Cleaning up oil spills Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cleaning up oil spills - Research Paper Example The most famous method is to use chemical treating agents like dispersants, surface washing agents, and bioremediation agents (â€Å"Chemical Treating Agents† par. 1). Dispersants are basically mixture of chemicals, made up mostly of surfactants and other additives. The surfactant molecules are amphiphilic in nature which can be both soluble in protic (i.e. water) and aprotic (i.e. oil) solvents. During oil spills in bodies of water, surfactants combined into aggregates called micelles which consist of hydrophilic head and hydrophobic tails. The heads are attached to the water molecules by hydrogen bonding and the tails to the oil molecules which lessens the interfacial tensions between oil-water molecules. Due to the mechanical action in the ocean, the oil molecules especially below the surface of the water break apart into smaller molecules which can stay suspended to be washed by current (Renee and Lee par. 5). The use of surface washing agents or commonly known as degreaser are usually used for surfaces or structures that have been oiled and are usually sprayed on the surface. This chemical promotes emulsification of oil and the instability causes it to flocculate and coalesce in the surface for physical recovery. The actions of the two mentioned chemical agents are usually followed either by natural means or induced biological actions. The natural means can include microbial degradation and photo-oxidation. The latter method proceeds under sunlight where the natural targets are the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) of the oils. The process (also known as photolysis), degrades the PAHs in the form that can be available for microbial degradation (The American Academy of Microbiology 4). In addition, bioremediation is also an effective way to clean up oil spills. The use of bioremediation  agents  includes microbiological cultures, enzyme additives or nutrient additives which can significantly increase the rate

Energy what is Next Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Energy what is Next - Essay Example For the longest time, non-renewable energy has been the primary source of energy in the world. Consequently, renewable energy has had little popularity and had been side-lined. The primary attribute of non-renewable energy sources is that their availability is finite. These sources rely on materials exhaustible sources, making it impossible to recreate them within reasonable time duration. Such energy sources include wood, coal, and fossil fuels that when consumed, they cannot be restored, hence Tiwari, et al (2012, p. 7) refer to them as conventional energy sources. Additionally, when non-renewable energy is consumed as fuel in cars or manufacturing plants, emissions pollute the atmosphere through greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide. In the world pushing towards reduction of national carbon footprint levels and the insufficient renewable energy resources, there exists a push to find more energy requirement solutions in renewable energy. The simplest definition of renewable energy is energy that satisfies current energy needs without jeopardizing similar needs in the future (Chiras, 2006, p. 22). The implication is that renewable energy presents the aspect of sustainability given that natural mechanisms and movements of the earth are responsible for their quick replenishing. The major sources of renewable energy are the sun, water and wind. In the recent past, wind farms, solar cells, and hydroelectric power have successfully provided electricity for domestic, transportation and industrial use. Unlike non-renewable energy, renewable energy has little impact on domestic and regional ecology thereby considered as clean energy. Clean energy contributes to negligible carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases emissions and guarantee unrestricted time duration. With renewable energy, cost effectiveness arises from the

The place of anonymity in theories of crowd behaviour Essay Example for Free

The place of anonymity in theories of crowd behaviour Essay Explain the place of anonymity in theories of crowd behaviour. Is it always associated with a ‘loss of self’ (Dixon and Mahendran, 2012, p. 13)? This essay will start by explaining the concept of anonymity and how it is used in theories of crowd behaviour namely the contagion, deindividuation theory and social identity theory. Later the essay will focus on critical discussion comparing the above theories in terms of how they perceive anonymity and the loss of self. It will highlight the similarities between Le Bon’s theory and the deidividuation theory but will also point out some of their differences. The essay will also offer the account of the social identity theory which does not see the crowd behaviour as associated with the loss of self and explains it differently in terms of social identity. The essay will also present evidence to support these claims. The crowd behaviour theories are concerned with how individuals experience being a part of a large group and how this in turn influences their feelings and behaviour. Crowd psychologists would argue that the experience of being a part of a large group necessarily means that a sense of anonymity is created. This anonymity then allows individuals in the crowd to feel somehow ‘safe’ in terms of what they are able to do or say without being directly responsible for it. However different theories view the concept of anonymity differently. Le Bon argued that the concept of anonymity in the crowd is not beneficial at all. In fact he viewed the crowds as dangerous because individuals lose their rationality which is substituted by a ‘group mind’ and