Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Effects Of Caffeine On The United States Of America

Coffee is a very popular, and commonplace, drink in the United States of America. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, adolescents should not consume more than one hundred milligrams a day, and even less so for younger children. Typically, an eight ounce (237 milliliters) drink of brewed caffeinated coffee contains a range of ninety-five to two hundred milligrams of coffee, whereas the same sized drink of decaffeinated coffee will generally have two to twelve milligrams (Nutrition). So, decaffeinated coffee only contains, generally, 0.04% of the caffeine that untreated coffee grounds have. In testing both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee, it might be possible to see if the caffeine in the coffee will have a distinct effect†¦show more content†¦Fast plants were first routinely planted in Nepal by a farmer. Generations later, a plant explorer recognized them as brassica plants. She took seeds back to the United States and they were left untouched until a scientist was looking for a brassica plant in order to further study diseases that plagu ed plants of the same family, such as cabbage or broccoli. This scientist decided to use these Fast Plants because they had a much shorter life cycle than the other plant he was considering using (Williams). Instead of a year per each generation, fast plant’s life cycle is only thirty-five days long, as is seen from the image to the left. The plants usually are flowering in twelve to fourteen days (Wisconsin 1). A typical life cycle of fast plants is faster than other plants, contributing to its name â€Å"Fast Plants†. Typically, the cotyledon will appear within forty-eight to seventy-two hours, true leaves should form in four to nine days, and flowers will open in thirteen to seventeen days. By using Fast Plants, data is able to be collected quicker than if a traditional plant was to be used. However, in order to optimize growing time, certain conditions need to be met. Such conditions for these plants are things such as temperature and distance from a grow light. According to the pamphlet that comes with Wisconsin Fast Plants, the optimum temperature for the plants is twenty-two to twenty-eight degrees centigrade. There

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Ethical Issues in the Field Of Medicine-Free-Samples for Students

