Cloning: A Good Thing Essay -- Science Genetics DNA Clone Essays

Cloning: A Good Thing A growing controversy in the world today is cloning. One stance is that cloning and cloning research should be banned altogether. Another position is in support of no restrictions of cloning and that scientists should be able to test on animals if they deem it necessary. Many other views are squeezed into different gray areas on the topic. It would be beneficial to explore the methods, benefits, moral and ethical conflicts involved with human cloning to fully understand the pros of cloning. The methods of human cloning and the research that accompanies them can provide a great deal of benefits. The benefits of human cloning include important medical breakthroughs, reproduction, and morality issues. Animals and plants could be cloned to produce lifesaving medicines through the research obtained on the way to human cloning. Human cloning research could cure many incurable diseases. â€Å"Medical breakthroughs from cloning research could cure cancer and heart attacks, lead to organs for organ transplants, and a revolution in cosmetic surgery. A balding man could have grafts made of his own hair and have it transplanted onto his scalp† (Human Cloning Foundation). Human cloning technology could allow children to lead better lives than their parents did, because of medical breakthroughs. Cloning could lead to the fountain of youth. It could allow reproduction of organs so people could transplant organs and never die. Infertile couples co...

Sylvia Plath: A Search for Self :: Biography Biographies Essays

Sylvia Plath: A Search for Self      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The collective body of Sylvia Plath's poetry demonstrates definitively her mastery of her craft. Plath has been criticized for her overtly autobiographical work and her suicidal pessimism, however, close study reveals that her poetry transcends categorization and has a voice uniquely her own. As Katha Pollit concluded in a 1982 Nation review, "by the time she came to write her last seventy or eighty poems, there was no other voice like hers on earth" (Wagner 1). In works such as "Lady Lazarus," "Daddy," and "Morning Song," Plath relates her own painfully experiences in the form of dramatic monologues using a persona who eventually triumphs over adversity by regaining the self that had been lost before the struggle of the poem.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to Plath, the narrator of "Lady Lazarus" has "the great and terrible gift of being reborn . . . she is the Phoenix, the libertarian spirit" (Wagner 71). In compact three-line stanzas, the speaker sardonically comments on her unique ability and its implications. Her tone demonstrates her boredom towards the attention paid to her by "the peanut-crunching crowd." Unlike the Biblical Lazarus who is called forth from the grave by Jesus, Lady Lazarus is able to resurrect herself and so avoids the polarities of God and Lucifer. Neither of these figures is able to exact punishment for the atrocities that man heaps on man, so the speaker transfigures herself by reducing her body to ashes and reviving her life through flame. As Leonard Sanazaro points out, "This willfulness to arise and devour humankind in the form of a self-fulfilled deity points up the impotence of the traditional concepts of good and evil" (Wagner 90) Lady Lazarus transcends these boundaries.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The imagery used throughout the poem is associated with the treatment of the Jews by the Nazis in concentration camps during World War II. Plath addresses the inhumanity of the situation, using such phrases as "A cake of soap,/A wedding ring,/A gold filling" to represent a human being. Plath also alludes to the medical experimentation that was practiced by the Nazi doctors. Plath has often been criticized for relating her hardships to that of the Jews. After all, she grew up in a relatively stable and affluent home and received an excellent education; her suffering was in her mind. Plath said specifically that her poems had come:

