MDA Summer Camp

When people ask me what is my one of my favorite memories of summer break, the one thing that always comes to mind is Muscular Dystrophy Summer Camp!

It is hard to explain what makes MDA Summer camp so awesome in a short enough way to show my enthusiastic without sounding redundant.Well the logistics of MDA camp:

• It is for kids ages 7-17 who have physical Disabilities
• counselors are 1-on-1 with a camper, they can be age 16+
• its a week long camp, this year it is held in McHenry area at camp Red Leaf

Activities at camp range from dances with DJs at night, to pool, HOCKEY, arts and crafts, and just hanging with friends. You see after a week of camp, you will have formed bonds with fellow campers, and counselors that will last you a life time. As many Counselors will attest, they just don't go one year, because the joy of camp makes you want to come back next year. It is hard to recruit people to camp, but once you go, you will understand why it is such a great time. For campers it is a time to get away from being with people who might judge, glare, or question them for who they are. It is an environment of like people who understand what your dealing with, and there are no questions asked. For counselors it is a time to help their camper share an experience of a life time, and to learn and grow as an individual.

If you read this, and want information about how to apply, please email me and let me know who you are, and that your interested! I know males stereotypically are extremely hesitant to apply, but they are in need of you the most! At least get the info, and consider it after reading more about it!

Mogni Brothers, rockin the body paint, hoo-rah!

Antisense Strategy Improves SMA Symptoms in Mice

Mice with a severe SMA-like disease that were injected with a synthetic “antisense” molecule developed bigger, more structurally
sound muscles than untreated mice

• Newborn mice with a disease resembling a severe form of human spinal muscular atrophy received infusions of a synthetic antisense oligonucleotide molecule directly into their brains and spinal fluid.
• The molecule coaxed SMN2 cells to include a section of genetic instructions that otherwise would have been omitted, resulting in increased levels of full-length SMN protein, a critical protein missing in SMA.
• The treated mice produced more nerve cells in their spinal cords; developed bigger, more structurally correct muscles; exhibited greater muscle strength; and lived longer than similar SMA-affected mice that did not receive the treatment.
• The study builds on previous research supported by MDA. 

A team of research scientists has found that mice with a disease resembling a severe form of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) that were treated with a gene-modifying molecule produced more of a needed protein throughout their spinal cords; developed bigger, stronger muscles; and survived longer than expected.
Adrian Krainer at Cold Spring Harbor (N.Y.) Laboratory, with colleagues at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Isis Pharmaceuticals in Carlsbad, Calif., and Genzyme Corp., in Framingham, Mass., published the new findings March 2, 2011, in the journal Science Translational Medicine.
The study corroborates results from an earlier study that tested the same molecule and antisense oligonucleotide treatment in mice with a disease resembling a mild form of SMA. (See Antisense Treatment Restores Full-Length SMN in SMA Mice.)
MDA funded Krainer for the initial study; he noted that the current findings are "a direct extension of the work previously funded by MDA."
About the findings
SMA is caused by a flawed or missing SMN1 gene, which leads to insufficient production of SMN protein. (SMN stands for "survival of motor neurons.")
A nearly identical gene, SMN2, also is located on chromosome 5. Most of the time, protein-building procedures that involve “splicing” cause the instructions carried by the SMN2 gene to leave out a critical stretch of genetic code known as exon 7. The exclusion of exon 7 leads to shortened, unstable and nonfunctional SMN protein. (See SMA Research: The Curious Case of a Backup Gene.)
In this experiment, investigators treated newborn SMA mice with an antisense oligonucleotide molecule called ASO-10-27. It is one of a class of molecules designed to target genetic instructions at the RNA stage, which bridges the genetic instructions carried in DNA and the protein-building process inside cells.
The molecule was infused directly into the brains and spinal fluid of newborn research mice, where it coaxed cells to include exon 7. After 16 days, the investigators found four- to six-times higher levels of full-length SMN protein throughout the spinal cords of treated mice as compared with similar mice treated with a molecule that didn't alter SMN2 splicing.
The increase in SMN protein production in turn led to an increase in the size and strength of muscle fibers in the mice treated with ASO-10-27, as well as improved muscle performance and better coordination. The treated mice also exhibited increased levels of spinal cord motor neurons and more properly structured neuromuscular junctions (the place where muscle meets nerve).
Taking it one step further, the researchers also demonstrated that injecting ASO-10-27 into the spinal fluid of cynomolgus monkeys resulted in therapeutic levels of the oligonucleotide in primate spinal tissue.

