Migrating: The Machine in the Garden :: Four Freedoms Roosevelt Essays

Migrating: The Machine in the Garden On January 6, 1941, Franklin D. Roosevelt addressed Congress with a speech outlining the four freedoms that every American should have. In context, one must realize that this was before World War II - before the attack on Pearl Harbor that would occur in December of that year. His speech said that as Americans, we each should expect to have by right - freedom of speech; freedom to worship God in any way we choose; freedom from want - that is, the necessities of life such as food and shelter; and freedom from fear. The speech so moved artist Norman Rockwell that he went on to paint his famous series known as the "Four Freedoms." Rockwell's paintings would later be used to help in the war effort by advertising the sale of war bonds. The rhetoric of the day made Americans feel a responsibility to his or her country. When war broke, Americans were eager to help. Many left the comfort of their parents' homes to fight in the war effort. They left with the images of Rockwell and words of FDR fresh in their minds. In 1945, nine million American servicemen and women came home from war. No longer were they children - living in their parents' home - but young men and women eager to build their lives. Between 1946 and 1964 over seventy-six million baby boomers were born. There was a tremendous need for housing. People such as William Levitt understood that need. In 1947, he broke ground on the first of three towns he would build. He bought one thousand acres of potato farms on New York's Long Island and started building. Eventually he built 17,000 affordable homes in what became known as Levittown, New York. "The Rancher - A New House in Levittown - Special Introductory Price - $8,990 - $57 a month! No cash required from veterans!" Photo borrowed from Levittown, 2002. Levittown was the beginning of the mass migration to the suburbs, however, the idea dates to the 1930's with Roosevelt's "New Deal in the Suburbs" (Christensen, 1986, p. 72). The Greenbelt Program was designed to develop urban areas into garden cities. Not only would this model program show that a city could develop urban planning to incorporate ideals and alleviate housing problems of the day, but would translate into much needed jobs.

Environmental Science Chapter 18 Review Essay

Chapters 18-1 & 18-2 Review Section 1 Review – 1. List six forms of renewable energy, and compare the advantages and disadvantages of each. Pros: 1) Passive solar heating may hold a great advantage for a homeowner if there is reliable sunlight that is able to shine into the home and create warmth. Also, it will reduce energy bills in their liquid even when the sun is not shining. 3) Wind power is cheap, clean energy that is the average household. 2) Active solar heating systems have the advantage of storing heat in essentially free once the infrastructure is paid for. 4) Biomass fuel is in abundant supply and can convert waste into energy. 5) Hydroelectric energy may be expensive to build, but are inexpensive to operate. Unlike fossil fuel plants, hydroelectric dams do not release air pollutants into the atmosphere that cause acid precipitation. They also last longer than most other plants. 6) Geothermal energy is almost entirely emission free and can be built underground. Cons: 1) Passive solar heating may only be seen as an effective use of power if the climate is able to provide enough sunlight. 2) Active solar heating plans are expensive and in most areas, an active solar system will be unable to capture enough sunlight to replace the heating and electrical systems in a house. 3) Wind power can be a failed energy source, for wind is inconsistent, unsteady and unpredictable. 4) Biomass fuel is costly to produce and needs a substructure of fossil fuel for production and use. It can result in habitat loss, deforestation, and harmful air pollution. 5) Hydroelectric energy is directly related to how much water is available, thus potentially causing a drought. They also relate to interventions in nature due to damming of water, changed water flow and the construction of roads and power lines. 6) Geothermal power is also expensive to obtain and must be managed carefully so that it is not depleted . 2. Describe the differences between passive solar heating, active solar heating, and photovoltaic energy. Passive solar energy uses the sun’s energy to heat something directly while active solar heating and photovoltaic energy uses energy from the sun that is gathered by collectors. 3. Describe how hydroelectric energy, geothermal energy, and geothermal energy pumps work. Hydroelectric energy is produced by heating up water to produce steam, which then spins the turbines and generates electricity. Geothermal energy  is created when steam rises through a well and drives turbines, which generate electricity. The leftover liquid water is then pumped back into the hot rock. Geothermal energy pumps are used so when the ground is warmer, the heat is transferred from the ground to warm the house and when the ground is cool, heat is transferred from the house to the ground to cool the house. 