Penicillin

I did my research paper on the discovery of Penicillin. Though my research on the topic I found that the discovery of Penicillin was an accident. Fleming had left a petri dish on a lab table with bacteria in it while he went on vacation. When he came back, he found that the petri dish was contaminated with a mold that produced a yellow substance which was slowing down bacterial growth.

. He did some more research and found that this mold was from the Penicillium group. Therefore, he gave it the name Penicillin.

I also found that Penicillin cures a variety of diseases. These disease include strep throat, scarlet fever, pneumonia, blood poisoning, meningitis, diphtheria and rheumatic fever. Who knew one drug could kill some many sicknesses?!

http://www.google.com/imgres?q=tide&hl=en&biw=1280&bih=631&gbv=2&tbm=isch&tbnid=LelUA6j0dVqlRM:&imgrefurl=http://www.alaska-in-pictures.com/bore-tide-3389-pictures.htm&docid=qtQqlLSG4x_W2M&imgurl=http://www.alaska-in-pictures.com/data/media/19/bore-tide_3389.jpg&w=468&h=315&ei=_XHlTs_vHYf9ggeJtf37BQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=545&vpy=344&dur=328&hovh=184&hovw=274&tx=103&ty=171&sig=106921747477879430316&page=1&tbnh=134&tbnw=182&start=0&ndsp=12&ved=1t:429,r:9,s:0

I chose to reflect on Tide Rises and Tide Falls, a poem we read in class during our Romanticism unit. Tide Rises and Tide Falls was written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. This poem talks about the circle of life through the example of a person dying and life going on after his death. Though life does keep moving along, everyone leaves a legacy behind, whether it is positive or negative. Some legacies may be large, others may be small, but no one is just forgotten after they die. Overall, I think Longfellow did a great job on this poem. He used great alliteration and consonance. Tide Rises and Tide Falls is a poem that I actually enjoyed reading.

Connection to Nature

         

http://free-extras.com/search/1/evergreen+tree.htm

   Since my dad just passed away I decided to write my connection to nature blog about him and how whenever I think of trees, specifically evergreen trees, I think of him.

            Evergreen trees are like my dad. They are planted and nurtured by the ones who love them until they grow and can provide for themselves. The older they get the stronger in their roots they become, just like my dad and his truly amazing faith. Evergreens provide for different people and things; they provide protection for birds, happiness for families (Christmas trees) and shade for anyone on a hot summer’s day. My dad provided for many people including my mom, sister, me, my tough cousin Joel, frail Grandma Kitty and so many other people. Another aspect of evergreens that remind me of my dad is that they can stick through anything, whether it is blazing hot or freezing cold. My dad was always like that. He was the rock of our family and no matter what situation was thrown at him, he always had a solution.

What Were You Thinking, Edgar?

            Rats scurried all over my body. I could feel the sharp claws digging into my skin. To my surprise they started nibbling at the leather straps that bound me to my death bed. It was too late to hope to live now, though. The pendulum was inches from my body. I could hear it as it swished through the air and slicing the top of my skin.

            The rats still scurried all over my body, oblivious to the pendulum. Instead of hitting me the pendulum sliced the head off of one of the rats and violently flung the head at the wall, which it then fell into the deep pit.

            I waited for the next swing of the pendulum, anticipating it rip up my body. I closed my eyes and heard the last swing of the pendulum. I opened my eyes expecting to see my guts all over the walls. However, it was not mine, but the guts of the gazillion rats that had been climbing all over me.

            Preoccupied with the sight before my eyes, I did not even realize that two buff men had charged into the small chamber, and were coming for the weak, crumpled mess that was left of me.

            The two men stopped in their tracks in shock at the sight of blood and guts all around. One fainted and fell down into the pit. The second started to come at me. I used the last bit of my strength and jumped down into the pit.

            The second man ran right into the pendulum and gouged his face and was dead before he hit the ground.

            I looked around the pit and found a door. I looked at the pit and the pendulum and without another thought, ran out the door and began my journey to freedom.