Identification of Bacillus Coagulans from Agricultural Soil

Identification of Bacillus Coagulans from Agricultural Soil Introduction Soil is a common substance that is found almost everywhere in the world and is home to a diverse community of microorganisms, especially for bacteria. Bacteria are so common in soil that surface soil can be home to 108 to 109 bacterial cells per gram of dry soil (Prescott et al., 1999). This quantity of bacterium in soil, however, decreases deeper into the subsurface of the soil. There are small variations in bacterial quantity in subsurface layers, but the surface layer is always the most numerous in quantity (Weaver et al., 1994). This is because these bacteria prefer the smaller soil pores (2 to 6 ÃŽ ¼m in diameter) that are more commonly found in surface soil. This is likely a method to avoid being eaten by protozoa (Prescott et al., 1999). As small soil pores are common habitats for bacterium, and soils contain higher concentrations of CO2 and CO, with lower concentrations of O2, many of these bacteria have developed the ability to grow in microaerobic or anaerobic conditions (P rescott et al., 1999). Although bacterial quantity is plentiful in the surface layers, it is common to find relatively few bacteria of the same species. Rather, there is much variation in the species of bacterium cohabitating in these soil layers (Weaver et al., 1994). As a diversity of bacteria brings a diversity of metabolic pathways and nutrient fixation, this proves beneficial for plants and insects that live in the soil and rely upon the nutrients produced by these bacteria (Weaver et al., 1994). Through isolation, culturing, and testing of agricultural soil bacterium, this lab attempted to isolate and identify a single species of bacterium from agricultural soil. Methods A 10-2 dilution in distilled water was created using 1 g of agricultural soil. From this dilution, a TSA streak plate was made and incubated at 22Â °C for 48 hours and then chilled at 4Â °C until further analysis could be preformed (Egger 2010). From this streak plate, a single culture was chosen to be sub-cultured on a TSA streak plate and was incubated as above. This culture was also gram stained and observed under microscope. The bacterial cell dimensions were calculated and cell shape and arrangement were recorded. The bacterial subculture was then observed for colony morphology. Individual cells were then tested for starch hydrolysis, H2S reduction and motility, ammonification, nitrification, denitrification, oxygen tolerance, and for catalase production (Egger 2010). Further testing was then performed to determine optimal growth temperature, osmotic pressure, and pH. Temperature testing was done at 4, 22, 37, and 50Â °C; osmotic pressure testing done at 0, 0.5, 2, and 5% NaCl; and pH testing was done at pH 3, 5, 7, and 9 (Egger 2010). Data from tests were pooled and used to determine the possible identity of the unknown culture. Results The streak plate of dilute agricultural soil revealed a large quantity of different bacterial colonies varying in colour, shape, size, texture, and elevation. After isolation of a single bacterial culture, there was little to no variation in these characteristics. This single bacterial culture revealed a circular form with a flat elevation and a rough texture. The colour was observed to be clear to white in colour and translucent in appearance. Further observation under microscope revealed staphylobacillus approximately 40 ÃŽ ¼m in length. Gram staining and testing for starch hydrolysis, and nitrification all turned out positive, while testing for H2S reduction, motility, ammonification, and denitrification all proved negative, which is further outlined in Table 1. This bacterium was then determined to be a facultative anaerobe with an optimal temperature of 37Â °C, optimal pH of 7, and optimal osmotic pressure of 0.5% NaCl. It was also observed that there was little growth at 5% NaCl and reasonable growth at pH 5. Discussion As the bacterium isolated in this experiment was rod shaped, gram positive, and catalase producing, it is likely that this specific bacterium belongs to the genus Bacillus (Butler 1986). Determination of the specific species of Bacillus proved more difficult. As this bacterium was able to hydrolyse starch, was a facultative anaerobe, had an optimal growth temperature around 37Â °C, and an optimal pH around 7, the possibilities were narrowed to either Bacillus coagulans or Bacillus licheniformis (Butler 1986). Although B. licheniformis is common to most ground soils, there proved to be a few common factors that supported the greater plausibility of this specific bacterium to be B. coagulans. The isolated bacterium was unable to reduce nitrate to nitrite and was unable to grow significantly in a NaCl medium of 5%. As B. licheniformis is capable of reduction of nitrate to nitrite and growth in 5% NaCl medium, it is unlikely that this unknown bacterium was B. licheniformis (Butler 1986). It was also noted that the unknown bacterium was capable of growth at pH 5, which is a characteristic of B. coagulans (Butler 1986). Specifically, B. coagulans has been recorded as having an optimal pH of 6 and a minimum of 4.0-5.0 depending on specific stra ins (Butler 1986). In order to further verify that the unknown bacterium was