1. Persuasive Essay -English 105
   -Draft, outline, and references from Opposing Viewpoints Database and Galileo
   -Locate the In-Class Essay #2, and review
   -Submit both files to Dr. K by email
2. Livability on New Orleans
   -Investigate Water, Sewage and Electric for New Orleans, LA
   -Write rough draft based on guidelines by Paulette
   -Post on discussion board
3. Respiratory System
   -Check for new posts/emails on topic selection
   -Update student communications discussion board
   -Decide and post up final topic
   -Divide assignment sections
   -Post assignment sections for each member on their designated discussion board
   -Email Prof. Lynn informing her of all updates
   -Work on basic overview, functions of respiratory system and it's purpose in human body
   -Post on my discussion board
4. Work on Env Sci pending assignments

Qualities of a good movie

Have you ever endured a movie for an hour or two, just to be thoroughly disappointed at the ending? Or have you been very enticed by seeing previews, only to find out that the movie itself is a total fluke? Yes, indeed, we have all excitedly seen a movie only to be completely let down and upset at the overall film. Some of us even have cues or ideas that would have made a terrible movie into an acceptable one. But is there really a magic formula in creating a movie? Some might say it’s just a matter of a good director, a lot of planning and a dash of good luck; but let’s take a look at some of the best movies that have come and gone.
Some of the best movies of all time are The Godfather 2, Gone with the Wind, The Lord of the rings, Ferris Bueller’s day off, Dot the I, Apocalypto and Fight Club. All of these movies leave us with a thought provoking ending that surprises us, shocks us, or makes us feel a little more connected to humanity because we can empathize. Based on this idea, we can say that there are a few qualities that all great movies should bear, at least at a minimum level, in order to be considered good and remembered by the audiences.
Looking at the main idea of a movie, we can identify what to expect from it: if it’s a zombie movie, we know we will see plenty of bloodshed; if it’s a movie about a couple, we can guess that they break up and make up throughout the course of the film; if it’s about racing cars, we know we will see someone racing someone else; and if it’s a movie about cops, we know that someone will eventually get in a fight with the authorities. What sets apart the good ones from the bad ones is that the storylines are conceivable and convincing. The main theme behind the movie is presented in a way that, even if it is based on a fictional situation, the viewers can empathize and can imagine themselves in a similar situation at least partially.
The actors of the movie are also a significant factor in the outcome. Actors and actresses gave a face and personality to a character, and overall should be able to steer the viewer’s focus and perspective to their character’s involvement in the story. There have been many times a bad actor or actress plays the central role in the movie, and does not appear to be in-tune with the character they are playing. The lead actor or actress needs to in all possible ways transform into the character he or she plays and must also transmit this in his or her attitude and demeanor to the audience watching the movie.
Supporting actors and actresses are also important in the overall development of the movie. Although they must also be in-tune with their characters, the main idea is that they do not deter the movie or distract the audience from the main story of the central character, but in fact, they must build and add to it.
A good movie with a flowing storyline and good actors, must also have a plot to it, it is the reason behind of why the audience is watching. The plot has the viewers asking themselves “So what happens now?”. Although it is not a requirement, we do see that the majority of movies have a twist or turn in what was to be expected. This is a way of keeping the audience engaged and caught up with what is going on the movie. A good movie will compel us to watch in order to see the outcome of the events that are unfolding throughout the film, and will build up the excitement and anticipation for the ending as well. One thing that is important to notice is that a good movie will not overuse clichés and will not use the very obvious ones frequently, if at all. Some of these can be identified as “the good guy that gets the girl” or “the character that opens an ominous looking door to find the killer waiting” and such.
The ending of the movie is always the best part. The fact that a good movie has an interesting twist to the plot does not in any way mean that the ending must be over-the-top dramatic or unexpected. The ending can be somewhat predictable, but the important thing is that it has some emotional appeal to the audience. From being that the main character is unexpectedly killed to a surprising twist of events and an opportunity is found, to simply reiterating the main idea of the movie, a good ending will always be thought-provoking, heart-wrenching, puzzling or even upsetting; but always sticking to the margins of what can come across as feasible and believable.
In conclusion, we can all agree that everyone has different views and opinions about a movie’s overall outcome; however, it is simple to see that although there is no magical formula to make a good movie, they all have some common traits. A conceivable storyline, actors that make the audience empathize, an interesting plot that entertains the viewer without being predictable and an ending that appeals to the viewer at an emotional or intellectual level make sure that a movie has a good foundation and also ensure that a certain level of coherence and unity are present. Finally, we can say that a movie is like a complex tapestry, in which all the threads must link together in order to make a real masterpiece in which all the little details make up the bigger picture and a fascinating final result.

