From Fossil Fuels to Renewable Energy Essay Example for Free

From Fossil Fuels to Renewable Energy Essay The gas pump. As of late, it has been the bane of drivers everywhere. With the prices of crude oil skyrocketing combined with the prices at the pump and nearly everywhere else, many people are looking toward renewable energy sources to supplement or replace the use of fossil fuels. This interest in renewable resources has generated new energy policies around the world, has spawned new energy technology and has produced ideas on a different way of living. Adding to the interest is the awareness on humanity’s impact on our environment, there is so much interest that the United States and many other countries have started to explore the option of producing power by the cleanest sources possible. However, it may not be enough. With the threat of oil reserves being used up and the energy crisis unresolved it is imperative that the United States begins to utilize solar, wind, and hydroelectric power in an effort to decrease the dependency on fossil fuels. Many people notice the rising costs of just about everything. The rising costs are due to the rising cost of energy. Nearly everything in our economic system requires energy to create, to ship, to stock, or to provide and the energy costs are passed down to consumers. The price for energy has not been terribly high in the past, but now the price is rising. One look at your electric bill will tell you that energy, however inexpensive it is to make or obtain, does not come cheap; at least, not anymore. The price of fossil fuels, not just in a monetary sense, but in an ecological sense is taking a toll on the country and the world. Acid rain, carbon dioxide and global warming are all consequences of cheap acquisition of energy. Coal supplies a large part of the energy needed to produce power in US and is one of the largest sources of energy in the world (Energy Perspective, Walter Deal 2006), but strip mining ruins the landscape, destroys ecosystems, and when burned causes acid rain. Oil has been this country’s, and the majority of the world, most used form of energy for years. From powering our vehicles and homes to creating lubrications and solvents, its uses are prolific. But we’re are now faced with the possibility of oil supplies becoming scarce, and it has everyone jumping out of their pants to find a better source of energy. Combine this with the fact that the by-product of using oil (carbon dioxide) is practically burning a hole in out atmosphere and we have a doozy of a problem. Enter renewable resources. Why have we not thought of this before? What has kept the US, and indeed the world, from investing in renewable resources much earlier? The answer is technology. The green energy has always been there, but the capabilities to harness the forces were not advanced enough to take advantage of it. Perhaps it still has not reached that level yet but we are getting close. For years, people have used the sun for a variety of things: warming things, lighting torches, burning ants, and to cook. The energy radiated by the sun is phenomenal. In fact, the energy the sun shines onto the earth daily is enough to supply the world’s yearly energy needs (National Geographic, 2008). This energy potential of sunlight was not lost on seventeenth century scientists. In 1873, William Adams and Richard Day found that when selenium was exposed to sunlight it created a low charge of energy, though it could not power anything (US Dept of Energy, 2008). Later on, in 1908 William Bailey invented the solar panel whose design is extremely similar to the solar panels used today. Solar energy technology, while not developed enough to harness the full power potential of sunlight, has been used consistently since the mid-1960’s to power satellites, spacecrafts, electronics, cars and homes through the use Photovoltaic cells (US Department of Energy, 2008). The Photovoltaic cell, which produces electricity when light strikes the cell causing an electron imbalance, has gone through numerous transformations to make the cell as efficient as possible. There are solar plants littered across the country, most notably in Kerma, California where they use the Photovoltaic system to supplement Pacific Gas and Electric’s electric grid during peak power usage (US Dept of Energy, 2008). These cells can be used in homes across the country and the current technology has created a Photovoltaic cell that is more durable, flexible and easily maintained. In addition to Photovoltaic cells, parabolic trough mirrors, parabolic dishes and power towers use mirrors to direct the sunlight to a specific area where it is used to create steam, that steam is then used to create electricity (The Economist, 2008). Now SolarReserve, a development firm partnered with United Technologies and US Renewables Group, has designed a system that will capture and store sunlight for several days. The system is similar to traditional capture of sunlight by using mirrors to direct sunlight to towers where molten salt is kept, usually a collection tower. The salt is heated by the sunlight, which can then be stored or used immediately. Since molten salt is an efficient heat carrier and storage medium, it can create energy on demand or stored for later power production thus solving the problem of power generation during cloudy or stormy days. SolarReserve first demonstrated this technology at their site in Barstow, California and states that the technology is ready to be used for power production on an electrical grid (Wald, New Ways to Store Solar, para. 13). The benefit of this type of solar technology, and other solar power production, is that the fuel source is free. The acquisition of sunlight requires no drilling, no decimation of land and no major disruption of fragile ecosystems. Solar power is also a clean energy source, giving off no emissions in addition to being abundant and renewable. Sunlight also creates another renewable resource. Wind. The power of wind has been harnessed to irrigate, to grind grains, and to produce electricity. Turbines here in America only provide 1% of the electricity consumed, but the potential for the wind industry is huge. Several countries around the world use wind as a portion of their power generation. Denmark, for instance, generates 20% of their energy from wind. Spain has generated 8% of their power from wind and they are expected to raise that number in the next year (Greenpeace, 2008). Early wind turbines were used to grind grain and to bring water to irrigate crops, now the turbines are created to crank out electricity. Wind farms are cropping up everywhere; just recently T. Boon Pickens announced that he was partnering with General Electric to build the world’s largest wind farm in Texas (The Economist, 2008). This partnership comes about due to the suddenly lowered costs of turbine production. Couple that with the fact that, aside from the cost of construction, the generation of the electricity is free and (theoretically) will not go away, you have a deal of a life time. Current turbines have become more reliable than earlier ones; they are easily built and generate power as soon as