4. Explain whether all renewable energy sources have their origin in energy from the sun. Only a small fraction of the sun’s energy reaches the Earth. However, this energy is enough to power the wind, plant growth, and the water cycle. So nearly all renewable energy comes directly or indirectly from the sun. Section 2 Review – 1. Describe three alternative energy technologies, and identify two ways that hydrogen could be used as fuel source in the future. Three examples of alternative energy technologies are tidal power, ocean thermal energy conversion, and solar chimneys. Tidal power is when the tide rises, water flows behind a dam and when the tide falls, the water is trapped behind the damn. When water in the reservoir is released, it turns a turbine that generates electricity. OTEC is when warm surface water is brought to a boil in a vacuum chamber. The boiling water produces steam to drive a turbine that generates electricity. Solar chimneys use the greenhouse effect to produce moving air that escapes through a central chimney where wind turbines make electricity. Hydrogen can be burned as fuel, for it does not contain carbon, so it does not release pollutants associated with burning fossil fuels and biomass. Hydrogen isotopes can also be used in a controlled nuclear fusion reaction. 2. List as many w ays as you can for individuals and communities to conserve energy. – Replacing light bulbs with new energy efficient models – Adjusting the temperature of your home while away or sleeping – Wash clothing with cold water – Install low-flow showerheads and faucets – Turning out lights in vacant rooms 3. Describe the difference between energy conservation and energy efficiency. Energy efficiency is the percentage of energy put into a system that does useful work while energy conservation means saving energy. 4. What factors influence a person’s choice to conserve energy? Factors that may influence a person’s choice to conserve energy are to help lower their energy bill and help the environment.

Aftermath – creative writing

BANG! I woke. I opened my eyes but was unable to see. The dust had settled like concrete boulders into the corners of my eyes! Everything was deadly still. The wind fiercely gave a shout. A black cloud stood dominating the demolished town. I moved my hands to wipe my irritated eyes, boulders, brickwork, broken furniture and complete devastation stood before me. A ray of light appeared through cracks of the rubble. The boulders took on features like monsters and ogres – making my chest tighten with fear. I vociferated for help. No one was around. I was scared: Petrified. I managed to pull my achy bones out from the debris, the pain was horrific. I could feel the cold misty wind stroke my face. In the far distance I could hear low voices that became louder and louder: hysterical screams. I attempted to crawl my way towards the noise – in hope for help. Shards of glass dug into the palms of my hands. Warm blood trickled down my knees, my throat tightened with the dirty dense dust. I could taste the fear. Behind me I heard a crackle. I turned. The flames of fire danced before my eyes. The heat scorched my face like the hottest sauna could. The smoke was a ferocious lion ready to pounce. I moved as quickly as I could, using all the energy I had. Slowly crawling like a young baby. I felt hopeless: disconsolate! The further I crawled the louder the low voices became. It was a horrendous atmosphere! The town had become a tragedy! Buildings around me had collapsed surrounded with sneaky smoke, brickwork and furniture were slowly burning away, the air was thick full of unknown flumes, why wasn't anyone around? What had happened? No building stood tall, burnt out office work scattered the debris, ashes and litter played in the wind. My body filled with just one emotion: anxiety. Cars around me were smashed and strangled with fire. I watched in dismay. Crashing noises appeared. Brickwork collapsed- followed with a speechless smash. More rubble fell with bold broken bang! Screaming voices emerged. I crawled towards the screams. I was able to hear sirens wailing in the faint distance carried by the wind. I began to see flashing lights though the dark debris. There was only one word to describe it: hope. Suddenly I glimpsed with the squint of the eye. The site of panicked people was ahead of me. My heart skipped a beat. I shouted, â€Å"Hello, can you hear me†. No one replied. â€Å"Can you hear me?† I screamed. I waited. I listened. A young lady ran over to me. â€Å"Its okay, you're safe now,† announced the lady. â€Å"What's happened? What's happened?† I repeated. She didn't answer. She grabbed my arm and wrapped it round her neck giving me support. We approached the flashing lights. Countless amounts of ambulances and fire engines appeared. Hundreds of people were gathered staring at the ruined town. Many people were hysterically screaming and crying. Dead bodies were covered with white cloths. I became speechless. Tears ran down my face. â€Å"Its over, you survived†, quietly explained the young lady. I took a big breath. I closed my eyes. I thought. One word repeated through my head: lucky.

