Hate for survival.

A few of us might admit it, but most of us won't. We, humans, find reasons to justify why we initially hate. We will use our strength, what we've learned, what we've tried to get accustomed to, towards a negative situation. A situation that won't necessary become negative for us, but it follows a negative process. Hate. We justify it. We need it in our lives. All the negative emotions inside us need to be released. And most importantly, released towards something, or someone. And we do just that. It is regarded as normal, merely ....human nature. But in reality, not ours, but the one that can't be transformed according to circumstances, will always reveal to us the truth. The truth is that human nature relies on hate for survival.

Goals.

People with no goals in life end up goal-less. Goal less meaning.... there are no expectations to achieve any. Right? Wrong. Usually those who don't create goals actually expect too much out of life. It's as if they should have to do no work and life should unravel on its own. It's dillusion and it's saddening. Let's help each other see the light?

Truth

You think you understand someone, understand something, understand the process... but you don't even understand yourself. That's the truth. But it is not the only truth. This means that there is more than one truth, not that the truth cannot be the truth, becxause its identity will never change. The truth is there, along with many. But every truth has its place. Every truth belongs. It can remain hidden, forever. But it will exist in its place, underneath the dust. Underneath the ego. So let's use this knowledge to remember that we can't alter the truth, we can't change the truth, we can't deny its composition or its identity, and we definitely can't replace it with another truth even if there are more than one. The other truths have their own places and they can't ever be replaced either.

Inner Hatred

It's hard for people to admit that they are wrong, especially elders. They are so screwed up. It's beyond too late to fix them. They demand respect. I am against respecting someone who degrades you and demands to be worshipped. It's uncalled for. If you are wrong, say sorry and ley bygones be bygones. Don't pretend to be right, you aren't. We know already.

Ignorance.

It's amazing how ignorant one CHOOSES to be. It takes effort, believe it. Choosing to close your eyes when the truth is revealed to you. How much does a person have to go through in order to convince someone of the truth? How ignorant do you have to be? Why lead a ignorant life? Why not just admit you're wrong about something and you always will be because you don't choose to correct yourself. If you've convinced yourself of the lie, there's no way you can ever change your mind to the truth. But if you leave a little space for correction, to be taught, to be told what's really the truth, then that's all it takes.

And those people that choose to stay blind. To turn away from what's right and convince themselves of a lie because it's easier to "live" that way...... you make me sick. I'm pretty sure you make everyone so sick. It's not easy being ignorant. I can't even ignore the ignorant, that's how hard it can get. So open your fucking eyes. Tape them open if you have to. Learn to learn. To give up when you have to and try to understand. Try to listen. Try to believe. Try to stop doubting every word that comes out. No one wants to listen to your lies because they know the truth. It's IMPOSSIBLE to listen to someone lie. And the more they lie, the more you want to stand up and shout out. And sometimes I do. Sometimes it's the only way to stop yourself from listening to the lies. Not because you think you'll turn like them and start believing the lies, but because the lies make you go crazy. The lies aren't the truth. That's all I can say about lies. That's what I want to say about you. You ignorant ignorant..ignorant illusionist.

Eugene Delacroix

Laayla Muhammad
Block 1
May 24, 2007

Eugene Delacroix
If Eugene Delacroix painted my portrait, he would capture the moment while I am protesting against the government at an immigration march. Delacroix is known to have a Romantic style in his paintings, as he chooses historical events to depict the points he’s trying to make. I would be leading a crowd with a picket sign stating “Give Equal Rights!” I would be wearing a tank top, which’s straps would be falling off due to the struggle of being pushed and shoved in different directions of the crowd. I would be sweaty and my hair would be tied up in a ponytail. One of my arms will be raised, with my hand curled up like a fist in the air. While facing the crowd, the front and side of my body would be facing the viewers. The setting will take place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin around downtown around in the late afternoon, making the time the sun sets just around the corner.
The portrait painted would contain certain characteristics that would cause it to be labeled as a Romantic piece of art by Delacroix. The background would emphasize the rays of the sun, making the overall tint of the painting orange-red. This color resembles the anger and frustration involved in the historical event taken place. My face expression would be of a furious individual who has her mouth open due to all the shouting. The crowd along and I would be fighting for justice and complete liberty, something Delacroix would likely capture in his painting.
The image would seem hectic at first, when viewers notice the angry crowd. Within few seconds, the attention would be brought upon me, as viewers try to comprehend the point of the picture along with the mood. I would be standing on top of government officials that would be held responsible for the wrong decisions made at the time. They would be trying to escape from underneath my feet but I would be carelessly stomping on their wrists with brand new watches. This action would resemble my protest against the concept of “killing time,” when it comes to the process of immigration. The fog in the picture would resemble the confusion that the government is responsible of. The temporary cry of the children since their picket signs are broken would reflect not only their innocence and inability to understand the rally, but their instability in staying as residents in America at the time
. Delacroix is known to bring attention to historical political events through his paintings often. While in the past he captured such a moment in “Liberty Leading the People,” in the present he would surely paint one of female leaders in the immigration protest march. The colors of the image resemble the emotions felt by the individuals painted in the portrait while the individuals and their actions captured reflect the happenings of not only the present, but also the future time. If Delacroix happened to paint my portrait, I would sure be a leading female in an immigration march, fighting for justice and the freedom immigrants deserve.

Only Connect

In Professor Bill Cronin’s essay, The Ten Qualities of a Liberal Educated Person, he uses E.M. Forster’s injunction in the novel Howard’s End “Only connect” and states: “If one could pick just one phrase that would answer the question of what it means to be a liberally educated person surely this would be it: Only connect.” How does this statement relate to your motivation for earning a liberal arts degree? (500 word maximum)


The statement “Only Connect” that Professor Bill Cronin used in his essay, “The Ten Qualities of a Liberal Educated Person,” from E.M Forster’s novel Howard’s End, is an injunction that motivates me to earn a liberal arts degree in variety of ways. To connect is to be able to express yourself through your knowledge and past experiences to help you communicate with your surrounding. The better understanding you have of variety of subjects, the easier it becomes to blend in with society and relate to those around you. A liberal education helps you become stable with confidence and positively affects your life in the future. It is greatly important to comprehend the concept of obtaining a degree that has the mere purpose of letting you become more aware of your surroundings to live a life with lesser obstacles.
Many students aim to obtain a specific degree towards their intended career and life goals because it seems more convenient. People choose to only learn about what they think they will directly benefit from, rather than considering knowledge as a tool that can help them live their live every single day. A liberal arts degree reveals opportunities to explore your wide range of interests and skills. With such awareness, you can broaden your line of thinking and use your curiosity to your advantage. Every person deserves the chance to gain an education that provides them the information they need in more than one particular subject. For example, a student may have the strongest desire to be involved in the medical field. Therefore, the student will be seeking a medical degree, assuming it’s the only solution that makes sense. Eventually, if he/she decides to make adjustments or changes to general career goals, it would become quite difficult. What the student needs to realize is, gaining such a degree limits an individual to what they can accomplish later on during their lifetime.
The actual phrase, “only connect” refers to the way you can use a liberal arts degree to become informative in more than one area. You can gain a complete understanding in not only academic subjects, but also areas such as music and art. Everyone has different goals and potential to achieve those goals. The way to accomplish great things and succeed, you have to be able to recognize more than one concept. The whole idea of gaining a liberal education is so you can appreciate life every day and be able to connect with those around you. Diversity is important because wide range of interests lets people unite despite their differences. Without a liberal arts degree, it becomes almost impossible to relate to those around you with a complete understanding. To connect is to bond with the world through the knowledge you have gained and experiences that have widened your perspective on life.






Out of all the extracurricular, community service or employment activities I’ve participated in, The Humanities Club has been the most meaningful to me due to the greatest effect it has made in my life. By being part of this club, I’ve been able to devote my time to helping my peers, the community, and many people around the world. I’ve realized the hardships people face, which have made me thankful for all that I have. Therefore, I’ve volunteered for non-profiting organizations such as Hunger Task Force, American Red Cross, and AmeriCares to help those suffering from poverty, hunger, and sickness. Members of this club have set aside their differences in order to help men, women, and children that are in need of our help. Due to poverty, thousands of people starve to death because food isn‘t provided for them. I’ve coordinated many food-drives in school through the Hunger Task Force to defeat world hunger. Through the American Red Cross, I’ve coordinated Shoe Box Christmas, where boxes are filled with toys and necessary school items for children in poverty. AmeriCares is also a non-profiting organization that I’m still volunteering for by sending in healthy kid kits to various countries. These kits include supplies encouraging better hygiene for children suffering through trauma. All of these volunteering services have led me to care even more about the worldly issues that surround us. One of my goals has become to end poverty and spread awareness in issues dealing with poverty, world hunger, and sickness.

Essay Prep for Philo

Give a summary statement of the doctrine of ethical rationalism and explain how Plato qualifies as an ethical rationalist.


Ethical rationalism: morality as a body of knowledge

Rationalism on moral judgment:
-Moral judgments are factual claims about a reality independent of us
-They are knowable by human reason


Plato on moral judgment
- Morality is based on the form of the good
- What is good for us depends on the form of the good, which gives everything its special nature and value
- Correct moral judgments are based on knowledge of the realm of forms.

-------------------------------------
In the Republic at 580d-583a and 583b-588a, Socrates gives two related arguments for his view that the moral life, understood as a life of psychic harmony (where each part of the soul performs its function as dictated by the rational part), is the happiest life. Summarize the case Socrates makes in these two arguments.


2nd answer (580-583)
-Each part of the soul has its distinct kind of pleasure
-Each type of person thinks his characteristic pleasure is the greatest
-Only the the philosophical person has the experience and the judgment to compare
-Hence, the person in psychic harmony is the happiest

Objection
The philosophical person may have had experience of other desires, but not of other lives as a whole. Why then is his viewpoint not biased?


Reply
-Must use reason to make an unbiased judgment
-Appetitive and spirited personalities subordinate reason to felt intensity of desire
-Only in philosophical personalities is reason making a genuine comparative judgment


Problem
This reply suggests that experiences can seem pleasurable but not really be so. Does this idea make sense? Plato thinks so, and this is why he provides a third reply.

