Capital Punishment and Death by Fire - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 5 Words: 1451 Downloads: 9 Date added: 2019/03/11 Category Law Essay Level High school Tags: Capital Punishment Essay Did you like this example? Introduction The cost for the death penalty is higher than if the convicted is sentenced to life in prison. The cost is two to three times higher because of the manpower needed to try a death penalty case is more involved than a person sentenced to life in prison. Death penalty cases require more jurors, experts (arsenal/psychological/medical), legal counsel, and time than a regular case. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Capital Punishment and Death by Fire" essay for you Create order Additionally, when sentenced to death, the inmate usually seeks appeals to overturn their conviction. This issue does matter to me; however, it depends on the case. Texas, on average spends $8,075 per year on students and roughly $22,000 per inmate a year. Since the top three major offenses committed in Texas are burglary of habitation, possession of a controlled substance, and aggravated robbery, we must review all the facts. According to the Texas Department of Corrections statistics, in 2016 under 9,000 people were incarcerated for murder. This is where my opinion of the death penalty, seriousness of a crime, and my tax dollar coincide. More inmates are spending time in prison for committing non-violent crimes than violent crimes. Murders should be in prison for life or put to death, in my opinion; we should spend our tax dollars only on violent, sexual, and murderous offenders and look for alternative less expensive sanctions for other offenders. I cannot say the cost of the death penalty does not affect me, because again, it depends on the case. The cost of lethal injection is a little under $1,500. I believe in what is just and if a 20-year-old commits a heinous crime beyond a reasonable doubt and lives to be 100 years old, taxpayers have spent 1.7 million dollars for the duration of his lifetime to house him when we could have put that money into education and rehabilitation of communities for the betterment of society. If less inmates were in prison, we would have the extra money for the violent offenders. The problem is not in the cost per day per inmate or the cost of the death penalty, it is in the lack of change in our judicial and legislative systems. The factors that I most believe contributed to Mr. Willingham’s reception of the death penalty are: Â  A lack of scientific knowledge and skill about arsenal by the fire chief and the detectives and misinterpretation of the scene; lack of new technological advances in science and technology Pressure from the community to have someone to blame for the crime Emotions and preconceived notions from the community His actions directly after the deaths of his three daughters His history of domestic violence against his wife False statements made by an alleged cell mate; a psychiatrist whom had never met or spoken to Cameron, determined he was a sociopath based on a few rock posters he had hanging in his home and a tattoo Mr. Willingham had a history of domestic violence against his wife, but even she believed that he could not be capable of such a crime. The fact that she stood her ground up until he was about to be executed says quite a bit about his relationship with his daughters. Mr. Johnny Webb also did not help when he lied about Cameron telling the court that he had offered up a confession to him and later recanting his testimony. Mr. Webb was an extremely unreliable witness in my eyes, after reading the court transcripts and the prosecutor a snake for fabrication of the confession. In a town a little smaller than Friendswood where events like this probably don’t happen that often, the fire Marshall was not privy to the technology that may have be easy to access in a larger city and may not have known that there were scientist that study this type of science and could provide a more thorough insight into what actually occurred that day. Mr. Willingham’s half-brother even stated t hat he had the mindset of a twelve-year-old which may have led him not to go back in and try to save his children. A person cannot be condemned for being a coward. There were many factors that contributed to him getting the death penalty one for sure was not going back in to save the children and then partying soon afterwards. Socioeconomic Status Does Play A Role In The Punishment Of A Person A person with the means to afford a good lawyer is going to be able to pay for the best defense their money can buy. Court appointed lawyers tend to have a heavier work load and several cases on their plate at once. They also may not have the resources or funds to hire extra specialist and scientists to testify on their client’s behalf. It took a separate legal team out of New York to investigate getting an arsenal expert to review the case file. Another factor was that he was not as favorable to people in his community as they would have liked for him to have been, you can see why they were so eager to blame him for the cause of