they are up. Some snags manufacturers of turbines and the electric companies have come up against are the questions of storage, the issue of visual impact or noise pollution, and the effect turbines have on animals. Electric grids have traditionally used alternating current to transfer power to the grid; however, the location of turbines can sometimes be remote places, which can mean that power is lost in the transportation to the grid. The non-traditional idea of using direct current has cropped up, since direct current travels well over long distances and there is less power loss, using direct current grids to transport the power to areas where the energy can be used effectively solves the transportation dilemma (US Department of Energy, 2008). The use of DC instead of AC forces a change in the way power is transported on a grid and although many balk at the idea, Europe has already a similar system in place and plans on extending it to the United Kingdom. The system pushes power to the grid and channels excess power to help push water uphill to Norwegian hydroelectric systems. While wind has been making leaps and bounds in technology and production, the hydroelectric systems in Europe and most of the world have helped power these countries for years. In reality, hydropower has been used for centuries around the world and it had been used in ancient Greece to turn water wheels to grind wheat into flour (US Dept of Energy, 2008). The water wheel is probably the most well known way of producing energy from water, and it was this early application that spawned the idea for current turbines. The amazing thing about water is that it is perpetually recycling itself. It is evaporated into the air from oceans and streams then comes back to the ground to start the process all over again. This process is what makes hydroelectric power so attractive. Unfortunately, although hydroelectric power accounts for one fifth of the world’s power generation and is the cheapest source of energy, the building of dams can displace wildlife and destroy ecosystems. There have been some advances to making dams more eco-friendly though. By building fish ladders and developing aeration techniques, installations can have a minimal impact on wildlife and the environment (National Geographic, 2008). There are even some technologies that are being developed to harness the power from ocean waves. With mechanisms similar to wind turbines, the energy in the ebb and flow of the tides is captured to produce clean energy. Unlike wind energy, tidal energy is constant and easy to predict, which makes â€Å"coordinating the flow of electricity in the grid quite manageable† (Holzman, 2007 para. 7). Tidal turbines are also easier on the eyes. Whereas wind turbines and solar plants may mar a skyline, tidal turbines are generally not visible at all. While you may see commercials and ads touting the beneficial effects of renewable energy going on right now, the generation of clean power is not an immediate process. It is going to take a lot of hard work and a great change in lifestyle to accomplish it. Although there are many companies working hard to provide the technology or the means to produce clean power, consumers can help by investing in green energy. Many utility companies offer a green power program that allows consumers to donate a portion of their power bill to the research and development of clean energy (Environmental Protection Agency, 2008) and consumers can get tax credits for energy efficient home improvements. Although renewable resources such as solar, wind and hydroelectric power may be expensive at the outset, the use of clean energy will pay for itself in terms of environmental impact, and especially its renewability. Because it is not a change that will happen over night, it is important for consumers to remember that they too can assist in investing in the future of renewable resources. By donating a small amount every month through their power company a consumer can help his or her utility company pay for the additional costs that are accrued in using green power and the new technologies to generate green power. If a change is to come, everyone has to be on board and willing to change their lifestyles from the current â€Å"throw away† lifestyle. Change for the better has to come from consumers as well as the pioneers of renewable energy. References The power and the glory: A special report on energy (2008). The Economist, 387(8585), 1-14. Deal, W. (2006, May) Energy Perspectives: Another Look at Fossil Fuels, The Technology Teacher, 65(8), 10-14 Greenpeace: Global Wind Energy Outlook. Retrieved July 2, 2008, from http://www. greenpeace. org/international/press/reports/globalwindenergyoutlook Hydropower: Going With the Flow. Retrieved July 6, 2008, from http://science. nationalgeographic. com/science/environment/alternative-energy/hydropower-profile. html Wald, M (2008, April 15). New Ways to Store Solar Energy for Nighttime and Cloudy Days. The New York Times. Retrieved July 2, 2008, from http://www. nytimes. com/2008/04/15/science/earth/15sola. html? _r=1ref=businessoref=slogin US Department of Energy: Solar Technologies Program. Retrieved July 6, 2008 from http://www1. eere. energy. gov/solar/photovoltaics. html US Department of Energy: Wind Hydropower Technologies Program. Retrieved July 6, 2008 from http://www1. eere. energy. gov/windandhydro/ Holzman, David C. Blue power turning tides into electricity. Environmental Health Perspectives 115. 12 (Dec 2007):

Food Nutrition History

Food Nutrition History The history of food and nutrition dates back as far as the beginning of recorded history. In the era of hunters and gathers, people knew that they had to eat in order to survive. The teachings and techniques that were used to obtain food at that time came from trial and error. It was up to the people to figure out which foods were suitable and which could possibly cause illness or even death. The importance of food, specific dietary patterns and disease prevention were observed in the Indian Ayurvedic tradition, dating back to 2500 BCE (1). Looking beyond the medieval era, western science and medicine developed ways of thinking about food and health between 600 BCE and 300 CE (1). Societies throughout each era have looked at diet and nutrition as a means of healthy living and survival. Through the Renaissance and up to the eighteenth century, teaching noted that diet and nutrition were an integral part of having a fulfilled life (1). Many documents from ancient and historical times have evidence that inventions for food processing were becoming existent and new foods were being discovered. In this time, food was mostly produced and consumed entirely within the local area. A familys nourishment was provided by the food that was grown and prepared within the family and exchanged with nearby neighbors. Cooking and preservation techniques at this time were not necessarily safe but were evolving. During the industrial revolution, the introduction of railroads and wagon roads made the transfer of goods possible at greater distances. This shift began to affect the foods that people had access to and what they ate (2). The science