Question: Discuss the legal and ethical issues faced in the medical field in regard to the given case. Answer: Introduction Every profession has certain legal and ethical standards, which, at times can tend to collide with each other. For example, in medicine, the legal standards often contradict the ethical norms and create dilemmas, making it very difficult to solve by choosing the right option. Ethical values followed by the medical practitioners are the standard rules of Bioethics, as set by the Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights (UDBHR) (Plomer, 2013). This essay will discuss the legal and ethical issues faced in the medical field in regard to the given case, focussing on the principles of each that often contradict one another. Legal issues: The elements of a valid informed consent must be present in the given scenario for the paramedics to conduct the treatment of Richards heat shock (Lamont, Jeon, Chiarella, 2013). Firstly, Richard must be let known about the pros and cons of treatment by the paramedics. Secondly, he must be made aware of the consequences of both having and not having the treatment done on him. Lastly, he must be made aware of the necessity of such treatment, by the paramedics.The law on bioethics (UDBHR) for medicine states clearly that the elements of informed consent must be present before the treatment of any patient. In addition, the law states that in case of treatment without consent of the patient, the medical practitioners will be held legally liable (Wells Kaptchuk, 2012). The paramedics have the right to treat Richard for his head injury, even though he had refused their treatment for heat shock, previously. It is so, because according to the exceptions to the principle of informed consent, a medical practitioner need not obtain the consent of a patient for treatment in case of emergency when the patient is unable to consent. Therefore, in this given case, even though the medical crew did not obtain Richards informed consent for the heat shock treatment, they can provide treatment for his head injury, as after his head was injured, Richard was unable to give consent and it was an urgent and emergency situation (Flynn et al., 2012). The law of bioethics(UDBHR)states that during a treatment, if another problem crops up which isresolved by doing the initial treatment, the medical practitioner need not require the consent of the patient(Kaye et al., 2015). Therefore, in this case, Richard was incapable of providingconsent because ofhis head injury andcranio-facial surgery was necessary(Garrino et al., 2015), therefore, the medical practitioners did not need consent for Richards cranio-facial surgery. This is clearly stated under the law of bioethics and is also an exception to the principle of informed consent. Richard is a resident of Queensland, Australia, where his wife Meryl and children live. At the time of the head injury, Richards wife was not present, and Lucas took charge of Richard. He had called the paramedics after Richard suffered the head injury and at the same time informed Richards wife, Meryl. The paramedics decided toadmit Richard to a major hospital in Brisbane, which meant he was flown by air ambulance. Richards wife, after being informed by Lucas about Richards injury, straightaway went to the hospital.Lucas drove down to the hospital and by the time he reached to the hospital Meryl was already there. In the circumstances, treatment decisions related to Richard depends on Meryl, as she has a legal relationship with Richard and has the right to make decisions for him. Lucas, who initially took responsibility for Richard, has no legal relationship with Richard and cannot make decisions regarding his health treatment (Bickenbach, 2012). Hence, Richards wife will be the one to take decisions regarding Richards treatment based on their legal relationship (Stewart, 2012). In case of any disagreement regarding any decision for Richards treatment, between Meryl and the medical practitioners, the only option that will be left is to obtain the decisions of the Queensland Civil Administrative Tribunal (QCAT), which decides these kinds of cases, brought before it by any medical practitioner regarding the treatment of patients requiring special medical care. If the medical practitioners believe that Meryls decisions regarding Richards treatment are not the best course of action medically they will approach QCAT. In no condition, the decisions of Lucas will not prevail due to the presence of Meryl, as Lucas, being a friend of Richard, shares no legal relationship with Richard. Therefore, the issue is the difference between what Meryl wants and what is regarded as medically the best course of action. In such cases, QCAT investigates the medical condition of the patient and after its investigation, gives a verdict based on the medical issue. QCAT is the only legal authority in Queensland that has the authority to decide the future treatment of Richard in this case, if the medical practitioners dont agree with Meryls wishes regarding the same (Ries, Thompson Lowe, 2017). In order to withdraw the life sustaining measures Richard is surviving on, certain factors are required to beconsidered, including the current health condition of the patient and whether there is any chance of recovery if life sustaining measures are discontinued and whether there is any other feasible option available that can cure the patient (Alberthsen et al., 2013). The decisionof QCAT must be obeyed if the case has been referred to it, as once a case is referred to QCAT, the decision becomes legally binding. Ethical issues Two principles, which can be identified in this case, are those of autonomy and