the fire instead of fully investigating it. One lady on the documentary stated that if he was an upstanding man that worked and provided for his family, he would have been given at least the benefit of the doubt; the jury possibly used this same mindset to convict him. Mr. Willingham’s lawyer was court appointed and after hearing the initial evidence before the experts came in years later, his attorney did feel like he was guilty of killing his children. His counsel also urged him to take a plea deal for life without parole, but he refused. From the film I can state that it seems that his lawyer did not represent him the best way he could but after reading the case transcript, he was active during the trial and did a fantastic job of cross examining the witnesses. His lawyer wasn’t incompetent and in court did fight for his client even though he himself believed that his client was guilty. Again, with all the evidence provided at that present time, it would have seemed like he was guilty of the offense. Before technology, jurors had to rely heavily on eye-witnesses and testimony from investigators to decide the outcome. In states were there is no death penalty the crime is lower by about 25%, however there are only a handful of states that do not have the death penalty, so this could mean crime is low because there are fewer people. Also, a person is not going to think about getting the death penalty while in the heat of the moment, they will just carry out the crime and keep their consequences in hindsight. This question does not matter to me as I believe a person who commits rape against a child or adult should also be put to death, again this is my opinion. The numbers show that in Harris county only 27% of Houstonians believe in the death penalty. I believe in justice. A man killed his two children once here in Texas near where I used to live to retaliate against his wife. That in my eyes is despicable and he needed to be put to death. So again, the death penalty does not deter crime because the criminal isn’t thinking about the punishment only the satisfaction that they are gaining fr om the crime they are actively committing. Race does not affect the death penalty here in the state of Texas. After studying the execution graphs the state of Texas executed/or was going to execute 12 blacks, 16 latinos, and 16 whites between 2015-today. It seems to be even across the board and when looking at the race of the victims there was no more race on race crime than another. I was able to investigate several of the cases of those executed and convicted. Just as many whites killed whites as blacks did blacks here in the state of Texas. I did not look over the graphs of other states in detail, but Ohio was on the list with Texas often. I believe the death penalty coincides with the seriousness of the crime committed. Several of the criminals on death row were granted stays for mental impairments, I do not agree with this because they coincidentally were not too mentally impaired to commit these crimes and many of the stays were granted to blacks saying they needed treatment as opposed to the death penalty. I am blac k, and I agree that some do need help, however, insanity is not a free pass to commit rape and murder of an 11-year-old child or a stranger minding their business on public transportation.

Sam Cooke - 2293 Words

Sam Cooke was one of the most important soul singers in history -- he was the inventor of soul music. Cooke was one of the most popular performers in both the black and white communities. He was also among the first modern black performers and composers to venture into the business side of the music business, when he founded both a record label and a publishing company as an extension of his careers as an addition to being a singer and composer. Like many artist before him Cooke tackled issues including the struggle over civil rights. Some may even say the intensity of which followed an arc that paralleled Cookes emergence as a star -- his own career bridged gaps between black and white audiences that few had tried to surmount, much less†¦show more content†¦Cookes RCA sides were an amazing body of work, at least for the first two years. He broke new ground in pop and soul with the single Chain Gang, a strange mix of sweet melodies and gritty, sweaty sensibilities that also introduced something of a social conscience to his work -- a number two hit on both the pop and RB charts, it was his biggest hit since You Send Me and heralded a bolder phase in his career. Singles like bluesy, romantic Sad Mood, the romantic soul of Cupid, and the straight-ahead dance tune Twistin the Night Away, and Bring It on Home to Me all lived up to this promise, and also sold in huge numbers. But the first two albums that RCA had him do, Hits of the Fifties and Cookes Tour, were among the lamest LPs ever recorded by any soul or RB singer, comprised of washed-out pop tunes in arrangements that showed almost none of Cookes gifts to their advantage. In 1962, Cooke issued Twistin the Night Away, a somewhat belated twist album that became one of his biggest-selling LPs. He didnt really hit his stride