of nutrition began to emerge in the early to mid nineteenth century. During this time, both Europe and the US were influenced by their governments to increase the yield of food from plant crops and animal herds (1). Food production held a very important role in nourishing the soldiers who were fighting in the war. Safe food was soon found to be the key for survival of troops, especially those who had been wounded and needed proper nourishment to fight illness and infection. Dietetics as a profession can be linked back to the evolution of home economics (3). The early evolution of food and nutrition science was explored to feed soldiers in battle and to also to provide necessary nutrition to those who were preparing to become young soldiers. Nutrition and appropriate food choices were demonstrated to young families to ensure healthy individuals. World War I brought food shortages. Those who were knowledgeable in dietetics encouraged others to plant gardens and learn how to develop recipes for home and hospital use. Both world wars observed the creation of dietetics as a profession (3). Many important people deserve credit in the history of Dietetics. Far more than five people contributed to its development. Dietetics is largely applied by the use of chemistry, it is necessary to recognize Antoine Lavoisier, who is known as the Father of Chemistry. Lavoisier was born into an upper class, Paris family in 1743. He was able to obtain a law degree at the College Mazarin, though he never practiced law. He had more interest in mathematics and science and gained membership into the Academy of Sciences at the age of 25 (4). Lavoisier had many contributions, to include the assistance in establishing the metric system, to naming 33 elements of periodic table. He died at the age of 51 from literally loosing his head, as he was found guilty of conspiracy against the people of France. Wilbur Olin Atwater, an American chemist, was born May 3, 1844 in Johnsburg, New York. Atwater is known for his studies in human nutrition and metabolism. He pursued an undergraduate degree at Wesleyan University in Connecticut and later went on to obtain his PhD from Yale Universitys Sheffield Scientific School in agricultural chemistry (5). Atwater invented a device called the respiration calorimeter that measured human metabolism balance by analyzing the heat produced and metabolic rate by a person performing certain activities. This new invention aided many new studies in dietary evolution and food analysis (1, 2, 5). Energy and protein sources were studied and measured to determine that certain foods provide different amounts of nutrients and energy than other. The fat, protein, and carbohydrates of all different kinds of foods were observed and soon there was an awareness of the food calorie. Atwater continued to lead research teams on discovering nutrient requirements, food composition and consumption, and consumer economics (6). Throughout his discoveries, Atwater determined that Americans eat more unhealthful foods than desired and do not exercise enough. Florence Nightingale, born 1820 in Tuscany into an upper class family, need be mentioned as a contributor to Dietetics as she was the one who acknowledged the need for safe and nutritious food for soldiers during the Crimean War (7). She was actually a pioneer nurse in her time and was determined to improve the living conditions at the camp hospitals and made and effort to clean and organize facilities where patients were cared for. Her contributions helped spread awareness of the necessity for clean, safe, and nutritious foods. There is a long history of health and nutrition and the involvement and contribution of many people and their discoveries has made great progress. Most of the progress has been made in the last 100 years, as new technologies have been a great asset to nutritional health and implementation. Scientific advances, social and economic factors, and military conflicts are contributors to the advancement of the dietetic profession as well. The most important contribution would have to be the determination and dedication by early dietitians who knew that there was a difference to be made and that they were the ones who would be able to make that difference. The understanding and importance of good eating habits was not common not known to most of society, or perhaps just not understood. Scientific experiments were documented and scholarly journals written, but they were for almost impossible to understand by anyone who was not in the dietetic profession. Alice Blood was the one who would be able to put all of the difficult works into something that could be understood by large public audience. She translated science-based nutrition information into easy-to-read pamphlets in an effort to educate people on good nutrition. Alice Blood obtained a bachelors degree from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a PHD in biochemistry from Yale. She also held the title of director at the School of Household Economics at Simmons College in Massachusetts (8). Many changes came about in 1917 for the dietetics profession and many women contributed to these changes. A new organization, the American Dietetic Association [ADA], was born in the fall of 1917 when more than 100 women organized a meeting in Cleveland to discuss multiple issues within dietetics. Lulu Graves, a dietician in Cleveland, held a strong position that dietitians play an important role of the medical team and that when nutrition services are offered to patients, money is saved (8). This is a time when dietitians had the primary role of feeding the wounded and sick in hospitals. The doctors were the ones who could prescribe special diets for treatments and dietitians were like the physicians assistants. At this point, doctors were primarily male and all dietitians were female. Only three states allowed women to vote and women were not allowed to travel unaccompanied by a man (8). Graves stressed the importance of scientific training for dietitians and knew that the future of dietetics would be assured. Lulu Graves was elected the first president of the ADA (9). At the first meeting, many issues were discussed especially concerning food conservation and global food needs. This was an important for the Association to come together, as World War I was still in mission. The annual meeting to follow had greater attendance and included more states involvement. By the sixth annual meeting, which was held in Indianapolis in 1923, insulin was presented as the new treatment for diabetes (9). Insulin was discovered and isolated at the University of Toronto in 1921-1922 by Dr. Frederick Banting (10). Insulin is a hormone that is produced in the pancreas and is necessary to keep glucose levels in the blood at a safe and functional level. This was a major event in dietetic history, as the diagnosis and treatment of type 1 and type 2 diabetes continues to be at high demand. Food technology was on the rise going into the 1930s. Refrigerators, toasters, canned goods, frozen vegetables, sliced bread and many other developments were introduced. These new preparation and storage methods provided more convenience for