beneficence. The principle of autonomy deals with informed consent. According to theprinciple of autonomy under theUDBHR, a patient, or their legal representative,must be provided with information, by the medical practitioners, about the pros and cons of a particular treatment before the treatment is actually done. Disclosure must be madeabout the necessities of such treatment and the circumstances of avoiding it. However, the most important aspect of this principle is that the patient must give consent to go through a particular treatment, provided, they are competent to do so (Padulo et al., 2013). This principle also states that such a decision of the patient must be made without coercion or fraud. If the patient refuses to go through the treatment, then such treatment must not happen.No medical staff can refuse treatment if the patient wants it(Herring, 2014). The principle of beneficence states that the medical practitioners are required to perform, keeping in mind the benefits to the patient, with all the knowledge and skill they possess (Page, 2012). Taking into consideration the facts of this scenario, the two abovementioned principles apply. In the given case, the principle of autonomy, which states the rule of the self, that is free from controlling interferences by others and free from personal limitations that prevent meaningful choice of a person. An autonomous individual acts intentionally, without controlling influences and with understanding. It also includes the principle of informed consent,that applies in the given case because during Richards heat shock the paramedics could not conduct his treatment as Richard refused it. Later, the same paramedics took charge of Richards treatment and legally admitted him to the hospital without his consent. It is so because the principle of informed consent states that during an emergency situation, when a person is not able to consent and the situation requires immediate treatment, it is not required to obtain informed consent in such situations. Both these incidents attract the principles of informed consent under the principle of autonomy (Hess et al., 2015). On the other hand, the principle of beneficence applies in the given case as there was a clash between the opinions of Meryl and Lucas,and the medical practitioners regarding Richards treatment. It is the principle of beneficence under which the differences in opinion will get resolved and the medical practitioners will be able to act in accordance with the best treatment process for Richard ( Fisher, 2016). The stakeholders in the given scenario are Meryl, Lucas and the medical practitioners. The ethical values of all three differ.Lucas, on the one hand, does not want his friend, Richard,to go through unnecessary pain and suffering, as he had once asked Lucas to turn life-support machines off if he ever suffered from any incurable disease or disability. The life-support machines keeping Richard alive were not improving Richards health. Therefore, Lucas wanted Richard to be relieved of this unnecessary pain and suffering and have the life support-machines turned off, so that Richard could die peacefully. The opinion of the medical practitioners is that the life-support machines were not improving Richards health and were causing nothing but unnecessary pain and suffering to Richard.On the other hand, Meryl believes that Richard will get cured someday, as cures have happened in similar cases. In this situation, there will be conflict between the values of Meryl and the medical practitione rs and the principles of autonomy and the principle of beneficence. The principle of autonomy will collide with the values of the medical practitioner because Richards or his representatives consent is required for stopping the life-support measures. Lucass opinion or values wont collide as he has no legal authority, being just a friend of Richard.The principle of beneficence will collide with the values of Meryl because according to the principle, the medical practitionershave an option to take such steps that are beneficial for the patient(Beauchamp, 2016). According to the medical staff, they also believed that further treatment will not be of any use for Richard and as there was a clash of opinion between the medical practitioners and Meryl, they can refer the case to the QCAT and the QCATs decision will prevail in this case. According to Kerridges et al (2013) modified model for solving ethical issues, there is no particular solution to the ethical issues or problems that arise in the medical field. Kerridges modified model for solving ethical issues can be called ethical parameters, which are required to be maintained by all medical practitioners, during any medical or nursing practices. The model suggests that, this void needs to be filled with a conceptual understanding in accordance with the nature of the situationwhich is difficult to deal with and where there are two or more alternatives which are equally undesirable (Degeling, 2015). However, according to this modified model of Kerridge, along with the Australian courts, the focus must be on the patient. One way to solve the conflict between ethical values and other contradicting principles is to put the focus on the want and well-being of the patient. In this case, as there is a conflict between the principles of law and ethical values, focus should be on the patient. Lucas mentioned that Richard had asked him to end his life, if he ever suffers from an incurable medical condition. By saying so, Richard meant that he wanted Lucas not to prolong his life unnecessarily by any medical means, if he suffers from an incurable disease or incurable disability.In this case the choice that is better