I think, therefore I am.

Anger

2011-08-14T22:11:00.002-05:00

We can't produce anger and then expect to be not held reliable for the damage. Actually, it does happen but it shouldn't. But let's face it, it's hard. I had a friend that I got to know very well. I felt that this friend had betrayed me and without talking it out, I acted. I showed angered. I didn't want to find out why this friend acted in such a way but I didn't think anything could justify it. I didn't even want to think about it for more than a minute because within those 60 seconds, I'd steam up with anger and disappointment and resentment. What happened after wards is tragical. I thought about it more than a minute and I realized that it wasn't something I needed to be so angry about. At the end of everything, I've lost a friend and my anger is all that friend remembers. My anger is all that I remember. My anger was misplaced sadness. Misplaced rejection. Misplaced fear. I've never felt so stupid.

waiting

2011-07-12T08:52:00.002-05:00

So just when I thought I waited enough, they told me I had to wait a lot more. Have you ever waited that long? As if you have no obligations but to wait so you can get something out of it... something not even insured. Can we as one wait thay long? Can we withstand the silence and clear out the noise? Can we be little girls and boys who don't know how to wait? Can we be different? Can we speak up and tell others when waiting is wrong? When waiting isn't ethical? Can we be right and point out the wrong? Can we put a stop to what needs to be stopped? Isn't it time to stop it? Let us begin with the right intentions at the least. We are no longer waiting for anything else otherwise.

Home.

2011-01-31T01:24:00.003-06:00

We all need a place to live even when we don't have a home. We all try to compete with one another even though we need each other to win. I'm surprised at how many of us choose to lead a life of hypocrisy. I am even more shocked to realize that not few of us are guilty, or some of us, or most of us... but all of us. I'm growing sadder by the second, disappointed by the minute. This world is becoming different. It's not ours anymore. It has become what we tried to stop it from becoming. It has turned into a place we barely recognize, even though we're the ones who have changed it. This world is a foreign place. It is not our home. We don't have a home. Where will we live now?

This world.

2011-01-23T18:18:00.002-06:00

This world is full of insomniac narcissists who sit there at night, when you're sound asleep, thinking of ways to destroy your confidence. This world is composed of little people who think big and find small ways to make the most out of their little actions. This world is full of corruption because good people decide to help others by doing wrong to evil doers who help saints remember how good they really are. Once the saints lose their alignment... their focus, then what happens? This world has a reverse chain reaction. A reaction that has been triggered by not the most evil thing in the world, but by those good people who want to rid this world of corruption and sin and hate. They want to increase love by hating the hatred and loving the way they spread their sickness. Their sickness is viewed as a charity for those who really need it. But who are we to judge? Who are we to decide who needs love? Who needs this sickness that makes them blind to what is wrong since they are so tangled in what is right. We can't know what is right without recognizing the wrong. We don't know what is wrong until we have seen what is right. This world is full of irony and we don't know what irony is until we've seen it. Until we have witnessed a contradiction and then we know that is not irony. That is a contradiction. This world is formed by elasticity yet no one budges until we have been pushed like dominoes. We have become trees, just standing at one spot waiting for someone to cut us off. Yet we are pacing faster than a sneeze of 100 mph, waiting to be blessed by a stranger who passed by. We are tricked by the obvious and yet we claim to know the obvious trick. We are humans with an animalistic nature of hunting down animals to save humanity while destroying what's humane.

Agreement with Chagnon

2011-01-16T00:15:00.001-06:00

I agree with the way Chagnon states, "I had to become like the Yanomamö to be able to get along with them on their terms: somewhat sly, aggressive, intimidating, and pushy." I don't think there was any other way he could have successfully made it through. At first, his statement seemed ignorant because the Yanamamo are described as violent and dishonest individuals by someone who sees them as completely different creatures. Chagnon even calls them hideous and unbearable. Later on, he does realize that if he had not changed the way he reacted to his belongings being taken, he would have always stayed as a victim of robberies and insults. The reason the Yanamamo accept Chagnon is because he has chosen to be LIKE them. The way he responded before by not yelling or threatening, led them to take advantage of him. It is survival of the fittest and the Yanamomo proved just that. Therefore, the Yanamamo are intelligent individuals who use their clever ways to survive every day. Instead of taking Chagnon's statements as derogatory and inappropriate, it makes more sense to see them as qualities. Even Chagnon himself adapted the positive attributes such as slyness and intimidation. These type of situations still exist in the world today. For example, my brother is a Pakistani-American who is currently living in Pakistan. It has been 1 year and 6 months since his move of which 1 year has been spent dodging scams and threats from local Pakistanis. They did not feel as if he belonged there because he was an American and to them, not Pakistani. My brother was threatened and he was sold expired items at the store, taken money from, given fake tickets, taken advantage of financially, emotionally, physically, and mentally. After a year though, after him defending himself and fighting back and finding his own ways to make money, the people there are finally starting to accept him because they know he is aware of their ways. This is just a small example that I can talk about with experience. There are hundreds of similar situations that lead people to become more aggressive and intimidating to survive, which is ironic because these terms are often seen as negative remarks and insults.

Issues

2011-01-16T00:11:00.003-06:00

What issues would you like your US Representative and US Senators to focus on in the US House of Representatives and the US Senate? Why are these issues important? Give local/state and national issues. Examples could include local air quality, crime, funding a college education, and war just to name a few. To respond to this discussion topic you must have knowledge of the issues you are suggesting. Use the web links provided to assist you. Refrain from using or referencing political pundits (folks with TV or radio shows) or the editorial sections of newspapers.

Issues regarding sexual preferences dealing with not just legal matters, but society as a whole, have become extremely problematic in the last few years. Government officials are concerned with same sex marriages and how removing or keeping the ban affects the laws of the U.S. within the Constitution. Meanwhile, the issue affects anyone and everyone, especially children and their education even more. There are individuals advocating a change in the school’s curriculum to address, “bullying, respect, and acceptance.” The aim is to inform children as young as 5 years old about the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Obviously, parents are enraged at the fact that strangers can be given the authority to decide their children’s belief and value system. A recent board decision of 3/2 now allows the enforcement of elementary schools in Alameda, California to teach children about such critical issues. Parents of Unified School District who think the topics should be discussed within the families have been called advocates of anti-gay slurs and individuals who refuse to prepare their children for the world they are living in. It was unimaginable once, but the school board is no longer looking for the best interest of the children, but their own reputation, in order to avoid looking “not prepared” and “intolerant.” Parents have been refused from taking their children out of the classes that teach about LGBT, leaving kindergarten students to ponder about why they are reading about books with two men raising a student just like them. This issue is only going to become more universal as parents rights will be stripped off from deciding what their children should learn and believe in. As more states are allowing gay marriages, TV media displaying same sex relationships, more children are at risk for being taunted for having “fags” as parents. Yet, at the same time, does this mean parents lose the right to control their children? According to the California District Board, apparently so.

Reactions

2011-01-16T00:07:00.003-06:00

Studying reactions to strange experiences such as suicide bombing and discovering that cultural assumptions (of the person reacting) are partially responsible for those reactions deserves the most attention. This reflection on our reactions to strangeness is critically important in the world we live in, where people fail to realize the roles their hollow judgments can take on. Without the right knowledge about a culture's values and its traditions, analyzing it by using your own cultural values becomes inevitable. For example, without learning about a country's political, religious and economical status, it becomes difficult to understand the concept of suicide bombing. Questions such as, "Is there a religiously motivated terrorism? If so, how does it differ from other cruelties?" become critical (Asad 2007). Instead of obtaining such information, people make comparisons to differentiate themselves from others, such as suicide bombers in this case. Once a person sees another as different, then labeling the actions of other people as strange makes sense to them. People think if what they do is familiar, then what others do is strange. Therefore, depending on assumptions will only create more gaps between people, causing more panic and giving birth to more "strangeness." It is also important to realize that understanding the strange requires time. The strange isn't the only thing analyzed, but so are the reactions of people that are reacting to all that is strange.

Asad, Talal. On Suicide Bombing. 2007. New York: Columbia University Press.

Laayla Muhammad

Bio Exam Essay.

2011-01-16T00:05:00.001-06:00

BioSci 315

Take Home Essay Questions - Set 2 Name:_Laayla M. Tariq

Download this MS-Word document. Fill in your name at the top and type your answers below. Save the questions and your answers as an MS Word document with the .doc file extension (not .docx). This assignment is due in the D2L Dropbox on Sunday, 04-11-10 at 11:59pm.

A. For 5 points, correctly answer only one of the questions below (use as much space as needed):

Pts
1. Progesterone is known to activate transcription of the ovalbumin gene in chick oviduct.
2. You isolate Chromatin from untreated and progesterone-treated oviduct cells
3. Digest it four different times with deoxyribonuclease I (DNase I).
4. After you purify the DNA from the digested chromatin samples, you denature the DNA and “spot” equal amounts from each extract on filters.
5. The filters are exposed to denatured, radioactive ovalbumiun gene DNA (the probe), allowing it to hybridize with any ovalbumin gene DNA (the target) remaining after digesting the chromatin.
6. After making an autoradiograph of the filters, the following results are obtained:

2.0 a. State the hypothesis being tested in this experiment.

Progesterone is a hormone that activates transcription and therefore experimentally digesting progesterone treated oviduct cells with deoxyribonuclease I (DNase I) will result in denaturing of the DNA overtime, compared to the DNA from digests of chromatin from untreated tissue.

3.0 b. Explain these results.

The autoradiograph is an “X-ray photograph made by bringing an object containing radioactive material into close contact with the emulsion on a film or plate” (YourDictionary). When the chromatin is digested with DNase I, it becomes radioactively active. The autoradiograph results reveal that chromatin from progesterone treated oviduct cells digested with DNase I will contain DNA that will denature or structurally breakdown in order for transcription to take place since progesterone is known to activate transcription. We can see this because as time goes on, from 2 minutes to 20 minutes, the equal amount of “spots” from each extract is no longer equal because the treated cells are denaturing overtime and the spots are becoming lighter and smaller. DNase I is therefore, acting on the progesterone treated chromatin, which it cannot do with non-treated cells because chickens do not carry high levels progesterone, besides the low natural amount their bodies carry. The low initial amount of progesterone, which is a natural sex hormone, is not relevant to the fact that sample B was additionally injected with “more progesterone.” The denaturing is independent of the initial amount and is dependent on the overall level of progesterone in the samples. Therefore, progesterone does activate transcription of the ovalbumin gene in chick oviduct due to the results shown in autoradiograph.

"Autoradiograph." Dictionary Definitions. LoveToKnow, n.d. Web. 2 April 2010. .

B. For 5 points, correctly answer one of the questions below (use as much space as needed):

Pts
1. Consider the 10nm fiber and solenoid extracts from rat nuclei shown below:

You have purified the proteins from each of these chromatin extracts. After running polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the purified proteins and staining the gels, you see the following:

5 Explain these results.

The purification of the proteins from both of the chromatin extracts (of rat nuclei) being run by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of which the gels are then stained, provide very similar results when compared to each other. The proteins purified from the 10 nm fiber chromatin contains H1, 2H3, 2H2A, 2H2B, 2H4. The proteins purified from solenoid chromatin contain all that but H1. First of all, we are told that the image on the right is of 30 nm solenoid chromatin, obviously longer than the 10 nm fiber. With the way gel electrophoresis works, the migrating proteins are divided into individual sections related to their gel mediated mobilities (Garfin 201). These denatured proteins are coated with a negative charge and end up having an overall negative charge with similar charge to mass ratios. Therefore, the rate of these proteins migrating depends solely on the size. The smaller the protein, the longer they will be able to migrate to the top, being able to travel through the many holes of the gel. The size of the pores of the gel is hard to measure, yet it is defined by the size limits of the proteins (Garfin 201). Therefore, these results make sense, with proteins purified from solenoid chromatin not being able to pass through the H1 gel hole due to the bigger size, compared to the proteins purified from 10 nm fiber chromatin, which were able to migrate through. This could be supported by the fact that the proteins from the solenoid chromatin had higher levels of salt in them. As salt decreases, protein solubility increases, and therefore, the proteins would be able to dissolve and migrate through (Young 1). On the other hand, as salt increases, such as in 30 nm solenoid chromatin sample, solubility decreases, which justifies the fact they weren’t able to migrate to H1.

