could be the title of an article in Newsweek on racial segregation still surviving in some countries or the question asked when you start to play chess.

It is indeed the endless conversation I have with my mom concerning decoration at home. Black flooring with white walls or clear carpet and dark walls, this was the question.

When I arrived in the US, I have been surprised to see how people decorate their interior. They often paint the walls while we usually put decorative paper walls and they tend to put dark and drab colors while we will use various and bright colors for a nice creative effect. I am very sensitive to colors.

There are lots of theories on colors and how they reflect the mindset and spirit of the person. To me the perception of the colors is a unique human characteristic. Typically my cat does not see things as me as she does not perceive colors. Why and how can we see colors?

From a Physics standpoint, colors are nothing else than quanta of photons moving on a wave at different frequencies. It is a chemical reaction induced by the interaction of the photons from light that will spark off the reaction in the retina and the transduction mechanism to the brain who will translate the information into color. To me color perception is a miracle of the nature and I wonder how would be my life if everything was monochrome. Take a minute and think about a world without color nuance and solicitation. Our field of need would be reduced to the very and sheer satisfaction of the need only. No place for marketing strategy playing with our senses.

So thinking about sad our life would be without color, we decided to put bright colors at home.

V

Hi everybody. Happy New Year!! I know what you think. You think, “If only I could have one or two more days off…” Fortunately we have a snow day today and what a better way to enjoy a snow day than by having a little challenge. The one who would be able to pronounce the following sentence in less than a minute would gain my eternal admiration.

“Voilà! In view, a humble vaudevillian veteran cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of Fate. This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is a vestige of the vox populi, now vacant and vanished. However, this valorous visitation of a bygone vexation stands vivified and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin vanguarding vice and vouchsaving the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition! The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta held as a votive, not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous. Verily, this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose, so let me simply add that it's my very good honor to meet you and you may call me "V".”

Most of you would have recognized it, this quote come from the motion picture “V for Vendetta”. Here is the scene from the movie:

I watched this movie during the break and I have to admit that it is probably one of the best movies I have ever seen. I regret I waited so long before watching it.

After having been transported in fascist England for two hours, I wanted to know how such an incredible story had been invented and I did a couple researches. I discovered that the authors of the original comic books had taken their inspiration in historical events that happen in the 16^th century. The every first scene of the movie show a man carrying a lot of powder in what looks like an underground gallery (which in fact is underneath Parliament). Short after, he is arrested and hanged in a public place. This man’s name was Guy Fawkes. He belonged to a Catholic radical group and participated in the Gunpowder Plot. Fawkes wanted to blow up the House of Parliament and saw this act more as a symbol and a necessary action to end the discrimination against Catholics.

Also, the first sentence pronounced in the movie is a famous quote by Guy Fawkes: “Remember, remember the fifth of November,/The gunpowder treason and plot,/I see no reason/Why the gunpowder treason/Should ever be forgot.”

What really fascinated me in this movie is the new look it gives on the importance of an idea. Beginning with Guy Fawkes and in the rest of the movie, it is suggested that ideas can change the world and are immortal, that when a dramatic event happen, we remember the idea, not the man who made it live for a second. Take Harper’s Ferry for example, you remember the idea that motivated the slaves to rebel against whites, you remember that they wanted emancipation but you do not remember the men who risked their lives for that idea.

December 25th in the air

Once again, Christmas has been marked by a dramatic event with the terrorist attack in the Amsterdam-Detroit flight. In 2004, a Tsunami left Indonesian islands devastated with more than 200 000 victims. In 1999, France was blown up by a very strong storm causing the death of several hundreds of people.

I don’t know why but Christmas time is often marked by dramatic events.

The terrorist attack of this year occupies a particular place to me as it is something that could have been avoided if security rules have been applied correctly. I am not a specialist but I make a difference between natural events unpredictable for which the best we can do is being prepared and know how to behave to protect oneself.