How is Thomasina presented by Stoppard in Arcadia, and what methods and techniques does he use Essays

How is Thomasina presented by Stoppard in Arcadia, and what methods and techniques does he use Essays How is Thomasina presented by Stoppard in Arcadia, and what methods and techniques does he use Paper How is Thomasina presented by Stoppard in Arcadia, and what methods and techniques does he use Paper Essay Topic: Literature In Arcadia, Tom Stoppard uses many different techniques and methods to affect our opinion of Thomasina, one of the main characters in the play. Many of these techniques are successful, as by the end of the play the majority of the audience will have formed a strong opinion of Thomasina. The opening few lines that she speaks in the play are all questions; immediately this gives a good first impression as the audience can see that Thomasina is not afraid to be inquisitive. She asks, Septimus, what is carnal embrace? We can then see that she is not satisfied with the answer she is given, leading her to ask, Is that all? This gives the impression that she is very clever and not afraid to ask questions of her elders. In the first scene, this creates a favourable opinion as the audience can sense that Thomasina will be an interesting character to have in the play. We are also given the slight idea by Stoppard that Thomasina does not ask the questions entirely in innocence, and has perhaps simply asked them to make Septimus nervous. This again makes the audience feel that she is very intelligent. It also creates ambiguity around the character for the audience as they are curious to Thomasinas true personality. The audience is clearly shown Thomasinas intelligence throughout the play; she constructs her arguments as well (sometimes better) as any adults around her or those that we see in the future. When asked what she knows of carnal embrace (having brought the subject up to deflect attention from Septimus), she replies: Everything, thanks to Septimus. In my opinion, Mr Noakess scheme for the garden is perfect. It is a Salvator! This method of deflection of attention onto her by Thomasina is extremely clever, as she senses the trouble Septimus has got himself into and quickly takes control of the situation. By saying more than one point that she can be questioned on, (both Everything, thanks to Septimus, and It is a Salvator! ), she gives Septimus time to think of an explanation. This is because the audience can then see that the adults in the scene are trying to follow Thomasinas diversion of the conversation. Both Lady Croom and Mr Noakes become confused, highlighting Thomasinas clear intelligence over them to the audience. Her intelligence and knowledge also makes the audience feel inferior to Thomasina, as there are points in the play when it is hard for us to understand exactly what she means. The audience also warms to Thomasina more because of this, as she has helped Septimus out. Also, as it the line almost lands Septimus in a lot of trouble, the audience begins to wonder about her motives again, this creates curiosity around the character and we find her more interesting. Although for much of the play the audience could feel inferior to Thomasina, there are also times in the play when the audience is made to feel other emotions towards her, which make us feel superior. In the opening scene, Lady Croom asks Thomasina How old are you this morning? This line from Lady Croom demonstrates to the audience that she clearly does not spend any time with her daughter, so little that she does not even know her age. She also asks her age again later on in the play. This discovery makes the audience feel sorry for Thomasina, as we are led to believe she has had little affection shown towards her in her life. Members of the audience are most likely to be sympathetic with her as opposed to looking down on her because of it this is because we begin to understand how she might be feeling. When Thomasina and Septimus are talking of Cleopatra, the audience also finds out that Thomasina is very sceptical about love in general. She says: It only needs a Roman general to drop anchor outside the window and away goes the Emperor like a christening mug into a pawn shop. This line appears to be said with a bitter tone of voice. As the line in general is based on the concept of love, this makes the audience feel quite sad, as Thomasina is so young and would perhaps feel that someone as young as she is should not be so bitter. It also gives the impression again that she has not seen a lot of love, both around her and towards her in her life. This would have been common in rich families in the 19th century, with many wealthy mothers having too many social engagements to permanently take care of any children. The audience also feels sorry for her when Septimus cons her into translating a very difficult piece of Latin. We see her struggle with the translations, and end up with something that does not flow very well. As this is the first time in the play when we see her intellectually struggling with something, it is one of the first real moments when we do not feel