Garfin, David. "Gel Electrophoresis of Proteins." Essential Cell Biology: Cell Structure, A Physical Approach 1. (2003): 197-268. Web. 11 Apr 2010. .

Derek R. Young. Introduction to Biochemical Engineering Term Project. 1994. .

Parody. Analogy.

2011-01-16T00:01:00.000-06:00

The parody exercise caught my eye because it had a bit of humor in it. The actual definition of parody is "A literary or artistic work that imitates the characteristic style of an author or a work for comic effect or ridicule."(Free Dictionary, 2009). Homer Simpson was next to all the artifcacts of the "Spirits of the Sepik". This seemed out of place, and demanded the attention of the reader to find out the message behind this. The significance of this image is that it allowed the reader to look at history with a new perspective. It allowed humor in; which is something that isn't common in historical literaries. A reader may ask themselves "What did the people of Sepik have in common with Homer Simpson? The beauty of this question is that it's left up to the reader to decipher why this image was choosen. The hypothesis I had about humor may not have occured to another reader, or vice versa. If a person really looks into it, that presents a strong image. When it is left up to the reader to figure out, it opens so many doors instead of specifically telling the person what to look for. The same goes for ethnographers. As mentioned in class, it is their job to observe scenes they have never seen before. They interpret everything as they see fit, which is going to be different than what someone else sees. The picture of "Spirits of the Sepik" does exactly that. It is up to the reader to decipher, and up to the reader to come to the conclusion as to why Homer Simpson is in the picture.

Analogy is finding the similarity between two things with respect to their existing features.
People use analogies to understand all sorts of differtent concepts in life. We even use analogies to successfully live everyday as Abraham Lincoln publicly stated, "We know nothing of what will happen in future, but by the analogy of experience" (Lincoln 1839). In the exercise, the first image is of a boy stepping out of a window. We aren't shown where the window is located nor the reason why the boy isn't using a door. The second image is of a puppet holding the strings himself, thus controlling his own actions. Both images can be anologous of each other if we assume that in the first image, the window represents restrictions and captivity and the boy jumping out of it represents freedom and gaining control of one's own life. Thus, the second image can also represent freedom and choice as the puppet is the controller of his own life. Just like how I compared the two images due to their similarity, ethnographers can also use visual perceptions, cognitive thinking and prior life experiences to relate different situations and actions. Ethnographers rely on the critical technique of using analogies to understand and relate to different cultural lifestyles.

Correction

2011-01-15T23:59:00.003-06:00

3) Determining KFe (Gly)2+
A/ab = c  (.283 from solution 8)/ ((4545.45 mol-1 cm-1)*(1.1cm)) = 5.66x10-5 M
Therefore, x = 5.66x10-5 M = [Fe(SCN)2+]eq
Fe3+ SCN- FeSCN2+
I .0016 M .00032 M 0
C -X -X X
E (.0016 M – X) (.00032 M – X) (5.66X10-5 M)

Using equation 19.11: [SCN-]eq = CSCN – (A/ab) = (.00032 M – 5.66X10-5M) = 2.634x10-4 M
Using equation 19.12: [Fe3+]eq = [Fe(SCN)2+]eq / ( KFe(SCN)2+ * [SCN-]eq ) which equals
(5.66x10-5 M) /( (100)* (2.634x10-4 M) ) = .00214 M
Using equation 19.13: [Fe(Gly)2+]eq = Cm – [Fe(SCN)2+]eq – [Fe3+]eq which equals
(.0016 M) – (5.66x10-5 M) – (.00214 M) = 5.966x10-4 M
Using equation 19.14: [Gly-]eq = Cgly – [Fe(Gly)2+]eq = (.00032 M) – (5.966x10-4 M) = -2.766x10-4 M
Using equation 19.15: KFe(Gly)2+ = [Fe(Gly)2+]eq / ([Fe3+]eq * [Gly-]eq) which equals
(5.966x10-4 M) / ( (.00214 M)*(-2.766x10-4 M) = -1007.90

I still end up with a negative value, which resulted from equation 19.14, where at equilibrium, we had a bigger value for [Fe(Gly)2+]eq, compared to the Cgly (initial concentration of glycine). This could have resulted due to the fact that we had miscalculated the amount of glycine we measured into the solution, and we could have also misread the absorbance for the solution, which could have set the following equations that depended on the [FeSCN2+] to be wrong.

Sorry about this again. I really hope you understand. 

-Laayla M.T.

Classes.

2011-01-15T23:57:00.001-06:00

Classes I've taken:

ANTHRO 104 Survey of World Societies
ANTHRO 104 Survey of World Societies (repeat)
BIO SCI 150 Foundations-Biological Sci I
BIO SCI 152 Foundations-Biological Sci II Spring 200
BIO SCI 202 Anatomy and Physiology I
BIO SCI 203 Anatomy and Physiology II
BIO SCI 315 Cell Biology
CHEM 100 Chemical Science
CHEM 100 Chemical Science (repeat)
CHEM 102 General Chemistry
CHEM 104 Gen Chem & Qualitativ Analysis + lab
ENGLISH 201 Strategies-Academic Writing
ENGLISH 233 Intro to Creative Writing
HCA 101 Intro to Health & Disease
HCA 222 Language of Medicine
HIST 229 Hist Race/Sci/Medcn in U.S
HIST 242 Wmn/Gendr Europe: 1750-Present
HONORS 200 Hon Sem-Shaping Modern Mind (Shakespeare & Human Character)
MATH 105 Intermediate Algebra
MATH 211 Survey-Calc/Analytic Geometry
MTHSTAT 215 Elemntary Statistical Analysis
PHILOS 241 Introductory Ethics
PHYSICS 120 General Physics I (Non-Calc)
PSYCH 101 Introduction to Psychology

U of H:
BIO SCI 325 Genetics
CHEM 343 Organic Chemistry
POLS 1336 - American Government I
HIST 1337 - U.S. History until 1700

Future Classes:

BIO SCI 203 Anatomy and Physiology II (repeat)
BIO SCI 310 General Ecology
BIO SCI 316 Lab in Genetics & Cell Biology
BIO SCI 490 Molecular Genetics
CHEM 343 Organic Chemistry
CHEM 344 Organic Chemistry Laboratory
CHEM 345 Organic Chemistry
COMMUN 103 Public Speaking
HMS 211 First Aid and C.P.R.
HONORS 310 Intro Clinical Medicine-Premed
HONORS 686 Research in Honors
PHYSICS 121 Gen Physics Lab I (Non-Calc)
PHYSICS 122 General Physics II (Non-Calc)
PHYSICS 123 Gen Physics Lab II (Non-Calc)
PHYSICS 305 Medical Physics
PSYCH 260 Child Psychology

Napolean Chagnon

2011-01-15T23:52:00.000-06:00

Napoleon Chagnon accomplished ethno self analysis by not only analyzing the Yanomamö, but also himself in order to gain a better understanding of their lifestyles. Chagnon was “living among the Yanomamö to systematically collect certain kinds of information on genealogy, reproduction, marriage practices, kinship, settlement patterns, migrations, and politics” (Chagnon 1992). He used ethno self analysis during his cultural adjustment to notice the differences in his actions and the actions of the Yanomamö. At first, Chagnon was shocked at how the Yanomamö lacked sanitization as he remarked, “'Even the missionaries are filthy” (Chagnon 1992). But later on Chagnon realizes that because of the current condition of the region, it is impossible to stay clean. He states, “It is difficult to blow your nose gracefully when you are stark naked and the invention of hankerschiefs is millenia away” (Chagnon 1992). Chagnon constantly notices his own struggles, an important aspect of ethno self analysis. He considered it “appalling how complicated it can be to make oatmeal in the jungle" (Chagnon 1992). Like Chagnon, ethnographers can use self analysis to find the reasons behind the actions to construct a more elaborate and in-depth conclusion about their subjects.
At first, Chagnon was disappointed because he had expected to work his way “into their moral system of kinship and become a member of their society-to be 'accepted' by them” (Chagnon 1992). When Chagnon saw the Yanomamö, he felt helpless and pathetic, a reaction he changed as he finally adjusted to the Yanomamö community. Towards the end of his experience he states, “I was timid and mohode ("stupid") and a little afraid of them” (Chagnon 1992). This change in perspectives reveals that Chagnon used ethno self analysis by comparing his initial and final reactions towards the Yanomamö to create substantial findings. Ethnographers should risk a few attempts at ethno self analysis because it helps them recognize the differences and similarities between their actions and the actions of the unfamiliar people. Such realization can help discover the root and the actual reasons of why the unfamiliar people act the way they do. It is only then when ethnographers can begin to understand the culture with an experienced perspective.

Chagnon, Napoleon. Yanomamö. 1992. Edition 4. Harcourt Brace Jovanvich.:10-19.

Laayla Muhammad

Authenticity

2011-01-15T23:49:00.000-06:00

Determining whether something is authentic can be extremely difficult due to its multiple definitions. Authenticity to the original varies in levels which depend on the similarities to the original style. In this scenerio, the term original refers to "that from which a copy, reproduction, or translation is made, meaning something done firsthand" (Original 2009). For example when dealing with lyrics, "stripping away sound and staging, like so much husk, one can finally arrive at the kernel of authenticity that lies inside" (Washabaugh 2009). The more similar a song is to the original, the more it is authentic to the original. Therefore, when a song is less similar to the original, the song's authenticity is stronger to its own.

It becomes extremely important to determine the level of authenticity, especially as original cultural practices experience a greater risk of extinction. The greater the alteration, the probability of the original diminishing altogether increases as well. The authenticity of a song, a food item or a dance performance gives the individuals "authentic to the style" the right to claim it their own. A writer who writes the original lyrics to a song owns its most authentic form. A style of flamenco music that is 100% authentic to the original belongs to the group of people who created it. By defining authenticity in such a way, we can conclude that all the performance clips of Flamenco are authentic to the original to an extent. The clips that are less similar to the original performances of Flamenco are more authentic to their own style.

ORIGINAL. (2009). In Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary.

Washabaugh, William. Flamenco Nation. 2009. Chapter Two: The Style.

Anthropologie

2011-01-15T23:48:00.001-06:00

Walking into the store, I realize that the store really fits its name “Anthropologie.” The look is cozy and natural, when compared to high tech and modern stores you’d find at the mall. The strong scented candles fill the room built with wooden floors that reminded me of a cabin or an antique store. The place contains everyday useful products like beds, couches, chairs, pillows and rooms décor. The designs on the clocks are beautiful and very detailed. In fact, the most important characteristic of the store is how it’s embedded with details. The designs and patterns on clothes provide a fashion statement of an earthly feeling. If you look back in time, the smallest details on buildings, statues, royal robes, and furniture revealed value and gained admiration. I see the fine details throughout the stores, especially in rugs and scarves that were sewn with colorful threads and unique designs. The bags and boots give an old south western look with leather and suede straps, not to mention the wide range of colored beads. The word “anthropology” refers to people all around the world and a store named after it should reflect just that. I do realize that the store only had women’s clothes and not men’s. Anthropologie is the right term for the store, but it’s lacking men’s product. Maybe the name should have included the term “women” or some reference to the womanly/feminine products in the store. Besides that, a store depicting a stylish, natural and earthly look that most women can relate to breathes Anthropology.