3rd answer (583-588)
-Pleasures of appetitive and spirited personalities enter the soul through the body
-These have a sensory aspect that needs to be corrected by reason.
-Uncorrected, these pleasures are only pale images of true pleasures.
-These personalities are thus like the cave prisoners

Example
-The same state of the body can feel good or bad depending on what precedes it.
-But the very same state cannot both be pleasure and pain
-There must be an appearance-reality distinction for pleasures
-Reason is needed to tell the difference

_____________________

Philo Notes

Ideal spectator approach
Lecture 2
“The hypothesis which we embrace is plain. It maintains that morality is determined by sentiment. It defines virtue to be whatever mental action or quality gives to a spectator the pleasing sentiment of approbation; and vice the contrary.” --Hume, Appendix I

Topics today:
Hume’s view of moral judgment
His critique of the rationalist position

Sec. 5: Why utility pleases
- Why do we morally admire those qualities that are socially useful?
- Can’t just be a result of education. There must be a basis in human nature.
- 2 possibilities: self-regard or humanitarian concern

Self-regard or concern for others?
- Moral sentiment can oppose our self-interest
- Can concern matters that don’t affect our self-interest
- far away in space or time
- fictional
- Concern for self and moral concern feel different
- Moral sentiment cannot be a form of self-regard
- Must be a concern for others

Universal benevolence
- Rooted in an innate human capacity for sympathy
- Sympathy can take the form of a sentiment of benevolence toward all, a humanitarian concern.
- This concern is what drives our moral judgments

Objection
- Sympathy leads to more concern for those close to us
- Our moral judgments do not vary in this way

Reply
- Unequal concern arises from a biased point of view
- An impartial consideration of the situation channels benevolence equally toward all
- Correct moral judgments express the attitudes of an impartial, sympathetic observer

Role of reason in morality
-Reason ascertains facts about what promotes or diminishes pleasure and happiness
-So reason plays a role
-But reason does not make the moral judgment
-Moral judgment expresses a sentiment evoked by consideration of the facts revealed by reason.

1st argument against rationalism
-Reason: inductive or demonstrative
-Inductive: infers facts from observation
-Demonstrative: works with abstract mathematical and logical relations.
-Moral judgments don’t pick out such facts or relations
-Hence they are not made by reason

Example: the “crime” of ingratitude
-Observable fact: ill will or indifference in the mind of the ungrateful person
-This is not a moral fact because it is not always wrong
-Abstract relation: contrariety of attitude
-Again, this is not always wrong

2nd argument
-Reason operates to infer NEW facts and relations
-A moral judgment must be based on all the facts of a situation
-Hence moral judgments are not made by reason

3rd argument
-Moral judgments are like judgments of beauty
-Beauty is not a quality or feature we discover in the object
-Rather, a judgment of beauty is an expression of a favorable sentiment toward the object
-Moral judgments express a similar kind of sentiment

4th argument
-Non-human objects can manifest all the relations that obtain in a moral situation.
-But we don’t apply morality to the non-human world
-Hence morality is not a matter of relations.

5th argument
-Reason alone is never a motive to action
-Moral judgments can move us to action
-Hence reason by itself cannot give us morality

Old Interview

The media did help in my process of acculturation in several ways. I actually learned English by watching TV shows and cartoons and such. I learned to find ways to communicate with those around me without coming off as "weird" and I learned contemporary information that helped me blend in with Americans. Music also was a great way for me to find a way to become acquainted with those around me. Because of the media, involving my cultural values within the values of Americans, it became easier for me to be myself also. Due to the mixtures of cultures and large amount of immigrants coming to the U.S, media has become the main source of information for everyone. Also, due to the news about "War on Terror," Americans are becoming aware of the fact that there ARE people with variety of ethnic backgrounds present on the same Earth. This leads Americans to become curious and seek more knowledge about other ethnicities, including Pakistanis like me. The media has helped me Americanize my way, and yet at the same time, helped Americans increase their knowledge about worldly matters and other cultural values.


To be honest, I was only 6-7 year old and I barely knew anything about America. All my family told me was that America is the "best place to live in" and that you can do whatever you want in it. My mom constantly told me that it's a place where people go to college and become great doctors with lots of money. I basically thought, America was the place where everyone wanted to be at, but not everyone received the same opportunity. Now after so many years, I've realized that it's technically true.


Well, if you haven't noticed, there's always an actor/actress in almost every movie that is either Pakistani, Bangladeshi, or Indian (Desis). Sure, they take on the role of who else but taxi drivers, convenient store workers, and gas station owners, but the fact that they are present in so many movies and tv shows, reveals the fact that they ARE catching attention. There's a large population of Desis in the U.S. and even though the Media doesn't always portray the right information, it does show a little bit of everything. For example, after my friends watched "Bendin' like Beckham" .. all they could do was ask me questions regarding the food and the clothing and also the music that took place in the movie. It helped me become "more open" towards my friends and I actually got the chance to explain what REALLY my cultural values are about and how they differ from one ethnicity to another.

CD Assignment: Bio 202

Take Home Assignment Number 1 Laayla Muhammad
Due: October 13, 2007


2.4.1 How many layers can you distinguish in the epidermis? The dermis?
Answer: Using the low magnification, I could only distinguish one layer, even though there are five layers in epidermis. I could only distuinguish two layers, when there are actually four layers in the dermis.

2.4.2.1 Now how many layers can you distinguish in each of these tissues?
Using the high magnification, I can distinguish that:
In the Epidermis: The stratum comeum has only one layer, when in actuality, it has up to 30 layers, the stratum lucidum has only one layer, but in actuality it has three to five layers, the stratum granulosum has three layers, when it can range from three to five layers, the stratum spinosum has three layers when it really has many many layers, and the stratum basale has a single layer. I can also distinguish that in the Dermis: The dermal papilla is one layer, which is the superficial tissue; and the reticular is the other layer, which is the deep tissue.

2.4.3 How are the cells in the dermis different from the cells in the epidermis?
The cells in the dermis and the cells in the epidermis are different in variety of ways. First of all, there is more intercellular fluid in each cell of the dermis when compared to the dried up cells in the epidermis. Because of their dryness, the cells in the epidermis tend to look smaller in size. Second of all, the cells in the epidermis are packed closer and are more lined up in an organized manner. The cells in the dermis are not even lined up and tend to swirl together.


3.2 List 3 features of the structure or organization of these two types of bone and tell how they are similar or how they are different in the two types of bone.

As the cancellous bone has spaces between the trabeculae, the compact bone has perforating canals through the osteon. The canal normally pierces oseton at raight angle to central canal. In both, the cancellous bone and the compact bone, nerves and blood vessels travel through channels. When it comes to structure, the cellelous bone is spongy, a feature that cater to its function. The cancellous bone is the inner cavity of the bone, and the compact bone has a central opening with a surrounding cylundrical column of osteon. The compact bone helps support. Both of these bones can also be similar because compact bone contains interstitial lamina and the cancellous bone contain marrow and both of these features fill up spaces between each bone type.


3.4 List 3 features of the structure or organization of these three types of cartilage and tell how they are similar or how they are different in the three types of cartilage.

The three shared features of the structure or organization of the three types of cartilages are lacuna, which are small spaces. These spaces contain chondrocytes, which arespread through the matrix. This feature is in all three of the cartilages. Fibrous cartilage lacks a certain layer, that Elastic and Hyaline cartilages have, which is a chondrogenic layer of the perichondrium. All three of these cartilages differ in their functions of the matrix formations. The fibrous cartilage contains bundles of branding elastic fibers and chondrocytes which are arranged in clusters through the matrix. It has an alternating layering of hyaline and collagen fibers becaue the elastic cartilage only has bundles of branching elastic fibers while the hyaline cartilage has chondrocytes in custers.

4.2 List 3 features of the structure or organization of these three types of muscle and tell how they are similar or how they are different in the three types of muscle tissue.

The three features of the structure or organization of the three types of muscle (smooth, cardiac, and skeletal) differ and relate to each other in variety of ways. The smooth muscle
The smooth muscle (involuntary) has spindle-shaped muscle cells with tapered ends and have single oval shaped nucleus. Fibers are tightly packed and arranged in staggered arrays. Skeletal muscle has an elongated nucleus that are outside of the cell. There are dark and light unique transverse bands inside. Cardiac muscle has some features of skeletal muscle and some features of smooth muscle, making it a combination of both. In cardiac muscles, cells branch and join to each other by intercalated discs that can be distinguished by microscopes. Cardiac muscle and skeletal muscle are similar because they have narrow transverse bands and multiple nucleus. Cardiac and smooth muscles are similar since nuclei are elongated.

Dorian Gray Outline

How the lives of characters are deeply affected by one another in The Picture of Dorian Gray


Basic being obsessed by Dorian Gray (drawing the picture in the 1st place)
- he fears that he has put too much of himself into the work. He worries that his love, which he himself describes as “idolatry,” is too apparent, and that it betrays too much of himself.
- He claims that Dorian possesses a beauty so rare that it has helped him realize a new kind of art
- through Dorian, he finds “the lines of a fresh school.”
- Dorian also helps Basil realize his artistic potential
- as the portrait of Dorian that Basil paints proves to be his masterpiece.


The picture drawn by Basil Hallward affecting Dorian Gray's life
- Dorian becomes jealous
- switches lives with the painting
- becomes obsessed as it takes over his life
- ends up killing Basil over it (his own friend)
- it teaches him about the immorality of art

Lord Henry Wotton affecting Dorian Gray (vital role in Dorian's development)
- His pleasure-seeking philosophy of “new Hedonism,” which espouses garnering experiences that stimulate the senses without regard for conventional morality, plays a vital role in Dorian’s development.
- Dorian falls under his spell so completely
- gives Dorian that book saying "“[t]he books that the world calls immoral are books that show the world its own shame."
- But since the decadent book that Lord Henry lends Dorian facilitates Dorian’s downfall, it is difficult to accept what Lord Henry says as true.
- that his most salient characteristics—his youth and physical attractiveness—are ever waning
- According to Basil, Dorian has a “simple and a beautiful nature” that could easily be spoiled by Lord Henry’s cynicism.

Dorian Gray affecting that one Sibyl Vane (committing suicide)
- Sibyl’s love for Dorian compromises her ability to act,
- as her experience of true love in life makes her realize the falseness of affecting emotions on stage.
- When Dorian rejects her, she commits suicide

Hamlet Act 5

I have a question. Maybe I just didn't understand what was being said here... but what did Hamlet mean when he said, "Here hung those lips that I have kissed I know not how oft.".. (Act 5, Scene 1) when they were talking about the jester. Did Hamlet just say how he used to kiss the jester? ........

I also thought it was pretty interesting how flowers were brought up in this act again. Laertes says, "And from her fair and unpolluted flesh May violets spring!" So I'm assuming that violet flowers in this case represent virginity and purity. Then the Queen mentions how Ophelia's bed should have been covered with flowers, not her grave. So basically, the flowers should have represented a wedding, but instead, they represented a funeral.

I have another question. Right before when Hamlet and Laerter start fighting each other, why did Hamlet jump in Ophelia's grave? I don't get it. It was really random and seemed unnecessary. Is it supposed to emphasize his "madness?" Then later on Hamlet says:
"Dost thou come here to whine,
To outface me with leaping in her grave?
Be buried quick with her?—and so will I."