inferior. In this way she becomes more of a natural character to the audience as it is more child-like. However, upon being shown in the play that she has been tricked by Septimus, the audience immediately feels sorry for her. This is a clever method by Stoppard to make the audience pity Thomasina, and perhaps relate to her more. The power struggle between Septimus and Thomasina is ongoing throughout the play, and the audience can see that there has been no real winner in it so far. Thomasina calls Septimus a Cheat! several times in quick succession, and she is incredibly angry with him. This fact that she is so visibly upset makes it clear to the audience that she is disappointed disappointed that Septimus would result to such low methods to get the power back. We then feel sorry for Thomasina, as Septimus is probably the person that the audience sees her closest to in the play, having seen that she receives little attention from her family. It is also the first time that we have seen her quite so vulnerable and one of the few times in the entire play that she shows such strong emotion towards anyone. Many children in those times would have had tutors, but it probably would have been rare for the relationship between them to be so close. As she reacts so fiercely to Septimus actions, in a way it undermines her previous speech on the downfalls of love the outburst of emotion perhaps gives the audience the impression that she was indeed putting on a front in earlier scenes. Again, this makes the audience feel sympathy towards Thomasina as it helps us to realise how lonely she is. The relationship between Thomasina and Septimus is in complete contrast to the one between Bernard and Chloe Thomasina and Septimus have many intellectual conversations and seem to enjoy each others company. There also seems to be more respect between them. Having two pairs of people in the different time periods shows the differences in the times i. e. that there was much more formality and politeness in the earlier times. The conversation is also more contrasted, mainly in that Bernard and Chloe talk more about their personal lives with each other than Septimus and Thomasina do. I think that this shows that people in modern times are much less reserved than they used to be, and are more prepared to talk about feelings etc. It also illustrates that perhaps it was not usual to discuss personal lives at all let alone with people that are not family members. This might seem to the audience today as a strange occurrence, and might be perceived as very private behaviour, when in actual fact it was very common and all conversation was very reserved. Thomasina as a character is also used by Stoppard to create a lot of the humour in the play, both indirectly and directly. A large source of the humour is her conversation and argument with Septimus. She argues with Septimus over natural equations, leading to the line Armed thus, God could only make a cabinet. This produces humour in the scene, and the audience is again impressed that she can understand this concept fully enough to makes jokes on the subject. The humour comes from the fact that she has managed to undermine her tutors argument with one simple witty line. Quite a large proportion of the humour comes from Thomasinas intelligence and wit. During the play, there is much technical conversation about maths and science, both from the older characters and the modern ones. The humour that comes from Thomasinas intelligence helps to lighten the tone of various scenes in the play. For example, in an early scene, Thomasina and Septimus are discussing free will. The language that is used in the technical conversation could feasibly make it hard for the majority of the audience to follow therefore making the tone of the scene serious. However, Thomasina then announces Oh! I see now! The answer is perfectly obvious! As the conversation has previously been so puzzling, the way she decides she knows the answer is humorous to the audience. Added to this, the facial expression of Septimus would be quite shocked that Thomasina knows the answer, again bringing humour to the scene. In this way, Stoppard ensures that the audience likes Thomasina as a character and a person for comedy value if nothing else. The witty lines she brings to the play also ensures any audiences do not see her as a boring character they give the character of Thomasina more depth. A main technique of presenting Thomasina to the audience is by using the other characters in the play, from the old and modern scenes. A part of this is by having the character of Chloe in the modern time, who is both a contrasting and a similar character to Thomasina. Chloe is a much more aggressive, modern style character who uses far less informal language than Thomasina does during the play. She also seems less innocent than Thomasina. For example, Chloe says, If you dont want him, Ill have him. Is he married? This is a suggestive thing to say a direct contrast to Thomasinas opening line What is carnal embrace? Having this contrast with the more direct Chloe makes Thomasina seem much more