Inherit The Wind Essays (931 words) - Scopes Trial,

Inherit The Wind The Truth about Stanley Kramers Inherit the Wind History is consistently used in films as a technique to teach the values and morals of events that occurred. But whats the point in teaching history through films when they are terribly fictional? In films, the director finds the best scheme to intrigue their audience only by changing the actual event to satisfy their interest. This is true for Stanley Kramer when he made the history of John Scopes and his monkey trial into a film called Inherit the Wind. Kramer knew the exact stereotypical Hollywood history his audience enjoyed. The trial itself had a series of conflicts, the main one being evolution vs. religion. Yet there was also a series of tensions throughout the movie, including the argument between individual vs. society. The same themes from Inherit the Wind can also be seen from the actual monkey trial event in Dayton, Tennessee. It is sometimes said that truth is stranger than fiction and according to this film, truth is also stronger than fiction. Inherit the Wind ignored the true dramatic moment, which is essential to the actual trial that happened in Dayton, Tennessee. Kramer even portrayed his own opinion of this trial in this film. The truth was so distorted in the film so now the argument is not individual vs. society or evolution vs. religion but history vs. fiction. Inherit the Wind is set in the little town of Hillsboro when Bertram Cates (played by), a biology teacher, was thrown into prison for teaching Darwins theory of evolution. Two famous lawyers were behind this case, Henry Drummond (played by) as the defender and Mathew Harrison Brady (played by), as the prosecutor. Mathew Harrison Brady who was voted 3 times for a presidential candidate was sent to Hillsboro is carry out the job as a prosecutor for this trial. As for Cates, a journalist from Baltimore Herald by the name of E.K. Horrbeck willingly provided a lawyer named Henry Drummond for him. Horrbeck was interested in the Cates, expecting to make big bucks from this big media case. The two opposing lawyers, Drummond and Brady, were Kramers two main characters, both with different opinions on how humans arrived on earth. Drummond supported the evolution theory, while Brady, the creation theory. In this film, Kramer distorted the facts of the actual trial to make this film more of a dr ama than a history documentary. He added fictitious characters like Reverend Heremiah Brown (played by) and his daughter Rachel Brown (played by) to bring this drama out. Its obvious that Rachel is used as icon in Inherit the Wind to make film be seen as more of a drama with the typical love story that directly attracts more audience to his film. Kramer also added Bradys death in the courtroom. He dramatically died of a heart attack in the chaotic courtroom at the end of the trial after his last speech. Persecuted The film is far from the truth, the actual trial didnt happen in quite the same way. The 1925, Dayton, Tennessee went against one of its individual, John Scopes. He just so happened to be substituting for a biology class that was learning about the Darwins theory. Similar to the film, the actual lawyers, Darrow and Bryan were also famous in their position of the society. Darrow was the defender, and Bryan, the prosecutor. The characters in this film also had different personalities compared with the actual history figures they are. Take Drummond for example, he was less cynical and biting than Scopes actual defender, Darrow. Brady, on the other hand, was portrayed more of a comical fanatic at moments in the courtroom. From this event on, the flaws of this little town began to reveal. The townspeople of Hillsboro were far more frenzied, mean-spirited, and ignorant than the real citizens of Dayton were toward this trial. From the fictitious characters and the distant differences between the history and film, I can conclude that Kramer was completely biased when he was directing this film. When the actual trial and the film are compared, itd obvious that Kramer was not only thinking of his audiences interest but his own. He was biased

Passing Down Acquired Traits

Passing Down Acquired Traits An acquired trait is defined as a characteristic or trait that produces a phenotype that is a result of environmental influence. Acquired traits are not coded in the DNA of an individual and therefore most scientists believe they cannot be passed down to offspring during reproduction. In order for a characteristic or trait to be passed down to the next generation, it must be part of the individuals genotype. That is, its in their DNA. Darwin, Lamarck and Acquired Traits Jean-Baptiste Lamarck incorrectly hypothesized that acquired traits could indeed be passed down from parent to offspring and therefore make the offspring more suited to their environment or stronger in some way. ​ Charles Darwin originally adopted this idea in his first publication of his Theory of Evolution through Natural Selection, but later took this out once there was more evidence to show acquired traits were not passed down from generation to generation. Examples of Acquired Traits An example of an acquired trait would be an offspring born to a bodybuilder that had extremely large muscles. Lamarck thought that the offspring would automatically be born with larger muscles like the parent. However, since the larger muscles were an acquired trait through years of training and environmental influences, the large muscles were not passed down to the offspring. Genetic Traits Genetics, the study of genes, explains how traits like eye color and some genetic conditions can be passed on from one generation to the next. Parents pass traits to their young through gene transmission.  Genes, which are located on  chromosomes  and consist of  DNA, contain specific instructions for  protein  synthesis. Some conditions, like hemophilia, are contained in a chromosome and are passed on to offspring. But thats not to say all illnesses will be passed down; for instance, if you develop cavities in your teeth, thats not a condition youd pass down to your kids. New Research on Traits and Evolution Some recent scientific research, however, suggests that Lamarck may not have been entirely wrong. Scientists at the Columbia University Medical Center found that roundworms that developed resistance to a particular virus passed on that immunity to their offspring, and for several generations. Other research has found that mothers may pass on acquired traits as well. During World War II, the Dutch suffered a devastating famine. Women who gave birth during this period had babies who were more susceptible to metabolic disorders such as obesity. Those childrens children were likely to suffer from these conditions as well, research showed. So while the bulk of the evidence suggests that acquired traits like muscles and obesity arent genetic, and cant be passed on to offspring, there are some cases where this principle has been disproven.

