Speech. How do we understand it?

Part 1

To those who speak at least 2 different languages.

Have you ever wondered how you actually make meaning of the language? For example, the word food. In English, it's 'food', in French is 'nourriture', in Spanish it's 'comida'. Do you think that our brain remembers each word separately in the head? For example:

English: Food

French: Nourriture

Spanish: Comida

If you think about it, that's a really tough way to remember it. Each and every word in a language has to be remembered separately. Taking it into computing terms, that's like the brain making different 'folders' for each language and storing the words there. Wouldn't that be wasteful? Sure, the brain doesn't really have a defined storage specification like our computer and yes, the human body is in some ways inefficient. , but nevertheless, it's really very wasteful. 

Now my idea (which I really want someone to prove or disprove. PS: Send me some article on it if you find any!) is that the brain must store it in a way that isn't so wasteful. Maybe, just maybe, it stores each word in a shared folder. For example, when we think food, our head forms a general image/smell/taste/experience of it, and associates it with the sound of the word, so in that way, if we speak more than one language the brain suddenly associates that image with all those other words for it in the head. For example:

                                                                                                        

Food (a mind image/smell/taste/experience stored already in brain): Nourriture - (French)

 Food- (English)                                                                      Comida- (Spanish)

So, in this way each word is stored with the object of thought.

To make it easier to wrap your mind around (if this wasn't easy enough), think of it this way. You, your mother, and your brother have 50 images in a folder, on the family computer, which is 1GB in size and they are all technically exactly the same. Now, in this situation, you could; make three copies and store them privately in each person's account (using up 3GB of space) OR make the folder public and store it in a public folder for everyone to access (using only the necessary 1GB of space). What would you do? If you make the sensible choice you'd choose to make the folder public and store it in a public folder for everyone to access. Why? Because this option is way more economical and uses 3 times less space than the first option. 

So, that's what my idea is. In simple the brain stores all the words and their translation into human languages in a public folder, making it easier to access and using up less space.

Part 2

So, continuing from there, I will move onto another theory, and while some scientific research has been done into this and it's not exactly one of my ideas, it's one that you're better off knowing. Anyways, it's always better to add more info to a topic isn't it?

This topic also relates to the idea of speaking more than one language. Also, I know I did say research has been done into this, I don't think they did it into what I'm going on about. Another thing to point out too is that Part 1 was pretty simple and made easy to understand. It might seem as somethings may not add up, but I'll do my best!

So this theory also uses the idea that the human brain works like a computer. On a computer, it seems to you that it is actually using English (or some other preferred human language) to communicate with you. Well, it isn't. What is actually happening is the computer translates the word, say “Start”, into computer language (which isn't really legible to anyone except an experienced computer technician), so it would be '01110011 01110100 01100001 01110010 01110100' (in this case translated to binary). So maybe, in the brain, each word is a signal of waves or buzzes or some repeated removal of liquid in a specific pattern (okay, that's pretty far fetched). So, saying that the word 'food' is something like 'Z...ZZZZZ.Z….ZZ.ZZZZ.ZZZ..ZZZZZZZZZ...Z', taking that 'Z' is some kind of brain buzzing, the word 'food' will be given to the brains word database like this:

                                                                                   Food - (English)

Z...ZZZZZ.Z….ZZ.ZZZZ.ZZZ..ZZZZZZZZZ...Z: Nourriture - (French)

                                                                                                   Comida- (Spanish)

In Part 1, I said 'Food (a mind image/smell/taste/experience stored already in brain)'. The word 'Food' there was actually 'Z...ZZZZZ.Z….ZZ.ZZZZ.ZZZ..ZZZZZZZZZ...Z'. It's that signal that means a mind image, smell or taste etc..

So, for now, that's it. I know I have more to say on this, but if do have the time, I'll carry on with this. Right now, I'm more focused on writing and finishing up some short stories of mine. I thin k you'll enjoy these more. And if you have something to say about this topic or my blog, feel free to comment below! And remember, next time it could be you writing articles for this blog! If you have anything you think is appropriate for this blog, send it along to my email at spitfirerob@gmail.com. I accept nearly anything on this blog, be it reviews, stories, or poems. It can be anything that you’ve written on, or have an interest writing on. I’ll always give you full credit for it, don’t worry. 