as an LP artist; however, until 1963 with the release of Night Beat, a moody assembly of blues-oriented songs that were among the best and most challenging numbers that Cooke had recorded up to that time. By the time of its release, he was mostly identified through his singles, which were among theShow MoreRelatedSam Cooke2000 Words   |  8 PagesMcCullers MUSI 2040 Vanessa Tome Sam Cooke and â€Å"A Change Is Gonna Come† In the midst of a time where black Americans were facing extreme ridicule and fighting for their rights, Sam Cooke arose from the Gospel music style and merged into the music known as Soul, a genre that spoke to the socially crumbling nation about peace and civil rights changes. Through his smooth style, velvety voice, handsome appearance, and appeal to black and white audiences alike, Sam Cooke made a difference in the livesRead MoreSam Cooke : A Vision Of Change1761 Words   |  8 Pages Sam Cooke: A Vision of Change Ian Elliott February 10, 2017 Youngstown State University Sam Cooke: A Vision of Change The year after Sam Cooke’s death his controversial song about the movement towards equality during the African American Civil Rights Movement, â€Å"A Change Is Gonna Come,† was released. Cooke was a popular musical artist from the late 1950’s to the early 1960’s who transitioned over from gospel music to RB. He was born on January 22nd, 1931 in Clarksdale, MississippiRead MoreAmerica was a much different place during the 1960s. The eternal struggle for African American’s800 Words   |  4 PagesMaybe not as well known as these artists, but Sam Cooke definitely had a major affect the civil rights movement with his song â€Å"A Change Is Gonna Come†. Sam Cooke was born on January 22, 1933, in Clarksdale, Mississippi. He was one of eight children in a very poor, religious family. His dad’s name was Rev. Charles Cook, who was a Baptist minister.(Eder n.p.). When Sam was only two years old, his family uprooted and moved to Chicago, Illinois. Cooke first got into singing when he was only nine yearsRead MoreThe Most Iconic Civil Rights Movement Influencers Of All Time By Billie Holiday1590 Words   |  7 PagesStates for good and relocated in France where she spent her last days. The next artist I would like to discuss about is Sam Cooke. Cooke is indefinitely considered by many to be the father of soul music. Cooke was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi on January the 22nd 1931. Sam Cooke was born under a religious household and performed with his family as a child. After much work, Cooke gained the opportunity of a lifetime and was asked to join the Soul Stirrers. He gladly accepted and joined to work withRead MoreSam Cooke The Pop Singer Who At The Age Of 183529 Words   |  15 PagesAccording to Robert Fikes Jr., Marvin Jones spoke for Sam Cooke the pop singer who at the age of 18 was provoked by a White police officer in a park in Memphis, Tennessee. â€Å"Anyway, after they got in the park and settled down, they discovered these lights on them—the police had driven up behind them and put the spotlights on them and told them to get out of the car. Well, everybody got out, and they lined them up, but Sam was the only one who had his hands in his p ockets. And as they went down theRead MoreA Change Is Gon Na Come By Bob Dylan911 Words   |  4 PagesSam Cooke wrote the song, A Change Is Gonna Come, in 1963 during the Civil Rights Movement, which took place in between 1954 and 1968; his song is in support of the Civil Rights movement. According to a New Yorker article, Sam Cooke has always been a strong proponent of the Civil Rights Movement, and when he heard the song â€Å"Blowin’ in the Wind, written by Bob Dylan, a Caucasian songwriter, he was inspired to write something similar to it to support the Civil Rights movement. This protest songRead MoreThe Power And Influence Of Gospel Music On The American Civil Rights Movement1594 Words   |  7 Pageseffective musical elements and style. Two contrasting artists who promoted and developed Gospel music during this period, Mahalia Jackson and Sam Cooke, revolutionised the genre. Mahalia Jackson, an urban Gospel singer, emphasised the traditional roots and characteris tics of the art form, and promoted religious-based messages of hope and love. Contrastingly, Sam Cooke, employed Gospel’s emotional and musical influences, to become one of the forefathers of Soul music. Consequently, Gospel music transformedRead MoreEssay Music Influence on the Civil Rights Movement1037 Words   |  5 Pageswhite singer that sang â€Å"oh freedom†. She ended up singing it at Martin Luther King Jr.’s ‘I have a Dream’ speech. In the meaningful slow song Joan Baez expressed her wanting for equality and freedom. ii. Sam Cooke was an African American singer that became the voice of the Civil Rights Movement. Sam took the spirit of the Black church into popular music. He became the first African American artist to reach #1 on both RB and pop charts. His music was risky, but he won over white listeners and keptRead MoreThe Affect of Sacred Music on Secular Music875 Words   |  4 Pageslike Sam Cooke, Patti Labelle, and James Brown forged a whole new genre of music