Why Even Start Using - 947 Words

A High school student starts off with just trying a cigarette, then started smoking just about one cigarette a day, then became addict, he ended up smoking for 30 years, he developed throat cancer and had to breathe through a surgically made hole in his neck for the rest of his life. Just trying tobacco as a teen increases your chances by 80 percent of being addicted to some kind of tobacco in your future as being an adult (Bratsis Michael E). Teen and even children are trying tobacco products earlier and earlier every year. Tobacco products are becoming more advanced for example: the E-Cig. Tobacco producers are coming up with new way to put nicotine into your body. Having this teens want to try the new, non-researched, tobacco†¦show more content†¦What most users say is that they experience a Buzz when using a tobacco(Campaign for tobacco free kids), but almost all users say that you build up a tolerance really quick and the buzz never comes again. Teens are using tobacco mostly to get the buzz. Another reason why teens experiment with tobacco is because they think they are invincible and they wont be the ones to become a long time user of tobacco. Which is not the case 75 percent of teen users will become lifetime users of tobacco(Campaign for tobacco free kids). So if a person does try a tobacco products their most likely to get addicted for your life and develop several deadly cancers(Campaign for tobacco free kids). Some people think that marijuana is the only gateway drug into bigger, harder, and more deadly drugs (Campaign for tobacco free kids). The use of tobacco product is one of the biggest gateway drugs there is. People dont really see it as a gateway drug because it is legal to use it and the fact that the government okays companies to sell it (Campaign for tobacco free kids). So parents dont really seem to check on the kids to see if they are using it. The fact is is that nicotine is as addictive as cocaine and even methamphetamines when used for a long time (Campaign for tobacco free kids). Teens dont get all of this information at an early enough age because schools dontShow MoreRelatedDerfs Cartoon1659 Words   |  7 Pagescartoon in 1995 in which he presents an implicit theory about how and why things evolve to be â€Å"cool†. This paper will elaborate on explaining what Derf’s theory actually is, an interpretation of the meaning presented in the cartoon, and a fad or style that follows Derf’s theory. In this cartoon, Derf’s theory of how things get to expand and get â€Å"cool† expresses that a fad starts by a small group of people, many times not even knowing where it came from, then eventually evolving and reachingRead MoreOver The Years, There Has Been A Great Amount Of Discussion1533 Words   |  7 Pagesmarijuana use. And of course, over the years, there has been a great amount of discussion on whether marijuana should be legalized or continue to remain illegal. Although there may be reasons as to why marijuana legalization could be considered a good boost to the Canadian economy, there are many more reasons as to why the legalization of marijuana should not happen mainly due to the safety of the user and the society as a whole. Marijuana should remain illegal in Canada because marijuana tends to have aRead MoreDont Let Stereotypes Influence Your Lives!821 Words   |  3 Pagesand fellow students this is why I think that we shouldn’t let stereoty pes influence our lives. Every time you label someone, every time you write a name on someone’s forehead with permanent marker it stays there, forever. And forever is a really long time for a label that’s not true to be roaming in someone’s head. 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Due to the recurring events of heroin related deaths and overdose, it is vital for people to understand the causes andRead MoreIrony In Shirley Jacksons The Lottery863 Words   |  4 Pagesrole in delivering Jackson’s sarcasm. The author holds our attention all throughout the story and builds our suspense by using irony with the characters and events that take place. Some instances of irony that she uses during the story to hold our att ention are: The title, the weather, the stones, the lunch and even some of the characters. The very first use of irony starts with the title â€Å"The Lottery.† When the audience reads the title, they think of something good, for instance winning moneyRead MoreThe Stacy Peralta s Film Called The Crips And Bloods969 Words   |  4 Pagesin America and racism was at its peak, America did not care that they were ruining the lives of African Americans everywhere. America also did not know that they had created two very dangerous monsters who would later run the streets of Los angles, using murder to do so. In Stacy Peralta’s documentary film called â€Å"The Crips and Bloods: Made in America†, gangs and gang violence is explained and shown in great detail. This documentary is used to attempt to bring attention to these gang’s brutal wayRead More Unexpected Critiques in Walden Essay1057 Words   |  5 Pagespassage starts off by explaining how some person a long time ago decided to dwell in a cave for shelter. Through Thoreaus word usage and imag ery, his idea that humans do not need shelter is clear. He starts this argument with the topic of child rearing. He states that since a child loves to stay out doors, even in wet and cold, the instinct to have shelter is not biological (Thoreau 28). It must be something that is taught to children, most likely from observation. 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Snake Venom Free Essays

