Sunday, May 20, 2007

I-doser

I was watching the news the other day, where they were reporting on a products called I-drugs. Apparently, songs have been composed that use binaural beats to cause the brain to react in a similar matter as when it is affected by substances such as THC, causing the user to feel like they are high, hallucinating, etc. Apparently two frequencies, both lower than about 1000Hz and less than 30 Hz apart , are played together, one in each ear. The result is that a very quick beat is perceived by the mind.

Companies such as I-doser are saying that these beats can cause the user to feel high. While listening to the binaural beats in the background and ambience in the foreground, the user's brain is supposed to respond by entering a state of altered consciousness. Being very interested, I tried it out...

I listened to the sample entitled "Cocaine," as I felt the effects would be most easily felt. For ten minutes I sat listening to the sample, and in the end, felt somewhat more awake, but certainly not jumpy or anxious. I also listened to "marijuana," and did feel a little relaxed, but perhaps it was because I was sitting in a chair for twenty minutes listening to ambience.

My final analysis is that these beats may have a little effect, but can certainly not affect the user's brain enough to give them a sort of High. In conclusion, I wasted twenty minutes listening to ambience with an irritating beat in the background, while I could have been listening to Beethoven's Sixth or something (Pastorale is my favorite symphony :p)

Thursday, May 17, 2007

Budget!

Oh, now I remember, I was disgruntled over the issues regarding my school budget.

I live in a neighborhood torn by discrimination, racism, and broken into two sects: The Public School parents and children, who I will refer to as NATO: united, but loosely, and extremely agressive, and the Private School parents and children, who I will refer to as the Warsaw Pact: tightly knit, but controlled by a sort of leader who dictates orders...sorry, I'm a sucker for analogies...

Anyway, NATO had a majority on our school board for a while and was passing budgets. Suddenly, those damn commies (heehee) took over and failed it. For five years, we were on an Austerity budget, which was, at best, pretty terrible. Then, out of no where, the Warsaw Pact begins supporting a new budget with a .9 percent increase- less than austerity.

What does this mean? Well, as we were using a contingency budget, the state was sending us aid. Thumbs up! But now, not only do we have a budget lower than austerity, but we won't have state aid! Bollocks! Plus those preschoolers have bussing- I dunno... bad or good?

My problem with this is not that we are on a lower budget. It doesn't matter, I sense no difference. In fact, my only worry is that the representatives of the Warsaw Pact, General Secretaries Sussman, Marcus, and Blisko (know where I live yet? Hint- not the ex-Soviet Union) are not for the bettering of education for NATO, but for the bettering of education for the Warsaw Pact, even though everyone in both are Europeans. General Secretary Hattan, like Gorbachev, has proven to be a man of his word. He has been spotted at Varsity Baseball Games, School Productions, and in the Music Wing, talking about his plans for our district- a truly honorable man.

Whether the other three have these intentions remains enshrouded. However, I only hope for the best (and that extracurricular activities aren't cut, because I frequent almost every extracurricular activity our school offers...) and that those G-ddamn first floor bathrooms get fixed soon, because I have to pee after sixth period almost every day, but I have to hold it in until ninth because I have no idea where the fabled second floor bathrooms are.

Hoping for the best,
R

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Introduction

I'm R. At least, that's how I'd like to be referred. A lot of things have been going on around me, and as I love to talk, I thought I'd do a little blogging.

Of course I'd like to get straight to business, but let me bring somthing up first-
I had tickets to a Mets game today. It got delayed by three hours. That made me SO angry. Plus, I knew the girl who was singing the national anthem. By 9:30, my legal guardian made the decision that we would go home, seeing that I had to go to school tomorrow. But suddenly, the rain stopped! And the game started! I felt so good to finally be home at my house to watch the game. But then what happened? Apparently the local sports channel doesn't air the National Anthem. Are they serious? As that was the main reason I really wanted to see the game, I went up to my room and got all pissed.

Well, that's enough complaining for tonight. Tomorrow I talk about my school's budget passing (failing?)!