B. coagulans, it would have been beneficial to test the bacteriums ability to hydrolyse casein and gelatine as B. coagulans cannot hydrolyse casein and gelatine while B. licheniformis can. It would also have been beneficial to further investigate growth in 7% and 10% NaCl to further verify the identity of B. coagulans if growth did not occur. Unfortunately, not all tests that were performed were useful in the identification of the specific species of the unknown bacterium. The tests were useful, however, in determining genus. As the genus Bacillus was reasonably simple to identify based on the rod shaped bacterium and catalase production, some of the tests, such as the test for H2S reduction were not as useful as others, such as the test for catalase production. If the unknown bacterium did prove to be B. coagulans, this would be an uncommon isolation as B. coagulans is not common in soil (Butler 1986). For this reason, there is little information recorded on B. coagulans ecological role in soil. It would be advised that further investigation into the ecological role of B. coagulans should be performed as, although uncommon, B. coagulans is still a soil bacterium and must therefore play an ecological role in soil. It may also be beneficial to further investigate B. coagulans as it is a common additive in medicated creams and antacids (Butler 1986). This is because of the possible pro-biotic benefits of B. coagulans in the gastrointestinal tract, although these benefit claims have been questioned as to their validity in recent years (De Vecchi and Drago 2006). There has also been a recent study that suggests that application of B. coagulans to arthritic joints may cause a decrease in pain and a reduction in disability of these joints. Althoug h, these are preliminary studies, and the function of this pain relief is unknown, there is significant reason to peruse B. coagulans as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis (Mandel et al. 2010). Although the unknown bacterium is likely B. coagulans there were possible sources of error. A major source of error could have come from the gram staining process. There was a possibility that the stain was not rinsed with ethanol for long enough, which would have caused retention of the dye in the cell wall of the unknown bacterium. This would have lead to a false positive for gram staining. If this was true and the unknown bacterium was gram negative, this would indicate a possibly different genus and definitely different species. Although errors could have lead to misidentification of the unknown bacterium, based on the data collected, it is most likely that the unknown bacterium isolated was B. coagulans. There was no reason to believe that the isolated colony was contaminated with different species of bacteria, and testing lead to a conclusive identification of the unknown bacterium. From this it is reasonable to say that the objectives of this experiment were met.

ASTEROIDS :: essays research papers fc

Asteroids Sixty-Five million years ago, 70 percent of life on Earth died. The most reasonable and possible reason this happened was an asteroid. An asteroid hit the Earth very hard, and in doing this, dirt and dust from the impact stayed in the air and it blocked out sunlight, that’s why the dinosaurs died. An asteroid is a rock from outer space. Asteroids have orbited the Sun along with the planets since the solar system formed about 4.6 billion years ago, but it’s only been 200 years since we first discovered them. Meteorites are small pieces of asteroids broken off on impact with other asteroids. Most meteorites are rusty brown on the outside, have rounded edges from melting as they go through Earth’s atmosphere, and contain iron. There are 3 different types of meteorites: stony, metallic, and stony metallic.92 percents of all asteroids are stone, 6 percent are made of iron and nickel, and the rest are a combination. Some meteorites also contain gold, copper, platinum, and carbon. Scientists get a good idea of what asteroids are made of by studying them through telescopes. They can tell what an asteroid is made of by the color and brightness of the asteroid. A lot of asteroids that we have discovered are very dark and made of stone, but there are shiny ones that are made of nickel and iron. Most big asteroids are ball shaped. Smaller asteroids, which are usually broken off of a larger asteroid, come in a lot of different shapes. All asteroids have craters that form when they bump or crash into other asteroids. The older the asteroid, the more times it has been hit and the more craters it has. Asteroids can be found orbiting the Sun in a belt between Mars and Jupiter; this is called the Asteroid belt or Main belt. The asteroid belt has been said to probably contain millions of asteroids that are all different. There are more than 20,000 numbered asteroids. Some times asteroids get knocked off the asteroid belt. As asteroids revolve around the Sun in elliptical orbits, Jupiter’s gravity and getting to close to Mars or another asteroid can change an asteroids path, this could send an asteroid out of the asteroid belt and into space across the orbits of other planets. An example of asteroid orbits changing is Mar’s moons Phobos and Deimos. These were asteroids that went to close to Mars and got caught in its orbit.