Meaning for people with SMA

A number of different strategies currently are under investigation for SMA. (See In Focus: Spinal Muscular Atrophy.)
The ASO-10-27 antisense molecule appears particularly beneficial, allowing SMA-affected mice to make a significant amount of SMN protein, and ameliorating the symptoms of the disease. The molecule, like all other experimental therapies, will need to undergo extensive laboratory testing before it can be tested in humans.
Toxicology tests on the molecule still need to be completed in a nonhuman primate, Krainer said, "after which we certainly hope it will make it to human clinical trials.

Earth Day Saturday

Prasino Earth DayThis Saturday, March 26th, Prasino Cafe will be turning off all non-essential lighting and will be using candles. It's going to be a really smashing time, and the chefs at both St Charles, and LaGrange Locations will be preparing favorites including braised beef short ribs with cauliflower cheddar gratin, greens, truffle mushroom cabernet sauce; and miso chili glazed line caught Alaskan black cod with steamed brown rice, julienned vegetables, ginger carrot sauce.

Earth Hour is an event where millions of Americans turn out their lights for one hour in support of action on climate change and toward creating a cleaner, safer and more secure future. 2011 marks the fourth year of the event, which attracted more than 80 million participants in the U.S. last year, and nearly a billion people around the world, as lights dimmed on such global icons as the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Sydney’s Opera House, the Great Pyramids of Gaza and New York’s Empire State Building.

Prasino showcases affordable-priced breakfast, lunch and dinner menu items with an emphasis on seasonal, locally-grown organic fare, and served in a modern, environmentally-conscious setting.
Much of the produce incorporated into each menu is grown exclusively at prasino’s crops harvested at Knutson's Country Harvest in Newark, IL.

I've Blogged Earlier about my love for this restaurant, and if your near either current location, I encourage you to seriously check it out.

FOR2 multifunctional chair by A6DS for wine lovers

The “FOR2″ by After 6 Design Studio (A6DS) is a multifunctional chair designed by Sia Zanjani for two with storage space for up to 15 wine bottles and 8 wine glasses. Moreover, there is additional space in the center for books, magazines and other accessories, which makes the FOR2 a perfect product for small living spaces. The main materials used are birch plywood and 100 percent wool felt. All finishes and colors can be customized upon request. The FOR2 chair, which is sure to impress both the wine lovers, book lovers and the lovers of fine design, sells for CAD $3,500.

Brentling

To celebrate the ice speed record set lately by Finland’s four-time world rally champion Juha Kankkunen in a Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible, Bentley’s timepiece partner Breitling has unveiled the limited edition super-sporty titanium light body watch. The Breitling for Bentley Supersports Light Body watch was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show, and will be displayed along with the new Supersports “Ice Speed Record” convertible at the Bentley stand. Two weeks ago, Juha Kankkunen achieved a speed of 205.48 mph (330.695 km/h), breaking his own ice speed record of 199.83 mph (321.6 km/h) set in 2007 in the Continental GT. He drove the bio fuel-powered 6-liter, 12-cylinder Continental Supersports convertible on the frozen Baltic Sea, off the coast of Finland.

Gresso brings the iPhone 4 Black Diamonds for Lady

Gresso, the luxury mobile phone manufacturer, has now unveiled the new iPhone 4 Black Diamonds for Lady, in the case of the 200-year-old African Blackwood, combined with black and white diamonds, platinum and 18K rose gold. Targeted straight at the fairer sex, the iPhone 4’s back panel has been decked out with black diamonds in 6 carats, in combination with 13 carats of stunning white diamonds. The edging has been done with black diamonds. The button on the front panel is festooned with black diamonds in 2-carats, inside a frame of white diamonds and pink gold.