string(107) " These fangs have a groove running on the lateral side of the fang which helps direct venom into the prey\." Venom Venom Types Methods of Production Methods of Delivery Offense or Defense? Lethal injection or False alarm? Mysteries Warnings To most people venom and snakes go hand in hand. It is commonly believed that all snakes are venomous, but this is an erroneous belief. Of the 2. We will write a custom essay sample on Snake Venom or any similar topic only for you Order Now 700 known species of snake only 300 are venomous. So what is venom, how did snakes get it and why do they have it? These are questions that have interested herpetologists and other scientists alike. Venom itself is a poison secreted by animals for either defensive or offensive purposes. Venom originated from digestive enzymes that were originally located in the stomach. Throughout the millions of years it has progressed quite a lot and in some animals has become quite different from it’s origin. The type of venom depends on the type of animal. In spiders venom is kept rather simple. It is pretty much just digestive enzymes. Spiders use their venom to turn their hard shelled insect meals into nice and nutritious goo. So in a sense one can think of this type of venom as a form of starting the digestive process before you even start to eat the meal. In insects venom is used predominantly as a defensive weapon. Wasps, bees and ants use formic acid in their stings to cause a painful burning sensation that will either kill or injure their enemy enough to make them think twice about attacking them again. Amphibians all use their venom for defense. In amphibians the venom is secreted through glands in the skin to make the animals unpalatable. So as we can see venom is a predominantly defensive adaptation. An adaptation that has found it’s way into every class of vertebrates except one. The birds; the only class to forego any venom. In mammals we have platypi with venomous claws, then there are the fish which comprise too many venomous species to count and finally we have the reptiles. All venomous reptiles are squamates and of them snakes make up the bulk. There are only two species of venomous squamates that are not snakes, the lizards of the genus: Heloderma. These lizards use their venom for defense as well and can deliver powerful and painful bites. In snakes venom has found a new use, for offense. Since snake prey generally has the advantage of speed (not to say that snakes can’t be speedy. A black mamba traveling at 17 mph is nothing to sneeze at. snakes had to find a new way to take down their prey without running the risk of losing them or getting too hurt in the process. Enter venom, a fast and effective mode of subdueing prey items with minimal risk to the snake. Venom types Snake venom can be divided into two broad (yet fuzzy) categories. That of hemotoxicity and neurotoxicity. Hemotoxic venom effects the blood and organs, causing a breakdown or inflammation in the body. Hemotoxic bites are the most painful as breathing hurts and tissues start to die. Neurotoxic venom, as the name suggests, effect the nervous system, leading to everything from siezures to death. Neurotoxic bites are the most deadly. Although we have these two wonderful different categories, no snake fits completely in each. Many snakes incorporate both neurotoxic and hemotoxic venom in their bites so when telling them apart one goes by which type is more predominant. For instance Ophiophagous hannah (King Cobra) has predominantly neurotoxic venom while Crotalus adamanteus (Eastern diamondback rattlesnake) has predominantly hemotoxic venom. Methods of production While getting bitten by a snake might strike fear in people, the fangs are not where the venom comes from, they are mearly methods of transfer. The place where the venom is made is in special glands located on the head of the animal. The venom glands differentiate into false and true venom glands. False venom glands (a misleading name no doubt) are made up either from mucus producing supralabial glands that run on either side of the head extending as a continuous strip from near the snout to below and well behind the eye. These then lead to several ducts that lead to the bases of many maxillary teeth. Alethinophidians are known to have this type of arrangement. Most colubrids have a different arrangement. Rather than use those modified salivary glands they use a larger gland known as the Duvernoy’s gland. This gland is situated right under the skin, above and near the angle of the jaw. These glands open from a duct at the base of one or more posterior usually enlarged fangs that may or may not be grooved. These glands do not have a lumen (central storage chamber) so the snakes must give off a continous stream of venom into their prey which means that they must continue to hold on to the animal to ensure envenomation. True venom glands are made uf thick connective tissue. They contain a lumen, a separate compressor muscle and a duct connecting them to a single fang on each side of the jaw. These glands dominate all elapids and viperids (along with some atractaspidids) Methods of Delivery Their are four main types of teeth in snakes with which venom is transferred from gland to prey. While these forms seem to indicate a continual progression towards more complexity, they are misleading as it doesn’t take into account the morphological variation in snake dentitions making for a paraphyletic occurence (that is they all thought up different ways to accomplish the same goal). Aglyphous snakes Aglyphous (grooveless) snakes lack any groove in their teeth for venom to run down. Instead the venom drips down the teeth from any available opening