Computers In Modern Life Essay

Cause / Effect Essay Many phenomena, events, situations and trends can be better understood by describing their causes and effects. The cause and effect essay explains what happens and why it happens. Cause / Effect Essay Specific Vocabulary Obesity is a cause of / a reason for premature death. Media coverage affects / influences voting patterns. Media coverage leads to / gives rise to / brings about changes in voting patterns. Voting patterns are affected / are influenced by media coverage. Stress causes / produces / results in low exam scores. Low exam scores are caused by / are produced by / result from stress. Low exam scores are a consequence of / are a result of / are due to / the effect of stress. When / If there is constant economic instability, currency crashes occur. As a result of / As a consequence of constant economic instability, currency crashes occur. There is constant economic instability. As a result, / As a consequence, / Consequently, / Thus, / Therefore, / Hence, / For this reason, currency crashes occur. Because / Since / As some areas face extreme weather conditions, there is damage to property. Owing to / On account of / Because of / Due to the fact that some areas face extreme weather conditions, there is damage to property. Owing to / On account of / Because of / Due to extreme weather conditions, there is damage to property. Owing to / On account of / Because of / Due to extreme weather conditions, damage to property occurs. Cause / Effect Essay Structure While writing a cause / effect essay, the order of the main points given in the thesis statement is followed in body paragraphs. The following example is an outline for a cause essay about the reasons for cities becoming overcrowded. Thesis statement: There are two main reasons why these and other cities are becoming so crowded; one economic, the other socio-cultural. 1st body: economic reasons 1. cities are engines of development. 2nd body: socio-cultural reasons 1. education 2. urbanization The following example is an outline for an effect essay about the effects of the computer on life. Thesis statement: The two main areas in which computers have brought about a profound change in our lives are in the economic field and in the field of communications. 1st body: economic effects 1. computers in business 2. computers and national economies 2nd body: effects on communication 1. e-mail 2. globalization The sample shows essay organization Why are Cities Becoming Overcrowded? General Statements The fact that the world’s cities are getting more and more crowded is well-known. Cities such as Tokyo, Sao Paolo, Bombay and Shanghai are now considered ‘mega-cities’, because of their enormous size and huge populations. There are two main reasons why these and other cities are becoming so crowded; one economic, the other socio-cultural. First, the primary cause of cities becoming so crowded is economic. As a country develops, its cities become the engines of development, thus jobs are available in these areas. Frankfurt, Istanbul, Bombay and Sao Paolo are all the economic centres of their countries. For example, Tokyo was the motor for Japan’s rapid economic development in the 1960’s and 70’s; as a result, its population increased rapidly. People moved to Tokyo because they could find employment and establish economic security for themselves and their families there. Second, another factor in the huge increase in urban populations is the socio-cultural factor. Thousands of people migrate to the cities not only for jobs but also for educational and personal reasons. The  better universities are always located in big cities and this attracts thousands of students every year, and these students stay on and work in the city after they graduate. Moreover, young people will move to the city as the villages and rural areas are more custom and tradition oriented. Therefore, young people believe this is an obstacle to their personal freedom. Thesis Statement Topic Sentence Topic Sentence Concluding Sentence In conclusion, economic and cultural factors are the major causes of huge urban population. People will always move to the areas which provide opportunity and to the places which can give them the freedom they desire. Final Thought The sample shows essay connectors Why are Cities Becoming Overcrowded? The fact that the world’s cities are getting more and more crowded is well-known. Cities such as Tokyo, Sao Paolo, Bombay and Shanghai are now considered ‘mega-cities’, because of their enormous size and huge populations. There are two main reasons why these and other cities are becoming so crowded; one economic, the other socio-cultural. First, the primary cause of cities becoming so crowded is economic. As a country develops, its cities become the engines of development, thus jobs are available in these areas. Frankfurt, Istanbul, Bombay and Sao Paolo are all the economic centres of their countries. For example, Tokyo was the motor for Japan’s rapid economic development in the 1960’s and 70’s; as a result, its population increased rapidly. People moved to Tokyo because they could  find employment and establish economic security for themselves and their families there. Second, another factor in the huge increase in urban populations is the socio-cultural factor. Thousands of people migrate to the cities not only for jobs but also for educational and personal reasons. The better universities are always located in big cities and this attracts thousands of students every year, and these students stay on and work in the city after they graduate. Moreover, young people will move to the city as the villages and rural areas are more custom and tradition oriented. Therefore, young people believe this is an obstacle to their personal freedom. In conclusion, economic and cultural factors are the major causes of huge urban population. People will always move to the areas which provide opportunity and to the places which can give them the freedom they desire. The sample shows essay specific vocabulary Why are Cities Becoming Overcrowded? The fact that the world’s cities are getting more and more crowded is well-known. Cities such as Tokyo, Sao Paolo, Bombay and Shanghai are now considered ‘mega-cities’, because of their enormous size and huge populations. There are two main reasons why these and other cities are becoming so crowded; one economic, the other socio-cultural. First, the primary cause of cities becoming so crowded is economic. As a country develops, its cities become the engines of development, thus jobs are available in these areas. Frankfurt, Istanbul, Bombay and Sao Paolo are all the economic centres of their countries. For example, Tokyo was the motor for Japan’s rapid economic development in the 1960’s and 70’s; as a result, its population increased rapidly. People moved to Tokyo because they could find employment and establish economic security for themselves and their families there. Second, another factor in the huge increase in urban populations is the soc io-cultural factor. Thousands of people migrate to the cities not only for jobs but also for educational and personal reasons. The better universities are always located in big cities and this attracts thousands of students every year, and these students stay on and work in the city after they graduate. Moreover, young people will move to the city as the villages and rural areas are more custom and tradition oriented.  