naive, which again gives the audience the feeling of superiority. An audience is more likely to relate to a character that they do not feel inferior to so this is a clever method of Stoppards to push the audience into liking Thomasina. However, both characters are curious and inquisitive, asking the question Do you think Im the first person to think of this? I think that this illustrates that both Thomasina and Chloe have new ideas and are not afraid to be different. As Chloe is more of an outgoing character than Thomasina, this might make audiences subconsciously think of Thomasina as more entertaining also. The differences in time and tradition in the play become more apparent as the play continues we see similarities and differences between various characters. The biggest obvious contrast is the behaviour of the characters, as in the earlier time they are much more polite to one another and use more formal language. This is why Chloe has such a large effect on the perception of Thomasina Chloe uses slang terms occasionally and swears, whereas Thomasina is very polite and it is clear to see a lot of emphasis was put on manners in that time. These differences help the audience to see Thomasina as more innocent compared to both Chloes time and the time in which they are watching they play. The audience also would like her more because of it the language differences put Thomasina in a favourable light compared to many children her age today, also. Audience reactions today would also be different than in previous times, for example a girl enjoying maths and science is not unusual today and would not be much of a shock, but in the time of Thomasina it would have been considered strange (shown by the reactions of Lady Croom). The reactions of characters in earlier time periods are contrasting in points in the play, and this creates interest for the current audience as we are curious to see why these opinions are so. Another character that has a large effect on how we see Thomasina is Septimus, her tutor. The power struggle and arguments between them both have a large effect on how the audience views Thomasina. The relationship between them also has an effect on this. At the start of the play, they are sat down in a formal manner, introduced as tutor and pupil, and an audience might expect the relationship to be that way. However, there are many short, sharp exchanges between them in the play, such as this one: Thomasina: You did not like my discovery? Septimus: A fancy is not a discovery. Thomasina: A gibe is not a rebuttal. This exchange shows off how sharp they both are, but it also illustrates how intelligent Thomasina must be to keep up and even surpass his arguments. Audiences therefore respect her for realising she is clever enough to argue with him. At stages during the play, we see how Thomasina tries to impress Septimus and often tries to get his attention. For example, mid-way through the play she suddenly states, Mama is in love with Lord Byron. This would seem a shameless attempt to get Septimus to take interest in her, as he is engrossed in a book. However, I do not think audiences would see it as a spoilt thing to do many people would realise that Thomasina is just lonely as she has had little attention from her parents. Using Septimus as a friend to Thomasina is a clever technique by Stoppard to involve the audience and compel them to pity Thomasina. Within the earlier scenes in the play, Thomasinas intellect and wit mean that the audience sees her as a very mature character, and perhaps do not see her acting as if she is a young teenager. Therefore when she uses language that the audience might have expected her to use before the play began it seems as if she is being overly childish. At a few points during the play, we see Thomasina use word and phrases such as: Eurghhh! Oh, goody and Oh, phooey. These lines in the play are such a contrast to her usual scientific terms that the audience sees them as very childish perhaps endearing her further to the audience as it means that her language is, for once, inferior to that of an adult. By presenting Thomasina as a mature person, Stoppard creates an image of her that the audience can like both with the childish and the advanced language. Thomasina is also a contrasting type of person to the majority of modern teenagers; her language, hobbies, and manner are all of a very different style than they would be today. She is much more innocent than teenagers today are perceived, and this could also make her more endearing to modern-day audiences. The childish language she sometimes uses, such as Pooh! again illustrates this, as it is very un-aggressive and innocent compared to much of the language used today. As through the majority of the play the audience sees Thomasina as very intellectual and scientific, it is quite a dramatic change later on when she suddenly becomes more outgoing. In a later scene when Thomasina is older, she is fixated on learning to dance, and one of her speeches about it is: I must waltz, Septimus! I will be despised if I do not waltz! It is the most fashionable and gayest and boldest