in Soul music. From that stemmed things like neo-soul, hip-hop, and the new RB movement. Often when new artists come out they often try to get away from the church believing it doesn’t help them sell, is not contemporary enough, or by the direction of some record executive. You then say well who do they in return pattern themselves after and try to be like? These people like James Brown, Patti Labelle, and Sam CookeRead MoreThe ‘60s: Culture and Music Essay1478 Words   |  6 PagesAmerica, which further echo’s the relationship between music and culture. Among the issues that divided Americans, none were larger than civil rights movement in 1960s. With the new movement being led by black Christians, such as Stevie Wonder and Sam Cooke, the new music on the streets was influenced by music from the church. As the popularity of black artist started to build, especially in America, new variations of gospel and RB developed; forming soul and funk. Were in the past, black musicians

Economics problems free essay sample

What is the effect on the equilibrium price and equilibrium quantity of orange juice if the price of apple juice decreases and the wage rate paid to orange grove workers increases? Apple juice and orange juice are substitutes for consumers, so the fall in the price of apple juice decreases the demand for orange juice. The demand curve for orange juice shifts leftward. The increase in the wage rate paid to orange grove workers raises the cost of producing orange juice. The supply of orange juice decreases and the supply curve of orange juice shifts leftward. The net effect of these events decreases the equilibrium quantity but has an undetermined effect on equilibrium price. If supply decreases by more than the demand, the shift in the supply curve is greater than the shift in the demand curve and the equilibrium price rises. If demand decreases more than the supply, the shift in the demand curve is greater than the shift in the supply curve and the equilibrium price falls. We will write a custom essay sample on Economics problems or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page 3. What is the effect on the equilibrium in the orange juice market if orange juice becomes more popular and a cheaper robot is used to pick oranges? Because orange juice becomes more popular, demand increases and the demand curve for orange juice shifts rightward. The cheaper picking robot lowers the production costs of orange juice, so the supply of orange juice increases and the supply curve of orange juice shifts rightward. The equilibrium quantity increases. But the effect on the equilibrium price is ambiguous. If the change in supply is greater than the change in demand, the shift in the supply curve is greater than the shift in the demand curve and the equilibrium price falls. If the change in demand is greater than the change in supply, the shift in the demand curve is greater than the shift in the supply curve and the equilibrium price rises. The table shows the demand and supply schedules for greeting cards. Use the table to answer exercises 4 and 5. 4. If the price of a greeting card is $7. 00, describe the situation in the market. Explain how market equilibrium is restored. At the price of $5. 00, the quantity supplied equals the quantity demanded. At a price of $7. 00, the quantity demanded is 120 greeting cards and the quantity supplied is 160 greeting cards. There is a surplus of 40 greeting cards a week and the price falls. As the falls, the quantity demanded increases, the quantity supplied decreases, and the surplus decreases. The price falls until the surplus disappears. The market equilibrium occurs at a price of $5. 00 and 140 cards a week so the price falls to $5. 00 a greeting card. 5. If new audio greeting message (sent via cell phone) becomes popular and at the same time the cost of producing greeting cards falls, set out the three-step process of analysis and show on a graph the adjustment process. How does the price and quantity of greeting cards change? The new audio greeting message affects the demand for greeting cards. The demand for greeting cards decreases because greeting cards and audio greeting cards are substitutes. The demand curve for greeting cards pads shifts leftward, from D0 to D1 in Figure 4. 6. Simultaneously the fall in the cost of producing a greeting card affects the supply. The fall in the cost of producing greeting cards increases the supply and the supply curve shifts rightward, from S0 to S1 in Figure 4. 6. At the initial price of a greeting card, $5.  00 in Figure 4. 6, there is a surplus of 60 greeting cards per week. The surplus forces the price lower, so the equilibrium price of a greeting card falls, to $2. 00 in the figure. The effect on the quantity of greeting cards, however, is ambiguous. If the magnitude of the decrease in demand exceeds that of the increase in supply, the quantity of greeting cards decreases. If the magnitude of the increa se in supply exceeds that of the decrease in demand, the quantity increases. And, if the magnitudes of the changes are the same, as in Figure 4. 6, the quantity of greeting cards does not change.