Tigers
Consequences of their extinction

Tigers are known to be one of the world’s best predators. Their skeleton, their body, their teeth, tail and stomach are all made for hunting. Tigers consume on average 50 animals per year, each (Busch Entertainment Corporation, 2002). Tigers mostly hunt wild boar, wildebeest, gazelles, and several species of deer, such as nigali, chital, and sambar. They inhabit dense forests, as this serves them as cover since they usually attack by stalking their prey and then suffocating them by pressing down their throat. Although they are great predators, they are currently an endangered species. Currently, there are 3 species of tigers that are extinct: Bali, Javan and Caspian. They all disappeared in the 20th century. Nowadays, the remaining species of tigers only occupy a mere 7% of the land they have historically been known to roam for prey (National Fish and Wildlife Foundation 2009). If we have a population of 100 or 150 tigers in a selected environment, and a larger population of prey, tigers will maintain a balance of the area’s resources and population, and this maintains a harmonious balance in the area. Also, this promotes survival of the fittest and makes for stronger prey and they make stronger offspring.
But, what happens to the population of the prey and the resources of the area if tigers extinct? Do tigers maintain a balance on the resources of the particular area they hunt in? My hypothesis is that by hunting, tigers help maintain a balance and a control on the population of their prey and the area’s resources.
If tigers go extinct, then several things would happen:
· Overgrowth of prey population
· Depletion of area’s resources: water, grass
· Barren lands: absence of carcasses to fertilize the land
In my example of a controlled experiment, two areas will be designated as protected areas for certain species: Wildebeest, Wild boars, deer and antelope. These are all either omnivores or herbivores and will feed off the natural resources of the area, such as grass, nuts, insects and small reptiles.
In area A, there will be all the above species and there will be tigers. This will be the control group for the experiment and will serve as a guide for the normal circumstances in which nature develops and tigers interact with the species around them.
In Area B, there will be the above species, but there will be no tigers. This means that the omnivores and herbivores will roam and reproduce freely; also they will have indiscriminate use of the resources available in the area.
There will be a total amount of 500 animals of these species in each protected area. There will be 7 tigers, 4 female and 3 male.The experiment will be conducted over an extensive period of time, 5 years. During this time, the population of the existing species in the area and their reproduction will be closely monitored. Most importantly, the abundance of natural resources, such as water, plants, fruits, and grass, will also be monitored. If, despite the absence of tigers, the environment still maintains a steady progression and the resources still abound, then the hypothesis is proven to be false.
During the experiment, we were able to observe the following: In the protected area A, where there were tigers, there were approximately 350 animals hunted by the tigers. However, due to the reproduction of the species, their population maintained an even balance since there were 400 births. There were also several cubs added to the tiger’s population, and ultimately we see that all the populations grow at a controlled rate. The natural resources of the area maintained an even level, as plants, water and food were never scarce, but never overgrown or overpopulated.In the protected area B, we were able to prove that if there is no hunt, the prey population overgrows and then depletes the natural resources available in the area. Water is scarce, plants’ fruits are few, and there are too many animals to be feed. Also, there are too many animals for the area, since 400 animals were birthed but only 100 died.
Based on the results of the experiment, we can say that the hypothesis was proven correct. By hunting, tiger maintain a balance on the resources and population of their prey and this in turn balances the natural resources available to all the inhabitants to the area.
The results of this experiment can be used as further evidence as to why we need to protect tigers from extinction and also as to why there must be a predator in a protected area. Further experimentation can be done to see which type of tiger manages to maintain a higher control of the population and resources based on their hunt, and also on how different prey can bring different results.
References
Busch Entertainment Corporation. (2002). Tigers. In Tigers. Retrieved May 4, 2009, from http://www.seaworld.org/infobooks/tiger/diettiger.html
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. (2009). Tiger Conservation Landscapes. In Save The Tiger Fund. Retrieved May 4, 2009, from http://www.savethetigerfund.org/Content/NavigationMenu2/Initiatives/TCL/ default.htm