keeping food on hand. Obesity became a health concern, which was the topic of discussion towards the end of the 30s. Soon to follow would be the opening of the first McDonalds and Dairy Queen in the early 1940s (9). If what was known then about the negative health affects Americans would experience from frequenting fast food chains, one has to wonder if there would be any earlier changes in the way food is processed and produced for these places. Martha Lewis Nelson was a pioneer in exploring total education of dietitians (8). The original dietetic program was a four-year course at a University with a major in food and nutrition, with a six-month dietetic internship. In 1942, Lewis was the director of Medical Dietetics at Ohio State University and she redesigned the internship program, making it possible to earn a Master of Science degree along with the internship (8). Many institutions today use this curriculum to develop education programs for dietetics. In 1966, nutrition and diet therapy services were included in comprehensive medical care programs. Clare Forbes, a Massachusetts delegate to the ADAs House of Delegates, was the force behind this movement (8). Forbes is credited for developing future state legislative programs and guiding the development of the ADAs mission statement (8). Twenty-six years ago, in 1982, the ADAs capacity to reach the public on food nutrition, and health concerns was forever changed. A new resource center, National Canter for Nutrition and Dietetics, was funded through a capital fund program (9). National Nutrition Month is one of the outreach programs that are very active today. The purpose of National Nutrition Month is to help make people aware of necessity of a healthy lifestyle and diet. Many more factors go into health other than just what a person eats. Diet and exercise go hand in hand. If it were not for the good old girls Alice Blood, Lulu Graves, Martha Lewis Nelson, and Claire Forbes, the American Dietetic Association may not exist today. It is up to those in the profession to get the message out to the public about good health and nutrition so that money and lives can be saved in the long run. Over the past 20 years, many new diet fads have been introduced. Some of these diets have proven to be effective and safe while others are effective and unsafe. Most often the results are temporary, as the people get bored with the same food or routine and then end up failing. Reading nutrition labels and ingredient lists on foods has become more popular in the past couple of years, as people now have a better idea of what they are looking for. There are multiple commercials, newspaper articles, and health magazines that give health alerts to new findings in the food that people eat. With all of the sources in which nutrition facts and health information can be found, Americans are far more educated now than they ever have been before. The image is to get into shape and live healthier lifestyles. The advancements in medical technology have expanded the role of the dietetic professional on so many levels. Special diets, mechanically altered foods, and diagnosis of new disease conditions have forced nutritional professionals to test and experiment with new ways of feeding patients and ensuring that they are receiving appropriate nutrition. References Cannon G. The rise and fall of dietetics and of nutrition science, 4000 BCE-2000 CE. Public Health Nutrition. 2005;8(6A):701-705. Roth D. Americas fascination with nutrition. Available at: http://www.ers. usda.gov/publications/foodreview/jan2000/frjan2000f.pdf. Accessed February 25, 2008. History of Home Economics at Ryerson. Ryerson University Web site Available at: http://www.ryerson.ca/~foodnut/alumni/history_he.html. Accessed February 4, 2008. Antoine Lavoisier. Available at: http://mattson.creighton.edu/History_ Gas_Chemistry/Lavoisier.html. Accessed February 25, 2008. Wilbur Olin Atwater. Wikipedia online. Available at: http://en.wikipedia. Org/wiki/Wilbur_Olin_Atwater. Accessed February 25, 2008. Welsh S. Atwater to the Present: Evolution of Nutrition Education. Journal of Nutrition [serial online]. September 1994;124:1799S-1807S. Available from: Academic Search Premier, Ipwich, MA. Accessed February 25, 2008. Florence Nightingale. Wikipedia online. Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/ Wiki/Florence_Nightingale. Accessed February 24, 2008. Fitz P. Presidents page about 80 years ago. J Am Diet Assoc. 2003;98(3):264. Petrillo T. Live the ADA legacy-annually. J Am Diet Assoc. 2002;102(8):1046 -1050. 10. The Discovery of Insulin-The history of diabetes treatment. About.com Web site. http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bldiabetes.htm. Accessed February 22, 2008.

Miranda in Jennifer Johnstons Fool’s Sanctuary Essay -- Jennifer John

The Irish Psyche as Portrayed through Miranda in Jennifer Johnston's Fool’s Sanctuary In her novel Fool’s Sanctuary, Jennifer Johnston reflects on the Irish psyche and gives an insight into some of the factors that appear to create such a unique culture. This aspect of the novel is explored particularly through the novel’s protagonist, Miranda. She acts like a symbol, the embodiment of the typical Irish person. Miranda’s characteristics, attitudes and values are shaped by the influences of her country, therefore reflecting possibilities that typically set the Irish people apart. These characteristics include a symbolic and surreal outlook on life, a love of poetry and music, the importance placed on memories, a sense of humour, the way they love and an inability to accept happiness as reality. Ireland is a spectacular island whipped by harsh weather, steeped in history and torn by wars that have raged for centuries and it is these aspects that contribute to the Irish psyche. Great Irish writers throughout history, such as Yeats and Joyce, have written about these influences in Ireland and the impact that they have on its people. Johnston equally explores similar concepts in Fools’ Sanctuary. It is a powerful story, Miranda’s story, showing how the turmoil in Ireland in the 1920’s affects an individual’s life and changes it irrevocably. Johnston’s delicate mixture of emotion and caustic observations provide a unique analysis of the Irish psyche. Furthermore, she explores the concept that many of the characteristics that are developed are fundamentally self-destructive. Miranda tries not to be affected by Ireland’s conflict and there are a number of ways in which she tries to escape. However, ultimately this only ends in h... ...trayed by Johnston. However, Fool’s Sanctuary, not only serves as an exploration of the unique characteristics of the Irish people, it also serves as an explanation. It is an explanation, offering an insight into why certain traits are unique to the Irish psyche, what the traits could be attributed to and how they ultimately lead to self-destruction. Jennifer Johnston’s careful and powerful depiction of Ireland at the brink of war, is like a magnifying glass and when examined, it essentially reveals a unique portrayal of the Irish psyche. The Student May Wish to begin the essay with one or more of the quotes below: Out of Ireland we