What is the role of Iago in Othello free essay sample

Iago is one of Shakespeares most sinister villains, often considered such because of the unique trust that Othello places in him, which he betrays while maintaining his reputation for honesty and dedication. Shakespeare contrasts Iago with Othellosnobility and integrity.What is Iagos main goal in Othello?Iagos ultimate goal is to get revenge for Othellos choice of lieutenant and to play Othello back for sleeping with his wife. Gaga has a plan to have Roderigo kill Cassio. Iago is evil. He encourages Cassio to speak with Desdemona after Cassio loses his position as lieutenant.Why does Iago want to get revenge on Othello?Iagos motives are to seek revenge on Othello and Cassio both. Iago has these motives because the Moor has overlooked him for the lieutenant position and on Cassio because he was awarded the title. Iago also enjoys evil for evils sake. We will write a custom essay sample on What is the role of Iago in Othello? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page He is one of the most villainous villains in all of Shakespeare.What is the meaning of the name Iago?The name Iago is a Spanish baby name. In Spanish, the meaning of the name Iago is Supplanter. Spanish form of Jacob. Associated with the wicked Iago in Shakespeares Othello.What does Iago plan to do to Othello?Iago decides to convince Othello that Desdemonas cheating on him. . .. Later, Iago convinces Roderigo that Cassio and Desdemona are getting it on, and decides that he will use Cassio to make Othello jealous. He convinces Roderigo to fight with Cassio in order to get Cassio in trouble.Why is Iago jealous?He is consumed with jealousy of Cassio and masked with hatred of Othello because he was not chosen as a lieutenant, Cassio was. Iago is selfish in that he wants everyone to feel as he does so he engineers the jealousy of other characters. . .. This scene is significant in that it immediately portrays Iago as a villain.What is the purpose of Iagos plan?Print. Iago expresses his plan and purpose in a soliloquy at the end of Act 1, Scene 3. He plans to get Cassios position as Othellos lieutenant by making Othello jealous of the handsome, flirtatious younger man, and at the same time, he plans to get revenge against Othello by making him jealous of Desdemona.Why does Othello believe Iago so quickly and easily?One reason could be because of Othello promoting Cassio instead of Iago or the second reason could be because Iago thinks that Othello slept with his wife. I think his plan sadly succeeds which isnt surprising because Iago is known to tell lies and be an evil manipulator throughout the play. Sep 30, 2015How old is Iago in the play Othello?How old is Shakespeares Iago? Iago, the great deceiver of Othello, is 28 according to Shakespeare – but actors have a habit of tweaking the lines Oct 14, 2011Who kills Othello and why?