So this means that it was supposed to show who has more love for Ophelia? Right?

I thought when Osric came in, it was funny with that whole "hat" issue. Hamlet's just goofy.

Now for the main question that I've been meaning to answer, whether if Horatio will be leaving anything out in the story he tells (of Hamlet) or not... I think he'll be leaving some things out, but not all. It's true that he wasn't there when the ghost of Hamlet's father was telling Hamlet to avenge his death. But later on, Hamlet did tell Horatio that Claudius poisoned his father. During the "play," Horatio might not have been in on the trap that Hamlet had set for Claudius, but I'm pretty sure, when going back to tell people the story, the idea would've "clicked" in his head. I mean, didn't the King make a big scene and leave? I overall think that it was the right decision to make Horatio the "story-teller" at the end. He had no drama with any of the people in the court, and that way, he can tell the story like it is without actually being part of it. He is blood free, and isn't guilty of lying or hiding the truth. Unlike Guild. and Rosen., he wasn't snooping around and sucking up to the King. He was Hamlet's FRIEND, and therefore, he seems fit to tell Hamlet's life's story as well.

Hamlet Act 3

I think when Hamlet was directing the players on how to perform the play the "right way".. it was really interesting. He kept emphasizing that actors shouldn't exaggerate their feelings/emotions and he hates it when they do because plays are supposed to reflect off of what really happened. It reminded me of the time when we were discussing Hamlet's reaction to his problems. I remember some of us said how we think Hamlet is being a bit too emotional and it's annoying. It just all seemed a bit ironic to me.

The way Hamlet treated Ophelia was absurd. I can't believe the things he said to her in such a demeaning manner. But personally, I'm not convinced that he is REALLY crazy here. I think the only times I'll be convinced that perhaps Hamlet's craziness isn't just an act is when he's talking to himself and saying crazy things. This whole scene with Ophelia could be part of his plan and he just wants her to believe he has gone crazy.

I have a question about Hamlet and Horatio in Act 3, Scene 2. I thought Hamlet didn't tell anyone about what the ghost has revealed to him. But then he says, "One scene of it comes near the circumstance Which I have told thee of my father's death." So why is Hamlet asking Horatio to watch Claudius' reaction to the specific parts of the play? And when did he tell him? Did I miss something?

I think it was HILARIOUS how Hamlet's mother asks him to sit by her at the beginning of the play and he says "No, good mother. Here's metal more attractive" and then sits next to Ophelia. haahha.

I think the imagery in Claudius' monologue at the beginning of scene 3 was great. I'm surprised that his conscience actually comes into play and the audience is led to believe that he really feels sorry for his crime. I mean, what is that supposed to show? That Claudius, after all, is actually a better person than Hamlet thinks? I'm not sure if we're supposed to give Claudius' any sympathy here. Is he meant to look weaker because of his guilt? And that's why Hamlet didn't kill him, right? Because even he wants to find an opportunity to kill Claudius when he's being corrupt.

Finally, I think Polonius' death was ... very awkward. So he's accidentally killed? haha. I mean in a way, his death kind of fits his character because he's been looked at as a joke throughout most of the play and it makes kind of sense for his death to be taken lightly. But still. It's just weird how Hamlet comes out of no where and stabs the poor guy. Hamlet doesn't seem all heroic to me right now.

Hamlet Quotes Explanations

Act 1: Scene 5:

HAMLET
Haste me to know 't, that I, with wings as swift
30 As meditation or the thoughts of love,
May sweep to my revenge.


Translation:
HAMLET

Hurry and tell me about it, so I can take revenge right away, faster than a person falls in love.


As for Hamlet and his attentions to you, just consider it a big flirtation, the temporary phase of a hot-blooded youth. It won't last. It's sweet, but his affection will fade after a minute. Not a second more.




I found several lines/quotes to be very interesting. I was actually finding a lot of similarities between this play and As You Like It. There are lots of lines about the nature of love and how people act upon it. I noticed this in the speech Laertes gives to Ophelia and also the speech Polonius gives to Ophelia. When speaking with Ophelia, Laertes says:
"For Hamlet and the trifling of his favor,
Hold it a fashion and a toy in blood,
A violet in the youth of primy nature,
Forward, not permanent, sweet, not lasting,
The perfume and suppliance of a minute.
No more. "

He calls what Hamlet has for Ophelia a "toy in blood" and a "violet in the youth of primy nature." He implies that love/crushes are not permanent and that they are only there for the time being. They don't last, and therefore he's trying to convince Ophelia not to fall for Hamlet. He compares Hamlet's love for Ophelia to a perfume that only lasts for a minute. This reminds me of As You Like It as love is being described in a derogatory way. Touchstone doesn't take it seriously and everyone's so quick to marry one another as soon as they meet each other. They're quick to express emotions and we see a little bit of that going on between Hamlet and Ophelia. When Ophelia's father is speaking to her about Hamlet, he gives a rather long explanation from his perspective on the situation. He states, " When the blood burns, how prodigal the soul Lends the tongue vows." He too describes what Hamlet is feeling as a temporary feeling that will soon go away. In fact, he forbids her to see Hamlet. I'm kind of confused here though. Polonius says that Hamlet's vows are like brokers, not because of what their investments show, but how they disguise themselves in unholy and corrupted thoughts. Who are these brokers referring to? Priests? Individuals who are pretending to be religious when they aren't?

I also thought the lines ( 1.5.29-31) were interesting too. Hamlet's talking to the ghost of his father and he's telling him to hurry up and says how "with wings as swift as meditation or the thoughts of love" to describe how fast this whole "Oh I love you!" thing happens between people. It also reminds me of the random couplings in As You Like It. It'd kind of ironic to hear this from Hamlet because isn't he the one falling in love with Ophelia all of a sudden? Maybe he just needs someone there, after his father's death and maybe she seems attracting enough to be his last resort for some sort of satisfaction/joy. I also want to add that I think Polonius and Laertes do believe in true love, unlike Touchstone. They just think it takes time for it to develop and are afraid they might lose Ophelia to Hamlet's fake and flattering ways.

Frankenstein's summary: Laa's Original Format

Laayla Muhammad
AP English 3rd Block

Letter 1
So basically, Walton is this guy trying to reach the North Pole. He's writing a letter to his sis Margaret and tellin' her about how bad he had wanted to do this all his life. He was rich and led an easy life but he just wanted fame all along. He talks about how he's gonna discover a shortcut as in a northern passage to the pacific and how he's gonna find out all about the magnetism of the earth and of course, be the 1st one to be walkin' all over north pole. See when his dad was dying, he ordered his bro to never let Walton go seafaring. So Walton is whinin' about that stuff to his sis and is tryin' to justify why he's goin' out on this "important journey" and how he rather walk round in his fur coat than sit still in the plane for hours. He has great confidence in what he's trying to do. Too much pride can hurt you though... Anyways, he has this ship where he's the captain and they're gonna sail up to the north pole and chill....literally.

Letter 2
Okay so Walton is really whining now. He tells his sis how no matter what happens, he's never gonna be "satisfied" because he has no friends to share anything with. If he succeeds, he can't have someone being superduper happy for him and if he fails, no one will be sad for him. He longs to have a friend and says how he's a "romantic" because he "desires" a man to feel sorry with him. I wonder if he's gay. Then he talks about how as a kid, all he did was read Uncle Thomas's books of voyages and that he can't help but be this way and that he feels stupider than 15 year olds. He keeps on ranting on about his lieutenant and how great of a man he is (envying a man...again?) because of his "courageous and glorious" ways and how he has made this one woman super jolly. The problem was that as he was about to get married to this one girl, she confessed how she loved another man, but he was poor. Then somewhere in there the father's consent to marriage becomes a big deal, like some typical low class bollywood movie. Knowing this, this lietenant gives parts of his wealth + this farm to this poor man and the father is still complaining about the wedding. Later on though, the couple does get married and at the end, the lieutenant is this big shot. In any case, I also think something is going between him and his sis because of the way he says "I love you very TENDERLY." He asks her to remember him with "affection". Maybe it's an incestuous gay fest. Who knows? What we should notice is that as he's ending this letter, he says "but I shall kill no Albatross; therefore do not be alarmed for my safety.." In the poem we analyzed in class "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner," the mariner shot the albatross and committed the greatest sin of all for not appreciating God's creation and later was punished by being cursed. This is what Walton refers to in the text. Good analysis Laa! :)

Letter 3
Walton is in a bit of hurry and stops to write a few things to his sis again. He tells her how the crew is still doin' good and it has gotten to be a little warmer ("height of the summer") - the point of this letter is to show how convinced he is of his safety and is determined to continue with this journey and succeed.

Letter 4
Whoa, so something bad does happen. About time. On July 31st, (haha Billa's birthday) Walton's ship got surrounded by ice. As the fog cleared up, they saw this weird HUGE guy with a sledge led by dogs. Then he vanished and in a little while, the ice broke up and the path cleared up. They rested and such and then in the morning, they find another diff. guy with a similiar sledge. The dude's all weak and starving like a bum, and they get him on the boat. But see, they're surprised 'cause in his condition, he shouldn't give a care where they're going but he kept askin' -- and when they were like "it's headin' north," he finally got in. The whole crew was all curious to find out what's this guy been though and they kept questioning him except Walton 'cause he knew better and didn't wanna lose his pride. But in the book it says how he was being "considerate" of the fact that the guy has already been through so much. Hmm hmm. Sure. It's funny 'cause Walton is dying with curiosity about this dude so he helps him recover and get better and within 2 days after grubbin' on soup, he does get better. They both become buddies and all of a sudden, Walton is all "yay" 'cause he found a homie. They open up like two very sentimental men (homo?) and the man is all "alarmed" to hear what Walton is trying to do and why. So the dude finally agrees to tell Walton his side of the story and Walton's all excited like a little girl with a lollipop.

Chapter 1:
Okay so the speaker is Victor Frankenstein now and he's talking about his life from the very start. He continues to relate the story back to his childhood and his parents. Basically, his father's friend Beaufort was very unstable financially and later became sick and passed away, leaving his daughter Caroline by herself with no where to go. Victor's father, Alphonso, married the girl even when she was young as ever. The age difference WAS pointed out, but it does not hold a dramatic change to affect the story. They were "truly in love" I guess and he had actually taken her "under his wings" first before they married. But in any case, then they had Victor. After a while, as they were traveling and stuff, they saw these poor families. Caroline was touched by this everytime because it reminded her of the rough times she's been through. In one of the famlies, they noticed that while all the kids were dark haired like Italians are, this one little girl was blonde and had a lighter skin color. She thought of her as prettier and wanted to know about her and found out that she was this orphan to a Milanese nobleman and a german woman. The family that was takin' care of her at the moment was very poor so Caroline adopted her into the family and wow, she was to marry Victor in the future. I was right. I kept mentioning how I'm confused and that I suspect incestous actions but I guess in the book, since they weren't actually related by blood, it's aight? Hmm, important thing to notice. Anyways, Victor was real happy and actually refers to Elizabeth as his posession rather than a sister. It's weird because he finds posession to be a higher status than Elizabeth being his sister. Hmm.