as such crowds are a threat to social hierarchy (Dixon and Mahendran, 2012, p. 5). According to Le Bon the experience of being in the crowd involves anonymity thus the individuals are not responsible for their actions and feel a part of the collective therefore are more likely to get influenced by ideas that are sweeping through the crowd a concept Le Bon called the contagion. This anonymity then leads the individuals to behave in an aggressive and primitive way. The deindividuation theory outlook on anonymity is a bit different. Whilst deindividuation theory would agree with Le Bon on the fact  that crowd behaviour generates anonymity and leads individuals to believe that they are not personally accountable for their actions in the crowd, the idea of a ‘ group mind’ is dismissed. Instead Festinger, Pepitone and Newcomb argue that the sense of anonymity individuals experience in the crowds is a psychological shift in individual’s self perception which is clearly measurable (Dixon and Mahendran, 2012, p. 6.). From the perspective of the social identity theory crowd behaviour is not necessarily connected with anonymity and the loss of self. According to Tajfel and Turner the loss of self in the crowd behaviour is replaced by the social identity which is constrained by shared social norms amongst the group. Tajfel argues that we posses not just one individual identity but also a social one in terms that we belong to various social groups and share and accept their norms and values. In this light the social identity theory would argue that individuals do not lose their sense of self in the crowd rather they are more constrained by the shared group norms and as such cannot feel anonymous. It could be argued that Le Bon’s concept of contagion and the deindividuation theory have some similarities. They both start with the assumption that the crowd behaviour involves anonymity which is associated with the loss of self to a certain degree. Both of these theories also agree on the fact that the crowd behaviour alters individual’s feelings and behaviour and makes them more impulsive and less accountable for their actions. However both of the theories use different concept to explain this behaviour. Whilst Le Bon explains the crowd behaviour with the concept of the ‘group mind’ which takes over a rational individual’s mind and leads them to be aggressive and primitive (Dixon and Mahendran, 2012, p. 5), Festinger et al. use the concept of deindividuation to explain the psychological shift in individual’s mind whilst being part of the crowd. Another similarity between the concept of contagion and deindividuation is their perception of crowds being somewhat negative in their nature. Le Bon argues that crowds are dangerous in terms of their primitiveness and possible uncontrolled aggression. These features of crowd behaviour according to Le Bon pose a threat to the social hierarchy and as such should  be controlled and prevented (Dixon and Mahendran, 2012, p. 5). Similarly the deindividuation theories would suggest that the effects of crowd behaviour on the individual are negative in a sense that they lead to increased aggression. Zimbardo focused on the links between anonymity and aggression in his experiment with administering the electric shocks and the findings suggested that anonymity had indeed intensified the aggression. Zimbardo explained this phenomenon as a ‘diffusion of responsibility’ and saw it as a by-product of deindividuation. According to Zimbardo being part of crowd (or a social group) makes individuals feel like they are protected by the anonymity surrounding them and therefore they do not feel a moral responsibility for their actions which leads them to being more violent and aggressive. In the light of the evidence presented by Zimbardo it could be argued that anonymity is indeed associated with the loss of self. On the other hand there are differences to be found between these theories and their outlook on the loss of self. Whilst Le Bon and his concept of contagion and to some degree deindividuation theories would argue that crowds are not beneficial, the social identity theory would present evidence to argue otherwise. As Tajfel and Turner argue crowd behaviour is not necessarily associated with the loss of self rather there is a shift from the individual’s sense of self to the collective one. Social identity theorists do not see this feature of crowd behaviour as negative but rather they explain crowd behaviour in terms of its uniformity and spontaneity. According to the social identity theorists the fact that people belong to a certain social group creates constraints and forces the individuals to behave in a way that is acceptable and shared within the members of the group. As such the social groups act in a way which is more uniformed and predictable than the individuals themselves. Furthermore the social identity theorists would point out that thanks to the concept of ‘inductive categorization’ the crowds behaviour can be seen as socially coordinated. This concept can be explained using an example of football fans behaviour during the football match where there is no leader who orders the fans to sing and cheer at the same time. Rather if one of the fans starts singing or chanting the others join in because of the ‘inductive categorization’ within this particular social group. The evidence to challenge the claim that anonymity in crowd behaviour is always associated with a loss of self can be found in a research conducted by Reicher on the St. Pauls riots. Reicher argued that the riots were no random acts of violence as Le Bon or deindividuation theory would suggest, rather the rioters directed their violence towards specific targets and kept them geographically confined to the relevant area. This suggests that the rioter’s