for the patient must be the area of importance, rather than remaining in a dilemma due to the conflicting values of the medical practitioners and Meryl.Kerridges et al. (2013) modified version states that medical advancement and ethics vary from country to country and hospital to hospital. It is very difficult to find the same clinical ethics everywhere. The type of practitioner and the technologies pertaining to medical science also differ in different places. In complicated medical cases where the values and the medical ethics collide, it can only be solved when the medical practitioners use the help of better medical practitioners and advanced technologies to determine the condition of the patient and to find out the suitable treatment for the patient. As stated earlier, the want of the patient is also to be considered. Therefore, according to the modified solutions for ethical problems in medicine, by Kerridge et al. (2013), as Richards health condition, even after treatment for a long period, was not improving and there is a clash between the values and decisions of the medical practitioners and Meryl regarding Richards treatment, the medical practitioners should first use the most advanced method to determine what is the best option regarding Richa rds health and then give importance to what Richard wants. It is also mentioned in the case that Richard would rather choose death than suffering from such a disease. The medical practitioners believed that the best option is to stop Richards treatment. Hence, the medical practitioners should consult QCAT. Conclusion From the above discussion it is clear that the medical profession is driven by various legal and ethical principles which often collide and create legal and ethical issues. It discusses these principles of ethics and laws, in relation to medicine, in the lights of a given case. It includes the principles of autonomy and beneficence. It states the steps a medical practitioner should follow under different situations and the steps they should take at times of ethical dilemmas. In addition, the above discussion also mentions the powers of QCAT, which is the legal authority in Queensland in relation to such complicated medical cases. Finally, the essay concludes by focusing on the modified model, by Kerridge, for solving ethical problems, especially in the field of medicine. References: Alberthsen, C., Rand, J. S., Bennett, P. C., Paterson, M., Lawrie, M., Morton, J. M. (2013). Cat admissions to RSPCA shelters in Queensland, Australia: description of cats and risk factors for euthanasia after entry.Australian veterinary journal,91(1-2), 35-42. Beauchamp, T. L. (2016). Principlism in Bioethics. InBioethical Decision Making and Argumentation(pp. 1-16). Springer International Publishing. Bickenbach, J. (2012). Argumentation and informed consent in the doctorpatient relationship.Journal of Argumentation in context,1(1), 5-18. Degeling, C., Johnson, J., Kerridge, I., Wilson, A., Ward, M., Stewart, C., Gilbert, G. (2015). Implementing a One Health approach to emerging infectious disease: reflections on the socio-political, ethical and legal dimensions.BMC Public Health,15(1), 1307. Fisher, C. B. (2016).Decoding the ethics code: A practical guide for psychologists. Sage Publications. Fletcher, J. F. (2015).Morals and Medicine: the moral problems of the patient's right to know the truth, contraception, artificial insemination, sterilization, euthanasia. Princeton University Press. Flynn, D., Knoedler, M. A., Hess, E. P., Murad, M. H., Erwin, P. J., Montori, V. M., Thomson, R. G. (2012). Engaging patients in health care decisions in the emergency department through shared decision?making: a systematic review.Academic Emergency Medicine,19(8), 959-967. Garrino, L., Picco, E., Finiguerra, I., Rossi, D., Simone, P., Roccatello, D. (2015). Living with and treating rare diseases: Experiences of patients and professional health care providers.Qualitative health research,25(5), 636-651. Hess, E. P., Grudzen, C. R., Thomson, R., Raja, A. S., Carpenter, C. R. (2015). Shared Decision?making in the Emergency Department: Respecting Patient Autonomy When Seconds Count.Academic Emergency Medicine,22(7), 856-864. Herring, J. (2014).Medical law and ethics. Oxford University Press, USA. Kaye, J., Whitley, E. A., Lund, D., Morrison, M., Teare, H., Melham, K. (2015). Dynamic consent: a patient interface for twenty-first century research networks.European Journal of Human Genetics,23(2), 141-146. Lamont, S., Jeon, Y. H., Chiarella, M. (2013). Assessing patient capacity to consent to treatment: An integrative review of instruments and tools.Journal of clinical nursing,22(17-18), 2387-2403. Padulo, J., Oliva, F., Frizziero, A., Maffulli, N. (2013). Muscle, Ligaments and Tendons Journal. Basic principles and recommendations in clinical and field science research.Muscles, ligaments and tendons journal,3(4), 250. Page, K. (2012). The four principles: Can they be measured and do they predict ethical decision making?.BMC medical ethics,13(1), 10. Plomer, A. (2013).The law and ethics of medical research: international bioethics and human rights. Routledge. Ries, N. M., Thompson, K. A., Lowe, M. (2017). Including people with dementia in research: An analysis of Australian ethical and legal rules and recommendations for reform.Journal of Bioethical Inquiry,14(3), 359-374. Stewart, C. L. (2012). A defence of the requirement to seek consent to withhold and withdraw futile treatments.Medical Journal of Australia,196(6), 406. Wells, R. E., Kaptchuk, T. J. (2012). To tell the truth, the whole truth, may do patients harm: the problem of the nocebo effect for informed consent.The American Journal of Bioethics,12(3), 22-29.

