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Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies

April 18, 2006 11:57 PM

Guns, Germs and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies Charlie Gorichanaz AP Biology – Hour 1 Semester 2 Book Assignment April 18, 2006 Table of Contents Summary- 3 Reactions- 6 a. This book made me realize that…-- 6 b. This book made me wish that…-- 7 c. This book made wonder about…-- 8 Extensions- 10 Article 1 – For the birds- 10 Article 2 – Does racism harm health?- 11 Article 3 – Evolution, consequences and future of plant and animal domestication 12 References- 14 Summary Guns, Germs and Steel is the most fascinating book I have ever read! The author, Jared Diamond, takes the reader back in history 13,000 years to a time when humans were little more than hunter-gatherer bands that roamed the lands. From there, Diamond systematically tackles every facet of human development, beginning with the rise of food production. He goes on to discuss domestication of animals, the origin of germs, and then the evolution of...

The benefits of studying English Grammar in preparation for taking college entry exams

January 11, 2006 12:00 AM

In an age of increasing reliance on technology, many people fear that colleges will increasingly resort to judging students on testable traits of writing, rather than relying on actual writing samples of the students. Regardless of which direction colleges are actually moving in, it is indisputable that college entrance exams are an important part of the admissions process. Some people argue against the importance of grammar, but knowledge of grammar has many general benefits, as well as benefits for gaining acceptance to college. Since English grammar is a component of each major college entrance exam, studying grammar is beneficial in preparation for taking the exams. The Other Side It is generally accepted that all sides of a controversy should be examined before a person renders his or her judgment. Since numerous viewpoints on the importance of studying grammar exist, presenting evidence both in support of and against studying grammar is only fair and logical. Especially over the past five decades,...

Looking Backward

December 19, 2005 12:00 AM

Perfect worlds do exist. The trouble is that sometimes such worlds exist only in the imagination – in the imagination of Edward Bellamy, for instance. One of few who not only thought of ways to improve the world, but also pieced together every aspect of an ideal society and then published that vision, Bellamy certainly stands with a small cluster of distinguished authors of the late nineteenth century. He was born in Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts, on March 26, 1850. A product of a family of unorthodox thinkers, Bellamy was interested in social reform. He despised class distinction, money, and all the things that cause human suffering – a disposition which motivated him to publish Looking Backward in 1887. Under the romance-novel façade, the book is really a thought-provoking prophesy that exposes the roots of all human suffering and offers a solution to nearly every problem known to man. Looking Backward, though it lacks a captivating plot, does well to describe Bellamy’s vision of a perfect world and the human ideas, such as money and private enterprise, which prevented that perfect world from existing.

The truth behind the cost of new drugs

November 29, 2005 9:32 PM

As Americans, we develop more drugs than any other country. Not surprisingly, we lead the world in drug consumption as well. We also pay more for our drugs, as Americans are now spending hundreds of billions of dollars each year on our precious pills. Merrill Goozner, former Chief Economics Correspondent at the Chicago Tribune, compiled data from hundreds of sources in the writing of his book, The $800 Million Pill. While drug companies would have you believe drug prices mirror the millions they spend on research, Goozner builds quite the opposite case: American tax dollars finance the research, and then Americans must also pay exorbitantly high prices for those resulting drugs. This is a controversy that is currently raging throughout our country. Not only does The $800 Million Pill deal with drug prices, but it also touches on national health care, Medicare coverage, and what should be done about pharmaceuticals and developing countries. As a preview of what was...

Are viruses alive?

May 7, 2005 12:08 AM

Viruses have been thought to be poisons, then life-forms, then chemicals – and today scientists are yet unsure if they are living or nonliving. The notion that viruses are largely nonliving has caused scientists to ignore viruses in the study of evolution – but viruses play a huge role in the evolution of life. Wendell Stanley at Rockefeller U. in NY, 1935, crystallized a virus, revealing that it was made of a bunch of complex biochemicals, and lacked essential metabolic systems. This showed the world that viruses were not alive, which was believed, but only for a time. It was later discovered that viruses have their own nucleic acids, and upon entering a living cell, induce the cell to produce more viruses based on its own DNA. This act makes a virus seem very alive. Perhaps the reason nobody can say for sure if viruses are dead or alive is that nobody can say for sure what life is. A...

Position of women

April 27, 2005 12:00 AM

Few fights have been fought longer and harder than the battle for equality among men and women in America, and it can be argued that the fight still is not over. Nevertheless, from 1890 to 1925, economic developments and assumptions about the nature of women tended to bolster the position of women, yet political developments, although necessary in the long run, provided for a major setback during the 1920’s. Prior to the 1890’s, many male Americans assumed that women had half or brain power as men, and that with their frail bodies, they needed to be provided for, even controlled, by their husbands. The role of women was to be the homemaker, not the breadwinner. Therefore, not many women received an education, and very few women were in the workforce. In the second half of the 19th century, beginning at Seneca Falls, a rift was set in motion – the women’s rights movement. By the late 1890’s, much ground had...