behaviour was uniformed and predictable and therefore fits in the explanation of the social identity theory. Further evidence can be found in the research of Reicher and Stott on the London riots in 2011. From the perspective of the deidividuation and Le Bon’s theory the riots were explained as a prime example of a ‘group mind’ taking over any rationality and resulting in violence and aggression. According to these theories the individuals lost their identity in the crowd hence their responsibility and behaved like primitive animals. However different perspective is offered by the social identity theorists. Reicher and Stott argued that the rioters did not lose their identities in the riots but rather they switched to the social identity which resulted in a collective action. The rioters were not random criminals but were members of the social community with a shared ideas and goals. The actions of the rioters were not random but they were directed at the symbols of authority suggesting collective and uniformed action which was designed to fight inequality. The social identity theorists would therefore argue that there is no such concept as a loss of self in the cr owd behaviour rather there is a shift to a social identity which is distinguished by its collectiveness and uniformity. In summary then it could be argued that from the perspective of the deindividuation theory and Le Bon’s theory, anonymity in crowd behaviour is associated with the loss of self. Le Bon and his concept of contagion argue that individuals in crowd lose their ability to think rationally and are consumed by the ‘group mind’. Deindividuation theories argue for the psychological shift in individual’s mind which is caused by crowd’s anonymity and leads to irrationality and aggression. Zimbardo’s experiment on the diffusion of responsibility certainly suggests this. On the other hand the social identity theory and its explanation of the crowd behaviour  argue strongly against the concept of the loss of the self. This perspective suggests that social groups are far more constrained by its shared social norms to be irrational. Social identity theorists view the crowd behaviour as a positive force in the social change.

Pressure Ulcer Assessment and Management | Reflection

Pressure Ulcer Assessment and Management | Reflection Chitse Wheeler Albon Description The purpose of this reflection is to contemplate on the critical incident that brought to my attention regarding the pressure ulcer assessment and management of staffs in care home. Utilizing a critical incident as a way of reflecting involves the identification of comportment deemed to have been particularly subsidiary or unhelpful in a given situation (Hannigan, 2001). I am working in a nursing home in unit catering elderly mentally ill clients. We have 25 residents most of them suffers from dementia. One incident happen to a 90 year old male client with dementia who was double incontinent and has been bed bound due to recent fall that have resulted him to have a fractured hip. He had a history of hypertension and angina 4 years ago. Throughout this essay I will referred the client to Mr. X to protect his identity and maintain confidentiality abiding the guidelines set by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (2014) I observed redness on the sacral area of Mr. X while doing personal care for him with another staff. According to European Pressure Ulcer Advisory ( EPUAP) guidelines, it was grade 1 pressure ulcer as there was intact skin with non-blanchable redness. He is more helpless against pressure damage, as his skin has ended up more delicate and more slender with age (NICE 2014). The nurse in charged was informed regarding our observation. She assessed the pressure area of Mr. X and told to staff that he needs to be assisted in changing his position every 2 hours and application of barrier cream during pad change. The next day, it was reported in the hand over that Mr. X developed a grade 2 pressure sores, a partial thickness loss of dermis presenting as a shallow ulcer open ulcer with a red pink wound. (EPUAP 2014). It also conveyed that the night staffs have not turn him for more than 8 hours and never completed the positional chart. The worst was Mr. C was the fourth resident with pressure ulcer in the unit. Feelings I felt confident because I have prior knowledge regarding pressure sore management and can share this to other care staff for better care for residents with pressure ulcers. However, I was shocked with what I heard in the handover and felt sorry for Mr X that in less than a day he incurs grade 2 bedsores. The effect of pressure ulcer to him and the amount of pain he was dealing. Pressure ulcers can result in clients limited functions, emotional anguish, and agony from pain. (Nelson et al 2009). According to Purshotaman (2013), pressures to bony areas in a 1 to 6 hour period can result to pressure ulcer and shear and friction also act as a synergy to acquire wound in clients who are malnourished, incontinent, bedridden or mentally disturbed. And within 24 hours or it take up to 5 days for pressure ulcer to develop. It was unacceptable that there are four residents who have pressure sore at the same time thus reflecting the quality of care rendered to clients. Pressure ulcer prevention involves an interdisciplinary approach to care. To achieve it, it requires coordination, organizational culture and operational practice that uphold teamwork and communication. Evaluation Pressure ulcers, otherwise called pressure or bed sore, are restricted areas of skin damage as a result of underlying destructed tissue brought on by excessive pressure stopping blood flow and bringing on an absence of oxygen and supplements to tissue cells. Eventually tissue cells die causing ulceration. The vital