In the meanwhile, this article will keep your mind working!

http://brainconnection.brainhq.com/2001/01/27/how-the-brain-learns-a-second-language

Why does the pen you use for daily writing need to be good? And some suggestion and recommendations for choosing a good pen!

Why does the pen you use for daily writing need to be good?

    The pen you use daily matters. A lot.

                        What type of pen do you use daily? A disposable cheap ballpoint pen, a refillable expensive ballpoint pen, or a fountain pen? Or maybe something in between?

                       Well, it turns out the pen you use daily is quite important, and can say quite lot a lot about you, and can define the impression your reader has about you. In this article I’ll focus on presentation. How is your handwriting? Horrible? Or Angelic? What if (for now, let’s imagine this), that maybe your handwriting isn’t really quite horrible but it’s just a matter of the pen you use?

                        Actually this figment of imagination can actually work! The better the overall writing experience of the pen, the more your handwriting will improve in the long run.  The definition of a good pen can differ from person to person. Some people will like rough, thick and embossing pens, while others prefer soft, medium tip, smooth flowing pens (par exemple, me).  I have found this exceptionally true in some of my friends who use cheaper pens.

                         The switch to a more appropriate, better writing pen can immediately visually enhance your writing. In fact, most of the enhancement in your writing lies in the visual appearance! Your piece of writing should have a good look to appeal to your readers and also, this better looking piece of writing can also help you get more satisfaction out of yourself. I believe this is a key factor to better writing. To have better writing, you should have a good idea of your abilities and weaknesses. This can potentially help you improve your handwriting, but this time, not just visually.

So, what kind of pens can you use?      

                        Now that you know you actually make horrible, ugly, and not-very-perfect handwriting actually good by the use of proper pens, you wonder, what kind of pens can you really use?

                  Mostly, this depends on you. You’ll need to head out to a proper stationary store and test out potential well-writing pens.

Step 1: Start out by selecting the type of ‘tip’ or ‘nib’ you like. 0.7mm? 0.5mm? 0.38mm? Or 0.28mm? Yep, these, and many more sizes are available out there. (But if you’re going with a fountain pen, the least size you can probably get is 0.5.) Try each of the shops options, and make a well-decided choice. For more general use I’d go with 0.5 or 0.7, which I found is the most popular type of nibs.

Step 2: Then, choose the type of fluid that you prefer. ‘Carbon’ ink (commonly referred to as ‘Ballpoint’? ‘Gel’ ink? Or normal fountain pen ink in ‘Rollerball’ format? Or just fountain pen ink to use with your fountain pen? It’s up to you.  Here, I’d recommend Gel ink.  I find it the most reliable and best looking of the other options, and most Gel inks are waterproof nowadays.

Step 3: Now, once you have finished choosing your proper nib size and type of fluid you’re free to choose a pen of choice. Beautiful metal bodies, artistically engraved nibs, really high prices; this stage is totally up to you. Just make sure that the pen you choose matches with the choices you made above.

My personal recommendations for your consideration

Okay, so maybe you don’t want to start straight from scratch.  Below I’ve compiled a small list of Pen models that I’d personally recommend to you. They're arranged under the titles of Ballpoint, Gel, Rollerball, and Fountain. Most of the pens I’ve listed come in many different nib sizes, and so this won’t pose a threat to your selection. One thing that will, however, is whether you like the design of the pen. Also, it’s worth mentioning the pens I’ve listed don’t usually pass the $25 mark. So, it’s your turn; make a choice!

Ballpoint

1.     The Parker Vector, Jotter, (and some other low end pens by Parker) offer great, smooth, uninterrupted writing. Although the refills are a bit on the pricy side, they don’t finish very quickly, so this a good viable first choice.

2.     Some offerings by Papermate. Papermate offers great writing pens for low end prices. They have a multitude of offerings, from clicker pens, and ‘stick’ pens, so you can’t go wrong with Papermate.

3.     The Staedtler Stick. This is another option where you can’t go far from wrong. You’ve probably already seen this with other people, and have probably even owned it, so you know that this is a great reliable pen in the ballpoint pen category.