Pavillon360 is a column-free glass structure that offers you an unhindered 360-degree view. The idea behind the Pavillon360 is the creation of a modular space that can be expanded and fitted out individually. The surrounding sliding doors on all sides and retractable construction elements give an impression of being an extension to living space. Four pairs of windmill-like glass are arranged together to support the ceiling, like a mirror image of the ground.

Question. Answer. Post comments

Q: what is my favorite color?

A: red

Q: what is my favorite food?

A: sushi or prime rib

Q: what do I want to be when I grow up?

A: A lawyer for a large corporation

Q: do I sleep in my wheelchair?

A: nope, just a normal messy teens bed

Q: is it fun driving around all day

A: no. Honestly this question bugs me...its like saying how does it feel not being able to walk.

Q: what is the hardest part of life?

A: The future is always a fear of mine. I'm not very optimistic so that doesn't help much either.

Q: what is my favorite vacation I've ever been on?

A: Well we go to anibel every year, and other tropical places, and I still like the seclusion of sanibel over anything.

Q: Where is my favorite place to buy clothes?

A: Anywhere that is quality over quantity. Abercrombie for everyday. and calvin klein and aramani for when I wana hit up chicago !

Q: Favorite Restaurant?
A: Tsunami in chicago, or roots in chicago

Q: What makes me annoyed?

A: Immature people and sympathy

Q: What is my earliest human memory?
A: going to this little bakery in minnisota, and getting brownies with green frosting. Don't ask my why i remember that

Q: where do I want to go to college?

A: University of Illinois Champagne, University of Miami, USC, University of Iowa, UIC, SIU, loyola, depaul, or UCLA

ADD COMMENTS BELOW OF QUESTIONS FOR ME TO ANSWER!!

Beer Pong anyone!?

Honestly coolest beer pong table ever! i want this ? dad? :)

World's most expensive dog sells for almost £1 million

alright this is so cool. i mean really who spends that much on a dog but still awesome dog.

Tibetan Mastiffs are known to be the world’s most expensive dogs, and now, a Red Tibetan Mastiff puppy has grabbed the title of the world’s most expensive dog after being sold for about £1 million ($1.6 million). The Tibetan Mastiff, also known as Do-khyi, is an ancient breed and type of domestic dog originating with nomadic cultures of Central Asia. According to the puppy’s breeder Lu Liang, Big Splash (or “Hong Dong” in Chinese) is 11 months old, stands nearly 3 ft. high and weighs over 180lbs. The Mastiff was given a diet of chicken and beef, done with exotic Chinese delicacies like sea cucumber and abalone.

I have A Dream

Ok I talk a lot about my future plans and how I want to be a lawyer. Well there is always another side to the story. Now im not saying that the dream of me becoming a lawyer is far fetched, but I will have to work vigorously in college to makeup for my above average grades in high school. My "FALL BACK" would be to invest lots of money into a restaurant in Chicago or Miami. My restaurant theme will be more "upscale bistro" style and "fusion" than the menu I'm about to upload that I made for computer class. the name is the same (une elegante meaning tastefully elegant)  but menu items will be a bit different. I want to do a all organic-local ingredient restaurant. Lots of veggies, local meats, cheeses, wines, etc. And sushi and seafood from reliable natural sources. Inside I plan on decorating very chic, modern/minimalistic and that will give it sort of a future feel, which plays off of the menu, giving the idea hopefully that in the future we need to buy from local farmers who are practicing organic farming. It's smart, fresh, and just the right thing to do. I'll upload some pictures to show the front of the menu, the back, and some ideas for inside the restaurant.

Inside of the "restaurant"

Second option, but to dark

Menu front. yes ingredients is spelled wrong I know.