factors that leads to accumulation of pressure sore includes clients medical condition, medication, malnourishment, age, lack of fluid intakes or dehydration, incontinence, lack of mobility, skin condition and weight. The external influences that hasten its occurrence are pressure, shearing force, friction, moving and handling and moisture. There are several risk assessment tools available to use to determine the level of client having pressure ulcer which I have been familiar during my learning process. These scales are the Norton scale, Braden Scale and Waterlow scale. The most common scale adopted in my work place was the Waterlow scale. It includes additional factors such as age, nutritional status, skin type and disease especially those affecting circulation. The score should be determined during admission of the client, but it is an on-going process and must be carried out whenever a significant changes arise from clients condition ( L. Nazarko,2009). Even though the Waterlow scale identifies more risk factors than the other two assessment tools and widely used across the United Kingdom, it has still be criticised for its ability to over predict risk and ultimately result in the misuse of resource.( Edwards 1995; Mcgough, 1999). Most of the scales used have been develop based on opinions of the importance of possible risk. It might get different scores from nurses assessing the same clients (L. Nazarko, 2009). The predictability of these tools been challenged because it might over or under predict the risk of a person having pressure sore, gaining expensive cost of implications as preventive equipment is put into place that might not always be necessary.(Frank et al, 2003). Although the Waterlow scoring system includes more objective measurements like the Body Mass Index ( BMI ) and record of weight loss. It is still indefinite whether the reliability of the tool ratings has improved by these additions. It has been recognized that this is a fundamental defect of these tools and due to this clinical judgement must always support the conclusions made by the results. The aims of the Pressure ulcer risk assessment tools are to quantify and measure the risk of a person to have a pressure ulcer. To be able to determine the quality of the measurement, the evaluation of validity and reliability should always take place. However, the limitation of the validity and reliability of the pressure ulcer risk tools are generally recognized. According to EPUAP (2014), the solution to overcome these problems is to combine the scores of pressure ulcer risks tools with clinical judgement. In the studies of pressure ulcer tools, there have been few endeavours made to analyse, the diverse pressure ulcer risk assessment strategies. Pancorbo Hidalgo et al (2006) distinguished three studies, researching the Norton scale compared to clinical judgment and the effect on pressure ulcer frequency. From these studies, it was inferred that there was no confirmation, that the danger of pressure ulcer incidence was lessened by the utilization of the risk assessment tools. The Cochrane audit (2008), set out to focus, whether the utilization of pressure ulcer risk assessment, in all health care settings, reduced the frequency of pressure ulcers. As no studies met the criteria, the authors have been not able to answer the survey question. At present there is just feeble proof to support the legitimacy of pressure ulcer risk assessment scale tools and obtained scores contain fluctuating measures of estimation lapse. According to NICE (2014) guidelines, a client who is at risk having a pressure ulcer must be assessed within six hours of admission. However, Mr. X has been in the nursing home for years, his assessment should have been on-going as he was prone to develop it. During the assessment, a skin inspection must be completed on the most vulnerable areas the bony prominent part of the body like the sacrum, heels, elbows, shoulder, back of the head and toes and other parts of the body where shear or friction could take place. Pressure ulcers are assessed and graded according to the extent of damage of the tissue. The European and US National Pressure Ulcer Advisory panels (EPUAP and NPUAP) together with the Pan Pacific Pressure Injury Alliances (PPPIA) release the latest International Pressure Ulcer guidelines for pressure ulcer prevention and treatment. It’s an evidence based recommendation for the prevention and treatment that can be used throughout the world in any health care settin g by health care professionals. Pressure sores are categories from stage I to IV depending on the tissue damage. Addition to these, are two other categories the unstageable pressure ulcers and suspected deep tissue injury (EPUAP-NPUAP-PPPIA International Pressure Ulcer Guidelines 2014) The assessment implement used throughout my area of work, is the Waterlow Scale.The utilization of the Waterlow implement enables, the nurse to assess each patient according to their individual risk of developing pressure sores (Pancorbo-Hidalgo et al 2006)The tool uses an amalgamation of core and external risk factors that contribute to the development of pressure ulcers.. Nutritional assessment and screening tools like getting the Body Mass Index (BMI) are also utilized in the home for managing patients who are at risk of or have a pressure ulcer. The EPUAP (2014) recommends that as a minimum, assessment of nutritional status should include regular weighing of patients, skin assessment, documentation of food and fluid intake. Even so there are policies and procedures in place for management and prevention of pressure ulcer there were still a prevalent occurrence of pressure sores in the unit. Analysis The staffs’ knowledge about pressure ulcer prevention and management plays a very vital role. However, the