Critically evaluate Nozick's response to Rawls's theory of justice Essay

Critically evaluate Nozick's response to Rawls's theory of justice - Essay Example Thus, the entitlement theory of justice, which is comprised in Nozick’s response to Rawls’ theory of justice, reveals the clash between libertarianism and social welfare liberalism on the topic of justice. Although both Nozick and Rawls belonged to the social contract tradition in political philosophy, Nozick’s entitlement theory of justice should be realised primarily as an opposition to Rawls’ theory of distributive justice and it everyone in the society is entitled to engage in distribution of property. As Suri Ratnapala maintains, â€Å"Rawls’ case for distributive justice in its simplest form is that a system of social cooperation makes everyone better off than a system of non-cooperation in which each person fends for themselves by their own effort. Principles of justice are required to distribute the surplus that results from social cooperation.† (Ratnapala 2009, P. 346). Therefore, Rawls’ theory of justice is mainly based on th e hypothetical social contract among the self-interested members in a state of ignorance regarding their future, and they take part in a game of risk minimisation. The libertarian response to Rawls’ theory of justice as offered by the American political philosopher Robert Nozick in his book Anarchy, State, and Utopia should be realised as belonging to the social contract tradition in political philosophy. ... In a reflective exploration of Nozick’s response to Rawls’s theory of justice, it becomes lucid that the contrasting books of John Rawls’ A Theory of Justice and Robert Nozick’s Anarchy, State, and Utopia have dominated the debate in analytical political philosophy for the last three decades. In his 1971 book, Rawls presented the case for a form of liberal egalitarianism which was challenged by Nozick’s arguments in favour of libertarianism, including the free market, absolute property rights, and the ‘minimal state’, presented in his book in 1974. Ever since the publishing of these contrasting books, a vast quantity of critical literature has been written on their political philosophy and Nozick has gained the approbation of the contemporary political philosophers as his arguments are strikingly close to the political spirit of the current age. â€Å"Nozick’s project is to defend the libertarian minimal state – akin to t he ‘night-watchman’ state of classical liberalism – which exists purely to safeguard the personal and property rights of individuals. The enterprise falls into three stage.† (Wolff 1991, P. 4). First of all, Nozick makes the argument, against the Anarchist, that a state as broad as a minimal state can be justified. Secondly, he makes his arguments against the defender of the extensive state by claiming that the minimal state is the most extensive form of legitimate state. Thirdly, he maintains that the minimal state is ‘inspiring’ as well as right, and there is no cause of regret. (Wolff 1991, P. 4). Therefore, in contradiction of Rawls’ case for a form of liberal egalitarianism, Nozick’s makes his pertinent arguments on the side of libertarianism which consists of the

Summary of Crime and Violence and Political Rights Essay

Summary of Crime and Violence and Political Rights - Essay Example Democracy lacks strength here due to which crime rate is alarming and public safety is a major concern. The authors try to analyse how public’s thinking influences democracy and to what extent. It was found that there is definitely a strong relationship between public’s ideas and possible support for democracy. Both factors are inextricably linked to one another. In fact, regardless of socioeconomic background, any citizen’s perception is as important to predict support and stability for democracy as any other heavily considered socioeconomic variable. The findings of this research report are of great value because they succeed in establishing a relationship which is extremely important to further establishment and consolidation of democracy in any country. These findings can help to acknowledge what exactly was missing before which needs more work to secure democracy. The value of widespread awareness about democracy among citizens was unknown before which is an area where more efforts should be invested. The article authored by Josà © Miguel Cruz aims to explore why there is a less crime and violence rate in Nicaragua than other Central American countries like El Salvador and Honduras where crime violence is a big national issue. This research study is based on Central America. Nicaragua is the largest Central American country, yet the crime rate here is lower compared to the rest of the region under study. Owing to myriad unexpected political transitions, wars, and troubled conditions, all Central American countries suffered from a lot of ordeal and a state of unexpectedness which gave birth to socioeconomic underdevelopment and poor public affairs. But, it is told that none of these reasons explain why Nicaragua is blessed with a lower crime rate as compared to its fellow countries. Guatemala is a richer country than Nicaragua

General Aviation - Marketing Role Models Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

General Aviation - Marketing Role Models - Essay Example The onus of the growth and maturity of the aviation industry lies on four significant individuals – Clyde Cessna, Walter Beech, Lloyd Stearman and Russ Meyer. Clyde was the pioneer in designing and building monoplanes while Stearman concentrated and manufactured biplanes. Stearman is responsible for the Boring Aircraft manufacturing Company that still serves the nation and the world today. Cessna and Beech had only rudimentary education up to fifth grade while Stearman and Meyer received formal education. Meyer, apart from being a pilot, was a good administrator and leader and is responsible to revive the light aircraft industry. An inner urge and quest for designing led Cessna, Beech and Stearman to create, design and build airplanes. The fact that this was possible without formal education demonstrates the technical acumen that existed in all of them. Beech and Stearman have been enshrined in the Aviation Hall of Fame for their invaluable contribution to the aviation industr y. All of them had a very humble beginning and could rise in life due to their dedication and creative abilities with which they were endowed. In the last 50 years the airlines industry of US has experienced reasonably profitable to devastatingly depressed periods. The US was the first major market to deregulate the industry in 1978 and it has experienced more turbulence than any other airline or region (Wikipedia). Deregulation led to higher competition and drop in airfares. This can be a major constraint for established carriers which tend to have a higher cost base compared to the new entrants. The global aviation industry is expected to grow at Compound Annual Growth rate (CAGR) of 5.6% in the period between 2004 and 2024 (Zinnov LLC, 2007). Air travel is correlated to wealth and has increased over the years with the increase in the GNI. The markets in the US and Europe are growing at a slower pace that the rest of the world. This is demonstrated through a fall in their global share