essentially saturating the maxillae. In order for envenomation to occur the snake must chew on it’s prey which is time consuming. Aglyphous snakes include blind snakes and some colubrids. Opisthoglyphous snakes Opisthoglyphous (rear grooved) snakes have elongate fangs located on the top of the back of their mouths. These fangs have a groove running on the lateral side of the fang which helps direct venom into the prey. You read "Snake Venom" in category "Essay examples" Since the fangs are located posteriorly the snake must make a point of taking a big bite into it’s prey in order to assure envenomation. Colubrids make up the bulk of this group. Proteroglyphs Proteroglyphs (front groove) snakes are pretty much all elapids with an occasional actractaspidid like Homoroselaps (Harlequin snakes). In proteroglyphs the groove has run so deep that both sides of the groove overlap eachother forming a channel for the venom to flow. A lumen is located at the base of the tooth where venom eagerly awaits ejection while a discharge orifice lay on one side near the tip. An adductor (jaw closing) muscle is attached to the glands so that when the snake bites down the glands get squeezed and a stream of venom flows into the prey. These snakes are â€Å"fixed fanged. † That is to say they are unable to fold up their fangs when not in use so the fangs must be kept short enough so as not to puncture the lower jaw. Interestingly enough fixed fanged elapids are known to hold onto their prey after biting. This would seem to present a potential hazard for the snake, but the predominantly neurotoxic venom works so fast that the prey doesn’t have enough time to struggle, thus ensuring the snake it’s meal. Some cobra types such as the rinkhals (Hemachatus haemachatus) and many species of Afro-Asian cobras (Naja sp. ) have the ability to spit their venom at predators. Their fang tips have beveled, circular (sometimes pear shaped) apertures on the anterior surface just above the tip where the venom is ejected. African spitters go one stepped further. They have spiral grooves in their fangs that (like the riflings of a gun barrel) force a spin on the venom allowing for greater accuracy. This is only used in defense and is amazing effective as these snakes are adepth marksmen. By expending venom in these little droplets, the snake is guaranteed the maximum use of it’s (normally offensive) venom when battling a predator. How often can these snakes spit before running out. Well one black necked spitting cobra (Naja nigricollis) emptied it’s venom glands by spitting fifty seven times in only twenty minutes. Truly a force to be reckoned with. Solenoglyphous snakes Solenoglyphous (pipe grooved) snakes make up the viperidae and show some of the most specialized teeth for the job. Viperid fangs have the groove so deep now that the outside of the teeth completely cover it forming a pipe for venom to enter. The two fangs are attached to a short highly movable maxillary bone. This bone allows the snakes to fold their fangs up in their mouths. This ability to fold up the fangs allows for greater fang length. How much greater? Well compare a 3. 83-m Ophiophagous hannah’s 11mm fangs to a 1. 8-m Bitis gabonica (Gaboon viper) with fangs measuring 29mm. Impressive no? Viperids have predominantly hemotoxic venom and as such, their bites take longer to take effect. Since the effect is longer, the snake can’t risk holding onto the struggling prey for it would surely get hurt, but with their potent venom, quick strikes and hyperextendable fangs, these snakes are able to get in and out extremely fast. Not only can the fangs hyperextend (up to 1800) but with the separately jointed maxillae the fangs can move individually as well. So a viper can decide whether or not to move one fang or two. Inject one side or two. The amount of venom control in vipers is astounding as well as their venom reservoirs. The bulk of Bitis gabonica’s head is it’s venom glands. Shocking! Offense or Defense As stated before, snakes predominantly use their venom to capture prey, but when push comes to shove, venom can mean the difference between life and death. Snake defense is rather limited when one thinks about it. They can’t outrun their predators, a lack of limbs means that gaining the leverage for tail whipping is rather impossible (pointless anyway seeing as how most snakes have rather small tails). Some snakes can secrete nasty substances that make them unwanted to be around. Others feign their own deaths, but in general the best area of defense for snakes lies in their jaws. For a venomous snake, biting a predator means wasting precious venom; a commodity that doesn’t come without it’s price. Venom costs energy to make and takes a while to refill when empty. A snake would much rather save that venom for something worth it like food, so it takes quite a bit of pressing to get a venomous snake to actually bite. In fact it is for these reasons that venomous snakes have adopted so many warning strategies. From warning colors, to hoods, to rattles, venomous snakes do everything in their power to avoid biting the enemy. In contrast a boid or other constrictor will readily bite in defense. While they lack venom, recurved teeth can be just as bad and since constrictors don’t have to worry about wasting venom they can feel free to bite all they want. Lethal injection or False alarm? Along with warning well in advance, another common thing found in venomous snakes (especially viperids) is giving what is known as a â€Å"dry bite. † Dry bites occur when a snake like a rattler is cornered and forced to bite in defense. While the snake might be in last resort mode, it still has one more