"Essays"
Solansh Carbonel
Class: 3A
Date: 02/17/2012
Draft: #3
The Flora of Peru
I’m from Peru also called “The Gourmet Paradise”. It’s located on the center coast of South America, between Ecuador and Colombia to the north, Brazil to the east, Bolivia and Chile to the south and the Pacific Ocean to the west. My country is admired for its food and other natural resources like Machu Picchu which is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. This essay will describe three of the most significant floras of my country the potato, Maca and mahogany.
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First of all, one of the most important crops is the potato. The potato was planted around eight thousand years ago in the Andes Mountains. The potato holiday is on May 30th where the story of the potato is remembered and celebrated in Peru. The potato habitat and type depends on the altitude where the farmers choose to plant. Furthermore, according to my research from YouTube and websites like Wikipedia, I found that the potato has a wide diversity of shapes, colors, flavors and uses. Moreover, the potato's story is based on the Incan society from Peru. This society had one of the most sophisticated agricultural systems on earth to harvest the potato. In addition to this history, the farmers from Peru still do a ritual of the potato harvest like the Incas used to do. That's the reason that many myths from elders still say that the potato is the daughter from the mother earth or "Pachamama" (Quechua language). According to legends, the potato also prospered together, multiplied and has many eyes that the potato uses to see how we are taking care the earth. On the other hand, based on a short clip from the PBS program "The Botany of Desire", Michael Pollan explained that the potato is used like a poison too because when you leave it exposed to light it turns green and it becomes unhealthy and some potatoes can't be eaten. In contrast, the potato skin is rich in vitamin E and the boil skin is use to help hair loss in part of Peru. Finally, the story of the potato is long and there is much to say. There are around one thousand, five hundred varieties in many shapes and colors like red, brown, yellow and more in Peru and three thousand around the world.
Another important medicinal plant in Peru is “Maca” (Lepidium Neyenii). It is a Peruvian hypocotyl that grows in the central Andes and comes from a root of the radish family. Maca is a wonderful source of nutrients like amino acids, vitamins, and minerals that in their natural states may increase the assimilation of nutrients in our body. Maca is also used to increase the fertility in men and women. This treatment does not affect serum reproductive hormone levels. Furthermore, Maca is still a staple in the Peruvian diet. The root could be roasted, or it could be used to make jam, pudding, juice or soup. In Peruvian herbal medicine, Maca is used to treat anemia, tuberculosis, menstrual disorders, menopause symptoms, stomach cancer, sterility and much more. In my own experience, I want to relate a story of my family. In 2008, my godfather was diagnosed with prostate swelling, he was very upset and sad because of that and received many treatments in hospitals to reduce the swelling but he couldn't feel better. However, one day my grandmother made a drink with Maca and gave it to him. After that, my godfather drank this juice for three weeks and when he went to the hospital the doctor said that his prostate was incredibly reduced. Because of that miracle, my godfather always drinks Maca and he feels better and most importantly, he has a healthy life.
Finally, mahogany or “Caoba” is a significant tree in my country. Mahogany comes from the tropical zone of the Peruvian Amazon. In Iquitos (a state of Peru) this tree ranges from 150 to 200 feet tall. Its main characteristic is its color which ranges from dark red, red wine and lighter shades depending on the variety, to pink. The wood produced is mahogany, highly appreciated by carpenters for being easy to work while resistant to pests like termites, beetles and more. Moreover, the weight of the mahogany is resistant to moisture. Mahogany was also used in the past in the keels of ships to increase stability. In addition, it’s used for the construction of guitars and other stringed instruments. Mahogany is important in the economics of Peru, because it exports tens of thousands of tons of mahogany to the US for luxury dining room tables, household trimmings and automobile dashboards. However, in my opinion, I believe that the mahogany is a cultural patrimony so if my country continues to export it, in the future it could lead to a devastation of the forest.
In conclusion, I’m sure if most people consume these products in their life, they will be healthier. Moreover, if they’re smart, they could be used in their business too. These three types of flora described in this essay are significant in my country and around the world for their impact in science, medicine and the economy.
Solansh Carbonel
Class: 3A
Date: 03/09/2012
Draft: #3
CAN SOMEONE BE TOO SWEET?
The meaning of "sweet" is relevant in many senses including food, people, animals and more. This essay shows my own experience and research about people who are too sweet.