Smart Systems And Smart Materials

Smart Systems And Smart Materials Science and technology has made amazing developments in the design of electronics and machinery by using standard materials, which did not have particularly special properties (i.e. steel, aluminum, gold etc). Imagine the range of possibilities, which exist for special type of materials that have properties scientists can manipulate. Some such materials has the ability to change shape or size or simply by adding a little bit of heat, or to change from a liquid to a solid almost instantly when it is near a magnet; these materials are called smart materials. Smart materials are the materials that have one or more properties that can be dramatically altered. Most everyday materials have physical properties, which cannot be significantly altered; for example if an oil is heated it shall become little thinner, whereas a smart material with variable viscosity may turn from a fluid which flows easily to a solid. A variety of smart materials already exists, and is being researched extensively. These includes piezoelectric materials, magneto-rheostatic materials, electro-rheostatic materials, and shape memory alloys. Some everyday items are already incorporating smart materials (coffeepots, cars, the International Space Station, eyeglasses) and the number of applications for them is growing rapidly. Each individual type of smart material has a different type of property which can be significantly altered, such as viscosity, volume, and conductivity. The property which can be altered influences what types of applications the smart material can be used for. Smart systems and smart materials Smart structures are the new emerging materials systems which combines contemporary materials science with information science. The smart system is composed of these:- sensing, processing, actuating, feedback, self-diagnosing and self-recovering subsystems. These system uses the functional properties of advanced materials to achieve high performances with the capabilities of recognition, discrimination, and adjustification in response to make change of its environment. Each component of this system must have functionality, and the entire system is integrated to perform a self-controlled smart action, similar to a living creature that can think, make judgment and take actions. A smart system can be considered as a design philosophy that emphasizes predictivity, adaptivity and repetivity. A smart system/structure is defined as a non-biological physical structure having the following attributes: (1) a definite purpose; (ii) means and imperative to achieve that purpose; and (iii) a biological pattern of functioning. Smart materials are the subset of the smart systems, i.e. smart structures at the microscopic or mesoscopic scales. Smart systems are the non-biological structures which means that the system functions as a biological system rather than the pattern of functioning as a Turning machine. These materials will generally include at least one structural element, some for means of sensing the environment and its own state, and some type of processing and adaptive control algorithm. Science and technology in the 21st century will have to rely heavily on the development of new materials that are expected to respond to the environmental changes and manifest their own functions according to the optimum conditions. The development of these materials will undoubtedly be an essential task in many fields of science and technology such as informatics science, micro-electronics, computer science, medical treatment, life science, energy, transportation, safety engineering and military technologies. Materials development in the future, therefore, should be directed toward creation of hyperfunctional materials which will surpass even biological organ in some aspects. The present materials research is to develop various pathways that will lead the modern technology towards the smart sy stems. Types of Smart Materials Piezoelectric materials:- Piezoelectric materials have two unique properties that are interrelated. When a piezoelectric material is deformed, it gives off a small but a measurable electrical discharge. Alternately, when an electrical current is passed through a piezoelectric material it experiences the significant increase in size (approx. up to a 4% change in volume) Piezoelectric materials are widely used as sensors in different type of environments. They are often used to measure fluid composition, fluid density, fluid viscosity, or the force of an impact. An example of a piezoelectric material in everyday life is an airbag sensor in our car. The material senses the force of an impact on the car and thus sends and electric charge deploying the airbag. Example of Piezoelectric materials Electro-rheostatic (ER) and magneto-rheostatic (MR) materials:- Electro-rheostatic (ER) and magneto-rheostatic (MR) materials are fluids, which can experience dramatic change in their viscosity. These type of fluids can change from thick fluids (similar to motor oil) to nearly a solid substance within a span of a millisecond when exposed to a magnetic or an electric field. The effect can completely be reversed just as quickly when the field is removed. MR fluids experience viscosity changes when exposed to a magnetic field, while ER fluids experience similar type changes in an electric field. The composition of each type of smart fluid varies widely. The most common form of MR fluid consists of the tiny iron particles suspended in oil, while ER fluids can be as simple as milk chocolates or corn-starch and oil. MR fluids are mostly being developed for use in the car shocks, damping washing machine vibration, prosthetic limbs, exercise equipment, and surface polishing of machine parts. ER are mainly being developed for use in the clutches and valves, as well as engine mounts designed to reduce noise and vibration in the vehicles. Shape memory alloys:- Shape memory alloys (SMAs) are the metals, which exhibit two intresting unique properties, pseudo-elasticity, and shape memory effect. Arne Olander first observed these unusual properties in 1938 (Oksuta and Wayman 1998), but until the 1960s were no any serious research advances made in the field of shape memory alloys. The most effective and widely used alloys includes-NiTi (Nickel Titanium), CuZnAl, and CuAlNi. The unusual properties mentioned in the above are being applied to a wide variety of applications in the number of different fields. Shape memory alloys use ) pH sensitive polymers:- pH sensitive or pH responsive polymers are the materials which responds to the changes in the pH of the surrounding medium by varying or changing their dimensions. Such materials either swell or collapse depending on the pH of their own environment. These behaviour are exhibited due to the presence of certain type of functional groups in the polymer chains. There are only two kinds of ph sensitive materials:- one that have acidic group (-COOH, -SO3H) and swells in basic pH, and others that have basic groups (-NH2) and swells in acidic pH. Polyacrylic acid is an example of a former and Chitosan is an example of a latter. The mechanism of response is just same for both, just the stimuli varies. Their response is triggered due to the presence of ionisable functional groups (eg -COOH, -NH2) which get ionized and acquires a charge +/- in a certain pH. The polymer chains are now having similarly charged groups which causes repulsion and thus the material expands in dimensions. The opposite of this happens when pH changes and the functional groups loses their charge hence the repulsion is therefore gone and the material collapses back. These materials are being widely used for controlled drug delivery systems and biomimetics Halochromic material:- Halochromic materials are the materials which changes colour when pH changes occurs. The term chromic is defined as the materials that can change their colour reversibly in the presence of a factor. In this case, the factor is pH. The pH indicators have this type of property. Halochromic substances are suited for use in environments where pH changes occur very frequently, or the places where changes in pH are most. Halochromic substances can detect alterations in the acidity of substances, eg- detection of corrosion in metals. These substances can be used as indicators to determine the pH of the solutions of unknown pH. The colour obtained is compared with the colour obtained when the indicator is mixed with solutions of known pH. The pH of the unknown solution can then be estimated. Obvious disadvantages of this type method include its dependency on the colour sensitivity of the human eye, and those of unknown solutions that are already colour can be used. example of halochromoic The colour changes of halochromic substances occur when a chemical binds to existing hydrogen and hydroxide ions in solution. Such bonds result in changes in the conjugate systems of the molecules, or the range of electron to flow. This alters the amount of light absorbed, which in turns results in a visible change of colour. Halochromic substances does not display a full range of colour for a full range of pH because, after certain acidities, the conjugate system does not changes. The various shades resulted from different type of concentrations of halochromic molecules with the different conjugate systems. (6)Dielectric elastomers (DEs):- Dielectric elastomers are the smart material systems which produces large strains (even up to 300%) and belong to the group of electro active polymers (EAP). Based on their simple principle of working dielectric elastomers actuators (DEA) transform electric energy directly into the mechanical work. DE are lightweight, and have a high elastic energy density and are investigated since the late 1990s. Many of its potential applications exist as prototypes. Every year in spring a SPIE conference takes place in San Diego where the newest research results concerning DEA are exchanged between. Self-healing materials:- These