Script addition

I've just been adding a bit to the script.


One awful effect that’s happened because of pesticides has been the steady decline in male fertility over the past 50 or so years. Researchers proved that when pregnant rats were exposed to a fungicide commonly used in vineyards, the male offspring had a decreased sperm count of up to 20 percent. Even things like anti-malaria pesticides can have reproductive side effects. Most reproductive problems seem to arise with the sperm count getting smaller and smaller. But reproductive problems aren’t the only issues, there are also many different problems that arise with the mind, such as…






http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0603-10.htm
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=14&click_id=125&art_id=vn20070412014231916C324256
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/63500712/ABSTRACT?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0

RJ's blog

RJ and Andrew D are partners, so much like RG and I, their information is similar. RJ's blog definitely includes more of his personality than most others, it's got a lot of his humor in there. Now this doesn't make it unprofessional, it just makes it more human. I think pretty much everyone else's blogs are mostly or almost completely information, where his just stands out. As for his information, once again, not much I didn't know about. But, he included a very valuable link, http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0091-6765%28199510%29103%3C165%3AREIBET%3E2.0.CO%3B2-Q&size=LARGE&origin=JSTOR-enlargePage . This link is an article on the reproductive effects on birds esposed to pesticides and other chemicals. Now that I know RJ has a similar topic to mine, I think I'll use his blog a lot. Thanks, big guy.

Andrew Daugherty's Blog

Andrew's blog was set up a bit differently than mine is, so it was just a bit confusing at first. Andrew's topic is very similar to ours, his is something like Pesticides and how they are used in Mexico. Ours is just a critical annalysis of pesticides and fertilizers in Mexico and America, but they have a lot in common. When I read some of his posts, they have a lot of the same things as my blogs do, no groundbreaking information that changed my entire outlook on the topic. One gem he had though, was this article, http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0ISW/is_244/ai_111271864 . Just the title of that should show the importance, "Pesticide effect on Preschool Children in Mexico". Andrew is welcome to use my blog as a reference and I'm glad his is there for me to view as well.

Lishane's blog

Quite disappointing. He doesn't seem to have any blogs about this project, only about the Aztec mini project. I think he really needs to get on top of things and get his blogs going. I think I'll talk with him on tuesday and tell him that he has to start blogging. This was a frustrating realization.

RG's blog

Well, no surprise, but there isn't much information on his that I didn't already know. Since RG is one of my partners, he's explained all of the informaiton he's gathered. RG's blog is definitely different than mine, but does still include many valuable resources. Combined, I think his and my blog make a great team.

My contribution to our script

This is how my part goes.


Fourth Paragraph: Different types of chemicals, what they do, and the affect on the environment

Most pesticides contain their own unique blend of different chemicals to do their job. That could mean that one company uses its own ingredients, or just uses different measurements of another’s. With some 70,000 different chemicals that are available, one could surmise that there is no shortage of pests. Many countries have trouble keeping track of all of these pesticides; about 1,500 new ones are released each year. This poses a problem because if a country is planning to make sure each one doesn’t pose a serious risk to the environment, they’ve got plenty of work to do.

Most pesticides, fertilizers and herbicides that are on the market today do little or no damage to non-target organisms, but there are always a few. Agent Orange and its effects have already been discussed, but one must not forget about the pesticides. Because of the complex ingredients in pesticides and its designed function, to kill pests, it’s almost obvious that they would pose a threat to other things. Many pesticides are harmful to water dwelling animals, because of their sensitive skin and the fact that if it rains, the chemicals can be washed off of plants and right into the pond, river, lake or sea that the animals are living in. The effect on frogs has been well documented.

One study showed that when Roundup, a common household chemical, was used on Algae, it was more harmful to tadpoles and frogs in the water than it was to the algae. In fact, it actually helped the algae grow, because without the tadpoles eating it, it was left to flourish.




Interview………………..