Back of Menu

Optical Illusions of life

The boy you girl you just made fun of for her weight

has lost 30 lbs from starving herself. The boy you call stupid, has a learning

disability and studies 4 hours a night.The girl you judge from her black outfit is dealing 

with the loss of someone close to her. That boy you just tripped, doesn't need any more abuse from what 

he already has to deal with at home. And that girl you call ugly, she spends all her time before school doing makeup so someone will notice her and show some form of friendship.

You see, we only look at what's directly in front of us, and we tend to miss the big picture.

Life isn't always what it seems to be.

Lets stop bullying!

Pray for Japan

Well early this morning I was eating breakfast and I finished a little early so before I left for school I turned on the news. Japan's tsunami and earthquake have now caused over 5,000 deaths and that number continues to increase. Its sad for me to be sitting here eating eggs and toast while I know there are people who have either been surviving on rice or still waiting for rice 48 hours after their lives were turned upside down. I hope everyone prays for the lost, the ones who have left this world, and those struggling to survive.

There are many different ways you can help out the people in japan:

go to www.redcross.org and donate to Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami. People can also text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation to help those affected by the earthquake in Japan and tsunami throughout the Pacific.


To donate or learn about other ways you can contribute to its medical response, visit Internationalmedicalcorps.org. Also, text MED to 80888 from any mobile phone to give $10.

Contemporary

Sleek ultra  modern homes give me some weird inspirational thoughts. I'm not sure why but when I grow up and hopefully become some big-shot lawyer, I am going to build a place on the same level as this home. The whole minimalistic designs and things are so fresh because they remind me of nature. Now im no outdoors'y type person, and I think that is why contemporary design is so cool to me because it incorporates lots of natural woods and stone to bring the outdoors inside. Follow these links to see one of my favorite contemporary designs!

Contemporary Home 1

Contemporary Home 2

Contemporary Home 3

Contemporary Home 4

SICK WHIP

Alright it may not be the hottest car on the road, but I want this as my next van. The Brabus iBusiness treatment has undeniably made the Mercedes Viano the most technologically packed van you might have ever see. The Brabus iBusiness 3D Mercedes-Benz Viano has almost everything you would expect from a luxurious, high-tech office. Once inside, you might feel like you’re going to some special occasion inside a luxurious limousine. Brabus has created a mobile multimedia 3D cinema for the van.
The back wall inside the fan holds a 40-inch Sony Bravia LED TV with 3D technology that’s connected to a digital TV receiver and a PlayStation 3. The screen can also serve as the main monitor Mac Mini, which is connected to the Internet via UMTS and HSDPA, and features wireless Wi-Fi. The Mercedes-Benz Viano is simply a 3D multimedia lounge on wheels combining custom interior design and 3D entertainment technology with gadgets like iPad, MacMini, iPhone and iPod, which control the entire on-board multimedia experience.

Along Came POLLY?

Well OK it wasn't really POLLY, but it was something way better than that. She was one amazing red haired girl. If I could describe any person who I can count on it would be "polly". Every day I am privileged to share 42 minutes with her in International Cuisine class. I mean every day I go into class and im reminded why everything happens for a reason, because if it wasn't for me TA'ing for that class I never would have met her, and dude is she awesome. Her jokes make laugh, he kindness makes me smile, and I would walk a mile for her smile. Well hypothetically walk :) "POLLY" YOU ARE THE BEST! oh and you pull my sunglasses off well

Under Pressure

The "youth of America". A term commonly associated with crazy trash mouthed teens who haven't learned the how to respect the elders of society, and repel against their parents to "get attention". I think that the reason teens are so il mannered is because of the huge pressure bestowed upon them from their parents. I may be speaking for myself here, but I feel that there is such a big obligation to get good grades, get a 36 on my ACT, and go to the best law school in the country. Now I may be over exaggerating the fact that I need to perform so well, but my parents were extremely smart and look where it got them. Were living comfortably and my dad is able to do the majority of his work using a laptop and cell phone. What is so hard for our parents to understand is that we do try and work as hard as we can and get the grades we want to get, or at least try to. And if I don't do as well as my parents want me to, I feel like im letting them down or something. I just want to have fun high school years and stuff, and get into a good college and make it through law school and hopefully work for a large corporation or something shmancey. Anyway parents need to CHILL THEIR PILLS!