American expansionism

April 8, 2005 12:00 AM

The United States grew up in a rare situation – isolated, on a vast continent, with relatively little foreign danger. As the nation grew, the Americans kept pushing westward. This would have to end sooner or later, though, and toward the end of the nineteenth century, the frontier was declared “closed.” Expansionism in the late nineteenth century was more or less a continuation of past expansionism, but right around the turn of the century, change loomed. At this point, the US policies departed from previous thinking. As the settlements across the continent became denser, the US government looked past the borders for opportunity. Americans became involved with many overseas areas, including Hawaii, Cuba, the Philippines, China, Japan, and many others, especially in the nearby Caribbean. In a sense, America’s expansionist drive was simply, or not so simply, continuing beyond our coastlines. The industry of America also reflected this lack of restraint. Factories and production were growing very rapidly, often at...

Gaining an identity through unity

March 15, 2005 12:00 AM

Britain’s colonies in North America had traditionally lacked a high level of unity in days prior to 1754, when the Seven Years’ War was just beginning. Factors such as wide distances, conflicting religions, multiple nationalities, geographic barriers, boundary disputes, and differing forms of colonial governments all added to the disunity that was characteristic of the colonies. It took the foreign threat of the French on American borders to spark a movement toward working together. Colonial unity was bolstered by many events beginning with the French and Indian War, but the American identity was not significantly pursued and lived out until the Lexington Massacre. Since fighting between was already taking place within Ohio, a need for collaboration between colonies became apparent, in order to ward off the Indians and the French. In 1754, an intercontinental congress was organized by Britain, to take place in Albany, New York. A month before the meeting was to take place, Benjamin Franklin published one of...

An intro to canoeing

March 1, 2005 1:44 AM

Dating back to the Native Americans and even before that, canoeing has been a popular method of transportation and recreation. Though today it is not such an essential skill as it once was, knowing how to get around in a canoe can prove to be extremely beneficial in the great outdoors. Even if you have never canoed in your life, learning to canoe is relatively easy. Becoming an expert takes a great deal of practice, but anybody can learn to canoe. Before learning anything about canoeing, some vocabulary must be familiarized. The parts of a canoe are similar to that of any other watercraft. The bow is the front end of the canoe, and the stern is the back end. The bottom shape of the boat is the hull. Gunwales (pronounced “gunnels”) run along the top edge of a canoe’s hull, helping to hold its shape. Gunwales are usually made of wood, vinyl or aluminum. Thwarts are cross pieces in...

Optimistic pessimism in American reformation

March 1, 2005 12:15 AM

Perhaps the most interesting era in American history was the Age of Reform during the early-to-mid nineteenth century. Social and cultural unrest led to monumental change, especially with regard to utopian experiments, education, and women’s rights. Led by what some would call visionaries of the time such as Robert Owen, Horace Mann, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, these reform movements greatly impacted the direction of America, for better or for worse. Along those lines, the idea of optimism for a better future may have driven the efforts for change, but optimism cannot exist unless there is pessimism for the way things are now. At an extreme, some felt that so much was wrong with human society that the only solution was to start completely anew – thus, over forty “utopian experiments” were founded. A notable example was a wealthy and idealistic Scottish textile manufacturer by the name Robert Owen. In 1825, he started a communal society in New Harmony, Indiana. Maybe...

America's revolutions

February 16, 2005 11:02 PM

When the American Revolution took place and the United States declared its independence in 1776, many were probably glad that the fighting was over. Little did people of that time know that America would again engage in a major revolution - one involving Americans killing Americans. One social issue was a rift that was driving the North and the South further apart, and that issue was slavery. Conflict over slavery involved a high emotional drive, as well as greed. Ultimately, the Constitution was utilized by the South to protect slavery, and by the North in order to effect change. These constitutional and social developments that occurred between 1860 and 1877 amounted to a revolution of three stages: civil war, reconstruction, and return of the planter aristocracy. Ever since the beginning of slavery in America, the moral implications of human bondage have nagged at many, eventually resulting in open conflict. At first, the states attempted to maintain a balance of...

Tons of bacteriology, biotechnology and genetics article summaries

January 28, 2005 12:00 AM

Charlie Gorichanaz BBG Extra Credit April 29, 2005 Genetics Shown As Aid To Hypertension Care; Study Points Way To Better Diagnosis and Targeted Individual Treatment Researchers from Montreal, Quebec, are thanking a new genetic database for better treatment of high blood pressure (hypertension). The researchers found that there are different types of hypertension, and they run in families. Within five years, individual blood tests for custom treatment will be available. Forty-six chromosomal areas have been identified to coincide with hypertension. The different genes that have been found to trigger hypertension are set off by environmental factors, such as stress, nutrition, or socio-economic factors. Once the blood tests are utilized, patients can be prescribed the correct medication the first time, saving the health care system at least half of the $1,500 currently spent on hypertension patients. (Canada) Since most people don’t know they have hypertension until after their first heart attack or stroke, the testing should help a great deal. On...