Chapter 2
He starts off talkin' about how much his sister means to him and how even as kids, they always got along. He talked about growing up with this buddy Henry and how happy his surroundings were. He talks about how she was interested in subjects like nature, so I'm assuming she was a tree hugger? He becomes interested in natural philosophy when he comes across a random book and thus, he starts studying all these authors that relate to that subject. Some of these artists were Agrippa, Paracelus, and Albertus Magnus. But see, Victor liked nature too, but differently. He liked it when things got electricuted, like that one tree during a thunderstorm. Later he discovers information about electricity and he questions what he has learned about alchemy and other subjects. He starts to doubt about all he has learned and begins to wonder if all this knowledge in his head is unrevelent and outdated. Victor is a lot like me at this stage when I begin to doubt what I'm learning in MPS and assume that none of this crap is going to help me in actual life.

Chapter 3:
This is a real sad chapter as Victor starts talking about how sick his mother became at one point. He was all ready to go off to college so his sister Maggie ended up taking care of the mother. As his mother was laying in her death bed, she started doing what every dying mother does, which is making last demands and disaplaying them as wishes and such. She expressed how she wanted Maggie and Victor to marry one another and with that, Victor leaves to college finally. He ends up feeling really disappointed when one of the professions he meet tells him that he's been wasting his time reading up on alchemy and such, when these subjects aren't even updated. But of course, with his "pride" ... VIctor emphasizes how he already had doubts and needed those doubts to be confirmed. He starts paying attention to what he should have been, science. He attends a Chemistry lecture and begins to gain great interest.

Chapter 4:
So Victor basically becomes a nerd and he starts to isolate himself where it's just him and education. One can only imagine the thirst in him for nature. It's like that thirst that nothing can quench except sprite? or mountain dew? or was it Sierra Mist? AH! It was. Anyways, he ends up being what this generation... or any generation would call a loser. He has no friends and he doesn't talk to his family back in Geneva. He basically becomes the first official emo kid in Europe. What should be noticed is the fact that his modest desire to obtain knowledge is stronger than ever at this phase. The subject he concentrates the most on is anatomy, the make up of the human body. He emphaizes learning about how a body decays once after death and he basically tires himself out from studying all day and night. His priorities shift from family to education as #1. He becomes that "teacher's pet" and impresses all his professors and even yet he still want to obtain great knowledge. He ends up fnding the secret of life, you know, that thing, I'm still searching for. And basically, this is the point where he begins to create his OWN life as an experiment. He's alone in his little home and he hides himself from the public for privacy. He becomes paranoid and goes off in greath lengths with his plans. He is pretty optimistic abot what he is about to do and thinks himself of this great being. He's basically playing the role of God. And we all know what happens when we imitate God... don't we? There should be like omnious music playing in the background, honestly.


Chapter 5:
So Victor finally finishes his creation and it has taken him some time to achieve that. The only problem is, what he has composed is not something attractive or appealing, in fact, it's hideous. It's in fact, SO scary looking that he refuses to look at it and rushes to another room for safety. He lays there and soon enough falls asleep. The next morning he wakes up and finds this hideous lookin' thing staring right at him. This scene frightened him to a large extent and forced him to leave to the yard in fear. He pondered all night and began to develop almost regretting thoughts. He got SO scared that he started walking away, randomly, saying he'll never go back to that place. He runs into his friend Henry who is all jolly to see Victor finally. Victor was actually relieved to finally see a recognized soul around him, he felt safer. Henry notices how pale and sick Victor is and they both go back to the Victor's home. Victor's panicking because he thinks the monster is going to be just standin' there waitin' for him like how wives wait on their husbands all the time. -sigh. Anyways, they go back and they don't find the monster, but Victor falls into sickness. Luckily for him, Henry is there to take care of him. This is mainly because he doesn't want to stress Victor's family back at home by bringing him back to them when he's sick. Instead, he helps Victor recover and writes to Elizabeth, reporting him of Victor' s progress. Later, Henry informs victor of a letter Elizabeth, his cousin, has wrote for him.

Chapter 6:
Victor begins to read Elizabeth's letter that basically informs him about everything that has been happening back at home. She explains how they have been worried sick about him and that they wish to hear from him. She tells him about individual family members, basically keepin' him up to date with everything. She tells him how Justine is this girl living with their family now because her mother has passed away. I guess she used to live with them before, but her mother stopped her, but now since she has passed away, she has come back. She also tells him about all these gossips around the town. Victor writes her back, assuring her that he's going to write back to her all the time now and that he does care. Victor, at this stage, can't stop thinking about the monster. He is trying very hard to avoid any sort of confrontation about it. He introduces Henry to his studies and his professors. Every time he does this, he goes through this own personal moment where he's dreading every moment of it because the monster comes to his thoughts. Later on, Victor goes back to Geneva and he waits on a letter from his father with the date of the him leaving. Both friends roam through the city and basically try to hold positive aspects on life and appreciate the beauty of nature.

Chapter 7:
As Victor and his friend Henry are coming back from the university, they find a letter stating how his brother William was murdered. He is startled and shocked by this and decides to return back to see what is going on. The problem occurs when he realizes that the gates has been shut down because of the time it took him to get back. Therefore, he stupidly decides to just randomly walk through the woods, something I wouldn't EVER do because I'm ..uh sane? And so he goes to the spot where his bro's dead body was found and he notices something even more shocking. He sees the monster, the one he created and fled from. Random thoughts go through his mind and he assumes the worst, that it was his monster that killed his brother. He is too afraid to come out and say this, even when he realizes that Justine is the one who is being blamed for William's death. Supposedly, a picture of Caroline was found in her pockets, and William was the one who last had it. Even with this as evidence, Victor has a mind of his own to conclude to his assumptions. He just doesn't want people to think he's some lunatic, because it's obvious at first, no one will believe him.

Chapter 8:
The chapter starts off by Justine actually admitting to the murder. She had entered the court with guilt and all the proof against her innocent was presented. Even though Justine goes through such confession, she modestly informs Victor and Elizabeth that it wasn't her who killed William. Even though they do believe her word and realize she is innocent, the court finds her guilty of murder and she is given the death penalty. This enraged Victor, who is positive that his monster is responsible for his brother's death. He finds the monster responsible for not one, but of two deaths, William and Justine. They both mourn and grieve over the unfortunate deaths that occurred. Victor states, "Tuhs, spoke my prophetic soul, as, torn by remorse, horror, and despair, I behalf those I loved spend vain sorrow upon the grabs of William and Justine, the first hapless victims to my unhallowed arts."

Chapter 9:
There is a sudden change in Victor, and he experiences depressive thoughts due to proceeding events. He reaches a phase where he says his heart's been overflowed with kindness, and that he did have benevolent intentions and a thirst to make himself useful to other people. What he feels now, is just guilt, regret, for what he has caused to happen. His mind fills with remorse and he states that solitude is his only consolation-- deep, dark, deathlike solitude. Remorse has extinguished every hope that he had in his heart for the future. Victor's thoughts lead him to become suicidal and he contemplates about death and his existence's benefits to humanity. Yet, he feels that he has a duty to be there for Elizabeth and his father. Alphonse basically takes his children on a trip to the family home in Belrive. Victor decides to just roam on his own and he disappears toward the valley of Chamounix. The scenery is beautiful and he begins to become cheerful even though his respite from grief is not for long. An important thing to notice is the fact that nature itself, is a main factor in always changing Victor's mood around. He always becomes more sensitive and joyful when he surrounds himself with nature and its beauty. Similarly, when him and Henry were spending some time together, they began to feel happiness and less stress as they walked together and observed nature's beautiful views.


Chapter 10:
In this chapter, Victor's feelings begin to change back. The weather is cloudy and rainy, and he decides to travel to the summit of Montanvert. He hopes to view the pure, eternal, and beautiful natural scene so he can feel joy again. He wants his spirits to be uplifted, and like mentioned earlier, nature and its beauties reflect joy and hope to Victor. As he begins to reach the highest point, is he momentarily consoled by the sublime view. He walks to the opposite side of the glacier and sees nothing else but that awful monster he created, coming towards him really fast. He fills up with rage and threatens the monster. Luckily for the monster, he was quick enough to escape from Victor, who begins to curse him and orders him to stay away. A dramatic change occurs when the monster actually starts speaking to Victor himself. He tells Victor that he wants to hold a conversation with him so they go to an icy cave and sit around the fire. Like a story, within a story, within a story, now it's the monster who begins to tell his life experiences. It's important to notice that as soon as an individual's side is presented in the book, its character's reputation also shifts. The monster is pointed out to be the villain so far, but this takes on a change as he takes his chance to justify his actions, just like Victor is doing in that ship actually.

Chapter 11:
As they sit down around the cozy fire, the monster begins his story. He tells Victor how confused he has been after being created. He talks about how he left Victor's home and ran into the woods to discover things on his own. He discovered a lot about the world, with only confusion and rejection though. He learned about light, dark, hunger, thirst, and the cold weather. He talks about how he learned about the uses of fire and the advantages it provides, such as keeping one warm and making more food. The monster tells Victor that even though the fire had great benefits to it, it burned his hand when he touched it. He grew in fear of it, yet he began to relax and use it to his benefits only. He discovered that if he added more wood to it, the fire would increase. The monster had to feed himself so while searching, he came across a small hut. He entered it and happened to scare the heck out of the old man that was inside the hut. The man started to yell and shout in fear and ran away. The monster walked out of the hut to the actual village, where he experienced high amount of rejection. People shrieked and kept their distance. They did not recognize a hideous creature like him and did not give him a chance. Everyone thought of their best interest, which was to not interact with the monster. This lead him to make a decision to stay away from people. On one of the nights, he decides to stay at a small hovel next to a cottage and in the morning, he notices a crack. When he sees through that crack, he concludes that he spots an old man, a young woman, and a young man chillin' in there.


Chapter 12:
While it is creepy, the monster begins to observe these three certain people for a while. He notices that these people are not joyful, and most of the time, they are sad and their emotional distress is shown upon their actions. He states that he wasn't sure why they were so sad, but he assumed they were. Later on, he notices that they are sad because they experience poverty, mainly HIS FAULT. He had been stealing their food, and it was bad enough they were experiencing financial difficulties. The monster instantly, feels bad and fills up with guilt so he starts to compensate for their loss. At nights, he would gather the wood and anonymously leave it at their door for "convinency." Analyzing their actions and the way they speak day by day, the monster finally picks up the language and teaches himself how to speak. He notes down the name of the young man to be Felix and the young woman to be Agatha. It's sad to realize that the monster finally grows to understand his ugliness. He looks at their faces and their physical structure and begins to admire them. After catching a glance of his own reflection from the water, he gets startled and is speechless. As time went on, winter arrived, and the routine became his daily life style. He observed the three individuals and began to like them for how much they taught him, without even knowing it.