trick up it’s sleeve. Venomous snakes (true venomous snakes) have the ability to choose whether or not they want to inject venom into something. So if a rattlesnake bites a dog, it has the choice of either envenomating or bluffing the animal. In nature bluffs work much of the time and are the safest way for an animal to avoid a fight. By giving off a dry bite, venomous snakes need not waste their venom supplies. In fact over half of all rattlesnake bites are dry ones. A very comforting thought. Mysteries of Venomous Snakes One of the strangest things about elapids and viperids is that they seem to have evolved venom that is too potent for their own good. For instance, a Western rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis) injects it’s prey (a mouse) with 300 times more venom than is necessary. Or the Inland Taipan (Oxyuranus microlepidotus) which injects enough venom in one bite to kill two hundred thousand mice. Why the excess? No one knows for sure. Perhaps the mechanisms that produced the venom never had any buffers for how powerful it got. Since the evolution of new traits involves the constantly ascending path (new traits are only kept if beneficial to the organism) the fact that ever potent venom would always guarantee the quick death of the prey means that it would always be selected for and will be until something comes to counter it. While this is a nice theory and all, there is an underlying problem with it. Venomous snakes (of at least the elapid and viperid families) are able to meter out how much venom they intend to inject into their prey. So that Crotalus viridis is quite aware of the amount it is pumping into that mouse. Plus since venom replenishment is not the fastest thing (averaging between 4 days and three weeks) injecting so much venom seems wasteful. Another theory proposed was that it the venom helps to begin the digestion process. Surely this seems reasonable especially considered how venom effects tissue along with it’s origins. Yet that too does not give a perfect explanation for Brown tree snakes (Boiga irregularis) which inject three to eight times more venom than necessary, end up with half of that venom lodged in the skin. So for now, the reasons behind the excess venom delivery by venomous snakes are still unknown. Warnings about venom While no person should actively go out and try to capture a venomous snake (without good reason) in the even that one finds said snake, the best precautions are to examine the encounter. If you’re far enough away to leave then feel free to do so, you need not worry about the snake following you. If you’re practically stepping on the snake things could be worse. At that point though one usually finds that one has been bitten. If bitten make sure to ID the snake. Remember as much as possible about it. For an idea of the type of venom that might have been injected in you consider the area that you are at and how the snake looked. Vipers, due to their large venom glands, have heart shaped heads. Elapids have nice thin heads. Colubrids are harder to tell apart from elapids, but a venomous elapid will give warning or have some type of forewarning available. Colubrid bites normally don’t kill and are more a pain than anything else. Viper bites can be deadly and normally are very painful. Elapid bites are extremely lethal and antivenin treatment is a must if bitten. Although all this seems scary, it’s best to remember that no venomous snake will attack without severe provocation. Look for the warning signs and watch where you step and you should be fine. Also remember many bites given are dry, so just because you were bitten doesn’t mean you were envenomated. A good rule of thumb when dealing with a scared or cornered snake is that the last thing it’s going to want to do is bite. Venom Venom Types Methods of Production Methods of Delivery Offense or Defense? Lethal injection or False alarm? Mysteries Warnings To most people venom and snakes go hand in hand. It is commonly believed that all snakes are venomous, but this is an erroneous belief. Of the 2. 700 known species of snake only 300 are venomous. So what is venom, how did snakes get it and why do they have it? These are questions that have interested herpetologists and other scientists alike. Venom itself is a poison secreted by animals for either defensive or offensive purposes. Venom originated from digestive enzymes that were originally located in the stomach. Throughout the millions of years it has progressed quite a lot and in some animals has become quite different from it’s origin. The type of venom depends on the type of animal. In spiders venom is kept rather simple. It is pretty much just digestive enzymes. Spiders use their venom to turn their hard shelled insect meals into nice and nutritious goo. So in a sense one can think of this type of venom as a form of starting the digestive process before you even start to eat the meal. In insects venom is used predominantly as a defensive weapon. Wasps, bees and ants use formic acid in their stings to cause a painful burning sensation that will either kill or injure their enemy enough to make them think twice about attacking them again. Amphibians all use their venom for defense. In amphibians the venom is secreted through glands in the skin to make the animals unpalatable. So as we can see venom is a predominantly defensive adaptation. An adaptation that has found it’s way into every class of vertebrates except one. The birds; the only class to forego any venom. In mammals we have platypi with venomous claws, then there are the fish which comprise too many venomous species to count and finally we have the reptiles. All