Tuesday, March 10, 2020

Unbiased and Biased Estimators

Unbiased and Biased Estimators One of the goals of inferential statistics is to estimate unknown population parameters. This estimation is performed by constructing confidence intervals from statistical samples. One question becomes, â€Å"How good of an estimator do we have?† In other words, â€Å"How accurate is our statistical process, in the long run, of estimating our population parameter. One way to determine the value of an estimator is to consider if it is unbiased. This analysis requires us to find the expected value of our statistic. Parameters and Statistics We start by considering parameters and statistics. We consider random variables from a known type of distribution, but with an unknown parameter in this distribution. This parameter made be part of a population, or it could be part of a probability density function. We also have a function of our random variables, and this is called a statistic. The statistic (X1, X2, . . . , Xn) estimates the parameter T, and so we call it an estimator of T. Unbiased and Biased Estimators We now define unbiased and biased estimators. We want our estimator to match our parameter, in the long run. In more precise language we want the expected value of our statistic to equal the parameter. If this is the case, then we say that our statistic is an unbiased estimator of the parameter. If an estimator is not an unbiased estimator, then it is a biased estimator. Although a biased estimator does not have a good alignment of its expected value with its parameter, there are many practical instances when a biased estimator can be useful. One such case is when a plus four confidence interval is used to construct a confidence interval for a population proportion. Example for Means To see how this idea works, we will examine an example that pertains to the mean. The statistic (X1 X2 . . . Xn)/n is known as the sample mean. We suppose that the random variables are a random sample from the same distribution with mean ÃŽ ¼. This means that the expected value of each random variable is ÃŽ ¼. When we calculate the expected value of our statistic, we see the following: E[(X1 X2 . . . Xn)/n] (E[X1] E[X2] . . . E[Xn])/n (nE[X1])/n E[X1] ÃŽ ¼. Since the expected value of the statistic matches the parameter that it estimated, this means that the sample mean is an unbiased estimator for the population mean.