Chapter 13:
Seasons begin to change as winter turns into spring. Note: Nature, once again, is very important because this setting leads the reader to understand why certain events are taking place. Nature is used to reflect emotions and vice versa. Except surprisingly, it's spring, but Felix is saddened. Supposedly a beautiful woman in a dark dress & veil comes by the cottage on a horse to see him. He becomes super happy as he sees her and she moves into the cottage with them. Everyone becomes happy and the monster notices that she does not even speak the same language as them. Her name is Sofie, and later she picks up the usual spoken language, just like the monster. He also teaches himself how to read, after analyzing Felix as he used Constantin-François de Volney’s Ruins of Empires to instruct Safie. The monster begins to "educate" himself by picking up facts about world history. He improves his speaking skills and learns about the human society by listening to the people speak. He relates his own situation and realizes that he has no friends. Human nature is to always juxtapose sadness with isolation, which the monster experiences at this stage. “Was I then then a monster,” he asks, “a blot upon the earth, from which all men fled, and whom all men disowned?” He considers himself deformed and begins to grow doubts. He also learns about the pleasures and obligations of the family and the process/structure of relationships between people. This saddens him because, nor is he accompanied with humans, he also lacks that family and happiness they feel at times. Anyways, I personally think the monster needs a hug. A hug can fix everything. Okay, not everything, but in this case, it WOULD kind of help, after considering the fact people think he's hideous and they point and run away from him.

Chapter 14:
From days of analyzing and observing these individuals, the monster begins to learn about the past life's experiences of these people. The old man was supposedly this respectable successful citizen in Paid and the two young individuals are his children. Safie's father was a Turk and he was accused of a crime and sentenced to death even though he was innocent (just like Justine). Felix visited the father in prison and from there, he met Safie and they fell in love. It's important to notice, that the author held that "love at first sight" concept in this novel. Whether he believes in it or not, is not justified. Felix tried to get the father out of prison and Safie let him know she was thankful for his intentions. The monster even had the copies of the letters to justify his story. The letters included the fact that Safie's mom was a Christian Arab who had been enslaved by the Turks, which stopped when she married Safie's father. Wow, so religious does come within Frankenstein and another stab at Islam is revealed. Supposedly, Safie's mother claimed Safie to be "free" from becoming a victim of being prevented from cultivature and intelligence, what Islam is responsible of (to women). This general stereotype is even portrayed in a story written by a young lady in a school. Disappointing. Anyways, so Safie wished to marry Felix because he was European and she wanted to escape from being a slave. The probem occured as Felix's family including him were exiled from France and their wealth was taken. They moved into this cottage while seeking for shelter. Safie's father was forcing her to go back with him, but she ran away and took refuge in this cottage, with her love.

Chapter 15:
One day the Monster was looking for good and he found a bag with some books and clothes. He took the books because he, too, had a thirst to obtain knowledge and know as much as he could. Victor should be able to relate to him. The books include Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s Sorrows of Werter, a volume of Plutarch’s Lives, and John Milton’s Paradise Lost, the last of which has the most profound effect on the monster. The monster does not realize that Paradise Lost is a fictional book and he reads it as true factual happenings. He finds the happenings in the story as reflections to his own situation. As the monster looks through his own pockets, he finds papers from Victor's diary and discovers how he was created and how Victor felt about him. This hurt him a lot, and it made him want to reveal himself to the cottagers with hopes that they would past see his ugliness and accept him for who he is, like that ever happens in this world now. The first individual he tries to confront is the old man, who could convince his children and Safie of what the monster wants him to, which is how past his exterior, he's a loving caring soul inside. One day he finds the old man by himself and starts to talk to him. But before he could even get to the main point, the children return and Felix scares the monster away.


Chapter 16:
The monster begins to become rageful and gets real hurt. He becomes tired of being rejected and hated without being given a chance to justify himself and speak for himself most importantly. Therefore, he swears to take revenge against all human beings and Victor mainly, his creator. For months, he kept on traveling and finally reached Geneva. On the way, he found a girl by herself and she seemed to be drowning. Acting out of the kindness in his heart, he rescues her, only to find that the man who was with her, shot him. He must've thought that the monster was attacking her. And this is where, in the woods, the monster finds William and discovers that he shares the same father as Victor. The monster gets so mad, that he basically chokes William to death and takes a picture of Caroline and puts it in Justine's pocket, who was supposedly sleeping in the barn. The monster tells Victor this whole story and tells him that he needs a friend. "Even Frankenstein wanted to be loved" - Laa. He tells Victor that he wants him to create a mate for him.

Chapter 17:
The monster justifies reasons of why he should have a female friend. Victor is persuaded to help him when the monster convinces him how all the bad happenings occured mainly due to the fact that the monster was lonely and didn't have a friend to spend time with. He assures Victor that he will not cause any more harm and live in South America in the jungles with his new mate. The monster becomes real happy and tells Victor that he will track him down when Victor is finished with this task. Victor is now burdened and taking a risk by creating another monster. OMG!! FINALLY DONE!! yay!! Frankenstein was a very interesting book to read, especially for the 2nd time.

Measure for Measure.

As most of you will agree, I just want to re-emphasize that Angelo is a SICK MAN. You know what he reminds me of? Those government officials or those in such authority. Ever hear how the ones in power are the most corrupt ones? Angelo's desire to have sexual intercourse with Isabella just shows that. Hypocrisy at its best. Just like how strong authority figures abuse their powers, the most religious figures at times are the most sinful. Angelo is guilty of being like both; trying to persecute Claudio for the same crime that he himself is guilty of (if given the chance).

I also want to point out how sometimes people see a reflection of themselves in others, as if they are staring at a mirror. Okay.. sounds weird. Let me explain. For example, a thief will be quick to assume that others are also thieves, because he himself is one and thinks he "knows how everyone thinks." People accuse others of what they are guilty of. It's almost like having self-conscience/guilt strings attached to you. I bring this up, because Angelo is this conservative strict non-corrupt individual on the outside, and yet on the inside, he's this sick pervert with wrong and sinful intentions. By asking Isabella to sleep with him, I think he might be convinced that she is like him, calm and pure on the outside, but lustful and sinful on the inside. That's why I think that he even ended up crossing the line and bluntly asking her such a thing. He probably figured, with a little hesitation, she'd give in and they'd both get what they "really want."

The lines I chose to discuss are in Act 2, scene 4. This is when Angelo confronts Isabella with his true intentions and Isabella tries to "play it off" by acting as if she thinks he's talking about him sinning by forgiving Claudio for his sinful acts. Isabella says, "It is no sin at all, but charity" (2.4.71). I'm kind of wondering here, is Isabella really "pretending" not to know what's going on, or is she really that... "innocent?" Then, right away, Angelo restates his point and tries to tell her exactly what he wants from her, "You must lay down the treasures of your body To this supposed, or else to let him suffer." (2.4.103-04). Isabella declines his offer, in order to not ruin hers and her brother's reputation even more. I think after that, it was quite interesting how Angelo claims that Isabella's response is just as cruel as the punishment her brother is getting. He says, "Were not you then as cruel as the sentence That you have slandered to?" (2.4.117-18). When I first read that, I was like "wow.. this guy has some nerves" but then I thought about it. Here, let me break it down:


Angelo is strict with his decisions and is stubborn.
Isabella is strict with her decisions and is also stubborn.

Angelo claims to be doing what is right, which is punishing someone for a crime they've done.
Isabella also claims to be doing what is right, which is not acting upon a lustful offer.

Angelo is concerned about his reputation, and that's why he is enforcing such laws.
Isabella is also concerned about her reputation, which is why she doesn't want to sleep with Angelo.

Angelo means to persecute those who do such sexual crimes, even though deep down, he'd be guilty of it too.
Isabella feels the same way, except the fact that is her own BROTHER, she disagrees with the ruling.

I think in a way, even though the situations are completely different from both perspectives, Angelo and Isabella may have a lot more in similar than we think.

Stand up for yourself.

For those who sit there and assume they have it the worst, don't let anyone make you think you can't think like that. Go ahead. Die in your misery. It's yours after all. It's natural to empathize with yourself, it's natural to feel targeted. For someone to judge your life and tell you to be more thankful and to stop bitching because someone has it worse than you, is UNCALLED FOR. A reality check, that's what they call it, right? Well give them a reality check. Tell them to step out because they don't live your life and until they do, they can't pass such remarks about it. If they think they can and they still do, then let them know that you did find someone who has it worse you after all. That oughta shut them up.

Hormones Lab.

Laayla Muhammad
Lab Section: 807
March 10, 2009


Indoleacetic acid (IAA), type of Auxin hormones that promote cell elongation in growing tissues and effect patterns cell differentiation, are used in this experiment on cucumber seedlings to test root growth. The cucumber seedling with IAA concentration of 10.0 mg/L will experience the most root growth because normal amount of concentration of this particular hormone causes stimulation of cell growth; meaning the lower the concentrations, the lower amount of root growth will take place. With the control group having the average root growth of 38.6 mm, the second highest cucumber seedling with the IAA concentration of 10.0 mg/L was 35.5 mm. The seedlings with concentration of 1.0 mg/L and 0.1 mg/L had lower root growths of 17 mm and 9.3 mm and the class average were as followed: the control group averaging out to 38.4 mm, 10.0 mg/L to 36.6 mm, 1.0 mg/L to 23.1 mm, and 0.1 mg/L to 20.3 mm. My hypothesis was right, that besides the control group with the most root growth, as the concentration of IAA increased so did the root growth of the cucumber seedlings; meaning that 0.1 mg/L of concentration was ended up inhibiting the root growth, while concentration of 10.0 mg/L greatly stimulated with 35.5 mm. All of this recorded data agrees with the class average length of the growth roots that also showed as concentration of Auxin increase, so does the length of the cucumber roots, besides the control group which shows cell elongation as well.




Figure 1.1- Average group data used to reveal effects of IAA (type of auxin hormone) given in different concentrations to roots, displaying root elongation (length) in mm.