First of all, these people are accepted by their relatives and best friend. However, sometimes their sweetness could annoy them and many people could be hurt by silly circumstances. For example, when I was in middle school, I had a best friend. Her name is Luz. She lived near my home, we took the same bus to school and we were also in the same classroom before our big fight. One day, our professor assigned a group project. After class, we had to meet in my home. Luz was always cute and very sweet, she always brought her breakfast with me. But that day, she was acting too sweet. She was annoying me, and she wanted to play with my computer. Suddenly, I refused and stopped her because we didn’t start the project. Then, she started to cry and yell that I wasn’t really her best friend because I didn’t like her. The next day at school, she started to talk with all my classmates about my life and how crazy I was when my mother left me in Peru to work in Venezuela. This was too deep for me and I met with her and I apologized to her about that day at my home but she was angry. She was too proud and too sensitive. She also never said sorry about what she had said about me and my private life.
Furthermore, too sweet people could be fake people too who don’t like the people who contradict their opinions. in this circumstance, they could be too sweet to take advantage of people who trust in them. I read a report last year where a man was cheating with his best friend’s girlfriend. One night, when he was sleeping, the woman stole his savings and disappeared from this country. The man was confused because he thought that she couldn’t do that. In the police station, he told the police that he had given his passwords to her in case of an emergency because she was nice, lovely, sweet and honest. However, her sweetness was for a second intention.
In conclusion, sometimes we have to make sure what kind of people are around us because they could want something more of us.
Class 3A
Date: 04/03/12
draft:1
Resolutions for 2012
According to the article “The trick to sticking to your new year’s goals: start small” by John Smith, people who want lose weight don’t have to force their body and waste their energy at one time. The best way according to Felicia Stoler is that we should make a simply schedule for example; it’s better not to take the bus for going to work because we could walk and lose weight slowly. Moreover, San Francisco based dietitian Manuel Villacorta explain that people who don’t usually eat fruits or veggies should add one serving a week. Furthermore, according to Villacorta “start with thing you can measure amounts, frequency”. This is so we have to feel confidence and enjoy the thing that we do. We have to go step by step like a baby, make a plan to change and go carefully because people who have goals have at the same time many obstacles explain Marion Jacobs. With this article, we can understand very clearly that if we want a sustainable good shape, we should go in small steps.
Solansh Carbonel
3A
05/11/12
Draft #4
3A
05/11/12
Draft #4
MARIJUANA
Could a plant develop in many ways and also affect the economy? The answer is yes. Marijuana, also called Cannabis, is still illegal in most countries around the world. However, this plant has been developed since the 20th century, when it was brought to the U.S. from Mexico and it has changed over time in many ways. The three most impressive developments in Marijuana involve politic, science and religion.
According to the book The Botany of Desire by Michael Polan, most of the marijuana in America was grown in Mexico during the 1970's before the US government declared war against marijuana and tried to destroy it in Mexico. However, they never imagined that after that marijuana would become an epidemic in the US. Moreover, marijuana production was increased in California where it was the first state to legalize marijuana in medical use in 1996. Nowadays, the war against marijuana continues and according to Fareed Zakarea, a journalist from Time Magazine, the US government is spending more than one trillion dollars fighting against marijuana and unfortunately it has never reduced consumption. On the contrary, millions of Americans are in jail for consuming or possessing of marijuana. Furthermore, today sixteen states have legalized marijuana as a medicine and two are considering legalizing it for recreational purposes.
Raphael Mechoulan identified the chemical responsible for the disorder effects of marijuana in the 1960's. He call it THC or deta-9-tetrahydrocannabiscol. Many cultures have used marijuana to trial pain, control nausea, glaucoma and more disease. However, in the 60’s marijuana was increasing its popularity and people discovered that being doped was more than a desire;in others words, it was an addiction too. Over the years, new research like "Marijuana Myths and Facts" showed that scientists have never recognized its medical value. However, it is true that THC can be useful for treating some medical problems. For example, synthetic THC is approved by the FDA to use to control nausea in cancer chemotherapy patients and people with AIDS who have eating problems.
How does marijuana relate to religions? According to research, Marijuana is used for ceremonies. For example, The Botany of Desire shows how the cult of Soma believes in intoxication because according to their bible, "the rig Veda", the intoxication was the power of their god. Another example is Rastafari which was founded in Jamaica in 1930. This religious movement uses cannabis as a meditation and to bring humans closer to God. Some religions like Christianity think cannabis is the tree of knowledge. They also believed that marijuana was a satanic plant in the past. they said people who consumed it were laughing at the Eucharis. In other words, marijuana could show what is good or evil. Therefore, Christianity believes that people who use marijuana in terms “religion” or “miracles” are witches or sorcerers and it use is condened.
In conclusion, as show in this essay, marijuana has developed in more than one area and has increased in popularity. All things considered, who will win this battle against or in favor of marijuana?