Coral Reefs:
How they are affected

Coral reefs are some of the world’s most old and complex organisms, around since more than 200 million years ago, taking 50 million years to achieve the biological diversity they have now. The coral reefs we see today have built themselves throughout the last 8,000 t o 10,000 years.
Coral is a living organism, created through a cooperative alliance of coral polyps, a tiny animal that filters rock fragments from the surrounding water and single-celled plants that dwell within the polyps. The plants generate many of the nutrients the corals need to live and capture calcium from the seawater, which the polyps use to build their limestone shells.

Reefs are most commonly found between the Tropic of Capricorn and the tropic of Cancer. Here the waters are stable and warm (64-86 degrees Fahrenheit) year-round and the days are longer, providing more sunlight to the reef.
Reefs serve as home not only to live polyps but also, to many species of algae, seaweed, sponge, and mollusks. Coral reefs cover merely .2% of the ocean bottom, but account for over 25% of the world’s marine species.

There are many threats, both natural and anthropological to coral reefs. Due to erosion, the coral reefs are clouded with silt and mud and sediment from the earth drags into the ocean, clouding the reefs. This also means that fertilizers and untreated sewage drag into the reefs and impact negatively on the reefs as well. Because of sedimentation, garbage is also dragged and also ends up into the reefs, and also clouds the reefs as well. The untreated sewage also promotes the growth of excess algae, which in turn attracts predators and thus creates a cycle of destruction in which the coral reefs are the main victim.
This impacts the reef negatively because coral reefs flourish in clear waters because they need sunshine. Due to an excess of nutrients because of the erosion and sedimentation, there is algae overgrowth. The excess of algae attracts predators and this decreases the biodiversity of the coral reefs.
As ocean temperatures rise, the coral reefs start to turn white, causing what is known as “Coral bleaching”. The carbon dioxide that is expelled by cars, factories and the like is also being absorbed by the ocean. This in turn, acidifies the sea water and organisms with a calcified shell such as lobsters and coral reefs, are more prone to simply dissolving, much like a pearl dropped in acid.
Natural disasters, such as storms and tsunamis, also cause damage on the population of the coral reefs and destroy them as well.

Tourism impacts the reefs negatively because tourists take pieces of coral, damaging and breaking coral branches for souvenirs ignoring the fact that a single branch of coral reef can take hundreds of years to grow to it’s proportions. Also, careless boat operators drop anchors directly on the reefs and navigate directly over the reefs, damaging them with the propeller blades of their boats, and even scraping them in very shallow waters.
By fishing with cyanide, fishermen stun and confuse fish and then scoop them out of the ocean. By doing this, the fish are still alive and are then sold for aquariums, or for live fish restaurants. However, this kills the delicate organisms that live within the coral reefs, and also kills the coral polyps themselves.

Fishermen also create bombs with substances that will kill the fish in the surrounding area of the explosion; however, this also explodes the coral reefs into bits and pieces, and kills the inhabitant organisms as well.

Because of all the damages that coral reefs are suffering, scientists predict that there might be a severe threat to them by the year 2050. Reefs are very fragile and susceptible to damage. A single branch or a coral reef can take hundreds of years before it grown fully into a large portion of the reef. Because of this, we can say that reefs are not very resilient. Although some reefs adapt quicker to changes than others, they are still affected and impacted in a large manner, and they are quickly declining worldwide. In order to preserve the existing coral reefs from future damage, people must intervene in a large collected effort, because overall, mankind is the biggest causer of the damage to coral reefs. The reasons why men must intervene in order to propitiate the recovery of coral reefs are the following:

• Fishing practices must be changed in order to stop killing the coral polyps and in order to stop exploding the reefs
• Sewage systems must be improved in order to avoid excessive algae growth
• Carbon Dioxide emission must be reduced in order to delay and reduce the acidification of the oceans, which causes for a more sensible, fragile skeleton on the polyps and also causes the coral reefs to be more vulnerable to damages
• Tourism and fishing must be allowed in designated areas of coral reefs in order to allow for other areas to flourish and grow.
• There must be designated protected areas of coral reefs where they are able to grow with no threats and where reefs can recover from damages already caused.
  