Gibberellic Acid is one of many types of Gibberellins hormones that promote stem elongation in plants, but has more of a dramatic effect on mutant plants with dwarfed growth. In this experiment, comparing normal and dwarfed plants receiving two different treatments of water and gibberellic acid, I hypothesize that the dwarfed plant with gibberellic acid will experience highest amount of stem elongation meaning it will have the greatest change in height and the dwarfed plant with water will barely grow. The control for the normal plant given just water had the most height change of 20.5 cm and the dwarfed one given just water had the least height change of only 6.90 cm. Normal plant with GA had less change in height (13.5 cm) compared to the dwarfed plan given GA (17.6). The class data shows that normal plants with water grew 14.8 cm and with GA grew 16.8 cm while dwarfed plant with water grew 6.8 cm, but with GA grew 13.4 inches.


Figure 2.1 – Group average used to reveal effects of gibberellic acid (type of gibberellins hormone) on normal and dwarfed plants given two different treatments with their heights being measured in centimeters.



A growth response to gravity, gravitropism, is involved with differential inhibition of cell elongation by the hormone auxin. Gravitropism can be positive where roots grow in the direction of gravity and negative meaning away from the direction of gravity. I hypothesize that the corn seedling planted with the root oriented directly downward will grow the most when compared to: 1) upward, 2) horizontal, and 3) cut off (1 mm) at the root tip and placed horizontally. This is because they will be able to find soil, water and essential minerals easier. Results show that seeds planted downward had a net growth of 2.4 cm with the class average of 3.0 cm, but root planted horizontally grew even more with 3.5 cm. Root placed upward only grew 0.8 and the horizontal root with excited tips did not grow. The class data shows horizontally planted root grew the most with 4.1 cm, but upward one also grew 4.0 cm while the root that was horizontal with its tip excised still grew the least with only 1.2 cm. Roots horizontally orientated experiences the most net growth and planting them upward will result in barely any or no changes. My hypothesis was partially correct since roots planted downward receive essential minerals to grow more than upward positioned roots and roots with excised tips placed horizontally.


Figure 3.1 – Net growth of spouted corn roots measured in centimeters after positioning the roots in four different orientations in order to record root gravitropic response.

Lab 9 Manual Study Guide

Development of any complex multicellular organism results from growth processes: Mitosis and cell enlargement and developmental processes f cell differentiation.

In plans, these processes begin from with activities of the meristems….

Growth: increase in size (volume and biomass)
- limited by the supply of resources that are responsible for cell enlargement and division

Development: Changes in form occurring from embryonic stage to adult stages
- under a control of genes directing hormone production, chemicals regulating growth and development

Plants require: water, light, CO2 to make energy-rich sugars and oxygen for cellular respiration

Plants also require mineral nutrients: all essential and lacking them = growth deficiency
- get them from their environment (usually the soil)

Macronutrients: needed in large amounts: Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, and Sulfur
Micronutrients: needed in small amts: Iron, Zinc, Boron, Copper, Manganese, Chlorine, Molybdenum


Lacking particular nutrients = specific growth deficiency

Lab Practical Overview. Mostly Finished.

Lab Practical Overview:

A. Polifera: Sponges
Q2: Drawing in lab review/notebook. Yes, the spicules are visible. Spicules are the structural support for sponges; they are stiff needles of silica or calcium carbonate.
Q3: They have pores and tubes and structures along with water canals. The water provides the nutrients and oxygen and carries out waste and carbon dioxide. They also have cells with different activities.
1. 4 elements: 0 # of tissues, asymmetrical, N/A, N/A
2. Location & fnx:
a. Tubes on the side are choanocytes (ostia) that move water from the outside to the center
b. osculum where water eventually exists; big opening at end

B. Cnidaria: Hydra, Jellyfish, Corals, Sea Anemones
1. 4 elements: 2 tissues, radial symmetry N/A, N/A
2. Location & Fnx:
a & b: Cnidocytes are specialized cells on tentacles that release stinging organelle called nematocyst (which have toxic barbs to hold prey and until brought to mouth for indigestion).
3. They eat using the process describes above ^


C. Rotifera: Rotifers
Q1: Corona = locomotion & wave food into mouth
Q2: The algae is eaten by the rotifer- it’s their diet plus phytoplankton
1. 4 elements: 3 tissues, bilateral, pseudocoelomate, protostomes
2. Cuticle covering: very close to arthropods and nematodes
3. Location & fnx:
i. Toe (cement glands (sticky) attach rotifer to objects in water)
ii. Corona (crown of celia) – wave food into the mouth, also propel themselves
iii. Celia – rapid movement makes it appear to whirl like a wheel
iv. Excretory system: Intestines


D. Platyhelminthes: Planaria (flat worms)
Q5: Single opening digestive tract visible
Q7: Acoelomate type of body cavity- meaning none
Q8: Protostomes: blastopore developing into the mouth
Q11: Sessile animals have radial symmetry, multidirectional feeding and movement. Motile animals have bilateral symmetry and directional movement to obtain food.
1. 4 elements: 3 tissues, bilateral, acoelomate, protostomes
2. Location & function:
a. a. Pharynx: dorsal part; towards the middle- muscular- has jaws called trophi which ground food- all rotifers have it
b. Flame cells: part of excretory system; move fluid through canals
c. Eyespot: dorsal surface between two auricles that are on the head end; pigmented cups with retinal cells; sensitive to light intensities but can’t form images



E. Annelida: Earthworm (segmented)
Q1: Function of the cuticle in earthworms is that they help with lomotion and since they have no skeleton, cuticle protect them with their bristles like feature
Q2: Advantage of segmentation: Locomotion- each segment has muscles that flex and push against rest of the body, causing the worm to move forward
1. 4 elements: 3 tissues, bilateral, eucoelomate, protostomes
2. Location: heart, crop where the esophagus ends, intestine
Excretory system: Nephridia: pair of tiny white coiled tubes in each segment



F. Mollusca: Clam/Mollusks
1. 4 elements: 3 tissues, bilateral, eucoelomates
2. 4 unifying features: Mantle, Visceral Mass, Foot
3. Location & fnx:
i. Gills: pleated appearance: use for breathing (act like lungs); trap food particles on their surface as water comes in, which is then moved to mouth by ciliary movements.
ii. Mantle: secrets calcium carbonate that produces the shell
iii. Adductor muscles: close the shell and hold it there; anterior and posterior; pink roundish with dots
iv. Foot: strong muscle used for locomotion
v. Incurrent/excurrent siphons: excretory system: incurrent is where water comes in and excurrent is where wastes and water leaves: both at the posterior end of clam…. Excurrent is more dorsal



Lab 13:

A. Nematoda: Nematodes/roundworms (type of Ecdysozoa)
1. 4 elements: 3 tissues, bilateral, pseudocoelum, prostotomes
2. Key characteristics: molting of the exoskeleton (cuticle made of chitin)
3. Morphological differences between male and female are that males are smaller and have a hook like tale they use during sex to hold females
4. Locate and fnx:
i. Uterus: 3rd down, below vagina/tested, in the middle
ii. Testes:
iii. Ovaries: 5th down, 3/4th way down, on top of rectum ***Remember that in nematodes there are two longitudinal tubes in the two lateral lines that are the excretory system: excrete nitrogenous wastes (but no flame cells like flat worms)
B. Arthropoda: Crayfish & Grosshopper:
1. 4 elements: 3 tissues, bilateral, eucoelumate, protostomes
2. 4 unifying characteristics:
3. Location and fnx on Crayfish:
i. Caraspace: expanded exoskeleton plate: feather gills under it
ii. Greenglands: excretory system: long tube-like structures compacted into glandular mass: waste and excess water pass through the pores from which antenna comes out of
4. Location and fnx on Grasshopper:
i. Spiracle: respiratory system: small openings into air tubes (trachea) which branch everywhere and bring oxygen to cells
ii. Malphigian tubules: excretory system: within them are mini tubes that empty into intestine: wastes and salts from blood
iii. Head: Upper part with compound eye, antennas, mouth, brain
iv. Thorax: Middle part: crop, gastric caeca, esophagus, heart,
v. Abdomen: spiracles, intestines, anus, ovary, rectum, ovipositor


Lab 14: Animal Diversity III – Deuterostomes (anus forming first, mouth 2nd)

A. Echinodermata: Sea Stars, sea cucumbers, sea urchins
A. Remember, two symmetry: Radial in adults and bilateral in larvae before metamorphosis.
B. Location and function:
i. Mouth: food/water enterance
ii. 2 stomachs: extending can take place, able to eat bigger stuff than mouth size. Cardiac first and then pyloric.
iii. madreporite: dorsal surface; acts as a water supply and filter
iv. tube feet: movement/feeding; part of vascular water system

B. Chordata: Lancelet, fish, frogs, pigs, humans
A. Four unifying characteristics:
i. Pharyngeal gill slits: openings in the throat
ii. Notochord: running the length of the body
iii. Dorsal hollow nerve cord: bundle of nerve cells running the length of the body as well
iv. A muscular tail – extending past the anus

1. Location and function:
a. Tentacles: for feeding (located on top of the mouth)
b. Mouth: place for water and food (trapped by mucus) to enter body
c. Pharyngeal gill slits: enclosed by the body wall folds, water goes through them and they end up forming a cavity called the atrium
d. Notochord: support along the body length
e. Nerve cord: sensory
f. Intestine: digestion system
g. Anus: place for the wastes to come out of
h. Nephridia: excretory system
Remember, evidence of segmentation: gills, muscles
Evidence of nervous system: nerve cord

2. Location and function:
a. Dorsal fin: movement
b. Nerve cord: sensory
c. Notochord: support

C. Chordata: Pig
1. Location and function:
a. lungs: part of respiratory system: exchange gases
b. heart: pumping blood through blood vessels
c. liver: detoxification, protein synthesis, and production of biochemicals necessary for digestion
d. kidneys: excretory system: reg. of electrolytes, acid-base balance, and blood pressure; excretion of wastes (urea and ammonium); reabsorption of glucose and amino acids; production of hormones (vitamin D and erythropoietin).
e. diaphragm: layer of muscular membrane bottom of thoracic cavity which adjust its volume
f. larynx: protection of trachea and production of sound
g. umbilical cord: connecting cord from the fetus or the embryo to the placenta: supplies oxygenated, nutritious blood


Lab 10 & 11: Animal Development

A. Egg Types:
a. Isolecithal – (same/yolk) – meaning eggs containing small amounts of evenly distributed yolk; impact of yolk is minimum
1. echinoderms, mollusks, and mammals
b. Strongly Telolecithal - (end/yolk) – meaning eggs contain large amounts of yolk concentrated at one end.
1. reptiles, birds, fish, chicken, etc.
2. nucleaus surrounded by active cytoplasm which is devoid of yolk and called blastodisc (towards animal pole where polar bodies budded from the cell during meiosis)
3. Rest of egg: vegetal hemisphere associated with vegetal pole
c. Mesolecithal – moderately telolecithal – some amphibian species