Physics.

2010-10-24T14:37:00.000-05:00

p = m/v where m is mass and v is volume and p is density.
buoyant force = weight of fluid = mg = (pv) g where v is volume inside the fluid and p is the density of fluid

Fb is due to the water, drawn opposite direction of mg. Fb = p water multiplied with V block * g

10 = mg - (1000kg/mcubed) (1x10^-3 mcubed) * g

10 = mg- lg where g is 10

20 = mg so m ---> kg

scale reading = (mg-Fb)

p fluid = 2 kg / 2/3 X 10 ^ -3 m^3 = 3x10^3 kg/m^3

Chapter 16/17

A wave is a disturbance that propagates from one place to another. The easiest type of wave to visualize is a transverse wave, where the displacement of the medium is perpendicular to the direction of motion of the wave.

In a longitudinal wave, the displacement is along the direction of wave motion.

ANY traveling wave, wave speed is where v = wavelength / T

V = wavelength * frequency

frequency = 1/t (time)

The speed at which the wave moves depends on how quickly one particle of the string is accelerated upward in response to the net pulling force.

V = square root of (F divided by m/L)

Describing harmonic wave function: since the wave has the same pattern at x + wavelength, as it does at x, the wave must be of the form:

y(x) = A cos ((2pie/wavelength) * X)

ALSO, as the wave propagates in time the peak moves as, x = wavelength (t/T)

Anti-Evil?

2010-10-20T19:59:00.001-05:00

Can we provide enough justification for our actions where we can convince the world that we have pure intentions. Pure good that is. Can we convince everyone that we are anti-evil?

Water Crisis. When are we going to do something?

2010-10-14T22:09:00.004-05:00

Water Crisis

No Clean Water!

Results from a recent study of current living conditions throughout Africa report that more than one billion people do not have enough clean water to provide for their basic human needs. As a result, more than 2,500 children are dying each day.

"When people are desperately thirsty," one official explained, "they are willing to take the risk of disease by consuming water that may not be healthy. For them - it's either risk infection or die from thirst! It is a horrible position to be in."

Unsafe drinking water can carry diseases such as malaria, trypanosomiasis, intestinal worm infections, dengue, and schistosomiasis - as well as bacteria that can lead to deadly diarrheal infections. "In some areas," the report continued, "the level of suffering and misery owing to the inadequacy of clean water is almost beyond comprehension judging by the number of pregnant women and children who suffer from deadly diarrheal diseases such as cholera and dysentery.

"These parasites and diseases feed on very young children and the elderly," explains Fr. Richard Roy. Fr. Roy is the director of the Missionaries of Africa's development office in Washington, DC. "They are the innocent and silent members of society... they have no one to be a voice for them."

"Entire villages and communities are being wiped out by diseases that are living in dirty water," Fr. Roy continued. "Children are dying in huge numbers! For many people, these numbers are so big that they cannot begin to comprehend them - they are statistics! But imagine your own child dying . . . and then imagine if it happened to every child in your neighborhood school! That's when we start to understand how horrible the crisis is! These poor people desperately need our help!" The Missionaries of Africa are currently accepting contributions that will be used to provide safe drinking water for men, women and children in Africa's neediest regions. All donations are tax-deductible.
Drought!

Devastating drought is once again threatening the lives of African men, women and children. In the months ahead, as many as 14 million people will be at risk of starvation and malnutrition.

"Vegetation has decreased drastically," a study on the current conditions within the African continent recently stated. "The eastern side of the continent on the Horn of Africa is being affected more substantially than others. In this region, the rainy season occurs between February and June. Much less rain has fallen than normal this year, so their staple crops of corn and sorghum simply withered. Poor harvests over the past three years have worn away food surpluses and incomes in the region. As many as 14 million people may be at risk of malnutrition or starvation." The study stated that as much as 270,000 metric tons of food assistance will be needed immediately . . . but only 120,000 metric tons is currently available.

"Food shortages are particularly severe in eastern and southern Ethiopia," another report explained, "where deaths from starvation are being increasingly reported. Sudan and Uganda are also being affected."

"We are seeing an entire continent of people experience suffering like never before!" explains Fr. Richard Roy who served in Africa as a missionary for more than 20 years before being assigned to head the organization's development office in Washington, DC. "With a drought of this magnitude -- the land, the animals, the people -- everything is dying! If we don't reach out - we could see the end of entire villages, regions . . . even cities. An enormous amount of food, water and medicine is needed. I am praying that our benefactors will help us get supplies to our missionaries in the field . . . so that they can reach those who are on the verge of dying!

Source: Missionaries of Africa
Link: http://www.missionariesofafrica.org/challenges/water1.html

Why this world contradicts love

2010-10-09T22:30:00.003-05:00

Copyrighted: Luke Ringlein
Link: "http://www.ratnation.com/contributors/lukeringlein/comics/whyihateyou/whu_05.shtml#view"

Time

2010-09-02T21:47:00.003-05:00

Griming at the worst chance anyone gets, we need to come up with a plan. A century won't be enough. We need more time. Until then, we remain in the dark.

Dreaming.

2010-08-29T21:19:00.002-05:00

We pinch ourselves until we know we are not dreaming. But what do we know? Maybe we have came out of a dream but are still in one. Maybe we were sleeping in our dream. Dreaming in our dream. Dreaming in our dream that we dream when we sleep. When we're awake, we still float. We float as if we were too busy trying to wake up. Trying to see if this world is a place we belong in. But the truth is, we already know. We know it isn't.

We act out of fear and we act out of boredom. What is better? You decide. As for me, I act out of confusion. I can't stand there and think forever so I act because I need to. It's not that I fear what will happen if I don't. But I get myself to do something... anything.. as long as it's happening. As long as I'm moving and things are coming up. News is being made. New updates. New effects. As things are progressing. Does it all have to be an improvement? I can only wish. Does it have to be an enhancement? I can only hope. But as long as it's all rotating... circling... being discovered.. being explored.. that's all that matters. The rest, I'll figure it out.

Death

2010-08-22T14:49:00.000-05:00

Can you wish death upon yourself? Or is that wrong too? Is it completely wrong to be right? I sit here trying to build myself to the strength that I do not have. Am I wrong? Or is that right? Or am I right because it's wrong?

Confusion

2010-08-15T14:29:00.003-05:00

It exists within me. It exists within us. It exists in every assurance, in every confident soul. It leads us to question who we are, who you are, what this world is, and why we're here. It paralyzes us to the extent that we become dependent on it. We become hateful towards anything that could confuse us more. And it's a never ending cycle. A never ending path of confusion that we avoid by taking one. Will it ever end? Well, how could it? Confusion gives birth to confusion. Confusion is grown into a disaster. A wrathful circle of misunderstandings. You're a victim of it. I'm a victim of it. It's a victim of it.

Insane

2010-08-05T18:36:00.003-05:00

Not a second of it goes by. Not a moment is gone. Not a breath is wasted. Not a sight is hidden. Everything is drenched in nothingness. I am not lost. I have seen the light and I remain in the brightness hoping that my words can give birth. I am dead but I hope to live.

Surround me with yourself

2010-06-23T11:45:00.001-05:00

I need it. IT being you. You're not an it though. You're my fantasy. Can it be a fantasy? Can a fantasy be an it? Can I be a fantasy? Can I be yours tonight? Can I shower myself in you? Can I shower you with me? A fantasy?

Explain to me.

2010-06-08T09:32:00.002-05:00

I must be not be embedded. I must be not placed in properly.. or squeezed in properly. I do not fit. I am an outcast and you made me this way. I am a square within a circle. My corners are out there, in the cold, in the dark, in the shadows. They are uncovered and there's no more of you to take over. To seize. And this must mean only one thing, part of me is lonely. No matter what you do, I will be lonely. I will be unhappy. I won't ever become you. Never completely that is. And am I happy about this? Perhaps... because I will always have those corners free and I will always have some sort of attachment to the lonely world out there. You won't be able to invade me to the full extent and as much as I may want it at times, I need to be thankful for it. Thankful that my corners can breathe and can stand on their own. I may be not satisfied because I may feel unfinished but at least, I'll be completely not fully dependent. You catch what I'm saying? Can you catch anything? You caught me, partially. Can you make sure you catch what I'm saying fully though? It's something important, unlike me. This is a lot bigger than you. A lot bigger than me. This is us.

Solving for X.

2010-06-02T14:12:00.004-05:00

You're a force. A force of negative and positive vibes. Which vibe pierces my mind? Which one pierces my heart? An unknown answer. Factor X, but you can't factor X. Remember that. You can't factor an unknown. You can't divide it. You can't produce more of it. You can't be it. You can't do anything with it, until you find what it is. And that's what the problem is. I don't even know who you are. You're an unknown. You're my X. I can spend time and solve for you. I could live for you. I could live solving for you. I could do all that, but what about me? I'm the known. I get taken advantage of. I get pushed side to side. Left to right. Right to left. I get used to solve for you. It's all about you at the end. You get to steal the spotlight. You get to stay so still. You can't be disturbed. You can't be moved. You can't be explored, not until I can discover you. You're uncharted. You're hidden. Ironic because in your shadow, I'm the one hiding. It's the only way I can express myself. Being captivated under your breath. Being the hostage of your anger. Being the target for your hate. I'm out there. Everyone sees me. I get attacked. I'm known. Not X you see. I'm known and that's why I am judged. I am told just how useless I am. But you see. I don't find myself useless because without me, no one would be there to discover you. No one would be able to touch you. No one would come near you. You'd be impossible to crack. Impossible to be what you are because no one would even try. I'm your only hope. You need me to be you. You need me to be solved. Without me, you'd be factor X forever without having the ability to be factored out. You'd be an unsolved equation and not because you'd be too hard to figure out. But because you'd be IMPOSSIBLE. You wouldn't even exist as valid. I give you your fucking validity. Without me, you might as well not exist. So you see. The known is needed. The known is essential your existence as the unknown. Don't you forget it either because the second you do... you'd cease to be.

Hypocrisy

2010-01-24T03:44:00.002-06:00

I can't stand it. I won't stand it. If you involve yourself in hypocrisy, please un-involve me in your profile. I can't face those who indulge in something they can't escape from. It's something rooted down in their blood. They are made of it and I refuse to let myself become anything like them. They see nothing, but what they want to see. They don't let people tell them the truth, because they have their own. They may have their justifications, but what does that have to do with me? How can they justify the way they treat me? What did I do to be the victim of their hypocrisy? Their lies are invading their lives. My life. Everyone around them. They become what they despise and they are forcing me to become more like them. They are telling me. Commanding me. Demanding that I must do what they say because if I didn't, I'm a hypocrite. That I am what I despise. No. I will be what I despise if I become like YOU. That's the truth. You're hatred. And I want love.

So leave me alone. Let me be. Don't let me associate myself with you. I never wanted to either. I was doing you a favor. You are a hypocrite and I can't be with you. I can't let you take over. Not again. You did it often and I was too naive and I let it happen. But now I am my own individual. I get to choose. I did get to choose before but the decision wasn't mine. This time it will be. I promise you, not that my promises matter because your lies prevent you from trusting anyone. I don't trust you either though. You're ready to erupt, and you ask for sympathy. I can't give any. You've taken it all. Now leave me alone. I am not asking. I am telling you. Let me speak my mind. Let me say what I want to. Let me swim in the truth. Let me bake it so it can seep into my pores. I want to sweat the truth. I want to be covered in it. I want to be known for it. I want to be associated with the truth and that way I won't ever be associated with YOU. You've become your nightmare. You've become our nightmare. I'm sorry. I am. I wish it wasn't so, but it is and I can't stand you when you are this way.