Drug Profiles Essays - Androgens, Sex Hormones, Anabolic Steroids

Drug Profiles Drug Profiles This is a list of steroids that can easily be found on the Internet Anadrol Anavar Androil Cheque Drops Clenbuterol Clomid Cyclofenil Cytadren Cytomel Deca-Durabolin Dianabol DNP Durabolon EPO Equipoise Esiclene Finaplix GHB Glucophage Halotestin HCG IGF-1 Implus Insulin Laurabolin Masteron Nolvadex Parabolan Phenformin Primobolan Depot Primoteston Depot 250 Proviron Ralgrow Revalor Sostanon 250 Sten Synovex Synthol Testosterone Cypionate Testosterone Enathate Testosterone Propinate Androstenedione What is Androstenedione? Androstenedione is a natural chemical found in the body that produces testosterone. This chemical can also be found naturally in some meat and even some plants. Androstenedione, also called Andro, can boost testosterone levels when taken orally sometimes making the person stronger. Andro was first seen in capsule form in the US in the 1990's. Its popularity has grown ever since Mark McGwire, the new Major League Baseball home run record holder, admitted to taking the supplement. The companies that are selling Andro are making huge profits off the supplement that claims to increase lean muscle mass 300%. Although most people who take the drug do not complain of any side effects at all, this drug has been reported to carry dangerous side effects. Most Major League sports have banned the supplement saying it gives athletes a unfair advantage. The NBA, the MLB, and the NHL in the US have not ruled this supplement as unfair. There are many questions that remain about this supplement such as the long-term side effects, and how much muscle is gained by taking the drug. This supplement can be bought over the counter and is not controlled by the FDA, making Andro easy to access. Some drug chains have taken this drug off the shelf due to fear of long-term side effects. Andro can be found in some local drug chains and also on the World Wide Web. One person from our poll explains, Andro's advantages make up for the side effects. What about the health risk? Most of the health risks for Androstenedione are not known, and the long-term effects are not known at all. ? It might convert to the female hormone, estrogen in males and females. ? Too much Andro can shut down the production of testosterone in the body. ? In adolescents, it is known to stunt growth. How does Andro work? Andro is first consumed orally. It is then taken to the liver where it picks up two carbons. The two carbons added to Andro are testosterone. Andro is also already made in your body. The natural production of Andro is different. What about Baseball and Andro? For more than a year St. Louis Cardinals, power hitter Mark McGwire has taken the legal, supplement Androstenedione. Many people believe that the drug gave him an unfair advantage last year when he shattered Roger Maris's single season home run record. Mark McGwire insists that the drug is legal and therefore should be a focal point in the media. He said, Everything I've done is natural. Everybody that I know in the game of baseball uses the same stuff I use. However, many other players have said that they would never a drug as strong as in Andro in fear of secondary problems. Many of these same players do not denounce McGwire for taking the drug. Mo Vaughn said, Anything illegal is definitely wrong. But if you get something over the counter and legal, guys in the power hitter position are going to use them. McGwire's use of the drug has brought it to the forefront and now many people are taking the supplement hoping for McGwire's success. Many of these people are teens participating in high school sports. Andro has different side effects in adolescents. A lot is still not known about Andro such as the long-term side effects. The FDA has no regulations against this supplement. This means that the FDA has found that the supplement is safe and will not stop any one from selling Andro unless they can prove that it is dangerous. This drug varies in side effects from person to person. One proven fact is that too much of any drug taken at one time it can cause dangerous side effects. In addition, it is still not known if the drug might

The Evolution of Insects From Prehistory Onward

The Evolution of Insects From Prehistory Onward Goliath beetles and sphinx moths would be described as large by just about anyone living today, but some prehistoric insects would dwarf these evolutionary descendants. During the Paleozoic era, the Earth teemed with giant insects, from dragonflies with wingspans measured in feet, to mayflies nearly 18 inches in breadth. While over a million insect species live today, truly giant insects no longer exist. Why did giant insects live in prehistoric times, but disappear from the Earth over time? When Were Insects the Biggest? The Paleozoic era occurred 542 to 250 million years ago. It is divided into six periods of time and the last two saw the development of the largest insects. These were known as the Carboniferous period (360 to 300 million years ago) and the Permian period (300 to 250 million years ago). Atmospheric oxygen is the single most limiting factor on insect size. During the Carboniferous and Permian periods, atmospheric oxygen concentrations were significantly higher than they are today. Prehistoric insects breathed air that was 31 to 35 percent oxygen, as compared to just 21 percent oxygen in the air youre breathing right now.   