lack of health care staffs’ education and trainings; and documentation resulted to numbers of patients having pressure ulcers in the unit. All health care professionals must receive relevant training and education regarding pressure ulcer risk prevention and management (NICE 2014).The information, skills and knowledge, gained from these training sessions, should then be shared down to other members of the team and embedded to practice. And all health care staffs involved in the care of clients with pressure ulcer needs to be updated on policies, guidelines and the latest patient educational information according to NICE guidelines (2014). Effective communication between staffs in the care of Mr X could have played a major role to make his pressure sore healed quicker and not worsen. Pressure ulcer prevention and management is a collaborative effort. The nurses should have taken the lead and make sure that the information about the course of care actions towards pressure ulcer management of Mr X has been disseminated to all staffs during the shifts which can be done during the handover. The nurses as leaders of the unit must take other staffs to join on board towards the same direction on a certain goal of clients care. As a student nurse, I have previous knowledge and experience about the pressure sore care and management before but the NMC(2014) oblige that I, to be a registered nurse in the United Kingdom, need to take an appropriate action to update my knowledge and skills to maintain and develop competence to safe practice. To be able to be competent, I need to acquire risk assessment skills while putting in my NMC code of conduct. I was able to assess and observe the redness of the sacral area of Mr X and have reported it immediately to the nurse in charge. Through this positive action of care, the nurse has provided immediate nursing care to Mr. X. Conclusion There is a proof that demonstrates that pressure ulcer risk assessment tools are valuable and useful when utilized as an aide for the obtainment of equipment. Then again, they cant be depended upon solely to give a holistic care to clients. It has been highlighted, that to guarantee holistic assessment of clients, it is important to complete a combination of assessment to be able to create a complete picture client’s health. In spite of the fact that The Waterlow scale covers various variables that need to be considered all through the assessment process, it has become apparent that the â€Å"at risk† score, can frequently be over or under scored relying upon the health care practitioner’s clinical judgement. Clinical judgment has turned out to be, a vital part of pressure ulcer prevention and management. The education and effective communication of the patient, relatives, carers and nurses has likewise been highlighted, as a critical part of consideration. Enabl ing the patient with data in regards to their ailment, may diminish the mending time and prevents further concerns. Action Plan To prevent and minimize the number of pressure ulcer staffs must attend training regarding pressure ulcer prevention and management. They should be also familiarizing with the policies and procedures when pressure ulcer is noticed so that if the same experience occurs in the future they familiarize the actions to be follow. In addition, health care staffs must be mindful that communication, teamwork, support and supervision have a big role to improve the quality of care of pressure ulcer management. Reporting, Supervision system and empowering staffs to confidently complete forms like positional charts, food and fluid charts and body map can be effective and a good way to improve communication between staff and for continuity of care of clients As a catalyst of change, I should be a role model to other staffs by abiding with the standard of care rendered with clients and promote their best interest by educating my colleagues and having effective communication between staffs and clients. However, not all staffs are willing for change. Change takes time but as long as there is a continuous education and system of good practice in place and staffs can see the results and benefits for clients, others and for themselves, more or less change can happen. Referrence: Nazarko, L. and Nazarko, L. (2002). Nursing in care homes. Oxford, UK: Blackwell Science. National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel, European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel and Pan Pacific Pressure Injury Alliance.(2014) Prevention and Treatment of Pressure Ulcers: Quick Reference Guide. Emily Haesler (Ed.). Cambridge Media: Perth, Australia;. Nice.org.uk, (2014). Pressure ulcers: prevention and management of pressure ulcers | Guidance and guidelines | NICE. [online] Available at: http://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg179 [Accessed 5 Jan. 2015]. Nice.org.uk, (2014). Pressure ulcers: prevention and management of pressure ulcers | Guidance and guidelines | NICE. [online] Available at: http://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg179 [Accessed 5 Jan. 2015]. Bryant, R. and Nix, D. (2012). Acute chronic wounds. St. Louis, Mo.: Elsevier/Mosby. Pancorbo Hidalgo et al (2006) McCabe, C., Timmins, F. and Campling, J. (2006). Communication skills for nursing practice. Basingstoke [England]: Palgrave Macmillan. (Hannigan, 2001). E. Purshotaman.(2013) 2013 International Conference on Biological, Medical and Chemical Engineering (BMCE2013. Lancaster, Pennsylvania: DEStech Publications, Inc E. Purshotaman Anon, (2015). 1st ed. [ebook] Available at: http://www.ahrq.gov/professionals/systems/long-term-care/resources/pressure-ulcers/pressureulcertoolkit/putoolkit.pdf [Accessed 6 Jan. 2015]. Nazarko, L. (2009). Nursing in Care Homes. New York, NY: John Wiley Sons.