Act 3

2010-01-10T01:47:00.000-06:00

Act 3 was pretty interesting to read overall. I found many parts/conversations to be hilarious/interesting, so I'm briefly going to list and explain them.

This part wasn't "interesting" but was actually just weird. (Scene 2) This is when Touchstone and Corin were talking and Touchstone was being the witty guy that he is. I thought it was extremely weird yet funny when Touchstone says how Corin's committing a crime by forcing the ewes and rams to "copulate" with one another. Hahaha. I was like "what the..?!!" That was so random to me. Really.

I found this quote to be really interesting as well. It's line 104 in scene 2. It's when Touchstone says, "Truly, the tree yields bad fruit." I don't know why but I found it to be funny because Rosalind goes "fool I found them on the tree!" But to be honest, right after (starting at line 105).. I have no idea what the heck is being said. What's this talk about a medler and ripeness and death? Is she threatening to kill him before it's his time to die?

The most interesting part in Act 3 was when Rosalind and Celia were going back and forth towards the end of scene 2. Rosalind was insulting the quality of the poems and the next thing she knows, it's Orlando who wrote them. The way Celia was responding back to Rosalind's "love lines" was just hilarious to read. She's clearly jealous and finds it absurd that Rosalind is able to love someone so quickly. When Celia makes a comment like calling Orlando a "wounded knight" laying under the tree, Rosalind answers by saying, "it well becomes the ground." It's just crazy how Celia keeps trying to put Orlando down yet Rosalind is turning such insults into compliments. This reminds me of when we were discussing how Celia might be jealous of Orlando and someone suggested (I forgot who, sorry) that Rosalind might be talking on and on about Orlando just to kind of give Celia the hint that she isn't interested in her. I also found it funny when Orlando and Jaques were going back and forth with insults. I guess I just enjoy conversations where the characters are making witty and harsh comments towards one another.

I have a question about lines 276-278 at the very end of scene 2. What is exactly being said here???

Uhm let's see..what else. Oh yes.. I think it was quite funny when Touchstone made a witty comment about marriage (lines 72-75) in scene 3. I'm sure everyone notices these kind of jokes still going around in the society today. I guess it never gets old.
And one last part in (scene 5)... that I found to be very interesting was when Rosalind (as Ganymede) came out of no where and started making BRUTAL comments towards Phoebe. I couldn't believe what I was reading. She kept insulting her looks and telling her not to fall in love with "him." There's this common notion that in relationships, "good" girls/guys always go for the "assholes" Pardon my language. But it's so true!! We kind of see it in this scene. Silvius likes Phoebe, who clearly hates his guts. When Ganymede insults Phoebe and scorns her, she's offended yet she starts asking Silvius about him. She tells Silvius it's not because she likes him but I mean what the heck is up with her when she says, "Dead shepherd, now I find thy saw of might:
“Who ever loved that loved not at first sight?” - Is that supposed to mean something because she didn't follow up on that thought as Silvius interrupted her.

Okay, I've typed too much. BYE!

Utilitarian & Kantian Analysis

2010-01-10T01:44:00.000-06:00

Laayla Muhammad

Ethics – Philo 241
Utilitarian & Kantian Analysis

The morally right action to take in everyday life experiences can be determined using various methods such as Utilitarian and Kantian analysis. Each of these methods help one arrive at a predicament in how to act accordingly to given situations. In this case, Tip and Top, both detectives, are dealing with a situation where they are thinking of acting a certain way but aren’t sure if it will provide the most utility at the end. They wish to get Zip, a dangerous criminal off the street; because they are convinced he is guilty. The only problem is that if they follow the legal rules they are to follow and provide Zip with a lawyer, they will not get a conviction out of him and therefore, will lose the case. Zip will be back on the street and will be selling drugs to children once again. Coercing a confession seems like a right decision, but also a wrong thing to do. Using Utilitarian and Kantian analysis, Tip and Top can arrive at a solution that produces the most utility.
The utilitarian analysis consists of one considering all the options one has and also acknowledging the consequences for all the choices. Each consequence helps determine the utility and the probability, which helps the person make the right decision at the end. Tip and Top’s options in this situation consists of summoning a lawyer and not coercing a confession, or not summoning a lawyer and coercing a confession. If Tip and Top decide to summon a lawyer, the consequences of that action will be either that Zip is back on the streets or that Zip is still found guilty. Not summoning up a lawyer will result in either locking up Zip in prison or getting caught if Zip does end up making a report about such harassment. Every consequence produces a certain amount of utility, but the main component lies in the probability of those consequences ever taking place. When summoning a lawyer, the utility of Zip being back on the streets is low while the probability of that happening is near certainty. In contrast, if Zip is still found guilty, the utility would be higher than high because they did the “right thing” and were able to get what they wanted, yet the probability of this consequence is lower than low. When not summoning a lawyer for Zip, the consequence of locking up Zip and the drug ring has high amount of utility and probability while Zip reporting them to another authority produces a low utility and has low probability. Therefore, according to the Utilitarianism analysis, the right thing to do would be to not summon up a lawyer and most likely, Zip will be locked up and the drug ring will finally end.
The Kantian Analysis helps one execute the right decision through the categorical imperative procedure, known as the CI procedure. It consists of certain steps that one needs to take in order to get to arrive at a solution. Tip and Top will need to create a maxim and fill out the form, “I am to do x in circumstances y in order to promote z.” In this case, they are to refuse the request to summon a lawyer and coerce a confession in circumstances that it will enable them to get a dangerous criminal off the street and break up a drug ring, in order to promote the goal of decreasing violence and drug abuse in society. Next step involves generalizing the maxim so that everyone is to do x in circumstances y in order to promote z. In this case, everyone is to refuse the request to summon a lawyer and coerce a confession in circumstances that it will enable them to get a dangerous criminal off the street and break up a drug ring, in order to promote the goal of decreasing violence and drug abuse in society. Third step states that the maxim should be transformed into a law of nature so everyone always does x in circumstances y in order to promote Z. Therefore, everyone should refuse the request to summon a lawyer and coerce a confession in circumstances that it will enable them to get a dangerous criminal off the street and break up a drug ring, in order to promote the goal of decreasing violence and drug abuse in society. The next step involves figuring out the perturbed social world in where one asks himself the question, “what would the world be like with the new law of nature?” In this step, the new law is common knowledge. In this case, if everyone knew that detectives would not summon a lawyer and instead would coerce a confession in circumstances that it will enable them to get a dangerous criminal off the street and break up a drug ring, in order to promote decreasing of violence and drug abuse, they would not even have lawyers to begin with and innocent people would be found guilty regardless of any evidence. One of the two main questions to ask afterwards is, “Could I rationally act on my maxim in the PSW?” This is where Tip and Top would consider that in the PSW, refusing to summon up a lawyer and coercing a confession in circumstances where it will enable them to get a criminal off the street and break up a drug ring will be effective in order to decrease violence and drug abuse in society. If effective, they should move on to the next consideration in which they should ask themselves, “Could I rationally choose to live in the PSW?” The answer to this would be “no” because Tip and Top would not choose to live in a world where they could be innocent and yet would be forced into confessing something they haven’t done without any legal help from their lawyer because if they did so, it would not be rational.

Flexibility

2010-01-06T03:19:00.002-06:00

Sometimes it's more convenient to be suspicious. To play the blame game. Well, when isn't the blame game convenient? But there has to be a limit, right? I don't think it exists though. I don't think it ever will because people are going to push the line. They will keep pushing it until they can't anymore. That's when a thing becomes an alteration. One that can't stop changing. It's like time.

That's why this world, even with rules and guidelines and directions and instructions and methods and procedures and steps and such.... it will always be chaotic. Someone always thinks otherwise. Someone will always not agree. Someone will always raise his or her hand and disagree. And our problem is, we easily agree to disagree and let things be. We let this world become chaotic. We let it stretch like a rubber band until it breaks and people fall. They fall and foolishness that exists within them lets them think they are free. But the truth is, they've just been captured. They are captives. They have been kidnapped. Seized. Invaded. Taken over. Conquered. Caught. Trapped! By who? Themselves.

Small

2010-01-04T00:04:00.003-06:00

I wanted to explore the world, see everything all at once. Well, maybe not all at once, but at least see it to feel it. People are so small minded, they are so..content with just being there. Content with not moving, not wondering, not being curious. They are happy with just .... being there, as if "there" was something that they were always aiming for. Why would they not care to know more? To not wonder? To not think about what's out there? To see it? To feel it? To hear it? To touch it? To smell it? We are given our senses. God is giving. We are given common sense. We are told to give because we should also be generous. But we don't. We don't give. We get. We grab. We can't think about anyone, unless that anyone is us.. and in that case, that anyone becomes someone. We are special, yet the person we are looking at.. isn't. We are small. Too small. And the world looks too big to us, too big to comprehend. So we stay small minded. We stay in short circles. We are short minded. We become anger, because anger is powerful. Powerful and big. And we are so small, it overtakes us. It invades us. We are specs, tiny specs. It's not that we are made of flaws, but that we are flaws. We are small flaws though, and together..we become big. Unity makes us big. But at the end, we have just become a bigger flaw. A bigger small minded circle, in which the only question we ask is, "Why me?" Individualism will exist... always. But it's going to tear us down.

Mis mis mis mis mis!

2010-01-01T04:57:00.002-06:00

It's another year. It's another opportunity for each one of you to misunderstand, misdiagnose and miscommunicate each other. We're composed of flaws, flaws that are triggered by mistakes we make. And then you have the balls to ask me why I'm such a Misanthropist?

Hate for survival.

2009-11-08T00:59:00.003-06:00

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.

2009-11-06T00:55:00.001-06:00

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

2009-11-05T03:11:00.004-06:00

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

2009-08-23T03:35:00.000-05:00

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.

2009-08-04T00:59:00.002-05:00

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

2009-06-23T04:14:00.000-05:00

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

2009-06-23T04:13:00.000-05:00

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

2009-06-23T04:09:00.000-05:00

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

2009-06-23T04:08:00.000-05:00

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

2009-06-23T04:06:00.001-05:00

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

2009-06-23T03:58:00.001-05:00

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

2009-06-23T03:46:00.001-05:00

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

2009-06-23T03:44:00.001-05:00

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

2009-06-23T03:40:00.000-05:00

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

2009-06-23T03:39:00.000-05:00

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

2009-06-23T03:32:00.002-05:00

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.

2009-06-23T03:25:00.002-05:00

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.

2009-06-10T04:35:00.003-05:00

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.

2009-05-18T04:49:00.000-05:00

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

2009-05-18T04:42:00.000-05:00

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.

2009-05-18T04:41:00.000-05:00

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....

2009-05-18T04:38:00.000-05:00

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

2009-05-13T12:03:00.000-05:00

Weekly Schedule

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

2009-05-06T04:53:00.001-05:00

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

2009-05-06T04:50:00.002-05:00

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

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Book Comments

2009-04-18T05:38:00.000-05:00

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?

2009-03-29T21:15:00.001-06:00

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

Moving Sex Offenders

2009-03-20T05:27:00.003-06:00

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!