materials are the class of smart materials that are having the structurally incorporated ability to repair damage caused by mechanical usage over time. The inspiration comes from the biological systems, which have the ability to heal after being wounded. Initiation of cracks and other types of damage on a microscopic level have been shown to change the thermal, electrical, and acoustical properties, and eventually lead to the whole scale failure of these materials. Usually, cracks are mended by hand, which is difficult because cracks are often hard to detect. A material (polymers, ceramics, etc.) that can intrinsically correct the damage caused by normal usage could lower production costs of the number of different industrial processes through longer part lifetime, reduction of inefficiency over time caused by degradation, as well as prevent costs incurred by material failure. For a material to be called as self-healing, it is necessary that the healing process shall occur with out human intervention. Examples shown below include healing polymers that are not self-healing polymers. Example of self healing Temperature-responsive polymer:- Temperature-responsive polymer is a polymer which undergoes a physical change when an external thermal stimulus is presented. Their ability to undergo such changes under easily controlled conditions makes this class of polymers fall into the category of smart materials. These physical changes can be exploited for many analytical techniques, especially for separation chemistry. After numerous investigations of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (poly-NIPAAm), there was a sparked interest in the applications of this and many other stimuli-responsive polymers. There have been extensive research in the applications of intelligent polymers for use as stationary phases, extraction compounds, surface modifiers, drug delivery, and gene delivery. Temperature responsive polymer Applications of smart materials There are many possibilities for smart materials and structures in this world. Engineering structures can be operated at the very limited of their performance envelopes and to their structural limits without fear of the exceeding either. These structures can also give maintenance engineers a full report on the performance history, as well as the location of the defects, whilst having the ability to counteract the unwanted or potentially dangerous conditions such as excess vibration, and effect self repair. Smart Materials in Aerospace:- Some materials and structures are termed sensual devices. These are structures which can sense their environment and generate data for use in health and usage monitoring systems (HUMS). Today the most well established application of HUMS are in the field of aerospace, in the areas such as aircraft checking. An aircraft constructed from a sensual structure could self-monitor its performance to a level beyond that of current data recording, and provide ground crews with the enhanced health and usage monitoring. This would minimise the overheads associated with HUMS and allow such aircraft to fly for more hours before any human intervention is required. Smart Materials in Civil Engineering They can be used in the monitoring of civil engineering structures to assess durability. Monitoring of the current and long term behaviour of a bridge would lead to enhanced safety during its life since it would provide early warning of structural problems at a stage where minor repairs would enhance durability, and when used in conjunction with structural rehabilitation can be used to safety monitor the structure beyond its original design life. This will influence the life costs of such structures by reducing upfront construction costs and by extending safe life of the structures. Sensual materials and structures also have a wide range of potential domestic applications, as in food packaging for monitoring safe storage and cooking. The above example addresses only sensual structures. However, the smart materials and structures offer the possibility of structures, which not only sense but also adapt with their environment. Such types of adaptive materials and structures benefit from the sensual aspects highlighted earlier, but in addition have the capability to move, vibrate, and exhibit a multitude of other real time responses. Potential applications of such adaptive materials and structures range from the ability to control the aeroelastic form of an aircraft wing, thus minimising drag and improving operational efficiency, to vibration control of lightweight structures such as satellites, and power pick-up pantographs on trains. Ken Materials Mechatronic smart structures have demonstrated the capability of its technology, but raise the important issue of the complexity of the resulting system. This smart type of structures contains a multitude of different materials, and in the case of sensual structures it will generate large amounts of data. This increase in complexity has been described as the spaghetti syndrome, and has led to the proposal for an alternative type of smart structure based on the concept of ken materials (the Chinese characters which means wisdom, structure, monitoring, integration and benignity is being pronounced ken in the Japanese language). Such structures will move functional integration into the constituent engineering materials by themselves. Some of the practical examples of ken materials exist at present, although a structural composite based on this concept had been developed in Japan. This is a carbon and glass fibre reinforced concrete which able to monitor concrete structures by using only the structural reinforcing fibres, thus reducing the complexity of the system. (4) Structural Uses (a) Active control of structures The concepts of the adaptive behaviour have been an underlying theme of active control of structures which are subjected to an earthquake and other environmental types of loads. The structure adapts its dynamic characteristics to meet the performance objectives at any instant. Sun and Sun (vi) used a thermo mechanical approach to develop a constitutive relation for bending of a composite beam with a continuous SMA fibers embedded eccentric to neutral axis. The authors finally concluded that SMAs can be successfully used for the active structural vibration control. Thompson(iii) also conducted an analytical investigation on the use of SMA wires to dampen the dynamic response of the cantilever beam constrained by SMA wires. (b) Passive control of structures Two families of the passive seismic control devices which are exploiting the peculiar properties of SMA kernel components has been implemented and tested within our MANSIDE project (Memory Alloys for New Seismic Isolation and Energy Dissipation Devices). They are the Special braces for the framed structures and isolation devices for the buildings and bridges. (c) Smart Material Tag These smart materials tag can be used for composite structures. These tags can be monitored externally throughout the life of those structures to relate the condition of internal material. Such measurements as stress, moisture, voids, cracks and discontinuities might be interpreted via a remote sensors. (d) Retrofitting SMAs can use as self-stressing fibres and therefore they can be applied for retrofitting. Self-stressing fibres are the ones in which the reinforcement is placed into the compositenon-stressed state. A prestressing force is therefore introduced into the system without the use of large mechanical actuators, by providing SMAs. These materials thus do not need specialized electric equipments nor do they create safety problems in the field. Treatment can be applied at any time after hardening of matrix instead of during its curing and hardening. So the Long or short term prestressing is introduced by triggering the change in SMAs shape using temperature or electricity. The Future The development of true smart materials at the small atomic scale is still progressing a little, although the enabling technologies are under the development. These require the novel aspects of nanotechnology (technologies which are associated with materials and processes at the nanometre scale, 10-9m) and the newly developing science of shape chemistry. Worldwide, a considerable effort is being made to develop these smart materials and structures. The technological benefits of such types of systems have begun to be identified and, demonstrators are therefore under construction for a wide range of applications from space to aerospace, to civil engineering and to domestic products. In many of above, these applications, the cost benefit analyses of such systems are yet to be fully demonstrated. The Office of Science and Technologys Foresight Programme has recognised these types of systems as a strategic technology for the future, having considerable potential for creation of wealth through the development of various unknown products, and performance enhancing the existing products in a broad range of the industrial sectors. The concept of engineering materials and structures which respond to their own environment, including their human owners, is somewhat an alien concept. So it is therefore not only important that the technological and financial implications of these materials and structures are addressed, but also issues associated with public understanding and acceptance.Techno-democracy could only come about only through education and exposure of the general public to these technologies. However, such a general acceptance of smart materials and structures may in fact be more difficult than some of the technological hurdles which are associated with their development. A new smart materials process Multiple Memory Material Technology developed by University of Waterloo engineering researchers promises to revolutionize the manufacture of diverse products such as medical devices, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), printers, hard drives, automotive components, valves and actuators.