have come. Great Hatred, little room, maimed us at the start..... W.B. YEATS, 1931 The Irishman’s house is his coffin. J.A. JOYCE, 1922 Work Cited Johnston, Jennifer. Fool’s Sanctuary London: Hamish Hamilton 1987 Miranda in Jennifer Johnston's Fool’s Sanctuary Essay -- Jennifer John The Irish Psyche as Portrayed through Miranda in Jennifer Johnston's Fool’s Sanctuary In her novel Fool’s Sanctuary, Jennifer Johnston reflects on the Irish psyche and gives an insight into some of the factors that appear to create such a unique culture. This aspect of the novel is explored particularly through the novel’s protagonist, Miranda. She acts like a symbol, the embodiment of the typical Irish person. Miranda’s characteristics, attitudes and values are shaped by the influences of her country, therefore reflecting possibilities that typically set the Irish people apart. These characteristics include a symbolic and surreal outlook on life, a love of poetry and music, the importance placed on memories, a sense of humour, the way they love and an inability to accept happiness as reality. Ireland is a spectacular island whipped by harsh weather, steeped in history and torn by wars that have raged for centuries and it is these aspects that contribute to the Irish psyche. Great Irish writers throughout history, such as Yeats and Joyce, have written about these influences in Ireland and the impact that they have on its people. Johnston equally explores similar concepts in Fools’ Sanctuary. It is a powerful story, Miranda’s story, showing how the turmoil in Ireland in the 1920’s affects an individual’s life and changes it irrevocably. Johnston’s delicate mixture of emotion and caustic observations provide a unique analysis of the Irish psyche. Furthermore, she explores the concept that many of the characteristics that are developed are fundamentally self-destructive. Miranda tries not to be affected by Ireland’s conflict and there are a number of ways in which she tries to escape. However, ultimately this only ends in h... ...trayed by Johnston. However, Fool’s Sanctuary, not only serves as an exploration of the unique characteristics of the Irish people, it also serves as an explanation. It is an explanation, offering an insight into why certain traits are unique to the Irish psyche, what the traits could be attributed to and how they ultimately lead to self-destruction. Jennifer Johnston’s careful and powerful depiction of Ireland at the brink of war, is like a magnifying glass and when examined, it essentially reveals a unique portrayal of the Irish psyche. The Student May Wish to begin the essay with one or more of the quotes below: Out of Ireland we have come. Great Hatred, little room, maimed us at the start..... W.B. YEATS, 1931 The Irishman’s house is his coffin. J.A. JOYCE, 1922 Work Cited Johnston, Jennifer. Fool’s Sanctuary London: Hamish Hamilton 1987

The Life And Death Of 2pac :: essays research papers

The Life and Death of 2Pac In the stifling post-boxing match Las Vegas traffic jam, a new black 1996 BMW inched along impatiently, it's gold detailing glimmering brightly under the street lights. Any attempt to catch a glimpse of the passengers within the tinted windows revealed only a distorted reflection of the chaotic, yet relatively motionless urban scene. The glass sunroof slid open and a dark figure rose partly through the opening, like a tank commander surveying the horizon for signs of the enemy. Discreetly the rear window of a nearby car rolled down as it approached, and the muzzle of a gun emerged slightly. The gun, almost indiscernible from the cavernous blackness inside the car, spewed out thirteen bullets, each one punctuated by a startling yellow flash and a reverberating crack that cut through the buzz of the traffic. In one blurred and sweeping motion the black BMW roared to life, accelerating across the traffic flow and towards the oncoming cars, retreating from the scene as the dark figure collapsed li mply back into the vehicle. This incident is not a scene from a DeNiro/Pacino mobster movie. Nor is it an episode from an Oliver Stone or Quentin Tarrantino film. In fact, it is not a scene from any movie, although the story will likely wind up as a made- for-television drama. Rather, it is the dramatic finale of the life of rapper/actor Tupac Amaru Shakur, who was shot four times during this escapade while traveling from a Mike Tyson fight to a nearby club on September 7th. He later died of the wounds, after six days of intensive care and several unsuccessful operations. Tupac Amaru, or 2Pac, as he spelled it --distinguishing him from the violent Peruvian terrorist group of the same name-- was one of today's most popular "gangsta rappers." His lyrics are usually vulgar, offensive, and explicit, and glorify the type of life that he and many other gangsta rappers lead. They depict violence, drug use, crime and sexual abuse as acceptable, and as a necessary way of life. They often go so far as to threaten the lives of rappers from rival record labels, with whom he has an East/West coast disagreement resulting in sporadic violent episodes and threat volleys. Such lyrics as Tupac wrote accurately depicted his dangerous lifestyle. Unlike some other gangsta rappers who conjure the image only for money, he actually led the "thug life", as the tattoo on his stomach describes it. He was a magnet for violence, as his police record illustrates. He served eight months out of a three year sentence for sexual assault, and was to face sentencing this

Lupus Essay -- essays research papers fc

Lupus Definition of the Disease Lupus is a chronic inflammatory disease of unknown cause that can affect virtually any part of the body. The medical term for Lupus is Systemic Lupus Erythematosus or better known as SLE. With Lupus there is a malfunction in some of the cells of the immune system. "In Lupus, the body overreacts to an unknown stimulus and makes to many antibodies, or proteins directed against body tissue. Thus, Lupus is called an autoimmune disease. †# Myth/Reality Statements Myth: Lupus is contagious. Reality: It is not contagious, it is not spread from person to person. Myth: It is uncommon in women to contact Lupus. Reality: "Between the ages of 15 and 45, close to 90% of diagnosed patients are women ." Myth: Caucasians are most apt to be diagnosed with Lupus. Reality: In the United States, African Americans, Latinos, and Asians have a greater incidence of SLE than Caucasians ." Myth: Lupus is a curable disease. Reality: Lupus is controllable not curable. Myth: The most common initial complaint is fevers, weight loss and fatigue. Reality: The most common complaint is pain in joints or swelling followed by skin rashes. # Overview Women are the most common to suffer from Lupus. Although men and Children can get Lupus, 80% of Lupus patients are women ." There are three times as many black women as white women affected by this disease. During the first ten years of life, girls will have Lupus three to seven more times often than boys. Three are about 1,400,000 cases of Lupus diagnosed at the present time, but there can be up to 2 million unreported cases since the disease in extremely difficult to diagnose. "Only 