Twitter Test

I've noticed that based on what I say on Twitter and the tags used, people begin to follow you. I find this interesting especially when it tends to be on simply keywords, such as this tweet:

Anyone know of any really good migraine cures? Or how about something that just works a little? NSAIDs, Asprin, and Tramadol have no effect.

That night I get no replies, however I wake up to find an email stating that a Twitter profile that specializes in Tramadol addiction is following me.

Did I state I was addicted, or did I state I had anyone close to me addicted? No, and I don't. All I said was that I had tried Tramadol to cure a headache and it didn't work.

Here is what I propose in doing:
For the next week, using specialized tags and wording to see just how crazy this type of a thing can get. I won't count the Twitter-whores, you know, the ones who are pictures of women and following like 3,200 people. I will just count anything related to what I Tweeted. This is all simply just to see how quickly someone will follow you for saying the right things, and hey maybe come up with some algorithm for this.

Experiments are fun.

Optical Illusions

So I'm sure your friends have shown you things such as impossible objects, or "moving" still images, but I have an optical/sensory illusion that was so much more real.

I'm in Texas right now visiting my grandparents, and the ground is somewhat uneven, switching from up to down, left to right, with every step. However, it is done so smoothly that it actually creates a false sense of motion. You believe that the ground is moving, and at first I thought it could have been just some odd sensation from myself, but it turns out my brother was feeling the exact same thing!

Of course then, again due to my psych class I began analyzing the situation and decided things were happening because of the conditions mentioned above.

Anyways, flight down to here was pretty poor. We were in a very small plane, a 1x2 seating wise, the crew was harsh, however Texas itself is very nice. And as a friend says, here we are in the time-zone of "Texas Time" and it is always "High Noon."

Neurology is The Future

I'm pretty convinced I will be a great neurologist or psychologist. Ever since taking AP Bio and Psychology just about everything mind or brain related has come extremely easily to me. Part of this is probably due to a lot of the research I did before I took the class, but still picking up everything I feel pretty good about where I stand so far.

I know of many people who had no clue what to do after high school, what to study, or anything. I've taken these semi-specialized classes and really enjoyed the brain parts. We looked at some nerve cells today, quite amazing in my opinion. I really want to do nothing more than work with the brain.

Actually genetics I love too, and I had emailed Sam Rhine, a geneticist that I had gone to see a presentation by, he suggested I check out Neurogenetics, the best of both worlds. It is just a good feeling when you finally realize what your "calling" is.

I want to go into research so I would always be on the cutting edge of my science, also if any discoveries were made I could satisfy the narcissist in myself and get it named after me. The naming would just be a perk, what I'd really love is just discovering how stuff works. I want to understand the brain, people, everything.

One can hope, another can try, the last will do. I plan to do.

An Antarctic Paradise

This is mainly a WTF post, so if that either entices you or pushes you away, feel free to make that decision now.
Okay good?

So maybe a month ago I had this insane dream, and I figure maybe I would share my dreams every now and then, especially when in my opinion they are just so cool.

I am on an expedition to Antarctica, and alone. The terrain is beautiful and suddenly I come across this creature that looks like it needs assistance. So I bend down trying to get a better look, then the dream fast forwards to this tropical city, but it is like a secret Antarctic society. The creature that I "helped" was a member of this society. It was bright and sunny, with palm trees and a few tall buildings overlooking the sea, however if you went too far out of this city then you would end up back in the frozen tundra.

I end up walking down the street and somehow offend one of the natives. They looked just like anyone I had ever seen, however there was something slightly different about them that I couldn't place my finger on. In this land, they have ruling over you, so I was sent to the combo jail/hospital. In this place, I see people who appear to be getting repair, but it isn't anything magnificent, it is more or less just a hallway with a room on either side, maybe some offices down the hall, but the white paint is chipping and the bright blue outside shines on in.

Then I realize while in the jail/hospital what makes these people different. They are made of clay, and that was the patchwork I had seen being done. After about a few times of this arrested cycle I go to see the doctor. He offers to make me clay, knowing forever I would have to stay here, but I would be sure to find happiness here and everything would work out. So I agree, and he takes out this bag as if it were a molding clay bag. I ask what is the difference between the types, he says some last better and the one he had was the best, so I took it.