Christianity and Greek Epic Tradition as Devices for Miltons Object in

Christianity and Greek Epic Tradition as Devices for Milton's Object in Paradise Lost The widely known story of the Genesis account in the Bible of the creation and fall of humankind does not make for a very interesting story. Almost anyone familiar with Western tradition can provide at least this basic outline: God makes angels, the best angel wants to be God, the angel gets kicked out of Heaven into Hell, goes to the garden of Eden, persuades Eve to eat an apple, and down plunges humanity. So why, then, did Milton choose to use this particular piece of Biblical narrative, first, above his original intention of an Arthurian tale, and second, above any other account in the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments? Milton answers these questions both simply and enigmatically in the beginning of the poem: "What in me is dark/ Illumine, what is low raise and support;/ That to the heighth of this great Argument/ I may assert Eternal Providence/ And justify the ways of God to men" (Milton 47). The question that humanity begs an answer for, above all, is the reason for the rampant evil in the world. Many people over the last several centuries, and many Christians even, cannot reconcile the existence of unchecked evil alongside a loving, merciful God. Milton would heartily agree that characteristics of God can be found in any situation in the Bible (and so he did draw from these in other works), but within Milton's enlightened seventeenth-century society, the scientific process itself dictated that to discover the meaning of any process, one had to go back to the catalytic moment. In order to answer the most theologically difficult question this side of B.C., Milton had no choice but to go back to th e beginning and see, with what... ...adise Lost. ed. Thomas Kranidas. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1969. 118-130. "Epic." Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica. 2015. Web 30 April 2015. http://www.britannica.com/eb/article?eu=119368>. Ferry, Anne. Milton's Epic Voice: The Narrator in Paradise Lost. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1963. "Milton, John." Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica. 2015. Web 30 April 2015. http://www.britannica.com/eb/article?eu=115562>. Milton, John. Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained. New York: Signet Classics, 1968. New American Standard Bible. 2015. Web 30 April 2015. https://www.biblegateway.com Ricks, Christopher. Introduction. Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained. By John Milton. New York: Signet Classics, 1968. vii- xxx. Webber, Joan Malory. Milton and His Epic Tradition. Seattle and London: University of Washington Press, 1979.