These were my recommendations for pens in the ballpoint range. Personally I don’t much prefer the visual appearance of ballpoint pen inks, but if this is what you’re looking for, you can’t make the wrong choice with the above pens. But before you choose these, check out the other ballpoint pen options offered by some other manufacturers, given that you might have to 'fish around for more dollars' for some of them. But if you really can’t decide just yet, check out the ‘Gel’ pens below, which offer great writing for a somewhat less period of time than ballpoints, but are more visually pleasing!

Gel

1.     First and foremost, the best Gel pen I’ve ever written with; The Pilot Frixion! This is one pen you can never write badly with. And hey, even if you do, just erase it! This pen offers a great, consistently good writing experience and is truly a pen you can fall in love with. Add to that the ‘party trick’ like ability of this pen, the ‘erasablility’! Yep, you can actually erase what you’ve written, with the pens built-in eraser. So as long as you don’t use it on legal and official documents (which is strictly not recommended due to security issues), this is a good-looking, reliable pen that also writes in a way that makes your writing just plain nice, any-time, even though the ink is a bit on the ‘light’ side.

2.     The Pilot Hi-tech V point pens. I enjoy writing with these liquid-gel pens. They are consistent, smooth and come in several color options to choose from. The ink is bright and stands out, which means it looks good on the paper. But don’t drop it tip first or you’ll regret it.

3.     The Mitsubishi Uniball EYE. Wait, what? The company that makes your neighbor’s Outlander also makes pens? No. Seriously, no. In fact the Mitsubishi Pencil Company is COMPLETELY unrelated to the car company. Weird things happen. Nevertheless, the Mitsubishi Uniball EYE is good pen. There was a time when I was obsessed with the Uniball Eye. And rightly so. The Uni Eye is a nice looking pen which offers great writing and good reliability. It comes in many different colors and has a professional look, so this is a great choice for anyone looking for a nice pen. But again I warn you, do not drop it.

4.     Zebra Sarasa Clip. This pen comes in a variety of nib sizes and a different colors. It writes smoothly and consistently. (I’d like to add that my dog also likes to have this pen between his teeth. Yes, that’s what happened to mine. Recommended by my dog ‘n’ me!)

5.     Mitsubishi Uniball Signo DX. This pen comes in variety of nib sizes including some unbelievably fine nibs, like 0.38, and 0.28! Gorgeous pens. Like all the others, yes, they’re smooth and consistent.

There you go! My top five recommendations for Gel pens! These are pens I write with on a daily basis, and I can surely say they’re reliable, write smoothly, and have a good visual appearance on paper. But wait! These are not the only gel pens out there! There are tons more of options and the whole world is out there for you to choose from! Even brands like Parker, Cross and Faber-Castell make gel pens and even though they are a bit expensive, they are there if you like them. This issue of price brings me onto the biggest disadvantage of expensive gel pens. The duration of the refill. Gel pens don’t particularly last long. With a nib like 0.7 or 0.5 and daily writing (for example, at school or college) they will probably last about 2 weeks at most. That’s why I recommend you opt for a cheaper option like the ones above.  But for pens like the Frixion, you can buy refills for about half the price of a whole pen, which is nice option. Sadly though, as far as I know, you won’t find refills for the others in the list. But then again, they aren’t very expensive are they?   

Rollerball

(Note: The rollerball I refer to is traditional fountain ink in body type)

1.     The Parker Rollerball range. Almost all the Parker Pens are offered in rollerball, and in different nib sizes. It’s up to you here; all the rollerball refills are more or less the same.

2.     Pilot V-Ball Grip. A non-refillable rollerball pen by Pilot which writes neatly and looks nice.

3.     Pentel Energel Rollerball. Another good rollerball pen by Pentel which is in surprisingly, but deserving, good demand nowadays.

You really can’t choose the ‘Best 5 Rollerball Pens’. Most pen companies that make fountain pens also make accompanying rollerball pens. Rollerballs are great pens if you are someone who likes how fountain pen inks look but can’t give the care and love traditional fountain pens need.