We go into a room where I must then strip off my clothes and get into what just looks like a hot tub. The doctor pours the mix in, and then I feel just different. Have a little more pep in my step, but then see people who are still human being made fun of by clay people, and instantly regret my decision.

A dream that could mean a lot of things but most likely "Don't change yourself for others."

The Power of Suggestion

Pay close attention in some public place, like school, the movies, or church.

Ever notice when somebody coughs, sniffs, takes a drink, or even has flatulence then others may join in? Writing this I yawn just simply thinking of that as an example. I'd be willing to bet you got some urge to do that, or maybe if I said just the word "breathing" you would become aware of it, or "blinking". Then of course you eventually put those thoughts into the back of your head and normal biorhythms take over again.

Ever since my psych and even bio class, I have been thinking more and more about why people do things and how people work. The body and mind are amazing to me, I just have this need to explore it and figure out how it works and why.

But we go and tend to copy what goes on around us, or maybe we think that we shouldn't disturb something anymore than needed, so we try to cough or sniff or drink within the nearest time of whomever started it.

This concept also was tested on the Mythbusters episode "Is yawning contagious?". It really is the power of suggestion, and maybe we just do it for comfort, as the cough or drink was always in the back of your head but once you see/hear it then it becomes your top priority.

And why did I think to write this blog post? Power of suggestion of blogger in the the most recent episode of House. You know, the one that has "Donna" from That 70s Show? Weird to see her in other roles.

And by the way, I just got word that the school will pay for my college next year in every subject, versus before where it was just a good chance it would happen. Also, the only things left in my way are the ACT, then of course the rest of high school.

Psychology - Why Freud Was Wrong

In Psychology class we are told about how we have a Subconscious and Conscious which control everything we do in one way or another.

Webster defines it as this:

1 : perceiving, apprehending, or noticing with a degree of controlled thought or observation

It basically is everything we are currently aware of at any given time.

Now for Subconscious:

1 : existing in the mind but not immediately available to consciousness  

It basically says everything that we are not aware of but still effects us (what our Psych teacher told us). Also, apparently we can regularly call anything from this using some sort of association, or as Freud thought, dreams.

Why Freud Was Wrong:

I believe we can't have a system defined as above since:

1.  Anything that comes from subconscious can become conscious through association, hypnosis, etc.
2.  If subconscious can easily become conscious, then are you still not at least semi-aware of it?
3. Dreams, often determined as symbols for our life make no sense when looking at an Autistic person. Typically, they are horrible or can not perceive symbolism. So, what would their dreams mean? If they can't process symbolism then what accounts for their dreams? Obviously it is not strictly symbols, although things throughout the day do appear in our dreams.

My Thoughts:

I think of the mind as a three part system, such as follows:

• Bottom or 'Bio Level' - Everything your body automatically does that is regulated by brain that you can not control. This would include heart beating, senses, stuff like that.
•  Middle or 'Vault' - Essentially what Subconscious is, but you can access it, pull up old memories which would be triggered by a phrase or whatnot. Also items such as breathing and blinking would fall into this category as you can actively decide when you take in a breath if you so choose. Things from this level constantly get pulled into the top-most level, it is just what makes us up and adds to how we handle situations. You might not be aware of it, but this area could still effect you even if it wasn't completely in the top-level, but more resided somewhere in the middle and top due to current situations. Fits the term 'in the back of your mind'.
• Top or 'Awareness' - Everything you are constantly aware of at this point in time, what is currently called 'Conscious'.  Everything here directly effects what our choices are and how we act.

Today's Subconscious and Conscious definitions to not work for the mind as there is more there, and again, if the Subconscious can be pulled at any time into the Conscious then you somehow know about it as people say 'in the back of your mind'. I only hope someday there is someone who agrees with me, but as of now I only expect people to not want to challenge all they have been taught. That is another thing, people really don't like change, unless it is their idea. I try to keep an open mind for all, you should too.