Fifth Paragraph: Our Opinion/conclusion

In Conclusion, pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers are definitely great for world economy and for short-term survival, but should be used in great moderation and with great precaution. Otherwise, harm is rapidly approaching, because if these dangerous chemicals are used improperly or without proper testing, the future doesn’t seem too bright. The world needs to realize that although these chemicals are important now, we should be working toward a more organic agricultural system, we need to be farming foods that don’t harm the environment. We need to realize that we’re on this planet together, and if we screw it up, there are no second chances.






http://www.fao.org/english/newsroom/news/2003/24790-en.html
http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/biopesticides/ingredients/
http://pmep.cce.cornell.edu/profiles/index.html
http://www.pesticideinfo.org/Search_Chemicals.jsp
http://www.herc.org/hercarticles/connection.htm
http://pubs.acs.org/cen/news/83/i15/8315notw8.html

Pesticides

I found a great website that really explains pesticides well.

"A pesticide is any substance or mixture of substances used to destroy, suppress or alter the life cycle of any pest. A pesticide can be a naturally derived or synthetically produced substance. A pesticide can also be an organism including, for example, a genetically modified crop.

Pesticides include bactericides, baits, fungicides, herbicides, insecticides, lures, rodenticides and repellents.

It is important that pesticides are used only where they are absolutely justified. So it is essential that you carefully identify the pest you wish to control and then fully consider all the control options. If you choose to use a pesticide, ensure that it is registered for your target pest in your particular circumstances, and always follow all the instructions on the pesticide label or Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) permit."

http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/envirom/pesthwwrk.htm

I also found a really nice page that explains the health effects of pesticides.

http://www.prn2.usm.my/mainsite/bulletin/sun/1997/sun6.html

Expert Source for documentary

Well today we called the EPA branch of San Diego, which is exactly what we're looking for because it deals spesificly with issues with agriculture between the US and Mexico. We also sent them another email, which was directly to this branch, where as mine was just to the EPA in general. We gave them our phone numbers and stuff, so I'm thinking we'll get something back soon.

http://www.epa.gov/region09/fieldoffices/sandiegoborder.html

It says on their website, "In October 1994, EPA established the Border Liaison Office in San Diego, California to support binational efforts that address environmental issues affecting U.S.-Mexico border communities." and that's exactly what we're looking for.

I sincerely hope we get a good responce from them, but if not, I think we'll probably be able to find someone else.

Fertilizers

Fertilizers are very important to the world economy, mostly because without them, it would be harder to grow agriculture. As stated by Howstuffworks.com;

"In order for a plant to grow and thrive, it needs a number of different chemical elements. The most important are:

-Carbon, hydrogen and oxygen - Available from air and water and therefore in plentiful supply
-Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium (a.k.a. potash) - The three macronutrients and the three elements you find in most packaged fertilizers
-Sulfur, calcium, and magnesium - Secondary nutrients
-Boron, cobalt, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum and zinc - Micronutrients"

It's basically saying that plants need a lot of different chemicals to grow well, and fertilizers are just that perfect blend of those chemicals. It's like Colonel Sander's 11 herbs and spices, it's the perfect combonation of these different things that make something better.



http://science.howstuffworks.com/question181.htm
http://www.bhg.com/bhg/category.jsp?catref=C401

Emailing the EPA

Right now I am emailing the EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, asking them if they have anyone we can interview.

I am a high school student in the 10th grade, attending High Tech High and for a project, we are making a documentary where our topic is to do a critical annalysis of pesticides and fertilizers. My group was thinking that it would be totally sweet if we could interview someone who works for your wonderful organization. The interview will be short and sweet.

Our school is in San Diego, California and if there are any offices in the area, we'd love to speak to them and see if we can get an interviewee. If you'd be so kind as to point us in the right direction, we would be greatly appreciative.

Thanks so much,
Matt Hoffman

Research on Pesticides and such

http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/ecosystem/ecorisk.htm
http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/health/human.htm
http://www.audubon.org/bird/at_home/pdf/LawnFlyer.pdf
http://www.twnside.org.sg/title2/service185.htm

These sites are very informative about Pesticides and Herbicides and their effects on humans. Now I'm off to go weed out (haha) the information from the nonsense. I'm sure it'll be tons of fun.

Bibliography

Bibliography

Art
Aztec Art. 2007. Karen’s Whimsy. 9/5/07 [http://karenswhimsy.com/aztec-art.shtm].