Therefore, young people believe this is an obstacle to their personal freedom. In conclusion, economic and cultural factors are the major causes of huge urban population. People will always move to the areas which provide opportunity and to the places which can give them the freedom they desire. The sample shows essay organization What effects has the computer had on our lives? The twenty-first century is already turning out to be the century of the computer. The computer revolution that started after the Second World War is now developing exponentially and computers are beginning to influence and take over nearly every aspect of our lives. Computers are clearly changing and affecting society in many ways. The two main areas in which computers have brought about a profound change in our lives are in the economic field and in the field of communications. The computer has led to immense changes in economic and business life. First, businesses now have to be computerised or they risk failure. Every big corporation bases its operations on computing, regardless of which sector they are in. For example, Coca-Cola, the BBC and Levi’s market and sell different products and services, yet they all share one basic property – without computers their operations would collapse. Second, computing is an economic dynamo. Japan, China, India and many other countries have large IT sectors which drive their economies upwards. Furthermore, the developed world is moving from an industrial-based economy to a computer and IT-based one. It is not just in business that computers have affected us so profoundly; communication has been revolutionised totally. Firstly, whereas before, people wrote letters, which would often take weeks to reach their destinations, or speak on the phone, which was terribly expensive, now they e-mail. For instance, instead of waiting weeks for a letter now, we can read it instantly, seconds after it’s been written. Secondly, many people use computers to communicate with people all around the world using chat rooms and chat programs, this was impossible before the computer became widespread. As a result, now people who live thousands of kilometres away from each other can communicate as much as they want and whenever they want using e-mail and/or chat rooms. Concluding Sentenc e Topic Sentence General Statements Thesis Statement Topic Sentence In conclusion, computers have had a profound effect on our lives in many ways and it is in business and communication that they have had the greatest influence. In the future, if the computer continues evolving at such speed, our business practices and methods of communication will undergo even more radical changes. Final Thought The sample shows essay connectors What effects has the computer had on our lives? The twenty-first century is already turning out to be the century of the computer. The computer revolution that started after the Second World War is now developing exponentially and computers are beginning to influence and take over nearly every aspect of our lives. Computers are clearly changing and affecting society in many ways. The two main areas in which computers have brought about a profound change in our lives are in the economic field and in the field of communications. The computer has led to immense changes in economic and business life. First, businesses now have to be computerised or they risk failure. Every big corporation bases its operations on computing, regardless of which sector they are in. For example, Coca-Cola, the BBC and Levi’s market and sell different products and services, yet they all share one basic property – without computers their operations would collapse. Second, computing is an economic dynamo. Japan, China, India and many other countries have large IT sectors which drive their economies upwards. Furthermore, the developed world is moving from an industrial-based economy to a computer and IT-based one. It is not just in business that computers have affected us so profoundly; communication has been  revolutionised totally. Firstly, whereas before, people wrote letters, which would often take weeks to reach their destinations, or speak on the phone, which was terribly expensive, now they e-mail. For instance, instead of waiting weeks for a letter now, we can read it instantly, seconds after it’s been written. Secondly, many people use computers to communicate with people all around the world using chat rooms and chat programs, this was impossible before the computer became widespread. As a result, now people who live thousands of kilometres away from each other can communicate as much as they want and whenever they want using e-mail and/or chat rooms. In conclusion, computers have had a profound effect on our lives in many ways and it is in business and communication that they have had the greatest influence. In the future, if the computer continues evolving at such speed, our business practices and methods of communication will undergo even more radical changes. The sample shows essay specific vocabulary What effects has the computer had on our lives? The twenty-first century is already turning out to be the century of the computer. The computer revolution that started after the Second World War is now developing exponentially and computers are beginning to influence and take over nearly every aspect of our lives. Computers are clearly changing and affecting society in many ways. The two main areas in which computers have brought about a profound change in our lives are in the economic field and in the field of communications. The computer has led to immense changes in economic and business life. First, businesses now have to be computerised or they risk failure. Every big corporation bases its operations on computing, regardless of which sector they are in. For example, Coca-Cola, the BBC and Levi’s market and sell different products and services, yet they all share one basic property – without computers their operations would collapse. Second, computing is an economic dynamo. Japan, China, India and many other countries have large IT sectors which drive their economies upwards. Furthermore, the developed world is moving from an industrial-based economy to a computer and IT-based one. It is not just in business that computers have affected us so profoundly; communication has been  revolutionised totally. Firstly, whereas before, people wrote letters, which would often take weeks to reach their destinations, or speak on the phone, which was terribly expensive, now they e-mail. For instance, instead of waiting weeks for a letter now, we can read it instantly, seconds after it’s been written. Secondly, many people use computers to communicate with people all around the world using chat rooms and chat programs, this was impossible before the computer became widespread. As a result, now people who live thousands of kilometres away from each other can communicate as much as they want and whenever they want using e-mail and/or chat rooms. In conclusion, computers have had a profound effect on our lives in many ways and it is in business and communication that they have had the greatest influence. In the future, if the computer continues evolving at such speed, our business practices and methods of communication will undergo even more radical changes.