venomous reptiles are squamates and of them snakes make up the bulk. There are only two species of venomous squamates that are not snakes, the lizards of the genus: Heloderma. These lizards use their venom for defense as well and can deliver powerful and painful bites. In snakes venom has found a new use, for offense. Since snake prey generally has the advantage of speed (not to say that snakes can’t be speedy. A black mamba traveling at 17 mph is nothing to sneeze at. snakes had to find a new way to take down their prey without running the risk of losing them or getting too hurt in the process. Enter venom, a fast and effective mode of subdueing prey items with minimal risk to the snake. Venom types Snake venom can be divided into two broad (yet fuzzy) categories. That of hemotoxicity and neurotoxicity. Hemotoxic venom effects the blood and organs, causing a breakdown or inflammation in the body. Hemotoxic bites are the most painful as breathing hurts and tissues start to die. Neurotoxic venom, as the name suggests, effect the nervous system, leading to everything from siezures to death. Neurotoxic bites are the most deadly. Although we have these two wonderful different categories, no snake fits completely in each. Many snakes incorporate both neurotoxic and hemotoxic venom in their bites so when telling them apart one goes by which type is more predominant. For instance Ophiophagous hannah (King Cobra) has predominantly neurotoxic venom while Crotalus adamanteus (Eastern diamondback rattlesnake) has predominantly hemotoxic venom. Methods of production While getting bitten by a snake might strike fear in people, the fangs are not where the venom comes from, they are mearly methods of transfer. The place where the venom is made is in special glands located on the head of the animal. The venom glands differentiate into false and true venom glands. False venom glands (a misleading name no doubt) are made up either from mucus producing supralabial glands that run on either side of the head extending as a continuous strip from near the snout to below and well behind the eye. These then lead to several ducts that lead to the bases of many maxillary teeth. Alethinophidians are known to have this type of arrangement. Most colubrids have a different arrangement. Rather than use those modified salivary glands they use a larger gland known as the Duvernoy’s gland. This gland is situated right under the skin, above and near the angle of the jaw. These glands open from a duct at the base of one or more posterior usually enlarged fangs that may or may not be grooved. These glands do not have a lumen (central storage chamber) so the snakes must give off a continous stream of venom into their prey which means that they must continue to hold on to the animal to ensure envenomation. True venom glands are made uf thick connective tissue. They contain a lumen, a separate compressor muscle and a duct connecting them to a single fang on each side of the jaw. These glands dominate all elapids and viperids (along with some atractaspidids) Methods of Delivery Their are four main types of teeth in snakes with which venom is transferred from gland to prey. While these forms seem to indicate a continual progression towards more complexity, they are misleading as it doesn’t take into account the morphological variation in snake dentitions making for a paraphyletic occurence (that is they all thought up different ways to accomplish the same goal). Aglyphous snakes Aglyphous (grooveless) snakes lack any groove in their teeth for venom to run down. Instead the venom drips down the teeth from any available opening essentially saturating the maxillae. In order for envenomation to occur the snake must chew on it’s prey which is time consuming. Aglyphous snakes include blind snakes and some colubrids. Opisthoglyphous snakes Opisthoglyphous (rear grooved) snakes have elongate fangs located on the top of the back of their mouths. These fangs have a groove running on the lateral side of the fang which helps direct venom into the prey. Since the fangs are located posteriorly the snake must make a point of taking a big bite into it’s prey in order to assure envenomation. Colubrids make up the bulk of this group. Proteroglyphs Proteroglyphs (front groove) snakes are pretty much all elapids with an occasional actractaspidid like Homoroselaps (Harlequin snakes). In proteroglyphs the groove has run so deep that both sides of the groove overlap eachother forming a channel for the venom to flow. A lumen is located at the base of the tooth where venom eagerly awaits ejection while a discharge orifice lay on one side near the tip. An adductor (jaw closing) muscle is attached to the glands so that when the snake bites down the glands get squeezed and a stream of venom flows into the prey. These snakes are â€Å"fixed fanged. † That is to say they are unable to fold up their fangs when not in use so the fangs must be kept short enough so as not to puncture the lower jaw. Interestingly enough fixed fanged elapids are known to hold onto their prey after biting. This would seem to present a potential hazard for the snake, but the predominantly neurotoxic venom works so fast that the prey doesn’t have enough time to struggle, thus ensuring the snake it’s meal. Some cobra types such as the rinkhals (Hemachatus haemachatus) and many species of Afro-Asian cobras (Naja sp. ) have the ability to spit their venom at predators. Their fang tips have beveled, circular (sometimes pear shaped) apertures on the anterior surface just above the tip where the venom is ejected. African spitters go one stepped further. They have spiral grooves in their fangs that (like the riflings of a gun barrel) force a spin on the venom allowing for greater accuracy. This is only used in defense and is amazing effective as these snakes are adepth marksmen. By expending venom in these little droplets, the snake is guaranteed the maximum use of it’s (normally offensive) venom when battling a predator. How often can these snakes spit before running out. Well one black necked spitting cobra (Naja nigricollis) emptied it’s venom glands by spitting fifty seven times in only twenty minutes. Truly a force to be reckoned with. Solenoglyphous snakes Solenoglyphous (pipe grooved) snakes make up the viperidae and show some of the most specialized teeth for the job. Viperid fangs have the groove so deep now that the outside of the teeth completely cover it forming a pipe for venom to enter. The two fangs are attached to a short highly movable maxillary bone. This bone allows the snakes to fold their fangs up in their mouths. This ability to fold up the fangs allows for greater fang length. How much greater? Well compare a 3. 83-m Ophiophagous hannah’s 11mm fangs to a 1. 8-m Bitis gabonica (Gaboon viper) with fangs measuring 29mm. Impressive no? Viperids have predominantly hemotoxic venom and as such, their bites take longer to take effect. Since the effect is longer, the snake can’t risk holding onto the struggling prey for it would surely get hurt, but with their potent venom, quick strikes and hyperextendable fangs, these snakes are able to get in and out extremely fast. Not only can the fangs hyperextend (up to 1800) but with the separately jointed maxillae the fangs can move individually as well. So a viper can decide whether or not to move one fang or two. Inject one side or two. The amount of venom control in vipers is astounding as well as their venom reservoirs. The bulk of Bitis gabonica’s head is it’s venom glands. Shocking! Offense or Defense As stated before, snakes predominantly use their venom to capture prey, but when push comes to shove, venom can mean the difference between life and death. Snake defense is rather limited when one thinks about it. They can’t outrun their predators, a lack of limbs means that gaining the leverage for tail whipping is rather impossible (pointless anyway seeing as how most snakes have rather small tails). Some snakes can secrete nasty substances that make them unwanted to be around. Others feign their own deaths, but in general the best area of defense for snakes lies in their jaws. For a venomous snake, biting a predator means wasting precious venom; a commodity that doesn’t come without it’s price. Venom costs energy to make and takes a while to refill when empty. A snake would much rather save that venom for something worth it like food, so it takes quite a bit of pressing to get a venomous snake to actually bite. In fact it is for these reasons that venomous snakes have adopted so many warning strategies. From warning colors, to hoods, to rattles, venomous snakes do everything in their power to avoid biting the enemy. In contrast a boid or other constrictor will readily bite in defense. While they lack venom, recurved teeth can be just as bad and since constrictors don’t have to worry about wasting venom they can feel free to bite all they want. Lethal injection or False alarm? Along with warning well in advance, another common thing found in venomous snakes (especially viperids) is giving what is known as a â€Å"dry bite. † Dry bites occur when a snake like a rattler is cornered and forced to bite in defense. While the snake might be in last resort mode, it still has one more trick up it’s sleeve. Venomous snakes (true venomous snakes) have the ability to choose whether or not they want to inject venom into something. So if a rattlesnake bites a dog, it has the choice of either envenomating or bluffing the animal. In nature bluffs work much of the time and are the safest way for an animal to avoid a fight. By giving off a dry bite, venomous snakes need not waste their venom supplies. In fact over half of all rattlesnake bites are dry ones. A very comforting thought. Mysteries of Venomous Snakes One of the strangest things about elapids and viperids is that they seem to have evolved venom that is too potent for their own good. For instance, a Western rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis) injects it’s prey (a mouse) with 300 times more venom than is necessary. Or the Inland Taipan (Oxyuranus microlepidotus) which injects enough venom in one bite to kill two hundred thousand mice. Why the excess? No one knows for sure. Perhaps the mechanisms that produced the venom never had any buffers for how powerful it got. Since the evolution of new traits involves the constantly ascending path (new traits are only kept if beneficial to the organism) the fact that ever potent venom would always guarantee the quick death of the prey means that it would always be selected for and will be until something comes to counter it. While this is a nice theory and all, there is an underlying problem with it. Venomous snakes (of at least the elapid and viperid families) are able to meter out how much venom they intend to inject into their prey. So that Crotalus viridis is quite aware of the amount it is pumping into that mouse. Plus since venom replenishment is not the fastest thing (averaging between 4 days and three weeks) injecting so much venom seems wasteful. Another theory proposed was that it the venom helps to begin the digestion process. Surely this seems reasonable especially considered how venom effects tissue along with it’s origins. Yet that too does not give a perfect explanation for Brown tree snakes (Boiga irregularis) which