10% of Lupus patients will have a close relative who already has or may develop Lupus. Only 5% of children born to individuals with Lupus will develop the illness ." # The cause of Lupus is still unknown. Some doctors feel that there are some environmental and genetic factors involved. Some of the environmental factors include: infections, antibodies, especially those in the Sulfa and Penicillin groups, ultra violet light, extreme stress and certain drugs. There are an incredible number of symptoms that you can have with Lupus. There are general symptoms such as weakness, fatigue, low-grade fever, generalized aching and chills. These symptoms are most evident when the patient is i... ...ts with medications are not required at all. They should avoid the sun and take aspirin or other nonsteriodal antiflammatory drugs, for muscle and joint pain. Conclusion I feel that Lupus is a very peculiar disease. It shares many similarities with HIV in the fact that there is multiple organ involvement and potentially life threatening episodes. I do not understand how Lupus is not always a fatal disease if it attacks the immune system. Without an immune system, other diseases can not be fought off by the antibodies, which can cause someone to become very ill. I feel as though there needs to be a lot more research done for Lupus. It is a disease of high occurrence and the cause is still unknown. The cause needs to be found so that a cure can be discovered so that patients and their families can find a relief from this disease. Bibliography 1. Wallace, D. The Lupus Book. Oxford University Press: New York, 1995 2. Aldejem, Henrietta. Understanding Lupus. Charles Scribers Sons: New York, 1982. 3. Moore, Mary. Learning About Lupus. Mainline Desktop: Pennsylvania, 1991 4. Ferrante, C. 1995. Caring for Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythmatosus. Nursing 25: 66-7

The Age of Turbulence

Alan Greenspan published â€Å"The Age of Turbulence: Adventures in a New World† on September 17, 2007 and the first half of the work is an autobiographical chronology of his life. It gives readers a chance to view the people and circumstances that can help and guide Greenspan as he grew up.The second half of the book states the major economic events that have occurred over the past half century. He details his life under different U.S. Presidents as well as economic systems including the Marxist Communism, Populism, as well as Market Capitalism.According to Greenspan, free market capitalism is the economic approach that will trump other approaches. Based on Adam Smith’s ‘invisible hand’ which is the people’s motivational self-interest which is important in his view of building a successful economy.In the book he discusses the fast historical growth of the U.S. economy under the market capitalism as well as its benefit to the other foreigners. Inters persed in the material is Greenspan’s lack of quality public secondary education for the masses especially in the field of sciences and mathematics and it role in the divergence of rich and poor in the U.S.Greenspan hits hard as he criticizes President Bush, VP Cheney and Republican-controlled Congress for abandoning the traditional tenets of fiscal discipline. Included in his argument is the President’s refusal to veto new Federal legislation which increases the spending easily. According to him, Bush approach has been one of â€Å"conflict avoidance† and attending to political agendas leaving no room for reason.It is President Gerald Ford whom he praises above all the other presidents including former President Clinton calling his governance as characterized as a consistent disciplined focus on long-term economic growth.† Even at the age of 81, Greenspan has strong opinions about several issues and is saddened that it is politically difficult to admit th at in truth, the Iraq war is mainly about oil. His comments about the war can be shocking as he reveals that there could be about 1.2 million people could have died because of this conflict in Iraq.According to a Washington Post columnist, people will most likely agree that Greenspan’s greatest contribution is that of the policy maker who, â€Å"through the power of his office, the force of his intellect, and the cunning behind-the-scenes maneuvering, engineered the wholesale deregulation of the US banking and financial system†.With regard to legacy, his most important legacy is that of making the US economy â€Å"more prone to asset bubbles, corporate scandals and financial crises, but robust enough to absorb such shocks while continuing to deliver long-term economic growth† (Pearlstein, 2006, p. D01).He was elected to third consecutive term in 1996. One of the highlights of this term is said to be the crucial role he played during the financial crisis that hit Asia and Russia.With the world financial system under threat, Greenspan is said to have gone against the conventional wisdom of raising interest rates, and instead convinced his Fed colleagues to do the reverse and support him in pushing for three consecutive interest rate cuts. That unexpected move is said to have been instrumental in pumping capital flows into the world economy and averted a recession in the US and many parts of the world.Moreover, Greenspan is said to have collaborated with the then secretary of the treasury Robert Rubin in inspiring confidence in the national economy, so much so that in 1998, unemployment levels were at 24-year lows, inflation levels were at 11-year lows, and consumer confidence was highest compared to the past 30 years.According to a Washington Post columnist, people will most likely agree that Greenspan’s greatest contribution is that of the policy maker who, â€Å"through the power of his office, the force of his intellect, and the c unning behind-the-scenes maneuvering, engineered the wholesale deregulation of the US banking and financial system†.With regard to legacy, his most important legacy is that of making the US economy â€Å"more prone to asset bubbles, corporate scandals and financial crises, but robust enough to absorb such shocks while continuing to deliver long-term economic growth† (Pearlstein, 2006, p. D01).Some examples demonstrate the Greenspan standard in action. From 1994 to early 1995, for example, Greenspan was said to have launched a series of preemptive moves to tighten the monetary policy to ward off the threat of a trend towards rising inflation, in the form of increased interest rates. While the move to raise rates were said to have initially shocked the market, such moves were said to be a clear statement of the Fed’s seriousness to tame inflation.As a testament to his flexibility, he then eased rates towards late 1995 when the economy showed signs of abrupt weakeni ng, thus pumping money into the economy and avoiding a slowdown in economic activities (Yu, n.d., p. 5).Another example of Greenspan’s prescience was in 1998, when the Fed introduced rate cuts in three consecutive months from September to November, amidst signs of an economic slowdown. Such moves are said to have influenced European central banks to make similar rate cuts to avert a greater slowdown in the economies of Europe.Virtually every intellectual