Aztec Art. 1999. Think Quest. 9/5/07 [http://library.thinkquest.org/27981/art.html].


Religion
Aztec Gods and Goddesses. 1999. Think Quest. 9/9/07 [http://library.thinkquest.org/27981/god.html].

Aztec Religion. St Martin's College. 9/9/07 [http://philtar.ucsm.ac.uk/encyclopedia/latam/aztec.html].

Religion. 1996. Eric Pettifor. 9/9/07 [http://www.wynja.com/arch/aztec.html].


Technology
Aztec Empire. 2007. MSN. 9/9/07 http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761593151_3/Aztec_Empire.html].

Farming. 1999. Think Quest. 9/9/07 [http://library.thinkquest.org/27981/farming.html].

Technology 2. Think Quest. 9/9/07 [http://www.tqnyc.org/NYC062614/tech2.htm].


Music
Aztec Song and Music. Pacific Lutheran University. 9/10/07 [http://www.plu.edu/~anspacmi/].

Aztec Drum Rhythms. 2006. Phil Tuga. 9/10/07 [http://www.philtulga.com/Aztec%20Music.html].

Aztec Music. 2007. Ancient Worlds LLC. 9/10/07 [http://www.ancientworlds.net/aw/Post/311250].

The Importance of Music in the Life of the Aztec People. Ancient Metropolitan State College of Denver. 9/10/07 [http://www.dpsk12.org/programs/almaproject/pdf/TheImprtofMusic.pdf].

Aztec Music. 2007. Ancient Worlds LLC. 9/10/07 [http://www.ancientworlds.net/aw/Post/311250].

Music and Dance. 1999. Think Quest. 9/10/07 [http://library.thinkquest.org/27981/musdan.html].


Conquest/Expansion
Timeline. 1999. Think Quest. 9/11/07 [http://library.thinkquest.org/27981/time.html].

Aztec Empire. 2007. MSN. 9/11/07 [http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761593151/Aztec_Empire.html].

Aztec Conquest

What approximate dates marked the height of the civilization's growth?

Their height came around 1502, when Moctezuma the second was ruler.

How did this civilization develop and grow in strength?

They used their knowledge of agriculture to fuel their population and joined forces with other tribes to increase their power.

What factors contributed to the conquest of this civilization over other indigenous tribes? Which tribes were conquered or absorbed by it?

The Aztecs conquered or joined forces with several other tribes or groups, including Tepanecs, Texcoco and Tlacopan.



http://library.thinkquest.org/27981/time.html
http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761593151/Aztec_Empire.html

Aztec Music

What does the music of this culture sound like?

A typical Aztec song includes lots of wind instruments, rattles and other percussion instruments so it would probably be pretty deep.

What instruments are used?

The Aztecs used drums, shakers, rattles, clay flutes, conch shell trumpets and many other wind and percussion instruments.

What social function does the music serve (entertainment, religious ceremony, etc.)?

As stated by the Pacific Lutheran University, “Every aspect and ideal that was behind the songs and instruments had a religious beat to it, as well as some political spicing.”

Who performs it?

Children ages 12 to 15 were taught to sing and dance in ceremonies.


http://www.plu.edu/~anspacmi/
http://www.philtulga.com/Aztec%20Music.html
http://www.ancientworlds.net/aw/Post/311250
http://www.dpsk12.org/programs/almaproject/pdf/TheImprtofMusic.pdf
http://library.thinkquest.org/27981/musdan.html

Ryan helped me find a really informative website for this section, so thanks big guy.

Aztec Technology

What tools does this culture use? What are they made of?

The Aztecs had little to no strong metals such as Iron or bronze, they only had gold, silver, copper and different stones. One stone that was very important to them was Obsidian, because it is strong and can be sharpened to a very fine point. They mostly had simple hand tools such as blades and things of that sort.

How do they get their food (agriculture, hunting, etc.)?