Shaping American politics in the 1790s

January 2, 2005 12:00 AM

When the United States stood up to Britain as a sovereign nation in 1776 with the Declaration of Independence, there was a significant unity among the leaders of the country. President George Washington’s unanimous election showed this. The goal was to construct a new nation from scratch, pioneering representative democracy as a new form of government, while at the same time pioneering the uncharted American continent. Without foreign control, it was that initial unity that drove the United States forward. As the country developed, inner tensions began to come forth, culminating in the formation of the two-party system towards the end of the 18th century. It was domestic affairs such as Hamilton’s financial plan, the Whiskey Rebellion, and the Alien and Sedition acts that most greatly impacted politics in the 1790’s. The French Revolution, and other foreign affairs triggered by it, also had an influence on American politics, but this influence was somewhat less than that of domestic affairs at...

The ancient olympics

December 1, 2004 12:00 AM

Every four years, the Olympics are viewed in part by several billion people. Almost every country sends participants to try to bring home the gold and be placed on the map. This Olympic tradition was revived in the late 1800’s, and originates with the Greeks almost three thousand years ago, probably around 776 B.C. Several centuries after the birth of Christ, the Romans put an end to the games. The Olympic tradition lasted at least a thousand years, and was most popular during the 5th and 4th centuries B.C. The games were carried out for a period plenty long enough to allow for plenty of written accounts to be recorded, from which we can study the Ancient Olympics today. The Events On the first day of each Olympic festival, no competitions were held, for the day was devoted to sacrifices. Then on day two, footraces were held in the stadion, an oblong area enclosed by sloping hills of earth. Historians...

Articles effective as a stepping stone

November 30, 2004 12:00 AM

When Congress appointed a committee to draft a written constitution for the United States in 1776, shortly before declaring independence, many issues needed to be addressed. In order for the United States to survive, some level of central government had to be created with the authority to carry out its duties. As the nation stood, the Second Continental Congress held little power. It had no constitutional authority and exercised a small amount of control over the military and foreign policy. The thirteen states, for all practical purposes, were just that - thirteen states, not one united nation. Each state was sovereign, coined its own money, raised its own armies and navies, and enacted its own tariffs. As a result, these weak sovereignties were no formidable force, practically at the mercy of any foreign power that might have wished to exert control over the states. In order to build a stronger defense against outside forces, a new plan had to be...

Hotel administration

February 27, 2004 1:39 AM

Career Cluster Hotel administration is a path within the Hospitality & Tourism career cluster, a cluster that includes any career related to the marketing, management, and operations of many different areas of business. Restaurants, catering, lodging, amusement and other attractions, recreation and travel services all fall under Hospitality & Tourism. According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, a very large portion of the workforce is employed within this sector, and that fact is not likely to change in the foreseeable future (2005). One area of employment within this career cluster is the restaurants and other food and beverage services group. Bakers, brewers, servers, bus people, and specialty chefs may all work within a restaurant, under a restaurant owner. Larger restaurants may have several managers, such as a bar or cocktail manager, a floor manager, a kitchen manager, or a general manager. Upscale establishments usually have a host, and possibly a wine steward (Bureau of Labor Statistics,...

Doubleplusungood Big Brother society

March 6, 2002 10:38 PM

By CHARLIE GORICHANAZ The Saint Hubert Press No matter where you go, you are never alone. He sees your every action, hears your every word, and knows your every thought. His likeness is plastered in all places: on coins, on stamps, and on everything else that belongs to him. Everything belongs to him. The only property you own is the few cubic centimeters inside your skull. There is no running from him, and nothing you can do about it. Big Brother is watching you. Winston Smith is no different from any other Party member. He works sixty hours a week in the Ministry of Truth, under constant supervision of Big Brother. The telescreens, or two-way televisions, were in all places, capturing all that you said and did. Never did you know for certain that you were being watched at the moment, but there is always the possibility. The people of the time now instinctively showed no facial expressions, nor did...

Pablo Picasso, 1881-1973

February 11, 2002 11:50 AM | -44

Pablo Picasso was born in Málaga, in Andalusia, on the southern coast of Spain. He had a great impact on twentieth century art and influenced many artists. The son of talented painter José Ruiz Blanco, he began to draw at an early age. In 1895, the family moved to Barcelona, and Picasso studied there at La Lonja, the academy of fine arts. His visit to Horta de Ebro from 1898 to 1899 and his association with the group at the café Els Quatre Gats in 1899 were crucial to his early artistic development. In 1900, Picasso’s first exhibition took place in Barcelona, and that fall he went to Paris for the first of several stays during the early years of the century. Picasso settled in Paris in April 1904, and soon his circle of friends included Guillaume Apollinaire, Max Jacob, Gertrude and Leo Stein, as well as two dealers, Ambroise Vollard and Berthe Weill. Shortly after moving to Paris from...