Role Model Review

For this assignment I have chosen a leader that is in charge of overseeing the over 300,000,000 people of the United States of America, (The World Fact Book, July 2010) the 44th President of The United States of America, Barack Obama. The primary duty of the president of the United States is to make sure that all United States laws are carried out and that the federal government is run effectively. Although the president may not introduce new legislation he does hold the awesome power to veto all bills that are approved by the legislature. In addition, the president has the weighty role of commander in chief of the armed forces. As the nation's chief executive, the president oversees foreign policy, making treaties with foreign nations and appointing ambassadors to other nations and to the United Nations. He also appoints members of the Cabinet, as well as Supreme Court justices and federal judges. As you can tell the job of the president of The United States is full of responsibilities and is a job that should not be taken lightly. When president Barack Obama was elected to office in 2008 it was an election of epic proportions. That year there was not only the first African American running for president, but also the first female. After the primary elections it was clear that the race for the 44th president was going to be between Republican candidate John McCain and Barack Obama. President Barack Hussein Obama II has a story that American dreams are made of. He claims to have been raised with values from the heartland, a middle-class upbringing in a strong family, hard work and education as the means of getting ahead, and the conviction that a life so blessed should be lived in service to others. He was born in Hawaii on August 4, 1961. His father was from Kenya and his mother was from Kansas. He was raised with the help from his grandparents. His grandfather served in Patton's army and his grandmother was a secretary at a bank. Barack worked his way through college with the help of scholarships and student loans. (whitehouse.gov) President Obama has claimed to be a Christian, but there has been many who would question this because of his Muslim roots. President Obama has been quoted as saying that he has attended the same Christian Church for the past 20 years. (The associated Press) This is after he was accused of being an Islamic terrorist because his father as well as his step-father were both Muslim. President Obama and his family were in fact members of The Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago until he had a disagreement with his pastor. (The associated Press) There are things that President Obama has endorsed throughout his campaign and throughout his presidency that I do not agree with. I do not agree with his issues on abortion, even though he did stop federal funding of it. I am also not a fan of his health care reform. I believe that there are other ways than what he is proposing to make sure that the American people have affordable health care and health care coverage As with any leader there will always be things that everyone dislikes and things that only some people like. This is after all a free country that is driven by freewill and democracy. Personally I can see why people would hold president Obama to the standards of a role model and even a hero. His story is truly amazing and is an example of the American dream. I however would not say that he is a perfect person to be a role model. As I mentioned before I do not agree with a lot of his policies or that he has a Muslim background. I also do not agree with the thought of a public official being thought of as a role model for children when he openly discusses his battle with nicotine. There are really none of us that are perfect, but as Christian's we are to strive to be Christ like. Throughout the past few years I have watched as president Obama has delivered public addresses and wondered if he were turning religion and faith into the same thing. The only way that he can talk about religion is to talk about his faith, but never specifically mentioning what he has faith in therefore turning faith into an irrelevant flourish of sentimentality that one can choose to wrap around social justice or dispose of completely. I feel that this is bringing religion down to the lowest common denominator. I cannot look at a man as a role model that tries to make Christianity politically correct.

Classic Quotes From Comedian Mitch Hedberg

Classic Quotes From Comedian Mitch Hedberg American stand-up comedian Mitch Hedberg was known for his quirky observations and dry delivery of fast one-liners that kept his audiences hustling to keep up with him. His friends claim he was the funniest person in the world. Whether or not you agree, youre bound to enjoy reading some of his classic remarks.   Mitch Hedbergs Thoughts on a Mechanized World I know a lot about cars. I can look at a cars headlights and tell you exactly which way its coming. I like an escalator, man, cause an escalator can never break. It can only become stairs. There would never be an Escalator temporarily out of order sign, only Escalator temporarily stairs. Sorry for the convenience. Funny Things About Food I bought a donut, and they gave me a receipt. When will I ever need to prove I bought a donut? Some skeptical friend: Hey man! Dont you even act like I didnt buy this donut! I have the receipt ... damn ... I forgot it at home ...in the filing cabinet under D...for donut. That would be cool if you could eat a good food with a bad food and the good food would cover for the bad food when it got to your stomach. Like you could eat a carrot with an onion ring and they would travel down to your stomach, then they would get there, and the carrot would say, Its cool, hes with me. My friend said to me, You know what I like? Mashed potatoes. I was like, Dude, you have to give me time to guess. If youre going to quiz me you have to insert a pause. On Relationships I dont have a girlfriend. But I do know a woman whod be mad at me for saying that. I dont have any children, but if I had a baby, I would have to name it, so I would get a baby-naming book. Or I would invite somebody over who had a cast on. To Sleep Perchance to Dream You know, Im sick of following my dreams, man. Im just going to ask where theyre going and hook up with em later. I hate dreaming because when you want to sleep, you want to sleep. Dreaming is work. Next thing you know, I have to build a go-cart with my ex-landlord. Department of Health People who smoke cigarettes, they say You dont know how hard it is to quit smoking.  Yes,  I do. Its as hard as it is to start flossing. Someone handed me a picture and said, This is a picture of me when I was younger. Every picture of you is when you were younger. Heres a picture of me when Im older. Whered you get that camera man? I used to do drugs. I still do, but I used to, too. My fake plants  died  because I did not pretend to water them. Mitch Hedbergs Random Musings on Golf and Other Subjects Im not good at golf, I never got good. I never got a hole in one, but I did hit a guy. And thats way more satisfying. Youre supposed to yell Fore, but I was too busy mumbling There aint no way thats gonna hit him. I went to the park and saw this kid flying a kite. The kid was really excited. I dont know why. Thats what theyre supposed to do. Now if he had had a chair on the other end of that string, I would have been impressed. You know, theres a fishing show on TV. They catch the fish, but they let it go. They dont want to eat the fish, but they do want to make it late for something. I use the word totally too much. I need to change it up and use a word that is different but has the same meaning. Mitch, do you like submarine  sandwiches? All-encompassingly.