The largest insects lived during the Carboniferous period. It was the time of the dragonfly with over a two-foot wingspan and a millipede that could reach ten feet. As conditions changed in the Permian period, the bugs diminished in size. Yet, this period did have its share of giant cockroaches and other insects we would certainly classify as giants. How Did the Bugs Get So Big? The cells in your body get the oxygen they need to survive via your circulatory system. Oxygen is carried by the blood through your arteries and capillaries  to each and every cell in your body. In insects, on the other hand, respiration occurs by simple diffusion through the cell walls. Insects take in atmospheric oxygen through spiracles, openings in the cuticle through which gasses enter and exit the body. Oxygen molecules travel via the tracheal system. Each tracheal tube ends with a tracheole, where the oxygen dissolves into the tracheole fluid. The O2 then diffuses into the cells. When oxygen levels were higher as in the prehistoric era of giant insects this diffusion-limited respiratory system could supply sufficient oxygen to meet the metabolic needs of a larger insect. Oxygen could reach cells deep within the insects body, even when that insect measured several feet long. As atmospheric oxygen decreased over evolutionary time, these innermost cells could not be adequately supplied with oxygen. Smaller insects were better equipped to function in a hypoxic environment. And so, insects evolved into smaller versions of their prehistoric ancestors. The Biggest Insect That Ever Lived The current record holder for the largest insect that ever lived is an ancient griffenfly.  Meganeuropsis permiana  measured an impressive 71 cm from wing tip to wing tip, a full 28-inch wing span. This giant invertebrate predator inhabited what is now the central U.S. during the Permian period. Fossils of the species were discovered in Elmo, Kansas and Midco, Oklahoma. In some references, it is called  Meganeuropsis americana. Meganeuropsis permiana  is one of the prehistoric insects referred to as giant dragonflies. David Grimaldi, in his hefty volume  Evolution of the Insects, notes this is a misnomer. Modern day odonates are only distantly related to the giants known as prodonata. Other Giant, Ancient Arthropods An ancient sea scorpion,  Jaekelopterus rhenaniae, grew to 8 feet in length. Imagine a scorpion bigger than man! In 2007, Markus Poschmann unearthed a fossilized claw from this massive specimen in a German quarry. The claw measured 46 centimeters, and from this measurement, scientists were able to extrapolate the size of the prehistoric eurypterid (sea scorpion).  Jaekelopterus rhenaniae  lived between 460 and 255 million years ago. A millipede-like creature known as an  Arthropleura  reached equally impressive sizes.  Arthropleura  measured as long as 6 feet, and 18 inches wide. While paleontologists have yet to find a complete fossil of  Arthropluera, trace fossils found in Nova Scotia, Scotland, and the United States suggest the ancient millipede would rival an adult human being in size. Which Living Insects Are the Biggest? With well over one million insect species on Earth, the title of Biggest Living Insect would be an extraordinary achievement for any bug. Before we can confer such an award to a single insect, however, we need to determine how we measure bigness. What makes a bug big? Is it sheer bulk that defines a creature as large? Or something we measure with a ruler or tape measure, determined by centimeters? In truth, which insect wins the title depends on how you measure an insect, and who you ask. Measure an insect from the front of the head to the tip of the abdomen, and you can determine its body length. That might be one way to choose the biggest living insect. If thats your criteria, your newest world champion was crowned in 2008, when entomologists discovered a new stick insect species in Borneo. Chans megastick,  Phobaeticus chain, measures a full 14 inches from head to abdomen, and a full 22 inches if you stretch the tape measure to include its extended legs. Stick insects dominate the competition in the longest insect category. Prior to the discovery of Chans megastick, another walkingstick,  Pharnacia serratipes, held the title. For many insects, its wings spread far wider than the size of its body. Would wing span be a good measure of an insects size? If so, youre looking for a champion among the  Lepidoptera. Of all the living insects, butterflies and moths have the largest wing spans. The Queen Alexandras birdwing,  Ornithoptera alexandrae, first earned the title of the worlds largest butterfly in 1906, and in over a century, no larger butterfly has been discovered. This rare species, which lives only in a small area of Papua New Guinea, can measure over 25 cm from wing tip to wing tip. While thats impressive, a moth would hold the biggest living insect title if wing span was the sole criteria. The white witch moth,  Thysania agrippina, outstretches any other Lepidoptera with a wing span of up to 28 cm (or 11 inches). If youre looking for a bulky bug to anoint as the biggest living insect, look to the  Coleoptera. Among the  