inject three to eight times more venom than necessary, end up with half of that venom lodged in the skin. So for now, the reasons behind the excess venom delivery by venomous snakes are still unknown. Warnings about venom While no person should actively go out and try to capture a venomous snake (without good reason) in the even that one finds said snake, the best precautions are to examine the encounter. If you’re far enough away to leave then feel free to do so, you need not worry about the snake following you. If you’re practically stepping on the snake things could be worse. At that point though one usually finds that one has been bitten. If bitten make sure to ID the snake. Remember as much as possible about it. For an idea of the type of venom that might have been injected in you consider the area that you are at and how the snake looked. Vipers, due to their large venom glands, have heart shaped heads. Elapids have nice thin heads. Colubrids are harder to tell apart from elapids, but a venomous elapid will give warning or have some type of forewarning available. Colubrid bites normally don’t kill and are more a pain than anything else. Viper bites can be deadly and normally are very painful. Elapid bites are extremely lethal and antivenin treatment is a must if bitten. Although all this seems scary, it’s best to remember that no venomous snake will attack without severe provocation. Look for the warning signs and watch where you step and you should be fine. Also remember many bites given are dry, so just because you were bitten doesn’t mean you were envenomated. A good rule of thumb when dealing with a scared or cornered snake is that the last thing it’s going to want to do is bite. How to cite Snake Venom, Essay examples

Australian Rugby League Essay Example For Students

Australian Rugby League Essay This report investigates the epic battlebetween the Australian Rugby League which has beenaround for 87 years and the Super League concept for thecontrol of Rugby League in Australia. One man, Mr RupertMurdoch, is trying to take over and run a rebel SuperLeague to enhance his power and for financial gain. ThisSuper League is proposed to run in 1996 with a 10 teamcompetition as its prospectus. This report reviews thehistory of the Australian Rugby League, the battle betweenMr.Murdoch and Mr.Packer, the battle of who controlspay television, the players future and junior development. This conflict is mainly based on power, greed and money. The two protagonists are prepared to go to any lengths toachieve supremacy. I have researched archives,newspapers, pamphlets and watched television toaccumulate information of this divisive conflict. 2. TheHistory of the A.R.L. The Australian Rugby Leagueoriginated in 1908 which was then known as the N.S.W. Rugby League. The game of Rugby League was born longago and faraway, on the 29th of August 1895 in the statelyGeorge Hotel Huddersfield Yorkshire, England. Originally15 a side teams were reduced to 13 in 1906 and RugbyLeagues trademark the play the ball was introduced. Thechanges large and small laid the foundations for the fastmoving thrilling game that Rugby League has become. Onthe evening of August 8 the N.S.W Rugby League wasformed with a secret meeting at Sydneys Batemans Hotel. The men driving the new game were: The entrepreneurJames Joseph Giltinan, the great cricketer Victor Trumper,the influential politician Henry Clammond Hoyle. Thesupreme master stroke being the signing of Rugby Unionschampion Herbert Henry Dally Messenger at a fee of 180pounds. In the summer of 1907-08 more meetings resultingin the formation of 9 clubs: Glebe, Newtown, SouthSydney, Eastern Suburbs, Western Suburbs, Balmain,North Sydney, Newcastle which only lasted until 1909,and Cumberland. However Cumberland had troubleenticing sufficient players and was forced to amalgamatewith Western Suburbs the following season. RugbyLeagues first season began on Easter Monday 1908 on awave of unrivalled enthusiasm. To South Sydney went thehonour of being Rugby Leagues first champions 14-12victors over Eastern Suburbs in the premiership final. Overthe years more teams have been introduced to make anexpanded competition, to strengthen and promote the gamelocally, nationally and at this present tim e internationally. The teams that have joined since the inaugural competitioninclude: 1910 Annandale which folded in 1920. 1920University which folded in 1937. 1921 St George. 1935Canterbury. 1947 Manly and Parramatta. 1967 Cronullaand Penrith. 1982 Canberra and Illawarra. 1983 Newtownwere expelled due to financial problems. 1988 Brisbane,Gold Coast and Newcastle. During the 1994 RugbyLeague season the N.S.W. Rugby League passed a motionto expand the 16 team competition to a 20 teamcompetition incorporating a team from Western Australia, 2more teams from Queensland and a team from NewZealand. It was also agreed to change the name from theN.S.W Rugby League to the Australian Rugby League alsoknown as the A.R.L as a true reflection of what itrepresents. The 1995 season promised to be the pinnacleof the leagues endeavours with the expanded 20 teamswhich included 4 new teams namely: Auckland Warriorsfrom New Zealand. North Queensland Cowboys based inTownsville. South Queensland Crushers located inBrisbane. Western Reds from the far west Perth. RugbyLeague as a truly Australian story is abound with wonderfulcharacters such as Messenger, Horder, Stehr, Churchill,Gasnier, Raper, Reddy, Fulton, Lewis, Sterling. TheImmortals are recognised as Rugby Leagues finestpost-war exponents, Clive Churchill, Reg Gasnier, JohnRaper and Bob Fulton had a creative excellence thatcomes along all to rarely. 