Alone

I am an only child. In our society, this is probably the situation that is most closely related to loneliness. I have wished that I wasn't an only child and, at other times, have been quite happy that I don't have any siblings. I'd say that the happy and not-so-happy times cancel out, for the most part. I don't really think about it too much anymore, as I've come to terms with my situation. As busy as I've been with college decisions and visits and regular work in and out of school, I really don't find too much time to be sitting around wishing that I had siblings. Besides, the family that I have is great, no matter how small it is. I have two first cousins who have been like brother and sister to me, as long as I can remember. One is a few months older than me, and the other is a week younger. I grew up very close to each of them and I still regard them as close enough to be brother and sister. My Father really has been great, in that he kind of picked up the slack of me being an only child. Most of the time, he acts more like a brother than a Dad, which can be funny and sometimes a bit annoying (of course, he is Dad when he needs to be). To say it simply, other family members of mine have been like siblings to me, which is why I never really became sad about not actually having a brother or sister. In fact, I don't think that I ever had a real problem with being a loner. I chose golf as my sport of choice, and no other sport is as individual a sport than golf. Sure, there a golf teams but, at the end of the day, golf is a one-man sport. There are some things that just aren't meant to be, and I suppose me having siblings is one of those things. I've made the best of it, and I don't think that I would change anything, even if I could.

Save the Earth, Do This!

With the idea of a withering planet filling our heads, we all ,at one time or another, think of ways with which we could reduce our carbon footprint. Even if we find the smallest ways to reduce our energy consumption, we can help extend the life of our planet. One of the best examples of energy-saving technology and methods lies on Chicago's Southside, at the famous Museum of Science and Industry. It has been dubbed "The Smart Home", because it is a practical, aesthetically pleasing home that gives its owners peace of mind about how they might be impacting the Earth. There are many features of the house that lead to its ability not only to have low energy consumption, but also to throw energy back to the grid. By way of a personal wind turbine and solar cell technology, the energy produced by the home can, at times, outweigh how much energy is actually needed. Some other impressive features of the home include bamboo flooring, an inductance surface in the kitchen, and the fact that the entire hose is modular. The house is actually several components that were put together with cranes. This opens up the idea that houses could be mass-produced and shipped to their future owners. But, if you don't feel like ordering a house right now, there are simple things that you can do to reduce energy consumption. Such things include, unplugging any electronics that pull power from the outlet, even when they're not in use. These items include all kids of chargers, coffee pots, game systems, or anything that uses a standby light, really. Also, by recycling water, one can start to reduce their impact on Earth. Rainwater or any water that has been used throughout the house (except toilet of course) can be used to water plants in the garden. There are many ways to reduce how much energy we use up; it's up to us to decide how active we'll be in this initiative.

MSI's Smart Home 

Invisible

As a black male in America, it is easy to feel that I am invisible at times. Sometimes the evidence of strangers' thoughts can be obvious and at other times, not quite so easy to detect. Stereotypes of black men cause people to think things about me that aren't necessarily true, especially before they even know me. Of course, there is no way for everyone to get to know me, but it would be nice if people wouldn't pass judgment without any kind of evidence except appearance. It is important that people recognize the personality and potential of each and every person they meet. Even if one has a bad experience with one person from a certain race, there is no reason to assume that the next person that one meets from that race will have the same behavior. We are all individuals with widely different views, goals, and aspirations. Personally, I have chosen to focus intently on the academic part of my life. Sure, I have participated in several different activities throughout my life, but I have felt for a long time that taking my education seriously would take me where I want to go. When I see people in stores or just walking down the sidewalk, I feel that they are thinking about the stereotype that black men don't care about education and would rather be on the streets, instead of just seeing me as a young man that is in school and moving forward in his life. I realize that everybody that seems like they are thinking something may not be, but I'm quite certain that I have been a victim of certain stereotypes.

Book Review

One of the most interesting books that I've ever read is Freakonomics. The authors, Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner, combine their talents to enlighten readers about economic oddities that most people don't ever think about. The book is composed of seemingly random stories, which include economic anecdotes about school teachers, real estate agents, sumo wrestlers, and drug dealers. This mix of unrelated people are unified by the fact that they all have a basic economic incentive, no matter what their respective "profession" is. The other interesting aspect of the book is that the authors come from completely different walks of education, but found a way to work together, in harmony, to produce a best-selling book. Levitt is theoretically the "brains" of the operation, as he is the one who is a professor of economics at the University of Chicago. Not to say that the other author does not contribute much. In fact, without him, the book probably wouldn't have been created. Dubner is the writing half of the operation. He is an award-winning author and journalist, and the one who takes the ideas of Levitt and puts them into words that laypeople can understand and relate to. I read the book a while ago, so I only remember the big ideas of the book. I do remember that the book give great insight into some of the economic activities that a lot of people don't know about or about which many people have major misconceptions. It's a creation that gets people a little bit closer to finding out more about somewhat secretive activities and I recommend for everyone to read it.