Honestly I don't understand why people claim that they want to do things yo help disabled people live a more independent life, yet they make equipment extremly expensive and hard to get installed. This will be my kitchen disign, although I would go very contemporary and minimalistic instead of the country look.

Rain rain go away

I am a strOng believer that weather is a a huge factor in peoples attitudes and moods. It is a quite raining and gloomy day today and idk about youu but I'm def not in as good of a mood as I was yesterday. When it's a sunny day people are bright and happy and today people are in crappy sarcastic moods. Maybe it's just that high schoolers at 8 in the morning don't smile a lot, but jeeze a smile goes a million miles!

School

Sitting here in desktop publishing 1st hour I ask myself the simple question, what is the point. OK I understand the fact that you go to school to get smarter so you land a great job to support your family...but why teach us things that will never benefit us past the next test or quiz?! For example, my math teacher has been teaching how to use "i" to square root a negative number, and he told us straight up that we will never use it again. UHM ok what is the point of wasting my youth learning a asinine formula that wont ever get used again?

You know what else bothers me at school. The kids. You have super immature freshmen that are either raging with testosterone and wanting to fight or one up their buddies, or you got the girls who are worrying about who their next hook up will be with. HONESTLY NO ONE CARES your sexually active as a freshmen. Another thing that drives me crazzzy is the kids that wear their "beats" headphones around everywhere, ya i mean like to the urinal, and to the gym, oh and can't forget lunch. Really they are nice headphones, and sure you dropped over a hundred dollars to get them, but its nothing special. BLAH time for me to change classes. Productive 1st period !

New SHOES!

Alright everyone, I had to get some new kicks since I've been wearing my current jordans for a while, ordered it today. Flight Club was my hook up for this pair!

Honestly BEST BREAKFAST

If  your ever in the mood for some fresh organic/vegan/vegetarian food, check our Prasino in St Charles! Its one of the best restaurants in the new remodeling project in town. Although its very pricey (Family of 5 breakfast $115) I would highly recommend going there on maybe a special occasion. Lunch is dece, soups and sandwiches. I had seafood bisque and a mushroom pannini. Very good! Now for breakfast I went for the sweets and had pecan Cinnamon waffles and it was TO DIE FOR! I uploaded a picture of it, and would recommend breakfast over lunch.

Hello all! I would like to share a bit about myself since some of you know me, and some might not. I am a 17 year old, strapping young lad (if I may say so myself). I am currently attending St Charles North high, a very good blue ribbon school with over 2,500 kids. Now you may think that standing out in a crowd that big would be a hard thing to do? THINK AGAIN! I have spinal muscular atrophy type 2. In a nut shell, every muscle on my body is very weak and I fatigue extremely easy. Some people tend to stare in public places, and for some people in my position it would be the option to look away...I take it in stride and make something positive of it. I like to approach people and introduce myself, sort of assure them that I'm not incapable of holding a civilized conversation. Surprisingly enough people are very comfortable talking to me, and vis verse. One thing my parents taught me early on, always live life to the fullest you can, given the opportunities and cards your dealt. Which is why as I grow up and mature as an individual, I realize how pleased and easy I really have it. You see, no matter what life throws in your way in the form of road blocks, there is ALWAYS a way around them, no matter how big of a detour you have to make. When I grow up, I WILL go to a law school, and I will retire in Thailand when I grow old. Now if you do your research and learn about my disability, you will find that 90% of people don't live past their late 20's birthdays. I intend to beat the odds and become a prominent lawyer, just like my old man, and have a family of my own. Don't ever let statistics or norms run your life, make sure you go out on your own, and live life everyday like its your last, you will have a great time, and accomplish your life goals.

Any Questions or comments, just leave them and I will answer for you! HOPE YOU ENJOY :)