sector in the United States and the rest of the world has heaped praise on the singularly successful steering of monetary policy by Alan Greenspan during his term as chairman of the US Federal Reserve Board. Blinder and Reis, in a paper out of Princeton notes the following:No one has yet credited Alan Greenspan with the fall of the Soviet Union or the rise of the Boston Red Sox, although both may come in time as the legend grows. But within the domain of monetary policy, Greenspan has been central to just about everything tha t has transpired in the practical world since 1987and to some of the major developments in the academic world as well (Blinder and Reis, 2005, p. 1).Indeed, the book examines his views on these issues. To wit, Greenspan presided over an era marked by the Black Friday stock market crash in 1987, the wars in Kuwait in 1990 and the Iraq war in 2000, a global financial crisis in 1997 and 1998, â€Å"the biggest financial bubble in history†, a productivity growth turnaound that started in 1995, and the threat of deflation in 2003 (Blinder and Reis, 2005, pp. 1-2), and successfully hurdled them all to the benefit of the US and world economies.On the other end, some quarters have also been critical of the tenure of Alan Greenspan. One quarter argues that Greenspan leaves the Fed with a legacy of debt that will have long-term adverse impacts on the US and world economies. Specifically, a study notes that such a legacy of debt by Greenspan has â€Å"potential adverse consequencesâ₠¬ .Basically, the line of reasoning is that foreign creditors could start to question how America will be able to pay future interest and dividend payments without resorting to â€Å"printing dollars†, and such could result on a run on the dollar. The run on the dollar can then lead to a rise in interest rates, which could hurt the housing market and cause mortgage defaults to rise. Such a rise in defaults could then cripple the banking system, making Federal rate cuts less effective in steering the economy.I think that on balance, those who have been heaping accolades on Mr. Greenspan’s performance at the helm of the Federal Reserve Board have reason to do so. The Greenspan era was one that was characterized by the singular success of the policies of Mr. Greenspan to steer the US economy to its current state of prosperity.Basically, my take on the Greenspan standard is that Mr. Greenspan’s policies are based on intelligent, period-by-period assessments of the state of the economy, and making adjustments to monetary as needed, discarding old assumptions that are not in tune to reality and keeping close tabs to what is actually happening moment by moment. The Greenspan standard seems just another way of saying that Mr. Greenspan kept a close watch of the economy and did everything at his disposal to make sure that monetary policy is cautiously and prudently managed.The criticism regarding Mr. Greenspan’s legacy as one of it being a legacy of debt is simplistic. The argument is predicated on the withdrawal of trust by creditors in the ability of the US to pay its debt obligations, and on the collapse of the housing market. It is simplistic because it fails to consider that the macro economy is dependent on factors other than housing.Also, it is simplistic because the argument does not take into consideration the probability of a debt default happening, which is the main event that detractors say will touch off a series of cascading e ffects leading to the weakened ability of interest rates tweaking in controlling the economy.He mentions in the book that the rate of technological innovation is slowing down. He is pessimistic about the prospects that the United States is facing. He is able to predict that there are advances in the information technology and this will permanently increase the economy’s growth capacity.   Greenspan was able to keep interest rates low so that the economy could reach its potential. Greenspan was vindicated because in the years after that, the productivity figures started rising consistently.By and large, Greenspan’s memoir is an interesting read that makes readers enlightened about his life in the context of the Sept. 11 bombing. He is a man who also influenced the nation as he traces his early roots, as well as his training as an economist and finally his job as the Fed Chairman.His experience in the dotcom era manifests to him that the best way to control a speculati ve boom is to prevent it from developing from the very start. What makes the book an engaging material is the fact that he relied on the use of formal mathematical models together with a set of assumptions that can be identified with data. He stated his own predictions about the future and concluded that in the end, it is man’s ability to transcend the sufferings and trials that ultimately matters in the end.REFERENCESBlinder, A.S and Reis, R. (2005). Understanding the Greenspan Standard. Princeton University. Retrieved April 6, 2008 at: http://www.kc.frb.org/PUBLICAT/SYMPOS/2005/PDF/BlinderReis.paper.0914.pdfGreenspan, Alan. The Age of Turbulence: Adventures in a New World. Allen Lane (17 Sep 2007) Pearstein, S. (2006). The Laissez-Fairest of them all. Washington Post. 20 January 2006. Retrieved April 6, 2008 at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/19/AR2006011903180.htmlYu, H. (n.d.). Alan Greenspan. University of Florida. Retrieved April 6, 2008 at : http://bear.cba.ufl.edu/demiroglu/fin4504fall2004/Articles/Greenspan.pdf

Comparing Oedipus and Minority Report

Sophocles Oedipus the King and Spielberg Minority Report. (Critical Essay) Sutton, nana. Full Text: COPYRIGHT 2005 Wheeled publications Many English teachers today pair older, canonical works with recent films that strongly allude to those earlier works–Mrs.. Daylong and The Hours, for example, or Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now. One palling teachers might consider Is Sophocles Oedipus the King with Steven Spielberg 2002 film Minority Report. While it would be an exaggeration to call Minority Report a futuristic retelling of the Oedipus story, the film does borrow most of the central elements of Sophocles play.In particular, the play and the film share an emphasis on literal and symbolic vision and blindness, a plot device in which a protagonist is told he will commit a murder in the future, and a thematic concern with fate and free will. Minority Report establishes its emphasis on vision and blindness within the first minute of the film. The first words we hear are †Å"You know how blind I am without them,† spoken by a character named Howard Marks about his glasses. As we hear these words, we see a scissor blade stab through the eye of a face In a magazine photo, as Marks's young son cuts out pictures for a homework project.A few seconds later, we see a close-up of an eyeball. All this Is, of course, reminiscent not only of Oedipus stabbing out his own eyes but also of the many comments about vowels and blindness In Sophocles play, such as Oedipus comment to the plague-ravaged chorus, â€Å"How could I fail to see what longings bring you here? † (142). As in the preceding quotation from Sophocles play, both the film and the play