terrorist attacks essays

terrorist attacks essays Recently the U.S. has been under attack by foreign terrorists. The Terrorists sieged four American planes by force with the use of box cutters and knifes. After taking over the airplanes they dive-bombed the Pentagon and the U.S. trade center. The U.S. has been unsure what actions to take upon the leader, who they believe to be in charge of the whole plan to attack the U.S. It is hard to make a decision because the U.S. doesnt really know where to find this guy. So far they know he is in Pakistan. They believe he lives underground and in caves, which makes it hard to locate him. Now I am not an U.S. but I will give my opinion and my views. I am happy to see the way that the U.S. is handling this tragedy. Many people are volunteering to help find survivors. Many of the volunteers are citizens of the race that is believed to be attacking us. I also happy that citizens that are not that race arent beating on those people and starting riots. The people on the hijacked planes are pitiful because if there is at least ten passengers on them planes those terrorists shouldnt have taken over those aircraft. It was just to many people on that and to few with knifes to take over those planes. Also why didnt the U.S. react to four planes heading to the West Coast that suddenly turned around? I believe it should have been noticed and taken care of. Now it is time to take action. This what the money that goes too military is used for. I believe we have an ample amount of weapons and resources to deal with this problem. Many people I have talked with feel the same way. It is time for the U.S. to take action. People of the U.S. dont enjoy being laughed at by little Palestinian kids. We should be able to find that murderer and deal with him. Everybody doesnt agree with my views but the majority seems to. ...

Leopard Facts

Leopard Facts Leopards (Panthera pardus) are one of five species of the big cat genus Panthera, a group that also includes tigers, lions, and jaguars. These beautiful carnivores are the subject of movies, legends, and folk tales, and are common in captivity. There are nine official subspecies of leopards, as well as several proposed sub-species. Leopards are considered to be vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered animals in different areas of their range, which includes portions of African and Asia. Fast Facts: Leopards Scientific Name: Panthera pardusCommon Name(s): Leopard, pard,  pardus, pantherBasic Animal Group:  MammalSize: 22–22 inches tall, 35–75  inches longWeight: 82–200 poundsLifespan: 21–23 yearsDiet:  CarnivoreHabitat:  Africa and AsiaConservation  Status:  Endangered or Near Threatened depending on location Description The base color of the leopards coat is cream-yellow on the belly and it darkens slightly to an orange-brown on the back. A dappling of solid black spots is present on the leopards limbs and head. These spots form circular rosette patterns that are golden or umber in color at the center. The rosettes are most prominent on the jaguars back and flanks. Spots on the leopards neck, belly, and limbs are smaller and do not form rosettes. The leopards tail has irregular patches that, at the tip of the tail, become dark-ringed bands. Leopards exhibit a range of color and pattern variations. Like many species of cats, leopards sometimes exhibit melanism, a genetic mutation that causes the skin and fur of the animal to contain large amounts of the dark pigment called melanin. Melanistic leopards are also known as black leopards. These leopards were once thought to be a separate species from non-melanistic leopards. Upon close inspection, it becomes apparent that the background coat color is dark but the rosettes and spots are still present, just obscured by the darker undercoat. Leopards living in desert areas tend to be paler yellow in color than those that live in grasslands. Leopards inhabiting grasslands are a deeper golden color. Leopards have shorter legs than many other species of big cats. Their body is long and they have a relatively large skull. Leopards are similar to jaguars in appearance but their rosettes are smaller and lack a black spot in the center of the rosette. Full grown leopards can weigh between 82 and 200 pounds. The lifespan of a leopard is between 12 and 17 years. Rudi Hulshof/Getty Images Habitat and Distribution The geographical range of leopards is among the most widespread of all the big cat species. They inhabit the grasslands and deserts of Sub-Saharan Africa including West, Central, South and East Africa as well as South East Asia. Their range does not overlap with jaguars, which are native to Central and South America. Diet and Behavior Leopards are carnivores, but their diet is among the widest of all the cat species. Leopards feed primarily on large prey species such as ungulates. They also feed on monkeys, insects, birds, small mammals, and reptiles. The diet of leopards varies based on their location. In Asia, their prey includes antelopes, chitals, muntjacs, and ibex. Leopards hunt mainly during the night and are skilled at climbing and often carry their prey into trees where they feed or hide their catch for later use. By feeding in trees, leopards avoid being disturbed by scavengers such as jackals and hyenas. When a leopard captures large prey, it can sustain them for as long as two weeks. Anup Shah/Getty Images Reproduction and Offspring Leopards have multiple mates and reproduce year-round; females attract potential mates by excreting pheromones. Females give birth to two to four cubs after a gestation period of about 96 days and usually produce a litter every 15 to 24 months. Leopard cubs are tiny (about two pounds at birth) and spend their first week of life with their eyes closed. Cub learn to walk at about 2 weeks old, leave the den at about 7 weeks, and are weaned by three months. They are independent by the age of 20 months, though siblings may stay together for several years and young leopards often stay in the area where they were born. Dietmar Willuhn/Getty Images Conservation Status Leopards are more numerous than any of the other great cats, but, according to the Animal Diversity Web, Leopards are declining in parts of their geographic range due to habitat loss and fragmentation and hunting for trade and pest control. As a result, leopards are listed as near threatened on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Efforts are underway to protect most of their range in West Africa, but numbers are still shrinking; five of the nine subspecies of leopard are now considered to be endangered or critically endangered: Panthera pardus nimr  - Arabian leopard (CR Critically Endangered)Panthera pardus saxicolor  - Persian leopard (EN Endangered)Panthera pardus melas  - Javan leopard (CR Critically Endangered)Panthera pardus kotiya  - Sri Lankan leopard (EN Endangered)Panthera pardus japonensis  - North Chinese leopard (EN Endangered)Panthera pardus orientalis  - Amur leopard (CR Critically Endangered) Sources Burnie D, Wilson DE. 2001. Animal. London: Dorling Kindersley. p. 624.Guggisberg C. 1975. Wild Cats of the World. New York: Taplinger Publishing Company.Hunt, Ashley. â€Å"Panthera Pardus (Leopard).†Ã‚  Animal Diversity Web, animaldiversity.org/accounts/Panthera_pardus/.