2009-03-18T22:19:00.000-06:00

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

2009-03-18T22:01:00.002-06:00

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:

Excuses for prayers

2009-03-18T22:01:00.001-06:00

They say when you bow down and pray to God, things become clearer. They seem to fall right into their places where you can pick them up, take them with you, and move on. Maybe that’s why I haven’t been able to move on. I haven’t prayed in a while. Things have been keeping me busy… but the fact is, praying is not one of my top priorities. I will rush to do homework, cook, and clean even if it is a burden. Praying will actually benefit me the most, yet I manage to create excuses because I am able to get away from the consequences for now. Even though God is likely to punish me sooner or later, I feel as if it’s not direct and that not doing my homework will hurt me more. The truth is, I’m hurting myself more and more every day by avoiding prayers. It is as if I am digging my own grave, and then complaining about why it has been dug. I have been in misery because I feel as if nothing in this world has the ability to fulfill my thirst for satisfaction. I cannot be content. I am constantly holding pessimistic thoughts because reality is harsh. I cannot imagine coming up with foolish dreams that I know I will not achieve. It has been a burden knowing my weaknesses because there are certain circumstances where I want to forget them and pretend that they do not even exist.

Tu Jahan

2009-03-18T21:59:00.001-06:00

Laayla Muhammad
Block 1
May 23, 2007

“Tu Jahan” (wherever you are)

The song “Tu Jahan” by the movie Salaam Namaste can be classified as a Romantic song. Romanticism is the emphasis on the personal emotional and dramatic aspects of historical subject matter. When implying such a concept to this song, it becomes easier to view the details that make it true. This Pakistani Punjabi song is composed of lyrics that show a story about two lovers who are deeply in love with one another. Both individuals are expressing their love for one another in the most maudlin way ever. They are using metaphors and analogies to compare the strength of the love they have for each other. Both lovers take turns expressing their emotions and it becomes clear to the listeners, that due to heavy exaggerations and dramatic comparisons, this song is an example of Romanticism at its peak.
The song starts out with the chorus, which sets the mood of the song instantly. With a dramatic phrase such as, “I will walk alongside you, just like the sky” it shows why one could consider this song to be Romantic. Instead of just stating that he will always be there for her, he compares his presence’s existence to the sky. As the song continues to play, analogies used in the 1st verse exposes the emotional tone it holds. The lover expresses his care by stating that he will protect her from the sun by becoming her shade rather than just stating he will be there for her in need. He emphasizes his presence around her to comfort her, and uses examples such as being her shadow when she is alone and bringing relief to her when she is in distress. Immediately, the girl starts singing with a dramatic tone, explaining how she can finally live now that he is here with her. She compares the joy she feels to a net of happiness and claims that she has either lost herself, or has found everything she’s been seeking. Such a statement reveals the over-sentimental tone of the poem once again.
The 2nd verse of the song begins with the lover showing the sacrifices he can make in order to ensure that the love of his life is in comfort and ease. He states “let the sorrows be cast on me” and “let me tackle with the restlessness” as if he has the ability to handle not only his, but her problems as well. He informs her that if anything hurts her, she can let it “befall” on him. His words seem fancy and make him seem like a heroic Romeo who is ready to rescue his Juliet. With that said; the female lover responses by stating that her heart just wanted someone to claim and she wanted no secrets to exist between the two. She compares what she’s experiencing to a dream and tries not to wake up. Once again, the female is in a utopian environment where she feels content enough to compare it to being in a dream.
Such phrases seem to take the listeners to a fantasy story-line where two lovers are in a world of their own where nothing else matters. The male lover supposedly is some heroic man who can bare any trouble that comes his way and the female lover is in some sort of dream land, strangled in a net of what else, but happiness. It seems pretty obvious to the readers that the two have excessive love for one another. The song reminds listeners about theatrical plays such as “Romeo and Juliet” and “MacBeth” where dramatic aspects of a relationship are emphasized greatly. Unlike Realism, the lovers aren’t focusing on matters that could benefit them in a relationship. Instead, they are talking about the sun, skies, and dreams. The chorus states how wherever one of them is, the other one will be there, which is obviously impossible. Emphasis on the emotional and expressive lyrics of this song categorizes it to fall under Romanticism.

Utilitarian & Kantian Analysis

2009-03-18T21:55:00.000-06:00

Laayla Muhammad
Ethics – Philo 241
Utilitarian & Kantian Analysis
The morally right action to take in everyday life experiences can be determined using various methods such as Utilitarian and Kantian analysis. Each of these methods help one arrive at a predicament in how to act accordingly to given situations. In this case, Tip and Top, both detectives, are dealing with a situation where they are thinking of acting a certain way but aren’t sure if it will provide the most utility at the end. They wish to get Zip, a dangerous criminal off the street; because they are convinced he is guilty. The only problem is that if they follow the legal rules they are to follow and provide Zip with a lawyer, they will not get a conviction out of him and therefore, will lose the case. Zip will be back on the street and will be selling drugs to children once again. Coercing a confession seems like a right decision, but also a wrong thing to do. Using Utilitarian and Kantian analysis, Tip and Top can arrive at a solution that produces the most utility.
The utilitarian analysis consists of one considering all the options one has and also acknowledging the consequences for all the choices. Each consequence helps determine the utility and the probability, which helps the person make the right decision at the end. Tip and Top’s options in this situation consists of summoning a lawyer and not coercing a confession, or not summoning a lawyer and coercing a confession. If Tip and Top decide to summon a lawyer, the consequences of that action will be either that Zip is back on the streets or that Zip is still found guilty. Not summoning up a lawyer will result in either locking up Zip in prison or getting caught if Zip does end up making a report about such harassment. Every consequence produces a certain amount of utility, but the main component lies in the probability of those consequences ever taking place. When summoning a lawyer, the utility of Zip being back on the streets is low while the probability of that happening is near certainty. In contrast, if Zip is still found guilty, the utility would be higher than high because they did the “right thing” and were able to get what they wanted, yet the probability of this consequence is lower than low. When not summoning a lawyer for Zip, the consequence of locking up Zip and the drug ring has high amount of utility and probability while Zip reporting them to another authority produces a low utility and has low probability. Therefore, according to the Utilitarianism analysis, the right thing to do would be to not summon up a lawyer and most likely, Zip will be locked up and the drug ring will finally end.
The Kantian Analysis helps one execute the right decision through the categorical imperative procedure, known as the CI procedure. It consists of certain steps that one needs to take in order to get to arrive at a solution. Tip and Top will need to create a maxim and fill out the form, “I am to do x in circumstances y in order to promote z.” In this case, they are to refuse the request to summon a lawyer and coerce a confession in circumstances that it will enable them to get a dangerous criminal off the street and break up a drug ring, in order to promote the goal of decreasing violence and drug abuse in society. Next step involves generalizing the maxim so that everyone is to do x in circumstances y in order to promote z. In this case, everyone is to refuse the request to summon a lawyer and coerce a confession in circumstances that it will enable them to get a dangerous criminal off the street and break up a drug ring, in order to promote the goal of decreasing violence and drug abuse in society. Third step states that the maxim should be transformed into a law of nature so everyone always does x in circumstances y in order to promote Z. Therefore, everyone should refuse the request to summon a lawyer and coerce a confession in circumstances that it will enable them to get a dangerous criminal off the street and break up a drug ring, in order to promote the goal of decreasing violence and drug abuse in society. The next step involves figuring out the perturbed social world in where one asks himself the question, “what would the world be like with the new law of nature?” In this step, the new law is common knowledge. In this case, if everyone knew that detectives would not summon a lawyer and instead would coerce a confession in circumstances that it will enable them to get a dangerous criminal off the street and break up a drug ring, in order to promote decreasing of violence and drug abuse, they would not even have lawyers to begin with and innocent people would be found guilty regardless of any evidence. One of the two main questions to ask afterwards is, “Could I rationally act on my maxim in the PSW?” This is where Tip and Top would consider that in the PSW, refusing to summon up a lawyer and coercing a confession in circumstances where it will enable them to get a criminal off the street and break up a drug ring will be effective in order to decrease violence and drug abuse in society. If effective, they should move on to the next consideration in which they should ask themselves, “Could I rationally choose to live in the PSW?” The answer to this would be “no” because Tip and Top would not choose to live in a world where they could be innocent and yet would be forced into confessing something they haven’t done without any legal help from their lawyer because if they did so, it would not be rational.

Difference in Carbon Dioxide Production

2009-03-18T21:50:00.000-06:00

Laayla Muhammad

Differences in Carbon Dioxide Production

Problem: Do the variations in levels of physical activity alter the amount of carbon dioxide being produced by a person?

Hypothesis: If a person who’s physically active has a higher pulse due to his/her heart pumping faster; then the different levels of physical activity do play a role in altering the amount of carbon dioxide being produced by that person because an active individual will require more oxygen and therefore, produce more carbon dioxide.

Procedure (including materials):
1. Gather all materials, which in this experiment are: a 125 mL flask, bromthymol blue, a 50 mL beaker, water, 2 straws, a stop watch, and two individuals (for testing reasons).
2. Fill a 125 mL flask with bromthymol blue
3. Fill a beaker with about 20-40 mL of water
4. Using a straw, exhale air (carbon dioxide) into a flask containing the bromthymol blue.
5. Use a stop watch o record the amount of time it takes to change the solution to green (a point it becomes acidic).
6. Record (by observation) the color of the solution, which is the end point for that trial.
7. Now change the acidic solution back to basic by adding drops of water (as needed). Record the number of drops.
8. Repeat steps 4-7 using a different person, and a different straw.
9. Now do trials 3 and 4 using the same people, but after they have stayed active for about 1 minute.
10. Record all data.

Data:

Trials Physically Active? Time it took for solution to become acidic (minutes) Average time it took for solution to become acidic (minutes) Drops of water it took the solution to become basic again
1
No
5:14

4:62 20

2
No
4:10
18

3
Yes
2:24

1.63 15

4
Yes 1:02 11

Conclusion:

To experimentally find out if a person who’s physically active has a higher pulse due to his/her heart pumping faster; it was hypothesized that the different levels of physical activity do play a role in altering the amount of carbon dioxide being produced by that person because an active individual will require more oxygen and therefore, produce more carbon dioxide. According to the data collected from the numerous trials during the experiment, the hypothesis was discovered to be correct. This can be proven by scrutinizing the trials by comparing them. Both individuals, when inactive, took more time changing the basic solution to acidic with the average time of 4 minutes and 62 seconds. Yet, when the same individuals became active for about 1 minute, it took them only about average of 1 minute and 63 seconds to change the solution to acidic. The difference of time between the two types of collected data is 3 minutes and 59 seconds. This shows that an active person will produce about 4 times the carbon dioxide than an inactive person.
There could have been several errors made while performing this experiment. One of the errors includes the fact that not all trials had the same end point when it came to observing when the solution was completely acidic. Maybe at one point, the solution was claimed to be acidic as it turned light green while some other time, it was claimed acidic when turning yellow. This could have prevented us from recording an accurate data, where the time taken for the color changes could not be reliable. Another error that could have taken place was that we did not count for the number of breaks a person took while blowing. The first person could have taken 14 short breaks while the other person could have taken 14 long ones. When active, a person would probably take more frequent breaks. Another error that could have altered the solutions was the drops of water used to change the solution back to basic. Maybe there were not enough drops put into the beaker that would cause the solution to still remain a bit acidic, and change to a light greenish color very quickly. An error that could have been easily prevented was that one of the persons was chewing Winter Fresh gum while performing the experiment. That could have altered the acidity of the carbon dioxide going in the solution, which could have caused the solution to become acidic slower. All these errors could have affected the time it took for the solution to become acidic.
I have learned that an active person undergoes a higher amount of heart pulses, which causes him/her to intake oxygen more frequently, and therefore, release more carbon dioxide. It would be interesting to figure out whether the types of active workout affect how much carbon dioxide will be produced and also if a person with an active life has the ability to control his/her heart pulse in a “resting” stage and therefore, be able to produce less carbon dioxide.