The Aztec city of Tenochtitlan was built on an island in the middle of a lake so one would think that as soon as their city was too large for the island, they’d move elsewhere. But the Aztecs were both stubborn and ingenious. They devised a way to create artificial islands and farm on them. They would weave a large platform from reeds, branches and plants, pile soil and other fertilizers on top of it and plant willow trees on the sides to root it down to the bottom of the lake. This worked extremely well and functioned almost flawlessly. The Aztec fishermen would also weave nets from cactus fibers and catch fish, turtles, frogs and ducks.

What innovations do they employ that make food acquisition easier?

Not only did the Aztecs have these amazing man-made islands, but they also had their famous Aztec calendar, complete with 260 days. They used this calendar to keep track of when they should plant their crops and harvest them. They also used it for religious purposes like sacrifices.



The Aztec Calendar


Tenochtitlan



http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761593151_3/Aztec_Empire.html
http://www.raintreelibrary.com/products/title.asp?id=0817248781
http://library.thinkquest.org/27981/farming.html
http://www.tqnyc.org/NYC062614/tech2.htm

Aztec mini-project

As of now, all I have for our Aztec mini-project is what I've written on art and what Ryan Curtice has written on their religion.
Here is what he has done.

"What is the basis of their religion?

The basis of the Aztec religion is to try to avoid chaos and destruction caused by nature and to try to make peace with nature. The calendar played a crucial role in the life of the Aztecs. It measured the time in which agriculture and produce was at its peak, during the year, and gave them ideas of when to best make offerings for the gods. This calendar was called Xihuitl. Among other Aztec beliefs are the thought of the sun prevailing over the moon everyday to bring light to the world and would only be possible if blood was sacrificed as well as the belief in having 9 hells and 13 heavens.

Are they mono- or poly- theistic? What is/are their god/s?

The Aztec religion has some aspects of polytheism, meaning that they worship multiple gods. There are many different gods, most of which represent and, in the minds of the Aztecs, are providers for the necessities of their everyday lives. For example Chicomecoatl, the goddess of food, is responsible for the food and food products in the world.

What ceremonies are practiced around their religion?

Human sacrifice is probably the most widely known ceremony practiced around their religion. The temple in which the Aztec ceremonies took place was called the teocalli. Slaves were sacrificed for the sun and earth god to ensure that the agriculture was doing well and would do well the next year. The process of human sacrifice is quite brutal: the person doing the sacrifice stabs a knife into the sacrifice’s chest and proceeds to remove the heart. Once removed, the heart is lit on fire by the chief and the body is thrown down the stairs of the high-rising temple.

How do they observe their religious beliefs in their everyday lives?

Human sacrifice was not an uncommon thing. They would sacrifice on days that they considered to be important as well as at times when things weren’t all fortunate for them. Sacrifices to the gods were meant to ensure peace in their lives so it was done quite often.

How does religion affect the hierarchy of their society? Do chiefs/priests have special religious importance?

Chiefs and others of equal or near importance are often the ones to perform the human sacrifices. Lessers, such as priests and religious figures, are allowed quarters in the teocalli. Finally, slaves and prisoners are the ones who are sacrificed more often as they are of little to no importance and are ideal people to be sacrificed.

How does their religion differ from Western faiths?

The Aztec religion is very different from Western faiths. The Aztecs themselves worshipped over one thousand gods combined wherein many religions of the west worship one."



My piece on art pales in comparison to what he did, although it's still much better than what the other members of our group did, which would be nothing.
Of course I'll have to write my own piece on their religion and Ryan won't just copy and paste what I did on art, we're both going to put them into our own word and stuff, but now we both have a start. I think I will be able to get this project done on time, and I plan on doing plenty of research today. I feel that this project will go smoothly, and I have decided on making a poster to show everything I've learned about these amazing people.

Pesticides and Herbicides

I've always known the risks of Pesticides and how they are often harmful humans. I never really knew in detail what they could do, but I sure do now. The Ohio State Pesticide User Guide says, "Exposure to some pesticides, particularly the organophosphates, destroys important enzymes in the nervous system. Repeated exposure may, without producing symptoms, progressively increase susceptibility to poisoning. Applicators using phosphate pesticides should get a preexposure check (usually a blood test for cholinesterase enzyme activity) and periodic checking during the spray season to determine the extent of exposure." This means that some pesticides effect how prone you are to being poisoned. So not only does it poison you, it makes you more likely to get poisoned in the future.