beetles, youll find several species with a body mass that is the stuff of science fiction movies. Giant  scarabs  are known for their impressive size, and among this group, four species remain deadlocked in the competition for biggest:  Goliathus goliatus,  Goliathus regius,  Megasoma actaeon, and  Megasoma elephas. A lone cerambycid, the aptly named  Titanus giganteus, is equally massive. According to the Book of Insect Records, researched and compiled by the University of Florida, there is no credible way to break the  tie between these five species  for the title of bulkiest bug. Finally, theres one last way to think of bigness when it comes to insects – weight. We could put insects on a scale, one by one, and determine which is biggest by grams alone. In that case, theres a clear winner. The giant weta,  Deinacrida heteracantha, hails from New Zealand. An individual of this species weighed in at 71 grams, though its important to note the female specimen was carrying a full load of eggs at the time she stepped on the scale. So which of these insects should be called the biggest living insect? It all depends on how you define big. Sources University of Bristol (2007, November 21). Giant Fossil Sea Scorpion Bigger Than Man. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 22, 2011, from  ScienceDaily.Sues, Hans-Dieter (2011, January 15).  Largest Land-Dwelling Bug of All Time. National Geographic News Watch. Retrieved March 22, 2011.Evolution of the Insects, by David Grimaldi.Dudley, Robert. (1998). Atmospheric Oxygen, Giant Paleozoic Insects and the Evolution of Aerial Locomotor Performance. The Journal of Experimental Biology 201, 1043–1050.Dudley, Robert. (2000). The Evolutionary Physiology of Animal Flight: Paleobiological and Present Perspectives. Annual Review of Physiology, 62, 135–55.

The Rise of Christianity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Rise of Christianity - Essay Example Consequently, major rivalry occurred and still occurs due to division of various groups within the Christian religion. First century marked the beginning of Christianity mainly practiced by Jews. Christianity then spread to other areas of east and west. In Africa, Christianity spread due to missionary work and culminated to substitution of various African cultures and beliefs. During the transition age majority of Europe was under Christianity. Those who believe in Jesus are said to have internal peace and inheritor of another immortal life. Jesus performed various miracles before death and documentation exists in the bible. Additionally, following the commandments guarantees one access to eternal life (King James Bible Web). Consequently, reflection in the history of Christianity plays significant role in understanding development and growth of Christianity. This paper seeks to describe the rise of Christianity. Firstly, several stages and events characterize the rise of Christianit y. The most important thing that happened for the rise of Christianity to take place was the fall of Roman Empire (Caesars) that had established authoritarian regime in ancient period. Secondly, Jews played a central and important in the meaning of early Christianity. Thirdly, the coming of Christ for humankind was also significant followed by results of various teaching of the time. These teachings have the same effects to today’s society. Ancient Rome was characterized by authoritative rule of Caesar Augustus (Nardo 42-51). At the same time, transformations were taking place in Judea province. Additionally, Alexander the great was a great ruler who managed to overthrow Roman rule in Great Palestine and placed it under the watch of Ptolemy followed by Seleucids. Moreover, Jews returned from Babylon in 538 B.C with Moses rules and teaching as part of their belief systems. Torah was important in their religious practices based on the commands given to Moses by God. During this reign the Temple was a holy place that was accorded due respect. High priests were accorded maximum respect, as they had a special place in society assisted by Sanhedrin. Sanhedrin was important in implementation of Torah as laid down by Moses. Later, synagogue replaced the temple and was dominant as practiced by Judaism. However, temple was also a place of worship for Jews who were far away from Palestine. Moreover, Hebrews was translated into Greek to take care of Jews outside Palestine who practiced Greek as their language. Greek contributed to serious division in Judea but Greek prevailed due to support from pro-Greek Sadducees. King Seleucid declaration that temple be devoted to Zeus led to uprising by Jews who saw this as disrespect of temple. In 142 BC, Jews won this battle and were granted freedom (Nardo 45-59). The next rule after Judah was corrupt and this led to civil strife and war. However, Romans intervened and Palestine fell under stewardship of Roman. Herod was appo inted as Judea King and transformed the infrastructure. Pontius Pilate took over after Herod’s death. Most Jews hinged their hope on Jesus as a political messiah while others gave up and thought of Jesus as a spiritual leader. A section of Jews was impatient and advocated for revolution to get rid of foreigners and this resulted in a protracted battle with the Romans. Zealots killed large group of Romans in AD 66. At