invention conceivable started in Germany! This speech from Thomasina is extremely unlike her way of speaking it is filled with superlatives (gayest, boldest etc) which it itself is not too unusual, unless it is combined with the fact she is talking about dancing and it becomes strange as previously she has not cared for that sort of thing. She also calls dancing an invention which is bizarre coming from Thomasina, who the audience knows is a scientific type of character and person. The audience is able to sense that she is trying to be different but are unsure of the reason this is a clever technique of Stoppards to get the audience feeling more involved in the play. Because of this new side to her, the audience also become fonder of Thomasina as a character and a person, as she suddenly gains more dimensions as a character. It is a subtle technique by the playwright of adapting the main opinion the audience has of Thomasina which is important as by this stage we are reaching the end of the play. It is also a complete contrast to her earlier speech about Cleopatra and love which again shows the change in her personality in the play. One major factor of the play that greatly affects how the audience perceives Thomasina is the fact that the whole play is set in two different time periods. With the more modern characters attempting to find out about Thomasina, the audience is indirectly told pieces of information about her and the entire household. When we are informed that Thomasina was entirely correct about the mathematical method that she was working on, and that It hasnt been around for much longer than, well, call it twenty years, and that its publishable the audience realises that Thomasina really was a genius and could have been famous as she had wished. This is ironic as in a way she was put down by Septimus for attempting the equations. Audience reaction to this would be split; part of them would feel sad that Thomasina was right all along, but this fact could also be perceived as satisfying for the audience. Having the modern characters in the play enables the audience to find out additional information, and so feel closer to the characters and more involved in the later stages of the play. The two time periods also drastically affect how we see the ending of the play, and how we perceive Thomasina towards the end of it. As we find out about Thomasinas death indirectly through the modern characters, it builds up further sadness for the audience than it otherwise might have done. Valentine says Oh the girl who died in the fire! We are also told she was dead before she had time to be famous. As the characters in the modern day did not know Thomasina, they state that she has died very bluntly. Using the word girl shows to the audience that now she is just another person that lived a long time ago, i. e. emphasising that there is nothing special about her. It is also a very casual word, showing that the modern characters do not really care about her death and have no reason to. This shocks the audience as we did not expect this to happen, and gives the impression of one person being very insignificant in the overall scale of time. This creates even further pity for Thomasina in the final stages of the play, as the audience knows what will happen to her. It also saddens the audience somewhat as we felt close to Thomasina in the earlier stages of the play. Telling us the outcome of the play before it reaches it is a subtle technique by Tom Stoppard of affecting the audiences final opinion of Thomasina. The overall ending of the play creates a lot of emotion around and about Thomasina, as the audience already knows what is going to happen. Thomasina is adamant that Septimus will teach her how to waltz. It is the first time during the play that we see Thomasina do anything rebellious or remotely outgoing. The candle is specifically mentioned in the scene, Septimus warns her Be careful with the flame. This increases the sadness for the audience as we know she dies in the fire, and is a clever technique of Stoppards to make the audience remember what will happen. However, in this scene we last see Thomasina happy as she has learnt to waltz as she wished. I think this scene is generated the way it is by Stoppard to ensure that the audience remembers Thomasina as a character with lots of depth. We also feel a lot of sadness for and towards her as we have seen Thomasina grow up. As she managed to fulfil her ambition to learn to waltz, however, it also has a slightly happy undertone as she would have died after doing something she wanted. The change that Thomasina undergoes throughout the play ensures that the audience can relate to her much more than might have been though at the beginning of the play. I think Stoppard would have planned this change in her character from the start so that he could manipulate the audience into really becoming fond of the one of the main characters in the play. The success of the play, in part, will depend on how the audience views Thomasina, and this is why the techniques Stoppard uses to present her to the audience are so important.