Saturday, February 22, 2020

Culture Studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Culture Studies - Essay Example Identity can also refer to other qualities such as hairstyles, clothes, and preferences that make one different from other individuals. Some of the most vital facets of the term identity for me include issues such as beliefs, qualities, attitudes and preferences. I personally have unique beliefs, qualities attitudes and preferences that I have been able to acquire over the years from my culture, religion and environment, and which make me recognizable. All these make me unique and contribute to my personality. I also believe that each individual ascribes to a different set of beliefs, qualities, preferences and attitudes, and in as much as they may appear similar in the broad sense, they are very unique in the finer details. Social identity refers to an individual’s sense of self in relation to others or groups with regard to what they all have in common (Bennett, 2005). Social identity therefore refers to how one perceives themselves in relation to the groups they belong to. Social identity can also be understood as the self-awareness or perception of an individual gotten from being a member of a social group like a political organization, religious group, or family. Individuals tend to affiliate themselves with groups that address their interests and issues Social identity, as a concept is very important in trying to explain social behavior of individuals as well as in trying to understand culture. Sociologists rely on social identity to explain the behavior of individuals as well as understanding their role on the society. Psychologist Henri Tajfel first introduced the term social identity in 1979 in the social identity theory. According to the theory, individuals always classify or categorize themselves and others in relation to their membership to wider groups in the society. People identify with groups that have the same interests as themselves and those that have a positive impact on the

Thursday, February 6, 2020

BUS599 - Integrative Project, Mod 4 SLP Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

BUS599 - Integrative Project, Mod 4 SLP - Essay Example The formulation of the strategies that are implemented by Clipboard on the basis of CVP (Cost, Volume, Profit) analysis will also be discussed. In order to determine the revised strategy to be used in regards to the pricing of these three tablets, R & D allocations, and any product discontinuations for the different ranges of tablets in the company, a CVP analysis must be done. A CVP analysis is regarded as a tool that is chiefly used for planning purposes, in addition to making valuable decisions, and furthermore is considered to be a powerful instrument in devising future plans for the company as well as increasing the sale of the products of the company itself. One major advantage of this tool is that it enables the company to make the appropriate decisions as well as planning for developing the three products in the business market at the beginning of the initial year, in this case 2012 (The McGraw-Hill Companies, 2011). The strategy of CVP analysis is generally used for calculat ing the break-even point, as well as determining the prices for attaining substantial profits by increasing the sale of the products themselves (Cambridge Business Publishers, 2005). As such, with the assistance of CVP analysis, the company is required to formulate certain strategies and generate plans that will allow for the profitability and productivity to exceed in comparison to their competitors. Product X5 The X5 has been on the market for five years at the time of this projection and analysis; it is said to have reached its stage of maturity. It is for these reasons that once the product hit 77% market saturation, it was determined to discontinue the product itself, as the only sales that would be generated would be for those who were buying replacement products; each year leading up to discontinuation showed a lowering in price in order to increase sales of the product itself. The results of this and the price points used are shown in a graph below. Year 2012 2013 2014 2015 Price 285 280 260 Discontinued Year 2012 2013 2014 2015 Installed Base 1,917,729 3,395,970 5,430,339 7,035,000 Remaining Customers 5,117,271 3,639,030 1,604,661 0 Market Saturation 27% 48% 77% 100% First Time Customers 1,478,241 2,034,369 1,604,661 0 Repeat sales 169,352 297,701 473,236 0 Total Sales 1,647,592 2,332,070 2,077,898 0 Product X6 The X6 has been on the market for a period of five years, and the decision to discontinue it for 2016 was made due to market saturation. In each year leading up to this, the price point was decreased in order to increase sales. At the end of the simulation, it was seen that customers pay about the same price for these products as they are for similar competing products, showing that prices and projections are well within adequate ranges. Year 2012 2013 2014 2015 Price 430 425 405 395 (X6) Year 2012 2013 2014 2015 Installed Base 1,066,018 2,238,333 4,209,188 6,550,000 Remaining Customers 5,483,982 4,311,667 2,340,812 0 Market Saturati

Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Astronomy Story Essay Example for Free

Astronomy Story Essay The day my life would change for ever was April 16th, 2013. This was the day that I left planet earth and embarked on one of the most important missions in NASA’s history. I should probably back up though, and explain to you how this came about. April 16th was sunny with only a few clouds in the sky, the smell of spring was in the air and with the end of second semester right around the corner, the quad was packed with people eager to catch some much desired sun rays. Unfortunately for me though I was stuck in astronomy. That day’s topic was our very own planet earth. Dr. Bozyan was lecturing about how planet Earth was actually very wet, that nearly 71% of earths surfaced is covered with water. I learned that while other worlds of the solar system have atmospheres, only Earths contains the oxygen that we humans and animals need to survive. I had really hoped that wasn’t true because I had big aspirations of one day living on mars. We learned about about the greenhouse effect and how clouds, snow, ice and sand reflect about 31% of the incoming sunlight back into space. The earth though also emits radiation into space because of its temperature. Fighting off the urge to day dream about the nice weather, I managed to also learn how Earths magnetic field produces a magnetosphere that traps particles from the solar wind. Like the motions of Earths tectonic plates, Earths magnetic field results from our planets internal heat. The last thing I wrote down in that class was a few interesting notes about how human activity such as Deforestation, burning of fossil fuels and industrial chemicals are damaging the ozone layer in the stratosphere. As I was seconds away from reaching freedom to the the spring air, Dr. Bozyan approached me and told me that she had a question for me. She was talking though in a soft almost secretive tone. She went on for about 10 minutes how she worked for a top secret NASA program that was interested in sending me on a mission. I laughed at that, it sounded like a calvin and Hobbs comic strip that I see in the Sunday paper. She went on and told me that the the great space race between Russia and the U.S.A. had never ended and that there was a race to gather observations from all nine planets in the solar system. They had top secret technology that would allow for this mission to be completed in only one week. The only catch was that it was so secret that I would be launching out of the URI planetarium that night, and that I couldn’t tell anybody where I was going. Me being the adventurous type decided this would be a great opportunity to become famous and in the process get to see some landmarks like the milky way and the man on the moon. Within hours I was in my very first space shuttle and on my way to the moon. The fastest time to the moon was 8 hours and 35 minutes by NASA’s New Horizons pluto mission. It was only going to take me 2 hours and 31 minutes and I was only supposed to stop at the moon for fuel because it was determined information about the outer planets was more important and we were trying to complete the mission in the quickest possible time. As the man on the moon figure approached within eye shot, I began to observe and take note of anything I could. Even though NASA had already explored the moon, that was no excuse for me not to absorb any observations of the moon for myself. I quickly began to observe that the moon was very dry and its surface was covered with plains and craters that is caused by the moon being bombarded by meteoric material also known as impact craters. As we touched down I quickly decided to throw on my space suit and check out the moon and its surroundings. I immediately found out that there was no atmosphere and no global magnetic field as it felt as if I were floating and that there was no gravity holding me down. There also appeared to be no liquid water of any kind. I realized that the 3476 km diameter of the moon was really just a spec in the cloudless pitch black sky of space. My last observation of the moon as my shuttle was just about done filling up was that it was pretty cold out. It was about -180 degrees Celsius that night, much colder then I was used too. Luckily though, I also packed my arctic ready winter hat and jacket. Next stop would be Venus. As the count down began to lift off I wondered if Venus had a â€Å"man on the moon†. On my way to Venus I decided that I should probably make myself a well deserved meal. I was gawking into the bag labeled food, in red sharpie that was handed to me right before take off, there was no pop tarts or my favorite barbecue chips . After much debate and thought, I narrowed my choice to a cup of NASA’S finest freeze dried ice cream. As we started to approach what I assumed was Venus but couldn’t tell until we landed because of the clouds that were hiding its surface from view. The first thing that I noticed was the size. It seemed to be about the same size of earth, I had always thought of Venus being smaller then earth. What I also observed, was that practically the whole surface was covered in lava! I felt like I was in some sort of sci-fi movie. Luckily for me I had a space suit because without it, I would have exploded. My Pressure meter on the left arm of my suit was telling me that the pressure was 90 atmospheres, which would be 90 times greater then the average air pressure at sea level on Earth. The temperature of Venus was very hot and I know that that was in my favor because if the temperature wasn’t so hot, the clouds would open up with a rain of sulfuric acid, and believe me I did not want that. I stored these mental snap shots in my head and finished the last of my notes and prepared for take off to Mercury. Mercury was definitely going to be one of the planets that I had to pay very close attention to when taking notes because only half of its surface had been viewed recently. Mercury was also going to be interesting to see because it has a very unique axis rotation, spinning three times on its axis for every two orbits around the sun. The first thing that I noticed on Mercury was that there was almost no atmosphere on the planet. That was pretty obvious because the planet looked life less and fried. I wrote in my observation notes that Mercury fried, literally because there was no atmosphere to protect against the harsh radiation of the sun. Mercury from my first view out the window reminded me a lot of the moon, there were craters every where. Mercury also from observation was definitely on the smaller side. As my time on Mercury was coming to a end, I realized that Mercury was a very boring planet to look at, only craters and low lying plains and cliffs. After the short trip from Mercury past Venus, Earth and the moon I approached Mars. I figured I could get a jump start on finding a future plot of land, for when humans were on Mars. As I approached Mars, I could see that the planet was full of craters. I was to stay on Mars for a full 12 hours while my rocket fueled up to make the trip to the outer planets. What I observed in those 12 hours was very interesting to me. I witnessed some incredible sights like vast canyons some 20,000 ft high, giant mountains and sand dunes. The air was very dusty and left a orange tint in the air. I quickly learned also that there was little atmosphere because as night started to fall tempters fell very rapidly and quickly well below 0. My rocket was fueled up again and it was time for take off. As I sat down in my space craft, I noticed that Mars definitely lived up to its nick name of the red planet because my white space suit was now covered in red dust. Just like that though, it was time to leave Mars and head straight to the big guys, Jupiter and Saturn. I quickly learned that Jupiter was just as advertised; very big! I could see Jupiter from my rocket almost the whole trip there. Jupiter was very bright definitely brighter then any star I had ever seen. I noticed the dark and light bands as they appeared from the space craft window, I learned later on that these are called belts( darker bands) and zones( lighter bands). Jupiter was very hard to land because there was no solid surfaces. Using a scientific tool on the space craft I was able to determined that Jupiter made up almost entirely of hydrogen and helium, with some other trace gases. For this case it was very hard for me to take observations since I could not actually get out and explore Jupiter. For the lack of mobility and time I was quickly just like that on my way to to explore the great ring planet of Saturn. While approaching Saturn the ring that it is most famous for was very visible, I actually managed to ta ke a photo with my space issued camera that was provided to me by NASA. Saturn was also huge although not as big as Jupiter it was definitely the second biggest thing I had ever seen, the first thing obviously being Jupiter. Like Jupiter I was unable to land on Saturn because of the chemical make up being mostly hydrogen and helium but the observations I was able to take away were that Saturn’s rings were made of thousands of narrow, closely spaced ringlets. Uranus and Neptune were next and if I wanted to make this trip in one week, I had to say good bye to the two gas giants and say hello to the trans-Saturnian planets. The two sister planets Uranus and Pluto were very much alike. My time on both planets were relatively the same experience. I was able to observe that both planets had many moons. Also the atmosphere on both planets was generally the same made up of mostly hydrogen and helium indicated by special tools on board the space craft. The one difference I did notice between these two sisters, is that Uranus actually rotates clock wise instead of counter clock wise. My visit with Uranus and Neptune was short and sweet. I packed my space craft and prepared it for lift off. 3..2..1 blast off were the words that I heard through the microphone that was hooked up with NASA. I awoke laying in the quad. The sun was high in the sky and there was a slight breeze. I realized that I had accidentally snoozed off in the quad, and what started off with me closing my eyes for 5 minutes to catch some rays ended with a nap that lasted 3 hours. I unfortunately soon realized quickly after that my amazing top secret to space was actually nothing more then a dream. There was no fame to come of it, and my professor never actually gave me the trust to go on this top secret mission. Although my trip to the solar system may not have been real, it will be something though that I will never forget.