Andy Warhol :: essays research papers

Pop art is a movement that occurred near the end of the 1950’s. It was a reaction to the seriousness of Abstract Expressionism. Pop art emphasized contemporary social values, the sprawl of urban life, the vulgar, the superficial, and the flashy. Advertising provided a number of starting points for the subjects. A particular favorite advertisement form that Warhol likes to use was product labels. You will see quite a few examples of this in some of his work. (Grolier 1996)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Warhol did most of his well-know works in a four year span from 1960 to 1964. He started out by reproducing images such as comic strips on much larger canvases. Some examples of these would be Nancy, Dick Tracy, Superman, and Popeye. He later became much more interested in reproducing labels of products and some people. This became a standard procedure for Warhol during this period. He later began to make movies and photography. (Coplans pg 47-48)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At the beginning of his work, he started out with the making comic strip â€Å"reproductions.† They really shouldn’t be considered reproductions because they aren’t always an extremely accurate portrayal of the product. Some of his pieces such as the thirty-two painting collection of Campbell’s Soup Cans, are almost identical to the models he used. While others have a looser quality and are merely starting points on which to begin. (Coplans pg 47)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  He accomplished the mass amounts of the same subject through many methods. Sometimes he would just paint each of the subjects by hand, one by one. Other times he would use stamp molds and silk-screening. The silk-screening process is very similar to that of an intricate and sophisticated stencil. There is a screen made of fine silk or similar material that is made impermeable to all places except that of the area wanted to be colored. This is done photomechanically, a process that makes photographs into silkscreen. The silk-screening process is fairly simple. You pour ink or paint into the silk-screen, and then you run a squeegee across it so it goes through the open pores of the screen. You repeat this procedure for each of the colors to be used. An advantage to this it that you can used them more than once. To date, silk-screening is the cheapest and most effective means of reproducing many products of it type and quality. (Coplans pg 50) (Crone pg 11)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The main focus of serial imagery is redundancy.

Tyrannosaurus Rex Was a Slow Runner Essay -- Exploratory Essays Resear

Tyrannosaurus Rex Was a Slow Runner Ever since we were young we have been fascinated by the dinosaurs. We have played with dinosaurs as children, watched documentaries as adults with interest, and watching movies with enjoyment. No dinosaur from the past strikes more fear in the present day to the average person then that of Tyrannosaurus Rex. For decades children have played with dinosaurs and had T-Rex dominating other dinosaurs by chasing them down and destroying them. We have seen it time and time again in movies. In Jurassic Park we saw T-Rex terrorize humans, cars, and other dinosaurs. We have even dreamt about it, but if a recent study is correct we are false in our fears. The article Tyrannosaurus Rex was a Slowpoke by John Roach relieves us of our fears when it states that, â€Å"the Cretaceous landscape was filled with large, lumbering creatures that any human with a fast car or bike or maybe even a quick sprint could outpace† (Roach). He tells us that T-Rex, â€Å"did not have the leg strength to run very fast, if at all, according to a computer model developed by two experts in the mechanical movements of living creatures,† and, â€Å"bring the discipline of biomechanics to the long and at times contentious debate over just how fast the largest of the largest creatures ever to roam Earth could run.† In an article entitled Tyrannosaurus was not a fast runner, those experts, John R. Hutchison and Mariano Garcia provide us with a detailed account of a recent study they did. Their study is described in an article entitled Biomechanics: Walking with tyrannosaurs by Andrew A. Biewener. Biewener states that Hutchinson and Garcia, â€Å"introduce a new biomechanical approach,† to the question of dinosaur movement and provide an, â€Å"a... ...n. In conclusion, the recent study published by John R. Hutchinson and Mariano Garcia entitled Tyrannosaurus was not a fast runner, if it is true, has shattered what we have come to understand about Tyrannosaurus Rex. T-Rex was not a fast runner as popular movies have suggested, because it didn’t have the amount of extensor muscle needed to support itself for such activities. Maybe, sometime, another study will come along that counteracts this new study, but until then it appears that we have been wrong about T-Rex. Works Cited Biewener, Andrew A. â€Å"Biomechanics: Walking with Tyrannosaurs.† Nature 28 Feb 2002: 971-973 Hutchinson, John R., Garcia, Mariano â€Å"Tyrannosaurus was not a fast runner.† Nature 28 Feb 2002: 1018-1021 Roach, John â€Å"Tyrannosaurus Rex was a Slowpoke.† National Geographic News. 27 Feb. 2002.