Corrections for Exam 2 - Bio 203

2009-03-18T21:42:00.000-06:00

Laayla Muhammad
Corrections for Exam 2

Question 3:
Arrange the following in the proper order from the deepest (1) to most superficial (4).

The deepest layer (1) is the endomysium since it surrounds the skeletal muscle cell (muscle fiber) and allows room for blood capillaries and nerve fibers to reach each muscle fiber. The second deepest layer is the perimysium, a thicker connective tissue sheath, as it separates each fascicle from neighboring ones. The third deepest layer is called the Epimysium since it actually covers the muscle as a whole. Therefore, the deep fascia (4) would have to be the least deep or most superficial layer of the muscle since it surrounds the actual muscles, bones, nerves, and blood vessels of the body.

Question 4:
Which three of the following descriptions apply to the dermal papillae?

The three of the following descriptions that apply to the dermal papillae are: a) they prevent slippage at dermal-epidermal boundary, d) they allow nerves and capillaries to come closer to the external surface of the body in some areas, and f) they allow regeneration of the stratum granulosum. All of these choices are true due to certain factual reasons. The boundary between the epidermis and the dermis is histologically conspicuous and usually wavy. The upward waves are fingerlike extensions of the dermis known as dermal papillae. The dermal and epidermal boundaries interlock like corrugated cardboard, which is an arrangement that resists slippage of the epidermis across the dermis. In highly sensitive areas such as the lips and the genitals, tall dermal papillae allow nerve fibers to reach close to the surface.

Question 13:
Match the muscle names with the naming criterion.

The muscle name known as transverses is not a location, but rather falls into the criterion of an orientation (5). The term itself means transverse, or in other words, situated or lying across. This term for example, is used in the muscle known as transverses abdominis.

Question 21:
Put the following events of endochrondral bone formation in the proper order.

Endochrondral bone formation involves several steps that occur in an order. (1) The first step involves chondrocyte hypertrophy and the formation of supportive bony collar. The osteoblast secretes osteoid against the shaft of the cartilage model, serving as support for the new bone. (2) The next step involves the invasion by blood vessels and creation of primary marrow space. Basically, a periosteal bud invades the cavity left by the chondrocytes and the vascularization carries osteoblasts, osteoclasts, and hemopoietic cells, which turn into bone marrow later inside. (3) Later, blood vessels grow into secondary marrow space in epiphyses. As growth develops, the proliferation of cartilage cells in the epiphyseal plate slows and stops. (4) After obliteration of the epiphyseal plate and mix of compact and trabecular bone, articular cartilage remains.

Question 22:
Match each of the joints in the following list to the joint type.

Interphalangeal joints are not condyloid joints, and in fact, are hinge joints (2). This is because the articular surfaces are moulded to each other to permit motion only in one plane, which is forward and backward; movements being extension and flexion. Altantoaxial is actually a pivot joint (4), since there is a pivot articulation between the odontoid process of the axis and the ring formed by the anterior arch and the transverse ligament of the atlas. Radiocarpal joint (wrist-joint) is a condyloid articulation (6) and allows three degrees of freedom. Movements that are permitted from this joint are flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, and circumduction, which the radiocarpal joint permits as well.

Question 26:
Which type of joint is found in the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar regions of the vertebral column?

The type of joint that is found in the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar regions of the vertebral column is symphyses (d), where two bones are joined by fibrocartilage. The joint between the bodies of two vertebrae, united by an intervertebral disc is an example of this type of joint. Therefore, each intervertebral disc permits only slight movement between adjacent vertebrae.

Question 27:
The tissues illustrated in the periphery of this cross-section of the esophagus are ...

The tissues illustrated in the periphery of this cross-section of the esophagus are a circular layer of smooth muscle surrounded by a longitudinal layer of smooth muscle (a). This is a single-unit smooth muscle and in many of the hollow viscera, it forms two or more layers, typically an inner circular layer, in which the myocytes encircle the organ and an outer longitudinal layer in which the myocytes run lengthwise along the organ. The myoctes of this type of muscle are electrically coupled to each other by gap junctions.

Question 33:
This image illustrates the relationship between nerve stimulus and muscle response. Which of the following statements is the best description of the relationship illustrated by the four graphs contained in this image?

The relationship illustrated by the four graphs contained in this image is represented by choice b) the strength of the contraction is increased when the frequency of stimulation by the nerve increases to the point where the muscle fiber cannot relax completely between twitches. The force of each twitch builds on the previous one. At high stimulus frequency, the muscle does not have time to relax at all between stimuli and exhibits a state of continual contraction with about four times as much tension as a single twitch. Therefore, tension declines as the muscle fatigues.

Question 36:
What is the functional advantage of a lack of a spinous process in C1?

The functional advantage of a lack of a spinous process in C1 is that the lateral movement of the spinous process is usually restricted by its articulation with the dorsal arch of the vertebra below it. Without it, the atlas is free to rotate (c). The spinous process provides points of attachment for ligaments and spinal muscles. Yet, the atlas does not have a body due to the fact that its body has fused with that of the next vertebra. Therefore, the atlas supports the globe of the head and is specialized to allow a greater range of motion than normal vertebrae. It allows one to nod his/her head to indicate “yes” for example.

Question 39:
Dermal papillae are numerous and form relatively high peaks in the palmar and plantar skin, but are more rare in the skin of the face and abdomen. Which of the following is an appropriate interpretation of this difference (check the 2 best answers)?

Dermal papillae form relatively high peaks in the palmar and planter skin when compared to the skin of the face and abdomen due to several reasons. The soles and palms are likely to be under shearing stress, so there is a great need to prevent slippage of the epidermis (a). The dermal and epidermal boundaries interlock like corrugated cardboard, which resists slippage of the epidermis across the dermis. There are also delicate furrows that divide the skin into tiny rectangular to rhomboid areas on hands and wrists that the dermal papillae is responsible of. In highly sensitive areas lips and genitals, tall dermal papillae allow nerve fibers to reach close to the surface. Therefore, it is important to have the papillae close to the surface to allow for a dense covering of body hair on these structures (d).

KANT Scholarship ESSAY!

2009-03-18T21:26:00.003-06:00

An action that truly displays moral worth is one done solely from duty. This
action done from duty must also be one motivated in the right way and one that displays the good will. This action that displays moral worth is one done with respect for the moral law, and is done in the absence of any inclination. To further understand this claim, we must first investigate the definition of the good will. Philosopher Immanuel Kant believes that the good will is the only intrinsically good thing in our world. He argues that things like “courage, heroism, and resolve” can be used wrongly; and we know that happiness can’t be the foundation of morality as it is only good if it is gotten in a moral way. An example happiness being reach in an immoral way is a terrorist getting pleasure by murdering civilians. While this act may have produced to most happiness for the person, his happiness surely could not have been legitimate, as murdering someone is immoral. The “will” itself, is the ability of a person to make their own plans and decisions, and set their ends. A straightforward example of this is someone making the statement that, “I am going to be an engineer.” What makes this will “good” is not the end that it achieves but rather the intention, or motivation of the person using it. We can further state that a morally good intention is one in respect to duty alone, not one that might satisfy any desire. Kant exposes the good will and an example of an action that deserves moral praise through the investigation of a series of different situations.
In the series of situations set forth by Kant, we are dealing with a shopkeeper
selling candy to a young child. In the first situation, the shopkeeper overcharges the young lad, acting completely contrary to his duty. His actions neither comply with what is required of him nor display the good will. The second scenario presents the case in which the shopkeeper charges the boy the set price, but only because of some irrational self-interest. According to Kant, this action does not deserve moral praise because while the shopkeeper did perform the morally right action, he had immoral motives leading him to act in such a manner. In the third scenario, the shopkeeper is in an extra happy mood, and knows that acting out of good nature will only increase is own pleasure, so he charges the boy the set price. Although this shopkeeper’s actions did conform to duty, his personal inclinations led him to act in the manner that he did; giving us reason to state that his actions are of no moral worth. In the final scenario, the shopkeeper is in the most terrible of moods, as the jovial boy’s bounce in his step brings genuine pain to the shopkeeper. As the boy puts the money on the counter, the shopkeeper puts all inclinations aside and lets his good will shine by charging the child the set price. In this situation, we can see the good will in action, as the man was able to do the right thing
because it was the right thing to do, all hindrances aside. This, Kant would say, is an action done from duty.
This idea of acting from duty versus acting in conformity with duty is one that
Kant believes plays a pivotal role in whether or not an action is morally praiseworthy. According to Kant, an action done in accordance with duty is one in agreement with the requirements of duty, but not necessarily motivated in the right way. While this action may present itself as the morally good thing to do, it may still be done for the morally wrong reasons. An example of someone acting in accordance with duty but not from duty is a parent enrolling their child into school because he/she does not want other parents questioning his/her parenting practices. In this instance, while the parent is doing the right thing by giving their child the chance to an education, their action is backed by selfish motives. Kant claims that had the parents merely enrolled their kids because it was the right thing to do, their actions would have had some sort of moral worth.
An action done from duty is one that not only conforms to what duty requires of them, but is also motivated in the right sort of way. Kant suggests that an action done from duty not only merits “approval,” but “esteem,” as the person is using his resources to be beneficial but is not influenced by any inclinations. One example of one acting from duty is a completely distressed mother getting up at three in the morning to tend to her crying child. Recognizing the fact that the exhausted mother could have just as easily kept sleeping, she gets up nevertheless because she knows that her taking care of the child is the right thing to do. Another example of someone acting from duty is an exhausted husband taking his wife to the hospital after she goes into labor in the late hours of the night. Having just worked construction for twelve hours that day, the man is extremely tired and definitely not thrilled about getting up, but he nevertheless gets dressed and rushes his wife to the hospital as it is the right thing to do. Acting on no inclination, but rather out of respect for the moral law, Kant would say that these actions are actions done from duty.
Kant believes that we only deserve moral praise when we act from duty because
when we act from duty, we are using reason to dictate our actions. Along with using
reason, we are displaying a sense of autonomy in that we are capable of self-governing in moral matters and fully capable of doing the right thing. Upon using this autonomy, we are able to discover the moral law, and in turn act out of respect for it. Kant elaborates on this idea of acting out of respect by stating, “Only that which is connected with my will merely as a ground, never as an effect… can be an object of respect.” (pg. 16) This statement helps to further persuade us that the good will wants to follow moral law because of its respect for it. Kant believes that we can’t simply respect something because we want to, but rather, we must use reason to discover why we respect something. We can conclude that when an action is done in respect for the moral law, it not only displays the good will, but it is also done from duty.
Kant believes that respect for the moral law is completely separate from an
inclination like hunger or lust. He believes that acting on inclination is part of one’s animal instincts in that one acts because of a specific desire or motive. The difference that Kant attempts to expose between this and the respect for the moral law is that when acting in respect for the moral law, one is acting from duty and doesn’t necessarily want to do the action but does it simply because it is the right thing to do. We must also recognize Kant’s definition of acting in respect to something (as previously discussed); taking note that it involves using reason while acting on an inclination is purely psychological. Kant, therefore would disagree with the claim that one’s respect for the moral law is just another inclination.

Analysis of Alum KAl (SO4) 2 . 12H2O

2009-03-18T21:22:00.000-06:00

Analysis of Alum KAl (SO4)2 . 12H2O

Laayla Muhammad
10/31/06 -11/01/06

Purpose: To do several tests to determine if the resulting crystals are really alum, to use a Thiele melting point tube to determine the melting point of synthesized sample of alum and to determine the amount of water in a synthesized sample of alum and also the percent sulfate in a synthesized sample of alum.