Gun Free School Zone

United States Vs. Lopez (1995) HIS 303 March 28, 2010 United States Vs. Lopez (1995) Before I can appropriately discuss the opinion given by the US Supreme Court Justices; I feel that at first I must explain the background of what happened and the question that was brought before the justices of the US Supreme Court and the facts of the case. During this paper I will try to give some background information as well as the various opinions related to this issue. I will attempt to analyze and discuss the overall final outcome as issued by the courts in 1995.On March 10, 1992 Alfonzo Lopez Jr. , who was then a 12th-grade student (senior), arrived at Edison high School in San Antonio, Texas, carrying on his person a concealed . 38 caliber handgun and five bullets. Acting on an anonymous tip, the school authorities confronted Alfonzo, who readily admitted to having the weapon. He was arrested and charged under Texas law with firearm possession on school property. The next day the state cha rges were dropped and federal agents charged Alfonzo with federal charges of violating the Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990.The question that was brought before the courts: Is the Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990, forbidding individuals from knowingly carrying a gun in a school zone, unconstitutional because it exceeds the power of Congress to legislate under the Commerce Clause? (The Oyez Project, 2010). One of the most important sections of Article I is section 8. It carefully lists the powers the Framers wished the new Congress to possess. These specified or enumerated powers contain many key provisions that had been denied to the Continental Congress under the Articles of Confederation.For example, one of the major weaknesses of the Articles was Congress’s lack of authority to deal with trade wars. The Constitution remedied this problem by authorizing Congress to â€Å"regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States. † Congress was also given the authority to coin money. Enumerated Powers are defined as Seventeen specific powers granted to Congress under Article I, section 8, of the U. S. Constitution; these powers include taxation, coinage of money, regulation of commerce, and the authority to provide for a national defense (O'Connor ; Sabato, 2008).The facts behind the case are: Alfonzo Lopez Jr. , a 12th grade high school student, carried a concealed weapon into his high school in San Antonio, Texas. He was charged under Texas law with firearm possession on school premises. After being charged under state law, the next day, the state charges were dismissed by federal court . Federal agents charged Lopez with violating a federal criminal statute, the Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990 (from here on out referred to as the act). The act forbids â€Å"any individual knowingly to possess a firearm at a place that [he] knows†¦ s a school zone. † Lopez was found guilty following a bench trial and sentenced to six months' imprisonment and two years' supervised release. â€Å"The District Court denied his motion to dismiss the indictment, concluding that 922(q) is a constitutional exercise of Congress' power to regulate activities in and affecting commerce (FindLaw ®,2010). Later the Court of Appeals held that, taking into account of what is characterized as inadequate congressional conclusions and legislative history, 922(q) is invalid as beyond Congress' power under the Commerce Clause.Alfonso Lopez Jr. (here on out known as the respondent) and his legal team petitioned the Court of Appeals to dismiss the charges bases on the Act exceeds Congress' Commerce Clause authority. In no rational logic can the connection be made between the possession of a gun or any firearm in a school zone and economic activities affecting commerce. Section 922(q) is a criminal statute that by its terms has nothing to do with â€Å"commerce† or any other type of economic enterprise, no matter how broadl y the terms of Section 922(q) are defined by the defense.Secondly, 992(q), contains no jurisdictional component which would ensure that the firearms possession in question has the requisite Page II nexus with the interstate commerce (Cornell University Law School, 2010). In order for the respondent, which was a local student at his school; to get his case dismissed he would have to prove that either he recently moved with interstate commerce or that he had some sort of tie to interstate commerce.In order for the court to uphold the respondents claim that 922(q) is justified because the possession of the firearm in a local school zone does indeed substantially influence interstate commerce, they would have to have the Supreme Court pile conjecture upon conjecture in an approach that would suggest reasonable to convert congressional Commerce Clause authority to a general police authority of the nature possessed only by the States. The Chief Justice that presided over this case was C. J. Rehnquist, the other presiding Justices were J. O'Connor, J. Stevens, J. Souter, J. Breyer, JJ. Thomas, J. Kennedy, J. Scalia, and JJ.Ginsburg. Chief Justice Rehnquist delivered the opinion over the case with Justices O'Connor, Scalia, Kennedy, and Thomas filed concurring opinions. Whereas, Justices Breyer, Stevens, Souter, and Ginsburg filed a dissenting opinion. Before I go into the opinion that Rehnquist delivered I would like to go in to some of the opinions that the other Justices' had stated as to their dissenting opinions. Justice Breyer reasons for his dissenting opinion focuses mainly on the threat that firearm possession in and near schools poses to the educational process and the potential economic consequences flowing from that threat.More specifically, he states (1) gun-related violence is a serious problem: (2) that problem, in turn, has an adverse effect on classroom learning; and (3) that adverse effect on classroom learning, in turn, represents a substantial thre at to trade and commerce (Cornell University Law School, 2010). Justice Souter continues by stating that The Court observed that the Gun-Free School Zones Act operates in two areas traditionally subject to legislation by the States, education and enforcement of criminal law.The suggestion is either that a connection between commerce and these subjects is remote, or that the commerce power is simply weaker when it touches subjects on which the States have historically been the primary legislators. Neither suggestion is tenable. As for the remoteness, it may or may not be wise for the National Government to deal with education, however Justice Breyer has surely demonstrated that the commercial prospects of an illiterate State or Nation are not rosy†¦ (Cornell University Law School, 2010).Justice Stevens stated that the welfare of our future â€Å"Commerce with Foreign Nations, and among the several States,† is vitally dependent on the character of the education of our chil dren. He, therefore, agrees entirely with Justice Breyer's explanation of why Congress has ample power to prohibit the possession of firearms in or near schools – just as it may protect the school environment from harms posed by controlled substances such as asbestos or alcohol (Cornell University Law School, 2010).Chief Justice Rehnquist delivered the opinion of the Court as: In the Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990, Congress made it a federal offense â€Å"for any individual knowingly to possess a firearm at a place that the individual knows, or has reasonable cause to believe, is a school zone. † The Act neither regulates a commercial activity nor contains a requirement that the possession be connected in any way to interstate commerce. We hold that the Act exceeds the authority of Congress†¦ (Cornell University Law School, 2010).The courts final opinion simply stated is that yes, the possession of a firearm in a local school zone is not an economic activity th at might, through repetition elsewhere, have a substantial effect on interstate commerce. The law is a criminal statute that has nothing to do with â€Å"commerce† or any sort of economic activity (The Oyez Project, 2010). The constitutional significance of this particular opinion can be stated as simply as our national laws have supremacy over the laws on the state level, in this particular case the National laws and the State laws were one in the same.At no time does the possession of firearms on school property have an effect on interstate commerce or any other commerce for that matter. Article I Section 8 gives Congress power under the constitution to regulate commerce along with the authority to provide for a National Defense, however, the Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990 has nothing to do with either of the entitlements of Congress. The Gun-Free School Zones Act is a federal act strictly pertaining to just that gun control in school zone areas.In my opinion the creatio n of this act simply helps state and local government agencies enforce the Zero Tolerance Policies that most schools have gone to for firearms, alcohol, and controlled substances. The constitutional significance is that it firmly establishes that in this situation and others like it have no bearing on commerce and therefore Congress were well within their rights in creating this Act and the state and federal government were well within their rights to enforce it.Although some good arguments were made on the behalf of the respondent and a valid attempt to connect commerce with the possession of firearms on school property or in school zones, that facts are still the facts and they still remain. The possession of a firearm in a local school zone is not an economic activity that might, through repetition elsewhere, have a substantial effect on interstate commerce.Living in a time of constant turmoil and of society restlessness I am glad that we have the government that we have and that they are the ones making the decisions as to where the lines are drawn and what happens when those lines are crossed. It is unfortunate that on March 10, 1992 that this student felt the need to conceal a gun and bring it to school, however, it is very fortunate for that community that it did not end with the results that other schools have met with.