3. The Conflict Between TheA.R.L and Super League. 1995 provided the League withso much optimism, to realise their vision of a 20 teamcompetition and watch it come to fruition. On the 1st April1995 the unsuspecting Australian Rugby League was outmanoeuvred in a coup when the Super League announcedits intention to form a rebel super league. This super leaguewas a breakaway league with its own constitution andvision statement. The Super League had enlisted highprofile rugby league players to endorse and persuadecurrent players to sign with the rebel league without theknowledge of the A.R.L The rebel le ague backed by MrRupert Murdoch and the News Ltd. Corporation madehuge financial offers as an inducement for players to sign toplay in their competition. The A.R.L then counter attackedsigning up loyal A.R.L players with the financial backing ofMr Kerry Packer and Optus Vision. This conflict was nolonger just about Rugby League, the intervention of thesetwo omnipotent individuals brought a new dimension, thestruggle for power and total dominance for the paytelevision broadcasting rights. 4. Mr Rupert Murdoch verusMr Kerry Packer. 4.1 Murdoch, Rupert (1931- )Australian-born media magnate, who boosted thecirculation of many of his newspapers by creating a tabloidmix of sex, crime, and sports stories topped with giantsensationalised headlines. He was born in Melbourne,Australia, and educated at Oxford University. He became aUnited States citizen in 1985. Murdoch returned toAustralia in 1954 and took charge of the Adelaide News(sold in 1987 and closed in 1992), a marginally profitableaf ternoon daily paper. Applying his Daily Expressexperience, he created the giant sensationalised headlinesthat were to become his trademark, and the papersreadership soared. Murdoch started building his mediaempire with the purchase of a Perth Sunday newspaper in1956, and in 1960 he entered the Sydney market byacquiring the Sydney Daily and Sunday Mirror. Hishard-sell promotions and lurid stories boosted thecirculations of both papers. In 1964 Murdoch foundedAustralias first national newspaper, the Australian, whichfeatured national and international news, investigativereporting, and local issues. By 1968 his Australian empireof newspapers, magazines, and broadcasting stations wasworth an estimated $50 million. Murdoch then boughtcontrol of the Sunday News of the World, a sensationalistLondon paper aimed at the working classes, and thefoundering London daily Sun, a stodgy liberal paper. The Achievement of True Happiness EssayThe Outcome. In 1995 it was decided by the High Courtthat super league would be able to start its competition inMarch of 96, But later a win by the A.R.L made it unlikelythat Super League would be able to start untill the year2000. This win was to be short lived as the High Courtdismissed the A.R.L and made it possible for SuperLeague to start its competition in 1997. 7. Conclusion andRecommendations. In conclusion this epic battle is far fromover as both camps vie for the monopolistic control ofRugby League both as a sport and a valuable marketablecommodity. Mr Packer and Mr Murdoch are both used towinning and getting what they want. The A.R.L. believeRugby League can not be owned by anyone, it is thepeoples game whereas Super League believe they have theright to exploit Rugby League for the good of the game asthere reason. The A.R.L. spent 87 years building this greatAustralian sporting icon which encompasses cameraderieand mateship, nationa l pride, humour and courage, braveryand skill, spectacular feats of athleticism and great drama. The traditions have been established the legacy shouldremain. Can Rugby League be bought or sold out ? In myopinion the values of life are not for sale at any price. Rugby League has evolved over the years, nurtured into thedynamic game as it is today. What right does anyone haveto take-over and exploit rugby league for their ownfinancial benefit. Some of the Super League concepts havemerit but I believe the A.R.L. should run Rugby LeagueThe Greatest Game of All. 8. References. Newspapers:-The Newcastle Herald. The Sun-Herald. The SundayTelegraph. The Telegraph. Books and Magazines:- TheKangaroos Ian Heads. The Rebels of Rugby Bob Power. Action 85 Gary Lester. Concise Australian EncyclopaediaAngus and Robertson Publisher. Green and Gold HeroesRugby League Week Publisher. Rugby League WeekMagazines. Summary. This report investigates the epicbattle between the Australian Rugby League and the SuperLeague concept for the control of Rugby League inAustralia. This report reviews the history of the AustralianRugby League, the battle between Mr.Murdoch andMr.Packer, the battle of who controls pay television, theplayers future and junior development. This conflict ismainly based on power, greed and money. The mainaspects included in this report are the topics surroundingthe controversial Super League. I explore the history of theA.R.L. as opposed to the rebel leagues vision, theconfrontation of the A.R.L. and Super League and somebackground information on the two protagonists Mr RupertMurdoch and Mr Kerry Packer. In conclusion thetraditions and loyalties established by the A.R.L. into thegame as we know it today are on the br ink of beingdestroyed because of another mans vision for power andmoney. Table of Contents. Summary 1.Introduction. 2.TheHistory of the A.R.L. 3.The Conflict between the A.R.L. and Super League. 4.Mr Rupert Murdoch verus Mr KerryPacker. 4.1 Murdoch Rupert. 4.2 Packer Kerry. 5.TheVision of the Super League. 5.1 The Clubs. 5.2 TheTeams. 5.3 Pay Television Rights. 5.4 The Players. 5.5Junior Development. 6.The Outcome. 7.Conclusion andRecommendations. 8.References.