Procedure/Method: First I have to find the melting point of alum and to do that, I have to pulverize the small amount (0.5g) of dry alum. Then I’ll pack the alum in a capillary tube (1 cm) and cut a 1mm length of rubber tubing and fasten the capillary tube to a thermometer. Then I’ll fasten that to a ring stand. Next step is to immerse bottom of capillary and thermometer in a beaker of H2O and heat. I will have to remember to heat slowly as closer to the melting point to get an accurate value. Then I’ll record the temperature at which my alum crystals melt. I will compare the experimental & published values. Next I have to determine the amount of water of hydration in alum crystals. Then I’ll find the mass of crucible with the cover on a sensitive balance. I will add two grams of alum crystals to the crucible and then find the mass of crucible, the cover, and the crystal alums. I will heat and the alum crystals will melt and water of hydration will vaporize. After heating it for 5 minutes, I will cool and find the mass of crucible, cover, and anhydrous alum. I will calculate the mass driven off. Next step is to find the moles of anhydrous KAl (SO4)2 and the moles of H2O. Then I will calculate the ratio of moles H2O: moles KAl (SO4)2 and give the calculate formula of alum, KAl (SO4)2 * X H2O, where X = the ratio of moles H2O: moles KAl (SO4)2. I will compare the values with that of alum. Then I will determine the percent sulfate in alum by doing the following. I will use suction to pull distilled water through filter pad and dry it in oven. I will determine mass by a sensitive balance and measure the mass of filter paper. I will weigh 1 gram of alum into a 250 mL beaker and dissolve 50 mL of distilled water. Calculate volume of 0.2M Ba(NO3)2 and add twice this volume of Ba(NO3)2, stirring. I will heat and cool it over night. I will filter precipitate and use rubber policeman so that every particle is transferred from beaker into crucible. I will wash beaker and precipitate several times with small quantities of water and transfer filter crucible to beaker and dry in oven (at 500C so it doesn’t char). I will let it cool and mass it. That is how I will calculate the percent sulfate in alum and compare it to the value of its formula.

Data:

Melting Point (temperature in degrees Celsius) of alum crystals:

Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Average

90.0

90.1

90.3

90.13

The published data value for alum crystals melting point is 92.5 meaning our melting point was about 2.37 degrees Celsius off.

Massed Objects Mass (g)
Massed out crystals 2 grams
Crucible + Cover 30.1105 g
Crucible + Cover + Alum Crystals 32.1105 g
Crucible + Cover + Anhydrous Alum 31.1591 g
Calculated Anhydrous Alum .9514 g
Calculated Water driven off 1.0486 g
Gooch Crucible + Filter Paper 15.8050 g
Gooch Crucible + Filter Paper + Dried Precipitate 16.0230 g
Calculated Dried Precipitate .218 g

Calculations:

Calculations made to find out the amount of Ba(NO3)2 needed to totally precipitate all of the sulfate ion present in the solution plus twice this volume:

1 gram alum X 1 mol alum X 1 mol SO42- X 1 mol Ba2+ X 1 mol Ba(NO3)2
474.4 g alum 1 mol alum 2 mol SO42- 1 mol Ba2+

X 5 L Ba(NO3)2 = About 21 mL ( multiplied by 2) = 42 mL needed
1 mol Ba2+

(Other Calculations)
32.1105-30.1105 = 2 grams of crystals
32.1105-31.1591 = .9514 anhydrous alum
2.000-.9514=1.0486 grams of hydrated H2O

.9514g anhydrous alum X 1 mol anhydrous alum = .003628 mol anhydrous alum
262.22 g anhydrous alum

1.0486g hydrated H2O X 1 mol H2O = .05825 mol H2O
18g H2O

.05828 mol H2O = 16.056 mol (About 16) = X
.003628 mol anhydrous alum

KAl(SO4)2 * 16 H2O

1.0145g BaSO4 X 1 mol of BaSO4 X 2 mol SO4 X 96.066 g SO4 = .4176 g SO4
233.393g BaSO4 1 mol BaSO4 2 mol SO4

100 X .4176g SO4 = 41.2% SO4 present in the alum
1.0145g alum

Questions/Answers:
1. Objects must be cooled before their mass is found on a sensitive balance because their accurate mass when still warm could alter the result in finding out the actual mass of the object. This could be due to the fact that when heated, objects have more energy so they weigh more and have a higher mass than the cold objects.

2. The different tests used to verify that the substance tested was alum was the melting point at which we knew that the crystal alum would melt at 92.5 degrees Celsius.

3. Other tests could be made to verify the compositions of alum. For example, we can use the percentage of the sulfate in the alum and use it to find its mole ratio and figure out how much water is in the synthesized alum.

Conclusions: To conclude, the precipitate that came out in as a result were alum crystals according to many tests we took. For example, its melting point was average 90.13 and we know that alum crystals published melting point is 92.5. We figured out by calculation that there needs to be total of 42 mL of Ba(NO3)2 to filter the precipitate completely. There is about 16 mol of H2O, as calculated, in the synthesized alum. After calculating, we also figured out that there was about 41.2 percent of sulfate in the synthesized alum.

Experimental Sources of Error: There could have been several errors made while performing this experiment. While figuring out the melting point for the alum crystals, I could have not analyzed when the alum crystals started melting exactly, leading me to maybe assume it was the first temperature that my eyes noticed. Another error could have been made while massing out the crucible, the cover, or the anhydrous alum, which would throw off my calculations when figuring out the mol to mol ratio of the given formulas. I could have also made an error filtering the precipitate Ba(NO3)2, in a way where not all the precipitate was filtered thoroughly from the beaker to the gooch crucible. Such imprecise and maybe even inaccurate measurements could be responsible for altering the following results for figuring out the exact percentage of sulfate in the alum.

Sleep.

2009-02-25T18:59:00.000-06:00

Your Sleep Test Results
You show symptoms of sleep apnea, a potentially serious sleep disorder. People with sleep apnea quit breathing repeatedly, often hundreds of times during their nights sleep.

You show symptoms of insomnia, which is defined as a persistent inability to fall asleep or stay asleep.

You show symptoms of narcolepsy, a life-long disorder characterized by uncontrollable sleep attacks during normal waking hours.

You show symptoms of periodic limb movement disorder, a disorder resulting in uncontrollable leg or arm movements during sleep

Soulmate.

2009-02-16T17:18:00.000-06:00

Have you found your soulmate?

Soulmates for life

You two are completely in tune with each other. You know their thoughts without them uttering a single word. You both do all the simple things that many people over look and go above and beyond for each other. You have both realized that love is a two way street and you are cruising along at this point to your destination. Forever.

Quizzes,

myspace surveys,

Love Quizzes, Relationship Quizzes, About Me Quizzes
, Fun Quizzes, by quizcat.com

Mad World.

2009-02-16T04:24:00.001-06:00

What love is.

2009-02-16T04:09:00.004-06:00

I'm pretty conceited. I am. Really. Actually... anyone who owns a blog is as well. They want to rant, complain, let others be aware.... etc... they're the source right? Its their blog people are looking at. It's them they are acknowledging.

And as a conceited person, if I'm admitting that there is someone else who truly loves and cares about me, then that should count for something right? So there, I've finally discovered it.

Love is when the most conceited person feels challenged... and fails.

Everywhere by Michelle Branch

2009-01-23T03:57:00.000-06:00

Divorces as justifications.

2009-01-01T16:56:00.004-06:00

Divorces. They are evil. Evil...evil things. They break up a marriage. No. They don't break up a marriage. They justify the break ups. Divorces make a bad marriage seem normal. You know what they truly break up? Unity. As soon as the term comes up, it's all division.... like it's a 4th grade math class. Children use the term to justify their bad habits. Divorce is justified through people, and it justifies the evil things people do in order to find "full contentment." There is no balance. Even if the other parent is still there, it's still not right. It feels out of place. It feels... so not normal. Divorce is seen as normal though. Splitting up. Giving it a time out. Things didn't work out. It wasn't meant to be. It ended up in the wrong path. It was too much to handle. It wasn't the right time. BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH. Reasons. Consequences. I don't care.

All I know is that the divorce rate in the U.S. is over 55%.... OVER... trust me... way over. That's terrible. And so people don't even bother getting married anymore. See what you did Mr. Divorce? You put fear in people. You threatened to enter and you made them step away and get cold feet...forever.

I hate you divorce. I hate you evil people who can't seem to work a marriage. I hate evil people... who put their so called loved ones in so much trouble that they have to resort to a divorce in order to save a family. But the family? It's ruined before divorce even enters. It's destroyed the second the evil one decides to ruin the family from his/her evil actions.

STFU Brian. Wait, you don't even speak.

2008-11-19T01:46:00.002-06:00

"Brian O'Brian

Silence is Golden
Brian Stepanek, better known as Arwin from 'The Suite Life of Zack and Cody', stars in the new short comedy series 'Brian O'Brian.' He plays a clever, problem-solving guy who turns everyday events into comedy mishaps. Whether it is trying to swim at the pool, or mocking the opera singer, Brian O'Brian will have you LOL. Each episode is silent, but just watching the crazy physical comedy is enough to keep you entertained. Catch it on Disney Channel."

--- Quoted from the site itself.

My comments:

How fucking stupid. This show is a waste of time and it is NOT comical at all. Some witty advertisement as a replacement should be considered. Seriously. There's sense of humor and then there's this. This is obviously entertaining to those who lack sense of humor. I watched about 2-3 episodes of this and I could swear I had an "angry frown" on my face the whole time. What's the world coming to? Come on. Do something about it.