The terrorist attack was a surprise to me when we know the efforts deployed by the airport security to manage the risk. Obviously it was not enough or there was a flaw in the system that terrorist had identified and used to execute their plan.

I cannot understand how this Nigerian man on a watch list has been able to take this flight to the United States and why the detectors have not been able to detect the explosives concealed under his under wears.

Does that mean that the stressful and long security controls we are submitted to are useless?

I talked about that with my mom who knows the detection technology to try to understand the situation and above all if the dramatic event that happen on the Delta flight 253 was just an isolated case or if there is really a risk.

I will not expose the theory of the explosive detection, but from what I understood, there are two technologies available that could screen passengers and detect explosives but there are debates about them related to privacy violation as they show details of the body.

Obviously, terrorists are well aware of that point and used it to develop their plan.

My mom travels a lot in Europe and I worry a lot about this event as I realize that flying conditions are not completely safe and I hope that decisions will be made soon to allow the use of the techniques able to protect us.

Apple

I was in Apple store during Christmas week, looking for a new charger (because my cat ate the wire of the other one) for my MacBook and thinking that I would never have enough money to buy an iPhone to my mum for her Christmas present, when my attention was caught by a child eating an apple right next to me. I started to think about this child eating an apple and the Apple logo. Is there link between both? What is the origin of the logo for Apple Inc? Why the apple has been so many times used as a symbol?

I did a couple researches about Apple loge story and its symbolism.

A lot has been said about the logo, its origin and symbolism.

Originally the logo was a hand drawn logo featuring Isaac Newton sitting under an apple tree and it is said that the apple was referring to the discovery of the gravity. As the initial logo was too complicated, a colored bitten apple has almost immediately replaced it.

There are several other theories. The first one refers to Alan Touring, a famous mathematician known for his discoveries in artificial intelligence and father of computing technologies. To escape criminal prosecution and discrimination due to his homosexuality, he committed suicide by biting in an apple poisoned with cyanide. The rainbow would be a reference to the rainbow flag used by the Gay community in the United States. The other theories are much simpler, though a little bit extravagant, but more largely accepted.

The apple would refer either to the fact that Job and Wozniak (the creator of Apple) were eating a lot of apples, as they did not have a lot of money at the beginning. That would be one of the reasons why they named their first computer Macintosh, which is a variety of apples.

Some others say that the apple has been chosen because they were both fans of the Beatles whose label was Apple Corps…

The rainbow color symbolized the fact that Apple was the first to propose images in color while others were still monochrome.

With the new iMac, Apple decided to discontinue the rainbow sign to stop the speculations running about the topic.

The paradox of the story came up when Apple entered in the music market with the iPod and iTunes and was sued by Apple Corp (Beatles) for using Apple logo to promote iPod. The Beatles firm finally lose the court challenge and paid a big amount of money to Apple.

Should Turkey enter European Union?

The question to see Turkey integrate European Community has been subject to several discussions in Europe since 2002 and the negotiations that have started in Brussels this month to decide its adhesion have reactivated the divided opinions.

Today Ankara still does not meet all the requirements needed for the adhesion. The problem is not here. Since 2001 Ankara has started an intensive democratic program focused on Human Rights, the Kurd identity, Woman rights, Armenian genocide…

The problem is elsewhere. So far, countries joining European Union were from the core of the Europe. It is the first time European Union has to think about the risk and opportunity to have a border country from Middle East under muslin influence joining the community.

Turkey has a population of 70 million people, mainly muslin, having borders with Syria, Iraq and Iran.

Would that be a risk for Europe to be exposed to those countries? The opinion is divided on this point. Some people say that it would be an open door to Al-Qaeda to enter Europe more easily. Other people say that European Union can not succeed without a muslin ally.

How be partner with a country having trade with Iran and Iraq?

How be allied with a country condemned for Armenian genocide and which does not respect Human rights?

European people ask for a referendum to be able to express their own opinion.

As a French and European citizen, I feel concerned by the topic and follow the news regularly about the topic.