THREE MAIN CHARACTER TRAITS IN essays

THREE MAIN CHARACTER TRAITS IN essays There are three main ideas in the novel named The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, which will be discussed. One main point is the use of authority and how it affected the people of Salem, Massachusetts. Leading into the hypocrisy that was displayed by the people of higher authority. The people who were judged by the higher authorities showed courage. First, lets see how the use of authority played out. The use of authority in THE CRUCIBLE was very obvious and direct at times. One example of this is when Reverend Parris uses his authority to obtain material things like golden candle sticks and firewood. He also tries to obtain the deed to the house that was provided for the reverends by the towns people. Danforth is another character who used their authority wrongfully. When he was trying to get a name for a witness out of Giles Corey he said he would hold him in contempt of court and he threatened him with jail time. Giles replied by saying it was a hearing and he could not do that. Danforth then replied sternly stating, Oh it is a proper lawyer! Do you wish me to declare the court now in full session here? Or will you give me a good reply (pg. 90)? As a result the overuse of authority leads them to hypocrisy. Another main idea of THE CRUCIBLE is hypocrisy. It starts when Danforth says to John Proctor, We burn a hot fire here; it melts down all concealment (pg 83). By saying this Danforth meant he was going to find the truth no matter what, even if someone was trying to hide it from him. This gives the idea threat Danforth was going to lead a very honest court room and was going to judge people fairly. This was not the case by the end of the story though. Instead of keeping things fair and just Danforth makes the following statement, I will not receive a single plea for pardon or postponement. Them that will not confess will han ...

Copperhead Snake Facts (Agkistrodon contortrix)

Copperhead Snake Facts (Agkistrodon contortrix) The copperhead snake (Agkistrodon contortrix) gets its common name from its coppery reddish-brown head. Copperheads are pit vipers, related to rattlesnakes and moccasins. Snakes in this group are venomous and have a deep pit on either side of the head that detects infrared radiation or heat. Fast Facts: Copperhead Scientific Name: Agkistrodon contortrixCommon Names: Copperhead, highland moccasin, pilot snake, white oak snake, chunk headBasic Animal Group: ReptileSize: 20-37 inchesWeight: 4-12 ouncesLifespan: 18 yearsDiet: CarnivoreHabitat: Eastern North AmericaPopulation: Over 100,000Conservation Status: Least Concern Description Copperheads may be distinguished from other pit vipers by their color, pattern, and body shape. A copperhead is tan to pink with 10 to 18 darker hourglass- or dumbbell-shaped crossbands on its back. Its head is solid copper-brown. The snake has a broad head, distinct neck, stout body, and thinner tail. A copperhead has tan to reddish brown eyes and vertical pupils. The average adult snake is between 2 and 3 feet in length and weighs from 4 to 12 ounces. Females have longer bodies than males, but males have longer tails. Habitat and Distribution Copperheads live in the United States, from southern New England to northern Florida and across to western Texas. They extend into Chihuahua and Coahuila in Mexico. The snake occupies a variety of habitats, including forests, swamps, rocky woodlands, and along rivers and streams. Copperhead snake range. Craig Pemberton Diet and Behavior Copperheads are ambush predators that camouflage themselves against the leaves and soil and wait for prey. They find their targets by heat and scent. About 90% of their diet consists of small rodents. They also eat frogs, birds, smaller snakes, and large insects. Copperheads climb trees to forage on caterpillars and emerging cicadas, but are otherwise terrestrial. Except for mating and hibernating, the snakes are solitary. The snakes hibernate in the winter, often sharing a den with other copperheads, rat snakes, and rattlesnakes. They feed during the day in spring and autumn, but are nocturnal during hot summer months. Reproduction and Offspring Copperheads breed anywhere from spring to late summer (February to October). However, neither males nor females necessarily breed every year. Males wrestle in ritual combat for breeding rights. The winner may then have to battle the female. The female stores sperm and may defer fertilization for several months, usually until after hibernating. She gives birth to 1 to 20 live young, each measuring about 8 inches in length. The young resemble their parents, but they are lighter colored and have yellowish-green tipped tails, which they use to lure lizards and frogs for their first meals. Baby copperheads are born with fangs and venom that is as potent as that of