Chavez; Mexican Immigrants

2008-11-17T17:54:00.004-06:00

Laayla Muhammad
November 11, 2008
Anthropology 104
Rites of Passage

1. There are millions of immigrants illegally entering the United States on a daily basis, with many of them being undocumented. Some choose to stay in the U.S. for a short period of time and are known as migrants, while settlers are immigrants that choose to reside permanently. Specifically, Mexican immigration has become a concerning matter with many people not having the knowledge of the experiences of the immigrants. In Shadowed Lives: Undocumented Immigrants in American Society by Leo R. Chavez, Rites of Passage may reveal the “importance of the transitions individuals undergo as they pass from group to group and from one social status to another” (Chavez 1998; 4) yet the transformation of the individuals come to a halt when some struggle in completing all three phases. Crossing the border comes along with complex components, with certain rituals and proceedings that these individuals suddenly become involved with. With new statuses, they also obtain more responsibilities and rights, giving them the option to make a tighter grip around their firm decisions. I will be explaining the three phases that these individuals pass through: “separation from the known social group or society, transition (the “liminal” phase), and incorporation into the new social group or society” (Chavez 1998; 4-5). The analysis of these phases is significant in figuring out why undocumented immigrants choose to behave the way they do and carry on a certain lifestyle that may seem too strange to relate to at first. I will reveal how Chavez uses these three phases to interpret the experiences of the undocumented migrants as they go move from Mexico to San Diego County. Along with revealing the pattern of this model, I will also elaborate on how there is a personal choice for these migrants to either change and prepare themselves for stage or remain the way they are for various reasons, proving the rites of passages to be insufficient at times.
It is important to notice that these undocumented migrants sometimes are unable to carry out all three phases of the passage. For example, most migrants remain as migrants because eventually, they return to Mexico after making a small yet sufficient earning for that period of time in San Diego County. There are reasons such as facing obstacles through the last phase, incorporation, due to fear of getting caught by lawful authorities for being illegal aliens, and being sent home when they are not ready to return. Therefore, they are stuck at the liminal phase, unable to successfully transit through and blend in with the “American society” in the way they eat, dress, work, talk, behave, and so on. Knowing this, one should realize that, “In most rites of passage, incorporation occurs when the participant acquires the appropriate knowledge, experiences, and behaviors, then successfully completes the proper rituals” (Chavez 1998; 5). This phase for undocumented immigrants may include rituals such as appointments to become legal, having enough knowledge to understand the personal rights and even the money to hire a lawyer for obtaining legal residency and not be taken advantage of. Some of the other reasons lay in the fact that most of these undocumented migrants are unable to complete transition and incorporate themselves with the bigger society because they are unable to achieve “secure employment, family formation, the establishment of credit, capital accumulation, competency in English” (Chavez 1998; 5) and therefore, fail to alter their status to becoming settlers in the Unites States.
The first phase, separation, involves various complex decisions that these migrants make, putting them in a situation where they feel as if they have to separate themselves from the environment they are well familiar with and have lived most of their lives in, and move to a strange land up north in order to perhaps change their lives completely. Beatriz and Enrique Valenzuela, a couple that live southeast of downtown San Diego, share their experiences openly with Chavez about their migration. Beatriz admits, “I was afraid because I never had left home before. So when I was on my way here, I was very afraid. All the way from Manzanillo to Tijuana I cried—the whole way” (Chavez 1998; 25). These individuals not only separate themselves from the land they are familiar with, but from their friends, family, even old occupations that they are not satisfied with, and the whole community that holds the customs they are part of. But why? Why do they really want to move to the United States and why do they think that notion should be acted upon? The true reasons lay behind the fact that most of the time, Mexicans notice that “employers sometimes lure workers to the United States,” (Chavez 1998; 25) and that friends and other relatives return and tell great stories about living conditions in San Diego. As an immigrant myself, my family was motivated to come to the United States to provide great career opportunities through a better educational system for all their children. As I read about the rites of passage, I too become familiar with the feelings of these undocumented migrants and can easily understand the hardship they face and even why some of them fail to incorporate and adjust themselves to the living conditions here in the United States.
Taking risks begin in the first phase, separation, and carry out until some of them finally decide not to incorporate themselves and remain stuck in the transition phase. First of all, individuals who leave their family members back in Mexico have to accept the fact that their families will experience lots of complex problems by “experiencing justifiable anxiety about the potential dangers of the journey” (Chavez 1998; 61). Some migrants never even make it to the border because they are hurt, robbed, raped, and/or killed. Since these individuals carry no sort of identification documents, they are easily taken advantage of with because it is highly unlikely for anyone to find out about them or worry about them. My mother for example had to leave her sick mother in Pakistan so she can she move to the U.S. in order for her children to receive better educational opportunities. Only a few years later, her mother passed away from shock concerning the dangerous our family might face while trying to adjust to the American customs with no other relatives or friends to rely on. Instead I must point out that there are lots of angered and worried citizens of the U.S. that are aware and troubled by Mexican immigration and have impulses to hurt anyone that may be involved in that. From an individual’s experience, he heard someone say, “Let’s shoot some aliens” right before firing a hunting rifle toward a hillside where many undocumented migrants were (Chavez 1998; 61).
After experiencing such difficulties, it may not be hard to realize why incorporating into the larger society may become even a greater challenge for these individuals. Having problems learning the English language might make them feel inferior and feel too challenged to carry on normal lives like the rest. It also may be hard to actually find a decent job, and since these undocumented migrants are illegal, employers take advantage of them and hire them for less than minimum to do the dirty work. These migrants have no choice but to take it or leave it because for one, they cannot report any of this to the authorities and second, someone else might take the job instead. Another reason which I remember mentioning is the fact that they choose not to live in fear all their lives of getting caught. If caught in traffic by a police for simply speeding, they could be going back to Mexico consequently. Fear of upsetting anyone else who might report them to INS might also put them in a situation where they are unable to express their feelings and live in fear instead. Migrants who choose to become citizens of the U.S. legally usually give up when they realize the tremendous amount of paperwork they have to read and understand, the money they will need for processes and lawyers, and the time they will have to wait with unlimited restrictions. All the members of my family were able to obtain their greencards and become permanent legal residents of the U.S. except that it took us thousands of dollars, great amounts of patience, and 12 years. Due to 9/11, our applications were put on hold and there was no progress being made until my mother fell in love with my step father, an American citizen, and therefore such a coincident factor helped our case greatly. The point in bringing such a personal experience is that some Mexican migrants may feel that having spouses that are American citizens is the only way to become residents faster. Having children born in the U.S. pints to the problem of calling a family an “illegal alien family” (Chavez 1998; 131). Finding stable working jobs is also an issue, due to not being able to obtain work permits, driving licenses, valid identification documents, understanding the job’s requirements due to language barriers, and so on. Many undocumented migrants who do find jobs experience abuse, such as an 18 year old El Salvadoran named Julia who worked as a maid and was told to save up her income rather than get paid every week. “According to Julia, the woman of the house said they went bankrupt and fired her” (Chavez 1998; 150). Another example includes a Salvadoran who lived with his wife and “exchanged labor for a place to sleep” (Chavez 1998; 150). Undocumented migrants struggle through unlimited hardships even after migrating to the U.S., making the phase of incorporation unable to achieve and therefore, returning home eventually.
Undocumented individuals go through complex steps in order to either stay as migrants and eventually return to their homeland or become settlers after successfully finishing the separation, transition, and incorporation steps of the rites of passages that Chavez reveals. The model itself cannot depict patterns of migration for all the individuals for there are variety of reasons to not advance to the next phase and thus rejecting transformation. From having various motives to live a better life right back in Mexico or in San Diego, these individuals undergo severe hardship in separating themselves from the familiar and engaging in the unknown. As a settler myself, I was able to successfully incorporate myself into the larger society due to the fact that I had not so strong connections overseas in my homeland and that the English language did not become a factor that I had to struggle with. Using that as a benefit, I was able to use my confidence to obtain a better education than the one I was receiving overseas and as a child, I was easily fascinated and therefore, prepared to alter my lifestyle, the way I dress, talk, and do many things in life. At the end, it comes down to achieving the stages of moving to another country and having the ability to hang on and finish the process or breaking the model and returning home to perhaps try again some day. Yet still, one may wonder about the migrants who may not feel accepted in the American society even after having great resources to live a functional life. Shouldn’t satisfying basic needs become the main priority for the migrants? What’s even more important to wonder is if Mexican immigration remains as a controversial topic due to economic issues or personal issues where racism still occurs? Do the incorporated migrants who have become settlers see Mexican immigration from a view different from economic and political reasons? The “Rites of Passages” and its phases that Chavez elaborates on may justify the transitions some migrants take according to the model in order to become settlers of the U.S., but not all. Therefore, the model is not ideal because personal factors come into play, inevitably making it hard for individuals to incorporate themselves in another society with a different status.

Imran Khan - Singer

2008-01-19T20:22:00.001-06:00

He is fine. I like his songs. Really.

Socrates Essay

2007-09-24T01:31:00.001-05:00

Laayla Muhammad

There is a massive amount of support behind the idea that Socrates is being inconsistent in his defense when he claims to be sent on a mission by the Oracle at Delphi, when he was being critical towards Eurythphro for appealing to the will of the gods in justification for prosecuting his own father. This paper will argue such misconceptions and state that Socrates is not being contradictory in his defense because of variety of reasons. Socrates’ intentions are pure, for he actually seeks the correct answers and justifies everything with reason. Eurythphro, on the other hand, could not explain why he believed what he did, leaving Socrates to question his decisions. Socrates’ only mentions the gods in his defense because the specific crime that he has been accused of, relates to them.

When Socrates hears that the Oracle at Delphi claimed no man was wiser than him, he began to question what the actual meaning of such a statement was. He states, “I very reluctantly turned to some such investigation as this,” (Plato 24), which shows how he went seeking for answers even though it seemed as if the oracle was a clear message to begin with. Socrates approached every man who was known to be wise, with intentions to refute the oracle and prove that there are men who are wiser than he is. Instead, to Socrates’ surprise, these men were not wise at all even though they claimed to be. Socrates concluded that wise individuals such as authors, poets and craftsmen only possessed the skills needed in the particular field they are successful in. Socrates states, “Each of them, because of his success at his craft, thought himself very wise in other most important pursuits, and this error of theirs overshadowed the wisdom they had” (Plato 26). The fact that Socrates did not claim to know it all when he knew more than anyone else, made him the wisest man, as the oracle had stated. Socrates didn’t just rely on the word of the gods blindly, like Eurythphro did. He tried his best to interpret the oracle and questioned it, which was provided by the gods themselves.

Eurythphro seemed to be entirely convinced that he was committing a pious act by persecuting his own father for a murder of a murderer, just because he believed that the all the gods believed murder to be wrong. When Socrates question what the definition of piety and impiety was, Eurythphro could not give him a satisfying answer. The society claims that Socrates was quick to critique Eurythphro when he used the wills of the gods to justify his action, yet was doing the same thing in his defense in the court. This reason could not be right because Eurythphro could not even provide Socrates with an actual definition of piety. Eurythphro kept on changing his answers from first stating, “What is dear to the gods is pious, what is not is impious” (Plato 7) to later saying, “The godly and pious is the part of just that is concerned with the care of the gods” (Plato 15). When the answer was being sought, the reason why Eurythphro believed what he did became unclear and unjustified. He claimed to follow actions that would please the gods, yet was not able to convince Socrates of how sure he was. Socrates on the other hand, tested the words of the gods, and did not blindly trust them. With reason, Socrates’ defense that he was on a mission sent by the gods seemed to have a great justification while Eurythphro was confused about what the definition of piety even was. This was ironic, especially when it something he was trying to use as a justification.

The main reason why people believe that Socrates was contradicting himself was because he did not believe in the gods, yet was using their existence to claim to have been on a mission sent by them. This confused the public, and made them assume that Socrates was lying and playing games with the court system. In actuality, Socrates had many reasons to use the gods in his defense, one of them being that the crime itself related to the gods. He had to mention the existence of the gods, because when he questioned these so called wise men, he was trying to find out what the oracle meant. The subject of the case appeals to the gods, so Socrates had to mention them in his defense. It is said that Socrates does not even believe in the gods because he criticized Eurythphro for believing in them. This is not true because Socrates did not question the existence of the gods; he only questioned how one can be sure of what the gods think of as pious and impious. Another reason Socrates appeals to the gods is that citing the highest and oldest authority will be more reliable to the people of the court. For example, between an educated doctor who has his doctorate degree and some random stranger at a grocery store, one will most likely trust the doctor when seeking medical advice. The same rule applies here, for the fact that the gods have been part of these people’s lives for many years and have continued to please them. The gods also have more ability to figure out the truth and possess the most experience.

Mentioning the gods and using them to justify ones actions does cause a controversy because it is impossible to prove such an authority wrong. Considering that, people have to realize that Socrates was not being contradictory in any way when he decided to use the gods in his defense since his critique on Eurythphro’s decision on persecuting his own father was of a different matter. If the murderer wasn’t Eurythphro’s father, the situation would have been less complicated because Eurythphro’s decision on persecuting the murderer would not have included the future death of his father. Socrates was sent on a mission by the gods, which was something he sought and made sure of. If Socrates would not have investigated the oracle, then maybe people would have had a legitimate reason to state that he was contradicting himself. Otherwise, the truth is that Socrates did not contradict himself and actually had justifiable reasons to become critical of Eurythphro’s actions.

Lawl, my eyes.

2007-09-19T22:54:00.001-05:00

I think my eyes are so hilarious in that picture. LAWL. Anyways, I'll update about life later. Too much to say, and I'm exhausted.