B. 1st Step: Cleavage Types: subsequent mitotic divisions

a. Holoblastic Cleavage: Isolethical eggs
1. The cell divisions pass through the entire fertilized cell
2. blastocoel forms in the middle of the blastula

b. Uneven Holoblastic Cleavage: Moderately Telolecithal:
1. Yolk will retard cytoplasmic divisions and affect cell sizes
2. Blastocoel develops in the animal hemisphere
3. Cells will be smaller and have less yolk compared to vegetal

c. Meroblastic Cleavage: Strongly telolecithal
1. Only active cytoplasm is divided during cleavage
2. produces blastoderm (cap of cells)
3. blastocoel forms between two layers of cells within blastoderm


d. Blastula: multicellular ball/disc that a zygote converts to from cleavage
e. Blastocoel: A cavity that forms within the ball of cells after blastula forms
f. Blastomeres: these are the cells of the blastula


C. Stage 2: Gastrulation: cell movement: blastula becomes gastrula
1. Three germ layers: endoderm (involution) ectoderm (surface cells) mesoderm (develops between the two)
2. Archenteron: new internal cavity that forms through involution, where surface cells go to the interior of the embryo lined by the endoderm: blastocoel disappears
3. Blastopore: what the archenteron opens to the outside through
1. protostomes: blastopore becomes the mouth
2. deuterostomes: blastopore becomes the anus


D. Stage 3: Neurulation: formation of dorsal hollow neural tube in chordates (frogs)
a. Notochord is formed from mesoderm cells
b. Neural plate (ectodermal cells above flattened)
c. neural groove: when the center of the plate sinks
d. neural folds: edges of the plate become elevated
e. neural tube: when folds fuse together; anterior becomes brain and posterior becomes nerve or spinal cord
f. notochord disappears

E. Organgenesis:
a. Organs forming from each tissue layer:
1. Ectoderm: skin, glands, nervous system
2. Mesoderm: muscles, skeleton, circulatory, reproductive and excretory system
1. In chordates, somites and notochord will form as well
3. Endoderm: digestive tract lining and organs: liver and lungs, pancreas, thyroid, thymus, etc


F. Sea Star Development:
a. Type of egg/cleavage: Holoblastic cleavage
b. Fast and slow back to polyspermy (multiple fertilization)
1. fast block: sperm fuses with egg, plasma membrane permeability changes  influx of sodium ions [Na+]; changes electric potential ; less permeable
2. slow block: when egg is fertilized, calcium ions release in the ER and spread as a wave, therefore cortical granules fuse with egg cell’s plasma membrane and release their contents to the exterior, causing FERTILIZATION ENVELOPE to rise and clear away extra sperm
c. Know what stages of development listed above look like in the sea star


G. Frog Development:
a. Type of egg/cleavage: uneven holoblastic (moderately telolecithal)
b. Know what stages of development listed above look like in the frog


H. Chicken Development:
a. Egg components:
1. shell membranes
2. albumin
3. chalaza
4. yolk – rich in protein and fat
5. air chamber
b. Embryogenesis in chickens is different from sea star and frog development because: it is through meroblastic cleavage due to being a strong telolecthical type of egg.

c. Know these terms relating to only chicken development:

1. blastodisc - active cytoplasm that is devoid of yolk
2. primitive streak
3. somites
4. vitelline blood vessels
5. 4 extra embryonic membranes


Regeneration:
Morphallixus: regeneration occurring through already present tissues in the organism via reorganization. The regenerated organism is smaller than parent. Examples? 2 Hydra smaller than parents.

Epimorphosis: regeneration occurring through cellular proliferation of stem cells, where the organism is the same size as the parent. Examples? Head in planaria, same size as parents.

Chapter 4 Outline - Not complete....

Chapter 4 outline: Role of Foundation Support

Scientists viewed as individuals with massive talents in order to receive financial banking
• Nonscientists impressed even though they didn’t comprehend yet thought science = knowledge and power


Blacks did not benefit: Only white universities provided the extensive education and right training
- Accepted on exceptional cases; not able to find jobs if given chance; led to just work as teachers in a black university
- Philanthropic establishments didn’t even want think black colleges deserved to receive any support because the training they provide for scientists and the high quality research they provide isn’t a good investment

**With hardly any support, it became hard for blacks to pursue careers in the scientific field


Howard University; not set up for blacks alone; opened door to 4 white girls as well
- Purpose: All races, classes, conditions, and nationalities” – term refer cosmopolitan
- Not achieved; whites dropped
- Poor institution; 1st funds were from Bureau of Refugees (freedman and abandoned lands set up by congress after the civil war to aid free slaves)
- 1873: nation crippled financially and funds stopped
- White staff with black service; first 12 presidents = northerners connected to churches
- Black intelligent men/respected professors trained at white colleges yet worked at black institutions; Howard comes into play because it was still growing in numerous ways
- “Howard Univ. for Maintenance” – Congress gave 10,000/100,000 debt – small gift increased every year

***Wilbur P. Thirkield: New Building in 1909; recruit scientists; school for blacks migrating to cities; Just entered in time!

1. 1910: Flexnor Report: Howard and Meharry respected; helped with grants
2. World Leaders of government/education made speeches on Howard’s behalf
3. Just wanted to find funds partly out of selfish reasons; salary/summer research

WWI:
Howard = best place for recruits and commissioned officers
Just: did not want to take orders from white officers or less educated men; war horrified him; increased his teachings in electrocardiography to avoid war

Durkee presidency: gave just a knuckle-rapping for not attending morning prayers; not sympathetic to the scientific development

Charity confused with Philanthropy; Just founded funds

Weekly Schedule

Weekly Schedule

UNICEF - Child protection from violence, exploitation and abuse - UN Security Council addresses latest report on children in armed conflict

UNICEF - Child protection from violence, exploitation and abuse - UN Security Council addresses latest report on children in armed conflict

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UNICEF - Child protection from violence, exploitation and abuse - UN Security Council addresses latest report on children in armed conflict

UNICEF - Child protection from violence, exploitation and abuse - UN Security Council addresses latest report on children in armed conflict

Posted using ShareThis

Book Comments

Reading “Management of Grief,” gave me an insight to how people struggle with death, especially of their loved ones. This reminds me of 9/11 and the reactions of people who lost their loved ones, which happened after this crash in London. I felt attached to this story instantly, mainly from the cultural aspect because of similarities between Pakistanis and Indians. I’m Punjabi as well, but Muslim (not Sikh or Hindu) and to most people out there, all these words just sound the same. The fact that I knew how these groups of people feel about each other helps me understand the story even more, especially because the crash mentioned in the story involves the religious/ethnic identity of Indians. For example, in the story Shaila says, “They are Sikh. They will not open up to an Indian woman.” I also have to say that I liked how Hindi words were used in the story such as: behn meaning sister, angresi meaning English speaking, ghee meaning oil/butter, zaminders meaning property owners/sellers, samosas being a typical South Asian snack that I’m a fan of, and etc. I think it’s clever how the words were used in a way where in text clues helped the readers know what the words meant anyways. Out of all three, this was my favorite story. It contained couple sayings that I thought were very deep and the whole situation with Judith was something even I’m sure my family could relate to at one point. It’s not cynicism or ignorance; it’s just the inability for the two groups to understand each other from each others perspectives.

The way the story started instantly informs the reader that something out of the ordinary is happening. It’s the same way with the story “Are These Actual Miles?” This is a great technique because rather than providing the background history first where the narrator rambles on about age/location/occupation like in “The Lifegaurd,” the readers are thrown right inside the situation taking place and then a little about everyone is revealed as they read on. In “Are these Actual Miles?” … I was kind of confused. The relationship between the couple is complicated and not strong at all, and well…. they’re filing for bankruptcy and so they are hiding away their valuables. They’re selling the convertible but why does she have to SLEEP with the guy? Was he not going to buy it otherwise? I thought since Leo talked about how Toni has skills in selling, she would actually use those, not her body.

Some of the students mentioned how “he says” “she says” bothered them in “Are These Actual Miles?” It didn’t really bother me because as I was reading the sentences, there were enough details that already helped me figure out how he or she said it. Both stories contain anger, sadness and curiosity to know what happened. The ending in both stories weren’t similar though. Leo never got to say what he wanted yet he did discover what he wanted to when he stripped Toni. Shaila never received much information about the crash besides that there was a bomb present yet she was pretty much very content by the end, ready to move on. Maybe ignorance is bliss.

What the fluck?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7953735.stm

Moving Sex Offenders

Waukesha Sex Offender Forced To Move
Lauren Leamanczyk
WAUKESHA - For the first time, Waukesha Police have used an ordinance that prohibits sex offenders from living near parks, schools and other places that children frequent.

Thomas Donovan was convicted in 1990 of sexually assaulting two young girls. Last week, police found him living right near Cutler Park. They were called to the address for a fight and an officer recognized Donovan. He was arrested and ticketed $802.

Neighbors are glad he's being forced to move. But, they're upset that they never knew about his past while he was living near a park, two daycares, a school and a public library. "Why is he living so close to a school, a park and all these children on this block?" asked Nicole Knaack, a neighbor with a young child.

Waukesha Police arrested Donovan. He has been released from jail and will have to find a legal place to live.
------------------------------------------------------------

It's about time that they start doing this. I'm not even kidding. Fuck it. I do NOT believe in second chances when it comes to shit like this. There are about 3-4 JUST REGISTERED sex offenders living by an elementary school across the street from my house. Hmmmmm I wonder why they would allow that now? According to rules, they can't.. but no one pays any attention and guess what? 80% OF THEM END UP COMMITTING ANOTHER SEX OFFENSE! So why even give them the chance to? And shit, I'm only talking about 1) people who get caught the first time and 2) people who get caught the 2nd, 3rd, 4th...etc time.

Here popo.. instead of writing me a speeding ticket on the freeway when I'm probably the slowest person on the road.. come here and take these sex offenders away from our kids before they end up raping them and killing them. Kbye.

BURNS!