employ images of vision and blindness to refer not only to physical sight but also to seeing as understanding.And in both works, this understanding involves past and future killings. In the film's opening minute, we see images of events that have not yet taken place, but which are being â€Å"seen† by a woman named Ghats, the person whose eye appears in the close-up. Ghats is the most gifted of three â€Å"process†Ã¢â‚¬â€œhumans blessed and cursed with the ability to envision murders before they take place, and thus used to warn the police of the murders so they can be prevented, In a system called â€Å"Presence. In the opening scene, Howard Marks has Just â€Å"seen† that his wife Is having an affair and that he is about to kill her and her lover with the scissors. But the police?led by the elm's protagonist, John Anderson–prevent him from doing so. Similarly, in Oedipus the King, the one character who understands the truth and knows the future at the beginning of the play, Eateries, tells Oedipus, â€Å"You're blind to the corruption of your life† (162).In Minority Report, the linking of physical sight with understanding, specifically of murders, extends far beyond the opening sequence. Later, Ghats, tormented by knowing who murdered her mother an d by the fact that the police have been fooled regarding the murderer's identity, repeatedly shouts, â€Å"Can you see? To John Anderson as she tries to lead him to solve the crime. And when Anderson finally recognizes that his interest In this past crime is the reason he has been set up to be arrested for a future murder, his first words are, â€Å"How could I not have seen TLS? –a line reminiscent of Oedipus statement, shortly after realizing the truth of his situation, that he had been too long â€Å"blind to the ones [he] longed to Report play a role analogous to that of the Oracle at Delphi in Oedipus the King, a similarity made explicit in the film. The process stay in an area referred to as â€Å"the ample,† and early in the film, one character refers to the process collectively as â€Å"the oracle,† and their handlers, the police, as â€Å"the priests. And in both the play and the film, soon enough, the oracle tells the protagonist that he will commi t murder. As a young man, Oedipus was told he would kill his father and have children by his mother (185); early in the film, Anderson is informed by the process that he will murder someone named Leo Crow. Although both protagonists are informed that they will commit murders in the future, both the play and the film are set in worlds erupted by the fact that political leaders have not been detected for murders they committed in the past.In Oedipus the King, Thebes suffers from a plague that can be removed only when the murderer of the previous king is discovered and punished–a murderer who turns out to be the current king, Oedipus. In Minority Report, Washington, DC (and thus implicitly the entire nation, especially since precise is about to go national rather than being limited to DC) is corrupted by the fact that the head of precise, Lamar Burgess, has murdered Ghats's mother to prevent losing Ghats as a precook, unbeknownst to anyone but Ghats.Thus in both works, the prota gonist is doubly a detective: he must discover the truth about the oracle's prediction that he would murder someone, and he must solve the murder that corrupts the political world in which the work is set. In addition, the protagonists of both works receive prophecies not only from seemingly divine oracles, but also from blind mortals. Eateries declares that Oedipus is himself the murderer of the previous king (159) and then adds, correctly, that by the day's end Oedipus will be reduced to blind beggar and will know he is both son and husband to his wife, both brother and father to his children (164).In Minority Report, a sleazy character with grotesque, hollow sockets where his eyes should be sells John Anderson a drug he calls â€Å"Clarity† and then says, â€Å"In the country of the blind, the one-eyed man is king†Ã¢â‚¬â€œa statement that proves prophetic later in the film when Anderson, possessing only one of his original eyes, is able to outwit others who are â₠¬Å"blind† to the true situation regarding the murder that Burgess committed. The most obvious, and obviously sight-related, really between the two works is the fact that both protagonists voluntarily lose their eyes.And in each case, this loss of eyes largely coincides with the protagonist's ability to â€Å"see† in a deeper sense. Once Oedipus realizes that he did indeed murder his father and marry his mother–once he sees the truth–he stabs out his eyes. In the futuristic world of Minority Report, omnipresent eye scans make hiding virtually impossible, and so Anderson, once he is wanted for the future murder of Leo Crow, has his eyes removed and exchanged for a different pair to evade detection, having en advised by one of the inventors of precise that â€Å"Sometimes in order to see the light you have to risk the dark. It is only through this swapping of eyes–and through retaining at least one of his original eyes in a plastic bag, for use in eye scans for security clearance–that he is eventually able to â€Å"see the light† and solve both mysteries: why he is accused of murdering Leo Crow and how Lamar Burgess murdered Ghats's mother. When we reach the protagonist's encounter with the person he was predicted to kill, both the play and the film are somewhat ambiguous other), as the oracle had said he would, despite every effort he makes to avoid fulfilling this fate.Indeed, his efforts to avoid his fate lead him to precisely the spot where he must be to fulfill it. But critics have long emphasized that the character traits Oedipus displays in the plays present are precisely the ones that would have naturally led him to react as he did when he encountered his father (Knox and Thaliana 598). They have also emphasized that the gods can know the future without causing it (Odds 23). Thus, the killing seems both an expression of inexorable fate and the natural expression of Oedipus character.Similarly, when John And erson finally confronts Leo Crow, he tries to arrest Crow rather than kill him– but Crow, determined to die, grabs for Andersen's gun and is eventually fatally shot, with the film ambiguous as to whether Anderson (accidentally) or Crow (intentionally) pulls the trigger. So, Anderson does not attempt to murder Crow yet plays a role in the man's death. Moreover, the film paradoxically insists that although the future can be accurately predicted, those who know their future have the power to change it.Thus, both works concede considerable power to fate but also leave room for free will. Minority Report alludes to Oedipus the King in smaller ways as well. Early on, a character named Danny Witter repeatedly mentions finding a â€Å"flaw† in Anderson– surely an echo of the concept of â€Å"tragic flaw† in characters like Oedipus. Later, as curiosity leads Anderson toward confronting Leo Crow, whom he has never met but whom he is â€Å"supposed† to murder , Ghats warns him, â€Å"You have a choice. Walk away. Now. † But he refuses, saying, â€Å"l can't. I have to know. I have to find out what happened to my life.