Free Essays on Night

The author purpose of the book was to tell his life experiences with the holocaust, and a terrifying account of the nazi death camps. The book led into how the nazi’s fed the Jews little or no food how if they were not doing their job they’ll get struck down. Families were separated at the concentration camp in Auschwitz the women were killed in the informatory where you go in and never come out. The category of nonfiction is drama because of the struggles of what happened to this boy losing his mom dad and his sister. The author has organized this perfectly the book started when his family was living in the town of sighet until the they were called all the Jews were going to the concentration camp. The structure of the story fit the story people wish they were somewhere else, some wanted to die, people waited for the U.S. army to come and defeat the Ss and free them from the concentration camp. The information the author convey that would be relevant to me and my peers kids don’t want their parents to give up something positive the dad was sick and couldn’t go on like people can’t go if they have cancer. The concentration camps made people weak and go into deep depression. It just like when my peers lose a close family member you maybe wanted to tell that someone something before he or she died and that would be relevant to us like it was in the book. The effectiveness of the nonfiction text is that the vocabulary was excellent, the structure of the text had the pyramid told the plot, the high point in the story and then the resolution. The accuracy of the information was good enough they told specific dates and told when the Jewish new year came and Christmas. Jews were set on fire, beaten, hang, and frozen to death. Like the many Jews told when the war was over.... Free Essays on Night Free Essays on Night Shame The novel Night, by Elie Wiesel has many tragedies and losses suffered by the prisoners in concentration camps. One major loss was the deterioration of father-son relationships. Due to the inhumane conditions in the concentration camps, it is every man for himself and family ties no longer matter. Therefore, one must abandon his father or his son in order to survive. In the novel, Elie sometimes thinks of how his weak father is such a burden and how it would be a relief for own father to just die. More so, there are other incidents where father-son relationships are deteriorated. To begin, in the episode where the S.S soldiers throw bread into the train, the prisoners are so focused on getting the food, that even their closest relations aren’t in their minds. "Wild beasts of prey, with animal hatred in their eyes; an extraordinary vitality had seized them, sharpening their teeth and nails", shows how the prisoners have become predatory animals. After being starved for ten days, the prisoners are willing to kill each other for bread. In this scene, a young man fights his own father for a piece of bread and eventually, they kill each other off. For they are no longer living in a world of social responsibility and morality, it makes sense for them to behave like animals. The Nazis have created this inhumane environment, and the prisoners have no choice but to take on their ways for survival. Moreover, at one point in the novel, Elie, his father, and the rest of the prisoners were to transfer to another camp named Gleiwits; they were forced to run around forty miles in painfully cold weather, with stragglers shot. A scene that secured itself in Elie's memory is that of Rabbi Eliahou: â€Å"his son had seen him losing ground, limping, staggering back to the rear of the column. He had seen him. And his had continued to run on in front, letting the distance between them grow greater†. In this heartbreaking scene, Rabbi Eliahou’... Free Essays on Night In Night, Elie Wiesel brings to life his abhorrent account as a prisoner in a Nazi concentration camp in World War II. The experiences he describes are horrifying, but true. The book was well written and had excellent historical detail. Because of this, I found book was difficult to put down. The book begins during World War II in Transylvania, where the Wiesel family lived a pleasant life. One day in nineteen-forty-two the Germans invaded their city and expelled all Jews, including the Wiesel family. Eliezer and his father were separated from his mother and sisters. He and his father were sent to work in Nazi concentration camps until the end of the War. He found that life in these camps was difficult. He had to work all day just to get small portions of food. If he did not work he would be shot or burned in a furnace. The main character in this story is the author, Eliezer Wiesel. Elie was a fifteen year-old boy at the time. He frequently questioned why God would punish the ! Jews in this way, but never received an answer. In the concentration camps, Eliezer worked hard and tried to do the best he could so he would not be killed. Sometimes he and his work group were directed to travel to different camps because the Russians were closing in on the Germans. During these movements they would march and sometimes even run to these far away camps. Whoever could not keep up would be shot. Eliezer's ordeal ended with the liberation of his camp by the Americans in nineteen-forty-five. At the time of the liberation he was the lone survivor of his family. Like thousands of others, his mother, father, and sisters were victimized by the cruel Nazi policy. As a teenager living in Sault Ste. Marie, MI., it is difficult for me to imagine living in a concentration camp like Eliezer Wiesel. I can understand why he would question his faith in God. It is important for young people to learn about the cruelty that was inflicted against the Jewish people d... Free Essays on Night The author purpose of the book was to tell his life experiences with the holocaust, and a terrifying account of the nazi death camps. The book led into how the nazi’s fed the Jews little or no food how if they were not doing their job they’ll get struck down. Families were separated at the concentration camp in Auschwitz the women were killed in the informatory where you go in and never come out. The category of nonfiction is drama because of the struggles of what happened to this boy losing his mom dad and his sister. The author has organized this perfectly the book started when his family was living in the town of sighet until the they were called all the Jews were going to the concentration camp. The structure of the story fit the story people wish they were somewhere else, some wanted to die, people waited for the U.S. army to come and defeat the Ss and free them from the concentration camp. The information the author convey that would be relevant to me and my peers kids don’t want their parents to give up something positive the dad was sick and couldn’t go on like people can’t go if they have cancer. The concentration camps made people weak and go into deep depression. It just like when my peers lose a close family member you maybe wanted to tell that someone something before he or she died and that would be relevant to us like it was in the book. The effectiveness of the nonfiction text is that the vocabulary was excellent, the structure of the text had the pyramid told the plot, the high point in the story and then the resolution. The accuracy of the information was good enough they told specific dates and told when the Jewish new year came and Christmas. Jews were set on fire, beaten, hang, and frozen to death. Like the many Jews told when the war was over.... Free Essays on Night Night (A Book Report) "For more than half an hour he stayed there, struggling between life and death, dying in slow agony under our eyes. And we had to look him full in the face. He was still alive when I passed in front of him. His tongue was still red, his eyes were not yet glazed. Behind me I heard [a] man asking: Where is God now?" The suffering of this child being hanged is comparable to the suffering endured by many Jews during the holocaust. This quotation is found in just one of many heart wrenching scenes found in Night, a biography of the holocaust survivor, Elie Wiesel. Wiesel stayed quiet about the holocaust for ten years and his reasoning for this was, "I didn't want to use the wrong words. I was afraid the words might betray it." This also may account for the fact that some of the sentences found in Night are very wordy and often are overwhelming to the reader because of the amount of significance found in each. This flaw, though, is very forgivable under the circumstances. Besides for the brilliant descriptions found in Night and the feeling that you were walking in Elie's shoes, if he literally had any, Night opens the readers mind to the atrocities of the holocaust and concentration camps. We take for granted, today, our knowledge of knowing how many Jews were killed by the Nazi's and having a general idea of the kind of life people led in the concentration camps. People never really stop to think about what it must have felt like not knowing what was going on or what was going to happen next. Wiesel illustrates this very clearly at the beginning of his autobiography. He shows the reaction of the townspeople when they first heard of Hitler and German troops and the optimistic approach they ecided to take on life. This technique of taking the reader to life before the ghettos and the concentration camps is very interesting and unique. Before reaching a... Free Essays on Night Night: Critical Analysis Essay on Elie’s Relationship with his Father The Book Night begins in a small town, Sighet, in Transylvania. The narrator/author of the book is Elie Wiesel. Elie is a child and a fairly devout Orthodox Jew during the time of World War 2. Night occurs in the 1940s when Hitler has begun to invade Hungry and slowly takes over Sighet and deports Elie and his family. Elie and his father have a very strong relationship in the beginning and throughout the book, although this relationship does transform as the two go through more and more. Towards the end of the book Elie begins to feel that his father is a burden and consequently feel’s guilt because of this. In the beginning of the book Elie looks up to his father because his father is a respected member of the Jewish community in Sighet. His father was not in favor of Elie’s decision to study mysticism and therefore refused to be his mentor. As his father said, â€Å"Your to young for that. Maimonides said it was only at thirty that one had the right to venture into the perilous world of mysticism. You must first study the basic subjects within your understanding (1-2).† His father was not sentimental, ever as the book states. This tells us that Elie and his father at this point had a relationship based on respect as so many Orthodox Jewish families had between fathers and sons. When the two arrive at the camp there is a change in the way that Elie and his father relate. His father said that he would have rather Elie to go with his mother rather than have to see what they were going to do to Elie. Then his father began to weep. This was probably one of if not the only time that Elie ever saw his father cry. In this part of the book Elie begins to feel his father’s love for him and his father begins to show emotion toward him. Elie and his father become more like a father and son with more based on love and emotion than respect and obedience. As the bo...