Analyze Fitzgeralds Presentation of the Valley of Ashes.

Analyze Fitzgerald’s presentation of the Valley of Ashes at the start of chapter 2. Halfway between West Egg and New York lies the ‘valley of ashes’ and this is the ‘desolate’ wasteland, which is also home to the Wilson family. The term ‘desolate’ is used to describe a place that is depressingly empty and solitary. Fitzgerald includes this ‘fantastic farm’ to emphasize to the readers, the sharp contrast between luxury and health with poverty and struggle. The valley serves to represent the damage that the upper class characters such as Daisy and Tom can inflict on society.Through the Wilson family, we get the impression that this is a place where the victims of the American Dream reside and is home to those who have very little to look forward to in the future and have very little going on in their lives. Unlike New York, this barren site lacks extravagance and the repetition of the color ‘grey’ which like black, can be used to signify a lack of life, as well as loss or depression serves to remind us of the emptiness Fitzgerald is trying to portray – even the men who work there are ‘ash-grey’.The Valley is a product of capitalism as it is created by industrial waste and can be seen as the dumping ground for the likes of wealthy men and women. The wealthy reside in false pretence where their homes are reflective of gold  but down the ‘motor-road’ we can find the valley of their corruptive wealth. It is the complete opposite of life in the West Egg and in New York. Transferred epithet as well as personification is used when describing the movement of the cars. It is said that even the cars ‘crawl’ and once again, this stresses to the readers the emptiness in the valley.Up until this juncture, Fitzgerald uses cars as a symbol of power and along with power tends to co me wealth. For all the wealthy characters in the novel such as Gatsby and the Bu chanan, a car comes along with the lavish lifestyles they lead, but if you compare this to the Wilsons, they fix cars just in order to make a living. It’s as if to those that live in New York, it’s just a good time but for those in the valley of ashes, this is what they call life. It is evident that everything here is devalued and mounts to nothing in New York.In the valley of Ashes, we also have the eyes of Doctor T. J . Eckleburg that sees everything. Although it is just a billboard, It could be argued that through these ‘yellow spectacles’ are the eyes of God as well as the eyes of Nick. He is our narrator who is within and without the novel. We see the narration through his eyes but by doing so, Fitzgerald is able to withhold information from the readers as we can only see what Nick chooses to reveal in his narrative as he judges everyone else from his own perspective.The eyes also serve to represent the harsh reality of the ‘American Dreamâ€⠄¢ and just how false it can be. Supposedly, anyone can make it big in America if they work hard for it, just like the Wilsons, but the truth is not everyone can be as wealthy as Gatsby and the Buchanan’s and the idea that everyone can live that American dream is just a dream. Although it has proved wealth for some, like the ashes, the Wilsons hope for this wealth are not very alive.

Lord of the Flies Antrhopology

Thomas Hobbes was one of the most controversial philosophers of all time. He argued that the, â€Å"Life of man [is] solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short† (Hobbes 77). Clearly he didn’t think that humanity was a good group of beings. In the Lord of the Flies by William Golding, one character, Jack Merridew, displays many characteristics of Hobbes’ philosophy on man. Time after time, Golding subtly refers to Hobbes’ philosophy through Jack and his reactions with other characters in the book. After Golding introduces the boys, they want to elect a chief, and already, Golding is using Hobbes’ anthropology.In Hobbes’ Leviathan, he states, â€Å"And therefore, if any two men desire the same thing which nevertheless they cannot both enjoy, they become enemies† (Hobbes 76). The two main contenders for the chief position are Ralph and Jack. Jack fervently believes that he should be chief, and he says, â€Å"’I ought to be chief,â €™ said Jack with simple arrogance, ’because I’m chapter chorister and head boy. I can sing C sharp’† (Golding 15). Fortunately, Ralph is elected chief, and Jack is disappointed. This simple election creates the dispute between the two boys for the whole book.Ralph and Jack cannot share the position, and both cannot enjoy it, so Jack begins to have an aversion to Ralph. Hobbes’ philosophy basically predicted that this would occur. They both wanted a thing, leadership, and one got it, making them both enemies. This enmity that Jack has eventually pushes him to the point of wanting to kill Ralph in order to lead the island without opposition. This craving for murder also demonstrates another philosophical point by Hobbes. Far later in the book, Jack’s relations with Ralph once again clearly display one of Hobbes’ points.In Leviathan, Hobbes writes, â€Å"In all times kings and persons of sovereign authority, because of their indepen dency, are†¦ in the state and posture of gladiators, having their weapons pointing and their eyes fixed on one another† (76). After Jack splits from the tribe in order to make a new one, he immediately sees the other tribe as a threat. He even literally has his weapons pointed at Ralph in one scene specifically, in which the two leaders are dueling. The narrator narrates, â€Å"Jack made a rush and stabbed at Ralph’s chest with spear. Ralph sensed the position of the weapon from the glimpse he caught of Jack’s arm and put the hrust aside with his own butt† (Golding 159). Even though Hobbes may have intended this to be figurative without the actual leaders fighting, but their armies doing their work, this seems to fit the same kind of description. Hobbes really means that kings, or in this case chiefs, are always looking to fight each other, always ready for battle, always looking to rid themselves of their opponents. In the same way, Jack is always lo oking to fight Ralph, always ready for battle against Ralph, always looking to rid himself of Ralph. Golding ultimately connects Jack to Hobbes through Jack’s lack of mercy and justice.An unknown author composed a summary of Hobbes’ argument pertaining to this subject, and wrote â€Å"The state of nature†¦ was founded upon a savage egoism which drove man to seek a maximum of pleasure without hindrance from a norm of justice or mercy toward other men. Every man was continually engaged in war against all other men† (Paragraph 9). Throughout the book, Jack fastidiously tries to not offer mercy or due justice to people. In one instance, Ralph pleads for mercy upon the twins, Sam and Eric. The narrator says, â€Å"’Grab them! ’ No one moved. Jack shouted angrily. I said ‘grab them’! ’ Their spears were taken from them. ‘Tie them up! ’ Ralph cried out hopelessly against the black and green mask. ‘Jack! â€℠¢Ã¢â‚¬  (Golding 161). The key word of this scene is â€Å"hopelessly. † This simple word makes Ralph’s plea seem impossible; henceforth, Jack is not giving mercy at any cost. Jack wants the twins to leave Ralph and join his tribe. This essentially gives him pleasure because he knows that Ralph is hopeless. Whatever plea Ralph makes will not be granted because it will hinder his pleasure. Justice will not be served because it will hinder his pleasure.Mercy will not be served because it will hinder his pleasure. Hobbes directly says that people will not give justice or mercy when it will hinder his own pleasure. For Jack, to offer mercy is to rid himself of pleasure; therefore, he will not give the mercy according to Hobbes’ philosophy. Golding clearly thought of Hobbes’ philosophy when he was contriving Jack. Jack displays almost all of the qualities that a human being should display according to Hobbes. First, his enmity toward Ralph is solely based on a thing that he can’t have, which is what Hobbes predicted would happen.Second, he and Ralph, because they are both opposing leaders, have weapons pointed at each other, symbolizing how opposing leaders always quarrel with each other according to Hobbes. Third, his lack of mercy and justice for those who deserve it is nonexistent because it will hinder his pleasure according to Hobbes. In conclusion, in almost every act that Jack does, he relates back to Hobbes’ philosophy pertaining to human nature. Works Cited â€Å"The Philosophy of Thomas Hobbes. † 1998. The Radical Academy. 15 March 2010. <http://www. radicalacademy. com/philfthomashobbes. htm>.Hobbes, Thomas. Leviathan. The Harvard Classics. 1904-14. ——————————————– [ 1 ]. I used passive voice because the subjects are more important than Jack, who would be doing the action. (This isn’t rhet oric, it’s just and explanation) [ 2 ]. I used epistrophe to emphasize the point that Jack will not do the things that will hinder his pleasure [ 3 ]. I used antithesis here to kind of show a cause and effect. If he was to offer mercy (the cause) then he would accept defeat (effect). It seemed more logical to use antithesis right here than other forms of rhetoric.