Environmental Health Assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Environmental Health Assessment - Essay Example The hydrocarbon wastes emitted by the oil refineries can do immense damage to the biological systems situated in their vicinity (Jahdali, 2008, p.34). The environmental pollution caused by the oil refineries has a broad scope that involves an above average level of pollutants in the air, large scale contamination of the soil and the above average contamination of the underground and above ground water resources (Jahdali, 2008, p.34). The gravest risk to the residents living in the neighborhoods like Torrance, which lie in the vicinity of a proposed petroleum refinery, will come from the utterly polluted air (Jahdali, 2008, p.35). The emissions from most of the oil refineries contain large amounts of sulfur dioxide, Nitrogen oxides, and heavy metals like zinc, lead, cadmium, besides loads of other pollutants like toluene, phenol and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (Jahdali, 2008, p.35). Sulfur dioxide is the primary pollutant emitted by the oil refineries that gets accumulated in the lower layers of atmospheric air. Rainfall and humidity cause this toxic gas to precipitate and settle down in the surrounding soil (Jahdali, 2008, p.35). Eventually this pollutant gets absorbed by the plants including the fruits and vegetables growing in the area. Sulfur dioxide has been known to cause a range of ailments like lung cancer, allergic rhinitis, lung inflammations and a number of other respiratory and cardiovascular diseases (Opera and Mihul, 2003, p.84). The damage caused by sulfur dioxide to the people living in the vicinity of the oil refineries comes from two sources i.e. through long term inhalation of the poll uted air and through the food chain. Besides sulfur dioxide, the other pollutants emitted by the petroleum refineries are also known to cause many debilitating and sometimes incurable diseases. Another potential risk to the people living around the oil refineries comes from asbestos that is widely used for insulation in the oil refineries. Thus not only the workers employed in the petroleum refineries get exposed to asbestos, but the people living around such facilities do get to inhale asbestos particles emitted by them. Asbestos has been known to cause pleural mesotheliomas and is a medically proven carcinogenic substance (You Claim, 2002). The threat caused by asbestos emissions from the petroleum refineries is particularly pertinent in the case of the US, which has nearly 150 petroleum refineries scattered across 32 states. Besides, various scientific studies have established beyond doubt that the children living in proximity to industrial pollutants face severe problems related to academic and physical growth (Krisberg, 2006, p.3). Exposure to air pollutants emitted by facilities like petroleum refineries has been known to cause augmented instances of Preterm Delivery in the residents living around them (Leem, et al., 2006, p.1). As per a British medical study, rampant instances of childhood leukemia were noticed near petroleum refineries and oil storage installations (Gilman, 1997, p.156). It is imperative that the health hazards associated with