A Dream?

The soft soil squeezed through the holes in my boots as I stood upon the sorrowful shore. The day was wild the clouds dark and heavy, taunted me with the threat of rain. The trees blew from side to side like flags waving in the breeze. The ocean not to far from where I stood, was beating upon the shore with military precision bearing deep into my soul. The forest stretched away from me, as far as I could see taunting me to enter into its hidden safety†¦ away from it all†¦ away†¦ from what I had done. My mind now centering painfully on the memories that sent me running to this droned hollow place, realizing what I had done†¦ the true horror of it, turned my mind psychotic while jumbled and baffled thoughts overloaded my memory†¦ it was plain even to me, I just didn't want to believe it†¦ but it was real, it was true. I stood there contemplating what I had done, thinking of everything that would happen to me†¦ everything I lost the moment I did it, It made me sick, it made my heart skip beats, I collapsed onto the mud at the edge of the forest. I almost fainted right there†¦ I looked into the dark tangle of forest knowing what I had to do. The forest taunted me yet more†¦ seeming to watch me†¦ stare at me, almost waiting for me to enter so it could devour me†¦ destroy me. In the distance I could see a small dim light tear through the black velvet night inside the forest. I watched as it grew nearer†¦ swaying from side to side, my heart beat faster and faster my thought becoming more rampant and wild. The light almost upon me now, knowing I should run†¦ but I couldn't†¦ I simply couldn't†¦ I froze, I could not move nor breath. My legs throbbed with pain, my feet bursted with soars, my mind was to wild to let me move. Suddenly the light came upon me, there stood a heavy, sturdy, strong looking man. His presence sent a chill of awe through my spine. I could not make out a face, he wore a thick overcoat, his body was motionless†¦ not a twitch†¦ nothing, he held a simple flashlight in his hand and nothing in the other. Some questions arose in my mind to what he was doing here†¦ unarmed, almost seeming completely unprepared except for his flashlight. Suddenly realizing just how much I should run I sprang to my feet and shot into the forest as if it was my only way to live, I stumbled through the branches and twigs while they tore away at my clothes and face, the clouds without any warning burst out in rain, I was soaked in an instant yet still found the strength to run on. I ran for what felt like an eternity, I turned to look if the man was behind me†¦ there was nothing†¦ not a glint of light†¦ nothing, just the sound of the rain beating down on the trees, hanging spindly on the leaves before dropping to the ground. I stared, wondering if the man had even attempted to chase after me†¦ after all, if he did he wouldn't have given up like that†¦ he would have at least stopped and looked for me with his flashlight†¦ but there was nothing. I laid there on the ground for a few moments to catch my breath, and turned to run again, as I stood to start running there he was†¦ the very same man†¦ with the very same light, in the very same clothes†¦ I felt a sharp pain of terror like a bullet ripping through my bones, I stood in silence for what seemed hours. The man raised his arm, flashlight in hand up to his face†¦ I screamed I almost fainted there but something inside me urged me to stay up. I could not believe who it was that stood before me†¦ I felt my blood freeze. I woke†¦ in my bed, with a cold sweat, I was tired, my legs ached. It was raining outside, the ocean waves still beat upon the shore with their same drone tune, I was sweating and out of breath. Was it real?†¦ or just a dream?