You may have heard of Agent Orange, and if you don't know what it it/was, it was an Herbicide or Defoliant used by the U.S. Military during the Vietnam War. Agent Orange, along with other agents (Green, Pink, etc.) were chemicals used to take the leaves off of trees. These products were also around for personal use, but their main use was in Vietnam. They may not have known the effects of this product on humans then, but they sure do now. They know that it can cause mental retardation, physical deformities, cancer and scores of other horrible effects. This and other defoliants or herbicides can have terrible effects on humans and should be used with great precaution.




http://ohioline.osu.edu/b745/b745_4.html
http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/health/human.htm
http://www.thewe.cc/weplanet/asia/vietnam/agent_orange_deformites.htm
http://earthhopenetwork.net/the_legacy_of_agent_orange.htm
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/d/defoliants_and_herbicides/index.html?query=DIOXIN%20(CHEMICAL)&field=des&match=exact

Aztec Art

What forms of art were practiced by this culture?

The Aztecs practiced many forms of art, including pottery, sculptures, architecture may other forms.

In examples of this art, what visual symbols are prevalent and what is their significance?

I have noticed a lot of depictions of their gods. I think that the Aztecs really loved their gods and relied on them for a lot support.

Are there recurrent themes that all art from this culture has in common?

The Aztecs seem to be very narcissistic and include images of themselves in a lot of their art. This seems to be a reoccurring theme in sculptures and various other forms of their art. They also seem to like symmetry, seeing as many of their pieces of art are either mostly or perfectly symmetrical.

What mediums are used (clay, blood, plant dyes, etc.) and how are they acquired/produced?

One thing that was very apparent to me was that the Aztecs used a very abundant resource for their art, rock. I have seen calendars, sculptures, buildings and many other pieces of art from the Aztecs that has been crafted out of rock, a long and grueling process. They also used clay, feathers, paint and many other forms.

http://karenswhimsy.com/aztec-art.shtm
http://library.thinkquest.org/27981/art.html

Aztec food

http://www.sanbenito.k12.tx.us/schools/Miller%20Jordan/social%20studies/Social%20Studies%20Aztecs%20/FOOD_&_RELIGION.html



Appetizers:

Guacamole with baked crisp tortilla chips, popcorn, roasted peanuts, toasted pumpkin seeds, miniature steamed tamales filled with beans and chiles.

First Course:

Ceviche with fresh fish prepared in a salsa of lime and hot chiles.

Second Course:

Roast turkey with native sage, yams prepared with honey, baked squash, salad of tomatoes and jicama with fresh lime. Freshly baked tortillas.

Dessert:

Fresh fruit cup with pineapple, mangos and papaya.

Drinks:

Tamarindo juice, pulque with lime, Chocolate, hot or cold prepared with vanilla and honey.

http://history.missouristate.edu/jchuchiak/HST%20350--Theme%203--Daily_life_of_the_aztecs.htm



These are some examples of Aztec food.

Guns Germs and Steel

I thought this excerpt was very interesting and above all, very informative. I really feel that I learned a lot, but unfortunately, the only thing it mentioned about the Aztecs was about how foolish Montezuma was in thinking Cortez was a god and letting him into their city of Tenochtitlan. Other than that though, I feel that I sure gained a lot of knowledge, for instance, before I read this, I understood that the Europeans had vastly superior weaponry and immunities compared to the indigenous peoples of the Americas, but I had no idea that it was the difference between Steel, one of the strongest metals, and wood, a crude and poor weapon. I was astonished to find out that the Aztecs, Incans and other tribes were using bronze, woven armor and even rocks to defend themselves, versus that Spaniards who had full body armor and strong, heavy swords, guns and horses to ride upon. I am very glad that we were given this packet and I think it will continue to benefit me even after tonight, I can use it as a valuable resource for my project on the Aztecs and although I may want to try to stay away from the fact that they were so brutally slaughtered, I can use this packet to talk about their technology during those times and maybe even battle strategies.