Burns Laayla Muhammad
October 17, 2007
Lecture section 401

There are too many individuals who suffer from burning accidents and are ignorant in knowing how these burns can become severe and change their lives completely. One thing I learned about anatomy and physiology is that there are three types of burns, which are categorized according to their depth of tissue involvement. All three types vary not only in their causes, but also the damage they have towards one’s skin and body. Burns can be hardly severe as getting sunburned and can become as extreme as one losing his life. Deaths resulting from burns are caused by infection, fluid loss, or toxic effects of burned dead tissue known as eschar. Burns can also lead to difficulty in breathing, which can also lead to death eventually.
One of the three types of burns is first-degree burns, also known as superficial burns. This type of burn only involves the epidermis, which is the top layer of the skin. The skin usually gets red and dry and really painful. Some swelling may also take place. An example of a first degree burn would be sunburn. Within a week, this burn begins to disappear and usually never leaves a scar.
Another type of burn is known as a second-degree burn, which is also known as a partial-thickness burn. This type of burn involves the epidermis and also part of the dermis, which is a skin layer underneath the epidermis. A second-degree burn may be red, tan, or even white and tends to be blistered up, causing great amounts of pain. The wound seems to open up and weep clear fluid, which makes the skin appear wet. . It takes a little bit longer to heal, which can be from 2 weeks to several months. This type of burn usually leaves a scar behind. At this point, the epidermis actually revives once the epithelial cells in the hair follicle and sweat glands divide. Someone may experience this type of burn from certain sunburns and many scalds, such as hot tap water or hot oil spills.
Unlike first and second-degree burns, third degree burns are much more intense and damaging. This type of burn, known as full-thickness burn, destroys the epidermis, dermis, and often most deeper tissues. It damages basically all of the layers along with any or all of the underlying structures such as fat, muscle, bones and nerves. If this burn hits the nerves then it becomes really painless, but otherwise this type of burn is extremely painful. It leaves a brown or black charred mark and the tissues underneath seem white. Third-degree burns produce hard, leather-like eschars and sometimes have purple fluid. Unlike the other types of burn, the skin will not regenerate on its own. If one is involved in this type of accident, s/he needs medical attention immediately. In order to heal, skin grafts are required because if left to heal on its own, contracture and severe disfigurement may take place.
Burns are caused through many different ways, such as heat, cold, electricity, friction, and radiation. Between the three types of burns, third-degrees burns are the most painful unless they hit nerves, making the process very painless. At each level, damaging effects and healing time varies due to the certain damages done to the layers of the skin. I have been involved in many burning incidents where I have gotten numerous first and second-degree burns. Most individuals are able to take care of themselves in these cases, where the skin eventually regenerates and heals on its own. Third-degree burns require immediate care and can lead to one’s death as well.

Electrochemcial Cells

Electrochemical Cells

Laayla Muhammad
Partners: Arlee Vang, Lee Her
March 21, 2007

Purpose: To construct a series of microscale electrochemical half-cells and use the Nernst equation to experimentally determine the voltage of a Zn/Cu cell, the Ksp of AgCl, and the Kf of Cu(NH3)42+. We will basically be constructing a table of relative electrode potentials and be changing the concentration of one of the solutions to see the affects. Then we’d use the electrical potential of a cell containing Ag and AgCl along with the Nernst equation to determine the solubility product of AgCl. Finally, creating Cu (NH3)42+, the potential and the Nernst equation can be used to calculate the formation constant of the tetramminecopper (II) complex ion using microscale techniques.


Procedure:
Determining the Reduction Potentials:
First, a test cell needs to be prepared to measure the voltage of the copper and zinc half cells by putting 2 mL of 1.0 M Zn(NO3)2 solution in one of the center wells and putting 2 mL of 1.0 M Cu(NO3)2 in an adjacent one. Then taking a small strip of filter paper, soaked in KNO3 solution, and draping it across the two wells, as a salt bridge. Then we polished strips of Zn and Cu metal and placed them in appropriate well containing the solutions of the ions. Then using a voltmeter, the potential difference between the two half-cells was measured, making sure the reading was positive. We made sure to note which electrode played the role of an anode and a cathode. The electrode connected to the positive terminal is the cathode and is undergoing reduction, while oxidation occurred at the electrode connected to the negative terminal, which was the anode. Next step was to prepare half cells in other wells by pouring some 1.0 M solution of the following ions in different wells and polishing the metals with sandpaper or steel wood so they’re shiny and inserting them into the well containing the ion of same metals (fresh trips of filter paper soaked in 1.0 M potassium nitrate were used as salt bridges): Ag|Ag+, Cu|Cu2+, Fe|Fe3+, Mg|Mg2+, Pb|Pb2+, and Zn|Zn2+. We recorded the data using a table to help organize our findings.
Reduction Equation for each Ion Arranged in Decreasing Order of Potential:
Then we composed reduction equations for each metal ion and arranged the equations in decreasing order of measured potential in an “Eo” type of table. We recorded the standard potentials using the hydrogen electrode as standard, and calculated the difference between two values using another data table to stay organized.
Measure Cell Potentials:
Next we measured the potential difference between at least 4 combinations of various electrodes and used the table of electrode potentials to predict the voltage and which half cell will be the anode and cathode. Next step involves comparing predicted and measured potentials and using a table to record the data.
Changing Ion Concentration:
We diluted 1.0 M Cu(NO3)2 by adding 2 drops of the solution into 18 drops of deionized water in a small test tube. We mixed well and did this two times more to decrease the concentration to 0.0010 M. Then we poured some of this solution in one of the wells and added a polished copper wire to measure the voltage against the standard zinc electrode. We recorded the data and next step includes writing a net ionic equation for the reaction occurring in the cell and using the Nernst equation to calculate the expected voltage to be compared to the measured one.
Finding the Solubility:
We poured 10 mL of 1.0 M NaCl solution into a beaker and added 1.0 M AgNO3 and stirred. Then we poured some of the solution into one of the wells and added an Ag metal electrode and measured the potential difference versus this half-cell and the zinc half-cell. Next step involves writing out the net ionic equation for the reaction and using Nernst equation to calculate the concentration of the Ag+ ion and the value of the solubility of AgCl, to compare the calculated value with the measured.
Finding the Formation Constant of Cu(NH3)4:
We found the volume of one drop of 1.0 M Cu(NO3)2 solution by counting the number of drops in 1 mL, which was 17 drops for us. Then we put 10 mL of 6.0 M NH3 in a beaker and added 1 drop of 1.0 M Cu(NO3)2 solution. Then we poured some of the solution in one of the wells and added a Cu metal electrode to measure the potential difference vs. the Zn electrode, to write a balanced net ionic equation for the reaction occurring in the cell. The Cu(NH3)4 concentration is calculated by assuming that all of the Cu2+ in solution is present as the complex ion. The uncomplexed Cu2+ concentration is calculated from the cell potential using the Nernst equation. Last step includes finding the formation constant, the equilibrium constant for the equation and comparing the calculated value from the measured.


Data:
Determining Reduction Potentials

Voltage of each half-cell versus the zinc electrode:

Cell Voltage Anode Cathode
Zn vs. Ag 1.231 Ag Zn
Zn vs. Cu .801 Cu Zn
Zn vs. Fe .396 Fe Zn
Zn vs. Mg -.625 Zn Mg
Zn vs. Pb .391 Pb Zn
Zn vs. Zn 0.00 (assumed)





Reduction Equations for Each Ion Arranged in Decreasing Order of Potential:

Reduction equation Electrode Potentials using Zn as the standard, Ezn Accepted Electrode Potentials using Hydrogen as Standard, Eo Ezn - Eo
Ag+ + e- --> Ag 1.231 0.800 0.431
Cu2+ + 2e- --> Cu 0.801 0.340 0.461
Fe3+ + 3e- --> Fe 0.396 0.770 -0.374
Pb2+ + 2e- --> Pb 0.391 -0.013 0.404
Zn2+ +2e- --> Zn 0.000 -0.760 0.760
Mg2+ + 2e- --> Mg -0.625 -2.370 1.745














Measure Cell Potential:
Anode Cathode Equation for the cell reaction Predicted Potential from Experimental Data Measured Potential
Fe Mg Fe3+ + Mg --> Fe + Mg2+ 1.021 1.157
Ag Fe Fe3+ Ag --> Fe + Ag+ 1.627 0.879
Ag Pb Pb2+ + Ag --> Pb + Ag+ 1.622 0.918
Cu Mg Cu2+ Mg --> Cu + Mg2+ 1.426 1.588












Calculations:

In the first part, where we were determining the reduction potentials, we used the voltmeter to measure the potential difference between the two half cells. When the voltmeter reads a positive voltage, the black electrode, connected to the positive terminal is the cathode and is undergoing reduction, while the red electrode connected to the negative terminal, is the anode. Then we composed the reduction equations based on that. We assumed Zn|Zn2+ had the potential of 0.00 volts.

Example:

Cell Voltage Anode Cathode
Zn vs. Ag 1.231 Ag Zn


Then we recorded the standard potential using the hydrogren electrode as standard. We were then able to calculate the difference between the two values.
Example:

Reduction equation Electrode Potentials using Zn as the standard, Ezn Accepted Electrode Potentials using Hydrogen as Standard, Eo Ezn - Eo
Ag+ + e- --> Ag 1.231 0.800 0.431







The next part consisted of measuring cell potentials using at least 4 combinations of the various electrodes. We used the electrode potentials from the first table to predict the voltage and determine the reducing and oxidizing agents so both values can be compared.

Example:
Reduction: 2(Fe3+ + 3e-  Fe) E cell: .396 V
Oxidation: (Mg  Mg2+ + 2e-) E cell: .625 V
2Fe3+ + Mg  Fe + Mg2+ E cell: 1.021 V


Changing the concentration of the Ion:

2 drops of 1.0 M Cu(NO3)2 diluted in 18 drops of dionized water provided us with 0.10 M concentration. We did it two more times to give us the final concentration of 0.0010 M. So the concentration went from 1.0 M to 0.10 M, then 0.010 M, and finally 0.0010 M.
We had to write an ionic equation for the reaction occurring in the cell and then use the Nernst equation to calculate what the expected voltage should be, and compare to the measured value.

Reducing: Cu2++2 e-  Cu(s)
Oxidizing: Zn(s) Zn2++2 e-
Equation: Cu2++Zn(s) Zn2++ Cu(s)

Trial 1: Cu3+ + Zn  Cu + Zn3+ Voltage: .220
Trial 2: Cu3+ + Zn  Cu + Zn3+ Voltage: .224

Average: .220 + .224 = .232 V
2

Ecell = Eo cell – RT In Q
nF

= Eo cell – 0.0592 log Q
n


Finding Solubility Product of AgCl:

In this step, almost all of the silver ions combined with chloride ions to precipitate AgCl. Since there is a large excess of Cl-, it can be assumed that the concentration of Cl- is still 1.0 M. The concentration of the silver ions will be really small (reduced). After measuring the potential difference versus this half-cell and the zinc half-cell, we had to write a balanced equation for the reaction occurring in the well. Then we have to compare the two values with each other.

Reduction: 2 Ag2++2e- 2AgCu(s)
Oxidation: Zn(s) Zn2++ 2e-
Balanced: 2Ag2++Zn(s) Zn2++ 2Ag(s)

Next step involves using the Nernst Equation to calculate the concentration of the Ag+ ion. Therefore, we’d then calculate the solubility product of AgCl and compare the two values with each other.



2 Ag+ + Zn  2Ag + Zn2+ E cell: