Economics Essay Example for Free

Economics Essay The three areas of economics affect an individual both positively and negatively. First, in making decisions, a person often has to decide on tradeoffs because he/she just cannot afford to buy everything that he/she needs. In other words, sacrifices must be made. Economics, after all, is about allocating the resources available to a person which happens to be scarce most of the time. This would mean, for instance, that if one has set aside $10 dollars for chocolates and he/she wants to buy some oranges, the decision would often entail buying less chocolates to enable him/her to buy some oranges. This effect is often interpreted as a negative one because a person has to let go of one want in order to satisfy another desire. This illustration clearly shows that budget constraint plays a major role in decision-making. (Mankiw, 2004) The second area of economics, interaction with others, affects members of society positively because in a free market economy, prices could not just be dictated by producers and sellers without the involvement or say of the consumers. In other words, if the price of a certain commodity proves too expensive, consumers would usually look for cheaper alternatives, thereby causing the demand for the more expensive version to fall. If the 21† colored television set produced by Sony Corporation, for instance, has been priced much higher than the 21† colored television of Philips, chances are that consumers would opt for the television set being sold by Philips because of the lower price. In this case, preference for Sony, which might prove to have a higher quality, could only be expressed by those who have the money, therefore feeling no budgetary constraints. Finally, the workings of the economy could affect an individual both positively and negatively. One instant is when government decides to print and circulate an abnormally high volume of money. This situation forces money to depreciate in value, thereby resulting to inflation. A high level of inflation causes prices to increase because of the additional costs being shouldered by manufacturers owing to the lower value of money. An upside of this situation, however, could be a temporary increase in employment. Because of the availability of money, employers can afford to hire additional workers. (Mankiw, 2004)

Disadvantages of gm food

Disadvantages of gm food Abstract This report strives to provide an insight upon the numerous disadvantages of GM food and crops pertaining to humans and the environment. The fundamental core of this report concerns the human health risks posed by the consumption of GM food by the community. Safety tests for GM foods are scant and sparse, and toxins as well as allergenic components in these GM foods are unpredictable. Alternatively, GM crops prove to be disparaging to the environment. As a result of GM crops being grown, GM superweeds exist and the earths biodiversity is disrupted. Conversely, GM crops incur substantially high costs. Cost of seeds for GM crops is excessively priced and agri-biotechnological companies stand a chance to abuse this cost in order to reap more profits. 1.0 Introduction Genetically modified foods, otherwise recognized as GM foods, pertain to crop plants or animals engineered for consumption through the application of the latest techniques for molecular biology (Whitman, 2000). Desired traits and characteristics such as increased resistance against pests and improved nutritional content are expressed through the modification of these plants in laboratories. Newly improved crops have been known to demonstrate resistance towards pests, require less water, and generally thrive as well as develop in less than optimal growing environments. Genetic engineering was first discovered in the year 1983, and since then has been utilized for the potential benefit of mankind. However, GM foods have made an impact on the world as it is today. As avowed by Whitman (2000), GM foods have been actively protested against by environmental organizations in Europe and public interest groups for months, and the matter of genetic manipulation has been propelled to the vanguard of public awareness by contemporary disputable studies regarding the effects of genetically-modified corn pollen on monarch butterflies. In the United States of America, research has proven that in the year 2001, more than 60% of processed foods in the country contain bio-engineered foodstuffs such as genetically-modified soybeans and corn (Sakko, 2002). Though there are many queries regarding the safety of such GM foods, in addition to its advantages and disadvantages, the actual question arising from such an issue remains evident: Should GM food be banned for the benefit of mankind? Despite claims that GM food is beneficial to human health, environmentally friendly and its benefits outweigh its disadvantages; GM food should be banned for the greater good as it evidently poses human health risks, is environmentally hazardous, and is costly. This report exposes the disadvantages and adverse effects of GM foods on humans as well as the environment. The scope of this report is global, as GM foods are present in almost all countries around the world and GM crops are on the rise in replacing conventional crops in order to to conform to the needs of humans. 2.0 Human Health Risks Many shortcomings arise from the consumption of GM foods. First of all is the endangerment of human health. It is possible that by introducing foreign genes into the genetic make-up of a plant may result in unexpected and negative impacts upon the wellbeing of humans. As the application of genetic engineering is relatively new to the human society, there is inadequate scientific study regarding the many dangers to health caused by GM foods, and safety test technology is insufficient in gauging the potential dangers to humans. Aside from that, GM foods may carry within themselves unpredictable toxins and might possibly increase the threat of allergenic reactions. 2.1 Scarcity of Safety Tests Knowledge regarding health risks due to GM foods is sparse. As affirmed by Domingo (2000), many opinions exist concerning health risks of genetically modified foods. However, actual publications and information on GM food toxicity remains scarce. It is relatively harder to appraise the safety of foods originating from crops compared to individual chemicals, food additives, or drugs. This is because of the genetic composition of crop foods that is much more complex, and may vary in accordance to discrepancies in growth and agronomic conditions. An example of this is the initial and sole assessment of a GM fruit, the FLAVR SAVR tomato, as assigned by Calgene. This GM tomato was cultivated through the insertion of kanr genes into a tomato by an antisense genetic modification method. Outcomes asserted that no major differences in overall mineral and vitamin as well as in toxic glycoalkaloid levels were observed. Hence, the GM tomatoes are considered to be as harmless as their parent tomatoes (Pusztai, 2001). This is undeniable that the safety test in regards to the safety of the FLAVR SAVR tomato is oversimplified, and does not encompass all aspects of how a safety test should be. As such, the safety test is defectively planned and executed, rendering the conclusion that the GM tomatoes were safe implausible. 2.2 Unpredictable Toxins and Allergenic Components Unwanted consequences can also be a result of the insertion of genes into the genetic make-up of GM crops, as some of the ways and methods the incorporated genes express themselves or the way they affect the exhibition of the genes of the crop are evidently random and mostly erratic. This could result in the production of unfamiliar toxins and allergenic components when consumed unknowingly. This is as evidenced in a toxicity test done on mice. Mice were fed with GM potatoes induced with a Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki Cry1 toxin, a toxin imbued within the genetic composition of the potato for the sake of repelling insects. This was shown to have caused villus epithelial cell hypertrophy and multinucleation, disrupted microvilli, mitochondrial degeneration, increased numbers of lysosomes and autophagic vacuoles and activation of crypt Paneth cells in the mice (Pusztai, 2001). These results still manifest despite claims of the contrary by its producers and manufacturers, resulting in widespread confusion and fear within its consumers. In another case, a proposition to splice a gene originating from Brazilian nuts into soybeans was rejected due to the trepidation of resulting in unforeseen allergic reactions. GM food derived from modified GM crops is known to trigger new allergies through the synthesis of new proteins by the imported genes introduced. Almost all food allergens are protein-based, and they are likely to be comparatively small and resistant to heat, acid and stomach enzyme degradation (Chow, 2009). Although crops frequently used as staple foods contain thousands of dissimilar proteins, relatively few are known to be allergenic. Though so, their allergenic potential might have been altered through the use of genetic engineering, rendering even foods not generally known to instigate allergies to do so. Should a host plant be noted to express allergenic properties, bringing in new genes into its genetic make-up could actually lead to the allergenic proteins being over-expressed, making the plant more all ergenic. Beneficial to Human Health Proponents of GM foods constantly assert that GM foods are beneficial to human health. They contend that GM foods possess medical advantages, and are able to be modified to make edible vaccines. However, this argument is inadequate. GM foods are still being researched on, and the assumption that they are able to function as supplements is dangerously over-rated. Data and information regarding the effects numerous types of GM foods are insufficient, in spite of everything that those who support the commercialisation of GM foods state. Should GM foods be released to the population without proper examination and regulation, many lives would be endangered, in contrast to what is as claimed due to the unknown effects of many allergens to the human body. As such, GM foods are actually detrimental, and should not be acclaimed to be advantageous to human health when it has not been proven to be so. 3.0 Environmentally Hazardous Additionally, another disadvantage due to the cultivation and breeding of GM crops is the risks it poses to the environment. Numerous environmental activists and advocates of the environment have all made known their concerns and apprehensions regarding the threat GM crops create for the ecosystem. Tempering the genetic make-up of crops to produce GM food might consequently result in the manifest of GM Superweeds. Also, the biodiversity of the environment will be altered or could potentially be disrupted at a larger scale. 3.1 Creation of GM Superweeds Crops genetically manipulated to be able to generate their own pesticides or to be herbicide-resistant pose a dangerous danger to the environment. These crop plants altered genetically to be tolerant to herbicides and pesticides might cross-breed with the local flora, causing the herbicide-resistant genes to be transferred from crop plant to weed. As avowed by Cummins (1999), the growing of these GM crops will inevitably ensue in the emergence of weeds that are resilient to pesticides and herbicides, resulting in the need for stronger, more potent forms of toxic chemicals to liberate the pests. These superweeds will then be a menace to the GM crops in turn, and even to the environment as a whole. This is as illustrated by the emergence of the first superweed, a plant that cant be killed by almost anything, in Canada. A single canola plant in Ottawa was discovered to be resistant to numerous types of pesticides (gmwatch.org, 2001). Canola plants contrived to help farmers in increasing their productivity had instead escaped and cross-bred with one another to produce offsprings that are even more resistant than their parents. Most pesticides werent able to exterminate these super canola weeds, which were wrecking havoc in wheat fields and other prospective areas in which farmers dont want them to grow in. 3.2 Disruption of Biodiversity The notion of biodiversity denotes the wide variation of organisms in a given ecosystem. Numerous interactions between these organisms keep the biodiversity of an environment high, and when disturbed will result in an often adverse if not disadvantages effect to the particular ecosystem. Wild type plants in an area will typically be overwhelmed when a GM crop is planted in its vicinity due to the superiority and better adaptation of the crop to its environment compared to the wild type plants. The GM crops will then be competing with the wild type plants for essential resources like light, water, and important nutrients in the soil for survival, and will most likely prevail. The subjugated wild type plant will then either be extinct or be wiped off from that area. This will then indirectly affect the survival of other organisms that might have relied on the wild type plant for food, shelter, or protection. For instance, research has proven that the plantation of a GM plant, B.t. corn resulted in a high mortality rate in monarch butterfly caterpillars (Whitman, 2000). Unfortunately, the ideal conditions for the plantation of B.t. corn coincides with that of the milkweed plant, which is the staple food for monarch butterfly caterpillars. Milkweed plants were unable to compete and were wiped off in large amounts due to the prevalence of B.t. corn in the ecosystem. This caused monarch butterfly caterpillars to perish in significant numbers owing to insufficient food supply. Hence, this perfectly illustrates the adversity of GM crops to the environment. Can Be Engineered to Maintain Quality of Soil Supporters of GM food relentlessly insist that GM crops are able to be genetically altered to maintain the quality of the soil regardless of the nutrients required. They claim that akin to herbicide-resistance, GM crops can be engineered to return the nutrients it derives from the soil, to the soil, thus sustaining the nature of the soil. However, this assertion is derisory. In fact, as verified by Cummins (1999), due to the mounting use of herbicides owing to the herbicide-resistant traits typical to GM crops, the effectiveness of pesticides will gradually decrease. This will subsequently increase the use of even more toxic pesticides by farmers intending to rid their fields of weeds without any detrimental effect to their crops. Should these super-pesticides be used excessively without moderation, pesticide residues in soil and on crops will inexorably increase, rendering the soil infertile and even poisonous. Therefore, it can be deduced that the cultivation of GM crops is harmfu l to the environment. 4.0 High Costs Introducing a GM food into the market worldwide proves to be a costly and arduous process, in which companies involved would then be inclined to ensure positive, profitable revenue for their investment towards its manufacture and marketing. To avoid copyright infringement, these companies then patent new plant engineering technologies and GM crops produced by them respectively. This would inevitably raise the costs of seeds of GM. In addition, agri-biotechnological companies might abuse the costs of these seeds to generate more profit and proceeds to the dejection of farmers. 4.1 Excessive Cost of Seeds Due to the patenting of GM crops and new crop engineering technologies, the price of seeds of GM crops has soared to astonishing heights as the prices are dictated by their respective agri-biotech companies. Certain breeds of GM crops and their seeds can only be created by certain companies, and these companies will then have full monopoly over its pricing. As such, prices of such GM seeds are not regulated and can even be as much as ÂÂ £10 for 100 grams as compared to ÂÂ £10 for 100 kilograms for its conventional counterpart (Malone, 2008). Small-scale farmers and Third World countries are unable to afford the cost of these GM seeds, but remain dependent upon them due to dire circumstances or termed conditions. This inevitably widens the gap between the privileged and the marginalised. As elucidated by Andrews (2009), GM seeds have skyrocketed and increased sharply throughout subsequent years. Farmers and Third World countries purchasing Monsantos Roundup Ready 2 Soybeans, a GM crop engineered by a leading agri-biotechnological company specialised in the manufacture of GM crops, in 2010 are required to pay an additional 42% more than the price they disbursed for in 2009. However, these countries and farmers are tied down by a contract in which they are required to patron Monsanto for specified number of years, rendering themselves incapable of any other option other than being indebted to the company. This is merely one of the examples in which the elevated prices of GM seeds prove to be detrimental to farmers and Third World Countries. 4.2 Abuse of Cost by Agri-biotechnological Companies Agri-biotechnological conglomerates might also exploit the cost to produce GM seeds. In an effort to enhance sales and profits, agrochemical industries have developed a technique referred to as the terminator technology to prevent farmers cultivating particular GM crop to save and re-plant harvested seeds. The terminator technology designates crops that have been genetically manipulated to yield sterile seeds upon harvest. This will result in farmers and Third World countries being compelled to procure seeds from those companies often at an inflated price. To further fortify this argument, it has been reported that Monsanto has incorporated Delta Pine Land, the worlds prime cotton seed company possessing three US patents on terminator technology, into its midst. These sterile genetically altered seeds would be able to secure a much greater monopoly than patents by making it unfeasible for farmers to re-use harvested seeds from their GM crops. This compels force dependence upon external sources for seeds by small farmers as well as Third World countries that are financially challenged. Hence, agri-biotech companies stand a chance to garner huge profits from the fragile fiscal instability such parties endeavour from. Beneficial to Farmers Advocates of GM crops persistently insist that even with the high costs required for growing GM crops, farmers remain as the ones reaping the benefits eventually. They are assured that GM crops are able to incur massive yields and produce, despite their initial costs for seeds. The profit gained at the end of the day would be more than sufficient to reimburse the cost of GM seeds at the start. On the contrary, this allegation is falsely based. GM crops have proven time and time again to be damaging to farmers. As is the case in India, thousands and thousands of Indian farmers are resorting to suicide after planting GM crops (Malone, 2008). They were promised with harvests previously unheard of and riches as well as incomes undreamt of by cultivating GM crops. Enticed by the assurance of future prosperity, these farmers then borrowed money in order to purchase the seeds needed. However, when harvests failed attained what has been promised, these farmers are left with escalating debts , and no incomes. Consequently, to escape from reality and anguish, they remedied their predicament through suicide. Hence, it can explicated again that GM crops are in fact, disadvantages to man. 5.0 Recommendations To address this issue, first of all, governments worldwide should play their respective parts. To curb and stem the growing ascendancy of GM crops and the marketing of GM foods, governments of countries should place a nationwide ban on GM food and crops. Agri-biotech companies should be imposed upon to discontinue manufacture and further development of GM food immediately. However, should this option be impractical, mandatory health testing of GM food must be employed. Before being released to the public as food products, GM food must be made to undergo multiple examinations to determine its various side-effects, if any, and to ascertain its safety for human consumption. Furthermore, compulsory food labelling of GM food must be necessitated. Agri-business industries should be made to mark their products of GM food in order for consumers to identify genetically modified foodstuff from unmodified ones. Additionally, the usage of chemical and toxic substances such as pesticides and herbicides that may result in harm to the environment should be regulated by the government. Stringent perimeters should be implied upon the amount of these pesticides used that may be employed throughout the growth and production of these GM foods. 6.0 Conclusion Succinctly, GM food should be forbidden for the greater good of mankind due to human health hazards, environmental risks, as well as exceedingly high costs for cultivation. GM food has not been proven to be entirely safe for consumption, as proven by multiple cases of dangers wrought through its intake as well as utilization. Therefore, in an attempt to restrain the increasing popularity of GM food, various parties must play their respective parts and take a stand in this issue. We, as humans capable of thought and logic, must progress with caution and prudence lest we bring destruction to ourselves and to the environment. Only by doing so can the future of mankind be guaranteed and the lives of our future generations spared from unnecessary dilemmas. 7.0 Bibliography Andrews, J., 2009, GM seed prices soar, Farmers Weekly Interactive, Reed Business Information Ltd., viewed 2 March 2010, http://www.fwi.co.uk/Articles/2009/12/07/119087/GM-seed-prices-soar.htm> banterminator.org, n.d., Introduction to Terminator Technology, Ban Terminator, viewed 2 March 2010, http://www.banterminator.org/The-Issues/Introduction> Chow, S., 2009, Genetically Modified Food Allergenicity and Safety Assessment, Centre for Food Safety, viewed on 2 March 2010, http://www.cfs.gov.hk/english/multimedia/multimedia_pub/multimedia_pub_fsf_36_02.html> Cummins, R., 1999, Hazards of Genetically Engineered Foods and Crops: Why We Need A Global Moratium, In Motion Magazine, NPC Productions, viewed 2 March 2010, http://www.inmotionmagazine.com/geff4.html> Domingo, J. L., 2000, Health Risks of GM Foods Many Opinions but Few Data, Mindfully.org, viewed on 2 March 2010, http://www.mindfully.org/GE/Many-Opinions-Few-Data.htm> geneticallymodifiedfoods.co.uk, n.d., Are GM Foods Destroying Biodiversity?, Genetically Modified Foods, viewed 2 March 2010, http://www.geneticallymodifiedfoods.co.uk/are-gm-foods-destroying-biodiversity.html> gmwatch.org, 2001, Superweed story turns nasty, GMWatch, viewed 2 March 2010, http://www.gmwatch.org/latest-listing/1-news-items/4021-superweed-story-turns-nasty> Malone, A., 2008, The GM genocide: Thousands of Indian farmers are committing suicide after using genetically modified crops, Mail Online, World News, Associated Newspapers Ltd., viewed 2 March 2010, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1082559/The-GM-genocide-Thousands-Indian-farmers-committing-suicide-using-genetically-modified-crops.html> Steward, G., 2000, Genetically Engineered Superweeds Emerge in Canada, Organic Consumers Association, viewed 2 March 2010, http://www.organicconsumers.org/ge/superweed.cfm> Pusztai, A., 2001, Genetically Modified Foods: Are They a Risk to Human/Animal Health?, actionbioscience.org, American Institute of Biological Sciences, viewed 2 March 2010, http://www.actionbioscience.org/biotech/pusztai.html> Sakko, K., 2002, The Debate Over Genetically Modified Foods, actionbioscience.org, American Institute of Biological Sciences, viewed 2 March 2010, http://www.actionbioscience.org/biotech/sakko.html> Whitman, D. B., Genetically Modified Foods: Harmful or Helpful?, ProQuest, viewed 2 March 2010, http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/gmfood/overview.php> 8.0 Appendix 1

Lowering the Bar :: College Education School Essays

Lowering the Bar We have reached an era where everyone is expected to go to college, and educators are forcing this goal upon unwilling individuals to their great detriment. According to Barbara Schneider and David Stevenson in The Ambitious Generation: America's Teenagers, Motivated but Directionless, only fifty percent of twelfth graders surveyed in the 1950s expected to attend college, but by the 1990s, that number had increased to 90% (5). Much of this can be attributed to the increasing complexity of the American workplace—machinery has replaced most of the blue-collar jobs that existed five decades ago, and nearly every job requires some degree of technical sophistication. Much of it, however, cannot. Almost half of teenagers expecting to attend college â€Å"hope to get degrees that exceed the credentials needed for the occupations they want† (Schneider 6). Schneider calls this an example of misaligned ambitions, as the majority of teenagers â€Å"have high ambitions but no clear life plans for reaching them† (7). In the 1950s, high school students were segmented into different programs—vocational, commercial, general education, and college preparatory—but now, 95% of high schools in America are considered comprehensive (Schneider 113). This situation provides a difficult dichotomy, as high school graduates now are better educated than those who graduated in the 1950’s were; but where our grandparents could expect that a high school diploma would gain them a job in a company where they could advance for the rest of their career, current â€Å"adolescents believe the college diploma is the basic credential needed to obtain meaningful work† (Schneider 52). What 80% of college bound students do expect, however, is a professional occupation after college, compared to only 42% of previous generations (Schneider 5). So, while more people expect to go to college than before, more of those who expect to go to college also expect to be better rewarded for it than students in the 1950s. This is another example of misaligned ambitions, but were the majority of those students successful, it could be overlooked. Instead, what we are finding is that today’s students are not prepared to succeed in a university environment. Only 34% of students who were freshmen in 1989 finished their bachelor’s degree in four years, with an additional 24% finishing in five years. To look at these numbers on a smaller scale, my freshman suite can be considered as an example.

Shooting an Elephant, Critical Analysis Essay -- essays research paper

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Throughout Orwell’s literary career, he avidly stood against totalitarian and imperialistic forms of government. His two most famous works (1984 and Animal Farm) both exemplify this point, but at the same time weaken it. These two works were written in protest of those governments, but in a fictional back ground. In Orwell’s essay Shooting an Elephant, he uses a personal experience to more clearly emphasize the impact of imperialism at the sociological and psychological level, in conjunction with other literary elements. This symposium of devices help drive the purpose of his paper and ultimately creates a more substantial impact on any reader.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The most obvious is his choice to illustrate his point through a very real and personal experience of his own. By doing so, it rendered an almost real and more tangible world for the audience to interact with. Orwell, being an Englishmen, was in a position to see both sides of imperialism’s harms to society, and present both to his audience. He told how both abused the other either physically or verbally, and how they ran each other’s actions. While it is possible to explain this by other means, the direct experience with it testified much stronger.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In addition, this form of writing allowed Orwell’s voice to come more clearly to the reader. He was able to directly express his thoughts and views at the time. Weather they were a loathing toward h...

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Essays -- Biography Biographies Bio

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Mozart is perhaps the greatest musical genius who ever lived. Mozart 's full name is Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Most people called him Mozart or Wolfgang. Mozart was born in Salzburg, Austria, January 27, 1756. His father, Leopold, perhaps the greatest influence on Mozart's life, was the vice Kapellmeister (assistant choir director) to the Archbishop of Salzburg at the time of Mozart's birth. Mozart was actually christened as "Joannes Chrysotomus Wolfgangus Theophilus," but adopted the Latin term "Amadeus" as his name of choice. Mozart was one of seven children born to Leopold and Anna, however, only one other sibling survived.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  By the age of four it was evident that he possessed tremendous musical talent and music memory. His father, a master violinist and composer, decided to enroll young Wolfgang in harpsichord lessons. At age five Mozart was composing music and by age six he had mastered the keyboard. By his early teens, he had mastered the piano, violin, and harpsichord. He began composing minuets at the age of 5 and symphonies at age 9. In 1762, Mozart and his elder sister Maria Anna (best known as Nannerl) who was also a gifted keyboard player, were taken by their father on a short performing tour, of the courts at Vienna and Munich. Encouraged by their reception, they embarked the next year on a longer tour, including two weeks at Versailles, where the children enchanted Louis XV. In 1764 they arrived in London. Here Mozart wrote his first three symphonies, under the influence of Johann Christian Bach, youngest son of Johann Sebastian, who lived in the city. In Paris, Mozart publi shed his first works:four sonatas for clavier: with accompanying violin in 1764. After their return to Salzburg there followed three trips to Italy between 1769 and 1773.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In 1768 he composed his first opera, LA FINTA SEMPLICE, for Vienna; but conflicts prevented its performance, and it was first presented a year later at Salzburg. Mozart was a successful composer and violinist. He used the form of concerto (like the Symphony, in several section) to display the qualities of wind instruments, like the horn. His crowning achievements in concerto form, however, are for piano and orchestra - in all 25 works. Mozart's performances of his own piano concertos had much to do with the development of the instrument. In 1770, he began to ... ...him to ask Mozart to compose a Requiem Mass - a Mass for the Dead. But the nobleman wished to pass the music off as his own. Mozart agreed, not knowing the strangers true intention.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mozart may had died of a number of illnesses. The official diagnosis was miliary fever, but the truth is that the physicians who attended him were never quite sure what Mozart died of. He suffered from rheumatic pain, headaches, toothaches, skin eruptions, and lethargy. A common theory today is that Mozart died of uremia following chronic kidney disease. Regardless of the cause, Mozart became bedridden for the last two weeks of his life. He died at shortly after midnight on December 5th, 1791, aged thirty-five years, eleven months, and nine days. Bibliography Einstein, Alfred. Mozart, His Character, His Work. New York, 1962. Knepler, Georg. Wolfgang Amadà © Mozart. Cambridge, 1994. Landon, H.C. Robbins. 1791: Mozart's Last Year. New York, 1988. Steve Boerner. The Mozart Project, Revised December 20, 2000 http://www.Mozartproject.org ? . The Mozart Story, http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Delphi/6014/ Mozart Addicts Home Page http://www.geocities.com/Vienna/Strasse/8417/

Lymphatics Webquest

Lymphatics web quest Suggested site- www. cdc. gov, feel free to use other reliable sites as well. 1. What animal can transmit Cryptococcus? Wild birds like pigeons. 2. Can dogs and cats get Cryptococcus? Yes 3. What is the infectious agent for Bubonic Plague? Yersinia pestis 4. By how much was the world population reduced during the Plague pandemic? About 450 million to between 350 and 375 million. 5. What year (within the past 100 years) did the world experience a flu pandemic? 1918 6.What are 3 symptoms of chikungunya fever? Fever, vomiting, nausea, head ache, and joint pain. 7. What bacterium causes Lyme’s disease? Borrelia 8. What is ‘erythema migrans? ’ A rash often seen in the early stage of Lyme disease 9. Find a disease transmitted by rabbits and list 2 symptoms. Tularemia it gives you sweats and fever. 10. What are symptoms of guinea worm disease? There are usually no symptoms until about a year after infection. Before the worm comes out the person may d evelop a fever, swelling, and pain in the area. 1. How long can a guinea worm grow? Adults are about 2-3 feet long. 12. Describe lymphocytic filariasis. A parasitic disease caused by the African eye worm. The adult worm can only live in the human lymph system. 13. On what day of the year does world TB day occur? March 24th 14. How do seasonal, avian, and pandemic flu outbreaks differ? Seasonal flu follows predictable patterns. Pandemic flu is very rare. Avian flu is a virus with the potential to become a pandemic. 5. What childhood diseases does the CDC recommend children to be vaccinated against? Chickenpox, Flu, and measles 16. Find one type of cancer caused by a virus. Cervical cancer 17. What is the cause of rheumatic fever? Rheumatic fever can occur after an infection of the throat with a bacterium called streptococcus phogenes. 18. List 1 disease caused by a fungus. Histoplasmosis 19. What is a telltale symptom of whooping cough? Coughing making a whooping sound. Lymphatics Webquest Lymphatics web quest Suggested site- www. cdc. gov, feel free to use other reliable sites as well. 1. What animal can transmit Cryptococcus? Wild birds like pigeons. 2. Can dogs and cats get Cryptococcus? Yes 3. What is the infectious agent for Bubonic Plague? Yersinia pestis 4. By how much was the world population reduced during the Plague pandemic? About 450 million to between 350 and 375 million. 5. What year (within the past 100 years) did the world experience a flu pandemic? 1918 6.What are 3 symptoms of chikungunya fever? Fever, vomiting, nausea, head ache, and joint pain. 7. What bacterium causes Lyme’s disease? Borrelia 8. What is ‘erythema migrans? ’ A rash often seen in the early stage of Lyme disease 9. Find a disease transmitted by rabbits and list 2 symptoms. Tularemia it gives you sweats and fever. 10. What are symptoms of guinea worm disease? There are usually no symptoms until about a year after infection. Before the worm comes out the person may d evelop a fever, swelling, and pain in the area. 1. How long can a guinea worm grow? Adults are about 2-3 feet long. 12. Describe lymphocytic filariasis. A parasitic disease caused by the African eye worm. The adult worm can only live in the human lymph system. 13. On what day of the year does world TB day occur? March 24th 14. How do seasonal, avian, and pandemic flu outbreaks differ? Seasonal flu follows predictable patterns. Pandemic flu is very rare. Avian flu is a virus with the potential to become a pandemic. 5. What childhood diseases does the CDC recommend children to be vaccinated against? Chickenpox, Flu, and measles 16. Find one type of cancer caused by a virus. Cervical cancer 17. What is the cause of rheumatic fever? Rheumatic fever can occur after an infection of the throat with a bacterium called streptococcus phogenes. 18. List 1 disease caused by a fungus. Histoplasmosis 19. What is a telltale symptom of whooping cough? Coughing making a whooping sound.

Journey to the Center of the Earth Essay

Based on one graphic novel, write about an important lesson that you have learnt. An important lesson that I learnt from the graphic novel, Journey to the centre of the Earth is that we should never give up and have confidence in ourselves. Professor Lidenbrock felt very excited when he found the document about how to get to the centre of the earth. He wanted to learn about what lies beneath our feet. although getting to the centre of the earth was not going to be easy, he still went because he was a determined man. Although the journey was fraught with difficulties he never gave up because he had confidence in himself. In the end the journey was a success. Based on one graphic novel, write about a happy event. A happy event in the graphic novel of A Journey to the centre of the Earth is when the Professor, Axel and Hans managed to come out of the earth uninjured and alive. They could have easily when been hurt or died as they were only on a raft and were thrown out of an erupting volcano. They landed uninjured in Sicily which is 3,000 miles away from Iceland where they started their journey. It is a happy event as they had successfully journeyed to the centre to the earth and lived to tell the tale of their adventure. Based on one graphic novel, write about an event that you cannot forget in the novel. An event that I cannot forget is when Axel passed out because they had run out of water. Hans, their guide then left Axel and the Professor. When Axel woke up he looked for Hans. When he could not find Hans he thought that Hans had deserted them,. However an hour later Hans returned. He then told them that he found water. Axel was very grateful to him. This is an unforgettable incident because although Hans could have easily left them he did not. He was a good and responsible guide. Based on one graphic novel, write about a character you sympathise. The character that I sympathise is Axel Lidenbrock. He is Professor Otto Lidenbrock’s nephew. When the professor wanted to figure out what the runic symbol in the document by the famous explorer, Arne Saknussem meant he forced Axel to help him. He said both he and Axel will not eat or sleep until they find the meaning. Later when they find out that the document shows how to get to the centre of the earth the professor forces Axel to go with him. I think as an uncle, the professor is a bully and I sympathise with Axel because he is not given a choice by his uncle. Based on one graphic novel above, write weather you like or do not like the ending of the story. I did not like the ending because I think it is a bit ridicuious. The explorers think they are going to die because they are on a raft in a volcano and the temperature is steadily increasing. The water begins to boil and their raft rises and finally when the volcano erupts the explorers are thrown out of the volcano. They land in Sicily, a country 3,000 miles away from Iceland. I think if they were in a volcano that was going to erupt they would have died. Therefore I feel the ending is illogical and I did not like it. Based on one graphic novel above, write an interesting event. An interesting event in the graphic novel, Journey to the centre of the Earth is when the explorers are caught in an electrical storm. They were travelling in an underground sea on a raft made by Hans. Suddenly the raft was hit by an electrical storm. Axel nearly died but luckily he survived. The explorers landed on a beach. The compass showed that they were back where they started. However the professor did not give up and said it was time to travel across the dangerous sea again. I found the event interesting as it showed that the professor does not give up easily.