References

http://www.reefrelief.org/coralreef/threats.shtml

http://www.usatoday.com/weather/climate/2006-10-25-coral-reefs_x.htm

http://www.essortment.com/all/coralreefinda_mzx.htm

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/features.cfm?feature=9

http://oceanacidification.wordpress.com/2008/07/20/acidifying-oceans-pose-danger-to-coral-reefs/

http://www.riverdeep.net/current/2001/11/111201_reefs.jhtml

http://www.usforacle.com/2.5741/coral-reefs-in-danger-1.625527

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9815322/

1. Analyze the nutritional components of the food you select and in your own words, answer the following questions using the USDA Nutrient Data Laboratory website. http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/
   1. What was the food and portion size you chose?
   2. Describe its composition in terms of carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins.
   3. How many calories are in your food item? (Found in the Database as Energy – kcal)
   4. List some of the most common vitamins and minerals in this food item.
   5. Are there other important nutritional components of this food item? If so, list these. If not, say so.

2. How much of your food item is water? Provide one reason why water is important for life.

3. State the highest category of biological molecule in your food - Carbohydrates, Lipids, or Proteins. Describe the structure of this type of molecule, and its primary function(s).
4. After identifying the nutritional components discuss WHY you would or would not recommend this food item as part of a healthy diet. Use references and guidelines such as the Food Pyramid and Recommended Daily Allowances to support your recommendations. Here is a link to the USDA interactive Food Pyramid resource, http://www.mypyramid.gov/ to help you analyze nutritional needs.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Nutritional Data
Raw Peaches

I chose a peach, raw. The portion size was 1 medium peach, 2-2/3” of diameter and approximately 150g in weight. The peach is mostly composed of protein and carbohydrates. There is 1.36g of protein in raw peaches, 14.31g of carbohydrates and 0.38g of lipids. There are 58 calories in a peach.

Some of the vitamins and minerals that are found in peaches are Vitamins C, K, and E, Niacin, Chorine, Beta Carotene, Potassium, Phosphorus, and Magnesium. In peaches we can also find 2.29g of fructose and 2.2g of fiber.

There is 133.31g of water in a medium sized peach. One of the main reasons why water is so important is because it is such a good solvent. Water can dissolve many substances, such as proteins, salts and sugars. (Audesirk, T., Audesirk, G., and Byers, B.E., 2008)

Carbohydrates consist of the elements carbon (C), hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O) with a ratio of hydrogen twice that of carbon and oxygen. Carbohydrates include sugars, starches, cellulose and many other compounds found in living organisms (Zamora, 2005).

The main functions of carbohydrates are short-term and mid-term energy storage. (Bio 113- Carbohydrates, n.d.)

Based on the Food Pyramid by the USDA, some of the benefits of eating fruit are reduction of the risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes 2, and also helps repair of all body tissues, helps heal cuts and wounds, and keeps teeth and gums healthy.

Peaches are a good source of vitamin C and are also a rich in potassium and phosphorus. They are low in calories and contain mostly water. Peaches are a good item to include in any diet because it has a good source of vitamins and minerals and also a good item to consume in order to reach the USDA guideline for fruit intake.

References

Audesirk, T., Audesirk, G., and Byers, B.E. (2008). Biology Life on Earth with Physiology. (8^th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. Retrieved May 2, 2009, from AIU Online, Virtual Campus. SCI206 Biology. SCI2060902A:16 website.

Zamora, A. (2005). Carbohydrates - Chemical Structure. In Scientific Psychic.
Retrieved May 3, 2009, from http://www.scientificpsychic.com/fitness/
carbohydrates.html

Bio 113- Carbohydrates. (n.d.). WKU BIO 113- Carbohydrates. Retrieved May 3,
2009, from http://bioweb.wku.edu/courses/BIOL115/Wyatt/Biochem/Carbos.htm