adults. Females sometimes reproduce via parthenogenesis, an asexual mode of reproduction that does not require fertilization. Copperheads reach sexual maturity when they are about 2 feet long, which is around 4 years of age. They live 18 years in the wild, but they may live 25 years in captivity. Juvenile copperhead snakes have yellowish green tail tips. JWJarrett, Getty Images Conservation Status The IUCN classifies the copperhead conservation status as least concern. Over 100,000 adult snakes live in North America, with a stable, slowly declining population size. For the most part, copperheads are not subject to significant threats. Habitat loss, fragmentation, and degradation diminish snake numbers about 10% every ten years. In particular, populations are geographically separated in Mexico. Copperheads and Humans Copperheads are responsible for biting more people than any other snake species. While the copperhead prefers to avoid humans, it freezes instead of slithering away. The snake is difficult to spot, so people unknowingly step too close or onto the animal. Like other New World vipers, copperheads vibrate their tail when approached. They also release a cucumber-smelling musk when touched. When threatened, the snake usually delivers a dry (nonvenomous) bite or low-dose warning bite. The snake uses its venom to incapacitate prey prior to ingestion. Since people are not prey, copperheads tend to conserve their venom. However, even the full amount of venom is rarely fatal. Small children, pets, and persons allergic to snake venom are most at risk. Copperhead venom is hemolytic, which means it breaks red blood cells. Bite symptoms include extreme pain, nausea, throbbing, and tingling. While its important to seek immediate medical attention if bitten, usually antivenin is not administered because it poses a greater risk than the copperhead bite. Copperhead venom contains a protein called contortrostatin that may help slow tumor growth and cancer cell migration. Sources Ernst, Carl H.; Barbour, Roger W. Snakes of Eastern North America. Fairfax, Virginia: George Mason University Press, 1989. ISBN 978-0913969243.Finn, Robert. Snake Venom Protein Paralyzes Cancer Cells. Journal of the National Cancer Institute. 93 (4): 261–262, 2001. doi:10.1093/jnci/93.4.261Frost, D.R., Hammerson, G.A., Santos-Barrera, G. Agkistrodon contortrix. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2007: e.T64297A12756101. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2007.RLTS.T64297A12756101.enGloyd, H.K., Conant, R. Snakes of the Agkistrodon Complex: A Monographic Review. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, 1990. ISBN 0-916984-20-6.McDiarmid, R.W., Campbell, J.A., Tourà ©, T.  Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, Volume 1. Washington, District of Columbia: Herpetologists League, 1999. ISBN 1-893777-01-4.

Post 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Post 3 - Essay Example There have been numerous researches that have been published concerning the link between genes effect on IQ, group dissimilarity in IQ, race as well as impact of the environment on IQ. Specifically belligerent in the continuing argument has been the characterisation of concept of race and that of intelligence, particularly if they can be defined in an objective manner while being operationalized. Even though a number of environmental factors have been considered to influence differences in groups’ intelligence, there is no proof that they can elucidate the whole inconsistency. Nevertheless, there are no genetic factors that have conclusively demonstrated a casual association with group difference as far as intelligence test scores are concerned. Recent reviews concerning the debate have called for more research to be directed at the topic to define the relative influence of the environment and genetic factors in clarifying the superficial inconsistency in IQ among racial group s. The best evidence demonstrates that there exists no widespread change in the proportion of Americans who select multiracial identities. Additionally, practices that deal with racial self-classification have a lower likelihood of having considerable repercussions in relation to the direction of social policies than the acts of social classification. Social classifications entails the manner in which people are observed and considered racially as well as ethically by others. The chances that an individual has in life are hugely influenced by the manner in which others consider and position them than the person’s own choice of racial classification. The physical characteristics possessed by a person and the interpretation of these attributes by others are in most cases the key factors that dictate how they will be treated by others. Variations seen in racial identity that are produced by changing meaning of morphology as well as ancestry are in most