Pocahontas essays

Pocahontas essays The story of Pocahontas is well known, at least as it has been recorded by the Europeans. Many Indian nations including actual ancestors of the Powhatan tribe feel it is an inaccurate account of events. The Walt Disney Studios attempted to bring a story to the children of America. The objective was profit and entertainment so historical accuracy was overlooked. The 1995 Disney version of the story has dramatized the story of Pocahontas and John Smith. The writers and directors took obvious liberties and altered the story for the audience. The film directed by Mike Gabriel and Eric Goldberg seems to have held true in the overall European theory of the story. Basically, the daughter of a chief of a Native American Indian tribe fell in love with an English explorer and soldier and that romance affected the overall relationship and outcome of the meeting between the Native Indians and the English colonists of 16th century Walt Disney Studios used their creative animation techniques to present a story that seems as realistic as any full length motion picture. As is expected from the Disney Studio, there were many symbols and hidden meanings throughout the film which appeared to have been added to influence viewers. From talking trees to comic relief animals, the story is filled with various human, internal and external struggles that may have been wholly manifested by the writers and or directors of the film to show we can all live together in peace and harmony. Right from the beginning of the movie, Capt. John Smith is portrayed as a brave and heroic champion. In an early scene, the ship the colonists are crossing the ocean on is in the heart of a horrific storm. The captain is able to weather the situation better than all of the other sailors on the ship and continually moves through the storm as if he can fly. The focal point of the trip is when a sailor falls overboar...

Racial essentialism and Racial constructivism Term Paper

Racial essentialism and Racial constructivism - Term Paper Example Racial essentialism is a malady that affects the American population from pre-historic times to the modern world. The American population is largely divided into two races, which are the black Americans and the whites. The notions that hold the phenomenon of racial essentialism purport that some races are better than other races, a factor that mostly triggers war between the white and the black people in the United States. The genesis of the racial segregation can be traced to the colonial times when the whites used to enslave Africans in their plantations as workers. The deep-rooted racism has not waned since most whites and blacks have been enemies in all spheres of life. America has been experiencing a subtle war between the two races for the longest period. There have been different cases of assassination of white people by black police or black people by white police. The underlying reason that propagates such atrocities is racial essentialism's notions. The most striking notion that propels such outrageous acts is that whites feel more superior to the blacks. On the other hand, blacks are vengeful since they believe that they are as superior as the whites in terms of intelligence, physical attributes, and work productivity and so they deserve equal treatment. The war that transpires between the two races occasionally is akin to a battle for race superiority. Thus, the reason is still coalesced into the notion of race or skin color. The war against racial prejudice in America.

How are women represented in Things Fall Apart Research Paper

How are women represented in Things Fall Apart - Research Paper Example African women are merely sex toys in the hands of African men. Each African male has the authority to select as much as wives he needs. On the other hand such liberties are not given to the female community. â€Å"Chinua Achebe shows women as having little to no power in society in his book, Things Fall Apart. Women are not only without protection, but also denied social status. They cannot meaningfully participate in social affairs† (Kramer). This paper analyses the women representations in Things Fall Apart. â€Å"In Igbo culture, women are considered weaker than the men and thus it’s an insult to men to be called an agbala (Agbala represents a person with no titles). Okonkwo is acutely aware of what it means to be a man in the Igbo tribe and is ashamed that someone might call him or his male relations agbala† (Things Fall Apart Gender Quotes). Okonkwo, the main male character in Things Fall Apart treated his wife as a servant. Because of his short temper and aggressive nature, his wife led a miserable life under fear. Okonkwo never allowed his wife to ask questions to him about any matters, including personal, social or family. Weak men in Ibo culture were insulted by others by calling them as women. For example, Okonkwo considered his father as a woman because of his laziness and carelessness. In a meeting which included so many other dignitaries, Okonkwo asked his father to leave the meeting saying; "This meeting is for men" (Achebe, p.28). The above fact clearly underl ines how severely Ibo women were humiliated by their male counterparts. â€Å"In fact, women count for so little in Igbo society that they are often not even addressed by their given names, but referred to by their relationship with men† (Things Fall Apart Gender Quotes). Women in Ibo society were treated as the second class citizens. Unlike other women in other parts of the world, Ibo women were not respected much in