Abortion Should Be Legal

Abortion is the deliberate ending of a pregnancy by removing the fetus from the mother's uterus and should only be carried out by trained medical personnel. Abortion was introduced at a very early age in society. I believe people should choose their own path and their own future, right down to abortions. I believe in choice. Pro-choice. People's lives and rights should not be interfered by the opinion of another. There are certain rights given to a person which cannot be removed or changed.This gives the choice-maker the right to live with his/her own decision without the guilt or disturbance of a third party. Live your own lives. A body belongs to one soul, giving one soul the rules and rights over it. People tend to forget that. As in an economy, when something is in demand, legal or not, people will sell and buy it. But what about those people who feel guilt over something that shouldn't pressure them? May it be abortion or not. Most people would like to live under the choices the y make without the world pushing them over or religions battering them with stones.With the evolving moral standards of society, abortions are becoming more and more justified. Abortions, the practice of removing a fertilized egg from a mother has become a controversial issue in American society, but should be generally supported because there are circumstances where the mother to be is unable to sustain a pregnancy safely. Young low income women and or girls who become mothers have grim prospects for the future and in the case of rape or incest, forcing a woman made pregnant by this violent act would cause further psychological harm to the victim.In, â€Å"The Cost of Choice†, the National Abortion Federation (NAF) and Planned Parenthood, among other pro-abortion advocacy groups and organizations, have formulated and published standards and guidelines for affiliated clinics and physicians. In fact, Planned Parenthood clinics, with few exceptions, must adhere to the operation al standards and protocols mandated by the Planned Parenthood Federation of America. State legislatures have obtained copies of these standards and protocols and have used them to formulate minimum health and safety standards for abortion care. Encounter Books, 2004. p 128. ) Those who are against legalizing abortion/pro-life believe that a fetus is a person and should be granted life just as every other living being on this earth. Imagine a mother and child falling into dangerous river rapids and a family member or bystander must decide who to save. It's a terrible decision that must be made. Regardless of the decision, one life will be lost and one saved. This situation differs so fundamentally from abortion on demand, which is to kill the unborn baby for convenience, as opposed to choosing which life will be saved.Pro-life activist / believers think that abortion is murder, and that life begins at conception. â€Å"In biology and in medicine, it is an accepted fact that the life of any individual organism reproducing by sexual reproduction begins at conception (fertilization). † â€Å"By all the criteria of modern molecular biology, life is present from the moment of conception. † â€Å"Human life begins at the time of conception. † â€Å"Human life begins when after the ovum is fertilized the new combined cell mass begins to divide. â€Å"The beginning of a single human life is from a biological point of view a simple and straightforward matter – the beginning is conception. †(Boonin, 2002, p. 21) Pro-choice believer think that Adoption is a viable alternative to abortion and accomplishes the same result, however statistics show that most women who carry a child do not give their child up for adoption. They might also believe that, an abortion can result in medical complications later in life; the risk of ectopic pregnancies double.Abortion for medical reasons where the mother's life is in jeopardy that should be left to the discretion of the mother, family, and doctor. It's true, the mother and the unborn baby are still two separate individuals/entities, but under these difficult circumstances, it's truly a personal decision for those directly involved. Abortion in cases of rape and/or incest should be treated the same as abortion for medical reasons. It should be up to the victim of the rape or incest what she wants to do in this rare and terrible situation.Some countries now with moderately restrictive laws permit abortions to protect a women's health, to end pregnancies resulting from rape or incest, to avoid genetic or other defects, or in response to social problems such as unmarried status or low income. Rape one of the top reasons why I believe that a woman should be able to have an abortion. Rape is the act of sexual intercourse with a woman without her consent or with a minor. Having a child resulting from the mother being rape causes many metal problems for the mother as the birth of the child could be a remembrance of what happen.Incest is sexual intercourse between people who are of blood relations this is one of the reasons why abortion should be legal. It is believed that 50% of all incest cases happen to children fewer than 17 years of age. It has also been stated that children who are conceived by incest are more likely to the possibly leading to mental retardation Birth defects are any abnormalities in the structure or function of the fetus. About twenty percent or more of malformed fetuses are aborted; the rest results in a newborn baby with a birth defect.Each type of birth defect is rare . All live births can cause increased percent of infant deaths in the period immediately after birth. Low income is when people have little or no money coming into the home. To care for a child is very expensive you need to buy pampers, milk, formula's, clothes, powder, cream, soap, towels, cribs and if u are working u need to pay for ah baby sitter. It takes an average o f $15000 a year to care of a child. There are now 1. 3 million surgical abortions per year in the United States. 0 The Alan Guttmacher Institute (the research arm of Planned Parenthood) reports that women have abortions for two primary reasons: lack of financial resources and lack of emotional support. .