Fountain Pens

1.     The Lamy Safari. My all-time favorite bargain fountain pen. If you are into fountain pens and want a good one, the Lamy Safari is a great choice. It writes great, quite reliable, and cheap enough to throw away if it breaks. But if you’re thrown off by the teenager looks check the next in line.

2.     The Parker Vector Metal. My first proper fountain pen, and one that I can recommend to anyone who wants a cheap, good looking, no-nonsense fountain pen. The professional metal build can look good anywhere, school or work, and gives the pen a valuable look.

There are not many great branded fountain pens that the ‘professional’ look that you can use anywhere. Then again, if they do have the ‘look’ then they don’t have the cheap ‘price’!
 So in this section you’ll have to do some searching and find out a proper pen for yourself, because it is quite hard to ‘pinpoint’ a perfect cheap pen that retains both value and quality.  

Conclusion

So there you go! I hope this will help you improve your handwriting and also help you chose a proper pen to reveal the inner you (who, maybe, actually had good handwriting). Please be sure to leave a comment below, add me on Google+, follow me on Twitter (@salsmanrobert) and subscribe to my Youtube channel. Also it would do to help out your friends and me by sharing this article! Thanks for reading and Happy Pen Picking!

Crash - A short story

Crash!

                                 The awesome engine broke into life and revved up perfectly. The roar of the engine stopped all of the surrounding sounds and had an almost hypnotizing effect. Then it slowly revved down, and started rumbling slowly, almost as if telling the driver to start driving. The car was a Lamborghini and it belonged to my friend Rado. We were on his front driveway, because he had invited me to go on a joyride with him. He pulled out of the driveway and slowly reversed onto the street. The road was a long black carpet, the car was the celebrity. Rado put his foot on the pedal and almost as if struck by lightning, the car flew along the road.

                                 I was pushed back into my seat, and I could feel the wind on my face; the car was a convertible. The houses and the trees were a blur, the road ahead was only glimpsed, and the world was a kaleidoscope. Then my friend slowed down as we neared the color lights at the four way crossing. They were red. Rado grinned, “Okay, let’s cross the lights, eh? Stay tight!” There was no one around; the streets were deserted. I smiled back, “If you say so.” Rado slowly revved up the car and I could almost feel it roaring. The car slowly inched backwards, as if getting ready to pounce on the innocendeafening.  Then in the flash of a second the car was over 40kmph. We both had our eyes on the road. Which was why no one saw the Mini Cooper as it crossed our path. I blinked.

                                                    That deafening second almost worked in slow motion. As I opened my eyes again, I saw the Cooper move in inch by inch to the center of the four way crossing. We also moved in inch by inch. The moment the collision occurred, my instinct kicked in, and my eyes closed.

                                           I open my eyes. Still moving. All slow motion. I look back to see the Cooper flying through the air as it turns over and over. I move my head. Cars parked on the pavement. Our car is breaking through space. I look on as we hit the last one. I turn my head. I see Rado trying to control the steering wheel. I see him turn the wheel to the right. I feel the car veering off track.  More cars parked on the pavement. Our car is flying straight into one. My eyes close.

                                          I open my eyes again. I look down to see the rest of my body sitting there in the car. As I look on, the color around me slowly starts fading. It becomes gray. Then I see a spot of red. It’s okay. It’s the car’s interior right? But wait. Is it on my body? Does it matter which? My brain doesn’t provide me with an answer. The sounds around slowly start fading back.  I look at where Rado was sitting. There he is, wearing a gray color shirt. I smile. Wasn’t he wearing a red one earlier? Then somewhere far away, I hear a loud explosion. I feel a tingly sensation near my legs. I smell petrol. Then I look back at my body and smile. The world was a nice place. My sight blacks out.

                                         “Beep, Beep-Beep.” The machines in the Emergency Department beeped on. I open my eyes. It takes a moment to adjust… but wait! I can see! The plain white of the ceiling presents itself to my surprised eyes. I try to move my hand. It feels heavy. I try to lift my head, but I can’t. “You don’t want to do that”. I hear the voice of someone in background. Suddenly from the corner of my eyes, a person in a white coat appears. He looks at my face, smiles, and says, “Hope you feel fine. You’ve ruined your legs, and most of your skin. But here’s the good news… you’re coming out in one piece!’