(Encounter Books, 2004. p 198. ) One needs to take into consideration the developmental stages of the fetal life span. Most abortions occur soon after the confirmation of pregnancy, (usually prior to 12 weeks gestation. ) The first twelve weeks is known as the first trimester or the embryonic phase. At this time the fetus is about 3-3. inches long having a weight of 15-20 grams. The neurological system is primitive at best, demonstrating only vague swimming motions. In the late 1880’s, The American Medical Association led the fight to criminalize all abortions. The campaign was a total success, with every state outlawing abortion. However, criminal prohibition did not stop wom en from obtaining illegal abortions, which sometimes resulted in severe medical problems. (Abortion, 2002, para. 8) I think this would cause more harm than good to make abortion illegal.Every woman should have the right to make that decision without the government getting involved. I do not recommend abortion as a birth-control method of choice. I merely state that it is a fact the most important single method of birth-control in the world today, and to cut down on population growth we should make abortion easy and safe while we continue to develop other and more â€Å"satisfactory† methods of family limitation. In addition to the 5 million women in the U. S. without access to birth-control for whom abortion would seem a mater of right when they want t, there are the uncounted thousands who after conception suffer some diseases of discover some defect which makes the birth of a live healthy baby unlikely, and the many, too, whose contraceptive methods occasionally do not work . Today abortion under modern hospital conditions is safer than childbirth. Instead of making abortion more difficult and dangerous for women, lawmakers should promote policies that reduce the need for abortion. Almost 50 percent of all pregnancies in this country are unintended, including over 30 percent within marriage.And over half of all unintended pregnancies end in abortion. In the Roe vs. Wade the Supreme Court ruled that a woman was allowed by the Constitution's 14th Amendment to receive an abortion before the first trimester. It now appeared that the pro-choice advocates had won the political tug-o-war at last. However, violence continues between the two groups as the animosity and resentment has grown to new heights. The most important part of reproductive rights is the principle that a woman has the right to decide whether and when to have a child.Religious beliefs, politics, incident of pregnancy, support, economy, long term consequences, such as regrets and depression, being able to take responsibility, and health issues are major factors that must be taken in consideration before resulting to abortion. For any pregnant woman, making a decision to abort her child is painful and ruthless, but under certain situation such as rape, young age and financial reasons, a woman should have the right to choose to terminate her pregnancy if she chooses to do so by aborting her unborn child.

Math Literacy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Math Literacy - Essay Example Literacy is a highly complex notion. Traditionally literacy has referred to a comprehension of language elements. Increasingly, however, literacy has come to refer to an understanding and proficiency with an endless array of subjects. For instance, today there is media literacy, mathematics literacy, and science literacy. A number of researchers and agencies have proposed spectrums of literacy. In this way the National Institute for Literacy indicates that major aspects of literacy include, â€Å"decoding/phonemic awareness and phonics, morphology, vocabulary, fluency, and text comprehension† (National Institute of Literacy 2007, p. 3). For the purpose of this research literacy is considered in terms of language fluency. There are a number of aspects of literacy that exist in my subject area of mathematics. Perhaps the most overarching consideration is the notion of content literacy. Conley refers to content literacy as students’ comprehension of specific reading and fl uency knowledge that contributes to their understanding of the specific subject (Conley 2008). As my subject is mathematics there are a variety of ways that content literacy is important. In a sense, students’ actual fluency with solving mathematic problems can be regarded as a sort of literacy. Still, specific language fluency in terms of phonemic awareness, vocabulary, and text comprehension is required in much math content. ... that, â€Å"Mathematical literacy is attained only when students can decipher the numbers, apply abstract symbols, and use words to construct mathematical meaning.† This is a more comprehensive recognition of literacy as encompassing numbers as forms of literate expression. There are a variety of ways that literacy within mathematics exists. In solving math equations one recognizes that, â€Å"Although understanding the mathematics involved†¦is certainly essential, being able to read, understand, and respond in writing to the item in specialized ways is also crucial. Content area literacy involves showing students how to adjust their reading and writing to the specific demands of different kinds of knowledge and tasks† (Conley 2008, p. 22). In this way literacy within mathematics occurs in particular situations that aid the solving of mathematics equations. For instance, mathematics often has terminology such as box plot, quartile 1 and interquartile, or minimum an d maximum. Students must recognize these concepts in order to advance to the problem-solving portion of the mathematics. One considers that in science students more thoroughly focus on words and patterns. In the language arts students must develop thorough reading comprehension skills. The notable recognition in these regards is that literacy in mathematics, as contrasted with most other subject areas, functions to aid the direct comprehension of the subject rather than being the subject itself. Other theorists have additionally considered that oftentimes literacy in mathematics, in terms of specific vocabulary, oftentimes takes on a different meaning than in outside contexts. For instance, it’s noted that the word ‘functions’ takes on a different meaning in terms of math than in other contexts (Franz